her
arms around his waist. He hissed a little at the pain that went through his
side. It was the first time it had hurt today, and it reminded him of the
first two days at home when it had just been him and Morgan in the house. Her
soft touch had soothed him in a way that Sally’s never would.
Sally frowned at him. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. Goodnight Sally.” He replied curtly.
“Goodnight. Listen, I thought I would pop by tomorrow
afternoon. It’s Sunday and I don’t have to work so I’ll make you lunch and then
we’ll go for a drive. It would be good for you to get out of the house.”
She ran down the stairs before he could say no and slipped
across the yard and into her car. He sighed harshly and, after another glance
at the carriage house, returned to his lonely house.
* * *
The next afternoon, Morgan was crossing the yard when Sally
pulled into the driveway. The smaller woman climbed out of the car. She
started to speak but Morgan just waved and hurried towards the barn. She had
no desire to talk to the busty blonde.
She entered the barn, inhaling the sweet smell of hay and
Daisy’s unique smell. The cow was out in the pasture with the sheep and she
opened the stall. She would give the stall a good cleaning. By the time she was
done Gabriel would be gone on his stupid drive with Busty McGee out there.
She sighed angrily and picked up the shovel. She had
overheard them talking last night and although it made her a horrible person,
she had been happy when she watched Sally going in for the kiss and Gabe
pulling away from her. It had made her feel slightly better that it wasn’t
just her he didn’t want touching him intimately.
“Hey Morgan.”
She jumped and whirled around. Gabe was standing in the
empty stall next to Daisy’s.
“What are you doing in here?” She scowled at him.
“It’s my barn.”
“Yeah.” She muttered. She pulled her gloves on and started
to shovel out the stall, dumping the hay and manure into a large garbage can
that she had dragged over.
“Thank you for doing that. I know it’s not pleasant work.”
He said quietly.
“I don’t mind it. Besides, you bought Daisy because I
wanted her.” She continued to shovel and without looking at him said, “Sally
is here.”
“I know.” He made no move to leave and she frowned at him
as understanding dawned.
“You’re hiding from her.”
He blushed and she raised her eyebrows. “Are you kidding
me? You’re the one who agreed to have her babysit you each night.”
“Yeah, I know.” He sighed. “I don’t want to go for a drive.”
“Then just tell her that.”
“I’ve tried. She doesn’t really understand the word no.”
She rolled her eyes. “Maybe it’s because she never shuts
up. She just doesn’t hear it.”
He grinned and she could feel an answering smile on her
lips. She tamped it down fiercely.
“She does talk a lot.” He sighed again.
Delilah suddenly barked and Gabe’s eyes widened when he
heard Sally’s voice. “Stop jumping on me you nasty old thing.”
“Here she comes.” Morgan grinned at him.
He looked around frantically for a hiding spot. “Don’t tell
her I’m here! Please!” He whispered before ducking out of sight in the stall.
The barn door opened and Sally walked in, her nose wrinkling
at the smell.
“Morgan, have you seen Gabe?”
“As a matter of fact, he is currently cowering in the stall
behind me.” Morgan said cheerfully.
Sally hesitated and then gave her a strained smile. “You’re
funny Morgan.”
“Thanks.”
“Seriously though – we’re supposed to have lunch and go for
a drive.”
“He must have forgotten. He went to the auction today.”
“His truck is still in the driveway.”
“His friend Ray picked him up. They won’t be back until
later tonight.” Morgan lied breezily.
She threw a shovelful of manure and hay into the
arms around his waist. He hissed a little at the pain that went through his
side. It was the first time it had hurt today, and it reminded him of the
first two days at home when it had just been him and Morgan in the house. Her
soft touch had soothed him in a way that Sally’s never would.
Sally frowned at him. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. Goodnight Sally.” He replied curtly.
“Goodnight. Listen, I thought I would pop by tomorrow
afternoon. It’s Sunday and I don’t have to work so I’ll make you lunch and then
we’ll go for a drive. It would be good for you to get out of the house.”
She ran down the stairs before he could say no and slipped
across the yard and into her car. He sighed harshly and, after another glance
at the carriage house, returned to his lonely house.
* * *
The next afternoon, Morgan was crossing the yard when Sally
pulled into the driveway. The smaller woman climbed out of the car. She
started to speak but Morgan just waved and hurried towards the barn. She had
no desire to talk to the busty blonde.
She entered the barn, inhaling the sweet smell of hay and
Daisy’s unique smell. The cow was out in the pasture with the sheep and she
opened the stall. She would give the stall a good cleaning. By the time she was
done Gabriel would be gone on his stupid drive with Busty McGee out there.
She sighed angrily and picked up the shovel. She had
overheard them talking last night and although it made her a horrible person,
she had been happy when she watched Sally going in for the kiss and Gabe
pulling away from her. It had made her feel slightly better that it wasn’t
just her he didn’t want touching him intimately.
“Hey Morgan.”
She jumped and whirled around. Gabe was standing in the
empty stall next to Daisy’s.
“What are you doing in here?” She scowled at him.
“It’s my barn.”
“Yeah.” She muttered. She pulled her gloves on and started
to shovel out the stall, dumping the hay and manure into a large garbage can
that she had dragged over.
“Thank you for doing that. I know it’s not pleasant work.”
He said quietly.
“I don’t mind it. Besides, you bought Daisy because I
wanted her.” She continued to shovel and without looking at him said, “Sally
is here.”
“I know.” He made no move to leave and she frowned at him
as understanding dawned.
“You’re hiding from her.”
He blushed and she raised her eyebrows. “Are you kidding
me? You’re the one who agreed to have her babysit you each night.”
“Yeah, I know.” He sighed. “I don’t want to go for a drive.”
“Then just tell her that.”
“I’ve tried. She doesn’t really understand the word no.”
She rolled her eyes. “Maybe it’s because she never shuts
up. She just doesn’t hear it.”
He grinned and she could feel an answering smile on her
lips. She tamped it down fiercely.
“She does talk a lot.” He sighed again.
Delilah suddenly barked and Gabe’s eyes widened when he
heard Sally’s voice. “Stop jumping on me you nasty old thing.”
“Here she comes.” Morgan grinned at him.
He looked around frantically for a hiding spot. “Don’t tell
her I’m here! Please!” He whispered before ducking out of sight in the stall.
The barn door opened and Sally walked in, her nose wrinkling
at the smell.
“Morgan, have you seen Gabe?”
“As a matter of fact, he is currently cowering in the stall
behind me.” Morgan said cheerfully.
Sally hesitated and then gave her a strained smile. “You’re
funny Morgan.”
“Thanks.”
“Seriously though – we’re supposed to have lunch and go for
a drive.”
“He must have forgotten. He went to the auction today.”
“His truck is still in the driveway.”
“His friend Ray picked him up. They won’t be back until
later tonight.” Morgan lied breezily.
She threw a shovelful of manure and hay into the
Similar Books
