Cottages and Streams

29 May

"This is all very confusing."

I could hear him hitting the keys on my laptop while I sat going over that Will for the umpteenth time. I'd committed the name change decree to memory last night.

"What is...  Alexander?"

"Very funny."

"That wasn't the intent. I think it's special to call you that."

"Do you? I hadn't thought. It is in a way. It's something that is ours alone. Do you take to Johannah?"

"Not particularly."

"Jo then?"

"If you like. Now what was the problem?"

"You're program. All these names."

"A lot of years of research in that."

I heard the computer wind down and go silent as I placed my mug in the sink and turned around.

"It's not winter out Alex."

"It's not particularly warm either. Why have you put on that sundress?"

"It's seventy-five out already. Kind of a weird heat wave for England, especially this part. Haven't you stuck your toes out that door to find out? Doesn't matter, you'd wear long sleeves and jeans regardless."

"The Bugle and the BBC say rain in the offing."

"Doesn't look it to me."

"So are we wearing....?"

"Yes, now let's get moving. I have other designs for the evening."

"You said that yesterday."

"Oh, were we disappointed last night?"

"Not after I pried those papers from your hands."

"Then what's the complaint?"

"More, I always want more."

"You're impossible."

I had garnered a key from Kathy and Mrs. Curtis had allowed Colin and I have free rein to go where we wished on the property. I didn't exactly tell Colin what the key was to, or for and he more or less ignored the fact I had one as we walked around the side of Revell.

"This is really the front."

"You care to explain?"

"See, there's the front door, or it was. Can't you tell by the cobble drive that leads up here? They have it backwards."

"In your dreams."

"More or less."

"Looking at it, though, it makes more sense than you realize. This would have to be the front. The lane leads here from the main road. The drive narrows where we've just come from."

"Very astute Mr. Firth. I believe the family came and went from what is now the hotel entrance. Close family, close friends, but for unexpected visits, entertaining, parties and the like, this one was it."

"How long a time were you back here, exactly?"

"I don't know Colin, how long was I out? It was like, almost like, each day was a year in the life... I really couldn't say."

He was confused, I was convinced of that fact. Hell, I was. All I knew was that I knew what everything used to be and where everything was. What was missing, what had changed and yet it wasn't so familiar.

"I told you it was going to rain."

"It isn't."

I followed his pointing finger into the sky.

"If it does, at all, it will pass."

"You're in England and you know better."

In about two seconds a breeze kicked up, you could feel the temperature drop and the skies opened. We had walked away from the house towards my ultimate destination, but we were still in the gardens and not as close to the staff cottages as I now wished we were.

"Where in bloody hell are you going? We need to get back inside."

"We're going inside, just not there."

"Where then?"

"Follow me."
I took off my, now soaked, sandals and started running. The cobblestones under my feet were not the most comfortable surface to be running on barefooted and they got a bit slick as the water poured down and drenched us. When we reached the right cottage Colin stopped cold and something had to have hit him. He was frozen in place, or perhaps in time.

"It's the far one, isn't it?"

I didn't respond. I didn't know what to say to him. I didn't know what was going on inside him or to him. I waited near the door until he walked over and took the keys from my hands and pulled me into him. He placed one hand on my neck, with the other he held onto me as our tongues met and went inside the others mouth, intertwining as the rain fell around us and slipped inside to add to the fluids being mixed between us. I didn't care one iota how wet I was as we continued the embrace for time that stood still. He didn't let go of me as he moved and unlocked the door, picked me up, carried me inside and put me down gently on the floor near the fireplace. It was the same. Not the same furniture, but the so right feeling of being in this place as I had felt in my dream.

There were starter logs and fireplace matches that he used to light it as I separated myself from the sundress and set it on the back of a chair to have a chance to dry. He found hooks on the wall to place his wardrobe.

"Is the door locked Jo?"

"I don't care. I don't care if it is or if someone comes in, not here, not now."

The cottages had been turned into guest suites separate from the hotel proper. The floors were of stone as they always had been, but there was a rug in front of the fireplace. Colin went into one of the bedrooms and came back with a small comforter that he placed on the floor atop the rug. There was no wine, no music and no central heat. There was just the crackling of the fireplace, the patter of rain falling outside and two slightly chilled bodies waiting.

