The Mailman and the Hunter Pt. 01

Working as a letter carrier for the United States Postal Service is by no means what anyone would refer to as an "exciting" job. It's a very basic existence. Get up each morning, bright and early. Put on the same uniform with its various shades of blue. Go into your station, set up your route. Depart to the street, follow the same, predetermined path each day. Sure the types and volume of mail and packages vary from day to day, but that's about as much real suspense as there is of a very mundane life.

And Mark was okay with that, for the most part. As someone who was very much a creature of habit, getting into a routine presented a comfort zone. It also fit his personality as a socially anxious, mostly solitary person, getting to spend most of his time out on the road alone, away from the fear of human interaction was something that settled his troubled mind. He was content, if not altogether happy. At least the bills were paid, and the job was steady.

He'd been working at his particular station for some time now, long enough that the opportunity to move up in seniority presented itself to him, and with seniority at the post office comes some benefits. Better vacation preferences, sure. Better pay, of course. But perhaps the most beneficial perk of being a senior carrier is the choice of which route you get to call your own. Once a senior carrier in the station retires, his route in the office becomes up for grabs, and that just so happens to be where our story begins.

There was much rejoicing that day. Mostly for Bobby, as it was his last day of a 39 year career in blue. Some of the other carriers got together and brought in a cake, to give the old-timer a proper send off. The atmosphere was light that day, as carriers were taking their turns saying their goodbyes. Making small talk. It helped that the mail was pretty light, those days always seem to be good indicators of how the overall mood of the office was going to go.

Everyone was curious as to who was going to get Bobby's old route, now that he was on his way out. Mark had the first option to take it, should he want it. Honestly, everyone in the office had been eyeing the route for a while. For whatever reason, the route was just easier, took less time, and was in a great location. Mark was a bit apprehensive, as he'd grown accustomed to his route, and learning a whole new route, new customers, new every day routine, had him a little nervous.

When it came time for Mark to say his personal goodbyes, Bobby came over, and after a formal congratulations, he asked "So... any advice, from your experienced perspective?"

Bobby looked at him with a bit of a grin, paused, before patting him on the shoulder. "My advice?" The old-timer smiled, "Take the route. Best decision I ever made in my 39 years here. You'll never regret it." Mark nodded, smiled, said good luck, and moved back over to his case, setting up his route. He took a deep breath, and thought to himself that it was in fact, time to take a chance, and make a change.

Hunter was the type of girl that you did not want to screw with. You could tell from word one that she was the type where you either come along for the ride, or get the hell out of her way. She didn't have time for bullshit in her life. She'd already been through all of that and more. She was whip-smart, with a firecracker wit, and a mouth that she wasn't afraid to use. Always goal oriented, stubborn to a fault and fully driven to get everything she deserved, there's no denying she could take care of herself.

She used all of this attitude, brain and skill to land a job where she could basically be her boss-bitch self, and didn't even have to go into the office most days. When you're the boss, they let you make these kinds of decisions, and the lack of a dreadful, traffic-filled commute, allowed for more time to focus on her passions. She was, at her core, a very down to earth person. Quite literally, preferring to spend her free time outdoors. Camping, gardening, climbing trees, hunting with her dogs, Lilith and Sterling, she was, is and always will be at her most comfortable when she was communing with mother nature. Often times you could find her in her backyard, with her headset on, taking care of business, all the while soaking up the sun.

Mark had been on his new route now for a few days, and he was adjusting to it, one day at a time. Bobby was right, it was certainly the best route in the office, and offered a much more relaxed pace than his old route. No worries about shortening your lunch break on this one, there was more than enough time to get everything delivered properly without having the supervisors on your back. This relaxed pace was already allowing Mark more time to get to know some of the customers on his route. Actually getting the time to stop and smell the roses if you will. And while his shy demeanor would make him uncomfortable around new people, they were friendly (well, not the Robinsons on Berkshire St., but that's another story for another day). He was polite, never turning down common pleasantries. He was really starting to find his groove.

