Satan's Breath

Chapter 3-1

Chapter 3

The minute Greg saw Blaze, he almost lost his breath.

She was all decked out in tight jeans, western boots, and a snap-up western blouse covered with fringes. He fully appreciated her full breasts, and the nice way her pants hugged her body. Her bright red hair hung in spiral curls halfway down her back and was on the frizzy side, and her eyes sparkled with green fire.

She’s cute, he thought, and easily a free spirit, but why in hell was she all dressed up like a rodeo star?

When he casually made reference to it, Blaze blew up. “If you don’t like the way I’m dressed, Bozo, then turn your fuckin’ head so you don’t have to look at me!”

He put his hands up in defense. “Hey, as long as you put on a show, you can come to the station naked.”

Throwing the pen down after she’d scribbled her name, she looked up at him with a sneer and yelled, “You wish!” She immediately whirled on her heels like a Texas tornado, and walked out.

Hearing the heels of Blaze’s boots echo down the hall, Bran Farewell, the station owner looked over at Greg, his eyes wide with apprehension. “My God, we’ve got a tiger by the tail! I just hope to hell she’s worth it!” Wiping sweat from his pudgy face, he walked to the door, looked out at Blaze’s receding figure, then turned back to Greg. “I didn’t even get a chance to welcome her to the station.”

“Good thing,” Greg said, “she would have probably taken it as something s****l, and you’d be bleeding all over my office.”

“Well, let me know how things go,” he said, while sneaking out slowly and leaving Greg with the nasty problem of having to deal with their redheaded bombshell.

As soon as Mr. Farewell left, Wade appeared. Greg’s stabbing gaze quickly leveled on him. “This is your fault,” he spat, pointing at Wade accusingly. “You have to go on vacation in L.A., and bring back the daughter of the friggin’ anti-Christ!”

Wade smiled. “Cute little devil, ain’t she?”

“Yeah, real cute,” Greg said, sarcastically. “About as cute as a rattler ready to strike. If we look real close, I’m sure we’ll find 666 carved into her scalp somewhere.”

“Been seein’ too many of them freaky movies, my friend,” Wade said as he sauntered in and dropped down on the couch.

Greg threw him a dirty look, then turned, went behind his desk, and sat down. “God, I hate redheads!”

“Well, I think you could make an exception for this one, couldn’t you? I mean she is sort of easy on the eyes, and that body of hers is pageant material.”

“I didn’t notice.”

“Yeah, sure, and God don’t make little green apples.”

Greg gave him a scathing look. “I should have known you wouldn’t miss anything. And that’s didn’t.”

“When does she go on? It’s don’t.”

“Tonight at midnight. It’s didn’t!”

“Don’t!”

“Didn’t!”

“Don’t, but who the hell cares?” His impish gaze locked on Greg. “Wanna make a bet?”

“What? About apples?”

“Greg,” Wade said while looking at his friend pityingly, “is anybody at home up there?”

“Well then, what? I’m not a freakin’ mind reader. Say what you mean!”

“You’re sure in one hell of a mood.”

“You would be too if you’d just been chewed up and spit out by Dracula’s daughter. Now what in hell are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about Vampira, Einstein,” Wade said as he walked over to Greg’s large plate glass window between his office and the bull pen, and looked through it. When he saw that the coast was clear, he turned back to Greg, his voice barely above a whisper. “We both hit on her to see which one gets her. The winner gets a date, plus one hundred dollars.” Suddenly his eyes danced mischievously. “Oh, yeah,” he said as if he’d forgotten something. “The winner comes back and reports every detail of his date to the other. Agreed?”

“Are you kidding? She wouldn’t go out with either of us. She’s a man-hater!”

“But don’t you see? That’s what makes it interesting.”

“I’m telling you, she won’t give either of us a tumble.”

“She’s a woman, isn’t she? Doesn’t she have needs like the rest of us?”

“Needs? You mean go to bed with her?”

“Needs? You mean go to bed with her?” Wade mimicked. “Hell, yes. What did you think I meant?”

“You said a date. You didn’t say anything about sleeping with her.”

“Duh!” Wade said, imitating an imbecile, then looked at Greg impatiently. “My God, man, couldn’t you force yourself?”

“No, man, we can’t do it. She left her other job because the station manager got fresh with her.”

“Greg, we’re not going to take her behind the copy machine and touch her where we’re not supposed to. We make ourselves so appealing, she consents to go out with one of us, and bingo!

Greg was silent for a time, then began thinking and rubbing his chin nervously. “I don’t know, man, if she ever finds out about this, she’ll have our asses for lunch.”

Wade watched as Greg rose from his desk and began pacing back and forth. Watching as long as he could, he finally began following him. “Man, I never thought I’d see you back away from a hot chick like that. She blows smoke in your face one time, and you’re ready to run.”

Greg finally stopped pacing, and turned to Wade. “Sure, go ahead and make fun. It’s no risk for you, but I’ve got my friggin’ job to think about. Besides, I’m really not interested. You can have her, and I hope you’ll all be very happy.”

“All? What do you mean, all?”

“You, her, and all your little devil babies!”