chapter 1

Easily quelled with doses of over the counter aids but still...he hadn't been experiencing the dreamless peaceful nights before his charming new friend had worked her way into his life.

He groaned as he slowly became aware, feeling her nestled into his warmth, deep under the soft heavy comforter. He felt her arms around him, encapsulating his belly, one arm underneath, one over as they lay face to face; his nose buried in her soft curly hair.

He sighed luxuriating in the sensations, wondering what woke him. He felt her twitch and squeeze gently as she dreamed, but that was not it. Something else...an unfamiliar noise, unnatural in this forest wilderness he had carved a life out of.

She had been with him several weeks now, each day different than the last. Each day became a bright, sparkling, fresh air clean kind of day that she seemingly effortlessly breathed into his life.

She was still a mystery, when pushed about her history she became mute and downcast...so much so he finally gave up trying to learn about her and decided to just take each day as it came.

He felt her stir again in her sleep and press her face between his breasts, kissing him there and sighing, dreaming no doubt of their lovemaking of the previous night...or nights. She had been insatiable, to his delight, she was endlessly inventive in their positions created to accommodate his flexibilty...ok, to be truthful this growing belly of his.

He was definitely fatter in the few short weeks they had been together...he could tell by the way his clothes felt and the way his body moved as she gently but firmly helped him through their lovemaking.

He knew he was blessed and had no regrets...he also knew he could finally let himself go and let his body seek it's own level now that he had someone to care for him. He was no longer alone.

Bill settled himself down against Amanda's sleeping form and closed his eyes, breathing in her scent. God how he loved this little girl that was blossoming into a woman before his very eyes. Being out amongst nature seemed to be exactly what she needed in her life, whatever her life was. She did not seem to miss her old life because she never mentioned it. Sometimes he would see her eyes go dark without a noticeable reason, and then there were the few nights she would wake up screaming in cold sweats. But he would hold her close and she would cry into his soft chest, taking comfort in his huge body. But she never offered up an explanation.

He started to drift but was rudely awakened again by that blasted siren. Was he mistaken or was it coming closer? He was the only house out this far. Unless there was trouble in the woods, no one ever came out this far. Save for his lovely little woman next to him.

Yes, there was that noise again....a distant siren. That damn self important ass of a local sherrif. What is his name? Al? Sal? What the hell could be so urgent out here the idiot thinks needs he use his blasted siren.

The siren suddenly shut off just as it was getting to the point of being unbearable. He heard the crunch of tires coming up his dirt drive. He gently removed himself from Amanda's arms and shook her awake. "Honey, wake up. We have company."

She looked up at him with bleary eyes. "Who is it baby?"

"I think it's the sheriff..." he didn't have a chance to finish his sentence. Her eyes went wide with fear and she started to shake. "No, please no...don't let him take me. Please!" She grabbed his arm and looked up into his eyes with desperation. He was startled at her reaction. "Why are they going to take you? What happened?" She just shook her head and jumped as there was a knock on the door. "I'm not here. I was never here. Or better yet, I was here and I ran off. You tried to convince me to go in and I refused. I'll explain it to you later." She kissed him hard and turned to hide. She turned back around..."and baby....no matter what he says to you, don't believe him." With that she disappeared into the studio upstairs.

Shaking his head, mystified by her reaction he had no choice but to accept the situation.

"Very well," he called after her shapely disappearing rump, "just be quiet and I'll get rid of him.

Bill pulled the blanket around his naked form and stumbled to the window. His back was still giving him problems and both the extra weight and their sexual gymnastics last night did nothing to help.

His cabin was on a slight slope and the master bedroom was some distance off the graveled drive. Opening the window he looked down to see the person he suspected...and dreaded, that moronic sheriff from town.

"Morning chief" he called down, "what's all the ruckus. You woke me from a delicious dream."

"Knock off the chief bit, this is important Bill; we got an APB on a female runaway a couple of days ago. Asking around seems she was last seen down by the freeway a couple of weeks ago, so that puts her trail in your neighborhood."

"Days ago? Weeks ago? So why the siren? The switch get stuck again? And you sure took your time notifying the community. I can't believe you were ever elected...there's no one here except me and I've seen no one. Now clear out and leave law abiding people alone."

The sheriff stood there red-faced looking up at him, sputtering "now look here, I've a duty to uphold..." Bill cut him off.

"You've nothing to uphold. Anyway, what's this fierce Bonnie Parker master criminal done that you're so hot in pursuit to find her? And stay by your squad car, you're not setting foot in my place."

The sheriff backed against his car uneasily. "I don't know, only that she's wanted by the federal authorities...could be robbery, could be personal assault, grand theft...mine not to know, only that she's wanted and is supposedly be dangerous."

Bill snorted to himself and decided to finish the conversation. "Well sheriff, our mountain's safe, no blood thirsty female has been through here unless that empty headed postmaid counts. But rest assured if I spot a suspicious character I'll send word into town. Watch yourself on the road back."

He watched the suitably chastised sheriff climb back into his patrol car and seesaw it out the driveway and trundle down the long drive. "He's gone" he called out, "and I think I'm due a little history."