Seducing the Gardener

"Well, officer, it's like this," explained Eddie. "I'm just the gardener, see, and I've been working for Daphne these past few months, just after she moved in. I figured I would make some money over the summer. I'm done with college and I'm looking for a career in construction, so thought I would do this gig just for now."

"When did you know about Raymond Carter?"

"He's been coming over these last few weeks, I guess -"

"Ray and I have been seeing each other for a couple of months now," I interrupted.

"I see," remarked the officer. "He's never behaved like this before?"

"No, not like this," I replied. "He's been drinking lately, though, acting kind of threatening and abusive, plus he's been seeing other women on the side. I found out on Sunday for sure and we had an argument, so I told him to stop visiting just yesterday."

"Uh-huh."

"Now today he's shown up, started threatening me and getting violent with Eddie."

"You see, sir, I was here yesterday when Daphne told him not to come around any more. I was working here in the front garden and saw it."

"You're an eyewitness to that verbal confrontation?"

"Yes, I am. I can vouchsafe for it. I suggested to Daphne that I be here today, knowing that Raymond usually shows up to see her around about this time, since I had free time on my hands and thought I might as well make sure she stayed safe. I guess that was a good idea, now that this has happened."

The officer turned to me. "Anything else?"

"No," I replied. "That's about it."

"OK, thanks." The officer walked over to the other cop to speak with him. Eddie and I looked at each other with raised eyebrows. We stood there as the cops spoke with each other. Then there were further questions to Raymond. This went on for some time, so Eddie and I wandered back over to the front door and waited.

After a while, one of the officers approached us. "All, right, we'll take him away. He won't bother you any more. We'll put in a report and see to it that he stays away from this house from now on."

"Is he under arrest?" inquired Eddie.

"He is," answered the officer. "We'll bring him in for further questioning, then see how things go. He may be released in a short while. If he makes an attempt to return here, you have the option of applying to the courts for a restraining order."

"Very good, officer, thanks," I remarked. "I hope that won't be necessary."

"Same here. Well, thank you, ma'am. Good day." The officer tipped his cap, then walked away.

Eddie and I watched as the two officers forced Raymond to move his car off the driveway and onto the main road, then call his family to meet him at the police station. They bundled him into the back of the police car, then drove away.

We went inside, and I closed the front door behind us, leaning on it for support. I took a deep breath and sighed.

"Come on, let's go in the kitchen," suggested Eddie.

I followed him down my own hallway back into the kitchen, then slumped into a wooden chair by the kitchen table. Eddie grabbed another, then spun it in his hands to sit on it back to front, his strong arms resting on the backrest, facing me.

"Well, that was that," he remarked.

"Yeah," I breathed. "That was a close shave, though. What if you hadn't been here?"

"Sure. I'm glad I could help. I'm just concerned about what he'll do next. Hopefully, the police will shake him up well enough to keep him quiet for a while, but we can't know whether he might try it again in the future."

"The officer said I could get a restraining order," I said.

"That's not easy to achieve," replied Eddie. "You have to go through the courts to get one, so you'll need a lawyer, and that could prove expensive."

"Yeah, well, maybe I'll worry about that when I come to it. Right now, I'm thankful everything worked out." I smiled at him weakly, still feeling shocked. "Thanks for risking yourself for me."

Eddie looked at me steadily. "No problem."

A pause. "That was quite a fight," I continued.

Eddie laughed. "Yeah, it was. I wasn't expecting that."

I stood up. "Yet you still volunteered, so you must have known beforehand that something like this might happen."

"Might," said Eddie, with emphasis. "Not would." He stood up, too.

It was then that I noticed bloodstains soaking through his white T-shirt. "Eddie, you're bleeding!"

He looked down, surprised. "Oh, I didn't notice," he remarked.

I walked over to him, concerned. "Doesn't it hurt?"

"Er, no -- just a few scratches and bruises, I think -- no big deal."

"No big deal! Get that thing off -- let me have a look at you."

"No, no, it's OK, Miss Everson, I can handle it! I can just go home and fix this up, I can grab some Band-Aids at the pharmacy on the way back or something -"

"Forget it! Wait a sec, I've got some iodine in the drawer..."

"No, it's fine, really, Miss Everson -- really, I can -"

"Quiet!" I found a squeezy bottle of iodine and some cotton wool. "Another thing -- quit with the 'Miss Everson' junk, huh? I'm Daphne, and you know it."

"Yes, Miss -- er, Daphne."

