He was an incredibly strong man. She watched him chop wood in the mornings while she drank her tea. The sharp shocks of contact between the axe and the wood created a rhythm that she found soothing. His arms were lean and subtly muscled, but when he chopped wood, his muscles rippled gently with every movement.
She had only been here for a month, but she already felt like she knew him. He could be somewhat mysterious, but he was kind and genuine, intelligent and well-spoken, and was a comforting presence at all times. She felt happier when she was around him.
It felt strange that she had only graduated high school two months ago. It felt like she had been volunteering on this farm for years. She had always wanted to work on a farm, and when she found a program that matched enthusiasts with organic farms, she eagerly applied. She didn't get paid for her labor, but he fed her and gave her a room for free. It was a learning experience that she was very grateful for, especially because she hoped to have her own farm someday.
But lately she had found herself wishing that she could just stay on this farm forever, working side by side with him. Her days there were wonderful. He would wake her gently at sunrise, and they would make breakfast and tea together. He would chop wood while she finished up (she liked to savor her tea), and then they would water the fields. All day they would plant and harvest and wash and store the bountiful fruits and vegetables. Sometimes in the afternoon, during the high heat of the day, they would take a break and go down to the large stream to bathe. He always kept his distance and turned his gaze at her bare skin.
The age difference between them wasn't unheard of—ten years—but he never wanted to make her uncomfortable or make her feel like she had to leave. He had grown accustomed to her company. He wasn't sure, at first, how he would feel about this apprenticeship program, as he enjoyed his solitude. But the first moment he met her, her soft blue eyes set him at ease. She was a little shy, which suited his tendency for silence, and sweet. She never complained at the difficulty of the labor, even when he could tell that she was struggling. She was a quick learner and had picked up many skills and strengths in her short time at the farm. She made his work not just easier, but more pleasant. He enjoyed her company more than anyone else's he had ever met. Part of him hoped she would never leave.
It was hard not to look at her as she slipped naked into the cool running water. Her hair was exactly the color of the wildflower honey he gently collected each season, and her skin had grown golden in the summer sun. She was lithe and graceful, and her body, while youthful, was mature in every ideal way. He longed to see her out of her work clothes, but he kept himself under control.
She wasn't quite as chaste, and snuck a few glances when he couldn't see. His body was trim but powerful. His thick, dark, curly hair was always unruly, and his soft chest hair trailed down to his belly button, where it met with the line coming up from the forest below. He reminded her of a Greek god.
At night, they would read together in the living room, soaking in each other's presence but saying nothing. They went to bed in separate rooms and thought of each other until they fell asleep.
One morning, she woke up all on her own. It was the first time she hadn't woken to his touch since she had arrived. He had stayed up later than she had the night before, lost in a particularly enthralling chapter in his book, and it occurred to her that he might still be asleep. Sunrise glowing through the windows, she tiptoed to his room and saw him resting peacefully. Knowing he would want to start the day, she decided to wake him.
Laying a hand on his shoulder, she attempted to rouse him. He was deep in sleep and barely stirred. He was so beautiful like this. His chest hair peeked out from under the covers and she longed to run her hands through it. Without fully realizing what she was doing, she began to caress his face and hair, touching him lovingly. He began to wake from the soothing sensation and sighed happily, not fully conscious. When he opened his eyes, he was shocked to realize that it was not a dream—here she was, sitting on his bed in only a flannel shirt and underwear, touching his hair. When she noticed he had awoken, she blushed and almost ran out of the room in embarrassment. Instead, as though being controlled by a puppet master, she leaned down and kissed him gently.
He kissed her back and they stayed motionless for a moment, their lips locked. She ran her hand unconsciously down to his chest and ran it though the soft hair, making him shiver. The shiver brought her back to reality. She jumped back.
"I'm so sorry," she said quietly, so afraid that he was going to ask her to leave the farm.
He was speechless. He was barely awake and he had just been caressed and kissed by a woman ten years his junior, a woman he fantasized about every night. Before he could say a word, she ran back to her bedroom.
Slowly, he got dressed and made his way out to the kitchen, where she had already made toast and tea. He was disappointed to see that she had put shorts on. Her underwear had been nothing special—simple and white—but somehow that was perfect for him.
They ate and drank in silence, him gazing at her, and her gazing at the floor. He really had no idea what to say.
Eventually he went out to chop the wood. Somehow the day proceeded as usual. She began to relax a little, and behave normally around him. He wondered if she had forgotten. He knew he would never forget.
When the sun began to beat down on them, he suggested that they go down to the water as usual. She agreed happily. This time, as they undressed, he couldn't take his eyes off her. He knew he should, but he couldn't force himself to look away as she dropped her shirt to reveal the most perfect breasts he could ever have imagined and a small, delicate waist. She wriggled out of her shorts and underwear and he almost gasped at her curving hips and voluptuous behind that somehow rose perfectly above her slender legs. Her pubic mound was covered with soft, light hair that looked as pure as a peach.
He stood there, naked, looking at her. When she finally looked up, she blushed and returned his searching gaze. Minutes must have passed as their eyes pored over each other's naked bodies, finally giving in completely to their curiosity.
