A Gardener's Touch

She had some preparations to make to allow her to transfer his workers pass from the municipal garden to her estate but she had the authority to do it now. She smiled kindly at him.

"Not to worry, I'll take good care of you," she said and she left.

The next day, Grenville stood in the large, dusty room that would be his new home. The big greenhouse at the Daniels Estate was in sore need of renovation, restoration, and repair. The attached cottage he stood in would be where he lived from now on. It wasn't big, but there was certainly more space than he had back at Capital Gardens. There was even a large tool shed at the back of the cottage. He'd put those tools to good use in fixing up the place.

It was explained to him that he would be the Head Groundskeeper for the estate. That role hadn't been filled for three generations on the estate and an outside company had been paid to maintain the grounds. They had done a decent job but there was minimal thought to design and it had been largely just basic maintenance. Now that Capital City was renowned for its beautiful gardens, the Mayor's estate could be nothing less than equally spectacular.

He immediately got to work cleaning out the small cottage. He got the cleaning supplies from the maids in the main estate building. The workers in the mansion were very friendly to him when they got over his size and saw how gentle and shy he was. He looked forward to working with them, though there probably wouldn't be much overlap in their duties. The kitchen staff would make his meals and bring them to him and the five women who worked there were very impressed with how big he was. They didn't even seem to mind his scars.

It took him a day to clean up the cottage and determine what needed repairing. There was enough spare lumber in the tool shed for him to do the repairs he needed in the next day or so. Then he tackled the greenhouse and that took several more days. He cleared out all of the old, dead plant life and refreshed the soil in the growing benches, repaired the watering systems, replaced broken glass panes and finally gave the entire building a thorough scrubbing to make it spotless. It took him a little more than a week but finally the greenhouse was fully operational.

Next he made a thorough inspection of the grounds and inventoried all of the existing flora. There had been some obvious mistakes in planting which he would have to remedy.

A month after his moving in Kayleen came to visit him in his cottage at the end of the day. She looked around and was very impressed with how clean everything looked. She realized there was nothing personal on display as if Grenville didn't expect to be staying. She also noticed the old, defunct data terminal in the corner of the room and made a note to place an order for a current model.

"So I understand you have some plans for me to see?" she asked.

He nodded and spread out some drawings on a small table. He'd done an excellent job of hand sketching the garden plans over a property diagram. She saw how the estate building would be accentuated by the planting of some ornamental trees along the long curving drive and the garden itself looked like it would be a masterpiece. She had seen the estimate for the materials needed and had been a little concerned. Now that she saw the plans she thought the estimate might be low. Knowing he was a master at designing to a budget she approved the quote and the design. He would begin tomorrow.

His workers bracelet allowed him to travel from the estate to each of the municipal gardens so he visited each and collected some extra plants from the greenhouses that would be incorporated into the estate's garden.

Grenville made sure each of the gardens was running smoothly and answered any questions the workers had. There was nothing for him to fix so he made one final stop at Capital Gardens. He visited the old man briefly who was happy to see him and didn't seem to be too surprised or upset that his star pupil had been scooped away for a brighter future. Before he left Grenville quietly collected his personal orchid project and made his way back to the estate to begin his work there.

His new data console arrived and he used it to access the building supply shops to order the materials he needed for the project. He had restricted access to an estate account with just the funds he'd indicated he needed for the project. He saw the console was a newer model and looked forward to continuing his Horticultural studies on it when he had time.

Working sun up to sun down seven days a week, Grenville had the property ready for unveiling two months later and the Mayor became the talk of the town once more. The estate grounds were stunning, cleverly showcasing key elements from each of the Seven Gardens of Capital City. Kayleen was very pleased with Grenville and bought out his contract from the city to ensure he was a permanent fixture on the estate.

