Loves Journey

By Stokie Lee

Two people who have traveled different paths in life meet on an online dating site. They start out with weekend dates, but their love blossoms, even though they have to trod through some manure along the way. This is a Harlequin book with the good parts left in. Erotic and Suspenseful, the reader will be captivated and will find it hard to put the book down before they reach the end.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stokie Lee
• Release date: Nov 16, 2010
• ISBN: 9781458042033

Book preview

LOVE’S JOURNEY

by

Stokie Lee

SMASHWORDS EDITION

* * * * *

PUBLISHED BY:

Stokie Lee on Smashwords

Love’s Journey

Copyright © 2010 by Stokie Lee

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

CHAPTER 1

Love’s Journey

Kenneth sat in his chair watching TV, eating dinner on a tray, and washing it down with a cold Miller Lite. It was about the only thing he felt like doing lately since Kathy had left. It had been a year since the separation and divorce, but it seemed as though it had been only yesterday when she walked out the door because she was so unhappy in their relationship.

The TV was playing in the background, and he was a million miles away in thought. One of his colleagues, Frank, had told him about how he had met a girl online and that despite the odds, they were getting along great. Now he contemplated what Frank had said. But he didn’t even know what to do, or how to even begin to meet someone. Just then on the TV, a dating site was being advertised and he quickly wrote down the website address. Holding the sheet of paper in his hands, he thought, What the hell, I’ll go give it a shot. If Frank can do it, I feel that I can do it too.

He entered the website address and watched as it loaded on the screen. Hmmmm, he thought, they want me to answer many questions, and then they supposedly will be able to match me up with someone. Yeah, right. But he figured it was worth a try, so for the next hour he read the questions, and gave a lot of thought to each question as he answered them one by one. Finally, it said it was complete and in the next 24 hours he would receive an email telling him to log on and see who he had been matched up with. One last thing, he needed to take care of the payment for the service. Did he want to go month by month, quarter by quarter, or go for the yearly deal? He laughed to himself as he figured it would take a year to find even one person he could stand for more than a few days. But he paid for the monthly subscription, that way if he didn’t like it, or if they couldn’t come up with anyone who could possibly be a match for him, he wouldn’t be out any excessive money. It cost more doing it monthly than the quarterly or yearly plan, but he didn’t really believe it would work. So, he was willing to lay out the extra bucks each month when he paid his bills.

Sure enough, the next day there was an email saying that there were 2 women that he had been matched up with. One woman lived in a town nearby and the other one lived a couple of hours north of where he was. With some reserve, he logged online at the website and read the basic information about both women. Sally, who was 5 foot 5 inches, 105 pounds, worked as a paralegal at a law firm in town. He wondered which one, as there were several larger firms in the downtown area, and a few on the outskirts of town. Brianna was about the same measurements, but there was something in her picture that caught his eye, and he found himself glancing at her picture several times as he read the information that she had posted.

The website wanted both of them to take turns answering questions about themselves, and then finally they would be allowed to chat openly about what ever that they wanted to talk about. It took about 4 days for him and both of the women to go back and forth with the questions that each one chose each time, and the more he read of Brianna’s replies, the more his curiosity was peaked.

Sally was ok, and he found himself asking the question of whether he should pursue someone who lived so near and would be easier to access once it got to that point, or should he go for the one that seemed to make him want to know more and more about her. He finally decided on Brianna, and they started talking openly once all of the question sessions were completed. He did tell Sally that he wasn’t interested, and that he was pursuing another interest. She emailed back that she understood, and that she wished him the best of luck.

The one thing that kept nagging him in the back of his mind was the distance, but he thought that maybe it would give them time to get to know each other a little bit better in a less threatening environment. He had not dated anyone else except Kathy, so all of this was going to be new again to him. He admitted to himself that he was in hopes of finding someone who could fulfill the dreams and desires that he had missed for so long.

Just out of curiosity, he pulled up a program that he often used to find out where people were, or to plan routes for transportation, especially when he wanted to go for a ride in the country with his Harley. He noticed that the town she lived in was over 100 miles away. 100 Miles! How was he going to have a relationship with someone so far away? But he looked at her pictures again, and the eyes and that face intrigued him so much that he just had to find out who she was.

They began to talk on a popular internet chat program, and sometimes they would email each other. Neither one knew where the road would lead to, but as they talked, they both knew that they wanted to continue down the path that they were on.

It wasn’t long before she gave him her cell phone number and they talked for what seemed like only a few minutes but wound up being a couple of hours. She was too timid at first to share anything deep about her background. He found out that she was a widow of less than a year, and she confided to him that a deep sting still punched her in the stomach when she thought about the loss of her husband, and the guilt that she felt while seeking out a new relationship.

He assured her that he understood, and he would not be pushy or try to rush things. They shared many common interests in music, hobbies and things that they liked to do in their spare time. It was never hard for them to talk, whether online or over the phone, the conversation flowed freely.

Brianna, one thing I love doing is cruising on a casino boat for an evening. Do you enjoy a bit of gambling sometimes?

Yes, I love going to casinos, but I’ve never been to one on a boat. I’ve only been to the ones on the Indian reservations.

Well, why don’t we go to the one on the boat sometime? I think you would enjoy it, and it would be something different!

They discussed it many times, and finally she gave in and agreed to go. It would be a good place to meet publicly, and it would allow them some time to be able to enjoy the games just in case the night didn’t go too well.

I’m really unsure of myself, and how I will react to being with another man. I’ve never been with anyone but my husband, as we were childhood sweethearts.

Well, we’ll just give it our best and see what happens, Ken replied.

Finally, the time came when they agreed on a day and time to meet at a motel, and then they would ride together out to the docks where the ship would be docked in port.

