章 2: A True Cowboy

...AUSTIN POV...

It is early morning, I can see the sun starting to creep up to the horizon, it is time to get this day off to a start.

I slide all six foot two from underneath the covers and make my way to the shower. There used to be a time that I was not a morning person, but now you cannot get me out of bed early enough.

As I slip out of my black underwear, I can feel there is a chill in the air. I quickly step into the shower and let the warmth consume me and wake every inch of my cold body. I watch as droplets from the shower head spray over my strong shoulders, it glistens off my arms and trickles down my chest. I watch as it travels down over my rippled abs and feel it tickle down my legs. I close my eyes and let it run over my face.

After a few minutes, I grab a towel and wrap it around my waist. I head out the bathroom and make my way to the kitchen.

I do this every morning without fail. I pop on the kettle while I make my way outside to go collect the morning paper. I live by myself on this old ranch, so sporting what is on offer has become second nature no matter the weather.

I gave up the suffocating city life only but five months ago. After the tragic accident that took my parents away, I decided to leave that world behind and made Texas my new home. This small ranch is nothing really fancy, but it brings the comfort that makes me call it home.

As a child I had my head full of Billy The Kid and use to get lost in a world of make belief. Guess it was what drew me here the most, a little boy's dreams and the desire to get away from things that just had no importance to me. Now I am a true life cowboy and I love every minute of it. I have never been more alive as when I take off into the open fields on my horse's back.

As I step back into the kitchen, I am startled by a voice coming from behind me.

"I would love to see the day this towel slips off while someone is coming up the driveway."

"If I did not know any better, then I would say that you where flirting with me."

"You not that lucky my friend. How are you doing this morning?"

"Never been better Billy."

I don't know if it was by chance or some pure dumb luck that my ranch hand's name ended up being the same as my childhood hero. But whichever way, Billy had been a good friend and a great help since the day I set my unsteady feet onto this land.

"How is the misses doing this morning?"

"The morning sickness has me cracked."

"Hahaha. Maybe you should have kept your pants zipped."

We both burst with a rumbling laughter as we take a seat around the kitchen table. I see as Billy is watching me for one uncomfortable long minute.

"When are you going to jump the broom?"

"I need to find someone to jump on the broom with and that my friend is not happening."

"Come on, there is a line of ladies waiting."

"They can wait all they want, no woman is tying me down."

I pour us both a cup of coffee and go to read my morning paper. Not that much happens around here that fascinates me, it normally is just the same old same old.

"I see the Knightley's are headline again. They are more in the paper then what they are in each other's company."

"I heard the daughter is coming back for the holidays."

"Probably just as stuck up as the mother. But enough said, I crave something sweet this morning."

"A bit of Lucy?"

"Is Lucy brown, smooth on the tongue and come with little marshmallows?"

He waves me off as I rise from my chair and make my way back to the bedroom. I slip on a pair of blue jeans, one of my favourite dark button up shirts, and let us not forget my most favorite thing...my boots. I use to love dressing up in these, I must say I was fairly excited when I put my first real ones on that day when I shred off my fancy suit.

As I stand for a moment and watch myself in the full length mirror, my thoughts cannot help but drift off to my mother. My dad would have objected a bit, but she would have been so proud of me to see that I have followed my dreams and kept true to my heart.

With a wicked little smile I pop on my hat and spin around and make my way out the door.

Stepping outside onto the porch, I take one deep breath of the cold icy air. Don't get me wrong, I love the snow, but I prefer the summer more, by far. I do not feel the cold as such, I just prefer the hot sun melting on my body.

As I make my way into town, there is not many people that are stirring at this time of the morning. I know that Mr Sinclair is open this time of the morning. It suites me fine for I really do not enjoy the town's prying eyes, judging and analysing the new boy in town.

When I pull up in front of the shop with the green door, I can see that Mr Sinclair is about to walk inside. I jump out my truck and follow in behind.

"Morning Mr Sinclair."

"Austin, it is good to see your friendly face so early this morning. Come in and sit, I will make us both a cup of the best."

"That sounds like a plan, my coffee is not as good as I think."

He disappears and only a few minutes later, he place a cup of hot cocoa down in front of me. He makes it just the same as my mother with the little white and pink marshmallows in.

"I am going to safely say, just the way my mom made it."

"Glad I can give you a little bit of a taste of home. Talking about home, how is the ranch doing?"

"Well Billy says all seems fine, so I shall take his word for that."

"You pulled that place well together, don't think the town folk thought that you had it in you."

Just then the doorbell chimes as someone steps through the door. It is so early, who can possibly be awake at this time. But before I even turn my head to see, the breeze carries a sweet scent of honey through the air. It attacks my senses, leaving me a bit dazed.

As I glance over to the side, I see the most exquisite woman I have ever seen in my life. She has long locks of blonde hair that falls so easily down her shoulders. Her sun kissed skin radiates under the glow of the Christmas lights. My eyes trail down to get a glimpse of her long slender legs. But what catches my attention the most his those deep red stilettos.

She completely knocks my breath away, she is not from here. I have not seen her before, but as Mr Sinclair speaks, I am even more shocked to hear whom she is. She is a Knightley, must be the daughter that Billy was talking about.

She comes to settle into a chair close by me, I quickly pretend that I have not seen her before. I gather all my boyish charm and turn to say hello to her. She looks at me with a beautiful smile that plays in the corner of her mouth.

"Hey."