Chapter 4

Wilbur came back inside abruptly.

"Ma, why is the dog taking off into the patch like his ass is on fire?" He asked, putting up his coat on the rack. Bee made a cup of tea and sat on the couch.

"Pumpkin decided it would be funny to take someone's clothes out of the bathroom while they were dressing and run off with them. Well. Boy," she nodded in the direction of the back. "ran out here naked as the day he was born trying to catch that dumb animal." Wilbur grunted as he sat down.

"What are we going to do with that dog....? If he doesn't calm down, we're gonna have to give 'em to somebody or something..." I went back to my book, reading on. My mind couldn't concentrate, though. All I could think about was that guy and how completely mouth-watering he looked from where I was...

Of course, hormones. Decide to kick in right when I'm trying to read into a SEX scene.

This was pointless. I put the book back in my hoodie pocket and tied up my hair in a ponytail. Nothing else to do but watch old country music videos with Wilbur and Bee...

As soon as I turned my attention to the TV, the guy came out, dressed in jeans and a white undershirt, dark work shoes on. His scent drifted all the way to where I was. Hmmm....a clean cut smell. Not the scent I identify with the common working man, that's for sure.

"Where's Pumpkin?" he asked, pouring himself a glass of milk and downing it in one shot. Wilbur chuckled.

"Apparently, he's been banished to the field, seeing that he stole your clothes and tried to run with them."

"Well, I should've left the door closed. I've probably made a bad impression on our guest by now." He had a cute one-side grin to go along with that comment. The feeling I got in my stomach when i saw that...it was almost like being sick...Wilbur pointed to me.

"That girl there is the one I was telling you that was going to come by to pay off her debt. Now, your job today is to teach her how to use the tractor so she can plow. Make sure to stay with her. If she ruins any more pumpkins, your ass is gonna be on the line."

"Got it." Mystery boy grabbed a black hoodie from the couch, kissed Bee on the cheek and looked at me. "Ready to go?" I nodded and stood to follow him, shoving the book back into my pocket.

We went outside and started to walk around the house to go to the tractor.

"Sorry about this morning." He said after a couple of minutes. "If I had known you were there, I would've at least appeared somewhat decent." The crunch of some dried up leaves followed before I could come up with a response.

"Oh, that's okay. I thought you were decent." SHIT! "I-I-I mean," I stuttered in a panic. "I meant that you LOOKED decent like...in terms of...what I mean to say is...ummm...." I drifted off, my face turning into a living cranberry. Way to go Eve. Nice way to start your relationship with this guy. You don't even know his name yet, and you're already complimenting on his body.

Bloody brilliant.

"Well, in any case...." He said, shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets. "I should've looked a bit better to present myself to you." Present himself? What does he think he is, a God?

"I guess," he said as he picked up an empty coke bottle. "this would be a good time to find out what your name is." I cleared my throat. Though I didn't want to speak, I forced noise to come out of me to form my name.

"Eve."

"Eve..." his face lit up. "Like Adam and Eve?" Ever since I've been in school (or even living for that matter), everyone has teased me about my name in some form or fashion. He was not the first. And he was also not the first to deserve some sort of beating for it. Damn my parents for naming me after the first woman to sin.

"Ha, ha, ha," I rolled my eyes. "Heard that one before, thanks."

"I bet." He chuckled.

"What's your name?" I kicked a rock among the pumpkins.

"Reuben."

"Reuben..." I smiled evilly, a coy response cooking in my brain. "As in the sandwich?" He laughed.

"Touche." He sneered jokingly. "Heard that one before, too. Lucky for me to be born after the name of a disgusting deli sandwich." I laughed. He had a sense of humor, too.

"Yeah..." The old tractor was covered with leaves and crows as we approached it. Reuben picked up a stick and the crows immediately took notice.

"All right, guys." He called to them. "Move it. "Eve, the first woman and I need to use that." Before I knew what I was doing, I punched him in the arm, somewhat aggrivated, but at the same time amused. He scoffed and grinned.

"Meanie." He waved the stick, and the crows flew off to another part of the field. Reuben rolled back his sleeves and started to climb. Those strong muscular shoulders flexed with every move he made, like a cougar. It was almost...mesmerizing. He finally got onto the tractor, settled himself in the seat and pat the spot in front of him.

"Up, up. It's plowing time." I stared at him, baffled. He expected me to climb up there and sit in his lap. With him. To drive a tractor around a pumpkin patch. Not a good idea, especially after this morning. He finally noticed I wasn't moving. "Well, come on. You have to learn to use this thing sometime." He pat the spot again. I opened my mouth, then shut it again. What to say, what to do?!

"Umm...you go ahead and I'll sit behind you and watch. I learn by sight, you see." What a load of bull. Like he'll ever take that excuse.

"Stop fooling around and get up here, girl." Reuben leaned back.

"Like I said, I'll sit behind you." That way you don't have to watch me as I make even more of a fool of myself then I am now.

