I could not believe my eyes when the black pickup truck drove up to the farmhouse and their granddaughter hopped out.  Standing by the barn, hitching up the hay wagon to the farm truck, I had to catch my breath when I saw her run up to the porch to greet her grandparents.

Her long dusty blonde hair fell below her shoulders, but it was her tight cut-off jeans and equally tight red t-shirt that made me gasp. Her cowboy boots came just below her knees and revealed well-toned thighs and a hint of her ass cheeks. I guessed she was in her late twenties or early thirties.

Standing there, I watched her hug her grandparents and chat for a minute, and then she and her grandfather came over to me by the barn. I knew she wasn’t wearing a bra because her grapefruit sized tits jiggled, and the small peaks of her nipples practically poked through the tight red shirt. Now, ain’t she something.

“This is our granddaughter, Carla. She’ll  be haying with you.”

“I’m Josh, glad to meet you, Carla.” I shook her hand, smiled, looked into her blue eyes and tried not to look at her nipples.

She smiled back and had the cutest dimples, but then quickly looked away and seemed tense and shy and uncomfortable around people she didn’t know. At the same time, I sensed by the way she was dressed, that underneath her quiet, shy manner was a sensual, passionate woman, who dressed provocatively and liked men to look at her body.

“The hay is all cut and dry but my baler is busted, so you two will have to bale by hand and do the tying then bring it back to the barn.” He looked up at the sky. “It's supposed to rain later today, so you’ll have to work fast to get her in.”

“Well, the hay wagon is all hitched up so we’re ready to go.” I glanced back at it, then at Carla.

“Good,” her grandfather said. “I’ll be on the north pasture fixing the fences, so I’ll see you all at lunch.”

“Hop in the truck, Carla. Let’s get started,” I said, walking towards it.

“Just a minute,” She put up her index finger and ran to her truck, and came back wearing a straw cowboy hat that somehow made her look even sexier. I waited in the truck and put on my red, faded baseball cap over my long, shaggy brown hair.

“Okay, I’m ready,” she said when she climbed in but didn't look at me.

We took off and Carla was quiet as we drove up the bumpy road to the field. I glanced over at her and knew she was tense by the stiff way she sat with her hands folded on her lap.

We didn’t speak, but a few times she turned to me and our eyes met, but then she'd quickly look away again. I think she liked being in the truck with me, but her shyness made her tense and apprehensive. I wanted to get her to relax.

“Nice folks, your grandparents. I’m glad I got this job,” I said, trying to break the ice.

“Yeah, I love them and I like coming out here to visit and help.” She glanced at me, then turned to look straight ahead.

I kept looking at her bare legs and her breasts straining the tight t-shirt and thought how I would love to move my hand on the inside of her smooth, tan thighs, but, I had no clue how I’d get past her shyness.

“So, Carla, do you have a man in your life?” I asked, looking over at her.

“No, I don’t.”

Again, she glanced at me, then back out the window and nervously bit her lower lip.

“I’m surprised. I’d think a sexy woman like you would have guys chasing after you.”

She blushed when I said that.

“You’re blushing.” I chuckled.

“I’m not used to men saying I’m sexy.”

“Well, I think you are... very sexy.”

She glanced at me, her skin still pink from the blush, then quickly turned away.

She liked my saying she was sexy but just looked straight ahead with her hands folded tightly on her lap. I knew she was mulling over my words. By letting her know I liked how she looked and making little sexual comments I thought I’d penetrate her shyness and arouse her. I guess you could say I was slowly trying to seduce her and, like I said, I had a feeling about her and hoped I was right.

When we reached the spot where the hay was cut, I stopped the truck, and we both hopped out and looked out at the field. I loved the open space and the way the hay glowed in the hot morning sunlight, then, after a minute, I went to the back of the truck and got the big ball of twine. I threw her a pair of work gloves and put mine on.

“Let’s work together,” I said. “We’ll make up the piles of hay, and then you’ll hold them in place while I tie and cut the twine with my penknife.”

Carla nodded and we got to work. We worked smoothly and quickly, and I could tell she was used to this kind of work by how tightly she was able to gather the hay while I tied. We kept glancing at each other, and I tried to get a conversation going, but she answered in short sentences. Still, I sensed there was something in the way our eyes met that made me know she liked being with me and was relaxing.

