Beautiful Life

by Bruce Thomas

  Now on my back, Fred hovered over me. The look in his eyes, his pupil blown out, made my toes curl. With every thrust I saw stars. His hands were everywhere, my cheeks, my chest, my hips, between my legs.

  When I came undone, I thought I had died and got sent straight to heaven. I now understood why so many people did this. This feeling was even more intensifying when you were in love with them. "I missed you," Fred whispered into my ear sending shivers down my spine.

  "Missed you." My mind couldn't make full sentences. My body was still humming from the sweet torture Fred just conflicted on my body. His arms were like a steel grip around my back as he held me to him. I could have stayed like this forever.

  When he sat up, I did too. He then chuckled when he saw what I was sitting on. A dozen bags of mulch laid ragged underneath me. I didn't even feel the sharp edges underneath me a few seconds ago. "Classy," I murmured looking under me.

  Fred laughed a shaky, almost nervous laugh.

  "I'll make up your bed," I said getting off the mulch and heading back inside the house. The foreign feeling between my legs left me breathless for a moment but I showed no sign of discomfort as I fixed myself, finding my shirt on the kitchen floor.

  Oh Lordy if my uncle came downstairs for water or something to see this sight...

  I walked to the linen closet to get blanket's for the couch.

  I could feel Fred's eyes on me while I scurried around, grabbing blankets and a spare pillow for him. I tucked the blankets into the crevices of the couch to make it as comfortable as possible. I jumped in surprise when I felt his arms wrap around me from behind.

  "Why are you being weird now?"

  "I'm not, you are," I said back. My voice was clipped because I was acting weird. I was acting weird because I didn't want this to be weird and he seemed weirded out. "I'm not exactly used to having conversation afterwards. I'm sorry. I'm not meaning to seem standoffish. If you want," he turned me around and pulled me close to his chest. A crooked smile was in his face. "I can take off your clothes, fück you good again, and then recite you some poems."

  style="text-align:left;">I laughed, ducking my head low so he wouldn't see my face turn red. "But I have to warn you that most poems I know tend to start with roses and red and violets are blue."

  Though my interests were peaked I had to shake my head. I stood up on my toes to reach his upturned lips. "Maybe another time."

  I slipped out of his grasp so I could finish his bed for the night or I guess I should say for however long he plans to stay. "Can't you sneak me upstairs so I can sleep with you?" He asked. I could feel his grin against my cheek once he rewrapped his arms around me. I bit my lips and turned around in his arms to wrap mine around his neck.

  "That might be pushing the limits."

  He scoffed. "And the fact that you just rode me in your Uncle's mancave wasn't?"

  I blinked and slapped his shoulder. "Keep this PG-13, buddy."

  Fred laughed and did something he had never done before. He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. There was something so innocent yet so intimate about that gesture. He seemed to have caught himself because he pulled back and dropped his hands from around my waist.

  Clearing his throat, he pointed to his makeshift bed. "Thanks. You should get upstairs before your uncle guts me. He looks like he fishes."

  Smiling softly I stepped away from the couch and headed for the stairs. "He's a pro," I joked ascending the stairs. "Goodnight, Fred."

  I didn't hear anything as I went to my room. When I was safely secure behind the block of hardwood, I flopped onto my bed face

  first. Oh...my...God... I wanted to squeal and dance around my room. Just like I thought he would, my uncle cracked open my door minutes later to make sure my bedroom was boy free. The sight of him made me instantly feel guilty for behaving like that under his roof. For respect for him, I promised myself that wouldn't happen here again.

  "So, your friend couldn't have called, he had to come all the way here?" Pat's voice startled me while I was pulling out an extra blanket from my closet.

  "He's more of a face to face type of guy." I quickly turned away from him so he wouldn't catch the blush on my cheeks. I flung the blanket open and smoothed it flat on top of my mattress.

  Pat grunted from his space at my door. "Is he more than your friend?"

  "Pat," I groaned. My body was now sore and all I wanted to do was curl up in my bed so I could wake up faster to see Fred.

