by Nicky Fox
"Holy Fuck," she blurts out. Her eyes gaze at my bare torso and slowly back up to my face. Breathing heavily, as she stares into my eyes. Her bewildered expression makes me cough out a small laugh. I slide my hand over her forehead to calm her.
"Hi." I smile.
"Hi." She replies in a daze. Slowly, she closes her eyes and opens them again. The girl blinks repeatedly, her jaw dropping. She takes a few deep breaths. Carlos reaches us and stands at her feet.
"Are you okay?" I ask as I move a lock of hair from her face. "You fainted and fell off your horse. We have some water here for you." I reluctantly remove my hands from her, while Carlos provides me with the bottle of water. He walks over and secures her horse to a tree. I offer the girl some water. She sits up, her cheeks turning the same shade of red as her boots. She hangs her head in embarrassment.
"Thank you. I seriously thought I died there for a minute." She accepts the bottle from me and takes a couple of gulps. The girl scowls over at her horse as she screws the cap back on. Her eyes meet mine again.
"I'm Hunter Westley." I extend my hand. She places her petite hand in mine, and I squeeze it softly. Motioning to Carlos, I introduce him. "This is Carlos Pena."
"Hey." Carlos raises his hand in a salute while he strokes the horse with his other.
She raises her hand towards Carlos and smiles back at me. "Lenora Danan."
"Lenora?" I tilt my head. That's not a name I've heard before. It’s beautiful.
She nods and gives me a small smile. I just want to pick this girl up and take her home. "It means shining light. Most people just call me Lee."
Shining light? She sure as hell is. I don't know what I did for this woman to collapse on my lawn, but I'll do it again if it means I get to see her every day. Damn, even her name is like heaven on her plump pink lips.
"Lee, huh?" I rub the back of my neck. I need to spend more time with this angel. "Can you stand?" I offer her my hand again. She accepts and slowly rises. I place my other hand under her elbow to make sure she's steady on her feet. Lee brushes off her ass a few times to get the dirt off her shorts. Fuck. Her ass is nice and round. I'm in trouble. It occurs to me that she's probably my new neighbor. I have an in.
"You probably shouldn't ride him right now. He seems a little testy," I say, gesturing over to the horse. He's flicking his tail back and forth and stomping around a bit like a toddler throwing a fit. "I can walk you back home. You moved into Rose Cottage, right?"
Her eyes move away from her horse to mine. "Yeah. I did. How do you know that?" she asks.
"I know the cottage sold recently, and I haven't seen you around these parts before." I turn to Carlos. "Hey, I'll be right back." He waves over his head already heading back toward the truck. I grab the reins on her horse and hold out my arm. "I should make sure you get back home. Don't want you fainting again." I smile. Lee nods and rests her hand on my arm. I can't stop coming up with excuses to touch her.
We exchange pleasantries, and I find out she moved here from Austin. She's a painter, working mostly with watercolors and oils. I didn't know you could make a living off art these days. She must be an excellent artist. "So… you have ridden before, right?"
"Oh, I know where this is going. Yes, I have. Many times, in fact. My horse got spooked by a snake. Being deathly afraid of snakes myself, I guess the fear caught up with me, and I fainted," she answers.
"Do you faint often?" I chuckle. She's feisty. I like that. I like that a lot.
She gives me a meek smile. "No, actually I have a severe phobia of snakes. Speaking of which, do you have a gun, shovel or some apparatus to kill that slithery devil with? What's a snake doing out in November anyway? I thought they hibernate."
"Well, this winter has been unseasonably warm. Snakes don't usually hibernate unless the temps are lower than sixty degrees. Plus, in Texas snakes don't hibernate, they go into brumation which is a light sleep. On sunny days like today, they will come out and bask in the sun. I'm sure he's long gone by now. But if it makes you feel any better I can check around your property for you," I say. I may or may not be trying to impress her with my knowledge about these parts.
I can't believe this girl is my new neighbor. She has the sweetest smile. The way she sways her hips when she walks has me mesmerized by her every move. Those red boots she's wearing are killing me. I can't stop picturing her in just those. I'm going to need a beer and a cold shower after this walk.
