Of Dogs and Deliveries

Cassy always found the long shadows of an early summer evening to be most intoxicating. She was glad at times like this that she had ignored the advice of her many friends who had told her that starting a dog-walking business was a ridiculous idea. And for most people it would be ridiculous. But Cassy had more going for her than just a love of dogs. She knew that in order for such a business to succeed it would need to be run in a truly business-like manner, and for the previous three years she had personally seen to every detail necessary to ensure a solid financial future for herself.

She had a small staff of dog walkers and caretakers who could see to the daily needs of her clients, everything from simple walking services to scheduling and managing visits to the vet. On top of that they offered limited kennel services too. A pair of office personnel made sure that the front-end was always running like clockwork, so when a client called they would be promptly and courteously attended to by an actual person. Cassy knew this was an essential ingredient for engendering trust and building a clientele.

On this particular Monday evening Cassy was preparing for one of her favorite walks of the week. Having finished the office work for the day she needed to change to her more casual clothes.

She gladly shed the long slacks and white shirt she wore to the office. Her bedroom window was wide open since the large tree outside provided ample privacy.

Standing before the mirror in just her bra and panties Cassy lamented that she had to put any clothes on at all. The dappled light from the sunlight dancing through the leaves accentuated every curve of her tiny frame and the cool breeze kissed her skin all over.

I guess it's pretty sad when just the air can be so arousing, she thought, observing that her nipples were becoming stiff, struggling against the lacy fabric of her pale green bra. She briefly ran her palms over them in an attempt to calm them down.

The breeze soon reminded her that she had an appointment to keep, and it was with two dogs, not her favorite vibrator that she'd been keeping company with for quite some time now. So Cassy wriggled into her form-fitting shorts and polo shirt with her company logo embroidered on the front and headed out the door.

When all was said and done, evenings like this one were why she had formed her own business. Two rambunctious dogs tugged at their leashes as they ambled toward the dog park, and the light began to turn golden. The air smelled of jasmine, lilac, and barbecue. It was nice and warm with just enough breeze to feel perfect. Cassy was fortunate to live and work in such a neighborhood.

Most of the people in the area knew her by name, and friendly chats often dotted her evening walks. Mr. Wilkins in particular looked forward to Cassy's evening walks. He was a man of about seventy, and he just loved dogs. Unfortunately his wife suffered from allergies, so he was never able to have one of his own. But he was smart enough to know that if you kept a barrel of dog treats in your garage, you could enjoy many of the benefits of a dog without actually owning one.

"Well, hello, Cassy! Hello, Digger! Hello, Bailey!", he called out to the approaching trio. "How's everyone doing this fine evening?"

Cassy loved the fact that Mr. Wilkins knew not only her name, but the names of her charges as well.

"Couldn't be any better, Mr. Wilkins! And how's Mrs. Wilkins?"

"Well, she's recuperating nicely, thank you. Knee surgery went really well." Mr. Wilkins knelt down to give the dogs the treats they had eagerly come to expect from their regular visits. "Of course she'll be moving kinda slow for the next six weeks, but the doctor says she'll be able to play tennis again after that."

Cassy smiled at the older man, seeing clearly just how much he loved and cared for his wife of many years.

"I'm so glad to hear that. I'll have to join you two on the courts sometime if I can find a suitable partner for mixed doubles."

"Cassy, you know Dora and I would love to see you find a partner. And for more than just tennis. A pretty girl like you being alone, well, it just makes us kinda sad to see, that's all."

"You're so sweet, Mr. Wilkins. I'm sure I'll find the right guy some day. But for now, I'd better get these boys to the park for their exercise. I'll see you Thursday, OK?"

"I always look forward to seeing you, Cassy. And of course I love seeing your furry-faced friends too!" He gave the dogs one last pat on the head and turned to go back to his puttering in the garage.

Daniel was having more troubles than usual on this day. His GPS kept losing its signal, and the battery in his phone had died. His anxiety was building as he had noted the red label on his final delivery of the day. 'Time Sensitive', it read. 'Deliver between 6:45 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. only'.

