Author's Note: Hey guys! As always, thank you so much for reading and for the kind feedback. I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

xxxxx

"Who would have thought that pumpkins were a Summer crop. I thought these things grew in Autumn."

Walking up from behind Chelsea toiling away in her fields, Denny pushed aside some tall stalks of corn to peer out at the farmer tending to the pumpkin patch. His comment spurred Chelsea to educate him.

"They grow in Summer and are ready by Autumn." She explained matter of fact, staying on task.

The large orange gourds were impressively well grown, looking potentially perfect for Halloween... and pie. Denny couldn't help but take notice.

"Think we could pull some of these aside for pie, Chels?"

"We're in the middle a heat wave. I'm not using the oven and heating up my house for pie. It's still Summer."

Crossing his arms with a huff, Denny made a dramatic face. Chelsea carried on fussing with the foliage, pretending she couldn't see Denny's attempt to sway her decision. Peeking her eyes up for a second, Chelsea rolled her eyes... but withheld a snicker.

"You're worse that a child."

"The minute the calendar turns over in to Fall you're making pie." he informed her, lips cracking at the corner in the wake of a smirk. "I mean it. How many times have I had to fix that fishing rod of yours? All I ask for is food, you know me."

"Yeah, yeah. Make yourself useful and pull some of those weeds over there. I've been out here all day. My back hurts."

Intrigued at Chelsea's request for help, Denny sidled up next to her and began doing as he'd been told. Chelsea was sweaty, skin oily and glistening from the sun hanging overhead. Face flushed pink, she wiped away at the perspiration. Then for a moment, she almost toppled forward when reaching for a weed.

"Hey... Chelsea. Come here." Denny coaxed. "You still not feeling well?"

"It's probably just the heat. I've been out here for hours."

"You need something to drink."

Agreeing, Chelsea didn't argue as Denny pulled his canteen from his bag and handed it to her. She unscrewed the top and took a generous drink, stopping for a moment to pant.

"I hate Summer." she bemoaned.

"It doesn't last forever." Denny assured her, plopping down next to her in the dirt. "It'll cool off eventually. Autumn is right around the corner."

"Good, because I'm fucking exhausted."

The last few patches of pumpkins left unwatered stared at Chelsea dauntingly. Sighing, she handed Denny back his canteen and picked up where she left off.

"Give that to me." Denny scolded, trying to take the watering can.

"Quit trying to do my work for me." she scolded back at him.

Falling silent, Denny pulled back. Feeling guilty for snapping, Chelsea apologized and continued to rain water down on the thirsty crops.

"Sorry... I appreciate you an all. I just really need to keep up with this farm on my own."

"Glad to hear you appreciate me."

"Don't let it go to your head."

Eventually finishing the chore, Chelsea carried the empty watering can back to the watering hole and went back to her home with Denny in tow.

"I'll take a shower then fix us something to eat." she explained to him as they walked through the front door. "Just give me a minute, I'm woozy."

Stumbling for a moment, Chelsea shook off Denny's hand when he grabbed her.

"Maybe you should let me worry about the cooking."

"You caught the fish, the least I can do is cook."

Leaning up against the kitchen counter, Chelsea opened her fridge to take a look at her vegetable supply.

"I could make a fish stew... this house is going to get hotter. I hate cooking in Summer."

"Look, I can make us sashimi. Forget about the stew."

"Fine. I'm too tired to argue. I'm going to go shower. I'll be back."

Shutting the fridge, Chelsea went to go shower. Wiping at her forehead, she unknowingly caught the worried eyes of Denny. The bathroom door shut behind her, and those worried eyes were left stare longingly where her shiny chestnut hair had just disappeared.

Inside the bathroom, the water turned on and soiled clothing hit the floor. Bracing her arms against the tile walls, Chelsea stepped in to the tub. The showerhead poured cold water down on her overheated flesh as she soaped up, washing away the work day. Barely managing to stay standing, she shut off the water.

"Robe... I need my robe."

Covering herself up, Chelsea tied the robe shut and stepped out from the bathroom. Denny had just set the cutting board on the counter when he heard the bathroom door open. He stared at her as she made her way to the dresser by her bed, pulling open the top drawer. For a brief moment, Denny contemplated questioning Chelsea's brazen casualty walking out in just a short bathrobe... but, the color draining from her face became higher priority.

