City Grown Willow - Part 1

Summary: AH – Dean/Original Female Character – Romy Page is a famous actress looking for a much-needed escape from reality. She books herself a cozy cabin in the Mountains looking for a bit of peace and quiet, but ends up finding a lot more.

Romy's Description: 5'4", olive skin, hazel brown eyes and long wavy chestnut brown hair.

Song Inspiration: City Grown Willow – Radio Company

.

She wants to know the names of the games he plays
He wants the names of the players in the game to change
He's young in years but wise in wonderful ways
Her faith in love is better on sunny days

City grown willow, unchain your pillow

Let the man from the mountains run away with your heart
Let the man from the mountains run away with your heart

He stokes the flames 'cause he is amused by the glow
She'd rather feel all of its warmth than watch the show
Holding the answer, he dances for the one he knows
His faith in love will last through wind, rain and snow

.

She gazed at the small cabin with wide eyes as she drove up the gravel pathway. It was quaint and rustic; a far cry from the four-bedroom chalet that her manager had originally arranged. But this was perfect. Away from the loud, fast paced life she usually led, and the constant ringing of her phone. Romy breathed a sigh of relief when she got out of the car, the long drive through the Tennessee mountains behind her.

This is exactly what she needed. A break away from all people, just her alone for a couple weeks to re-center herself. Romy pulled her suitcase up the steps of the cabin, and smiled at the charm of it. It was well-kept and obviously treated with a great deal of care; there were an array of colorful flowers in the beds around the front, and an old rocking chair on the porch. She used the key that was mailed to her, and made herself familiar with the place. It was cozy, with a fireplace in the living room, and a bearskin rug in front of it. There was an open concept kitchen, that had all she could need and near the back was the bathroom and the bedroom. The bed was perfectly made, and she found a welcome note waiting on the pillow with contact information, should she need anything.

After the flight and long drive, Romy was ready for a shower and a nap. It had been a stressful couple of months. With the wrapping of her latest TV show also came the end of her five-year relationship with her boyfriend and co-star, Oliver Williams. It had started in a romantic whirlwind, stolen kisses and heated glances from across the room, to falling in love both on and off set. However, when it all came crashing down, she was forced to still see him every day, and pretend she didn't hate his guts when she had to kiss him on screen. Oliver was not a faithful man, but he sure was a good liar, and it took three out of the five years they were together for her to figure out he'd been sleeping around on her. She'd never felt so betrayed. Romy didn't ever think she could trust someone with her heart again.

…

A few hours later, she woke to a loud repetitive sound just outside the cabin. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Romy padded to the front door, throwing up her long dark hair in a high messy bun on the top of her head. When she got out to the porch, she paused taking in the form of a man with his back to her, chopping wood. She watched as the muscles under his thin t-shirt rippled as he swung his axe down on log after log. "Hey." She called out in a groggy voice. He must not have heard her, because he continued on, bobbing his head to whatever song was playing in his ear pods. "Hey!" She yelled out, a bit more annoyed now. This was supposed to be a secluded getaway. She stormed down the steps barefoot, in only her silk blue shorts and camisole, bringing out her sun-kissed olive skin. It was only when she stood in front of him that she realized how tall he was compared to her 5'4" frame. Romy forgot what she was even angry about when she looked up at him. His eyes were like swirls of honey and sage, and his lips were noticeably full and pouty even with his rugged beard. There were a pair of suspenders resting on his shoulders and the front of his grey shirt was soiled with sweat and dirt, only hugging his chest more.

He was smiling at her now, pulling a headphone out of his ear, and bringing his axe down to lodge into the stump. "Hey, can I help you?" His lips pulled up in the corner, taking in her pajamas and messy hair.

Romy snapped out of her daze blinking. "Uh yeah. You're being kinda loud."

He huffed a laugh, his brows raising at her blunt response. "Well, if you figure out a quieter way to chop wood, you let me know." He turned his back on her fully prepared to continue.

"I just-I was sleeping. I've had a long flight and the whole reason I came all the way out here was for some quiet time alone and…" she sighed heavily. "I was told that no one else would be here." She finished awkwardly.

"Well, you're our only tenant this week…" He frowned. "Wait, you really came all the way out here thinking no one would be here? Not really safe for a woman to be in these mountains all alone."

"No safer than being out here all alone with a man I don't know." She responded pointedly.

"Well someone's gotta run this place." He brushed the sweat from his forehead with his forearm, mussing his hair a bit more.

Damn, he was handsome. "I spoke to an older lady on the phone." She explained confused.

