Curses singed the air. Startled, she released the door and jumped back, her ears burning. Not that she hadn't heard as bad or worse. She'd suffered through enough action films with Hector to be well-versed in the finer points of profanity.
But she hadn't expected such words to be coming from the barn.
Her heart sprinted, as if running a marathon. The farm was miles from town, linked by a rutted road. Her grandmother had taken the only vehicle. What if a thug was hiding in the barn? Panicked, she turned toward the house. She would lock herself in and call for the police. But something stopped her. She knew that voice, and the voice belonged to Esteban.
What was he doing here, unannounced? And why was he cursing?
Her fright forgotten, she marched to the barn and slipped through the open doors. The gloom of the wooden building enveloped her, and it took a few moments for her eyes to adjust. Not wanting Esteban to notice her, she hugged the inside of the door and stayed quiet. Peering over the stalls, she discovered what the fuss had been about. He'd cornered Apolinaria and was milking her. The nanny goat appeared to have surrendered after the initial skirmish. She stood tied to the stall, contentedly munching hay.
With a deft downward pull, he finished milking and patted the goat's rump. Faster than the blink of an eye, Apolinaria landed a well-placed kick to his mid-section. His hands flew up, his arms wind milling in the air. His balance lost, he went over, landing with a sickening thud against the concrete floor.
"Uumph," the sound of his breath leaving his lungs echoed in the still barn.
Natalia darted forward to help. But he righted himself quickly, drawing deep breaths and letting loose another string of profanity. She stopped and hesitated again, not quite ready to let him know she was watching him. So, Esteban, the bad boy wasn't completely tamed. He still knew how to cuss with the best of them. She smiled to herself.
"¡Mira! Enough of that!" She shouted.
His dark head swiveled, and his gaze found her. He lowered his eyes. The barn was dark, but she could have sworn he blushed.
So much for her image of him as a dangerous man.
He scrambled to his feet and dusted himself off. " Por favor , I apologize, Natalia. I didn't know you were there."
"Not a good excuse. I know Apolinaria can be ... difficult at times. But really, Esteban, your language ..."
She grinned to herself, loving his embarrassment. Being the serious-minded person she was, he was usually the one who teased her. Now the shoe was on the other foot, and she couldn't be more pleased.
"I, ah, I know, I shouldn't---"
"Okay, let's not dwell on it." She bit her lip to keep from smiling.
" Está bien ." He thrust his hands into his blue jeans.
The breath caught in Natalia's throat. With his hands inside his almost-too-tight jeans, it stretched the fabric thin, revealing the distinct outline of his sex. Her heart thudded, low and deep, somewhere in her nether regions. A warm, wet slickness started between her thighs. She itched to cross her legs and stop the tell-tale evidence, but that would look odd.
Instead, she went on the offensive. "Hey, you weren't supposed to be here today, and you scared me to death. I thought you were a vandal or worse. Where's your car?"
"It's in the shop. It's the alternator, I think." He removed his hands from his jeans to explain, making vague rotary motions. "You see, the starter has teeth on it and when one of those teeth break off, the alternator won't engage and the car won't start."
She nodded, not understanding half of what he'd said. All she cared was that he'd removed his hands from his pockets. She hadn't realized it, but she'd been holding her breath. Gulping air, she felt giddy.
"So how did you get here?" she asked.
"Hitched from the main road to the turn-off and walked the rest of the way."
"I see. Pura didn't mention you would be coming today."
"Didn't she?" His voice dripped
But she hadn't expected such words to be coming from the barn.
Her heart sprinted, as if running a marathon. The farm was miles from town, linked by a rutted road. Her grandmother had taken the only vehicle. What if a thug was hiding in the barn? Panicked, she turned toward the house. She would lock herself in and call for the police. But something stopped her. She knew that voice, and the voice belonged to Esteban.
What was he doing here, unannounced? And why was he cursing?
Her fright forgotten, she marched to the barn and slipped through the open doors. The gloom of the wooden building enveloped her, and it took a few moments for her eyes to adjust. Not wanting Esteban to notice her, she hugged the inside of the door and stayed quiet. Peering over the stalls, she discovered what the fuss had been about. He'd cornered Apolinaria and was milking her. The nanny goat appeared to have surrendered after the initial skirmish. She stood tied to the stall, contentedly munching hay.
With a deft downward pull, he finished milking and patted the goat's rump. Faster than the blink of an eye, Apolinaria landed a well-placed kick to his mid-section. His hands flew up, his arms wind milling in the air. His balance lost, he went over, landing with a sickening thud against the concrete floor.
"Uumph," the sound of his breath leaving his lungs echoed in the still barn.
Natalia darted forward to help. But he righted himself quickly, drawing deep breaths and letting loose another string of profanity. She stopped and hesitated again, not quite ready to let him know she was watching him. So, Esteban, the bad boy wasn't completely tamed. He still knew how to cuss with the best of them. She smiled to herself.
"¡Mira! Enough of that!" She shouted.
His dark head swiveled, and his gaze found her. He lowered his eyes. The barn was dark, but she could have sworn he blushed.
So much for her image of him as a dangerous man.
He scrambled to his feet and dusted himself off. " Por favor , I apologize, Natalia. I didn't know you were there."
"Not a good excuse. I know Apolinaria can be ... difficult at times. But really, Esteban, your language ..."
She grinned to herself, loving his embarrassment. Being the serious-minded person she was, he was usually the one who teased her. Now the shoe was on the other foot, and she couldn't be more pleased.
"I, ah, I know, I shouldn't---"
"Okay, let's not dwell on it." She bit her lip to keep from smiling.
" Está bien ." He thrust his hands into his blue jeans.
The breath caught in Natalia's throat. With his hands inside his almost-too-tight jeans, it stretched the fabric thin, revealing the distinct outline of his sex. Her heart thudded, low and deep, somewhere in her nether regions. A warm, wet slickness started between her thighs. She itched to cross her legs and stop the tell-tale evidence, but that would look odd.
Instead, she went on the offensive. "Hey, you weren't supposed to be here today, and you scared me to death. I thought you were a vandal or worse. Where's your car?"
"It's in the shop. It's the alternator, I think." He removed his hands from his jeans to explain, making vague rotary motions. "You see, the starter has teeth on it and when one of those teeth break off, the alternator won't engage and the car won't start."
She nodded, not understanding half of what he'd said. All she cared was that he'd removed his hands from his pockets. She hadn't realized it, but she'd been holding her breath. Gulping air, she felt giddy.
"So how did you get here?" she asked.
"Hitched from the main road to the turn-off and walked the rest of the way."
"I see. Pura didn't mention you would be coming today."
"Didn't she?" His voice dripped
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