During this time, but hidden from the public's eye, Kayleen's daughter AnnaZelle returned home from university as she'd been expelled, again. She had a brilliant mind but her psyche was twisted from years of neglect from her mother. AnnaZelle despised her and had been acting out for years to embarrass and punish her for how she'd been treated. The young woman was now in her mid-twenties. She was tall and perhaps a little too slim which made her obviously fake breasts seem overly large as they were squeezed into the skin tight mini dresses she chose to wear. Her long raven hair had bleached white streaks through it, and her jet black lipstick, eye shadow and nails contrasted starkly with her almost translucent white skin making her look almost like a starlet plucked from an old Bride of Frankenstein movie. What ruined that image were the dozens of piercings, some visible and some hinted at, and her grotesque tattoos graphically depicting scenes of demons with enormous cocks raping virginal nuns with oversized breasts and asses. The entire Kama Sutra was inked over her body. She'd tried everything to piss her mother off but the neglect continued. So while her mother dragged the press on a tour of the garden she was confined to her room. When they left AnnaZelle ignored everyone. She preferred to be alone anyway.

The ladies of the kitchen had begun taking turns bringing Grenville his meals and each tried her best to seduce the gentle giant. He was so shy! None of them understood that he'd never been with a woman and had no idea what to make of their attentions.

Margarita was the most bold of the five and decided that this morning she was going to see the hunk of a man naked before her and have some fun. She collected the basket and with the teasing of the others in her ears she headed off to the cottage a little earlier than normal.

Her idea of arriving early was a smart one as Grenville was always fresh and clean from the shower by the time they normally arrived. She slipped into the cottage quietly and sure enough she could hear the shower running. She placed the basket on the counter, loosened her hair and slipped off her dress and shoes. She padded over to the bathroom door and peered inside. His back was to her so she stepped into the bathroom but froze when she saw the scars all over his back. They continued all the way down to his calves. Dozens of them, from small white lines and ragged circles of bullet wounds to deep, purple twisting scars. His body looked enormous in the small shower and his broad shoulders almost touched the walls of the enclosure. When he turned to rinse the soap from his back she gasped. His chest was even more tortured!

Grenville froze when he heard the feminine gasp. Blinking soap from his eyes he looked out to see Margarita standing in his washroom and she was naked! He blushed fiercely but couldn't take his eyes from her lovely smooth skin and graceful curves or her black curly hair which hung down to her shoulders. He'd never seen such beauty, except for the flowers he took care of. He started to feel strange. Warm and tingly and he was getting an erection right in front of her!

Margarita's eyes travelled down to his groin and she gasped again. He was very big. Maybe the largest she'd seen. He didn't seem to know what to do and seemed embarrassed by his reaction to her too. It suddenly clicked. The man was a virgin! It all made sense! How he could be a virgin at his apparent age was a mystery but maybe the scarring had something to do with it.

She wasn't repulsed by this scars. They were just part of who he was and who he had been was now even more interesting. She wanted to know the story behind each of them. But first she wanted get her hands on what was standing up to greet her!

Grenville remained frozen but Margarita stepped forward boldly and grasped his hard flesh in her hands. He gasped at the sensation and she marvelled at the heat in her hands. She could just encircle it with her fingers and both hands fit with some still showing.

"Grenville, you've never done this before?" she asked with a coy smile on her lips.

"No! So good!" he groaned.

"You won't last the first time so I will help you through it," she said, her eyes locked on the prize in her hands.

He was confused by what she meant. The first time?

She began to stroke him up and down, the loose skin sliding back and exposing the sensitive tip. Margarita felt his pulse thudding in the hot flesh in her hands and his breathing sped up. She rolled her palm over the top and felt his entire body go rigid.

"Oh!" he gasped and his orgasm crashed over his senses.

Grenville rested back against the wall and felt the aftershocks trembling through his muscles. That had been wonderful! He was so grateful to Margarita. He opened his eyes and looked at her smiling face.

"Now I will teach you how to kiss," she said. She reached up with one hand, the other one still gripping him, and pulled his head down to hers to press her soft lips against his. He responded immediately and she felt him begin to harden again, though he hadn't really gone very soft. He instinctively sucked her bottom lip between his and sensually caressed its softness. She moaned into his mouth and thrust her tongue into his mouth. Surprised, he caressed it with his own and sucked gently which caused her to moan even harder and crush her mouth against his. He moved his hands to her back and slid them down her amazingly silky soft skin.