"Chelsea?" he asked.

"Hm?"

"...You don't look so good."

The pajama bottoms she had between her fingers slipped back in to the drawer. There was a thud, and Chelsea was on the floor.

"Chelsea!"

Xxxxx

The clinic's fluorescent lights shone down on the passed-out brunette as Dr. Trent hurried to her, Denny having carried her in. Laying Chelsea's body out over a cot per the doctor's instructions, Denny stood by anxiously. Chelsea was hot to the touch, pale and sweating as if she hadn't just showered off the work day. Out like a light, she didn't so much as flinch with Dr. Trent's pats to her face.

"Hmm..." he murmured to himself. "She's catatonic."

"Catatonic?" Denny questioned.

"Lethargic. Was she like this earlier?"

Denny explained that Chelsea had just come in from working outside before collapsing inside her home.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked urgently. "Is she okay?"

"Do you know if she's been vomiting at all?"

"She hasn't said anything. She was going to eat dinner before she passed out."

Putting on his stethoscope, Trent parted the very top of Chelsea's robe revealing her collar bone and cleavage. Denny turned pink and looked away.

"Should I step out?" he asked. "I mean-"

"Step out? Aren't you her...?"

"No?"

With more important things at hand, Trent urged Denny to shut the curtain and step out. He paced back and forth, waiting for Trent to announce what was wrong with the petite farmer. The doctor quickly came back out, going to his medicinal closet, coming back with a vial and syringe.

"What's that?"

"I can't answer that." Trent answered briefly, disappearing back behind the white curtain. "But, I have a suspicion to what this is."

When asking what it was Chelsea had, Denny still received no answer.

"Chelsea has a right to her privacy" Trent explained. "When she wakes up, I'll disclose with her. If she chooses to disclose with you that will have to be her decision."

"Oh..."

"You're free to sit in the waiting room if you'd like."

It took hours for Chelsea to wake up. The groan that came from behind the curtained off cot alerted both Denny and Trent she was conscious. There was abrupt gag and what sounded like scrambling for the trash bin. Denny went running despite Trent advising him to stay out.

"Chelsea!" he exclaimed, throwing the curtain aside.

Chelsea was leaning off the cot, vomiting in to the bin on the floor. The position, however, parted her robe just enough to reveal the tops of her breasts. Denny crept in carefully as she heaved, pulling the fabric shut. When Chelsea finished, she groaned in embarrassment.

"Sorry..." she apologized.

"N-No, it alright." he assured her. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit. What happened? I remember getting out of the shower and then everything went black. Why am I so nauseous?"

Trent walked in clearing his throat.

"Hello, Chelsea." he greeted her. "Glad to see you're awake."

"Dr. Trent, why am I here?"

"Your friend brought you in."

The doctor's eyes went to Denny and the fisherman told Chelsea that he would step out of the clinic to give her some privacy. She spit in the garbage and told him he could stay.

"Just stay here with me, I'm so confused. My head hurts, my stomach in churning..."

"So long as you're fine with him here, I suspect you've contracted leptospirosis. I've administered penicillin to treat you."

"Leptospirosis?"

"A bacterial infection, people often contract it from rivers and streams near wild life."

Confused, Denny scrunched his face.

"She has a river on her farm... but there's no wild life around there."

"Perhaps there are and you just haven't witnessed it." Trent suggested. "I don't believe there are any other rivers around here."

Trent brought a bent finger up to his chin in thought.

"...Well, I suppose there's the Jungle but I doubt a young lady would go exploring the wilderness. I don't know why that bridge was built, no one has a need to set foot out there."

"Have you been to the jungle, Chels?"

Thankfully Chelsea's face was already pale. She vividly recalled swimming in the jungle's river, as well as drinking water that Shea had fetched from it. Her eyes widened and she shook her head quickly.

"N-No, of course not."

"Good, it's dangerous out there." Denny advised her, sighing in relief. "You don't know what's lurking in the trees."

Another wave of nausea hit Chelsea and she heaved in to the garbage. Denny scrambled for the box of tissues, pulling out a few to wipe at Chelsea's mouth when she pulled her head out. Trent mentioned a regime of antibiotics for the upcoming days and strict bed rest. Too sick to worry, Chelsea didn't object as Denny immediately offered to watch the crops.

