City to Sticks

Chapter Two

2—Jake P.O.V.

Today was like every other Sunday morning for me. I got up before dawn and headed to the Triple-H farm to work. Hal and Hessie Radcliffe were a couple of the nicest people you'd ever meet. Hessie could be bossy and kind of a hard-ass at times, but she was an amazing lady. I was learning so much from them.

My friends didn't understand it. Why would I want to give up most of my free time to work? Most of my friends didn't know what it was like to not have food on the table some nights though. My mom had done her best, trying to raise three boys all by herself, but there had only been so much she could do. So as soon as I was old enough, I got a job to help out. My younger brother Justin had just turned fourteen and got a job at the meat market this year, so that would help too. My youngest brother Jeremy was only ten, so still too young to work.

I knew the Radcliffe's would be heading out to church in a couple hours. They didn't like that I worked instead of attending mass a lot of Sunday's, but honestly that was my favorite time at their farm. Without them there, I could pretend it was my own farm. It was probably silly of an eighteen year old to be fantasizing and pretending like that, but nobody had to know.

So when I pulled up at their barn, where I would milk three dozen cows today, I was surprised to already find a light on inside the barn. I was even more surprised by what I found inside. Hessie stood near one of the cows while she snapped out instructions to someone on the stool. What the hell? Had I been replaced?

"Holly, you're not even listening? That is not how you're supposed to do it." Hessie threw her hands up in frustration.

The person on the stool suddenly stood up to square off with Hessie and all of the air whooshed out of my lungs. The beautiful creature was a female, about my age, with strawberry blonde hair that had been pulled up into a messy ponytail. She wore a pale blue spaghetti strap tank top that appeared thin and well-worn, without a bra underneath. The old worn-out coat she wore over it hung open and I could see her nipples pebble from the cold. I swallowed past the lump in my throat. She wore pajama pants with light blue clouds all over them. The pants rode low on her hips, showing some of her skin between them and the poor excuse of a shirt. She wore a pair of Muck boots that appeared to be four sizes too big. All-in-all I'd say she was about the cutest, sexiest hot mess I'd ever seen.

"Grams, I've never done this before and all you've done is yell at me! We just got here yesterday afternoon, I cried myself to sleep last night, and you drag me out of bed just to yell at me?" She sounded ready to cry again, in my opinion. Then she suddenly turned, trying to bolt, and ran right into me. She bumped into my chest and I put my arms around her to hold her steady. Wow that felt nice, until she shrieked in surprise and pulled away. After taking several steps back, and spending an uncomfortable amount of time looking me over, she crossed her arms over her chest and glared, "Who are you?"

"Holly this is Jake. I told you about him last night." Hessie added, for my benefit, "Jake this is my granddaughter, Holly. She and her mother are going to be staying here for some time. Holly is going to be helping you milk the cows, among other things."

"Pleased to meet you, Holly." More than pleased actually. If she thought crossing her arms like that was hiding her from me, she was dead wrong. All it did was serve to push her tits together, showcasing a nice amount of cleavage that I was having a hard time ignoring.

Holly suddenly blurted, "You're not Jake. You can't be."

"Uh, I am or at least that's what my underwear says." I teased, but I was actually serious. With three boys, mom had started labeling our underwear to keep them straight.

Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned my underwear, because her eyes dipped to my crotch for a second and I fidgeted under her gaze. Then her eyes snapped back up and she looked away, blushing.

"I've got to start breakfast. Jake would mind giving it a try with Holly?" Hessie asked.

"Giving it a try?" My mind instantly snapped to a very naughty place and I knew Hessie would be ashamed of me.

"Teach Holly how to milk? You have way more patience than I've ever had anyway." Hessie said and left the barn.

"I'm not doing it." Holly snipped.

I frowned. Now that I thought it, with her nose in the air and the way she stood, Holly was definitely a city girl. I shook my head, "I beg to differ, Stormy. If your Grandma wants you to help, then you'll help. Now get over there, sit your pretty little ass down on that stool, and I'll show you what to do."

Her eyes snapped at me and I thought she'd scold me for bossing her around or maybe yell at me for commenting about her ass, instead she glared, "Stormy?"

I shrugged, "I walk in here to you yelling, all fired up like a storm. Besides, you have clouds on your pants. Why did you say that I couldn't be Jake?"

Holly looked everywhere but at me when she explained, "The way Grams described you, I was picturing an unattractive nerd."

I couldn't quite hide my grin as I asked, "Do you find me attractive, Stormy?"

She rolled her eyes and marched over to the stool, taking a seat and refusing to answer. She reached for the suction cups that were hooked up to the milking machine, but she was going about it all wrong. I shook my head and headed toward her. What would she have done before we had the milking machine? I couldn't imagine her being too happy to fondle a cow udder.

"You're doing it wrong." Standing behind her, I reached around her and guide her through it. Upon first touching her hands, I felt the same jolt I'd felt when she ran into me and I'd held her for a minute. A moment later, Holly had attached the suctions successfully. I smiled, "Good job."

"Thanks." She muttered and I looked down to see her looking at my hands, which still rested lightly on hers. To test her a little, I rubbed them up her arms, slowly. While looking down, I noticed I could see right down her tank top and wow was it a beautiful sight. I knew that I shouldn't be acting this way, but there was something about her that made me want to be bad. All of my manners and good intentions seemed to fly right out the window.

I lifted my hands away from her and straightened, clearing my throat, "Right. Ok. How many cows did your grandmother ask you to do?"

"Six." She said, but something about the way she said it, told me she was lying. I narrowed my eyes and she sighed, "Fine. Twelve."

"We better get to work then." I tell her and for the next couple cows I help her again, until I feel comfortable letting her do it alone. We then worked in silence and finished at about the same time. I smiled at you, "You did good, Stormy."

She smiled too and I'd thought she was beautiful before, but smiling she was gorgeous. Then her smile dimmed and she started for the door. I wasn't sure what changed her mood just now, but the nickname I'd given her fit perfectly. Clouds seemed to have settled over her. I didn't like it, so I decided to try to get her riled up again.

"Hey, Stormy, you might want to wear a bra tomorrow. I mean I'm not complaining, you have an awesome rack, I just..."

She whirled to face me, with a murderous glare, "I thought Cowboys were supposed to be gentlemen."

I smiled and moved toward her, getting into her space. She held her ground, tipping her head back to hold my gaze. I smirked and let my eyes dip to wear I could once again look down her shirt, "I'm usually a gentleman yes, but when you're practically naked...what's a guy to do?"

"I am not practically naked." She huffed and whirled around, trying to walk out, but she tripped over a bucket. I tried to catch her, but I was too late. She tumbled to the ground, where she got covered in mud and probably manure. I hurried forward, intent on helping her, but she held up her palms, stopping me. Then she scrambled to her feet with unshed tears in her eyes, as she hurried from the barn. Shit, did I really make her cry?