A Tough Girl From Montana

Part 3 - Two Becomes Three

The following weeks were frantic. Addie and I had our work to attend to, plus a zillion things on the house project needing attention. My fiancee made many visits to County Planning, pleading for rapid processing of the permit applications. She even took in a letter from Hugh and Cora praising the design, and pointed out there were no other neighbors with a view of the house site.

But the darn creek was a sticking point. Over dinner one night, Art said we should hire a professional hydrologist and follow his recommendations to the letter in a supplemental application.

Addie was so frustrated, she knocked me to the sofa after dinner, right in front of her father. Pounding on my chest, she shouted, "Put those fancy degrees to work!" Art and I were both laughing up a storm but she wasn't. "Damn it, winter will be here before you know it. Don't the bride and her baby count for anything?"

Art was shocked. "Are you...?"

She jumped into his lap and pounded harder. "No, but maybe I should be. I could go in there and say I'll be forced to deliver in a snowdrift if they don't get busy."

Now we were all laughing and hugging. She kissed Art on the lips and said, "I told Michael we were pretending this was my first time and that I was saving myself..."

He got her across his knee and delivered a whack or two. "Daughter, I hate to say it, but you haven't looked like a tender virgin for quite a while."

Art and I sat together and spread the tough body across our laps. She struggled to get up but we pressed down, saying, "You are our kind of woman, but not a virgin."

She turned over and smiled at us. "OK, not a virgin. If I had to deal with two jobs and a new man, and all this other stuff, and no sex, I would go insane!"

We repeated for her, hands busy, "Insane."

Art pulled her tight. "All we need to do is prove to the county that no human or animal waste is going to contaminate the creek or its wetlands. We'll redo the survey to show elevations to the inch and Emma will make sure all the building sites drain away from the creek."

She closed her eyes, kissing our hands. "You make it sound so easy. What's wrong with me that I can't sort things like that?"

"You've been too busy lassoing a husband."

Art and I high fived and Addie screamed, "Dad!"

I grabbed her away from Art. "It's true. You cried your way into my bed, lured me to follow you west, blackmailed a big check out of me for the land, and you are about to announce the wedding date!"

"Oh damn." She cried real tears into my shoulder. I kept her close, mumbling that everything was going to be all right.

"I know!" she howled. "I've got the nicest dad, and the nicest guy to marry, and I am just having a happy meltdown!"

Art and I looked at each other, shaking our heads. She wiped her tears and tried to punch us.

* * *

Over the next weekend, we had a storm with sleet in it, and someone at the County took mercy. All of the necessary permits issued at once. We conveyed the package to Emma for review of any changes or conditions.

She called in the morning, suggesting a trip to the site to go over any last minute issues before we had the surveyor stake the foundation lines for the barn and the house. Art had decided to rough it in the barn until after the house was built and everyone was comfortable before doing his own place.

Both structures were going to be slab on grade, with heating coils for hot water to keep humans and animals warm in the depth of winter.

Emma had her arm around Addie, who was nervous as could be. "Look around, young one. After there is forty yards of concrete in these foundations, they will be hard to move!"

"Oh Emma, I am so excited, I can hardly think!"

I poked Emma in the side. "Still unhappy with your silly clients?"

"I am getting a kick out of this filly here, dancing around about my house design."

I suggested the three of us visit Cora and Hugh, to tell them we were about to start work.

The women thought that was a fine idea. I did too, as it gave me a chance to ask his advice about a foundation contractor. Soon, we were on his sunny porch again, with brews in hand.

"Going to mess up my road with readymix trucks, are you?"

"Hugh, do you know a reliable foundation guy who will do our work properly before snow and not mess up your road?"

"I just might. The son of a logger I worked with is trying to make it on his own. Would be a feather in his cap locally to get your business. Might even give up the usual surcharge for coming way out here."

"Knows his stuff? Emma has some tough specs on the concrete because of the radiant heating."

"His name is Craig Smith. Let me get the phone and we'll see if he is reachable."

He was, and would be delighted to drop by the house to pick up a set of the plans and work up a quote. Hugh went a step further, inviting him for a beer and a site visit the next day after work.

"Hugh, you slippery codger, you're just trying to make me stay up all night doing those plans."

