Sunset was awaken from a deep sleep , almost afraid to move. The air , heavy with a scent of something unfamiliar and yet so sweet. Her heart ached, as if hearing a distant voice trying desperately to be heard. Another heart reaching out from another place or time. A single tear falls softly to meet the pillow , without reason or explanation. She walked through the house, recognizing shadows . A patio door stood open. The trees swayed in a gentle breeze. A wind chime tinkled a crisp, soothing melody. Sunset filled a glass from the tap. The cool drink only made her yearn for something sweeter on her lips. A glance towards the dark sky from a near-by window shows thousands of stars ,sparkling like diamonds. She wondered if there is anyone else at that very same moment , looking at those very same stars , searching the heavens for an answer to the sadness in their soul. She turns suddenly, as though hearing the faint whisper of a lover calling from the darkness. Then silence. She felt something brush against her skin, as if tender lips stealing a kiss. Sunset settles into her favorite chair, pulling a blanket from the floor, drawing it over her shoulders. She curls among the soft, warm rolls. She runs her fingers through her long, golden hair. Wrapping her arms around her shoulders , constricting gently , as though receiving an embrace from the darkness. Her thoughts drift aimlessly. A stranger holds her heart . She wonders what color his hair is. Closing her eyes , straining to vision dark ,flowing ,yet pulled back to expose his face. His eyes soft , yet deep , as though looking into a novel filled with countless tales of intrigue. His mouth . Lips soft , full . A smile which can do no less than be hypnotic with every spoken word. Hands ,firm ,strong . Arms, sweeping her from her feet with little or no effort , as though floating on air. His heart , most of all , must be warm , understanding , even child like in innocence. Could there be such a man , or has she dreamed such features , which could not possibly exist in one person , to avoid from being hurt. But this lonely heart won’t give up without a fight.

Her eyes burn with the swelling of warm tears , which now flow freely down her face. A dim light catches her eye . The sun is rising . A new day begins.

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Frigid winds blew across the high plains as the stranger drove into town. Getting out of his car , stretching. His 6 foot form , striking. His chiseled features held dark glasses ,which when removed revealed his valintino eyes. His stance reflected confidence , an arrogance if you will. The back of his jacket stated World Champion . His reputation towards his opponents , surrender by submission ,through very calculating maneuvers. His women were treated no less. Seth moves through the lobby ,just as easy as you please. Nameless faces stare in awe. Another town ,another show.

Pulling his small travel case down the dark hall ,he stops in front of 157 ,sliding the credit type key in the lock. He opens the door . while stretching his neck from side to side he removes his black leather jacket , draping it across the back of a chair ,then collapsing onto the bed. After a few minutes he opens his eyes. Mildew stains stand out in the corners of the ceiling. Missing paint chips are remaining signs of previous Tenants . He sits, facing the table which displays several telegrams and flowers . Words of praise and endearment fill each page. Women , hoping to be a decoration hanging from his arm that evening . Surely, the envy of the town. Seth rubbed his chest. That re-accuring ache in the center of his chest again. Dismissing it as heartburn , he searches for a bottle in his bag. Downing a number of it’s contents , which tasted terrible , but help. He takes a picture from a side pouch . Seth and his brother last Christmas. They were close, he missed him . More than words could express . Setting the picture on the stand next to the bed, he thinks aloud ,” I’ll call you soon”.

Hoping a shower will lift his spirits , Seth turned on the water. Steam filled the room. Wiping the mist from the mirror , he debates if he needs a shave. Letting his hair down , he climbs in the stream. The scalding water hits his body . In a distant trance , he wonders what escapades are in store for him tonight . All the mindless chatter , empty compliments . Parties , friends , beautiful women. Yet some how something doesn’t feel right . Something is still missing. All that those people want is to be near the fame, the persona. Could he ever meet a lady who could want him for himself. Sit at home in front of a good movie , a warm fire , just talk. God , all I want is someone to talk to . Touching his chest once again, he groans. Heartburn again . Unaware of the passing time ,Seth is shocked back to reality by the frigid water now streaming from the shower. Searching for a towel from the rack , he steps out on to the cool tile floor.

After an hour of mental preparation ,Seth puts on his smile , it’s show time. He grabs the door handle but is stopped by the sound of the phone ringing . Picking it up , hoping to hear a friendly voice on the other end, Seth chimed out a hearty “ Hello”. No such luck. It was the civic arena director. The show had been canceled.

