Just Neighbourly (closed)

Stacy straightened from the back of her minivan and glared at her daughter. “Tamara, for the last time! You are 13 years old and I don’t care if Suzy down the block got her tongue pierced, you’re not going to do it too!” She looked at her daughter sternly and said, “If Suzy jumped off a bridge would you jump too?” She shook her head, knowing the answer. Suzy Derlich was one of the reasons they were moving. Or more precisely, the amount of trouble Tamara got in around Suzy. The final straw was the school suspension for smoking in the bathroom, then lighting a fire in the waste basket. All because Suzy had suggested it.

Stacy had been between jobs at the time and the market was good. Therefore it was easy to pack up their lives and move. Tamara was basically a good kid, she just wanted to fit in as much if not more than the next girl and where they’d come from, the popular girl was also the bad ass. In trying to fit in, Tamara had created some real problems for herself, Stacy hoped the fresh start would throw off the stigma and the negative attitude Tamara had adopted recently. Tamara however, had other ideas. She hated moving away from her ‘friends’ and had been nothing but surly the entire trip.

After they had stopped in front of their new home and gotten out, Stacy felt every one of her thirty-five years. It didn’t matter if her ass was still tight. It mattered less that her boobs were still perky, or her waist still slim. She was still a single woman trying to bring up a head strong girl all by herself, one who reminded her of her husband more and more each day. Speaking of…

“Mooooom! Its not bad enough you moved us to the middle of nowhere, but you had to pick the worst house in the neighbourhood didn’t you!”

Stacy looked up at the house her daughter was whining about and sighed. A severely sagging porch, at least one boarded up window, peeling paint and cracked sidewalks, it left a lot to be desired, visually at least. But it was paid for, and it left them a nest egg for repairs, as long as she did most of the work. Wisely deciding not to comment, she spotted the moving van pulling in behind them and turned, feeling ashamed at the relief she felt from having a distraction to her own daughter.

A few minutes later she was unlocking the front door of her new home, wishing her husband was alive to see the gorgeous hardwood floors he would have loved as much as she did. She turned and waved the movers in with the first load from the truck, hoping this place would turn out to be all she hoped for and then some. Pushing her long brunette hair into a ponytail, she went into direction mode, telling the movers which room to put what.

Several long hours later she settled onto her couch, a glass of red wine in hand. Her head tilted back and she looked up, staring momentarily at the crack in the ceiling. She looked down again in a hurry, hoping that she had made the right decision. With a sigh she finished her wine and headed for her room, wincing as her door squeaked horrendously as she pushed it closed. One thing at a time she thought, then fell across her bed, not even bothering to undress.

Jeff, or J.J. to his friends, found himself in the best spot to watch the show. He was half way up his roof, on a little platform, drinking a coffee from his thermos. He had just sat down when the minivan pulled into the old Crenshaw place. He had been curious as to who his new neighbours ever since the agent happily slapped the "SOLD" banner across the "For Sale" sign. He missed old widow Crenshaw. She had no family,and had pretty much adopted J.J. after he first offered to help her out with odd jobs around the place.

He watched as two women got out, quickly correcting to one woman and teenage girl. He frowned slightly at the lack of a man, but that was none of his concern. But it didn't take long to tell that it was mother and daughter. The resemblance, from that distance, was remarkable. Plus, the younger one's voice carried well.

“Mooooom! Its not bad enough you moved us to the middle of nowhere, but you had to pick the worst house in the neighbourhood didn’t you!”

J.J. silently snorted a laugh at the daughter's complaint. She was right about 'the middle of nowhere'. He liked living in 'the middle of nowhere'. He had been there for the last 10 years, since the divorce. At least it was a clean divorce. Nothing like your wife rediscovering herself on a health retreat with one of the retreat's counselors buried to the hilt between her legs. So, he started a new life in 'the middle of nowhere'.

He continued his coffee break as the removal truck arrived. The mother seemed to calm down, and before long, she was in supervisor mode. Her hair in a ponytail, she crisply started telling the men where things went.

J.J. packed up his thermos, tightened his safety line, and resumed clearing the gutters of his house. Each time he took a break, he sat on the platform and watched the move continuing. The daughter was nowhere to be seen, but the mother was still making sure everything went where it was supposed to go. She never lost her cool once, she was polite, but firm.

Once the gutters were done, he replaced the cracked tiles from the last storm that came through a few weeks back. He finished up, grabbing the platform and thermos, and making his way back to the ladder. He unhooked the safety line from the anchor point on the roof, and got himself back down on terra firma. Happy with the reduction of his own task list by two, he packed all his gear away, and headed in for a late lunch or early dinner.

Even though he didn't have to work, he had made a name for himself around town as a handyman. He could do anything around the house, to a point. And if he couldn't, he knew someone who could. And since he didn't need the money, he didn't charge as much as he would have if he needed it. just the cost of the materials, and a little for his trouble.

While J.J. ate, he still saw the woman moving around, managing the move like a veteran of such events. She carried her self well, and seemed to be fairly fit from the way she moved about. He decided he'd give her a couple of days to get settled before breaking the ice, assuming they didn't see each other in passing before hand.

After eating, J.J. rewarded himself with a few hours in front of the TV, watching some old John Wayne westerns before hitting the standard household chores. By the time that was done, he had a little more to eat, finished his John Wayne movie marathon and hit the sack.


J.J. woke up and had his morning jog. He had breakfast, and skipped the shower because he knew he was going to be in the garden that morning. He was turning the garden beds, trimming a few of the more rapidly growing trees and shrubs as well as the dreaded weeding. But during the trimming session, he found one of the trees near his front fence had a rotten trunk.

"Great, there goes the rest of the morning." He grabbed a ladder, some safety ropes, saws and a chain saw and readied himself for a morning of reducing an otherwise shady tree to deadwood.

When Stacy woke the next morning she groaned and stretched, deciding it was the last time she gave into the desire to just fall asleep in her clothes as she woke up the next morning feeling rather wrecked. Climbing off the bed she hit the shower, knowing how funny it was that she showered to go get sweaty, yet to do otherwise would make her feel icky. A fast wash and she was out, slipping into a pair of work out pants and a t-shirt. Her hair in a ponytail again, trainers on her feet and she was out the door.

She almost felt the eyes on her as her feet slapped against the pavement, thrusting her body ahead in the direction she wished, but she wasn’t overly shy. She usually ran a couple hours earlier but sleeping in and then the shower had thrown off her schedule. She did her full five miles ending close enough to home that her cool down easily took her to her front door. She scooped her water bottle from the porch, draining it over her head as she enjoyed the cool liquid trailing down her flushed skin. Moments later she disappeared back into her house for another shower.

About an hour after that, Tamara stomped out the front door and sat with a plop and a scowl on the stoop, staring out at the neighbourhood. It was obvious she had been sent to ‘explore’ and also, just what her reaction to the concept was. Finally, she lifted her headphones to her ears again, turning on her ipod and was soon rockin it out to a beat only she could hear. Idly, she watched as one of their new neighbours came out and started mucking about with one of his trees. She sat up, paying a little closer attention. It seemed he was going to be the only entertainment she would find that morning, and she was determined to make the most of what she could find.

Moving casually, she got up and moved closer, trying to appear like she had no interest in whatever he might be doing, when really she cared about nothing but at that moment. She stopped about twenty feet behind him, watching him work. Finally she said abruptly, “You make that look easy. My mom bought a house that needs lots of work too, but she is all thumbs when it comes to work like that. She thinks she can do it but she should really get someone like you. I just know she’s going to mess it up.”

As if realising he was either to busy to answer, or uninterested in hearing her bitch about their new house, Tammy said “bye then.” and took off back to their house before he had a chance to even think about responding. When she got back home, she stomped into the house and slammed the door behind her.

When Stacy looked up in surprise, Tammy said, “There’s a hot guy chopping down a tree out there. You should offer him a pop or something and ask him to do work for you.” Then she ran off to her room leaving her mom gaping after her.

She certainly wasn’t going to go wandering up to some strange guy! But she wasn’t above sitting on her front porch with a cup of coffee in hand, watching him work, thinking that her daughter was right; he was pretty hot.

J.J. was staring at the tree, trying to figure out whether there was a good point to anchor the line to stop the branches from falling wildly. Because of the rot in the trunk, it could cause a good portion of the trunk to fall too. Since he couldn't trust the trunk that much, he'd just have to do it the hard way.

“You make that look easy. My mom bought a house that needs lots of work too, but she is all thumbs when it comes to work like that. She thinks she can do it but she should really get someone like you. I just know she’s going to mess it up.

“Bye then.”

J.J. turned in time to see the daughter dashing back into her new house. He smiled to himself, wondering how much truth there was to the declaration. It was either a matchmaking attempt, or the young girl wanted someone apart from her mom to do the work. The more he thought about it, the more the later appeared to be the main reason. But then relying on the word of a teenage girl was not something he'd do.

He propped the ladder up against the first of the main branches to be dealt with. It was going to be done in two passes. He tied a rope around the handle of the chainsaw, and took the other end up with him. A short time later, he hauled the saw up, and within a minute, two cuts had half the branch safely on the ground.

