by Jaycee Ford
He grabbed hold of my hand, pressing his lips to my palm just as Uncle Al brought us the salads. After his little kiss, we dug into our food. Searching desperately for a topic of conversation, that didn’t involve what each of us wanted to do with the other’s body, I asked, “So, how is it that you run a huge farm by yourself?”
“Well,” he said as he finished his bite, “I’ve lived there most of my life. My parents died when I was three, and I lived with my grandmother growing up.”
“I’m sorry to hear that about your parents. That had to have been tough,” I said, resting my hand on top of his.
“I really didn’t know any different. My grandmother died when I was sixteen, which was pretty rough. I didn’t want to lose the farm,” he said as his eyes met my sad ones.
“You’ve kept up a farm since you were sixteen?” I couldn’t understand how a sixteen-year-old could hold that much responsibility.
He shrugged his shoulders and said, “It was the only thing that mattered to me. Aunt Et and Uncle Al took care of me until I graduated high school. Now you see why I’m just starting college.”
I was in shock. I knew a very small number of men who had that great a sense of responsibility, much less a sixteen-year-old. I was utterly amazed.
The ease of conversation that flowed between Tom and me felt like we had known each other forever; however, I kept my reason for moving to the country out of the conversation. I did not need to discuss ex-boyfriends with hopeful, future boyfriends.
When it had appeared that Chef Al was long gone, and the bottle of wine he left for us was empty, I turned to Tom and said, “I believe we closed the place down.”
He looked around and said, “Funny… I didn’t notice a thing while I was talking to you.”
“I didn’t either.” The blasted blush crept up my face again.
My nerves took over again, and I started biting my lip. He cupped my chin and leaned closer to me. I met him half way and kissed him. Not forcefully, but enough to let him know that I meant it. The touch of his lips made my heart flutter into over drive. He stood up and reached for my hand. “Let’s get you to bed, Jordan.”
My fingers intertwined with his, and I followed him into the foyer. When we approached the stairs, he kissed me again with as much passion as he had in my room. He rested his forehead against mine, and with a low, husky voice, he whispered, “Jordan, I want to follow you upstairs, but I’m just going to say good night, and I can’t wait to have you in my arms tomorrow night on the dance floor.” My heart completely melted as he kissed me again. “Sweet dreams, Jordan.”
“Good night, Tom. See you tomorrow.” I slowly climbed the stairs. I looked back before I lost sight of him, and my eyes met his. He smiled, placing his hand over his heart. That one single motion told me that he wasn’t playing with my heart. He was protecting his. When I got to my room, I shook my head as I exhaled a long-withheld breath. I didn’t know how it was possible in four days, but my broken heart was slowly mending.
LUSH GREEN GRASS softened under my feet. The vast field surrounded me, and the gentle rolling hills merged with the mountains in the far off distance. The sun just barely kissed the tip of the mountain, ready to hide behind it as the moon began to dominate the sky. My fingers glided over the tall reeds of grass as my hair flowed behind me, dancing in the summer breeze and tickling my neck in loving caresses. Flickers of soft yellow lights began to swirl around me, touching my hands and landing upon my white sun dress. I followed their alluring aerial dance as they led me to an old weathered barn.
As I approached the barn door, the fireflies danced around me one final time and left with the breeze. I felt secure, even though I didn’t know what brought me to this barn. I stepped through the weathered red door, and called out, “Hello?”
My bare feet cushioned against the hay-lined ground. Stalls lined the walls on either side of me, but there wasn’t a horse to be seen. I knew I was here for a reason, but I wasn’t sure what that reason was. I stepped further into the barn and called out again, “Hello?”
“Good evening, ma’am.”
I swiveled around, but I couldn’t find the source of the voice. As I stood facing the side of the barn, a muscular man, wearing only jeans, boots, and a cowboy hat, jumped down from the rafters in front of me. My normal instinct would be to flee, but I was overcome with a sense of serenity. With one piercing look from those blue eyes, my insides clenched, and I whispered his name.
“Tom.”