"That would be my gran. I handle all the maintenance on the rentals. She told me someone was here for the week, I thought I'd make sure you had everything you needed." He pulled off his work gloves and held a hand out for her to shake. "I'm Dean Winchester. And you are?"

She was stunned for a moment. It had been a long time since she ran into someone that didn't recognize her. Nearly eight seasons and three movies later and she could barely walk down the street without being spotted. It was refreshing, and she allowed herself a pleasant smile before shaking his warm hand. "Romy…Page." She observed him curiously, waiting for any sign of recollection. There was none.

He nodded. "Nice to meet you. I'm almost done so…I'll get out of your hair."

"Thanks." She headed back to the cabin, stopping on the middle step and turning around, squinting against the sun in her eyes. "You really don't know who I am?"

He frowned. "Should I?"

She shook her head with a smile. "No. See you around I guess." She was about to close the door behind her when she heard him call out her name. "Yeah?"

"Cute pjs." He broke out in a cheeky grin, that showed his perfectly white teeth, and she felt a school of butterflies flutter in her belly. He kept his eyes on her as he popped his headphone back in, yanking the axe out of the stump.

Romy's cheeks flushed, and she ducked her head only to realize she wasn't wearing a bra. She mentally slapped her palm to her head at her mistake, quickly retreating back inside.

…

It was beautiful out here. She had her morning run around the lake early, just as the sun was rising and it was so much more therapeutic than running in place on her treadmill. Out here, she could feel the ground beneath her feet, and the smell the pine in the air. The wind blew wisps of her hair around her face as she stopped to take in the view.

She was jarred out of her reverie when the sound of a deep base echoed on the silent lake. "Only tenant, he says." She grumbled with a roll of her eyes, curiosity getting the better of her as she followed the music down a path in the woods. She couldn't help the amused smile when realized who it was. She got to a clearing with a smaller cabin and saw blue jean covered thighs under a lifted classic car in the garage beside it. He was belting out along with Led Zeppelin, his foot tapping to the beat. With a smirk, she walked over, turning down the dial. Catching him off guard, he rolled out from under the car, glancing up at her. "Kind of a jack of all trades, huh? Lumberjack, mechanic…80's hair band singer." She teased, planting her hands on her hips.

He shot to his feet, a serious furrow in his brows. "Hey! You take that back." He pointed a wrench in her direction. "Zeppelin is one of the greatest heavy rock bands that ever lived. Hair band? Really?" He scoffed, wiping his greasy hands on a rag. He sounded stern, but there was something in the way he said it that led her to believe he was still being playful about it. "For being on vacation, you sure are up early." He moved around her grabbing swapping out his tools.

Romy shrugged. "I wouldn't really call this a vacation. More like an escape." She leaned against the work table in the garage.

He ducked his head under the hood, tinkering around the engine. "Yep. Not gonna find any star struck fans or paparazzi out here." Dean's eyes darted over to hers knowingly, his lips quirked mischievously.

She rolled her eyes indulgently with a resigned sigh. "Guess the secret's out, huh."

He shrugged a shoulder, still working on the car. "Well, what can I say, you made me curious. I get it though…the need to break away from the city life; to go where no one knows your name." He shot her a smile. "Your secret's safe with me."

She sighed in relief. "Thanks. So, is that what you're doing? Escaping?" She leaned her hip on the side of his car, watching him curiously.

"Nope." He came out from under the hood, shutting it and wiping his hands on the rag. "This is home."

Romy looked around almost in amazement. It was a big plot of land; dense woods, beautiful mountains and right off the lake, with a long gravel path that led to the main road and the narrow trail that she just came from. The cabin wasn't run down by any means either, in fact it looked rather…cozy. "You live here?" she breathed.

"Yeah." The chuckle he rumbled let her know he didn't take offense to her incredulous question. "Can I interest you in a tour?" He grinned. She nodded and followed him as he skipped up the steps of the cabin and pushed the door open, nodding for her to go in. She was surprised; it was nothing like she expected. The floors were polished wood, with vaulted ceilings and there was a fireplace in the living room across from a brown leather couch. The kitchen was similar to the one in her cabin, but had an island with two stools in front of it. To her right, were stairs that led to the loft style bedroom. She turned around, taking it all in in wonder. "It's probably a far cry from the mansions you're use to, but…" He trailed off.

"No!" She snapped her head to look at him. "No, it's beautiful." She walked over to the mantle above the fireplace, her fingers tracing the vintage picture frames and the keepsakes on display. There were pictures of him as a kid with whom she assumed were his brother and parents, his grandparents and one of him and a beautiful blonde. Her eyes lingered on it, seeing how young and happy they were…she wondered where she was now.

