That short lunchtime visit with Silas helps snaps me out of some of my rage and I finally feel like I can focus on my actual job. I close my laptop at six and start to get ready for this mysterious date that he has planned. Silas comes running into the house at six forty-five. He almost knocks me over as he barrels into the bedroom where I'm stepping into my underwear.

“Sorry! My bad!” He catches me and moves me out of the way, all in one swift movement. “We’re still on for seven, but I have to shower.”

I don’t realize that I’ve been deposited on the bed with my underwear around one ankle until the bathroom door slams behind him. I look around and meet eyes with Honeycrisp perched in her chair of choice. She has no idea what just happened either. I figure it’s best to keep getting ready. I’m almost done putting on my makeup when I hear the bathroom door pop open. I look over and laugh. All I see is Silas’s beet-red, soaking wet face peeking out through the crack in the door.

“Hey,” he says.

“Yeah?” I can’t stop laughing.

He says something so fast all I catch is “TV room.”

“What?”

“Sorry, it won’t feel like a real date if we’re watching each other get ready. Can you go wait in the television room or the kitchen?”

“Can you give me like five minutes to finish getting ready and then I’ll go?”

  “Yeah,” he says like he should have thought about that in the first place. I shake my head and turn back to the mirror. When I finish getting ready, maybe ten minutes later, I knock on the bathroom door. I smile when Silas immediately sticks his face out again. It’s mostly dry but his hair is still dripping.

“Did you bring a towel in there with you?” I ask.

“No.”

I roll my eyes and gesture toward the bed. “Room’s all yours.”

“Thanks, get out.”

I decide not to mush him in the face and head out to the television room. Honeycrisp and Joe Namath join me. I turn on the news and watch the best NY1 has to offer. I check my phone, but the girls are blowing up the chat and I don’t feel like reading all three hundred messages I’ve missed. I also don’t trust myself to not gush about Silas. I like him. I can’t deny it anymore. He’s sweet and real easy on the eyes. I know if I bring him up to the girls, not only will they want to meet him, they’ll want to know everything about him, especially with the whole Scott connection. And that’ll mean admitting I have some clue what I’m doing with Silas, and I don’t. For now, for these few hours before work and ultimately my whole life pull us apart, I’m going to keep him, selfishly, to myself.

I check my email instead. My heart thumps as I wait for my phone to finish checking for mail.

A dozen or so new messages pop up, with no answer from Dorrit. Just the thought of him brings that tightness back to my chest, but there’s a different kind of heat behind that feeling. Before, I was scared. Now I’m pissed. I toss my phone on the couch and switch to the Food Channel. I’m full up on death and injustice for the night.

I’m ten minutes into a tart preparation when I hear Silas’s heavy steps coming down the hall. I smile the second I see him. He’s wearing what looks like brand new dark wash jeans, and a blue and green gingham dress shirt. He’s still wearing those big, shitkicking work boots that I’ve seen around the bedroom, but he’s combed his beard and made an attempt to tame his thick curls.

“I don’t know how a man your size can look cute, but you look really cute right now.”

“Thank you. I’ll take cute. You forgot these.” He holds up my rainboots, then steps into the room and hands them to me.

“Right, thanks. Where are we going?” I ask as I slip off my heels and step into the rubber rainboots.

“It’s a surprise. I should blindfold you.”

“No.” I shake my head a little and let out a quiet chuckle. “We have not at all worked our way up to you blindfolding me.”

“But you’d blindfold me, wouldn’t you?” he asks as he reaches for my hand. I turn the TV off then lace my fingers with his.

“I’ve considered it, but you have very expressive eyes. It would be a shame to cover them up while we’re playing.”

“We’ve fuck—we’ve had sex a few times. Would you call that playing?”

“I mean, we have fun don’t we?” I tease as he leads me down the hall to the front door. Honeycrisp follows us as far as the bottom steps, but Silas shoos her back.

“Yeah we have a blast.—Not this time. No dogs allowed. Sit.” She looks confused and displeased when she cocks her head at him, but she sits down and doesn’t follow us to the truck.

“Why can’t she come?—I can’t believe I just said that.” I step back as he holds the passenger door open for me.

“Because you secretly love dogs. You don’t have to be ashamed.” I find myself hiding another smile, shaking my head. I get in the truck and wait for him to join me.

