Two Step Symphony - Second Movement

The song, "Take it as it Comes and Let it Go Where it Goes" flew to the top of the country charts. It even found some favor on the pop charts. Brick Henry wrote it after getting back together with his girlfriend, now his fiancé. It was how they had agreed to resume their relationship: take it as it comes and let it go where it goes. She, Chris Cannon, even liked it, and as the Managing Director of the Florida Orchestra, she generally only cared for classical music.

Brick's partner in the recording studio they jointly owned in Tampa, Florida, Billy Roy Jackson thought it was one of the best songs he'd ever hard, and heartily believed that if recorded by the right artist, it would be one of the biggest songs ever. The problem was deciding whom the right artist was. On that Brick and Billy Roy could not agree.

Jackson did suggest that Brick record a demo version that could be used to send to "the right artist" once they could agree on who that was. As it was a slow time at the studio--a few weeks without anyone coming in to record--they ended up doing a full arrangement and production. After a few days of recording all tracks, during the mixing process, Billy Roy came to the realization that "the right artist " had already recorded the song.

Brick was not so convinced. He'd never really done any lead vocals, only ever sang background in Bull Conroy's band. That wasn't to say he couldn't sing lead, and the more he listened to his song, the more he came around to agreeing with his partner. Or at least, he was willing to release the song under his own name.

In three weeks, it rose to the top of the charts, and a week later, it was number one, where it remained for three more weeks. At Jackson's urging, Brick followed it up a few months later with "The Two-Step Symphony," which made it to number two, and six months after that with "My Cowboy Ways." Both were also inspired by his relationship with Chris.

There was talk of Brick going on tour. He had mixed emotions about being on the road again, and Chris was absolutely against it. They'd settled into a comfortable lifestyle, neither having to travel, and they did not miss the planes and hotels. He did agree to perform a few concerts here and there, and even appeared on a couple of television shows.

Brick didn't really care for his sudden stardom, and Chris liked it even less. It interfered with their wedding plans, which now had become a bigger event with his new notoriety. Every time she attempted to sit him down to discuss their wedding, he was interrupted by a phone call, a text, or an email, so she realized she had to resort to extreme measures to get his attention.

She put on one of his favorites of her dresses: a short, evening dress, shiny, silvery, form-fitting, short. She sat on the sofa to await his arrival from work, making certain the hem was pulled up to reveal much of her legs.

It got his attention. "You have a function tonight?"

"Yes," Chris answered softly, sensually. She patted the space next to her.

He took the seat she requested. "What's up?"

She turned toward him and threw her leg over his, then started to unbutton his shirt. "A special evening at home."

With a grin, Brick said, "Sounds like fun." They hadn't many of those lately.

His cell phone was in his front pants pocket on his other side. Chris was able to pull it out. She switched it off and tossed it on the coffee table. He didn't stop her.

Brick put his arm on the back of the sofa, and then around her, pulling her head to his where they engaged in a soft kiss. He rested his other hand on her leg that she'd thrown over his, but she lifted it causing his hand to fall between her legs and make contact with her panty-covered pussy. She pumped her hips to rub her crotch against his hand, and he got the message that she wanted him to play with her snatch. She wasn't usually this aggressive, but he liked it.

Continuing to kiss, she reached over to rub his erection through his jeans. She managed to slide his zipper down with one finger, and then undid his belt and the snap on his pants. She had his cock out seconds later, stroking it.

With it very obvious now what her purpose was, Brick maneuvered his hand to slide it under the waistband of her panties, and when his fingers made contact with her clit, she moaned. After allowing him to finger her for another minute or so, she let go of his cock and turned her back to him. He took that as an invitation to unzip her dress. She then pulled it down off her shoulders to reveal her sheer, black bra. He just as quickly unclasped it and she pulled it off. She slid her dress down and stepped out of it.

While she was doing that, Brick awkwardly pulled off his boots so he could then slide his pants and underwear down and off.