  "I mean, you were bound to get a boyfriend sooner or later. I just wish you would have given me a heads up so I could have prepared my, touch my girl, you're dead meat, speech."

  "Your speech was fine," I assured him though I'm sure it wouldn't have made a difference. "Him coming here was a surprise to both of us." I continued to busy myself by grabbing an oversize shirt and laying it on my bed. As if that wasn't clear enough that I wanted to get dressed and go to sleep, I smiled sweetly at him and waited for him to take the hint.

  "Oh, right, well," he nodded his head and angled his body out my door. "Goodnight, then." "Night." When my door was shut again I stripped

  my clothes off and pulled my shirt over my head. Before the shirt was even past my navel, my door silently opened again. I gasped and quickly pulled my shirt all the way down.

  Walking through my door with his finger pressed to his lips to silence me, Fred slid through and shut the door again without a sound. "Are you crazy?" I hissed, my eyes wide.

  He shrugged and walked around the side of my bed and slipped under the cover. "Goodnight," he finally said and his eyes were closed before I even caught my barrings.

  Taking one more look at the door, I walked across the room and turned the lock. I slipped under the covers with him and studied his face for a second. It was times like these that I could finally study him without being caught.

  Here he was, in Iowa, in my bed, all because I didn't say goodbye. I don't think I could bare saying goodbye to him when he goes back to New York. I mean, he had to go back. He couldn't stay here. Could I stay here?

  I didn't flinched when his eyes reopened to see me looking at him. He didn't speak a word, but hooked an arm around my waist and pulled me closer to the point that my forehead was touching his. He sighed contently and closed his eyes again.

  I found myself smiling just then. He looked so relaxed and I have never seen him relaxed per say. There were so many feelings bubbling up inside of me that I couldn't stop myself from leaning forward and kissing his forehead just before I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

  I was woken by my door opening and Pat's voice filling the room. "Wake up, Honey B, we got things to do!" I woke up in a panic and immediately looked at the empty space where Fred was occupying, then back to Pat. He was gone now along with Fred. Where was Fred? He must have left in the early morning to not get caught. At least one of us was thinking clearly.

  "Honey B?" I looked back up from rubbing away the sleep from my eyes to see Fred leaning against the doorframe, fully dressed and wearing one of my uncle's baseball caps, along with a goofy smile on his face. Chuck bounced excitedly beside him, balancing against Fred's thigh on his back paws. Fred reached down and scratched the beagle behind the ear.

  Though he was cheery, I for one was not. I was never a morning person. Lifting the pillow he slept on over my head, I flung it at him. He caught it without any damage done and tossed it back over on my bed. He made a signal of him not being able to pass the threshold of where the hardwood flooring of the hallway met my bedroom, winked, then walked back downstairs.

  What the hell was going on?

  =================

  34

  Fred's POV

  "You don't have to go," Anna said to me, her hand rubbing up and down my arm when her uncle had his back turned. I had finally accepted the tingle her skin sent off against mine. It wasn't the first time that happened when she touches me but it was still new to me.

  "Yes, he does," her uncle bellowed, turning around. A f
ond smile settled on Anna's lips as she shook her head at him. They were a lot alike, her and Pat. They both narrowed their eyes when they were talking, whether to make them look intimidating or not. It worked for Pat, but no so much Anna. She just looked cute.

  I tried to stop the internal cringe with using the word cute, but she was. Everything about her was innocent. She still blushes when I so much as look at her and she does this little smile that looks somewhat like a smirk but is less mocking. I don't know if it's a new thing she is trying out but it makes me want to grab her and try the things I've fantasizes about while thinking of her face and of her hips.

  She's just cute. "Cathie needs your help today with baking for the church banquet and I figured Fred and I would head down to Mike's to help out. He asked for an extra hand and I figured it would do us some good being away from you women, right Fred?"

  I nodded, trying my hardest to be polite. Of course I didn't want to go. I wanted to stay in and do to Anna exactly what I was thinking but knew she wouldn't because of her family here. But then again, last night... I stopped thinking about it before I embarrassed myself.