He slowly worked his way around the tree, cutting down a few more branches. Those lying on the ground were efficiently chopped up into manageable sizes, and dragged over to a trailer.

On one of the trips, he noticed the girl's mother sitting on the porch, watching him. He gave her a smile and a wave, and went about his work. It wasn't the first time someone watched him working, and he was sure that a few women liked watching him in particular. He wasn't vain. He was healthy, and kept that way from good old fashioned physical labour. But he wasn't looking for anyone, and he didn't care if anyone enjoyed the view.

The rest of the morning was spent in a methodical removing of branches and dumping them into the trailer. He reached a point where the chainsaw was more a hindrance than a help, so he switched to the slower hand saws.

But when he had the chance, he took the time to look at her. She was a rather good looking woman, and he was sort of happy about that. With luck, she'd be a bit social. Willing to say 'hello' and trade a few words.

He reached the point that he dreaded, starting on the trunk. He could do it solo, but it would be messy, tricky, and still prone to things going wrong. Either way, he tied the rope to the top end of the trunk. He secured the other end to the trailer, to keep it out of the way.

He decided to take a bit of a gamble. He wandered over to the fence, waving to get the attention of his new neighbour.

"Hi. Welcome to the neighbourhood. My name's Jeff. Sorry for being a little forward, but I was wondering if I could get your help for a minute or five? I just need someone to pull on the rope while cut the trunk. I want to make sure that it drops the right way, that's all. I'll make you a coffee as a thank you. Whatcha say?"

As Stacy watched their neighbour work, she was drawn to his efficiency and more to his proficiency. She thought back to what Tammy had said ”You should offer him a pop or something and ask him to do work for you.” Maybe there was something to that after all. Stacy frowned then. The last thing she wanted was for this guy she hadn’t even met yet to think she was going to come on to him.

She was lost in the reverie of her mind when his voice startled her, making her look up so quickly she almost dropped her coffee. Immediately after that, she blushed, and her mind scrambled to recall just what he’d said.

"Hi. Welcome to the neighbourhood. My name's Jeff. Sorry for being a little forward, but I was wondering if I could get your help for a minute or five? I just need someone to pull on the rope while cut the trunk. I want to make sure that it drops the right way, that's all. I'll make you a coffee as a thank you. Whatcha say?"

That’s right. Recovering enough to smile at him, Stacy said sweetly, without a trace of what she had just gone through in her voice, “Hi Jeff, nice to meet you. My name’s Stacy, I think you may have met my daughter Tammy a little while ago. Thanks for the warm welcome, this is a fairly nice neighbourhood I think, I am looking forward to meeting my neighbours!”

She paused for breath and held up two fingers, stepping into her house. The door closed behind her, but it opened again a few moments later as she came back on the porch, tugging on a pair of ladies work gloves that had seen much use. It wasn’t that she was afraid of work around the house, she just wasn’t that good at it.

She looked up at him and grinned, saying, “Lead on MacDuff, but you had better make a mean cup of coffee in return!” as they made their way across to where his project was, Stacy made the general sort of small talk that one does when they know absolutely nothing about their companion, but she did comment, “You seem to be pretty handy to say the least. I would have called a removal service before tackling something like this myself.” She looked at his tree, obviously a little lost as she asked, “So what did you need me to do? And where?" She wasn’t dumb by any means, she just didn’t want to do it wrong either.

J.J. waited for Stacy as she went back inside. She sounded like she was a nice enough woman. At least she didn't give the 'Oh My God! He's trying to hit on me' smile when she disappeared inside. But then she reappeared with a pair of well worn lady's work gloves.

“Lead on MacDuff, but you had better make a mean cup of coffee in return!”

J.J. laughed heartily. "That depends on your definitions of mean. I think I can go as far as having it try and claw it's way out of the mug if that's what it'll take."

The rest of the short trip was full of small talk that helped make him feel more comfortable around his new neighbour. He also had a better chance to get a better look at Stacy too. She was a rather attractive woman. The t-shirt and jeans gave an accurate assessment of her figure, and she was getting top marks. She was obviously took care of herself, as well as looking after Tammy.

“You seem to be pretty handy to say the least. I would have called a removal service before tackling something like this myself.”

"Around here, guess who that is?" J.J. chuckled as he point to himself.

He was pleased when she stopped and had a look around. From his point of view, it looked like she was trying to figure out what she might be called on to do.

“So what did you need me to do? And where?"

"Well, Stacy, what I'd like you to do is hold this rope tight, while standing over here." J.J. took the rope and led Stacy over to a spot in the front yard, close to the trailer . "While I'm cutting the trunk, I'd like you to help guide it to fall the proper way. You wont need to pull too hard, just keep the rope tight until the trunk starts to fall. Then be ready to go down the side of the house, if need be. Oh, I'm taking the top half first."

J.J. set the ladder and climbed up, pulling the chainsaw up after him. He gave Stacy a wave, and she tightened the rope. He started the saw, and put a wedge cut in the side closest to Stacy. The wedge disintegrated as it was cut, which made J.J. rather nervous. He started the cut on the opposite side and he got only half the distance he normally would have when the trunk commenced it's descent.

The trunk hit the ground and almost shattered on impact. J.J. climbed down the ladder and looked at the mess on the lawn. He looked over at Stacy, pushing some loose hair away from his face back over his ears with his thumbs.

"Can I interest you in that 'mean cup of coffee' now?"

Stacy paid close attention to Jeff as he began to do something completely incomprehensible with his ladder and saw and rope and…she thought she saw what he was up to as he got set, but she still wasn’t quite sure how it was supposed to work. Still she tightened the rope as he asked and held on tight as he began to cut. She had seen trees cut down before, yet never so close. She wasn’t sure if the way it seemed to be breaking apart was normal, yet somehow she didn’t think so.

She watched him work as he made his cross cut, but even expecting it, she still jumped when it fell, a hastily muffled gasp escaping her lips as it crashed to the ground. She was looking at the resultant mess when he suggested coffee. She nodded quickly, looking forward to getting to know him a little more.

As he led the way in the direction of the coffee presumably, she caught herself checking out his ass with an appreciation that surprised her. She chastised herself silently; this was seriously no time to do that! What on earth would he say if he caught her at it? Determinedly she yanked her gaze up to his broad shoulders instead and followed him into his house.

She had already seen it was a single story dwelling, freshly painted with neat trim. She had avoided wondering the usually automatic question concerning his sexuality. Even if he was scrupulously neat and his house was immaculate from the outside, there was nothing to suggest he might be a poofter. She was surprised as he led the way on hardwood floors down a wide hallway hung with paintings she suspected weren’t prints at all.

She kept quiet for the moment admiring the low half wall that separated what looked like a lounge from the hall, making the space seem even bigger than it was already. She followed him through his dining room and into the kitchen. She glanced around and was struck suddenly by the desire to cook. It didn’t matter what, she simply wished t create in an area that was serviceable, yet homey. Spacious and well appointed, the room seemed to cry for someone to use it. Instinctively she knew he did already and she liked him for that.

“So, do you need a roommate?” She smiled at him to show she was joking as she added, “ I love your home, even only seeing a portion of it. You obviously know what you’re doing and take a pride in your work that is hard to find these days.” She looked around and said quietly, “I wish my house looked half as good.” She was tempted then to ask him if he did work for his neighbours and if so how much he might charge her, but she thought she really should wait. At least until the second coffee.

Jeff led Stacy through his house, feeling a little self conscious about the appearance of the place. He hoped that the painting of the mostly naked brunette in the hallway didn't offend, but since the model's girlfriend painted it specifically for him as payment for some work he did for her, he ceased worrying about it.

He caught sight of her appraisal of the kitchen, and how she seemed to like what she saw. It looked to him that her fingers were twitching to do something. He was halfway to the coffee maker when Stacy's voice broken the comfortable silence.

“So, do you need a roommate?”

"Why? Does Tammy want to live next door by herself?" He chuckled as he pulled down two mugs to put the coffee into. He was so used to thinking of his own tastes that he never thought to ask Stacy how she liked her coffee. He poured the brew into the two mugs, instinctively getting them both to his liking. As an afterthought, he got out the sugar and cream for her, neither of which he really used.

“ I love your home, even only seeing a portion of it. You obviously know what you’re doing and take a pride in your work that is hard to find these days.”

"Well, it's all I have these days, so I want to make sure that the place is good and proper. Plus, there is always something that needs doing, improving or just tweaking. Here you go. I hope you like it. I've made it to my own preferences, but help yourself to anything else you need."

When he handed Stacy the mug, he noticed the lack of a wedding band, but did catch the sign of a tan line. 'Divorced.' He took a sip of his coffee, hoping that she wouldn't choke or spit it out at least.

While he drank, his let his eyes wander over her. She was definitely fit, and in fine shape. Given that she was a single mum of a teen girl, she was doing a fine job looking good. Actually, she was looking great. To his eye, she had enough curves in all the right places. Her current outfit, now at a closer distance, showed her off magnificently. He liked that she was proud of her body, showing it off enough to catch the attention, but not in a manner that screamed 'Look at me'.

She turned back to look at him, adding “I wish my house looked half as good.”

He had the decency to look mildly embarrassed at being caught inspecting her. He definitely liked what he saw, but it was not a polite thing for him to be doing at that time.

