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XIII. Well Excuse The Fuck Out Of Me Miss Daniels
CARTER
"So are you going to tell me where we are going Mr. Allen or do I have to guess?" Heather smiles as she adjust herself in the front seat of my gloss black '67 Chevy Impala.
"You could guess, but I doubt you'd get it right," I smirk at her and continue my way down the highway to my destination.
"Hmm," she puts her finger to her lips, deep in thought.
I laugh under my breath at her antics. She's always got something to say. Most guys would find it annoying but I love it. It just means there will never be a dull moment with her.
We are nearly there and I'm beginning to get a bit nervous. I want Heather to like this surprise and have a good time. I want her to trust me, to confide in me. I'd rather her use me as her crutch than another bottle of whiskey.
I'm not against drinking, hell I enjoy a beer every now and then, but what she's been doing, drinking herself to sleep almost every night, isn't healthy. I know all too well the signs of alcohol abuse. I can thank my father for that one.
I glance over at her and she's got her elbow on the windowsill with her fingers resting on the top of it while she leans her head a bit to look out the rolled down window. Her long brown hair is moving with the wind and I find myself admiring her beauty. She's fucking gorgeous and she does things to me no other woman has before.
I reflect about last night and when I brought her to my place. I didn't tell her how she started crying and half mumbling about how much of a piece of shit she thinks she is and that her family deserved better than what she was doing to herself. She was battling her demons hard last night and I wanted to be there for her through it all.
When I'd carried her to my bed, she wrapped her arms around my neck and snuggled into my chest. It brought warmth to my heart and I couldn't help the kiss I left on her forehead when I laid her down. Before I could even get up from kneeling on the bed, she'd sat up and quiet clumsily got out of the bed and started undressing herself.
I was taken back at first and wanted to turn away but I couldn't. She was so breathtakingly beautiful and all I wanted to do was wrap her in my arms and love on her. I had to remind myself she was drunk and I'm not the kind of guy to take advantage of a woman, especially when she's intoxicated.
When I quickly grabbed one of my t-shirts, I threw it on her without staring at her half naked body too long. She looked so good in my shirt, like it was made for her to wear to sleep in. I planned on sleeping on the sofa but before I could walk away she grabbed my hand and pulled me back towards the bed.
'Sleep with me Carter,' she'd begged me as she climbed onto my bed.
'I don't know if that's a good idea Hev,' I knew it could lead to more if I laid down in that bed. I was already fighting myself hard not to do anything, but by the end of the night, I was holding her in my arms while she slept. As I spooned her, I had to think of anything beside the fact her ass was touching my crotch and my shaft was reacting to it. God I wanted her so badly.
When we finally pull up to our destination, I look over to see Heather's expression go from contempt to excitement. We are at Roberts Stables, quite literally my favorite place in the world. I started to volunteer here twice a week on my time off when I moved back to North Dakota four years ago.
It's perfectly placed right between my hometown and Clinton Hills. I knew when I decided on moving, I'd still come out here. It brings me peace and back to center after dealing with what I see on a daily basis as a fire fighter.
Heather looks over at me with a blinding smile and quickly retracts the seatbelt and gets out of the car. I climb out and walk around the front to where she's at.
I planned on getting the door for her myself but she beat me to it. That's Heather I've come to notice. She doesn't need to be pampered but I want to do that for her. I want her to feel appreciated and respected.
"Hey Carter! I see you brought a friend today," Mr. Roberts, the owner of stables, walks up to me while pulling the reins of his horse Mox.
"Yes, this is-" I begin to introduce them but he smiles widely at Heather and pulls her in for a hug.
"My, my, my, if it isn't Heather Daniels. I haven't seen you in quite a long time. How have you been? Still cheerleading? Oh who am I kidding, you're not 17 years old anymore," he chuckles at her as he looks her over.
"Oh yeah I hung up my Pom poms a long time ago Mr. Roberts and I'm doing good," she smiles at him and looks over at me with my confused expression.
