She lived alone in a large house in the country, and other than having an empty nest, it was the perfect setting for her lifeโalmost. She was happy with her friends, her work, and her hobbies, and she loved living in the country with lots of wide open spaces, as well as the peace and quiet they brought. Besides her steady job, she had a small team of helpers to take care of the property, manage the fences and roads, etc., and to help her look after dogs from time to time. They were mostly short-term help, but one of the men had stayed on longer than the others, and over time she found herself relying on him for an increasing amount of help around the property.
He was a fairly rugged-looking man, though there were still signs of youth mixed in with the toughness of working outdoors most of the year. His skin was tanned, and it glistened with sweat when he worked, something she secretly found to be attractive and tempting. Though he was quiet, polite and respectful, she sensed there was more to him than he let on, and she secretly spent many moments wishing to know more about him.
Among her many passions was hosting fun weekends with her best circle of friends, and it gave her something to look forward to as often as possible. Her large house served as the perfect setting for occasional sleepovers, opportunities for them to come together and spend a long weekend together every few months, making meals, shopping, going out on the town, and just hanging out together. These weekends also gave them time for much-needed "girl talk," something that none of them had much of a chance to enjoy any other time.
Part of the nightly ritual was a quick change into their nightwear and robes, some movie snacks and a "chick flick" or two, during which the women would talk about any topics at all, though they usually tended to migrate toward sex and other topics not frequently shared outside these gatherings. Though they tried in vain to hide it, even the most conservative and old-fashioned of the ladies seemed to be enthralled by the discussions, and would frequently contribute in ways none of the others would normally expect.
Topics ran the full spectrum from recent dates or special engagements with their husbands or boyfriends, all the way to their most exciting erotic memories and things they liked doing to their men or having done to them. Blushing turned to rapt attention and wild imaginations as the ladies took turns contributing to the conversations. Still, every evening's fun eventually led to a room full of exhausted ladies and big plans for the next day, so they would divide according to plan and go off to their respective beds for a night's sleep before the next day's events.
She spotted him outside working on the big gate to the property, so she walked down the road to where he was busy tightening the hardware and oiling the hinges. He saw her coming down the dirt road, and quickly made sure he looked as good as he could, given the circumstances. He had always tried to maintain a professional relationship with her, never assuming for a second that there could be anything more than that. Still, he thought she was beautiful inside and out, and always wondered what it would be like to get to know her on a more intimate level. He was very careful not to let her catch him staring at her when she was around, though that didn't stop him from taking long, lingering glances at her whenever he could. He especially liked how she always treated him and the others with kindness and respect, and he insisted that they all treat her the same.
When she was almost to the gate, he put down his tools and started walking toward her. They exchanged polite greetings and some small talk, and she told him she was expecting six friends to arrive later that morning for another one of her "girlfriend weekends." He thanked her for the heads up, assured her that the gate would be working fine by the time they arrived, and that he would be happy to help them unload their suitcases. She thanked him, and said there would be plenty to eat if he needed a meal or a cold drink while they were there. He smiled, and she smiled back, giving him a lingering look that he always enjoyed. No words were exchanged, but the message was pretty clear. She simply turned her head and walked away as he watched her take every step, soaking in the sights and imagining things he didn't think he should imagine.
Her friends arrived one at a time over the span of about an hour. He stayed close to the house and greeted them as they parked, and helped with their suitcases and groceries. Soon, they were all there, and the celebrating had begun. He went back to his chores, but was happy after sunset when she came outside and told him dinner was there if he wanted some. He thanked her and walked inside with her, to find all of the ladies sitting at the table with food all around. While he cleaned up a bit, she fixed him a plate and invited him to join them, and he listened quietly as they talked about their days since their last weekend together and what they wanted to do the next day.
When he was finished, he quietly stood and excused himself, thanking her for letting him join them. The ladies all said goodnight as he walked to the door, and she said, "I'm sure this was probably pretty boring to you since all we did was talk about girl stuff, but I'm glad you joined us for dinner."
He smiled and said, "My pleasure. The food and the company made it well worth it. Thanks for sharing your meal with me."
She asked what else he had to do, and he mentioned a couple other chores he had, but said he'd be leaving after that. Before he left, she stepped toward him and reached out to him for a hug, which he gladly returned. He enjoyed the feeling of holding her in his arms, and she felt surprisingly comfortable that close to him. She thanked him for the help and said she looked forward to seeing him the next day.
He held tight and said, "I will be here early tomorrow..." He then turned and walked outside as she closed the door behind him.
She watched him through the glass pane of the door as he walked down to the barn. When she turned around, she was greeted by the gawking eyes of all of her friends, who were completely silent until they simultaneously erupted into a storm of teasing and joking comments about how obvious it was that she was "after the hired help." She blushed and tried to calm them down, but it was no use. She did her best to fend off the questions and chatter, and it led to all kinds of fun discussions that night, and she blushed every time one of them suggested she should do something about her secret thoughts.