MORNING
Early light and early sounds of the woods started to make their way into the bedroom. Sarah and Clem were still tightly together; covered by just the sheet. It would seem during the night she had gotten too warm and moved the blanket down to the foot of the bed.
Clem looked down at the sleeping young girl cradled beside him. She was remarkably pretty. Her head shared his pillow; her light blonde hair went up across his arm. Her beautiful face was turned toward him. He could only think they had been like this all night.
He knew she had stirred a moment ago. That is what had awakened him. Was she awake now? Was she sharing his joy or was she avoiding the reality of what they did last night?
Clem froze; he did not want the day to begin. He did not want this magic moment to go away. He did not want to move. He did not want to face reality.
But as he lay very still fear started to consume him. Morbid fear of how she was really going to feel once she was awake. Had he hurt her? Will she hate him? Will she be quiet about all this when she gets home? Could she find her way back here with her parents or the law? How will she explain spending the night? Has she been reported missing? Are the police out looking for her? Her easy way out of all this would be to simply say he had stopped her from leaving and raped her. She had the evidence.
He was unable to move, to start the clock on all the fearful outcomes that could result from his night with this beautiful young woman.
One consolation and only one offered a little solace…it was worth it. It was remarkable love; his feelings for this young girl were undeniable. She was so mature, knew exactly what she wanted and found it in his arms. What an unbelievable miracle.
He reached over to gently move strands of hair back away from her eyes. She stirred, looked up at him and smiled a delightful disarming smile. She stretched upward. Her lips came up to his cheek, she kissed him, but more importantly her lips stayed right there. Her arm came up over him, and without removing her lips from him she drew her young body back on top his.
She moved back and forth a little to get into the exact position she wanted…like she belonged there. Her arms came around his neck from both sides. Her legs spread naturally down around him.
“Good morning!”
Sarah offered, as she ended her kiss by lifting up to look at him and then sliding down a bit.
“I woke up in the middle of the night, Mr. Clem. I was really worried about having loved you. Worried that you would think I was just a kinky young woman having her kicks at your expense, because I was.
Maybe you would think I was just crazy lonely and needed affection, because I did.
Maybe you would think I had just read too much about all this, because I had.
Maybe you would think I did it because I am just sick of my life, because I am.
I laid here beside you filled with doubts trying to understand what the heck was up with me. Trying to make sure I really understood myself so I would never mislead you on something so important.
I was awake with only my worries. I lay here looking at you for a long time while you were sleeping. You were so peaceful and quiet. It was the first time I looked at you without your eyes looking back and sending me all kinds of confusing messages.
Slowly I began to realize something very important; the answer to all my questions. I really love you Mr. Clem. I love you more than you will ever know. I understand if you think I am just a young emotionally deprived woman on a kinky binge. You are right about the deprived, but oh so wrong about the binge. The sex and all that, was good, but this is so much deeper for me.
Your smile, your eyes, your kind, concerned ways, and your loving heart are with me forever. You tried your very best to stop things from happening last evening, but I won.
You can get rid of me this morning. I know you think you have to. But I wanted to make sure before you throw me out that I tell you how I honestly feel. Do you understand what I am trying to say? I am not a school girl anymore. I have moved way beyond that. I am a woman very much in love with a man. A man I love and respect. A man I now know physically. A man I respect even more for all he tried to do that he thought was right.”
Clem was stunned; such a mature loving thought process. He would have never imagined such a reaction from her. He was really expecting anger this morning. Does she really know what they did? Does she really know what he might have done to her body? Does she know the penalty for him if he is caught by the law? And for her if she is somehow caught by nature! Why isn’t she upset and angry?
“Sarah, what we did last evening was dangerous and very wrong, but you are not to blame. You came here by accident yesterday. I am the adult and should have known right away what could happen. I understand temptation, you do not. I am sorry. You’re a wonderful person. I wanted only good things for you. I tried…”
All the time he was talking Sarah was preoccupied with positioning her body back on top of him exactly as she had been last night, and she was making it clear she did not want to pay attention to anything he said.
