“Aw shucks, Mr. Avery,” I said, grinnin’ big and foolish, just so happy that my cookin’ got him so worked up. “Just makes me happy to know I could please you so,”
I said, standin’ up and gatherin’ the plates to take to the sink.
“And that you certainly did, Daisy,” he remarked with a bright smile, helpin’ me take the dishes over. And even though the kitchen was so spacious, we was standin’ side by side, elbow to elbow. And I liked that a great deal.
* * *
I spent more’n an hour brushin’ down Ms. Molly that first mornin’, I’ll confess right off the bat. Didn’t help that Mr. Avery only encouraged me. He showed me the way that she liked to be brushed, her favourite snacks — fresh carrots! From the special patch he grew just for her — and then we even cheated a little.
“C’mere,” he said after we saddled her up, and he put his hands upon my waist, liftin’ me up with such ease.
It weren’t the first time I felt a funny feelin’ down below, but I’ll say this... it was the first time I felt it near so intense. Those strong hands, hoistin’ me up into the saddle gave me a stirrin’ in my loins like nothin’ I ever felt, and then there I was: mounted atop Ms. Molly.
“Ridin’ tall and pretty,” Mr. Avery declared with a bright smile, lookin’ about as proud of me as he was Ms. Molly. “You two was meant to be together, I think,” he said, and my heart skipped a beat.
“Don’t tease like that, Mr. Avery,” I said, cheeks all flushed pink as I clutched those reigns.
“I don’t tease!” He said, and then started to guide her out around the yard, each clip-clop a lovely sensation fer me. “Beautiful,” he said, and I think that was when I first realized somethin’: he fancied me more’n he’d ever fancied Ms. Molly.
* * *
Mr. Avery gave me plenty of time with Ms. Molly, and he took that opportunity to train in his new stallion. It wasn't long before he felt comfortable ridin’ on up to me, big ol’ grin on his face as he rode that horse in time with me.
“How about you and me go out for a lil’ joy ride, huh?” he said, and after all day workin’ hard, we was both weary and stripped down some, but none of my enthusiasm for a joy ride was dampened. Especially not with Mr. Avery ridin’ topless as he was, that broad chest showin’ off, all hard and bulgin’ with muscle.
Never saw a man like that before, nor since. Mr. Avery was a rare sort of man, kind, gentle, generous and strong. Oh so strong.
“I’d love to,” I said, my voice squeakin’ a lil’ I was so breathless.
“C’mon,” he said, and began to lead the way.
We rode on out along the country paths, through the fields where I’d not even known of. He got me to take Ms. Molly faster than I ever took her before! And a combination of watchin’ him in the saddle topless, and the feelin’ of all that jostlin’ against my ladybits...
I was a right mess by the time we came to a stop in a grassy clearin’.
“Here we are,” he said, climbin’ down from his saddle, pullin’ a pouch and blanket from the horse.
I was afraid to get down, my legs was like jelly, and my cheeks was flushed redder’n beets!
So when he looked back after settin’ out the blanket and food, I was still sat up there.
“Come on, we’ll have ourselves a lil’ picnic Daisy,” he said, reachin’ up to me, helpin’ lift me off that seat with those strong hands again. I was part way between dyin’ of embarrassment and goin’ to heaven. I guess one would lead to the other, huh?
“Sorry, I’m just a lil’...” I trailed off, unable to come up with anythin’ good to say as he helped me down.
I watched him, so much taller and bigger than me, size me up. His nostrils flared for a moment, and I swear he got a whiff of me, like we was some animals in heat.
“It’s okay, Daisy,” he said, rubbing one hand over my waist and hip, the other comin’ up to cup my cheek all tender like. “You’re more beautiful than a gal has rights to be out here, ya know?”
He was just such a charmer, and didn’t make me feel ashamed, not at all, even though I knew I musta been blushin’ like crazy. I tucked some of my brown hair from my face and tried to hide my eyes from him, but wasn’t like that was gonna work. Was just the two of us in the clearin’, ain’t no runnin’ from that.
“You’re awful sweet, Mr. Avery,” I managed, but my voice was like a whisper on the wind, all shy and awkward. I didn’t know what to say to that. He was the best lookin’ man I’d ever set eyes on, but I didn’t know if a woman was to tell a man that or nothin’. Ma never said that to pa after all...
"Sweet on you, that's all," he said with a big, warm smile just for me. "C'mon, food's a waitin', don't want your sandwich to grow cold," he said with a playful wink as he took my hand — makin' it feel so tiny inside of his! — and guided me on over to the blanket.
Ms. Molly and her new beau Dusky sidled up to one another as Mr. Avery and I got down onto the blanket.
The summer sun was bright and hot, but still we sat close by as he unwrapped the sandwiches for us.