by Candy Quinn
We chuckled, and he ordered us some wine. It wasn’t exactly a fancy city style restaurant, but there was some Shiraz they had and, as Asher said, “That’ll do just fine.” So we got to sip some as the sun slowly started to go down, turnin’ the sky orange on the horizon, the younger folk the first to head towards the dance area.
I wasn’t in much of a rush. Just sittin’ and enjoyin’ his company was pleasant enough for me, though I admit I was nervous. Excited. The idea of feelin’ his hands on my hips, his body pressed close to mine was enough to make the butterflies in my tummy flutter and my mind go a bit hazy, even before the wine.
I sipped it, looking over the rim of my glass at him, and it was like everything was right with the world. And for the first time in a very long time, by my reckonin’.
When at last we’d both finished our wine, Asher stood up, the tallest fella at the whole shindig by a mile. He extended his hand to me, palm up, some of the curious markings on his inner arm visible.
“Shall we head on in for a dance or two, ma’am?” he asked, soundin’ more suave than any of the country fellas I knew by landslide. While all around us the dance committee folk turned on the lights to compensate for the growing darkness of night.
“I’d love to,” I said with a wide smile, his hand so much rougher than mine. Takin’ some time off from farm work had softened them right up, along with my usin’ coconut oil on them every day. I wanted to feel a bit more feminine around him, what could I say?
He felt so warm from the hot summer day, his body radiating heat as I pulled in against him as we walked towards the other dancers.
The music, which was already in full swing, had been just a faint sound on the evenin’ air where we ate, but as we got over to the central pavilion and barn where the band played, it was boomin’.
“Shall we?” he said, but without waitin’ he took hold of my hand and my hip and took us out onto the dance floor with a powerful tug. A big grin lit up his face as he guided me into the first swings and motions of the dance.
The beat was fast, and all around us was laughter and joy, everyone really lettin’ their hair down for a change. I’d never been to nothin’ like it, and the giddiness was infectin’ me. I twirled in front of him, just like I had at the house, my skirt floatin’ up around my bare legs before my hand went to his hard chest, touchin’ there lightly. I was still uncertain of myself, of what to do, but I knew I’d fallen hard for him and touchin’ his body like I was felt amazing.
And him, he smiled down at me all the while, those big strong hands on my body, holdin’ me so firmly, feelin’ me in return. But ever the gentleman about it. Only the slightest hints of touches less appropriate. A brief graze of his fingers along my rear as I came to a halt to look up at him again, the light brush of his thumb along the edge of my breasts.
Each dance was magical, more so than the last as we got into a groove together. Our bodies masterin’ the art of workin’ as one on the dancefloor. It was so thrillin’, and it was clear he was enjoyin’ it no less than me.
“You’ve got some real moves. Especially for a woman who’s never danced before,” he said, and I felt for a moment like he had figured out my secret; that I’d dance by myself in my room ever since I was a lil’ girl.
I laughed it off, though, trying to play coy. The band moved to something slower, and he held me a bit tighter, pulling my body against his. My soft breasts against his hard torso, his firm hand on the low of my back as he looked down upon me with a devious glint in his eye.
I could barely breathe, my heart beating so fast as my head spun.
I was in heaven.
The two of us just worked so well together, like a team as Asher said, but so much more. Gazin’ up at him, him down at me, our eyes were locked and it felt so special, his hold on me tightening, squeezing me in against his hard, sculpted body.
Slowly he began to lean down into me, his lips partin’ just a bit, and I felt compelled in closer to him in turn. My head tilted, and we were a hairs breadth away from kissin’. When some scuffle off to the right nabbed our attention.
Asher looked over, and his eyes went wide, then narrowed hard. I followed after his gaze and saw the source of the sounds: several big, leather-clad ruffians were shovin’ the doormen, tryin’ to get into the dance without payin’ I guess.
“Brutes,” I said with a roll of my eyes, angry that they’d interrupted my moment. Our moment.
