Operation: Stripped & Stranded

by E Kay Sims

  “Oh, come on! I like some country music, it’s not all bad,” EZee said, laughing, “Florida Georgia Line is pretty damn good, in my opinion.” She fiddled with her iPhone then plugged it into the stereo adapter. This Is How We Roll blasted through the speakers. I’d never heard the song before and I had to admit, it was pretty good. “I saw these guys in person at the Willamette Country Music festival in Brownsville last year. They totally rocked!”

  I gave her a look of skepticism but, before I knew it, I was tapping my fingers on the steering wheel and singing along with the chorus. We must have listened to every song they’d ever recorded over the next few hours. My favorite was H.O.L.Y.. I had a weird premonition listening to that song. For some reason, I couldn’t get it out of my head, the vision of EZee standing in a field of lavender with the sun setting on the horizon, a gentle breeze ruffling her hair as she looked up at me with love shining in her eyes. Her hands cupped her rounded belly. Goosebumps rose up on my flesh. I kept my eyes on the road and didn’t say anything to EZee about it.

  After a while, she grabbed a blanket from the back seat and folded it into a makeshift pillow. She turned toward the window. “Mind if I sleep?” she murmured.

  “Nope, you go right ahead. I’ll wake you when we stop for gas again.”

  GIL

  A

  fter I received the reply from Eric, I dialed my supervisor’s number at the Oak Street Ice Cream Co. Back when I had signed on with them, they’d offered me a condo on the north side of town in the brand-new Rockwood Ridge Estate. I had declined at the time, since Eric offered me a room in his place. But now, with Leah in tow, I couldn’t very well impose on him. It wouldn’t be fair.

  “Gil, I see you’ve made it Stateside,” Colin’s smooth voice answered on the third ring.

  “G’day, Colin. Yeah, I made it one piece. Just.”

  Colin laughed at me. “Good to hear. Anything I can help you with, man? Or I should I call you ‘mate?’”

  I let loose a polite laugh and shifted in my seat and glanced across at Leah, who was taking a turn at driving. “Sir, I know when we spoke previously, you offered me a condo and I turned it down—”

  “Ah yeah, you’re staying with a buddy, right?” Colin interrupted.

  “Actually…” I hesitated. I felt Leah give my leg an encouraging squeeze. I cleared my throat. “The situation has changed, mate. I was wondering if the offer still stands?”

  “Everything okay?” he asked after a moment.

  “Fine.” I almost choked on the lie.

  “Of course it still stands, if you need it. We want you to be as comfortable as possible, Gil. You’re a valued new part of our company. I can text you the address and I’ll have your assistant meet you there with the keys.”

  My eyes bugged. “I have an assistant?”

  Absolutely. You’re a valued—”

  “—A valued new part of the company. Right. I’m a few hours away, yet, since we’re driving back from Las Vegas. I’ll let you know when we’re closer to town,” I informed him.

  “I’ll text you your assistant’s number and you can let him know. Hey, did you say ‘we?’”

  “Yes, sir. My new fiancée is coming with me.” I bit down on my lip, fighting the grin that threatened to break out across my face as Leah’s jaw dropped open.

  “Congratulations,” Colin said. “I’ll send that information through. You have a good trip and I hope you settle in well. I’ll see you at work next week.”

  “Thank you, sir. See you then.”

  As soon as I hung up, Leah pounced. “You just called me your fiancée.”

  “Sorry. Am I jumping the gun?”

  Leah glanced at me as I smiled and lifted her hand to my lips. “We need to find a rest area, ASAP.”

  “We can swap again if you’re getting tired.”

  Leah’s laugh was full and sultry. “On the contrary, Gil. Your fiancée wants to fuck your brains out.”

  I paused and stared at her in awe. My voice dropped an octave as I asked, “Is that a yes, baby?”

  “That’s a yes, baby.”

  Her gaze was red hot and my body responded to her. We didn’t need a rest stop, we needed a spot off the beaten track where we could make love as loudly as we liked without interruption.

