Page 4 of His Little Pumpkin
“I was going to start cleaning but I didn’t want to wake you.” Her voice is soft, just like the rest of her.
“You really don’t have to worry about that.” My hand lands on top of hers on the table before my brain can stop it. “Why don’t you rest, and just take a day off? I’ll bring you lunch around one. Until then, make yourself whatever you feel like for breakfast. Sound good?”
She nods. “Sure.” Her hand twists to grab mine. “Thank you, Eldon. This is such a relief, you have no idea.”
“If you felt like telling me about your situation, I’d love to hear all about it this afternoon. For now, I have to run.”
“I understand.”
For the first time ever, I stroll into work with a giant smile on my face as well as a coffee in my hand.
We all refer to the large building beside the ranch house as the mess hall. It contains my kitchen, a huge dining area and some restrooms where the guys can wash up before meals.
Breakfasts are always served buffet style and I get right to work, preparing a huge urn of coffee, followed by hearty muffins, trays of scrambled eggs and bacon, and thick-sliced homemade bread for toast.
Nobody talks very much in the mornings other than about the weather and the day’s chores. As I walk back and forth from the kitchen, I return a few nods.
Then I hear a snort of laughter erupt from the steady murmur of voices. “The days are getting shorter and Eldon is busting out the pumpkin bread. Must be fall!”
There’s a roar of laughter from the other men. They clear their plates, stacking them in the bin, then leave for their morning’s work.
The time passes quickly. I set out a fruit tray and homemade protein bars for quick coffee break snacks, then turn my attention to my prep list for lunch and dinner.
It’s usually quiet, meditative work, but today is different. My eyes are constantly flicking to the clock, eager to get back to Laura.
For the first time ever, I half-ass the post-lunch cleanup, knowing I can get to it properly during the dinner prep. At one o’clock on the dot, I’m strolling into my house with large containers of lunch.
After I kick off my boots, I pause and look around a second time. Everything is slightly different. Laura comes out of the kitchen with her hands raised in appeal. “Please just look at it all with an open mind.”
I slowly walk through the living and dining room. Everything is…better. Not just spotlessly clean, but tweaked, somehow. The couch has been moved a few feet. It’s off-center now, and better arranged for the TV and the easy chair…which now has a small bright green blanket draped across it for a pop of color. Every book and knickknack has been dusted and arranged much more nicely than before.
In the kitchen, she’s polished a few things I’ve been meaning to get to and switched out the dish towels for the fancier ones. Other than that, she’s left the room alone. Smart woman.
I plate up her lunch quickly while it’s still hot. Then I wave her over to the dining room table and set her food in front of her, together with some utensils. “The house looks amazing.” My hand falls to her shoulder as she sits, and I squeeze it gently. “Part of me wants to give you shit for not resting when you obviously need it. But it all looks great. Thank you.”
Her eyes shine as I drop into a chair beside her. “It’s not just earning my keep. You have a really nice home, and I just wanted to make everything sing.” Her eyes drop, a bit of pink coloring her pale cheeks. “Plus, I was hoping that if I make things nice…”
My hand darts out to take hers again, my thumb brushing back and forth lightly across her soft skin. “Please don’t think the clock is ticking. You need a break, Laura. I don’t know what your situation is, but you need to rest. Please, stay here as long as you like.”
Her sigh of relief is so deep it breaks my heart. “Thank you.” She jumps up to grab her water glass from the kitchen counter, and my eyes gravitate to her sexy round ass. As she turns back, she catches me staring.
“Sorry,” I say softly as she sits again. “I couldn’t help noticing that your pants are a little baggy in the back.”
Laura’s bottom lip twitches for a second. “Yeah. One of the benefits of being without a home is that you drop twenty pounds likethat.”
My hand falls to her knee and squeezes it gently. “Hm. I don’t like that. Your ass, however…that, I like very much.” I stop myself, shaking my head. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I’ll never stare again.”
There’s a light in her eyes and her pupils are dilated. She’s not offended. She’s… Is that arousal? Her leg shifts subtly, encouraging me to squeeze her knee again. We’re both leaning closer.
“I don’t mind if you stare a bit,” she whispers. “It’s just…nobody ever has before.”
I forcibly restrain a growl. “Nobody’s ever noticed how beautiful and sexy and sweet you are?” I release her knee to tangle my fingers in the back of her hair. “The world has gone insane if nobody has noticed you. On the other hand, I’m glad.Because in that case…” My voice trails off. I honestly have no idea what it means.
Laura moves closer, bringing our lips within an inch of each other.
“Aren’t you hungry?” I rasp.
She just leans in even more.