“Not ashamed at all. But you didn’t answer my question. You don’t think we have fun?”

“I can’t really think of it that way,” he says.

“But you enjoy it?” I ask. I still can’t read him completely. I don’t know if he’s being sarcastic or just talking the way he talks.

He looks at me. “Yes. A lot. Sorry, fun isn’t a word I use in relationship to sex.”

I get it now. He’s totally down for the sex, he just takes it seriously. I can get on board with that. We pull away from the house and after a few minutes, I realize we are driving deeper into the farm, in a direction we haven’t gone before.

“Where are we going?” I ask again.

“The East orchard.”

“Ah, I see. I didn't wear yoga pants.”

“It’s fine. You wore a dress. That's even better.”

“You really like what's up my skirt, don't you?”

“Yes.”

I lean over and kiss his face as he steers us between rows and rows of apple trees. “I’ll let you up my skirt soon enough. It’s a promise.”

“I can’t wait,” he says and I know he’s serious.

Finally I see our destination off in the distance. I start to see what he’s been planning all day. I don’t believe it at first. Even when I get out of the truck and see Ginny standing in a small clearing between the rows, I’m speechless. There’s a large plaid blanket down, a picnic basket, an ice bucket with two bottles of champagne packed inside, and around this whole set up, in almost a full circle, are over a dozen pristine, overturned metal buckets, topped with large glass jarred candles. The sun is still up, but the candles cast this magical glow.

“Silas,” I gasp.

“You seemed really stressed out so I thought we could have a nice dinner outside of the house.” I turn and I look at him. I cannot remember the last time I shed tears of joy, but I’m real close. I’m speechless. “Come on.”

He gets out of the driver’s seat and I follow, climbing out of the truck before he can jog around and open my door for me. He’s right. The ground is still pretty wet. There are small puddles filling the dips in the narrow road as we pick out way over to the gorgeous spread.

“This was all him,” Ginny says. “I'm just here to make sure none of the trees caught on fire before you got here.” I realizes she’s standing next to a red fire bucket filled with water. Wet ground or not, you can never be too cautious.

“Smart.”

“I’ll leave you to it.” Ginny waves and starts walking back through the trees.

“Wait, you’re walking?” I ask.

“Girl, it’s not that far. He just drove you out here to be nice,” she laughs, then keeps on her way back to the main property.

“If you’d be so kind, please take off your boots,” Silas says once we’re alone. I look down at the plaid blanket.

“Oh right. Give me a hand, please.” He holds out his arm and I grip his hand while I toe out of my boots and step onto the blanket. It’s shockingly thick and padded.

“What’s under this?”

“A tarp, two sleeping bags and another shitty blanket,” Silas says as he leans down to untie his own boots. He’s wearing brand new white socks. I can’t handle it. “The ground is wet. And hard. Figured this would make things a little more comfortable.”

“Okay you're cute and sweet.” I hold out my hand to him and we both sit down in the middle of the blanket. I wait patiently as Silas opens the picnic basket.

“I ordered the family catering sampler from Andeloni’s.”

“You did?” I say, my shocked laughter coming out with a snort.

“I thought you could try a little bit of everything and see what you like. I got sparkling cider too.”

“Oh! I thought it was champagne.”

“I didn’t want either of us to be drunk when I seduce you.”

“Oh. I see. Good idea,” I say. I let Silas walk me through my menu options and settle on a bit of the chicken alfredo and this ninety meat lasagna that’s fucking delicious. When I can’t stand to eat another bite, I lie back and put my head on his thigh. We have a perfect view of the sunset.

“This is some romantic ass shit, Mr. McInroy.”

“I’m glad you think so. I think I have this dating thing down now. I just have to sleep with a woman five times before I ask her out.”

I snort as I sit up. “Let me know how that works out for you. When does the apple harvest begin?”

“Next week. Global warming fucked everything up.”

“How so? I mean, I know, but how specifically?”

“When we were kids, things didn’t kick off until September, but it feels like every year the harvest gets moved up more and more. Then the winters have been shorter. Our trees need a real hibernation period to produce the best fruit. There are farms in the last ten years—their whole harvest failed. We had to send apples down to a farm in Vermont to sell at their country mart just so they would have something for customers.

