Free Destined to Change by Lisa M. Harley Page A

He didn’t have much to say to me. We mostly just made small talk. He even mentioned the weather again. I started to think that maybe I had imagined it. Maybe there weren’t any sparks there.
    The kids fell asleep after lunch, so I decided I would take a ride out through the property and check on the most recent shipment of cattle. It was a strong rule in our family that we didn’t work on Sunday’s, but to me this didn’t count as work.
    I went home and changed clothes, and then I jumped on one of the four-wheelers and headed out. I was riding along, looking out over our vast property and feeling lucky that it was all ours. Knowing one day Sammy and Mags would inherit it. I couldn’t help but be proud of the accomplishments I had made since taking over the management of the farm. I had handled the acquisition of most of the acreage and cattle.  I couldn’t even imagine all of the amazing things Sammy and Mags would be able to do when they took it over. I also couldn’t help but be happy that the property was vast and they could live on opposite sides.
    As I was enjoying my daydream about the future, I hit a huge rock, veered off and hit a tree.  Just my luck. I wasn’t hurt, but the front of the four-wheeler was caved in a little and there was smoke coming out of it, which I could only assume was not a good sign.
    While I was saying a few choice words to the tree and the four-wheeler I heard someone say, “Need some help?”
    Jaxon, of course, my pierced, tattooed, knight in shining armor. He had on an old pair of jeans that were worn at the knees and a wife-beater, his tattoos were prominently displayed.  It was a pretty warm day and he had been working, which we weren’t supposed to be doing on Sunday, so he was sweating just enough to sparkle. Oh my god the man was actually sparkling!
    Realizing I sounded like a damsel in distress, I said, “It seems as though I do.”
    He walked around to the front of the four-wheeler. He tinkered with something under the hood and told me he would bring a trailer down to pick it up later. Then he climbed onto his four-wheeler and motioned to me. “Hop on.”
    I climbed on behind him and I had to hold on, so I wrapped my arms around his waist and held on tight. I told myself that, in order to be safe, I had to hold on tight; it made perfect sense.
    We rode all around the property. Stopping a few times to fix some fence and help a few cattle get back with the rest of the herd. Before I knew it, it was getting dark and then I felt it – one lone raindrop. We raced back to the barn, but we were too late. The skies opened up and that one raindrop turned into sheets of rain falling down on us.
    We were soaking wet. Jaxon tried to get us back as fast as possible, but in his haste he ran into a huge puddle and the four-wheeler sank in. He climbed off and asked me to try to gun it while he pushed so we could get it unstuck.
    He stepped behind the four-wheeler and started to push while I accelerated. About that time mud flew all over him! He was covered in it, the four-wheeler was beyond stuck, and I couldn’t quit laughing.
    “You think this is funny, huh? I don’t like it when you laugh at me. Come here, babe.” Jaxon grabbed me, pressing his body to mine as he covered me in mud. The mud didn’t bother me though, because it meant that Jaxon was pressed firmly against me. And then the sparks flew. I definitely hadn’t imagined that spark.
    He looked down at me as we stood in the middle of a rainstorm, and I heard him whisper to himself, “Fuck it.” Then he took my mouth with such force that we fell into the mud. We both laughed until we couldn’t anymore because our tongues were too busy dancing. His hands were under my t-shirt and on my breasts before I even knew what was happening. Wow, he could kiss and he felt amazing. He pulled my wet shirt over my head, and I helped him get his off.  He pulled the cups of my bra down under my breasts. His lips trailed down my