"Listen youngster, this is an Emma Cartright house. Play your cards right and the business will flow right in."

Addie's excited voice interrupted, "Michael! Cora says that Craig's girlfriend is Emily Hodgkins. Emily and I skied together in school. We have to have them to dinner. Cora says we should do it here, because Craig needs a site visit anyway."

I had a sinking feeling that my bride-to-be was out in front again. I grabbed her in a clinch and asked, "You and Emily are going to get your boots on and shovel mud?"

Cora was in the kitchen doorway behind us, laughing hard. "Michael, you bring the wine and steak, I'll do the rest."

Addie pushed me against the wall. "Lover, this house project is getting better by the day."

She got a hot kiss and a question. "Have you decided when the big wedding day is?"

She huddled in my arms, giggling, "When the beautiful concrete floor is hard enough to stand on!"

* * *

Dinner the next night was out of this world. Craig decided we would all go in his crew cab. Addie was in suggestive cutoffs and sat in the back with Emily. What I could hear of the conversation was outrageous.

"Craig, we never should have let these two pair up on the project. There is going to be nothing but trouble."

/Hugh loaned us one of his work tables on which to arrange Emma's large sheets. Some stakes were already in the ground. Craig was comparing the sheets and stakes to his takeoffs and nodding.

Craig, Hugh and I tried to have a work conversation, but the three women were busy rounding up on the specifications. The concrete required special finishing, and special coloring. There needed to be several different zones for the heating coils.

The three males stood outside the strings, realizing that their opinions were being ignored. Cora said, "This is so fine. When our house was designed, I never got a word in edgewise. This time, we get to stand here in the middle, telling them about sun angles, tree shadows, circulation, and other important items. Will they pay attention?"

We growled and departed for Hugh's backyard, where there was beer and the barbeque fire.

"Michael, they are dead right. You'd better find a way to give in gracefully." Hugh had a definitely shit eating grin. Craig laughed, "I am sure glad they have to get all that down to a spec I can mix against."

Fortunately, I had most of a strong brew inside me before they returned. I pretended to be absorbed with grilling the steaks. Craig and Hugh tried to keep smirks off their faces.

Addie marched up to me and announced, "We have ideas for you. All three of you troublemakers."

I wished there was a pool to throw them in. I quickly said, "We give in. If Emma likes your ideas, so do we."

Emily's voice had a sharp edge to it. "Addie, you didn't tell me he was such a wimp."

That was just enough. All three males descended on their women with animal growls. "Wimps, are we?"

Tight behinds were pummeled. Bras fell to the ground. Screams filled the air as boobs were tortured.

"Please, no. We apologize. May we work on your dinners?"

I said, "This one wants to make a baby with me in the grass across the way. Maybe tonight is the night! Do we need an audience?"

A new round of screams came from struggling bodies.

Chapter

It turned out that mother nature dealt with the impregnation problem in her own way. On a crisp October morning, with a fresh north wind warning of approaching winter, Addie turned into me while it was still dark and said, "Michael, I have something to tell you."

"We're out of coffee?"

She reached down for a vicious squeeze. "Be quiet, male animal. I've been feeling funny, and my period didn't start yesterday like it should have."

"I'll be damned. After all your threats, it has happened? I thought you were still on your pills?"

"You remember that nice evening at Hugh's house? The one with Craig and Emily and the horsing around?"

"Horsing around?"

Her slap stung my cheek. "Bad! ... Actually, I guess you should be slapping me. I had been telling myself to start the pills again, but it felt so nice, so risky, to take you hard into me, talking dirty and riding your big cock..."

"Not to mention a few orgasms."

I suffered another slap. Whack!

"Do I get to say anything?"

"I guess."

"You will be the loveliest bride in creation, especially with that little thing growing in you."

"Oh Michael!" I held her tight until the tears dried up.

For several weeks, Addie threw up every morning, and afterwards charged right ahead into all the details of the house project. After she missed two periods, she went to see her boss at Big Sky to tell him her news. She came home six inches off the ground.

"Michael! He was a prince about it. Said whenever I needed to stay off the slopes, he would put me in the office until the end of the season, or a birth event, whichever came first!"

