Under the Rancher's Firm Hand

It was in the topmost and loftiest section of the house; the blank arc that made no sense when you looked at it from the outside. It had books and books. Lots of books. It had two desks, the predominant one in the corner of the room. While the books gave off sort of a private library vibe, the desks indicated was more of a teacher-student type of situation, and when we sat, I felt like the teenager racked up for detention.

My mind flitted to all those porno stereotypes. “Please, Mr. Johnson, I’ll do anything for extra credit.”

The clear window gave us a view of hills and clouds in the distance. The sound of cows and horses hoofing were a playful dance in my ears. I loved it. He popped up his laptop and began typing, as did I.

We worked for hours, and I asked questions where I saw no end. He answered them patiently enough, until we both realized there was much more to the work tension between us. It was all I could do to stop from glaring at his thick strong arms as he typed. I squeezed my thighs tighter, sliding the arousal-slicked skin together so much that I swear he noticed. I tried harder to concentrate, until I could not.

“I, uh, I think I need a break. How about you?” I asked sheepishly, hoping he did not catch the timidity in my tone, nor the innuendo flirting around my intentions.

He closed off his laptop and pushed his chair back, smiling. His hand automatically pushed away his thick black hair to the side as he walked towards me.

“I know just the thing. Come with me.”

Ten minutes later, my legs were spread, a warm body between them, and my whole body bouncing along rhythmically.

“I have never been on horseback before,” I told him.

Caleb chuckled and tapped his heel into the horse’s side. It galloped for a bit before he pulled the reigns. My own black mare plodded along at a comfortable pace. I’d decided I already loved Macy. She just got me.

Caleb had asked me to head to my room and change from a skirt and blouse into a shirt and jeans and boots, for where we were going ‘a little nature would be in play’. I did not think he would mean a short tour of his farm on horseback.

The land was graced by the hand of God himself. It was so impossibly green, like something edited off of a computer. The trees were thickly stemmed and bore flowers of so many different shades. From as far as I could see there were beasts of all kind, moving together in unison and mooing and bleating and hawing and neighing. It was so fresh, that air, and nothing made me feel so at home than Caleb showing me what it all meant.

“Those right there are Empress trees.”

“Empress trees?” I asked, shifting forward a little on Macy’s back.

“Yes,” he said with excitement. “Not many people can tell you about the fair uses of the Paulowina Tomentosa.”

‘”And I’m guessing you are not ‘many people’,” I replied with a quick tug of the reins in my hands.

He laughed with heart.

“Tell me about them,” I said.

I just wanted to hear that passion in his voice again.

“Well,” he started with a quick pull of his wide-rimmed hat, “Dad told me about them when I was a kid. He said that they are the easiest trees to grow and that when he had traveled to various parts of Asia when he was way younger, he had learned of them and how much use they had in the communities there. He told me of their two-year growth span, and how over there they used to grow the tree when a girl was mature, and that by the time they were ready for marriage, the trees would be cut and gifted to the couple in form of wardrobes of cupboards or chairs or tables. The best part is how fireproof they are. I really got fascinated with them after that. They were a huge basis for The Foundry when I started.’

It made sense why he supported so many farmers who specialized in woodwork.

“So this proposal,” I said when we rode towards a horde of horses slurping from a watering hole, “it’s supposed to merge many of the locals under one subsidiary; yours. Why?”

“Because I saw how strong a unified front would be for farmers and ranchers on the land. I know how lonely it can be and how one good or bad year can make or break you.”

His fire for his work, my God. It was infectious. I could feel him blazing. I could feel Macy tense up too, but didn’t realize why. We did not catch it in time. The horses and bulls had a tiff, and two men on horses rode in to try and quell the rush.