Summer in Maine Ch. 03

She shrugged and made a grimace.

"So..."

"So? So what you want to know is whether or not I'm still seeing him, or if things got more serious. Is that right?" She said, a little smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth.

I just raised my eyebrows, in imitation of her expression, which made her chuckle.

"If I were, would I be here feeding you, and swappin' spit?" She said with a sharp twang.

I nearly choked on the bite she'd just fed me.

"Well I know you as the type who would let someone down easily. You don't like to hurt people, least of all those you care about." I said.

She nodded slowly. "How long did it take you to figure out Em hadn't broken her arm?"

I just grinned at her attempt to change the subject. "So what happened with doctor wonderful?" At this point it wasn't just an assumption that the doctor was history, it was more a matter of how. She poked at the last bit on her plate with a fork before answering.

"It didn't work out. Once we'd done the deed, he seemed to lose interest. Come to find out, he's got a reputation of burning through coworkers. The reason he was new here was because he was asked to leave his old hospital because of a harassment lawsuit brought by several women that he worked with."

"So you dumped him?"

"Like a hot potato." She grinned. "Besides Emmy hated him from day one. I should have taken her appraisal to heart."

The grip in my chest relaxed. "Was he..."

She raised her eyebrows at me this time, causing us to both laugh at the mirrored expression.

"What? Was he the only one? Yes. I haven't been playing bedroom bingo since I got home Pete. There, are you happy?"

I just smiled at her.

"You smug little shit." She said laughing. "You are happy aren't you?"

I just nodded.

"You think I'm just going to fall into your bed like nothing has changed? Is that it?" She said, still smiling.

I stopped smiling and shook my head gently. "No, and technically, it was never my bed we fell into."

She got a shrewd look. "What then?"

I wasn't prepared for her to ask outright what it was that I expected, but I didn't hesitate with my response.

"I'm in love with you, and I have been for over a year, and I want to know how you feel about me."

She sat there wide eyed for a moment, her mouth hanging open.

"Are you trying to catch flies?" I asked with a smirk.

"You're serious?" She said softly.

I just nodded. "I'd move here, find a place, get a job and hopefully start my training to become a paramedic. I can get into the university as a resident, cheaper tuition, but mostly I just want to be with you."

"You're crazy." She said softly.

"I've heard love does that to people."

"Hon, there's so much more to consider than just that." She said, reaching across the table laying her hand on mine.

"I know, that's why I'm here now." I waited, looked away from her for a moment and took a deep breath. "If it was just... a summer fling. I'm okay with that, really I am. That doesn't mean I don't want us to be friends."

Her hand gripped mine. "It wasn't like that at all. You have to understand what was going on in my life at the time. You showed up at a time when my self-esteem was crushed. I needed to feel loved, even wanted again. You did that in a single afternoon. Sure at first I was upset with you for being a peeping tom, but then I kind of liked the idea of a young guy getting excited seeing me in all my glory. I felt desired. When you brought my sorry, broken ass inside and made me lunch, got me the lotion for my sunburn, and ice for my ankle. You cared about me, and you didn't even know me. I didn't prompt you, you did it out of compassion, and that's something I needed right then."

"And now?" I interjected.

She tightened her jaw as she thought about her response. "It's different now. I'm different now. I came home and began rebuilding. I like being self-sufficient for the first time in my life, I like knowing that I can stand on my own two feet. I can be a good mother, make sure that dinner gets on the table and the bills get paid. It's empowering." She looked into my eyes. "I have you to thank for that."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You picked me up and dusted me off, figuratively and literally." She said, a tear slipped down her face.

I reached up and brushed it away, and she grinned. "See? That's exactly what I'm talking about. You care about me, and it scared the hell out of me when I realized I felt the same way about you. That last night you nearly crushed my rib cage while we talked, but I didn't want to say anything because I was more afraid you'd let go, and I didn't want you to ever let go."

"I was scared. Here I am a grown woman and I fell for a teenager because he was infatuated with me after I took his virginity." She said softly. "You were 19 for crying out loud, I should never have let it happen."

I forced myself not to smile at that last statement. "Do you think that if I can carry you across a lawn and through a house, that I couldn't have stopped you? We didn't do anything that I didn't want to do. We were both consenting adults, you didn't take advantage of me."