"All right, that's better." I stood with the bottle in my right hand and the cotton wool in my left. "Come on, get it off, I'm waiting."

Eddie looked surprised. "Er, yeah, sure." He grabbed the hem of his T-shirt and, gingerly at first, in case he ripped open any already-congealed cuts, separated the fabric from his skin, then pulled it quickly over his head.

My eyes widened as they drank in heavy, muscled pecs, that looked like two slabs of muscle, rounded, developed shoulders, sinewed biceps on strong arms, and a ripped midsection, with pronounced abs and some defined sex lines leading diagonally south. I saw a large bruise next to the abs, another smaller one on his left, plus maybe a couple of smaller ones high up on the pecs. There were various cuts, some still bleeding, across his whole torso, as well as some smaller grazes. "Hmm, well, OK," I said, impressed. Then I suddenly felt annoyed that Raymond had caused this. "Stuff Raymond for doing this," I remarked.

"Don't worry about it," said Eddie, with a small smile.

I raised one eyebrow. "I do worry about it! Now get on the floor."

"What?"

"Get on the floor. Sit down on the floor and lean back, so I can deal with this."

Eddie obeyed. Leaning on his arms behind him, he sat flat on the floor, his legs outstretched in front of him, his chest at a 45-degree angle.

I knelt down on his left side. Taking the lid off the squeezy bottle, I pulled a piece of cotton wool off the main piece, then inverted the bottle onto it. Then I stretched out to dab it onto the worst of his cuts.

"Aargh!" cried Eddie.

"It will sting a little," I said.

"Hmm."

I did the first one, then moved onto the next. Eddie grimaced as the iodine did its work, cleansing the wounds so they wouldn't get infected. Soon enough, his chest was a patchwork of brown-colored smudges -- and no more bleeding. "There," I said.

Eddie laughed. "I can't believe I'm doing this."

"What's the matter? Did you never play 'doctors and nurses' at school?"

"Ha! Not since I was, like, six."

"Really? You've never played the adult version?"

Eddie grinned. "No, but it sounds like it could be fun. Is this it?"

I said nothing, but smiled broadly. "We'll see." I stood up. "Hahaha! If you're lucky."

Eddie made a move to get up. "Well, thanks, Miss -- er, Daphne -"

"WAIT! Stay there! I'm not finished!" I held out one hand.

"Oh, really?"

"Really! Now where did I put that thing?" I opened some cupboards to see if I could find the cold pack. Aah, there it is. Grabbing it, I then went to the freezer section of the refrigerator to tip some ice cubes in it. I did so, then returned to Eddie, who had obediently returned sitting on the floor in his previous position. I knelt down beside him again. "Here," I said, placing the cold pack on his bruises, figuring they would reduce faster with some ice.

Eddie smiled up at me. "Quite the nurse, aren't you?"

I beamed at his handsome expression. "Yes! Problem?"

"Not at all," he replied.

Presently, I finished tending to the wounds of my heroic knight. I suddenly felt all girly and playful. "There," I giggled. "That's the least I could do to pay you back for all your help."

"Thanks so much, Daphne, I appreciate it," said Eddie, warmly.

We both stood up, and I looked him over to view my handiwork. Hmm, not bad. I put the cold pack down in the sink. "Now how about a clean T-shirt?"

"Oh, don't worry, I can -"

"What -- walk down the street bare-chested, covered in iodine?"

"Er, no -- I would just throw this back on and change when I get home -"

"No, no, no! Give me that! I'll throw it in the washer, then you can borrow one of mine and you can give it back to me tomorrow."

Eddie looked down at his broad chest. "Will it fit, even?"

"Don't worry -- I'll lend you this baggy old thing I've got upstairs -- hold on -" Then I ran off suddenly to head up the staircase to my bedroom. I pulled open a bedside drawer hastily, rummaged around, found what I was looking for, then dashed back downstairs. "Aha, here!"

Eddie had continued standing in the kitchen while I was gone, and hadn't moved when I got back, which reassured me. He held out his hand for the clean, blue, baggy T-shirt.

"Put it on!" I ordered in a hurry.

Eddie smiled, unfolded it, then raised his arms over his head to put it on. The light cotton garment smoothed over his muscled torso.

It was a little short but definitely big enough around. "It will do until you get home at least," I remarked. I looked up at his face. Feeling suddenly vulnerable, I flung my arms around him. "Thanks again for saving me," I said.

Eddie instinctively wrapped his strong arms around my waist, and I felt his hands clasp me closer against the small of my back. "It's OK, Daphne," he said, softly.

