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“Well ya didn’t have to bring the food to me, I’m a travellin’ man,” he said with a playful grin on his face as we settled in. “But thank you all the same, miss Shelby. You’re a right lady,” he declared, foldin’ his legs up beneath him.
I smiled as I opened the basket, handing him one of the packed sandwiches. It had more meat on it than a leg of lamb, and I was pleased with myself. I made up this new sauce, just for him. He’d mentioned he liked things a little spicy and flavourful, after all.
“Hope you like it.”
He took the sandwich and smiled, “Thank you ma’am,” he said, catchin’ on to the way things were done it seemed. Though nothin’ diminished his appetite, of course.
Of course, I had ulterior motives to settin’ up a picnic. The summer sun dance was that night, and for once I thought I might like to go. Accompanied.
Though I didn’t have the nerve to ask him just then.
“There’s carrots in there as well if you want some crunch, too.” I took my own sandwich, much thinner than his, and took a small bite. I was a bit more aware of myself around him.
He nodded appreciatively and smiled widely, though the real treat of the meal was gettin’ to watch him up close, bare chested and hard bodied, the sun havin’ only enhanced his tan since he got on my farm.
“Y’know, I was thinking…” he started, lookin’ around the area. “That old abandoned storehouse of yours is in pretty good shape. It’s just the roof that needs repairs, and I’ve got carpentry skills to spare. I could fix that up for you, with some lumber and supplies.”
“Yea?”
I was stunned. I mean, I hadn’t even thought about gettin’ that place fixed up, it was too big of an undertakin’ for me. And it’d cost an arm and a leg to hire folk to come fix it for me. Even with him there, I didn’t think it’d ever get fixed.
“That’d be amazin’. I mean, would lead to there bein’ a lot less rubbish around, at least.”
Asher’s smile lit up his face and it was hard to believe he was the tattooed ruffian he appeared to be.
“I’ll get right on that then, soon as we get the materials together,” he said, lifting his sandwich and taking another big bite as he flashed me a wink.
Maybe it was the farm livin’ that was turnin’ him into such a warm, carefree spirit. Or maybe he was never the hard case he appeared to be. How could I say?
Whatever it was, I was fallin’ hard and fast, and the fact that he hadn’t made a move only made me like him a little bit more. He was bein’ respectful, the type of guy that I knew my parents woulda been proud for me to have.
“You know, the Summer Sun dance is tonight in town,” I mentioned awkwardly.
“Oh yeah?” he said, replying to me without delay, casting his eyes across the blanket to mine before he took a generous helping of water. With a satisfied ‘ah’ he wiped his mouth. “We should go. Get off the farm.”
As easy as that.
I stared, a bit stunned by how nonchalant he was about it, bu
t by the time that passed, I was grinning ear to ear like a maniac.
“Yea, we should,” I agreed, like it was all his idea. “It’s nothin’ super fancy, you know. Not a tux and tie thing or whatever hoity-toity stuff from the city, but everyone cleans up and I’ve heard it’s real swell.”
“You heard?” he asked, archin’ a brow over at me, lookin’ all inquisitive. Here I was, tryin’ to get information outta my dark, mysterious stranger for days with no success, but he was great at ferretin’ it outta me it seemed. “Don’t tell me you usually stay in, Shelby. Beautiful woman such as yourself.”
I flushed at just how quick he figured me out, tryin’ to shrug it off. “Just never interested me, y’know, dancin’ and all that.”
It was a lie, but I already felt exposed, I didn’t wanna give everything away.
“Well damn,” he said so simply in that deep, dark voice of his. “And here I was hoping to score a dance or two with you. Guess I’m all outta luck,” he lamented, still smilin’ a bit as he ate and drank across from me.
How did he constantly do that? Turn it around on me?
“Well, I mean, I want to go tonight. Wouldn’t have mentioned it otherwise...”
He arched a brow and peered at me, as if he could see right through me.
“Then you’ll be dancing with me.” It was statement rather than question, but somehow I felt the compunction to treat it like both.
