6. Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Piper
A s I sit there, patting Mazy, grateful that I was here to witness this miracle, Billy asks me a question, and when I answer, he gets a strange look on his face. “I was worried about her.” I say. “I didn’t want Mazy to be alone when she’s about to give birth. Especially since we took her out riding, I felt bad, and I didn’t want anything to happen to her because of me.”
He swallows, looking down, as though ashamed. “Well, that’s awfully kind of you, darlin’, but I could have easily looked after her. I’ve got the ears of a hawk.”
“If that’s true, then how come you didn’t hear me pull up to the house? And you didn’t hear me come into the barn, either.” I point out.
“Well, that’s true. But I did hear Mazy the second that she whinnied, and you were still asleep.” He points out.
“So, you hear your horse, but you don’t hear an intruder?”
He’s speechless for a moment. “Like I said, Mazy lets me know if anyone comes around.”
“But she didn’t. I was fast asleep next to her.”
“Well, that’s because, to her, you’re not an intruder, darlin. She knows you and trusts you, and she probably knew that you were coming in to look after her. She might have even appreciated the company, even though horses usually like to calf alone.”
I rise and go to my things, and as I start to roll up my sleeping bag, he kneels next to me. “What do you say you sleep in my spare room, hm?”
I shake my head no. “I couldn’t. Really, I’m fine. I’ve got almost five hundred dollars saved up, and I can probably rent a room for that in this town, in fact, I have a lead on something.”
He chuckles. “Now, that’s a lie if I’ve ever heard one.”
“How do you know?” I demand, trying to keep the irritation out of my voice.
“If you had a place to lay your head, other than the back seat of your car, or in a pile of hay, you’d be there already. Anyone with any sense would.”
I swallow, knowing that I’m defeated. “Alright. I lied, so what. I told you I don’t want to be a burden to anyone, and you said so yourself that the town watches you like a hawk. Think about how it would look if I stayed here with you.”
“I thought you said that I worry too much about what people think.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not going to tell you how to run your life, Billy. That’s none of my business. I’m here to help you not to hinder you.”
He draws in a deep breath and then releases it, and then he changes tack. “How much of a good employee are you going to be to me sleeping in your car, hm? I don’t go for staff that fall asleep at their desk, and I certainly don’t condone sleeping on the floor of my barn. So how’s this. You sleep in my spare room and I’ll either take a hundred bucks a month or I’ll deduct it from your paycheck. Just until you get on your feet. What do you say.” He offers in a non-committal, yet a straight-up tone.
My response is immediate. “Aren’t you afraid that people will talk? What are you going to say to people when they ask? And what about your folks? Aren’t they going to have something to say about me living here?”
He grunts softly, combing his fingers through his hair. “I think the issue here is more that I’m employing a vagrant. They find out you’re living out of your car and working for me it’ll look way worse.”
“But we would be living together. Isn’t that weird? Since I work for you?”
“It’s just temporary, Piper. Just to get you out of your car and on your feet. I’d rather you live here than on the streets, where it’s unsafe. At least this way, I don’t have to worry about you getting mugged and coming in to work late.”
I have trouble saying no. There are no further refutes. “I’ll pay you a hundred bucks upfront.”
“If that makes you happy, fine. I’ll give you a hand bringing your stuff in.”
“It’s okay. I can do it.”
He gets frustrated. “Now, dammit, Piper! You’ve got your whole life in that car, and it’s late, and you’re going to be coming in and out, keeping me up, so let’s just get this over with, okay.”
“I’m...sorry. Sure. I forgot that you haven’t slept much.”
“It’s no different from you, darlin’. You’re dead on your feet, too. Now, let’s get this done, so we can both get some rest. Christ, it’s nearly dawn.”
“We don’t have to bring my things in now, Billy. I can just sleep on the couch. It can be brought in in the morning.”
“’Lan sakes, Piper! Not with you walking around in that shirt, without a bra! Goddammit! Let’s go!”
My eyes widen. He wants to respond, but he loses his nerve, adjusts his Stetson, and stomps out of the barn. With my arms crossed over my chest, I hesitantly follow him. It takes three loads each to bring my things in, and he shows me to the guest room, which is ions better than my childhood room, as much as he tells me it’s a dump, and he leaves me to it, while he goes to check on Mazy and Sprout. A few minutes later, he comes in, as I’m organizing my things, so it doesn’t look like I’m a vagrant, like he said.
“Do you need anything?” He asks, his voice trite, like he’s sorry for shouting earlier.
“No, thank you, I’m fine. You go on to bed.”
