No Escape

Shania was at the register with her back facing the store’s large front windows. Again, she felt the sensation of being watched. Unseen eyes bore into her back as she rang up half a dozen or so items for an old lady who had become sort of a regular. “Nice day out there, isn’t it?” the lady said. Shania glanced at the woman’s semi-toothless, banana-yellow smile and said, “Yes, it sure is. Wish I could be out there more to enjoy it.” “Such a shame to have to be cooped up indoors on a day like today, and as young as you are.” And even worse to be cooped up indoors for a year, she thought to herself. If only the lady knew, though she was certainly glad she didn’t! “Then again, you young folks need to make a living just as much as anyone else, right?” “Yes, ma’am,” Shania answered politely. The lady took her bag of purchases and slowly shuffled out of the store. This was the first chance Shania had in several minutes to glance out the window. A slender young woman of average height with long dark hair blowing in the breeze stood gazing at her, hands clasped together in front of her. The woman stood back just past the gas pumps. Once she saw that Shania had noticed her, she turned and walked off across the street toward Pretty Vista. Odd, Shania thought. By the end of her shift, she had forgotten all about the strange woman who had stood outside staring at her. All she could think of was escaping the store and picking up a few books at a local used bookstore, as she and Lauren had agreed to do the night before. Shania jogged back to the motel room and changed into a pair of pink shorts with a daisy pattern and a bright white tank top. Then she ran a brush through her long blond hair and even added a touch of makeup. When she was done, she parted the window’s dark drapes to watch for Lauren, who would be getting in any minute. Her heart would flutter every time she saw her enter the motel’s parking lot. She was so good-looking and such a wonderful person that Shania sometimes wondered just what in the world she ever did to get someone like Lauren. She still felt guilty at times for the way Lauren had put herself out on her account, even if it was by her own choice. Did she really even deserve such a wonderful person? From her vantage point, the end room on the right side of the Pretty Vista, just across the busy highway, was in plain view. Shania saw the door to that room open and out stepped the woman who had been watching her at the convenience store. There was something familiar about the woman’s gait as she headed toward Mollie’s restaurant. Before she could think about it and study the woman any longer, she spotted Lauren approaching the parking lot out of the corner of her eye. A wide smile formed on her lips. After Lauren washed up, they walked to the closest bookstore they could find. It was a long walk, but the exercise felt great, and the weather was perfect for it. By the time they returned with a couple of romance novels for Lauren and a couple of mysteries for herself, they were more than ready for dinner. “I’m famished!” Lauren exclaimed. “Me too,” Shania agreed. “Want to prepare the chicken while I tend to the potatoes and veggies?” “Sure.” “Anything exciting happen on the job?” Shania asked. “No, I pretty much keep to myself as much as I can. How about you?” “Well, some weirdo was spying on me, from the looks of it.” Lauren glanced over at Shania and frowned as she laid the chicken wings she had coated with breading onto a cookie sheet lined with tin foil. “Spying on you?” Shania nodded and filled her in on the strange woman’s behavior. “That is weird. You mean you had this feeling of being watched?” “Yes. It was just like the other day down by the tracks, though I never saw anyone that day. This time, I got the feeling, turned around, and there she was. I know right where she’s staying, too. I saw her come out of the end room across the street on the right when I was looking out the window watching for you to drive in. There was something familiar about her walk too, but I can’t put a finger on it.” “I’m sure it’s nothing. A lot of people have similar body movements and mannerisms. Just be careful and stay alert, okay?” Shania nodded, unsure if being careful and staying alert would be enough to save them. She had a nagging feeling that she and the woman were somehow connected. The question was, did she insist that they move to be safe? Or did she hope she was just being paranoid? After all, when one was running from the law, didn’t they tend to be suspicious of just about everyone? No, she decided. She wasn’t suspicious of any of the motel owners. Nor was she suspicious of any of its guests or anyone who worked at the store. Then why was she suspicious of this one woman in particular? Just because she was watching her? But maybe she hadn’t been watching her, she tried to reason with