Seth grabbed the drapes , giving a tug. A near blinding whiteness appears. A blizzard had come up from no where ,stranding the majority of the show in another town and Seth , alone ,in the middle of no where. Great , just great! Although he had all sorts of extra work to do to pass the time, phone calls to make , it just didn’t seem to take away the claustrophobic feeling of the room . If he had to stare at those drab browns and oranges much longer , he would surly go mad. It was time to venture out and check out his surroundings . Grabbing his cap , taking one last look in the mirror , he departed the room.

********************

Under normal circumstances , a Monday would have left the motel quiet and vacant , but the hallways Were alive with activity. Travelers also stranded by the storm were seeking shelter for the evening. Laughing children raced up and down the hallway. Two boys, fighting over a hand held game , came towards Seth . One boy stopped in his tracks , grabbing the other by his shirt. Pointing at Seth, “It’s him , it’s the Heartbreak Kid”. “No way”, the other boy says , more interested in the game he was playing , “it doesn’t look a thing like him , come on”. Seth gave the boy a wink and a confirming smile as they raced off. The air hung thick with the scent of chlorine and cheap perfume . The lobby , very rustic in appearance, gave you the impression of being on a ranch in Texas or Montana . Animal brands marred the walls . A dark leather chair positioned near a burning fire was a welcome sight. It was comfortable enough to make him feel home sick. He thumbed thru a few brochures left on the table , read the local paper . Pictures of famous show people, who had once stayed there, speckled the walls. Almost shrine like in appearance . Obviously for the tourists who want to experience a bit of nostalgia or a taste of the old west.

He made his way towards the lounge. The door gave quickly when he pulled the handle, a lady was pushing on it to leave. The air was a grey haze. Several murals of cowboys riding the range , lit with black lights , adorned the walls. Following the colors lead your eyes upwards to a black ceiling of duct work. A bucket below, catches water dripping from a leaky pipe . A man screeching out his version of achy-breaky heart along with a kariokee machine nearly makes him cringe. Behind a black-jack table he sighted a portrait of a topless dancer. Smiling, sensual in pose. There, I’m sure, to take the people’s minds off of losing their money. Sarcastically , he wonders what she’s doing tonight.

He chose a chair at the bar , near the t.v. Glancing up , he noticed a wrestling program was on . he knew everyone ,grinning to himself. A man , trying to be Garth Brooks in appearance ,working on killing his last brain cell spouts “ turn that shit off, it’s all fake anyway”. “I want my MTV”. Several members of his group , all resembling the same in appearance and drowning brain capacity , chimed in “ we want our MTV”. Seth , who had his back to the group, turned to observe the scene. The bartender reluctantly gave in , just to shut them up. On the dance floor a number of woman ,trying way to hard to be Cindy Crawford in appearance were muttering their way thru a line dance sequence. “Man” , Seth muttered to himself as he turned back to face the bar ,nearly brushing faces with the bartender who was observing him , trying to decide if Seth looked like the type that would be trouble or not. “What’s your poison”, a heavy set man bellowed , rotating a toothpick in the corner of his mouth. “A beer”, Seth replies. The man turned , bent down to small fridge below the counter , revealing his plumbers crack to the world on his way down . Seth hangs his head , laughing to himself , he mumbles-God , why me!! At that point ,Seth figured even the rest of the night in his room in front of the tv had to be better than subjecting himself to this ,but in a way ,it was quite amusing.

Seth lost himself in thought ,for what had to have been quite some time. He glanced up from his beer, which was luke warm ,to a mirror which lined the wall behind an assortment of liqueurs. In the reflection he saw the features of an angel . He glanced over quickly , then back to his glass . She was really there , not his imagination . He watched her from the mirror , so she wouldn’t catch him staring. She looked so out of place here , different somehow from the rest. She picks up an orange slice , breaking off small pieces , putting them in her mouth .Seth’s heart was pounding . He was wishing to be a piece of orange at that very moment. So preoccupied with her mouth , he didn’t see her notice him watching her . Their eyes met. Seth turns away , embarrassed . Normally he would have gone over to introduce himself , but for some reason ,he couldn’t get off the chair . He had never been tongue-tied before-ever! She smiles shyly . Another drink appears in front of Seth. “It’s from the lady”, ” she said you look like you could use one”.

The man chuckles, raising his bushy eyebrows in her direction . Seth turned to see which direction she had gone. The bartender motioned towards the billiards room. Maybe the night wouldn’t be a total loss after all.

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Mondays were the most anticipated day of the week for Sunset. (Suni to her friends) She would take extra time getting dressed . A lot of pampering ,a long, hot bath , do her hair, wear her favorite perfume. She has a natural beauty about her so she wears very little make-up. Clothes she thought made her look her best were the finishing touches. This was a night for her .Not to look good for anyone else ,or bee someone’s woman. Not to pick up men , but most defiantly to talk about them . No boyfriends or spouses allowed . A night to exchange stories and secrets . Just girls out having fun.