“You don’t need to tidy up, Piper, my God. It’s the middle of the night.”
“I just don’t want to create a death trap is all. I’ll head off in a minute.”
He looks around, like he’s searching for words. “My room is just next door. The place is small, so just holler if you need anything. Tomorrow you can take a look at the new house if you like.”
“This house is just fine, thanks. I don’t know why you’d want to build a bigger house. With a little loving care this house would be just perfect.”
The muscles in his jaw are working. “Okay. I’ll...see you in the morning.”
“Mazy and Scout okay?”
He nods once. “Just fine. Sleeping. I’ll call the vet in the morning and have him take a look just to be sure.”
“Good. I’ll have your books up to par in no time.”
“Good.” He nods again. “Sleep tight.” He’s about to walk away, when he glances at me twice, doing a double-take.
“What’s wrong?” I ask him, wondering if the sweater I pulled over my inappropriate shirt, still isn’t enough to cover.
He looks at me. “You’ve....uh...got a piece of hay in your hair.”
“Oh.” I search for it futilely, and he walks to me, standing quite close, while I freeze. My heart is beating so fast I feel faint. But it’s not a terror kind of beating, it’s something else. Something...warm. He smells like wood and sort of sweet, and as he touches my hair, it’s like a bolt of lightning courses through my veins. I’ve never felt anything like that before. I’m not even sure what it is, except that it feels like I feel when the two main characters in a romance movie kiss for the first time.
In case you haven’t guessed it yet...yes, I’m a virgin. I’ve never even had much more than a tiny Hollywood crush before. It’s partly because my folks threatened me with my life if I ever got involved with anyone, and God forbid do anything physical until marriage. The one boy I did like briefly in high school wanted no part of me unless I’d give it up to him first. I was crushed. Literally. Hell, even Jade, my dormmate’s little sister, has done more than me. But thankfully neither of them chide me for it. Nor do they make fun of me. The truth is, no boy or man has ever shown much interest in me. Probably because I dressed like I was raised by nuns in high school, and I was so painfully shy, I barely spoke to anyone of the opposite sex.
So when Billy, a tall, beautifully handsome man, is inside my personal space, touching my hair ever so delicately, it sets my heart fluttering. When he pulls it out, my eyes close instinctively, but then as I realize that he’s standing there, glancing down at me, I open them immediately. “Are you okay?” He asks me. “Did I pull your hair?”
“No.” I whisper. “Not at all.” The truth is, just that slight touch felt so good. It wasn’t sexual or creepy, and yes, I know the difference. “Thank you.” I tell him as he backs away, not like he’s weirded out, but naturally, like we’re finished here for the night.
He clears his throat. “Alright. If that’s all, I’ll head off.”
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, darlin’.” He says in a voice so low but so sexy, it’s like that tone and volume he made up just for me.
I watch him walk to his room, mere steps from mine, and I wonder if he’s feeling at all what I felt just now. As I’ve said, I have zero expertise when it comes to men, and for all I know, he’s going to go wash his hands, on account of touching me. Also, he’s my boss, and as of five minutes ago, also my landlord. Any unchristian thoughts I have of him are just that...unchristian. No, I’m not a little church girl or anything like that. My parents imposed that ideology on me simply to keep me repressed is all. If they had it their way, I would have lived in my bedroom, alone, served nothing but cold leftovers from under the door for the rest of my life. And the way that I dressed was part of that. If I wore as much as a skirt, I’d be sent back into my room to change, if I was going to school or anywhere else public.
I guess you could say that when I went away to school, that I basically ran away. My folks had no say in it once I was offered a scholarship. It was a double blessing for me. I got to escape the hold of my family and at the same time I got to pursue an education; which was something that would give me freedom. Sure, I got what I wished for, but it wasn’t easy. Then again, in life, there is no easy way out. And as all these thoughts cross my mind while I change into my nightshirt, the one that I was wearing when Billy found me sleeping in the barn, I realize that my body is tingling.
The thought of sleeping in a room next to Billy keeps me up for a while. I’m part nervous, part confused, and ultimately what I decide is to write these feelings off. Billy is my boss, my landlord, and he’s at least five years older than me. It would be highly inappropriate to even think about pursuing anything with him. It’ll just be another crush, which I’ll daydream about, but set the feelings aside when I’m in his presence. I’ve had lots of experience with that, so it’ll be no problem for me. But as I lay there, tossing and turning, it’s like my ears are straining to pick up any little sound from his room. I’ve never slept this close to a male before.