"Old widow Crenshaw tried to look after the place by herself, but it was a bit too much for her. So, she asked me if I could help replace a bulb for her not long after I moved in here. Before long, I was doing all sorts of odd jobs for her about the place. Nice old woman, all of her family were overseas. She also liked having someone close by to talk to as well.

"Anyway, she'd pay for whatever materials were needed, and I got meals, cookies, cakes and a heap of referrals. Within a couple of years, I was the local handyman. I've got enough money to help pay my bills, so the work keeps me out of mischief. And the people pay me in all sorts of fine ways. All those paintings in the hall? The local art group needed some stuff done, so one of them did a painting for me. The rest are from the individual artists for work I've done for them." Jeff shrugged. "After they've covered the costs of any materials, it's up to them as to how they pay."

"Well, it's all I have these days, so I want to make sure that the place is good and proper. Plus, there is always something that needs doing, improving or just tweaking. Here you go. I hope you like it. I've made it to my own preferences, but help yourself to anything else you need."

Stacy took a sip of her coffee and her eyes widened. It was just the way she liked it; strong enough to bend a spoon, but not bitter. She took another sip, rolling the strong, hot brew in her mouth tasting the full gamut of its flavours. Properly tasted finally, she turned back to him to render her appreciation, only to find him eyeing her up. Which she promptly blushed about and hid her reaction in her coffee cup. She hoped he hadn’t noticed her flustered state and decided he hadn’t, or was just polite as he moved on smoothly.

"Old widow Crenshaw tried to look after the place by herself, but it was a bit too much for her. So, she asked me if I could help replace a bulb for her not long after I moved in here. Before long, I was doing all sorts of odd jobs for her about the place. Nice old woman, all of her family were overseas. She also liked having someone close by to talk to as well.

Stacy wondered if it was as pathetic as it seemed to her, that she found she could relate all too well herself.

"… Within a couple of years, I was the local handyman. I've got enough money to help pay my bills, so the work keeps me out of mischief. And the people pay me in all sorts of fine ways. All those paintings in the hall? The local art group needed some stuff done, so one of them did a painting for me. The rest are from the individual artists for work I've done for them." Jeff shrugged. "After they've covered the costs of any materials, it's up to them as to how they pay."

She only caught the last half of his comments as she had been lost in thought , but his statement of it being ‘up to them as to how they pay’ made her think of bodies straining together, entwined in the sheets. She blushed again trying to force her thoughts into something a little more respectable. Which only made her think of bending over the table and lowering her pants as he came up behind her and covered…oh heck. She was in serious trouble.

She looked at him and smiled, “Well, perhaps we could come up with a similar arrangement or something. I know that house is in dire need of some tlc. Since my Doug was killed last year I have discovered a lot of talents I never knew I had before, however fixing homes is not one of them.” She paused and smiled suddenly, adding, “I love to bake and cook, but if I can talk you out of more coffee to go with some work, I think I know who’s going to get the better deal there.”

It took Jeff a few moments to realize that he had indeed been caught looking at Stacy, and that she might have liked it. He saw her blush hidden by the mug, but the lack of dirty look or verbal abuse suggested he might be safe as long as he was more discrete. The thought of not looking again never crossed his mind.

After mentioning his pay schedule, he did notice that Stacy had a far and away look in her eyes. It last for a few seconds, long enough for him to get another glance at her bustline, impressed at what the shirt was hinting at underneath. He was definitely, and to a small degree literally, warming to the idea of having Stacy... as a neighbour. He took a drink of his coffee to help ground himself in reality.

“Well, perhaps we could come up with a similar arrangement or something. I know that house is in dire need of some tlc. Since my Doug was killed last year I have discovered a lot of talents I never knew I had before, however fixing homes is not one of them.”

He registered the death of her husband, Doug, but his thoughts went elsewhere, mainly down the line about 'lots of talents'. He quickly got back on track in time for when she finished her pause.

“I love to bake and cook, but if I can talk you out of more coffee to go with some work, I think I know who’s going to get the better deal there.”

Jeff was thinking about being over there often, helping out. Helping out like in countless cheap porn flicks he'd seen over the years rather than in the manner that she meant. But to be in the presence of a good looking woman like Stacy, it would be worth it.

Burying the teenage style hormone driven thoughts, he looked at Stacy like a mature man looked at a mature woman. "Well, I have to agree with you there. I have a good idea of what exactly needs doing over in your place. Luckily, I can handle all of it myself. And I don't mind bringing over coffee if you laying something delicious on the table to eat.

"But, yeah, I'd be happy to help out with getting the place done up for you. I'm sure that we can come to some form of arrangement that will be good for us both. So... when you you like me to come over and have a good look at things?"

"Well, I have to agree with you there. I have a good idea of what exactly needs doing over in your place. Luckily, I can handle all of it myself. And I don't mind bringing over coffee if you laying something delicious on the table to eat.”

Stacy stared at him, wondering for a brief moment if the mental pictures she was thinking were shimmering in the air between them as his comment sent her mind spinning back to the thought of them naked somewhere. Anywhere. She smiled, feeling like she could have cut the sexual tension in the room with a knife. That tension cranked up a notch even more as he said he could handle all of it himself. She coughed suddenly to hide the leer that wanted to pop up like a jack in the box.

"But, yeah, I'd be happy to help out with getting the place done up for you. I'm sure that we can come to some form of arrangement that will be good for us both. So... when you you like me to come over and have a good look at things?"

She looked at him and somehow managed to not say right now and pack a toothbrush! Instead she smiled smoothly and said, “Well, we’re still unpacking and sorting over there right now. How about lunch tomorrow? I’ll be done my run and showered, then there will be enough daylight to see things clearly, both inside and out."

She didn’t add the thought that added that daylight would likely be safer. Then she would less likely to suggest they get naked and roll around like bunnies on her clean sheets. She wanted to respect herself in the morning.

She looked back up at him and offered, "I can create just about anything you feel like nibbling at.” Suddenly her face turned slightly scarlet as she realised just how that came out, but even as she kicked herself, she didn’t look away.

Jeff found himself starting to think through various ways of testing what he was starting to feel was an increasing level of interest from her. He could almost feel the heat coming off her, and he was starting to wonder if he was giving off any clear signals. Jeff was not going to say no if she asked, but he knew that it would be better for them both if he followed her lead. She had a kid, was a widow in a new neighbourhood. Plus, he was sure they were both experienced enough to know the realities of things. He was prepared to wait, let things get settled before anything happened. In a planned way.

When asked about checking things out next door, the smile he got started making his knees go a little weak. She was good looking before that, the smile made her stunning. Some faces really favoured smiles, almost completely changing when the person smiled. Stacy was close to being one of those people. Her face took on whole new characteristics when she smiled. At least from his perspective, her face improved immensely when she smiled.

'Man, I wonder what her face will look like when she orgasms?'

“Well, we’re still unpacking and sorting over there right now. How about lunch tomorrow? I’ll be done my run and showered, then there will be enough daylight to see things clearly, both inside and out."

Jeff was grateful for the coffee cup when she said that. That there will be enough daylight to see things clearly got him thinking of all the wrong sorts of things he could be seeing clearly. The coffee mug saved him from pursing his lips at the thought of what she'd look like naked... in natural light.

"So you run too? When you're settled in more, if you like, I'd be happy to partner you when you run. Nothing like having someone good to chase... I mean run with." Jeff stared at the bottom of his coffee mug.

'Yep, fun to chase, hopefully catch and then...' He exhaled quietly, quickly stopping his thoughts drifting to her showering. He finished his coffee and put the mug on the counter, using the time to bring his thoughts back under control. He turned back to find Stacy looking at him.

"I can create just about anything you feel like nibbling at.”

He didn't quite feel so bad when Stacy blushed at the same time he did, obviously having the same general thoughts. Things were moving a hell of a lot faster than he was comfortable with. So, he fell back on a tried and true evasive maneuver.

"Well, we have the rest of the tree to deal with. Once I have it down, I'll be fine to deal with the rest myself and you'll be able to get back to dealing with getting settled." Jeff moved up the counter a little while he waited for Stacy to finish her coffee.

Once she was done, he led her out to the front yard, and wasted little time in getting things set up to bring the tree down. It helped to have something to focus on that was not Stacy for a few minutes at least. Jeff was pleased that the base of the tree was still sound, and the trunk came down in a more natural fashion than the top part had.

Once the trunk was down safely, Jeff walked over to Stacy, his eyes once more wandering over her in total.

"Thanks for the help with the tree, Stacy. I'm right from here. I'll pop over at lunch time tomorrow and see what I can do to help you." He stood his ground, mostly afraid that he'd cross some boundary, or give her the wrong impression if he did anything. He watched her leave, watching how she moved. When she was in a position to look back at him, he focused on cutting up the tree into more manageable pieces, and dumping it into the trailer.

By the time he was finished, Jeff was hot and sweating profusely. So, he headed inside, stripping out of his work clothes and putting on a pair of speedos and headed out for his pool. He walked up to the edge of the pool and just dove in and casually swam around, cooling off and trying to control his more juvenile thoughts about Stacy and what they could do together.

