Normally, I love a good thunderstorm. This one had been different. The lightning and thunder had seemed exceptionally close, and had kept me up the better part of the night. I watched for hours as the electricity danced in the air. I could almost feel it coursing through me. I couldn’t shake the feeling that the storm was warning of something to come. This was the first night, since I moved into the little ranch house, that I hadn't slept like a baby. I was really happy, living there by myself. I enjoyed the solitude, keeping myself busy with the small repairs that needed doing, and by tending to the animals.
When I got up that morning I noticed that there were still menacing clouds lurking on the edge of the horizon. There was definitely a threat of another storm. When I went to feed the cattle, I noticed that the count was unusually low. The herd was usually ready for feed in the morning.
I went into the barn, saddled my horse and went out to find the rest of the herd. It didn't take long to find the problem. There was an old tree that had been hit by lightening, and a large branch had fallen on a section of the fence, knocking it down. The cows were making their way through the downed section of fence. I started rounding them up, and with the help of a rope tied to the saddle horn, managed to pull branches across the opening in the fence to keep the cattle from getting out again.
I headed back to the barn, and picked up the tools that I would need to mend the hole in the fence. As I reached the barn, I took notice that the clouds had moved in. I knew I needed to get that fence fixed fast, before the storm started and the lightening and thunder scared the cattle. I headed out to the broken section of fence as quickly as I could. While riding along on the way, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. It looked like a rider up on the ridge. I remember thinking that I hoped he had noticed the storm coming, and would be able to find shelter before it hit.
When I reached the fence, the wind was starting to blow pretty good, and the sky was ominously dark. I quickly set out to mend the broken strand of barbed wire. I was just finishing up when the first fat drops of rain started to fall. I knew that I still had quite a ride to make it back to the ranch, so I pulled my hat down tight, and headed toward home, riding at a full gallop. By the time I reached the trail that lead to the house and barn, the rain was coming in torrents. This was going to be a bad one!
As I pulled the door to the barn open, I realized that the jeans and cotton work shirt that I was wearing were soaked completely through, clearly outlining my nipples, very hard from the cold. I put my horse in the first stall and removed her saddle, settled her in, and set about getting out of my wet clothes. I pulled off my boots, then the work shirt, and then worked on shinnying out of my tight wet jeans. The best part about living out in the middle of nowhere is that you don't have to worry about being modest. At least that is what I though up until that moment...
As I pulled off the last leg of my jeans, lightening flashed, lighting up the inside of the barn. I turned and noticed a tall man leaning up against the side of my horse's stall, watching me from under the brim of his hat. I immediately felt the color rise in me. I was so startled that all I could do was gasp. In that brief instant, he crossed the floor of the barn, and in one fluid movement, scooped me up in his arms. "You look like you're in need of some warming up." He drawled. I couldn't see his face because of the lack of light inside the old barn, but there was no mistaking that voice!