Although she had a hard time falling asleep as she recalled every detail of her evening with Alex, once Piper was asleep, she was out like a light. It wasn't until Cal jumped on her bed the next morning at 9 a.m. when the blonde finally stirred.
"What the fuck, Cal?" She pulled the sheets higher.
"Theo invited me to go sailing, and mom won't take me to the marina," he complained. "Will you take me? Please? I'll pay you back somehow."
"Go away!" She rubbed her eyes. "Give me a few minutes to think about it."
"Fine, but I need to be there by 9:30!" He jumped off the bed and ran out of her room.
Piper kept her eyes shut as she slowly started to wake. Her lips tugged up as she remembered the night before. Her face broke into a thousand-watt smile, and she actually laughed at herself for being downright giddy. If she took Cal down to the marina, he'd owe her, and she could probably find some use in that in the near future.
She heard a tap on her door. "Will you take me?"
"Yes," she grumbled. "But I'm writing this down. You owe me big time."
"I totally do, sis. Thank you!"
Never one to break a promise, Piper slipped on her bikini (in lieu of a bra), khaki shorts and a Nike tank top before heading downstairs to take her brother to the marina.
"Good morning, sweetheart," her father greeted. "What are you going to do when your internship starts and you can't sleep until mid-morning?"
"Probably go to bed earlier," she replied safely, grabbing a banana off the counter and heading out the door, Cal right behind.
"Wear sunscreen!" was the last thing she heard her mother call as they closed the door behind them.
The siblings were mostly silent on the short drive to the marina, and Piper kept her eyes peeled for her new friend, but she didn't spot the dark haired woman anywhere. When she returned home, she'd tell her parents about Alex's offer to help with the upkeep of the properties along Sand Point Road.
"Bye." She put the car in park. "Don't be an asshole."
Cal chuckled. "I won't. Thanks for the ride."
Piper was excited for Cal to grow into an adult—he had so much potential and she hoped he'd use it appropriately instead of getting mixed up with the wrong crowd. He'd been pretty good so far, but one wrong turn, and he could be easily influenced to not give a damn.
She parked the car in the driveway and considered walking over to Alex's cottage, but she didn't want to seem too eager. Besides, she had no idea if the brunette was even home.
"Mom, dad," she began. "There's something I want to talk to you about."
"What is it?" her father asked, newspaper hiding his face.
She sat on a kitchen stool. "I have an opportunity to make some money this summer before my internship begins."
"Doing what?" Carol asked in a skeptical tone.
"You know the caretaker, Alex?" She didn't wait for them to confirm. "She has a long list of things that have to get done before Independence Day, and she asked if I wanted to help."
"Ha!" Carol threw her head back. "Don't be silly, Piper. You can't fix things!"
"It's not that I can't; it's just that I've never tried." She reached for an apple in the basket to her left, giving her something to do with her hands.
Bill lowered the newspaper and creased his brow. "When did you meet Alex?"
"I don't know." She shrugged, avoiding eye contact. "I've just kind of always known of her."
"I don't think you'd be much of an assistant," her mom commented, dipping a tea bag in and out of her cup.
Piper turned to her dad. "You told me that I didn't have anything to do this summer until my internship started, and now I have an opportunity that would pay me to be active and contribute to society. I really want to give it a try."
Bill scratched his chin. "Is this your way of asking to move here a week early?"
She met his eyes, unwilling to back down. "I'd be up at sunrise and probably wouldn't be finished until sunset, so I won't really be alone."
"Plus, Alex can be responsible for you," he mumbled. Turning to his daughter, Bill continued. "Ok, but if I find out that this is some sort of scheme that would allow you to lay in the sun all day, working on your tan instead of the yard, you're going to face serious consequences."
Piper refrained from rolling her eyes—she was 20 years old, so to think that she could still suffer consequences from her parents was absurd. However, her father held the power to remove her from Kennebunkport altogether, and she didn't want to risk that—not after just meeting Alex.
"I understand," she replied, tossing the apple in her hands. "I'll let Alex know. Thanks, daddy." She kissed her father on the cheek and left the room before she could hear her mom complain about what a terrible idea this was.
Piper went upstairs and texted her new friend. "Hi it's Piper. I can help you with tasks around here, but you have to pay me."
She brushed her teeth, washed her face and headed downstairs with The Festival of Insignificance tucked under one arm. "I'll be on the deck," she called.
Piper checked her phone every few minutes, hoping to hear from Alex, but an hour went by without communication. She didn't know if Alex worked on Sundays, and she wondered where the brunette might be if not toiling at one house or another. The blonde turned onto her back and reapplied sunscreen to her arms and legs, when she heard her phone buzz. She picked up the mobile device, not caring that her hands were covered with sunscreen.