After a six inch snowfall on October 15th, contractor work went into overdrive. Because we were pouring a slab integrated with the footing, all rough plumbing and electrical had to be in the ground and backfilled first, with insulation and rebar over that. Addie was in agony over the possibility of forgetting something important. Finally, Emma and Craig put their heads together and framed an access path from the perimeter of the slab to the utility room. Addie took one look and hugged them both.

With a perverse wink, Craig told Addie one cold morning that the slab was going to be poured and professionally finished on Halloween.

"The concrete artist is named Jim Halloran. He is coming all the way from Boise to do your job because he is a fan of Emma's and she has told him this house will cement his reputation in Bozeman."

She poked him. "That is a pun?"

He wrapped her in big strong arms from years of wrestling readymix. "Michael, this one is feisty and too smart for her own good."

"Craig, I already told you she and Emily were a problem."

"Yes. The best kind of problem, I guess."

* * *

After all the careful prep work, the great pouring day went off in grand style. There were almost as many onlookers as there were workers. A sunny day with temperature in the 60's made life easier on everyone. A pumper came to aid in reaching far corners without wheelbarrow boards and other possible sources of trouble for the red tubing running hither and yon.

By noon, all the mix was in place and leveled. Cora and Addie provided sandwiches and juice. Hugh and Craig and I provided picnic tables under the trees.

The genius of Jim Halloran's work was in the meticulous finishing, which was linked to the setting of the concrete. Not too soon and not too late. Amateurs like Addie and me could only watch with admiration. By four o'clock, Jim and one helper were making final polishing swipes here and there.

Putting his tools away, the concrete artist scared Addie half to death with news that expansion joints needed to be cut into the top inch or so, but only after it had cured for two or three days. He would be back to check on things the day after tomorrow.

"Addie, I guess you know that if the tubing isn't down in the slab where it is supposed to be, the concrete saw will cut it and when you turn on the heat, there will be a geyser of red fluid in the middle of the living room?"

She fell into my arms, moaning, "No, no, no. I knew something awful would happen!"

We sat on Hugh's back porch with beers in hand. Addie was looking daggers at the men.

Jim smiled and apologized for teasing. "First of all," he explained, "the tubing is carefully placed and taped down. Second, we stay off it to the maximum extent we can. Third, we put ten pounds of air pressure on it, and watch the gauge while all the concrete work is being done. Any loss of pressure and we stop to find out what the trouble is."

Addie climbed out of my lap and walked over to his side. Simultaneously, he got a kiss and a whack to the head.

Cora approached and asked if everyone would like to stay for dinner. Craig and Jim declined, saying they had to get back. Addie looked at me and shook her head. "You are very hospitable, Cora, but we have too much work to stay. Please watch over the concrete for us!"

She drove her own truck and gave me a nasty look. "Any more teasing and your privileges are gone! He really scared me."

I kissed her hand and apologized. "That was over the line. It sounded so realistic..."

"I'm giving you a realistic kick where it will do the most good!"

Chapter

By the time we got to her house, Addie had cooled down and even provided a kiss as we walked in the door. I kissed back and asked, "With the concrete drying, aren't we supposed to be making some plans for...?"

"I'm going to the shower, please bring drinks to the bedroom." Her eyes had a provocative message, but I wasn't sure what message. Lately, she had been pretty devious.

I needed the shower myself, but she was already out when I stepped into the bathroom. "No funny business!" The towel snapped at me and I dodged. "We have to talk. Be nice!"

I growled and seized the amazing body with its curves and muscles. "It's all over for you, babe. I am in charge and we are going out for dinner."

Her resistance folded. "Yes, master." She rubbed against me like a cat. I picked up the warm, damp body and launched it from the bathroom door to the middle of the bed, which wasn't very far in her cramped little house. I stood in the doorway, gazing at the spread out charms and allowing my previously limp item to harden.

She feigned alarm. "Oh no! The monster is coming for me!"

Instead of a monster drive straight into her center, I rolled taut muscles to my knees and massaged hamstrings and calves. "That was pretty exciting today. Are you happy with your forty yards of cement?"

With a quick twist, I was flattened under her. "Michael! Who would think a silly girl like me would get excited about a terrible mess of concrete? Please hand me the phone, I need to talk to Emma."

