by Andrea Bills
“It is. I think I’ll take him over to Marietta; they have more small businesses.”
“I don’t know. If you go a little way down Grand Central in Parkersburg now, there are several mom and pop stores. I’d take him to both.” Her mom replied.
The door creaked open and Cole caught Annie’s attention waving her outside. Annie slipped outside with him, concerned by the look on Cole’s face.
“Annie, do you know how often your dad gets income, like a bi-weekly paycheck or something?”
“No, he’s gets paid whenever he makes a sale. They usually have to make that money last until the next sale, unless Daddy gets some extra work on some of the other surrounding farms. He’s good with animals, so when people go on vacation they ask him to take care of their stock. Why?”
“There’s been a problem.”
“What kind of problem, and how do you know about it?”
“I hired a detective to look into Trey and keep an eye on things. He just found out several attempts were made to drain your parents’ bank account.”
“Oh my God! Cole, we have to stop him. My parents will starve. Give them all of my money; can we transfer it into their account right now or something?” Annie said, beginning to panic.
“I won’t allow your parents to starve, but we have to be smart about how we get them money. Unless you want to be honest with them?”
“No, no we can’t tell them what happened. I…I just can’t.” Annie said, feeling ashamed.
“Annie, this isn’t your fault. I’ll fix it. Is there a certain time of the year your father sells pigs?”
“Mostly in the spring and again in the fall. He’ll be coming up on his biggest season in the next few months. What are you going to do?”
“My guy has enhanced the bank’s security, and he’ll be alerted if anyone tries anything like that again.”
“Can he take money from my account to give to them?”
“How would you explain that to them? Your parents aren’t just going to accept random amounts of money being placed in their account.”
“That’s true.”
“We’ll figure it out. I didn’t mean to upset you; I just needed to know how it worked, so we can figure out a plan.”
“Thank you, Cole. I’m sorry I’m such a burden.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Cole
Cole wasn’t sure when it had happened, but as he watched Annie disappear back inside her parents’ home, he realized she wasn’t a burden to him. At first, she seemed like a burden; a menace had been his favorite way to refer to her. He still believed she was a menace but one that he looked forward to sparring with. Cole wanted to be the person she came to when she needed help, not because he was the only option but because she needed him, wanted him, in her life.
He dragged a hand through his hair. Everything in his life had been turned upside down since the moment he had laid eyes on her. Physically his body reacted to her even at just the thought of her. He loved her smart mouth and vulgar language; mostly he just liked correcting her over it. Seeing her eyes turn dark with anger made his blood race. Her curls were wild and untamed, which summed up the woman he knew Annie truly was. She put on a good performance in public, but he had gotten a glimpse of that inhibition she housed.
Cole had never been able to be so carefree. Growing up, he had been groomed to act a certain way because of his family’s name, and even though he despised his parents, he followed through with it all because he respected and loved his grandfather so much. After his grandpa’s death, he had no choice but to be the man his grandpa needed him to be to see out what he had started. Annie had started off seeing Cole as a means of survival, but Cole hoped that at some point she would just see him as a man.
“Cole, you coming? Dad wants to show off his superior grilling skills.” Annie said, poking her head out the door with a mischievous grin.
God, he loved that woman.
“Fuck.” He breathed at the realization.
Cole followed Annie inside and watched the way her hips moved back and forth as she pranced through the kitchen and into the living room. She turned to the left and led Cole out another door onto a giant deck. The setting of her parents’ home was beautiful. They technically didn’t have any neighbors, and there was a small stream on one side of the house, a large creek in front, and woods surrounding the rest of it. Cole had never felt so peaceful.
“So, Cole, what is it that you do?” Her father asked, breaking Cole’s trance.
“I’m the Chief Operating Office of an oil refinery.”
“That sounds fancy.” Her father replied, as he wiggled the dials on his grill.
“How did you and Annie meet?”
Annie choked and looked over at Cole in horror. The woman really couldn’t lie to her parents. Cole found it endearing.
“We had mutual friends who set us up.” Cole replied, realizing that it wasn’t too far from the truth.
“Oh, that’s so nice. That’s how your dad and I met back in high school.” Her mom cooed, her eyes flickered lovingly over to Annie’s father.
Cole had felt more welcomed and more at ease with the two strangers in front of him than he had his entire life with his own parents. He wasn’t sure how his parents even met.
“Alright, son. You got a paper and pencil ready?”
“Uh, sorry?”
“To take notes. I’m about to show you the proper way to prepare a man’s steak.”
Cole looked at Annie who was grinning from ear to ear.
“Dad believes that a man’s steak is practically still mooing, while other steaks are, well…what do you call the other ones, Dad?”
“Trash, honey. We call anything overcooked trash.”
Annie held up her hand like she was Farrah Fawcett. Cole couldn’t help but return her smile.
“Now, Bob you make sure you cook this young man’s steak how he wants it cooked. Honey, you don’t have to listen to his ridiculous antics.” Her mother said to him, as she walked back into the house.
“Yes, you do.” Annie’s father said.
