“Calm down, I’m not proposing marriage or anything. I just want to give her the best Pittstown Strawberry Farm experience I can.” I gave her a wink. “This is my favourite fucking place, after all.”
Judy’s smile morphed into a scowl. “Language, Lawson Adrian Drake! Where are your manners?”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at Judy’s scolding. Ever since Mum passed away, she was the closest thing I had to a mother figure. Maybe that was one of the reasons why I continued to come here as often as I did. Being around Judy, upholding the tradition Mum, Meg and I had begun by visiting the farm as often as we did, made me feel closer to Mum. I know that sounds stupid, but it was the truth. When you visited places you’d visited with another, or listened to songs you’d heard while in the presence of another, or even breathed in smells you’d smelled with another, sometimes, when you repeated those processes, you felt that other person right there with you — it was an illusion driven by mourning hearts. No idea where that just came from.
Shaking my head at my weird nostalgic thoughts, I heard Judy’s voice, snapping me back to the now. “Lawson! You in there?”
My eyes refocussed and I met her perplexed stare. “Yeah, yeah, sorry, I was just trying to remember a few things.”
“She’s lovely, by the way,” she added in a hushed voice, referring to Stella. “She’s not a local, I take it. I wouldn’t forget a pretty and polite person such as her.”
“No, she wasn’t, but she is now. Stella is Todd’s stepsister. She moved here two months ago.”
She scrunched up her forehead. “Todd has a stepsister? Huh, he’s never mentioned her before.”
“His mum was married to Stella’s dad when Todd and Stella were teenagers. So it was a while ago.”
“Ah ... well, I’m glad she’s come into your life. It’s about time you shared yourself with a beautiful woman who is worthy of you, and you of her. And from what I can see, Stella appears to be that particular beautiful woman.”
Wanting to avoid further discussion of my love life, I deliberately let my eyes wander around the room, noticing a heavy iron pot lying on the floor. Large foam novelty-strawberries were spilling out and over its edges and, due to its odd position on the floor, I got the impression it was out of place. That’s when I realised it was supposed to be suspended on the wall — the two heavy-duty, empty hooks protruding from the wall above it an obvious clue. Also noticing a stepladder propped against the wall behind the counter, I walked behind Judy and grabbed it, setting it up in the correct position before climbing up while holding the heavy-as-fuck pot in my arms.
“Aw ... young man, you are my knight in shining armour. I’ve been wanting that hooked up for weeks, it was just too heavy for me to lift.”
“You know I’m only a phone call away. Always.”
“Yes, I know,” she said, brushing me off with a flick of her hand. “I didn’t want to bother you. And anyway, I knew you’d be in here soon enough.”
“All done,” Stella announced, as she stopped by the foot of the ladder.
“Wonderful! I’ll just get you both a couple of trays. You’re going to be spoilt for choice. The crop is fabulous this year thanks to that recycled water tank I invested in.”
* * *
Stella and I headed out and into the field. The weather was perfect. I was stoked! “This way, Princess. I know this field like the back of my hand. The bottom left-hand corner has the best of the bunch. It’s where the water streams past before it goes back into Judy’s irrigation system.”
“Wow! You really do know your strawberries, don’t you? I don’t know if I’m impressed or unstraw, berry unstraw.” Stella’s mocking tone went hand in hand with her failed attempt not to laugh.
Leaning forward as we walked along the aisle between two rows of plants — Stella in front of me — I lowered my voice and brushed her ear with my lips. “You think you’re funny, don’t you?”
“Yes, I’m berry funny,” she replied, tilting her head just slightly and baring her neck as she cracked up laughing. “Oh, this is fun.”
I wrapped my arm around her waist and playfully bit into her neck while mumbling, “It’s fucking annoying, that’s what it is.”
She squealed and pulled away, turning to face me. I grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her to my chest. “You ever been strawberry picking before?”
Stella watched my mouth move as I spoke, which turned me the fuck on. I loved it when she scrutinised my lips and wore the sexy-as-sin look she wore now.