I had found myself a spot on the covered rug and sat half reclined, holding myself up with my arms behind. He joined me and gently lay us down, he to my side. He started running his hands over my shoulder, then to my chest, but I could feel something different in him, he was shaking, no, more like he was all quivering and his hands, usually soft and smooth and warm, were hot to the touch; like a fire was forming inside and being let out from his extremities. It wasn't an unbearable hotness, it was just new.

One hand landed on my cheek, then caught my eyes in his. He stopped everything and was stuck in place watching my eyes move as I was peering back attempting to decipher his mood.

"Gray, your eyes were hauntingly gray."

"What?"

"Johannah had those piercing gray eyes. Yours are green."

"Did I, she.....? Don't confuse me."

But that was the last of summoning up the past. Everything became new, more passionate, more meticulous, measured. It was as if he had taken a step backward and made a concerted effort to be slower and gentler with someone he had just begun a relationship with. I don't know that this was it, it just felt so, came across that way in my mind; or maybe he was doing so because of where we were. I wasn't convinced and I decided I would never ask.

He intertwined our legs as his hands returned to heightening my pleasure at various trigger points on my body that he had become well acquainted with over time. I could do nothing more than arch and retreat and close my eyes as he continued to employ those methods of foreplay with aspects of Kama Sutra mingled in. I now wasn't able to detect what was making the passion hotter, the beginnings of the act or the heat emanating from the fireplace. Honestly, I didn't stop to check. Without warning, but knowing full well it was happening, he pulled me on top of him, straight down, pulling my chest into his, plunging his tongue into total entanglement with mine and his manhood entering with force. It truly was remembered and new.

It was almost as if it was planned that the rain appeared to stop as soon as we had both climaxed. We didn't move from in front of that fire for more than an hour; we didn't see a need to, nor did either of us want to. But we knew we'd have to leave fairly soon. Neither of us fancied the idea of anyone connected to this hotel - staff or guest - to find us here sans attire. We took a quick shower and dressed in clothing that was still damp, but wearable. Mine, I was certain, had dried more than his as the dress was closer to the air sent out by the burning wood. My assertion proved out when he had to struggle, with my help, and wiggle back into his jeans. Even if they were a loose fit on him putting anything wet of denim material on was a trial. And his shirt was slightly drier than my dress. In any case, we had no choices, other than I carried my still soggy sandals. I decided to just buck up to walking barefoot over the walkways and drives.

We didn't head back towards the house immediately. When we'd locked the cottage door Colin had gone left, his course going the opposite direction. I caught up to him but as we went forward I slowed down and fell further and further behind him. He finally stopped and turned around to me.

"Didn't you want to explore further?"

"Sure this is, or was, a big place."

"And?"

"Uncertain which way to go just now."

"Then perhaps you let me take the lead? See where it gets us?"

"Sure... lead on."

He waited for me to catch up, then took my hand and slowed his long strides down to mine. I was purposefully going at nearly a snail's pace and I believe I finally got on his anxious nerves. He let go my hand and took off in a less than full jog, disappeared through some trees and out of sight.
"There's a fence here, shall I scale it?"

A fence? He had no business going over a fence. Knowing him he could injure.

"Where the hell did you go Colin?"

I knew exactly where he had disappeared to behind those trees. We'd been walking in the right direction and for a long enough time now for me to not be ignorant of the scene beyond those trees.

"You coming or no?"

"On my way."

I walked through the low underbrush and stood at the trunk of the last tree before the land gave way to rock and grass and meadow and.... water. There he stood, next to a fence, feet planted on the rock with his hands on top, feigning showing me he could jump it.

"Come on then, we can walk downstream if we clear it."

"No."

"I'll help you over if that's the issue."

"It's not."

He stood up, almost in alarm and stared at me. I wasn't moving and I wasn't about to either. He finally must have sensed something in me as he walked over and stood in front of me somewhat confused. Perhaps something went off in his head, or he had a recollection, I have no idea which.

"You know where this leads, don't you?"

"I do."

"And you're positive you don't want to go there?"

"I do Colin, but not today. I'm not ready for it yet."