XXXPMDSXX

Part 9

Della smirked at his remark laughing to herself as she looked over her shoulder while he watched her move. He drew out a slow drag on his cigarette, exhaled, and smoked half the cigarette he flicked it to the ground and put it out with his boot. Taking his cotton shirt out of his back pocket, he draped it on the railing of the porch while Della picked up the paintbrush.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Della?" Perry reached for her wrist stopping her movement with the brush.

"What, you don't want me to help? I didn't have anything to do while dinner is being cooked. I thought you could use some help." Della wriggled her wrist free from his grasp and took the clean bristle edge and ran it along the side of his cheek.

"How can I say no to you? You really are simply irresistible." He gave a low growl, caressed her hair, and drifted feather-light touches down the side of her arm.

"I hope I'm not bothering you two, but if you're ready we can get started on the window panes," she eyed them and smiled. All three of them spanned out on the side of the house painting the window panes. Della had a sheen of sweat on her brow and wiped it off her forehead with her hand. Sarah was a few feet from her and handed her a clean handkerchief, and she continued her task. With three people tackling the window panes, the task was done rather quickly. Della and Perry sat down on the chairs out on the front porch, while Sarah went back inside to grab three glasses of cold lemonade. Taking a much-needed rest, Della closed her eyes while Perry joined her.

"Thanks Sarah." Perry obliged handing Della her glass brushing his fingers with hers. Perry downed half the glass while Della watched him at the corner of her eye, smirking again and Sarah returned back inside.

"Just what do you find so funny Della?"

"You that's what," Della finished her glass of lemonade. As she got up from her chair to head back inside the house, Perry quickly reached out and gently took her hand in his and tugged her back into his lap.

"Care to explain yourself? Just what do you find so funny about me?" He held onto her waist not letting her go as she pushed back away from his perspiring sticky skin.

"I've never seen you out of business leisure suits. You are very sexy, and it's like you have another identity that I like very much." Della confessed.

"Oh really…so you're telling me you like the rugged type guys…should I be concerned about this?" He gave a suspicious stare before he retreated slightly, traced her elbow then up her arm and encircled her waist protectively. She propped herself on his forearms peered down at him and cocked her head to one side giving him a lop-sided grin.

"Perry Mason, you're acknowledging to me right this minute that you have a jealous streak in you?" Della gauged him in the ribs.

"Why yes, I am, Della. If someone is looking at my 'girl', better believe they'll be trouble." He took her chin in his hand gently pulling her into a tender kiss. She withdrew from him slowly touching his cheeks and traced his lips with her index finger.

"So, that's what I am to you now. Your girl?" Della whispered and straightened up looking lovingly into his icy blue depths.

"If you don't want me to call you that, I won't. I don't want to offend you by any means." Perry regretfully said kissing her hands and then the inside of her palms, asking for forgiveness.

"You are forgiven Perry," she replied kissing him on the cheek and ran her fingers through his chest hair, making him shiver as her fingers massaged his chest. He relaxed his hold on her waist. She took the empty glass tumblers back inside for another refill. Perry sat back in his chair suddenly feeling the cold glass hit his shoulder, startling him out of his revere. Della was standing holding out his glass and he took it.

Della stood by the porch railing leaning against the beam and a breeze swept her hair off her nape. The smell of the dry hay from the field filled her lungs, breathing it in making a mental note of how it smelled. Perry observed her for a moment before getting up from his chair to approach her from behind. He put his hand on her shoulders, slipped them around her waist, pulled her into his embrace, and leaned down to give her a quick kiss to the cheek. She turned her head and kissed him tenderly. He pulled back from the kiss and nuzzled the inside of her neck planting a kiss there. Not wanting to cause a scene on the porch because that's what was about to happen if he continued his ministrations, she pulled away. Della rubbed his forearms for a moment getting her composure back, but it was hard with him flush against her backside making it very difficult.

"Perry, are you going to finish the field before it gets dark?" she managed ask to him.