“Nope. Never picked a berry in my life,” she whispered, eyes still on my lips.
“Excellent! I get to pop your strawberry.”
She cracked up laughing again and shoved me backward. “Please, pop away.”
“Oh, I will,” I said, indicating she should keep walking down the path with a nod of my head. “Don’t worry, your strawberry will be popped before this day is through.”
We continued to walk down the small slope until we were out of sight and in the most private section of the field. “Here, lay this down and kneel on it,” I instructed, handing her a foam pad that I had collected from the office. Following suit, I laid my pad down as well and placed the tray in between us. “Right, now you want to find strawberries that are dry, red all over and firm, like this one,” I said, moving the foliage aside and finding a perfectly good berry.
Stella craned her neck to see the one I had chosen.
“Now, to remove it, you just twist the stem and gently pull.” I snapped the strawberry from its plant and held it up, displaying a proud smile.
“That’s it?” Stella asked, a little shocked.
I nodded. “Yep. That’s all there is to it.”
“Cool!” She shuffled on her knees to get comfortable, then peered into the strawberry bush before her, moving away the leaves so that she could find a berry. Within seconds, she had her very first one picked. “Strawberry popped! Was it as good for you as it was for me?” she asked, delving back into the bush for another try.
I chuckled. “You have no idea how good this is for me.”
Stella stopped and turned in my direction, tilting her head slightly and gifting me with the cutest confused smile I’d ever seen. “Why do you enjoy this so much? It’s not a typical male pastime.”
“It’s not, so don’t tell anyone,” I joked. “No, in all seriousness, Mum and I used to do it every couple of weeks. When she passed away, I kept doing it. I didn’t want to stop. I couldn’t. I feel close to her out here.”
There was silence for a moment, then Stella shuffled closer and leaned in, brushing her lips against mine. Her kiss was soft, sweet and gentle. To be honest, it caught me by surprise.
“Thank you for bringing me here,” she whispered when her lips parted from mine. She then shuffled back to her pad and rifled through her strawberry bush again.
The beating of my heart amplified. Stella and her simple yet perfect gestures fucking undid me every time. I was falling for her, hard and fast. And it scared me. It scared me because I knew it was too soon for her to fall with me, and falling on your own is lonely and can hurt like hell.
“Can we eat some now?” she asked, holding a berry in front of her and eyeing it hungrily. I’m thinking it was the same look I was giving her. Hell fucking yes, you can. Put that red juicy fruit between those plump, fuckable lips and suck, Princess.
“Yeah,” I choked out, barely able to contain myself, “of course you can.”
She smiled and placed the strawberry between her teeth, biting down on it and securing it with her lips. My dick twitched at the sight of her sucking the juice as she took a bite.
“Mmm ...” she groaned, mumbling as she swallowed her small mouthful. “These are delicious.” Stella then took another bite, finishing off the remainder of her berry. “Oh, this is not good. I’ll be eating them quicker than I pick them.” She quickly moved the foliage aside again and yanked another berry free, ready to pop that into her mouth as well.
As she
moved it closer to her face I leaned in and bit into it before she had the chance. “Hey!” she protested. “That was mine.”
I waggled my eyebrows and licked my lips. “It was a good one, too.”
“Thief. Get your own.”
“But I want yours.”
“You can’t have mine.”
“Wanna make a bet?”
Stella paused and deliberated my challenge then straightened her back and accepted. “Yes.”
“You’re on, Princess. I bet you can’t get the next strawberry you pick between your lips before I get it between mine,” I dared, arrogantly.
“Bet you I can,” she countered, just as defiantly.
Stella then reached into the bush and picked a strawberry, lifting it just clear of the foliage. She flicked her eyes to mine quickly, then back to the strawberry, anticipating when I would pounce.
“Whatcha waitin’ for? Christmas?” I taunted.
She flicked her eyes to mine again. “Shut up. I’ll eat it when I’m ready.”