Margarita trembled when his big hands touched her and her breathing sped up as they travelled downwards. When he squeezed her ass she became a little light headed and leaned against his broad chest. She felt the heat and wetness between her thighs and she guided him to her opening. She slid him back and forth until he was well lubricated.

Suddenly he lifted her up against his chest and the tip slipped inside. She squeaked in surprise then groaned in ecstasy as he lowered her down slowly, sliding himself deep inside her. Her legs went around his hips instinctively and their bodies squeezed together.

Once he reached bottom he paused and watched the intense expressions flitting over her face.

She was having trouble holding back her orgasm. It had taken her by surprise but everywhere he touched her was tingling madly with pleasure. She was losing the battle for control.

"Now! Grenville, now!" she gasped.

His powerful hands lifted her ass effortlessly until he was almost out then he thrust her back down. She screamed as her orgasm took her. He raised her up and pounded deep into her again and again. Margarita's eyes rolled back as waves of pleasure rocked her body. Finally Grenville moaned deeply as his second orgasm exploded. She was completely spent and lay against his chest, her cheek resting on his shoulder as he held her in place.

Finally he gently lifted her once more and slipped free. When she was ready he set her back on her feet and held her until she felt she could stand on her own. He quickly rinsed off and gave her the shower to do the same. When she stepped out he wrapped her in a towel and dried her off as she stood dazed by his worshipful care. She realized he was treating her like one of his delicate flowers, showing extra care to ensure she was alright. He was kneeling at her feet drying her legs when she tipped his chin up and gave him a kiss. She felt a zing from her lips right down to her most intimate parts and pulled back from the kiss abruptly, surprised. She darted out of the room to get dressed. By the time he dried himself and left the bathroom she was gone.

The four women in the kitchen were on pins and needles. When Margarita didn't come back immediately they knew the boldest of them had acted. The two youngest, Sasha and Neela, felt a little jealous as they had wanted to be the first to experience sex with the big man. The next oldest, Hanna, was grinning as she imagined the fun Margarita must be having. The oldest, Gwendolyn, was struggling with her feelings as she fancied Grenville and his gentle spirit.

When Margarita burst through the kitchen door all four women squealed in surprise. Margarita immediately dropped onto a chair by the kitchen table and put her face in her hands. She seemed to be crying. Sasha and Neela were immediately frightened and rushed to Gwendolyn's side. Hanna was the first to speak.

"Margarita? Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" she asked quietly.

The seated woman pulled her face from her hands to stare up at Hanna. She looked like she wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.

"Did he hurt me? No. He's so gentle. Did you know he was a virgin?" She looked over at Gwendolyn. "Did you?"

Gwendolyn's voice was deeper than the others but it broke slightly as she tried to answer. "I... suspected."

The two youngest came forward and eagerly asked what he'd been like.

Margarita looked at them and again, laughter and tears battled across her features. "He's... monstrously scarred. What he's lived through must have been horrifying!" She shook her head as if to dispel the image then looked back up into their eyes.

"He's also beautiful! Powerful and gentle. Forceful and sensual. I thought it would be just a little bit of fun. A quick roll and a laugh... but I wasn't ready for that. I'm so confused!" She bit her lip and fidgeted on the chair. "He also has a really big cock! I'm a little sore down there."

Sasha and Neela giggled with delight as they imagined this monstrously large man having his way with them.

"No!" Gwendolyn barked at them knowing exactly what their intent was. "Tomorrow, I will deliver his breakfast." For the normally shy and timid Gwendolyn to have worked up the nerve to be this bold stunned the others into silence.

Margarita looked like she wanted to argue but she already had a long term boyfriend and was now struggling with her mixed emotions. She knew she had no grounds to complain.

