A Different Kind of Woman

"Hey, want yer job back?" He asked.

"Yes, I would like that."

"OK, I am gonna tell the kid to hit the road come Monday." The next week Sec spent back working the yard.

Saturday came, about 10 in the morning he looked out and saw Alice and a tall young man climb out and go inside the big house. Sec felt his heart flutter at the sight of her, it took him a moment to get himself under control.

Later on that morning he saw her walking down the path. She knocked, Sec answered. She just stood there and looked at him.

"My God!" She said, finally. They hugged, then she came in and sat down. It took a couple of hours for them to catch up. Sec noticed she was slightly heavier, and she seemed fuller in the bust.

She caught his look and blushed, that was different.

"I guess I am a late bloomer." She said, grinning.

"How are you getting along with your boyfriend?" Sec had to ask.

"Oh, Phillip? He is nice, he is captain of the swimming team and he is studying to be a lawyer."

"I have thought of you a lot, it's nice to see you." He told her.

"I think of you a lot too, that crazy time last Summer was wonderful." She smiled shyly at the memory.

"We did have a lot of fun."

"We almost did it, didn't we?" She grinned at him

"Henry hired me to do the yard work again." Sec said, changing the subject.

"Yes, he told me. I will be around most of the Summer now, Phillip is going back soon, he is taking extra classes."

"OK. Maybe we can go fishing, or something?"

"Maybe." She smiled again, then she went back up to the main house.

The next morning Sec looked out in time to see Alice and her boyfriend come out, then by the car he took her in his arms and kissed her. Sec felt a pang of jealousy, then unable to stand watching that he turned away from the window. The car was gone when he came out a few minutes later, so he just went to work.

It had taken most of the prior week to get the lawn and trees looking proper again, the kid they had hired really had been sloppy. He was just finishing up cleaning and lubing the machine when he looked up to see her coming down the hill.

She had on a light halter top and shorts, once again he noticed that she seemed to be much fuller in the bust.

"Want to go sit out on the dock?" She asked, holding up a bottle of wine.

"Sure." He pushed the machine into the little shed and closed the door.

"Where did you go for the Winter?" She asked him as they sat down on the edge of the dock, their feet dangling in the cool water.

"Just on the road, I headed south, then I got a letter from my sister so I went home."

Sec had already told her about his father passing on, and that he had a small inheritance.

"You bought a truck, I saw it." She said.

"Yea, it took most of the money I inherited, but it beats walking."

"I guess so."

Their conversation was a little bit lame, it was like neither one of them knew exactly what to say. Somehow the easiness from the year before was gone.

"I was pretty silly about things last Summer, wasn't I?" She told him.

"Like what?"

"Peeking at you and sneaking in like that, I just had never seen..."

"It's OK. I guess it is just learning about...things." Sec flushed for a moment, remembering how she had been so forward and relaxed when she saw him naked.

"I have grown up some."

"I see that." He laughed, she laughed with him.

"I want to know...You never said why you stopped..you wouldn't...?" Sec could tell she was struggling to find the right words.

"You mean when I didn't make love with you? I couldn't, you told me you were..." Now Sec was struggling to say it.

"A virgin? I was, but I was ready. I wanted to do it so bad, but then you stopped."

Sec didn't say anything.

"I thought you didn't like me."

"I liked you just fine, in fact, I was falling in love with you!" Sec blurted out before he could stop himself.

"Really?" Alice suddenly acted delighted.

"I was thinking that I was in love with you, too."

"I just couldn't, you were so young and innocent, I was thinking we should be..you should be married first."

"Married? That's what my Dad always says, but then he has a different girlfriend every month, sometimes more than that. Say, did you just say you wanted to marry me?" She turned to flash him a big smile.

"I'm not..I don't have anything to offer someone like you."

"Oh, don't be silly. Sure you do! You are handsome and kind and you work hard, that's a lot right there."

"What about Phillip?"

"I like Phillip and he told me he wants us to be together but I just don't know. He even asked Daddy if he could ask me to marry him, Daddy thought it was a fine idea since he is from a good family and all."

"So what did you say?" Sec asked, his heart sinking.

"I told him I wasn't sure and I wanted to finish school first."

"Oh." Sec said, feeling a bit relieved.