The smile on Bob’s face gave him away. Cole enjoyed the easy banter. Annie sat down on the picnic table in the middle of the deck and watched her dad season the steaks. Cole noticed a dilapidated swing out in the back yard, and he wandered toward it. He had never had a swing set growing up. His parents thought play was a frivolous use of time, and the nannies that he had were much too busy with the household chores to take him to a playground. Cole would have given anything to have had access to something so fun. The all-boys school he had attended in his younger years hadn’t even had a playground. The kids got to go outside and walk around or sometimes run, but there was no playground. All of their funds had been put to use inside of the school making sure they had access to the best technology, books, and teachers money could buy.
“I used to pretend it was a boat.” Annie said, coming up to stand beside him.
“A boat?”
“Yeah, the little treehouse part was the deck, the slide was the plank, and I powered the boat by swinging as high and as fast as I could.”
“You have quite the imagination.”
“Mom says my head’s always been in the clouds.”
“I can agree with that.” Cole teased.
“Here we were just starting to get along.” She laughed.
“So besides pretending to be a boat captain, what else did you do out here in the middle of nowhere?”
“Are you kidding? What didn’t I do?”
“Dad would take me fishing down in front of the house; that’s also where I learned to swim. We used to go on four-wheeler rides on out the road, a place the locals call Snake Route. The other kids up the road and I had our very own bicycle gang. It was so much fun growing up out here.”
“Why leave then?”
“When I was in high school, I felt secluded living out here. My hometown seemed to suffocate me; everyone knowing your business or at least thinkin
g they did. Some things never change. I needed out to see more of the world and see what I could be if I just had more.”
Cole took in Annie as she spoke. Her blue eyes were searching the woods; for what he wasn’t sure. Her curly hair moved across her shoulders as she spoke. The blue sundress she had on made her look like a movie star. It had thin straps that gave him unlimited access to her shoulders and collarbone. Cole couldn’t remember ever being attracted to a woman’s collarbone before, but Annie’s was sexy. He wanted to place small kisses all the way across it.
“Alright, steaks are done!” Her dad called.
Cole couldn’t help but place his hand on the small of Annie’s back as they moved to follow her dad into the house. He needed to touch her; to make sure what was going on around him was real. Annie had left her world because she thought the city would be better; more. Cole would have given up the city in a minute if he had been able to have what Annie had. Hell, he would have given up all his money if it would give him the chance at parents that loved him half as much as Annie’s clearly loved her.
Everyone sat down around the table. Somehow Annie’s mom had managed to prepare mashed potatoes and gravy in the short amount of time that Annie’s dad had cooked the steaks. Cole was nervous about eating the steaks; he was usually a well-done kind of man. Apparently, that wasn’t going to be acceptable for Bob’s taste. The weird part was Cole wanted to impress the man; he wanted Bob to like him and approve of his relationship with Annie.
“Momma, you going to say grace?” Annie asked.
“Of course. Dear Lord, we thank you for this beautiful meal in front of us and the company we will share it with. Thank you for the many blessings you have given us over the years. We ask that you bless this meal and sanctify it for our bodies so that we can do your work. Amen.”
“Amen.” Everyone said afterwards.
The food was passed around, and everyone picked a steak and plopped a hefty amount of potatoes on their plates. Cole couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten mashed potatoes. His mother would have fainted if she ever saw them on the table at their family meals. She also would have smacked everyone’s knuckles for having their elbows on the table. Annie’s family didn’t mind at all; they all had at least one elbow on the table.
Cole cut into his steak and was glad he had a good poker face when a little blood oozed from the cut. With a deep breath, he took a bite. Annie’s father had his eyes glued to Cole while he chewed.
“Well?” Her dad asked.
“It’s the best steak I’ve ever had.” Cole said, amazed that he didn’t have to lie.
The man could cook a steak. Everyone dug in, and they all barely said a word as they filled their bellies. Once dinner was done, Annie and her mother worked to clean up the mess while Annie’s father leaned back in his chair and took in Cole.
“Mr. Longston, I’m very curious about pig farming. Obviously, coming from the city, it’s not something I’ve ever been around.”
“You’re in luck, son. It’s time to go hose them down and give them some feed. How’s about you come with me.”
It wasn’t lost on Cole that the last part wasn’t a question it was a statement. Cole figured he had survived the steak; he could surely survive the pigs. Annie turned and gave him a wide-eyed stare as he headed out the door behind her dad. He winked at her before shutting the door.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Annie
“Mom.” Annie said, turning back to her mom.
“Sweetie, you had to know your dad was going to do that when you told us you were bringing a boy home.”
“He can’t really expect Cole to handle the pigs. It’s his first day here!” Annie whined.
Her mom just shrugged. Annie was obviously not going to get any help from her mother. She finished wiping up the table and hurried to find her old muck boots. She slid them on and raced out to the barn. She heard her dad’s laughter before she rounded the corner which told her things were probably not looking great for Cole. When she finally walked into the barn she had to cover her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing herself.
