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Though he was a lil’ bigger’n pa was, it only helped him fill out the clothes even better. And he kept the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows, so his bulgin’ forearms were left exposed, just like I preferred.
I wonder if he’d noticed or just liked it that way too...
I guess it didn’t matter, I was just too stunned by him to really think about much else. Even after I’d washed my hair and put on my little bit of lipstick, all I could think about was him and if he’d like it. I even talked with ma a bit, though I doubt she remembered any of it, but she said I looked just like a vision and I figured that meant I looked nice.
“Wow,” I finally said, my fingers on the hem of my light yellow sundress. “You clean up some nice.”
I was too busy ogling him to notice he was doin’ the same to me, but when he let out a whistle I clued in some.
“Speak for yourself, hun. You’re a vision in that dress, I gotta say,” he remarked, and reached out, takin’ my hand in his like we was in some kind of movie! “Gimme a lil’ twirl, will ya?” he asked, with a lopsided smile on his face. Though he didn’t so much as wait for me to deliver, he lifted my hand and helped give me the twirl in question.
My sundress flared out over my thighs as I went up on tiptoe, still barefooted and without tights. I knew it was proper to wear them, but I hated the damn itchy things and it was too warm anyhow.
The dress dipped low, showing off the top of my breasts, and I knew I probably had the biggest in the town, though that weren’t sayin’ much when you’re in a town of three hundred odd souls. But I liked showin’ them off.
At least, I liked showin’ them off to Asher, right and wrong be damned.
After watchin’ my dress flare up and twirl, he helped me slow down and come to a halt, reachin’ out to grasp me by my hip and waist as he smile down from his towerin’ height.
“Safe to say I’m gonna be the luckiest man there tonight. With the most beautiful woman in the whole township on his arm,” he remarked, almost all his dark, rugged look hidden beneath that nice shirt and pants. Though his forearms still betrayed the dark lines of his markings, keepin’ him from losin’ all his edge.
And despite his words, I knew that I was really gonna be the one everyone’d be jealous of.
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 truc
k 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 again 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.”
