Butterflys and Rain

Today.

It was the butterfly's fault. That's what Donna kept thinking as her lover brought her to orgasm. Bert had been working her towards the finish line for a few minutes now. He was skillful and methodical, pushing her buttons, nudging her higher and higher. Donna pulled against the restraints, happy to have something to strain against. She could have pulled free of the restraints if she really wanted to. They were only silk scarves, and she was the one who tied them in place earlier. The ties allowed her to enjoy the experience much more thoroughly than she otherwise could have.

Ordinarily she would never have done these things. She was a good girl and thought herself quite vanilla; if she understood the term correctly. Donna had spent most of her life following the rules, doing what society expected of her, and always feeling less happy than she wanted. She wanted to be happier, but didn't know how to make it happen. She didn't even know what true happiness looked like. It was hard to want something you had never seen before. She didn't feel comfortable speaking up for herself, and never spoke about the hole in her heart.

Donna was a fierce advocate for her friends. She could shower them with encouragement and be the cheerleader they needed. She helped many others achieve their own goals. While her own desires sat on a shelf and collected dust. She had lots of friends, even some good friends: but she didn't have that one friend you shared the deep stuff with. Donna wasn't even sure how other people managed to say the deep scary words without dying of embarrassment.

The orgasm rolled up on her like a heavy rain cloud pushed by the wind. Slow, patient, and timeless. Donna tightened her grip and arched her body towards him, towards the sensation. That was very bold of her, she thought to herself. She just needed a little bit more. There was a tie around her neck that was pulled, forcing her head to tilt backwards. The tie scared her. It made her feel like he was in control of her. She hated everything about that tie; even when the pull of it made her cum. Her breathing hitched twice as her body exploded. Pleasure washed over her body like a warm summer rain. She cried out as her body tried to shake itself apart. Donna shattered, cried, and was washed away by her ecstasy.

This is joy, her body said, twisting like a cat in a sweater.

This is love her heart said, as endorphins flooded her system.

"I love you Donna," he whispered, still inside her, hot and hard.

This is happiness she thought, hearing his words. This is the man she wanted. They were doing the things she wanted; and he was saying the things she wanted him to say. Yes, this was real happiness.

Fifteen Days Ago.

The rain had always made Donna worry. Her house was perched on the hillside of the canyon, a hundred feet above the river. The view was spectacular, and she knew she was lucky to have it. The house was not much to look at from the front, but Donna lived in the back half. The back door opened onto a deck that ran the length of the house. Eight feet wide and forty feet long; it offered stunning views of the canyon and river below. In the summer she would spend her free time out soaking it all in. Leaning on the railing, or relaxing in a deck chair, it didn't matter. She kept an old pair of binoculars by the door to help see the hawks and eagles better. They often put on a show just for her.

The house was old, but standing strong against the elements. It had not started sliding down the hill yet, but the thought was always in the back of her mind. She lived in a place where it rained for half of the year, and threatened to rain for the other half. The deck was not holding up as well.

The main part of the deck was over fifteen years old, held together by paint and moss. The rest of the deck was piecemeal, with additions here and there over the years. Overall, the deck looked much more weekend warrior than structural engineer. Different heights, different boards, different design. Why couldn't they just match the original design she often thought. The rain always made her worry. Every time it rained, Donna thought about the deck getting wetter and weaker. She didn't know the names of all the deck parts, but she knew the older wood was losing the battle with time. Some spots creaked with age, and some were spongier than others. She had been hoping for years the deck would last one more year. So far, for the last few years, the deck had been listening to her.

The butterfly had landed on the railing to bask in the morning sunlight. It was opening and closing its wings, drying them, angling towards the sun for warmth. It was a Painted Lady Butterfly, recognizable by its distinctive markings. The wings were orange and brown, with a white bar on the leading edge. Donna saw it through the window and grabbed her camera before walking outside. She didn't need another picture of a butterfly, she already had hundreds. Still, they called her. Each one was magnificent with its distinctive size, shape, and colors.

