The Brighter Side (Ziall)

Chapter 10

After our day trip out in the fields with the horses I found myself more in tune with my horse loving side. I especially liked Patches. And Nelly, well Nelly we had to work on him. Niall and I washed the horses down, spraying the hose at each other every once in a while. It was at the end of the day when we both realized that we had been in the same clothes for way too long and it was time to go back inside, even though Niall wasn’t too sure if he should. That boy would have slept in the barn if I hadn’t had a say in anything.

“Sorry, but sleeping on hay bales is not one of the many things I’m good at. “ I chuckled while scuffing the bottom of my dirt caked shoes on the wooden block just outside of the barn.

“I just don’t want to go in there.” Niall pointed at the house. Chris’ car was still in the driveway so it looked like he took the day off work. I sighed and just grabbed Niall’s hand, squeezing in gently before tugging him out of the barn.

“It’ll be fine. And if it’s not, well, toughen up cowboy.” I tried again to imitate his twang, but then failed once again. He only laughed at my failure and walked with me to the house. When we got to the door, I let go of his hand. A small frown appeared on his face, but I didn’t want Maura or Chris thinking there was something between Niall and I, even though there definitely was.

I walked in first to see who was in the kitchen. I slipped out of my shoes and pulled my shirt off my body, heading towards the laundry room. Niall followed me in, doing the same task, but also taking off his dirty jeans, leaving him only in his boxers. “I’m going to take a shower.” He said as he hurried out of the laundry room and upstairs to the bathroom. I watched him as he went and nearly drooled, because not only was he almost naked, but also he was dirty with sweat and it was a near death experience for me.

“Is he okay?” I looked up to see Maura had been sitting in the living room. She was sitting there with an open book in her lap. I hoped that she didn’t see me checking out her son as he jogged up the stairs.

“I think so.” I replied honestly. “We went for a ride and talked about some things. He’s at least calmed down.” Maura nodded at me and thanked me before I went upstairs to take my own shower. I wondered where Chris had gone, but when I passed the office, I saw that he was working on something. I wanted to assure him that Niall was better now, just like I had done with Maura, but I didn’t want to interrupt whatever important thing he was doing.

I wandered down the hallway and quickly jumped into the shower to clean the dirt and grime off my body. I also brushed my teeth because I had a terrible taste of old cigarettes and alcohol in my mouth. I wondered how Niall was even able to bare kissing me. I definitely smelled horrible.

The shower I took was probably the best decision I had had in the past twenty-four hours. I must have stood underneath the water for a god thirty minutes before I actually washed my hair and soaped up my body. When I got out I decided to shave off the stubble that had been growing on my face. It came in dark and sometimes I let it grow because I did look good with a slight beard, but I didn’t feel up to grooming more each morning so I shaved it off.

“Ah I liked that part.” Niall spoke up in my doorway. I jumped a little because I didn’t know he was there. Sneaky little bastard. “But you look good either way.”

“I know I do.” I said cockily. “Do you ever grow out yours?”