"You're bed ridden until Fall." he told her, patting her back. "Get comfortable."

Xxxxx

The end of Summer carried on with Chelsea at home, Denny taking it upon himself to ensure her fields were tended to. Watching him from the farmhouse window, Chelsea sighed. The fishermen was running around, hurrying to finish harvesting the crops before the oncoming storm began. The worry in his face reminded her of another man somewhere who was probably facing his own anxieties.

"Shea...he's probably losing his mind, again. Fuck."

The memory of Shea sobbing when he thought she'd abandoned him tore at Chelsea's heart. It was hard to deny his infatuation, on some level, was sweet. What she would give for the comforting feeling of someone's body against her, even with the heat. With rest and medication her condition improved, but the lingering malaise was anything of comforting.

With a bin full of crops, Denny brought in a variety that Chelsea had asked for. Covered in sweat, his ebony skin glistened. The black material of his muscle shirt stuck to his body.

"Here are the crops you said you wanted to keep." he announced. "Fuck, it's humid out there."

"It's going to rain. Thanks for taking over the field, you can put those crops in the kitchen. I'll take care of them."

Pinching the material of his muscle tee, Denny tried getting some air on his skin. Realization dawned on him as he took in Chelsea standing in her pajamas, hair tied up in a messy bun.

"Hey, why are you out of bed? Lie down."

Rolling her eyes, she just went. But, her route was redirected as a bubbling in her stomach emerged. The bathroom room shut and Denny could hear her dry heaving, followed by the sound of the toilet flushing then the scrubbing sound of a tooth brush.

"Why are you brushing your teeth if you didn't throw up? You haven't thrown up these past couple of days."

"The mint helps with the nausea." she answered.

Coming out with a toothbrush in her mouth, Chelsea's face fell as she beheld Denny stocking her fridge with the crops.

"Mph!" she grunted from around the plastic.

"Huh? What?" Denny asked, looking over his shoulder. "Finish brushing your teeth and get back to bed."

With clean teeth, Chelsea climbed in to bed, lying on top of the sheets. Curled up around a pillow and facing the wall, she shut her eyes. Denny moving around the inside of the fridge went on in the background for a bit before the appliance's door was shut and he stood up, stretching and cracking his back.

"I'm going to head out and finish up out there. You need anything before I go outside?"

"No, I'm fine. I think I'm going` to take a nap."

"Sounds good, take it easy. When's the last time we took your temperature?"

"I took it a few hours ago, I'm good."

"Alright."

Outside, clouds crept in over the sky casting a gray blanket over the island. The room darkened as Chelsea's breathing slowed, armed curled around her pillow snuggly. Hours later, she awoke with slow blinks. Rain pelted the roof harshly, wind howling. The door clattered opened, someone struggling to shut it behind themselves.

"Denny?" Chelsea called out groggily.

"Everything is fine, Chels. Go back to sleep."

Fighting the wind, Denny slammed the door shut with all his body weight and locked it.. Sighing, he shook his head at the sight out the window. Water poured down the glass, making it impossible to see the farm land just outside.

"It's crazy out there. Honestly, I'm glad you haven't invested in any animals yet. I wouldn't have had time to herd them in or feed them."

"The storm sounds bad..."
"Yeah. I don't think I'm making it home tonight."

Wiping at her eyes, Chelsea yawned.

"You can stay here, I don't care." she told him sleepily.

"Where do you keep your towels? I need a shower with soap." Denny joked. "The rain alone doesn't really cut it."

"Bathroom cabinet."

Eyes falling shut again, Chelsea woke up to a hand on her forehead. She hadn't realized that she fell asleep, it felt as if she'd only shut her eyes for a moment.

"Denny?"

"I'm just checking your temperature. You feel warm, again. You need aspirin."

Denny's footsteps grew faint as he walked away. When he reemerged at Chelsea's bedside, he tapped her hip lightly. Turning over, the last thing Chelsea expected to see when she opened her eyes was Denny in a towel...wrapped pretty low on his hips. The house was dark, only the light of the bathroom light shining in from behind Denny.

