He shakes his head. “Nah. Why don’t we take my truck, and I’ll drive you back to your car after?” I’m sure my eyes look as wide as saucers. He holds up a hand in surrender, the other keeping a firm grip on his apple cider. “I still promise I’m not a serial killer. Truly just wanna bring you to my farm.” It’s his turn for his eyes to go wide at the realisation of what he just implied. “Uh, to see my animals! You know the rescue animals I have? Oh God.” His hand raises to begin rubbing the back of his neck.
A chuckle bubbles out of my mouth before I can stop it. At least I’m not the only one who can blabber like a fool sometimes. “It’s okay, if it’s anyone who understands saying the awkward thing?” I shrug. “It’s me.” Our eyes connect, and there’s a pregnant pause.
Xavier takes a step closer, he offers up his free hand. “Shall we, then?”
I put my hand in his, and follow him down the sidewalk. We finish the last of our apple ciders and toss them in a garbage can as we near his black Ford F-150. He opens the passenger side and motions for me to get in. I grab the support bar as I lift myself up. He makes sure I’msettled before he shuts the door and walks around the front. I take the moment to really watch him. He takes his baseball cap off, running his fingers through his hair before placing it back on his head…backwards. My stomach does little flutters at the sight. I begin to imagine what it would be like to take the cap off and toss it on the ground as I straddle his lap. My mind wanders, imagining my fingers combing through his hair, as his lips brush a path down my throat.
Woah. I shake my head out of that train of thought, pressing my thighs together to release the building tension. The driver side door opens, and Xavier is hopping up and buckling himself in before starting the truck.
“You ready?” He asks with ease.
“Let’s do it.”
The ride to his farm was chill. Xavier told me a couple stories about his donkey, Clyde, that had me crying from laughing so hard.
“Stop!” I snort. “He did not break into the porch.”
“I wish I was kidding, I woke up to him laying on the couch I left in there. Needless to say, I got rid of it after.”
“Did you actually get rid of it?” I ask, while wiping at my eyes.
There's a beat before he answers, “Okay, no. I moved it into his stall, and he sleeps on it every night.”
“That is probably the sweetest thing I’ve heard.” My breathing slows as the onslaught of laughter ends. The truck had stopped at this point, and I didn’t even realize we were here. I unbuckle myself, moving to open my door, before I’m interrupted. “Wait, let me.” Xavier, quick as the wind, unbuckles himself and opens his door, taking the time to hit the lock button before jumping out. Did he seriously just lock me in the truck to stop me from opening my door? He runs around the front of the truck, unlocks the door and opens it for me, then offers his hand.
I raise my eyebrow in question, as I take his hand and slide down the truck. My feet land awkwardly on the ground, sending me flying forward.
Again.
This time I crash into a solid wall of chest, the hand not holding his landing in the center of his broad chest as I stabilize myself.
“Ohmygod,” I rush out, “I’m so sorry, my feet landed weird and I—”
“Really it’s okay, I don’t mind catching you when you fall.”
Heat rushes up my cheeks, and I awkwardly tap his chest, then take a step back “Well thank you…Again, for catching me.” I run my hands down my front, as if dusting myself off, but I’m really just trying to stop my hands from going clammy. “So, you promised me some ducks and donkeys.”
“Uh yeah, follow me.” He motions to the worn path circling the right side of the house. As soon as we round the corner, you can see the fenced area. I’m startled when I hear a loud bray coming from one side of the fencing. “Oh for fuck’s sake.” I hear Xavier mumble as he jogs over to the left side of the fenced area. And that’s when I see it. A grey shaggy haired donkey with his head and front leg sticking out of part of the fencing. The poor thing looks like he was trying to get out and realized too late that he couldn’t fit. I start laughing, but it dies quickly in my throat as Xavier’s ass comes into sight. His dark blue Levi’s perfectly formed around his back side.
I’m so transfixed on Xavier that I don’t realize that he’s already got the donkey out of the fence and back in his enclosure. He turns around and catches me so clearly checking him out. Quickly averting my eyes, I feel the heat of embarrassment make its way up my face. I try to think of something to say. Anything. But nothing comes out. My mouth opens and shuts with every attempt. When my eyes finally lock onto his, they are shining with amusement.
“It’s a nice ass, eh?” He comments with a smirk. I look at him dumbfounded before finally snapping out of it.
“I mean, I don’t want to boost your already large ego.” I retort with triumph that I finally was able to say something back.
He throws his head back with a laugh. It’s so hearty and carefree. I instantly know I want to hear it again, but I don’t understand why he’s laughing.
“I meant Clyde, my donkey.” He uses his thumb to point behind him, in the direction of said donkey who was just stuck in the fence. I throwmy hands over my face with a groan. “But I do appreciate the comment.” I peek through my fingers to stare at him, where he gives me a wink. “Come on, let me show you around.”
Xavier spends the next hour showing me around his small farm. It’s not anything like I’ve ever imagined. The more he tells me about it, the more I swoon at this man. Not only does he own all of these animals, but they’re all rescued. In some way shape or form, he has taken them in when no one else has wanted them.
He tells me the story of Clyde and how he came to him as a baby. A farmer came to the clinic stating that the mom rejected him. The farmer was older, and he couldn't do the care that is needed for a baby donkey but didn’t know what to do. Xavier said it didn’t take him long to say he would take him but to give him the day to sort something out to accommodate the young foal.
“That’s how this farm started though, with that doofus over there.” He points at Clyde, who is currently chasing around a soccer ball and pushing it with his nose, braying happily. We are both leaned up on the fence to Clyde’s area, watching him for a few minutes before he notices Xavier and comes trotting over. Clyde nudges at Xaviers neck and chin, rubbing his snout on him. Xavier laughs before pushing him off gently, “Alright, alright. I know what you want, give me a second.” He looks over at me and smiles. “He wants a snack, let me run into the house and grab some apples and carrots for him, and then you can feed him.” His eyebrows jump with enthusiasm.
“Me? Uh okay!” I’ve never had any experience with any sort of farm animal before, but it can’t be that hard, right? Clyde has now moved over to me and is trying to get my attention. He fluffs my hair up with his snout, blowing air into my face. I squeak at the feelings, but turn to pat him. I start to scratch under his chin, and he seems to like that because he slows his movements, letting me continue. Until a moment later, when Xavier is making his way back. Clyde swivels his head in his direction, braying loudly. I turn around to see Xavier has started to lightly jog his way over with two carrots and an apple cut in half in his hand. When hereaches me, he passes off the carrots and then holds his hand out with one of the apples for Clyde to take. The ornery donkey wastes no time.
When Clyde has finished the apples, Xavier looks over to me, offering his hand. I go to give him the carrot, but instead, he grabs my wrist and directs my hand over to Clyde. “Oh I don’t –” I begin. The carrot reaches close to Clyde and he begins to chomp on it happily. I let out a breath of a laugh as I watch Clyde eat. When the carrot is gone, the donkey sniffs around a bit before turning around and begins to run the loop of his enclosure.
