Faded Cotton (Erotic Romance) by Lara Sweety Page A

to look. Nothing could prepare her for what she saw. Her
presence undetected, she couldn’t help but stop and stare.
    Derrick was standing hands on his hips
looking out the window deep in thought. His back was to her with
nothing covering his massive frame—naked. Good Lord. They don’t
make ‘em like that all the time. His broad shoulders and firm
rounded ass were incredible. Chest—massive, his legs strong with
chiseled calves.
    She knew what the farm would do for that body
and it heated her, making her twinge with desire. Laurel chastised
herself. Are you really gawking at a boy? Not a boy, a man,
albeit a young man, he was almost twenty. If he was old enough to
carry a gun and die for his country, he was a man. She tiptoed on
and dismissed her arousal as normal human response. After all, she
was a woman and he was one incredibly attractive man. She shook her
head trying to rid herself of her thoughts.
    __________________________
     
    It had taken a few days for Derrick to fall
into a routine. Do the time, Derrick thought; then he’d be
back in his father’s good graces and things would get back to
normal. He considered that of all the places his father could have
shipped him off to, this was probably the least of them.
    Working with Laurel could be a comedy
sometimes. She would cuss up a storm if you made her mad. It had
made him laugh on more than one occasion. She had a good sense of
humor for the most part, though.
    Curves too. Real damn sexy for a
hard-working woman in her thirties. He shifted uncomfortably at the
thought. It was a good uncomfortable, he decided. Watching her had
his mind wondering on more than one occasion. Smart and business
savvy—the package was kind of hot, he mused. She’d let him dive
into the workings of the farm and let him take responsibility for
key operations from day one, as if she wanted to trust him.
    __________________________
     
    That Saturday evening it was obvious he
wasn’t getting any sleep. After a shower and some time reading,
Derrick realized Laurel wasn’t in the house. Modesty wasn’t his
strong suit and it didn’t bother him to take off to the barn
half-dressed.
    “Shit!” Laurel half screeched as she spun
around, not missing that he was in thin underwear and that was all.
“Derrick, don’t sneak up on people.”
    “Sorry.”
    “What the hell are you doing running around
in boxers and flip-flops?!”
    “What the hell are you doing down here
alone?” He huffed. Derrick didn’t feel comfortable with her not in
the house that late.
    “What the hell do you care?” She was
agitated.
    They stared at each other.
    “Oh good grief, this is ridiculous.” Laurel
realized she was staring at the very, very hot, so hot , body
of the man standing in front of her. She tried to shake it off. Too long, it’s been too long.
    She turned back to the stall. “The bay mare
is overdue,” Laurel said with concern as she refocused.
    “Huh?”
    Laurel made the half circle, big belly motion
for pregnancy and said it again, “Overdue, way overdue.”
    “Okay.”
    Derrick headed back into the darkness,
thinking he’d go to bed. To hell with her. While his
curiosity about the mare was roused, he was tired from a long day.
That evening he had been reading up on horses and foaling and
forages, borrowing from Laurel's personal library to bring himself
up to speed. He knew the farm was home to half a dozen really good
Quarter Horse mares that, with carefully managed artificial
insemination practices, had been consistent producers for Siddy
Creek Farm.
    Laurel kept the mares producing high dollar
foals that helped keep the bottom line where it should be.
Resulting stock had paid for college tuition, a new truck, and a
lot of things her sons and daughter had needed. The sale of those
babies had even helped a friend in need when Darra’s divorce had
left her destitute.
    The mares were a handpicked lot. A couple of
pleasure bred mares, and four stout reining and cutting mares.