Chapter 5 #2
“Leave the boots,” he said.
“I can’t do that,” she said. “They’re my good mud boots.”
“Yes, you can. I’m going to lift you,” he said. “Leave the boots. I’ll retrieve them after I get you out of this mess.”
He bent, scooped her up into his arms and carried her one trudging step at a time past the mud to a dry patch of ground, where he set her on her feet.
Back into the slew, he waded and shined his flashlight around until he found her boots. He worked at them until he freed them from the mud and carried them back to Bernie.
Once more, he waded back into the slew, found his boots, freed them and made his way out of the muck to where Bernie waited. Covered in mud from head to toe, she was a mess.
A very cute mess.
If not for the stench, he might have kissed her.
She stared at the corral panels in the starlight. One of the panels was lying on the ground. “I don’t think the pigs knocked that panel down.”
Gerard shined his flashlight at the portable fence panels. The metal clamps that had held them together lay on the ground nearby. “I don’t know many pigs that can work a wrench or a screwdriver.”
“Which means someone let them out. Like someone let Penelope out last night.” Bernie turned toward the watermelon patch. “Why would someone let the pigs out?”
“Look what Penelope did in a few short hours,” Gerard pointed out. “If Howey and Gandolf hadn’t raised the alarm, just think what all those pigs would’ve done to the watermelons.”
Bernie nodded. “I lost a lot just to Penelope. I rely on my crops to bring in enough money to cover my bills for the year. Without that money, I’d have to find a job.
To find a job, I’d have to go to a city.
I couldn’t run Bellamy Acres. I couldn’t take care of the animals.
This place would fall into disrepair. I could lose it if I couldn’t pay the taxes on it. ”
“Do you think someone is trying to sabotage you?”
She shrugged. “Maybe. If someone is just pranking me...I’m not laughing.”
“Come on,” he said. “It might take a dozen showers and strong soap to get the smell out by morning.”
“No kidding.” Bernie stared at him in the light from the stars overhead. “Wow. Do I look as bad as you?”
“You have one bare spot free of mud.” His lips twitched as he reached out to touch a finger to the tip of her nose, leaving a smudge of mud. “There. Got you covered.”
She laughed and then coughed. “The sooner we get back to the house, the sooner we can rinse this nastiness off.”
“I don’t know why you’re in such a hurry.” He offered her his arm. “People pay for mud masks, don’t they?”
Bernie laughed and slipped her hand through the crook of his elbow. “I’m willing to bet they don’t smell like this.”
As Gerard walked with Bernie back to the house, he fought to focus on the pigs, not how sexy she was when she laughed—even covered in muck.
“We’ll have to hose off and strip before we go into the house,” Bernie said. “If we don’t, we bring that stench with us.”
“Agreed,” Gerard said, though he only heard the part about stripping.
Bernie led him to the side of the house and stopped in front of a spigot with a hose attached. She dropped her boots on the ground, turned on the water and sprayed the boots until all the muck had been washed away. She handed the hose to Gerard and then set her boots on the porch to dry.
Gerard sprayed his boots to remove all the mud and set them on the porch beside Bernie’s.
“I can hold the sprayer over you while you rinse off,” Gerard offered. “I promise to close my eyes.”
Bernie didn’t hesitate for long before she nodded. “Okay. But no peeking.”
Gerard raised the sprayer over her head, closed his eyes and pressed the button to release a steady stream of water.
Through his eyelashes, he watched as Bernie rubbed her hands over her shirt and shorts, removing as much of the mud as possible.
Once her T-shirt was soaking wet, it did little to hide her figure beneath.
The fabric clung to the swell of her breasts, and her nipples were pointy nubs, tempting Gerard to take them.
Bernie shoved her shorts down over her hips and stepped out of them. The shirt was next. She turned her back to him, grabbed the hem, tugged the T-shirt over her head and hung it on the porch rail.
Since her back was to him, Gerard didn’t bother to keep his eyes closed. His gaze swept her from the top of her head to the backs of her heels, slowly devouring the curve of her waist and the luscious swell of her hips and buttocks.
The steady spray had washed away the mud from her skin, leaving it shiny and wet. Starlight reflected off the droplets, making her appear ethereal in the darkness.
When she glanced over her shoulder, he quickly closed his eyes.
“I’m headed for the shower,” she said. “I promise to save you some hot water.”
“You don’t have to. Soap and a cold shower will be sufficient for me,” he said. And necessary. He was glad for the darkness, hoping it was enough to hide his arousal.
Naked and clean of the mud, she darted for the steps. “Leave the clothes on the ground,” she called over her bare shoulder. “I’ll collect them tomorrow morning.”
Starlight bathed her pale body in indigo as she hurried up the steps. As she pulled the door open, she turned just enough to expose the side of a full breast.
Sweet Jesus, she was beautiful.
“You weren’t supposed to peek,” she said.
“Sorry, I thought you were already inside,” he lied, unable to tear his eyes from her svelte form.
She chuckled, her lips curving in a smile. “Liar.” Bernie started to go into the house, paused and turned enough to tease him with that breast again. “Just so you know...the shower in the master bathroom is big enough for two.” She lifted her chin. “I’m not opposed to sharing. You’re call.”
Bernie disappeared into the house, her words hanging in the air like a red cape dangled in front of a raging bull.