"If you don't mind, I would appreciate it. I don't think I'll sleep a wink tonight, just imagining all the small crevasses in my house that sinister reptile could hide in." She shudders. Her body becomes tense with every step toward her property. She's visibly shaken by this.
"Honestly, I haven't had many problems with snakes in this area. I'm sure it was a fluke occurrence," I say, hoping to make her feel more at ease.
We arrive at Lenora’s property and I lead her to her front door. I offer to put her horse in the stable and check around the outside of her cottage. I'm looking for dark and cool spaces snakes like to hide. I check by her garden hose, also under a few stones and planted pots.
"It looks like the snake moved on. Just make sure not to leave any doors open." I smile down at her.
Lenora’s sweet face looks up at me as she offers me her hand to shake. "Thanks again, Hunter, for helping me this afternoon. I hope I wasn't too much of a bother. If you ever need a cup of sugar or a good apple pie recipe hit me up." She graces me with her big beautiful smile. It makes her eyes crinkle with happiness and knocks the wind right out of me. I'm completely fucked. I know without a doubt, I won't be able to stay away from this girl.
I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I woke up to those gorgeous blue eyes. God, and his body, it was like a deodorant ad gone country. He was wearing a black cowboy hat and some jeans that fit him like they were made for him. Was he trying to kill me with not wearing a shirt? I mean, who walks around without a shirt on anyway? Hunter can, that’s for damn sure. His body should be naked at all times. I start making my dinner. I grab a pot and set it on the stove.
What the hell was that? I see a hot cowboy and all of a sudden I forget why I'm out here in the country. I need to de-stress my life, not flirt with the hot-as-fuck guy next door. I'm not getting on that damn horse for a long while. It's not like I could avoid Hunter. He lives right next door. I mean, if he happened to jump me, I wouldn't stop him. I fill the pot with water, add some sauce and stir.
Hunter must think I'm a total moron for passing out like that. UGH! How embarrassing. I've never done that before. I've blacked out from the heat, but never fainted. I could've gotten hurt. I’d be out in the country hurt and alone. Maybe I do need a cowboy living next door, for security reasons? Hunter walked me home and checked around my house. What a gentleman. I drum my fingers on the counter, waiting for the soup to boil.
My mind drifts to his rock-hard body. It's winter for goodness sake, not that I'm complaining. I wanted to lick over his tan six-pack, continue all the way up to his chiseled jaw. Trace my fingers under the waistband of his Levi jeans, run my hands through his light brown hair, which hung in those sexy cool blue eyes. Mmm, those eyes…
"Stand on the bar, stomp your feet, start clappin’, got a real good feeling something bad about to happen." My ringtone of Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood's "Something Bad" starts sounding off across the kitchen. I run to my cell phone and beam at the number calling me. I click accept and place the phone to my ear.
"Hi baby, how's it going?" I smile at the familiar voice over the phone.
"Fine, Mom. How's it going with you?" I've always been close to my mother. After she and my father divorced, she moved out to Dallas to take care of her father. He passed away last year. It was another reason I wanted to come out here. I missed being close to my mom. My dad still lives in Austin. He's a lawyer there, and business is good for him in the capital. He graciously paid for my college. After I graduated, he didn't support my decision to become an artist. I can't say I bl
ame him, since his money went to a degree I didn’t use. I majored in English literature with a minor in art. I feel a little guilty that he's alone in Austin. My parents only had me. Even though he's a bit of a workaholic, we did have lunch together at least once a week.
"Oh, I'm good, baby. You know me. What did you do today?" I could tell she was smiling. My mother was ecstatic when I told her I was moving within a short drive of her. I’ve missed her. It's tough not to have your mom around when you're dating guys in college and in need of a sounding board. My father wasn't much help. He’d only say, "Don't date." One of these days, I'll introduce him to my future husband. Hopefully, it will go better than the other guys I let him meet.