  I wasn't

  intimidated by a lot of people but Pat was a big guy. Not in a fat kind of way, but in one that said he could kick my ass with one swing of his fist.

  "This will be a first for me," I admitted. I've lived in New York my whole life. What did the man think I've done so far? Certainly not baled hay and milked stupid cows. "I'm sure you will get the hang of it. It's rather simple. But then again, none of us have lived on cement before without the real work of producing foods to stay alive." Pat patted me on the back rough enough to knock me forward a bit.

  "Pat," Anna hissed. The embarrassment that she felt stained her cheeks. I wanted to reach forward and brush that hair of hers out of her face but I didn't.

  Pat called for the dog and walked out the front door expecting me to follow him. But before I could leave, Anna caught my arm.

  "I'm serious, Fred, if you don't want to go you don't have to." Now that her family members were out of sight, I reached forward and hooked a strand of curly hair behind her ears. Cupping her face with the same hand I leaned forwards and puckered my lips against hers. "You have done many firsts with me so, I figure, I owe you this."

  That certain smile spread across her face again and before I could lose my head, her uncle honked the horn of his rusty pickup truck.

  * * * * *

  Chuck, hung his head out the window while perched on my lap. I've never been much for the country hick town mojo but I have to admit that this was a decent get away from the city lights and traffic. No words were passed between Anna's uncle and I as we drove to his friend's farm. When we got their, Chuck bounded out of the truck the second Pat cut the ignition.

  I couldn't tell if Pat liked me or not. I was used to parents not liking me, especially dads, so it only seemed fit for him not to like me.

  "Mike!" Pat called out to a man in a wool coat and overalls. Damn, it was cold out. The man turned, waved, and started heading over to us. "I've known this man since grade school," Pat told me while we met the guy halfway. "You don't say."

  "Yup." He clasped Mike's hand and then turned to me. "This is one of Anna's friends from New York. Fred."

  "New York, you say," Mike greeted shaking my hand. People did that a lot here. "Fancy." "Thought I would callase those pretty hands of his and have you teach him the ropes around here." Pat patted my back again roughly and it took everything in me not to hit him back. I was trying to be on my best behavior for Anna's sake because I knew this man met a lot to her, but damn.

  "I can do that, sure!" Mike turned and we followed. Chuck trotted next to me with his tongue hanging out and ears perked. I've never really been an animal person but this dog seemed to like me. I've never thought about having a dog in the city. My mom was allergic so I didn't have one growing up, though I did want one, I remember.

  We entered a big barn-like building and the smell hit me like a Annack wall once I stepped inside. I tried my best to cover my disgust since this seems to be work that these men take pride in. Rows of black and white cows lined up both sides of the

  metal barn. Chuck left my side to go snoop around. "This here," Mike said stopping at a rather large heffer. I knew cows were big but it never crossed my mind that they were this big. "Is Marigold. I think you and her make a fine pair." He sat down on a low stool and grabbed her teets, pulling down until milk sprayed into the tin pail.

  I smirked immaturely. This would be nothing new for these bad boys I call hands.

  "See," Mike said standing back up. "Nothing to it. Think you can handle that?"

  "Yeah."

  Mike and Pat walked a few feet away conversing about new field machinery he got while I took my seat on the stool. Merigold shifted backwards making me question whether or not she could kill me. She looked mad that I was about to be groping her. Could I get mad cow disease from this thing?

  I fisted my hand around a point of her utter and did what the man did but nothing happened. Looking under her legs at the two men now examining something further away, I straightened back up. "Look here, Merigold," I whispered to the beast. "I'm trying to impress a girl's uncle and I need you to cooperate. I don't do this, like ever, especially for a girl, so this is kinda important. Women love my hands, some say they're magic, so give into them, alright? I'll make this as epic for you as it will be for me when I get to rub it in these guys' faces."

  First I started using words like cute and caring about what a girl's family thinks of me and now I'm talking to a damned cow. I've officially lost it.

  I reached forward again and redid the process.