Donna took pictures while moving closer. As long as she was slow and quiet, the butterfly would probably not flee. She got some good pictures up close, before moving backwards to try some artsy photos. She wanted to get the far hillside blurred out in the background. As Donna stepped back, a deck board creaked under foot. This was one of the known weak spots and she noted the groan of protest. As she leaned back to take another picture, the wood made a different sound. One single deep crack. A lone fiber of wood had given up somewhere in the middle, and snapped with an audible pop. Donna quickly stepped off the board but no other sounds were forthcoming. She put her foot back on the spot and tested it, putting all her weight on it. It was soft, but still usable, for now. The sound announced to her that the time had come, and the deck needed replacing. This was one more thing she didn't want to deal with, but had to. Donna had a list of things she didn't have the time for. She had another list for things she didn't have the money for. There was a third list of things she didn't have the energy for. Some projects fit in one category, and some spilled over into two. A new deck? That would land in all three. Donna went back inside and sat in the chair near the window. She looked at the deck, and then looked at the railing.

"Damm butterfly," she said.

Donna could only think of one person who could help her with the deck. She had worked with Bert years ago, and he was a handyman on the side. They used to be good friends, but had drifted apart when Donna took another job. They had flirted outrageously for a time and came dangerously close to falling in love. They decided to cool things off by mutual agreement before anyone got hurt. Things were more complicated back then as both of them had other attachments. Both admitted to having feelings for each other, but the timing wasn't right. Time and distance had softened the edges of those old sharp feelings.

Donna texted Bert, asking if he still built decks. He did. They made plans for him to stop by the following day. He would look at the project, take measurements, talk about her options, and give her an estimate for the labor and materials.

The text exchange was innocuous, and Donna wasn't sure what to think of that. All their past exchanges had been flirty, and full of innuendo. Bert had a knack for it, and left Donna tied up in knots with his words. It had been a while since they spoke, so she chalked it up to that. Donna had spent years telling herself that all those feelings were in the past. She was over it; and obviously he was over it. In a small way she was relieved they were both on the same page.

The jitters the following day told Donna that she might not be completely over it. She was more nervous than she wanted to admit. She was looking forward to seeing Bert, and she really did need to get the deck repaired. On the other hand, this meeting felt different from all previous ones. This would be at her home, and the two of them would be alone. Donna kept telling herself she was acting like a silly schoolgirl, but still went through half a dozen outfits before she found one she was happy with. In the last hour before his arrival, Donna kept looking for things to straighten. She checked and rechecked her appearance, and then scolded herself for doing so. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. When he knocked on the door, she broke out in gooseflesh before she opened it. Why was it suddenly so hot inside?

"Hey beautiful," Bert said by way of greeting.

Donna blushed and welcomed him inside. He used to call her that all the time, although she never believed it was true. Donna was practical about her own looks. She thought she was cute but not pretty. She was pleasant, but not beautiful. That being said, she sure liked the way it made her feel when he said it.

Donna jumped right into the project and nervously talked about the deck. She covered the age, the rain, the saggy parts, and the cracking sound from yesterday. They moved outback while Bert took measurements, and checked random boards. He also looked at the posts and railing before walking down the hill to examine the underside. He talked to her while he explored, explaining what he was looking at or looking for. Below the deck boards were the 2x6 joists. Below the joists were the 4x6 beams. The beams were held up by 4x4 support posts, set in concrete footings dug into the hillside.

Each later was different, designed to hold the weight above it. Bert came back up onto the deck and spent a few minutes making notes for his estimate. Donna didn't talk while he wrote, giving him time to get all the information down on paper. It gave her time to look at him and she was happy with what she saw.

He was older of course, but she loved how he looked. His blue eyes were just as piercing, and still intimidated the hell out of her. He had strong hands from a lifetime of using them. Her eyes lingered on his hands and she remembered how they felt on her skin. Strong, warm, and confident. She felt safe wrapped up in those arms. His lips used to drive her crazy. When Donna looked up at his face, he was done writing and staring back at her.

Heat rushed through her and she knew her cheeks betrayed her thoughts and feelings. She tried to avoid his eyes.

"What?" she asked.

"Every time I see you, you get more beautiful."

"No I don't," she responded too quickly.

"Yes, you do," he said, moving towards her.

Donna took a quick look behind her but there was nowhere to run. She was standing against the railing, and the door to her home was behind him. Her mouth went dry as he stopped in front of her.

