I had been asked my triflin' landlord to do something about the antiquated electrical system in the house I was renting from him for a while. He claimed he wanted to do it but couldn't afford it and asked me to be patient. He kept giving me one excuse after another when I told him what had broken down and nothing had been repaired. I had been patient but I had finally reached my limit. I got pissed every time I had to go down in the basement and trip the circuit breakers because I had used the microwave while the lights were on in the bathroom. Good Lord!
Or if I used the raggedy ass washer and the microwave, once again, I had to make a trip to the basement. There were other little niggling problems with the house and I was really fed up so I started looking for a new place to live and gave my landlord the 60 day notice he requested.
I was surprised when he showed up at the house begging me not to move and asked me to give him a list of the things I wanted fixed and he would try to get it all done. I said that wasn't enough. He gave me back the $500 pet deposit he had asked of me and promised he would not only fix the electrical system but would repair the Jacuzzi in my second bathroom AND install the multiple head shower I said I liked.
That was enough. I said I would stay.
He called me two days later and said that someone would be coming that next Monday that could do all the work I needed. He was a handy man who was a licensed electrician and plumber and could do all kinds of renovations. He had given him a good price to do all the work and he would let me know how long it would take him to do all the work I wanted.
I teach college classes for an online based university so I work from home. My classes start about 4 p.m. and I teach until 8 each night. I also write curriculum and I am the head of my department so some days I work all day and others not much at all.
It's how I like it. I have my weekends free and I don't usually go online till about 2 or so each day. This would be perfect because if he upgraded the electrical system, I could then upgrade my cable/internet and get a faster connection.
And maybe I could use my new blender.
I have a big cuddly pit bull named Rock Star who is my the best dog ever. He doesn't think he's a dog. He thinks I belong to him and he is fiercely protective. He's cool with people he knows, but not so much with people he doesn't. He won't attack anyone unless I tell him to or he thinks I'm being threatened. He's been trained and he and I are best buds. I knew he wouldn't like having a man in the house much unless that man followed my instructions to the letter. Otherwise, Rock would be biting that ass and I didn't want that.
On the appointed day, I got up early as the handy man was going to arrive at about 8 a.m. I was yawning as I didn't usually get up that early and I had stayed up late looking at old tv shows the night before. I made some coffee and decided I wanted some chicken and waffles and I was cooking when I heard the knock at the door. (Freakin' doorbell didn't work)
I was wearing a lightweight floor length caftan that covered me well enough if you didn't count the low neckline and the slit up to my hips. I hurried to the door and there stood a giant - an absolutely gorgeous giant. He had to be at least six and a half feet tall and was rippling with muscles.
His tee shirt was straining to cover his massive chest and his tight jeans were sculpted around his huge thighs. And he had that great big bulge in the front that I could barely tear my eyes from. He had long black hair pulled back in a pony tail, big chocolate brown eyes and he was tanned and gorgeous.
I said he was gorgeous, didn't I? Well, he was. G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S.
He looked at me for a second and gave me a faint smile, asking, "Are you Miss Baker?"
I gathered myself quickly and said, "Yes, I'm Beth Baker. And you are Tino Mason?"
"At your service, mam," he said, politely.
I let him in and he glanced around, "Your landlord gave me a list of things that need to be done here. I need to look around before I can give you an estimate of how long it will take. I hope you don't mind."
"No, it's fine. Come in and look around."
He smiled again and started his tour of the house. I went back in the kitchen and continued with my breakfast. I knew the scent of the frying chicken breasts was wafting through the house and I poured the waffles into the iron and got out my plate.
I only needed one waffle but I had made enough batter for a few days. I poured a glass of orange juice and got out a bowl of cut fruit and put some in a smaller bowl and soon I was ready to eat. He came into the kitchen and I saw him gazing at my breakfast.
"That looks good," he noted. "smells good too."
"Would you like some?" I asked.
"No thanks, I ate before I left home. I do have some lunch and if you don't mind, could I put it in your fridge?"
"Of course!" I told him.
He vanished and came back with a lunch box and took out some containers and put them in the fridge and went back to looking through the house.
I was eating when he came back and leaned at the counter.
He had made a list of all the things that needed repairing and he ticked off each thing and told me that he could handle it and in the end, it was going to take him nearly a month to get it all done. And then he asked me, "Is that all right with you, Miss Baker?"
"If you are going to be with me for that long, please call me Beth. Now one question -- are you afraid of dogs?"
I saw him straighten up almost imperceptibly.
"I'm not afraid of anything, Beth," he said.
"Good. I have a very protective pit bull named Rock Star who is out in the back yard and I'm going to let him in. He will have to get to know you and then he will be all right. But he's not going to be happy about you being here so you have to let him know you are no danger to me."
"I like pits. I understand. That's smart to have one like that. He's trained, I take it?"
"He is. I love him to death but Rock can be a bit much."
"Bring him on."
I went to the back door and Rock rushed in. He had already seen the truck and knew some damn man was in his house and he had to handle it right away. He ran in and stood in front of me, his hackles up.
"Settle down, Rock man," I said, soothing him, "Mr. Mason is a friend. He will be with us a while. He is ok. Say his name, Mr. Mason. Rock Star. Say it calmly and let him sniff you. He will be all right."
He knelt down and lowered his voice, "Hello Rock Star. You're a big pretty boy, aren't you? Come here, boy, let's be friends."
Rock looked at him for half a second and bounded across the room, his nubby little tail wagging and licked his hand, face and whatever else he could reach.
"Wow. That was easy. Good thing you aren't the neighborhood rapist. He'd lead you to me. He isn't usually that friendly with men," I said sarcastically.
"I love dogs and they love me. And I want you to call me Tino. None of this Mr. Mason stuff."
I smiled. "Deal."
I put some food in Rock's bowl and Tino went off and got to work. I looked at his big body leaving the room and started the first of the many fantasies I was to have about him.
He had a magnificent ass. I hadn't noticed a ring on his fingers so he was probably single. And he was hot as hell. Whew. How was I gonna get any work done with this freakin' Adonis hovering around?
