Free & Wild Read online

  CHAPTER 2

  Asha

  Asha lifted a pitchfork of soiled straw and heaved it into the wheel barrow parked just behind her.

  Her cell rang for what was probably the hundredth time that morning. She checked the screen, expecting it to be the rescue group she was liaising with. Lisa Stranton, the director of a rescue who took in farm animals and placed them in a healthy living situation when assistance was required or requested, had been in a panic. She had two cows and a horse she needed a placement for.

  Asha didn’t truly feel like she had the room but she agreed anyway. Which meant that she was currently working up a sweat mucking out stalls for her new arrivals.

  She laid the pitchfork aside and sighed with relief when she recognized Katelyn’s number. “Hey.” Asha took a breath, unable to even utter another word. It was hot in the barn and cleaning stalls for hours was exhausting.

  “Hey yourself. I talked to Gabriel last night. Good news! He agreed to do the work! He needs a compromise though. He can only spare a week. If you want him there he can get there this afternoon.”

  Asha choked back a groan. Great. Just what I need. “Yah. Alright.” She only agreed because she knew how important this was to Katelyn and, ultimately, to Roseland Sanctuary. Katelyn had gone out of her way for this. The last Asha could do was host the guy for a week. It’s only for seven days after all.

  “Asha? Are you there?”

  “Yah. Sorry.” Asha reached up and wiped a beat of sweat that was trailing its way down her face. “I’m here. I’m just getting ready for a few new intakes. Tell him to come but I might not have his cabin cleaned out.”

  “Ew! Okay I’ll prepare him for spider webs and lots of dust. I can’t believe you’re putting him in the guest cabin. Those haven’t been used in years. I thought…”

  “What? That I was going to let him in the house?” Asha asked dryly. Her eyes strayed to the pitchfork. She literally itched to get back to work. She grew anxious when she couldn’t stay on top of everything and she already felt like she was running out of time.

  “Well, I thought so. There’s a guest bedroom.”

  “No. He can stay in the cabin. Don’t worry. I’ll have it ready.”

  Katelyn sighed. “Alright. I’ll let him know.” She paused. “Asha?”

  “Yes?”

  “Please be civil. I know that you can be- kind of- intimidating for some people. I really want this to work out. And Gabriel is a friend of mine.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Asha protested innocently.

  “You have a way of chasing people that you don’t like away,” Katelyn informed her, like they both didn’t know full well what she was really getting at.

  “I’ll be on my best behaviour. I’ll be too busy not to be.”

  “Okay. Thanks.” Katelyn muttered something of a goodbye and hung up.

  Asha stared at the black screen for a second before she tucked her phone back into the pocket of her jeans.

  “Got those stalls all ready or could you use a hand?” Penny Scather stepped through the opening into the stalls, coming up behind Asha silently and taking her by surprise.

  Asha gasped and placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart. “Oh my goodness. You scared the life out of me.” She took a breath and eyed the next stall on the list. “If you want to take over here that would be amazing. I have to clean out one of the guest cabins. We have a marketing guy coming later this afternoon to help with the website and everything. My sister’s idea,” she clarified, like Penny wouldn’t already know.

  Penny smiled. “Of course. Go ahead.” She took the pitchfork and squared her shoulders, ready to get to work, like she didn’t already have a list a mile long of her own chores to accomplish.

  “Thanks.” Asha headed out of the barn, her steps carrying her straight to her house for cleaning supplies and fresh linens to make up the bed.

  She stepped out of her rubber boots, ugly black things that had seen better days and were currently caked in dust, straw and manure.

  Penny was a godsend. Years ago, when Asha put out a wanted ad for someone who would come and work with the animals, she hadn’t expected the miracle, who came in the shape of one willowy, tall, dark haired woman, to apply.

  The job meant long, hard hours working with animals who didn’t always trust humans. Rehabilitation, exercise, feeding, doing health checks and providing love was all part of the job. Penny truly had a heart of gold. She had all the compassion and patience that Asha had been looking for. Freshly divorced, Penny didn’t have an impressive resume or even all that much experience working with animals, but Asha had given her a chance and it was apparent from Penny’s first day on the job, that it hadn’t been a mistake.

