“I know,” said Vanessa. “It is crazy. They have the same warped sense of humor.”
“Oh my God, there is two of Alison. That can’t be good,” said Josh, shaking his head. We laughed.
“No, it can’t. Saturday is going to be trouble. I am sure we will be pouring one or more of them into the car. Hopefully, fully clothed,” said Vanessa. “What can I get you two to eat?”
“I’ll have the pork chop dinner with potatoes and corn,” said Josh.
“I’ll have the lasagna,” I said.
“Okay, I will be back with your sweet teas,” she said with a smile as she walked away. Josh reached across the table, placing his hand on mine. His thumb caressing my hand, he picked it up and kissed it. He let go when he saw Vanessa turning the corner with our drinks. “Here you two are.”
“Thank you,” he said.
“No problem. Do you want me to pick you and Alison up on Saturday?” Vanessa asked me.
“I don’t know. Let me talk to her about it. I think it would be easier if I picked Alison up and then you, though. There is no point in you driving all the way out to us when you are on our way to the venue.”
“How about you drive to my place and we leave your truck there and I drive. You are always the designated driver. It is about time one of us does it. I am willing to give up a night of drinking so you can enjoy it.”
“That is nice of you to offer, but let me think about it. I kind of enjoy watching you all get drunk and get crazy. It makes my night,” I said, laughing.
“She just likes to black mail us later on,” Vanessa said to Josh.
“The more dirty little secrets she knows about you the less you can spill on her,” he said with a smile.
“You have a very good point there, my friend,” she said. “I am beginning to see the light. I think your food is ready. I will be right back.”
“You are just as bad as they are,” I said.
“I know,” he said.
“Did you and Vanessa ever date?”
“No, she was always the big sister I never had. She was there when I needed some advice, still is.”
“Wait, have you spoken to her about us?” I whispered.
“No,” he said as Vanessa came back around the corner with our plates.
“Here you are, enjoy. I will come back to check on you in a little bit.”
“Thank you,” we said. She walked away.
“I have not gone to her for advice about us, because she asks some probing questions and I would have to tell her it is you that I am falling for. When the time is right for you and she knows, then I can go to her if I need the advice. Right now, the only person I have sought advice from is Alison.”
“Oh Lord, don’t take her advice,” I said with a roll of my eyes. We both laughed. “How is your dinner?”
“Good, but not like your cooking that is for sure, how is yours?”
“Not like my mama’s, but good,” I said.
“I am going to assume your mom was a good cook.”
“She was great. I miss her cooking and her.”
“Are your parents no longer alive?”
“No, they both passed away. Mom passed away from cancer and dad died a year later in his sleep. We think it was a broken heart. They had been together for 40 years.”
“Wow, I am sorry to hear that. Do you have any siblings?”
“Yes, I have a sister and a brother. My sister is older and my brother is the baby. They both still live in Montana.”
“Do you get back to see them at all?”
“The last time I saw them was at John’s funeral. They both came down for it with their families.”
“Why haven’t you gone to see them? It may be good for you to see them?”
“I just haven’t been up to it.”
“Have you at least spoken to either of them?”
“I avoided their phone calls for so long, they stopped calling.”
“Maybe you should try calling one of them.”
“I will, when I am ready,” I said.
“Okay,” he said with a smile. We got up to leave. He paid the check. We climbed in the truck. Vanessa waved out the window to us. We smiled and waved back. He pulled out and we drove back to the house. “If and when you speak to your siblings, will you tell them about us?”
“If I feel like this is going somewhere, then yes I will tell them.”
“Okay,” he said as he unlocked the door. This time he let me through. I went to the kitchen to put the stuff from the picnic basket in the refrigerator. He turned on the radio. Billy Currington’s “Must be Doing Something Right” was on. He grabbed my hand. I stopped emptying the basket. He wrapped one arm around my waist and we danced around the kitchen. I closed my eyes and just let him lead. When the song ended, he kissed me like he did the first time. I ached for his touch. I wanted to lie down in his bed and just let him do what he wanted with me. I pulled away from him. “I’m sorry. I’ll stop.”
“No, I don’t want you to stop,” I said. “Take me to bed, please?”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I said, taking his hand. We walked down the hallway to his room. I turned to him, feverishly kissing him. He returned my kiss, but at a slow sensual pace. I slowed my pace to match his. He walked me backwards to his bed. I sat down. He took his shirt off. I placed my lips on his chest kissing his rock hard abs from left to right. He reached down to pull my shirt off. I raised my arms. He leaned forward as I leaned back. He kissed me. He worked his way down my neck. I ran my fingers through his hair. He kissed down to my chest. His tongue going in between my cleavage.
“Josh,” I said in a breathy moan. I could feel him smile. My blood boiled. I wanted him. I ached to have him.
