Worth the Weight by Mara Jacobs

dad had been with when he got out of that vehicle on the bridge. That was something to talk about.
    “You get it pretty bad the other night?”
    The boy seemed startled by her comment. She probably sounded just like one of his buddies asking the same thing. “Oh yeah, grounded for a week,” he told her, with almost a tinge of pride attached.
    “A week, sheesh, that’s tough.”
    “It wasn’t that tough, it’s already over, eh?”
    That’s right, that had been nearly ten days ago. Finn hadn’t wanted to see her for ten days. She was extra glad now that she wore what she did, it felt a little more substantial, more armor-like than her previous choice. Still, he had invited her here, that had to mean something, didn’t it?
    A car pulling into the driveway drew both of their attention. Seeing who it was, Stevie walked past her, wiping his dirty hands down the sides of his beat up jeans. “That’s my friend and his dad, they’re picking me up.” He was already beyond her, out of the field and headed to the veranda where Lizzie now noticed a duffel bag and a rolled up sleeping bag.
    Stevie picked them both up and headed for the car as the driver waved out the window to Lizzie, obviously mistaking her for someone who was in some way involved with Stevie. “I’ll drop him off tomorrow on our way to church, around ten, okay?” She waved in return and that seemed to satisfy the father in the car.
    Stevie was nearly at the car when Lizzie called out, “Hey Stevie.” The boy turned to her. “Your dad around?”
    He nodded his head toward the dilapidated barn. “He’s in there.”
    “Okay, thanks. It was nice meeting you.”
    “It was nice to meet you.” His hand was on the car door now, and he stopped and faced her again. “Has Annie met you yet?”
    “Who’s Annie?”
    A chilling, almost devil-like smile crept up his face, “Oh man, she’s gonna have a cow when she finds out about you.” He shoved his stuff in the car in front of him then climbed in. With one last wave, and Stevie still wearing that eerie grin, the car drove away.
    The lights were on as she entered the barn so it was easy to locate Finn . He was halfway down the length of the building. He stood at the gate of one of the horse stalls, his strong thigh raised, his work boot hitched over a low board on the gate entrance. He leaned slightly, his forearms resting on the top of the gate, one wrist on top of the other. The lean muscles of his back were tight against his dusty tee shirt that in another life had been a pristine white. His head was bowed slightly and his eyes were glued to the empty stall, not really seeing it.
    He looked...defeated. Like a boxer on the ropes, not wanting to be beaten any longer. Her heart started to go out to him but she quickly slammed on the brakes. Not on Finn . Don’t give your newfound emotions to Finn . That wasn’t part of the plan.
    She may be able to put her heart on hold, but she did nothing to stop the physical yearnings that slammed into her as she watched Finn shift his weight and put his other foot on the wooden railing. The movement made his jeans, which were second-skin worn, pull tight across his backside. She involuntarily was licking her lips as he noticed her and turned to look at her.
    Her gesture didn’t escape him. “Like what you see ?”
    His arrogance was nothing new to her; in fact, it was one of the things she ’d liked about him. Arrogance in a life mate would not be desirable, but a cocky guy was just the one you wanted when looking for a purely down-and-dirty, no-holds- barred , make-sure-you-have-a-safe- word , sex partner.
    “I do. Hay always makes me hot,” she delivered her line in her best “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” breathy, sexpot voice.
    He chuckled and the thought of making him laugh, when only moments ago he had seemed so low, made her smile. The idea that maybe their little interlude would bring him some comfort, or even just a few laughs (though hopefully