herself. Maybe she had been watching for someone else. But who? No one else had been in the store once the old lady left, and the old lady had headed in the opposite direction. It continued to gnaw at her mind, even after they’d eaten and Shania had gone to luxuriate in a raspberry-scented bubble bath while Lauren offered to wash and dry the dishes. She’d been soaking in the tub for about ten minutes when Lauren came in and knelt down at the side of the tub. “How ya doing, babe?” she asked with concern. “Okay,” Shania said, smiling softly. Lauren picked up her washcloth and began to gently caress her chest with it. When she lowered the washcloth to her stomach, Shania felt a faint stirring begin between her legs. Her arousal grew as Lauren dropped the washcloth even lower. She moved the cloth suggestively, finding her most sensitive spots as Shania spread her legs invitingly. Suddenly, Shania felt herself growing very hot. She sat upright and said, “You’re making me awfully hot in what’s already a very hot situation.” Lauren chuckled. “Guess you’ll have to come on out then so I can cool you off.” Shania rose and pulled the tub’s drain to let the hot water escape. Then she stepped out and into the towel which Lauren held open for her. Lauren dried her every peak and valley with the utmost pleasure and care, deepening both their desires. By now their hearts were racing, and their breathing was becoming somewhat ragged. Lauren led her to the bed and quickly took off her clothes. Shania watched as she lay in a suggestive position on the bed. Lauren laid her body gently atop Shania’s and began to move up and down against her in soft, sensual movements. Her movements quickened and became more fluent as their need escalated. Their nipples rubbed together, sending waves of delight throughout Shania’s body. Warm moisture grew between her legs, intensifying her need for release. Sensing how close to climaxing she was, Lauren slid down further on the bed and began to lap hungrily at Shania’s pussy, tongue darting up and down her clitoris and occasionally inside her wet, slick opening. When it was over, the two lay entwined in each other’s arms until their hearts beat normally once again. ________________________________________ She watched with determined patience from her hideaway across the bustling highway of semis, RVs, and other vehicles. She couldn’t believe her luck when she had first spotted her with that damn bitch who was a party to her escape, the one rumored to be her lover, not surprisingly. She figured Shania was gay by the way she seemed to lack interest in guys. She had been sitting in Mollie’s toward the back of the restaurant when they entered the front of the place and were seated in that area. She saw through their disguises right away. She had never seen the therapist in person before, but she recognized her from her news photo, even with her hair a good ten inches longer, which she knew was a wig, since no one could grow their hair that fast. Shania didn’t look half bad as a blond, and the many stares she received from the men in the restaurant seemed to confirm this. Despite her change of hair color, there was no mistaking that face. That innocent-looking face hadn’t changed a bit. She had hurriedly finished her cherry pie and gulped down her coffee before they could see through her own disguise, and exited by way of the back door. Then she put on her sunglasses and sat on a nearby bench until they came out of the restaurant, and watched them cross the street to the motel directly across from hers. Because she couldn’t see the numbers on the door from across the street, she counted how many doors from the left they entered, since they were closer to that end of the row than the right. She reached to turn up the heat. Oregon was a chilly place, and already she missed San Diego. So many people from California wanted to venture out to places like Boston, New York City, Chicago, or Miami, but not her. No, she was just fine in southern California. She’d even go to northern California before she would head east or further north. Lighting a cigarette, she realized that it was important for her to somehow learn their routines. She wanted to get Shania alone. She couldn’t risk that other bitch getting in the way and fouling up her plans, so she would learn as much as possible before she took action. Thus far, she’d learned that Shania only worked on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while her partner in crime worked Monday through Friday. She also learned that she got in a half-hour ahead of the therapist when she did work. But how would she get to the bitch? She couldn’t just knock on the door and expect to be let in. She pondered the situation well into the wee hours of the night. Finally, she came to the conclusion that there was only one way to get into the room without making a scene.