Lisa Ch. 05a: Only Human

"I never would have thought that sex could be a recreational sport Scott, but since you've managed to turn it into one, I think exhausting is a pretty good description."

Scott laughed and kissed the top of her head.

"I was thinking more along the lines of 'fucking fantastic'. 'Mind blowing', "Unbelievable ...."

"Orgasmic?" Jessica added with a laugh when Scott seemed unable to come up with another adjective.

"Orgasmic!" Scott all but shouted ..."That's the word ... describes it perfectly!"

Jessica giggled again and then grew still. A moment later, Scott heard a light snore.

"Jess ...Jess," he said shaking her lightly. "We have to get up." He lifted her arm and it hung limp in his hand. She was completely out. He stared at the ceiling. It wasn't very fair to force her to get up after the marathon they'd just been through, but it wasn't going to be long before Josh came banging on the door again.

Shit ... Josh. Scott slid his eyes down to the top of Jessica's head. He guessed that he should probably warn Jessica that he'd given Josh the magazines and books. Given how adamant she was that she and Josh weren't intimate, Scott figured he had to give her a heads up.

"Jess, " he said again and shook her again. "We really slept in. Josh was here earlier already ... he'll be knocking on my door again any minute." He shook her again. "And ..." he began when she shifted against him, "when Josh was here earlier ... I gave him the magazines and books we've been reading."

That woke her up. She snapped her head back and looked up him. She looked confused ... and apprehensive.

"The sex ones?" she finally asked.

"Yup."

"Why?" she asked, sitting up.

"He was wondering why we'd slept in."

"And you told him?"

"Not in so many words ..." Scott said, kissing her cheeks as they flamed red. "but he took the magazines and books as reference material."

Jessica brought her hands to her face and covered her eyes. She was already having sex with Josh, so she couldn't figure out why she felt so embarrassed, but she did.

"Jess," Scott said softly as he pulled her hands from her face and tilted her face up so she was looking at him. He found her embarrassment refreshing. Despite how much she enjoyed sex, and how good she was at it. And, the fact that she was having sex with all of them anyway ... she still considered it a private matter between her and him. He felt a warmth growing inside. And for once it was in his chest and not his dick.

"It's okay. It's all okay. I swear, I didn't tell him anything. And I'm guessing that with Josh having those magazines and books, you and he can move from having sex to being intimate. And if I interpreted your moaning, thrashing, geysering and meat grinding correctly .." he said smiling as he lowered his lips to hers and kissed lightly, "I'd bet that you enjoy intimate more than sex. Right?"

Jessica nodded and smiled. Her cheeks were still pink but she was smiling.

"Do we have time to get cleaned up?" she asked, glancing at the door.

"I sure as hell hope so ..." Scott said, "Lord knows we need it."

**************************************************** Jim sat on the grass beside Jessica. It was after lunch and Scott and Jessica had finally emerged from Scott's room. Josh had returned from checking on Scott with some incredibly explicit magazines and books. And he'd reported that Scott had said a night of sex was what had made them sleep in. Jim had doubted that.

He and Josh had leafed through the magazines and books. And the very explicitness of them convinced Jim even further. He had been certain that there was a different explanation, until Scott and Jessica made their appearance for lunch. They'd showered, so Jim had at first chalked Jessica's aura of unusually extreme relaxation up to a good hot shower. But then ... Jim couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something different about Jessica. About Jessica with Scott. She seemed to have a bit of a wistful smile on her face. Nothing really obvious, or Riley and Angus would've been all over it, but it was there just below the surface.

And then, Scott had touched her. Just on the arm, just while he was putting her lunch before her on the table, but it was not a normal touch. Jim shook his head as he replayed the moment in his head. It had been a caress. And Jessica ... she had looked up at Scott and smiled. And Jim swore that the smile was a caress back. For a moment he had thought he'd imagined it, but then Josh had noticed it too. He'd tilted his head toward Jessica and Scott, and then the magazines that he still held in his hands and mouthed 'told you' to Jim. And then of course Angus had to stick his nose into the situation and everything had evaporated. The smile disappeared from Jessica's face, and her defenses were up again.

