Bob/Gina

As a lifelong disciple of Douglas Adams, Gina thought that Arthur Dent had certainly known what he was about when he announced that he just couldn't get the hang of Thursdays.

What day but Thursday could see her waking up late, throwing on a frivolous, impractical little summer dress – one of last year's projects – in her haste and tearing off to the Supermarket on an errand for Grandma, barely decently dressed and not at all appropriately for the chill autumn day?

What day but Thursday could see her so annoyed and flustered by Ronald's admiring looks and teasing at her new look, that she found herself hopelessly lost in her home town for the past three years and ended up wandering bewilderedly around a farmyard for a handsome, ponytailed young man to find when he emerged from the barn?

What day but Thursday could see her staring, bewildered, bright red, and breathless, as the farmer greeted her cheerfully with a smile that made the whole world spring?

And finally, what day but Thursday could see her starting dizzily back to the Villa, up through Brownie Farm, pondering the mathematical probability of love at first sight, only to find herself thrown to the ground by something large and moving like a shot, as the sound of pounding hooves thundered around her?

Struggling for breath around the massive weight at her chest and this strange sensation of sudden dizziness, Gina squeezes her eyes shut to keep out the dust stirred by a runaway horse.

Then, as a thrill whispers down the back of her neck as her senses focused, against her will, on the broad, muscular chest, pressed tightly to her, damp sweaty heat singing through her, she squeezes them tighter shut and bites her lips.

Solid, defined arms protective and iron-strong on either side of her.

Long, muscled legs tangling with hers, pressing her hard into the ground.

Hasn't she had a dream something like this?

"Are you alright?"

She smiles shyly up at him, blushing slightly and ducking behind her hand.

It's surprising, she thinks dizzily, just how nice it is, the scent of fresh air and sunshine and hard work clinging to him, even with that hint of barn-animal-smells shining through.

"I'm alright, thank-you, Sir," she assures him quickly when he quirks a curious eyebrow at the silent, dazed young woman beneath him, and she wonders if he's going to scold her for calling him Sir when they've known each other for a few years already, even though they've rarely spoken, and she spent the first two a little afraid of him.

"Sorry about that," Bob laughs, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly as he drags himself off her and lifts her to her feet. "I yelled, but you were daydreaming. Look, don't go anywhere," he adds, cutting her off mid-apology. "I've got to go find Perry – spooked horse running around town without a rider's not good – but I'll be back in a minute to take a look at you, make sure everything's okay. Don't want to send you off with a concussion or something."

With that, he's off and running, and Gina wanders slowly over to the wide rough wooden steps of the Farm Shop and sits, chin in her hands, wondering how to get word to Grandma and Miss Dia that she'll be back late.

She's so lost in her thoughts of whether or not she'd have time to run and tell Grandma and get back before Mr. Bob returned with his horse, that she jumps a little when a friendly voice calls from across the yard, and the next moment the rancher is leading the horse back to the pasture and then jogging back towards her.

"Hey! Good, you probably needed to sit down. Feeling better?"

"Oh! Um, much better, thank-you," she beams, her smile fading and her cheeks growing red as he comes to stand in front of her and, even after she climbs to her feet, towers over her. "I think I ought to be going, though; Miss Dia will be angry if I'm late."

He catches her arm and peers down at her curiously.

"You sure? You still look a little dizzy."

"W-well, I was having a hard time breathing at first, but I'm alright now."

"Ah, gotcha," he grins, half walking her to the gate and half trotting to keep up with her. "Knocked the wind out of you, huh? Sorry."

Gina says nothing, but thinks that although he's knocked something out of her, it might not be the wind, and he certainly needn't apologize.

Perhaps the matter of falling madly in love at first sight with the new boy in town can wait a little while.