Meadowlarks (5 page)

             
“In school it was the field that interested me the most, and although it can be hard at times, I think it would be so rewarding saving a tiny life, holding something so small in my hands...”

             
She stops talking, and I realize she's looking at me. My face gives me away. I look...upset? Unhappy? Some sort of emotion that I'm not ready to talk about.

             
“Blaine? Are you okay?”

             
“Yeah, sorry. I think that's great, baby. You would make a great nurse; I really think you should apply.” I smile at her reassuringly.

*
              *              *

             
The horses are grazing in the pasture, and I take all the tack to put it back in the barn. Addison stays behind, running her hand along Roman's mane. He must have felt left out, as he came right up to the fence looking for attention.

             
Closing the tack room door behind me, I see she's now standing in the doorway of the barn. She has a look on her face; I'm not sure how to read it, but it sparks my curiosity. I stop walking and decide to test the water.               I run my hand over my abdomen, and lift my t-shirt to wipe the beads of sweat off my forehead with the hem, giving her full view of my body. She drops her jaw, and I grin enormously, biting my own lip this time, and narrowing my eyes.

             
“Mr. Blackstock, what exactly are you doing?” she asks and starts to saunter over to me, hands clasped behind her back. Her gaze is penetrating.

             
“I have
no
idea what you're talking about, ma’am.” I roll my eyes to the roof and snicker. When she reaches me, she puts her hands on my chest and runs her fingers down my body.               Looking up at me intently, she smiles and blushes just a little.

Unsure of why there is still space between us, I put my hands on her waist and pull her into me. I find myself leaning down to kiss her under her earlobe, placing small kisses along her neck, under her chin and up the other side of her face. I hear her groan
, and inhale deeply.

             
Brushing my lips gently against hers, I want to draw out this as long as I can, savouring each and every second, and every inch of her beauty.

             
Her hands hold the hem of my shirt, and I lift my arms, giving her the okay to pull it off of me. She leans in to kiss my chest, and I throw my head back with anticipation.

My
hands tangle in her hair, finding their way down her neck, over her shoulders and then lifting the borrowed t-shirt off her body. Her breasts are beautiful; no, they're exquisite.               Fitting in my hands perfectly, I caress her.

             
One would think that like in the movies, all cowboys have their way with women in piles of hay all the time. But not me; this was a first. We find ourselves on a freshly opened bale, making love, her body on top of mine. The same legs that were just wrapped around Cylas, controlling his movements, were now wrapped around me, completely owning my body.

             
I inhale deeply, and she gasps when my final thrust sends us both into a screeching climax together. She leans down on me, her hair on my chest and her hands gripping my arms tightly.               It dawns on me, while we are laying entangled in our post love-making, that I didn’t use a condom.

             
Oh, stupid move, Blaine.

             
“Shit,” I start to speak. “We didn't use...anything.” I nod my head down towards my still-hard erection.

             
“Oh...” She closes her eyes and covers her face. “I'm on the pill. I’m sorry; I really should have said something last night.” Opening her eyes again, she looks up at me. “I usually don't do this type of thing, and I'm really surprised at myself for it…I haven't been with anyone in a very long time.”

             
I don't want to know the specifics of another man getting to feel her in the way I just have, so I wave my hand in the air and hug her tightly.               “I'm all good, too—just so you know.” I half smile and pull her closer to me, kissing her lips.

             
Eventually I let her go, and she lifts off of my chest. “I should really call my brother. He doesn't worry, but he is probably wondering where I am.” She sits, collecting her clothing.

I watch her dress, still lying on the open and now strewn everywhere bale of hay
…even though it’s poking painfully into my body. This view is worth every second.

             
Just days ago I stood in Zeke's, undressing her with my eyes, not knowing the extent of the beauty in front of me. And now here I am watching her without the worry of getting caught. Just having been inside her, feeling her during the most vulnerable state, and I am putty. A feeling so unfamiliar to me, yet I don't push it away.

             
Back inside the house Addison calls her brother.

             
“Hey, Alex.” She pauses. “Yes, I know. I'm sorry; I'm fine.” She listens to whatever it is he's saying and glances at me, smiling. “Just give him a scoop in his dish, and please make sure you let him out a few times before you leave.”

             
I assume she's talking about her dog.

             
“Okay. And hey, Alex? Do you want to go for drinks later? There's someone I'd like you to meet.” Smiling at me again, she's twisting a tendril of hair between her fingers.

To give her some privacy, I motion that I'm going upstairs, and she nods, still on the phone with her brother.
              Upstairs I take off my pants. I didn't put my shirt back on after our moment in the barn, and I toss them both in the laundry hamper in the bathroom. I need to shower.               I step in and let the water beat down on my head and run down my body. I lather the bar of soap in my hands and start to wash myself. When I get to my groin, I hesitate; I don't want to wash her off of me.

             
My hands are no comparison to hers. They are rough, and even though I know my own body, I'd rather her hands and other parts of her on me any day.

I turn off the shower, letting the remainder of the water trickle down the drain. Getting out, I towel-dry my messy hair and then my body. Taking the same towel, I wipe off the condensation on the mirror. I look at myself and notice that I need to shave.
              Eh, I'll do it later
. I dress in the usual jeans and t-shirt. I am so typical. But I like comfort and simplicity.

