Down on the Farm Ch. 03

There might be a bit of a gap between this chapter and Chapter 4; I'll be leaving town early Monday morning. There's a possibility I'll get either the next chapter of this, or of My Number, submitted before I leave.

*****

Well, that answer pretty much stunned me, but I went right ahead and helped Gina get the dog over to the truck and put in. We didn't have any food in the truck, but headed straight home and I gave him a bit of people food to tide him over, while Gina made a quick grocery run to get him something proper to eat. She also picked up some dog shampoo, because he was filthy and stank, and a collar to put on him in case he got lost.

I think Gina must've broken every traffic law around, because she was back way before I expected her. We decided to give the dog just a little food at first, not wanting him to puke up too much from gorging. I'd never had a dog before, but it was obvious that she had, because Gina just seemed to know what to do.

I think that the dog must've had an owner at some point, because he recognized affection from people, and returned it in spades. Can dogs feel gratitude? I don't know, but he seemed like he did, laying down on an old bedsheet on the ground between us after he had eaten.

"So, babe," Gina asked me, "what are we going to name him?"

"Hell, I don't know. I was calling him Fido in my mind, but . . . ."

"Fido's lame! Think of something else."

I thought for a second, and then said, "Kayak. His name's Kayak, after the way we met on the river."

Gina looked at me like she thought that was kind of lame, too, but just said, "If that's the way you're thinking, I guess I should just be glad you don't want to name him Thinset." I had to laugh at that one.

After Kayak had about an hour break, we refilled his brand-new bowl, to give him some more. Like I said, we'd scrimped on his first feeding, but he really did need fattening up. After his second meal, and some more rest, we brought him over to the hose, to shampoo him and get him cleaned up. Kayak was very patient through all of this, letting us take care of him. He was still too skinny, of course, but he still looked like a much healthier dog once he was cleaned up. The shampoo was a flea shampoo as well, and that really helped him, but I figured that we'd need to get him to the vet next week for a checkup.

Around six, we started thinking about our own food, so I fired up the charcoal grill: it was just going to be burgers for us, but that was fine. We didn't need a fancy meal, and the last thing I wanted to do was leave Kayak alone while we ran off to a restaurant, not the first day with us, anyway.

And it was finally time to talk. I mean, Gina just plain stunned me when she said that she'd already moved in, even though that's what it looked like anyway, because we certainly hadn't talked about it. "Well, Gina, just what are we doing here? I guess that you knew I was already thinking about it, but it kind of surprised me" - I managed not to say shocked me or stunned me - "when you said that you'd moved in."

"Oh, Hell, Richard, I don't know. Everything just seemed natural, you know, and I wasn't intentionally moving in or anything, but we clicked, and when you asked me if I had already moved in, I said 'yes' because I knew the right answer was yes. It was the right answer, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, actually, it was. I have no flaming idea why it's the right answer, and I was actually trying to work up the nerve to talk about it this morning while we were having breakfast, but yeah, it was the right answer."

"This morning, were you going to ask me to move in?"

"I think so, but I was still trying to get everything sorted out in my mind. You're amazing, but you sure aren't like any other woman I've ever known."

"That's because you were up with all of those northern girls. You moved down here among Southern women, and Southern women take what they want. I'm just lucky I snatched you up before some other hussy got her claws into you!"

"Hussy?" I had to laugh at that term; I hadn't heard it used in, well, maybe forever. "So, what made you want to 'snatch me up'?"

Gina hesitated at that one, obviously considering her answer before giving it. "Well, I liked the way you looked that first day, very decent body for a man in his forties, and, I'll be honest here, I checked your arms for needle tracks, and didn't see any. After all of the losers I've dated, that's a big issue with me."

"You know, when you told me that you worked for the school system, I considered that you probably had to take drug tests, so yeah, that thought was in my head, too."