Stacy thought herself very brave as she managed to not go running and screaming into the light, away from the incredible tension that shimmered between them. She had known the man less than two hours and yet she was ready to rip his clothes off and have him right then and there, bed or not. She wasn’t like that! From the looks he gave her, she knew the sexual innuendo’s were not all in her own head, and that made it harder. If it had been only her own dirty mind she might have dealt with it much better, but for both to be interested, it meant double temptation.

She just nodded when he suggested running together, but a quirk of her lips offered an opinion of its own as he mentioned a chase. She was amused to watch him staring into his cup as if he was trying to collect his own wits. She developed a bit of self defence though, making it a game in her head to see what she could turn into its own come on. Just about anything could be turned to something sexual, it amused her to think of the ways things could be taken. Taken…Just when she thought she had herself under control, off she went again!

She was actually grateful when he mentioned the tree again though. It allowed them a safe way to get out of the house and into the public eye once more without the indignity of either of them cutting and running. She watched him work on taking the tree down, helped where she could as he asked her until it lay on the ground with the rest of itself. Leaving a stump which she knew was more than manageable.

Still, she felt an absurd pang of regret as he excused her. She knew it was for the best, and for only a relatively short time, yet she had enjoyed the company. A little more than she wanted to admit to, but still. She looked at him, yearning to say, or do something to acknowledge the thing between them, but instead she turned after a smile and a small wave, making her way back across to her own home.

She stepped inside her door blowing out a breath of relief at the fact she had managed to escape with her dignity intact. Then her wonderful daughter blew her sense of composure to smithereens as she bounced around the corner. “So? Isn’t he hot? Did you ask him if he’d do work on this dump? Is his house nice? I saw you go in there. What’s it like? Is he married?”

The questions came fast and furious and Stacy just murmured indistinctly. She made her way upstairs after putting Tammy off and she shed her work clothes. Moving into the master bathroom she pinned her hair up to keep it out of the way and stepped into the warm spray of her shower. She found herself leaning back against the tiles, her mind replaying the morning in her mind. Her thoughts drifted to the way he smiled, and her hands slid over her body, finding their way between her legs.

When the water began to run cold, Stacy finally got out of the shower feeling rather naughty. She was going to hell, that’s all there was to it. Somehow she didn’t care though. . It was only the way Tammy would have thought of her that kept her from going back there now. Sure, she knew slow was better, but she wanted him. Tammy wouldn’t like it though, therefore she found the fortitude to stay strong.

She looked out the window in the bathroom then, thinking she would have to either replace the glass with frosted stuff, or hang curtains, for as it was, anybody could look in to see her, especially if the light was on. In the dark, they could see in clearly, but she would have no idea. That train of thought was arrested though, as she caught sight of her newest obsession swimming in a large pool in his backyard. She stepped forward, her fingers resting against the glass, staring out at him as he cleaved the water. When she realised she was standing naked and dripping in full view of him if he wasn't so busy swimming, she blushed and withdrew. The trouble was, she took the mental image of him with her.

Instead, she spent the rest of the day sorting out more stuff until the house actually looked a bit more like home. Again, her day ended with a glass of wine, but this time she spent much of her time just wishing he was there to enjoy it with her. She finally fell into a troubled sleep a bit after midnight and woke up again about 6. Then it was a matter of waiting until he came, a task she found to be quite annoying, but it was her she was annoyed at as she found herself checking the time every 15 minutes and debating if the fact she had put on a touch of lip gloss and eyeliner. Shrugging that worry away, she reasoned it acceptable that a lady generally wore such things; she wasn’t dressing up just for him or anything.

The swim had the desired effect of cooling him off, physically, as well as helping to dampen the lusty thoughts he was having about Stacy. It had been many a year since he felt such a strong attraction to a woman. He's seen plenty of women that got his blood running, but none that managed to excite him like Stacy had. There was a mutual interest there, but he couldn't tell how strong it was.

The rest of the day was spent trying not to focus on Stacy. He stopped himself twice at his own front door heading over to offer her a hand with getting stuff unpacked. He was very confident that she would accept the offer, but it would make him look rather forward. Plus, he wasn't sure how that would go with Tammy. That was the thing that made him turn back. How would her daughter react to his unannounced arrival?

So, he relaxed. Well, he fidgeted a lot while he sat. He tried reading some of his books, but he projected himself and Stacy into the stories, and always, he would hit a love scene and then... So, he watched some TV, catching up on news and current events and watched a few documentaries before having dinner. He looked out the kitchen window at the Crenshaw place. Then he reminded himself that it was Stacy's house now. He dragged his thoughts back to making his dinner. When he sat at the table eating, he noticed for the first time just how empty the house was. He found himself smiling and blushing as he remembered the verbal exchange between the two of them. He felt sure that he was not the only one coming up with naughty thoughts about what had been said.

He cleaned up after dinner, and grabbed his work notebook where he kept notes of all jobs he was doing, or "quoting". Starting at the back page was all of Old Widow Crenshaw's jobs. A good half of them were quoted, but not done. He went through the list, marking those what would not have changed much, if at all, over the time since he quoted for the work. Others, like the front porch, would definitely need quoting again.

By the time he finished reviewing the list, he was ready for sleep. But as he climbed into bed some twenty minutes later, his mind had returned to Stacy, and was playing through all sorts of scenarios as he slowly slipped into sleep.


He woke up, donning his running gear, and set off for his morning run. Remembering Stacy ran, he wondered what kind of runner she was. Did she wear shorts that showed off her shapely legs, or did she wear the long runners pants that hugged the legs, but also showed off the firm ass as well? He spent half the run debating which he hoped for before he concentrated on not getting lost.

He got home, showered and then pondered what he would wear over there. Work clothing, since he was going to be 'quoting'? Or maybe some everyday wear, since he didn't think he'd need to get dirty while over there? But what would Stacy think? Going over in work gear would make things a little easier to handle and remain focused, but would she think he wasn't really interested in her? But then, if he went over in casual clothing, she might think that his offer was just a means of getting his foot in the door. Which is was to a degree, but he was genuine about his offer to help with the work on the house.

That finally decided it for him. Work gear. They were flirting madly in work gear the day before, so what would make a difference today? Once he was dressed, he went to the kitchen and filled the thermos with a fresh brew of the coffee he gave Stacy. Then, he waited before he grabbed everything he needed to do any of his quotes. With one last check of the clock, he headed over to Stacy's place. As he entered her yard, he found himself slowing down, just like he did the first time he formally asked Helen out for a date. He had exactly the same nerves. He shook his head and picked up his pace. He was there to help Stacy get her house fixed up.

He hesitated for a moment before he knocked on the door.

Between wishing she had mustered the nerve to knock on his door this morning when she went for her run and worrying that she was making a huge mistake in having him over when she couldn’t keep him out of the bed in her mind. Now she was going to have him poking through her house with her, poking his nose into her bedroom seeing her unmade bed…Oh heck.

Dashing upstairs she made the bed, picked up the dirty laundry from the last couple days laundry and scooped it into a bin. She looked around quickly and decided it was good enough, but in her haste she totally missed the pink thong that was peeping from beneath the edge of the duvet. She ran through the house then, tidying this, picking up that, until she remembered he knew she had just moved in. Feeling sheepish she took a seat with a cup of coffee and forced herself to stay put until he actually arrived.

She even let Tammy open the door. Big mistake.

“Hi! You’re Jeff right? C’mon in, my mom’s been running around like you were Grandma coming to visit or something.” She opened the door and stepped out of the way as she eyed him up and down “Well, at least you’re not dressed up like you’re going to make a move on her. She doesn’t date you know.” Turning away she sashayed into the house proper, yelling, “Mom! He’s here!” Abandoning him to his own fate she dashed off upstairs.

Stacy found him and offered him a little smile. “Sorry. She’s a teenager, what can I say? Some days she’s an angel, others I think she is the devil incarnate.” She led the way toward the kitchen, pointing out the spots she had seen on the way before she turned and asked, “Want a cup of coffee to take on this tour?”

She was trying hard to behave herself, but him showing up in work wear, ready for anything was making her drool. She loved a guy who wasn’t afraid to get a bit dirty. Sometimes very dirty. It was still early, she hadn’t even made it to her bedroom and she had him stripped off in her mind as she wondered if he was a boxers of briefs kind of guy.

Giving herself a mental shake she forced her thoughts in line and stepped into the kitchen proper. She was wondering how the hell she was going to get through today without plopping herself down on his lap and begging him to kiss her.

Jeff's heart almost skipped a beat when the door started to open, and he nearly froze on the spot when he saw it was Tammy who opened it.

“Hi! You’re Jeff right? C’mon in, my mom’s been running around like you were Grandma coming to visit or something.” Jeff smiled in a mildly embarrassed fashion at the thought that Stacy tried to tidy up for his arrival. As Tammy stood aside to let him in, he saw her look him over.

“Well, at least you’re not dressed up like you’re going to make a move on her. She doesn’t date you know.”

Jeff was glad that Tammy turned away from him at that point as he felt his cheeks heat up. He was happy that he decided on work clothes. He could only imagine what Tammy would have said by way of greeting. Anyway, clothes wouldn't change much if he was trying to put a move of Stacy, which he wasn't. Not yet. He shook his head, focusing on the reason he was there. To lend a helping hand. On a breast, definitely, and maybe even -

“Mom! He’s here!”

