Foiled Again

by Marie S

Egan and Bud gorged themselves with food until they could hardly move. But move they would. They were going back to work on the stable the rest of the afternoon.

He escorted Jessica inside the tack room to talk alone to her. Egan saw the disappointment in her eyes. Part of him was thrilled that she wanted to go ride with him as much as he had with her, but the other part of him didn’t want to cause her any disappointment. He cared what she thought.

Egan leaned in toward her. His hand was aside of her head on the frame of the door.

“I’m sorry, love. I know I asked ya to go riding with me this afternoon. And the horses need to be exercised. I don’t want them getting lazy from the good life here.” He grinned.

Jessica glanced up at his strong muscular arm. He was so close to her. What did he say? She could smell his manly smell. It wasn’t unpleasant. Was she supposed to answer? Her eyes slipped shut and his lips found hers.

Had he just said something to her? She smelled so good…so fresh and clean. Egan could smell her hair. Her lips were so red and looked so luscious. Her eyes closed and his lips were suddenly on hers. Kissing those luscious soft sweet lips. They parted beneath the onslaught of his.

Egan pulled her into his arms. Their bodies molded to each other. The perfect fit as their lips and tongues explored in a long hungry kiss. A groan escaped from Egan’s throat.

“Jessica.”

He picked her up and pressed her against the wall. Her legs wrapped around his hips causing his suddenly swollen and straining cock to be trapped between them. They both separated for a brief moment to gasp for breath before their lips hungrily connected again.

If he’d been out in the hay room Egan would have taken her right there. Where they were there was nowhere to lie down. His hands pulled her blouse out of her shorts. In a tic his fingers were stroking the soft downy skin around her waist. What air existed between their bodies was now gone.

And that’s when the voice called out.

“Varner, time to get back to work. Daylight’s wasting.” It was Bud.

Egan started to drop Jessica from his arms. He grabbed for her, but in their haste they both went to the floor with Jessica landing halfway on top of him. An ‘oof’ sound issued from Egan as her hand hit his ribs and the air was forced from his lungs.

They stared at each other. Frozen with shock until an ‘ow’ came from Egan.

“Oh my God. Are you alright, Egan? I’m so sorry.” Jessica pushed up his t-shirt and gently rubbed the skin over the impact point.

“I’m okay, Jess.” He started to laugh, and then groaned and then laughed again. Where her hand was massaging wasn’t the part of his body that needed the most attention at the moment.

As Egan’s laugh turned into a loud belly laugh at the absurdity of the moment, Jessica started to giggle which turned into a full bodied laugh once she was sure he was alright. Bud had struck again and he wasn’t even in the same room.

Outside Marie had been cleaning and packing up the lunch supplies to take back to the house when Bud called to Egan to get a move on.

“Bud!” She scolded him with her voice and eyes and loudly whispered. “Leave them alone a few minutes.”

“They’ve been alone long enough. It’s time to get back to work. Maybe I should go check on them.”

“I swear, Bud White. If you do that you’re sleeping alone for the next week. On the couch.” She stomped her foot for emphasis.

Shit, she was pissed off. He sure didn’t want to sleep on the couch. In fact he’d been thinking of anything but that since this morning.

“But, Hon. I was just kidding.” Bud sidled over to appease her. He gave her his best and sweetest smile. A look she’d told him she loved. Bud had been listening.

Marie was still glaring at him, but Bud saw her begin to soften. Muffled laughter came from the interior of the stable. It was from both Egan and Jessica.

“You were not kidding. I know you better than that. You are forgiven. Only because the two of them are laughing.” She smiled at him.

Bud pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly. He wanted Marie to be thinking of anything but him sleeping on the couch for the rest of the afternoon. As a precaution in case she hadn’t completely forgiven him yet.

They both got into the kiss before Bud set her back on her feet. He saw the pretty blush on her cheeks. Bud sometimes wondered if he could possible love her more. And yet at a moment like this, he did.

Marie stroked his cheek. He was getting his afternoon stubble already. As pig headed and stubborn as Bud could be, she couldn’t help to love him even more at a moment like this. Even when they both knew he was trying to butter her up. It had worked.

They both turned as Egan and Jessica emerged from the stables. They were dusty with bits of straw clinging to their hair and clothes.

Marie started to laugh. They both had a grin on their faces. Bud was glaring at Egan.

“What in the world happened to you two?” Marie covered her mouth as she kept giggling at the sight of them.

Egan and Jessica began to brush the dirt off of one another and pick off the pieces of straw. They still grinned at one another.

Jessica spoke first.

“Egan was kissing me and Bud startled us so we fell on the floor.” They both dissolved into giggles and Marie joined them.

Marie glanced at Bud using her peripheral vision. His glare turned to a satisfied smirk. His mission accomplished. She shook her head and gave a gentle elbow to Bud’s side. He looked down at her and she whispered,

“Don’t forget the couch.” She leaned up and gave a buss to his cheek. “Don’t work too hard this afternoon, Bud. What time for dinner?”

Bud glanced at his watch. “I’ll be home by 5:30 to six.” He leaned down and kissed her hair. “Make something special?”

She winked at him. “Like breakfast?”

“That’d be perfect, Hon.” He remembered her in her apron…and only the apron. “Wait to cook it till I get there? He gave her a wolfish grin.

“You’re on.” Her cheeks flushed. Bud helped her carry the empty containers back to the truck.

Egan and Jessica finished brushing the dirt off each other while grinning at one another the whole time.

“Come back at six, love. We’ll go for a short ride?” Egan waited for her answer.

“Okay, Egan. At least that will get the horses running a bit.” Her eyes looked into his.

“Um, do you want to go into town with me and have a pint?”

Jessica started to nod, but stopped. Egan gave her a questioning look. He was regretting they wouldn’t have time for a swim.

“Lachlan is home tonight.”

Egan cocked his head to give her an uncomprehending look.

“That’s good for Lach and Ash.”

Jessica grinned at him. He wasn’t making the leap.

“It could be good for us, Egan. I don’t have to be home tonight…” She trailed off and arched an eyebrow.

Jessica saw the light bulb switch on in Egan’s eyes. It reached down to give him the biggest grin she’d yet seen on his face.

“We could have a bit of a wash up after riding and have dinner in at my place, love? I’ve got ale. We wouldn’t have to go out for a pint tonight.”

She nodded. The excitement sparkled in her eyes.

“I’ll see you at six.”

Jessica turned and practically skipped back toward the truck where Marie was waiting for her. Egan picked up his hammer and slipped it in his tool belt. He started whistling a bit off key. Bud had started back toward the stable.

Both men turned and watched the girl’s drive away. For a moment both were lost in their own thoughts of evening’s promise with the women in their lives. And then they went back to work.