"W-Woah, uh... you're in a towel."

"My clothes a soaked." he explained with a dry cough. "I kind of don't have any options while they're hanging in the bathroom drying."

The awkward situation hung in the air for a moment before Denny handed Chelsea the aspirin in his hand. She sat up to take it, drinking from the glass on her nightstand. Sitting down on the sheets, Denny scratched at the towel covering his knees.

"I'm not really sure how long this storm is going to last... Old Taro thinks it'll be at least a whole day. Maybe two. He was hollering about it earlier on my way over here"

"Guess I'm stuck with you until its over."

"Sounds about right. Sucks to be you."

A bolt of lightning lit up the sky, coming in through the window. A loud clap of thunder followed it, the roaring taking a few moments to fade out. Denny whistled lowly.

"Jeez. This shit is going to blow down trees, guaranteed. I feel bad for whatever is out there living in them."

Although Denny had meant birds and squirrels, Chelsea's stomach dropped. Shea lived in a tree, outside.

"I hope this all clears up fast." she expressed, voice dropping sadly.

"You sound down... your stomach acting up, again?"

"Sort of, yeah."

Rubbing her back as she laid down facing the wall again, Denny assured her that the doctor promised she'd be back to normal soon. The sentiment was comforting for what it was worth, but the love-sick jungle man stuck in the brunt of the storm was truly the source of Chelsea's unease. Not that she could disclose that.

"By the way, would you happen to have an extra set of sheets of something?"

"No, why?"

"I was hoping the lighten the burden of sleeping on the floor, tonight."

"I don't have any extra sheets right now... you can take the sheet off my bed, though. I have two pillows so you can take one of them."

As Denny went to pull the sheet out from her, Chelsea spoke up quickly. The floor didn't look comfortable at all. The floorboards were old and creaky, some of them splintered. Poor Denny didn't even have pajamas to protect him. Not to mention his poor back...

"Actually, Denny. I don't think you should sleep on the floor. You're going to wake up with a broken back and splinters."

"Where else am I supposed to sleep?"

"I know it's only a twin size but you're welcome to sleep here. I'll just wedge myself close to the wall so you have room."

Denny's eyes darted down to his towel.

"You do realize that, you know... I'm..."

"I can't let you sleep on the floor."

"Alright, uh... scoot over then."

As promised, Chelsea sidled up to the wall. Denny laid down next to her, just a couple of inches between their bodies. Unsure of what to say, both were silent. Trying to lighten the mood, Denny mentioned all the fishing he could do once the storm cleared up.

"There's gonna be big game once this is all over. The fish all come up to the surface. I'm hoping to catch a tuna out on my boat... you know, it's really good as sushi or cooked up hot with fresh rice. You like Tuna?"

"I like Tuna, yeah."

"What about squid? I make the best calamari."

"I have some bread crumbs and oil in the pantry. If you catch some squid feel free to have at it."

"Cool, I can't wait. You'll love it."

Small talk carried out until a particularly loud clap of thunder seemingly rattled the walls, the lighting knocking out the electricity. The bathroom light that Denny had left on went out, leaving the two in the dark.

"Well, there goes that." Chelsea commented. "I can't say that I particularly like the dark. Or storms."

"At least you're not in here alone."

Lying on his back, Denny stretched his arms up.

"We'll ride out the storm, easy peasy." he promised her. "It won't be so bad."

xxxxx

Denny fell asleep fairly easily, Chelsea assuming the farm work must have wiped him out. Meanwhile, she stared at the wall in the dark, just black before her eyes. The rain grew heavier as the night went on, the air cooling down by the time midnight rolled around. Fall was showing itself, Summer was on the way out. Hopefully, the storm would follow it as Chelsea worried that it would tear off the roof.

Shea's hut hopefully was built tougher that it looked. Surely it must have been given he had to have lived through bad weather, before. He was there with Wada since he was born. Frowning, she felt her eyes tear up. Poor Shea... he had to be fine.

The bed shifted as Denny turned in his sleep, bringing Chelsea's attention to the space no longer between them. And, the arm that was now thrown across her waist. Denny snored lightly, the sound almost inaudible from the outside noise. Unsure of what to do, Chelsea let the flush forming in the apple of her cheeks spread over her face and down her neck.

