03-17-2016, 08:28 AM
ii. Strength
"I may not come by for a while."
The porch-swing supporting Neal Perry's weight stopped its rhythmic squeaking and the rancher sat forward with a heavy finality, as if he were settling in to listen for the long haul. He found he usually was, when it came to Kiara Woolfe. The brunette had appeared at their door in Morrison shy of dusk, the way she tended to more and more often of late, her arms folded over her chest, leaning into a column. The homestead had several, they lined the porch; supported the weight of the old, sloping roof-line.
Neal had fetched two beers, the way he usually did.
Then he'd re-joined the younger woman on the porch where she'd retreated to sit and stare up at the first tiny glimmers of starlight and waited, popping the cap off both bottles.
There was something in her voice that persuaded him not to argue. "Okay, then." Much. "You plannin' to tell me why or let me make an educated guess?"
"It's complicated."
Her eyes gleamed in the dark. There was more snow predicted and the air carried a bite he could feel all the way inside his boots. "'Bout what I supposed. You need me to worry about you, Kiara Woolfe?"
There was a flash of teeth, her eyes found his in the dark, she tugged her collar up against the gathering chill; dropped her chin down.
"No, but I like that you want to all the same."
-
Later, she watched the Perry's Ranch grow smaller and smaller in her rear-view until the trees swallowed it, a tall figure milling in the drive was joined by another. They embraced and turned to observe the taillights vanishing over the hill before turning to walk back inside.
"I may not come by for a while."
The porch-swing supporting Neal Perry's weight stopped its rhythmic squeaking and the rancher sat forward with a heavy finality, as if he were settling in to listen for the long haul. He found he usually was, when it came to Kiara Woolfe. The brunette had appeared at their door in Morrison shy of dusk, the way she tended to more and more often of late, her arms folded over her chest, leaning into a column. The homestead had several, they lined the porch; supported the weight of the old, sloping roof-line.
Neal had fetched two beers, the way he usually did.
Then he'd re-joined the younger woman on the porch where she'd retreated to sit and stare up at the first tiny glimmers of starlight and waited, popping the cap off both bottles.
There was something in her voice that persuaded him not to argue. "Okay, then." Much. "You plannin' to tell me why or let me make an educated guess?"
"It's complicated."
Her eyes gleamed in the dark. There was more snow predicted and the air carried a bite he could feel all the way inside his boots. "'Bout what I supposed. You need me to worry about you, Kiara Woolfe?"
There was a flash of teeth, her eyes found his in the dark, she tugged her collar up against the gathering chill; dropped her chin down.
"No, but I like that you want to all the same."
-
Later, she watched the Perry's Ranch grow smaller and smaller in her rear-view until the trees swallowed it, a tall figure milling in the drive was joined by another. They embraced and turned to observe the taillights vanishing over the hill before turning to walk back inside.