"Maybe not as many as you'd think, but yeah, a few. Anyway, when you told me that you were a writer, I wanted to know more, so I checked around, to find out your last name - you hadn't told me - and then I checked amazon.com to see if you had any books published. I found 'em, and ordered one. How the heck does a guy like you write romance novels, anyway? But when I read it, I was hooked, I knew I had to catch up with you again, and see what you were really like. I got here, and found you working, and that told me two things: you weren't lazy, and you had some real skills. Around these parts, you're a real catch!

"Anyway, I liked everything I saw, and I was getting pretty turned on as well. I was already on the horny side, and you were proving to be a real man, so I just went for it. You turned out to be pretty good in bed, which was the icing on the cake. But the last thing, the thing that made everything worth it, we spent most of the day working, and then went out, and then hit the sack, and not once did you grab a beer or want to smoke dope or anything like that."

"You know what you didn't say, Gina? You didn't say the first thing about love." I had noticed that, and with her straight-talking nature, I had to mention it.

"That's 'cause I don't know about that yet. I like you, a lot, and I admire you, and I'm happy being with you, but Hell, I've told guys I loved them before, and it all turned to shit. I thought that maybe love was something that had to be worked on, and it sure seems like it's moving that direction, and when I know, I'll tell you. Is that good enough for you? Is that good enough for us to start with?"

I just sat there, kind of stunned. Kayak was laying down beside my lawn chair, and I was absentmindedly petting him, just thinking about what Gina had said. I had really wanted her to say that she loved me, but, damn it all, the woman was being just plain sensible. I had bitten my tongue before I said it to her, just last night, because I was being sensible, and I needed to appreciate that she was a smart woman herself. "Yeah, it's good enough for us to start with. I'm pretty happy with things the way they are, and I think that they'll develop the way they should. But, damn, this sure isn't anything like the way I write romance books."

"That scary for you?"

"In a way, yeah, because most of what I've written is a slower build-up, and I try to put myself into my characters' heads, and you're just not what I've imagined."

"Well, was your ex?"

Holy crap, that was a direct question! "I thought so, for a long time, but that all went to shit anyway, so either I got it wrong, or what I write and sell isn't what works for me. Does it bother you that I've got an ex-wife out there?"

"Does it bother you that I have ex-boyfriends right here in this county? At least your ex is up in Pennsylvania, and not around here. You've got to live with that, while I'll never run into your ex."

"I can handle that. But I guess that this means I've got an extension on you being my girlfriend for the day." That got me the first smile in this very serious conversation. It also got Gina out of her chair, coming over to me, sitting on my lap and kissing me. "Yeah," she smiled, "you've got an extension."

Of course, the kissing didn't last very long, because Kayak stood up, put his front paws on the armrest of the lawn chair, and started licking my face!

"So, what are we going to do with Kayak overnight?" Gina asked me.

"I guess that we ought to keep him in the garage. That flea shampoo took care of most of them, but if there are any left, we don't want them in the carpets. Still, I don't really like locking up a dog, so we'll have to put more money into the fencing." The farm had a board fence around the perimeter, except at the riverbank, but a dog could get through that easily. The only thing we could do is install lattice inside of the existing fencing, and section off part of the yard.

"Can you afford that? I mean, yeah, I pushed us into getting the dog, but I can't really presume stuff with your money."

"You might have to help with that. Can you?" I responded.

"Some. I'm going to have to give part of my check to my mom. Now that I won't be living there, she won't be able to keep the house if I don't. Is that going to be OK with you? I mean, I guess we never talked about money, but I've got to be fair with you or this'll never work."

I've got to admit: I loved Gina's response! She was willing to help, but went straight into telling me what her obligations were as well. It might not be sexy, but it's smart, and honest. "Well," I began, "we can do it the less expensive way, tacking some chicken wire in at first, before spending money on lattice. It won't look as good, but you couldn't see the wire from any distance." She nodded her head at that idea, clearly approving it, and clearly acting concerned about putting too much pressure on me financially.

It was the middle of summer, and the days were hot and humid, but it was cooling off nicely as the evening wore on. The overhead garage doors had been open all day, so the garage wouldn't be too hot for Kayak when we closed up for the night, but I resolved to myself: I was going to install a serious exhaust fan in the garage to keep it cooler overnight.