"My great-great grandfather built this place from the ground up. All the cabins on the property actually. Our family has owned this land for…nearly two hundred years. Lot of memories here." He smiled, letting his eyes follow her gaze.

Romy turned to him with smile of her own. "Wow…that's amazing. Must be nice. To have roots, a place to call home." She stated genuinely.

He frowned. "You don't?"

She scoffed ironically. "Not anymore." She hesitated, wondering how much she wanted to divulge. "I've been bouncing around for as long as I can remember. And Hollywood's not really a home to anyone." She cleared her throat, shifting uncomfortably. "Look, I'm sorry about yesterday." He waved it off with a flick of his wrist. "No, you were just trying to be nice and I was rude. I'm kind of going through a thing."

"Boyfriend troubles?" He prodded gently.

She huffed a laugh. "Ex-boyfriend troubles. Nothing better than having to work with the man that ripped your heart out." She drawled sarcastically.

He winced. "Ouch. I'm sorry."

"Thanks. You know that's not even the worst part. It's all everyone wants to talk about; the tabloids, the press junkets, the interviews…it's why I had to get away. Just long enough for it all blow over." She nodded resolutely.

Dean sucked in a breath, crossing his arms. "Well if you're looking for a distraction, you came to right place. These mountains have a lot to offer…you just need to know where to look."

"Well good thing I have a mountain man here to guide me." She gestured to him teasingly.

He shot her a charming smile a hint of a blush flushing his cheeks. "It sure is…" his eyes took on a flirty glint. "How bout this; why don't you head back to the cabin, I'm gonna clean up and I'll swing by in an hour to come get you."

Romy felt her stomach flip, the excitement of what was in store for her making her nervous. "Sure…" she smiled back. She turned and headed back to the door, before spinning back around, her high ponytail flipping around her shoulder. "What should I wear?"

He chuckled. "Something you don't mind getting dirty."

Her brow shot up her forehead, instantly curious; her interest piqued.

…

It was just over an hour later and Romy was staring at herself in the mirror. She had settled on a pair of blue jeans, her hiking boots, and a slightly loose-fitting black tee. She was nervous. Like about to go in for an audition nervous. Like meeting your boyfriend's mother nervous. Which for her was highly unusual when it came to men. There was something about him that disarmed her; that flipped off the switch that told her to keep her guard up. She wiped her sweaty palms on her thighs when she heard the knock on the door, and shook her hands out as she walked over to open it.

He was standing there, filling the door frame with his height, hands respectfully behind his back. She swallowed hard, and resisted the urge to lick her lips. He matched her blue jeans with a pair of his own, and an army green shirt. But what did her in was the cowboy hat. He flashed her a boyish grin. "Sorry I'm late, Beau was giving me a hard time." There was that glint in his eyes again; like he had a secret he couldn't wait to tell.

Romy cleared her throat, snapping back to herself. "Um…who's Beau?"

He stepped aside letting her see the two horses, waiting patiently to the left of the porch. One was taller, a strapping Bay American Quarter stallion, and the other a beautiful Tobiano Painted mare. He watched her eyes light up when she saw them, and led her down the steps to the horses. "Beau is my boy, but some times he can be stubborn." He ran his palm up and down his horse's nose affectionately. "This here, is Whiskey."

Romy caressed Whiskey's nose, laughing when she nuzzled into it and whinnied softly in appreciation. "They're beautiful."

Dean untied their reins from the post. "Have you ridden before?" He couldn't keep his gaze off her as she petted the horse with wide and wondrous eyes.

"A couple times. I'm a little rusty." She admitted glancing up at him.

"Just follow my lead; let your body move with hers." He helped her into the saddle handing her the reins giving a couple loving pats to Whiskey's neck as he finished giving her a quick crash course. Dean put a foot in his own stirrup, swinging his other leg over gracefully and settling in easily. He clicked his tongue twice to Beau, leading him out the trail.

They traveled side by side in comfortable silence through the woods, both of them taking in the sounds of the birds chirping and the twigs cracking under hooves. "So I'm curious…" Dean started. "Just what did this ex of yours do to break your heart?"

She hummed to herself. "Oh, you know the usual. He cheated. It only took me three years to figure it out, but I guess that's my fault." Romy acknowledged.

He turned his head to look at her. "Why do you say that?"

"Because I ignored all the signs." Romy began with a shrug. "I threw myself into my work, I acted like everything was fine when it wasn't because I didn't want to admit that it was over. I cared too much about what people thought; of how they would look at me."