His breathing elevated for a moment, and before another word was spoken, he slid his arms around me, pulling me tight into an embrace. Even before I wrapped my arms around his brawny shoulders, his lips found mine, and my long-anticipated desire was finally fulfilled. Our mouths melded without hesitation. He lifted me up, and my legs encircled his waist. He broke our kiss, and his lips eased down my neck.
A hard, wooden beam pressed into my back as Tom anchored me against him. Within a blink, we were completely naked. He pressed himself forward, relinquishing the need I harbored for so long. I screamed out once in passion as he filled me completely. I used every muscle I could to urge him forward. Our breath intertwined with our lips so close together. He covered my mouth with his, his tongue dancing with mine. I pulled away panting and screamed out in ecstasy, riding my peak as he whispered in my ear.
“I’ve dreamed about you, darlin’.”
I gasped as my eyes popped open to the morning sunlight seeping through my bedroom window. I turned my head to the empty pillow beside me, and a sigh of longing escaped as I wished I had never awakened from that dream. I covered my racing heart with my hand and closed my eyes while I regulated my breathing. That man had me craving things that I didn’t know if I needed to be craving. I had to shake it off.
Stretching my arms and legs, I peered at the clock on the night stand that read 8:52 in the morning. After lifting off the light quilt, I pushed myself forward and sat on the edge of my bed, staring inwardly. Something felt different. Maybe I didn’t have to shake it off. A small grin tickled my face, and for the first time in months, I felt hopeful. I had gotten used to the constant ache around my heart, which was still there, only slightly less gnawing. My fingertips glided over my lips, remembering Tom’s effect on me. I didn’t like to believe that he was the reason why I felt different, but it was hard to deny that he was. The way he looked at me seemed as if he could see the depths of my soul. As unimaginable as it seemed, he made me feel almost human again. The light that had long been extinguished began to flicker again.
Since being with Ryan, I couldn’t remember a time when I ever felt this good. I had known Tom all of five days, and he had shown me more admiration than Ryan ever had in a whole year. I was such a fool to believe that was love. I had been jilting myself for so long. In this moment, I decided that I was no longer going to make plans. I was going to live one day at a time.
I had officially moved on.
As I headed into the bathroom to run a bubble bath, I grinned at the thought of the last one I had. It gave the term “Peeping Tom” a much different meaning to me now. I couldn’t believe a man who looked like that could possibly give a damn about me. Just five days ago, I lay in this exact spot and cried my eyes out with hurt and anguish. I would have never believed in such a short amount of time I could feel whole again.
I heard a beep from my phone, resting on the sink, and I rolled my eyes. After finishing my bath, I reach over to it to delete the message as I did so many from Ryan. But I stared at the ID, puzzled; it was a local number. I clicked open the message.
Good morning, darling. Can’t wait for our dance. – Tom
My heart sang with an indescribable giddiness. As I saved his number in my phone, I accidently opened a message from Ryan that I hadn’t deleted.
I will find you, and when I do, you’ll regret ever leaving me.
Hate seethed through me. I threw the phone down, ruing the day I ever met him. It was time to move on.
After my bath, I
headed down the street to the electronics store before enjoying my Friday off. A new cell phone and new phone number were the way to go. With my new toy in hand, I texted Tom back.
Hey, cowboy! I decided to make a more permanent gesture and got a local number. Make sure you save it for future reference. ;)
Just as I opened the door to the café, yearning to have a coffee concoction, my phone beeped. I sat down by the window and opened the message.
You know I’m going to text you like crazy. For future reference, of course.
I grinned like a little school girl.
Good. I hope you do. ;)
Since I didn’t have internet access at The Inn, I checked my email, and I saw that I had received official notice through the school that Tom had dropped out of my class. He was right in thinking that it wasn’t wise having a relationship with his teacher. I didn’t want anything jeopardizing my career.
As I enjoyed licking the whipped cream off my straw, my new friend sat down in front of me. “Well, I’m glad someone got some sleep.” Ellie looked far more sunny than she had the last time I saw her.
