Chapter 5
DRAKE
Wednesday, seven days before the festival
I stuffed my phone in my pocket and opened the door to exit Zeke’s ancient panel van. Why he kept this thing, I hadn’t asked. I’d been too tired to interrupt his tales of driving the van while he followed this or that band on tour.
Finn pulled into the parking space next to me, so I gritted my teeth and got out. I’d spent most of the day overseeing the repairs to the fencing around the festival grounds, and all I wanted was to pass out on the very comfortable couch in my cabin.
Instead I had a vanload of angry chickens, and my helper was the attractive but annoying veterinarian I couldn’t seem to get rid of. Charles was at his guitar lesson tonight, so we didn’t have him as a buffer.
Still, Finn hadn’t had to help me, so I feigned a positive demeanor. I’d gotten so much practice growing up, it was second nature. I gave him a smile as he walked over to me. “Zeke went to Burlington to pick up a coop. He’ll be back in the morning.”
He nodded. “Do you already have a plan for a temporary shelter?”
“No.” I looked over at the pen. The ground was patches of dirt and grass, with some shrubs and a small shade tree. “It should definitely go over here, away from Dolores’ hidey hole.”
“Agreed.” We walked over to survey the area.
He pointed. “If we made a circle of chicken wire and attached it to the fence in that corner, then put a blanket or something over the top, it’d work well enough until morning.
” He pulled out his phone. “I’ll text Nova and see if there are old blankets or sheets around here. ”
“Sounds good.” I trudged back to the van and opened the back, where we’d stored the roll of chicken wire, wire cutters, and the small bag of feed the SPCA had provided us. The chickens were stuffed into a dog crate, which we could put on one end of the temporary enclosure.
I dropped off the chicken wire with Finn inside Dolores’ pen, then I went to the kitchen to get some food for her. I didn’t want her to get freaked out by her new neighbors, and a snack might help. I also filled a bowl of water for the chickens.
When I came back, Dolores was already nudging Finn’s leg, looking for a treat. “Here. I brought some food to distract her.”
“Thanks.” I didn’t miss the way he checked out my ass as I climbed over the fence.
I set the water bowl down near where the pen would go, then I got Dolores’ attention before dropping the food, some carrots and spinach, near her burrow. She abandoned Finn and headed over as fast as her legs could go.
When I climbed back over the fence to go to the van, I deliberately positioned myself so Finn could admire my assets if he so chose. He would’ve seen me looking, though, so I didn’t watch.
I got the crate of chickens out of the van. They squawked and flapped their wings, but at least they didn’t peck my hands.
Finn set down the wire he was bending to take the crate from me. Our fingers brushed, and he jerked the crate away. He cleared his throat. “Nova told me where to find some spare blankets.”
“Great.” I climbed back over the fence—he was turned the other way so didn’t see—and started wrapping the edges of the chicken wire around the bars of the crate.
In a few minutes we had an area for the chickens to walk around in, separated from Dolores.
Finn went into the house to get a blanket while I put the water bowl in the enclosure and spread chicken feed over the ground.
Dolores poked her nose at the wire a couple of times, but she didn’t seem bothered by the chickens, who were clucking nervously and fluffing their feathers as best they could in the crowded crate.
Once Finn came back with the blanket, I opened the door to the crate. None of the chickens rushed out, probably because we were still hovering over them. We secured the blanket by tucking the edges into the holes in the chicken wire.
“I think it’ll hold til morning.” Maybe. As long as the chickens and Dolores left it alone.
Finn brushed his hands off on his jeans. “The chickens are tired after the stress of being moved. It’ll be fine.”
One by one the chickens left the crate to explore their new enclosure.
We’d acquired six altogether. Two were ordinary-looking brown hens.
We had one huge one that was mostly black with orange windowpane spots, kind of like a Monarch butterfly.
There were two white ones, but one of those had weird floaty feathers that made her look more like a Muppet than a chicken.
The last was black and white with a mane of long feathers cascading down her neck.
All of them seemed to settle down as they checked out the area and realized there was food and water.
I pulled off my straw cowboy hat and ran my fingers through my hair. “I’m starving. Can I offer you dinner as a thank-you for helping with all this?”
When Finn didn’t respond, I glanced over at him. He was staring at my hair. Shit. I ran my hand through it again. “What’s the matter? Do I have feathers in my hair?”