Her movements began to return, her soft murmur had returned, just like last night.
On her second downward thrust her tight body responded; right to the point where they had ended last night.
Clem went silent, nothing more was said as they melted into one. Sarah’s lips locked onto his. Her positioning was perfect and this time, unlike before, his arms tightened around her back and shoulders giving her no possible escape. Tears flooded down her face as he took over and brought her downward again and again. He could feel her body adjusting, responding to take more each time he moved.
He could now feel she was constricting tightly again and again each time he moved outward.
He was lost in passion. Her response was perfect. He was there. She was in no way a young girl, she was his woman.
An hour passed as they made love. Time after time, Sarah would reach new heights. Each time it seemed stronger and more violent. Many times as she doubled over on him he would respond, sending her more irrefutable evidence.
He had full access to her. They had achieved perfect union. Time after time she would consume him and each time, it would take several minutes for her convulsions to diminish and her arms to relax such that she could possibly move away.
An each time as they seemed to be finished, Sarah would refuse to move from him, within minutes they would return to loving.
Finally, he held her tightly and rolled over in unison placing them side by side, but still together. Clem was trying to separate, but Sarah continued to roll over and bring him with her.
She wanted him on top. She struggled to completely turn over on her back. With help, she succeeded and he rested directly on top of her. His arms were supporting some of his weight as slowly he buried his face in the gorgeous hair laid out above her head on their pillow. Her arms encircled him. Once again the world with this woman seemed right. His last thought was a fear of crushing her as they fell asleep.
Clem could definitely smell coffee brewing. It was undeniable. He lifted his head. What confusion. Like normal he was alone, but it was way late…actually mid morning.
One by one his senses came alive; last night, Sarah, this morning. Oh shit! Where was she? How had she managed to get out of bed without waking him? What was going on?
He jumped out of bed, slipped into his boxers, a pair of jeans and a golf shirt and stumbled out and down the stairs, missing several, making a lot of noise. Arriving in the kitchen, he found Sarah sitting at the table reading a book from the shelf in the living room.
She stood up as he came in. She was wearing one of his T-shirts, nothing more. She moved to the stove. He could clearly see the lower portion of her young body as she poured his coffee and turned to bring it toward the table. She was a study in beauty. She looked much older, much more mature.
Clem collapsed into his favorite chair at the table. Sarah placed the coffee in front of him.
“Good morning sleepy guy. I hope you don’t mind I went through you cupboard until I found some coffee. Hope I made it right.”
She paused.
“I have to tell you Clem, I never drank coffee before…liked the smell but hated the taste; but I wanted to fix some to wake you up this morning and this smelled so good I tried it and I am hooked…absolutely hooked.”
Clem sat there stunned; as Sarah turned back toward him from the stove it was clear his T-shirt was too short. She had to know she was completely exposed, but she made no effort cover up. She seemed so comfortable with her beautiful body and the situation.
Clem took a sip of the hot black coffee.
“This is the best coffee I ever tasted.”
He offered.
She looked at him with that same loving look he had come to know so well, and sat down across the table facing him.
He was concerned. Sooner or later, she had to assimilate what was happening. She had to process it and come up with answers that could explain and justify. It was over, she was a new woman; her answers now had to last a life time.
How would she deal with all this once the initial passion and euphoria wore off?
And while Clem was deep in thought, Sarah’s method for dealing with things started to become apparent. Her method of processing was to talk to him about it, endlessly.
Clem sat silently as she talked and talked. She went through things again and again but he was soon convinced he was listening to the work of a very healthy, happy mind just putting everything into place.
“I love you buster. I really mean it. I know you think I am rationalizing, trying to justify to myself how all this happened so quickly; but that is not the case. The truth is I made love to you because I was horny. I really wanted sex and I wanted sex with you…but afterward in the middle of the night I realized just how much I really love you.”