There wasn't much cleaning up to do, having grilled out and eaten off paper plates. We kind of lazed around, the three of us, but when it came time to head in to bed, Kayak gave us such a sad look that we couldn't lock him in the garage. "Come on, you ugly mutt!" I said to him, and he followed us right into the house. "You can sleep in here, but sleep on the floor, not in our bed!"

"Not worried about fleas?" Gina asked me.

"Yeah, I am, but I was going to replace these worn carpets anyway. We just might have to do it sooner, is all."

We left the interior doors all open, and had the windows open as well. The house did have air conditioning, but it was an old unit that I planned on replacing, and it sounded like a freight train. Kayak seemed to understand, and laid down in a corner of the bedroom, about as far from our bed as he could get and still be in the same room, as my girlfriend for the day, extended, and I climbed into bed.

It was too warm to even think about pajamas, and I always slept nude anyway. I didn't know what Gina's preference for nightwear was, but she seemed to like sleeping unencumbered just fine.

This night was different. Up until now, sex had been hurried and hard, but not tonight. A few soft kisses, and Gina was in the mood to make love, make love slowly. Her touch was subtle, so light it was like feeling a whisper, so delicate that there were times I wasn't sure that she had touched me. Her touch was like a hint, like a quiet promise, when she finally moved her head lower to take me in her mouth.

Oh, wow, she was just amazing, teasing me with her fingertips, with her tongue, even with her hair, light touches mixed in with slightly stronger pressure when she took me into her mouth. It was the most sensuous combination, one in which I thought I'd never get off like this, and one in which I didn't think I could stop myself. I don't know if she was doing me for a minute or an hour, but however long it was, it was sheer pleasure. Finally she whispered, "Make love to me."

Gina got on her back, but instead of me getting on top of her, I laid beside her, lifting up her legs and entering her from a side position. Like this, I could go for hours, and Gina seemed to love it. I could see her climax building up inside of her, but it was building ever so slowly. Her hand in mine was the only communication I had to the tension building up, as she squeezed my hand harder. Then, just as I thought I might have to change positions and make love to her more forcefully, it washed over her, as her body tensed up and a barely there cry escaped her lips.

With the tension in her body, her legs straightened out, which forced us apart in this position. As soon as Gina recovered from her climax, she turned toward me, kissed me, and then got on top of me, guiding me inside her again. She started making love to me again, and again ever so slowly, with soft kisses and caresses, and the most gorgeous smile ever on her face. I wasn't sure whether she was done and this was all for me, but even as slowly as we were going, I could see the tension building up inside her again. Finally, with a cry of "Oh, Richard!" she climaxed again, and that was it, I could take no more, and emptied myself inside her. She still hadn't said that she loved me, but at that moment, I knew that she did.

It was a cold, wet nose that woke me up, as Kayak was telling me that he needed to go out. The sky was just starting to lighten outside the window, and Gina was still asleep, as I got out of bed to let our dog out. It was easier to just leave the French doors open for the dog, and then I stumbled into the bathroom for a leak and to brush my teeth.

I walked quietly back to the bedroom, still in the half-light of dawn, and sat down on the edge of the bed, just looking at my lover. She was still asleep, laying on her stomach - and I never knew anyone who could sleep on her stomach; I sure couldn't - her legs slightly apart, her arms spread out, and her head turned away from the window and the dawn. Her skin looked soft and tanned, the muscles in her back and her calves standing out a bit. Her figure wasn't that of a teenager, but the solid one of a woman who was fit in her forties. I couldn't think of any more beautiful sight in the world than Gina was that morning. Finally, as the room started getting lighter, I heard her whisper, "Morning," to me.

With that, I bent down to give her a soft kiss, which got me another smile, quickly followed by, "Hmmm, you've already brushed your teeth. Let me get rid of my morning breath, and then you can kiss me again," as she got up and headed for the bathroom.

"Coffee this morning?" I asked her through the bathroom door. I got a muffled "Mmm hmmm," which I thought was a yes-through-toothpaste, so I headed out and opened up the garage, still naked, just like yesterday, and got the coffee started. Fortunately, I'd run water to the garage as well as electricity, because that was my, no, our kitchen until I finished the one in the house.