  Asha gathered up a bucket of cleaning supplies and an arm full of bedding, slipped back into her dirty rubber boots and headed to the row of guest cabins just off to the left of her small farm house. They were painted brown, to match the dark brown trim on her house. Like that trim, the paint was peeling and flaking away and badly needed retouching.

  Asha took the stairs slowly, testing to see if they held her weight. They did. Just because no one had stayed in them since before her father passed away didn’t mean they weren’t well constructed.

  The cabin was small. One bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen that also doubled as a living room. The whole thing wasn’t more than four hundred square feet. The kitchen was really just a couple cabinets with a small bar fridge and a tiny cooktop. The bedroom hardly had room for the twin sized bed and nightstand in it.

  Asha quickly made up the bed then headed to the kitchen. She did a quick inspection of the appliances she pulled out of the bottom cupboard, to make sure they were still working. The toaster refused to turn on. She was sure she could find another somewhere else. She took stock of the dishes and utensils before she did a quick clean of everything.

  Once that was done, Asha checked her phone. She wasn’t sure what time Mr. Gabriel from the city was due to arrive. She could only hope it wouldn’t coincide with her new arrivals. Joan Harding, their local vet, was also due to arrive at the scene.

  Too many people. I’m not equipped to deal with this.

  Asha thought briefly about calling Colt to come help them since she knew the spraying and seeding was all done and he had more time now. She tucked her phone back into her pocket and shook her head.

  She couldn’t ask more of Colt than she already did. Not only did he farm his own land, which bordered hers and hers as well, without a cent of payment, he gave her all of himself without asking for anything in return. Colton Arrington was the one man who knew the land better than she herself did. He loved Roseland Sanctuary because she was a part of it.

  Her face heated up when she thought about the night before. She’d shamelessly gone to Colt’s house. Let herself in the backdoor. He was in the living room reading. She hadn’t missed the expression on his face, that fleeting look of hope and longing that was quickly shuttered away because they both knew she couldn’t give him what he truly wanted. He took what she could give, which wasn’t much.

  Her body. Not even for the night. Never that. He never asked for more.

  Asha stepped outside, onto the porch. She suddenly craved a breath of fresh air. It wasn’t just the closed in cabin, which was only just starting to air out after she’d opened all the windows, that compressed her chest until her lungs felt as though they were going to implode.

  She pushed Colt’s face, his dark eyes, close cropped jet black hair and beard, out of her mind. It was those eyes that touched her soul, the part of herself she could never truly give. Eyes that held such hope each time she came to him, called him, spoke to him. Eyes that gave away just what he felt and always had felt, where she was involved. Eyes that cut her ruined heart to the quick.

  Asha actually breathed out an audible sigh of relief when she raised her head and spotted a cloud of dust on the horizon. A large red pickup pulling an enclosed trailer was follow
ed by another white pickup pulling a similar silver trailer. They were clipping down the road and would soon be at her driveway. Her new intakes were here which meant, mercifully, that she could focus on them and not on her many failings.

  CHAPTER 3

  Asha

  After a long three hours, the new animals were finally settled into their pens. The horse, a dappled mare, was only two years old and painfully thin. Her ribs stuck out of her sides and her back slumped. Asha knew with time the mare would fill out, she just hoped the poor girl could learn to trust people again. The two cows were both female. One was heavily pregnant. They were both riddled with parasites and Asha hoped they could get that under control before the mother was due to give birth.

  Despite being scared and in poor health, all of the animals seemed friendly. The horse they called Silver, the two cows, Annibel and Annika. With their new arrivals it bought the farm number to a total of fifty-three animals. Three horses, six cows, twelve goats, sixteen sheep, nine chickens, six cats, and one dog.

  Asha was on her way back to the house to finally get the drink of water she’d been dying for all afternoon when she noted a smaller cloud of dust coming down the gravel driveway. Great. Impeccable timing.