I could still feel his warm breath on my mouth, but I knew it’d passed. I looked up at him again, and I could tell, he wasn’t just mad that they’d interrupted our kiss.
I looked towards the group of men again and my heart went chill. What was going on?
“Fuck,” Asher cursed, and he moved his hands from around me and took hold of my hand, beginnin’ to guide me through the crowd towards the back of the pavilion.
It wasn’t like Asher to be scared of someone, I thought. After all, I saw how quickly he took off to investigate the disturbance that night at the farm.
“What’s wrong?” I asked him as we began to move.
“Trouble,” he muttered to me. But he was the type of man to run to trouble, not away from it. He went to help, not get away.
“Shouldn’t we help then?” I asked as we moved through the crowd.
“They won’t cause too much trouble, not unless they find me here,” he said through gritted teeth.
Ice water ran through my veins, and I ran a little to keep up with his quick pace.
“Who are they?” I asked, my voice serious as I stuck by his side.
“Some bad, bad men,” he remarked as we went to the rope-fence that walled off the pavilion, he climbed over then reached back for me, lifting me up over then laying me down on the other side with such ease. “Sorry, we should head on back now,” he said to me, a moment’s sadness flickering across his determined face.
It didn’t bother me, having to leave the dance. What bothered me was his expression and the way he spoke of them. It wasn’t just some little thing he was runnin’ from. It was somethin’ way bigger. Something that left me feeling uneasy.
“What’s wrong?”
“I took from ‘em, and they want payback. You hired the wrong guy to work your farm, Shelby,” he said as we moved through the dark towards the parking area, though before I could ask anymore, we were caught. One of ‘em was waitin’ for us. And it was clear it was one of them, because you didn’t see no scraggly lookin’ biker outfits like that around farm country.
“There you fuckin’ are,” the bearded guy said as he advanced towards Asher and I, knife in hand. Though Asher didn’t slow down, he merely let go of my hand and left me as he went right at the man.
I couldn’t help but let loose a panicked cry because I felt for certain he was gonna get stabbed, but the suddenly rush into danger must’ve surprised the thug, or else Asher was just so damned fast and good. Because instead of a knife in his own gut, he planted a fist in the biker’s jaw and grabbed a hold of his wrist.
Crack! Another blow to the face, and that fella was down, his jaw undoubtedly broken. He went down to the ground as Asher still held his wrist in his hand, the knife fumbling from the fella’s grasp into the grass.
Though it weren’t over then, because from around some of the vehicles I saw another one comin’. This guy was big, and carried a big metal pipe in hand as he came at Asher from his blindspot.
“Asher! Watch out!” I cried, and thank the Lord I did! Because he turned just in the nick of time to hold up his arm and block the blow. Their forearms locked as Asher reached up to grab his wrist, and they were locked in a tussle.
The big fella punched at Asher, jabbin’ him right in the gut twice. Though Asher didn’t budge, he kept his place and then retaliated with a quick headbutt. It was enough to send the brute reelin’, blood gushin’ from his nose. Though unlike the first guy, he held onto his weapon and towed Asher back with him.
I’d never seen anything like it, and I didn’t know
what to do. I wanted to run over there and help, but they were almost as big and strong lookin’ as Asher, and I admit, I was scared.
Real scared.
The fight was still on, because he punched into Asher’s gut again, this time makin’ more of an impression. Asher nearly crumpled over, but instead he launched his knee up as they grappled, and planted it into the fella’s stomach.
The two of ‘em sank to the gravel of the parking lot, and the guy went to grab at Asher’s face, but he beat the fella down with some more hard blows of his concrete fist until he was hunched over the thug’s bleedin’, battered body.
“Stop!” I screamed, running over to Asher, trying to get that sickening crunch of bone and flesh meeting with such force and impact out of my head. I flung my arms around Asher’s shoulders, trying to pull him up, “We gotta go!”
His fist was bloody, but Asher got up and together we ran to my truck. We climbed on in and started it up, drivin’ off. It wasn’t until we were back on the road that he spoke another word.