             
Downstairs, Addison is sitting on the couch, Rex happily standing between her legs looking overjoyed as she pets and scratches him all over.

             
“Hey,” I say, and she looks up at me, still petting Rex.

             
“Hey yourself.” She smiles and gives him one last scratch. “I thought I'd shower at home. So I'd have clothes to change into.” She holds the hem of the shirt out. “Would you mind driving me back to my car in town?”

             
As much as I don't want her to go, I want her to be comfortable and if that means taking her home, then I don't refuse.

             
“Yeah, of course. Do you want to get some lunch while we're in town?” I ask, completely hoping she doesn't plan on going home and staying there.

             
In town I pull up in front of Bean There. Feeling a tinge of...unease? I don't know, I look over at her and smile. I really don't want her to get out of this truck right now.

             
She leans over and places a gentle kiss on my lips. Closing my eyes, I get lost in her. Missing posters are put up to find me, but I hope no one ever does. After a far too short kiss, she pulls back and smiles. “I'll text you in a bit.”

             
I smirk my sexiest grin at her and wink.

Shutting the door behind
her, she pulls a set of keys from her green purse and walks up to...               No. Fucking. Way. A 1967? '68? Mustang Fastback. I think I'm having heart palpitations.
That can't be her car; in no real world does a girl that beautiful drive a car almost equally appealing to the eye. I pictured her in some little hatchback, maybe a Golf or Prius.               Not this insane gunmetal silver machine. The teenager in me pictures her sprawled on the hood, on the cover of a gear-head magazine, and I exhale slowly and loudly.

She gets in the car, waves at me through the open window and lets that baby roar away from me. Turning at the lights, she's gone.

              I'm still sitting, truck idling, my foot on the clutch with intent to drive, but nothing is happening. I reel through the images in my head of the last day and a half. I almost pinch myself to see if it's all really happening. Letting out a loud sigh again, I check my rear view mirror and shift into first, then second, then third...

             
Pulling into Jeremiah's driveway, I see him in the yard, raking stones on the off the grass. He looks up and waves. I honk the horn and grin.

             
“What's up, buddy?” Jer puts his fist out to bump mine.

             
“Not much. Just seeing what you were up to.” I really don't know why I'm here; I guess I wanted to see him. I didn't want to be alone with my thoughts after seeing Addison drive away.

             
“Okay, let's hear it.” He motions his hand in a beckoning for information.

I know exactly what he wants to know, and I let out a sigh while raising one of my eyebrows.
              “Hear what?” I ask coyly, kicking my shoe into the dirt, flinging a few of the stones he had just raked up.

             
“The girl, man. What was she doing at your house?” He pushes my shoulder with his hand and laughs.

             
I tell him about her and me meeting in Dr. Jenkins' office, and how I just felt like I couldn't leave without talking to her. “I know—totally unlike me.” I trail off, looking around at anything but his eyes.

             
“Blaine?” He moves to catch my gaze, laughing at me. “Are you in love?” He holds his hand on his heart and snorts.

             
“Fuck it, I'm going...” I turn on my heel and start walking like a child. Guys don't get this defensive, so why the hell am I right now?

             
“Man, I was kidding. She's beautiful, and you're a lucky guy,” Jeremiah calls from behind me.

             
I turn around and kick the dirt again.               “I don't know what's going on. I'm...” I sputter my lips and look at the sky. “I
really
like her.”

             
Jer suggests I be cool and not scare her away with my intense and unfamiliar feelings. I agree with him, as I am still unsure about it myself so I don't want to overwhelm her with hearts and rainbows and chubby cherubs with their sights set right on my ass.

             
“We're meeting for lunch today. Do you wanna come by later for a fire? I think she's inviting her brother over. I might offer him a job to help us around the farm.” I don't explain why; I just shrug my shoulders.

             
“Yeah, okay.” He looks inquisitively at me. “Can I bring a date?”

             
Aside from the girl he took to prom in high school, I've never seen Jeremiah
date
. He's like me; he has little flings here and there but nothing serious. And he has never brought anyone over or introduced them to me.

             
“A date?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. “Who did you have in mind?”

             
“It's a secret. You'll see later, man,” he jokes and stands the rake up against his garage door.

             
I have no clue who he could be referring to, and I don't ask any more questions. I'm intrigued, as I know pretty much every available woman around, and I can't think of who it could be.

             
Jer brings out two bottles of beer from the house, and we sit on the tailgate of my truck and drink, enjoying the sunshine. It feels good on my skin, warm and inviting, and I soak it in.

It makes me think of her, of her warm skin on mine; it was like silk in my hands. She didn't seem to mind my rough hands exploring her body or her face as I caressed her. She even kissed a ca
llous on the inside of my hand…

Here we go, I'm submerged in my thoughts again. This time I'm inches from the bottom, ready to buckle under the pressure and implode in the darkness of the sea. Remembering I'm sitting beside Jeremiah, I collect my thoughts and compose myself.

              Get a grip, Blackstock.

             
My phone buzzes, and when I pull it out of my jeans pocket, I see a text from Addison.

             
Hey, handsome. Hungry yet?