I told her where I was from, that I was drifting from place to place along Route 66 because of my fascination with the historic highway. I asked if she knew the song about getting your kicks on Route 66, then chuckled, “So far I haven't had any kicks, but was hopeful.”

“So you like adventure,” she said after a silence and had a slight, playful smile on her lips that surprised me.

“Yep, there’s nothing like a little adventure to put some spice in your life.”

“Maybe that’s what I need... a little adventure.” She closed her eyes and looked away.

I nodded and didn’t say anything but felt her discontent. Wonder why she said that?

While she gathered up the piles of hay and held them tightly, I tied and cut the twine. We were standing pretty close to each other and a few times I caught her glancing at me then quickly turn away.

“You’re really good at this, Carla. I like strong women.”

“You do, do you? And why might I ask do you like strong women?”

She had that slight, playful smile and I sensed she was relaxing enough to tease me.

“I think it’s sexy, and strong women are usually passionate, and I like passion.”

Carla didn’t say anything, but just held the hay with her gloved fingers while I tied.

“I have a feeling you’re a passionate woman.”

“Thank you,” she responded and blushed.

“You’re blushing again.”

“I guess I’m not used to this kind of conversation.”

“So do you think you’re a passionate woman?”

She hesitated. “Yes, I think I am, but I don’t have much opportunity to be passionate,” she added and sighed. “I think I’m too shy.”

“I can see you’re shy, but I think you’re sexy. Do you like men looking at you?”

She hesitated again, her blue eyes looking up at me. “Yes. I like it.” She swallowed and took a deep breath. “But then I don’t know what to do.”

I looked at her tits and how her shirt clung to her sweaty body.

“Do you like how I’m looking at you?” I made sure she knew where I was looking before raising my eyes to hers.

“Yes,” she answered, looking at my eyes, then turned away.

“Good,” I said, nodding and sensing that being in this open field alone with me was helping her relax.

We were both quiet as we continued working.  A few times our gloved hands touched, or our arms and shoulders bumped when she held the hay and I tied.

“We’re getting to be a pretty good team,” I said and smiled.

Again, our gazes met, but this time she didn’t look away, and I saw that slight smile on her lips. She didn’t say anything, but I knew she was feeling more comfortable and liked how I was talking and looking at her.

Within two hours or so we had tied up about fifty bales and left them in their spot as we moved on. It was getting hot and both of us were sweating. I stopped and took out the piece of towel I had in my back pocket, took off my cap and wiped my forehead. Carla took off her straw cowboy hat and wiped her brow with the small cloth she had. Her t-shirt was wet from sweating and clinging to her body, making her nipples stand out even more. Again, she saw me glance at her tits, but neither of us said anything.

“How about a five-minute break, then we’ll get the rest of it,” I said and sat down and leaned against the last bale we tied.

We took off our gloves and she sat down next to me. There wasn’t much room. Our thighs touched, but neither of us moved. Her warm bare thigh pressed against my thigh and I saw how her tight cutoffs pressed against her crotch revealing the outline of pussy. She didn't move her leg away and knew I was making progress.

“Sure is hot,” I said, noticing how strands of her blonde hair stuck to the back of her sweaty neck. She tugged at her tight t-shirt, pulling it out to let some air in. Her bare legs had pieces of hay clinging to them.

“I’m surprised you’re wearing those short cut-offs to do this haying.”

“Well, they’re much cooler in the heat then my other jeans - that’s why.”

“They look good on you, and it’s smart to be comfortable in this heat.”

“Yeah,” she said, looking at me, and then out at the field where more cut hay lay. She looked up at the dark clouds and pointed. “Looks like we’re going to get some rain soon, we better hurry.”

“You’re right,” I said, nodding and stood up, then surprised her by taking both of her hands and pulled her up.  When she stood up, our bodies were close, practically touching. I kept hold of her hands, smiled and saw her surprise then suddenly felt the urge to hug her.

I made a bold move, not sure how she would respond and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her to me. She didn’t push me away. Quickly, I moved my hand down to her round ass and held her to me, pressing my body against her. I knew she could feel my hard cock, but she let me hold her.

Our lips moved closer as I held her to me, grinding slowly and wondered what she would do, but she started moving with me. Then I kissed her hard and my probing tongue opened her mouth. She took my tongue and surprised me when she responded with hers. I continued grinding against her. My hands squeezed her ass through the tight cut-offs and felt the frayed edges and the skin of her ass cheeks. Still, she didn’t stop me, but continued to kiss and grind.