“I know you think badly of me. How could I have wanted to be with a man so much? Well lover, it wasn’t just any man I wanted. Believe it or not, I have had my chances. I wanted you.”
She looked off toward the orchard,
You know Clem, when we make love; it’s a wonderful story, except no author would write our love story as it happened. Think about all the good stuff we do together, a good author would have slowed it all down and made the book bigger.”
She laughed a little as she looked back at him over the rim of her cup, her blue eyes were flashing, as she turned serious again.
“I know how scared you are. You are still looking at me as this strange girl who came here yesterday and did the nasty for kicks. You think any moment I am going to regret it and blow the whistle.
Well you are going to learn I know myself very well and that will not happen; no way. I love you. I love what we did. I love that it happened with you. Nothing was your fault and no one is going to hurt you.”
She finally fell silent.
Clem looked across and took another sip of coffee.
“Sarah, you are right, my life is in your hands. There is no other way to say it. What you do and say now determines if I am a free man to enjoy my apple orchards or in a federal penitentiary for the rest of my life. It’s just that simple.
I love you, too, but that has to sound so hollow to you. How can I expect you or anybody else to believe that? You are a beautiful, loving, young woman. Any man alive would kill to have you, if only to make a trophy of you!”
“Please go up and get dressed as quickly as you can. I am going to run down and fix your bike. I want you to head home right away in case they are out looking for you. Once you are home I beg you, please say nothing about this. I beg you!”
With that Clem jumped up immediately and headed directly out the front door and down the drive to the garage. He was getting more frightened by the minute. This young woman was something special in so many ways, and she now thought she was head over heels in love with him. This was out of control. His freedom hung on such a thin thread; her love.
Once in the garage he was nonstop action. He quickly set about working on the rusty old bike; one thing after another: far more than just inflating tires…he lubricate and tighten the chain…adjust the alignment of the handle bars and checked it over from stem to stern.
He knew he was taking more time than he should, but she had to be safe on the way home, she needed time to get ready up at the house, and honestly he treasured ever moment until she rode away.
Twenty minutes later he came out and headed back up to the house.
To his dismay he found Sarah outside at the clothes line, still dressed in his T-shirt, hanging her panties on the line.
He headed straight for her. He had to set this straight. He had to get her going. Every minute counted. The authorities would be looking everywhere for her.
He fully expected her to be dressed and ready to head back up the road on that damn bike. How much of this did she think he could take? She had no idea how much he was going to miss her.
She had her back toward him at the clothes line and she clearly did not hear him coming. As he approached she reached up with a clothes pin and the T-shirt move up behind her like a theater curtain. Clem was stopped in his tracks. He stood frozen behind her as she finished placing the first pin and bent down to the clothes basket for another. His reaction was painful.
“Sarah, what in the hell are you doing. I have your bike ready to go down there. We are very late. The world may be out looking for you. Come on! Run in and get your clothes on. We have to get you up the road home.”
Sarah turned and walked directly toward him. There was a confident air in her steps, but her firm determined steps were softened by her smile and the loving twinkle in her eyes.
“Mr. Clem. You would not want me to go home with my panties like they were? Think about it. Hard evidence if they were found. I read books.”
She laughed out loud and actually ran the last three or four steps into his arms. She stretched upward to kiss him.
“They will be dry shortly. Let’s go in and eat some toast or something. I am starving.”
With that she took his hand and pulled him over toward the back door.
Sarah set the table and poured more coffee for them as Clem fixed some scrambled eggs, bacon and toast.
She ate with gusto, frequently looking across the table at him,
“Mr. Clem, you know I don’t want to leave. I love it here. I love the smell of this place. Being with you is wonderful. Please let me stay awhile.
My mother is in South America with her new lover, my dad is in Hong Kong with his new lover and I am here with you. It is that simple.