She answered in two rings. "Emma! Craig's people laid down all that concrete! Are we sure it is in the right place?"

I sucked on a stiff nipple and muttered, "Ask her to dinner."

"Oh, I feel so much better hearing you say that. Michael says we must take you to dinner and celebrate the floor that can't be moved! May we pick you up in an hour?"

I realized that an hour allowed time for loving and thrust my tongue between her legs before she was even off the phone. The screech was loud and long, "Noooo!"

Before she could react, the tongue was replaced by a hard cock driving hard. "A concrete queen, are you?" She fought back, but I had us walking the house, banging against walls and falling onto the carpet.

She relaxed and whispered, "Damn, you are a good fuck. Finish me."

More twisting and humping drove us both to a wailing messy finish. "Oh, lover."

On the way to Emma's, she drove, looking fantastic in her summer tan and after sex glow.

I kissed her fingers and said, "Remind me that wet concrete turns you on."

She glanced over and smiled, "I've decided the concrete has to be warm before any wedding."

Damn, she was trouble. And knew it. I crunched on a finger and growled, "Next you will be wanting the marital bed delivered first."

"What a marvelous idea. Does everyone get to watch?"

"You better be careful. Craig, Hugh, and I..."

"You are acquiring cowboy habits. I better shut up." We laughed at each other.

Emma was as excited as we were, bestowing hugs and kisses. "I think you are the best clients I have had in years. What is next on your timeline?"

I had been thinking about this. Contracts would be cheaper now that the summer rush was over, but working conditions, especially on Addie's lot, would be miserable much of the time.

"I think we need to concentrate on the barn, so there is shelter for materials, and also for the construction workers. What about one contract for everything, with a relaxed timeline?"

Both of them looked at me, wheels turning. Emma sighed, "The bank might be a problem, if you are going to finance it. They like clean deals, and my design has a lot of special requirements. Sometimes they also give you a hard time for starting before coming to them."

We were seated outside at her favorite restaurant on a warm fall evening.

Addie said, "Dad needs to talk to his bank."

Taking a deep breath, I asked, "What about one of those deep pockets skiers you have instructed at Big Sky?"

She looked at me narrowly and grasped Emma's hand. "He wants to know about my sleeping habits!"

I dug my nails into her thigh under the table. "It's none of my business, but I don't see you going down for Mr. Deep Pockets."

Emma huffed, "My goodness, this conversation has taken a turn for the worse."

Both of them laughed at me, knowing full well how much money was traded for time in bed.

I apologized, "Sorry for taking us to the gutter. Here is a proposal, let's ask Craig to find us a friend who is able to put up a metal barn on the slab in the trees within a few weeks. And get the road to the barn and house built before freeze up. We should bury the electric utility access in the road and down to where Hugh's pole is. With a road, power, and a closed in barn, we will have more options. I should be able to pay for that much work out of my own funds."

The waiter was taking our orders while they thought about my suggestion. Afterwards, Emma sipped her drink and squeezed Addie's hand. "I think you are marrying the right guy. He thinks well and knows about money. And is nice to the ladies."

* * *

While the house slab with its fancy colors and finishing cured, I got out another newsletter. My circulation was up thirty percent since the move.

One of Addie's young ski team friends was trying to make it as an accountant on her own and got my business. Her name was Sheila Travers and she was a complete bundle of energy. A triathlete who insisted on running five miles to Addie's house for appointments. The two of them were into kissing and hugging. After work, I provided beer since anything stronger was not in the training plan.

Sheila flirted shamelessly with me, coming out of the shower in a football jersey and nothing else. She also made comments like, "Addie, I hope you've tried him in bed. You never know these days..." One afternoon, I jerked the shirt over her head and arranged the bare bottom over my knees.

"No!" she hollered, "you can't. Not allowed to abuse the help." Addie sipped a beer, watching from her sofa. My hand arrived sharply. Whack!

"No, I said. Stop it this minute."

She knew that I knew she had a tough, muscled rear that invited a spank or two. I supplied two more and inquired why there was no boyfriend to prevent flirting.

"Please, those hurt! I broke up with him. He wanted to marry, move near his folks, and have many babies right away."