Jeff just loitered where he was, his eyes closed trying to drag his thoughts from what ways he'd like to help Stacy to the ways he meant when he made his offer.

“Sorry. She’s a teenager, what can I say? Some days she’s an angel, others I think she is the devil incarnate.”

Jeff jumped a little, smiling at the comment. "Well, they do make life... ahh... interesting." He followed her through to the kitchen, spending more of his time staring at the way her ass moved and her hips swayed than looking at what Stacy was pointing to. Most of them hadn't changed since he last saw them, and he made a mental note to update his workbook. Sometime later.

“Want a cup of coffee to take on this tour?”

He snapped his thoughts from Stacy's glorious anatomy and looked at her.

"All you need to do is supply the mug. Most people bring wine as a house warming gift, but I..." He lifted the thermos. "It's a good vintage. Thirty minutes ago was a fine year for this drop." He laughed a little. "I remembered how much you liked it, I thought I'd bring some over for you... I hope you don't mind."

He watched her rather intently as she got the mugs, trying to think of how she looked in various types of lingerie. He used the opening of the thermos to bring his thoughts back under control, and hoped like hell that his growing erection was not yet detectable. Once the coffee was poured, he opened his work book, and started checking to see if anything on the kitchen list had changed, or anything new cropped up.

It made him feel better falling into a working frame of mind as he started looking into the cupboard under the sink to see if the drain was still leaky or not.

"Sorry if I'm a bit forward, it's just I have a list of incomplete jobs from when Mrs Crenshaw lived here that she asked me to look into. So, I'm having a look at the stuff I know about, before looking at any of the new things."

He scrambled out of the cupboard, and went to the pantry, noting the bottom hinge had finally rusted away enough for the hinge to break. He also saw one of the shelves needed to be replaced as it was sagging badly. He picked up a couple of new problems; a window that wasn't sealing properly when closing, and another cupboard door that didn't latch properly.

"Well," he took a sip of the coffee, "shall we see what else needs doing downstairs?" He systematically went through each room, showing Stacy what outstanding stuff there was and listening to her point out anything new she noticed and writing that into his book.

During their tour, Jeff turned to head back to the kitchen and walked right into Stacy heading his way. Jeff's reflex reaction was to grab Stacy before she fell to the floor. But in the process, he pulled her tightly against him. For what felt like an eternity, he could smell her clean hair. His chest was being pushed by her compressed breasts as she breathed. He could feel the strength of her back and abdomen muscles along with the trimness of her waist. He caught himself before his hand drifted down to confirm she had a nicely toned ass.

"Sorry... I didn't mean to..." He slowly let go of her, though he wanted to keep holding her tightly against him. It was very close in feeling to what it would be like to have her pressed against a bed as they fucked. With that thought, he knew that she would have felt his body's approval of her.

Jeff made his way passed Stacy, brushing her again,and stifling a sigh at the feelings the further contact made. It seemed to Jeff that his body had decided that Stacy was well worth knowing, and his mind was just going to have to tag along.

The rest of the inspection of the downstairs rooms was a haze filled event filled with too many images of him and Stacy in rather naked fun.

"How about we get upstairs done then?"

Stacy followed Jeff into her house and very shortly thereafter was following him around feeling like a stranger in her own home. He knew more about her house than she did! She nodded in all the right places when he spoke, but her eyes were less on the things he was looking at and mentioning to her than she was staring at the way his muscles were moving beneath his shirt, and the way he filled out a pair of jeans. Her mouth went dry on several occasions as she turned and caught him checking her out in return.

She sipped her delicious coffee as she wandered along, thoroughly enjoying the heady brew he had brought her. Unfortunately, it did little to distract her from her study of his form, nor her daydreams involving his hands sliding over her skin instead of the banister he was touching just then. She coughed and took another sip, trying desperately to focus.

She had just set down her cup on a convenient surface and was walking the few steps back toward him when he turned suddenly and took a step toward, her, bringing their bodies into alarmingly close proximity. A tiny whimpered gasp escaped her as he pulled her body against his reflexively. Her fingers clenched into his shirt as she sniffed his clean, masculine scent. She could feel him, pressing into her abdomen, the hot pulsing length of him throbbing against her as it proclaimed she wasn’t the only one who was affected in this situation.

She swayed a fraction closer, her chin lifted, her lips parted slightly, the moistly parted flesh seemed to beg for his kiss…just as he apologized and stepped back. She closed her mouth, her lower lip caught between her teeth as she tried desperately not to throw herself into his arms. She shivered visibly as he brushed against her, her nerves on fire along with her mind as she conjured visions of what she wanted from him.

"How about we get upstairs done then?"

Dumbly she nodded, and led the way up the stairs, acutely aware of his eyes locked on her rump as she wiggled her way up the steps. The natural sway of her hip was subtly emphasised as her body advertised her need silently, and even without her knowledge as her body spoke to his. She felt so feminine in that moment, eager wanting and knowing somehow it was just a matter of time.

She left her bedroom for last, instead showing him everything from the leaky tap in the upstairs bath to the broken closet door in Tamara’s room. The paint was chipped in places throughout, but that was the least of her concern. She pointed out where moisture had caused the baseboards to pull away from the walls and curl a little. All the jobs were small, but all together the task at hand was very discouraging.

Finally there was nothing left but her own room. The place she already thought of as her sanctuary. She pushed the door open, feeling her face flame absurdly as they invaded it together. She glanced at the huge bed and felt even her ears heat up as she looked away from it quickly. Trying for brisk, her voice came out shakily as she murmured, “As you can see, this room is in pretty good shape. The window sill shows signs of water damage, so I assume the window leaks. There is a small crack in the ceiling there, the bathroom should have new glass or curtains, as it is, it’s rather visible.”

Finally, she led the way back to the entrance. Here she pushed the door closed, sealing them into the relative silence and privacy of her room. Silence that is, after the horrendous squeak finally faded to silence. She said, “I don’t think that problem needs any explanation though.” Unconsciously she stepped forward, her lips parting again. She might have closed the distance completely and taken the kiss she was getting almost desperate to taste from his lips, when her eyes widened in horror. There, just behind him, she spotted that errant pair of panties she had missed earlier. She could see them, peeking out at her from just past his elbow along her line of sight, as if they were taunting her. Her gaze flew up to his face to check his eyes to see if he had spotted them too. She bit at her lip again, her cheeks getting redder by the second.

As hard as he tried, he couldn't help but stare at her rear again, almost mesmerized by how it looked and moved and thinking what it would be like planting kisses along the hip line before...

Arriving at the top of the stairs helped him get back on track. Stacy showed him into every room, trying to explain what was wrong before he could say a word. Nothing new was added to the list as they completed everything except for the bedrooms. As they approached Tammy's room, she wandered out and headed to the bathroom, casting a look over her shoulder at Jeff before closing the door behind her. Jeff confirmed that there was nothing new to be done in that room, finding himself eager to get out of her room for some reason. It took moments to figure out he was looking forward to seeing Stacy's room.

Jeff's thoughts ran rampant concerning what could be done on her bed, with her. He fought hard to control his increasing heart rate, as well as hoping like hell he wasn't blushing. He heard Stacy rapidly run through her list of issues with the room. She even led him around point them out. He followed her on almost autopilot, focusing on the work he would need to get done in the room, not the fun he'd like to have.

He watched her walk back to the door, slowly pushing it closed where it squeaked loudly before snapping shut with what sounded like a loud clang.

“I don’t think that problem needs any explanation though.”

There was no mistaking the look in her eye as she started to move away from the door. He knew that if she got within arms reach, he'd be tasting her in some form or other. But before she got there, she stopped, her eyes widening in fear. She looked back at him, her face darkening in an obvious blush. He fought against his curiosity, but he turned and looked at where she had been looking. On the bed, partially hiding was a pair of pink underwear. He closed his eyes in a long blink, seeing her in them, and nothing else. He felt himself blushing as he turned back to face her.

"Ahh... yes... well, I think I've seen enough for now." He started to make his way to the door. He got close to where Stacy stood, he dropped his work book, pulling Stacy into a passionate kiss. One hand splayed between her shoulder blades, while the other started on the small of her back. That hand quickly slipped to her ass, enjoying the feel of it under his hand. His lips sought to cover as much of hers as his tongue tried to explore the delights hidden beyond her lips.

"Mmmm... My God... you taste great," Jeff murmured between kisses and heavy breathing. He slowly moved Stacy back to the door, pinning her against the wood as continued his attempt to devour her with his need. With a pause to look into her eyes, he hauled her up until her neck was on eye level. With a soft growl he started to kiss and bite her neck, his hands supporting her weight by cupping her ass. He continued kissing all the flesh exposed by her blouse he could reach. He sighed long and low when he ran out of parts he could easily kiss.

"I think we need to finish this elsewhere." He carried her easily to the bed, dropping her down long enough to continue the oral mauling that they were enjoying earlier. He dropped one knee onto Stacy's bed, before he half lower, half dropped them both onto the bed.