Be at my place at 6 am tomorrow.
That wasn't the text she'd wanted to receive from the dark haired woman, but at least it meant that she was serious about her offer to allow Piper to work with her.
Piper went inside and grabbed a pad of paper and pen so that she could write down the items she still needed from her house in Connecticut. It was true that she'd transported four boxes of stuff she'd taken home from the dorm that had been stored at Polly's house, but there were at least five or six professional outfits that she needed from home for her internship, not to mention appropriate footwear. She'd have to trek home the following weekend to get the things she'd left behind, unless she could convince Cal to FaceTime and gather everything she needed to deliver when her family would surely go to the summer home the following weekend.
Despite going for two walks and a bike ride, Piper never saw Alex that Sunday. She went to bed early that night, wondering if maybe Alex was a church goer, and perhaps that's where she'd spent the better part of the day. Nah. Maybe she'd gone to brunch with friends or took the train into Portland to do some shopping. Visions of Alex trying on tight jeans was the last thing on her mind before dozing off into a peaceful night of sleep.
The shrill of her alarm clock at 5:30 a.m. was enough to give her a heart attack. She shot out of bed, rubbing her hands down her face and taking a few deep breaths. It took her only a second to remember why she was waking up so fucking early: Alex.
The blonde dressed as she did every day in the summer, and jogged downstairs for a cup of coffee and a granola bar.
"You're awake," her father greeted.
She put her hand over her heart. "You scared me."
"Sorry, sweetheart." He stood and grabbed a mug from the cupboard. "Coffee?"
She nodded as she opened the refrigerator and found the creamer.
Usually on Mondays in the summer, they'd leave Kennebunkport around 9 am so her father could work half a day back in Connecticut.
"Be careful with manual labor," he said, filling her mug. "You can easily get hurt. I smashed my thumb with a hammer once, and my nail fell off."
"Gross." She took a sip of the Italian roast.
"And treat Alex with respect—she does great work around here, and I'd hate for you to screw up what she's got going."
"I won't." She ripped open the granola bar.
Not that she thought otherwise, but it was nice to hear that her dad respected Alex.
"I better head out." She took three more sips of hot coffee, downed the granola bar and stepped into her flip flops. "Have a safe trip back to Connecticut."
Her father waved. "Good luck, sweetheart."
Piper walked into the cool morning air. She draped Alex's jacket over one arm so she could return it to her but was tempted to put it on. She'd forgotten how much the temperature dropped overnight near the water, and a tank top did little to protect her from the nip in the air.
Her heart beat a little faster with every step towards Alex's house. She was positively giddy to see the dark haired woman again, and the thought of spending the entire day with her brought a wide smile to her face.
Piper spotted the brunette across the street near a shed that was set about 30 feet back from the road.
"Hi, I'm here," she announced. "Right on time."
Alex shoved something into the back of her old Chevy truck and eyed Piper up and down. "We're not going to the beach, kid."
She looked at her shorts and tank top, then back up at Alex. "Was I supposed to wear something different?"
"We're going to be doing a lot of shit that could cut your legs or drop on your toes." The dark haired woman removed her thick work gloves. "Come with me."
Piper felt bad for not understanding what she should've worn, but she hadn't been told anything other than, help me, by Alex.
The brunette adjusted her glasses as she walked across the road to her cottage, looking back once to ensure Piper was following. Piper hoped it wasn't all work all the time—she didn't agree to help so that she could actually help—she just wanted to spend time with the fascinating woman.
Alex opened the screen door, allowing Piper to enter first, and then she passed the blonde and headed into her bedroom. Piper hadn't gotten a tour of that room two nights ago, and she remained just outside so as not to invade her companion's personal space.
There was a double bed with what appeared to be a homemade headboard made out of two old wooden doors. Everything was white or gray in the room, and it looked like it could be featured in one of her mother's coastal magazines. The room smelled exactly like Alex—grassy, salty, with a touch of baby powder and sunscreen.
Alex opened an antique armoire and pulled out two pairs of jeans. "Try these."
Her eyes shot open as she stepped into the bedroom. "You want me to wear your pants?"
"It's either that or you go back home to put on a pair of your own." She shrugged. "We don't have time to waste, Piper."
She folded her arms, not allowing her companion to get the best of her. "I like to begin my day with 'Good morning'."
Alex's face had been hard to read so far that morning, but a small grin finally surfaced, setting Piper more at ease.
The dark haired woman took a step closer. "Good morning, Piper."
She tilted her head and smiled. "Good morning, Alex. How are you?"
"I'm fine, thank you," she let out a low chuckle.
"Isn't that better?" Piper enquired.
