Play It Safe(38)

But I didn’t take into account how loved up he was. Casey and his mystery woman (I still didn’t know her name) were bonding, seemingly as tight as Gray and me. In fact, he hurried through lunch since it was Sunday, her day off and he wanted to get back to her. He was even excited and proud that I nailed down a job.

He was all for staying in Mustang. Didn’t utter a word of protest. Not a peep.

He still didn’t ask about Gray. He also didn’t ask if I was crashing at Gray’s or if Gray was taking care of me.

But he did ask for money.

So I gave him two hundred dollars and then I went to the department store and blew a wad of cash on a new outfit. It was just a skirt, a sweater and a pair of tights. But I did it so the next time I went to church with Gray and Grandma Miriam, she wouldn’t give me a hard look about my outfit.

And I liked it. I hadn’t owned a skirt in so long, I didn’t know if I actually ever did. Further, it was nicer (thus, more expensive, unfortunately) than anything I’d ever owned. It was a long, full, black wool skirt that had a graceful line that went down to my ankles and a matching, thick but fitted wool turtleneck sweater. My cowboy boots would have to do but luckily, my black ones were the nicer ones.

After I went shopping, Gray picked me up and I spent part of that Sunday afternoon convincing Gray I’d be safe in the room above The Rambler that Janie offered me. Then I spent another part of that Sunday afternoon assisting Gray in unearthing and boxing up stuff to take to the room. This was because Gray called Janie and she told him there was a double bed, a couch and nothing else up there. Another part of that afternoon was spent watching with some fascination as Gray brought in an old coffeemaker that had quit working and he fiddled with it for awhile to make it work again.

For her part, Grandma Miriam wheeled in and out of places Gray and I were. When she did this, she did it wearing an expression that said she didn’t know if it was brilliant news I was not going to be under her roof, a constant temptation for Gray to turn heathen or if she was convinced I’d disappear with their castoffs and live the life of luxury shooting up on skid row with drugs I purchased hocking her stuff.

Monday morning, Gray drove me into town and we met Janie at the bar. She showed me my new space and Gray carried up the boxes. She was right. It was small. A room, against one side there were cupboards, minimal countertops, a half fridge she had to turn on and an old, narrow stove. There was a bathroom with all you needed but no tub, just a shower and no shower curtain. There was a couch. There was a double bed, no pillows so it was lucky Gray packed two for me.

Janie went home, Gray went to do stuff Gray had to do and I unpacked a bit, made the bed, but I was supposed to be at work at eleven and I was.

And that was, essentially, it for my week.

But that was everything.

My life hit a pattern unlike any it had had before.

I went to the general store for cleaning stuff and the department store for a shower curtain.

I spent my mornings cleaning, doing my minimal unpacking, popping to the store and putzing around.

At work I was mostly a waitress but also made some drinks. My hours were eleven to eight. It was not taxing and considering I could make change quickly on the fly and found I had a head for memorizing orders, even complicated ones, I took to it by the second day. Janie was thrilled.

So was I. My shift meant I worked the lunch and dinner crowd and I was right, the bar was way more populated during those times. Tips were nothing to sneeze at and I cannot explain how unbelievable it felt every day to have cash in my purse and know the next day I’d earn more.

Earn it.

I loved it.

My first day, Gray came in for dinner on my shift and then went upstairs with me after it so he could deliver an old TV he got for me from somewhere. Then we made out on my couch and before it got too heated, he went home.

The second day, Gray came in half an hour to the end of my shift, I stayed another half an hour to sit next to him, drink a beer and shoot the breeze with Janie. Then we went to my room, made out on my couch and before it got too heated, he went home.

The third day, Gray came in half an hour to the end of the shift, he took me to his place after it and we watched TV with Grandma Miriam who had not thawed even a little bit toward me. Then Gray helped her get to bed, he came out, we made out on his couch and then he took me home before it got too heated.

This went on until yesterday, my first day off, Gray met me at the diner for breakfast then he took me to his place to start teaching me how to ride a horse.

But after he got a docile mare saddled up and we were about ready to walk her out so Gray could show me how to climb on, he gave me a new pair of gloves he bought for me.

They were beautiful; a sandy suede with attractive stitching and they were lined with soft rabbit fur.

I looked at the gloves then him then the gloves then I decided, instead of bursting into tears seeing as he was the first person to give me a gift since Casey and I made our getaway, I would throw myself at him.

So I did.

Gray caught me and since there was no Grandma Miriam in the stables, no work the next morning, no nothing, we ended up (seriously!) in a haystack and Gray gave me the best present in the variety of presents he’d been giving me.

Lips on my lips, tongue in my mouth, body pressed to the side of mine, hand in my jeans, his long, strong fingers working magic, he gave me my first-ever orgasm.

It was amazing. Mind-boggling. The fact was, after having it, it was so spectacular I couldn’t focus on his face for at least a full minute.