The Threat
1467 Words
I skyrocketed out of the bed, when I heard the door handle jiggle and turn, then immediately wrapped my naked body up in the elegant blankets unsure of what was about to come through the door.
To my relief, Samuel emerged through the door with my backpack, phone, laptop, and a basket full of goodies grinning from ear to ear with a devilish smile taking delight in my uncomfortable circumstances.
Laying all of the items on the sideboard, Samuel climbed up on the bed pressing himself on top of me.
“Miss me?” He said huskily leaning back to take in a full view of my naked body.
I giggled and smacked him in the chest, “Ugh. Samuel! I am stuck here because the men are working today and I am sure someone is going to ask questions about why my vehicle was here all night. Ugh!”
Samuel began kissing and sucking on my chin slowly rolling his tongue in circles.
“Do you plan on keeping me here all day, sir?” I teased once again smacking him on the chest. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arms.
“If I had my way you'd be stuck here all weekend, but I do believe that would raise suspicion, so only until the workers are done at noon.”
He said with a laugh. I realized how much I had come to love the sound of his laugh over the last 24 hours and how much we both laughed in each other's company.
“I did move your SUV to the apple orchard a few miles away, so as not to alert any prying eyes, especially those of your clients. I thought you might appreciate that,” he said.
I had been lying down at this point on his chest and propped myself up on my elbow,
“Samuel, I so appreciate that!” honestly appreciating his thoughtfulness.
He took his index finger and traced my nose saying, “Your welcome.” kissing my nose which he had just traced gently and gingerly.
“I do have a question for you though?” he whispered softly in my ear.
“Ok. “ I said, noticing that for some reason he switched back and forth between his Amish accent and another accent that I couldn’t quite figure out. His Amish words were slow and steady but when he talked passionately about a topic he would slip into the accent that seemed a bit more natural and less forced.
He grabbed my work bag brought it up onto the bed.
“What do you really think about the house and design?" he asked to bring out my sample boards from my bag.
"I noticed some sketches and boards that weren’t in the original designs when you presented them to the owners and I wondered why you never presented them to them?”
This man really didn’t miss a thing, did he! I thought to myself
“Well, Lynn and Doug seem a bit more modern yet conservative, so I felt that their home should reflect that. When I showed them specific sample boards they tended to gravitate towards very specific color sets, graphic prints, shapes, patterns, textiles, etc."
I said slowly and hesitantly.
"While these may not reflect what I feel best suits the house and landscape, I am not the one who is going to be living here...So these boards are ones I created for fun! Sort of a pipe dream. What I would do if this house belonged to me. I know it's a bit silly and in all fairness, I have never done it on any other project, just this one.”
I continued to speak twirling my finger around a strand of my hair as I spoke.
“I feel a connection to this house and this land. The other day I was out walking and came upon a doe and her baby….Samuel, it was amazing. I can’t explain it but I feel so at peace here. I am sure it seems silly.”
Samuel leaned down with his scruffy beard and nuzzled my shoulder.
“I understand far better than you realize.” He said kissing my shoulder softly.
He closed his eyes and let out a deep long sigh as if thinking very deeply about something.
Then as if snapped back to reality he said,
“If you could make three changes to house what would they be?”
“Hum? Let me think?” I said drawing my knees up to my chest contemplating deeply exactly what I would have for my top three design changes.
I spun around and said with a smile,
“How about this! You keep me entertained here till the work crew is done, then I show you exactly what changes I would make to the design plans in the house!.... Deal?”
Samuel must have liked the idea because he flipped me onto the bed and we made passionate s*x for hours till the sound of thundering hammers stopped.
Finally, after we were well rested from our bunkhouse escapade, we stepped into the main house where I showed Samuel the changes I envisioned.
My first change would be to extend the kitchen island by four feet and instead of a granite countertop, I would do a reclaimed walnut bar top from a vintage pub or a fire singed solid walnut wooden counter. I felt that the owners were very heavy on stone and adding a natural element such as wood to this area would give it a natural more earthy presence. Plus by doing reclaim or a fire singed wood piece it would be very eco-friendly.
My second change would be the wrap-around porch, while I loved it. The spindles being used were so incredibly ordinary and added zero architectural interest that was pleasing or of value to the overall aesthetics. Samuel and I headed out to the porch where we laid out different spindle ideas till we created our own. Samuel loved my idea and agreed that the old spindles were too boring. We had so much fun creating our own pattern. Samuel would run off to the woodshed and rip boards into the pattern that he thought might work, then we would lay them out playing with patterns and ideas. We sat out on the porch for hours till finally, the sunlight began to escape over the edge and we agreed that we had exactly the right one.
I climbed up into the rocking chair on the porch wrapped up in the blanket as Samuel handed me a mug of hot tea.
“There is still one more thing.” He said.
“What’s that?” I asked, propping my chin up by my hands.
“You still have one more.” He said with one eyebrow raised.
“A willow tree. Just past the apple orchard is the valley and just past the rise, I would put a willow tree. I think it would look perfect.” I said stepping up next to him and putting my arm around his waist and laying my head on his shoulder. I let out a deep sigh of contentment.
“That would indeed be the perfect place for a willow tree, My Lady!” Samuel said resting his head on mine.
We stood that way watching the last of the sun's rays escape into the darkness, when the peacefulness of the moment was broken by the sound of a cough.
“Ahem.” said a female voice.
I spun around to find my client, Lynn Berkeley was staring at Samuel and me.
“Miss Haas. May I please have a word with you?” she said coldly.
Oh my God! I thought She is going to fire me for sleeping with the help. Ugh!
I walked into the unfinished kitchen pale-faced and shaking, trying my best to show an air of confidence. Before I could even say a word, Mrs. Berkeley began,
“Samuel is committed to his Amish lifestyle. Don’t f**k this up for him. I implore you to leave him alone. Consider this a clear threat...Stay Away from him. Do you understand?”
I nodded my head.
“Now leave.” She sternly said pointing to the back sliding doors. “I will deal with Samuel.”
I don’t remember how my legs got down the path so quickly to the bunkhouse or how I flew through the apple orchard to my Tiguan but I do remember feeling a mix of frustration, sadness, and anger as I slid into my seat and started up my SUV to drive back to my apartment.
- Writer