"Well, let's see. I rode Buttercup today. A snake spooked him, went off running like there was no tomorrow. Buttercup finally came to a stop, where I fainted and fell off the horse. The cowboy next door came to my rescue and returned me home. Now, I'm making some of your Texas tomato soup," I reply in a hurry, hoping she doesn't concentrate on the one word I'd rather not dwell on. The soup begins boiling. So, I put the Texas shaped pasta in the pot.
"Oh darling, are you all right? Do you need me to come over and take care of you? I know how much you dislike snakes. And now what about this cowboy?" Her voice perks up. Yeah, that word. I sigh and stir the soup. Her questions don't detour me.
I decide to set her straight, so she doesn’t get any ideas. "Before you start, Mom, I am not interested in getting involved with anyone right now. I am fine, so stay home. There isn't a scratch on me. I don't dislike snakes, Mom. I'm terrified of them." I hold my breath and squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for the million questions ready to burst from her lips.
Silence. I can hear the gears turning in her head. "Okay sweetheart, you know how I worry about you out there by yourself. So, what's this cowboy's name?" she replies. Of course, she concentrates on that one topic. I wouldn't mind talking about snakes right now, just to avoid this interrogation. After a few rounds of dodging and avoiding anything having to do with a certain cowboy, she says good night. I wouldn't be surprised if she unexpectedly stopped by now, just to see my new neighbor. She's a menace. While dishing out the soup, I catch myself humming "Save a horse ride a cowboy." I'm in big trouble.
Carlos and I have been working on the house all week. It's coming along faster than I anticipated. It’s late morning when I step outside on the porch and look over the beautiful landscape surrounding me. There's nothing like looking over this patch of land. I still pinch myself that it's all mine. I stretch my arms above my head when I see something that catches my eye, a big grin spreads across my face. Lenora's pinto is grazing on the grass on the edge of my field. I smirk at the idea of returning her horse to her. "Hey Carlos, I'll be right back. I have to go next door."
"Yeah, I'm sure you do," Carlos replies, chuckling from inside. I turn around, eyes locked on him.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I peer through the screen door and look at his smug face. He squats down to pick up a few tools and looks back up at me.
"I saw how you were looking at her the other day. I could’ve set my hair on fire and you wouldn't have noticed. Go get her." He turns around and ambles toward the kitchen.
I shake my head and call after him. "Man, I'm just returning her horse. That's all." I adjust my Stetson as I step off the porch, snatching some rope to make a makeshift lead and escort the horse home.
On the walk over, I think about my grandfather and how proud he would be of me today. The farm is making real money. I'm fixing up his old farmhouse. I know he wished me to bring it back to its glory days. I'm gonna do one better and add a few modern conveniences to the place. I'm working on replacing some of the machines as well. I can't help feeling giddy every time I get in the old tractor. I just imagine him smiling at me from the porch. This soil is in our blood. It's the one thing that matters most to me.
My half-brother Jake is a CPA. He's helping me financially plan for my future and the future of the farm. We make a pretty good team when we aren't arguing. We are both a couple of stubborn asses. It makes us good at what we do. We've been through some rough patches in the past, but he always has my back. Jake went through a difficult time after college. He came to stay with me for a little while. I think that's when we became close. He comes by the farm every once in a blue moon to check on how things are going for me. I've been thinking about expanding the farm. He seems to think there might be room in the budget. I just need to find the right piece of land.
I arrive at Lenora's home and put the horse back in his stall. As I get to her front door, I hear some music playing from inside. I bang on the door so she can hear me. I've had her on my mind since I first saw those red boots. I've tried thinking up excuses to come over, but have come up empty. Thank God her horse got out and made its way to me.
After a few moments, the door swings open. My eyes immediately go to Lenora’s chest. She's wearing a white T-shirt with no bra. Her nipples are apparent through the thin cotton fabric. My jaw drops and I slowly look up at her eyes. She doesn't seem to have any idea that I can see right through her shirt. I smile at her, a sheen of sweat covers my entire body. I grow hard instantly. I try to think of baseball and false teeth, anything to hide my arousal.
"Oh, hi Hunter." She looks surprised to see me. She crosses her arms, the action making her breasts strain against the fabric of her shirt. My mouth goes dry. I can't form a complete sentence right now. She sees my tortured look.
