“Good morning sleepyhead. I didn’t get to meet you last night, I’m Ana.”
Ashley opened her eyes to a woman about her age. The girl had brown hair and matching eyes. She was smiling down at her and Ashley sat up.
“Nice to meet you Ana, I’m Ashley.”
“I know. I am here to get you for the harvesting. Sebastian said that you wanted to hit the ground running on the farming, so I was sent to come get you.”
Ashley rubbed her eyes and looked around her. Most of the sleeping places were empty now and when she looked outside of the cob house, she saw that the sun was almost up in the sky already. “Sorry, I don’t know why I slept so late.”
Ana shrugged and helped her up. “No worries Ashley. There are no alarm clocks around here. But it is nice and warm, pretty day to do some nut harvesting.”
Ashley had to agree. She went to her bag to find something to change into. She had slept in the clothes that she had arrived in and traveled in. What she really needed was a shower, but as she looked around she didn’t see one. When she asked about it, Ashley was directed towards a bath house that had several showers.
“Why don’t you get cleaned up and I will meet you out here in a few minutes.”
“Thanks Ana. I appreciate you helping me.”
She waved her off. “We are all new here at one time. I remember how overwhelmed I felt when I first came here.”
“How long have you been here Ana?”
“Almost a year. I was going to leave but Sebastian asked me to stay and be one of his girlfriends and I never left.”
“One of his girlfriends?”
“Yes, he likes you. I can see why. You are very beautiful. I hope you decide to stay as well.”
Ashley thanked her, but she had a weird feeling go over her. She wasn’t looking for a boyfriend and certainly not one that had many women or was as old as Sebastian was. He wasn’t her type and she couldn’t see herself with a man like that. As she looked at Ana, she had to wonder why such a pretty young girl would make that decision. But she was not there to judge, so instead of saying anything about it, she went into the shower room and had enough shock in there as well. Ashley did notice this dull look in the girl’s eyes that made her wonder.
Turning away, she moved into the bath house. It was not just naked women in there, but men as well. There was one man that she remembered as Troy from the night before. The only reason she remembered him was how cute he was. What she had not been prepared for was to see every inch of him so suddenly.
“Ashley. Welcome. I hope you are finding everything okay.”
She nodded, trying not to look down at the semi hardness in between his legs. “Yes thank you.”
He moved out of the way from one of the showerheads. “I am done now, here.”
She blanched as he moved closer to pass her, looking back as he walked away. He was handsome, that much was clear. Ashley felt herself getting red in the face. This was not the kind of free that she had thought she would find there. Everyone around there had no compunction to get naked in front of each other, but Ashley was finding it hard to do so.
Turning around, she took her dress off and hung it up the best that she could to cover herself. She heard a giggle next to her and smiled at her. “First day is always a bit weird, but you get used to it. Just bodies right, how we were born and all?
Ashley nodded, but she still tried her best to avert her eyes. “Yeah I guess you are right.”
“Well Troy is a bit more, but you will get used to it. He likes you.”
Ashley didn’t know what to say. She had already been told that morning that two men wanted and liked her, but she didn’t know either one. Ashley was starting to worry that her mom had been right about that place. It was just one big orgy and she was on deck it seemed.
She worked as fast as she could to get clean and get out of there. She dressed before she left the shower area and found Troy talking to Ana. They took her out to the orchards and she spent the day picking nuts from the trees and off the ground. It was a lot of work and she was exhausted by the time it was all said and done. Her clothes were dirty and she was ready to get cleaned up before dinner.
Troy went with her again into the shower, as well as Ana. When the two started to kiss and touch each other, her face turned red and she left as soon as she could. It was just a bit too free loving for her, but everywhere she went, there were people in all stages of undress and sex. It was like one big mass of bodies after the fire was lit.
Ashley decided to take a walk instead of staying for the festivities around the fire. There was dandelion wine being passed around and after a few sips, she excused herself and started out towards the orchards from before. She just needed some quiet and some time to think.
The moon lit her way and she passed the orchard. She was going to stop and sit under a tree, but the air felt too good and the walk made her feel awake. That was what she was looking for, peace and quiet and nature. Ashley wasn’t even worried about everything else.
She crossed over a fence and kept walking. The land changed, becoming flatter and less trees. Ashley saw a couple of cows and then horses, but she kept on going. Ashley didn’t stop until she heard a clicking sound behind her and turned around. “This is private property Miss. You need to turn around and get off this land.”
Ashley turned around slowly and was affronted with a man holding a rifle. It was pointed at her and it was all that she could focus on.
“I’m sorry Sir. I was just out for a walk.”
“You are a couple of miles from your little commune sweetie. It is bad enough that you guys move next door, the least you can do is stay on your side.”
Ashley had never seen a gun up close, let alone had one pointed at her. She started to back up away from the man. She couldn’t see him from the tall hat shadowing his face. Tripping on something behind her, she fell.
“Come on, I am not going to hurt you.”
He put the gun down and put a hand up to help her up. “I am sorry for this, but I can’t seem to keep you damn hippies off my land.”
“I just got here yesterday Sir. I wasn’t under the impression that walking would get me shot.”
“I am not going to shoot you. I was just trying to scare you.”
She grabbed his hand and he helped her up. “You did a good job of that. I was trying to figure out why I was here, but now I am thinking I shouldn’t be.”
Grahm looked at the woman and couldn’t help but feel bad about it. She looked scared even in the darkness and his heart sunk. “I am really sorry, okay. My name is Grahm.”
She shook his hand and looked around. Ashley became aware how alone they were and she worried that the man with the gun would take advantage of that. “Just let me go and I won’t come back here ever again.”
He nodded and picked up the rifle he had set down. “I can’t let you walk in the dark. I will take you back.”
“No that’s okay, really.”
Grahm wasn’t taking no for an answer. He nickered to his horse that stopped in front of them. Ashley couldn’t see anything but his black eyes staring down at her. She had never ridden a horse before and the beast was huge next to her. “Please, I am okay to walk.”
“You don’t want a ride there?”
She looked up at the horse and nodded her head. “No thank you Sir.”
“It’s Grahm and I must insist.”
Ashley looked at him for a minute and even in the moonlight she could see that he was used to getting his way. He wasn’t backing down and she was under the impression that she didn’t have much of a choice.
“Your insisting sounds a lot like a command Grahm.”
He sighed. “Take it as you will.”
He helped her up onto the horse and he could feel her shaking under his fingers. “Are you still afraid I will hurt you? I promise I won’t.”
“No, I have just never been on a horse before. I am afraid I am going to fall.”
Grahm jumped up behind her and grabbed her around the middle. Ashley gasped as her body was pulled back on his hard one. He pulled her harder against him and she could feel the need behind her. It was suddenly more intimate than the showers that morning and she could feel her face getting hot. When his arms wrapped around her, she settled back against him.
“Hold on and I promise I won’t let you fall. You can relax.”
“Ashley.”
“Hold on Ashley. I will have you back in no time.”
The horse took off like a shot and she thought she was going to fall off. She held onto the horn of the saddle and was relieved at the hard arm around her waist.