Microfantasy Monday, week 77: Rain

This week’s Microfantasy Monday writing prompt is ‘Rain’, inspired by April showers and brought to us by Ang, the Sweltering Celt.. thanks, hon!

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The forecast had been promising rain all week, though that was a laugh because anybody more than a couple of years old could tell you there’d be rain off and on until late June.  Despite the warnings, the rain had held off all week, the sun shining brilliantly in royal blue sky.  Any clouds that did show their faces, scuttled along quickly, on their way to the foothills to dump their load of rain.  But Jude knew they were due, and something in the air, the way the temperature dropped suddenly, told him it was time to head into the barn.

He glanced out the doorway, taking a moment to just watch the oncoming clouds.  These one’s were dark and brooding, and it reminded him of a certain afternoon, months prior in early fall.  His groin tightened and he groaned out loud at the memory.  As if on queue, he saw her, coming back from a trail ride, slicker tied to her saddle, her long hair pulled back under her hat.  Kate glanced over her shoulder, but didn’t hurry her horse.  Whether she was intentionally tempting the clouds or not, he didn’t know, but he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

There was still a gap in the clouds and the sun shone through like a spotlight.  It lit her up, her golden hair and pale blue western shirt, glowing against the dark backdrop of rain behind her.  She was soaking up the sun, her eyes half closed, body moving easily with the walking rhythm of her palomino gelding.  Then the rain hit, and the drumming sound on the field behind her startled her, making her jump.  Jude watched as a curtain of rain advanced across the pasture, flattening the grass.  Her smile was wide and she put heels to her ride and he began to trot.  Jude began to grin, it was gonna be too little too late, and she seemed to be resigned to it.  Just as she prompted the horse into a lope, the leading edge of rain hit her, carrying a bit of sleet.  With a shout, she hunched over and let the horse take her into the overhang outside the horse stalls.

Jude came through the barn to meet her.  She hopped down, completely soaked, pulled off her hat and shook out her hair.   Looking up, she saw him and stopped, eyes wide as he closed on her quickly, wrapping strong arms around her waist and lifting her partway off the ground.  The hunger in him grew so quickly it took his breath away and seemed to have the same effect on her.

“Oh, god, Jude.. ” she gasped and pressed her mouth against his, feeding on him feverishly, while he walked her over to the hay bale.  Sitting her down, he knelt in front of her, and, pushing wet hair back from her face, he looked into her eyes for a long moment.

“I’ve missed you, darlin, god, how I’ve missed you, Kate” She’d been gone to school, it’d been too long since they’d been alone together.  Kissing her more gently now, working his lips along her jawline to her ear. “Let’s get Pal turned in, so we can get reacquainted.”

They took care of Pal, getting him settled into his stall.  He led her to the tack room, where a narrow cot lay under a burden of horse blankets, tack and other odds and ends.  He lifted one end of the cot up, spilling all onto the floor.   Grabbing a clean blanket from a cabinet nearby he smoothed it over the cot and removed his coat, folding it into a bundle.  Placing the coat at the head of the cot, he stood back, grinning, and with a flourish, presented his handiwork to her.

“M’lady, your bed awaits.”

Her grin matched his, “Oh, Jude, you’re such a romantic” and with a growl, she pushed him down into the cot and straddled his hips.  “I’ve missed you, too, lover.”

— end part one —

Part 2 will be posted tomorrow, y’all come back now, ya hear?

 

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