by Nicky Fox
As I pass my entry-way mirror, I gasp in horror. My shirt is completely see-through. Oh, my God! He had a front row seat at my nipple show. No wonder he wanted to leave so quickly. I was flashing him the entire time. No wonder he wasn't listening, my nipples were on display. There's no way he didn't notice those suckers.
I didn't even think about it. I was completely immersed in my painting. Usually, I don't paint while wearing a bra. It's too restricting. Hunter must've felt so uncomfortable. I probably should bake him a pie or something, to say thanks for bringing my horse back. Sorry about my boob show. I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight. I wonder what kind of pie Hunter likes?
It's two in the morning. I can't sleep again. I'm jerking off for the third time tonight. I don't think I've ever worked out my right hand this much. I just have to think of Lenora Danan, and my hand does the rest. I should just ask for her phone number. She hasn't given me any indication that she's interested, but I did rescue her twice, in a way. I just can't think of an excuse to go over there. Hopefully, her horse will get out again. I chuckle to myself. I believe it's pretty smart. I'm pretty sure he knows how to open his stall. Come on, Buttercup, do me a solid.
I toss and turn until I wake up at 6:00 a.m. to pick up Carlos. He's been giving me crap lately about Lenora. I was a bumbling idiot when I got back from her house. In a daze, the rest of that day. I wasn't able to pay attention to a damn thing we were doing. I couldn't tell him the reason for my sudden idiotic state. No one needs to know that her nipples were front and center for me to see. Plus, I don't want Carlos to think about Lenora's boobs.
"How goes it, Hunter?" Carlos asks as he climbs into the truck. I always pick him up on my way to the farm. We're a two-man team, and I go by his house to get to our destination. He reminds me of what it was like to have Grandpa around. I revere our time together. It's nice to be able to talk to my best friend on the way to work every morning.
"Fine. Fine. I've still been having trouble sleeping at night." I glance at him with a slight frown. He gives me one of his own. Concern shows in his brows as he rubs his jaw. It looks like he's about to give me some words of wisdom. He closes his mouth and looks ahead through the windshield. We are almost at Sleepy Hollow Farm when Carlos finally opens his mouth.
"You know the story your grandfather used to tell you about meeting your grandmother?" He's still looking straight ahead in thought.
"Yeah." This remark is completely out of the blue. I’m curious if he’s been thinking about Grandad lately too.
"I think you'll find your pin-up girl, Hunter." He smiles with a knowing look in his eye.
"Yeah, I hope so." I scratch my head confused. He knows Vivian and I are over. He can't be insinuating anything with Lenora because we aren't even seeing each other. We don't say anything else about my grandfather or my pin-up girl. I leave the conversation at that.
We pull up to the house. I can't wait to get my hands dirty. With each passing day, this house is becoming more mine. We'll finish the siding this week and then the outside of the house is finished. That's when the fun starts. I'll move on to the interior. I'm going to take it one room at a time. When spring rolls around and it's time for planting, I'll already be moved in and ready to be at the farm full time. I can imagine Grandpa smiling down on me. We’re almost there, Grandad.
Then, I get an idea. Maybe I could commission one of Lenora's paintings? I haven't seen any of her paintings yet, but I don't care. Anything to see her again. I'll need her phone number for that. A grin spreads across my face. There's my in.
I can hear hammering a short distance from Hunter’s house. I come upon two men installing new siding on a beautiful white farmhouse with a steel roof. The front porch extends the whole length of the house. In my haste from the fainting incident, I never looked back toward his stunning home. It's the quintessential farmhouse with a modern twist. It even has a white picket fence complete with a picnic table on the side of the yard. I can't take my eyes off the two-story abode until my gaze lands on Hunter.
Is there anything sexier than a man working with his own two hands? His back is to me while he's holding up a piece of siding. Carlos is heading toward the truck. My eyes dart back over to Hunter and his muscular back. His white shirt clings to him deliciously. His arms flex. I can see his veins protruding from where I'm standing. He has a vice-like grip on the board, and all I can think about is his hands on my body. I bet he knows exactly how to use those hands to bring a woman pleasure. I suddenly realize I've been ogling him for the past five minutes. Carlos is observing me with mirth, while my face turns crimson.