  I spotted a sign that read ‘Shoe Tree.’ “Stop here.”

  Leah pulled off the highway beside a lone tree. Leah glanced around. “Gil, people will see us here.”

  “There’s a copse of trees over there. We’ll be right.” I opened the door, climbed out of the car, and stretched my legs. I looked down at Leah, who was looking unsure of this whole situation. “Come on, beautiful. Where’s my adventurous girl gone?”

  I didn’t wait for an answer, just started making tracks towards the trees. I heard the car door slam and Leah trudged along behind me.

  “You know there might be rattlesnakes out here, right?”

  “I’m from Australia, we have the baddest snakes of them all. Snakes don’t bother me!” I called out to her.

  She picked her way over to me, watching her footing the whole way. I waited for her in the shade and when she reached me, I pushed her up against the trunk of the scraggly pine. I took her hand in both of mine and got down on one knee. I noticed Leah draw in a breath and hold it. “I figured I ought to ask you properly. I don’t have a ring yet, but—”

  “Ask me anything,” Leah interrupted.

  “Marry me, Leah. Please, marry me. Be my wife, baby.” It sounded like I was begging her, and I suppose I was. I didn’t know what I would do if she rejected me. We’d only known one another for a few days, but I felt like this was a sure thing. I’d never been more certain of anything in my life.

  A slow smile curved her mouth upwards. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  I got to my feet and pulled her into a kiss that I hoped promised her my whole heart. She was mine and always would be from now on. I heard the sound of the zipper on my jeans and laughed against her mouth. My hands brushed down her body and did the same to her. We slid one another’s jeans down to the ground. Leah stepped out of her heels and kicked her jeans aside. She followed suit with her undies. I pulled her top off and kissed my way down her throat. I took her hand and pressed it against the tree above her head while the tip of my cock rubbed against her clit and her opening. She squirmed and moaned. Her gaze connected with mine, silently begging me to put her out of her misery. I pressed my forehead to hers and our lips brushed as I whispered to her, “I love you, Leah, and I want to make love to you for the rest of my life.”

  The fingers of the hand I had pinned laced through mine. “Show me.”

  I let her go to sheath myself, then gripped her thighs, opening her for me and slowly, I slid inside her.

  “Holy shit, Gil.”

  I moved in her gently, drawing out her pleasure, making her mewl.

  “I love when you’re inside me.”

  I could only grunt in response as we settled into a steady, relaxed rhythm. Our bodies grazed along the tree bark as we steadily built to a crescendo. As we found our climax together, Leah’s body shook like it never had before. She clawed at my skin, desperately seeking to anchor herself to this world as her orgasm threatened to take her away to another. I could barely see through my heady passion as her pussy clamped down on my cock, milking me dry as I emptied myself, our cries echoing around the empty valley.

  Leah pushed her messy blonde hair off her forehead. “Oh god, I want more. I want so much more.”

  I laughed breathlessly. “Later. We’ve got a house to settle into.”

  “I hope to god we can christen it.”

  “Every surface if you want.” I picked up her top and shook it out, checking for creepy crawlies. “We’ve got all our lives to experiment.”

  The seductive smile she sent me threatened to make me hard again, but I wouldn’t have it. Our break was over. It was time to go. I picked up our pants and headed back to the car half-naked.

  “
Gil, my pants!”

  “Come and get ‘em!” I yelled over my shoulder.

  It was her fault. She was the one who’d told me to be bold.

  LEAH

  My back itched annoyingly for the rest of the drive to Eugene. Sex against the tree in the middle of nowhere had been exciting and made me feel connected to Gil and to nature in a way I’d never experienced before. I started to get wet just thinking about it again, but when I clawed at my back once more and remembered how the bark had dug into me. I ignored it at the time, but now it was driving me batty. I couldn’t wait to shower and wash the sensation away.

  As we came closer to Eugene, Gil got in contact with his assistant, who turned out to be a young man, not a lady like I’d been expecting. “Ooh, this is fancy,” I told Gil as we pulled into the driveway of the townhouse. It was a blueish-gray, two-story building with large windows, and a single garage.