Now Jim sat here beside Jessica, and wondered if he'd actually misread the whole thing. If he had, his moment of hope that a serious change had occurred was nothing more than that, a moment of hope. If Scott had really made her look at those magazines and books, what did she think of them? He tried not to think of Jessica in that way, but now, just considering it, he wondered what she would think of it ... of sex. He glanced at Jessica. She was petting Baby absent mindedly, and had been for the past fifteen minutes. Her attention had been steadfastly kept on Riley, who was off in the distance, training an adult male German Shepherd. The dog had only been with them for a week, but it was clear that Riley was losing his patience with him. As Riley jerked down on the dogs leash, put off by the dog's stubborn refusal to obey a command he'd been given, Jim heard Jessica groan.

"There you are," Josh said appearing from behind the barn. "Do you want to go see the horses?" Josh had been trying to find a way to get a moment alone with Jessica. He knew that Jim doubted Scott's explanation about what had happened between Scott and Jessica the night before. But Josh wasn't so sure. He wanted to ask her about it, but first he had to get passed what had happened with Baby. And now he had the opportunity for both.

From the distance they could hear Riley curse. He turned from the dog in exasperation, and for the first time, noticed Jessica watching him. Now he knew how she'd come to know his commands to the dogs. He supposed it was nice that she took the time to watch ... learn. Suddenly she sprang to her feet, said something to Jim who snapped his head in Riley's direction. Jessica didn't look back before leaving with Josh. Jim moved toward Riley.

"Since when have you taken an interest in dog training?" Riley asked as Jim neared.

"Having trouble with this one?" Jim asked, nodding at the dog.

"You could call it that," Riley said turning to the dog that sat panting, before him.

"What would you say the problem is?"

Riley looked at Jim from the corner of his eye.

Jim rarely, if ever, made small talk with Riley, and never about dog training.

"Stubbornness or stupidity ... take your pick. Why do you ask?"

"Ever have reason to think the dog may be deaf and blind?"

"What?!" Riley growled. "What the hell would make you say that?"

Jim shrugged. "When you give him a command on one side he listens, the other, he doesn't."

"The hand signals are the same, no matter what side I say it on ..."

"He can't see them Riley."

"What the hell? In all the years I've known you, you have never, EVER, shown any interest in dog training, and then suddenly you come up with deaf and blind?"

"Is it that inconceivable?" Jim asked not sure whether Riley found the suggestion preposterous or whether he had hard time with Jim's interest. He began to feel a little insulted.

"How the hell can a dog be deaf and blind, and no one know it?" Riley demanded.

Jim shrugged. "Hey, you're the dog expert. If in your great wisdom you don't feel it is remotely possible ... then forget it ..." Jim turned to leave.

Riley moved to the dog suddenly. He clapped his hands on the right side of the dog. The dog's head swiveled in the direction of the noise.

Riley did the same on by the dog's left ear. No reaction.

"Damn ..." Riley cursed. He waved his hand in front of the dog, the dog didn't respond in any way. He moved his arms closer and repeated the motion. Suddenly the dog looked up and wagged his tail. "Well, I'll be. How the hell did you figure that out?" Riley asked.

"I thought my acute sense of observation was my greatest asset ..." Jim said.

"Yeah, that's it ... seriously, how'd you know? This dog must've been deaf and blind since birth, cause he sure doesn't show any sign of being deaf or blind. I've worked with dogs my whole life, and I didn't pick up on it. What gave you the clue?"

"His one eye crosses just a little," Jim replied, and couldn't help but laugh when Riley moved closer to the dog for a better look. "I'm just kidding. Jessica told me. "

"Jessica?" Riley asked. He was so surprised that the question came out as a whisper. "H .. how did she know?"

"She didn't say," Jim said.

"Well, how the hell am I'm supposed to train a deaf and blind dog?"

"Seems to me that you just have to be sure you're on the side he can hear on."

"Right, thanks for the input."

"Like I said, acute sense of observation ..."

"Where's Jessica now?"

"Gone to see the horses with Josh."

"Should have known," Riley answered. "Come on Max," he said to the dog and took him by the collar and led him to his cage.

"She'd better not be breaking in any horses, " Riley said, falling in step with Jim.

"I think she'd like nothing more than to be doing just that." Jim said.

***************************************************** "Do you think I'll ever get to ride Ebony? Or any horse?" Jessica asked cuddling Baby to her while leaning on the fence of the corral where Ebony grazed.

"Sure," Josh replied. "Listen, Jessica, about last night ..."

"Really ride them? Not just around in circles in the corral?"

"If you earn the right Jessica, you'll get to ride. Will you listen to me for a second? I'm trying to apologize about taking Baby away yesterday."