"Hey Hunter, I think you have a visitor," Carlos bellows across the yard, as he heads back to the house.
Hunter turns his head and his eyes land on me. He takes my breath away. I may or may not have drool running down my chin. I blink a few times to get my motor skills in working order again. I close my fly trap and saunter toward him.
"Hi, Carlos." I wave on my way to Hunter. He raises his hand in greeting as he goes inside the house. I can hear him chuckling. Getting caught ogling is humiliating.
After putting down the board in his hands, Hunter makes his way to me. Damn. I love it when men wear tool belts. It makes me think of another tool he has below that belt. His eyes don’t move from mine as he approaches. Just take me now. Lay my body in the grass and let’s get down to business.
"Hey, you." Hunter's eyes sparkle. He’s standing next to me with his hands on his hips. I could reach out and touch my wet dream right now. I wet my lips and try to speak.
"Hey, I thought I'd bring over this apple pie to say thanks for helping me out with my horse." I raise my arms and present the baked goodness to him. It feels as if I'm offering a sacrifice to a god. I would gladly give my body to this Adonis.
His eyes light up even more. I didn't think that was possible. Hunter's hands graze mine as he lifts the pie pan from my fingers. Maybe I can camp out on his lawn and watch him work all day. My moaning might derail his progress though. Damn.
"Smells delicious. There's nothing better after a hard day's work. Thanks."
He leads me to the picnic table and plops down. "Have a seat, Lenora." Hunter gestures his hand across the table. I adjust my dress, so I don't give Hunter another peep show as I sit down. "I'm glad you came over today. I was going to approach you at some point, but this makes it easier." Is he going to ask me out? Eeeek! "I was thinking of commissioning a few paintings for my home. Do you paint landscapes?" Damn. I try not to let the disappointment show on my face.
"Yes, I paint landscapes. They're a bit abstract. I can show you a few samples I have in my studio. I'm flattered you'd want one of my paintings." I brush my hair out my face as I feel my cheeks reddening.
"I don't want one of your paintings, Lenora. I want a few," he says with the cutest smile. I could just stare at that smile all day. He already has a five o'clock shadow. It looks super yummy. His hands rest on the table top and I can’t help but wanting to slip my hands in his. Hunter hasn't even seen my paintings and he intends to buy a few? I’m surprised.
"Well, you could come over to my studio when you're free and let me know which paintings you like. Or if you have a picture of something I could paint. We can talk about that. Are you free tomorrow and when do you need the pictures by?" I'm amazed Hunter wants my art in his home. I've never had anyone ask me to paint something specifically for them. They've always sold online on my website. I've never met the buyers. Hopefully, this means I'll be seeing more of him.
"That sounds like a plan. I can come over tomorrow. If you don't mind, I would love for you to do at least one painting of the farmhouse. It was my grandfather's and it would be amazing if we could encapsulate that into a painting," he gestures to the incredible structure behind him. "The farmhouse probably won't be ready to move into until the spring, so there's no rush on the paintings."
"Oh, so you don't live here yet?" I'm a little sad to hear that.
"Not yet. Soon. I'm fixing the
exterior now and soon I'll start on the interior of the house."
That makes sense. I wouldn't want to move into a construction zone. Hunter will be my neighbor soon enough. "I can work with that. Why don't you come over on your lunch break tomorrow? I could fix you something," I suggest.
"Great." He claps his hands and rubs them together. "That'll work for me. Could I have your phone number just in case I'm running late?" He smirks. Is he really asking for my phone number? My heart starts beating faster. Hunter pulls out his phone. I give him my number quickly and soon my phone vibrates inside my pocket. Pulling it out, I give him a big smile.
Unknown: You look beautiful today.
"Now, you have my phone number, too. If any snakes happen to cross your path, you can give me a call." I giggle like a school girl at his suggestion. He stands up and I follow suit. I guess he has to get back to work. "Thanks again for the pie. I can't wait to taste it." His eyes smolder.