She spread her legs wide apart, arched her back and started t slide her jean covered crotch up and down my bulging cock. Her cowboy hat fell to the ground. I was surprised by how she responded like that and knew I was right. She was a real hottie under that shy exterior. She glanced at the bulge in my jeans. She swallowed and looked at me, still panting, then I noticed a slight smile on her lips, letting me know she liked what just happened but was also stunned and bewildered.

She bent over to pick up her cowboy hat, then put on her gloves and walked away, her hips swaying slightly, her ass straining her tight cut-offs.

I knew it was just a matter of time and that what just happened was the beginning of a wild afternoon. We quickly got to work and didn’t say anything, but clearly, there was tension and anticipation building. Both of us were quiet as she piled up the hay into a bale and I tied. She moved to gather more hay and began forming the next pile. We had a good rhythm going.

While we worked, we kept glancing at each other but didn’t speak. I liked how her sweaty t-shirt clung to her body and revealed her tits and nipples. When she bent over to gather more hay, I gasped at the sight of her round ass straining her tight cut-offs. My throbbing cock bulged in my jeans.

Though the sexual tension between us was there, we worked hard for the next hour as the sky grew darker and the wind picked up. “We'd better get the hay in the wagon and back to the barn,” I shouted.

“We only have a few more bales,” she said. “Go get the truck and wagon while I get these bales.”

“Okay, I’ll be back in a few minutes.” I looked up at the dark clouds, then ran past all the tied up hay bales towards the truck. We would have to work quickly to load up the hay wagon and get back to the barn before the rain.

I drove up around the hay bales to where she was waiting but then noticed something was different. She stood with her hands on her hips, her legs slightly apart, the seam of her tight cut-offs pressed against her crotch. The way she stood forced her tits to strain her sweaty red t-shirt.

While she watched me get out of the truck, she had a slight smile on her lips and for some reason, her eyes seemed more confident, no longer shy, almost brazen and seductive. Her straw cowboy hat was resting on the back of her head. Something had changed. I wasn’t sure what, but there was something in her eyes and her smile that excited me. Why is she looking at me like that? What's going on with her?

I had maneuvered the truck so that it faced the direction of the barn. We started loading up the hay wagon, working our way backwards. Carla impressed me with how strong and energetic she was. She stood at the rear of the hay wagon and I tossed her the bales which she lifted and walked toward the front and piled them up.

I would get in the truck and drive another fifty feet and start that routine again. We worked quickly and soon had the wagon almost filled with the hay, but we had a little more to do.

“We better hurry,” she shouted, both of us looking up at the approaching dark clouds and felt the stronger wind.

“We’ll make it,” I shouted, tossing another bale to her which she added to the pile. The wagon was filled and wouldn’t hold much more.

Finally, I threw her the last bale which she lifted and put on the top of the stacked pile. When she stretched, her tight cut-offs rose, revealed her ass cheeks below the frayed edge. I was already hard and when she jumped down from the rear of the wagon, I caught her as she fell forward against me. I fell to the ground, pulling her down on top of me and she straddled me. Though surprised at first when I grabbed her ass, she leaned over me and we kissed and moved her wet crotch over my hard cock.

While we kissed, our tongues swirling, we started grinding harder as my hands squeezed her ass, urging her on. Suddenly, she was moving harder and harder, no longer shy, but now letting her sexuality loose, grinding faster.

“Oh fuck!” she gasped, lifting her mouth from mine as she rocked back and forth, pressing harder against my cock, becoming more aggressive. “Man, this feels so good,” she said and kissed me fiercely.

Surprised at how she had suddenly turned from a shy, quiet woman into an inferno of passion She leaned forward, putting her arms over my head as she rocked harder against me and looked down into my eyes, “I want you to fuck me hard!”

I have to admit I didn’t expect those words, or for things to happen so fast, but I was happy to have uncorked the bottled up Carla. I was right. Behind her shyness was a hot, passionate sex-craving woman.

“You want this hard cock, don’t you.”

“Yeah, you know what I want,” She growled.

I got me a wildcat, I told myself as I grabbed her hands and raised them above her head.

The first few raindrops we tried to ignore as we lay on the ground practically fucking through our clothes. We kept going at it, knowing it would pour soon. I pushed her onto her back, got on top and spread her legs, then started grinding my cock harder and looked down into her hungry eyes.