“Not if I eat it first,” I said, launching myself on top of her.
She squealed and fell backward, holding the strawberry as far out of my reach as she could. Stella was quicker than I’d thought and managed to roll onto her tummy, tucking the strawberry in front of her and moving it just centimetres from her ready and waiting mouth. I grabbed her hand just in time, but she wrestled it away. “No,” she protested in a strangled voice, “it’s mine.”
I didn’t want to have to resort to tickling in order to make her surrender, but I had to — she was stronger and much more determined than I had anticipated.
Releasing one hand from its grip around her wrist, I slowly dragged it over her shoulder and down her side, stopping at the bottom of her ribs.
“Don’t you dare,” she warned.
“Dare what? This?” I asked, pressing my fingers into her side.
She squirmed instantly and screamed, “Stop!”
“Give me the strawberry and I will.”
“You cheat!”
“This isn’t cheating. This is fair game.”
“Really? I guess this is, too,” she declared, wrenching her elbow down and copping me in the ribs. The force of her impact had me rolling just slightly onto my side, enough so that she could wriggle out from underneath me. But I didn’t let her get far, reaching out and grabbing her hips to drag her back, this time flipping her over so that she was lying on her back and looking up at me.
“That was a cheap shot. Do you want to play dirty? Is that how you want to play?”
Her eyes flared with excitement. “No.”
“Liar,” I said, calling her bluff. It’s easy to tell when I’m turning Stella on, especially when in such close proximity. She’ll draw in a deep breath, forcing her chest to rise and boldly push out her tits. Her mouth will part invitingly, allowing her tongue to tease its way across her bottom lip. Her signs of desire were incredible to watch.
“Am not,” she whispered, squirming just enough to release her right leg and wrap it around my hip.
The urge to grind my pelvis into hers was overwhelming, so I did, and then encouraged her to release her left leg as well, lifting my body just slightly for her to do so. She obliged and wrapped it around my hip like the other, fastening me to her as she locked her ankles behind my back. Reaching up, I took the strawberry from her hand to secure it in mine. Stella tried to hang on, but her attempt was futile. I had her well and truly pinned.
Dragging the strawberry down her arm teasingly, I lifted it up to my mouth, watching a smile force its way across her face while she tried desperately to suppress it with pursed lips. Yes, I was witnessing my victory. However, that wasn’t the victory I was after. So I moved it away and hovered it over her mouth, prompting her to open up and bite it at the same time as I did, making us both winners.
We consumed the berry until our lips met, and when they did it was the tastiest fucking kiss I had ever had.
T W E N T Y - O N E
I really, really like you
Lying on the dusty earth, strawberry bushes by the sides of my head and Lawson secured on top of me by my interlocked ankles was exciting and incredibly hot. The taste of fresh strawberry — my new favourite fruit — together with the taste of him, stirred a hungry ache in my belly. Except my hunger was not for food, but more for the feel of him inside me once again. My god, how I crave him.
The effects of abstinence may be truly felt when finally indulging in what you have been abstaining from, which was exactly what I was experiencing as the denim of his jeans, tented by his erection, rubbed gloriously along my dampened panties. Going without the pleasure of sex for so long had heightened my now amorous appetite, which was why I silently applauded myself for having chosen to wear a short dress, my choice resulting in the easy — and practically barrierless — method of becoming one at the hips.
Wriggling my hand free of his restraining hold above my head, I trailed the tips of my fingers down the side of his face, along his neck, across his t-shirt covered pecs and down his abs until they reached the buckle of his jeans. Unlatching it quickly, I reached in and feverishly clasped my hand around his thick, warm length. Lawson emitted a toe-curling growl. “Stella,” he murmured against my neck, his tongue chasing my name as it licked my sensitive skin.
I arched my neck at the same time as I released my other hand, then reaching down in between my legs I moved my panties aside and guided his erection inside me.
Every. Delectable. Bit. Of. It.
“So fucking wet,” he ground out between clenched teeth.
