Odd Jobs (Some Odder Than Others) Ch. 02

My eyes open in the morning and I take in a deep breath. Looking over to the nightstand, I realize that I have beaten the alarm today. Sliding the sheet off, I set my feet down to the floor and stretch out before standing up. I walk to the kitchen and start a pot of coffee water for my French press, setting an old stoneware cup beside the pot on the stove.

I swagger my way to the shower and start the water, giving it a minute to warm up before getting in. Leg in to test the water, I move slow under the streams of water and grab up my wash cloth, filling it with soap.

Bringing the rag to my chest, I work the lather over my torso and wipe away yesterday's sweat and dust and gaze down to watch it trailing down in currents and leaving clean flesh one section at a time. Over my arms, around my neck, across my back and then to my stomach, I scrub up and make my body an open canvas for a new day of sweat and dust. Moving down my stomach and to my hips, I stop for a second.

I see that tough but sweet smile in my mind. I see faded denim and tanned skin. I see a feminine but hardworking hand wrapped around a wet glass of lemonade, the condensation from the glass beading up and running over her fingers and painted nails. My breathing slows a bit. I wash my way up my legs and see in my mind that blanket on her lap and wonder what all must lay beneath it, beneath the blanket, beneath the faded jeans, where may each out of view freckle land on that soft skin? My head goes to the top button of her Wrangler shirt and to the places I was too withdrawn to gaze down to yesterday. The soapy wash cloth slides up my inner thigh and to my manhood.

A screaming whistle fills the air and I realize that the water for coffee's ready. Shaking my head, I rinse off all of the soap and step out of the shower, grab the towel and dry off from head to toe. I know that my mind has wandered briefly into dangerous territory and I'd better just let that lay where it started as not to mess up a good thing. I throw on my jeans, slide into my tall boots and head to the stove to pour the boiling water over the grounds. While the coffee steeps, I finish getting dressed.

Out to the back porch with coffee in hand, I spark up my morning smoke and watch the sun rising over the hills. Every moment I get to take this into my senses is a moment cherished. My usual routine only allows me to see it from the road as I'm rushing down the freeway to work. The early morning has proven to be another of life's gifts.

The rest of the coffee is poured into a travel mug, I grab up my keys and lock the front door behind me as I make my way to the pickup to start the day. Key into the ignition, foot on the clutch, I bring the motor to life and let it idle for a minute or two while I search through the radio stations. An old country tune plays that I haven't heard in years and I go to turn it up a notch just as the radio cuts out on me. Swearing a little, I push the off button and pull it into reverse. Out the driveway and onto the road, I move into the rays of the morning sun over the hill, moving to meet it as it rises higher, the directions on paper in the seat beside me. The paper never leaves the seat. I make my way down each road and past each landmark from memory without having to consult the scribbled notes.

Pulling up beside the horse trailer, the door opens and she calls out to me, "Come on in, honey! I aint no straw-boss. I have coffee on and I plan to feed you first. Hope you can tolerate the dogs." Two dogs break past her and scamper outside to greet me. They are both Blue Heelers and are barking with their heads low. As they come closer, I notice that their little butts are shaking and their tails wagging. I lower an open hand for them to smell so they can check me out and make sure I pass inspection before I enter their home. Wet noses in my palm and excited little smiles assure me that I have been granted entry.

I step up to the porch and inside the front door. Jo is over by the stove and pouring the coffee out of an antique percolator. She's wearing a loose t-shirt and cut-off shorts, barefooted and I notice a floral tattoo on her calf. I also notice that this lady has got an amazing pair of legs! My eyes sneak up her lines and hover at the backs of her thighs just below her tattered hemline. She turns to ask me what I take in my coffee, so my gaze shoots to the cabinets in a flash, not wanting to get busted by the boss-lady.

"I just drink mine black. Always have."

"Luke, I like you more already. Breakfast will be ready in a minute. Have a seat, honey." I sit and she crosses the floor while holding two cups of coffee, setting mine down on the table beside my hand. "You're early but not too early. I like that too. This is gonna work out just fine, boy."

Out the corner of my eye, I find that she's not wearing a bra and has apparently got nipples almost as big around as my fingertip and hard enough to cut glass. There's no way in Hell I'm gonna turn the day ugly by lingering for more than a stolen glance, so I look deep into the rich liquid and steam that rises from it in the cup at my hand.

The room fills with the scent of peppered bacon frying. This scent has the power to melt any man to a pool of butter, the ones it doesn't...I worry about. Toast pops up and is soon buttered and on two plates followed by eggs and topped with bacon. Pinch me! I haven't had this kind of morning in longer than memory serves me. This is life at its simplest and best!