Now clad only in her sheer, black panties, Chris knelt on the sofa facing Brick. She spread his shirt to reveal his bare chest, and kissed a line down is abdomen. Her refinement prevented her from sucking his dick--something she had never done in all their time together--but she did at least place a kiss on the head. Sitting up, their lips met again as she grabbed his cock and stroked it.

Likewise, Brick reached over to again finger her pussy.

Chris felt somewhat slutty being the aggressor. That was not usually her role, but it was necessary now. In some ways, she felt Brick had cheapened her. On the other hand, their sex was always good. There were times their unabashed coitus was enjoyable, but she knew had she remained in New York, she would never be doing some of the things they did with the men she knew up there. Like allowing a man to put his finger in her pussy, as Brick was doing now.

He then lifted her to sit in his lap. As he eased her down, she grabbed his cock to guide it into her pussy. Their sex life had waned lately due to his new recording career. Now, it felt really good to have him inside her again. She rotated her hips around on his dick, occasionally bouncing up and down. He reached around to finger her clit as he fucked her. That felt good also. Even though her purpose with this exercise was to get his attention, she'd rather concentrate on climaxing first.

Grinding her pussy on his cock was exciting. She got into doing it in this position better than she thought when he lifted her. He was always trying to get her to try new things; some she took to, most she did not.

Now, he lifted her up and laid her on her back. He spread her legs and planted his mouth on her pussy, immediately jabbing her with his tongue. This, she liked. He was very talented with his tongue. She let her head fall back to enjoy his oral attack. With the fucking she had already had, this surgical strike with his tongue was bringing her over the edge. Chris grabbed his head to hold it in place. She felt her long-awaited orgasm building. He was working on her clit with his tongue as he slipped two fingers inside her hole.

She wasn't usually a screamer, simply purring and sighing as a wave of pleasure flowed through her. Her skin tingled and she shuddered as she climaxed. Letting go of his head, Chris merely laid there in enjoyment.

When Brick felt she was done, he crawled up to kiss her, and she felt his hard dick rubbing against her pussy. She anticipated he would guide it in, but instead, he again pulled her to sit in his lap, this time facing him. Once he was back inside of her, he held onto her ass, keeping it up so he could thrust upward into her. He pumped quickly, obviously wanting his own orgasm.

However, this also served to stir her up again, so she bounced back meeting his thrusts. They only had to keep this up for a couple of minutes before Chris exploded again in a trembling climax. She barely finished before Brick pulled out as a fountain of cum spouted from his cock, splashed against her abdomen, and dripped onto his. She fell against him, breathing heavily in recovery.

Chris had had the foresight to have some hand towels nearby in anticipation of this kind of mess. Reaching for them, she handed him one. She cleaned herself off a bit and then eased off him and sat beside him on the sofa.

As they blissfully sat there afterward, Chris said, "Now that I have your attention, can we talk about the wedding?"

He chuckled. "Sure. What do you want to talk about?"

"Everything. There's so much planning we need to discuss." Even though he'd just come, she still lightly toyed with his cock to hold his attention.

"Okay. What?"

"We need to decide on a location. Preferably close to my family home in New York. And now that you're a big country star, it's got to be a bigger... production."

"Why? Can't we just have a small, quiet wedding? Close family and friends."

"Now that word is out that this rising country star is getting married, there are tons of inquiries," Chris explained. "And unless we give them something, we'll never have any peace."

"Isn't the planning up to the bride and her family?"

"Most of it."

"I don't really know about planning weddings," Brick said, trying to get out of this discussion. "Just plan the wedding you want, and we can discuss those plans and then iron out differences and make final arrangements."

"That'll mean I'll have to make several trips to New York."

"Okay."

"And with the symphony season about to begin, we'll be apart quite a bit."

"I've actually been thinking about going to Texas to sell my parents' ranch."

"Really?" Chris said with complete surprise. "When did you decide this?"

"I've been thinking about it for a while, but only thinking about it," Brick clarified. "I just thought it would be one less, you know, thing I'd have to keep up with once we got married. Unless of course, you might want me to keep it as a getaway for us?"

"You're kidding, right?" She disliked any place but big cities.

