Chapter Thirty-Nine

James

 

A full day’s rain left the ranch a mess. I’d already been to the barn to feed and water the animals, and called Pedro to fill him in on the news I was back, for good. Evelyn was asleep when I’d snuck out of bed and left the house, so I wasn’t expecting her to be up when I made it back inside.

To my surprise, she had the coffee pot hooked back up, a pot already brewed, and was opening a box of donuts that I didn’t know existed.

“Good morning,” I whispered in her ear as I snuck up behind her, sliding my arms around her, pulling her nice warm body into my damp, chilled chest.

“Why are you wet?” she shrieked.

I laughed, pulling from our embrace as she turned to me. Her eyes were wide and curious as they scanned me like a laser.

“Have you not looked outside?” I chuckled.

“I didn’t think it was still raining,” she replied.

“Oh, it’s not. This is from the hose, washing mud off my clothes,” I sighed.

She giggled.

“What?” I bleated.

“Did you slip and fall in the mud?” she laughed.

“I was lifting the baby calf out of his muddy pen. Falling in the mud, my darling, that’s for you city slickers,” I chuckled.

Evelyn’s eyes went wild with amusement, her lips pursing together as she fought back laughing.

“I’m no city slicker,” she scoffed.

I slapped her on the ass playfully as I leaned over the box of donuts, selecting a chocolate frosted one.

“Where did these come from?” I asked, already shoving my selection into my mouth.

“I stopped last night. I figured there wouldn’t be anything here,” she smirked.

“What would I do without you?” I gushed.

“Let’s hope you never have to find out,” she teased.

My stomach growled with anticipation as the food slid down my throat. I was starving. The entire Sunday was spent in bed, with the exception of a quick trip or two to check on the animals in the barn. All that we had to eat were leftovers from our Saturday dinner, apples that were left on the counter for the horses I forgot to give to Pedro, and beer.

I grabbed another donut, slapping Evelyn’s firm round ass again as I made my way to the bedroom for dry clothes. As I dressed, I could hear Evelyn ripping through boxes, clanking dishes, and singing along to the radio that played an old Tammy Wynette song. My heart swelled against my chest, pushing into my bone and creating an ache. Why had I been so stupid? I couldn’t imagine how drunk I’d be, how miserable and alone I’d be, if she hadn’t saved me from myself.

I leaned against the wall by the front door, watching Evelyn run her petite fingers through her thick red hair, pulling it into a ponytail. She slid a black band from her wrist and wrapped it around her thick mane once, twice, three times, and then went back to busying herself with unpacking my boxes. My stupid boxes that I should’ve never packed in the first damn place.

Her hair curled at the nape of her neck, that beautiful mole being tickled by the frizz as she danced around the room. She hummed most of the song, I assumed because she didn’t know the words. I didn’t picture her as a country music fan. But, when the chorus started, she sang, her voice feminine, but a little raspy and sweet. Her hips swayed back and forth, her sweet round ass giving me an arousing show. I watched. I stayed quiet, and I watched, until she picked up part of the ejaculation kit for the cattle, and started using it as a microphone.

She turned quickly, snapping her neck in the direction of my laughter. My face was aching from holding it back so long, and as her eyes widened in horror, her cheeks reddened like apples, I couldn’t hold it back anymore.

“How long have you been there?” she demanded.

I could barely contain myself to answer. I took a deep breath, told her I was enjoying watching her, and that I found her voice quite beautiful.

“Then why are you laughing?” she hissed.

I pushed against the wall, shoved my hands in my pockets, and tried to find a delicate way to tell her what she held in her hand, what she still held in her hand.

“Well, once you grabbed that, I couldn’t help but laugh,” I admitted, motioning with a nod towards the object in her hand.

“What is this anyway?” she asked, bringing it close to her face.

I broke out in laughter again, this time taking a couple extra breaths to calm myself down again.

“It’s an anal probe for the bulls,” I blurted.

Her screech nearly broke the glass; luckily her aim was bad, or the probe being slung from her hand would’ve.

I got smacked a couple times, but she eventually found the humor in her mistake. Once things calmed down, and I’d gotten a few sweet kisses from her, I decided I should get a start on the cleanup outside.

“You want some help?” Evelyn offered.

“I’m not sure this is a job for a city slicker like you,” I teased.

“I have clothes in my car,” she insisted.

I smiled, gave her an approving nod, and went out to her car to grab the bag of clothes.

No makeup, hair pulled up in a frizzy mess, jeans, a thin flannel, and a pair of boots: that was the image of the most beautiful woman in the world. She blushed and giggled as I gripped her tightly, and began kissing her on the neck gently, tugging at her ponytail to pull her head back and give me access to her flesh.

“The day’s getting away,” she scolded, putting me in my place.

I loved it when she got bossy. I needed a strong woman in my life, and she’d proven time and time again, to be one of the strongest I’d ever met.

“Where are Pedro and Kyle?” Evelyn asked as we headed towards the barn.

“You trying to get out of this already?” I snickered.

“No. I just thought they would be here, especially since they expected you not to be,” she explained.

“I called them,” I admitted.

