Farmhouse Series Ch 02 Fireplace

My note to you ... thank you for checking out my stories, I appreciate it and hope you enjoy reading. This is the second in this series and I'm looking forward to sharing the rest with you.

This story is copyright (c) 2017 by MirrorsImage.

I hope you enjoy it. ~ MI

Farmhouse Series - Ch. 2 - Fireplace

It's more than just tempting to stay in the car with the heater on and see if they can wait out the rain. But no ... she's turning to get on her knees and reach into the back seat. Coming back with one of the plastic bags of supplies and her purse, she smiles at him.

"Ok ... the key I have is to the side door. Do you want to wait while I go open it?"

He has to assume the door she's talking about is the one roughly 25 steps from the car. There's no way to park closer. Shaking his head and smiling wryly, he leans forward to look out the windshield. Except for a few places where there seemed to be instant waterfalls from stone walls on the side of the road, the ride up hadn't been all that bad, just slow because of visibility. But now, the house is barely visible even with the headlights on, the rain seeming to come down in sheets.

Coming up the last half mile of dirt road to the farm house was actually the worst part, simply because he didn't know where they were going. The drive opened up into a larger area, the rain barely letting him see the buildings around them. She had directed him to park over near a fence and here they sat. It definitely had taken longer than planned to get up here and if it weren't for the headlamps, they'd be sitting there in the dark, listening to the deluge of rain around them. He's a little reluctant to leave the warmth of the car to head into a cold, dark house ... and watches her by the light of the dash as she sits back down in the seat, rummaging through her purse and comes up with a small flashlight. Frowning, he turns to look back at the structure, not relishing the idea of getting out.

"It's pouring out. We're going to get soaked."

"Yes, it is. Yes, we are." Facing him, she grins wickedly. "Wanna stay in the car and fool around?"

Turning, he finds her smiling at him. He shouldn't be surprised that she's looking forward to this ... happy, even in this weather and the prospect of no power in the house. It's a little bit infectious; he laughs slightly and shakes his head in amusement as he looks back out the windshield. He has no doubt that she has an idea what she's about to do and will make the best of the situation for them both and turns back to her, only to have her shift towards him and kiss his cheek.

"There's a generator up here somewhere, it was installed last summer. But I don't know where it is and I don't want to run around in the rain to find it. I can keep us warm tonight. Trust me?"

Yeah. He actually does, otherwise he would have insisted on finding a hotel back in that small town when they were told the power was out up here. "Yes. For whatever reason, yes. Ok Beth, what do we do?"

He wants a basic game plan, she understands that. "Prioritize. Get in the house. Light some lamps and get warm. There should be robes and towels, plus some basic dry goods inside, I've food and water in the bag. The cooler has ice packs that will keep the perishables until tomorrow morning, so we can grab that and the suitcases then, unless there's something you can't live without. Ok?"

She watches as he nods and draws in a breath before shutting off the car. "Ok, ready?"

Adjusting her grip on the bags, she nods and grabs her own door handle, turns on the flashlight and bolts from the car. Pulling the key from the ignition, he gets out quickly and gasps at what feels like freezing rain now ... to find she had slowed down and was standing at the end of the walk, waiting for him and shining the light in his path.

"Move!"

His growl and hand on her lower back propels her forward; the two of them run up the flagstone path to the door where the key fits immediately and they're now inside with the door between them and the rain.

It's just as cold though. It's against his nature to not take over, but he holds still seeing her moving with the flashlight. The bags are placed on the table, a switch is illuminated on the wall by the flashlight, and he can see her try it ... but as they both knew it wouldn't work. It's cold, he brings his hands up to his mouth, blowing on his fingers as he watches her put the flashlight on the counter and pull something down from a shelf and place them on the table. Two oil lamps ... he feels at a bit of a disadvantage, not knowing where things are and relying on her memory for this. There is the sound of opening a couple of drawers, the striking of a match. A flame flickers slightly as it catches to the wicks it touches and she quickly puts out the match while placing the hurricane glasses back on the lamps and adjusting the wick for more light. There's a little comfort in the room being lit, the illusion of a little bit of warmth taking over. The liquid sound of rain, running off the porch roof reminds her of the state they are in and in looking up at her companion in the kitchen she tries not to giggle, knowing that she is as drenched as he looks. He's not paying attention, running his hand over his head ... muttering something under his breath about it being impossible to become this soaked running a few feet from a car to a house. The annoyed look he gives her is the last straw, causing her to snicker and she cups her hands over her mouth in a weak attempt to muffle the giggling.