"Not entirely. But then, I didn't really think you'd take me seriously."

"Well, while I'd like nothing better than for you to sell the ranch, I know it's your family home and where you grew up. Are you really sure you want to sell it?"

"No, I don't really, but it also doesn't make sense to keep it if I'm not going to go back to it. Not to mention it would probably be a relief to the neighbor who has been looking after the place."

"Yes, I would think that would be a burden lifted. When will you decide?" Chris wanted to know.

"Well, then, I guess I just did." He'd actually already decided. "When would be a good time for me to go? Would you like to come with me?"

"Why don't I go to New York while you go to Texas."

"Oh. Okay. When?"

"I can get away in a couple of days."

"That soon?"

"I've got a week before some new orchestra members arrive and contracts need to be signed."

"Right. I'll talk to Billy Roy tomorrow. If he agrees, I'll plan my trip at the same time."

* * *

It was late afternoon when Brick Henry pulled up to the home he had grown up in. Sentimentality had started building during his drive through Texas hill country to the family ranch house. It appeared to be mostly in decent shape, nothing fresh paint and a few minor repairs couldn't fix. But most of all it felt like he was back where he belonged, and he didn't expect to have that emotion.

Slowly, Brick climbed the three steps to the front porch. He unlocked the front door and entered. Most of the furniture was covered with sheets, some of it coated with dust, and he wondered why the rest wasn't also covered. The framed photos on the mantel and scattered around the living room brought back a lot of memories but sounds from upstairs drew his attention. Fearing that perhaps some drifter had taken up residence in his unoccupied house had Brick climbing the stairs quietly.

On the second floor, the shower running was clearly in evidence. The bathroom door was open, the inhabitant obviously not expecting anyone. At the moment Brick looked in, the water was shut off and the shower curtain slid open. She looked amazing, particularly in glimmering, wet nakedness. Reaching for a towel, she saw him standing there.

"Byron!" Rachel said, more surprised that it was him than she was that someone had entered the house and was watching her. "Nice to see you again."

"Rachel Hunter, what are you doing?" Since his neighbor didn't seem put out that he was watching her naked, and since she had grown into a gorgeous, well-developed woman from the skinny teenager he had last seen, he didn't bother to turn away.

"This is commonly known as showering. Or do they call it something different now that you're a big country star?"

"I meant why are you showering here?"

"Well, I am taking care of the place for you," she replied flippantly. "But my water heater isn't working, so..."

"Oh. I didn't mean you couldn't use it."

"I didn't think you did." She patted herself partially dry, then slipped on a robe that she did not bother to fasten.

"And you're as modest as ever."

"Nothing you haven't already seen," she retorted. They used to play you show me yours and I'll show you mine in the loft of their barns and by the creek near one of the pastures.

"What I saw back then looked nothing like now. You've really filled out."

Rachel pirouetted, allowing the robe to fan out and display more of her body. "So, how have you been? Now that you're a big country star?"

"I didn't set out to become a star."

With a look of surprise, Rachel pointed out, "Three big hits. I wouldn't call that not trying. So, what brings you home after--I don't remember how long it's been since you've been back."

"I came to sell the ranch."

That took her down a notch. "Oh? Is that because you're getting married?"

"Partly."

"Well, I guess that's one less thing I'll have to worry about. Can you wait until I get my water heater fixed?"

"Only if I can watch you shower here," Brick said with a smirk.

"Sure. But what would your fiancé--what's her name?--Chris Cannon, think about that?"

Brick shrugged, ignoring the question. "It's good to see you again, Rachel."

She smiled. "You too, Byron."

"It's Brick."

"I know."

They hugged, Rachel's robe spreading open, their embrace skin against clothes. "Do I need to make an appointment for my next bath?"

"An appointment?" With raised eyebrows and a moment's thought, Brick said, "Have your people call my people and set up a schedule."

"Your people? My people? I don't have people. I am my people."

Chuckling, Brick said, "I know. In just messing with you. That's show biz talk."

"Show biz?" Rachel repeated, shaking her head in stupefaction.

