AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Instead, I got to spend my time gettin’ reacquainted with my old culinary skills, whippin’ up a roast chicken, with mashed taters and veggies, all fresh from the garden. And of course, usin’ my time in front of the kitchen window to admire my new view.
Though as I was gettin’ ready to go out and call Asher in, there came trouble up the road. Trouble, thy name is Marcus.
Sure, my older cousin was no big deal, he was more bark than bite. But he could sure bark a lot when he got somethin’ stuck in his craw, and I had a feelin’ Asher was one of those things that’d stay stuck.
Though as Marcus pulled up and got out of his truck, the big smile on his face said he hadn’t yet noticed the big hunk over in the farmhouse yet.
“Hey, how you holdin’ up?” Marcus asked, as he walked on up, hands in his pockets.
“Fine,
what’re you here for?” I asked, and I knew I was being way too terse. He was going to figure it out in a second if I kept up like that. “I didn’t expect to see you again is all, is everything alright?”
“Just figured I’d stop by, see how you was doin’,” he said, smilin’ and takin’ with no notice of my rude behaviour. “Thought you might be tuckered after all day, and wanna head into town for some of Miss Maddy’s cookin’.”
Of course, there was only the one restaurant in our sleepy little farm ‘town’. And it was one I was ashamed to say I spent more than I should at.
“It’s fine, Marcus, I’ve actually...” I paused. If I mentioned a feast, he’d want to stay and it’d be rude to say no, but I was greedily wanting not to have to deal with his bark right yet. But I couldn’t think fast enough to come up with a plausible excuse to get him gone.
“I made up some chicken already, is all,” I said.
“Oh, well… could put that in the pantry for now. Dinner’s on me, after all,” he said with a toothy grin. “Or… we’s could split it,” he added on, lookin’ impish and cute. Though that faded mighty fast once I saw his eyes dart over to the side, towards the barn house, and a grim look took hold.
I could swear he thought we was about to be murdered! But when I looked over, it was just Asher, comin’ out of the barn, topless and with his shirt in hand.
It was awkward. He’d already told me off for being too trusting, and here he was trying to be nice and family like and I’ve gone behind his back. But I couldn’t help but stare at Asher longer than was polite. Sweat accentuated his muscles, making him shine just a little, and I was entranced.
“You never…” Marcus said, lookin’ at me like I’d just burnt down the family farm, instead of givin’ some guy a break. “What’re ya thinkin’, Shelby?!” he said, as Asher looked up and over in our direction as he slowly continued along his way towards us.
“If’n you needed some help, I’d have give it!” Marcus said, gesturin’ wildly with his lanky arms.
“You got your own stuff and I won’t have you be put out on my account! ‘sides, he’s just here to help out for the busy season, gettin’ everythin’ ready and all that. Even you and I couldn’t work faster and better than one of him and you know it.”
Marcus’ eyes both widened and narrowed somehow, and he looked downright savage!
“That’s a dang lie, sure as shootin’!” he said obstinately, but already Asher was within earshot, pullin’ his shirt on over his head, tuggin’ it down around his broad shoulders and bulging torso.
“Hey you,” Marcus said brazenly to Asher, puffin’ up his own puny lil’ chest as he attempted to intimidate the much larger man, but gettin’ only a furrowed brow and a confused look from the hunk. “You better keep yer paws off a Shelby here. ‘Cause I only live down the road, and I got more’n enough guns to stop whoever gives our family trouble, y’hear?”
Of course, Asher just continued to stare, standin’ there like a colossus.
“Marcus,” I hissed, reaching for his shoulder. “He ain’t been nothin’ but a gentleman and already finished squarin’ off the patch for the flower garden, just in the one afternoon!”
Marcus brushed off my hand, and continued on though, stubborn as a mule.
“You best watch your behaviour ‘round here, fella. The Sherriff’s a friend of the family—” which was true, but then Hank was everyone’s friend, it weren’t like there was a ton of people “—so just you watch out, hear?”
Asher for his part simply stood, starin’ down at Marcus like he was some yippin’ dog and he couldn’t figure out what the pup wanted.
“Fine, Marcus, you made your point!” I protested, and really, I was getting worried that Asher might be put off from all of it. Just hop on his hog and take off to someplace he wasn’t gonna be told off for doing not a thing wrong.
Hell, even if he had touched me, ain’t nothing wrong with that. Not like I didn’t want it.
Marcus glanced at me irritably before glaring back at Asher, and with no response, he just stormed off on his own, back to his pickup and left in a huff, the gravel of the driveway kickin’ up in a mess.
Asher just adjusted his shirt back down over that gorgeous physique of his as he watched Marcus leave, then looked to me.
“Seems awful worked up. What’s his problem?” he asked simply, in that deliciously dark voice of his.
