Rafe Savage and Susie Salesgirl

The little bell above the general store door tinkled brightly when Rafe Savage walked in. His spurs spun and made spinning jingle sounds, and the scuff of his heavy boots went unheard amid the low hum of conversation in the store. They were like bees, he thought uncharitably. Buzzing and humming over the latest dry goods to be delivered. No will power and then no money. They would owe their soul to this company store before night's end. It disgusted him.

He had stopped in the town to replenish his saddlebag grub. His intention was to buy only two necessary items then hit the trail, away from this madness and financial ruin.

And then he saw her. The one woman who had made his normally conservative nature turn liberal and loose. His muscles tightened with lurid thoughts of grabbing her right here in the middle of the pickle barrel aisle, but instead he tipped his hat in gentlemanly acknowledgement. She tipped her blond head in return acknowledgement, and politely excused herself from the mob of women shoppers at the fabric table.

"Rafe," she smiled, knowing full well that her charm had the power to release men and women from their hard-earned cash.

"Susie Salesgirl," he returned, knowing he had the charm to whisk her out of this po-dunk Eastern town to far off Western valleys.

The knowledge of both their abilities hung heavily between them.

"Can I help you with something?" she offered sweet as a bag of fresh peppermint.

"Nothing more than a sack of flour and 2 bags of gummie bears. I've got me a sweet tooth today Susie." His blue eyes held her captive in their intensity. She felt her breath quicken and her receipt book fall from her limp hands. He bent to pick it up for her, casually brushing her fingers as he gave it back. As though he had no idea that he’d started a heat of flames in her.

"Oh, I'm sorry to be so clumsy," flustered and arms akimbo, she batted impossibly long eyelashes at him. "I don't know what's gotten into me today. I guess it's that one can of peaches that I was hoping to take home before someone else bought them. They're from a new peach company in Southern Rhode Island that I thought might be tasty."

"Peaches you say?" Rafe's mouth was already watering with the taste of limited edition peaches. "I'll take me that can. You can add it to my other two items. But that’s all Susie," he cautioned.

"Of course," Susie Salesgirl looked dejectedly down at her sensible work shoes. "I guess I'll have to have the angel food cake without any peaches tonight. But, that's okay. We have a batch of Mad Mary's homemade cinnamon sassafras chocolate in the back room that I can put on it instead," she finished brightly, seeming to just remember the new food item secreted away in the back room.

"I've never heard of such a thing," Rafe arched a heavy eyebrow with suspicion.

"Not many people have. Mad Mary only makes a few batches of the chocolate each year,” she whispered conspiratorially. “We were fortunate to have gotten the last shipment."

"I'll take it," he said greedily. “And the angel food cake.”

"No, Rafe please. It's awfully expensive, and I'm sure you'd want to leave some for old Pete over there," she pointed to the town drunk sprawled in a wood chair in the corner of the store.

"Are you kiddin'?" Rafe raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I'll take it all Miss Salesgirl,” he said firmly, brooking no backtalk and sass out of Susie. He smiled with the thought of eating something as exotic as cinnamon sassafras chocolate. Precious. It was all his precious chocolate. And no one, certainly not Pete, was going to take it away and get a single bite of it.

“How have you been Rafe?” Susie looked dreamily at the handsome cowboy. His chiseled features spoke to her carpentry nature.

“Fine gal. Been out riding the range.” He looked longingly at her pouty lips and pale white Eastern skin.

“You need a fine meal at our restaurant Rafe,” she breathed out the words, making them sound sweeter than honey to his ears.

“Sure, sure Susie. Would you like to join me?” he offered hopefully.

“Why…yes Rafe. Yes, I would. But perhaps you’d like to change into something more…” she looked his dusty clothes up and down. “…date like?” she said hopefully.

“Yeah,” he grinned boyishly. “I guess I do look a little trail worn.”

“You always look good to me Rafe.” Susie slanted a look at him as she took down a large pile of designer trail and all-purpose dating clothes that she knew would fit.

They ate dinner at a candlelit table, sipped wine from fine crystal, and talked about the simple pleasures of life. Rafe left a big tip to impress his darling Susie. Susie left him with a wink and a promise to return, which she never did.

With a heavy heart and saddlebags bulging and overflowing with foolish purchases, Rafe steered his horse toward the town’s exit, the sassafras chocolate already melting down the horse’s side and dripping onto the dirt the town called a road.

Rafe was a sadder, coinless man who was bound to ride the range until the next time he encountered Susie Salesgirl.