“Shit!” he swore, slamming his fist on the wheel angrily. “Fuck! How’d they know to search around here?!”
He was angry, confused, and confusion only made a man angrier I found.
But I didn’t have any answers. I barely even had any questions, and I leaned back in the passenger seat, my heart beating so fast as a freight train.
He wasn’t safe here. Not anymore. Not from whatever he’d done.
What could he have done that was so bad as to have those men lookin’ for him?
Drugs?
Worse?
I shuddered, and suddenly felt so cold, as if it weren’t a beautiful summer’s eve.
We drove on back to the farm in silence, though after we got there Asher stayed motionless. The truck was shut off, but he stared, his mind off in another world. Whatever he’d done was serious, and the consequences were followin’ him. It obviously weighed heavily.
“I’m sorry for staying. I thought the odds of them tracing me here were so slim…” he lamented.
“Asher,” I whispered, my voice so quiet. “What’d you do?”
He delayed a moment before tensing up and sitting straight.
“Nothing you should be punished for, that’s for sure, Shelby. I should get out of here tonight, even if I’ve got to hitch my way,” he said, opening the door and climbing out on his way to the house.
“Don’t be silly, Asher!” I said as I opened my own door, dropping down to the ground and slamming the door shut behind me as I stalked after him.
“If you really gotta go, I’ll drive you somewhere, but not ‘less you tell me what you did!”
“I already told you,” he said as we got to the door, though Asher froze as he looked back, and I peered along with him. It was light comin’ from the direction of Marcus’ family farm, a truck by the look of it.
“It’s probably just family comin’ over,” I said, as the truck began to turn down the drive to my place, just as I predicted.
“Maybe something’s wrong,” Asher said, releasing the door and staring with a worried expression.
“Everythin’ about this seems wrong, Asher,” I said and there was panic in my voice. I’d never felt so frightened, not in all my days. “Just tell me what we need to do.”
We got our answer just a moment later though, when the truck pulled up to a halt and out came Marcus, hands up as if we had him under arrest.
“Don’t fuckin’ hit me,” he said defensively, his jaw a little bruised I could see. Asher merely clenched and unclenched his fists, standin’ his ground.
“He’s not gonna hit you, dummy! He only hit you because he thought you were a burglar sneakin’ around in the middle of the night, trashin’ his bike. You’re lucky I don’t hit you!”
Marcus bristled at my remark, but he seemed to bite his tongue.
“I came to warn you,” he said all ominously. “I was in town earlier today, and there was some gang out on the prowl. Lookin’ for someone.” His gaze turned accusatory and trained on Asher.
“We know, they broke up the dance,” I said with a sneer. Too little too late, Marcus.
Though I wasn’t a hard hearted person, and even though I was still madder than anythin’ at him, I didn’t want things to be bad between us, and I forced my expression to soften. “Thanks, though. Asher can’t leave, though, since someone broke his bike.”
“Yeah well, he best find a way to get gone anyhow,” Marcus said, lowering his hand as he stood there at the truck. “‘Cause they’re lookin’ for him, and they know he’s here. They’re gonna cause trouble for folk until they get him, and you especially, Shelby.”
Anger turned my face crimson again ‘cause I had my own suspicions of how they figured out that Asher was in town.
But I’d have to deal with that later, ‘cause for now, there was somethin’ more pressin’.
“How many are there?” I asked.
“Was three of ‘em in town that spoke to me. And I never told ‘em nothin’,” he said defiantly, sticking out his chin. “I just heard ‘em askin’ around at the gas station, so I asked if they was lookin’ for a big tattooed guy, described him,” he said, jutting his chin towards Asher. “They figured out the rest on their own.”
“Sounds like you told’em somethin’. That you’d seen him. That you know him. How long you think it’s gonna take’em to figure out he’s here with me, huh Marcus? How long you think it’ll take? And how am I gonna tell’em he’s gone? They’re just gonna trust me, tip their hat and be on their way? Guys like that,” I said with all the fury that’d been building up since Marcus invaded my property, “They’re not gonna trust a thing I say ‘til they search the house and the farm, inside and out. What’s that gonna do to ma?”