“Hey, Jordie! Oh, that looks yummy!” She turned to the waitress approaching the table and asked to have the same as me. “So, I have a favor to ask of you.”
“What’s that?”
“Well, I have a booth at the fest, which most local business owners do. Would you mind hanging out for a little while, since you’ll be wearing one of my designs?”
“Sure, I was planning on hanging out with you anyway.” I had tilted my head, studying her, as my brow wrinkled. We had already made plans on hanging together. Ellie had a little glint to her eyes. “Ellie, why do I have the feeling you’re hiding something?”
“Because I don’t hide things very well. And on that note, I’m taking this coffee to go.” A guilty smile slid up her face as I grabbed her arm.
“Ellie… been talking to Paul again?”
Ellie grinned and nodded. “Tom really likes you, Jordan,” she admitted. “Paul and I were discussing this morning how we’ve never seen him like this.”
“So, why were you and Paul talking this morning?” I gave her a knowing smile. “Was this outside on the street, or was it somewhere else?”
Ellie stilled and smacked her forehead with her hand. Then she looked up at me and smiled. “Oh Jordan, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’ve been in love with him for so long, and I think he likes me, too. It’s just that neither one of us wants to hurt Lance.” She looked at her watch and said, “Okay, I really do have to get going. I’d like to set up my booth before I get ready for the evening. I’ll see you in a bit.”
Ellie darted outside toward the stands lined down Main Street. Most booths were draped in shades of dark greens and browns, but, of course, Ellie’s stood out in a golden yellow. The street was bustling with the vendors, and my nerves started to hum with anticipation. I looked at the time, and after realizing that I had been sitting in the café for a couple of hours, I hurriedly gathered my things and left as well.
After showering and curling my hair, I proceeded to style it in a low, messy bun, as directed by my favorite boutique owner, and finished my make-up. I opened up my closet and took the dress off the hanger. As I stepped inside the dress, I grazed it over my hips and placed the one strap over my shoulder, zipping up the side. I didn’t need a bra because my smart designer friend had one built in. With my wishful thinking, I pulled on brown lace panties. I couldn’t let him go tonight. I needed him more than I had ever needed anyone.
As I pulled on my cowboy boots and straightened my dress, I looked in the mirror, and had to admit Ellie was right. It was a perfect mix of country and city. With a dab of perfume, I opened the door to leave and noticed a bundle of daisies resting on the floor. My heart melted at the sight. I picked them up, and smiled while I played with the petals. I went back into the room and set them on my night stand, then headed out for the fest.
While I was walking down to Main Street, the sun descended behind the mountains, painting the town with a glint of orange. Little flickers of light danced around the skyline. I stopped for a moment and watched them play. There weren’t any fireflies in the city so I wasn’t used to them. Their glow blinked in the surrounding trees and continued into the foothills, leading to the mountains.
The fireflies hung overhead as I walked over to Ellie’s booth. When I stood in front of her, she and Paul couldn’t tear their eyes away from each other. I cleared my throat to get their attention, and Ellie looked over and gasped. She bounced up and down as she beamed, “It’s beautiful! You’re beautiful! I’m so awesome!”
A strong male hand touched my elbow, and I turned to see a handsome blond with smiling dimples. I could see why Ellie had been in love with him for so long. He was slightly taller than me, but only by a couple of inches. He extended his hand toward me and said, “Jordan, I’m Paul. It’s really nice to finally meet you.”
“Likewise.” I smiled at him, and I eased my hand inside of his, glancing at Ellie. Her face radiated with happiness. I hoped this worked out for her.
“So, pretty ladies,” he continued. “Is it a wine or beer night?”
Ellie and I both looked at each other. “Beer!”
Paul, Ellie, and I hung around her booth for a while, drinking beers and socializing with anyone who came over. I played the model a little bit while women from across the county came over to gush over Ellie’s designs. Her country-meets-city style was a hit. I was having a good time when I noticed that it was nearly 7:00, and I hadn’t seen Tom yet. When Ellie and Paul disappeared, I pulled out my cell to see if I had missed any texts from him. There was one, and luckily, it was just sent three minutes ago.