Alex brushed a strand of long, blonde hair over Piper's shoulder and followed the movement with her eyes. "It is."
The voltage in the air was palpable, and for a moment, the blonde thought they might kiss, but Alex backed away, running that same hand through her own hair.
"I didn't get any work done around here yesterday, and we have a lot to accomplish today." She walked out of the bedroom, leaving Piper a little depressed. "Have you eaten breakfast?"
Piper pulled off her shorts and tried on the first pair of jeans. "I ate a granola bar."
"You're going to need more than that in the future, kid."
The jeans were a little loose, but they'd work. She peeked inside the wardrobe to see Alex's other clothes. It was mostly work stuff, but there were a few dresses and slacks hanging up as well.
"How do they fit?" She called from the other room.
"They're fine." Piper shut the armoire and stared at the disheveled bed. It took all of her strength not to pick up one of the pillows to smell it.
"Look in the closet for a pair of closed-toe shoes. You can't wear flip flops."
She did as she was told and saw seven or eight pairs of casual shoes and one pair of black, patent leather pumps. Piper could only imagine what her companion would look like wearing those.
She slipped on a pair of hiking boots that were too big, then she tried a pair of black Nike sneakers. "If I put on some thick socks, these should work."
"Socks are in the dresser—third drawer," the brunette called.
Piper opened the drawer and looked for the thickest pair of socks. She covered her mouth with one hand and jumped back when she saw a small, silver vibrator. "Oh, God," she whispered to herself. "Ohgod, ohgod, ohgod." Heart pounding, she snatched a pair of red socks and shut the drawer hard. She didn't know if she should tell Alex what she'd seen or just keep her mouth shut.
Just then, the brunette appeared in the doorway. "All set?"
She didn't look up—simply concentrated on putting the socks and shoes on her feet. "Yeah, thanks. I'll wear more appropriate attire tomorrow."
"Here. Eat this." Alex handed her a breakfast sandwich.
"You didn't have to do that." The blonde stood, hoping her cheeks weren't red from embarrassment. "Thank you."
"I don't want you to pass out on me, kid." Alex turned and walked out again. "Let's get out of here."
Piper followed close behind as she ate the breakfast sandwich and listened to Alex explain what they needed to pack in the truck. Her mind kept going back to the bullet she'd just seen in Alex's drawer, and despite trying to shove that image into the bowels of her brain, she couldn't help but imagine Alex pleasuring herself with the device.
She shoved the last of the bacon & egg concoction into her mouth and put on the work gloves that the brunette handed her. Piper lifted the front end of a wheel barrow, and Alex lifted the back as they hoisted it over the tailgate and into the flatbed. Five minutes later, the truck was loaded and Piper was already feeling the burn of her biceps.
"Get in." Alex opened the driver's door and waited for the blonde to join her.
She slid all the way over on the bench seat. "What are we doing today?"
"I like to do the sweaty stuff early in the morning, so we'll haul firewood down the hill at three houses, and then we'll do yardwork at the Russo's." She glanced at Piper. "Have you ever mowed a lawn?"
"No," she replied shyly.
"It's pretty straightforward," Alex chuckled. "I'll teach you."
"I haven't done any of this before." Piper wiped her hands on her jeans. "I've changed a lightbulb in a lamp and hung some posters on the wall with tacks—that's about the extent of it."
She smiled. "I'll walk you through everything. By the end of the week, you'll be a pro."
The first part of the day was brutal. Alex made her bring several wheel barrows full of wood down from the other side of the road to the deck at three homes, explaining that the wood was for their firepits not the indoor fireplaces. The brunette showed her how to properly stack and then cover the wood, and then Alex watered the potted plants in the yard. After that, she showed the blonde how to start and push a lawn mower, making perfectly straight lines. While Piper cut the grass, Alex used the weed eater around the harder to reach spots. She made the blonde pull weeds that couldn't be reached with either piece of equipment, and then rake up the mess they'd made, stuffing debris into a large burlap sack. Finally, while Alex went inside the Grant's home to do whatever, she instructed Piper to sweep the front porch and massive back deck.
By lunchtime, Piper had sweat so much she could almost wring out her tank top. It didn't help that she was wearing Alex's jeans, which trapped the heat against her legs. "When can we take a break?"
Alex smiled as she loaded a bucket of tools into the back of the truck. "You hungry?"
She removed her work gloves and put her hands on her hips. "Starving."
"Aren't you glad you ate that breakfast sandwich?" She closed the tailgate, and proceeded to the driver's side of the truck, allowing Piper to once again slide across the seat.