"I don't know. With a very tempting young lady in front of me, it's hard to concentrate on my work." He murmured into her ear and splayed his large hands over her stomach holding onto her and looked back out into the field then back at her. Making her giggle as she held onto his forearms, she turned slightly looking at him sideways, giving him a smile and narrowing her eyes at him before he captured her lips once again.

Perry slowly ran his hands down her mid drift of her waist. She took his hand in hers before he stepped off the front steps and pulled him back. He leaned against the post for a moment just taking in the sight of her. He would never get tired of looking at her. He picked up the cotton shirt and slung it over his shoulder as he walked back to the barn starting the tractor while Della watched him until he disappeared.

A few hours had passed before the sun began to slowly set into the horizon. Perry had finished baling the hay. While the bales set out in the field, he'd return tomorrow to pick them up to store them in the barn. Della helped set the table with plates and utensils. Sarah and Aunt Fay looked out at the window before Della spotted Perry walking from the barn. He was a filthy mess and in need of a shower. Sitting down in the chair on the porch, he pulled his boots off setting them aside he trudged into the house looking at the three of them.

"You better wash up Perry. You look exhausted," Aunt Fay managed a chuckle but knew he had worked hard today.

"Clean towels are in the bottom drawer Perry," Sarah said from over her shoulder helping her mother at the stove getting dinner on the table. Perry took their advice taking a quick shower. Drying himself he looked around to where he put his dress slacks and dress shirt. He put them on leaving the top buttons open on his shirt. Dinner was on the table while Perry entered the kitchen, with a change of clothes Della took notice and smiled her approval as he approached her sitting down across from her.

"What would you like to have first Perry?" Aunt Fay sat down at the table eyeing him and then helped herself.

"It looks delicious I don't know where to begin." Perry directed it towards Della she couldn't help but blush a little bit as he gave a sly grin towards her and put the food on his plate. Everyone enjoyed their dinner and making small talk when Aunt Fay had finished her plate of food. Checking the clock, she excused herself from the table, to check on the cake that had been baking. Retrieving an oven mitt, she pulled the stove door open and pulled it out to cool.

"How did you do on your finals, Perry?" His asked aunt asked as she returned to the table to sit down.

"I'm still waiting on the results of the final exams. I have a strong feeling that I passed." He replied.

"Just what are your plans after law school? Are you moving away from Los Angeles or staying there for a while?" his cousin asked as she finished her green beans.

"I really haven't thought about it." He leaned back in his chair and eyed Della from across the table who was done with her meal.

"Della, what have you been studying? And what are your plans? Aunt Fay curiously asked.

"I've been studying business but the field I enjoy most is secretarial work. My family lives in Los Angeles, but I'm originally from Chicago. I haven't decided yet where I want to live." Della looked at her then back at Perry, who was listening to her every word.

"When are you two getting married?" Sarah blurted out as she brought the cake to the table and sat down.

"Sarah, that is rude! That's a personal question, that's between the two of them. If they wanted to tell us, I would think they would have by now," she exclaimed.

"It's alright I don't mind being asked, do you Della?" he chuckled with a little embarrassment then helped himself to the dessert in front of him.

"I don't mind at all. But that is a question that never really came up between me and Perry," Della helped herself to the dessert.

"I have seen the way you two behave around each other. I haven't the slighted idea why my nephew hasn't proposed yet?"

Della avoided the conversation not responding at first then finally speaking up, "Do you mind if I help clean up in the kitchen?" She started to rise from her chair and excused herself. Perry finished the last bite of his cake and joined Della at the sink. Watching her clean the dishes as he leaned up against the counter tracing her elbow then stilling her hand movements.

"Della, walk with me. It's a full moon out tonight. Come one let's go," Perry whispered in her ear giving her cheek a quick kiss. She finished washing the utensils and his aunt came up beside her taking the dishcloth from her hand.

"Go Della, it's okay I'll clean the rest. Perry is waiting outside. I'm sorry if Sarah acted a little too rash, but she needs to learn she can't ask adults that kind of question," Fay explained.

"It's fine really. I'm not offended. It's just marriage never came up," Della finished drying her hands off and placed a hand on the older woman's arm, and walked outside joining Perry, who was waiting on her, looking at the clear sky and bright moon draped in the midnight sky.