She chose her black satin jeans and green silk shirt , which complimented her hair. Bring out the golden color ,which spirals to her waist. “the Rose” can be heard playing on the radio from another room . She sighs softly , listening to the words . It seemed a sad song. Keep focused . A quick phone call to Anne , to make sure everything was still a go. Grabbing her snakeskin boots , she heads for the door. One final look in the mirror. There was an electricity in the air tonight, something going to happen , she felt it.

The weather was turning bad. Snow was coming down heavy. Suni , thinking of yet more fun , reassured Anne that they shouldn’t have any problems , her truck had 4-wheel drive and she would bring her cell phone ,just in case. Their favorite place was the Rustic Inn . Not for it’s atmosphere , but for it’s uninhabited billiard room . No one to harass or pester you.

The lobby looked quiet enough . Anne says hi to Sarah ,the desk manger for the night ,on the way through. She said it’s been pretty crazy all evening ,due to the weather. The girls headed for the bar.

Giving the door a pull , a smoke cloud tumbled out to greet them. Stepping inside, Suni swiped at the air to disperse the cloud in front of them .She had never seen so much plaid and polyester in one room in her life . “Do we have great pickings here tonight or what”! The girls looked at each other and bust out laughing. They headed for the billiard room. Only a few people. Soon they had won a table and after playing a few songs on the jukebox ,which were less than appreciated by the remaining people in the room ,it was theirs.

Several other ladies joined and left the group .After a few games of skill and a lot of slop ,it was Suni’s turn to buy a round of drinks .As she made her way to the bar ,eyes turned to check her out .But she doesn’t seem to notice .Carl ,the bartender ,was a nice enough guy ,but you could see the letch in him ,just under the surface .He never seemed to look you in the eyes when taking your order ,as if trying to guess what color your underwear you were wearing or estimate the size of your chest. Suni gave him her order ,then leans over the counter ,checking for the ever present plumber crack. She smiles. Yep ,still there.

She eyed a fruit tray on the counter. Cherries, hum. The oranges look delectable. She picked one, breaking it into pieces , rubbing the sweet juice across her lips ,then eating it. A droplet clung to the corner of her mouth. She reached for a napkin .As she glanced in the mirror to dab the juice , she spied a set of eyes studying her. She too , studied him. Obviously not from here. Great eyes! He doesn’t look like he’s having much fun .Their eyes met for just an instance ,which sent her pulse racing .She knew this man was something special .His bullet had found it’s score.

Carl tapped his hand impatiently on the bar ,”This isn’t a salad bar you know ,you gonna pay for this now or start a tab”.

“I’ll run a tab and send that guy down there a drink, he looks like he need a boost”. Not being the forward type ,Suni retreated back to the room .After all , there was more safety in numbers. She stopped just inside the door , nearly breathless . Clutching her chest , she motions to Anne. The two girls peak around the corner . Suni points out the unbelievable guy she had seen at the bar. Seth turned in his chair ,facing the room .The ladies ducked back inside ,in a huddle of girlish giggling ,fanning their faces .as though they had just eaten something very spicy .They made there way back to the table.

The front door opened .A roar of laughter filled the room .Wolf calls followed a small blonde into the room. She daringly glanced back over her shoulder as she disappeared into the next room .The men that entered were enormous in size ,blocking the light coming from the doorway .It was Kevin and Chris .Seth shook his head in embarrassment and yet he had never been so glad to see his friends.

They had gotten bored and decided to brave the weather .The rest of the group would be there when ever the roads opened . After brief greetings , talk of the weather and the accommodations ,the men set their sights on more pressing matters-what to do for the rest of the night . Seth knew of the perfect challenge.

**************************

The three men entered the billiard room ,making their way towards a pinball machine in the far corner. Pretending to be interested , but actually checking out the entire room and it’s occupants . Each made their selection of target known ,so as not to get in the way of any one else’s fun . Seth searched franticly for Sunset . He knew her face in a instant . Her small frame , leaning against the juke box . He held up his drink , a gesture of thanks. She smiled , nodding back . Time to break the ice.

Forming a unified front , the three men approached the table. “Good evening ladies,” Chris smiled brightly “We’re not from around here and were wondering if you ladies would happen to know where we could find a little excitement “. Chris nudged Kevin with his elbow. “Maybe we could challenge all of you to a game of skill”? once again a nudge to Kevin’s side . Suni was bent over the end of the table , positioning her stick for a shot .She glances up from the table . Her eyes meeting Seth’s. Not taking her eyes from his , she makes her shot , dropping the 8 ball. “Sure ,why not”. An Allman tune -I’m no angel- blasted from the juke box in the corner. Very appropriate for all present .

