“You did all of this,” Jessica said indicating the cuffs, vibrator and underwear, “to try and make me happy about last night?”
Scott nodded.
Jessica smiled.
“It’s funny isn’t it?” Scott said.
“No. It’s not funny. It’s sweet.” Jessica said and cuddled up to Scott. She kissed his lips and then settled her head onto his chest.
“It’s one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Scott said bringing his arms around her. “Ummm, don’t get me wrong Jessica. To see you this happy I would allow myself to have a friggin’ tree trunk shoved up my ass …” Jessica giggled, and it made Scott laugh too. “But I am curious about what made you mad at me in the first place. What did it have to do with the horses?”
“It has more to do with you really. You and your dream. Scott, you have the chance to make your dream come true. You’ve seen how fast the horses can run. Do it … find someone to ride and go race them!”
Jessica’s voice was getting louder and more excited as she spoke and she ended-up on her knees, leaning over Scott. “Don’t you know? You can live your dream … you have to do it. You just have to!” She stopped talking but she was panting from the effort.
Scott lay staring at her. She was right of course. There was no excuse for not following through.
“Okay.” Scott said. “I’ll do it. But it isn’t going to be easy … it can’t happen overnight. I have to organize a few things first … and then of course I have to work on Riley.”
Jessica was nodding. “But you’ll do it, for sure?”
“For sure.”
And Jessica beamed at him so much that he had to kiss her.
“And so, last night didn’t make you angry at me in the least?” Scott asked, running his hand on her arm.
Jessica hesitated. “No … “ she said slowly.
“But?” Scott asked.
“But … I’m not looking for a repeat too soon.” Jessica said. “It was pretty intense.”
“And …” Scott said, his eyes flicking up to the novel sitting on the side table. “I’m guessing you’d like a break from sex tonight. Read your book maybe?”
Jessica looked at Scott in surprise. “How’d you know?” she asked.
“I’m the master of observation. You go ahead and read … I’m going to clean-up.”
“Thanks,” Jessica said as he planted a kiss on her lips and then crawled out of the bed.
Scott picked up the book and looked at the cover. “Gone with the Wind? Not very light reading.” He said while handing her the book.
“It’s pretty easy to get pulled into the book.” Jessica said. “It’s even better than the movie.” She and Jimmy had watched it before she’d started reading the book. It was a shame Scott and Josh didn’t know about the TV, there were many shows and movies she was certain they would like to watch too. But it was Jimmy’s secret to tell not hers.
“Well, enjoy.” He said kissing her forehead and then heading out the bedroom door.
Jessica heard the bolt fall into place on the door and then she snuggled down in the bed and found her spot in the book. She was so involved in the story that she barely noticed Scott return. It wasn’t until he’d been lying beside her for a while without moving that she glanced over at him.
He was beside her and reading a novel as well.
Jessica sat up and leaned forward to look at the front of the book.
“You’re reading?” she asked, astonished.
Scott lowered the book and chuckled. “I do know how to read you know.”
“I know. But it’s not a sex book or magazine … “.
At this Scott closed the book and looked at the cowboy astride a horse on the cover.
“I guess sex is all you really know about me … “
“Sex and horses,” Jessica agreed falling back down on the bed.
“Those are mutually exclusive!” Scott growled in a fake angry voice.
Jessica thought about it for a moment and then began laughing so hard she couldn’t breathe.
“Alright, alright …” Scott said when the laughter wasn’t dissipating. “I think I know what you’re picturing and I have to say that you have one sick mind!”
That brought another wave of laughter from Jessica.
“You know …” Scott said when her laughter began to subside, “I’m only with you one out of every five nights … I do have other interests.”
“So you like westerns?” Jessica asked, nodding at the book.
“Westerns are my favorite. Sometimes I wish I’d been born in that time … sometimes I feel like I should have been born in that time. Travel by horse, wild west … I would love that.”
“I can see you as a cowboy. Maybe you did live in that time … maybe you’ve been re-incarnated. “ Jessica replied.
Scott did a double take. “Do you believe in re-incarnation?”
“I don’t know.” Jessica said with a shrug. “But I sure hope it’s true. It’d be pretty darn boring just lying in the ground … being eaten by worms.”
Jessica’s voice had trailed off and Scott felt a sense of horror as he imagined Jessica picturing her family in the ground, worms feasting on them.
He shook his head to rid himself of the image.
“How about you?” he said nodding at Jessica’s book. “Epic love stories your cup of tea?”
“Not usually.” Jessica replied. “I like mysteries mostly. But love stories are up there.”