I raised my hips greedily. “Yes! Oh, god.”
Lawson then began to rock against me, sliding in and out with slow, long strokes. Desire clouded his features, adding to the lust that was pouring from his eyes as they bore into mine, inspiring deeper and harder thrusts, which also inspired an uncomfortable ache in my back due to the hard ground underneath it.
Wincing, I was snatched up instantly as Lawson moved to kneel, positioning me on top of him. “Better, Princess?”
“Yes, much better,” I panted, squeezing the muscles in my thighs as I rose and fell above his cock. “You feel amazingly good.” And he did. His deep, rhythmic thrusts touched every inch of me and filled an emptiness I’d long harboured.
He captured my face in his hands and directed my mouth to his, the warm, slick glide of his tongue expertly caressing mine in a sensual kiss. The way he sought to touch, taste and explore every part of me peppered my skin with hundreds of tiny sensations that penetrated the layers and pooled together at my core.
Lawson. Just. Made. Me. Feel.
And not only feel, but feel wonderful. Feel what a woman longs to feel. Alive!
Threading my fingers through his hair, I gripped it tightly and increased my pace, pumping him vigorously as I worked us both to orgasm.
“Jesus, fuck, Stella!” he groaned, bucking into me as he came. The feel of his hard cock jerking against the walls of my pussy brought me undone, and I too cried out as I climaxed, slowing my pace as I settled into a slow rock before stopping and falling limp against his chest.
“Princess, you just made Pittstown Strawberry Farm so much better than it already was.”
“Toad,” I mumbled lazily into his neck. “Shut up.”
* * *
After Lawson and I cleaned ourselves up and removed all strawberries within a two-metre radius of our sex spot — because we felt we should be ultra-hygienic — we made our way toward what looked like a gazebo.
“You hungry?” he asked, looking over his shoulder with a smile that perfectly complemented his tone of voice. I loved seeing him this happy. It really suited him. And the thought that maybe I had something to do with that happiness both thrilled and confounded me.
“Yeah, I am. Why? What’s for lunch?”
“Wait and see.”
“You’re such a tease.” I playfully hit him on the shoulder as we rounded the back of the gazebo where I was finally
able to see what we were to be eating. “Oh my god!” I exclaimed.
Set before us were two small square tables covered in white damask tablecloths. On top of one of the tables were numerous dishes, comprising strawberries done in one way or another: pancakes, chocolate fondue, jam and fruit salad. The other table was set for two occupants, a candle and bottle of wine the centrepiece.
“After you, Princess,” Lawson declared smugly, gesturing for me to sit at the table by holding the chair out for me.
I brushed down my dress in a ladylike manner before sitting. “Why, thank you, Sir Lawson. You really are full of surprises, you know that?”
“Me? Why does this surprise you? It’s just an everyday picnic lunch in a strawberry field,” he mocked.
“Yeah, you’re right, it’s pretty boring actually.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say it’s ‘boring’. We have a chocolate fondue fountain, and there’s nothing boring about a chocolate fondue fountain.”
I giggled. “I guess it depends what you dip in it.”
Lawson paused as he went to sit down and gave me a seductive smirk. “You have an object in mind? Will you need me to stand?”
“Sit down, you idiot,” I said playfully.
Just as we were about to dig into the food, my phone rang, Julia’s assigned tone filling the gazebo. “Ugh! Just leave me alone,” I scolded the phone.
“She probably would if you’d answer it.” His retort was firm.
I couldn’t help but glare just slightly at him, before slowly raising my phone to my ear and sounding a retaliative ‘fine’ before hitting accept.
“Estelle, Ellie, is that you?” Julia asked in a shocked tone. Hearing my former name sent a chill down my spine. “Yes, Julia, it’s me.”
“Oh my god! Thank good—”
“Now is not a good time though,” I interrupted. “Please know that I’m fine ... better than fine, and I will SMS you when I’m ready.”
Discovering Stella Page 21