I don’t remember hearing his door close, so I’m guessing it’s not. I imagine how he’s sleeping, maybe in boxer shorts, or even naked, as I’ve seen in a lot of cowboy movies. Where they sleep, muscled back exposed, until they turn over, sheets covering just enough to leave you guessing, and then they get out of bed, completely nude, and pull on a pair of jeans, without bothering to put underwear on. My imagination starts to take over, until I hear him wince, and I hear footsteps around his room. I freeze, as I listen to him walk past my bedroom, to the washroom next to me. Part of me wishes that he’d look in, since my door is open, too, but he doesn’t.
He fumbles around in the bathroom, and I can clearly hear him wincing, like he’s in terrible pain. The thought of him being in agony suddenly terrifies me, so I climb out of bed, and walk to the bathroom. The door is slightly ajar, so I secretly watch what he’s doing from the small gap between the doorjamb and the door. It’s his leg. He’s got a cloth on it. It’s the area just above his knee, towards his inner thigh. As he leans the cold cloth on the spot, he’s reaching for something inside the drawer. It’s a small pot of salve or something. I can’t see his leg, where he’s nursing it, but what’s really distracting...is his body.
He. Is. So. Beautiful.
Long, lean back muscles, a very tight rear, corded muscles on his biceps and triceps, and when he turns so I can see his side profile...wow...my gaze goes right between his legs. I’m instantly wet. I can see the outline of his very large penis from under his very sexy briefs. He is, hands down, the most gorgeous man I’ve ever met. His clothing does not do him justice. He hides that luscious frame very well under his jeans and shirts. But I chide myself, as I drool over a man in pain, wondering if I should offer to help. Then I look down and see my nightshirt, and think how awkward that would be, to have his vagrant, as he put it, employee, standing, gawking at him from behind the bathroom door, wearing nothing but a thin, short t-shirt, that covers only to the base of my rear end.
Additionally, I don’t even know if that would be well received. Having no idea if he finds me attractive at all, it could cost me a lifetime of humiliation if I were to get up the guts to interrupt him, whether or not I’m offering to help. Watching him apply the salve, I feel like an intruder, so I carefully tiptoe away, hoping to God that he doesn’t overhear, or that I don’t trip on something or accidentally sneeze or do something embarrassing like that, and reveal myself. Gosh, he’d think I was the nosiest, most selfish, conniving little harlot on the planet. Once I return to bed, I’m ashamed of myself, and all hormones are shut off immediately. Finally, I hear him trot back down the hallway, into his room, and he gets into bed again.
I wonder what he was doing? I suppose owning a ranch, doing all the construction work he’s doing, he’s bound to get hurt sometimes. Then I remember him saying that he was in the military, and I frown at myself. I just feel bad that he was in so much pain, and all I did was stand there and spy on him, lust after him, even. After I make up my mind to keep my thoughts on my work and schooling, I forgive myself for letting my hormones rule the roost just now, and roll over in bed, reveling in the soft, plush bedding, the safe, quiet atmosphere, and the fresh smell of wood and food. I’m home. At least for now. I’ll enjoy this for as long as I can, and I won’t be a bother to Billy at all, in fact, I’ll do my very best to make him proud, and thankful that he hired me.
As far as living under his roof, I’ll make sure to do everything around here, so he doesn’t feel like I’m taking advantage. Regardless of the fact that he asked me to live here. It doesn’t matter. It was very kind and thoughtful of him, and he was so convincing, he actually twisted my arm. Aunt Kay would adore him. Jade will love him, too. I can’t wait to introduce them. My mind won’t turn off, but my body finally does, and I melt into a deep sleep. I wake up to the sound of a truck driving over gravel, seemingly next to me, and as I look out the window in my room, I see Billy guiding a flatbed truck full of supplies, into the enclosure by the new house.
I lay there, watching them work, as the sun comes up, and marvel in how beautiful this place is. Billy worries that the house is small and unkept, but I bet I could turn it into something wonderful. I’ve never had the opportunity to before, but you should see what I did with my dorm room. Crystal, my dormmate, was astonished. She told me I was in the wrong field. That I should have gone into interior design, but it’s okay to have two loves, right? I hop out of bed and get dressed, knowing that I’ll shower later, and I get started working, first on his books, and then I tidy up around the house. Billy has some eggs and orange juice in the fridge, so I make breakfast for both of us, and sit down to eat, while I make up my mind to call Jade.
And when Billy returns, hours later, I’m shocked to hear what he has to say. But what’s more, I’m shocked at my own reaction.