“Hmmm. So is there a lot of sex in these love stories?”
Jessica laughed. “Surprisingly yes. But not quite as explicit as I think you’d like. Is there sex in the westerns?”
“Actually, no.” And Scott was surprised by the realization that he did actually enjoy something that was not centered around sex.
“So there’s hope for you yet?” Jessica asked with a chuckle.
“Yup.” Scott said. “But very little hope. If you actually intend to read some of that book tonight Jess, you’d better get to it. I’m starting to get distracted … beginning to think about kissing you …”
“Got it,” Jessica said and brought the book up, sinking back onto the bed.
Scott watched her for a few minutes. He really did want to go at it again, but that would really reinforce Jessica’s image of him as a two dimensional guy. Sex and horses. Well, in truth that really did sum him up. But somehow that didn’t feel satisfying. He was fairly certain that there was more to Jim and Josh …. Maybe even Riley and Angus. He forced his eyes back to his book. He’d get her in the morning.
**************************************************************
“So?” Josh asked Scott the next morning over breakfast. “Wanna go into town? Buy a keyboard and a drum set?”
Jessica’s head had snapped up. Scott couldn’t help but smile, and he soon saw Jim and Josh doing the same. She was so expressive … now that she was more relaxed around them. She always seemed to have this enthusiasm that never waned. And it didn’t seem reserved to just horses and music. Scott remembered how willing Jessica had been that morning. To have sex. It was as if she was the female version of himself.
“Really?” Jessica asked, bouncing up and down in her chair. “Can we really be a band?”
“That’s the plan.” Josh said.
“I have some business to do in town too.” Scott said, “ so it’s perfect timing.”
Jessica continued bouncing. Jim’s smile faded as the feeling of betrayal surged again. He’d been awake all night trying to figure out why Jessica had kept her musical talents from him this whole time. Luckily Scott and Josh would be gone for a good portion of the day. This would be his time to figure it out.
“What’ll you do while we’re gone?” Scott asked, hoping that they would not race the horses without him.
“Jim?” Josh prompted when Jim seemed off in his own thoughts.
“Huh? Sorry?” Jim muttered as his eyes shifted over to Jessica quickly. What possible explanation could she have? He wondered. There was none.
“… do while we’re gone?” Scott repeated his question.
“I’d planned on fixing the back fence today. I figured Jessica could help out.”
Jessica was clapping her hands with joy at the prospect.
“So you won’t time any more horses till we get back?” Scott asked.
“No, no way. I can only handle that speed every other day. We’ll be taking it nice and slow …” Jim said looking at Jessica and emphasizing the word slow, “today. We’ll meander down to the back field on the horses, that’s it.” Jessica didn’t seem the least bit upset by this. She just kept bouncing up and down and clapping.
Half an hour later Josh and Scott had left and Jim and Jessica were in the barn getting the horses saddled. Jessica was humming to herself as she worked. This was more than Jim could take. He moved around his horse, around Chestnut and took Jessica’s elbow.
“Oh!” she exclaimed, surprised first by Jim’s sudden appearance, and then by his expression. “Are you okay?”
“No.” Jim said and stood staring at her.
“Well, what’s wrong?” Jessica asked when it was obvious he wasn’t going to say any more.
“Why? Why wouldn’t you tell me that you could play the guitar … or the piano or drums … but for Christ sake Jessica … the guitar? How many times did I play my guitar for you? Surely you could have said something?!”
Jessica felt like the air had been knocked out of her. Jim looked so upset. Sounded so upset. And she knew her answer would only upset him more.
“Are you just going to pretend that you didn’t hear my question?” Jim asked. His voice hushed. He’d hoped that perhaps it had all been some misunderstanding … some easily explainable oversight … some explanation he just couldn’t fathom. But Jessica’s reaction made it clear that it wasn’t.
“No.” Jessica said in an equally hushed voice. “If I told you that I thought that playing the guitar was your thing and I didn’t want to steal your thunder, would you believe me?”
“No.”
“Well. It is partially true. It was your thing.”
“But?”
“But. I just didn’t want you to know.” There, she’d said it.
“Oh.”
“That was a long time ago … that I didn’t want you to know.” Jessica said moving into Jim’s arms. She laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him. “Really. It’s not the same anymore.”
“It was just the other night that I played for you Jessica. You could have told me then.” He said bringing his arms around her, unable to refrain from pulling her to him.
“I know.” Jessica said leaning back to look at him. “But by then I hadn’t told you for so long that telling you would have been awkward. I don’t know if that makes sense.”
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