It was on the fourth day of his new assignment that he first caught a glimpse of her. She was in her living room that day, pacing back and forth, headset on, ranting about something he couldn't quite hear. The sun, shining through the window and glistening off her long dark hair. Dressed in a pale white and green sundress, he was literally stopped in his tracks. Lingering probably a little too long, but he couldn't help it. It's not every day he caught a glimpse of something so lovely. He grinned as he gathered her mail that day, looking down at the name more carefully than usual. "Hunter" he thought to himself. "What a lovely name," he said under his breath as he smiled, depositing her mail in the box and turning away.

He took one last look back through the window as he moved away from the house, and it was at that point that he saw her, looking back at him. She smiled and gave him the slightest wave, before tucking her hair back behind her headset. Mark was certain that his face must have turned the brightest shade of red as his heart rapidly accelerated in his chest, but he politely tipped the brim of his cap and smiled back as he turned back and went along his route for the day. She turned back away from the window, as he walked along, finished the loop and sat back in the truck, his heart still racing, and his mind positively swimming.

Hunter had, in fact, noticed her new mailman, eyeing her through the window. She didn't mind. It's not as if she wasn't used to men gawking at her. Plus, he was kinda cute, she thought. Certainly her type, kind green eyes, rugged stubble from not having shaved in a few days, and the type of dad-bod that you could imagine yourself snuggling up to at night. Quite the change of pace from the older gentleman that used to bring her mail every day. Not that she was particularly looking to get involved, but the smile she returned to him was genuine.

Mark was unable to get that smile out of his still racing mind for the entire rest of his work day. It's amazing what one look from a stranger can do to awaken something inside your mind that had long been kept dormant. Mark's romantic inclinations had all but dried up after his marriage fell apart, a long battle that was ultimately lost when the hope of rekindling a spark was officially dead. It was a huge blow to his confidence as a man, his own self-worth, to know that the desire for him that once burned bright could be completely snuffed out. His walls were high and he kept them guarded well.

Hunter's situation was different. She spent years of her life dedicated and true to a man who only hurt her. She craved approval, she wanted nothing more than to give him everything, and it was never enough. Years of abuse, of lying, of cheating. Finally it broke her. She escaped her situation, working up the courage to walk away, but it damn near broke her. She focused on her work, and that tough exterior, which her ex had built. But what she truly craved more than anything, was a man that could handle her, respect her, and was worthy of everything that she had to offer. For that, she would do anything.

Mark woke up the next day with a bit more spring to his step. He actually was looking forward to going to work for the first time in a long while. Usually a bit stand-offish around the office, his demeanor on that day was far more inviting, his co-workers even stopping to ask what was up. He just smiled back at them and told them to politely mind their business, but he knew why. He hadn't been able to get her off his mind from the moment he had laid his eyes on her, and he only hoped he would be so lucky as to catch another glimpse of this woman who had so enraptured his mind.

He was in luck that day, as he approached her house, gathering the mail, heart once again racing, sweat forming on his brow on this bright, sunny summer's day. She was outside, soaking up the sun in another one of her dresses, taking a break from work and tending to her garden. She looked so peaceful, smiling, carefully crafting her flower bed. She didn't even notice him approaching, but he couldn't let the moment pass without at least introducing himself.

"Good afternoon," He stated politely as he walked along her lawn. She turned her head away from the flower bed, her hair naturally flipping around her neck, and their eyes met for the first time.

"Hello Mr. Mailman," she quipped back. He knew her name, but she of course, didn't know his.

He grinned, "No need to be so formal. I'm Mark." he answered, introducing himself.

"I'm taking over the route from Bobby, so you'll be seeing more of me from now on, assuming you're at home, that is."

"What if I like being formal, sir?" She answered back playfully, standing up from the flower bed dusting herself off and grinning back at him. "I'm Hunter." She added.

He paused, before taking the bundle of her mail and holding it up as if to show her, "I figured as much." he replied, holding out the bundle to give to her.