What else do you need to know? The police are not looking for me. No one is. No one even knows I am gone. No one knows I exist. My mother knows nothing about me. My dad and his Cybil think someone took me to camp for the summer, the house staff knows nothing and they are too independent to even ask a question.
Please let me stay just a while. You love me; right?”
Sarah completed her plea with actual tears,
“Yes Sarah, I love you.”
Clem meant every word of it. He was way beyond how lonely his life would be again, after she was gone; way beyond the unbelievable adventure of having her here. It went way beyond what they had done upstairs, if fact he honestly wished the physical part had not happened. He was very deeply in love with the character that was Sarah; her maturity, her humor, her independence, her loving smile, and her loving ways.
“Well then you are the only one in the world that does.”
She continued,
“We love one another and I want to be right here with you.”
She sniffled and wiped a tear from her cheek.
Clem looked off out the window. His eyes turned soft. His appeal had failed.
“Go up and get some more clothes on, anything. You are driving me nuts. I am going down to put your bike back in the garage.”
Sarah jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Thank you, thank you; remember to shut the garage door tight!”
Clem disappeared down the drive as Sarah headed up the steps.
AFTERNOON
When Clem got back to the house everything was quiet. Sarah was still up stairs. He sat down in his easy chair in the living room and waited.
In a few minutes Sarah came down dressed in one of his golf shirts, blue which matched her eyes, her short skirt and shoes. It is just the providence of the young I guess, she looked absolutely radiant. Her hair was pulled back softly into a pony tail. The way she did it allowed a soft flow of hair on each side of her head and loose strands here and there around her face that curled in the sunlight. The color in his golf shirt lit up her blue eyes. The shirt was long enough that it covered her short skirt except when she moved certain ways. What a beautiful young woman.
An extremely possessive thought welled up inside him. This beautiful girl moved about with his life throughout her body; he possessed her now. But, she also had his destiny completely in her hands. Who possessed whom?
Sarah walked directly over to him in the easy chair and sat across his lap with her arms wrapped around his neck, and her legs draped over his arm and the side arm of the chair.
“Thank you for letting me be here with you. I know it is difficult and dangerous. I know we can get in trouble. I have read a lot about it. We are going to make it work…you wait and see. I love you. This is the first time I have ever said that. This is the first time in my life I have felt it. I am so happy.”
His whole body was again responding to the little lady on his lap that he now knew very well.
His hand moved up her shapely legs until he found she was wearing nothing under her skirt. She did nothing to stop him. He moved on onward. She was damp from their night together; so wonderfully damp. Her knees parted slightly such that his fingers could have the access he desired. She knew full well what she he was going to do…the little vixen. He gently rubbed her most sensitive spot. She moaned. He enclosed it and pulled gently, he pulled again. She moaned again and consumed his right earlobe as she climaxed. That was all it took.
Clem caught his breath. There was such a mature, wonderful glow about her. Her face was slightly flushed and every move she made exuded sex.
He just felt compelled to get things on an even keel. If he did nothing, said nothing, they would be back upstairs in a flash.
He worked to get his hand free from her clenched legs and his mind back to his farm. He had planned to dedicate this week to trimming in the apple orchard. He loved his fruit trees. He had raised them for years. He was quite an expert on grafting and growing the small ones.
“Ok Chick!”
He offered lightly, trying to turn things a little.
“We have to work here on the farm, and if you want to be the lady of the house you need to participate.”
“Oh good, I have never had a job. At home the help does everything. I will try to do anything you want. Just show me how.”
Clem looked at her. What in the world could she do in an orchard dressed like this? She needed some clothes.
Within minutes he had his car backed out of the barn and they were headed to town to buy clothes.
“What is your size, Chick?”
“Petite 6, I think, although the help hasn’t bought anything that fit me in months.”
They were walking together toward the general store.
As they entered the store, Clem was overcome with nervousness. What in the world had he set himself up for? This was the ultimate in trust. One word from Sarah to anyone and he would be in jail for life.
