Ellen, Gene felt a soft spot in his
heart. Since when did it matter to him if a woman was grieving or vulnerable? He
only knew that with Ellen it mattered and he wanted to see her happy. He
wanted to be the reason she was happy.
The
tingling and tightness in his groin reminded Gene of how badly he wanted her.
The idea of having to wait for that pleasure was frustrating. There was no
doubt in Gene's mind that she would come to him. Women always did. It was just
a matter of time. Ellen Anderson was definitely worth waiting for.
Gene
knew deep down that hewas going to do everything in his power to get
her intimately into his life. With Ellen he could see himself sharing a
lifetime with her. Gene shook his head again. What little conscience he had
began to torture him. Thoughts he didn't want to hear tormented him. You’re
after her money, ole boy. “No, I'm not.”
“Did
you say something?” Ellen turned and stared at him.
Gene
felt his face suffuse with blood. He didn't realize he had spoken loud enough
for her to hear. “Uh...I said no." He swatted at his head. "This
damn fly is driving me nuts." Then he smiled and held his arms out.
"Come over here. Are we having fun, yet?” He reached up to pull a leaf
from her hair.
“Oh
yes. I’m loving this. I'm so glad you got me come.” Ellen ran a fishy sleeve
across her face then wrinkled her nose. “Yuk.”
Gene
chuckled and took her arm. “Don’t do that, you’ll make it worse." Taking
his kerchief, he began to dab at the smudges on her face as if she were a
child. The closeness of her was making it hard for him to breathe. Suddenly
embarrassed, Gene moved away from her. “Are you hungry? How about a sandwich
and cold drink?”
“Sounds
wonderful. I’m famished.”
Gene
had a blanket laid out under a giant shade tree. Ellen looked down in
amazement. “My goodness, you’ve got enough food here to feed an army.”
Gene
shrugged. “I like to eat.”
“Yes,
I can see that for myself.” There was fried chicken, potato salad, pickles,
chips, sandwiches, even cake. "Did you actually prepare all this food
yourself?"
"Of
course I did."
"Then
you must be some kind of cook."
"That's
me."
Gene
didn't miss the stares of some of the parents as he and Ellen shared the
blanket. He knew no one would dare go to Martha.
After
lunch, Ellen leaned back against the colossal trunk of an oak tree. It was so
cool and peaceful here. She really hated to get back out in the sun. Gene
settled himself next to her, close but not quiet touching.
They
were comfortably silent. Ellen realized she enjoyed Gene's company perhaps more
than she wanted to. Guilt tore at her. It was barely four months. Touching
Mark's ring, Ellen still considered herself very married. She shouldn’t be
feeling this happy in the company of a man, even if it was innocent. Ellen
gazed at her diamond wedding ring hugging Mark's gold band on her finger. What
was her problem? Why couldn’t she accept being alone and grieve like a normal
widow? Was it really so bad to want to be with a nice man who made her laugh
and showered her with attention?
With
lowered lashes Ellen glanced over at Gene. His fishing hat was pulled down
over his face. She could hear his even breathing signaling that he was asleep.
Gene was harmless, she reasoned. This definitely was not a romantic thing. She
had no reason to feel guilty. He even fell asleep sitting next to her. Now,
just how exciting can she be to him?
“Hey,”
she nudged him. “If I can’t sleep, nobody sleeps. I think we’re supposed to
be helping
heart. Since when did it matter to him if a woman was grieving or vulnerable? He
only knew that with Ellen it mattered and he wanted to see her happy. He
wanted to be the reason she was happy.
The
tingling and tightness in his groin reminded Gene of how badly he wanted her.
The idea of having to wait for that pleasure was frustrating. There was no
doubt in Gene's mind that she would come to him. Women always did. It was just
a matter of time. Ellen Anderson was definitely worth waiting for.
Gene
knew deep down that hewas going to do everything in his power to get
her intimately into his life. With Ellen he could see himself sharing a
lifetime with her. Gene shook his head again. What little conscience he had
began to torture him. Thoughts he didn't want to hear tormented him. You’re
after her money, ole boy. “No, I'm not.”
“Did
you say something?” Ellen turned and stared at him.
Gene
felt his face suffuse with blood. He didn't realize he had spoken loud enough
for her to hear. “Uh...I said no." He swatted at his head. "This
damn fly is driving me nuts." Then he smiled and held his arms out.
"Come over here. Are we having fun, yet?” He reached up to pull a leaf
from her hair.
“Oh
yes. I’m loving this. I'm so glad you got me come.” Ellen ran a fishy sleeve
across her face then wrinkled her nose. “Yuk.”
Gene
chuckled and took her arm. “Don’t do that, you’ll make it worse." Taking
his kerchief, he began to dab at the smudges on her face as if she were a
child. The closeness of her was making it hard for him to breathe. Suddenly
embarrassed, Gene moved away from her. “Are you hungry? How about a sandwich
and cold drink?”
“Sounds
wonderful. I’m famished.”
Gene
had a blanket laid out under a giant shade tree. Ellen looked down in
amazement. “My goodness, you’ve got enough food here to feed an army.”
Gene
shrugged. “I like to eat.”
“Yes,
I can see that for myself.” There was fried chicken, potato salad, pickles,
chips, sandwiches, even cake. "Did you actually prepare all this food
yourself?"
"Of
course I did."
"Then
you must be some kind of cook."
"That's
me."
Gene
didn't miss the stares of some of the parents as he and Ellen shared the
blanket. He knew no one would dare go to Martha.
After
lunch, Ellen leaned back against the colossal trunk of an oak tree. It was so
cool and peaceful here. She really hated to get back out in the sun. Gene
settled himself next to her, close but not quiet touching.
They
were comfortably silent. Ellen realized she enjoyed Gene's company perhaps more
than she wanted to. Guilt tore at her. It was barely four months. Touching
Mark's ring, Ellen still considered herself very married. She shouldn’t be
feeling this happy in the company of a man, even if it was innocent. Ellen
gazed at her diamond wedding ring hugging Mark's gold band on her finger. What
was her problem? Why couldn’t she accept being alone and grieve like a normal
widow? Was it really so bad to want to be with a nice man who made her laugh
and showered her with attention?
With
lowered lashes Ellen glanced over at Gene. His fishing hat was pulled down
over his face. She could hear his even breathing signaling that he was asleep.
Gene was harmless, she reasoned. This definitely was not a romantic thing. She
had no reason to feel guilty. He even fell asleep sitting next to her. Now,
just how exciting can she be to him?
“Hey,”
she nudged him. “If I can’t sleep, nobody sleeps. I think we’re supposed to
be helping
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