One other thing Ken, would you mind booking our hotel for the weekend. I’m not comfortable doing it online.

Sure, I use one of the popular online booking agencies, and I’ll go on their site and find a fairly cheap room for us.

He checked later that day and found a motel that was only 6 miles from the very ship that they would be taking in just a few days. He booked a room with 2 queen beds, non-smoking of course. Everything was set; all she had to do was to show up. As each day progressed, they continued to chat on the internet and on the phone.

Hey Ken, what should I wear? Is it casual dress on the ship?

"Yes, make sure you have something comfortable to wear, and some good shoes to walk and stand in, as it can be tiring to your feet if you don’t.

Ken nervously counted off the days, then the hours until they would get to meet. He wondered what she would be like in person. Sure, they had exchanged pictures and a lot of information about each other, but this would be their first-time meeting face to face. What should he wear? Would she be turned off by his physical appearance? He still had about 20 pounds to lose, so he still had a small pooch to his belly that he was ashamed of. However, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that she seemed to be the kind of person that was not like that. She would look past the bit of fat and see in him what he truly was. She had started to awaken the feelings that were brought to him that he had experienced since the early years of dating with his ex-wife. Just as she put it, the warm fuzzies came frequently to him when they talked, or when he thought of her and him together. He picked out a blue pullover with a pair of brown Dockers, and a pair of walking shoes, because of the comfort part.

He looked at the Harley™, and at the convertible. Which should he take? The bike was the most economical choice, but the car was more comfortable and easier to pack for the trip. Plus, the thought of putting the top down on the way back from the ship that night so that they could enjoy the last of the evening breeze would be nice. Ken decided that gas prices would not be a factor in the decision. He packed the car and locked up the house and headed off to Brunswick.

The motel was easy to find, just off of the interstate. It was Ken who arrived first and checked in at the desk. He asked for the second key as a courtesy to her, so she could come and go as she wanted to. He knew he would be a gentleman no matter what. He did have morals, though he was human, but he wanted to do things right, and everything had its own time and place. He found his cell phone and called to check on her progress and she told him that she was just exiting the interstate onto the ramp. He quickly filled her in on where the room was located and for her to watch for the convertible. He would be waiting outside for her to arrive.

He recognized the car immediately from the description she had given him, and he waved to her so that she would know where to park. As she pulled in, their eyes met for the first time. She almost forgot she was still driving and bumped the curb a little before reality came swiftly back to her.

He didn’t notice her progress and almost had to jump out of the way as she pulled into the spot he had saved for her. How did I ever deserve to meet someone as beautiful as her? he asked himself as he continued to stare at her. Then he broke the gaze and at once remembered his polite ways and ran to open the door that was now partially open. As he came closer to the car, he noticed that she was wearing an off-white blouse and a pair of black slacks, with walking shoes as she got out of the car. God, she is even more beautiful than I thought she would be in person, was the first thing through his mind.

Welcome to Brunswick, and to our room that we will share for the night.

Brianna reached up and hugged him, brushing her lips lightly on his cheek and told him, Thank you for all that you have done to plan our outing. I am sure that I am going to be quite happy with our weekend.

She hit the button to open the trunk and he immediately went and grabbed her luggage, while she got her purse out of the car, and they both walked toward the room, smiling and making small talk. Brianna thanked Ken for carrying her things in, and then she looked around for the restroom and found it at the back of the motel room. It had been a long ride, and the stress of the ride made her need to use the facilities as quickly as possible.

Wow, he thought. She was as lovely as he expected, as he watched her walk to the back of the room. The shape of her body mesmerized him as he watched her walk. He found himself starting to feel that desire he had once known long ago. In addition, she was so well mannered too. He waited on her to come out and then realized that he himself needed to be excused in order to rid himself of some of the water he had been downing to keep his nerves in check on the trip. When he was done, he came back out to find her seated in the chair by the window. He looked at her slender frame highlighted by the light coming through the slight opening in the curtains. He froze for a moment and took it all in until he realized she was speaking.

Yes, we really should be going, he said as he caught his breath again. They both exited the room and he led her to the passenger seat of the car and held the door. He had been to the dock before, so the route was not foreign to him, but he watched Brianna’s reactions as she took in all of the sights and sounds as they rode along. Sometimes he would catch her glancing his way to look at him.

I have been working so terribly hard, and a few days away from everything will come in handy to get me relaxed and feeling like my old self again.

Ken acknowledged her. Yes, I have been so busy myself; it almost seems as if the weekend slipped up on me too fast. I think this weekend will do us both good.

The bridge could be seen in the distance. It was a long one that seemed to stretch into the heavens. They could now see the ship off to the side and up the road a bit, docked at the port with a small rectangular building not far from it.

That must be the office where we will pick up our tickets, Brianna said as Ken pulled into the parking lot.

Yes, I’ll try to get us a parking space as close as possible to it. Trust me, by the time you get off the boat, your feet are so tired you just want to get to the car and sit down.

Brianna smiled at that, and soon the car was parked in the lot.

Well, here we are. Are you ready to have some fun? he asked. Ken had been quiet for most of the trip so that he could let Brianna think as he could tell she was lost in thought. He was quite sure that it was about a lot of things, one of them possibly her late husband. Oh well, he would just have to get her excited and take her mind off of everything and hope that she was that one true special woman who could awaken him and bring him rushing to new heights.

He ran around to open her door. The tickets still needed to be picked up and paid for. They headed for the office and at the window when asked for the name, he gave his name, and the clerk at the window smiled, as he recognized him from previous trips. But the clerk didn’t recognize the lady. She was prettier than the one he usually came with. However, it wasn’t any of his business who this man was with. The crowd was growing at the ticket line as the time to board the ship was drawing near.

There were some wooden benches nearby so Ken asked Brianna if