One scream and she was home free, no one would think a thing bad about her. She had the opportunity for a complete reset in her life anytime they were with other people. One comment to anyone and she would be the young victim, everyone had only pity for; while he was the ultimate villain.
As they walked the store, Sarah gave no hint of anything being out of the ordinary. Her outfit looked fine. The shirt was way too long, but it was her color, it covered her well, and kids wear just about anything.
She quickly proved to be all he could have hoped for. There was an exchange with a lady clerk, introduced as Ann. Sarah handled it perfectly and the two quickly developed a rapport. It was clear Ann liked her.
Clem found a chair strategically placed for the male “shopper” and simply watched as Sarah set about trying on a variety of things.
One by one she began selecting thing she thought would work for her. She checked sizes religiously. She freely asked Ann about the fit of various things she tried on.
Ann asked a question or two that seemed to be appropriate, not probing, just understanding a customer’s needs.
Sarah indicated she was visiting for awhile this summer and needed thing to wear on a farm. There was not one hint or suspicion. Sarah had such a happy friendly way about her.
The shopping was going well and Clem was pleased. He could tell by the conversations the two of them really got along. They wandered about for over an hour in one department or another.
When it was all over Clem…just signed the bill.
Thank goodness. He knew his nerves would betray him if he had to do more.
Years later during police investigation Ann was questioned at length. She was never asked for a deposition as all her comments were so very favorable and not in line with the evidence the prosecutor was seeking. She remembered Sarah very well. Sarah had in fact come in with Clem numerous times over the summer to buy articles.
She remembered Sarah as an extremely bright, likable, young woman; with a friendly way and a line of chatter. She remembered Clem as a handsome guy very quiet, but with eyes that did all the talking for him.
A half hour later, Clem and Sarah were headed back out into the country with four good sized bags of clothing.
Clem was still concerned that someone who knew him might have seen them, but there had been no apparent problems.
As soon as they were home Sarah ran upstairs to change into some of her new things; black panties that fit, dark grey shorts and a blue T-top.
She finished by slipping into new tennis shoes that were much better suited for walking around the orchards.
Finally, before going back downstairs, Sarah set about consolidating some of Clem’s stuff in the dressers so she could put her new things away in two empty drawers. What a nice feeling it gave her. She belonged.
When she came down stairs Clem immediately noted with a smile that her outfit looked quite different from the one she had been wearing when she went up the steps. The new shorts covered her better than the short skirt although it did emphasize her butt and upper legs. Sarah was a beautiful, yes stunningly beautiful, young woman and there was no hiding the fact.
The blue T-top really looked nice. It was just the right color to match her eyes and emphasize their expressions, but unlike the white blouse, this top fit. It was snug enough to subtly outline her breasts. It made her look much more developed. There was no question she was female. Her new outfit was far more modest than the one she came in, but not a bit less enticing. In fact, it made her look much more mature and functional.
Clem took her hand and made a real issue of looking at her from head to foot.
“Young lady I tell you that was money well spent. You look so nice. You are a beautiful young woman.”
Sarah glowed. During the last twenty four hours she had received more sincere compliments than she had in her entire life to date. Still holding his hand she swung around in front of him.
Her arms encircled his neck and with Clem bending downward and Sarah on her tip toes, their lips met. Moments later Clem felt her young tongue attempting to part his lips. He relaxed and she had the approval she needed. For the first time they kissed deeply.
“Where the hell did you learn that little girl?
Clem admonished.
“Dummy, it is in every book I have read about loving.”
She retorted as she spun around still in his embrace but with her back toward him. Her hands went over his and she moved them up from her waist to her breasts. She was so comfortable with her sexuality and with him. Clem held her tightly, gently doing as she wanted, outrageously turned on by the feel of her breasts under his touch, but realizing instantly something was different.
“Well what do you think about that, Mr. Clem? Notice any difference? Ann was so nice. I really like her. I finally felt comfortable asking someone about bra sizes and here you are. Like it?