"I take it you guys obviously know each other. I guess that can be expected in a small world like ours," I laugh nervously and run my hand on the back of my neck. Well I'll take it. At least this means she hopefully likes this place if she's been here before enough times that she knows the owner of the stables.
"Oh yes, Dean Daniels children came out here quite a bit when their dad was riding. That man was one hell of a bull rider. Even his kids got into the rodeo. Little Heather here was the best barrel racer in Clinton Hills county. But once she hit high school and became a cheerleader she gave up the rodeo life," he smiles down at her and she rolls her eyes at him with a laugh.
I beam widely as I picture her riding a horse and speeding around barrels to beat the record time. I also find myself picturing her in a cheerleader uniform either. Boner alert!
I wasn't into cheerleaders when I was in high school, mostly cause the ones at my school were all fake bitches, but I have a feeling that this one in particular would've changed my mind quickly. Heather looks over at me and blushes as Mr. Roberts reminisces on a time when they were both much younger.
"Man I miss that man. He was so full of life and witty. Plus he had a sense of humor like no other. God rest his soul," Mr. Roberts eyes begin to water and he pulls out a handkerchief to wipe his face.
He tries to pull it off as if he's wiping the sweat off but I know better. I look over at Heather and she smiles at him kindly as he talks about her dad. Now I know where Heather's personality came from.
"Well, I might as well let you get to work Carter. Heather, it was great seeing you again honey. Tell your brother and mama Hello for me," he gives her one last hug and continues walking Mox down the trail.
Heather walks on ahead of me, familiar with the place and walks up to a stall where a black Thoroughbred peeks her head out. It's Blossom. She's an old girl but one of my favorite horses here. I lean up against the next stable over and watch Heather as she gently runs her hand down Blossoms nose and kisses it. Blossom nudges her chin and Heather giggles.
"You still remember me? God I've missed you Blossom," she sighs and leans her forehead against the front of Blossoms face.
"You know this one?" I ask her with a smirk.
"Well yeah, she's mine. Aren't you girl?" she giggles and pats her horse on the shoulder.
Blossom lets out a small neigh with excitement. She's happy to see her owner. Happy to see Heather.
I smile at the thought that my favorite horse out here happens to be Heather's. If I didn't already believe in fate, then I definitely would now. What are the chances?
What are the chances that I'd be taking care of something that was precious to her as a child, to only move to her hometown and meet her? If that isn't the kicker, her childhood best friend was my college best friend back in California. We truly do live in a small, small world.
Atreyu, my other favorite horse here nudges me in the arm as I'm leaning against his stall. He's a dark brown and black Thoroughbred. He's older and on his last few years of life.
"Hey buddy," I speak gently to him and run my hand down his nose.
"Aww Atreyu, you're still here?" Heather beams and walks up to us.
"This one yours too?" I ask with a laugh.
"No, he was my dad's and then was given to my brother when he passed away," she smiles at her father's horse and runs her hand down the side of his neck. He nudges her face, remembering who she is by the sound of her voice.
Man this just keeps getting better. Not only is my favorite horse hers, but my second happens to be the one that was both her dads and Nate's. If the big guy upstairs isn't trying to send me a sign then I don't know what's going on here. I'd be an idiot if I didn't take it the hints he's been throwing me.
Before I can stop myself, I gently grab Heather's face with my hand and turn her attention towards me. She looks up at me with concern at first but then she slowly begins to smile at me.
I lean in closer to her, debating on if I should follow through with this. I've wanted to kiss her since the day I met her. Will she be appalled and shove me off of her? I guess there's only one way to find out.
As I lean in closer, I notice her breathing quicken and her mouth parts just slightly. She looks up at me with anticipation and I know right then and there, I've got the okay.
When I gently press my lips to hers, I instantly feel sparks. It's not like when you ignite the flame of a lighter, no, it's much more intense. Like lighting a mortar and it shoots up into the sky, leaving a trail of stars in its wake.