Beings there were so many people wanting to be a part of the challenge ,there needed to be a process of elimination . Suni excused herself. Back momentarily with a plate , which held 6 cherries. “The first game of skill , put the cherry in your mouth ,tie the stem in a knot , without using your hands”. “The first girl and guy to do so , get the first match”, Suni stated with a challenging glance towards each guy. The men knew they had been had . All set forth to the task at hand . If someone had walked into that room in those moments , they would have thought they all had rabies . The facial gestures , body language and grunting sounds alone were no less than hysterical. Chris and Stacy were the first victors , Suni will play Kevin and Seth with Anne . Names were exchanged , hands shook and the games began. Pep talks often occurred in each team’s camp . Foul play introduced itself .Unintentionally hitting a stick , balls being moved ,even a provocative gesture ,to distract the eye from a shot . But all in fun . Amused by the antics , Suni sat back in a chair ,Taking a sip of a drink she had been nursing for quite some time. It was warm and flat. “Can I get you a new drink ”? Seth appeared over her shoulder .” no ,but thank-you” Suni said sweetly, hoping he would continue talking. “It’s going to be awhile before either one of us has a game ,so how about a dance”? His hand appears in front of her.

Taking his hand , they wondered to the dance floor . Among several other couples , they began to sway. Not really going with the music ,but it didn’t matter. It could have been total silence and they would have danced to the music they were feeling together . Not knowing what to say ,where to start , Suni simply leaned her head in towards his shoulder , letting the rest of her body relax in his arms ,as though a marionette on dangling strings. Her mind , reading the messages the rest of her body was sending .His hand , large ,firm - yet soft . Shoulders- perfect height to lay your head against. Feeling his body against hers made her insides feel a flutter- butterflies!! She actually felt butterflies . A smile appeared on her face.

Trying not to be too obvious , Seth turned his head ,as though glancing around the room .Stopping near enough to feel her hair brush against his face. Eliminating other odors lingering in the air; cigarette smoke , stale beer , he caught the scent of flowers! Her hair had the aroma of lilacs. He breathes in deeply. Not daring to admit it to himself , he too had butterflies. But his felt more like bats!! The one thing he yearned for most at that moment was to taste her mouth , which he had been fixated with since he first saw her .Be patient. For some reason he wanted this evening to be different than the others. He wanted the night to be special ,wanted her to be special. In the mean time don’t say or do anything really stupid to chase her off. With a faint tug , he pulled her closer.

The evening seemed to be flying by, minutes , hours. Almost afraid to move or the moment would be Done .What felt like a lifetime in his arms was shattered when Chris won his match and was letting everyone in the tri-state area know it.” We’ll finish this later”. Seth winks , taking her hand ,drawing her back towards the group.

Kevin was standing in ready stance , cue in hand . Suni won the coin toss for break. Lining up her shot, oblivious to the chatter meant to break her concentration , she closes her eyes. Follows thru . A dead silence hung in the air . Afraid to open her eyes , she peeks out one eye at open jaws . She had dropped the 8 ball on the break. An explosion of cheers came from the girls camp. In total shock , she looks over towards Seth who was beaming an approving smile , which was quickly stifled by a back hand to the chest from Kevin. “Who’s side are you on anyway”. Kevin grunted. Seth rubbed his chest , laughing at the record time his friend was defeated.

Seth knew what he had to do. Help the men’s team save face . The ladies pulled out all the stops. But he shook off all attempts of distraction . Then something caught his eye. Suni had taken a drink straw , speared a cherry and was about to put it in her mouth. “Now you stop that, that’s almost more than a man can take”. He jokingly falls to his knees . Everyone looked at Suni , expecting to see her cheating some how , but saw nothing . Suni smiled deviously , yet acting totally innocent to the action . Seth shook his finger at her then turning his back to her, he lines up a much more difficult shot than he had first planned . But just knowing she was sitting behind him was distraction enough . He proved victorious! Turning to face her , he takes a bow. Suni holding the now naked straw , smiled. The cherry , being held gingerly between her teeth , disappears behind a tortuous smile. He may have won the game but Suni had won the contest. Playing wounded, he retreated back to the men’s camp to plan the final matches.

The semi-final match put Suni against Chris . Seth would play the winner of that match for the championship . Though evenly matched , Chris went down in flames . Being one for a drama, he grabs a number of items; drink straw , pool cue, trying to run it thru his heart . Falling to the floor , sulking. “ I know you hate to lose but are you about through” Kevin loomed over him. Chris jumped to his feet, challenging Anne to a game of pinball. “That didn’t last long”. stated Stacy , shaking the amused look from her face.