He reached down and undid my pants. I felt his hand slide under the waist band to my panties. His middle finger slid in and out of me. My breath caught in my chest. He smiled. He leaned over and kissed me. He kept working his finger in and out until I released. I could not take it anymore. I needed him, wanted him inside me. I reached down and undid his pants. He helped me slip out of mine while I helped him slip out of his. I pushed him down on the bed. I climbed on top of him. Straddling him, I moaned as I felt him enter me. He let out one of his own. He thrust upward as I came down. I felt every inch of him in me. I worked my hips while he worked his. He grabbed my hips as we became one. He sat up, kissing my chest. I wrapped my arms around him.
Kissing him, I rolled my hips. He thrust upward. I gasped. He wrapped an arm around my waist, rolling us as one. I was now on my back, him on top. He grabbed my wrists, pinning them above my head. He kissed me hard. His strokes got faster and harder. He laced his fingers in mine as we both released. We laid there gasping for air for a couple of minutes before either of us spoke a word. We were soaked with sweat.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked.
“No,” I said.
“Good,” he said. “You will let me know if I go to far, right?”
“Yes,” I said. “You pinning my hands behind my head, pretty much sent me over the edge. Not being able to touch you in those last few minutes was a complete turn on.”
“Really?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Good,” he said, smiling. “All I want to do is please you.”
“You definitely know how to do that,” I said, kissing him. I put my head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around me. We fell asleep. I felt him kissing the top of my head. I opened my eyes to see the sun shinning in the bedroom window.
“Good morning, beautiful.”
“Good morning,” I said. “What time is it?”
“It’s seven,” he said.
“I better get showered and ready to start the day,” I said, sitting up.
“Me too,” he said with a smirk. I knew exactly what he was thinking. He kissed me, scooping me up out of bed. He carried me to the bathroom. He turned the water on and we got in. The hot water running over us, we stood there kissing. He backed m
e up pinning me against the wall. Lifting me up, I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. I felt all of him slide into me. Bouncing me up and down against the back wall of the shower, he licked and nibbled on my neck. He grabbed my arms from around his neck, pinning them above my head. My legs gripped him tighter as we both released. He wrapped his arms around me lifting me off of him. I released my legs from his waist. I kissed him. He returned my kiss, our tongues dancing with each other.
“Mmm, Josh, if we keep this up, work will never get done,” I said with a smile.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” he said with a grin of his own. I laughed. I reached for the shampoo. I began to lather my hair when I felt his hands on my head. I let him wash me all over, returning the favor. He leaned over to shut the water off, but not before kissing me. We got out of the shower. I wrapped myself in a towel and headed up stairs to get dressed. He watched me. I dressed with a smile on my face. It had been a long time since I smiled while dressing. ‘I cannot believe I am falling for this guy,’ I thought. ‘What is it about him that makes me quiver all over?’
I went down stairs to find him feeding the animals. I gathered some eggs from the chickens for breakfast. We were going to need a hardy breakfast after expelling so much energy in the past twelve hours. I made a four egg omelet for him with ham, cheese, and fresh vegetables, toast, and home fries. I poured him a fresh cup of coffee before calling him in. For myself, I poured a bowl of cereal, made a fruit bowl, toast, and had a cup of coffee.
“You’re not eating eggs today?” he asked.
“No, I am not in the mood for them this morning,” I said. “I am not the biggest fan of eggs. I am just used to eating them all the time.”
“You shouldn’t eat something you don’t like, but this omelet is amazing.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“Do you want to try a bite?”
“No, thank you,” I said.
“Are you sure? You better get one now before I eat it all.”
I laughed. “I am positive. It is all for you.”
“Okay,” he said. He finished the last bite of the omelet and moved on to the home fries. He looked up from his plate and smiled at me.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he said. “I was just thinking about how lucky I am.”
“Lucky?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said. “I am lucky to be sitting across the table from a gorgeous woman who I am falling for and I hope that she is beginning the feel the same.”
“I am,” I said, smiling. “I am following my heart and not my head.”
“Good,” he said. “The heart will always know best when it comes to love.”
“I am beginning to believe that,” I said as the phone rang. Josh looked at me with a furrowed brow. I grabbed the receiver from behind me. “Hello?”
“Hey, what happened to you yesterday?” asked Alison.
“I got busy. Sorry I didn’t call. It must have slipped my mind. How is your head? Still good?”
“Got busy, huh?”
“Not that kind of busy,” I said, smiling and shaking my head. Josh smiled. He got up from the table and gave me a peck on the cheek. He went out to finish his daily chores. I took the phone upstairs with me to the office. I had my own work to do.
“Are you going up to the office? I heard that step of yours.”
“Yes, I am. I was just cleaning up after breakfast.”
“Yeah, me too,” Alison said. “So, what did you do yesterday?”
“We went for a drive and had a picnic lunch.”
“Oh, getting all kinds of romantic over there, aren’t you?”
“It had nothing to do with romance. It had everything to do with me trying to clear out my head.”
“Bad night or was it the party?”
“It had nothing to do with the party. I needed to think about a few things.”
“Everything okay or do you need to talk?”
“Everything is going to be fine. I just needed to decide to follow my heart or my head.”
“And what is the verdict?”
“I am going to follow my heart, again.”