"Jesus, I don't believe this..." He resumed the kissing, his hands exploring her clothed body, his right making it's way for the blouse buttons, undoing the top two before he was fully aware of what he was doing. He stared down to see a very beautiful lacy white bra caressing her breasts. The hand reached out, softly touching the fabric, hardly putting any pressure on the entrapped flesh beneath. Jeff delighted in the feel of the fabric prior to getting a feel for what was underneath.

He sighed and almost whistled at the sight and feel before his lips started moving over her neck, kissing his way down once more.

Stacy had enough time to curse her expressive face at least a hundred times as he slowly turned to look at where her eyes had gone, but there was naught she could do about it. Time seemed to freeze for an indeterminate moment as he looked and turned back to her. She could have kissed him for the way he gallantly attempted to ignore them, even in all their frilly pink glory. His blush was damned cute too.

She thought perhaps she would escape her room unscathed as he turned to leave and she wasn’t sure exactly if she was mad or glad about it. But then the question became moot. She gasped just a little as his workbook hit the floor, pressing against him just as eagerly as his lips crushed to hers. She whimpered just a little as his big hand splayed on the upper curve of her ass, then slid down to explore its firm curve. Her lips parted under his onslaught and her tongue sought to become welded to his as she danced a very naughty tune against him.

"Mmmm... My God... you taste great,"

Stacy’s only answer was a throaty moan as she followed his lead eagerly, arching against him as his hands lifted her against the door. She lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist as his lips and teeth blazed a path across the column of her throat. It wasn’t that she was an idle participant either. She writhed against him, her fingers travelled over the flannel material of his shirt eagerly. Her lips met his with an equal passion, trying to brand herself onto his lips.

"Jesus, I don't believe this..."

She cried out as his hands deftly found the buttons of her blouse. This was moving so quickly! She couldn’t complain though. She was just as much a part of it as he was, her body arching under his touch, almost squirming against the bed as she yanked the material of his shirt out of his well worn jeans. Her fingers slid under his shirt to thoroughly explore the taut skin of his back, even as she let her traitorous hands make the jump off his back to cup the cheeks of his ass, pulling his body closer as she ground her hips against the firm edge of his erection in his pants.

“God…” She whimpered as his fingers brushed against her lacy bra, a thought of gratitude that she wore the good set today there long enough to be thought, then it was gone in the swirl of desire that made up the majority of her thought patterns just now. She couldn’t help in. She knew it was shameless, but she still reached for him, her fingers found the button of his jeans and she slipped it easily. A soft sound of excitement as she licked her lips, her body strained toward his, even as her hands dipped beneath the waistband of his jeans, cupping his cock in a hand that shook a little.

Using his cock for a guide, her hands roamed beneath his jeans eagerly, stroking over the curve of his ass, curling along his length. She was just thinking of figuring out how to get rid of his jeans and her own when it happened. She froze beneath him, her gaze wide and nervous as her daughter called out, “Mom, I can’t find my toothbrush! Did you pack the bathroom box? Oh. Never mind, I see it! It’s by the linen closet.” Her voice moved away, but the mood was broken.

Stacy shifted beneath him, her face flaming dully. Thankfully he let her up without a fight and she wiggled off the bed, muttering, “God I haven’t acted like that since I was a lot younger!” She twitched her clothes into place, doing up buttons and straightening her shirt before she found the courage to look at him.

She said softly, “I don’t have an excuse for my behaviour. But somehow I don’t think I need one. I’m sure you know I wouldn’t do that as a rule. It’s immaterial though. I cant say I regret it either.” Her lips split in a Cheshire cat grin. She looked up at him then and suggested, “How about dinner tonight. Not to be forward or anything, but how about dinner at your place. Tonight maybe? I could do something yummy.” Her eyes were what were talking most though. They suggested his place over hers as there Tamara couldn’t interrupt. His place as opposed to a restaurant since they were neither of them thinking to clearly, and definitely not about food.

She received his agreement and frankly almost shoved him out the door. She’d had to though. Any more and she would have ripped his clothes off and had her way with him, propriety or not! Tamara wandered back into the relative vicinity as she stood making her goodbyes. Stacy smiled and said smoothly, “Well then, I will look forward to seeing you tonight after you’ve had the opportunity to come up with a few ideas for making this place prettier as well as functional.” Tamara gave her a bit of an off look, but said nothing.

She had plenty to say as her mother prepared to go next door though. Stacy’s hair was down in loose curls about her shoulders. Shoulders that were bare because of the sun dress she wore, with only a pair of cream coloured t backed panties underneath. She carried a couple pans, thinly sliced roast beef and potatoes in one, corn in the other as she told her daughter calmly, “I have no idea how long I’ll be, it all depends on how much Jeff has to show me there. Don’t wait up, I’ll see you in the morning.”

As her mom left, Tamara blinked. It sure seemed like something was going on there. She brushed the thought away. Her mom had only known the guy for a few days, there couldn’t be something going on! Still, the suspicion persisted, and the young lady decided to start paying closer attention to that…

Next door, Stacy rang Jeff’s bell, wondering if he was a s nervous as she felt.

Jeff stood before the bathroom mirror, water dripping down in front of his face as he stared almost blankly at his reflection. The events of what happened in Stacy's bedroom running wild through his mind. It had been many years since he felt passion that strong for a women, and only then after getting to know her a little better, a few dates, kissing and some exploration.

"But this quick?" The brief shake of his head sent water droplets across the mirror. "Good thing that Stacy feels the same way..." He felt himself starting to rise to the occasion, which reminded him of the way her hand felt curled around it. "Oh... this is going to be an interesting night."

He toweled himself dry, wandering back into his bedroom to fall down on the bed and stare at the ceiling. He picked her up and pinned her against the door while kissing her as if his life depended on it. Then dropped her on the bed where the two of them started stripping and exploring each other. If Tammy hadn't of interrupted, Jeff was sure that they would have been having sex within minutes. The way she joined in fully, making it clear that she was as interested in what was going on was so arousing, even while replaying it in his mind.

He got himself dressed. Good button up shirt, boxers, his newer pair of jeans and a belt to make it look less casual. He found a pair of shoes that looked like that hadn't seen a construction site at some point in their life. Once he was dressed and ready, he remembered that there was no set time for Stacy to come over.

He gave his place a once over check. It was tidy, but still had the feel of a place where someone actually lived. He checked his bedroom three times for any 'surprises' like Stacy had. That thought brought back the full run of the memories right up to them stopping.

Stacy shifted beneath him, her face flaming dully. Thankfully he let her up without a fight and she wiggled off the bed, muttering, “God I haven’t acted like that since I was a lot younger!” She twitched her clothes into place, doing up buttons and straightening her shirt before she found the courage to look at him.

She said softly, “I don’t have an excuse for my behaviour. But somehow I don’t think I need one. I’m sure you know I wouldn’t do that as a rule. It’s immaterial though. I cant say I regret it either.” Her lips split in a Cheshire cat grin. She looked up at him then and suggested, “How about dinner tonight. Not to be forward or anything, but how about dinner at your place. Tonight maybe? I could do something yummy.” Her eyes were what were talking most though.

"God, I don't care what the excuse was... I didn't regret a moment of it either. Oh.... boy! I know she was talking about food, but I know she could do lots of yummy things."

Jeff wandered to the kitchen and dining rooms, debating on what cutlery and crockery to get out. But he had no idea what she was bringing over, so it was fairly pointless to worry about it.

The doorbell announced that all the speculations were about to end. His heart rate skyrocketed as he approached the front door. Just dinner, eat a nice meal and get to know each other better.

He opened the door and his eyes widened briefly at how Stacy looked. He took forever to look over her in the dress she wore. Even though he could smell the food she had brought over, his mouth was watering for a totally different reason. His jaw dropped in preparation to speak, but the words piled up in his mind as it was busy on all things Stacy.

"Wow... uhh.. Come in, come in. Ahh.. just put those down on the kitchen counter." He stood there, staring at her as she slipped passed him in the doorway, and he continued to stare at her until she reached the middle of the hallway. He closed the door, locking it and followed her, his eyes desperately trying to strip the dress off her.

"You.. I mean the food smell's great. Thank you for doing this." He leant down and gave Stacy a quick kiss, not trusting himself with anything more. But even that quick touch of her delicious lips left him with a tingle on his lips that was spreading across his face. "So, shall we sit down and enjoy the dinner you made for us?" Without waiting, he started getting out plates, cutlery and anything else he thought of that might be needed.

"About this afternoon... please don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it a lot, but it was not something that I had planned. Neither do I think you're... because I don't and you're not. You are one... very attractive woman." The food was put onto the plates, and taken to the table as he continued to talk. "I'm definitely interested in getting to know you Stacy." 'Including in the biblical sense.' "I don't make a habit of," he grinned as he helped Stacy into her chair, "mauling every woman I do work for. Gee.. I think I'll just shut up now before I make a further fool of myself."

Jeff took a couple of moments to relax. "Stacy, there is one thing I should tell you about your place. It's structurally sound, and most of the stuff wrong with it is more cosmetic. Some of the problems, if left alone, will become big issues in time. But at least you don't have to worry about the place falling down around your ears.