"Ah yes, quite the observationalist you are, aren't you?" she kept going. "Just like you were observing me through the window yesterday." She returned, she didn't break her eye contact with him as his face started turning red from being a bit called out. Their fingers grazed as she took her mail from his hand, and his heart practically jumped into his throat.

Doing everything he could to keep his cool, he managed to reply, "Yes well I could hear you talking, and I haven't noticed you getting mail for anyone else but yourself. Just guess I was intrigued by your situation, is all" He made up, knowing full well what caught his eye.

She could see through him as easily as he could see through her window. But she was having fun. "My situation huh? Mmhmm. What exactly about 'my situation' had you so intrigued?" She asked.

"Well," he thought to himself, looking in her eyes, and responding, "Maybe I was trying to gather if you were talking to your husband, ya know, see if I should expect to see any mail for someone not named "Hunter".

She thought it was a smooth enough reply. She bit her bottom lip before answering back "No, no husband. If you get any mail for him, you can send it right back to hell where he belongs" referring to her ex. "He is certainly no longer residing here," she explained, casually scanning his hand as she did and finding no ring on his finger either.

His eyes perked up at the idea that she was, in fact, single. He grinned, keeping the conversation going. "So who were you talking to, you seemed very animated"

"I was on a work call. People just keep making my job harder. Sometimes you have to lay down the law." She explained.

"Ahhh that makes more sense. So you work from home then?" He answered. "Must be convenient."

"Yes it certainly has its benefits. No commute. Get to stay home with the dogs, work in the garden..."

"Talk to the mailman..." he interrupted, flirtatiously.

She grinned, actually feeling a little bit flustered at this seemingly eager new man in her life. But she liked it. She was in fact looking forward to more encounters with her new mailman. But being the brat that she was, she responded with a grin, "Yeah well, we'll see if you're a good boy, and then maybe you'll get to keep talking to me" as she winked back at him. "Now shouldn't you be going, there's lots of houses on this street waiting for you to perform your duty."

He sighed, "Sadly you're correct. I should probably get back to work. But don't you worry, it's a light route, there will be plenty of time for us to be seeing more of each other in the future." He said boldly, as he took her hand to his lips, placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles, and turned away, the smile on his face was beaming from ear to ear. He didn't look back, as he strolled away, absolutely smitten.

There's no way they could have known, but they were both thinking about each other as they went to bed that evening. Each pondering what-ifs. They were both looking for a spark, and perhaps they had found it in each other. Hunter was curious to see what his next move would be. Mark was determined not to let this moment of opportunity slip through his fingers. The next day would change both of their lives forever.

It was hot that day. The type of scorcher the post office is constantly mandated to give safety talks about. Drink plenty of fluids. Take your breaks in the shade, or a cool area. Don't overdo it. "Your health is what's most important to us," Mark's supervisor reiterated in their morning meeting. The carriers shrugged it off. They knew if it really meant anything, they wouldn't have to work in such conditions at all. But they all gathered their mail, and their many bottles of water and set out for their respective routes.

Hunter was laying out in the yard that day, tanning herself in the blistering hot sun. Sunglasses and a dark green bathing suit adorning her body. When she heard someone approaching, she tilted her shades down to get a better look. It was Mark, laboring through his day, sweat pouring down, but she liked it. She sat up in her chair and called over to him "Hey Mr. Mailman."

He grinned. "Now what did I say about those formalities?" He replied, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow.

She stood up, in full view, her flat tummy and thick thighs covered in tanning oil, shimmering in the light, and Mark instantly bit his lower lip. He thought she looked good in a dress, but today, she was an absolutely glowing goddess. The blood rushing through his veins as his heart beat faster and faster.

"And what did I say about liking being formal, sir," she emphasized again. The tone in her voice very deliberate, sending chills running down Mark's spine. "So is it hot enough for you?" she asked, with a very clear double meaning. That bikini was no accident.