"D-Denny?"

She got no answer. Denny carried on snoring. His bare chest laid along her back, just a towel separating Denny's bare body from her. More embarrassing, Chelsea... she.. She liked it. Taking a deep breath, she let the bodily contact soothe her during the ruckus of the night. Eventually, a naughty thought sprouted in her mind.

Recalling the sensation of Shea's body upon hers, she missed it. Denny... he had feelings for her, too. There was nothing truly stopping them from... well, nothing except her. She had set the boundry. Contemplating her next course of action, Chelsea thought hard about what she was tempted to do.

"Denny?" she tried again. "Hey, you awake?"

Taking matters in to her own hands, Chelsea rolled over in to his chest. His snoring halted, a surprised snort of sorts coming from him as Chelsea flat out embraced him. As he awoke, Chelsea completely lost her nerve.

"Chelsea?" he questioned, in disbelief.

"I...I-uh..."

"Yeah?" Denny pried.

Horrified with herself, Chelsea lied.

"I don't feel good."

Denny proceeded to comfort Chelsea. She stroked the back of her head softly as she rested her head on his chest.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

"It's my stomach... it doesn't feel right."

Denny's hand moved down to her hip, rubbing over it carefully.

"Everything will be okay. Do you need some more water?"

"I think I just want to stay like this."

The hand on her hips slid between them, resting on her stomach.

"You sure?"

"Mhm..."

Want me to rub your stomach?"

Nodding in to his chest, Chelsea gave him permission to carry on. He rubbed gentle circles over her night shirt. Heartbeat picking up, Chelsea swallowed thickly as Denny's finger tips ran over the lower half of her abdomen, just barely grazing the inch of skin above the elastic of her night shorts. Resting her hand on top of his, she held it still for a moment. Her hand shook as she struggled to form words. Denny's confusion lasted for a second, but the reality was Chelsea's behavior became clear to him quickly.

"Something else not feeling 'right', Chels?" he murmured to her lowly.

Denny wiggled his fingers within Chelsea's grip, caressing her pelvis.

"Oh, Denny..."

Leaning her head up, Chelsea put her mouth on Denny's. They kissed, Denny allowing Chelsea to guide his hand between her clothed thighs. She squeezed it, groaning against his mouth as he rubbed her through the fabric. She rocked her hips against his hand, whimpering as he began pulling away.

Chelsea's top was peeled off her body, cool air touching the freed skin. TDenny's hand slipping down the front of her pajama shorts. Her bare breasts squished against his pectorals as they stayed pressed close to one another, Chelsea sighing as his fingers made contact with her wet heat. The silky texture of her labia spurred a deep groan from Denny.

"How long have you been lying here wet?"

"You cuddled up close to me in your sleep a little while ago." she gasped as his fingers found her clitoris and began tracing. "A-Ah! The feeling of your body so close to me-"

"Chels, you're so hot."

Fingers moving quickly between her legs, Denny took in every shake and shiver of Chelsea's hips as she barreled in to her climax. He didn't give her any time to recover before he was flipping her on to her back along the mattress and dragging her shorts down her legs.

"Open up, Beautiful." he encouraged, feeling up her thighs and kissing the bend of her knee.

"You're going to... you know, do that?"

"Hell yeah, I am. I've wanted to do this for months. Fuck, let me lick your pussy."

Pale legs parted, Denny ran his tan hands up over Chelsea's stomach and to her breasts. He caressed the undersides, licking at her wet core. The towel around his waist grew uncomfortable with his erection standing at attention, but he ignored it as Chelsea's moaning carried out over the downpouring rain. Lightening flashed, giving her a glimpse of the ebony-skinned man's chiseled body between her fair-skinned legs. The rapid laps to her sensitive clitoris, along with the sight now ingrained within her memory, wracked a pleasurable chill throughout her body.

"Denny!" she called out, breathy and strained. "Fuck, I'm right there. I'm going to cum, again."

Lifting his head from between her legs, Denny brought his fingers to her slippery entrance. He slipped one in, smirking at the groan Chelsea gave as her inner walls welcomed him in. Another finger slipped inside her and Chelsea grabbed at his head, pushing it back towards her crotch. Enthusiastically, Denny was right back on task.