With everyone talking of Chris’s antic , Suni took that point in time to excuse herself . Exiting the side door , to the lobby. The first breath of clean air in hours felt refreshing. Looking out the window , the weather was worse than ever. You could hardly see the cars in the lot out front . She asked Sarah if she had heard a road report. No travel advised. Suni was feeling good, maybe a little to good to drive , especially with the weather. She decided the best thing to do was to stay put for the night. Tossing her credit card on the counter , she got a room for herself and her friends . Seth , Kevin and Chris came out the door, heading for the restroom. “You coming back in “ Seth joked with a devilish smile.” You aren’t getting out of our match that easily”.

“I’ll be right in , just taking care of something “. Suni signed her name to the bill, glancing over her shoulder to Seth.

Back at the table , Anne and Stacy mentioned their concerns on the weather. Suni handed each one of them a key to the room .Just about that time ,Carl gave a holler for last call. Seth came up beside Suni , with a disappointed look. Their game would have to wait for another time , along with their dance. Would there be another time? Kevin came thru the door just as Carl made his announcement . Too hyped to turn in just yet , the guys suggested moving the party to one of the rooms for yet another game of skill. Kevin nudged Seth , wink , wink!! Chris appeared “everything’s all set , do we want something to drink”? Everyone started gathering their things . Suni hesitated , not sure this was such a good idea. ”You ready” Seth extended his hand to meet hers. Suni stalled . ”Don’t worry “. “I won’t let anything happen” , ”Trust me ”. Seth’s hand still waiting for hers, she accepted. Safety in numbers . Right!

*************************

The walk down the hall was festive , to say the least . Everyone trying to shush each other , making more noise than if they had just talked out loud to begin with . They ended up at Chris and Kevin’s room . It was the largest of the three rooms . A bellhop was leaving as they approached the door. “All set up “,” Do you need anything else”? The boy sums up everyone teetering in the doorway. “We’ll let you know”. Kevin pats him on the shoulder and hurries him out the door.

Setting before them was a large round table .In the center was placed an ominous deck of cards. This could get really out of hand Suni was thinking to herself . Suni and Stacey placed themselves at the table . Everyone else made their way to a small bar that had been set up on the other side of the room. Chris was making Anne a drink , a very stiff drink from the look of it . Ulterior motives at work . Once everyone had found a chair .

Chris started shuffling the cards. “What’s it going to be”? “ 5 card draw , up and down the river”,” strip poker”? raising his eyebrows at Suni and Stacey ,who were sitting across the table from him .Seth sat down next to Chris. He thought about sitting next to her. This way he could see her face. Chris dealt the cards. Fanning them in her hand , Suni was happy with what she saw.

“Wait a minute” Seth piped in over the chatter “What are we going to use to bet with”/ Pockets were pretty much tapped out from the bar.

Kevin grins broadly “Oh no ,what shall we do”? Raising his eyebrows , putting his hands to the sides of his face. “Well ladies , the wager is pretty a steep one”,” are you in or out”?

Anne and Stacey chimed in immediately “Put up or shut up”.

Seth looked over at Suni “Let’s think of something else”.

“It’s okay ,I’m in”. She said with an uncomfortable shuffle in her chair. She knew she would be okay for this hand but the rest of the games should be very interesting .

Beings the men were at a disadvantage , lacking in ornamental wear, jewelry was banded from wager material . After several hands , if there were teams ,the men were definitely ahead . All shirts were off , laying in small heaps on the floor next to it’s victor. All three women were in bras ,very obviously noticing how cool the room seemed to be.

Eyeing her newest hand Suni once again shuffled in her chair . Seth saw her uncomfortable movement . He slid his foot under the table , searching for her . She felt something brush the calf of her leg . Glancing up from her hand , seeing Seth’s eyes looking over a fan of cards .”You still okay with this”? he whispers across the table . Suni exhaled heavily , trying hard to give a reassuring nod . She had survived another hand but the antis were getting a little to rich for her taste. She got up from the table , heading for the bar to make a drink . Straight orange juice. No one would know she wasn’t drinking alcohol anyway. Someone needed to keep a clear head .

Seth came up behind her , putting his hand on her bare shoulder . Her skin was soft ,warm . His touch sent goose bumps down her back . “How are you really doing”? Seth asked with a note of concern . Once again exhaling heavily ,rolling her drink glass in her hands ,a quick “ okay” spilled out. “I’m not a prude or anything. I have played strip poker before but I think things are getting a little carried away." She added.