Ensconced in his embrace, I felt very safe. After a few moments, I disengaged and looked at him. He seemed a little surprised, but he wasn't shocked. "Well, anyway," I remarked. "It's good to know that you're around -- it's dangerous sometimes to be a woman living alone, you know?"

"Yeah," agreed Eddie. "If you need anything, just call. You know my number."

"Sure."

Eddie looked around the kitchen, then turned to me and smiled. "Well, thanks for that, Daphne -- I sure appreciate it -- and your time. I'd best be going, I guess -- I've gone way over how long I'd said I would be here for, and I wouldn't want to waste your day."

"Ha! You're never a waste of my day, Eddie," I grinned.

Eddie grinned back. "Thanks. OK, I'll be heading off." He made for the back door. "I'll see you tomorrow, what -- about nine?"

"Er, yeah -- sure!"

"Great. See ya!"

I leaned against the kitchen table. "'Bye, Eddie."

He went out and left.

Well, that was exciting -- and I'm not talking about the punch-up, I smiled, thinking of how things had unfolded since the police left. What an incredible body Eddie had -- that chest was absolutely gorgeous. Once the cuts, bruises and scratches healed up, he would be as good as new. I kind of liked the 'grizzled warrior, fresh from the battlefield' trope -- it always reminded me of that old 1980's soft rock song, 'Holding Out for a Hero'; who sang that? Bonnie Tyler, wasn't it? 'He's gotta be strong, and he's gotta be tough, and he's gotta be fresh from the fight'? Hahaha! That woman knew a good thing when she saw one -- or sang one, huh? Well, so did I.

The next day was Wednesday and I was a woman on a mission. My mission, should he choose to accept it, was to seduce Eddie Dalton. I was going to do my utmost to make sure he did accept it. I had spent last night remembering the safety of his embrace, the manliness of his chest, the warmth of his smile. This morning, as the coffee awakened me and the caffeine surged through my veins, I recalled the playfulness of our impromptu 'doctors and nurses' game, the giggles and the smiles. I hadn't realized at the time, but I had really needed that, and not just because I had just been saved from Raymond and from the violence of the scene in the front garden. He had awakened me to a deep desire, not necessarily for sex, but for excitement. For surely, there was precious little of that here in sleepy Summerville, with its elegant lawns, white picket fences and 'olde worlde' South Carolinian charm. I wanted adventure, not just a fight scene; an experience, not just sex; a life, not just gossip with friends.

The thing is, would Eddie be interested? Hmm. Why should he be? I was thirty-three, eleven years older than him. He looked absolutely ripped. Couldn't he attract someone far younger, some hot blonde with incredible hair, fake double-D boobs, a plastic Kardashian butt and endless legs, who spent twelve hours in the gym, who was drop-dead gorgeous, with a roaring sex drive to match? Why should he make do with me? I knew I wasn't bad-looking, definitely passable, but I couldn't compete with a woman like that. I bet there must be tons of women falling all over themselves to grab a piece of Eddie -- I certainly didn't know other guys who looked like him. On the other hand, though, who was I kidding? When was the last time I actually went out? What, with Raymond? Those barely counted as dates, and already, I could hardly believe that I had rushed into a relationship with him. What was I, desperate or something? Why had I done that? Was I that needy?

Why hadn't I noticed Eddie before? He had been my gardener for a few months now, yet I hadn't noticed even his chest. What! Why on earth not? Had I been blind? Why had I been running around trying to please Raymond, with this hunk flexing his muscles every day in the back yard? I must have been nuts.

I'd had boyfriends before Raymond -- five, in fact. Yet, they had been shallow and not much to write home about -- forgettable men with forgettable bodies, who gave out forgettable sex. In college, I had gone through phases -- sometimes intimidated, shy, and reticent to get romantically involved, especially if I had thought my parents might have found out; at other times, wildly promiscuous, like the time I had effed three guys in one week during Spring Break, just because I was far from home and nobody would know. Other times, I had made out with guys in bars, kissed in alleyways outside cinemas, or delivered the odd handjob or BJ in the backs of cars -- all rather seedy stuff I would rather forget. Yet, as for the grand passionate love affair, the exhilarating thrill ride -- well, nothing like that had ever happened.

Well, huh. I was getting a bit carried away with myself. The guy's a gardener, for goodness' sake. Not exactly a dominant, successful billionaire, whisking me away into a life of exotic sexual abandon, private jets, casinos in Monte Carlo and penthouse suites in five-star hotels. Eddie wasn't rich -- and I knew that. I only paid him five bucks an hour.