I stumble and catch myself against the table. Hunter just creamed my pie. Holy shit, is he giving me dirty talk? I cough to clear my throat so I can speak. "I hope you like it." I turn away from him. I can't stare at the sexy look on his face anymore, not without attacking him. Just walk a straight-line, Lee, don't turn around. I concentrate on making it to Rose Cottage without fainting again.
I'm eating a slice of her delicious pie. No, not that pie. I wish. The image of her in that dress, the white cotton against her tan skin, made me want to lick every inch of her. She had cute little red Ked shoes on that made her look straight out of a Taylor Swift music video. Although, where Taylor's lips are red, Lenora's are a soft kissable pink. Mmm, I would love to taste those lips all night. I’d discard that little dress off her delectable body and lay her under me.
"You okay over there, Hunter? You're breathing hard while eating that pie," Carlos' voice rings out.
I cough and choke on the bite in my mouth. Grabbing my cup of water, I chug it down. Mariel slaps my back hoping to lodge whatever is obstructing my airway.
"It's okay," I manage to rasp out. "I got this." I gulp down more water.
"I didn't know you liked apple pie that much, Hunter." Mariel chuckles at me. She knows. Apparently, Carlos has been talking to Mariel about Lenora. I scowl at him. He gives me a shrug that says "What do you expect?"
Carlos couldn't keep a secret if his life depended on it, especially from Mariel. They are like a couple of old shoes. Perfect match, worn to perfection. I envy his relationship. Plus, she puts up with me. I'm over for dinner almost every other night. She's a great cook. I'm just glad when I come over she doesn't make those corn recipes Carlos pins on Pinterest. When I first took over the farm, I couldn't afford much else than to eat my own crop. You get tired of eating it for lunch and dinner every day. Somehow that never seemed to hit Carlos. He can eat it morning, noon and night.
"So Hunter, Carlos says you like your new neighbor?" I snap my head and give Carlos a death glare. He immediately looks out the kitchen window. He sure is enraptured by something outside. Figures.
I take a deep breath and get ready for Mariel the bulldozer. She's going to tear down all my walls and bust open all my secrets. She's better than Geraldo Rivera when he opened Al Capone's vault. She gets all the details and doesn't stop until she's satisfied. I am in awe of her sometimes.
"I have a new neighbor. Her name is Lenora and she's a painter. I'm commissioning a few paintings from her for the farmhouse." I'm sure she can see right through my façade. She just nods at me, planning her next attack.
"Hmm, Carlos says she sounds nice. Has Vivian still been trying to get in touch with you?" Wow, I did not see that coming. That was totally out of left field. I can feel Carlos' eyes on me now. I guess he's just as curious to hear if Vivian is still contacting me.
"She's been texting me off and on. I usually send her one-word replies, mostly no. Why are you asking about Viv?"
Mariel gathers all the dishes and begins washing them in the sink with her back to us. I peek at Carlos and shrug to imply "Do you know where this is going?" He replies with a shrug gesturing "No, I have no idea." I frown and wait for the rest of her quizzing.
"You should probably put her in the no reply zone, Hunter. It's not healthy to have loose ends. But enough about Vivian. Lenora sounds sweet. I can see you've been deep in thought the past week or so. I'm happy for you." And with that Mariel puts the last dish in the dishwasher and dries her hands on the hand towel draped across her shoulder. She leaves the towel on the counter and walks out of the kitchen, without another word or a backward glance. Carlos and I just stare at each other.
"Did Mariel just give her approval on a relationship that hasn't even started yet? What was that about?" I ask Carlos.
He shakes his head. "Just go with it, man, don't fight it. I don't know what that woman's thinking half the time. I do know, that she is always right. So, whatever you took from that, do it." Carlos stands up and follows Mariel.
What the hell is with everyone speaking in riddles? Does everyone know something I don't? You know what, I'm just going to go with the flow and do my thing. I need to concentrate on this remodel and not think about women. Get your head on straight, Hunter. I need to call Jake and have dinner with him soon. We never talk about women when we're together.
