Walk A Different Path 🤍 Jaa/First

Chapter 1 ~ on location ~

Sam took the tray off the woman and set it on his lap and his mouth watered as he inhaled the aromatic stew containing chunks of meat that looked like beef, potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery.

The woman lingered while he picked up his spoon and tasted the rich gravy.

"is it good?" she asked.

"it's amazing ma'am, thank you" Sam replied and gobbled up the rest of the stew quickly.

The woman went to bring more food for the rest of the crew who had followed Sam inside and when she returned she saw that Sam had finished.

"do you want more?" the woman asked.

"no thank you ma'am, I have to watch my weight"

"ah yes, you're a model aren't you?" she said.

"yes"

"I should have realised considering how handsome you are" she said making Sam blush.

"thank you ma'am" Sam replied.

"well if you need to freshen up the bathroom is right through there" she said pointing across the hall and Sam thanked her for her hospitality.

"you're welcome sweetie, the horses will be ready soon" she replied.

"how long will it take to get to the village?" Sam asked her.

"mmm between three and four hours and my husband will sleep over and bring the horses back in the morning" she smiled.

"three and four hours?" Sam looked shocked.

"you do ride don't you?" she asked.

"yes ma'am, well I'm not super experienced but I can stay on top of a horse" Sam laughed.

"good, you'll be fine, my husband will take good care of you" she smiled before asking the others if they needed anything else?

Sam went to use the bathroom to freshen up and stared at his reflection in the mirror, what the heck had he been thinking? he hated cold weather, he was better suited to lying on a sun lounger with a cool drink to sip on but as he'd told toonie, the pay was good so he should just suck it up and get on with it.

Taking a deep breath he went back outside to see that everyone was already there then they all walked across the yard to the horses to complete the last leg of their journey.

The horses were just so sweet and well behaved as they trekked up the mountain but two and a half hours later the newness had definitely worn off and Sam's butt was aching. He wondered how much longer they would be when he saw the man who was escorting them double back and pull up by his side.

"are you hanging in there?"

"yes, thank you" Sam replied.

"great, we won't be long now" the guy said before moving up and asking the guy in front the same question.

Sam had to admit that the people were so friendly and hospitable and he tried to ignore the pains by focusing on the views instead, it was certainly beautiful up here.

He was so busy scanning left and right that he didn't notice them being approached up front by a lone rider until he heard the guide call out to someone.

"Maskwa, how are you?" he said.

"I'll be better when I get back home, what are you up to?" the man said while Sam tried to get a better look at him.

"just escorting these good folks to your village"

"ok, I'll ride back with you" Sam heard the man say before he saw the stranger approaching the rear.

He couldn't tear his eyes away from the man who looked tall and he was extremely handsome even with smears of dirt on his face. He wore a western style hat over hair that was long and black, it was tied at his nape with a leather cord and his eyes were the colour of dark molasses.

He wore a chequered shirt beneath a brown suede jacket and his long legs were encased in blue denim which stretched tight around his thighs.

Sam couldn't help the blush that permeated his skin as he willed himself not to look at the mans crotch and it was then that Sam noticed the pack horse he was pulling behind him and his expression turned to one of horror as he saw the dead animal on the back of the horse.

"what?" the man said as he saw Sam's face.

"nothing" Sam replied and looked away.

"where do you think the meat comes from in your fancy supermarkets?" 

"I didn't say anything" Sam replied.

"no but your eyes speak many words" Maskwa replied.

Maskwa got in line behind the pretty man and followed, he couldn't help looking at the man's petite derrière as it rocked on his saddle with the motion of the horse and Maskwa hated himself for feeling aroused when he imagined him rocking the same way on top of him.

The guy sure was pretty like a girl, he was slender and had the most delicate features just like Pipon and that alone was enough to dowse the flame of his lustful thoughts.

He looked over at his pack horse making sure the caribou was still secure, this should last his household a long time so his father wouldn't have anything to nag about, he knew his parents were worried about him but he didn't know what else he could do?

He couldn't stop his gaze going back to the guy's butt, he'd never actually slept with anyone, he had been saving himself for Pipon but he had stroked himself while thinking of him, maybe he needed to do it again and soon then he might stop obsessing over other men's butts.

Instead of staring at the guys behind he looked up and checked out his profile as he looked at the scenery. He had short dark brown hair, so dark it was almost black and from what he had seen of his eyes before they were dark brown too.

It was his bone structure that Maskwa noticed, he was so fucking pretty, even prettier than ... Maskwa caught himself again and dragged his eyes away.

Within the hour they arrived at the village and Maskwa gave his horse a little nudge then moved forward pulling the pack horse behind him and when he drew up beside the guide he spoke to him.

"will you be in the bar later?"

"yeah, just got to get the horses seen to then I'll wash up and be over there" the guide had replied.

"see you later then" Maskwa said before trotting up the street.

***

~ if you enjoyed this please vote ~

APRON  =  airport terminology : the land where aircraft sit idle when not in use

~ Maskwa and Pipon's backstory is mentioned in the epilogue of Find Me In Your Memory ~

~ there is a reference to Sam and Paitoon's friendship in Chapter 7 of Hidden Within ~