Sighing, I got up. Oh, well, time to do the dishes.

At around 8:30am, it was time. Stomping upstairs to the bedroom, I got changed. I wore a white top with wide shoulder straps formed by two twisted, ruched pieces of material that covered the fullness of my breasts, leaving a deep V to show off my cleavage. My arms were bare for the summer. Below I wore a tight black miniskirt, not too short, almost down to the knee, plus stockinged legs and moderate, high heeled, strappy shoes. Looking in the mirror, I fluffed up my blond, shoulder-length hair and looked myself over. I wanted to look sophisticated and sexy, not cheap or slutty. I was pleased to see that I was still young enough, and statuesque enough, to pull off this look without looking cheap. Give it a few more years, though, and I might not be able to do this any more. With a little more weight and the wrong side of forty, I would look ridiculous in this get-up. I decided to take full advantage of my remaining youthfulness. You're only young once, and I wouldn't be coming this way again, so let's take the plunge and enjoy this sexy look while I still can!

Nine o'clock came and went, and at about 9:10am, I went into the spare bedroom to see if Eddie had arrived. Sure enough, he was working in the back garden, wearing his regulation T-shirt, blue jeans and sneakers. Today's T-shirt was black, I saw.

I decided that I didn't want to reveal my appearance to him immediately; besides, he actually had work to do, so I still needed him to do it. I flung open the bedroom window. "Woohoo, Eddie!" I waved.

Eddie turned around, looking for the voice, then glanced up to see me. He smiled and waved back, then returned to clipping the hedges. Cool.

I closed the window and went down to the living room. Today was going to be my own self-made No Bra Day, and Eddie was definitely going to know it.

I busied myself for the next couple of hours, while Eddie worked outside. I decided on a mid-range restaurant I knew, not so far from my house. It offered hearty meals for a man like Eddie, doing physical labor, with a Mediterranean twist -- kind of like Olive Garden, but a little less commercial.

Eleven o'clock arrived and, impatient, I made my way into the kitchen. As usual, Eddie popped his head around the back door.

"I'm all done -- wow, Daphne, you're looking great. Going somewhere?"

I leaned my hand on the kitchen forward, which forced my torso forward. "Actually, yeah, I was thinking of going for lunch. I could go by myself, but it occurred to me that I might invite you. Would you fancy going to lunch with me today? I'll pay -- I know this cool place that serves some great Mediterranean -- pizzas, pasta, Greek food, salads, you name it. Wanna come?"

Eddie raised his eyebrows. "Well, I -"

"You know, only if you've got time. If you got something else on..."

"No, that's fine. Er, yeah, that would be nice -" He looked down at his clothes. "I'm not really suitably dressed -- is it fine dining?"

"No, casual -- your jeans are not soiled or anything. Did you just trim the hedges?"

"Yeah, plus raked over the grass to remove some leaves, watered the flowers, and sorted out the tools in the shed."

"Got it," I said. "The weather wasn't too hot, I hope?"

"Er, no -- not like yesterday. The sun's out, but there's a fair bit of cloud, and the temperature's reasonable. It might rain in the evening, maybe."

"Uh-huh. Well, I don't think that's so bad." I smiled at him, warmly. "Come on! It'll be fun! I'll just grab my handbag and car keys and we'll go."

"Cool," Eddie remarked.

In a jiffy, we were out the door and through the side gate. Locking it, I made my way to the car. "I'm driving, Eddie," I stated, seeing him make a beeline for the driver's side.

"Oh, yeah," he laughed.

Once he was safely ensconced in the passenger seat, I got in, turned the key in the ignition and off we went.

Driving along, I remarked, "I can't believe I've never offered this to you before -- it's very remiss of me."

"No problem, Daphne. I don't expect it -- I'm just the gardener."

We made small talk until we arrived at the restaurant. Inside, a server greeted us and showed us to a nice alcove with a window and some flowers. Eddie got in one side. I got in on the same side.

"You don't want to take the other side? There's more room," Eddie remarked.

"No," I said, decisively. Sitting next to him, I motioned to the server, who produced two menus. She spent the next couple of minutes explaining the menu. I ordered a steak, well done, with tartare sauce, plus a small Greek salad as a side and a mineral water because I was the designated driver. Eddie had a fettucine alfredo and a white wine.

"Well, huh," I said. "I thought you'd be the one ordering steak, and me on the pasta and white wine."

"I love Italian," replied Eddie. "So I figured I would take advantage of the opportunity."