  She stopped, waiting, watching. Her throat felt closed up, like she’d swallowed a bag of cotton balls. So much for my drink of water.

  The blue SUV, sporty, shiny, new and expensive, stopped a few feet from where she stood. Her new guest, Gabriel McDonald, climbed out.

  He was the kind of man who was probably used to stealing a woman’s breath. Asha inhaled quickly, very aware that she had done so. Her face heated and she was painfully aware that her grey t-shirt was dirty and soaked with sweat and clung to her body.

  Gabriel gaped at her for a second before his eyes flew to her face. He marched forward and extended a hand. “Hi. I’m Gabriel. I’m supposed to ask for Asha Roseland when I got here.”

  Asha slowly extended a hand. His strong fingers curled around hers and he shook, with just the right amount of pressure before he released her fingers. Her body reacted on a purely biological level, her fingers recalling the impression of his hand long after it was retracted.

  “I figured.” Asha forced the words past her dust dry throat. “I’m glad you found the farm.” Her tone suggested she was anything but. She slowly appraised the man who was, for all intents and purposes, her new employee.

  He was well over six feet with broad shoulders and chest which ended in a trim waist. His legs were well muscled, and clung to his tight dark wash designer jeans. He was too well groomed for Asha's taste. His blonde hair was cut close to his head and he was freshly shaved. Asha would bet her entire farm that those muscles came from hours in the gym, not from doing meaningful labour. It was his eyes that got her. Green eyes that were the colour of new spring grass.

  Gabriel shifted from one foot to the other. Finally Asha gave herself a shake. What the hell am I doing sizing him up like that?

  “Yes. I’m Asha. I was just going to the house to get a drink. You can join me there and then I’ll show you your cabin.”

  The walk to the house took less than a minute, but Asha had never felt so self-conscious in her life. She could literally feel Gabriel’s eyes burning into her back. Was he staring at her ass? Was it vain to even wonder that?

  “Sit down,” Asha said, pointing to the large table in the kitchen. Gabriel did as she asked, gaping at the hundred year old piece of furniture. Asha wanted to tell him her grandfather had been born on that table but she decided to keep that to herself.

  She busied herself putting the kettle on instead. She didn't bother to ask Gabriel if he liked tea. She would make it and if he chose not to drink it that suited her just fine. She wouldn't tell him that the herbs inside the diffuser were hand grown. He might think he was being poisoned.

  Gabriel surprised Asha by pouring himself a cup of peppermint tea after she set the pot on the table. He took a sip. “This is really good.”

  She nodded. “It is. My favourite actually.” She stared down at the table because for once she was at a loss for something to say. She had no idea where to start all this talk about things she really didn't want to concern herself with. So she let Gabriel take the lead.

  “Your sister said you were looking for someone to help with your website and your marketing and social media.”

  “Yes. I wanted you to come out here so you can see firsthand what we do. I care very much about my farm and about our store and I wouldn't want it misrepresented. I have dedicated my life to this place. I love this land and these animals. I don't want you working for me if I feel like you don't have a passion for this. Or if I feel like I can't trust you.”

  “Well I hope I wouldn't give you a reason not to trust me,” Gabriel said, a little caught off guard. Asha could tell he was being sincere. “I honestly don't know much about farming. But that doesn't mean I won't be able to make you an amazing website or work with you.”

  “Good. Good…” Asha trailed off. Her hand shook when she picked up her mug of tea. How long had it been since she’d had a man inside her house? It unnerved her that she even cared.

  “What kind of a name is Asha? I mean, it’s an unusual name isn’t it?” He stammered, trying to cover up his discomfort.

  “Is that wrong?” Her head cranked up sharply at his statement.

  “No…” Gabriel stammered. “I actually really like it. I've just never heard it before.”

