F. Hemmingway - The kidnapped couple

Stan turned the ignition key. The starting motor whirred, turning the engine over. It didn't start.

"The damn motor must be colder than I thought!" he growled.

He tried it four more times before he decided there must be something wrong. His temper was short, as he climbed from the cab to open the hood. He peered into the engine compartment, attempting to spot the trouble.

Harry Williams, who had been watching, now, for some minutes, chose this time to saunter down the road, and as Stan raised the hood, Harry was there, in a moment, to peer inside with him.

"Trouble…?" Harry queried.

Stan looked up with annoyance, "Yeah… the damned thing won't start for some reason!"

"Plenty of gas?"

"Yeah… I filled up, yesterday."

"The battery's okay… I heard it turning over…"

"It's not firing… at all!" Stan grumbled, examining some of the ignition wires.

"Why don't you try it, again… and I'll watch and listen to see if I can spot your trouble…" Harry suggested.

Looking up to see the interested and concerned stranger, Stan saw a big, bluff, barrel-chested man, greying slightly at the temples, who smiled at him through friendly green eves. The man's hands, resting on the truck's fender, looked hard and capable, and Stan was glad of the help offered.

"Okay!" He got into the driver's seat, again, and turned the ignition key. The engine turned over with the starter, but still did not catch.

Under the hood, out of Stan's sight, Harry switched a wire back to its original place. The motor made encouraging sounds of starting.

"Oh, there you are, Harry… I've been looking all over for you!" It was a beautiful, black-haired woman dressed in tight slacks and halter top who walked up to the camper.

"Hi… Vivian… I'm just helping this gentleman get his truck started."

Lois got out of the cab and Vivian came around to the door to meet her. "Hello…" she said, pleasantly, "We're the Brewsters. I'm Lois… my husband's name is Stan."

Stan got out of the cab and joined the others. Introductions were made, and the two men went back to the problem of the non-starting engine.

"I just jiggled a couple of wires… a while ago… maybe that's all that's wrong…" Harry observed. "Let's try it, again!"

"I was just trying to convince Harry… that's it's too nice a day to just travel. I'm trying to get him to stay here in the park for another day, at least…" Vivian said, conversationally, to Lois, as the two women stood aside to watch.

"That's what I'd like to do, too!" Lois agreed. "But… Stan wants to keep moving…"

Harry switched another ignition wire. The engine coughed a couple of times and started. "That's it!" Harry called out.

Stan left the engine running and came to the front of the truck, again. Harry's wife was talking to him, urgently, trying to convince him of something, so he stood back waiting for them to finish. He wanted to thank his benefactor and be on his way. While he waited, he couldn't help noting the magnificent figure her clothing did little to hide. Damn! She's quite a woman… and she's got it all in the right places!

Finally, their low-voiced conversation finished, Harry Williams smiled at his wife and said, "Well… if that's really what you want… I guess I could try!"

Coming up to the big man, then, Stan began, "Mr. Williams I certainly do thank you… for…"

"Aw, hell don't thank me for anything! I just fiddled around with the ignition wires a little bit…" he rumbled, dismissing the subject. "Now… my wife, Vivian's been after me to stay here in the park for another day… and she wants me to invite you and your wife to go around and see the sights with us!"

"That's very nice… but…"

"Really… Mr. Brewster…" Vivian broke in. "Your wife and I were talking about it… and we both felt the same way… about staying here!"

"It's easy for me to unhitch our car… to drive around in!" Harry added.

"Let's do it, Stan…!" Lois enthused. "It'd be a lot of fun!"

"Besides… I like to make new friends!" Vivian smiled, directing a smoky gaze at Stan, her eyes sweeping over him, appreciatively. He's not too bad, really! In fact he looks better… the more I see of him!

Her hot look was not completely wasted on Stan. He understood it. She was interested in him… but what he didn't understand was the open way in which she did it. That bothered him… not that he was interested… but just on the principle of it. He sure as hell wouldn't want Lois going around giving guys — especially strange guys — the old come-on look! Christ!

"We could have dinner… somewhere… together…" Harry invited.

"Maybe a few drinks…?" Vivian suggested.

"Well… I don't know…" Stan was undecided. That open invitation in Vivian's provocative look was tempting… but…

"It's vacation time… and we go out so seldom… Stan! Why don't we do it…?"

"There're a lot of interesting things… we can do…" It was Vivian, again. Her tongue flicked out to lick her lips. Stan was sure it was a second signal, not just a nervous tic. It was too sensually fraught with meaning. Damn it… I wonder if its for real… or is she just a teaser!?

"All right!" His mind was made up, then. "We'll stay… and see the sights with you… but let me stand the dinner, tonight… in appreciation for your help just now Mr. Williams!"

"Let's knock off that Mister stuff! I'm just plain old Harry… to my friends!" Williams grinned jovially. "And I'll call you Stan… Okay…? And, your lovely wife…?"

"Lois…" Stan supplied, noticing that the other man's eyes swept like a lingering caress over her body.

"… And, I'm Vivian!" Her smile was dazzling.

It didn't take them long to get organized. Cameras and light sweaters were loaded into the Williams' car, which was quickly and easily unhitched from the trailer, and the two couples were off to do the things tourists do.

They followed the map printed in a park brochure, driving to lookout points and various natural attractions of the area. The conversation sparkled, as it always does when people are newly acquainted, comparing views, relating experiences… getting to know more about each other.

Several times, as they walked to or stood at guard rails enjoying the panorama of the vista point, Vivian's body brushed against Stan's… and once, as he stood behind her, her hand swept across his groin, accidentally; however, the caressing feel she gave him, with her fingers, told him it was on purpose. It bothered him. Christ! I really do wonder… now… what her game is? The thing that really made him cautious… was that she did it in front of her husband. Oh, she's sneaky about it… but hell… I don't want to get involved, in any way… with any woman… while her husband's around! What's she thinking about… anyway?

He was flattered, of course… but his built-in sense of decency wouldn't allow him even to think about a dalliance… attractive and beautiful as Vivian Williams was! The first chance I get… I'll have to put her straight! She's wasting her time… as long as Lois… and her husband… are in the picture!

Harry stopped for lunch in the village, insisting the four of them all have a full meal instead of a snack. He ordered up martinis to sharpen their appetites. As they had gotten into the booth, Vivian sat next to Stan. He was uncomfortable about it, especially when he felt the long, warm taper of her thigh pressed close against his.

Stan tasted his martini. It was good; then, as he tried to follow some conversational gambit of Harry's, a long, involved story concerning some happening in his work, Vivian's hand stole over to his thigh, her fingers feathering upward toward his crotch. Damn! She's persistent…! And, there was no doubt in his mind, any longer, concerning her intentions.