Marcus put up his hands again and backed into his truck.
“I never told ‘em nothin’ else! Don’t believe me if you don’t wanna, but I just came ta warn ya. There’s gonna be a heap of trouble comin’ your way Shelby, if you don’t smarten up. You’re gettin’ dragged into some damn gang war and you don’t even know it!”
I was getting really scared, and Marcus wasn’t helping.
What had Asher done that was so bad that he’d have people like this after him? What wasn’t he telling me? It had to be something major or they’d have let it go, and all I could think of was that he stole a bunch of drugs, but I hadn’t seen anythin’ like that on him. Or a whole lotta cash.
And he didn’t seem the type to be really on anythin’, I never saw him take a puff of nothin’.
Tears burned my eyes. What had he done?
Marcus drove off, leavin’ the two of us standin’ there together. Asher was still quiet for a time, but finally he took a step closer to me.
“Come on, you should get inside,” he said, reaching out to touch my shoulder.
I pulled away though, turning to face him, not ashamed at the tears that were threatening to spill at any moment.
“What’s goin’ on, Asher?” I said with a whimper to my voice.
“Nothing to trouble you,” he said grimly, lookin’ off into the night. “But I can’t leave. Not yet. Like you said, they’ll terrorize you and your ma, at best.”
He left the worst unsaid.
“I gotta stay and make sure they never trouble you again,” he stated darkly, his fists clenched. “Then I’ll be gone and you’ll be finally be safe.”
“But what about what I want?” I said. I didn’t have the power to control the pained sound in my voice, not any more. I was trembling as I stared up at him, petrified of what he meant. That he’d be gone.
Petrified of what he’d done to get into this in the first place.
He turned to look at me, but dark gaze attempting to be stoic but I could detect the faint glimmer of regret.
“It’s not about what either of us wants now, Shelby. It’s only about what has to be done. Go on inside, get some sleep. I’ve gotta get ready. They could be here at any moment. There’s more than th
ree of them, despite what Marcus said. And we can’t afford to let them get the drop on us.”
“How can I sleep? We should get ma to safety, get her to stay the night at Marcus’. I know she’ll be confused, but if those gangsters come in here...”
Asher took a moment to consider it then nodded.
“You’re right. You both should go over there, while I keep watch here.”
With that he stormed on past me into the house and up the stairs to his room.
I glared at his back for a moment, the rebellious streak in me flarin’ up. There was no way I was stayin’ away and leavin’ him alone, but I put it aside, ‘cause I didn’t wanna fight.
I instead went upstairs, gatherin’ ma’s things.
By the time I was takin’ ma out to the truck, I saw him headin’ out to the tractor shed. Dressed in his leather and jeans again, he looked like a thug who belonged with those men after him. Handsomer than they were by far, sure, but like one of ‘em.
It put a painful contention in my belly.
What’ve you gotten yourself into, Shelby? I thought to myself before quickly pushing it aside. I didn’t have time to question myself. The man I was so attracted to. He had secrets, dark ones. Dangerous men after him.
But I still couldn’t do anything but hope that what I saw in him was who he was.
I pulled out of the driveway, my eyes alert, terrified I’d see one of those bikers headed towards our place.
* * *
It didn’t take me long to drive ma over to Marcus’ place, what took the longest was explainin’ the situation enough so that I could leave her there and get goin’ again. I didn’t want to leave Asher on my own farm alone for what was to come, though I had no idea what I’d have to offer to the situation.
By the time I managed to get back in the truck to drive home, it was late. Marcus came up to me, one last time to try and stop me.
“Don’t go back there, Shelby. This is nuts! Don’t you see?” he pleaded.
“I see a man in trouble, Marcus, and I ain’t about to leave him to those brutes. I know you don’t think much of him, but he ain’t been nothin’ but a gentleman, and deserves better than what you did.”