Chrissy just blinked her eyes and gave her head a little shake. "I just want to make sure I'm understanding all of this. You want to know if there's a chance for you and I to have a relationship, and you're willing to uproot and move here. You want to know if I'm okay with that, is that what you're really asking?"

"In short, yes." I said.

It took her a while to respond. "What if I said no?"

"I could hope we'd remain friends. Maybe with a little communication once in a while. Who knows, you might even want to come back to Maine and visit, bring Emmy. There's a big summer camp just north of Camden. Just as friends." I said, waving off the shrewd look that she gave me, as if I were saying that we'd hustle Emmy off and get back to old times.

"What would happen if I said yes, and after you get settled in, you get tired of hanging out with an old lady? Where does that leave us then?" She countered. "You're a thousand miles from friends and family, resenting my very existence."

I just smiled. "If I were worried about that, I wouldn't be here right now."

I had the feeling her resolve was weakening when the corner of her mouth turned upward. "You know, the real test isn't me, it's Emmy. She knew Phil, the doctor I told you about, was a loser almost immediately. If you don't make the cut with her..." She just shook her head.

"So I must win over the princess to have the hand of the queen. It's a little backwards, but I like it. When can I set up my interview?" I said laughing.

A sly smile crept across her face. "How long are you here for?"

"Forever, starting after Christmas. I have to work a full year at RFD or I'll have to pay back the tuition for school. I can be back just after the holidays." I said. "I'm on two weeks vacation so I don't really need to head back until the end of next week."

"I think I have just the thing then. Em and I often go down to the firehouse on Fridays where they have a fish fry. You can meet my uncle while you're there, he's a fireman too."

"That would be fine. What about us?"

"What about us?" She mimicked, not understanding my question.

"Would you do me the honor of going out on a date with me?" I asked formally.

Her face lit up. "I'd love that. I'll find someone to watch Emmy on Saturday. If Saturday is okay with you."

"Saturday will be fine." I said. The grin on my face mirrored hers. Just then I realized that this meeting couldn't have gone any better if I'd planned it this way.

Chrissy looked at her phone to check the time and said she had to go pick up Em at her mom's and get her home to bed. She insisted on picking up the tab because it was my birthday.

"We'll make Saturday your real birthday dinner." She winked as she set down the pen.

"C'mon walk me to my car." She said.

"Still have the Jeep?"

"Yup, not many warm days now, so I can't run around topless." She said.

I chuckled, and got a punch in the arm before she joined in. She tossed her handbag across to the passenger seat, as I watched her jeans hugging that beautiful backside. I wanted to take things slow, but the overwhelming sensation of everything going so well came over me. When she turned back to face me I took her in my arms and kissed her like I hadn't in years. Our lips met, her arms slipped around my neck pulling me deeper into her as our tongues danced a familiar dance. My hands crept up the back of her pullover, pulling us tighter together.

"I've been wanting to do that since you walked in the door." I gasped.

"Pete?" She asked softly.

"Yea?" I tilted my head, wondering at her questioning tone.

"Is this..." She stuttered. "I don't..." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She slipped a hand off my shoulder and reached down between us grabbing the front of my jeans in a soft grip.

"Is this why your here?" She asked, her eyes bright in the dim light of the street lamp. The look on her face told me that this was a very important question, and nothing short of the truth would be accepted.

I reached down between us taking her hand in mine and brought it up and laid it on my chest. "This is why I'm here. It's been empty for over a year, and I want to fill it again."

Without moving her hand she leaned in and kissed me again. "Right answer." She whispered.

"I'll call you tomorrow. Happy birthday." She leaned out and we kissed again.

She gave me a little wave as she drove off. I returned it. I just looked down the road for a minute before I drove back to my motel.

I woke the next morning squeezing the pillow against my chest tightly. I immediately sat up knowing there was a reason I woke this fast, and the ringer went off again. I dove for my phone to answer it.

"Good morning sleepy head." Came the soft sweet voice.

"Good morning sweets." I replied.

"I'm sorry, I know it's early and you're on vacation, but I wanted to know what you had planned today."

I yawned. "Well I was going to go to the city and pick up an application for the fire department for one. I might take a look at what kind of apartments there are around. Get to know the place a little. Why, did you have something in mind?"