"If you argue everything I say, this project will never get finished," he said, standing just inside her intimate space.

"I don't...I'm not..." Donna said, breathless and bewildered.

Bert reached forward and tucked a wisp of hair back behind her ear. The moment his fingers touched her; her whole-body trembled. Donna was afraid her knees would give out and she was going to slump to the floor. Heat flared on her skin where he touched her. She didn't trust herself to speak but had no idea what to say. Instead, she stood there looking into his eyes. That was a mistake. Her mouth opened on its own, begging to be kissed. She licked her lips and waited, wanting. Donna was afraid he was going to kiss her. Donna was even more afraid he would not kiss her. The ecstasy of the moment was pure agony. His eyes watched her, holding her frozen with his blue eyes.

"Two days," he said.

"Yes," Donna whispered, not listening, or caring. She started to tilt her head to the side, to surrender to his lips. Anything. Anything he wanted.

Bert leaned over and picked up his paperwork.

"Two days should give me time to figure out the estimate for you," he said.

Oh yes, the estimate. That is what this whole thing was about. Donna leaned back and closed her mouth. She fanned her face quickly when his back was turned, and tried to keep her hands from shaking.

"That would be great, thank you," she managed without stuttering.

Donna walked Bert back to his truck, and watched him climb inside. He started it up and rolled down the window to speak with her.

"It sure is good to see you again Donna," he said, eyes sparkling.

"You too," Donna said, not trusting herself to say more.

He pulled away and she watched his truck drive off and disappear. Donna pulled her shirt away from her body and found it sticky with sweat. She was flushed and more than a little aroused. Apparently, her feelings were not all in the past, and Donna was not on a different page.

The two of them played phone tag two days later. Bert agreed to send her the estimate by email. Donna looked it over and decided to go with the deck resurfacing option. The joist and beams were in good shape, and should last another fifteen to twenty years. She thought the price was more than fair. Donna suspected he was giving her a better deal that most people got because of their past relationship. That made for an easy decision. She officially hired him to resurface her deck. Bert agreed and said he would start the job on Saturday, three days from now.

The emails didn't have the same intimacy text messages did, so there was no flirting while they confirmed the work and wages. Bert said he would be on site to begin working by 8am. Eight in the morning was still early, but not so early that the neighbors complained about the noise.

Ten Days Ago.

Donna had trouble sleeping Friday night, and slept right through her alarm on Saturday. Movement and construction sounds woke her up and let her know she had company. Donna opened her eyes and looked at Bert working not ten feet away from her. The entire back wall of her room was glass, overlooking the deck and hillside. Donna was lying in bed under the covers only wearing a sports bra and panties. All her bedroom windows were one-way glass, otherwise she would have panicked. It was technically called half silvered glass, but either way it hid her from the outside world.

Donna watched Bert work while she lay in bed. She felt the stirrings of arousal, but worked hard to ignore it. She hardly ever touched herself. She never touched herself with anybody else around. Looking at Bert made the idea erotic and exciting, but way outside her comfort zone. Instead, she just watched him in a daze. The way he moved and the way he worked. Strong, confident, relaxed. Without realizing it, one of her hands had moved up to her breast and brushed her hard nipple. Donna made a soft 'oh' noise as lightning bolts shot through her body. For some reason, Bert took that moment to stare into the glass as if seeing her. He was looking right in her direction, even if he didn't know it. Donna's breath caught in her throat, and she squeezed her nipple while he looked at her. It was one of the most daring things she had ever done. Bert dropped his gaze and went back to work, but the heat remained in Donna all morning. When she did get out of bed, Donna held a pillow between her and the windows. His eyes were so intense, she didn't want to take a chance that he could see her.

Donna brought him a bottle of water once she was dressed. She even sat with him for a few minutes and talked about the project so far. She had a few errands to run, and would be back in a few hours. Bert had plenty of work to keep him occupied and said he would see her later. Bert watched her walk away and thought her ass was one of her best qualities. The ironic part was she didn't even know it.

