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9
Buck paused his Suzuki Hayabusa on the overlook above One-stop. He had decided to take an old mountain road back home to the valley. He removed his helmet and let the breeze flow through his black hair. He’d it cut while he was in the Springs, but it was still longer than the regulation length he wore when he was in the Marines, but it was still short enough not to have gotten him into trouble if he had been on active duty.
As he sat on his motorcycle looking out over the valley, he felt the weight lift from his shoulders. He was coming home. He never realized that in all the years since he left One-stop to join the military and see the world, that he would long to be back in this one-horse town. But after all the horrors he saw while serving he found himself longing for the peace of being home.
Safe.
It had only been a couple of days since he left, but it felt like a lifetime since he had seen Karma. Held her in his arms. Loved her.
That was the nail right on the head. He loved Karma. All the time he was gone he found his thoughts turning towards Karma at random moments of time. Wishing she was close by, so he could hold her in his arms and draw comfort from her loving nature.
He thought back to the phone conversation he had with her the first night after he left One-stop.
“Hello,” his heartbeat increased at the sound of her voice.
“Hello Beautiful.”
“Buck. How are you doing?” the darkness creeping back into his heart dissipated at the joy in her voice.
He sighed, running a large hand down his face as he sat on the edge of his hotel bed, “Its rough.” A huge sigh escaped him. “Harder than I thought it would be.”
“Is there anything that I can do for you?” Buck had received this offer many times over the pass day but coming from Karma it was different.
“You are doing it.” Just the sound of her voice was changing his world. He realized how true that statement was. She made a difference in his life. Her spirit touched his giving him a reason to live.
“I miss you,” she hesitantly whispered through the phone bring a smile to his face. It was hard to picture fierce, wild Karma being timid about anything. She took the world head on and damn the consequences. The hidden fire in her flaring to a blazing passion at a moment’s notice.
“I miss you too.” Smiling to himself as he felt the darkness fade away at each word that she spoke.
By time their conversation was over, Buck felt like a new man. Someone who was ready to face the challenges that life was throwing at him. He no longer had the desire to hide away from the world.
When the sadness and depression were overwhelming, he thought of her smile or the memory of her laughter and found a way to carry on. To make it through the difficult times. Now that it was over, he couldn’t wait to see her smiling face again. To feel the touch of her skin.
He tilted his head back and let the last of the evening sunshine warm the skin of his face. The sounds of the mountain reached him soothing his soul even further as the birds in the trees flirted with each other. Calling out to their potential mates. This was home. It was time for him to go find his mate.
He put his helmet back on and continue down the dirt track that brought him into One-stop behind his shop. The way he took would never be wide enough for a car or a truck. It was basically one of the bicycle trails that the mountain bike tours used for those with an adventurous soul. There was a staging area behind his shop that served as the beginning and ending for this mountain trail. When he rode to the staging area, he found Stuart there with a group of mountain bikers just finishing the trail he had left.
“Buck,” Tall, lanky Stuart called out. “I am so glad to see you back. How’s your ride down the mountain?” Stuart’s family was one of the few that had stayed in One-stop after the closing of the Raleigh Valley Ski Resort.
“Fantastic.”
“Great. That’s what I like to hear.” Stuart turned to the group of people. It was a small group of five consisting of three men and two women all in their biking gear holding helmets. “Hey, guys this is Buck Raleigh. He is part owner of the Blazing Buck. And he also owns this repair garage.” Stuart gestured to the building that they were standing in front of.
A brunette sauntered over to where Buck was sitting on his bike. “Hmmm, this is a beautiful machine.” She said running her hand over the handlebars of Buck’s motorcycle.
“Thank you.” He said. He stopped her hand as it glided down his motorcycle to stop on the seat between his spread thighs.
“Maybe you can take me for a ride while I am here.” She suggested bending over, her shirt gaping open to give Buck an eyeful of her breasts.
Buck ignored the view as he swung his leg over the side of his seat so that they were standing with the bike in between them.
“I am sorry I have a prior engagement.” He reached out, grabbing his pack from his bike and walking in the direction of his shop.
“Are we gonna see you later at Blazing Buck?” Stuart turned back to him, putting his helmet on his handlebars getting ready to lead the bike tour away.
“Probably.” Buck give them the single word response. He ignored the come-hither looks that brunette biker was throwing at him as he walked away.
He had no interest in her. There is only one woman in this valley he was interested in finding and as soon as he stored his gear and took care of his cycle, he was going to find her.