"Mmm..." he moaned in to her intimate flesh.

"Denny! Denny!"

A second orgasm washed over Chelsea and she pushed Denny's head away as he tried carrying on full force on her sensitive genitalia, legs shaking with every lick and flick of his tongue.

"W-Wait, Denny-"

"Chelsea... Oh, Chelsea...Let me please you."

"I need a minute."

Rearing up on his knees, Denny stripped himself of the towel around his waist. He wiped at his mouth wet in Chelsea's sweet fluids. The towel was tossed aside, Denny's tall form crawling over her body shivering with post-orgasmic quivers. His lips went between her breasts, kissing sensually up to her neck. She brought her hands up to his shoulders, squeezing as she felt the weight of his cock throbbing along her thigh.

"Do you want me?" Denny asked her huskily, grinding in to her. "I want you... I want you so badly."

As Denny's bare flesh throbbed against her, Chelsea's body language suddenly went from warm and welcoming, to hesitant. She pushed at him lightly and Denny ceased his enamored kisses to her neck.

"What is it, Beautiful?" he asked her, curiously. "What's wrong?"

"I don't have anything."

"What are you talking about?"

Denny wasn't catching on.

"You know..." Chelsea insisted, shyly. "Protection. I'm not on the pill, either."

"That all? I've got a condom in my wallet. Stay right here, I left it on the bathroom sink."

In the dark, Denny navigated his way to the bathroom. He felt around the sink counter for it until giving a relieved sigh upon finding it. His feet padded the floor on his way back to the bed, fishing the condom out and blindly tossing the wallet on to Chelsea's nightstand.

"Here we go." he cooed to her, bringing the foil package up towards her ear and crinkling it so that she could hear the packaging. "We're all set."

Touching the square foil package, Chelsea gave a nervous, relieved chuckle.

"Phew..."

"See? No biggie."

Tearing it open, Denny rolled the latex condom over his length. He grunted at the tight grip the contraceptive had as he applied it over his swollen girth. Ready, he lifted Chelsea's leg, kissing her calve before resting it on his shoulder. He brought his hips in close to her, aligning his cock up with her entrance.

"Mm, where were we?" he drawled, pushing in.

Denny's cock slid in, held snuggly by Chelsea's intimate flesh. Her inner walls fluttered around him as he began a moderate-paced thrust. Chelsea wailed with the angle, Denny hitting her perfectly. His shaft grazed his sweet spot with each precise thrust, dragging his length over it repeatedly. Denny raised her other leg to rest on his other shoulder, pushing on the back of her thighs for deeper penetration.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Denny! You're-You're-"

"You like that?" he goaded, sensually, rocking his hips harder. "You feel so good on me..."

"Don't stop. Stay just like that!"

Uncaring that her head was growing fuzzy or that all the movement probably wasn't the best thing for her, Chelsea welcomed Denny's vigorous thrusting. Her nails dug in to the pillow at her head, arms bent at the elbows and muscles tensing in anticipation of another orgasm.

"Chelsea... Chelsea... I'm going to-" Denny warned, feeling his climax approaching amidst the audible slapping of their flesh. "Your moaning- Shit, I can't take it."

"I'm close too." She assured him, urgently.

Denny's deep voice joined Chelsea's higher pitch as they spiraled in to climax, together. Their groans and moans dwindling down gradually as Denny slowed the momentum of his hips, milking the last moments of Chelsea's orgasm. Carefully, he lowered he legs back down and nestled his body down in close to her, nuzzling his face in to the crook of her neck as they attempted to catch their breathes.

"I've wanted this for so long." he confessed, lovingly pecking the skin right below her ear.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." she panted back, resting a hand between his shoulder blades.

Light-headed and worn out, Chelsea let her eyes fall shut. Denny's kisses were admittedly comforting as she let sleep wash over her. Without a worry that particularly moment, she welcomed as Denny pulled the sheet over their bodies and kept her snug against his body.

"You feel okay, right?" he asked her as she began dozing off.

"I feel fine."

Double checking, Denny touched her forehead before deciding that Chelsea was in fact, perfectly fine to fall asleep. Chelsea's snoring started and he carefully got up to find the bathroom and discard the condom, eager to get back to the woman lying fast asleep.

xxxxx