“No, not at all,” I said with a laugh.
Asher grunted and smiled approvingly as he continued to devour my cookin’.
“I didn’t figure,” he said knowingly. “Yer too good lookin’ and womanly to be fallin’ for a pencil neck worry-wart like that.”
Well it wasn't like he was wrong but it’s hard listening to anyone talk about your family that isn’t family, and I looked back at my plate, putting some food in my mouth to silence the words. His compliment, though, was like a double edged weapon, said so casually it took me a while to even realize it was there.
“Well I don’t want any trouble either way,” he said, and it seemed so funny comin’ from such a big hunk of a man, covered in freaky lookin’ tattoos. He looked like trouble personified. “And if I’m gonna cause any just by being here, I should probably move along,” he said so casually.
“Don’t,” I said, a little too fast. Too urgently. Not after a day!
I wanted more time, to get to know him, and I was certain Marcus was bluffing.
Again, though, I felt my cheeks start to burn, to spread that warmth down towards my chest as
those butterflies within my stomach woke up. I knew it wasn’t love at first sight, I was more reasonable than that, but I couldn’t deny the attraction I felt, how strong it was.
“You sure?” Asher asked me, peering across the table at me, brow raised in questioning before he moved on to help himself to another slab of chicken with that appreciative air about him. He was like my father in that way too: he ate a ton, but he seemed to enjoy and appreciate every bite he took.
“I don’t wanna risk causin’ any trouble. Especially not with the law,” he reiterated, not elaborating on that a whole lot.
“Well, sure, no one wants the law on their back,” I said, though the comment took me through a loop a little. Was he on the run from something?”
“But the Sheriff, he just wants to keep the peace, and Marcus’ll calm down before dawn, I’m sure. He just needs time, don’t cope well with change.”
Asher nodded his head slowly then took a generous helping of his water, in fact the whole glass, before pouring himself some more.
“Good. It’s a lovely farm you’ve got, I’d love to stick around a while,” he said, and I swear I could see a glint of somethin’ in his eyes.
I wanted to ask him more, about himself, about what brought him out my way, but it was hard. Impossible.
I was instead lost in his beautiful eyes, and the little hidden hint of something. The little bit that I wanted to ask about but didn’t have words for.
I didn’t have no pa to ask what his intentions were with me.
So instead we ate supper together until he’d polished off every last morsel and left the chicken a rather bare set of bones for me to toss. As I tidied up, he got up and stretched, makin’ that broad body of his bulge and present to me in such a tantalizin’ display.
“You wanna watch some TV?” I asked him hopefully.
“I wouldn’t mind,” he began, lowering his arms back down, “but it’s been a long day, and I really need to make up for some lost sleep. Been on the road for a long while.”
I’ll admit, I was a might disappointed with that then and there.
But what could I say other than a soft, “Alright, maybe tomorrow then. The sun saps my strength like you wouldn’t believe.”
I got up, beginning to clear the table so he wouldn’t see the stormclouds over my eyes.
“Where’s my room again?” he asked, but of course, I didn’t show it to him a first time yet.
“Oh, right, yea,” I said, setting the dishes aside and leading him towards the stairs. The wooden staircase was old and worn, but it was sturdy even with the creaking it made as I stepped on it.
The guest room was right next to mine, and I’d just done it up with fresh sheets and pillowcases. I opened the door, showing him the simple room, dresser and mirror on one wall, bed on the other with a large window looking out over the fields.
“I’m just right next door if you need for anything. Wake up at dawn, you know, to fulfill the stereotypes,” I say, trying to keep it light.
It earned a genuine chuckle from him though, and he smiled at me. A big, broad smile that showed off his handsome face.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be up bright and early to get the work done,” he said. “Thanks so much for giving me a chance,” he added on, looking at me as we stood there in the hallway.