I've cleaned my little house all morning. Hunter is coming over for lunch and I couldn't be more excited. I decided to make chicken and dumplings. I've wanted to make it since I moved to Rose Cottage. It's such a bountiful recipe that I feel wasteful just making it for one person. Now that I'm expecting Hunter, it makes perfect sense to make a big batch. It'll be complete with some homemade iced tea. I've been a busy girl.
I spent last night trying on different outfits. I've settled on a black skater skirt and a pink T-shirt. It's comfortable, doesn't look like I'm trying too hard and pink is my go-to color. Although, I don't know why I should be this excited. This is just a client meeting. Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Lenora. I couldn't get that remark of him tasting my pie out of my head. It ran on repeat in my dreams all night.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I jump up and down. Hunter's here! Calm yourself, girl. You got this. I run my hands down my hair and over my skirt. This time, I look in the mirror to make sure there will be no peep show. The girls are ready to go. I swing the door wide open, unable to contain my excitement. Way to play it cool, Lenora. I blatantly check Hunter out. He's wearing a soft black V-neck shirt and a light pair of worn jeans that hang off his hips just right. He's so handsome, from his windswept dark brown hair to his large…boots. My eyes meet his. He looks at me like I'm something to eat. Yes, please. Feast upon me. God, the sexual chemistry between us is killer.
"I have chicken and dumplings," I blurt out. His lips turn up. "I mean, won't you come in?" Bastard. He knows he's ruffling my feathers. It takes everything I've got to keep breathing and not faint at his feet.
"Well, thank you, Lenora. If your dumplings are anything like your pie, I don't think you'll be able to get rid of me." This is going to be a long lunch. I'm ready to give him my panties right now. We haven't even moved from the front door. I turn on my heel and make my way to the kitchen. I can hear his loud steps behind me as I pull a couple of bowls from the cabinet.
"I like what you've done with the place. It looks like you've accomplished quite a bit of work." I can feel his eyes on my back. I dish out the dumplings from the pot on the stove. He makes me nervous. I clear my throat.
"Thanks, it was pretty run down, but I've managed to make it a home with a little elbow grease. Nothing that a little paint and TLC can't fix." I smile, handing him a bowl. I sit down next to him. This somehow feels like a date, even though I cooked. He makes me feel jittery. Maybe if I don't look at him through the whole lunch, if I just concentrate on my food I can get through this. I take a sip of my sweet tea and grab a biscuit from the basket in the middle of the table.
"Lenora?" His voice seems strained. I look at him. Damn. I can't even go two seconds wi
thout caving and setting my eyes on this gorgeous man. I sigh and lean my chin against my palm. I'm swooning.
"Yeah?" I answer breathlessly.
He points over to my sink with his spoon. "I think you have a leak. There's water dripping out of that bottom cabinet". I whirl around and bug out at the chaos unfolding in my kitchen. My spoon clanks down in my bowl. He abruptly stands up and opens the cabinet. Sure enough, water is dripping out from one of the pipes. I inwardly groan. What is this going to cost me now?
"Where's your toolbox?" Hunter asks.
I jump out of my seat and race to retrieve my pitiful excuse for a toolbox. When I come back to the kitchen, the water has already stopped dripping.
"How did you. . .?" I mumble. I'm standing in the doorway like an idiot.
"I shut off your water valve outside." He grabs my toolbox from me and digs around, eyeing certain tools. "I think I can work with this." His lips turn up and suddenly he's pulling out all the items stored in my sink cabinet.
I run to the garage and fetch some old towels so that I can mop up all the water. I kneel down beside Hunter and clean up all the water. I barely have time to move the towels out of the way, when he's on his back under the sink. Holy Moly. Now that's a site. He reaches up to the pipe. That motion causes his shirt to rise. And… I can see his happy trail. My jaw drops and I'm trying to breathe through my nose and exhale out my mouth to keep it under control. "It's okay, Lenora. I'll have this fixed in a jiffy." He misplaces my heavy breathing for frustration. Maybe, it's frustration, sexual frustration.
I manage to choke out a response. Although, I'm still looking at his happy trail. "I appreciate this, Hunter. You always seem to be rescuing me from some disaster. I swear my life isn't usually this eventful." Nice save. Now just let me gawk at your tight yummy abs a while longer.