"I better go back to the house now." Alice jumped up. She started to head up the hill, then she stopped and turned back to him.

"You should have, you know? Then I wouldn't be confused, and all...ruined. Daddy always told me I should be...pure when I pick the man I want to marry but now I'm not!"

Sec knew what she meant.

"Sec? You should have, you really should have!" Her eyes formed tears, she looked at Sec for a moment and then took off running.

Sec thought he understood. She had been his once, and he had stopped. Now? He still wasn't sure, any more than he had been back then.

He went inside the lake house, made himself a dinner, then later on went to bed. The next morning he got up early, and went to work.

Saturday he saw Phillip's car coming up the drive. The man got out and went inside. He had on a light colored pullover, dress slacks. He just appeared to be well off, the way he carried himself. Later he saw Phillip and Alice sitting outside on the deck, with her father and a redhead he had never seen before. Sec kept busy working in the yard.

He was finishing the mower and putting it away when he looked up again to see Alice and Phillip walking down the hillside.

"Phillip, this is Sec." She introduced them. Phillip shook his hand, eying him. The grip was strong. Sec realized that Phillip was a good three inches taller than he was.

"Odd name, what does it stand for?" Phillip asked him.

"Just Sec, that's what I go by."

Phillip nodded, then appeared to be bored.

"Well, let's go boating, honey." He said.

They headed for the dock, Alice took a long look back at Sec, then they went down and climbed on the sailboat. Sec watched as he expertly took the boat out across the lake, soon they were beyond sight around the bend.

He was hauling a trailer load of clippings down to the big compost bin when he saw the boat returning several hours later.

The next thing he noticed was that Alice appeared to be upset. She took off up the hill, Phillip right behind her. He reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop. She tugged to get loose, but he held on fast, saying something with an angry expression. Alice had a look of pain mixed with fear on her face.

Sec climbed off the machine and headed over there.

"Hey, let go of her!" He told Phillip.

"Mind your own business!" The man glared at him.

"I said let go of her!" Alice was still struggling, tears now streaming down her cheeks.

Phillip let go and turned to Sec.

"And I told you it's none of your business!"

"I won't stand by and let you man handle her!"

"What are you going to do about it?" Phillip said, then he moved and Sec's head exploded. The man had flicked out a backhand and hit him in the mouth, it was a total surprise.

In the background he heard Alice scream at Phillip, by then he had recovered and was wading in. He found himself almost instantly on the ground, from being kicked up side the head. He tasted blood in his mouth.

Managing to get to his feet, he saw Phillip standing there in an odd looking stance, his hands open and held high, one leg back. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Alice with her hand to her mouth.

He reached for Phillip, came up with nothing, then he was hit again in the stomach, knocking his breath out of his body. But he managed to close one hand on a wrist, so he jerked him forward and off balance. There was a short struggle as Phillip tried to tear his wrist loose, then Phillip brought his free hand down across Sec's wrist.

That hurt like hell, but Sec also didn't let go. Grabbing Phillip, he got him into a bear hug, hooking his leg he turned him, taking him down to the ground.

He got several more slaps to the head in the process, but ended up on top. Several elbows came up and batted his head, he was now tasting blood. Phillip tried to force his head forward, but Sec shoved hard and managed to get some room to swing. He drove one fist straight down, missing, but when Phillip rolled to avoid that Sec got his arm around his throat.

The rough and tumble episodes he had when he was a mining camp policeman served him well, he got his legs hooked over Phillip's from behind, folded his elbow around his throat and drew him back. When Phillip tried to spin over, Sec clamped down, using his other arm to tighten his grip.

There was no match at all in pure strength. When Phillip kicked both legs to try and get free, Sec got his legs hooked over him, then he bore down on his own wrist.

It was over in moments, he felt the man go limp, so he released him.

"What the hell was all that about?" He asked Alice after he got to his feet. He glanced down at the back of his hand, it was smeared with blood from his face.

"He wanted to..wanted sex....he insisted. When I told him no he got mad at me." Sec looked at her face, spotting a red welt and a tiny trickle of blood from her nostril. He hadn't realized that Phillip had slapped her. Her arm had an ugly bruise on it, too.