“Sarah you look great; I thought you looked chestier. You never said anything when we were shopping and I have to admit I was too nervous to go over the receipt. It makes me happy that we solved this problem, although I loved the way you looked before as well.”
She turned in his arms and came up to kiss him gently.
“I really like the way I look, Clem. Tell me you love me right now when you are all hot and bothered about how I look.”
“I love you Sarah, I honestly do.”
“There…now I want you to always remember I believe you. I know I look great. I love the way I look. I understood when you said “any man would say he loved you”, but put that away. I know YOU love me…it is clear in your eyes and it will be there forever.”
“Now about wearing this bra, if I have my way you will get to see a lot of me both ways. Maybe we better go upstairs right now so you can show me how to take the damn thing off.”
She smiled, turned around in his arms and took his hand as she walked toward the stairwell.
“Sarah, sweetheart, is this what you really want, for sure…”
Her grip became firmer and Clem followed her up the steps one at a time.
In the bedroom Sarah turned to him, went up on her tip toes, consumed his lips and raised her arms straight up inviting the inevitable. Clem slipped the new top over her head and tossed it onto the chair.
“Does this answer your question, mister?”
She asked; as she slid her new shorts to the floor all the time looking directly into his eyes as she moved toward him. She came directly into his arms and hesitated there enjoying him, before turning to sit down on the edge of the bed to remove her shoes and socks.
Finished she lay back on the bed with her feet still on the floor. Her young body was clad only in her new black panties and white bra. She was fully on display as she let her arms fall back over her head and her legs separated in an unquestionable invitation.
Nothing could be more tempting. Her panties now fit her correctly. She had selected once that were cut higher on the side which had a unique appeal. On her they connoted a Lolita thing. They said she was a young woman with very strong female desires.
The bra fit perfectly. It accentuated her breasts and contributed to a more mature look.
“Sarah, Sarah!”
He murmured as he went to his knees on the floor and softly kissed her inner thigh.
She was smooth and sweet. She tasted good. She smelled good.
Clem came to her. Sarah moved such that she had him firmly against her body right where she wanted. Once again that was all that was necessary. She shook with pleasure time after time as she began moving against him. She used both hands to bury his face against her as she finally convulsed in joy.
Her movements then became slower and slower.
After she began to unwind, she released his head and slid upward onto the bed. Moving like an up-side-down spider she centered herself while staying on her back.
Clem moved up over her looking down into her eyes. He lifted her and slid a pillow under her head. He looked down into her beautiful face for a moment and then slid downward until his lips found her; all the time watching her face for any sigh of disapproval. What he saw were tears of ecstasy. She knew what he was going to do, and she knew just how she was going to react and she knew exactly what the results would be. She was out of control.
They embraced as he relaxed downward until his full weight rested directly on her. Sarah moaned gently and pulled his head tightly to her. Her mouth invited him. He responded.
That was all the young lady could take. She screamed erotically and writhed back and forth uncontrollably under him.
Her arms came free and went under his shoulders tugging him upward, begging him, without words, to come and enter.
Suddenly pangs of guilt returned big time for Clem. How could he be doing this? Was this really love for her or simply uncontrolled passion.
She was a victim of the world she had been raised in; such a victim. He just could not victimize her further.
Clem could feel tears running down his face as he ever so gently lifted up and moved away. He sat upward and moved to the side and brought her legs together across his lap. She lay there on her back with her arms folded across her chest and a disappointed look.
“I can’t do this, Sarah. I love you too much. Being over you like that is rape. I want to be protecting you, not raping you. Do you understand? Have you read about rape? This is rape when an older guy does what you want me to do right now. We have already done way too much.”
Clem’s head hung.
He looked down into a darkened cloudy face with tear filled eyes. Sarah’s hands reached up for him, her arms opening asking for his embrace.
