Bone Deep by Bonnie Dee Page B

morning light, pro hibitions instilled in her since childhood muddied her mind with doubt. S ex outside of marriage was considered a sin . She may have given up on church-going since John’s death , but the rule s of both church and society were ingrained. On top of that, Tom was an emotionally scarred man and socially unacceptable in her community. There were many serious issues to consider in this love affair she had hurtled into .
    She was seated on the milking stool, forehead pressed against Millie’s warm brown flank, milk squirting into the bucket with a metallic ping, when she heard Tom’s step behind her. She looked over her shoulder at him. He stood, hands in pockets, watching her with a worried pucker between his eyebrows. Clearly he felt as uncertain about what had happened the previous night as she did.
    But when Sarah smiled at him, his frown disappeared . A wide grin lit up his face and creased the corners of his eyes. “I can pitch down the hay,” he offered.
    “Already done and I’m almost through here, too.” Sarah gave a last pull and stood, lifting the bucket from beneath the cow. “How about something to eat? I’m starving.”
    He reached to take the milk bucket , but Sarah placed it on the ground and took his hand. “Last night was really special. Thank you for all of it. ”
    His shining eyes said everything. He pulled her into his arms and held her . She rested her head on his chest and breathed him in , for the moment all fears and doubts dismissed.
     
    They returned to the house and dug into breakfast with gusto. Afterward, Sarah intended to wash the dishes while Tom took the animals out to pasture , but Tom never made it out the door. What started as a goodbye kiss ended with Sarah’s housedress and apron pushed up around her waist and Tom ’s trousers around his ankles . He knocked the dirty dishes off the table and laid her back on the checked oilcloth, t hen climbed on top of her. She grappled him to her with arms and legs like bands of iron and they thrust together with ruthless fervor. They rutted like animals , rough and hungry and careless . It was exciting and Sarah thought she could happily start every day this way.
    Her long sexual drought coupled with Tom’s aggressive lovemaking brought her to a peak almost immediately. Sarah cried out as she came. She’d never been so noisy, so needy before . Spurred by her shout of ecstasy, Tom gave a guttural groan. He pulled out of her and shot onto her leg and across the tabletop.
    O vercome by her intense orgasm and the sheer absurdity of sex itself , Sarah started to laugh . Tom looked down at her wide-eyed.
    “Sorry. It’s just so funny when you think about it, ” she gasped then broke off into another fit of giddy laughter .
    He frowned.
    Mindful of his male pride she sai d, “It’s not you. I’ve never had such a strong climax. It was just so wonderful.”
    Seemingly satisfied with her explanation, he climbed off of her and the table. He pulled up his pants and gave her some of the paper napkins that had drifted to the floor. S till snickering softly , Sarah wiped up and pulled down her skirt.
    When she looked at Tom, he had a mischievous glint in his eye.
    “Want me to help finish clearing the dishes?” He indicated the plates, cups and silverware strewn across the floor.
    She snorted with laughter. Wrapping her arms around his neck , she pulled him to her for a lingering kiss. “You can help me clear the table after every meal,” she promised.
     
    Later that morning , Sarah was in the garden cutting heads of cabbage to make into sauerkraut when she heard a car engine approaching from the road. She glanced toward the pasture where Tom was repairing a section of fence . H e wasn’t in view from the house or garden so he would be safe there until the visitor was gone.
    The Burkett’s ancient Ford truck rattled into the yard and stopped. Mary Burkett climbed out. Sarah put the cabbage in a bushel basket and walked from