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2
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It's like a bolt of lightning hits me in my chest
Right out of the blue
Every time I see you, every time I see you
Top of the world I'm standing rocking at my best
Then I look like a fool
Every time I see you, every time I see you
-Luke Bryan, Every Time I See You
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Bella sighed and pushed her sunglasses onto the top of her head and rang the doorbell of the Uley's home. She didn't have to wait too long before loud barking was heard followed by the commanding voice of one Allison Uley. The door was opened slow enough that Bella had a chance to place a small smile on her lips.
"Bella Swan! What a surprise! Come on in, sweetheart! Can I get you a drink? I just made some sweet tea." Allison offered while holding onto the collars of two large, brindle coated pit bulls.
"Hi, Mrs. Uley. I'm fine, thank you. I'm sorry to just show up like this." She said with a sheepish smile.
"Oh, nonsense darlin! Diablo, Sage! That's enough! You two hush now. Bella's a friend. Get on out of here. Go on now!"
Bella smiled when the dogs instantly quieted. "They're gorgeous. They look just like Lolita."
"Oh she's around here somewhere. She's more than likely out with Josh in the training ring." Allison said with a grin. She chuckled when Bella's eyes lit up with excitement.
"You still have her?"
Allison nodded. "Your daddy didn't want her put down, but that dog only ever loved two people- you and my husband. With you off at a private school and only home for summer, he brought her here. She got out before we could have her fixed and met up with Harry's big pit bull, Thor. Those are two of their pups. Sasha is out with Sam. That dog would sleep with him if I let her." She said walking them both towards the kitchen.
Bella giggled. Lolita had been a gift from her father. He'd found her in a dog fighting ring he'd broken apart. Charlie had listened to numerous reports about the ring and had gone to see for himself if they were true. He'd
nearly thrown up at the sight of the horrible living conditions he'd seen. Josh had offered to take Lolita at first, but Bella swore she'd take care of the dog on her own. When she'd go to visit her mother in Florida, Josh would take care of her until she came home.
"So who do the other two belong to then?"
"Diablo is Paul's. Sage is Jared's. Neither of them like the horses, so they stay here at the house when the boys go into the back pastures."
"I see. They look just like their momma!" Bella cooed scratching Diablo's head.
"They act like her too!" Allison huffed.
Bella grinned when Sage nudged her hand for attention. She pet him and found herself agreeing with Allison. Lolita had done the same thing to get her attention when she'd had her. She was brought from her thoughts by a glass of tea being pushed into her hand.
"So what brings you by honey? Not that I don't mind a visit from you in the least." Allison wondered.
Bella smiled. "My dad wanted me to invite you to dinner tonight if your family is free. I told him that Sam helped me out this past weekend at Quil's when my boyfriend started getting rough. I think it's his way of saying thanks." She shrugged.
Allison beamed. "Well, I'll be sure to bring something for desert… don't you worry your precious head about it! Maybe some pecan pie? Two I think!"
"That sounds awesome! It's been a while since I've had any." Bella grinned. Her stomach growled at the thought of it.
Allison heard it and shook her head. "Good lord, is that the time? Bella, would you be opposed to rounding up the boys? They're fixin the fences in the back pasture. A coyote or something else got through them last night down where the posts have started falling."
"Oh.. Uh.. Sure.. I can get them." She said with a blush.
Allison smiled. "I'll be sure to set a place out for you as well." She said with a nod. "Thank you sweetheart."
"It's not problem Mrs. Uley." She said.
"Bless you, darlin, I've known you since you were knee high to me.. You ARE allowed to call me Allison, you know." she said showing her to the back door.
"Yes ma'am." Bella said with a small wave.
No matter how old she was, she'd always feel uncomfortable calling the older woman anything other than ma'am, Mrs. Uley or Mrs. Allison. She sighed and put it from her mind as she made her way to the barn. She grinned when she saw Embry mucking the stalls.
"You missed a stall you know." She said, giggling when he spun around quick enough he nearly tripped.
"Damn girl, make some noise!" He teased.
She shook her head. "Where's the fun in that?"
"Ehh…" He shrugged. "What can I do for you Bella?"
"Your aunt sent me to find a horse. She asked me to go get Sam, Paul and Jared. I guess they all of them left their phones in the house. It's time for lunch." She shrugged.
Embry shook his head. His aunt had to be up to something for sure; she knew the radio in Sam's truck had been fixed. "Take Comanche." He finally said, pointing to a tall, sorrel colored quarter horse. He grinned when the horse in question poked his head over the door of his stall.
"He's gorgeous! Will he let me ride him?" She wondered.
"Would I tell you too if not? I'm not Quil or Jake Bella!" He huffed.
Bella sighed. "I know. I'm sorry. I trust you Em. I do."
"I shouldn't have snapped. I'm here blowing off steam. My mom's new boyfriend is at the house."