“Hmm,” I say.

“What?”

“I just never considered how stressful this all must be. It seems to be going so well and everyone here seems so happy.”

He tilts his head, pursing his lips. “So far, so good. We’ve been lucky.”

I almost ask him something heavy. I almost ask him what he really wishes he was doing, but it doesn’t seem fair, especially with the family related drama we still have looming over everything. He wants a romantic evening, I want a romantic evening. No reason to fuck that up with more intense conversation.

“Well, sir. You’ve taken me on a lovely drive to the East orchard, fed me a delicious meal and distracted me from all the crap going on in my life. I think you mentioned something about a grand seduction?”

He reaches up and toys with my bangs a bit. “I changed my mind.”

“You changed your mind?”

“I had a plan, but I think you were right.”

“About what?”

“I like it when you’re in charge.”

“Oh you do?”

He nods. “It’s… what’s the word I’m looking for. Liberating. It’s nice not having to think so hard. Especially when I’m with you.”

“See? When you have a smart, sexy, capable woman on your hands, sometimes it’s better to let her do the thinking.”

“I agree.”

“So I’m in charge. I can handle that. Hmm, let me think. If I had known this was my party, what would I have done differently?” I look around. It’s probably best to leave the fire bucket alone. “You brought condoms right?”

He leans back and reaches behind the picnic basket and pulls out the box and that same tiny bottle of lube. I suppress another snort and take the lube out of his hand.

“Do you have something specific in mind you want to do with the lube?” I ask.

“You want me to narrow it down to one thing?”

I look at him, shocked. “See, there’s a low key freak in that head of yours. Should have known. Okay, tell me one thing you want to use the lube for.”

“If I have to pick one thing, I’ll go with anal sex.”

“Oh? Really going for it, huh?” I say like it’s something I’ll deny him, but I absolutely will not. Just the thought of it makes me wet.

“You made it sound like I should take advantage of this situation and dream big. From what you’ve told me, it doesn’t sound like you usually let guys choose.”

“No, I don’t. I have to say it’s been a while for me—”

“When was the last time?” he asks unexpectedly.

“The last time I had anal intercourse?” A scene immediately pops into my head. An investment banker named Richard, who spent years earning it, but Silas doesn’t need all those details.

“More than three years ago. Let’s just say that.”

He looks at me like he wants to know more, but he knows what I’ll say if he keeps pushing. I appreciate that he keeps those thoughts to himself.

“How about you? When was the last time for you?”

“I’ve never done it before.” For some reason that sends confetti cannons off in my head.

“Are you telling me I get to be your first?” I ask as I rise up on my knees and wrap my arms around his shoulders. He moves his leg, then wraps his arms around my waist so he can pull me a little closer.

“Yes.”

“Well then we’re gonna have to make this extra special. Do you have any other requests?”

“I wanted to see you naked, but I know you like to keep some clothes on. So whatever you want there.”

“No, I think we can arrange that, but you’ll have to get completely naked too. It wouldn’t do for us to get caught out here by someone and I’m the only one in the nude.”

“Excuse me.” He nudges me back so he can stand, then starts undressing. I don’t know that I could paint a better picture. This six and a half foot tall, sexy as fuck farmer with muscles for days, stripping out of his clothes at fucking sunset, just for me. When he pulls off his boxers, his erection springs free, completely hard and ready for me. We’re going to have some fun. Once he’s completely nude, I just sit there staring up at him, looking at every glorious inch of his amazing body. I still want to take pictures I can keep.

“Your turn,” he says after I’ve been ogling him for a solid minute.

“Oh, right. My bad.” I stand and strip down to nothing but a suggestive smile. The most ridiculous thought pops into my head after I set my bra down. I burst out laughing.

“What?” Silas asks. “What’s so funny?”

“I was just thinking we look like we’re about to face off in a wrestling match right now. We just need a ref.”

“Do you want to wrestle?” he asks earnestly, even though his eyebrow goes up like I’m insane.

“No. I definitely do not. Wrestled a man last week and I don’t want to repeat that.”

“Shit, right.Well…” He steps closer and gently places his hands on either side of my cheeks. “I don’t think it would be a fair fight anyway. I’d tap out in seconds.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes. Can we have sex now?”