Before I could think of anything else to say, he chuckled. "If you're thinking I'm going to grope you, I'm not. I'm a gentleman. Besides, I don't think that feeling you up in a pumpkin field on a tractor is romantic." A small laugh escaped my lips. What is it with this guy? It's like he thrives on embarassing himself and others to make life more interesting.

"I guess not, but you are a man."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He sounded amused at my statement. I shrugged.

"Just that all men are pigs."

"Doesn't mean all PIGS grope beautiful women on tractors."

"It can happen."

"But this pig is a bit more sophisticated than the others. I LIKE to spoil a girl. I LIKE listening to a woman talk...well....most of the time." Again, I laughed.

"Okay, you've made your point loud and clear. I'm coming up then." I climbed up on the tractor and fit myself in the spot between his legs to grab a hold of the wheel. There was a small silver key with a large orange pumpkin hanging off of the end.

"Okay." Reuben laid his hand on mine and guided it to the parking brake. "Release this, the clutch, and then turn the key there and start the engine." I swallowed the large lump that suddenly formed in my throat. His hand looked so large and tan against mine. The scars on his hand stood out more than ever, white lashes coloring his hand to make those of a farmer boy. He was a hard worker. And honestly...that's a sexy trait in a man.

I released the clutch and turn the key to start the engine, roaring it to life. The birds among the field took off in fright, fluttering louder than the engine itself.

"Now SLOWLY! put your foot on the gas and we'll be on our way." I pushed on it just slightly and the tractor chugged along gracefully. Reuben chuckled from behind me. He sounded quite pleased

"Good. Now, turn..." And so the lesson continued until the whole empty part of the field was plowed and ready for planting. The sun was high in the sky by the time we were done, baking us like we were nothing more than gingerbread cookies. Bee's loud holler reached us to where we were in the field.

"LUNCHTIME!" Reuben yelled something back I didn't catch and helped me drive the tractor back to the spot it once was and I killed the engine. He stood and jumped oh so gracefully off the tractor, waiting for me to join him on the ground below. I stood and my knees buckled, sending my butt back down to meet the seat. I, unlike him, trip on flat ground. This whole jumping down thing was not gonna happen unless someone got hurt.

"Yeah, first timers always have that." He said in reassurance. I stood once again, preparing to just jump off and hit the ground, but as soon as I did, strong hands caught me around my waist and set me down like I was nothing more than a feather floating down from the sky. I looked up from a dark hoodie to Reuben's deep blue eyes. The butterflies broke free of their cage in my stomach and fluttered madly. His eyelids lowered slightly.

"Sorry, but...I didn't want you to fall...." His voice was deeper, softer. It took all I had not to throw up from just being a complete nervous wreck staring at this boy. I didn't get this with Randy either....what WAS this feeling I had? And WHY was it here tormenting me? Shouldn't I be in a piled up heap, crying my eyes out because I was so viciously and suddenly dumped by Randy? I should be depressed.

My hormones, however, would scream a different point of view.

"Um, thanks." I muttered uncomfortably, moving out from the safety of his scarred hands and walking past him to go to the house. Maybe some food would help me calm down...

Pumpkin the husky came out from the trees halfway to the house, panting and slobbering. He super-charged his large body and ran right into Reuben, knocking him to the ground.

"Hey Pumpkin! Where you been, boy?" The dog pranced around us, his tail looking like it could beat anyone up who came close enough to it. I made sure to keep my distance from such a weapon.

"I suppose doing something mysterious." My nails scrapped gently against the back of his ears. His large blue eyes showed he had something to hide. And it was in his mouth. Reuben got back to his feet.

"I'll meet you at the house. Come on, Pumpkin!" Pumpkin didn't follow the voice of his master. Instead, he gazed intently at me, almost looking as if he had something he wanted to say or give me...or someone. I took the bait and held out my hand.

"Whatcha got there, boy?" He rest his chin my hand and a slimy object slid onto my hand. It was a rock....in the shape of a heart. I could tell it was an old rock, so it wasn't like someone just made it yesterday, or even made it at all. What could be so interesting about a rock to a dog? I turned the rock around to find three simple inscriptions:

R&E

Reuben...Eve...'R' and 'E'...no way...

I looked to Pumpkin again, who panted and blinked at me, looking very satisfied with himself. "Do you know something I don't?" I showed him the rock in my hand. He took a glance at it and turn the other direction to run after Reuben, who already reached the house. I shook my head.

"Stupid rock." I put it in my hoodie pocket and started to walk again back to the house.

NOTE: OKAY! So there's a reason why this is so late:

Computer decided that it wasn't going to save anything and it took me the last 4 drafts I wrote to finally figure this out (I know, I can just hear some of you going 'WTF?'). Long story short, after crying in frustration a little bit, I decided to continue on and write this 5th draft. Hopefully, it's okay! Read and Review please!

~BFQ