"Come on." He took her hand, they went into the lake house. He got some ice and a soft towel, she held it to her cheek.

"Just a minute." Sec went outside to check on Phillip, he was now sitting up groaning.

"Probably best you leave." He told him. Then he saw Henry headed down the hill, with a short crowbar in his hand.

"See to Alice, I will take care of this one." He told Sec. Phillip was just getting to his feet, still struggling to get a breath, he saw the old man and the crowbar and it was obvious he didn't like the looks of that. He turned and started up the hill, Henry right behind him.

Sec nodded and went back inside. Alice was sitting there crying, holding the cold towel to her cheek.

"He won't hurt you any more." Sec told her, sitting down beside her.

Phillip was gone soon after that, he wanted no part of old Henry and her Dad Ron had a few short words for him that he understood perfectly.

Alice's Dad then walked down and thanked Sec, shaking his hand. That was only the third time they had ever really spoken.

"Alice says she likes you, I see why. I thought that Phillip was a good match for her, since he is from a good family and all, but I see he turned out to be quite an ass."

Sec just nodded.

"By the way, Phillip is really into martial arts, he is the college heavyweight champion, how did you...?"

"I was a cop in a mining town."

"Oh." Ron just grinned.

"Well, thanks."

Sec nodded again.

The next payday, Sec got a nice raise. Alice had gone back to school, it was almost two months before he saw her again.

One morning he got up, went in to take a shower. He heard a noise, then the door opened as someone came into the bathroom. Sliding the glass door open to see what was going on, he saw Alice standing there.

"Hello." She smiled.

"Alice, what are you doing?"

"I came down to see you, I will be here for three whole days."

"You could have waited until I finished taking my bath."

"No, I couldn't." She reached down and tugged her pullover top over her head. In one quick motion she hooked her slacks and had them down, stepping out of them.

"Move over." She grinned at him.

Sec moved over.

"This is just like I remember." She told him, soaping his genitals.

"These got bigger!" Sec said, his hands coming up to her breasts. They explored for a very long time, rinsing off finally as the water began to cool.

After drying each other with some towels, she led him back into his bedroom. Sec was as fully erect as it was possible to be, she pushed him back on the bed, her hands all over him.

"You won't stop this time, will you?" She asked.

"Not unless you want me to." He answered.

"I wanted you to be the first, but you won't be."

"I know, it's all right."

"Are you sure? I want you to now be the only one."

"I want that, too." Sec told her, and he meant it.

"Oh, and I asked Daddy."

"Asked him what?"

"If I could have you...for keeps."

"What did he say?"

"He just hugged me and told me I could do a lot worse."

Sec's body felt like it was on fire, his fingers gently probed between her legs as she sat, straddling him. Then she lifted up and scooted higher, reaching down to spread herself, she slipped over him. It was a struggle, for a moment he thought it was impossible, but finally she settled down.

Sec paused when he saw her face tighten up in a wince, then she began to move. It was slow at first, then Alice started to moan. Somehow they managed one of those rare joint climaxes, it was like his own set hers off.

She collapsed, pressing herself flat against him. In a few minutes, Sec felt himself soften and he slipped out.

Alice rolled over with a sigh. Sec looked down and saw the small puddle of blood.

"I thought you said...?" He asked.

"I did. I let him, sort of..but it was so small that I don't think...Yours is like a Polish sausage and his was like a..hot dog." Alice grinned at him.

"I guess so." Sec got up and found a towel for her. Then he rejoined her on the bed.

"Say, do you know what month next month is?"

"Sure, it's June, why?"

Alice just grinned at him.

"Oh!" Sec did know about that, women all wanted to get married in June, although he had no idea why.

"So maybe I can move in here with you?" She tilted her head onto his shoulder, looked up at him.

"I..I don't make much money, how am I going to support....?"

"Hey, we get room and board and we don't need much money."

"What is your Dad going to say?"

"Daddy will be just fine, he likes you. It's Henry you need to watch out for."

Henry? Yes, there was that, he did act a bit protective of Alice.

"Henry will be tickled." Alice smiled at him.

"Alice, I really do love you but I don't have much to offer you." Sec knew what he wanted, but how could he compete in the world that she knew?

She really was a different kind of woman.