He seemed startled, and he shook his head. “Sorry. I haven’t seen you without a hat on except at the vet clinic, and I wasn’t really paying attention then. Your hair’s gorgeous.”
I felt my face flush. “Uh, thanks. Family trait. All of the sibs are blond, though my sister Mona dyes hers.” I fiddled with the brim of my hat.
He was still staring at my head, so it seemed almost rude to put my hat back on right then.
Which was... weird. I didn’t even like him.
Though he’d been a big help today, and he hadn’t irritated me again.
And he’d stared at my ass a couple of times.
Maybe I should give him another chance. “Uh, so, dinner?”
Finn moved closer. “I was thinking....” Now his eyes were trained on mine. The heat in them was unmistakable, and my arousal stirred. Well, shit. Finn had pissed me off twice now, but that was then. I could forgive and forget. Especially since getting laid seemed to be on the table.
“Yes?” I raised an eyebrow while I cocked a hip and put my hat on top of the blanket covering the chicken enclosure.
He smiled and gave me a slow, appreciative look. My dick started to test the elasticity of my jeans. I checked out his scrub pants, and Finn was having a similar issue.
He pushed his hair out of his eyes. “I was thinking we should get cleaned up first. Before we go to dinner. You’ve got a shower in your cabin, right?”
When had he moved closer? He lifted his hand and tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear, trailing his fingers over the outer edge and lobe before his hand landed on my shoulder.
I licked my lips. “Yeah, I’ve got a shower.” My voice came out raspy. “It’s large enough for two.”
His smile deepened. “Can I kiss you?”
“You’d better.” I lifted my face to meet him halfway.
Look, I’ve kissed a lot of guys. Sex, especially when you’re a touring musician, is easy to come by.
(Pun intended.) So I know how rare it is to have chemistry with someone, to feel that zing when you touch each other.
Touching Finn, kissing him, was more than a zing. It was a fucking electrical shock.
I gave a low, throaty groan and moved closer, running my hands down his back.
He pressed his hand between my shoulder blades to bring our chests together.
Damn, we needed to be naked. I jerked my head back, breaking the kiss.
We panted as we stared into each other’s eyes.
“We should move this inside. I want your skin. Plus, Zeke has cameras.”
His grin reappeared as he took half a step back. “No argument here.” We put the remaining chicken wire and the bag of feed in Zeke’s shed. Finn picked up my hat and we headed to my cabin.
I didn’t run, but I did walk very, very quickly. Finn chuckled, but I didn’t hear any complaints. Once I’d shut the door behind us, I ripped my hat out of Finn’s hand and tossed it toward the kitchen counter. Then I whipped my t-shirt over my head.
Finn sucked in a breath but wasted no time in removing his scrub top as well.
“Shower’s that way.” I pointed, though Finn had likely been in these cabins at some point. I waited until we got into the bedroom to remove my boots. They weren’t loose enough to toe them off, so I had to sit on the edge of the bed.
Finn wasn’t hampered by restrictive clothing. He kicked off his clogs then loosened the drawstring on his scrub pants. One yank later and they were on the floor, his underwear with them.
“Oh, now that’s what I’m talking about.” I licked my lips. For such a lanky guy, Finn had a thick beast of a cock. I couldn’t wait to get my mouth around that bad boy.
He put his hands on his hips, his fingers framing his erection. “Get a move on. You’re still half-dressed.”
Oh, right. I tossed my boots to the side and, standing, pushed my jeans and underwear to the ground.
“Fuck, yes.” Finn headed my way, his gaze avidly on my cock, but I held up a hand.
“Shower. I feel like I’m still covered in chicken feathers, and it’s not sexy.”
He made a face. “Same, now that you mention it.”
“We can throw your clothes in the washing machine later.” Okay, enough practicalities. I led the way into the bathroom, putting a little extra oomph in my walk for Finn’s benefit.
He crowded in behind me, shutting the door as I started the shower so the water could warm up. I didn’t have a chance to turn around—as soon as the water went on, Finn pulled me back against his body. His cock was hot between my ass cheeks.
“Fuck.” I reached back to grab his thighs, then I leaned my head back against his shoulder.
He took advantage of the exposed skin and kissed my neck. “I haven’t been able to take my eyes off you since you brought Charles to the clinic.” He thumbed my nipples, then ran his hands down my chest but avoided touching my dick.
I clutched his wrists, trying to make his hands go where I wanted them to.