“I know, I know, I know all about these things, lover. I have read and read, thought and thought, dreamed and dreamed. I know what we are doing. I know what you want to do to me right now and I know what I want you to do, and I know what the world thinks about everything.
This is not one sided. We are in this completely together. Do you know what people would call me if they knew the truth about how I feel about you, how much I love you, how I feel about sex with you, how I need you? How I need you that way? They would call me a lot of bad names and you know it.
I love you Mr. Clem. I want you.”
She hesitated looking up at his tear stained face and a strange little smile crossed her face. Something had to change his dark mood,
“I love you, but I don’t like calling you Mr. Clem. It sounds too old fashion for you. You are just right for Scotty. I like the name Scotty. I am going to call you Scotty. Ok?”
He could not help but laugh. She had said just the right thing to completely change the complicated conversation.
“You may call me Scotty. Sarah you can call me anything. Was Scotty the hero in one of the books?”
“Yep…and I dreamed about him until I came here on that old bike and now I dream about you.”
She laughed.
Clem stood up and started to get dressed. Sarah slowly followed suit
Downstairs, after a drink of lemonade they headed out to the barn. Sarah knew what was up and she was excited. Together, they took the tractor out into the apple trees to continue with his never ending trimming program.
The tractor was pulling a special wagon with a trimming rack. Once they had arrived deep in the apple orchard and positioned the wagon and rack under a tree, Clem climbed up the short ladder onto the rack and began trimming.
He looked down to see Sarah still sitting on the tractor watching him work. The trimming could become mundane and allow his mind to wander, and today there was so much to side track his mind from the trees. What a charming woman. It goes way beyond how pretty she is. She has been raised in such a sad unusual way and yet she seems to have come through it all with such a health attitude and sense of humor.
Frequently, he glanced down at her through the branches. What a cute picture. Blue top, black shorts, pretty legs over the side of the tractor seat; wow! There was a special feeling knowing he had purchased that outfit. They shared something new.
With a good many trimmed branches on the ground Clem climbed down and began loading them onto the wagon under the trimming rack. Without a word, Sarah jumped from the tractor to help.
“Wait little lady, if you are going to help, get a pair of gloves from under the seat. These branches have a lot of sharp stuff on them. Be careful.”
Sarah laughed as she moved toward the tractor,
“Hey Scotty, does this job pay anything?”
“You get room and board for sure, lady!”
He offered in return.
“Does that mean if I work hard Scotty will not dump his princess back at the cold palace tonight?”
Clem just looked at her with a smile as she came back around the wagon to join him.
Together they threw the small trimmings onto the back of the wagon until it was time for Clem to return to the trimming rack
A routine developed. Clem mostly stayed up on the rack as he called it, while Sarah stayed on the ground willingly loading. It was obvious she enjoyed being productive. She talked and teased as she kept putting the trimmings on the wagon. The serious conversation of earlier in the afternoon was far behind them and completely forgotten.
They acknowledged one another when he came down to the ground. Sarah would stretch upward on her toes to kiss him. He would wrap an arm around her. She would just touch him as he loaded branches. It all seemed so natural. He could not stop paying attention to her. She had perspiration on her forehead. He had to touch her. She had to touch him.
The results of each encounter were obvious and stood out through the thin blue top each time she went back to work. He asked her if her new bra gave her enough support as it appeared to be quite thin. It was sort of a crude joke.
She looked at him with that smile he knew so well by now; the one that said a zinger was coming,
“How the hell would I know if it gives me enough support, Scotty. I have nothing to compare it with except your hands and right now I want you to keep them busy cutting those branches!”
They laughed together.
A couple hours later Clem turned the tractor towards the barn with Sarah riding on the large fender beside him. Behind the tractor they pulled a full load of apple tree trimmings slated to go to the compost over in the little depression along the creek. Reaching over he brought her from her seat against the fender to his lap. They continued slowly along through the trees with arms around each other. To an outsider it would have looked very innocent, just two people returning from the orchard with a good days work done.
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