“That is what I wanted to hear. I am glad you are going to follow your heart. Are you going to tell anyone else what is happening?”
“At the moment, I don’t want to tell anyone until I am sure this is more than just a fling.”
“Okay, but will he tell anyone?”
“He wants to shout it from the roof top, but understands my hesitation. He is willing to wait.”
“Good, now I promise not to tell anyone, but you know how I get when I have been drinking.”
“I know.”
“I will apologize now for anything that takes place on Saturday.”
“I will accept that apology,” I said, laughing.
“Promise not to hate me on Sunday?” she asked, laughing.
“I promise,” I said. “I need to get some work done. I will talk to you later.”
“Okay,” she said. “Later.”
I hung up the phone, shaking my head. Alison was definitely the crazy friend, but I loved her. I opened up the first file and began to type. I heard the tractor fire up and knew he was going to mow the pastures. The weather was great for it. This time of year it was not too hot or cold. It was the perfect fall weather. I looked out the window to see the tractor pulling into the pasture. The green body of the tractor blended in with the lush, over grown grass in the pasture. As he drove farther into the pasture, cutting the grass as he went, I could see the horses move from one side to the other eating the grass clippings. I heard one of the dairy cows let out a blood curdling cry. I ran downstairs and out the door. I saw Josh turn off the tractor and come running. Beatrice was pregnant. It was time for her to have her baby. She was having a hard time. The calf was breached.
“Hold her tail up,” Josh said. I did what he asked. He plunged both hands into Beatrice. He found the calf and turned it a little at a time. Turning it too fast could hurt the mother and the calf. Beatrice let out another cry.
“It’s okay, girl,” I said, stroking her stomach. “It will all be okay.”
He turned the calf around. Josh pulled his hands out of her. His arms were covered in blood and mucus. Beatrice gave one push and the calf hit the ground back end first. The calf laid there at Josh’s feet for a minute. Beatrice turned around and began cleaning it. Josh stepped to the side. I went into the barn and grabbed some towels. Soaking them down with the hose by the barn, I washed one of Josh’s arms off.
“Thank you,” he said.
“You’re welcome,” I said. “You completely reminded me of John when you did that. He would have known just what to do, too.”
“It is the life of a farmer. We all know what to do when it comes to the animals. People on the other hand, we are pretty clueless,” he said with a smile. I wiped off his other arm as the calf tried to stand for the first time. “They are always so cute when they first try to stand.”
“I know, their little wobbly legs trying to figure out what to do,” I said as the calf fell. “Poor little thing.”
“Come on,” said Josh. “Try again. I know you can do it.”
The little calf got up with its legs splayed too far apart. Slowly, it brought its legs inward one at a time. It was finally upright. Beatrice gave it a lick as a form of congratulations. The calf wobbled, but remained upright. It took one hesitant step toward Josh, then another. It nudged Josh’s hand with its head. Josh petted the calf.
“I think it is thanking you,” I said. “You get to choose a name.”
“Really,” he said.
“Yes, you helped Beatrice out, you can name her calf.”
“First, we need to figure out if it is a girl or a bull.”
“That would help in the name department.”
“Yes, it would,” he said. We watched the calf walk around. “This may take me a couple of days, but it will have a name.”
“Okay,” he said. We watched it walk along with Beatrice. The other cows came over to it and sniffed it. The two other calves came over to it. They wanted to play. The newest member of the farm was a little hesitant, much like the horses are when they are first born. It stuck close to Beatrice’s side. This was a typical behavior for at least 24 hours. They were unsure of the world around them. Once they became used to the smells, sights and sounds of the farm, then they became a little more comfortable and would explore their area.
“You may want to come in and really wash your arms off,” I said.
“Yeah,” he said. “That is a great idea.”
“I will get you the soap John used to use when he helped birth an animal.”
“Okay,” he said as we began walking back to the house. He went to the kitchen sink. I went to the hall closet to get the soap. We always kept it there so it would be close by. I returned to the kitchen to see he has stripped off his shirt. A shiver ran down my spine. He had the water running in the sink when I got there. He put his arms under the faucet, wetting them down. I handed him the soap. He vigorously scrubbed his hands and arms. “My grandfather had this same soap. He said it was good for everything that needed a good cleaning.”
“John used to say the same thing. He swore by this soap. He even made sure we had the powder form to go into the laundry for his clothes,” I said, leaning up against the counter.
“Grandpa was the same way. It was more expensive than the average detergent, but it got the job done.”
“I am going to need to start buying it again. I stopped once John passed away. There was no need for it, but with you here it will be a necessity,” I said smiling at him. He smiled, drying off his arms. Placing his arms on either side of me, he moved his hard, half naked body up against mine. I stared into his eyes seeing the love or lust he was feeling at that moment. I kissed him tenderly. He returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around me. He pulled away.
“I need to get back out there. There is a lot of work to be done,” he said, not moving.
“Yes, there is,” I said, not letting go of him. He leaned in and kissed me again, slowly pulling away.
The Stable Boy Page 10