“Yes. We can.” I stand up on my toes and press my lips to his. “Now there’s a few things I have to tell you first.”

“Okay.”

“You can’t just shove it in there.”

“I’d wouldn’t. I know how big my dick is. I’d kill you.”

I snort. “That’s true. Seriously, stop making me laugh. This is serious.”

“I’m not trying to make you laugh. Should I just stop talking again?”

“No. You can talk, but it might be hard for you to say something when your mouth is full of my pussy.” That look comes back to his face. That look where I’ve clearly said something that turns him on so much his brain stops working. “I’m gonna lie down and then I’m gonna walk you through just how to get me so turned on that fucking me in the ass will be…” I almost say fun. “Very pleasurable for us both.”

“Deal. On your back.”

“Uh!? Excuse me?”

“Sorry. My dick is about to explode. I would really like to get things started.”

“I was going to sit on your face, but now I’m really going to make you do all the work.” I slink down to the ground, then make a little pillow out of his pants and his shirt. “Okay, come here,” I say once I’m comfortable. I plant my feet on the blanket and part my thighs to make room for his wide shoulders. He sinks to his knees and waits for me to go on. I know it’s killing him. He’s practically vibrating with need, but I don’t care. His anticipation is turning me on. He’ll get what he wants in good time.

“I want you to kiss it the way you know I like it.” He doesn’t speak. He doesn’t move. “It’s not going to bite you. Go on.”

“Yes, Miss Ebie,” he says and I know I have his full attention. You can’t put the ball back in my court and think you’re still going to call the shots. I watch him as he lowers his mouth to my pussy, but my eyes slide closed as soon as he presses his lips to my wet slit. He has a perfect memory. He remembers exactly the way I like it. He makes love to my pussy with his mouth, kissing it nice and deliberate and slow. I let out the most pathetic sigh when just the tip of his tongue parts my lips. He moves lower, teasing my entrance.

“Come here,” I say on a harsh whimper. He doesn’t stop immediately, not until I tap his shoulder. “Come up here.”  He listens then, sliding up my body until I can wrap my arms around him and pull him down on top of me. I can’t resist kissing him. It’s not so much the softness of his lips as it’s the way I can taste myself on them. It’s the perfect torture of his swollen cock sliding against my stomach. We kiss for a perfectly long time. When I realize my hips are rising on their own, that my clit is chasing the pressure and weight of him, I know I need to stop our little makeout session. I let my head fall against my makeshift pillow. I try to breathe.

“Okay. As you were.” I open my eyes when he doesn’t move right away, and as soon as we make eye contact he moves back down my body and goes right back to pressing his mouth to my now soaked pussy.

“Use your fingers,” I groan. He uses two long, thick fingers and pushes his way inside. My back arches off the blanket at the perfect invasion. Coming on his hand, especially with the way his tongue is rubbing over my clit in the most perfect way, would be so easy, but I want to wait until he’s inside me. When I feel the tremors rising, I tell him to stop.

“Grab one of the condoms.” I tell him. He doesn’t hesitate this time. I look up as I hear the packet ripping open just in time to stop him. “No, no. First and middle finger. It’s for your fingers. I want you to get me nice and ready.”

“Oh okay.”

“Use the lube.” I watch him for a second as he sheaths his fingers, then moves the little pile of clothes until it’s settled under my hips. I need to give him a better angle to work with. Before I can give him anymore instructions, his tongue is pushing inside my cunt and his fingers are gently pressing against my ass. I almost jump in surprise. I don’t expect him to get it right so quickly. But this is Silas McInroy I’m dealing with. Not so great at first with the talk, all in with the action. I don’t have to say another word. He works with me with his mouth and teases me for so long I know I’m close to coming again. When I let out a pathetic noise, something near a “please,” he starts to push his fingers inside.

“Fuck,” I moan.

“Okay?” he asks, concerned.

“Yes. More than okay. Don’t stop.” He doesn’t. He does everything perfectly right, pushing forward, easing back, again and again until I feel his other knuckles against my skin. His tongue is still inside of me. I come. I can’t stop myself. A bad bitch I might be, but I’m no match for whatever he’s doing to me. He lets me ride it out and then when I come back to myself, he eases his hand out of me and looks up.