Jessica suddenly looked sad, and cuddled the puppy closer.

"Do you think I'll be able to bring her back in? I miss her, and she's still just a baby ..."

"I don't think so Jessica. She was going to have to go back to the kennels eventually anyway ... it was just temporary remember?"

Jessica looked at Josh. A faint smile appeared on her face. "I'm pretty sure that Princess Assicej would forgive Prince Aushoj, especially since he seems so worried about it."

At the mention of the comic book characters that Josh had been faithfully developing night after night, Josh smiled and lowered his head. He was blushing, and he couldn't help it. The story of the Princess and Prince from different planets had grown and evolved into quite a love story. There were so many parallels to how he felt about Jessica, about his hopes for their relationship, that when spoken about in the light of day, he felt like he was baring his soul to the world. Jessica edged closer to Josh, until her shoulder pressed against him.

"Do you know what I think Prince Aushoj would do to make it up to Assicej?" All Josh could do was shake his head. Her spontaneity made him giddy.

"Ebony," Jessica said nodding toward the black stallion. "I think he'd let the Princess pet him."

"Are you nuts?" Josh asked. "You'll get stomped!"

Jessica and Josh stood staring at each other. Jessica smiled as Josh's face turned redder and redder. The small chance that Assicej and Aushoj were purely fictional characters, was now decimated. Josh couldn't believe how vulnerable he felt ... bordering on embarrassed. But Jessica smiled as she kissed him on his cheek.

"Don't worry Prince Aushoj, I'll be careful. Ebony just needs me to be calm and gentle when I go in there, that's all. Can I?"

Josh nodded. It wasn't until Jessica was on the other side of the corral fence and slowly yet assuredly making her way toward the stallion, that Josh realized what he'd done. The horse stood stalk still, watching Jessica's advance. If Jessica had any fear or reservation at all, she didn't show it.

Josh held his breath as Jessica moved forward. For her part Jessica was excited to finally get the opportunity to show Scott that Ebony wasn't the wild untamable horse he seemed to think he was. She had meant to raise it with Scott the previous night ... suggest to him that rather than saddle training him it would go far for him to try and connect with him. But as her pleasantly used private parts reminded her, she hadn't had the chance. Oh well, now she had the opportunity to make first contact for Scott.

Riley and Jim rounded the corner of the barn, just in time to see Jessica closing the distance between herself and the stallion.

"Shit!" they muttered in unison.

"Is she out of her tree?" Riley demanded as he broke into a run.

"Riley ... Riley!" Jim said, catching up to Riley and grabbing his arm.

"If you startle Ebony, Jessica is going to get hurt. We have to move slowly, quietly." Riley slowed down. They walked as slowly and quietly as they could until they stood beside Josh.

"What the hell is she doing in there?" Riley asked Josh.

"I let her go Riley, but I'll be damned if I know why," Josh said.

"I'm going in after her," Jim said.

"Wait a minute, Scott's already going," Riley said and nodded toward Scott, who had entered the corral at the other end, lasso rope in hand.

He walked slowly and steadily toward the stallion and Jessica.

"That's a good boy," Jessica was cooing to the horse, who now rested his nose in her hands. She ran them gently over his nose and then along his face, to his neck. "It's all right," Jessica said to Scott, who had gotten close enough that he had to decide whether to lasso the horse, or take his chances on walking closer. "You can come closer, he's fine."

Scott took some tentative steps forward. It wasn't long before he stood next to Jessica.

"That's a good boy Ebony," Jessica said, "Scott's not going to hurt you. See? Scott's your friend. Pet him!" she ordered Scott.

Scott raised his hand to the horse's neck. This horse was one of Scott's greatest challenges. It seemed that he just couldn't get the horse to warm to him.

"You have to talk to him, " Jessica said.

"Good boy," Scott said.

"No, something more personal."

"I have nothing personal to say to a horse, Jessica!" Scott muttered in disbelief.

"Shhh, it's okay Ebony, " Jessica said as the horse lifted his head in response to Scott's tone, and after a shake of his head, he nudged Jessica's lips with his nose.

"Thanks for the kiss Ebony," Jessica said. "Go on Scott, say something." She urged.

"Okay ... how about, just what do you think you're doing out here?"

"Helping," Jessica answered, "and your tone isn't. Look, all Ebony needs is a little break from the lassoing and rodeo riding, and a whole lot of quiet affection."