  “Welcome, Mr. Barlow,” the assistant said as we stepped out of the convertible. He held out a hand. “I’m Harry, your assistant. So nice to meet you, sir.”

  “G’day, Harry,” Gil said as he shook Harry’s hand. “Call me Gil, mate. This is my fiancée, Leah.”

  “A pleasure, ma’am,” Harry said as he shook my hand, too. He led us into the building. “The property is brand new, has three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, all the mod cons you need, it’s fully furnished, and ready to go. Would you like me to give you the tour?”

  Gil shook his head. “No, that’s okay. I’m sure we’ll find our way around.”

  Harry dropped the keys into Gil’s hand as Gil leaned against the breakfast bar. “Good luck.”

  “Thanks, mate. See you in a week.” Gil waved to Harry as the assistant left our new home. I watched Gil take in our surroundings with a twisted-up mouth.

  “Hey.” I stepped into his arms, enjoying the feeling of being surrounded by him. “Everything will be good, you’ll see. We’re home.”

  Gil sighed, and I knew he was thinking about his upcoming meeting with his friend. “Yeah, I suppose so.”

  I wished I could make things better with a snap of my fingers, but all I could do was be there for him. He had to do this alone, but whatever the outcome, he wouldn’t be alone. He wouldn’t ever be alone again, not with me as his future wife. I would make sure of that.

  ERIC

  I

  t was one thirty-five in the morning by the time we arrived in Eugene. EZee had slept the past four hours, though I didn’t mind. I reached across the seat and patted her shoulder.

  “EZee, wake up,” I whispered, then shook her shoulder gently. “Hey babe, we’re in Eugene.” My voice was a bit louder in hopes to stir her from her nap.

  Her eyes fluttered open then she stretched her legs out, her arms overhead, yawning loudly. “Oh crap! How long was I out? You should’ve woken me,” she said in a groggy voice. “What time is it?” She ran her fingers through her tangled hair.

  “It’s close to one forty in the morning. I should find a hotel for the night so you can drive yourself the rest of the way home. Chances of finding a bus to Corvallis at this hour is pretty slim to none.”

  “No, you should just stay at my place and I’ll drive you home tomorrow––or later today, rather. I mean, if that’s okay with you.”

  “Are you sure,” I asked, not wanting to seem too eager.

  “Yes, I’m sure. I actually live in Coburg, just ten minutes north of Eugene. Just stay on I-5 a few more miles then take the Coburg exit. My place is just off Coburg Road, northwest of town. We can get some sleep, then I’ll cook breakfast in the morning and drive you the rest of the way home.”

  “Well, if you’re sure.” I paused. “I really don’t want to impose,” I said, giving her one last chance to back out.

  “It’s no imposition. We’re both tired and you drove most of the way. Offering you a place to crash is the least I can do.” She rolled down her window to let in the cool evening air. “Besides, I’m not ready to say goodbye to you just yet.” Her hand slid across the seat toward me.

  I felt her eyes on me in the darkness with only the dim light coming from the dashboard. Her voice had implied we wouldn’t be finding sleep right away once we got to her place. I found myself going ten over the posted speed limit in anticipation of what was to come.

  “Turn left at the light,” she instructed as we entered the small town. There was only one stop light. “Then follow the road and keep going past the fire department.”

  A couple hundred yards past the fire department, EZee pointed out a dark road to the left heading north. I slowed, downshifting The Beast, then maneuvered the car into the turn. It was too dark to read the ancient weather-beaten road sign. But, even in the dark, I could tell we were in farm country. The moonlight illuminated the fields on my right, and I could see a few headlights out in the distance on I-5 to my left. This road paralleled the freeway which ran north and south. I guesstimated we were somewhere between Eugene and Harrisburg, maybe thirty miles or less just south of Corvallis.

  “Right here,” EZee directed me to turn into a long, asphalt driveway blocked by a huge, double wrought iron gate with iron horse heads fashioned in the center of each gate. EZee pulled a mini remote out of the console and pointed it at the gate. Soon, the gates slowly began to open for us.