They had flirted heavily years ago, but had never jumped over that last cliff of commitment together. It was not for lack of trying on Berts part, despite him already being in a relationship. He literally could not stop himself. He never stopped thinking about her. Donna dominated his thoughts from the moment he woke up, and tormented him throughout the day. Her eyes, the way she smiled, the kindness of her voice, played inside his head in a never-ending loop. Her smell was intoxicating, and even now he could just detect a hint of it. Bert didn't know if it was perfume or just her natural scent, but it called him. It yelled for him.

Bert got back to work, and tried to concentrate on the job. He had discounted the job for her, wanting to spend more time with her. Bert had fought against her pull years ago when they were coworkers. He considered himself a strong man, practically made of steel. He had been in charge of his emotions his entire life and could resist anything, until the magnet showed up. The steel could complain, and the steel could resist, but in the end, the steel gave into the magnet. Donna was his magnet. He tried to be rational about it but failed. He tried to keep his distance but failed. Nothing worked and he felt his feet slipping whenever he was around her. The day came when Bert made a sexual joke to make Donna laugh. For the first time she locked eyes with him and held his gaze. The look she gave him was different from all previous looks. She was thinking about it. She was thinking about them having sex. Bert could see it. Donna could tell Bert knew what she was thinking. At that moment, the magnetic field grew too strong and the steel was swept forward and slammed into the magnet with a loud crack. The crack shattered the last of his resistance. Bert had already lost the fight in his heart, so he decided to stop fighting.

Bert needed to make a cut under the deck. He laid a tarp on the wet ground and scooted on his back to reach it. The cut only took ten seconds but most of the sawdust fell directly on him. Wiggling out from under the deck Bert pulled his shirt off and shook it out. He tried to brush the dust off his neck and shoulders. He ran his hands through his hair several times and shook off everything he could. As he went to put his shirt back on, he looked up and saw Donna watching him from the window. She was in the living room where the windows were normal. He could see her just as well as she could see him. Donna was watching him with a look he had not seen in a long time. It was a hungry look. Bert recognized it because normally he was the one using it on her. It was crazy hot to see it on her. Sexy too. Bert gave her a wicked grin and Donna rushed away from the window. He laughed to himself before putting his shirt back on and getting to work. The look in her eyes haunted him as he thought about it all day. It almost looked like the poles had reversed. Maybe she was trying to be strong like steel this time. If that was the case, that made him the magnet.

Eight Days Ago.

Donna woke up to sounds of footsteps on her deck. She opened one eye and saw Bert walk by her bedroom window. She never closed the curtains because of the one-way glass, and today she was glad she didn't. He had just arrived and was laying out extension cords, carefully unrolling them so they didn't twist. He paid attention to the small details like that. He glanced at the window once, but Donna knew he couldn't see in, especially with how dark her room was. She was wearing a thin tank top and shorts, like she did most nights. Even though he couldn't see inside, it seemed like his eyes found her, and held her for moments in time.

The glance he gave made her warm up quickly. There was one spot in particular on her body that woke up faster than the rest. This spot didn't usually demand attention, but it was doing so today. Donna blushed alone in her dark bedroom. She couldn't. It was not something she did; hardly ever actually. Her body continued to scream for attention. Maybe she could just lay her hand there and it would help. As she moved her hand, her body responded with arousal. She could feel it, and that was new as well. Her body never felt like this, so needy and desperate. All the tiny hairs on her body stood up as she made the mental decision to touch herself under the safety of the covers. Her right hand came to rest on the soft fur between her legs. It was hotter than she anticipated. Bert walked by the window again, and Donna closed her eyes and tipped her head back. A tentative finger touched herself, and her flower opened, overflowing with morning dew. She captured a drop of moisture from below and brought it up to the pearl of nerves screaming to be touched. Donna touched as lightly as she could, and nearly exploded from it. She was loaded, primed, and ready to fire. She had never been this turned on before. She had never been this close to orgasm with so little touching. Her body was humming like a hot wire. Her legs spread on their own, giving the owner better access. She lightly stroked her clit from bottom to top, spreading the moisture around. Her hips came off the bed, and she ground her teeth to keep from yelling. So, fucking, good. Has it ever been this intense before? She stroked again and had to bite the corner of her pillow. Her body was close, teetering.