"Well I was wondering if you'd like to come join me for lunch. It'll have to be at the hospital cafeteria. I won't have time to go far. Don't worry the food's not bad." She said with a chuckle.

"I'd love to." I said, and she gave me directions on how to find her once I got there.

I got ready for the day, and headed into the city to get things rolling. I found a realty office that handled rentals, and picked up a business card letting them know what I was looking for and when. I found a small florist shop and stopped in to get Chrissy some flowers before meeting her for lunch.

I made my way into the hospital and up one floor following the signs through the labyrinth of hallways. I pushed through a set of doors into a small ward of a dozen rooms set up in a semi-circle around a large nursing station. I peeked around looking for Chrissy and didn't see her.

"Thanks honey, you can set them on the counter there." I heard from behind me. I turned to find a nurse coming from one of the rooms rubbing her hands.

"What room?" She asked, with a slight drawl in her voice.

"Christa." I said smiling.

The nurses eyes went wide, and her mouth formed a surprised O-shape. "You're him, the guy she's been going on about all morning! Pete, right?"

I nodded, grinning bigger. "I certainly hope so."

"Just a minute and I'll get her, I think she's down the hall here." She trotted off, more excited than I thought she had reason to be. She returned a couple minutes later saying Chrissy would be right there after she was done with her patient. A minute later I noticed a head peek out of the room down the hall, but the hair was dark, not Chrissy's blond mane. I nearly bust out laughing, instead I just winked, turned slightly and leaned on the counter.

She slid her hand along my back above my belt. I turned and kissed her without even a hello.

"Hi! That was mean. Sandy is going to have inappropriate thoughts about you for the rest of the day now." She kissed me again.

"Don't you know that can spread infection and disease, take that somewhere else." The first nurse said.

"This stick in the mud is Sam, a complete pain in the ass, and good friend. This is Pete, the friend I told you about." Chrissy said.

"Mmm hmm, the hot fireman that rescued your clumsy ass from nearly drowning, you mean." Sam held out her hand. "Don't you make any mistake Pete. You hurt this girl and I'll find you, then nobody will find you. You got that?"

I chuckled. "Deal."

Chrissy just rolled her eyes at us both.

"Come on, let's go spread some germs away from prying eyes." Chrissy winked at Sam and took my hand leading me down the hallway. She turned before we made it to the main hallway and led me down a side hall. She tapped a code into the door lock and pulled me in flipping on the light. The racks of linens, and supplies lined shelves. She turned and wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into her kiss. After a few minutes of oral calisthenics I came up for air.

"Are you what I'm having for lunch?" I asked, grinning.

"Just the appetizer, I'm actually kind of hungry for food too." She replied reaching for the front of my jeans.

"Wow, what happened to dating a while, you know, getting to know each other." I chuckled.

We eventually walked into the cafeteria and hopped into line with everyone else, then made our way to a table in the back.

"Funny thing happened last night after I got home I called a friend of mine who has a daughter in Em's class, and she invited Em to a sleep over on Saturday." She said.

"What a stroke of luck. What did you have to promise her for that?" I grinned.

"She had some sordid request involving you that I won't even entertain. I told her she'd have to settle for a similar return favor in the future. She threw in that she wanted to meet you. The only way I'll allow that is supervised. You're not safe with her."

I laughed aloud, causing a few people to look over at us.

"You know, I've noticed no shortage of guys around here. What gives?" I asked.

"Nothing, it's just a matter of quality over quantity." She said giving me a wink. "As I remember it, I was far from the only girl in Maine, though calling myself a girl is a bit of a stretch."

"No. There were plenty of girls around, and you shouldn't hesitate at all. After a complete and thorough examination, on more than one occasion, I can verify that you have all the requisite parts to be a girl." I returned her wink.

"Smart ass." She said.

"Actually, though nice as it is, that wasn't one of the parts in question." I said, just before getting a swift kick in the shin.

***

The leaves had turned and were falling, the breeze lifting them up in swirls of gold, orange and red. It may be autumn, but it felt like spring to me. This is going to happen, I thought, and my excitement began to build anew. I'm sure that when I stopped for a coffee, the girl behind the counter thought I was crazy because of the silly grin on my face.