"I think we should eat this before it goes stone cold, don't you?" Jeff's eyes wandered again, noticing for the first time that Stacy was not wearing a bra. He didn't bother reacting to the obvious blush that accompanied that revelation.

"Wow... uhh.. Come in, come in. Ahh.. just put those down on the kitchen counter."

Stacy smiled at him as she sort of eased past his body in the doorway to make it into the house proper. She couldn’t have spoken if she’d tried, for her mouth was as if she’d filled it with cotton. She took the food to the kitchen as directed, fighting to hold back the tremor of excitement that tried to shake her as he told her that she smelled good instead of the food, then corrected it. It was nice to know that she wasn’t the only one obsessed with the idea of getting into bed with him.

His light kiss made her whimper in the back of her throat, the sound almost inaudible. She licked her lips as she watched him fetching the things needed for their meal, tasting him on them. That taste only made her want him more, yet she shoved down the feeling. Maybe later, but right now it was prudent of them to hold back, lest they sprawl across the floor as they explored their new emotions and supper got cold instead.

She blushed as he commented on not usually doing things like he had done with her earlier and as he said that he wanted to get to know her she blushed, finally finding her tongue. “I don’t usually do things like that either. I am not generally a wanton woman and wish that my self control was a little greater so I could actually show that.”

"Stacy, there is one thing I should tell you about your place. It's structurally sound, and most of the stuff wrong with it is more cosmetic. Some of the problems, if left alone, will become big issues in time. But at least you don't have to worry about the place falling down around your ears.”

She welcomed the change in subject, feeling the slow burn of her ears subsiding as she was able to focus on something other than being naked with him. Just the thought of that was enough to stiffen her nipples in response. She glanced up at him to make a comment and instantly forgot what she was about to say as she caught sight of where his glance had fallen and the blush on his face. She knew that he had realised just what her attire consisted of and his blush gave her a small thrill. She liked making him think of her in that way…and realising that made her blush a little in return, feeling positively shameless.

She said softly, “I am more than happy to fix all the problems with my home, one at a time. Maybe focussing on the most serious and then moving down the list as time, materials and money allow. I want to make my house a home as I hope to live here for a long time.” Her eyes flashed silent messages at him, telling him without words just how eager she was to be here, especially now. He was unexpected, but most welcome in her life.

She helped him in silence, laying out the cutlery and plates, followed by the dishes of food. As if it was the most natural thing in the world she sat down and dinner commenced. She spent the next half hour or so telling him a bit about herself and her life. She told him that she was a freelance illustrator, meaning that she was at home most of the time. She drew for children’s stories and absolutely loved her job.

As she talked she kicked off her shoes and let her legs brush against his. But it wasn’t until they were cleaning up that she really made a move. As they did the washing up she suddenly set down the towel that she had used to dry the last dish and turned to him, her hand reaching tentatively for his hip, brushing against it to get his attention.

When he turned to her she looked up at him and said what was on her mind. “I don’t understand how we have arrived at this point so soon. Maybe we knew each other in a past life or something, but the fact remains that there is an undeniable attraction between us that only seems to grow the more we are together. I don’t want to fight that.” Her fingers curled into his belt loop, pulling and turning until he faced her squarely. Her fingers laid palms down on the wide expanse of his chest, sliding up to loop behind his neck as she felt his heat through his dress shirt.

I want to get to know you too, very much, but right now I really want to feel your lips against mine, if you don’t mind.” She leaned forward again, pressing her body to his, almost positive he could hear the thunder of her heart against him as she waited for his lips to claim hers, hoping he wouldn’t turn her away. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to go all the way with him, but to be like a polite stranger was not something she could do a single second longer. Not if she had any say in the matter anyway.

The time at the table eating with Stacy was wonderful as far as Jeff was concerned. The food she cooked was great, he enjoyed listening to her tell him more about herself and what she did. He could tell from her expression and her voice how much joy she got from her work. Jeff felt the same about his work too. He did it because he enjoyed it. He didn't have to work, but it got him out of the house, talking to people, thinking about how to deal with things and then doing stuff.

But he was also captivated by her. Her beauty, the intelligence that he caught glimpses of, plus there seemed to be a love of life in general. That, and she was sitting shotgun on a teenage daughter, all made her a rather remarkable woman. He also had to fight the knowledge that there was a thin layer or two of fabric covering most of her body. His hands itched to feel her again, this time with fewer layers of obstruction in the way. Plus he occasionally caught himself looking for signs of erect nipples...

He knew that she kicked her shoes off at some stage, and the casual touches of her legs caused some rapid spikes in his body temperature. Those touches brought the thoughts of what they would be like wrapped around his body like they were earlier in the day.

They finished dinner and he started to clear up and clean up. To his pleasant surprise, Stacy started helping. He didn't complain because it allowed him to look at her as she moved around, watching the play of her body under the sundress. He was so caught up in the cleaning up and the stolen glances that he missed her approach. Her hand brushing his hip had the same effect as the touches of her legs earlier.

“I don’t understand how we have arrived at this point so soon. Maybe we knew each other in a past life or something, but the fact remains that there is an undeniable attraction between us that only seems to grow the more we are together. I don’t want to fight that.”

"I don't want to fight it either."

Jeff felt himself being turned around until he faced Stacy. As he smiled to her, her hands were splayed across his chest as they moved up behind his neck. The path left by her hands almost burned with a heat that was soon eclipsed by the heat caused by her body pressing against his.

“I want to get to know you too, very much, but right now I really want to feel your lips against mine, if you don’t mind.”

"Mind? I thought I was going to be the brave one." Not wasting further time, he leaned down and joined his lips to hers. The kiss started slowly, but soon became more passionate and demanding. His tongue slipped into her mouth, eager seeking out its play partner. His own hands circled her waist, as his breathing got heavier and faster along with the desire to taste the woman in his arms.

He reached down to cup her bottom, and lifted her up until she was at an even height with him. "Lounge room," he murmured between kisses, receiving some conformation noise from her as he carried her to the room in question. Along the way he managed to shuck of his shoes, much preferring to be barefoot in his own home. He walked them over to the sofa, where he lowered Stacy to her feet. As he did, her dress was pulled up, showing off all of her legs. Without any further thought, he continued lifting the dress, soon removing it from Stacy.

He took a step back, and openly admired her. She was a woman who took good care of herself, and it showed. He guided her to the sofa, kissing her along the way until she was laid down on it's soft length. In the dimmed light of the lounge room, her skin had a soft glow that was almost an aura. His eyes drifted over the breasts what were still firm, luscious and just right in every aspect. As his gaze swept over her flat belly, he worked on taking off his shirt. Soon, like her, his chest was bare, along with his abdomen. The physical labour had left him fit, along with a well defined body with enough muscle to be noticeable. He made equally short work of his jeans, leaving him in boxers that announced clearly how he was feeling about Stacy.

"Since you're not wearing much, I thought I would be a gentleman and match you." Jeff laid himself down on top of Stacy, resuming kissing her with the same passion as the he did in her bedroom. His hands explored her exposed flesh, marveling at the feel of her. He found himself starting to grind against her as his kissing shifted from her mouth to her neck. As he moved further down, one hand roamed over her thigh and occasionally grazed her buttock.

"Oh my God, you are so tasty..." His lips reached her shoulder, the kissing interspersed with heavy breathing as he continued working towards the generous swells of her breasts. Kisses, nips, licking and sucking his way across her breasts, Jeff moaned and sighed as he showed Stacy how much he desired her. He tried to keep track of what was working, but he was lost too much in the flow of the passion.

He returned to kiss Stacy, moaning into her mouth as he enjoyed that simple pleasure with her.

"I haven't had this much fun since I was a teen, and..." He remember Stacy was a mother of a teenager. He looked down at Stacy, wondering if she had made the same connection that he had.

"I don't want to fight it either."

Stacy held her breath as his lips met hers, only to shudder out lightly against the side of his cheek at the exquisite perfection of that kiss. She’d barely heard his statement, something about being brave. She didn’t care though, the first touch of his lips against hers drove the thought clear out of her head. She whimpered a little, pressing up toward him, trying to fit their bodies together instinctively.

When he lifted her by the ass she wrapped her legs around his waist, her whole body quivering with delight as she felt the strength and firmness of his muscles against her body. She felt the heat of her core so close to him and it made her body shudder against him as a low sound of something that might have been agreement.

She put her feet down finally as they reached the lounge. It was second nature at least that caused her to lift her arms without question to allow him to lift the dress over her head. When he stepped back she had a moments sense of self consciousness, but she caught a look at the expression on his face and it emboldened her. She felt in that moment like the queen of the world and the next Miss Universe. Or something.

She let him lead her to the sofa, her eyes limpid pools of excitement in her face as her gaze locked on his. She licked her lips unconsciously as he took off his shirt and her gaze locked on the flat planes of his stomach. She couldn’t have torn her gaze away if the house had been on fire. As his jeans dropped there was an audible gasp as she saw the length of him pressing proudly erect against the material of his boxers. She was pretty sure he saw her lick her lips but she managed not to leap off the couch at him. Yet.

Her arms wrapped around him as he joined her, moaning unabashedly at the press of his skin against her body, hot and needy, just like her own. Her hips began to shift against his, pressing up against the hard length that pressed so insistently against her stomach. That was what had the most of her attention, though the way his lips trailed over her neck and his hands roamed her body definitely competed for attention.