Bella hugged him before moving into the stall to greet Comanche. When Embry came into view a few minutes later with an armful of tack, she moved to help him with it. When she was finally up in the saddle, Embry took the reins and led them out of the barn. She leaned down when he let go and stole his hat from him. With a smirk, she tossed him her sunglasses to keep safe.
"How do I look?" Embry teased, batting his eyelashes.
Bella giggled. "Promise me you'll never do that again!" She crowed.
"Promise to bring my hat and my horse back?" He checked.
She blanched. "He's yours?"
He nodded his head. "Yeah, he's mine. Sam took amazing care of him for me while I was in school." He grinned when the completely white horse in the next stall over poked her head out to say hi. "This is his mom."
"Snow Queen is his mom? Embry, she's a champion barrel racer!" Bella crowed.
"I know. My mom didn't like the thought of just anyone having her horse's only offspring, so she gave him to me." He shrugged.
"Wow. I never knew that. No wonder he's so easy going, huh." She grinned.
Embry rolled his eyes. "Save the flattery for my cousin, yeah?"
"I have NO idea what you're talking about, Embry! I have a boyfriend!" She huffed. She didn't give him a chance to answer before she was off towards the pastures.
It dawned on him as he watched her riding off that Bella had completely taken his mind off of his moms new boyfriend, Sebastian. He had to smile for it. It's what made her one of his best friends. She never pushed him for information and a new topic was brought up if the situation called for it. He shook his head, gave Snow Queen a sugar cube and went back to cleaning the stalls., his mind lighter than it had been before he'd started.
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"Hey isn't that Comanche?"
Sam looked over his shoulder to the spot Jared had pointed. "Looks like it." He huffed before driving the fence post further into the ground.
"That ain't Embry though!" Paul snickered when the horse grew closer.
Sam arched an eyebrow but continued his work. "Who else does Embry let ride his horse?"
"She's about 5'6", weighs oh.. I'd say 120lbs, has brown hair and brown eyes? Not to mention she's caught your eye." Jared teased.
Sam's hands stilled in their work, the barbed wire fence held tight in his gloved fingers. "Paul, hook this!" He huffed after a minute.
It was Jared's turn to snicker. "We're goin' over to the next post." He said dragging Paul away. "You two talk."
Sam barely heard them. He'd finally turned to see Bella and was awed by the vision she created. Hip hugging, low rise, second skin jeans clung to her legs while a simple black, form fitting white baby doll tee shirt clung to her form. What about killed him was the boots and black hat- Embry's hat he huffed- along with her free hanging, waist length hair.
"Hey Sam." Bella greeted stopping Comanche in front of him.
He blinked. "Hey Bella. What's got you ridin' all the way here?"
She only blushed, trying to control her hormones. She already had a boyfriend! She didn't need to drool over Sam… even if he was in a pair of worn dusty boots, faded, dusty, low rise jeans, a tool belt, gloves and a hat. His shirt lay over a near by tree limb and his tan skin gleamed with sweat in the sun.
"Bella?"
"Huh? Oh! Sorry… um… your uh.. Your mom asked me to come get you three for lunch." She stuttered.
"That's good. It just started getting hot out here." He teased.
She nodded and bit her lower lip. "Yeah..."
Sam grinned up at her- the sexiest grin he could muster. He was well aware of the way she drank him in as her eyes roved over his naked torso. "So are you stayin' for lunch too?" He asked patting Comanche's nose when he shifted.
"I told her I would." She said clearing her throat to keep her voice steady.
Sam nodded. "Well alright then." He said with another orgasm inducing grin.
"I'm uh… I'll uh… I'll see you at the house." She finally choked out before turning Comanche and heading back towards Sam's house.
Sam shook his head before calling back to Jared and Paul. "Lunch." He said gathering up his shirt. He only arched an eyebrow when he saw the last couple fence posts already in the ground with the fencing stretched across them.
"How long were we talkin?" He wondered.
Jared shrugged. "Twenty minutes? I'm only wondering why mom sent her out here to talk to him instead of calling us in over the radio."
Paul smirked. "They didn't talk though. It was more of him teasin' her, her blushin' and you flirtin'… something I've not seen you do since-"
"DON'T!" Sam growled.
Jared looked away so he didn't say anything. He'd seen Sam at his worst after his last relationship. Sometimes he wondered if Sam would ever get over the girl who had stolen his heart, cut it up, trampled it then sewn it back into his chest all in one night.
Paul sighed. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking Sam." He muttered.
"It's fine man. I just… come on it's time to go. Mom hates waiting." He said changing the subject all together.
Jared clapped Paul on the shoulder before moving to load everything back into the bed of Sam's truck. When they were ready, he tapped the side of the truck twice and they were headed back. Each of them was quiet for the entire ride back to the house. By the time they walked into the house to wash up, the tension within Sam himself was enough that his mother shot him worrying looks, wondering just what had put the frown on his face.
Sam only shook his head and kissed her cheek. Even Paul and Jared knew that he'd be better by the end of the day. Once his ex was out of his mind. Nothing did that better than a hard day's work. Or maybe Bella would help him. They'd bide their time and see.