"You can come over whenever you want."

"Okay. Thanks. It was good seeing you." She slipped on some shoes and headed off down the stairs.

A moment later, Brick heard the door close. He stepped over to a window to watch her walk from his house to hers. She'd really developed into something to see.

* * *

The Henry ranch house and the Hunter ranch house were not more than one hundred yards apart. Each home was near the end of each family's property and the two property lines, with a fence and gate in between. The two families had lived next to one another since Brick and Rachel were infants. So, the kids had grown up together. They'd done all the things children growing up did and they had the expanse of two ranches with hundreds of acres to do it on.

As kids, they always said they would get married. They would hide up in the loft of her barn or his or out by the creek and talk about a future. Once they were each eighteen, his father died of cancer, and she comforted him, which led to them masturbating one another. But they were too fearful to ever do more than that.

Brick's mother taught him to play the piano, and then he learned guitar. He and his friends formed a country music band, but he was the only one that was serious about the music. When he was twenty-one, his mother unexpectedly passed away from a heart attack. She'd hid her health issues from him but running the ranch without his dad was much more stressful than she let on, and it ultimately took its toll.

They had no other family in the area. The Hunters offered to take him in, but there was nothing really to keep him there. And he had this dream of becoming a musician. He decided to go to Nashville to make his mark. Rachel pleaded with him to stay, reminding him that they were supposed to marry. She even offered herself to him sexually, and while that was an inducement, it wasn't enough.

Brick was a good enough keyboard player that he found work filling in at various clubs. That led to studio work. And from that came his big break. An up-and-coming country star named Bull Conroy was forming a band. Brick had played on some of his songs in the studio for his first album. They'd hit it off and Bull invited him to join. Bull became a big star, and so began a life of touring and making music.

The first few years were exciting. Traveling, parties, and girls. A different girl in every city. A wife for a night, the guys called it. These girls all wanted to fuck Bull Conroy, as though the fact that he was a big star also made him good in bed. Many of the girls were just as content to sleep with any of the band members.

As much as Brick loved playing music, some nights he looked forward more to the after party and the curiosity of who would be his wife for that night.

The problem then became when the band wasn't touring or recording, Brick didn't have anything to do. In the beginning, he would return to his family home, but that became uncomfortable, particularly since Rachel seemed to have moved on having other boyfriends. She did agree to take care of the house for compensation, and every month, he sent her money. But then, he was still without a place to wind down between work and call his own.

He found himself falling in love with western Colorado while playing several concerts there. One of the promoters was selling his small ranch. Brick asked to see it, fell in love with it, and bought it. It became his retreat in between touring and recording.

After several years of seemingly nonstop touring, though still popular, other newcomers chopped Bull Conroy down a few notches. Even he was tired of all the touring, so he decided to take a break, write some new songs, and go from there. Brick decided he was ready to give up touring, so he retired from the band.

And then he met Chris. She was totally different from the many wives for a night he had previously encountered. She was elegant, refined, intelligent and extremely attractive. He fell for her. They had a rocky start, but ever since they had reconnected in Tampa, things had been pretty good between them. At least before his first hit. Since then, he'd been so busy they hadn't spent much time together. Of course, it wasn't all on him. Her first new season with the symphony was upon her and that had occupied a considerable amount of her time.

If Brick was honest with himself, this trip home was for more than just to sell the ranch, but exactly what more he wasn't sure.

One thing he was certain of was the sentiment of being home. He hadn't expected that since it had been so long. And if that wasn't enough, seeing Rachel again, particularly as he had never seen her before was a confused mixture of emotions. She had always been a cute little girl. Now, she was a beautiful woman.

Feelings returned.

Brick sat at his family's piano and played a couple of chords. It was terribly out of tune, so he grabbed his guitar he'd brought along. It was a nice night, so he went onto the front porch and sat on the bench. He glanced at Rachel's house and was surprised to see it completely dark. She must have retired early. A couple of hours later, he had written a song based on the return of these feelings. He was surprised at how easy it had come, particularly since he hadn't been able to come up with anything since his last hit.