“You did?” Evelyn sounded surprised.

“I did. I told them what you did, that you saved us all,” I confessed.

She stopped, her hand rested on her hip as her eyes rested on me. They danced as her lips curled and her head tilted to one side.

“What?” I questioned.

“I didn’t think you would want anyone to know what I did. I thought we’d come up with another story,” she spouted.

“Oh, so you didn’t think my ego could handle it, eh? Well, I’m over that, and darling, I’ll scream it to the world that you saved me, that because you loved me, even when I was an ass, that I am here. I owe it all to you,” I boasted.

She shook her head, her eyes narrowing as she tucked her bottom lip into her mouth. I knew it was a lot for her to absorb, but she’d figure out there’s more to me than what a first glance could reveal. I loved her, and I never competed for the spotlight against someone I loved. My heart was much larger than my pride, and I intended on showing her that every single day.

Watching Evelyn shovel shit, trape through mud, and drag heavy bales of hay through the grounds to spread over puddles made me hot. I could barely keep my hands off of her, but she only gave in to my charms a few times, and never for long.

“Get back to work,” she’d scold, and wink as she blushed from her own arousal.

I loved that she worked so hard, that this ranch meant so much to her, that she wouldn’t wrinkle her nose at any task, no matter how disgusting.

“You smell that?” Evelyn asked, her nose pointing towards the sky as her nostrils flared to identify the odor.

“Cow shit, yeah,” I laughed.

“No, it’s sweet, delicious, like food,” she gasped.

My stomach growled at the mention of food, only two donuts and a cup of coffee in my belly.

“You’re starting to like it, huh?” I chuckled.

She stretched to her tiptoes, her nostrils still flaring and moving towards the barn door, like a cartoon being lifted by the smell of food, carried towards it as they floated in the air.

“No, I’m serious. Someone is grilling,” she shrieked with excitement.

“That’s Pedro and Kyle; they’ve been smoking ribs all day, they must be here,” I announced.

Evelyn’s eyes widened, and her tongue quickly slid across her pink lips. She didn’t wait for my signal, she took off towards the smell, tossing her shovel, and her gloves towards the ground as she left me in the barn alone.

I found her on the porch, Pedro feeding her pieces of rib meat he pulled from the bone. I laughed at her enthusiasm.

“I’m glad you’re back, boss,” Kyle slapped me on the back.

Pedro nodded in my direction as he wrapped his arm around Evelyn and pulled her in close to him, not even frowning at the smell I knew oozed from her clothes and skin. I had the same smell swallowing me, and it was hard to bear.

“Thank you,” Pedro gushed to Evelyn, who only smiled politely.

“I wasn’t about to let this place go to anyone else. He made me fall in love with it here, and with him,” she smiled in my direction.

Pedro laughed enthusiastically as he clapped his hands together. He grinned as he winked at me, reaching from Evelyn, to me, pulling us in for a three-way hug.

Evelyn went inside to clean up, but didn’t take long to change her clothes, and wash her hands. I did the same, and was just as quick, my stomach roaring with hunger as I emerged from the house, a little cleaner, and smelling a lot better than when I went in.

We all celebrated with beer, toasting to Evelyn as she blushed. Pedro served up the meat while Kyle scooped out potato salad, baked beans, and thick pieces of cornbread to our plates until there was no more room.

After we ate, the guys left to pick up Queen and Gulliver, and to bring them back home where they belonged. Evelyn had already disappeared into the house before the guys left, so I went in, expecting to find her passed out from the hard work she’d done all afternoon.

“Where are you, darling?” I called through the house, but got no response.

I shook my head as I walked down the hall, already chuckling at the image of her face down on the bed that I expected to see. Instead, when I entered the bedroom, the bed was made, sheets tucked in and folded back at the pillow, but empty.

“Are you playing hide and seek?” I called out in a softer voice, confused about where she might be.

A light flickered from the dark bathroom, and then a splash echoed from behind the partially closed door. I pushed open the door, found Evelyn burrowed in a sea of white bubbles that filled the large corner tub. Candlelight created a warm glow that made her wet skin look like silk, and her bright green eyes dance as she smiled mischievously, her lips crooked on her face.

“Can I join you?” I pleaded.

She reached behind her, lifting two beer bottles into the air.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she gushed.

I undressed like it meant life or death, stripping out of my clothes so fast it left me breathless. I slid into the tub, took a beer from Evelyn’s hand, and leaned in for a kiss.

“I could get used to this,” I blurted.

“I hope you do,” Evelyn sighed.

“Does that mean you’re staying?” I asked, my eyes locked onto hers.

She sipped her beer, her sweet lips wrapping around the glass bottle so delicately, skillfully, that it made my cock twitch.

“I do own the place,” she teased.

“Forever?” I questioned, my heart racing as I waited for her to respond.

A sexy smile, a sparkle in her eye, and another sip of the beer with those sensual lips, and I was going nuts as she took her time to respond to my question, my proposal.

“I’d like to see you get me to leave,” she finally replied, sending my heart into high gear, and my hands deep beneath the bubbles pulling her towards me as she squealed.