7. Storm

You relax slightly when you see Austin's familiar figure dismounting his horse. A warm gust of wind blows past you as you open the door and walk down porch as he makes his way up. When he reaches you he use one hand to take his hat off then runs the other through his hair. You note he has a rifle on his back in addition to the pistol he always keeps strapped to his side. The glint of his sheriff's badge catches your eye as he walks passed you and up the steps. You watch him take his rifle off his back before taking a seat on one of the chairs on the porch. Titling your head as he draws the rifle across his lap you slowly make your way up the stairs. Standing on the top step you look over at him curiously and cross your arms over your chest when another gust of wind blows through. This one isn't quite as warm as the previous one had been and after a moment you go to take a seat by Austin. When you're done sitting down you finally hear him say, "You shouldn't be out here by yourself."

"I've been fine by myself this far..." You reply carefully, watching his expression for any hints of what he's thinking. He cocks his head slightly towards you but his eyes don't meet yours. Slowly lowering your gaze your eyes stop when they land on his bare, tan, forearms. You sit in silence for a few more minutes as the temperature slowly subsides and the evening begins to cool down. You notice dark clouds forming in the sky and worry it might rain soon. Austin politely declines your invitation to come inside and you go in alone a moment later. After changing into a nightgown you take a look out the window at Austin. He's leaned back in the chair, smoking a hand rolled cigarette, as he stares ahead into distance. Your finger tips gently press against the window pane and you exhale slightly causing glass in front of you to fog up. When you see Austin shift slightly in his seat you quickly pull away and move to your bed.

A large clap of thunder startles you awake some time later. The fire in the hearth has grown weak and barely casts enough light for you to make out your surroundings. Rain and wind beats wildly against the window beside your bed, rattling the thin panes. Grabbing your robe you quick get out of bed and throw it on before going to the door. A large gust of wind gushes in as you pull the door open and you feel the sting of rain drops cutting across your face. Looking over to the side you see Austin hunched down in his chair with his arm crossed over his chest. "Austin!" The howling wind nearly drowns out your voice but you see Austin raise his head in your direction. "It's freezing out here, please, come in side." A flash of lightening shoots across the sky and illuminates Austin's torn expression. He looks as if he's about to decline again but finally agrees when you remind him he'll be of little good protecting you if he gets sick.

Austin remains a few steps behind you as you make your way in and head over to the dying fire. In the corner of your eye you can see Austin hesitantly shrug off his jacket while you add a few logs to the hearth. You turn away, focusing your attention on the task at hand, and in a moment the fire is roaring again. Standing up and turning around to face Austin you notice his shirt has been soaked through by the rain. The chest with your fathers clothes has remained untouched since his **** but you go over to it now and open the lid. While he wasn't as tall as Austin you're fairly confident one of his old shirts will fit and bring it over to him. You're slightly caught off guard when he doesn't step away and instead begins unbuttoning his shirt in front of you. Water droplets trickle down his taut chest as he pulls the wet shirt off and you feel your heart beating rapidly. Exhaling shakily you gingerly reach out and run your finger tips down the center of his torso.

Austin tenses slightly and you reluctantly pull your hand away, blushing at your forwardness. You begin turning away from him but stop when he grabs your hand. "I worry about you." You tilt your head in confusion at his words and look up Austin's face. There's something behind his expression but you can't make it out, you're beginning to wonder if you'll ever be able to read him. "I worry about you too, you know. I wish we had more time together..." You trail off and bite your lip in anticipation of his reply. He frowns slightly before taking a step forward and your heart skips a beat when you hear him say, "I'm here now." A tremble runs through your body when he places a hand under you chin and gently tilts your face up. All of the air seems to escape your lungs when you feel his warm lips lightly press against your own. His hand runs down your jaw and stops along your partially bare shoulder. You feel yourself melt slightly as his kiss becomes more fervent and he uses his other hand to pull you closer. Your own hands move up along his muscular arms as you become lost in his embrace.

While you've kissed a few boys in the past none of your previous experiences were anything compared to this. You're especially unprepared when you feel his hand move down along the front of your robe before pulling it's sash undone. A blush quickly creeps over your face as you feel your nipples pressing against the sheer fabric of the nightgown. Austin's breath has grown slightly ragged and you gasp when he steps forward forcing your back against the wall behind you. His lips move down to your neck and you feel his hand grip tightly around your waist. Even though you know you should be scandalized by his unabashed behavior a burning feeling in your core moves you forward. Wrapping your arms around his shoulders to pull him closer, you moan slightly as his hand brush against your chest. You feel a tremble of anticipation and excitement when his fingers reach the ribbon holding the front of your nightgown closed.