"What are you, the Dr. Phil of the horse world?"

"Dr. who?"

"Never mind ... what's your great plan for getting out of here now?" Scott replied.

"Just pet and walk away," Jessica answered, pressing her forehead against the horse.

"Then let's get going before Riley blows a gasket."

"Riley?" Jessica asked. She turned pale. Her eyes slid to the right but she resisted turning her head. "I thought he was training the dogs."

"Nope. He's standing right over there looking like he's ready to hop the fence and take his chances with Ebony."

Jessica's hand shot out and grabbed Scotts arm. "I'm in trouble, aren't I? I'm never going to get to ride the horses ..."

"Not if you keep doing stupid stuff like this."

Jessica blinked back some tears.

"It wasn't stupid! I was helping you ..."

"I don't need this kind of help Jessica. This does not fall under the "behaving" category."

"I had Josh's permission." Jessica countered.

"This isn't a debate Jessica ... you did?" Scott asked flabbergast that Josh would do such a thing. Jessica nodded. "This isn't like the 'permission' you had from Jim to ride Ebony, is it?"

"No, there was no misunderstanding this time." Jessica answered.

"Misunderstanding ... " Scott muttered. " If Josh gave you permission, fine, but I have to hear this from Josh himself. Let's go."

Jessica barely had time to kiss Ebony's nose before Scott took her by the arm and led her to Riley, Jim and Josh.

"Did you tell Jessica she could go in the corral?" Scott demanded as they neared the men.

Josh nodded, but it was clear from the expression on his face that he could barely believe it himself.

"Take her in the house Scott, " Riley said. He was at a loss for a reaction. He needed time to think. Jessica lowered her head.

"Not going to argue with Riley?" Scott asked Jessica as she and he moved off toward the house.

"Ha, ha," Jessica replied .

"I'm not kidding Jessica. Why do I get the attitude and Riley gets blessedly silent obedience?"

"I can be quite happy being blessedly quiet," Jessica replied, "it just seems to me that you spend an awful lot of time bugging me to talk. You want silence ... I can do that too."

"Hey I never said I didn't want you to talk to me ... I just want to hear things like, 'Yes Scott, you're right Scott, I'll do whatever you say Scott'. Any chance you can manage something like that?"

"Give me something to work with, and it'll be no problem," Jessica replied.

"Oh, you're quite the comedian ...What the hell?" Scott added, spying Angus coming from the direction of the road. He had a large item on his shoulder, and from the distance it looked like a dog.

"One of the dogs!" Jessica exclaimed quietly. They hadn't gone far from the corral so Scott guided Jessica back, too curious to not investigate what had happened.

When Angus reached the corral he flung the dog's body to the ground.

"One dead dog." He muttered and looked at Jim as if he had single handedly killed it.

"Ginger!" Jessica gasped and ran to the lifeless body. "What happened?" she asked kneeling next to Ginger and looking in horror at the giant gash on the dog's neck.

"Trap," Angus replied.

He was unable to look at her. It had looked like she and Scott had been leaving, which had made Angus feel some relief. The past few nights he'd been having some disturbing dreams about Jessica.

As if the dreams weren't bad enough, the feelings that they were invoking were even worse. In the dreams he and Jessica were together. Together, together. And they were happy. Very happy. He was happier than he'd ever been in his life. There had even been a few mornings that he had woken up and to his horror found himself hugging Jessica. She'd been asleep each time, as far as he knew, she had no idea that it had happened.

But each time he was angry with himself. He began to wonder if he could trust himself to be around her. Even now, he had a desire to be with her. The only thing he could do to avoid falling prey to it, was to keep a distance from her. He'd been having great luck with it, but now here she was, at his feet. At least some good could come from this, she was staring at a good example of what could happen to her if she tried to escape.

"Trap?" Jessica asked, still staring in horror at the wound, "Why would Ginger be near a trap?" She looked up at Jim, and saw Angus scowling at her. She averted her eyes to the ground.

"I believe you were on your way back to the house Jessica," Riley interrupted. "Scott ... " and he thrust his head in the direction of the house.

"Right, let's go Jessica." Scott said.

Jessica stared at the dog. "What about the puppies?" she asked quietly. "What will they do without their mother? And what if they get stuck in the trap?"

"That's a good question for Jim, "Angus replied. He had a self-satisfied look on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest and stood waiting for Jim's reply.