He usually hated that question. People ask as if you haven't already heard it a hundred other times that day. It's cute, but annoying. Not from her though, he knew the exact connotation behind the words, and he took the opportunity to take a step forward."Well it's nothing I can't handle," He answered, playing back with the exact same double meaning in his words that she had in hers. "I could use something to quench my thirst, though, if you're offering."

She smiled, "Who said I was offering?" giggling a bit, being a brat. As she inched closer to him.

"Well, it's not very polite to tease the mailman about how hot it is if you're not even going to offer him something to drink, now is it, Hunter?" He played back. The tension between them as thick as the humidity that hung in the air.

"Fiiiine, follow me," She caved, and turned to walk back toward the house to fetch him something to drink. Her hips swayed as she walked, and there was no denying that Mark's gaze was immediately drawn to her ass, barely covered by her dark green bikini bottoms. The blood rushing through his body now causing a not so discreet bulge to begin to form beneath his postal shorts.

He followed her, as she entered the doorway. Feeling delirious, not so much from the heat as from the idea that just days ago, this would have seemed like a fantasy, and now, here he was, standing in her living room, as she went to the refrigerator to fetch him a cold glass of lemonade. As she returned with the glass, she grinned as she noticed the bulge evident behind the dark blue fabric of his uniform, but said nothing. She handed him the drink, "Here you go, I hope it is to your liking, sir." She repeated the emphasis on her final word, and it made Mark feel weak in his knees. He took a sip from his glass, a full, big gulp, but it did nothing to quench the true thirst that he felt within his soul. There was only one thing that could do that.

He set the glass down on the coffee table, and in one swift motion, he reached for her. Gripping her by her sides, his hands finally getting a taste of her soft flesh. He pulled her in close, and looked deep into her big, golden brown eyes, pausing only for a moment, before leaning in, closing his eyes, and pressing his lips to hers for the very first time.

It felt like he had hungered for those lips for an eternity, and his craving was finally satisfied. His tongue pierced past her lips and hers was eager to meet him, as they danced in a perfect rhythm with each other. His hands slid up and down her sides, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. The moment was pure, unlike anything either had known for quite some time. As they broke their lips apart, and their eyes met once more. Their breath rising and falling in unison as they looked at each other. The kiss was a spark that lit a flame that neither ever wanted to extinguish.

Without saying a word, Mark lifted her into his arms. Hunter wrapped her legs around his waist, and he started to kiss her neck, up and down, all the way to her ear. He kissed her earlobe, and whispered "I want you to quench my thirst" as his teeth gently nibbled once the last words escaped his hot breath.

"My bedroom is down the hall," she replied, between soft moans at the touch of his lips and teeth. She had no idea what he had in store for her, but she craved it all. Finally someone she thought could handle her and give her everything she ever desired. He tightened his grip on her, letting his hands sink into the soft flesh of her ass and carried her to her bedroom. He closed the door behind them, and playfully tossed her on the bed.

He took one step back and momentarily just admired her there on the bed. A true vision of loveliness to his lonely, longing eyes. Her thighs drove him wild. Her stomach, her breasts, her smile, everything about her made him want her more. He wanted to taste every inch of her body, and he started at her neck. Leaving a trail of kisses and gentle nibbles along her skin, working his way from left to right. She was like putty in his hands, his to mold as he saw fit. Nobody had ever given themselves to him the way she was, and she was loving each and every second of it.

His lips trailed along her body, moving south, down her neck, along her collarbone. He was determined to use his lips and tongue to drive her into an absolute frenzy. They moved with swiftness down her perfect breasts, kissing over the fabric of her bikini top, but lingering a bit on her soft, supple mounds. All the while his hands ran up and down her sides, gently digging his fingernails into her skin. Past her breasts, he moved to kiss down the center of her tummy, letting his tongue slip out slightly with each one. She giggled as it tickled her, but she didn't dare stop him. She knew where he was headed.

He passed over her bikini bottoms and continued straight on to those thighs that had him absolutely salivating. Laying nibbles along her skin, all up and down her left inner thigh, and then over to the right. She tasted immaculate, but he thirsted for something even sweeter.