He had never been to this neighborhood before, and its many small culs-de-sac and winding side streets were giving him some headaches. The large dog park in the middle of it all was adding to his frustration, having driven around its circumference several times trying to find Magnolia Street.

At last he found it and began scanning house fronts and mailboxes looking for 5135. Once he spied the numbers he needed he whipped into the driveway, and heard a loud shriek.

All 6' 4" of Daniel came bounding out of the truck to find the source of the scream. There sprawled on the lawn was a small woman tangled up in dog leashes tethered to a pair of dogs, now barking furiously and leaping about adding to the entanglement.

"I'm awfully sorry, ma'am. I'm afraid there was a glare on my windshield and I just didn't see you and your pups there."

Daniel's southern drawl caught Cassy's attention instantly. Oh, how she detested a southern accent.

"You need to watch out, mister!" she hollered. "You could have killed me, not to mention this pedigreed German Shepherd here, and then you'd have hell to pay!"

Daniel instinctively reached down to lift the petite brunette to her feet which he did with alarming ease. Of course, he spent his days lifting heavy packages but the fact that Cassy was just 4' 10" and scarcely ninety pounds made the task all-but effortless.

"I can't apologize enough, ma'am. It's just that I need to get this package delivered by seven and it's almost that now, and I know I shouldn't be in such a hurry but-"

"Whoa, hang on, Tex! I'm gonna be OK, but maybe you should go back to school and learn how to drive. Now get out of my way, you hayseed. I've got dogs to walk!"

Cassy gathered herself and the dogs and tried to brush the grass off her shorts as she scooted toward the park. She was still quite agitated by the shock of being nearly run over by this country bumpkin.

What a moron! she thought. I don't know how these simpletons think they can even function here in the real world!

Daniel stood in the driveway, watching Cassy storming off. He couldn't help but let a little smile creep across his face as she bounced down the sidewalk, her small hand still brushing the grass off her butt. But then he turned his attention to the package still waiting on the truck, and dashed it to the door.

A small man in his early forties answered the doorbell. "Hmmph! Six fifty-nine! I guess when you promised delivery by seven o'clock you meant just barely!"

"I'm terribly sorry, sir. I kind of got lost on my way here, and then I almost had an accident right in your front yard here. But now that I know where you are, I can make sure that any future deliveries will be earlier."

The small man craned his neck to look up at Daniel. "Well, alright. I just might give you another chance. I need these deliveries pretty regular, and I like consistency. Like 'six forty-five' consistency. Think you can do that?"

"I'm pretty sure I can, sir. Y'all have a nice evening, now."

Daniel collected his clipboard and walked back to his truck. He looked down the block to see if the angry girl with the dogs might still be in view. She was a cutie, that was for sure. She was there, alright, but instead of seeing her adorable little tush bouncing away, he saw her staring straight at him. He chanced a small wave which surprisingly she returned. He hopped into the truck and started on his way home.

Cassy was still wriggling her fingers at the powerfully-built stranger, feeling more than a little bit sheepish at having been caught looking his way. She might have thought he was a bumpkin, but he was a handsome one at least. She had been trying to steal a look at the name on the side of his truck just in case, you know, she might need to file a lawsuit or something for any residual injuries from her fall ... onto the soft grass ... Oh, who was she kidding? She was fine, if a little ruffled.

But she had gotten the name from the side of the truck. Dan-D Deliveries. She wondered if he had come up with that catchy name all by his li'l ol' self, or if one of his hillbilly friends or relatives had done it for him. No matter, she had only regarded him as eye candy on that afternoon and she knew she wouldn't ever see him again.

Soon she had arrived at the dog park and between visiting with other pet owners and running and playing with the dogs, she soon forgot all about the day's awkward encounter.

The next morning in the shower Cassy discovered a couple of stubborn grass stains on her calves. What the-? Where did those come from? she wondered. She set about scrubbing them off when the memories tumbled into her mind. The memory of an impossibly tall man in his neat summer uniform clinging to his beefy biceps as he lifted her to her feet from the ground. His dimpled smile as he apologized for his close call. His strong hands steadying her to make sure she had her balance.

The reflections of the towering stranger combined with the pattering water on her body led one hand to drift between her legs.