  A thin streak of milk sprayed into the pail and then another. "There ya go," I encouraged. I could feel Pat's eyes on me as I worked the milk out of this cow.

  Bravely, I looked up and met his eyes. He uncrossed his arms and made his way back over to me, leaving Mike scribbling on a packet of papers.

  "So," he said kneeling down beside me. "What are your intentions with my niece?" A string of milk went astray out of the bucket and onto the ground. Marigold must have not liked that because she shifted, nearly knocking over the pail of her milk. I steadied both of us before I looked over at him.

  "Oh, come on," he scoffed. "You didn't honestly think I wouldn't know why you are here. I've been your age once, boy, I know your intentions. I just felt like that was something I was supposed to say. I'm not stupid."

  I remained silent as I reached for Marigold again and milked her once more before opening my mouth. "We're friends."

  Pat scoffed and lifted his cap off his head, smoothed down his hair, and then replaced it with a sigh. "Friends don't fly halfway across the country the day after one leaves just to spend more time with them. I'm sure you know Annaanna isn't returning to New York."

  My brow knitted in concentration as I focused on milking this damn cow for all she was worth. "Mmhmm."

  "And I'm guessing you are the reason she isn't."

  I stopped and sat back on the stool. Keeping my eyes straight ahead, I let my cool exterior take over. I turned to Anna's uncle. "If she didn't tell you, I don't think I will."

  Pat's jaw clenched, a muscle ticking

  in his cheek while his eyes bore into mine. There was a few uncomfortable seconds before he clapped me again on the back nearly knocking me off the stool. "Well," he stood up and stretched his arms over his head. "To be honest, I'm glad she's staying. She's safer here. That city ruins people's minds, people's dreams. I prefer her here away from all of that. She doesn't know what she's getting herself into over there or who she could bump into." I started to understand what Anna was talking about feeling caged in here. It wasn't necessarily the people, but more of the mindset that there was nothing else but this; getting the bare minimum until the day was over and you finally realised that there is a world out there.

  Pat turned on his heels to walk away and I turned back to an impatient Marigold. Pat's voice stopped
me before I could reset my mind to focus on the task at hand. "I'm sure she's told you a lot of things. She seems comfortable with you." He waited for me to nod. "Then I can assure you that if you hurt her anymore than you have, I will whoop you all the way back to your horrid city, understood."

  He walked away leaving me to myself. It was comical to me, really, how much Anna had in her life. She had someone to attempt to scare me just to protect her. She was a lucky one to be so loved by someone. My dad practically worships her too. Hell, I worshipped her but I have yet to allow myself to show her.

  Pretty soon the bucket was filled a few inches and I was joined by Chuck, who was hopping around barking at me like I was running a race. Mike and Pat came back

  over at the fuss. I leaned my elbows on my knees and looked up at them proudly.

  "Well shit," Pat said picking up the pail. "I was hoping to embarrass you some more but seems you are winning at this game. Is there anything you can't do?"

  After showing me some tractor sketches that I really couldn't give two shits about, we headed back to the house to see what Anna and Cathie had made.

  I liked Anna's home. It was the definition of homey. Nothing like mine. It was warm and quaint in the means of homecooked smells and old embarrassing pictures hanging on the walls. The air seemed to intensify between Pat and I after our little confrontation. We both rushed into the kitchen, hands grabbing for anything sweet. I went straight to Anna, one hand grabbing a frosted cookie and the other squeezing her ass. She squealed and shoved the remaining amount of cookie into my mouth before checking to see if anyone saw.

  "How was it," she asked for my ears only. I managed to shove another cookies into my mouth before her hand batted me away. I loved when she did that. Her nose would scrunch up and her lips would purse whenever she got remotely angry or annoyed.

  I set the bottle of milk onto the counter and smiled widely at her, my mouth still stuffed full of cookies. She picked it up and admired it foundly.

  "Not bad," she praised examining the bottle.

  "You got yourself a natural, Anna," Pat added, surprising us both. "He took the cow by the teats and owned her. You should have seen it." "Not surprised," Anna mumbled into her chest, brushing crumbs from the granny apron she was wearing.