Page 9 of That One Night

Font Size:

I want you to tick one item off your list this week. Or there’ll be trouble. ;)

Damn, she missed her, even if she could be a pain sometimes. It was only a matter of time before Maisie called her to see if she’d done as she asked.

She glanced around the woods. Jed and the farmhands were busy rotating cattle on the other side of the property. Nobody ever came back here. Not anymore.

She could do this. Just a quick dip. A rebel move. A silent “screw you” to the box she’d spent the last decade squeezing herself into.

Before she could think too hard, she tugged off her sneakers and socks, neatly tucking them aside. Her shorts and tank top followed. Then, standing in just her underwear, she hesitated.

Maybe this was enough. Technically, she could lie and say she did it?—

No. If she was doing this, she was doing it right.

With a determined breath, she unhooked her bra, then shimmied out of her panties, folding them on top of the pile.

The water sparkled invitingly in the late afternoon sun. “Just do it,” she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.

Because a good girl wouldn’t.

And right now she was trying hard not to be one.

She walked forward, letting the cool water lap at her feet, then her calves and her thighs, until she pushed off and dove beneath the surface. A rush of silence enveloped her, the water soothing against her heated skin as she surfaced, blinking into the dappled light.

She floated for a moment, breath steadying. The ache in her chest loosened.

Was this what peace felt like?

For the first time in months, maybe years, she felt like herself.

At least until a loud bleat shattered the stillness.

“Maa.”

She jerked upright, scanning the opposite bank.

Another bleat. Deeper this time.

And then she saw him. A goat, casually weaving his way through the edge of the woods.

“Oh no.” she squinted. Definitely a billy. Probably feral. He had a smug look about him.

“Hey, cutie,” she called softly, swimming closer to the edge.

The goat blinked at her, unimpressed. Then turned... and headed straight for her clothes.

“No,” she groaned. “No, no, don’t you dare!”

She swam hard toward shore, but it was too late. The goat was already rooting through the pile. With astonishing speed, he snagged her panties and tank top in his mouth – and to her horror, her bra too – and took off like a four-legged bandit.

“Get your mouth off my panties!” she shouted, scrambling out of the pond, slick water trailing down her bare skin.

He paused, looked at her as if considering her request... then bolted.

“Oh, you bad, bad goat!”

She lunged for him, grabbing at her bra, but he yanked it out of reach and darted past her, her clothing flapping like a banner of humiliation between his teeth.

Left with only her shorts, she yanked them on and took off in pursuit, one arm desperately covering her chest. Her bare feet slapped the earth as she chased him along the edge of the trees.