Free The Weston Front by Gray Gardner

shut with his chest very bare and crumpled up jeans in his fist covering his important parts.
    “Feeling better?” he asked, grinning as he leaned against the door.
    “Y-yes,” I replied, frowning up at him and trying my hardest to focus on his face.  “What do you mean?”
    “When we got home West was here fussing all over you.  Said you weren’t well…”
    “That wa s Wes t ?” I squealed, unconsciously folding my arms over my breasts.  Somehow, when I thought it’d been Rowdy I was angry that he’d taken my clothes off.  But now that I knew it was West I was mortified.  I blushed as I looked back up at Rowdy.  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
    “Hey, are you really okay?  What happened?”
    “Nothing,” I replied, throwing a quick smile over my shoulder and busying myself with making coffee.  He waited a moment before shutting the door, and I instantly relaxed when he did.
    Oh god, how much had West seen last night, not including my naked body?  Had he seen my melt down on the phone with my ex-fiancé?  Attractive.  Really fucking attractive.  I stood on the deck, sipping my coffee in the morning sunlight as everything dripped from the rain the night before.  What was I going to do?  Go on like nothing had happened?  Go home?
    My stomach growled as I inhaled the fresh pine air and felt a little better by the minute.  Dan had said that I hadn’t done anything wrong…that I shouldn’t change.  That still wasn’t really an answer as to why he’d broken up with me but I did feel a little better about it.  I resolved that I was going to have a good day that day even if it killed me.
    Freshly showered and dressed I clomped my muddy boots up the road towards the coffee shop.  I pulled the brim of my hat low over my eyes so I wouldn’t have to make eye contact when I passed people.  My t-shirt was from my old days in the National Literature Honors Society, and was white with black lettering and the words, ‘I Like Big Books and I Cannot Lie’ across the front.  I smiled as I wore the thin shirt.  It was one of my favorites, reminding me of fun times in college.
    “I really wish you’d just let me know when you’re ready to leave your cabin.”
    My muscles clenched, but I tried not to act too surprised as I leaned on the sturdy log fence surrounding the coffee shop.  Sipping my coffee, I took a big bite of my muffin and threw a small grin up at West.  He stood there, hands on his hips, just waiting for me to defend myself, I’m sure.  I remained silent.
    He pressed his lips together in a hard line, annoyed by the looks of it, and then disappeared inside.  I exhaled and ate another bite of my muffin, watching the kids play baseball in a pasture in the distance.  The hair on my neck stood up and I threw a quick glance over my shoulder, finding West standing there with a paper coffee cup, just staring at me.  I jerked my head back around and sipped my coffee, ignoring him.
    He exhaled as he stood next to me, contemplating whether or not to bring up last night, and the running away from the barn dance, and the crying, and the nakedness…clearly.  I think he decided it was best to just show a little mercy, though.
    “So, what do you want to do today?”
    I tossed the muffin wrapping and coffee cup in the trash can and brushed my hands together.  “I want to shoot stuff,” I replied, putting my hands on my hips and staring up at him.
    The smallest of grins appeared on his face but he quickly turned his head and adjusted his hat, his eyes squinting in the sunlight.  He sipped his coffee and cleared his throat, only looking down at me when he could conjure up hi s seriou s face.
    “If we go there you absolutely have to do what I say, exactly how I say it, and exactly when I say it, or there will be consequences, am I clear?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
    “Yes, you’ll reprimand me if I’m a bad girl,” I smirked, totally mocking him.
    He inhaled and threw his