At first, I kiss her gently, just testing it out but when she begins to kiss me back, I let it loose a bit and deepen the kiss. I place my other hand on her face and run my fingers through her thick wavy hair. I rest one of my hands on the back of her head and the other on the side of her neck. Heather winds her arms around my neck, pulling me in closer.
I push my tongue into her mouth and she willingly opens it for me. We battle each other for dominance and before I know it, I'm cupping her ass in my hands as I lift her into my arms. She wraps her legs around my waist and I shove her back against the wall that is between the stalls.
Heather's hands move to my hair and she gently pulls at the roots, driving me crazy with yearning for her. I press my hips forward as I hold her up and let my hands wander greedily all over her body. From her ass to her thighs, and up her waist, my hands are everywhere. Heather reflects the same motions along my torso and arms. I feel her hands tighten over my biceps, feeling the muscles flex. A soft moan escapes her lips as she indulges in moving her delicate hands along my body.
Just as I move my hands underneath her shirt and onto her soft stomach, gently squeezing her waist, Mr. Roberts voice calls out for me at the end of the stable. Both Heather and I separate from one another and I gently stand her back down on the ground. She clears her throat while fixing her hair and walks back over to Blossoms stall.
"Hey Carter, I forgot to tell you that John's grandson came by yesterday and did most of the work for you, so not much for you to do today. If you want to head home sooner today, you can," he smiles at me and walks back to where he was at.
I clear my throat and look back over at Heather who is now avoiding my gaze. She doesn't seem upset but more in shock at what just happened. I begin to wonder where it would've gone had Mr. Roberts not come walking up.
I let out a long sigh and run my fingers through my hair in frustration. I can't just go over there now and start making out with her again. Honestly, I want to do more than that. I start to fantasy if she'd be down to do it here. Sex in an empty horse stall with Heather? God that'd be so damn hot.
Instead of picking her up over my shoulder and taking her the way I want to, I excuse myself and begin on the small amount of chores I need to do. By the time I finish it's nearly lunch time.
When I get back to the stable, Heather is talking with Mr. Roberts and I find myself admiring her once again. It's been a couple hours since I've laid eyes on her and I swear she's gotten even more beautiful in that time. Damn I'm falling hard right now for this girl.
"You hungry?" I ask her as I make my way up to her and put the work gloves in the cubby.
"I could eat," she smirks at me and hands me a towel from my car to wipe the sweat pouring off of me. I return her smirk as I wipe my forehead and wrap an arm around her shoulders as we walk back to my car to leave.
As we pull up in front of the diner back in town, I grab a hold of Heather's hand and she looks at me with a worried smile.
"Can you let me be a gentleman the rest of the day and get the door for you?" I ask her as I open my door.
"I suppose," she smiles while rolling her eyes.
When I open the door, I hold my hand out for her and she gladly takes it. She leans up and catches me by surprise as she quickly kisses my cheek before moving to make her way into the diner. I pull her back by her hand, into my arms. No way is she going to lay a kiss on my cheek and think I won't return the favor, only this time, there will be no cheek kissing.
I tangle my fingers into her hair and press my lips to hers. Giggling, she kisses me back. It's short and sweet, nothing like at the stables, but I'll take it.
There's a sudden high pitched squeal as we walk into the doors of the diner. I look over to see Sarah, Heather's niece, come running up to us wearing a purple summer dress. She has a big smile on her face as she jumps into Heather's arms. I swear that little girl is too dang adorable.
"Auntie, What are you doing here?" she twirls her finger in Heather's hair and looks up at her curiously. When she looks over at me she smiles widely before snuggling up to Heather.
"Hi Miss Sarah," I softly poke at her cheek and she giggles with a smile, popping her little dimples. I've always loved kids. I did a lot of volunteering at the boys and girls club with Bex when we lived in California.
"Hi Carter," she says sweetly and it melts my heart.