Cassy imagined him kneeling before her and leaning in to pleasure her with his tongue. She allowed a finger to flick up and down her now swollen labia, imagining how such luxurious lapping might feel. She imagined his large palms and lean fingers gripping her thighs just firmly enough. In her mind's eye she looked down to see his face nuzzled between her thighs. His eyes were closed in concentration as he delved his tongue deep inside her, swirling gently at first, then building in intensity. Cassy's finger matched the imaginary tongue's every move while her other hand groped her own breast, squeezing and rubbing her very sensitive nipple.

Cassy collapsed against the corner of the shower, her knees having suddenly been rendered into rubber. She closed her eyes tighter as her soft squeals echoed against the tiles and her climax flooded over her like the waves of water still cascading from the insistent shower head above her. She could almost feel her dream lover, lapping up her remaining nectar. In her trance-like state she imagined peering down into his chocolatey brown eyes which were looking up adoringly at her and then she heard him say, "Mornin' darlin'."

In that very instant her fantasy lover had evicted himself from her musings with that stupid southern accent. Just as real as the orgasm had been, so too had been the instant aversion to the recollection of the twang in his voice.

Lord knew that Cassy had known too many men without an ounce of substance. The striking delivery man was long on looks as her still-trembling thighs reminded her, but even the handsomest of men become downright repulsive the moment they reveal their ignorance.

She'd certainly never known a 'good ol' boy' who could think of a more interesting topic for conversation than chitlins and grits.

Several days later Daniel was again at the end of his delivery day. And once again he was headed toward 5135 Magnolia, only this time he had the benefit of having been there before. He knew that if he wanted to keep this particular delivery contract that he would have to impress the weird little man with his punctuality.

As he pulled up to the address, he checked his watch. Six thirty-eight. Seven minutes early. He considered the man's words from before, saying how much he liked consistency. So Daniel thought the best thing would be to ring the door exactly when it was expected. Not a minute sooner or later. He sat drumming his fingers on the steering wheel to pass the time.

After a few minutes Daniel took up the package and his clipboard and headed toward the door. The weird little man seemed delighted that the package had arrived exactly at 6:45. Daniel smiled to himself as he hopped back into the truck and kicked his feet up onto the dashboard.

He was in no particular hurry to get anywhere, as the day's work was done and he didn't have plans for the evening. He stared toward the lowering sun, feeling the warmth on his face. He caught sight of the dog park at the end of the street.

His thoughts flashed to the petite woman with the dogs that he had almost run down. He half-chuckled at the memory of how riled up she had been, and at how her grey/green eyes flashed in anger as he had tried to help her up. He also remembered her long brown hair falling in waves across her shoulders. He remembered the light green polo shirt that perfectly showed off her narrow waist and perfectly rounded breasts.

People with dogs tend to be pretty regular with their schedules, thought Daniel glancing at his watch to see that it was nearly exactly the same time it had been a few days earlier. I wonder if maybe she's walking her dogs there now?

Daniel fired up the truck's engine, flicked the gearshift and drove toward the park. He drove slowly, looking for any sign of the fiery lass from the other day.

Fortunately for Daniel people are used to delivery trucks driving rather slowly as they search for a correct address. However, an astute observer would have noticed that Daniel was not looking toward the rows of neat little houses but was scanning the denizens of the park on the opposite side of the street.

At last he spied her, playing vigorously with the beautiful German Shepherd dog she had been so concerned about that day. He parked the truck opposite the park and stepped into the rear of the truck as though to procure a package for delivery. He selected one of the outgoing parcels he had picked up earlier and stepped out as casually as he could. No sooner had his foot touched the ground than he heard a mocking voice coming from the across the street.

"Well, if it isn't 'Dandy Dan' coming to terrorize the neighborhood again with his gigantic delivery truck of doom!"

Cassy stood at the fence, one hand on a hip cocked to the side, and the other twirling the end of a leash nonchalantly. She suddenly realized that the remark she had intended to be scathing had come out sounding rather flirtatious instead.

Daniel should not have been caught off guard. After all he had been looking for her, trying to manufacture an excuse to talk to her again. But he hadn't planned on her launching the first salvo.