“Do you want me to stop?” he asks, like I might actually want to call it a night.

“Hell no,” I say. “Now, you put on a condom on your dick.” He smartly grabs a fresh condom out of the pack and slides it on. My hand goes to my pussy and I can’t help but touch myself while I watch him lube himself up. He looks down at me when he’s ready. It’s starting to get dark, but the candlelight hits him just right.

“We should have recorded this,” I say out loud.

“We still can,” he says. He’s holding on to his control, just barely. I know he’ll put this all on pause to give me what I want, even setting up his phone and testing the lighting and the angles until I’m satisfied.

“Next time. Let me give you what you want. Just go slow.” I lie my head back down on the blanket and wait until I feel the head of his cock push against my tightest hole. My pussy tenses, feeling empty, wanting another round, but I want him in my ass just as bad.

I let out a deep breath and relax my body. I take a little bit of him and then a little more. He’s so big, so thick around. I just need to breathe. He pushes forward another inch, another, and I have to stop him. He stops. He waits. I inhale and let it out, focusing on letting him all the way in. I urge him on and then feel that bite of pain. There’s no way to avoid it. He’s so big, but I can handle it. I breathe through it, thinking for just a moment that maybe I’ve bitten off more than I possibly handle. I let out a weak laugh that turns into a moan as I move my hips and take him in the final inch.

“Do I need to stop again?” he asks. I can hear it in his voice, we’re enduring the same torture. We need the exact same thing.

“Don’t stop, Silas. Don’t stop.” He slowly pulls back just a bit and pushes back in. My fingers slide off my clit, pinching it harder than I should.

“Does it feel good?” I ask him.

“Shit. Yes.”

“Good. Go slow.” He moves again, in and out, again, again. I settle into the blanket and let him do what he will. Holy fuck the pain is still there, but after a few moments it starts to feel so good. My fingers push into my pussy and I start fucking myself with my hand. I can feel him from the inside, moving as slowly as he can handle and I realize that there’s no longer a need for this painfully slow pace. I want more.

“Go faster, baby,” I gasp out as I slide my other hand over my tit. I pinch my nipple hard as his hands slide under my thighs. I feel him move closer, giving himself even better leverage. Then he pumps into me, hard.

The sounds that come out of me are so pathetic, so needy. Still, it doesn’t stop my hips from moving on their own. Doesn’t stop my body from chasing the frantic pace he’s after. Doesn’t stop my pussy from clenching down on my fingers, forcing myself out. I’m positive they can hear me all the way back in the cafe when I start coming, when I start squirting all over him. I am loud and totally incoherent, but Silas knows not to stop until I tell him. He knows not to let up even when the come that’s gushing out of me stops. Even when I’m reduced to slapping my own clit until it starts up again. He knows not to stop even when I’m lying there, half limp. I’m not done until I can’t take anymore and it’s still a few minutes more.

Finally I flap my hands, gesturing for him to come close. I don’t open my eyes to see if he’s gotten the message, but a moment later he slides over me and we’re kissing again. He presses in deep, holds himself still as I ride out the last bit of ecstasy that shivers through me. When I need to breathe, I slowly roll out from beneath him and move to my side. We’re both breathing hard. When I open my eyes, it’s nearly dark. He looks so beautiful in the candlelight. I roll on my back and cannot believe how clear the stars are.

“Mmm. You were great,” I say, as I look back over at him. “Let’s go back to the house.”

“Huh?”

“I’m starting to get cold. Let’s go back to the house.”

“I—but—” His eyes dart down to his crotch. His hard dick is still straining forward between his legs.

“Oh, you want to come?”

“Yes,” he says.

“Maybe later. I’m cold.” I stand up and start getting dressed. He sits up on his elbow and looks at me like I’ve lost my fucking mind. Doesn’t change the fact that I’m still ready to pack it in for the night. “Let’s go. You can clean this all up later, right?”

He makes a weird noise when I turn my back and start adjusting my bra, but then I see his naked ass walk by as he takes off the condom. It takes all my willpower to keep a straight face. I finish dressing and then walk around the circle and start blowing out the candles. They really were working because by the time I get to the last one, the bugs already start moving in.

