Page 26 of Bucked Hard

You would think more of the workers would be young, but ours isn’t a big operation. We don’t pay as well as some of the bigger farms and most of the younger guys want that sort of work. So, we usually draw the older guys, a bit slower moving, but they get the job done.

I fiddle and fuss around the coop for a while longer. Avoiding going over to where they are chatting. They are far enough away I may be able to sneak around the back of the house and do the meet and greet another time.

I step out from the back of the coop, glance over to see whoever the new worker is settle into his truck and pull it back toward the cabin where he’ll be staying. A sigh of relief, Enrique is familiar, but I am just not in the mood for new faces right now. Jessie sees me and starts to holler.

“Rachel! Come on over here, honey.”

Jessie waves me over. I tug the hem of my plaid shirt down, trying to straighten it, then brush a little dirt off my hands. Then I shift gears and fuss with the top of my shirt. The buttons always seem to lose their grip over my triple D’s at just the wrong time. These babies have a mind of their own, so I’ve learned to layer a tank top under my shirts.

Enrique’s bright smile lights up when he sees me and it immediately turns my lips into an equally large smile of my own.

“Hi, Enrique, nice to see you again.” I greet him with a hug, then step to the side and shift on my feet, suddenly more than a bit self-conscious knowing someone new is here and from the bit of a glance I got, he’s young, and at least from the back side, hot even if he’s already across the yard by the cabin.

“They’re going to get started today. The new fella already getting settled and Enrique, you do the same. Supper at 6:30 tonight remember. Enrique already knows that though, don’t ya?”

“Yessum. Thank you, ma’am.”

Still, I can’t help my eyes wander over toward the silver pickup to see the new hand carrying an olive green stuffed duffel into the cabin.

I know Ishouldbe looking, he’s lookable even from a distance, and I’m young and I should be interested right?

I hate that a few minutes with the bearded wonder last night has me feeling soattached. Whoever that girl was that flew up in the pickup last night, screaming about a blow job, she made me feel like an idiot. Mountain man is taken, or if he’s not taken he entertains other women, and just the thought of that makes the ache in my chest deeper.

Jessie prattles on to Enrique about everything that needs to be done today, the emergency stop on the hay baler’s still acting up, the first cutting hay needs to be first on the list, the twine needs to be loaded into the big machine.

She keeps on but my head is still filled with Mountain Man. The mess of it makes me shift my weight back and forth, my hands first on my hips, then down at my sides, then around my waist.

Geez, I look like I’m doing the pee-pee dance. Calm down.

A strange vibration is going on. A tightness in my thighs and a low buzz in my ears. I want the thoughts of him to go away.

After last night, I want nothing to do with this new cowboy hat wearin’ wrangler that will be here for the next couple months. I’ve learned my lesson. It’s all book boyfriends for me from here on out. They never let me down and they seem to enjoy my curves.

I stomp away without another word, my resolve to guard my heart renewed. Not everyone is meant for love. My life is meant for something else. Something that’s more suitable, that can’t hurt me. I just have to find it.

ChapterEight

Chad

Last night I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but she’s even more jaw-dropping in the day time. She didn’t see me, but I sure saw her. I dropped my duffel bag in the cabin, looked out and hell if she’s not standing there talking with Jessie and Enrique. I recognize her from a country mile.

This morning I came over to Plythesville to their feed store. I drive up, get inside and I overhear Enrique, and he’s in there talkin’ about how they need another hand out at the farm he works every fall. This sweet lady, Jessie, comes in and now here I am, standing here and I’ve got a fucking hard-on the size of a sequoia in my pants.

Because she’shere.

Right here.

Holy fuck.

Talk about a brick to the head. I say a silent prayer, thanking God for once again giving me another chance with her and promising not to screw up again.

I’m sure everyone hears my heart ramming around inside my chest right now. Just the sight of her is doing things to me. I wonder if she’ll recognize me. Courtney took almost an hour this morning cutting the beard and hair off. The results ain’t half bad, even if she loved saying ‘oops’ a few times when she had the clippers going.

But now the sun is lighting upherface and that voice in my head won’t shut up.

She’s mine. Make her understand.

Those words are racing around inside me like mustangs at the round up.

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