Page 75 of More Than a Fling

“Just don’t get too comfortable. I don’t want you living in fear the rest of your life but on the other hand, keep your eyes wide open,” J.J. said.

“I will.”

Annie’s first customer arrived so she took a last gulp of coffee and went to greet them.

* * *

Gabe sighed heavily, he wanted Annie back to stay for good. The house felt like a tomb without her. How had he ever managed to get out of bed before Annie came into his life? She was his muse, his breath, his light, he knew that he was ruined for any other woman, he had found his mate, his other half. There wasn’t any question for him that he wanted to spend the rest of his life waking up with her beside him. He only hoped she’d come to the same conclusion. The sooner the better. He would try to talk her into a fancy date on Friday and tell her how he felt.

His offer for the farmhouse had been accepted, so now it was a matter of inspections and financing then he’d be moving. Without Annie none of it would matter. Her insecurity and jealousy were frustrating, but he supposed if it were reversed, he would want to smash the guy’s face in. It wouldn’t make him doubt her though.

Slapping a sandwich together, he sat at the kitchen table to eat and think about his busy day ahead and prioritize what needed to get done. Slim was back at work but on restrictions for another week. Cal was a real champ and had easily picked up the slack while Slim had been down. He wanted to squeeze in a longer session with Midnight today since the clock was ticking. Where had the time gone? He could hardly believe their time together was almost at an end.

Chugging his milk and then rinsing the glass, he rose to go face the rest of his day. Knowing that he wouldn’t see Annie tonight was a bummer, but he had a lot to do to keep himself occupied. It was almost impossible to remember what his life had been like before Annie.

* * *

Annie spent the next couple of nights ambling around her condo listlessly.Damn him!How the hell had she let this happen? She was miserable without him. She felt hollowed out. They were going on a date Friday night and Gabe had told her to dress up fancy. She had decided she would take the leap and tell him how she was feeling. The time apart, albeit painful, had given her a fresh perspective. This issue was clearly hers and not Gabe’s. He had been honest and forthright about everything. She would have to get a grip on her insecurities and trust him if they were going to make it. There would always be beautiful women attracted to him. She turned out her bedside lamp and fell asleep thinking of Gabe’s warm hands caressing her.

34

What I wouldn’t give fer a cigarette right about now. Jist can’t get a good night of sleepin anymore.Ever since Slim had returned from the hospital he felt restless and tired at the same time. Glancing at the bedside clock he saw that it was only three a.m. He threw back the covers and got up; any hope of rest was a lost cause at this point. Gus, who had been curled up next to him sound asleep, looked at him and yawned.

“Ya got somin to say little fella?” The kitten stretched out and went back to snoozing.

Slim threw on his old jeans and stepped outside to get some fresh air. The stars were out in full tonight. Slim itched for a drag. He heard an owl off in the distance and then his ears perked up when he thought he heard a neigh coming from the barn.That’s strange, they should all be out in the pasture. I know I saw Gabe turnin em out.He was going to ignore it then he heard a squeal and went to get his boots.

As he approached the barn, he caught a whiff of smoke and the hair stood up on the back of his old weathered neck. He walked straight through the barn toward the stalls where he had heard the squeals coming from. When he arrived, there was smoke and flames licking the back wall. He went into full alert.

He was startled to see the silhouette of a person through a haze of smoke.Someone standing in the aisle at three a.m?

“What the dang blame hell are you doing here? Why is that filly in her stall? She supossin to be out.” Slim called out. “What ya doin here? Tresspassin? At least ya kin grab some buckets out of the stalls fill em up quick.”

Slim saw the figure ahead of him lift an arm and shout, “No!” It was the last thing Slim heard before he was hit on the back of the head and fell to the ground unconscious.

* * *

Gabe woke up. Something wasn’t right. He smelled smoke. With his windows open he could hear a horse squealing in the distance. He jumped out of bed and threw on some pants as he ran out the door. He almost collided with Sam who was heading in the same direction.

“What the fuck?” Gabe said.

In the distance Gabe could hear the sirens of an emergency vehicle approaching. “Did you call?” Gabe yelled as they ran into the barn.

“No,” Sam replied.

The first thing Gabe saw through the smoke and flames was a small crumpled figure lying in front of Midnight’s stall.

“Slim!”

Gabe rushed over and grabbed Slim under his arms and hauled him out, which was easy as he weighed next to nothing. Sam rushed to Midnight’s stall with flames darting all around, scorching them both and the smoke burning his lungs. He felt like it was a thousand degrees and he was breathing fire.

Midnight was rearing, her eyes rolling back in her terror. Sam managed to wrap a rope around her neck and pull as he talked soothingly, trying to get her out. She wouldn’t budge. Fourteen hundred pounds of resistance. He didn’t stand a chance. The fire was engulfing the barn now and he had seconds if that. He was praying for a miracle when Gabe ran back into the inferno.

“Give me the rope!” Gabe commanded. “Get outside and get some oxygen.Now!” he said as Sam protested. After pulling Slim to safety he had run back in for Sam and Midnight. It was the right call.

She was in full-on prey-animal panic, beyond communication. Gabe kept the alarm from his own voice as he spoke to her. When she realized it was Gabe, she immediately calmed, her ears moving back and forth, still terrified, but her trust in Gabe was absolute. Still prancing, she followed the man she had grown to trust and love out into the night and out of harm’s way…she literally had walked through fire for Gabe.

Gabe could have cried with relief. The firefighters were now on-scene and battling the fire. The ambulance already had Slim on board and were leaving, sirens blaring. A second one had arrived, and they were currently forcing Sam to put on an oxygen mask for smoke inhalation. Sam was black with soot and his hair was singed pretty good. Overall, he didn’t appear to have any severe burns.

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