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The dance wasn’t no mere thing. People from four towns over would all come out and join in the festivities.
“We better get a move on if we wanna hit the buffet,” I said, though really, I’d have been just as happy dancin’ with him in the kitchen without a beat of music.
“Sure thing, hun,” he said, escortin’ me over towards the door, but before I could grab the keys to the truck, he snatched ‘em up. “But I’m gonna drive,” he said with a devious, uneven grin on his face.
“Well sure but if you break it and we gotta push it into town, I ain’t gettin’ my shoes dirty,” I said as I put on my wedge heels, tying the pastel straps around my ankle before taking his offered arm. My heart was poundin’ in my chest and I couldn’t wait to go.
Though there was a part of me, a small part, that made me worried Marcus’d be there. I tried to push it aside, though. I hadn’t talked to him since, I was too livid, and still tryin’ to figure out what to say without tearin’ the family apart.
Asher escorted me on out to the truck, even helped me on in like a real lady, shuttin’ my door for me as I tucked my dress beneath me. Though when he climbed aboard, the truck rocked from his bulky, muscular weight.
Livin’ out in farm country meant that even though the community was small, the drive weren’t. It was a good half hour to get into the festivities area, the restaurant lookin’ busy. But since it was held outside, they usually made enough tables to accommodate everyone for the festival.
“Ma’am,” Asher said with a wry smile, offering his arm aga
in before we stepped on down into the grassy area, the sun low in the sky as everyone talked and chatted around the pavilion.
We were lucky enough to be seated at one of the patio tables, rather than the overflow in the grass, so got to eat at the good buffet inside.
It was more than I ever expected. Not just the food, but the atmosphere too. I kept havin’ to stop and wave, or say ‘hi’ to people as we made our way to our table. It was like there was a buzz in the air, a real sense of community and excitement that I missed out on my li’l farm. Sure, even before Asher got there I’d see my aunts and uncles and Marcus from time to time, but it weren’t every day, or even every week. It was a slow life with hard work in the great outdoors, but damned if it weren’t lonely.
But Asher’d helped with all that, and now I was able to experience it all with him by my side.
“I didn’t realize how nice it’d be not to cook for a change. I guess I’d just gotten so used to it I never thought ‘bout how long it took!”
Truth of the matter was, before he showed up I wasn’t eatin’ fancy, but my days were taken up doin’ the work he was now in charge of. And takin’ longer at it.
“Ah well,” he said, as we walked on to the buffet together. “You’re cooking might take a while, but it’s sure as hell worth it. At least from the perspective of the guy who only has to eat it,” he added on with a playful wink as we filled our plates.
I couldn’t help but laugh. He was in such a good mood, though he was always pleasant with me, but it was somethin’ different off the farm. Not havin’ to worry about chores and cleanin’ and workin’. It was just like two grownups, relaxing.
I can’t remember the last time I felt so relaxed.
“Fair enough. And you’re workin’ hard enough to earn your keep so it ain’t right for me to complain.”
“Ah well, it’s good to be part of a team for once. Almost glad my motorcycle got busted up,” he said, looking across the table at me with a wry smile. “Almost,” he tacked on with a chuckle as we continued to eat.
“I wouldn’t have let you leave anyways, Asher,” I teased back, adoring that little sparkle in his eyes whenever he looked my way.
We chuckled, and he ordered us some wine. It wasn’t exactly a fancy city style restaurant, but there was some Shiraz they had and, as Asher said, “That’ll do just fine.” So we got to sip some as the sun slowly started to go down, turnin’ the sky orange on the horizon, the younger folk the first to head towards the dance area.
I wasn’t in much of a rush. Just sittin’ and enjoyin’ his company was pleasant enough for me, though I admit I was nervous. Excited. The idea of feelin’ his hands on my hips, his body pressed close to mine was enough to make the butterflies in my tummy flutter and my mind go a bit hazy, even before the wine.
I sipped it, looking over the rim of my glass at him, and it was like everything was right with the world. And for the first time in a very long time, by my reckonin’.
When at last we’d both finished our wine, Asher stood up, the tallest fella at the whole shindig by a mile. He extended his hand to me, palm up, some of the curious markings on his inner arm visible.
“Shall we head on in for a dance or two, ma’am?” he asked, soundin’ more suave than any of the country fellas I knew by landslide. While all around us the dance committee folk turned on the lights to compensate for the growing darkness of night.
“I’d love to,” I said with a wide smile, his hand so much rougher than mine. Takin’ some time off from farm work had softened them right up, along with my usin’ coconut oil on them every day. I wanted to feel a bit more feminine around him, what could I say?
He felt so warm from the hot summer day, his body radiating heat as I pulled in against him as we walked towards the other dancers.
The music, which was already in full swing, had been just a faint sound on the evenin’ air where we ate, but as we got over to the central pavilion and barn where the band played, it was boomin’.
“Shall we?” he said, but without waitin’ he took hold of my hand and my hip and took us out onto the dance floor with a powerful tug. A big grin lit up his face as he guided me into the first swings and motions of the dance.
The beat was fast, and all around us was laughter and joy, everyone really lettin’ their hair down for a change. I’d never been to nothin’ like it, and the giddiness was infectin’ me. I twirled in front of him, just like I had at the house, my skirt floatin’ up around my bare legs before my hand went to his hard chest, touchin’ there lightly. I was still uncertain of myself, of what to do, but I knew I’d fallen hard for him and touchin’ his body like I was felt amazing.