I still had most of the dishes and kitchen stuff in boxes in the garage; no sense opening them until I had the kitchen done anyway. Gina was taking longer than I expected in the bathroom, and I was about to head back inside, to make sure something hadn't happened, when she finally came out, wonderfully naked - this was becoming a very nice habit! - and toweling her hair dry; she'd taken a quick shower.

"You know, I'm really liking our mornings together," I said to her as she stepped into the garage to get her coffee.

"Summer won't last forever, sweetie," she said to me. "I'm guessing that this won't work so well in November."

"By November, I'd better have that kitchen done! We can still have our morning coffee like this, just inside the house."

"Not for too much longer, I'm afraid. I'll be back to work in a month, and I have to be at the high school by 5:30 in the morning. The school has a breakfast program, free for kids from poor families, and we have to get everything ready and cooking, because the cafeteria opens at 6:30 for that. Almost every student eats breakfast at school now. It's a good twenty minutes to the school, so really, I'll be out the door by five AM, 'cause I always want to be early."

Well, that was kind of a downer, but it was real life: Gina had a job, a pretty good job for someone in Appalachia with no education beyond high school. It left her with summers off, which was nice, but it meant that she was a hard worker and a dedicated individual, and I liked that.

It also made me realize what was growing inside me. I had almost told her that I loved her a couple of nights ago, but I bit my tongue at that, knowing it was way too early. Our conversation of yesterday evening told me that she was feeling it too, but was being sensible about things.

But something else was growing inside me as well. I knew that I was falling in love, maybe faster than she was, but everything she did, every way she was, was creating a growing respect for her. She was smart, she seemed honest, she was very forthright, and she was a worker. Gina had had a hard life; that was obvious not only from what I thought was a string of loser boyfriends but to growing up poor. She hadn't told me yet what had happened to her father, but her mother's house was somewhat rundown, even if it was as clean as a house which needed work could be.

Me? I hadn't grown up wealthy by any means, but my parents had been solidly middle class, and if they couldn't buy me a Corvette when I turned sixteen, my brothers and I hadn't been wanting for anything. I didn't really know anything about growing up poor. The only hardship, if you can even call it that, I faced was the fact that our father insisted than my brothers and I do a hitch in the service before college; it was hard work and discipline, he said, and the GI Bill would help with college expenses afterward.

And it worked, worked well enough that Mike, my oldest brother, had stayed in the Army, and was a First Sergeant - a high ranking enlisted man, with a lot of responsibility - down at Fort Benning. My next brother, Jeff, and I did our six years and got out, to do our own things. I went to Penn State after four years on active duty, and did two years as a reservist working for the ROTC program there while I was in college. I wasn't a drill sergeant, but the program had me running the PT (physical training) program for the cadets for my first two years at Penn State, which kept me in good shape. Being a 24-year-old sophomore, with a military bearing and haircut helped me catch Lori's eye - and not just Lori's! - in college, and we got married fairly quickly after that.

I was a civil engineering major, but discovered that I had a talent for writing while in college. The GI Bill, plus my Reserve pay, helped me make college easy, and I was just never a poor, struggling student. I sold my first short story before I got out of school. I got my degree, and passed all of my initial certifications, and got a good job as an engineer for a medium-sized construction company, again, making good money. A few more short stories brought in more cash, and my first novel did unexpectedly well. I kept turning out page after page of stories, and was thinking about quitting to write full-time, but Lori was dead-set against that.

We didn't argue all that much, at least not at first, but we were drifting apart. My job was taking up fifty, and sometimes more, hours a week, and writing had me spending more and more time at the computer. Lori spent a lot of time watching television while I was writing, then more time going out with her friends, and, as I soon began to suspect, spending time going out with her boyfriends.

I guess that I deserved that, because I wasn't spending enough time with her, even when we were in the same house. Thing is, even once I started suspecting that I wasn't doing everything I should to be a good husband, I didn't try to be a better husband to keep Lori with me.