Enar's Vacation - Open Beta

Chapter 43

1660 Words

This is a beta version of Enar's Vacation. Changes can - and probably will - be made as a result of reader feedback. I hope you'll enjoy it and I hope you'll take the time to give me some feedback. It will help me make this story the best it can be.

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"Amanda, where did you put the tack?"

"I put it on a box by the main door in. Are you going to clean it."

"Yeah, sure. Might as well."

"Awesome. There's a few rags in the box under the seat on the cart I think. You could use those."

"Got it. I'll do that."

"Thanks again Enar. That's really nice of you."

"No worries. How's it going over there?"

"Going well. I'm almost done."

Enar stood in front of the cart, wiping the tack off with a rag. At first he had sat down, but he'd gone too cold sitting still so he'd stood up again. That way he could move around, a little, not letting his legs go stiff.

The rain kept pouring down outside, and the evening had gone dark enough he could only just barely make out the loading bay of the cider-house on the other side of the open space. Soon, it would be night for real.

Enar shivered. He really should get moving soon, before it got too dark and he wouldn't be able to see the road. With this rain the night would get pitch black. Maybe there was another lantern.

"How's it going?" said Amanda.

"Fine. Nearly done I think, it's not that bad - just wet really." Enar lifted his head, dropped his jaw, and stared.

Amanda stood by the wall to the stables, wearing her red sweater - and only that, as far as he could see. Big and loose fitting, it reached just below her butt and left her legs completely bare.

Enar stared.

Perfectly round hips. Smooth, pale, skin. Fine, blonde, fur - messy and tangled - all the way from the knees and down to her toes. He'd brush that. He'd so brush that.

The world stopped.

She cleared her throat and gripped the hem of the sweater, pulling it as far down as she could. "Enar... you're staring." Blushing, she tried to smile, but the grin kept slipping.

Cheeks burning, Enar tore his eyes away, forced himself to look somewhere else, anywhere else, at anything. "I'm so sorry. I am... I didn't... I mean..." Take a deep breath. Calm down. Look her in the eye. "It really matches your hair." He swallowed and cast down his eyes, looking at the ground in front of him.

"It's okay." Amanda giggled. "Just, try not to. It's a bit awkward, you know."

"Yes, sorry." He fidgeted and shuffled his feet. "I'll be good. Promise."

"Cool, I'll be right back."

Enar's looked up. "What?"

Amanda walked over to the ladder and began climbing up to the loft. "Just getting some hay for Sofie," she said over her shoulder, and a moment later she disappeared up into the darkness.

He hadn't stared, but when he closed his eyes he still saw her calves as she climbed up the ladder. "Do you want me to bring the lantern? It looks dark up there." It wasn't his fault. You're supposed to look at people when you talk to them.

"No thanks. It's fine," came the reply a moment later.

Enar shrugged, realized he still held a rag and a piece of tack in his hands and grinned at himself. He really did need to get out more.