In The Hands of a Stranger

Road Trip: Part 2

She was all for that idea. In a hotel room alone with Remy, the thought excited her. They traveled up a small hill until they got to the entrance door. The place looked worse up close than it did from the street.

"Don't look like much, does it?" Remy commented.

"No," she said. "But ah'm so tired, ah don't care." Once inside they saw that the place looked pretty nice. The lobby was clean although cheaply decorated. The front desk had a few nicks in it, but at least the place didn't stink.

"We'd like a room for the night?" Remy said to the clerk behind the desk.

"Sure, buddy, sign in, please."

"Got a place ah can keep my bike?"

"Hey, sure, you can lock it up in the back garage. It'll be safe. Here's your key, room 107, down the hall and to the right."

"Here," Remy said. "You go on to de room, and I'll go lock up da bike."

"Okay," she said.

She hurried down the hall until she reached room 107. When she walked in she saw it only had one large bed. Now, she started to get really nervous, but she was just so tired. She went into the bathroom and turned the shower on. How she needed one. She stripped herself of her clothes and stepped in. The water felt so good. Ten minutes later she stepped out and brushed her teeth. Her clothes were still dusty so she soaked them in some soap and water then hung them on the rod to dry. She wrapped a towel round her and exited the bathroom.

She eyed the large king-size bed. It was so inviting, and even though her hair was still a little damp, she crawled under the sheets. Sleep came easily and she drifted off.

Remy came back a few minutes later having gotten an extra key from the front desk clerk. When he walked in he saw Rogue was already asleep. She looked like an angel. He could see all she had on was a towel underneath the sheets.

Control yourself, Remy, he told himself. He turned around and headed for the bathroom. He took his clothes off and ran some cold water in the shower. Just being in the same room with her was making him crazy. Then he wondered, Why'd ya have ta pick her up in a bar. She way too classy a lady for dat. He noticed how she tried to wash her clothes. No wonder she was just wrapped in a towel. He put in boxers back on and walked out of the bathroom.

He could help but notice her as he walked back in the room. The mere scent of her intoxicated him. How desperately he wanted to be lying next to her. He just stood there watching her sleeping form admiring her magnificence. He touched his hand to her cheek. She stirred a little, moaning softly. She truly was an angel, his angel.

He walked over to the other side of the bed and slipped under the covers. Just the sight of her aroused his passion. He so desperately wanted to touch her, but he dared not. He closed his eyes hoping it would help, but he could still smell her. He was drunk with just the thought of her. It took every ounce of his willpower to control himself. He could no longer look upon her. The temptation was too much, so he turned his back to her. Sleep didn't come easy. Even after he closed his eyes all he could see was her, but soon exhaustion hit him and he drifted off into sleep.

Rogue woke up soon after to find Remy lying next to her. She looked under the covers and giggled to herself. Well, I guess ah now what ya sleep in. He was now lying on his back and she could no longer resist the need to be closer to him. She gently took his arm and put it around her. She loved feeling the warmth of his body heat. She was no longer afraid, not of him. She felt safe wrapped in his arms. She drifted into sleep once more.

As Dawn peeked through their hotel window, Remy awoke to see Rogue sleeping contently next to him. She looked so beautiful and helpless lying there, but a thought struck him. Had something happened the night before? It couldn't have. He would have remembered. He gently laid her head back down on the pillow as she moaned softly.

She must be dreamin', he thought. Wonder if it be 'bout me? A sly smile came to his face. Mus' be.

He quietly walked back to the bathroom to change. Since they both left in such a hurry a few days before, they really had no kind of traveling supplies. Rogue never complained, but he felt that she deserved better. He would fix that. He came back into the room and searched the nightstand for paper and pen. Yes, he found it. He'd leave her note so she wouldn't worry. And he didn't want her to think that he ditched her either.

As he reached the door he looked back at Rogue still sleeping peacefully. He blew her a kiss before he opened the door and stepped out. He reached the front desk where he saw a woman sitting.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he said. "Any stores around here where I can buy some clothes?"

"Sure, hon, there's a little strip down the ways, get jus' about anythin' ya need." She got up from her desk and leaned in closer to him. "Hal told me 'bout that pretty girl ya came in with last night. She your girlfriend?"

"Yes, ma'am, we be travelin'."

"Where ya headed, hon?" she asked.

"Don't know, we be findin' out when we get dere," he said as he made his way to leave.

About an hour after Remy's departure Rogue awoke. She looked to see that Remy was no longer there. Then she saw a piece of paper sitting on the nightstand. She leaned over and picked it up

Dear Rogue,

Went out to pick up some things. I didn't have the heart to wake you. Be back soon.

Remy

Oh, mah god, he's so sweet, she thought to herself. She kissed the note and laid it back down on the nightstand. She got out of bed still with the towel wrapped around her. She wondered what Remy must have thought when he saw her like that. He must have behaved himself because she was still wearing it.

Suddenly Rogue heard her phone ring. "Oh, god, no, ah hope it's not Bobby again." She scrambled to reach for it inside the nightstand. She looked at the caller ID. "That's not Bobby's number. Huh, don't recognize it. Oh, well. Hello?"

"Rogue, where the hell are you?"

"Logan," she said a nervous tone in her voice. "How's it goin'?

"That all you got to say? We're all goin' crazy trying to find you."

"Well, you can stop, 'cause ah'm fine. Ah jus' had tah get away. Ya do it all the time."

"When yah comin' back?" She got quiet all the sudden and refused to answer. "Rogue?" Still she wouldn't answer. "Rogue, I know you're there. Answer me."

"Ah ain't. Ah told Bobby that, and now ah'm tellin' you."

"Is this because of Bobby, 'cause if it is...?"

"No!...yea,...it was, but it's ain't anymore. Ah jus' don't belong there anymore. Ah got find mah own way now. So, please..."

"This is your home."

"Not anymore," she said sullenly.

"Rogue, I care about you. We're all worried."

"Don't be, Logan. Ah'm alright. In fact, ah better than all right."

"What do you mean by that?"

"None a your concern. Now if ah needed ya ah'd tell ya, but ah don't. So, please, let me be on mah own for a while. It's better that ah left."

"Call if ah need anything."

"Ah will, ah promise. Bye, Logan."

"Bye, darlin'"

She ended the call feeling a little guilty. Logan had been her friend at the lowest point in her life, and here she was turning her back on him. He only wanted to help. Why wouldn't she let him? It was because of Bobby she left, but it was because of Remy that she didn't want to go back.