Two plates in her hands, she moves to the table and after setting them into their places, pulls the seat over from mine and sits down. "I was hoping that you'd start with the trees this morning, then the fence." She gives a scornful look to one of the dogs as it has raised its nose a little too close to the edge of the table. It goes to lay down, sighs and watches us under hardworking eyebrows as we continue with breakfast. "Past that, Hell, maybe see if you can reset the weed to plant ratio I have going on out in the garden. That ought to be enough for you to get going on for the day. If you finish it up, I'll throw a dart at something else on the list." Smiling to me with her eyes, the steam from her coffee fogs her glasses for a moment as she takes a strong pull from it and drinks it down.

After finishing a breakfast that was so good it almost made me volunteer to finish the rest of the day free of charge, I looked up to the clock over the stove. 6:30 in the morning and I've already had a more memorable day than most of my weekends in two days combined. She takes her plate with some scraps left on it and nods to the dogs. They march up to her, sit silently like little soldiers and happily take the treats when she gives them the okay. She sets the dishes in the sink and slides her feet into some leather mules that lay by the table.

"Come on, Luke. I'll show you around. Don't take this wrong, but I'd like to hold your arm as I hate that damn cane the doc's got me set up with." With two Heelers close behind her, she leads me through the screen door and out to the shaded back patio with her hand wrapped around the crook of my arm. I'm careful to move at her pace. Beyond the patio there is a garden with rich, dark soil. I see the trees that lay over the broken fence boards and start sizing up the work for the day. She leads me to the barn and goes over with me where the tools are at, reminding me that there is beer in the fridge if I change my mind on that subject since she tells me she may drive me to drink before the day's through.

I gather the tools and supplies I'll need to start the work on the trees and the fence and head back outside, walking with her slowly as she takes my arm.

We stop and I set the tools down in the yard. She asks me if I'd mind helping her get over to the lounge chair as she'd like to stay the Hell out of the house for awhile today and get some sun. I walk her there and get her settled in. She takes a book in her hand from the table beside her and lets me know that she'll be there if I get stuck on anything, need her to make the dogs behave or if I just plain get sick of hanging out and want to take the money and run. Laughing, I thank her and turn to get to work.

Getting to the trees, I see the trunks aren't damaged too bad and I start making things right for them again. Moving between the shed and the trees, I get some stakes and drive them deep into the soil, fashion some straps to secure the trunks to them and lift them into place, pulling and adjusting until they are upright and secured.

Through this chore, Jo was reading her book and took a short break to grab a bottle of lotion from beneath the chair and spread it over her skin. As much as I was trying to pay attention to what I was doing, I couldn't help but be completely distracted. Those long legs all slathered in lotion and glowing in the sun, her breasts moving gently beneath her shirt as she basted her limbs with SPF, it was all I could do not to just lean against my tools and marvel at her. I thought better of it but did enjoy the glances I was sneaking. She resumed her spot in the book and kept reading until she had fallen into a nap, book on her stomach and my eyes caressing her oiled body. Through it all, I managed to get the trees shored up.

Just a shovel to fix the soil around the roots and I could move on to the garden fence. I headed to the barn to swap out tools, was making my way back to hit the dirt and saw something that stopped me in silence. A Western Diamondback Rattler had made its way to the base of Jo's chair and was laying just by her bottle of lotion while it was enjoying some shade. I stayed silent, grabbed the shovel, moved swiftly and made my way behind the head of the chair. Before it could rattle, I had the blade of the shovel planted into the neck of that snake and I applied firm downward pressure until the rattler was in two parts, making a crunching sound in the rocks as my shovel went through.

Jo's head jumped, her hand went beneath her loose top and returned to the air in a flash with a pistol that was pointed straight to my gut. "Come again, kid? I was born at night but not last night." She stared into my soul through my eyes and had a tone that was as serious as a heart attack.

"I...I....um...just". I couldn't form the words as I just looked down at my shovel with the head of the snake in the bowl of it. She glanced down briefly to see it and that the body was in the spot her hand would find it in when she went for more sunscreen.

Her face fell a bit as she sighed deeply and lowered her sidearm. "Well, I guess your moves were justified."

I looked myself over, standing there over the head of where she was sleeping and holding a shovel. "I guess your moves were justified too, Jo."

"Well, honey...don't throw that snake away. I'll tan its skin and make you a little memento of your day here if you want."

Breathing an easier breath, I reply, "I'd like to take you up on that."

"Thank you." The tone in her voice gains in sweetness and is almost a whisper. "Looks like break time, go get some smokes and some sodas from the fridge and meet me back here."

I move the snake over by the barn in the shovel, get us some cans of soda and my pack and lighter, then return to the lounge chair where Jo's now sitting up sideways. She pats the place beside her. I light us each a smoke, pull one from my lips and hand it to her while I keep mine in my mouth, crack the lids on the sodas and hand her one. Sitting down by her side, we sit in silence for a minute before she pats my shoulder and just laughs. I join her in laughter and we smile to each other over our shoulders.

"Cheers, honey." She raises her can up and I toast mine to hers.

