Love and the White Wolf - Book 3

5. Neighbours, Spring, and New Beginnings (Sexual content)

We had a welcome visitor after breakfast that first full day in our home. Sheriff Christopher Brandon arrived about an hour after breakfast. He strode up the front steps and knocked on the door. Inside Friday alerted us to his presence and James identified him as a friend. Friday opened the door to him just as we came downstairs. He looked around as Friday welcomed him to our home.

"That's the artificial intelligence program you mentioned?" he asked in wonder. "It identified me as friendly and let me in. Isn't that something? Anyways, welcome to your new neighbourhood."

He stepped forward shaking both our hands and Steve's as well. In his left hand he had a bottle of scotch for James and asked him to come outside for my gift. In the back seat of his cruiser was a hydrangea plant. This was one that grew very well in the local climate and could grow as large as fifteen feet across. It would bloom white flowers in May and the blooms would turn pink then red through to the fall. Finally, he brought out a stuffed animal for Steve. The local kids called them "stuffies" or "squishies" because they were so huggable. It was almost as big as Steve who hugged it tight. Goldy and Rowdy bounded up and greeted him as well. They had been in the creek and were quite wet but he just laughed and scratched them both around the ears. We asked the sheriff in for coffee but he begged off saying he had too much to do. He did tell us to expect a visit from the nearest neighbours, the McKinley's soon. With a wave he went back to his cruiser, ran the siren for a few seconds then pulled away.

James looked at the hydrangea plant. "Where do you want it?"

I read the information card. It said it needed 6-8 hours of sunlight and not to overwater it. I suggested we put it at the east end of the house so that it didn't obstruct the view but we could still see it from the yard.

"Maybe we need to make a list for when one of us goes into town," he said. "I think there's going to be more than blinds for Steve's room, like a shovel and a hose to water the plant."

I laughed as he was probably right. I took measurements in Steve's room and ours for blinds. I wanted the type that could darken the room, especially for Steve so he would sleep better. After we received delivery of our new bedroom suite with custom headboard James said I might as well go so he could start assembling the bed frame.

I drove into town and found the home improvement store. I picked out a shovel, a hose, a wheelbarrow, some more plants, and then went to look for blinds. As I waited for the clerk to cut them to the width I wanted I saw a rug that would fit in the sitting area of our bedroom. Another clerk rolled it up for me and I paid for everything at once. A comment was made about me being new to the neighbourhood so I introduced myself as the person who bought the Brandon property and was welcomed to the neighbourhood. They mentioned that the following day was Shrove Tuesday and there would be a street party at the park in the centre of town starting at 6 pm. I thanked them for the information, they helped me out with my purchases and I was on my way.

James smiled when he saw the extra plants but he didn't mind. We picked out where we wanted to plant them and he promised to get it done as soon as he could. He also liked the rug and thought it might be good for me to do yoga, if I wanted. I told him about the street party and we made plans to go.

That night after supper, bathing Steve and putting him to bed I gave James a back massage for all of his hard work. Of course, he insisted on it being a nude massage and it led to all sorts of mutually enjoyable activities. We laid in the dark after and had one of our rambling talks about whatever came to mind.

"Can I ask you something?" I began. "I know you were sexually active before the war, and with your activities as the Winter Soldier but how sexually active were you before we met? You've never really said. I told you my history and with the exception of our encounter in Bucharest I was honest."