Chapter 12
The stifling weather continued on through July, with Danny and Lindsay taking full advantage of their free time to get to know each other before the hard work of the harvest began. There was no big announcement to everyone on the ranch that they were now a couple, but through the well trodden network of gossip which permeated a small community like theirs everyone knew soon enough that she was taken and he was smitten.
When Danny had dropped Lindsay back at the front door of the main house after their date, he was met by her parents who looked pleased to see the blissful smile on Lindsay's face and acknowledged Danny with a resigned look. He accepted the offer of a cup of coffee with Mr and Mrs Monroe whilst they all made small talk and when he mentioned the possibility of taking Lindsay to the Nickelodeon in town the following week they did not object. It seemed that the obvious happiness of their daughter was going some way towards thawing the air between the two parties, however, Danny suspected that their objections had been put aside for now rather than extinguished.
"It's not that what they want for me is bad," Lindsay explained the next day as they strolled down to the lake, "we just think differently", she shook her head, "anyway, lets talk about something else" she said looking around to where Danny had wandered over by the shore. She slipped off her sandals and sat down on the shore, revealing a little bit more thigh than was strictly proper. Danny glanced over and gulped; they had seized a free hour and decided to wander over to the lake for a bit of privacy, however Danny found that being alone was not really helping his current problem. Now that he knew how good holding her and kissing her felt he yearned for her constantly and he wasn't sure that him being alone with her was a good idea. He needed to get control of himself; for God's sake he wasn't a teenager anymore, he should be able to be around a girl without his trousers tightening uncomfortably.
A girl you are in love with? His subconscious asked.
He decided to leave that aberrant thought to mull over later, and instead joined her on the ground, careful to conceal his problem.
"Will you teach me to ride?" he asked out of the blue.
"If you want," she replied pleased he was taking an interest in her horses, "How about I take you out tonight? What are you going to teach me in return though?"
"That sounds perfect" Danny answered with a grin, "and one day I will take you to New York City and teach you how to ride the subway".
They laughed deeply, lying back on the shore and feeling the heat of the sun on their faces,
"Not good enough, city boy, I want you to teach me something you love, something I will have to remember you by when I am old and grey."
"How about I teach you to hit a baseball", he offered.
"Ok", she said sitting up, "it's a deal", she held out her hand for him to shake. He took it but held on, pulling her down onto his chest where he was still lying down and capturing her there with his hands.
"I don't know about Montana, but in New York this is how we shake on a deal", he muttered before crashing his lips onto hers. It was a playful kiss, her hair tickled his face where it hung around them like a curtain and she giggled when his lips nibbled a trail from her lips to her ear. When he rolled them over so that she lay beneath him though, the kiss turned decidedly less playful. As tension built in both of their bodies he found himself grinding himself against her in order to find some friction.
"Danny, wait", she gasped, releasing him from his stupor, and bringing him back to his senses.
"Oh God," he gasped, pulling away, "Lindsay, I'm sorry, I pushed you too far, I'm sorry it won't happen again".
"No Danny," she cut him off, "its ok, it was my fault too, I just think we need to go a bit slower, its ok, I'm not mad."
"I just…want you is all", he explained.
"Trust me Danny, the feeling is mutual".
Over the next few weeks Danny and Lindsay became almost inseparable, going to the movies, the local cattle fair and on innumerable "walks" where they refined their kissing until they ached to go further. Lindsay also began to teach Danny to ride, which he was fast becoming competent at due to his natural athleticism and competitive nature. He could soon be trusted to manage the animal on his own over most of the terrain and would accompany her on her rides before breakfast when time allowed.
One Saturday morning they had ridden into town together to pick up groceries for Mrs Monroe when they ran into Robbie outside the butcher's shop. The few meetings they had had with him since the dance had been full of resentful looks however this time it almost ended in a fight when Robbie insinuated that he didn't want a girl like Lindsay who had been with half of the town anyway. This insult to her character only went un-avenged due to three burly men who happened to be there who broke up the confrontation. This was going to come to a head sooner or later.