When are you going to dance with me? ;-)
After I put my phone back inside my purse, I shoved it underneath the table where Ellie’s belongings were and walked over to the dancing area. It was packed with cowboy boots and cowboy hats. A wooden floor lay underneath a crisscross of twinkling lights, reminiscent of the fireflies twirling above. It was a perfect country night.
I weaved through the crowd of two-steppers, and I came to a sudden halt in the middle of the dance floor. I stared at the most undoubtedly handsome cowboy in the world. He wore scuffed cowboy boots; dark, well-worn jeans; a plaid orange shirt, which happened to match my orange dress; and the typical cowboy belt buckle. My breath caught seeing his cowboy hat. It was just like the one from my dreams. The gaze in his eyes caught my attention. In that moment, no one else existed on the dance floor—no band, no dancers, not a soul. It was just Tom and me. The way it was meant to be.
His eyes bore into mine while his breath caught. My heart pounded against my chest. A slow exhale escaped his lips as he finally approached me without taking his eyes away from mine. Mere inches away, his hand caressed my cheek, and he whispered, “You are the most beautiful being I have ever seen. Please dance with me.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, swaying with him to the music. While caressing the back of his head and playing with his hair, I buried my head in the crook of his neck. He bent down to my ear and whispered to me again, “You’re making my heart do things it’s never done before.”
I pulled away from his neck, and he stared at me longingly and said, “Jordan, I know something bad happened to your heart before you moved. I don’t know what it is, and I’m not asking you to tell me. All I’m asking is for you to give me a chance to fix it.”
His thumb rubbed across my lips, and I leaned in to kiss him. Allowing my heart to lead me, I said, “I trust you.”
He didn’t need to say a word. His eyes said it all. As the song began to change, he laced his fingers with mine, and we walked in between the dancers and behind the stage, away from the crowd. When his eyes met mine, I melted in his gaze. I felt like I was the only one he had ever longed for. He coddled my face inside his hands as he inched closer. My heart raced with anticipation as he brushed his lips against mine. When he pulled back slightly, his beautif
ul lips twitched into a smile, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I looped my arms around his neck and kissed him with as much passion as I could. I grazed my tongue along his bottom lip, seeking admittance, and he wrapped his arms tight around me, lifting me up.
The passionate kiss merged into a kiss beyond description. My back pressed against the wall of the stage as he hoisted my legs around his waist. I could feel him pulsing against me. My need for him became more urgent. He broke away from my lips only to kiss down my jaw to my neck and over to my ear. I whimpered; the kiss had ended too soon. His eyes filled with lust, and after another gentle kiss, he said, “Our first time will not be outside behind a stage.”
As I tried to even my breathing, I replied, “Well, cowboy, you seem to have some effect on me.”
After lowering me to the ground, he held on to me and said, “Tell you what. Why don’t you go over to Ellie’s booth and give me a second to, umm… settle down, and I’ll grab you a beer.”
“Sounds good. Don’t make me wait too long.” I left him behind the stage, parting with a slow kiss and leaving him wanting to come back for more.
AFTER LETTING JORDAN go, I leaned against the wall behind the stage to compose myself. I ran my hand down my face in utter disbelief. I never expected that I could ever feel this way about a girl, and I hadn’t even slept with her yet. As much as I wanted to, I wasn’t going to rush this.
I decided to quit hiding and walked over to the beer booth. While I was waiting in line, an arm snaked around my waist, but it didn’t belong to my girl.
“Angela, how are you this evening?” I asked, but dared not look at her.
She slithered her way in front of me, attempting to catch my attention. As she tried pulling me closer to her body, she said, “I saw you dancing with some girl. Are you trying to hurt my feelings?”
I reached around and grabbed her hands, which were hanging around me like a death grip. Hoping to make my point clear, I narrowed my glare at her. “Angela, you’ve got to stop. We’ve already discussed this.”