The slight bending of his head, the look he gives her sternly across the table simply sends her into peals of laughter ... which after two attempts, and a few hiccups ... she manages to somewhat control. He nods, knowing her sense of humor and comes around the table as she makes an effort to attempt to assume a contrite look. Though he probably should be annoyed, he's doing a better job at keeping his amusement hidden, enjoying how she finds humor in things ... and trying to simply ignore the fact that they are dripping by pulling her to him to wrap her up in his arms for a hug.

"Ok my dear. We're inside and have light."

"Dry and heat next."

He nods at her words, telling her that is a good idea and lets her go. She peels off her sweater and squeezes it out over the sink before hanging it on the back of a chair. Taking up a lamp she motions for him to take the other and heads for an opening in the back of the kitchen ... glancing behind her to make sure he's following as she heads to another section of the farmhouse. The small hall moves into a large living area in the front of the house, the old windows showing nothing but the darkness outside. Faint outlines of tables, sofa and chairs are in the shadows of the lamp and the large opening of a fireplace along the main wall. Her light dims as she opens a door, entering a smaller room. Following, he can see a bathroom in which she's placed the lamp on a counter and is opening a linen closet.

"Here." She's and pulling out towels, placing them on a small table and smiling as she kneels before him and helps remove his shoes. Rising with them in her hand, she grins ... "Strip down and start drying, I've got to get a fire started. I'll be right back..." and slips past him before he can say anything into the darkness of the larger room.

Within a few minutes, he's stripped and wrapped a generous sized towel around his waist. Following her example in the kitchen by attempting to wring out his clothing in the tub before hanging them on the curved rod for the shower curtain, then begins to rub a towel over his face and head to dry himself. Trying the faucet, there is a clanging sound, but no water ... then he stops for a moment, thinking he's heard a bang other than the pipes and is about to call out when she knocks softly on the door asking if he's decent.

"Not exactly a question that I thought I'd hear you say over the next few days, however ... yes. You may enter ..."

She peeks around the door, grinning at his teasing as she comes in and takes up a towel to rub down his back vigorously. He stiffens slightly, muscles then relaxing against the pressure and smiles at her over his shoulder. "Tried the faucet, no water."

"Makes sense. Problems of modernization ... well water. No electricity, no pump. I'll see if the hand pump works in the side room."

Rustic, she had said. More rustic than he had thought. Turning to look at her, he frowns at her wet dress. "You better get out of those wet clothes too."

"Ah-huh." She drops down to her knees and begins rubbing his legs dry, looking up from where she's kneeling at his feet as he chuckles. He smiles down at her, the towel he had been using draped loosely around his neck and bends to guide her up, frowning slightly as he sees water drip from her bangs and he runs his hands over her cold skin.

"Is it my imagination, or are you wetter than I thought you were?"

"Wetter." Grinning cheekily, she reaches up and squeezes water out of her braid. "I shot out and brought in an armload of wood from the shed to hold us for the night."

As obedient as she can be at times, she's even more so strong willed ... which is one of the main things that had attracted him to her. Tempted to scold her for not asking help, he simply shakes his head. "There's very little left to the imagination with your dress soaked like that. You need to change too."

"I've a fire started in the living room and there are some robes warming over the back of chairs. So ... go warm up in the living room, I'll be right there."

Shaking his head, his hands on her upper arms and smiling down at her in the faint light. "I have you for five days and you want me to leave?"