"Excuse me, Ma'am. I hope you're not talking about me. I'm just a regular guy trying to make an honest living scootin' boxes from one place to another."

He wandered over to the tall chain-link fence that stood between them. Cassy stood her ground defiantly but to Daniel she still looked as cute as a bug's ear.

"Look", he said, "I really am so very sorry about the other day. I'm really not a bad driver, I just had a stroke of bad luck with the sun glaring on my window at just the wrong moment. Believe me, if I had seen you the worst thing I might have done would have been to slam on my brakes just to stare at you. But my mama taught me that it's rude to stare, so ... would you forgive me? Please?"

Well, she thought, at least he gets points for manners if not for brains. "Oh, I suppose you didn't mean to make such a stupid and reckless mistake, so apology accepted," Cassy said.

This was not the scolding that she had rehearsed in her mind on the off chance she would ever see him again.

By this time several of her acquaintances from the dog park had seen her talking to this attractive hunk of a man and had rushed over to see what was going on.

"Hey, Cassy", shouted Cindy, a lanky blonde. "Do you happen to have any sunscreen I could borrow? You know how easily I freckle!"

Cindy was Cassy's next door neighbor, a sometimes-model who went through men like a celebrity goes through rehab.

They were almost immediately joined by three other women, all crowding in and offering other banal conversations. And though all their words were directed at Cassy, all their stares were definitely directed at Daniel.

He immediately became quite uncomfortable with the unexpected attention and stammered, "I was just asking this nice lady here if she could help me find an address for one of my deliveries." He shoved the box toward the fence pointing at the address on the label.

"4916 Sycamore? Why, that's right near my place! Let me show you where that is!" cried Tina, a friendly if overbearing woman who always made a habit of twirling her long red tresses whenever a sexy man was nearby. Before he knew it the small herd of women was scurrying down the fence line toward the gate.

"I can give him a ride!" exclaimed Serena.

"He's got his own truck, dummy!", said Sarah.

"Well, he can just follow me then!", Serena shot back.

Cassy looked up, way up, to Daniel's crestfallen face. Clearly he didn't know what to do next.

"Well, Dandy Dan, it looks like you've got yourself into a real mess now, haven't you? Especially since 4916 Sycamore is the return address on the package, not the delivery address."

"What am I going to do?" Daniel asked with pleading in his eyes.

"I guess you'll just need a smarter plan next time, won't you?" smirked Cassy.

She turned and strutted away, dogs in tow, completely in charge of the situation. If she had any doubts before, now it seemed pretty darn clear that this guy wasn't the brightest bulb in the box.

Every few days Daniel had deliveries for the weird little man on Magnolia Street. And every few days he would try to spot Cassy at the dog park. Interestingly, she seemed to have a different combination of dogs with her. Large dogs, small dogs, one dog, three dogs. As the weeks wore on he noticed a pattern. German Shepherd and Labrador on Mondays and Thursdays, Yorkie, Sheltie and Cocker Spaniel on Wednesdays and so on. Clearly this woman loved dogs enough to care for them professionally. Daniel smirked to himself in appreciation. It was enough to make him want to buy a dog of his own, just so he could hire her to walk it!

Cassy had different routines for the different dogs' appointments she kept so she would often take different routes to the park. Mr. Wilkins loved his regular visits with Digger and Bailey, so she made sure to walk down Magnolia Street when she had them on her schedule.

She hadn't recalled that it had been on Magnolia that she had met Daniel, so her heart kind of skipped a beat when she saw the large blue delivery truck coming her way. And as timing would have it, she arrived at the driveway of 5135 at the same moment as the Dan-D Delivery truck.

The weird little man was looking out his window. It was 6:44. The man in the truck gallantly waved for the comely brunette with her two canine companions to cross the driveway before he pulled in and shut off the engine.

Daniel collected the package for delivery along with his clipboard and disembarked. He waved and called out a "hello" in Cassy's direction.

The weird little man was now on his porch. "Hey, you! Idiot! Stop flirting with the bimbo and get over here with my package! It's 6:45!"

Bimbo? Did this repugnant little creep really call her a bimbo? Cassy whipped around to unleash a fit of rage that she kept pent up for just such occasions, but she was already too late.