AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Anger rose up within me.
I couldn’t believe Marcus would ever do something so horrible, so heinous, and my skin was just as red as a fire engine, I knew.
I could almost feel the steam coming out of my ears, and I clasped my hands into fists. I was loosin’ my cool.
“That little dick,” I cursed, so unlike myself. I just couldn’t believe it, though!
Whatever it was about my bein’ angry, it helped Asher catch his own cool again. His fists loosened, and he reached up to run a hand back over his hair then reach out to squeeze my shoulder.
The two of us stood together like that for a while in quiet silence, the buzz of the hot summer day in the air as bugs whizzed by the shed door, the warming air flowing into the shaded area where we stood. It seemed to last an eternity, but not long enough either.
“Hey, don’t let it bug you,” he urged, his voice returning to its usual calm again after that momentary flare up of his frightful anger.
“That’s all you got! That and the clothes on your back, and he just breaks it? You’re not payin’ for this, no way. He’s goin’ to give you every penny you need and an apology. This ain’t right, Asher, ain’t right at all, not after you’ve been so good and doin’ not a thing wrong. He just can’t see past your tattoos and muscles and the bike, that’s all, and that ain’t fair he’s judgin’ you for that.”
Nothing of those three things being the main thing that attracted me to him...
He took a deep breath again, focusin’ himself.
“It’s okay,” he said, but he wore a smile on his face once more. Somethin’ about my words must’ve cheered him up a might, because he lifted his free hand to my chin and directed his gaze to mine. “We’ll sort that all out in time, don’t you worry. But in the meantime…” he shrugged his broad shoulders. “Guess I’m stayin’ for now anyhow.”
There were things I coulda done, maybe. Offered him a ride in the back of my pickup, bring him and his bike to the nearest autobody shop, but I selfishly didn’t wanna overextend my helpfulness. Especially watchin’ his mouth smile like that again, and the feel of his hand on my chin. It was like fireworks were goin’ off inside me.
“Yea,” I said dumbly, but I couldn’t call upon no more words than that. I was transfixed.
His big, strong hand went from my chin up to my hair, where he petted my long locks so affectionately. Havin’ such a big strong man, smilin’ down at me all tender like was more soothin’ than I’d like to admit. Reminded me of better times, and times I’d never had neither!
“I can think of worse fates,” he said, and he sounded genuine, though part of me knew he had a real urgency about him when Hank had asked him questions. He was runnin’ from somethin’. Someone.
And I won’t lie, it should’ve made me more cautious. I knew just as sure as Marcus that from the looks of him he was trouble, but everything about him called out to me. Made me want him in a very real way that I couldn’t fight.
“Now come on, I still gotta get some work done today,” he remarked with a wink and leaned in. For a moment I thought he was gonna kiss me, but instead he picked up his bag and offered it to me. “Mind runnin’ it inside for me? I wanna get right to work.”
My breath was stolen and harder to get back as I scrambled to take his bag, still stunned and a little confused. I coulda sworn he was gonna kiss me and I’d be able to feel those full lips against mine. I licked along my lower lip at the thought, and it tingled against my tongue.
“Oh, sure, yea...” I mumbled stupidly as I backed away, my face warm with embarrassment.
“Hold on a second,” he said, and he reached down, pullin’ that big shirt up off himself, and liftin’ his tshirt beneath up, exposin’ his bare abs again as he disrobed. He tucked the long sleeve into the bag then adjusted his still remaining tshirt, smilin’ at me.
“Thanks hun. You’re a doll,” he said.
“Sure,” I said, though I won’t deny that those words made me feel a lot lighter on my feet. It was nice to dote on a man. Feel a bit like a lady for a change instead of just a farmer and caretaker.
And I was lovin’ the little buzz in my mind, the excitement I had in me since he’d come to town. I knew it ain’t been long, but still, can’t change how excitin’ it felt.
* * *
We spent the first few days together workin’ like a lovely team. I cooked for him, did the laundry, and aside from havin’ to teach him a few things about farm work, he handled all of that there was that needed doin’.
One day I came out for lunch as a surprise, picnic basket in tow as I greeted him in the fields.
“What’s all that?” he asked, lookin’ me over with a surprised smile. It was a scorcher outside, so he was already bare chested and glistenin’ in the sun.
“Lunch,” I said with a smile. “Hope you’ve worked up an appetite,” I said with a grin as I motioned towards one of the cleared areas towards the side of the farm.
“And there’s more water than y’know what to do with, I promise.”
Asher chuckled and made his way on over with me, slingin’ his shirt over his shoulder as I laid out the blanket for the picnic.