Grinning in return, she reaches up and under her wet hair to undo the tie at the back of her neck, putting the soaked material apart. "You have me for five days, at your side... "The top of the dress slipping down ..., "when you want me" ... she turns her bare back to him as she drops the front of the dress ... "as you desire me"

Sliding the zipper down the side of the skirt, the dress slips down her legs to falling to a wet mass around her feet to present her bare form to him in the dim light. The fact that is all she has to remove reminds him of just a few hours ago in the car and steps forward as she reaches for one of the oversized towels and wraps his arms around her to pull her back to him. Standing naked in his arms, she leans back as he kisses her cheek ... pressing her body back against him ... skin still damp and very cold as his hands slide over her arms. "However, I don't think you want me as your nursemaid, as much as I would enjoy tending to you my dear ... if you don't get dry and warm, that is what I will be doing."

Her breath catches as his hands slides up her arm and cups her right breast, thumb flicking over the already hardened nipple and draws in a soft breath at his touch. Warmth is already spreading through her body at the simple fact that he's so close ... the feeling warring with the logic that she has to be a good host and get them both warm.

Nodding, his other hand turns her head up for a kiss ... then he releases her and reaches for one of the towels to wrap her up in it while telling her to hurry so she doesn't become ill either and kissing the tip of her nose before heading out into the living room.

A fire has caught nicely in the large fireplace already changing the temperature in the room, the light through the wrought screen revealing simple, comfortable furniture in an older style, large windows, pictures, and a thick braided rug. The lamp she had been carrying is on a table by an oversized chair and the robes she mentioned are already warm to the touch and he swaps the towel out for one. Choosing the chair facing the fireplace, he pulls a footstool closer and sits his bare feet and legs warming up nicely in heat from the flames.

"Comfortable?" She smiles as she zips through the room with the lamp from the bathroom and heads into the kitchen before he can answer. There are noises from the other room, then a sound as if a window had been opened and shut ... then she's coming back in carrying a large teapot that she places on a hook in the fireplace and swivels it inward to rest over the fire.

"Figured this will get some moisture in the air and we could at least have some hot water to wash with in the morning. The water is from the rain barrel outside the kitchen window ... I'll play with the hand pump tomorrow; I think it needs to be primed."

She's up and out again, and he laughs quietly ... wondering for a moment if she'd accept his offer to help or if it was best to simply stay out of the way. Noting that there is more than just an armful of wood in the box by the fireplace, he's guessing she made more than one trip to have enough to keep the fire fueled for the night.

"Found a bottle of wine!"

The wine, two glasses and a basic corkscrew are placed on the table beside him ... she leans over to share a quick kiss and ask him to open it up before disappearing back into the kitchen again. Sitting up, he takes the bottle and reads the label before removing the cork and setting it aside to breathe. She's back in by then, putting her lamp and the bag she had carried in from the car down on another table before swapping out her towel for the other warm robe. "Are you getting warm?"

"I am. Is there anything else you need to do that I can help with?"

He watches in amusement as she shakes her head no and begins rummaging through her purse. Finding a comb and moves to sit Indian style on the floor before the fireplace and begins unweaving her hair from the braid she worked it back into after their session in the car.

"Come here."

Shifting in his chair, he holds out his hand for the comb and motions to the stool before him. Smiling, she hands the comb over and turns to sits on the cushion, hands on her knees and with her back to him. He runs his hand over her hair; frowning at how wet it still is and reaches for his towel to blot it dry before starting to work a comb through it.

"And you made a comment about tending me ... what if you get sick?"

"The fire will dry it out." She simply shifts and shrugs ... nudging the stool back between his legs and wraps her arms under his knees and around his calves before tilting her head back and grinning at him. "Besides, I am invincible, remember?"

Bending to kiss just between her eyes, he shakes his head no and smiles. "It may not be kryptonite, but I'm pretty sure I have a few things in my arsenal that makes you weak ... at least in the knees."

The next kiss is upside down on her lips ... just long enough to hear her sigh in pleasure ... then he's nudging her back upright to work on smoothing out her damp tresses. "Tell me about this place when you were a kid."

