Robyn Carr - A Summer in Sonoma

C assie and Ken walked out of the bar together at seven-thirty. In the rapidly descending darkness of a perfect June night, he pulled her into his arms and covered her mouth in a powerful kiss. Wow, she thought. It was a good kissconsuming and deep. His hands were running up and down her back. Then one slipped around her side, reaching for a breast, and she withdrew. She pushed him away, laughed nervously and said, Hold on, pardner. Getting a little ahead of yourself, arent you?

Sorry, he said. Ive been looking at you, wondering, you know

Well, wonder no more, big fellarest assured I am definitely a girl. Now, dont we have plans? Live music in the park?

Thats right, he said, laughing. Then, again, Sorry.

As he walked her to his car, she said, Girls dont get mad at guys for having romantic ideas. But you do have brakes, I assume?

Absolutely, Cassie.

Good. You were moving a little fast for me.

The car was parked at the far end of the lot and she thought, Ahh, hes car proud. Hed rather walk across the lot than risk a dent or scratch from neighboring cars. He opened the door to the passenger side and she slipped in. She immediately pulled on her seat belt while he got in the drivers side.

He started the car, but didnt put it in gear. Instead, he reached over to her side and began to gently caress her upper arm. He leaned toward her across the console, his eyelids becoming heavy, his mouth slightly open. It was like kiss-on-demand, but at least he was moving more slowly, giving her time, waiting for her to respond. She met his lips for a sweet, short kiss. He moved over her mouth with precision, but when she pulled away from his mouth, laughing nervously again, he grabbed her upper arms in his strong grip. Cassie, he said in a breath. What do you say we rethink the music? Maybe skip it?

I dont think so. I was looking forward to it, she said, her heart rate speeding up a little. She started to smell an ill wind.

Come on, he begged. Think about it. You wont be sorry.

She did a quick memory check. Shed been out for happy hour with friends from work when she met him. Theyd talked for a long time. She was an emergency room nurse, he was a paramedictheyd never met before but she did a lot of business with the fire department and had come to think of them as the good guys. He had been polite, attentive, interested. He was a nice-looking guy with a sense of humor. Shed taken his cell phone number and agreed to meet him again, this time for a cup of coffee. Thats how you play safe dating. Hed been a gentleman, walking her to her car after coffee and saying goodbye with a brief, platonic hug. Then shed given him her cell phone number. So, after a few getting-to-know-you conversations, shed accepted a date for live music in the park. She still hadnt let him pick her up; theyd agreed to meet at a bar because finding each other in a park full of people could be difficult.

His behavior now took her by surprise. Shed have to back him down quick. Shed been attracted to him, but no way was she ready to take this to the next level.

I dont have to think about it, she said, her palms pressed firmly against his chest. I was looking forward to some music. Its a beautiful night. And what you apparently have in mind is not on the agenda in the parking lot of the

Her words were cut off as he slipped a big hand around the back of her head and pulled her, roughly, onto his mouth. She pushed at him, making unintelligible sounds beneath his lips, but he was actually climbing across the console while silencing her with his mouth. For a guy about six feet tall, this was unimaginable, but he seemed to do it with ease. In seconds, he was straddling her hips, towering over her so fast she hardly knew what was happening.

Hey! she said when he released her lips. Hey, what are you doing?

She was thinking quickly. There were a few cars around his, but he had parked away from the crowd and his windows were darkly tinted. Her next thought was, How is this possible? This is a nice guy! This is a paramedic! My best friends husband is a paramedic; I know a lot of their friends! Theyre salt of the earthangels!

But he was pressing her back against the seat, devouring her mouth, breathing real hard and fast through his nose. He popped her seat belt off and although she pushed and her protests were lost as whimpers beneath his mouth, she was focused on the logistics of his attack. He couldnt possibly plan to rape her in the front bucket seat of an SUV? She was wearing shorts; freeing her from her clothes would not be simple!

Then her seat began to reclinehe had his hand on the button. He was slowly laying her down. She was beginning to understand his plan. If he got her flat, he could pull down her shorts. If he raped her and let her loose, if he didnt leave bruises or marks, hed claim she wasnt forced. Shed run her share of rape kits in the E.R., heard her share of he-said-she-said stories while a skeptical detective took notes. Well, by God, she was at least going to force him to leave bruises! She began to kick and push and wiggle, throwing her head and body wildly back and forth, side to side.

Stop it, he said. Stop it now. Come on. We know what we want!

Get off me, you son of a bitch!

Aw, Cassie, he laughed, as if shed uttered some kind of endearment. Baby, come onIm totally into you!

Youre crazy! Let me go! Get off me! Now!

Come on, come on, settle down.

No! she screamed. Just scream, she told herself. Bite, kick, scream, yell, hit, gouge, anything. She pushed at him with one hand, searching for the door handle with the other. Then, failing to find it, she pounded on the window, hoping to break it, screeching and turning her head away from his mouth so she could get volume. She tried head butting him, but he held her shoulders down and lifted his head back, and he laughed . She was moving around so violently, the car was actually bouncing. He tried to grab her wrist but she socked him in the eye. He grunted in pain and growled, but he didnt hit back. She continued banging on the window and yelling. She knew one thinghe couldnt get her out of this parking lot without moving to his side of the car, over that console, and by God she was going to fling herself out of the car before he could take her anywhere.