  “Well it's not Biblical,” Asha said sarcastically. She saw Gabriel's face redden and she was suddenly ashamed of herself. She didn't want Gabriel here but he had come nevertheless. Asha had promised her sister she would try and make this work. And I’m doing a fine job of that so far. Not to mention she was acting with hostility towards someone she didn't even know. She had asked him to come. She had wanted him to be here, and now that he had actually shown up, eager to do nothing but help her, she supposed she should cut him a break.

  “I'm sorry,” Asha said. She looked up into Gabriel's green eyes. Asha found that she liked the colour very much. She saw a kindness there that she should have noticed earlier. “My name is Natasha. My mother’s name was also Natasha, so my parents called me Asha.”

  “It's a good bohemian name,” Gabriel said, obviously without thinking. He had the grace to look embarrassed after.

  Asha had to laugh. “Is that what you think I am? Some gypsy or some hippie running this farm? Or commune?”

  “Well...” Gabriel took a sip of tea and stared at Asha. “I was hoping you could tell me.”

  “I'm not a hippy. This isn't a commune. I'll tell you more about it later, but for now how about I show you around? Oh and you may be right about the gypsy part. I've been accused of that before.”

  “I'm looking forward to seeing the farm,” Gabriel agreed, swallowing the last of his tea.

  “Good. I hope you're not afraid of work. There's a lot of it to get done. You can help or you can follow me around and watch.” Asha threw down the gauntlet and let the challenge hang.

  CHAPTER 4

  Gabriel

  Gabriel followed Asha around as best he could. He had to admit that she was fierce, independent, bordering on wild. Her hair hung rich and thick in a blonde cascade of curls down to her waist. She wore a plain grey t-shirt but the humidity of the day gave the shirt definition it wouldn't have otherwise had. It outlined breasts that were neither too small or too large. Her jeans were dirty, stained and well-worn in but that only added to the overall perfection they displayed. Her hips and bottom were well rounded for a woman so tall. If he were to guess he would peg her around 5’9”.

  He actually couldn’t believe just how closely Asha resembled Katelyn, or rather, how Katelyn was nearly a spitting image of her older sister.

  Gabriel didn’t want to notice all the things he shouldn’t. He kept trying to glance away from Asha, or at least not look in all the places he shouldn’t be caught staring at. And he was sure Asha would catch him. Her eyes
, a darker shade of blue than Katelyn’s, missed nothing at all.

  Asha was explaining something, Gabriel finally realized. He snapped out of his reflection of her person and tried to focus on a group of woolly, bleating sheep in front of him. Some had black faces, others white. A baby lamb stood off to the side while its mother kept a close proximity and a watchful eye.

  “Are you paying attention?” Asha swiveled around, giving Gabriel a good view of her perfect ass.

  He swallowed hard. “Yes.” She nodded once and swiveled again, turning fully in order to face him. His eyes landed right on her chest and he realized that her breasts looked so perfectly formed because she wasn’t wearing a bra. God help me. He snapped his eyes back to the sheep. What would Asha look like naked? Probably like a goddess. Fuck. “You shear the sheep and spin the wool to sell at your store. Very ingenious, I must say. I don’t know a single person who still knows how to spin.” Gabriel nearly slurred his words in an effort to blurt out what Asha had just told him. He needed to prove he was paying attention, and not just to her considerable physical assets.

  Asha’s jaw worked, like she wanted to say something but then she bit her bottom lip, squared her shoulders and continued on with their tour.

  She introduced Gabriel to Penny, who worked with the animals, Sarah, who did the feeding, and a few others he couldn’t quite remember the names of. He was shit with that though. Faces he could recall, names, not so much. Asha also mentioned some staff were on vacation, being that they had kids in school and they got away when they could. She said something about having volunteers come and go. She mentioned a woman named Ginny, who helped with the gardening and preserves but Gabriel didn’t actually meet her. Asha also mentioned the man who helped farm her land for feed and bedding for the animals. Colton.

  That name Gabriel remembered. It was the way Asha said it, the way it rolled off her tongue, like it had some feeling behind it. It made Gabriel’s hair stand on end. It was completely irrational but he didn’t want this wild, untamed woman to speak another man’s name like that.