Serendipity's Choice

- Chapter 3 -

The first two days of her journey were long and agonizing. Every time she heard a distant bark or rounded a bend to see a man working in a field, she'd panic and run deeper into the forest.

By day three she felt a little more confident. It was on this day that her fortunes would change. She had been winding her way through the woods when she came upon a lush meadow.

She'd been hearing strange noises and finally found the source. On the far edge of the meadow stood a tall, muscular, naked man. His back was to her as his buttocks moved in a forward rhythm. His muscles rippled with each thrust. The sounds she had been hearing were the moans of the woman he was grasping tightly by the hips as she leaned over a fallen tree.

Serri quietly pulled out her gun and approached them. He was so focused on his task; he was completely oblivious to her presence until she pushed the gun sharply into his back.

"Enough," she spat. "Get your filthy hands, and other filthy parts, away from that young lady and pull your pants up where they belong."

The man froze in place as the girl spun her head around.

"Whoa, there," said the man, as he slowly backed up while pulling up his pants.

"Ha," laughed the girl. "She thinks you're a rapist. I told ya we shoulda waited."

She stood up and let her skirt fall into place. Her long, brunette braids had picked up pine needles during the tryst giving her a disheveled appearance.

The man grabbed his shirt off the tree and pulled it over his head. He stared at the forest floor, shaking his head in embarrassment and, no doubt, frustration.

"It's okay," laughed the girl as she patted his back.

Turning toward Serri she added, "This is just my randy husband. He couldn't wait a couple of hours till we got home. No. He has to bend me over in the woods and end up scaring a nice lady like you."

She stuck her hand out to Serri.

"Name's Bess. Thanks for believing that you were coming to my rescue. Right kind of you. We women need to stick together," she laughed as she winked at her husband.

Serri lowered her gun and laughed awkwardly as she took Bess' hand.

"I'm so sorry. You sounded like you were in distress. And, I have a history of dealing with a man who didn't always ask permission. I guess I'm a little sensitive about it."

"No need to explain," Bess said as she led them out of the woods and onto a well-worn dirt road. A wagon loaded with cut firewood was parked in the grass along the edge. Its two hitched horses were quietly grazing.

The still-humiliated man jumped onto the driver's side of the wagon, sat down with a thud, took up the reins and stared straight ahead, never saying a word.

"Are you on your way to St. Croix?" Bess asked as she rolled her eyes toward her disgruntled husband.

Serri stifled a laugh and nodded, trying to act as nonchalant as possible.

"You certainly earned yourself a ride. Jump on up. We've got plenty of room."