Chapter 12: Something in the Bath

Jackson tossed Rachel’s bags in the back seat of his silver pickup, before helping her step up into the front of the cab. He couldn’t help but notice the firm roundness of her backside as he politely placed a hand on her right cheek to assist in elevating her.

“Thank you," she replied demurely, privately noting the strength of his hand as he lifted her.

“Need me to buckle you in? That latch is tricky.” He leaned over her body, tucking the belt’s buckle into its metal sheath. She wanted to giggle like a horny schoolgirl as his masculine scent of grass and perspiration roiled something inside her that she hadn’t felt for any man, even Chase, in over a decade. She couldn’t help but notice how closely his lips were to her hardening nipples hidden below her shirt.

“You snug?”

“Mmm, hmm,” she stared into his eyes as he backed out and closed the door. Her nipples were now as pert as thimbles and poked through her shirt. She quickly hid them by folding her arms across her chest when he opened his door.

“Here we go!” he said with the childish awkwardness of a sixteen-year-old on a first date. The truck’s engine was brought to life and Jackson pulled the truck out from the side of the house and made a big loop through the front yard and passed Rachel’s car. He turned East onto the road Rachel had come in on and through a break in the trees she grabbed a glimpse of the backside of Bellafont and the massive two-story porch which ran the entire length of the home. It was beautiful and for the first time thought Chase might have been onto something with wanting to check out the property.

“It might look like a piece of shit from the outside, but the inside makes up for it. Just needs a bit of care to get her back to full steam,” Jackson assured her.

“Well, that’s the plan. At least that is Chase’s plan.” She shared a look with Jackson, “But, I’m warming up to it.”

“Sometimes it takes a tender hand to rejuvenate the juices, Rachel.”

“I like the way you say my name.” The words had just slipped from her mouth - too quick for comfort; too accidental to be a real accident.

The ease of his smile was enough to let her know that he knew exactly what she’d meant. “Mighty kind of you,” he replied unable to saddle the dimples from his cheeks.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it like… I mean, you’re probably married, and I’m engaged and—.”

“My wife doesn’t mind none. She passed a few years back. Car wreck,” he said. “I won’t say anything if you don’t.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine. You didn’t know.”

Rachel blushed as he took an extra few seconds to stare into her eyes.

“You cold or somthin’?” he reached and dialed down the fan.

“Somethin’,” she replied, feeling the tightness of her nipples rubbing against the cotton fabric of her shirt.

He just kept his grin, and jostled a toothpick between his lips as they drove the rest of the way to his house.

As the truck rolled up a hill, one of the few in a relatively water-logged town, Rachel drew a breath. “This is your house?”

An opulent red brick home sat on a well-manicured lawn. A steep set of wide steps led to two columns framing the thick pair of white doors. Massive willow trees with white blossoms stood in front of the house waving with the gentle breeze. Jackson stopped the car at the crest of a semicircular driveway only a few feet from the half dozen steps that led to the front porch. She didn’t wait for him, and climbed out, walking up the stairs. A gold door knock shaped like the head of a lion stared back as she drew close.

“You live here all alone?”

“For now,” he said easily hefting her bags up the stairs and into the house.

Rachel left her muddy shoes in the foyer, and walked barefoot on the immaculate marble black and white tiled floors. A reminder of a massive chess board. High ceilings accentuated the view she enjoyed while following him up a winding staircase.

“I’ll give you a tour later,” he said, “for now, you can stay in one of the guest rooms. This one has a private bath.”

A queen-sized post bed sat in the room’s center. Its antique frame was accompanied by a matching nightstand, dresser, and vanity desk. He sat her suitcase by the bed. “You can wear your own clothes, but if you want, my sister looks to be about your size, and she has some less fancy stuff hanging in the closet.”

“You think I dress fancy?”

“I think all you city folk dress fancy,” he tipped his hat as he backed toward the door. “The bathroom is to your left, and the towels are in the closet next to the shower.”

As soon as Jackson left and Rachel had finished exploring the small suite, she walked over to the bedroom door, shut it tight and noticed there was no lock – from the inside at least. She remembered back to something Chase had said weeks ago about older homes often not having locks on the inside of a door, but rather on the outside. With a heavy sigh she went to the bathroom hoping Jackson wouldn’t wander in while she was taking a shower or getting dressed. Despite what her loins had been telling her all afternoon, Rachel really did want to stay loyal to Chase. That is despite her last indiscretion. She stepped into the bathroom and was pleased. Unlike what she’d seen of the house so far, the white tiled floors and blue walls, reminding her of the deep swelling waters of the Atlantic, were modern and not only up-to-date, but luxurious in detail. She wondered how much of this bathroom had been his deceased wife’s doing. Probably all of it. This was a woman's touch.

Take a shower...a calm voice suggested.

“Damn, I could use a shower,” she walked to the linen closet and grabbed a couple large towels and a hand towel. She closed the blinds and then slowly doffed her sweaty clothes, allowing them to drop to the floor where she stood. She was too preoccupied in thought to realize that the ancient door had come ajar and slowly opened leaving a considerable fissure between the door and its frame.

As she stepped into the bathroom, the additional couple inches of open door were instigated by Jackson’s hand as he quietly watched Rachel’s bare leg enter the bathtub. The water was nice and hot, nearly turning the room into a steam bath. A fresh bar of soap sat on a shelf, and shampoo sat on the floor by the door.

Jackson stood in the doorway watching her silhouette and rubbing himself through his jeans. His eager eyes took their time exploring her curves as the soap cascaded down her body.

Rachel spotted his reflection in the mirror above the sink. Her heart raced in surprise, but she quickly sidled her fear and felt the arousal trickling between her legs. If anything, she was curious as an urge to tease him took hold, and she faced the door, with her eyes closed, giving him a full view of her body. She imagined his growing erection as a voice whispered in her head.

You want to feel good...

A wave of arousal flooded her soul as Rachel reached for the showerhead, and pressed it against the inside of her thighs, twisting the pressure to pulse between her legs. The showerhead seemed to shake in her hand as the stream of water pumped against her inner thighs like the small pink vibrating Rabbit hidden away in her purse. With the showerhead in one hand, she lathered soap onto her chest, taking time to pinch her nipples and fully heft her breasts to her lips as the water washed away the suds.

She pinched her pink nipples, coaxing a soft sigh from her mouth. Jackson licked his lips and rubbed his aching cock.

He wants to see you finish...

The voice was low and soft, and Rachel felt a surge of guilt. She was supposed to be looking for her Chase, not about to orgasm for some strange hunk of a man. Yet her head fell back, and the roar of bliss shot forth taking her in its arms, and rocking her body from head to toe.

Breathlessly, she watched his reflection take leave, but not before giving her a tip of his hat.

A breeze worked its way through the room, chilling Rachel as Jackson stepped away. Like a caress across her shoulders the feel gave her pause and she sat up and looked around the room. There was nothing. That is, nothing she could see.