God, it's hot out today.
"I must look terrible," Lenora reaches up to her messy bun on top of her head. "I was in the middle of painting. I couldn't sleep," she says, giving me a shy smile.
She thinks that I think she looks horrible, but I've never seen anything more glorious. She has no makeup on her glowing face. Her cheeks are flushed, and her green eyes are twinkling in the morning light. She's wearing the simplest of outfits, a white T-shirt and jeans, my favorite. I could seriously wake up to this vision for the rest of my life. My eyes travel back down to her breasts. Fuck me. Her nipples are so hard, I just want to feast on them, be buried between them. I could die a happy man there. I glance back quickly at her face, hoping she didn’t witness my wandering eyes. Her head is tilted, waiting for me to say something.
I clear my throat, refusing to let the silence make this any more uncomfortable than it already is. "Um, your horse was over at my farm." My voice sounds off. I'm still trying to think of baseball stats. I give Lenora a small smile, trying desperately not to look at her amazing tits.
She frowns. "I swear, I locked Buttercup's stall yesterday. I think he knows how to get out. That horse is more trouble than he's worth." She looks down at her bare feet, shuffling them across the porch. "Thanks so much for bringing him back. You must think I don't know what I'm doing out here." Her admission surprises me. I want to reach out and touch her, comfort her. It's taking everything in me right now not to hold her hand.
"Oh, not at all. It happens to the best of us." I laugh, "I think you're doing pretty well. Everything is still standing. I guess that snake hasn't come back?" Lee starts to fiddle with the end of her shirt. The gesture brings my attention back to her nipples that are now so hard they're making her shirt tent out. My dick is so painfully hard, I just want to bend her over, pull those tight jeans down to her knees and pound into her. I'd slide my hands under that white shirt of hers and tease those hard, pink nipples until she screamed out my name. Fuck, I can’t help but wonder what my name would sound like out of that mouth while she's coming.
"Hunter?" Oh fuck, she’s talking to me. I wasn't listening to a damn thing she was saying. I'm sweating like a pig.
"Umm, I'm sorry, what?" I shake my head at her, hoping she didn't catch me in my personal lust fest.
"The snake, I haven't seen any around. I'm hoping that it'll get cooler, so the snakes will go burmate or whatever you said."
"Brumation. Yeah, I heard a cold front is supposed to come in later this week, but you know Texas weather."
I laugh lightly. Are we seriously talking about the weather right now? I need to get out of here. I can't stop looking at her rack. "Well, I better mosey on back to the farm. It was nice seeing you again, Lenora." I tip my hat and step down off her porch.
"Thanks, Hunter. I appreciate your help with my horse again. I think Buttercup likes your farm more than my place." She waves and beams at me. Damn, that smile. I wish she liked my farm as much as her horse. I turn and wave bye to her. I head back with my hands in my pockets, adjusting myself the whole way home. Baseball. Nolan Ryan. Texas Rangers.
Hunter was acting a little weird. He wasn't paying attention to anything I was saying. He seemed like he wanted to leave quick, too. Still, he was friendly. His smile alone could impregnate a woman. He was wearing that black cowboy hat again. Damn, I'm all hot and bothered.
Sleep evaded me all week. Being restless, I needed to move, paint and get out of bed. Typically, I paint landscapes, but I can't stop painting images of Hunter. That isn't helping my nether regions either. I've completed at least three portraits of him already. It’s been impossible to keep my hands off my brushes and my body for that matter. Just thinking about his naked chest, and those blue eyes turns me into a pool of need.
I head over to the stable. Sure enough, Buttercup is safely in his stall. He pokes his head over the door, thinking I'm going to give him an apple. Fat chance. "You bad boy. What were you doing out of your stall?" I pet his nose. He did bring that handsome specimen over though. Watching his ass walk away from my door, was real nice. "You're a good boy, Buttercup." I grin. He neighs and shakes his head. If I didn't know better, I would think that horse knows exactly what he's doing. "Are you trying to play matchmaker, boy, huh?" I pet him again and stroll back to the house.