“I’ll be in the truck,” I say. He’s buttoning up his shirt. The brand new shirt I came all over. There’s a huge spot that stretches from the collar all over the right shoulder, down the side. I will not laugh. I will not.

“Okay,” he grunts. “Let me just pack up the food and we can go.” Oh, he is so pissed. I will not laugh.

I step into my rainboots and pick my way over to the truck. I find it unlocked and climb in. Silas makes quick work of packing up the picnic and our trash. He throws it in the flatbed and then climbs in the driver’s seat. He refuses to look at me. As soon as he turns the key and the cabin goes dark, I reach over and run my hand over his crotch.

“Open your legs,” I tell him. He gives me that look again, like I’ve lost my whole mind. “Is this a problem?

“No. What? No.”

“Okay, well open your legs a bit and then drive.” He adjusts himself to give me enough room to cup him just right. I can feel his half-deflated erection pump back to life under my fingers. He slowly backs up and turns the truck around. I let him drive for a minute or so, rubbing him up and down, squeezing him before it’s time to remind him what he asked me to do for him tonight.

“Stop the truck.”

“What?”

“Stop the truck.” He stops. “Put it in park. Take your foot off the pedal.” He slams the gear shift into place, then throws on the emergency brake. I reach over and unbutton his jeans. He has to help me pull out his cock, it’s so big. I thank him and then I start stroking him, skin to skin. I look at  him and don’t look away until he takes his gaze off what my fingers are doing and looks back at me. I want to kiss him, but we’re not done with our lesson yet.

“Say it. ‘This cock is yours, Ebie.’ Say it.”

“This cock is yours. Ebie,” he chokes out. His eyes almost roll closed when I run my thumb over the wet slit of his dick.

“Good. And you trust me, don’t you? You know I’m going to take care of this cock. There’s no need for you to rush me.”

He shakes his head in agreement, but that’s not what I want. I stop moving my hand. “Uh! Try again. Say it. Say ‘I know you’re going to take good care of this cock.’”

He swallows before he speaks. “I know you’re going to take good care of this cock.”

“That’s right.” I lean over the center console and take him into my mouth. I suck him nice and slow until he starts pumping into my mouth. I really like Silas, I care about him a lot. He’s earned a lot in this sexual relationship, but I’m not going to let him come in my mouth. Not yet. I sit back and keep stroking him with my hand. He lets out a sigh of relief, like he knows he won’t last another second if I keep sucking him down.

“You like the way I treat your cock, don’t you? Tell me the truth.”

“Yes, Ebie. I like the way you treat my cock.”

“Good. I like the way your cock treats me. You can come now,” I say as I start stroking him faster. He can’t come on command yet, not after he’s been holding back so long. He hasn’t had enough practice. Still it only takes a few pumps before jizz starts spurting out of his cock. He makes the hottest noise, this painful groan that turns into a full on moan as his head digs back into the headrest. Some of his cum reaches his chest, but the rest of it dribbles out of the tip, thick white globs on the head of his cock and the back of my hand. I keep it up, stroking him nice and hard until there’s nothing left. I wipe my hand on his jeans.

“Thank you for a lovely evening,” I say, looking at him. I can’t help but smirk a bit when his eyes roll in my direction.

“Yeah,” he says. He clears his throat before stuffing himself back into his pants and zipping up his fly.

“Hey, you gave the control back to me, buddy. I don’t know what you expected,” I say. I do laugh this time.

“You’re going to kill me,” he says as he releases the brake and slides the gear back to Drive. I decide to give him a break until we get back to the house. I help him unload the food. I grab the bug spray and let the dogs out for a bit while he gets cleaned up and changes his clothes. When we climb into bed together, David Dorrit is the furthest thing from my mind. I’m ready to deal with what Scott has to throw at me when he learns the truth. In this moment, I am happy and I don’t want anyone to fuck this up for me.

Silas turns off the light and pulls me close. I’m wide awake. I’ll watch cooking shows on my laptop once he falls asleep. For now I want him to hold me.

I listen to the sound of the AC. I readjust when Honeycrisp comes to claim her spot on the sheets. When everything is quiet, Silas speaks.

“I wish you didn’t have to be here,” he says in the dark between us. It takes me a second before I understand what exactly he means.

“Me neither,” I reply.

“But I could do this for a long time.”

“Me too.”