Alex's gaze wasn't lost on Piper—she noticed the brunette eyeing her up and down on several occasions that morning when she probably thought Piper wasn't paying attention. On one hand, the blonde thought Alex could've been glancing at her to make sure she was doing the job right; on the other, Alex could've been admiring her body. She hoped it was the latter, but Piper didn't think she looked very sexy in oversized pants and a stinky, wet tank top.
"Yes, but I'm still famished." She tied her long blonde hair into a ponytail, feeling sweat roll down the back of her neck.
"You don't realize how many calories you're burning by doing this kind of work." Alex started the engine. "Let's get some lunch." She drove the half-mile back to her cottage.
Piper got out of the vehicle and reached for the Igloo in the back of the truck, pulling out the third bottle of water she'd drink that morning. "Want some?"
"No, thanks," Alex replied, brushing off the grass on her arms before entering the cottage. "I have some fresh strawberry lemonade." She opened the refrigerator. "The sugar will be good for you, but only drink one glass."
The blonde followed her inside. "Mind if I wash my hands?"
"Sure. You know where the bathroom is." Alex scrubbed her own hands in the kitchen sink.
Piper closed the bathroom door and hesitated a moment before reaching into the shower to smell Alex's bath gel and shampoo. She was rewarded with the familiar scent of her companion. The bath gel was called Bay Breeze, and it smelled exactly like the salty ocean with a hint of coconut. The blonde wondered if Alex's grassy scent was literally from all the yardwork she did. She noticed a bottle of Hawaiian Tropic SPF 80 on the bathroom counter and figured that was why the brunette wasn't tan or sunburned.
Piper walked out of the bathroom, glad that at least her hands felt clean—the rest of her, not so much.
The dark haired woman pulled a loaf of bread off the top of the Frigidaire. "I hope a sandwich is ok."
Piper put her hand on her grumbling tummy. "Anything sounds good right now."
Much like the other night, they maneuvered easily in the tiny kitchen. Piper put a handful of pretzels on each plate, while Alex assembled the sandwiches with lettuce, tomato and mustard. The blonde sliced an apple, putting half on each dish, and then took them, along with a roll of paper towels outside to the picnic table.
"I feel gross," she commented around the first bite. "My shirt is sticking to me from all the sweat."
Alex lifted one eyebrow. "I can see that."
She looked down at her own breasts and noticed that her nipples were hard. "Oh…um…"
"When you sweat like that and sit in the cool breeze, it happens," Alex chuckled around an apple slice. "Want a fresh t-shirt?"
"What I want is a shower," she complained, taking another bite of her sandwich.
"It would be pointless to take a shower now—we're just going to sweat more this afternoon." The brunette downed her glass of lemonade. "Trust me, when you take a shower at the end of a hard day's work, there's no better feeling in the world…Well, I can think of one thing better than a shower." She smirked.
Piper blushed. "Yeah, I'm sure that's a little better."
The dark haired woman ate the rest of her sandwich, and then stood. "I'll get you a fresh shirt, but I insist that it's equally as tight."
She blushed again and felt wetness pool between her legs. Was Alex flirting with her? God, she hoped so.
They quickly rinsed the dishes, and then Piper followed her companion into the bedroom. "I guess I forgot to make the bed this morning."
The blonde shoved her hands into her back pockets. "Wanna take a nap?"
Alex laughed, and as the laughter died, a small smile lingered on her face. "Maybe later, after we shower."
Jesus Lord, if they showered together…
"Here. This should work." Alex handed her a white t-shirt with a green outline of the state of Maine on it.
"It's another white t-shirt," the blonde said. "I think I'll have the same problem."
"And what problem is that?" Alex grinned, adjusting her glasses.
Piper took a step closer, willing to put herself out there in order for their flirtations to continue. "My nipples will show."
Alex pursed her lips and shrugged. "If that makes you uncomfortable..." she trailed off.
The blonde took off her sweaty tank top right there in front of her companion and watched Alex swallow hard as she stared at her skimpy, hot pink bikini top. She grabbed the t-shirt out of Alex's hand, and slowly put it on. The brunette looked away and shoved her glasses higher on her nose, and Piper knew in that moment, she had an effect on the older woman. A definite physical effect.
"Ready?" Piper asked.
The dark haired woman returned her gaze to her companion and licked her lips. "Yeah," she responded hoarsely. "That shirt…it looks good on you."
Piper looked down at her outfit. "I'm wearing your shirt, your jeans, your socks and shoes. How can I make it up to you?"
Alex let out a long, audible sigh. "I'm just glad you're comfortable, kid…We need to get the fuck out of here." She padded out of the bedroom in a flurry, leaving Piper in the middle of the room with a stupid grin on her face.
Author's Note: I don't know if I'll be able to post another chapter until Monday. Thank you for reading and for the reviews!