She groaned against his lips as his fingers grazed her panties. She arched against him, her palms sliding over his back, her nails scraping over his shoulders and then back to the pads of her fingertips as she mewled her desire against his lips..

As his lips trailed a line of fire across her breasts she arched up to him, her lip caught between her teeth as she felt her already pebble hard nipples trying to get harder. She cried out, the sound low and needy through her teeth as his lips and tongue…even his teeth conspired to make her feel even hotter. She was writhing against him slowly, her fingers just having found and eased under the edge of his boxers when he spoke, his voice thick with passion.

"I haven't had this much fun since I was a teen, and..."

She froze against him then pressed lightly against his chest. She was grateful when he backed up immediately. She eased out from under him and slid back into her dress, her eyes averted as she felt her cheeks burn. Her body was almost in physical pain she was so turned on, but all she could think of was seeing her little girl caught in the same position and peering accusingly over her lovers shoulder to look accusingly at Stacy as she asked, “Do you think this is right? No? So why is it right if you do it?” It was almost as effective as a bucket of ice water.

She chanced a glance at Jeff and whispered, “I’m sorry. I know that’s terribly unfair to you. But I cant. I think I had best go. Thank you for your hospitality.” She blushed even harder at considering his ‘hospitality’ but she pressed bravely onward. She said, “If you don’t mind I’ll come back tomorrow for the dishes.” Without waiting for a response she flat out fled. She was halfway across the lawn between their houses when she realised she’d forgotten her shoes, but she could have been crossing hot coals and was still not about to turn around and return for them. She had embarrassed herself more than enough for one night.

She raced inside and up the stairs. She wasn’t quite fast enough to escape Tamara’s gimlet eye. An eye that narrowed seeing her moms dishevelled appearance as she took the stairs two at a time. She looked in the general direction of Jeff’s house. With interest. Her eyes narrowed and she said to herself, “Well since she didn’t head for the phone to call the cops, so it was consensual. That won’t do.” She retreated to her room to think about the development.

In Stacy’s room she was cursing herself. She had stripped off the dress and her panties aside with a growl of frustration. Tentatively she touched herself. Just as she thought. She was soaked! Absently her fingers rose to her lips and she tasted herself, almost swooning with the taste of it. She moaned softly in dismay, wishing she had never left.

Her head lifted and she muttered, “How the hell am I going to go over there tomorrow and get my stuff, then tell him that I’d like him to consider working on the house, all without jumping him? Ooo I do have a problem…”

With a sigh she took another cold shower.

Never one to shirk from something once her mind was set, she found herself the next morning knocking on his door. Her feet were thrust into trainers, the long length of her legs bared below a pair of running shorts. Her hair was caught up in a ponytail. And she looked at him, determinedly cheerful. “You said you wanted to run with me. I thought maybe today was a good starting day.” She knew she would be smarter to run away, but she was nothing if not determined.

All it took was her hand lightly touching his chest to confirm his suspicions. Just reminding her of her daughter was enough to quell the passion in her, as much as it did for him. Even as painfully wanting her as he was, Jeff didn't want to fuck up something very special that was developing between them. He watched Stacy dress with sad, but understanding expression on his face. He found watching her dress to be just as pleasing as seeing her undress.

She looked his way, her voice softly wafting over to his ears. “I’m sorry. I know that’s terribly unfair to you. But I cant. I think I had best go. Thank you for your hospitality. If you don’t mind I’ll come back tomorrow for the dishes.”

She made not pretense at a dignified exit. He sat still listening to her running down the hallway, and out the door. He sat back, trying to calm down his body that was primed for Stacy, and the delights they were going to experience together. Something about her was pushing every button hard, and he was responding just as hard. He knew that she was wanting it as much as he was, which made it harder to take. He pulled his jeans back on, standing up and going to the front door, closing it slowly, just in case Stacy was going to materialize and demand that he continue from where he was stopped.

"Nice dream, Jeff. But only a dream." The door closed with a soft click. He gathered his shirt on the way through to the kitchen where he finished tidying up, and gathering all of Stacy's pots and such together. He stared at the table where he had enjoyed the company of someone else. Eating. Talking. Looking. Admiring.

Sighing, he headed off for a cold shower, which had the desired effect and allowed him to collapse in bed and sleep. A sleep full of dreams of what they could have done if he hadn't uttered those fateful words.

The sound of someone knocking on his door brought him out of a deep sleep. He dragged on a pair of sweat pants as he stumbled for the front door. He opened the door to find the last person he expected to be there. Stacy.

His eyes deliberately surveyed her running out fit, approving of the way hugged her body and showed off a generous amount of her flesh without being vulgar. By the time his eyes got back to hers, his exhaled sigh was almost an audible whistle.

“You said you wanted to run with me. I thought maybe today was a good starting day.”

"Sounds like a great idea. Give me a couple of minutes to get changed. Come in if you like." Jeff went into his bedroom, quickly changing into his running gear. He walked out in a jogging singlet, running shorts and runners. When he and Stacy walked out the front door, he closed it and started to stretch and warm up.

Jeff forgot how much better running was when he had a partner to run with. The knowledge that there was someone present helped insetting a good pace and keeping it. They were also a silent source of morale for those times when running was not something that he wanted to do, even though he was capable. Then there was Stacy as the running partner. That added whole volumes of other benefits to the having a running partner. Of course, having someone as attractive as her running with him was good. It gave him reasons to lag behind on from time to time. Knowing that she wanted to be with him also made him feel better. Plus, seeing how she looked all hot and sweaty after being physical left his mind with plenty to work on as he ran.

When they returned to Jeff's place, he started to stretch and cool down from the run. Once he was done, he bent down and untied his shoe laces just enough to make what he had planned easier. He quickly moved and grabbed Stacy and put her over his shoulder. As he walked towards the pool, he efficiently removed her footwear by the time he reached the pool edge. With and easy flip he had her off his shoulder and in his arms. Before she had a chance to grab hold of him, he casually threw her into the pool.

He shed his own footwear while laughing, then dived in after her. He surfaced in front of Stacy, wrapping his arms around her, taking her in passionate kiss. With his feet on the bottom of the pool, his shoulders were just below the water level. He held Stacy close as he continued to taste the combination of pool water, sweat and Stacy on her lips.

He pulled head away from Stacy's reluctantly. "I have been waiting all morning to kiss you."

Stacy had stood on his doorstep for an eternity it seemed, sure he wasn’t going to answer, or if he did, he would be curt or abrupt. His ready acceptance of her olive branch was a pleasant surprise. But that really wasn’t quite what had her attention. He had opened the door in nought but a pair of sweats. And she found herself checking him out from head to toe. When he turned back into the house, the imp in her head tried to figure out if he was wearing underwear or not. Her bet was no, and she shivered at the thought of him sleeping on rumpled sheets, wrapped around her preferably, but stark naked. Silently she licked her lips and came in behind him.

She waited patiently as he got dressed, trying hard to not picture him naked still, with very limited success. She wanted him with a passion that surprised her. Even after the fiasco of last night she wanted him. She knew as she was sure he did, that it was simply a matter of time. They were going to come together, and they would do it soon, or self combust.

She admired his ass while they stretched out, but she actually mostly managed to keep her thoughts at least 75% pure as they ran. She knew too that was mostly because him running naked would likely be painful, so she only mentally stripped him to his underwear. She found herself enjoying the activity anyway. She loved to run, and doing it with him was really not a burden. He matched her pace, without slowing her up, or making her sprint to try to keep up. It was truly enjoyable.

She was pleasantly winded as they stretched out at the end, but it was a good winded. She was completely caught off guard as he slung her over his shoulder and took off her shoes while she squealed in some distinct surprise. She hadn’t expected the move, nor did she expect the one that suddenly had her flying through the air and sinking into the coolness of the water. She came up spluttering just in time to swipe the water from her eyes and see Jeff plunging into the pool

When he came up against her and pulled her against him, she lost the faint trace of mad she might have had the instant his lips covered hers. She moaned softly , the sound lost before it actually came up as she met his lips eagerly with her own. Her body recognised him instantly, the low heat in the pit of her stomach flaring to race that heat to her pussy too that clenched in instant sympathy.

"I have been waiting all morning to kiss you."

She looked at him her eyes dark with desire. She whispered, “I have been able to think of little else myself. That and other things too.” Boldly she wrapped her legs around his waist, the flimsy material of her shorts doing little to disguise the heat of her as she lowered herself in the water a little more to let herself rest against the bulge in Jeff’s attire. As Stacy’s lips found his again, she pressed the desire hardened nubs of her nipples against his chest as she tried to mate his tongue with her own.

She finally drew back and whispered, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have left last night. I want you so bad, it scares me a little and I ran out on you at the earliest excuse, even though I knew then I didn’t really want to.” Beneath the water she trusted him to support her as her hands found purchase on his sides, using them not to pull herself up, but instead to hold herself against him so she could shamelessly rub against him as she moaned softly, unashamed for once in her own needs.

“I need you.” Her words were stark, brutally honest as she exposed her inner self to his gaze.