She hesitates a moment, fingertips stroking his shins. "Not much different than right now. No electricity really, just enough for a couple of lights. Other than a few modernizations, most of it should be as it was when my grandfather's generation would come up here."

He pulls her hair up, putting the towel over the robe to keep it from getting wet and listens to her talking about cousins and friends, riding horses and running after animals. He could almost see her playing in the barn, jumping from the loft and swinging from the beams, climbing trees and gathering apples. Hidden doors and crawlspaces. How because she was one of the three girls in the family, she was generally in a small corner bedroom under the eaves ... but it depended on how many people would come for a weekend as to where they were allowed to sleep. The favorite place for the children to sleep was being allowed to camp out in front of the fireplace they now sat in front of warming themselves.

"Ok, turn and face me."

She swivels on the stool towards him, grinning. "All done?"

"Almost." He leans forward, elbows on his knees and laces his fingers under her hair behind her neck. "Lean back. We'll let the heat from the fire finish drying your hair."

She tilts her head back into his hands, letting her hair fall back and smiles up at him.

"Danke, mien Geliebter."

"You're welcome," he whispers, the meaning of the words apparent in her tone and eyes ... leaning forward to kiss her lips lightly before resting his forehead on hers and looking into her eyes.

It's quiet, his touch calming her down. In a sense she's surrounded by him at the moment, and very happily so. Very aware that what he's doing now is his way of taking care of her. His head turns just enough for a kiss and she can't help think of how nice this is at the moment.

"This is nice."

Echoing her thoughts, there's the briefest hesitation before she nods in agreement ... his kiss is returned. She slips her hands up around him in a loose hug, letting her upper arms rest on his thighs and her eyes close as he begins running his fingers through her hair to help dry it faster. For the first time that day, she's still and he closes his eyes also enjoying their holding each other ... her being close and quiet. The rain is still outside, almost a white noise to the sound of the fire ... both soothing and relaxing.

A pop from the fireplace causes her to jump under him and he draws in a breath and opens his eyes, realizing they're both starting to doze off in the heat. Smiling at her reaction, he checks her hair and sits up, reaching to pour the wine. "All set."

Stretching her arms up, she wriggles a little between his legs ... then moves to her knees before him and putting her hands on his chest as she leans forward into his body. "Is there something that you would like? Can I get you anything? Something to snack on?"

"Not at the moment." He offers her one of the glasses of wine and she sips from it before placing it back on the table. His hand comes up to her cheek, thumb brushing lightly over her lips to wipe away the bit of wine there. Mouth opening, her tongue curls around the tip of his thumb and she murmurs happily, eyes closing as he slips his thumb into her mouth. She leisurely sucks on the digit, moving forward to lay on his chest as her tongue strokes the pad, applying pressure ... he chuckles, withdrawing his thumb from her mouth and wrapping her up in his arms.

"I fully intent to make love to you at some point in front of this fireplace ... but right now ..." He tilts her head up and smiles. "I'm opting for wrapping you up in my arms and soon sleep. Hopefully both."

"I like both ideas ..." She shifts back out of his arms. "I should go up and start a fire upstairs then. It's going to be cold up there."

"You just told me you used to camp out down here. Is there a way we can stay in front of the fire where it's already warm and we'll figure out everything else tomorrow?"

His suggestion is met with a huge smile and kiss. "I'm on it. There should be totes with sleeping bags in the storage area."

Putting his wine glass back down on the table, he shakes his head in amusement at the instant change of energy around her ... quiet time is over, she's back to moving ... gets up this time, following to another door and into a small room where several totes are piled up. It's frigid in there and she works quickly checking the totes before pushing three of them towards him and hurrying out of the storage.

"Cold. Cold. Cold." She dances slightly, fixing her towel before dragging one of the totes over to the rug and begins pulling out rolled sleeping bags.

"Silly girl." His tone is affectionate as he goes to bring the other two totes over and he begins to take out more sleeping bags and some pillows. "There are only two of us, only need two bags."

"Yes, but ..." She begins unzipping some of the bags and opening them, spreading them out over the rug. "If we put a few down first, it will be a makeshift mattress."