In the hallway outside the kitchen AnnaZelle listened in with mounting interest. The prospect of being imprisoned on the estate by her mother was looking up. There might just be some worthy distractions here after all.

Grenville finished his breakfast and thought about Margarita's visit this morning. He'd never known he could feel so good. He'd never touched a woman before either and was dazzled by how soft her skin had been. And kissing was his second favorite thing to do! He wondered why she had left so quickly afterwards. Maybe that's what women were supposed to do? He wanted to know more and wondered if she was planning on doing that again.

He moved into the greenhouse to look in on his secret experiment. His orchids were one of a kind. He'd learned so much from the old man but now he was well beyond those skills. His research on the data terminals had taught him the sciences behind horticulture and plant husbandry. Secretly, he'd kept one of the alien hybrid flowers he'd found in Capital Gardens. He suspected there was something unique about the off world source plant that gave it a very dominant genetic signature. As the original plant had shown signs of reaching the end of its life cycle, before it did he managed to cross breed it with a delicate strain of orchid. The dominant alien genes resulted in a plant that was immune to Earth based pests and diseases but most striking were the iridescent petals on its large, ornate flowers. Much like a butterfly's wing, the surface of the flower petals shimmered between brilliant yellow and a deep red in the light. He thought they looked like they were on fire. It reminded him strongly of a flowering plant from a planet he'd once been stationed on. The flower's scent was sweet but subtle and seemed to have a calming effect. He always felt a little more alert and happy after he worked with these orchids.

Grenville hid the ten plants he'd produced so far behind a curtain since their origin started with flower that was supposed to have been destroyed. The original flower was long gone but its genes lived on in his Chella Orchids. He'd given them the Chuuruthian name for 'wild fire' due to their brilliant colors. He was sure he'd get into trouble if someone found them. At the very least his creations would be destroyed.

He put his boots on and began his rounds in the garden.

AnnaZelle sat in the window seat in her room and watched the Groundskeeper inspecting the displays he'd designed. She watched his hands. They were big and rough but he touched the plants with such care and precision. She wondered what they'd feel like on her body. She'd heard that he was simple minded but considering how well he tended the garden maybe he was some kind of savant. She snorted in derision. A gardening genius. Lame.

She decided she would speak with him directly to see just how much was left inside that melon on his shoulders. If he wasn't mush between the ears maybe she'd take him for a spin like that kitchen maid had.

She slipped downstairs and out into the garden without anyone noticing. The big man was working on the water feature and his shirt was quite wet. As she wandered closer she watched him roll his wet sleeves back. AnnaZelle's eyes locked onto the marks over his skin and she froze in place.

During one of the times she escaped from her private school she'd gone to an underground club to get high and lose herself. During the week she hid from her mother and the police she had some ritual scarring done on right bicep. It was one of the hardest things she'd ever done and she had some piercings in some tender places. She'd cried during the process but afterwards she felt powerful for having endured it. Now she was forced to compare the five neat chevron marks on her arm to the savage scoring on just his exposed forearms. She realized just how insignificant her pain had been next to his. While they were fully healed, the marks on his flesh were raw and powerful. That definitive moment in her life now suddenly felt juvenile and meaningless. She was consumed with rage that this... stranger, gardener, a worker no less, could come into her life and make her feel so insignificant. She grabbed the handle of something out of the back of the electric cart and made three strides forward and struck him across his broad back with all the strength in her slim frame.

As the blade bit into his flesh he spun and knocked the tree saw from her hand, his combat training kicking in automatically. His hand punched forward to crush her windpipe but he managed to stop the punch just before contact. AnnaZelle's eyes went wide and she lost control of her bladder for a moment. She'd seen her death at the hands of this man and now her humiliation was complete. She spun and raced back into the house, sobbing uncontrollably.

Grenville's eyes were wild and frightened. His tight muscles trembled with the surge of adrenalin coursing through his system. He fell to his knees then forward onto his hands as the rush passed. He continued to shake. He could hear the sound of people running towards him and before he passed out he looked up to see some of the inside workers rushing to his side.