I found myself killing time the best I could. Before I knew it I was scoping out dinner before I headed back to the motel. I stopped into a little café and had something light. I did a little research online, found a nice place with good reviews and called and made reservations for Saturday. I flipped on the TV and surfed around aimlessly for a while. I must have nodded off because I was startled awake by the room phone. I answered a little groggily.

"Did I wake you? I'm sorry hon." She said.

"No no, I just dozed off watching a little TV that's all." I paused, not wanting to ask why she called, because the truth was, I was just glad she had.

"So." She said drawing it out a bit. "Are you stretched out on that big old bed?" She giggled, and it sounded like she was nervous.

"Yup, I didn't go off and find another girl after lunch. I did expect to have them throwing themselves at me, but it just didn't happen. Odd huh?"

She laughed genuinely at that. "You know how independent and head-strong West Virginia girls can be."

"Do I ever. Wild and wonderful, I wouldn't have it any other way." I added quickly.

"Uh huh." She replied, not buying my bullshit. "What are you watching, some cheesy motel porno?"

"No! Some cheesy mystery movie."

"Don't act like you didn't check it out. I bet you at least looked at the titles."

I blushed, and even though she couldn't see, I knew that she was aware of my reaction.

"What are you wearing?" She said, her voice deep and husky.

I paused before replying. "Jeans and a t-shirt. Why?"

"Take them off." She said.

Without thought I reached for my belt. "What are you wearing?" I asked.

"I was wearing an over-sized t-shirt and a cute blue thong with polka dots."

"You were?" I gulped.

"Uh huh." She said the smile in her voice came through loud and clear.

"So you're..."

"As the day I was born." She said cutting me off.

I suddenly found myself with an obstacle to getting my boxers off quickly.

"When I got out of my bath I used this lotion I have, and it smells so nice, and my skin is so soft I can't help but stroke it."

I dropped the phone and yanked the t-shirt off, nearly tearing it in the process.

"What are you stroking?" I asked, flipping off the TV.

"What would you like me to?" Came her cheeky reply.

"Start at the top, those cheeks, how I'd love to be kissing my way back to your ear to nibble on it and kiss my way down your neck."

"Mmm, sounds nice. I absolutely love having my neck kissed."

The vision of her naked body lying on rumpled sheets came back to me as if it were yesterday. "I'd take my time working my way along your collarbone and kiss those beautiful freckles on your shoulder."

"You're going the wrong way."

"Patience." I said. "I'd kiss my way down the faint little tan line, tracing it with the tip of my tongue. Follow along with your fingertips."

"Sorry I was getting ahead of you."

"I had a feeling. I can't wait until I can take those stiff pink nipples into my mouth again and taste you. They're hard, aren't they."

"Mmm, hmm."

"Pinch them, tug on them like you know I will."

"Yes!" She hissed into the phone.

"Let go, and trace the soft skin down your stomach. Go slowly. I'd tickle my way down your tummy laying a trail of soft kisses down to your little strip."

"Oh, it's gone."

"Oh? Why did you do that?"

"Shaving accident. It's not as easy as you'd think to shave a straight line." She giggled.

"Smooth is nice too. Spread your legs." I said.

"You think I'm that easy do you?"

"No, not easy, just horny."

"You know me so well." She said.

"Are you wet?" I asked.

"Are you hard?" She tossed back.

"Touché. Slip your finger in, get it good and wet." I replied.

"Mmm, you don't know how much I wish it was something else that was getting slipped in."

"What would you rather have in there right now?"

"Your hard cock, which I'm hoping is in your hand right now."

She was right, my cock was hard as an iron pipe and I was stroking it slowly.

"Slip another finger in, imagine I was there to slip my hard cock into you ever so slowly."

"Yea." She gasped.

"Slow down, what's your hurry?" I asked.

Her breathing was fast and ragged.

"Please."

"Please what, Chrissy?"

"Hurry!" She pleaded.

"You want me to drive my cock into you hard, filling you up with every stroke? Is that what you want?" I was working my cock quickly, my breath coming in short gasps.

"Yes, yes, yes!" She said as she began panting.

I couldn't hold back any longer myself.

I heard Chrissy say, "Hon are you there?"