Tara Across Time--NaNoWriMo

Prologue

"Dave, you're a loser in bed!"

Taken aback, he said, "What do you expect of me, Tara?"

She pulled the sheet over herself. "A guy with more imagination, that's what!"

"I work hard, take you to dinner, buy you nice things!"

"Smart guy, you got nothing left by the time we're in bed. You're like spaghetti when I try to ride you!"

"Then when I do get it and want it again, you're reading some dumb book!"

"Who wants to HEAR 'Moby Dick,' I want to see it!"

When Dave smiled, Tara grabbed a paperback book. He sheet fell, revealing her generous breasts as she held it up to throw it. Looking at it's title, she said in her rage, "Look at this title. 1984. Everybody knows this is 2025, loser!"

The book sailed past his nose as Tara slipped into her underwear and reached for her trendy jeans with the required rips up and down the front of its legs.

David rolled over with the bed sheet wrapped around him as she pulled up her bra. But she paused. "Take your last look at these irresistible tits! No more milk for you--ever!"

In a flash she was dressed and left her befuddled, unsuccessful lover sitting on his bed. The door slammed behind her rocking his book shelf so hard that half his library cascaded to the floor for a few seconds.

The last thing David heard was Tara screaming, "I'm going home to change, then I'm going to get laid!"

When she reached her apartment, there was an eviction notice and an extra padlock keeping Tara out.

"I asked them to wait!"

"Well, the only reading material are those Bibles the Christian Rescue Mission gave me."  She got them for pretending to get religion when she needed food. Booze and drugs were her thing.They took her almost all of her money she earned as a section manager at Walmart.

Tara drove into the city, stopping at The Cozy Bar. There she would allow herself to be swept off her feet by some tired pick up lines. She needed food and sleep. Tonight she was willing to accompany some guy with enough money for dinner. Then sex provided she could remain all night at his place.

As luck would have it, Jacob was at the bar. When she approached him, he remembered that Tara didn't like cigarettes. And she looked like an easy lay since they had had sex a few months before. He mashed its smoldering butt in an ash tray Spike the bartender had kept under the counter.  With his hand he waved his hand back and forth in desperation to dissipate the cigarette smoke. Tara never saw the mint he put in his mouth.  She was drop-dead gorgeous even in torn jeans and clinging pullover.

"Tara, it's been a while." What Jacob wanted was so obvious that three hot chicks had turned him down.  That night Tara looked like a sure thing.

"You want it, don't you, Jake?"

"For a gorgeous girl like you? Always. I'll never understand how I ever got lucky with you the first time."  By then Tara could detect Jacob's breath mint mixed with whiskey. "Want a drink?"

"For openers."

"Hungry?"

"Yes," she said.

"Me too. How about steak and baked potato?"

"With green beans?"

"Harry in the kitchen can get close to it."

In a minutes Tara was devouring her food and sharing her troubles with Jacob.

"You've had it rough this month?"

"I had to get my beat-up car fixed again after blowing a bundle on booze and barbs." She took a drink of beer and had another bite of steak. "Seems I can't get ahead."

Tara woke up the next morning with only a sheet covering her. The smell of eggs and sausages welcomed her. Jacob was at his studio apartment kitchenette.

"Hungry, Tara?"

"I ought not to be hungry with that steak last night."

Jacob chuckled. "I let you drink too much booze. You upchucked all over my car and your clothes."

Tara looked at her body underneath the sheet. "Can I wear this to breakfast?"  She looked up. "How was I last night?"

Jacob laughed. "We didn't. It was all I could do to get you undressed. You called me everybody but Jake."

"Sorry, I wanted you."

"Well, since I am keeping in my pants, you may as well enjoy some semblance of dignity. Besides, I've enjoyed your beautiful bare body to the fullest many times."

Tara wrapped the sheet around her, letting it slip now and then to reveal perky nipples. "Looks like I will have to eat one handed this morning. What about my clothes?"

"Washed and drying now." Jacob piled three fried eggs on her plate. "You have a few other things here you can wear."  He sat down table with sausages and bread. "I need to take you to your car before work. Want to crash here until you pay rent?"

Jacob stood up. "You got clothes in my closet."

When she leaned forward to kiss him, the sheet fell revealing her lovely breasts.

He pulled it up. "Get dressed while I take care of these dishes." He kissed her. Looking down, he said, "Save those lovelies for me tonight."

As they drove to his car, Tara said, "What do you think of me, really?"

"Tara, you're beautiful, I could really go for you. Like start a family, we'd have the best kids."

"But?" Tara said.

Jacob pulled up behind Tara's car. He cut his engine. "Ever think why you go like a flower to bee to bee to be fertilized but always return to me?"

"I guess that I really want you, after all. What's keeping you away?"

"Tara, you are fun in bed, but you have some growing up to do before I would ever consider us a permanent couple."

"Something like subjecting myself to ordeals that use my latent talents, wilderness wandering? A trek around the world? Overcoming the 'slings and arrows of outrageous fortune?'"

He turned and kissed her. "Tara, we'll both know when we are a couple. See you tonight?"

Tara watched from her car longingly was Jacob drove away and out of sight.

As she neared a tight curve, her purse began to fall from the car seat. She reached for it.

Too late. Tara's car broke through a guard rail and careened off the road.