Gabriel

Gabriel followed behind Colton, who for some reason, clearly wasn’t happy to see him. He watched, from the side of the barn, as Asha navigated one of the smaller sheep onto the sheering table. Her movements were confident and adept. It clearly wasn’t her first rodeo.

Colton, for a large, burly man who looked like he was hewn from the earth itself with bronzed skin and eyes and hair that were jet black, was gentler than Gabriel ever would have believed. He steadied the sheep while Asha set to work with the shaver. She gathered the wool after she was done and placed it into a burlap bag.

He imagined her small, calloused hands guiding the wool on the spindle. It was an odd image, one he wasn’t even sure how to properly imagine giving that he had never seen anyone use one of those old wheels. It wasn’t a stretch to imagine her hands on him, running over the hard planes of his chest, exploring, exciting him…

Gabriel swallowed hard and turned his back, pretending to take in the barn. He took a deep, shaky breath, hoping the uncomfortable heat flooding his body would calm down. He gave himself a little pep talk for a few minutes, hoping like hell Colton didn’t notice him.

 “There you go Sammy,” Asha crooned.

He waited another minute to calm himself before he turned back around. He was surprised to see the sheep was half its size.

Gabriel watched carefully as Colton led the sheep out and brought in another.

“Thanks for helping,” Asha said softly. Was it his imagination or did her eyes darken with some shielded emotion when she gazed at Colton? The look that passed between them was loaded, full of meaning and Gabriel felt a little like an intruder.

Colton moved swiftly, placing the sheep on the table for Asha and she went to work. Whatever had passed between them vanished. Gabriel almost thought he’d imagined it.

He could honestly say he was jealous. Irrationally, Gabriel wished it was him there, helping Asha. She said instead, that he could watch. It was kind of humiliating standing back while they worked in front of him. 

Colton seemed to have no problem with the arrangement. He shot Gabriel a look every now and then, when Asha wasn’t watching. Those dark glances spoke volumes. It seemed very much like Colton was the kind of man who enjoyed a good pissing contest. Gabriel wasn’t overly eager to get into one. Though he went to boxing once a week, Colton looked like he wouldn’t care how many punches he took if it meant that Gabriel wouldn’t go near Asha again.

Finally, a few more sheep into the job, Colton announced that he had to leave to fix some piece of machinery. Asha flashed a radiant smile and thanked him for his help. Once he was gone, Gabriel felt like he could breathe again.

“Well.” Asha raised a brow. “It looks like it’s just you and me now. Are you up for helping me finish?”

“Yes. Sure.” Is the sky blue? He had literally been standing there, just waiting for her to ask him to join in.

A couple hours later, Gabriel regretted his decision. It was hot out, his clothes were glued to his body with sweat and he was starving. The wool stuck to his skin, making him itchy and irritable.

Asha put a hand on her lower back and groaned as she stretched it.  “Oh no!” Asha exclaimed, looking at Gabriel in contrition. “I totally forgot you needed to go to town and get groceries. The store is probably already closed.”

The mere mention of food reminded him that he hadn’t eaten all day. Asha seemed to realize that at the same time. She face palmed her forehead, leaving a grimy trail of sweat on her brow.

“You should have reminded me to feed you! Sometimes I just get so busy and forget to eat and I lose all track of time…”

“It’s not a problem.”

 “Have dinner with me again. Just come now, just as you are. I'll make something and it won't take long.”

Gabriel liked that Asha was concerned about him. He liked the prospect of having dinner with her even more. However, that hulking brute, Colton, had obviously seen him at her house last night and he sure as hell wasn’t happy about it. What right does he have to be so protective over Asha? It’s not like I would ever harm her.

Asha led the way to her house and Gabriel followed wordlessly. He stopped just outside the front door and shed his soiled shoes and dusted himself off. Asha kicked off her work boots and stalked inside. She didn’t care a whit that she was dirty and sweaty and had wool stuck all over her. Oddly enough, she only became more attractive as the day wore on.

They made it through dinner without incident. He wasn’t sure why he felt like Colton was going to jump out of the woodwork or bang the front door down. Gabriel returned, reluctantly, to his cabin after, full at last. He’d meant to ask Asha all dinner just why Colton was so protective of her. He hadn’t worked up the nerve. It really wasn’t any of his business. He did wonder, as he brought out his laptop and set to work, just what it was he’d walked into.