"Cheers, Jo." Pouring some crisp soda down my throat, I close my eyes while my face lifts to the sun during the drink. In my mind's eye, I see the dew from the outside of the can wetting the skin on her hands and those painted nails. Forward imagination makes its way to my head and I have a flash of those nails on the small of my back. I imagine myself kissing the back of her neck while the flavor of her sweat spreads over my taste buds. I do everything I can to wash those thoughts down with the next drink. I really shouldn't go there.

Crushing the end of my cigarette out in the ashtray, I stand and point myself to the barn to go grab the shovel so I can finish up with the trees and move on down the chore list. Moving the soil around the roots and tamping them down with my boot, the trees should be good now through the next storms that might happen by this place without budging.

I move on to straighten up the rail along the top of the garden fence, tapping fresh nails to keep them better in place and make it a little stronger than before. Looking over, I see that my boss-lady has turned to get the backs of her legs in the sun. Oh, no...I'm so helpless to the temptation of gazing over her while she lays there in the heat.

All the while that I'm making the fence as it should be, my knees are in the dirt and my eyes are on Jo. The sight of her makes me hunger for her. Bare feet resting over the edge of the towel, sun kissed skin leading upwards, I caress her with my vision. As she leans up on her elbows to read her book, the curve of her ass inside those cut off shorts flatters all the form that has developed through the years of being an active and hardworking woman. My mind goes to how incredible it would be to be able to see what was beneath the fabric. I'm lost in daydreams.

My head wanders off to what I'd rather work on than this garden fence. I trace the curves of her legs with my fingertips while I'm seated beside her. Moving up to the frayed denim ends of her shorts, I explore the curves of her heart shaped ass beneath them. Brushing my extended fingertips over her hips, I find the top button and work it free. I guide her to her side and as I smile to her with my eyes locked into hers, I grasp the zipper between my thumb and forefinger and slowly buzz it downward to expose the front of her panties and I lean in to lift the bottom of her shirt between my teeth, then kiss her smooth skin just below her navel while I'm sliding the waistband over her hips. She lifts her hips just enough to where I can get her shorts past them and then slip them down her legs, over her feet and lay them in a ball at the end of the towel by her polished toenails.

Climbing slowly back up her impressive legs, she teases me with her fingers sliding over her skin beneath the hemline of her panties, tugging them downward until her shaven mound appears to me. I kiss deeply into her flesh every few inches until I reach the insides of her thighs just below her heated sex. Her nails dig into the back of my neck and scalp while she guides me to partake of her forbidden fruit. She has the thin band of elastic and lace lowered partway down her hips and places the top of the fabric between my lips. Pressing into her womanhood with a warm kiss, I bend my head and the little thong now slides down enough to completely unveil her flower.

Taking firm hold of the delicate cloth, I take her panties down her legs, setting them on the top of her denim shorts and return to find that she has parted her legs, gently stroking open her entry and then extending a wet fingertip to my lips to taste.

"God damn!" I shake my hand in the air after whacking it with a hammer. I was so absent minded that I missed the nail on the last board. Reflex makes me take the mashed end of my finger into my mouth for comfort. I'm wishing in my mind that it was her finger instead but that dream will have to wait.

"You alright over there? You hurt yourself or are you just having a spiritual moment?" She turns over her shoulder to see me sitting at the end of the fence in the dirt like a jackass, finger in my mouth and hammer in the other hand.

"Aww...I'm just on the last board and then the fence is done." I place the last nail and after regaining fresh focus, tap it into place and look down the now straight top of the fence line to assure that it all looks correct.

"You've done a fine job so far, honey. How about some lunch? Come help me up and we can go cool off in the house awhile."

"I could really go for that, Jo." More than she knows, man. More than she knows.

I help her up and we walk to the back door and into the kitchen. Out of the fridge, she gathers things to make sandwiches and lays them out on the counter. Looking over to the clock on the stove, she calls out, "Yep, after 11:00. Time for what the doctor ordered." From the cabinet, she grabs a bottle of pills and a bottle of whiskey. She sets up two glasses and fills one with lemonade for me and the other half full of whiskey and then the rest with lemonade for her. Taking the pill between her teeth, she raises her glass and pulls about a quarter of it down in a swallow to wash down the pills.

Not batting an eye, she moves on to get together some lunch for us both. A few sandwiches on two plates with some chips. "Come and get it, honey. I aint much of a waitress." Taking another hard pull from her glass and then topping it off with both liquor and lemonade, she picks up her share and smiles to me with a little hum of a tune under her lips while she moves past me and to her place at the table.

I grab my plate and glass and move to join her. Sitting down, the dogs come over to meet me before they get that look from Jo that sends them to the tile floor by the fridge for the rest of the meal. We continue through lunch as we discuss the progress of the morning and the unwelcome visitor than now lays in two parts by the barn.

"If it aint one damned thing, it's another. Thank you for getting to it before it got to me. Sorry about pulling my piece on you. I had no idea." She shakes her head and takes in the last bite of her sandwich.

"No worries, Jo. I would have made a little noise first but I didn't want to spook the snake." I'm just glad that it's the snake laying by the shed and not me. She was pretty quick on the draw for a sleeping woman!