BRENTON
“EWWW!!”
I shot up, my legs flailing beneath the satin sheets. “What? Shit. What happened?”
I rubbed my eyes and looked over, tracing the freckles up Helen’s body. My gaze found her red hair tousled from a good night’s sleep and her face scrunched in a disgusted expression. Samson was up on his hind legs, leaning over Helen’s side of the bed to greet her with generous licks and slobbers to the face. I normally let him sleep with me, but Helen had taken his spot last evening and I could tell he was itching for attention.
“Ugh, stop it!” Helen groaned.
“Samson! Here boy!” Samson’s face shot up at my call and before I knew it, he was up on the bed, bounding over Helen to my side of the mattress.
“OH MY GOD!!” Helen continued to yell.
“Shhhh!” I planted my palms over my ears, which were still ringing from the piercing scream that first woke me.
I could feel Helen’s labored breathing beside me as she tried to catch herself.What was with her and this dog?Sure, being a cross between a Bull Mastiff and a Rottweiler, he looked like a force to be reckoned with, but in reality, Samson was a big sweetheart. I adopted him as a puppy thinking he’d make a good guard dog someday, but short of chasing rabbits off the property like they were criminals, I soon realized I couldn’t expect much protection from him. I could expect him to run away on occasion, though. On top of him not offering any instinctual protection, he also often lacked the instinct that brought him back to the house that fed him. I’d spent many hours of my life searching these hills for Samson, but I always found him.
“He just likes his morning kisses,” I told Helen as Samson finally grew bored of us and ran off.
“Well, I’d prefer my morning kisses from a person, thank you very much.”
“I think that can be arranged.”
I rolled over to face her and reached my hand out to stroke her bedhead. She smiled under my touch, her face blushing slightly. I closed the distance between us, my lips hovering above hers. She leaned in, planting a firm kiss. Simultaneously, we released breaths of satisfaction, until I felt Helen’s face scrunch beneath me. I opened my eyes.
“Morning breath,” she said, covering her mouth and sliding out from beneath me. She pulled on her red panties and threw the t-shirt I had been wearing under my button up last evening over her head. I watched as she scurried to the bathroom on her toes.
Once she was out of ear shot, I rolled onto my back and groaned.What have I gotten myself into?Last night, I thought I was gaining some ground with Helen, but then I went and ruined any progress we had made by sleeping with her. I had gotten lost in the wine. The booze broke my walls and inhibitions down.
The faucet stopped and the bathroom door creaked open. “Do you have any coffee?”
“Yeah, actually I have some of the best coffee you’ll ever taste.”
“That’s a bold statement! I have pretty high standards when it comes to my coffee, you know.” Helen was wrapped in a towel, her hair still dry. “Do you mind if I take a quick shower first?”
“No problem. I’ll have it ready when you get out.”
I made my way to the kitchen, giving Helen some privacy and putting some much needed space between me and her naked body. I had to admit, as awkward as our morning began, I still found her wide hips and soft, pale skin extremely attractive. My mind flashed back to the feel of her hips rolling onto me as we rubbed against each other in the pool.
At the coffee maker, I shrugged off the memories and ground some homegrown beans from my greenhouse. After some time, Helen found me in the kitchen, her damp hair hanging over her face like it had in the pool last evening. She was still wearing my t-shirt and no pants. My breath hitched at the sight.
“Ahem,” I coughed. “Do you take cream and sugar?”
“No. Black, please.”
I looked at her briefly, my eyebrows and the corners of my mouth slightly raised.
“What?” Helen sat at the counter and watched me pour the fresh brew into a mug.
“I just wouldn’t have suspected that from a city girl.”
“Well, I hope you’re learning that there’s more to me than meets the eye.”
“Black it is for the lady. But I’m going to ask you to do a couple of things with the coffee. Deal?”
“That depends on what I have to do.”
I took a seat at the counter, and turned to face her. I felt the slightest touch as my legs passed hers. Slight chill bumps formed at the point of contact.