She climbs down off of Heather and runs to a booth where Bex and Nate are sitting at. They both wave at us as we make our way over there. We greet them both with hugs, well a handshake for Nate and I, and take our seats. The booth is a big one in the corner so it can fit all of us perfectly.
"So what have you two been up to this morning?" Bex looks at the two of us expectantly.
"Not much, just took her out on a date," I laugh and Heather looks up at me with confusion.
"That was not a date. We are not dating. Just because you took me to the stables and I stayed at your place last night doesn't mean we are a couple," she laughs and I'm taken back. Oh, so that's how she sees it.
I look up at Bex who's eyes are wide and Nate is trying to hide his amusement with his sister's outburst. He rolls his eyes at her and shrugs at me like 'what can you do?'
"So you stayed at his place? No wonder I didn't see your car at home this morning," Bex giggles and beams up at Nate who silently shushes her.
"Nothing happened Bex," Heather groans and takes a sip of Bex's drink.
"Mhmmm....Oh I'm sure of that," Bex looks over at me expectantly and I shake my head to confirm what Heather is saying. I laugh to myself when she pouts in disappointment.
We order our food and eat while talking with Bex and Nate as they ask me how I'm liking Clinton Hills so far. Honestly I love it here. It's such a different town than the one I grew up in. It's so much brighter and everyone here is so much more friendlier.
Sarah climbs up into Heather's lap and snuggles her face to her chest. I can tell she's tired because her eyes close as soon as her head lays down. I look at the girl I'm falling for hold a small child in her arms and man is it a sight. She's really great with kids and I'm finding myself thinking about her carrying one of her own.
What the hell Carter? We aren't dating, and she pretty much nearly friend zoned you just now. I try to shake the thought from my head but it doesn't want to budge. Can anyone say whipped?
Heather senses me watching her and smiles up at me as she lays her cheek on top of Sarah's head. I smile back at her and lean my head down to kiss Heather's temple. She blushes and wraps her arms tighter around Sarah.
I can feel us being watched and when I glance up, both Nate and Bex are watching us intently. Bex pouts happily and Nate grins and nods his head at me, silently telling me he approves.
"Okay! That's it. We are going on a double date tonight. The four of us," Bex smacks her hand on the table. Nate looks down at her while laughing under his breath, twirling a lock of her long brown hair around his index finger on the shoulder he currently has his arm around.
I can tell how much he loves her with the way he looks at her. Like she's the most amusing person in this room right now. She looks up at him and elbows him in the ribs.
"Yeah! We should," he clears his throat and kisses the top of her head, giving her shoulder a gently squeeze.
"A date? I've already told you I'm not dating anyone Bex," Heather groans and looks up at me apologetically. I get it, she's not ready. Still isn't going to change my mind.
"Don't think of it as a date. Just think of it as friends hanging out," I suggest to her and I see her visibly relax.
"Sounds good to me," Nate smiles at his sister encouragingly, his brown eyes twinkling with hope that his baby sister will go along with it.
"Wait, so if we are all going as just friends, does that mean I can hook up with whoever I want tonight?" Bex looks up at Nate with her dark blue eyes playfully and smirk. He quickly shakes his head at her with a low chuckle.
"Woman, don't make me use the cuffs on you tonight for your out of control behavior," he warns her with a playful smile, eyebrows wiggling suggestively.
"Oh it's been a while since we've used the cuffs," she raises her eyebrows at him, flirting back.
"Yeah it has, hasn't it?" he lowers his voice and leans down to kiss her.
"Okay, ew! I'm still picking at my lunch over here and I really don't want to hear about your kinky sex life," Heather laughs and sticks her tongue out at them.
I find it cute. If you can be together as long as they have and ten years of it was apart, yet still flirt with each other like that, than more power to you. I think the world would be a better place if there were more relationships like theirs.
If I can find something like that. I'd die a happy man. Only problem is I'm sure I already have. Now it's just a matter of making her see that too.