Cole was in one of the pig’s pens, and he had the hose, but he must have sprayed the pig in the face because the pig was pissed. He was thrashing and lunging at Cole, who was doing his best to stay upright in the wet, muddy mess. Ever confident, smooth Cole was seconds from being ten toes up in a pile of pig shit, and Annie couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled out. His eyes snapped over to hers. She wiggled her fingers at him in greeting. The pig took it’s opening and slammed into Cole’s shins, sending him flying backwards.
Annie doubled over in laughter as Cole landed smack in a pile of pig shit. Annie’s father could barely breathe he was laughing so hard. Her mother came out, and once she saw what had happened she instantly started berating Annie and her father for being such bullies.
“It wasn’t our fault; the boy got Sunshine right in the face. You know how that gets under her skin; she had to lay down the law.”
“Shoo, shoo.” Annie’s mom said, as she waved her dish towel at Sunshine.
The pig knew who really ran the farm, so she slinked back into the far corner of the pen. Annie’s mother hopped in and helped Cole to his feet.
“I’m so sorry, Cole, my husband can be such a barbarian sometimes.” Annie’s mom shot her dad a nasty look.
“It’s quite alright, Mrs. Longston. I think I got a bit in over my head. It didn’t seem to look that hard.” Cole admitted.
“Annie, take him over to the water hose and get him hosed down. Then show him where the shower is.”
“Yes, Momma.”
Annie’s parents went about finishing the rest of their evening chores with the pigs while Annie led Cole out to the side of the house. Before she could stop herself, she fell into another fit of giggles. Cole rolled his eyes at her.
“It’s refreshing to see you so off balance.” She said after she calmed down.
“I’m sure it is.”
“I’m also going to enjoy hosing you down with the water hose, too. It’s usually not too cold.”
“You’re a mean little thing when you want to be.”
She shrugged as she turned the knob to get the water started and then found the nozzle. Cole turned around, giving her a perfect view of his butt. Even covered in pig shit and mud, he had an amazing ass. His legs were thick and powerful. Annie couldn’t remember ever seeing him work out, but he must find the time somewhere because the man was built. She started at his shoulders, and as the water soaked his shirt, it clung to the muscles there. As she worked her way down, Annie became more breathless as his clothes began to fit him like a second skin.
He turned around, so she could get his front. His eyes connected with hers, and she knew he could read her train of thought. Annie hosed down his front in the same manner as she had his back, starting at his shoulders. Cole slid his shirt off over his head, his chiseled chest glistening in the fading sunlight. Annie dropped the water hose and stepped forward, letting her hand glide up his chest.
Cole’s hand slid behind her neck and pulled her up against him for a soul shattering kiss. Even though his skin was cold from the water, his mouth was hot. His tongue slipped inside of her mouth and made slow, leisurely strokes against hers. Annie moaned as she slid her hands around his back and dug her fingertips into the chords of muscles there.
A honk from a passing car snapped Annie back to reality. Cole smirked at Annie’s gasp.
“Laugh all you want. It’ll be all over town by tomorrow morning that I was getting busy with a guy in my parents’ yard.”
Cole just shrugged. Annie sighed and then turned the water hose off and moved around Cole to show him to the shower. Her mom, true to form, hadn’t changed a thing, so Annie made quick work of gathering Cole a towel and washcloth. She set everything on the vanity for him and explained the shower.
“We have well water out here, so be prepared for it to have a weird smell. I don’t smell it, but when my fr
iends from town would stay the night, they always said it smelled like eggs or something.”
“Eggs?”
“I don’t know; I’m just giving you a heads up.”
When Annie turned around to say something else, Cole was already stripping out of the rest of his clothes. She covered her eyes immediately.
“Cole!”
“Are you serious?” He laughed.
“My dad has more guns than the CIA. If he catches you naked in front of me, you’ll get to meet one; up close and personal.” She said, trying to skirt around him.
“They’re busy with the pigs. Wanna shower with me?” He purred against her ear.
Annie willed herself to keep her eyes forward and not look at Cole’s body in all of its naked perfection. She wanted nothing more than to get in the shower with him, but she knew her parents wouldn’t be long. Any shenanigans they had would have to be done elsewhere, which gave Annie a sneaky idea.
“You get cleaned up, and I’ll take you down to one of my favorite fishing holes. It’s beautiful at night and rather secluded if you know what I mean.” She said with a wink.
“Menace.”
“Pig.”
Annie walked out of the bathroom, her body vibrating the way only Cole could make her. The thought of having his hands on her soon caused her body to respond; her nipples rounded against her bra, and her skin felt flush. She was about to hurry back to her childhood bedroom when her cell phone rang. The only people who had the number were Cole and his driver.
An unknown number appeared on her screen. Annie decided against answering it, assuming it was a wrong number. Her parents walked in; they were laughing, a bit breathless from their work in the barn. They looked genuinely happy. Annie wanted what they had. She suddenly had the urge to ask them a hundred questions, to know their secret to such a healthy happy relationship. Mostly, she wanted Cole to want it, too.
“How’s the boyfriend?” Her dad asked.
“Dad, you were being ornery.” Annie said, putting her hand on her hip.
“The truth is I kind of like him. He’s quiet, but he can’t take his eyes off you. He watches your every move.” Her dad said.
