A Simple Life: Chapter 35 (Patreon)

One slow dance leads to another and another and the whole chummy mood of our gathering completely transforms into one that is much more intimate.  At least for four of us it does.  As Winona holds me close and slowly dances me around the center of the room we can hear little lover’s whispers between Cain and Riley.  We could hear the details but Riley’s swoony sighs and frisky giggles left little doubt that those two were going to have a good night once they were on their own.  It is a surprise to nobody when Cain is the one to initiate the wind down.

“One more before the road.”  He says as previous song’s closing notes linger, his warm eyes gazing down on his lady.  For once…Riley had nothing to say.  She just smiles back up at him and nods.

“Sounds good.”  Says Kayla.  “Why don’t you close us out Briar babe?”

“Me?”  She looks around at each of us then says.  “Okay.  Babe.  Today Was A Fairytale, Taylor Swift.”

The strumming of an acoustic guitar picks up followed by the whimsical lyrics of romance and innocence.  It was the perfect closer for such a fantastic evening.  As if floating on air I follow Winona through this last dreamy dance of the night.

Halfway through she glances left.  She glances right.  Then she looks back down at me with a coy smirk.  “Sprout…I’ve got a problem.”

“Mm?”

Her voice a whisper she says.  “I need your help.”

“Anything.”  I whisper back.  “Wh-What is it?”

“You’ve, erm, you’ve gone and made me hard.”

“Oh!”  She pulls me a bit tighter to her as she spins me and there pressed against me is the unmistakable feel of her large erection.  In a flash I understood the issue.  Even through her panties and dress there was a potential someone might catch a hint of a shape that ought not to be there.  Feeling pretty darned flattered at being the inspiration for her tent I cannot help but giggle.

She laughs despite herself.  “It’s not funny.”

“Of course not.”  I titter and force my face to straighten.

“Just…stay in front of me.”  She says.  “Kayla can see but help me with the others.  Just until I can get to my jacket.”

“Hide the sausage?  On the first date!?”  I give her an impish wink.  “I’m not that k-kind of boy.”

“HA HA HA!”  Winona’s merry laugh rings out causing the others to chuckle as well.  “You little…”  Grabbing me tight she twirls me around and ends the song in a deep dip.  There she holds me, gazes, and brushes her nose against mine.  Our lips come so close…but the kiss is denied.  She pulls me back up a very flustered man.

As we gather and wrap things up with some friendly chit chat, Babe playing some low unobtrusive music playing in the background, I remain directly in front of Winona as a human shield.  Her hands resting on my shoulders felt natural and nice.

Kayla catches our cozy closeness and says.  “Okay.  I have to admit it.  You two are adorable together.”  She smiles at me.  “Why don’t you just forget about what I said Avery?”

I smile back.  “I already did.”

“What did you…?”  Winona starts.

“None of your business.”  Kayla cuts in.  “Just some friendly advice between…friends.  You just be nice to my boy here or you’ll have me to answer to.”

Winona squeezes my shoulders.  “You know I will.”

We mingle toward the door where Winona grabs her jacket and hat.  The hat she wears, the jacket she folds over her hands to hold in front of her.  I have to stop myself from giggling again.  Anxious to get to their night of lovin Cain and Riley expedite their goodbyes and we are soon out front.  Cain straddles the scooter they’d borrowed from the gate and happy as can be Riley hops on to be his back warmer.

Hugging to her man tight Riley says.  “That was fun!  Let’s do it again soon.”

Cain nods to Winona.  “Keep us in the loop about the game.”

“Count on it.”  She says.  “Ready to go Sprout?”

I nod.

“Y’all walking?”  Kayla asks, noting the lack of another scooter.  “I could give you a lift to the gates.  I gotta give Briar a ride home anyway.”

“That’s okay.”  Winona says.  “It’s a nice night.”

“I’d rather walk.”  I agree.

“In that case why don’t you stick around Briar.”  Kayla says, a flirtatious and mischievous twinkle in her eyes that every one of us besides Briar instantly recognized.  “You can tell me more about this game we’ll be playing.”  The rest of us shoot each other knowing glances.  If she played along Briar would be the next to join Kinky Kayla’s ever growing body count.

“Oh, um, sure Kayla.”  Briar says obliviously.  “I have some ideas for that succubus character concept you were interested in.”

“Succubus?”  Kayla grins a delightfully wicked grin.  “That sounds just wonderful my dear.”

Cain laughs.  “On that note, good night all.”

“Good niiiiight!”  Riley waves.

And with that the pair whiz off down the path, the Meadow’s automated system lighting up the way four street lamps out front of them as they move.

“Night Kay.”  Winona says.  “It was…it was good to see you again.  Really good.”

Kayla faces her.  “Yeah.  I wish we’d done this sooner.”

“Me too.”

“See you around Avery.”

“S-See ya Kayla.  Thank you for…everything.”

“Anytime.”

“It was great to meet you two.”  Briar says.  “I’m really looking forward to the game.”

“Yeah!”  Winona says.  “Thanks for joining us.  I’m gonna need help with this group of newbs.”

“You can count on me Fable Master.”  She salutes then lets out an adorably snorting laugh.

Our goodbyes are said and soon Winona and I are on the short stroll out of the Meadow and back to the real world.  Once we were by ourselves Winona takes her jacket and slips it over my shoulders.

“You looked cool.”  She says.

“Oh.”  I wasn’t actually cold but I sure liked the gesture.  Pulling the jacket tighter around me I say.  “Thank you.”

We walk in silence through the tended lawns and flower beds.  Above us the stars were erased by the annoying lamps that lit our way but the moon shone brightly.  I look to my date and I am struck once more by her beauty.  Even the wan artificial lights could not dim her natural gorgeousness.  It was a beauty that went deeper than skin.  No matter what happened going forward I would never forget how she had found me and sat with me behind that bush.  How she had soothed me, built me up and brought me back out again.  And thank goodness she had or I would have missed that dance.  And that kiss!  She made me feel…more than myself.  I felt bigger, bigger than I ever had before.  I felt a connection to something greater than me.  After all these years of hearing my grandpa’s stories only now do I truly even begin to understand how my grandma made him feel.  Gathering my courage…I reach out and take her hand.

She looks at me with that same warmth that I saw in Cain’s eyes when Riley was being Riley, not simply an acceptance but an appreciation of what made that person special.  The look sure made me feel special.  Without calling attention to the gesture or making it weird she accepts my hand and walks just at little bit closer.

“You are so soft.”  Her fingers rub into my palm.  “So soft.”

“Yeah.”  I confess.

“I…like that.”  She says.  “It’s different.  It’s honest.  It’s…it’s nice.”

“Um.”

“You’re nice Avery.”

“Oh…um, thank you.”

“It’s easier for a girl to be soft.”  She squeezes my hand tighter.  “It’s expected even.  Takes real courage for a man to be soft.”

I had no idea what response to give to that but the gentle, happy expression on her face told me that she didn’t expect one, so I stay quiet.  Hand in hand we pass through the gate.  Riley’s Miata was already long gone leaving Winona’s old pickup the only guest vehicle remaining in the lot.

As we approach it she asks me.  “Tired Avery?  Do you need to go home?”

“No.”  I say dreamily, wishing that this evening might go on forever.  “The night is young.”

“Good.”  Still holding my hand she leads me around to the passenger side and opens my door.  “I was hoping to show you something.”

I crawl into my seat and buckle in, warmed by her pleasant smelling jacket.  She gets in and starts to drive.  I didn’t know where we were going or what she wanted to show me.  The only thing I did know was that there was nowhere in the world that I would rather be.

Chapter 36