  I eased the car into first gear and drove forward, following the long drive which finally curved into the front of a two-story, sprawling Craftsman-style farmhouse. It was complete with stone masonry columns on either side of a wide staircase that lead up to the elegant front porch and a wide, gabled roof. The front door was heavy timber, with a high window at the top and encapsulated on either side with long, narrow sidelights. This was no modern version. I could tell it was an original structure from around the early 1900s. It was absolutely stunning. The porch light glowed warmly in the night, beckoning us from the circular driveway. An ancient climbing rose wound its way up around a thick column to trail along the eaves and cascaded in a wide arch over the porch steps. To the left of the house, I could just make out a massive barn or what I assumed to be stables, with a copse of deciduous oak trees in the rear of the structure, casting shadows in the moonlight.

  “Wow, this place is impressive,” I said in awe. “This is all yours?”

  “Yes, I grew up here for the most part. It’s been in my family for generations. My parents retired to Arizona last year and didn’t want to deal with running the farm. My great, great, great grandfather started construction around 1920. It took him nearly ten years to complete, as he did all the interior woodwork himself. I only recently inherited it. He fell in love with the Pacific Northwest Craftsman-style homes after moving to Seattle from back east. He was with Northern Pacific Railroad and when he retired, he wanted to build an estate worthy of a country gentleman. He bred horses for a while. Sadly, not long after the house was complete, he died in a barn fire, which also killed several of the horses. It was suspected arson, but no one was ever caught, and it remains unsolved.”

  “And now you live here by yourself?” I asked. I figured her for a city girl for some reason. I hadn’t anticipated this at all. Damn! I must my losing my touch.

  “There’s a stable hand. I board horses and I have help with the garden. The farm brings in enough money, I can afford to hire some help, though I do a lot of it myself.” She reached for the door handle, then got out of the car. “You can just leave the car here since we’re leaving in the morning.”

  I killed the engine and popped the trunk, then exited the car, pausing to stretch my limbs after the long drive. I breathed in the fresh country air, taking note of the scent of roses coming from the porch. The smell was permeated with the history of this place. It was comforting and inviting.

  I was looking forward to seeing it in the daylight.

  I walked around to the back of the car to grab my stuff out of the trunk as EZee climbed the steps up to the porch. After closing the lid of the trunk, I followed her to the front door. She pulled her k
ey out, unlocked the door, which set off the warning beep of the security system. She stepped inside and punched in a code to deactivate the alarm.

  “Come in.” She stepped aside, allowing me to enter the large foyer with twelve-foot ceilings.

  There was a large hall tree, which I noticed was an antique original Stickley. It had to be worth thousands. As I stepped further into the house, I could see the great room, which was adjacent to the entry. It was filled with original Craftsman-style furniture, artfully arranged around a massive stone fireplace. The house had to be in the vicinity of eight thousand square feet judging by the lower level floor plan. The floors were made of rough-hewn, hardy, oak planks, still showing the saw blade’s mark after all these years. I had to step down into the living area, which was typical in Craftsman-style architecture.

  “Just make yourself at home.” EZee had set her stuff down near the hall tree and removed her shoes. “I’ll go up and make sure you have fresh towels in the bathroom so you can shower if you want.” She turned toward the stairs. “Help yourself in the kitchen. My housekeeper probably baked cookies today, knowing I was coming home.”

  “Thanks, I’m not really hungry but I could use a drink of water,” I said, moving through the dining room toward the kitchen.

  The transition between the public space of the living area to the dining room and then, the kitchen beyond, was delineated by cased openings detailed with millwork. There were boxed beams and built-in bookcases throughout, typical of the Craftsman-style. The house was truly a work of art.

  Upon entering the kitchen, I found myself once again in awe. This space had been remodeled and upgraded with top of the line commercial-grade appliances, that incorporated enough of the old-world style to make the transition into the modern age seamless. There was a large butler’s pantry off toward the back of the house and a second staircase that led to the upper level.