“You’re going to be my little slut, aren’t you?” I was surprised I had said that. I knew she wasn't a slut.

“Maybe,” she said, smirking at me. “If you think you can handle me.”

The rain started coming down harder and I got up. I pulled her up and we smiled, looking into each other's hungry eyes.

“You’ll see how I can handle you.”

“Oh, yeah?” she said with a devilish grin.

We hopped into the truck and I drove down to the barn, driving pretty fast, bouncing up and down on the rough ground, trying to beat the downpour. At the barn, she hopped out and opened the barn door and I backed the hay wagon in before it really started to come down. The truck was outside, but the hay wagon was in the safety of the barn.

I saw Carla’s grandfather driving his truck down from the other field. He saw that we had backed the wagon into the barn and waved. He parked down by the house, got out and ran up onto the porch to get out of the rain and yelled through cupped hands, “Good, you got her in just in time.”

Carla stood in the barn’s entrance and waved. “We’ll be down when the rain stops,” she shouted.

Her grandfather waved then went into the house.

Carla looked at me, sitting in the truck. She stood inside the barn’s entrance and yelled at me, “Get in here, mister.”

I hopped out of the truck and dashed for the barn.

Carla smiled and then ran toward the rear of the barn to a ladder that went up to the hayloft. With her hands and one foot on the ladder, she yelled, “If you want me, come get me!” She smiled and then started climbing up the ladder.

I followed and got to the ladder just as she got to the top and liked how she smiled down at me while I had my eyes on her ass straining the tight cut-offs. When I got to the top, several hay bales were piled against the wall at the other end of the barn. Actually, I had my sleeping bag up there because that’s where I was sleeping. It lay open in the corner of the loft, “Welcome to my bedroom,” I shouted.

It was dark in the loft and the pounding rain beat hard against the roof, but light came from the open loft door and the barn door below. Carla backed up towards the pile of hay bales stacked against the wall as I moved towards her. Our eyes were locked on each other as she continued backing up, luring me to her. She pulled the rubber band from her ponytail, letting her light brown fall below her shoulders. This shy, quiet woman had become a wanton vixen.

Neither of us spoke as I moved closer to her. She leaned back against the pile of hay bales with her bare legs spread apart, her cowboy hat and boots adding to her sexiness. She arched her back and spread her legs wider apart. The seam of her tight cut-offs pressed against her pussy. She put her hands on her tits and started playing with them as she leaned against the wall. She was not as innocent as she first appeared and knew what she was doing. My hard cock bulging in my jeans forced her to look at it. She bit her lower lip and watched me moving closer.

“You want to fuck me, don’t you?” she finally said and pushed her pelvis forward with her legs apart as if opening herself to me.

All inhibitions were gone. We were like caged wild animals wanting each other. Raw unbridled lust was in the air as I moved towards her, our eyes locked on each other's eyes. She looked at my cock straining my jeans. I grabbed my balls, cupping them. Then she cupped her pussy.

“You want this cock, don’t you?” I said, holding my crotch.

“And you want this cunt,” she snarled, rubbing her pussy.

Suddenly, I stepped forward, grabbed her and roughly turned her around and pushed her hard against the wall of hay bales. I spread her legs slightly and rubbed my throbbing cock against her tight jean covered ass. I quickly grabbed one of her tits with one hand and gripped her pussy with the other one.

“You’re a little cock tease, aren’t you?” I growled into her ear.

“Yeah, I am. What are you gonna do about it?”

“You’re asking for trouble,” I said as I held her pussy and tit, grinding my cock harder against her ass. “I’m going to fuck your brains out.”

“You are, are you? You think I’m going to let you fuck me. You think you’re in charge of me, do you? You think I’m going to give you my cunt?”

“Yes, I’m going to take your cunt,” I said, grinding my hard cock into her ass, rubbing her pussy harder. “I’m going to own your cunt,” I said, unable to believe the scenario that we created and that she was so into it.

“You think so, do you?” She started squirming and tried to buck me off of her.

I grabbed her tighter. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Let go of me, you bastard! You can’t have me! Let me go!” she shouted, squirming and rubbing her ass harder against my cock. I grabbed her pussy tighter as she squirmed harder and tried to get away.

Suddenly, I turned her around and threw her down on a hay bale and pounced on her. She spread her legs apart. My bulging cock pressed against her jean-covered pussy. I pinned her arms over her head, my mouth just above her lips and looked down into her eyes.

