Being around him made me want to do a really good job, but at the same time, I wanted to do really bad so he’d have to stay with me a long while and have to keep teaching me. The thought gave me little flutters in my belly, but his touch was like an electric bolt and I gasped.
Whether it was intentional or not, I couldn’t say with how shaky I felt. But when I dropped the seed outside the hole I made the first time, he put his arm around me, took hold of my hand with his strong grasp and helped me do it right.
“Here ya go,” he said in a deep voice right beside my ear, so gentle despite his size and strength. “Let’s try another together, huh?” he said, and oh lordy yes! Try ‘em all together, Bo!
He repeated the motion, helping me dig a lil’ hole with the spade he had on hand instead of my bare fingers like he did, then drop a seed in and cover it up. His hard grasp guidin’ me along as he showed me how to do it right perfectly.
“There ya go,” he said with a broad smile, his delightful musk so reassurin’ and pleasant.
I could be surrounded by that glorious, earthy scent, and never grow tired of it.
I was breathin’ heavier, and I’m sure it looked silly to get winded after planting a couple seeds, but I couldn’t help it. Being near him was doing crazy things to my mind, and I knew I wasn’t gonna learn a thing with him around.
“We’ll take it easy, huh?” he said, and I was embarrassed to realize he must’ve noticed my breathin’ to be takin’ it so light on me. But what could I do? With his big ol’ arm around me and all.
He let loose of my arm and slid his hand up to my shoulder, givin’ it a firm squeeze that I thought I might die from. His hand was so big, I felt like a lil’ girl again in his grasp!
He sat himself down in the dirt beside me and pulled a water bottle from his belt to hand me, flippin’ the cap up.
“Here, help yaself, Miss Dixie,” he said generously.
I blushed as I accepted it, coyly letting my dirty fingers brush against his just so I could feel that spark again before lifting the water to my mouth.
Though the stupidest thing I ever did happened then. It embarrasses me to even think on it now, but I missed my mouth somehow. Water dribbled down my chin, all over my white tank top, and when I went to pull the bottle away, it spun outta my hand.
I could’ve sunk into the dirt right then and there.
“Oh geez, sorry ‘bout that,” he said, as if it were somehow his fault and not my own.
Bo grabbed for the bottle and whipped out his kerchief to dab the water up off me, but his eyes came to rest on the lewd sight of my chest showin’ through the wet cloth… and I had the brief moment of knowin’ he felt a manly interest in me in return.
“Here ya go,” he said, offerin’ me the cloth as he smiled and tore his eyes away.
Such a gentleman, even if he was just farmfolk. Maybe I had things wrong about livin’ out here.
I dabbed at my chest, the spring breeze brushin’ against me and cooling me down a little bit.
“Naw, it’s my fault, Bo. I’m a total klutz,” I said, annoyance in my voice. Here I was thinkin’ he must be a simpleton and I couldn’t even drink.
Bo gave a considerate chuckle, not laughin’ at me at all. But he gave me a pat on the shoulder.
“Bottle probably just got slippery from bein’ out in the sun all day. Happens sometimes, condensation an’ such,” he said, though we both knew full well that weren’t it.
I wish I could say that was the last time I looked the fool around him, but oh well, Bo was the type a man that looked best helpin’ a klutz in distress I guess.
* * *
I learned real quick workin’ on the farm, that you had to stay cool. My jeans weren’t gonna cut it, and I quickly dropped ‘em for some daisy dukes. Somethin’ a bit breezier, ya know? And it of course had nothin’ to do with showin’ off my legs and especially my calves to Bo.
Okay, that was a lie and you know it.
Over the comin’ days I was amazed at the number of ways I found excuses to bend over in front of ‘im.
“Ya think I could ride the tractor today? Give it a whirl?” I asked, waitin’ strategically until my aunt made her regular daily run to town.
Bo wiped the back of his neck with his kerchief and looked around, thinkin’ on it.
“Alright, I don’t see why not,” he said, smilin’ lightly. “But I’ll have to ride with you, just in case,” he added on before takin’ me on over to the big green behemoth.