Page 113 of A Curse On Black Lake
“Come here,” I command.
She takes a step toward me, and I haul her into my chest. She rises up on her tiptoes, and I stoop down to meet her half-way, kissing her with all the tenderness of a helpless man. I slide my tongue against the seam of her lips, and she opens for me, taking everything I give her. My hands wander down to her butt, and squeeze, fitting her snuggly against me. She giggles and pulls back.
“You’re an ass man,” she says, brushing her nose against mine.
I grin and kiss her again. “Not really, but yours? Yes,” I say and pat her butt.
She giggles again and smiles. “Come on, let’s go milk a cow, cowboy.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She takes my hand and drags me out of the house behind her. The sun is still bright, with the heat of the day setting in. As we go down the hill, she grabs her hair, putting it on top of her head, revealing her golden skin.
I reach forward, unable to keep my hands to myself, clasping the back of her neck as we walk into the barn.
Standing to the side, I wait for Eliana to get her little stool and bucket for the milk. Gertrude gives me an annoyed look. “I’ll show you first, then you can try.”
She grabs the teat, starting at the top and squeezing down. Milk squirts into the bucket. Eliana does it a few more times and looks over her shoulder. “Want to give it a try?”
“Yeah.”
She gets off the stool, and I sit in her place. Reaching for the teat, I do the same motion, but not much milk comes out. Gertrude shifts as if she’s annoyed.
“Sorry, Gerty, he’s a rookie. We have to be patient with him.”
I try again, and the same thing happens.
“You’re not going to hurt her. You need to squeeze harder,”
I chuckle, and her cheeks turn pink as she rolls her eyes, wrapping her small calloused hand over mine. Eliana squeezes my fingers harder than I was, and more milk comes out.
“See?” She pulls her hand away, and I milk Gerty a little more with the same amount of pressure.
When I do it again, I don’t squeeze as hard.
“I’m not sure I got it the first time. Can you help me?” I ask her.
She scoffs and wraps her hand around mine again. My hand relaxes in hers as she presses her fingers over mine in the same motion. “This is going to take forever, and piss Gerty off, just so you can get me to touch you,” she says into my ear.
“Then let’s pretend time doesn’t exist,” I say, studying her profile.
“It may not be relevant to Gerty, but she’ll notice when she hasn’t been milked, and she really will kick you.”
Laughing, I go back to milking the cow, faster with more purpose. I glance at her and she’s looking between me and Gertrude.
“You knew how to milk a cow all along, didn’t you?” Eliana asks.
I grin and finish filling the bucket. Gerty seems happier too. I pat her back, and she moos. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She crosses her arms and pops a hip out. “Right,” she says, drawing out the word.
“I need to milk Carla, too,” Eliana says, referring to her goat.
“I can do it while you make the butter youhaveto make.”
She smiles. “I’m aware it’s unnecessary, but…” she trails off.
“But you and your Grams did it,” I finish for her.