“Let me go! Let me go!” she screamed, squirming and bucking beneath me. I knew what she was doing. This was part of her game to get me to ravish her. I knew it was one of her fantasies.

“You want this cock, don’t you.” I began to grind and hump her.

“Get off of me,” she screamed, squirming under me.

“Shut up,” I said and put my hand over her mouth. “You don’t want your grandfather to know what a slut you are,” I said, holding her down.

She squirmed, trying to talk through my hand. I was humping her harder now, my cock grinding into the seam of her tight cut-offs, both of us getting hotter and hornier.

“I want you to beg for my cock. I know you want it bad.”

“No way, you fucker!” she said when I took my hand away.

“I know you want it.” I got up on my knees and lowered my jeans and took my hard cock out and held it over her pussy. She looked at it, her mouth wide open and panting. I quickly pulled off her boots, unbuttoned her cutoffs and lowered the zipper. When she lifted her ass, I stepped back and peeled them down her legs.

She was squirming as I pulled them from her body then practically ripped her panties off of her and saw her dripping pussy. I grabbed her smooth tan legs and pulled her slightly forward so that she was lying on the edge of the hay bale with her bare feet on the straw covered floor, her legs wide apart.

“You’re going to beg for my cock before I’m through with you.”

I got down on my knees and lifted her smooth tan legs over my shoulders, moved forward into her warm valley and began licking and lapping her wet, juicy pussy from her ass to her clit.

“Oh fuck!” Carla shouted and jolted each time my tongue licked her clit. With her head thrashing from side to side, she grabbed my hair, lifted her ass and forced my tongue deeper. “Eat me! Eat me! Don’t fucking stop! Oh my god! Oh fuckkk!”

Her screaming was urging me on. What a hot, wild, sex-crazed woman had been unleashed. I found her clit and continued sucking and licking. “Oh, yes! Do that! Do that! Yeah! Yeah! Do that! I'm going to cum!”

I put my middle finger in her tight pussy and felt it grip my finger as I moved it in and out. She thrashed and bucked harder and was so out of her mind, it was all I could do to hold my mouth on her clit. I entered a second finger and loved how tight she was as I devoured her clit. I curved my fingers and rubbed her g-spot. She trembled and tensed.

“Oh, fuck! I’m cumming!” Her whole body shook violently as a huge orgasm swept over her. “Don’t stop! Don’t stop!” She gripped and pulled my hair tighter and gushed her cum all over my mouth and fingers.

By now, my hard cock was a red hot pole. Behind me was another hay bale. I suddenly pulled Carla up, gripped her ass in my hands and sat down on the hay bale with Carla straddling me. I wrapped my arms around her as she came down hard on my cock.

“Oh fuck! Your cock is huge!” she yelled as I filled her tight pussy with one thrust. The height of the hay bale let her keep her bare feet on the ground so she could lift herself up and come down hard on my cock.

“Ride me! Ride me! Ride your stallion, cowgirl!”

She still had her tight t-shirt on, and I could see her tits bouncing underneath her shirt as she rode me harder and harder like she was on a bucking bronco. Suddenly, she grabbed her t-shirt, pulled it over her head and threw it behind her. She put both hands on her round tits, squeezing and rubbing them, then moved one hand to her clit. With her feet still on the barn floor, I loved watching my cock going in and out of her dripping pussy as she galloped on my cock.

“Oh, man, this is so good. I love riding you like this! Come on, fuck me, stud! Fuck me!”

Lifting herself, she came down harder and harder, impaling herself. “Oh, fuck. I’m going to cum. I can’t stand it! I’m going to fucking cum again!”

She screamed and looked up at the ceiling of the barn. Her whole body shook as spasm after spasm ripped through her. “Oh my God, I'm cumming... Oh my God!” she yelled as she convulsed violently before collapsing on top of me, her tits crushed against my chest, her wetness dripping all over my throbbing cock and thighs.

I knew I wasn’t going to last much longer as this wild fucking drove me insane. I quickly lifted her off of my cock and pushed her down to the hay covered wooden floor. She was on her back with her legs spread wide apart, her swollen, juicy pussy so open to me. I got down on my knees between her legs. Our eyes locked on each other.

“Take me! Take me! I'm safe.”

“I am, too!” I shouted, unworried because I'd had a vasectomy.