It was quite a surprise when he reluctantly let Alice drag him up to the main house. Her Father Ron was there.

"Daddy, Sec and I want to get married!" She announced proudly. The man didn't seem the least bit surprised.

"Well, you could do a lot worse. When?" He shook Sec's hand, gave Alice a hug.

"Next month!" Alice told him.

Ron frowned.

"Do you have any education?" He asked Sec.

"High school."

"We can fix that. Then maybe you can get married." He grinned at them.

"Daddy?"

"I mean it, honey. There is more to life than just sex. I assume you two are...?"

"Daddy!" Alice exclaimed again as Sec blushed from the top of his head to the tip of his toes.

"You be quiet now!" Ron just looked at her, a firm expression on his face. Alice started to open her mouth to protest, then she shut up.

Ron turned to Sec.

"So what do you want to do with your life, son? What do you know how to do?"

"I was a policeman once, and..well..what I do around here."

"Policeman? Yes, you said in a mining camp? Did you like it?"

"Yes, I did." Sec admitted.

"Well, then. How about planning for a career in law enforcement?"

"I can do that now."

"Not without an education. Nobody will hire you. You can go to college, I can get you in anywhere. Then we will see what happens. Meanwhile, you kids aren't getting married."

"Daddy!" Alice tried one last time, her father just looked at her.

"I mean it, honey."

"I never saw Daddy like that before." Alice sniffed as they walked back down to the lake house.

"He just wants what is best for you."

"I guess so, but you are what is best for me!"

"I think I should go to school, I can't mow grass and clip bushes the rest of my life."

Sec started classes just six weeks later, using the dab of cash he had saved up. It was just a local community college, but it was a start.

When Alice came home for visits, that was the high point of his life, he missed her terribly when she was away. During the Summers he worked days taking care of the estate, during the Winter he worked at a local gas station.

He noticed that as Alice matured she also filled out, the slender girl he had met that day at his camp became rounder and fuller, a beautiful young woman. The tousled hair and blue jeans vanished, she now was always well dressed.

Her father never once showed any signs of being upset when Alice stayed with him at the lake house. Their bedroom sessions became practiced, and good. On those rare weekends, they were like an old married couple, then in between were the long weeks alone.

Their relationship was a few days of wild sexual activity, then long weeks without seeing each other at all. Sometimes there were phone calls, ending with drawn out tearful goodbyes.

Two years later, Sec had the Associate's degree in hand. He also won a small scholarship, that with his careful savings barely covered a larger State college.

It was a serious change in lifestyle, Sec managed to land a job working at a shipping center, it paid fairly well so he could afford a small apartment.

He met several women classmates, but he never dated any of them. He instead waited for the brief times with Alice.

One day blended into the next, he still saw Alice for only a few days, then she went back to her own school. A few times he visited her but the trip costs were hard on his finances. Alice lived in an all woman's dormitory, one trip he noticed the odd looks from some of her friends.

It was almost like they disapproved of him? Every single one of them looked expensive, from well off families.

That made him uncomfortable, he mentioned it to her.

"Oh, they are all uppity, don't worry about them." She told him.

Sec was 26 when he finally had the degree in law enforcement. Alice wasn't there that day when he graduated, she had now missed several of their breaks. She did call and tell him that she had some "meetings."

Sec had felt the changes, but there was nothing he could do about it. He instead buried himself completely in the schoolwork.

He already had the job lined up with the Sheriff's department in the County that he had almost come to consider home. He was planning on surprising her with that.

He was wearing his uniform the day he drove up to the main house. Alice's father Ron answered the door, he grinned when he saw Sec.

They sat and visited for quite awhile, Sec asked about Henry. Henry was getting old but still working, plus he had seen the young Mexican out working in the yard.

"So how long has it been since you saw Alice?" Ron finally asked him.

"Three weeks, maybe a month, I guess. She doesn't call much anymore, and is almost never there when I call. She doesn't even know I am going to be working here, I don't think."

"You know she has been dating, right?"

"Yes, I figured that."

"She needs to know about the world, back then...when you two...she was too young, I think I spoiled her."

Sec nodded, he felt miserable.

"Alice always got her way when she threw a fit, I finally had to set down on her."

Sec nodded again.

"What about you, son? What do you want?"