Claire's Story: Chapter 6

Claire awoke from her deep sleep to the sound of dogs barking in play. She reached for her cell on the nightstand, and saw that it was only 6am. She then oriented herself, as she was in a stranger’s home and it had been a very long night. As she tried to recall the events of the previous night, she suddenly remembered to call the airport to check on her delayed flight. Once again, she reached an automated recording, but the message had changed: “Due to a significant amount of ice and snow, all of today’s flights have been canceled.” She hung up and slid off of the high bed, tiptoeing to the window. She threw back the heavy curtains and the room was immediately flooded with intense light, causing Claire to squint.

The beautiful, rugged landscape was covered with the softest blanket of white. The ancient oaks that surrounded the ranch sparkled under a silver layer of ice, as did the mesquites in the surrounding pastures. The clouds hung thick and gray, threatening to release more waves of white at any moment. The two ranch dogs were scampering around joyfully, enjoying the smells of fresh deer tracks in the snow. And there on the wooden deck watching his companions was the strong, tall cowboy surveying the picturesque landscape. Sean was dressed in his pajamas, work coat, and slippers, and light puffs of steam arose from the mug of coffee in his enormous hands. Claire enjoyed watching him, and would have lingered at the window longer had her stomach allowed.

She hurried downstairs to the kitchen and found a pan of fresh cinnamon rolls. She helped herself, and fixed a cup of coffee to her liking before joining Sean outside on the deck.

“Morning sunshine!” his voice cracking in the morning cold. “Sleep ok?”

“Slept like a rock. I don’t even remember going to bed last night.”

“Yeah, you seemed pretty worn out, that’s for sure. So, I bet you’re not getting a flight out today either.”

“You’re right, all the flights are canceled. I called my dad and he said he’d head this way soon to pick me up,” Claire said.

“That’s gonna be a long drive,” Sean pondered. “Hey, you up for a little ride this morning? I need to check on a couple of heifers. They’re likely to calve whenever we have a late winter storm like this.”

Claire’s eyes sparkled in the reflection of the snow. “I’d love to, that sounds like fun!” she said with a happy smile.

“Alright, let’s do it then. I went up to the attic and found some stuff Shelby left here: a pair of jeans, boots, and such. They might fit, y’all are both pretty tall.”

They returned to the warmth of the house and Sean handed her the box of clothes, which she took upstairs and began to rummage through. She slid on a pair of worn Wranglers, surprised that they did in fact fit. The inseam was even longer than she was accustomed to. Sean’s sister must be quite tall, as she was pushing six feet herself. Claire tugged the scuffed boots on, and although they were a little tight, they were wearable. She then pulled a large, forest green Colorado State hoody over her head, and at once realized that this piece of clothing did not belong to Sean’s sister, but to him. The musky scent of his lingering cologne was deep and rich, intoxicating even. Lastly, she grabbed a worn sheepskin coat from the box, and felt in the pockets to find a pair of leather work gloves. “Think I’m all set,” she thought as she headed down to the laundry room to retrieve her scarf and beanie.

She and Sean headed out into the cold, and neither could resist a friendly snowball fight on their trek to the barn. The Aussies happily led the way, barking in pure joy, knowing that they were about to embark upon a trip into the pastures. Sean held the door for Claire, and she entered the beautiful barn, taking in the rows of spacious stalls lining the right side. At their entrance, the horses began to make their way into the barn as well, filing in from the enclosed paddock where they had greeted the truck the night before. Sean called two of the beautiful animals aside, and pulled a gate closed to separate them from the rest of the herd.

Patting a tall buckskin on the neck, Sean said, “This is Sully. He’s mine. And this is Trix, she’s my brother’s old mare.”

Claire rubbed the back of her hand gently down Trix’s long smooth face. The roan responded with a quiet whinny. “They’re gorgeous, both of them,” Claire said in earnest, looking to her left to see Sean opening up the tack room. She followed him inside, and reached for the saddle and tack that he said would be hers. They saddled the pair, led them out of the barn and through a gate that opened to the northwest pasture. Claire climbed aboard Trix, and Sean was in the process of straddling Sully, when he cursed under his breath. “Sorry, I forgot to grab the medical bag, just in case. Be right back.” He handed Claire Sully’s reins as he trotted swiftly back to the barn. He returned with an old leather satchel slung casually across his shoulder, and handily tied a roll of thin work blankets behind his saddle. “Ok, I think we’re set,” he said, with a look towards Claire. “You good?”

“Yep, I’m ready,” she replied, excited to be riding in such a striking, serene environment. They exchanged smiles, and Sean led the way, walking Sully west down a gradual slope, Barney and Betsy making large, roaming passes beside them. As they rode, they chatted and laughed about anything and everything, thoroughly enjoying each other’s presence. The landscape suddenly changed, becoming quite steep. As the horses picked their way up the hillside in single file, Claire admired her new friend’s riding ability from behind. His muscled rear moved enticingly with each of the horse’s steps, and his stirruped boots hung low at the Sully’s belly. Sean held the leather reins loosely in his gloved left hand, his right arm draped lightly over the saddle horn. He gently guided his horse, but for the most part allowed Sully to choose his own path. He rode like a seasoned professional, like he was as comfortable riding as he was walking.

“Claire, look at this,” Sean said, breaking the momentary silence. As Claire and Trix arrived on top of the plateau, she was struck by the extreme beauty of the landscape. From this higher viewpoint they could see for miles in each direction, the stunning oranges and reds of the surrounding canyons delightful against the contrasting white of the snow and ice.

“Wow…” she managed. “This is spectacular.”

Sean smiled, pleased with Claire’s reaction. The last girl he’d dated had cared nothing about his family’s land. The only time he’s seen her with such an enthusiastic response was when they’d been in Minnesota and had gone shopping at the Mall of America. Needless to say, her materialistic, city-girl nature had eventually worn on his nerves, and their relationship soon fizzled.

He had just met Claire, but already he had felt an attraction to her. Sean liked the way she had showed such compassion to both him and her injured basketball player. She obviously loved animals, and the horses and dogs had responded to her in such a way that was almost uncanny. She was fun and easy to talk to, and physically… Well he definitely found her attractive, that he knew for sure. Even horseback in a pair of worn jeans and an old work coat she looked beautiful. Her long legs hung loose in the long stirrups, and her butt and thighs filled out the jeans nicely. Her face was tranquil and peaceful, her lips and cheeks rosy in the cold winter air, and her long, golden-brown hair was shiny and gleaming in the soft breeze. Her sparkling blue eyes tore themselves away from the scenery, and locked onto Sean’s lingering gaze. Her lips formed a broad smile revealing perfect white teeth, and with a slightly self-conscious laugh she asked, “What? What is it?”

Sean shook his head slightly, bringing himself back to reality. “Just admiring the view. It’s breathtaking,” he managed. Of course Claire didn’t know that Sean was referring to her, not the landscape.

“It certainly is, I’ve never seen anything quite so beautiful,” she responded placidly.

“Me neither,” he stated truthfully.