I was crazed. My throbbing cock about to explode.  Her screaming urged me to fuck her brains out. I reared back and with one hard thrust filled her tight pussy.

“Yeah, fuck your slut!” She knew that her dirty talking would drive both of us over the edge. I pulled all the way out and then rammed my cock deeper and harder.

“Harder! Harder! Take me! Take me!”

”Your cunt is mine!”

“Yes! Yes! Yes! Just fuck me! Fuck me harder! Harder! Harder!”

I pulled out and rammed my cock harder and faster with each thrust and suddenly felt my cock swelling, my orgasm rising, “I’m cumming! "Oh, Carla, Carla, I’m cumming!”

“Give it to me! Give it to me! Give me your cum! Shoot it in me!” she screamed as I fucked her harder and faster.

With her legs over my shoulders, her round ass rising off the hay-covered floor, this angle let me pound down into her pussy like a jackhammer. My balls bounced against her ass and my cock rubbed against her engorged clit with each thrust.

Just then, as if a dam had burst, my swollen cock erupted and hot cum gushed out of me. She was on the verge of another orgasm as her pussy squeezed my cock. Both of us screamed when my hard thrusts shot gobs of cum into her. Our orgasms crashed like waves against the rocks and drove us over the edge of sanity.

I writhed then collapsed on her as the last of my cum spurted into her overflowing pussy. She spread her long legs wide part on both sides of me. I lay on her, unable to budge with my deflated cock still deep in her pussy and could feel the warm wetness between us. We were panting and gasping.

The rain pounded the roof of the barn as we lay there. Finally, I lifted my head and looked at her beneath me. We smiled at each other, both of us trying to catch our breath and wondering what we would say after such wild intensity.

“Do you think your grandparents heard us?” I asked, after a few breathless moments.

“Nah! They wouldn’t hear us with this heavy rain, and they probably think we were waiting for it to slow down before running to the house. Also, they’re both hard of hearing.”

I laughed and then rolled onto my back and gathered Carla in my arms. She was laying half on me with her head on my shoulder. We looked up at the ceiling of the barn and listened to the rain.

“That was a pretty wild roll in the hay.” I smiled into her blue eyes.

“It sure was,” She chuckled. “I’ve been helping them bring in the hay for many years, but I never had a helper like you before.” She paused and looked deep into my eyes, then said in a softer voice said, “Thank you.”

“For what?” I noticed she had tears in the corner of her blue eyes.

“For letting me out.” She squeezed my hand and smiled. “I'm not really a slut, but it was exciting to pretend.”

“I know. The imagination has a life of its own and can be petty wild.”

“Well, I have a wild imagination. Sometimes my fantasies are so real I don't know where I am.”

“Well, I never expected to find anyone like you when I answered that ad for a hired hand. That just goes to prove it’s good not to have expectations.”

“Why?” A puzzled look came to her eyes.

“Because when you don’t have expectations, you’re never disappointed and often you’re surprised and delighted, so I try never to have expectations.”

“Well, what do you expect will happen with us?”

“We'll see. I have no expectations. One day at a time.”

Laying there in the dim light of the hayloft, I got up on my elbow and looked down at her, smiled and wiped a tear away from her cheek. I pushed a few strands of her hair away and kissed her forehead, then her nose, then her chin, then her lips. She put her hand on my head and we kissed each other, tenderly.

We gazed into each other's eyes and smiled. She seemed like a different person than the one I met when we first greeted. Her blue eyes sparkled and her face seemed radiant.

It had stopped raining. Lying there, I wasn't sure what I was feeling but sensed that what started as lust earlier was becoming something else. There was a lot more to Carla than I had realized.

“Let’s go down to the house and get some lunch,” I said, shoving my confusion aside. “We still have to get this hay into the loft this afternoon.”

We got dressed and climbed down from the loft and stood in the entrance of the barn next to the hay wagon. It had stopped raining but drops were falling from a beam just above us. I took Carla in my arms and held her close. We kissed gently, warmly before walking quietly down to the house. Carla, no longer shy with me, stomped through a puddle and laughed like a little girl.

Standing on the porch before opening the screen door, I turned to her, “Remember, no expectations, we still have the rest of the weekend and who knows what surprises await us.”

Carla smiled and shook my hand as if we had made an agreement. “That’s a deal,” she said, smiling, “No expectations.”