Harley looked down at the homestead. For all the unexpectedness of coming across a farm or building of any kind in this region, it didn’t look out of place.
A simple one story structure, probably housing two rooms. A ragged fence, a small shed, a few cattle and some chickens. The only odd feature was a grave, marked with a wooden cross, on a slight rise to the left of the house. Not odd that there was a grave--the strangeness was because it took such focus. It was completely circled by a white picked fence, in perfect repair.
The house seemed temporarily deserted, so Harley made his way to the grave first. Always find the owner’s name as soon as possible. As his horse slowly clomped down the embankment, he thought he noticed a flash of blue cloth in a window of the cabin. He ignored it. You never knew how people felt about riders just coming into their doorway. And out here you had to be careful on both sides of the door.
He dismounted in front of the grave and stretched his long lean frame. He had been in the saddle all day. Without going to the fence, peered at the cross. It bore the name Lester Dodd. There were fresh flowers and the grass was watered and thick.
“Got a mind to steal that grave, mister?”
The voice was female. Harley slowly turned, keeping his hand far from his gun.
Standing behind a huge double-barreled shot gun was a woman, in her forties, dressed in a blue belted smock. She was heavy of bosom and behind and the belted waist showed promise of a once voluptuous figure. Her face, with its firm hard jaw and piercing green eyes, had once been pretty as well. The most distinctive feature was a stripe of snow white hair passing over her forehead, nestled in a blanket of otherwise gradually graying black hair.
“No, ma’am. Just looking,” Harley replied, smiling gently.
“Well, it ain’t for sale. Unless you take the cabin, too,” the woman said, with no trace of a smile.
Harley had the feeling she would not sell the farm or the grave at any price. Some lost look in her brown eyes showed that.
“Look, ma’am, my name’s Reese Harley. I been riding for about a week now and I guess I was a might surprised to see a homestead in these parts. If you might consider dropping the shotgun down a bit and don’t mind a bit of company, I sure would like to water my horse and myself.” Harley said, pretty much in one breath, continuing to keep his hands away from his .45.
The woman stared at him for a moment, then in one motion, lowered the shot gun and reared back her head in a laugh. It was a good laugh, rich and hardy.
“I suppose you wouldn’t mind a bit to eat and a night’s sleep in from under the stars either. C’mon, Mister Harley, let’s go git your horse tended to and I’ll fix some supper.” She turned to walk away then after a beat turned back. “My name is Fran Dodd, by the way, and in that grave, is my husband, Lester. Pleased to meet you.”
She walked away as Harley gathered up his horse’s reins. He walked to the cabin a yard or so behind her and since she did not speak neither did he. He only noticed that she walked with her head down in a slightly coquettish fashion. And that her whole body moved sensuously as she walked.
The meal was good--well prepared and plenty of it. Harley had enjoyed watching this woman move about her kitchen as she prepared it and had complimented her nicely on her cooking.
The conversation had been pleasant, though the woman was given to silences. Now, as they sat over coffee, Harley was compelled to ask a question that had been on his mind. “Mrs. Dodd, I don’t mean to pry and tell me if I should just mind my own business, but why are you here? I mean this country’s no place for a woman to live alone or a man for that matter.”
Mrs. Dodd was silent for a moment. Then, “It’s quite simple really--maybe too simple. My husband was a wanderer, Mister Harley. A big, beautiful wanderer. His dream was to have a place of his own far from away from people and places and machines. We moved from city to city, plain to plain and he never found what he wanted until we arrived here. Two years ago he died of a heart attack and I buried him here. We were actually just passing through but I saw no reason to leave. I think Lester finally found what he wanted. He’s out there, totally by himself with no one to bother him.”
She looked out the window into the growing darkness. Harley sensed her eyes were wet with tears. There was nothing for him to say.
Eventually, she rose and said, “But if you’ve been riding as long as you say you must be wanting to go to bed. The best I can offer, I’m afraid, will be your own sleeping bag on a mat by the fireplace. I hope it will do.”
“That’ll be fine ma’am.”
“Please. Call me Mrs. Dodd again. I haven’t heard it in so long.” She looked at him smiling.
Harley smiled back. “Sure, Mrs. Dodd. Thank you.”
The bedding next to the fire was fine but Harley was sleeping restlessly, his back warmed by the fire. He occasionally opened his eyes to look at the fire’s glow in the rest of the cabin.
He finally dropped off soundly when he woke to a touch on his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see Mrs. Dodd, looking down at him, fully clothed.
“Mrs. Dodd, what’s the matter? Is every thing all right?” He said, sitting up. He had his trousers on but had taken off his shirt. The fire glowed on his tan and scared torso.
The woman looked at him and gave a little gasp, before saying, “Yes, yes. Everything is fine, Mister Harley. I’m sorry to bother you. I--I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I’m doing.” She wrapped her arms around her generous breasts and held herself.
Harley spoke. “It’s all right, Mrs. Dodd. I think I understand.” He reached out slowly and touched her arm. She let him take her hand.
“It’s just been so long, you know. I loved my husband but he’s gone and I’m here and have needs. Please don’t think I’m--” Harley put his fingers to her mouth. She slowed down. He caressed her beautiful heavy face and she dropped head to give him that slightly coquettish look.
“I just want you so much. Inside me. I want to feel you. I need to.”
“And you will, Mrs. Dodd. I promise.”
“Tell me you’re not just being nice to an old lady, Mister Harley.”
“You are a very beautiful woman, Mrs. Dodd. And call me Reese.”
“Reese. Thank you, Reese. Make love to me and I will love you for it,” she said, reaching out to touch his well muscled chest. “I will love you forever.”
“No, Mrs. Dodd, just enjoy tonight,” Harley said, dropping his hands to her belt. He undid it quickly and soon was unbuttoning her smock. As he brought the fabric down over her shoulders to her waist, her breasts were exposed. They were huge, firm and sagging only slightly. He took one in each hand though they wouldn’t fit and slowly brought his mouth to her pale nipples. He sucked each one until they were hard and nearly an inch and a half long. He took his time, savoring the taste, the sweet, sweaty smell. He intended on making this her night and could tell by her groans she was already enjoying it.
“Oh, so long, so long,” she whispered.
“You are beautiful, so beautiful,” he countered.
He soon got her out of the smock and threw it aside. He then laid her on her back and watched he way her breasts flattened out. It was very erotic, this older woman needing to be loved. He mashed her breasts again with his hands and made his way down her body. The waist was smaller than he expected and tight. The hips swelled wonderfully, promisingly. Then he dipped his hand to her inner thigh and after caressing each one he let his hand trail between her legs. She was soaking wet. A jolt of raw nerves went through her body. He could tell she was close to coming. He quickly found her bud and after several deft strokes, Mrs. Dodd’s body stiffened and her head went back in a scream that filled the room. Her orgasm brought tears to her eyes.
“Well, I guess it’s a good thing you do live in the desert miles from no where.” Harley chuckled.
She laughed in her throat richly. “I never came like that before. I guess it’s because I want you so much.”
“Feel like doing it again, Mrs. Dodd?”
She looked up at him, smiling devilishly, and said, “You bet, Mister Harley.”
Harley started to take off his trousers and she reached out to him, to his belt.
