AT
The House of Four Seasons
by Atonia
Part 4
The ducks woke them a while later and Toni looked up at the sky, the sun had moved and she was hungry. She turned her head to see Cort awake.
“Hungry?”
“I thought you’d never wake up, I could eat.”
“Let’s go see what the house has prepared for us, a feast no doubt,” Toni stood up beside him and they walked hand in hand back to the house.
The house was beginning to wonder it was nearly 3:00 but when they came hand in hand into the kitchen all was right again. A meal of pork loin and roasted root vegetables was on the kitchen island with fresh rolls and butter all served buffet style. A pitcher of Iced tea and two glasses sat on the counter.
“Wow a feast is right, I’m about ready for this,” Cort picked up a plate and began filling it.
“The food is always good, better than what I cook.”
“I bet you cook good,” he said buttering a roll.
“I have a few things, but it seems I always do a better job here, part of the magic I guess.”
“I’m not opposed to a little magic in the kitchen.” He remarked taking a seat at the table.
“Did you see the dessert?”
“No what is it?”
“Lemon meringue pie.”
Cort smiled and tucked into his dinner.
“I can’t eat another bite,” Cort pushed his plate a way and took a drink of his tea.
“I know, I’m full to the brim. Anything special you’d like to do this afternoon?” She asked elbows on the table.
“I can’t think of anythin’ unless you’d like to walk off some of this meal.”
“I can do that, normally I’d want a nap but I already took that, why did you let me sleep?”
“I don’t know you looked so pretty and peaceful I didn’t want to disturb it.” He smiled sweetly.
Toni was beginning to love those smiles, they were rare with him.
They ended up walking down by the ocean, the tide was out and they walked for quite a ways along the shore, Cort loved the ocean, coming from a dry land locked place he felt he could watch it for hours.
“it’s never the same,” he said from the rock where he was sitting just above Toni.
“I know I love it and the sound of the waves and the salt water smell.” She lay her head against his knee and it wasn’t long until she felt his hand on her head finger combing her wind tossed hair.
He looked up at the sky, “we should start back, looks like some clouds rollin’ in we got a good walk ahead of us.”
Toni stood up, she would have been quite happy sitting there with his hand in her hair. He glanced at her shyly and took her hand.
Later he kissed her softly goodnight and went to his own room. She went to hers and slept soundly.
A week passed; they spent their time riding, weather permitting, walking and reading sometimes to each other. She would look up from the page and find him looking at her, he would smile slightly and go back to his book. During this time he held her hand, kissed her softly and occasionally hugged her to him. He had not taken her to bed. Toni was beginning to wonder about that collar he didn’t wear could it be…invisible?
For his part Cort was getting to know her, where he came from a man didn’t just jump into bed with a lady without so much as a howdy-do. There was never any doubt in his mind but that she was a lady. Of course it didn’t help when riding his eyes would focus on her thighs spread across the saddle. He knew she watched him too, he just hoped he wasn’t too much of a disappointment to her.
Toni would watch his eyes, someday they reflected the sky and some days the gray green sea, they were remarkable. She also noticed how his shirts fit across his shoulders and the way he wore his jeans. She was becoming intensely aware of him. It was the day they got caught in the rain running from the stables to the house that she brought things to a head. They ran dripping into the kitchen and she looked up at him saying she thought she might go for a soak in the tub.
“All right,” he’d said brushing his wet hair out of his face.
“I was wondering if you’d…like to join me.”
He stood still with his hands in his pockets staring into her eyes for so long she thought she had gone too far she blushed and dropped her head.
“I’d be honored to,” he answered.
He followed her upstairs into her bathroom where the big soaking tub awaited with warm scented water the house had provided candles and soft music. It was after all about time these two found each other.
Toni began pulling off her clothes Cort hesitated a moment and then followed removing his shirt, his boots and his jeans. Toni didn’t avert her eyes, he was beautiful. She nestled against him in the warm water there was just enough oil to make their bodies glide together.
He put his hands on her shoulders and rested his chin on her head. He drew his hands slowly down her arms to her fingers where he touched each one before bringing his hands back up the insides of her arms. He touched her breasts, cupping them in his hands and kneading gently rubbing his thumbs across her hard nipples. His hands slid to her waist and down the outside of her legs until he came to her ankles and continued up to the inside of her thighs. It was exquisite, Toni moaned when he drew his hands to her slit and up over her belly.
He brushed the hair away and kissed the back of her neck drawing his lips to her ear, “I think we’ve soaked long enough” he whispered.
She didn’t know how they got to the bed but damp towels in the floor said he must have dried her before laying her down in the bed. He covered her with kisses before his weight covered her driving them until they cried out together and clung to each other.
He moved and lay beside her threading his fingers through hers, “there ain’t much in this world that I’ve loved and less that’s loved me.”
Toni felt the tears starting, “I love you.”
“I know and I love you,” he kissed her fingers.
There was no going back, no separate bedrooms she slept in his bed or he in hers. Toni knew very well what was happening but she couldn’t stop it. She felt as though she were on a train and couldn’t get off until it reached its destination. She didn’t want to get off she loved him and Cort loved her.
Sometimes as the weeks sped past he would ride out by himself to an outcropping of rocks and sit thinking about his love for Toni, he’d never known such love before he was sure of it. Past trips to the house left no memory of his companion but he thought he would never get over Toni. They could wipe her out of his memory but deep in his soul he would know he would feel her. He prayed over it and cried alone in his frustration.
The days were getting longer and Toni knew what was coming, she tried to put it out of her mind but it was there. She wouldn’t talk to Cort about it she’d been there before when John left. It was going to be bad for both of them.
He left as he’d come dressed in his preacher suit. Toni walked with him up to the stables in silence. He kissed her one last time with tears running down his cheeks and mounted his horse. He took Calla with him and left Toni sobbing in the stables.
When she was able to get up and walk back to the house she felt anger building inside of her with every step. She walked in the back door and sent lunch flying off the island to the four corners of the room. She paced through the house and when she found Cort’s door would not open for her she kicked the door until it moved on its hinges.
“How can you keep doing this are you amused? What kind of magic is this? I hate it, I hate you. You’re not a house of love you’re a house of torture. How many times can you break a heart and expect it to come together again. I won’t stand for it any more, I won’t.” She slid down the wall in the hallway and cried.
“I’m going to stop it you know, I’m going to shut you down. You won’t do this again not to me. I’m leaving and I won’t ever be back, I hope you rot down to your rotten foundation. Fuck you house,” she cried out and went into her room and slammed the door.
The house shuddered and went silent. Shut down the House of Four Seasons, never it couldn’t be done…could she? She was very powerful more so than she knew…she had the magic now. Something would have to be done, but what? What could be done…there must be a way…
Down in the kitchen the house cleaned up the broken dishes and the food splattered on the walls. Silently the hinges on the door to Cort’s room were repaired. She must not leave…must not close down the house, stop the love no…there had to be a way…