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“I barely made it all the way over here without dying and you’re telling me—”
Before I was able to finish my sentence, Weston reached forward and scooped me up, throwing me over his shoulder. I was too stunned to scream, too shocked to fight him as he began trudging back through the pathway that he’d previously made. Hanging upside down, I stared at his back as he walked forward, the snow barely seemed to hinder him.
Even with the layers of clothing he had on, I could feel his body ripple with every effortless step. His entire life had been spent etching out muscles and power, built for a life to deal with animals of a large caliber. They were bred for size and mass. Yet, Weston was carved to match them. I weighed nothing to him as he covered ground without so much as his heart rate increasing.
Large fingers were latched onto my thigh from his right hand, holding me gently but tightly to his body as my stomach draped over his thick shoulder. The entirety of his well-muscled arm wrapped around both of my legs and suddenly, while his heartbeat was remaining steady, mine began racing.
The warmth from his body was also calming which began to balance out the shock that had sent my pulse into a frenzy. This felt comfortable. Being this close to him wasn’t scary, but peaceful and exciting all at once. It didn’t come as a surprise that he smelled much like the forest as well.
Finally, as the shock wore off, I relaxed farther into his hold and felt all of the blood rushing to my head.
“Mr. Duke?” my voice cracked as I said his name.
“Weston,” he firmly replied as my vision began to spin. I paused, despite how uncomfortable things were becoming as we passed around a thick grouping of pine trees.
“Weston,” I began, my voice a little softer, and I felt him shudder beneath my body. “All of the blood is going to my head. Do you think you could carry me not upside down?”
He chuckled quietly as we emerged from around the pine trees, and he paused. My feet suddenly touched the ground, the snow not quite as deep here with the dense branches sheltering the ground. Weston stepped in front of me and squatted down, reaching behind him.
“Climb on.” He wiggled his fingers, though I hesitated.
Something felt a little different this time, or maybe it had felt a little different the entire time. Being that close to him, being able to feel the way his body moved had set my heart racing, even if the comfort of his frame had also eventually calmed it down.
“Miss Tenley. Eugene is waiting for us,” Weston spoke again.
I shook my head. Just two friends, walking out to check on a bull because one of those friends was a vet and the other owned the animal. That’s all this was.
I slung my arms around his brawny neck, the medical bag tapping against his chest before he stood up with ease. Slipping my legs around his waist, he tucked his hands around my thighs while I settled in against his back as he began walking again. My eyes involuntarily closed as I pressed my cheek tighter against his coat with a deep inhale. He smelled so wonderful, like right after a big Thanksgiving meal where everyone was breaking out their Christmas trees.
It made me wonder if my parents used real Christmas trees instead of the fake ones now that they lived somewhere that had access to beautiful pines. I’d always dreamt of going and cutting down a real tree, and the amazing smell the house would be filled with. Oh how lovely that would be mixed with that leftover turkey and stuffing and pumpkin pie from the best meal. Then the nap that always came after while the men watched some football.
This would be my first Thanksgiving with my family in four years. I’d never been able to go home during vet school, and I felt a small twinge of gratitude that I would at least have one last Thanksgiving with my dad around, in a place that was quickly growing on me.
I was so lost in thought that I hadn’t noticed that Weston had stopped walking. My cheek so deeply pressed into his back that the lack of movement had gone unnoticed. It wasn’t until I felt the vibrations from his voice did I realize what was happening.
“Miss Tenley, look up,” Weston softly said.
I blinked, prying my face away from his warmth and glanced over his shoulder. An audible gasp left my thick lips as I stared at the beast in front of me. Probably the most beautiful angus bull I’d ever seen munched lazily on some hay. The thickest neck with a large hump, and the sleekest, shiniest black coat lay upon a chiseled specimen. Plus quite a sizable pair of gonads that bull had on him as well.
Slithering down from Weston’s back, I felt an odd chill brush upon my skin the moment his touch left my legs despite the layers of clothing between us. Walking to the side of the man that had toted me across half the pasture, I stopped and stared at the bull, completely unaware that I’d mindlessly pressed my side directly up against his body.
He stiffened for a moment, the thudding of both our hearts echoing across the empty pasture. I was no longer alone in the racing of my pulse. My eyes slipped away from the bull who’d raised his head to watch us and shifted towards the towering man beside me. He was already gazing at me, strong brows set above those intense eyes. That scar that ran deeply across his cheek was paler than usual from the cold and pulled tight.
Everything fell still. Not a soul dared to move, not a single crispy, cherry leaf left clinging to a branch dared to flutter across the breeze that had become silent. The world that was spinning so quickly, jumping forward, paused in its very movement, holding its very breath. My chest rose in silent whispers, delicate wings brushing against my stomach.
Slowly, he blinked. Thick, dark lashes flickering from my eyes then across my body. I immediately wished I’d taken Doc up on his reminder to brush my hair. Yet he didn’t look away when they rested upon my emerald eyes once more.
His subtle, crooked smile caressed his lips.
And that moment was seared upon my memory forever.
Eugene suddenly brayed, snapping Weston and I out of whatever stupor there had been. We both quickly inhaled and looked towards the bull as the world resumed. The wind began to howl, the leaves rustled, pine trees danced as the snow swirled into the air once more.
Weston cleared his throat and climbed around the side of the pen. Eugene didn’t spare him half a glance as he moved the green panel closer and closer, creating a small chute without needing an actual one.
I furrowed my brows. “And if that massive bull decides he wants out, what do you think you and that panel are going to do? Stop him?”
Weston chuckled. “Just come draw some blood. Eugene doesn’t care,” he answered and waved a hand towards the bull.