"Romy…" it was the first time her name left his lips and she shivered at the husky sound of it. "Don't you let yourself take the blame for his cowardice, because that's exactly what it is." She met his gaze under the rim of his hat. "A man that cheats isn't a man at all."

Romy let that resonate for a moment, "Thank you." He seemed so wise for his years, and it only made her want to know more about him. "So what's your story, Dean Winchester, man of the mountains." She asked him playfully, earning a deep chuckle from him.

"Well, there's not much to tell. I've lived here my whole life, my brother and I run the family business; Sammy's better with people, so he handles more of the day to day. I like to keep to myself for the most part." He spoke casually, but she could tell he was holding back.

Her mind went to that picture again; the beautiful blonde with soulful brown eyes. "No wife? Kids?"

He kept his eyes in front of him. "Nope." Then he quickly changed the subject. "There's valley up ahead; let's open 'er up." With a dig of his heels, Beau took off through the end of the trail, and Romy had no choice but to follow. Obviously, it was something that was sensitive to him, and she knew now to tread lightly. To his credit, he didn't hold it against her and by the time she caught up, Dean was stopped, resting his forearm on the horn of the saddle and grinning from ear to ear watching her ride towards him. Her hair bounced around her shoulders, the wind blowing the wisps across her face as Whiskey galloped into the valley. She looked like a vision, the midday sun illuminating her. "You're kind of a natural, aren't ya?"

Romy laughed, slowing down to a canter. "I'm a quick learner."

"Come on, I got something else I wanna show you." He pulled gently on the reins, guiding Beau in a circle around her before taking off again.

Romy followed, keeping a good pace with him, feeling exhilarated. They spanned the valley back into the woods, slowing down to trot through another trail and crossing a trickling stream. The water that splashed up on them was a welcome relief from the heat; it was still quite hot for September, and the morning chill had died away from the rising sun. Romy's breath was stolen from her when they stopped, reaching a watering hole with a cascading waterfall that crashed into bluish green pools. It was gorgeous. She had seen sites like this before in California, but they were always filled with people, taking away the peace, and magic of it all.

"Oh my God…" she breathed, stopping beside Dean. "It's stunning."

He watched her, his lips quirking up. "Sure is." He wasn't sure if he was talking about her or the falls. He directed his gaze to the falls. "This is kind of hidden gem. I don't usually bring anyone through here."

She glanced at him, looking at Dean through her thick lashes. "Except me. Why's that?" she asked softly.

"Because I knew you'd appreciate it." There was something about her; despite her fame and money, she was humble and she soaked in the beauty of the little things around her. "And maybe I wanted to be the one to show you." He finished huskily.

Romy held his gaze brazenly, before hopping off the horse and tying her to a nearby tree. Dean followed her lead, observing her as she deftly hopped from rock to rock until she reached a large flat boulder. He waited with amused curiosity as she toed out of her boots and socks. He reeled back, swallowing audibly when her hands went to her jean buttons and without a second thought, shimmed out of them. Her legs were toned and he got a view of her perfectly shaped ass peaking out from under her booty short panties. Dean exhaled slowly as she whipped her shirt over her head, letting her chocolate locks hit her back.

She turned, revealing a matching sports bra that hugged her perky breasts. She smirked. "You coming, or what?" she didn't wait for a response, and slipped agilely into the water with a contented moan.

Dean blinked. She was something else alright. He made his way over, keeping his eyes on her as she emerged from under the water looking up at him. Her hair slicked back, droplets of water trailing over her sun-kissed skin. Carefully, he removed his hat, placing it on the rock before kicking out of his boots. Dean grabbed his shirt from his back between his shoulders and slipped it off in one smooth motion. He smirked when her eyes immediately coasted over his chest and abs to the defined lines of his hips and pubic bone. His gaze didn't waver, even as he flipped open his belt in a sharp movement, returning the favor of taking her breath away. When he was down to his boxer briefs, Dean flashed a grin before jumping in, making her squeal when he covered her in a big splash.

He emerged in front of her with a shake of his head. "Hi…" he rasped, now at eye level with her, floating in the center of the watering hole.

"Hi…" With him so close, she could see the spattering of freckles on his face. He was so handsome; from the crooked slope of his nose, to the flecks of gold in his eyes, to the cupid bow of his lips…she wanted to kiss those lips.

She was starting to feel nervous under his blatant stare. "For the record, I think your ex was an idiot for letting you go." He rumbled seriously. "A woman like you is someone a man outta hold onto."

His words sent a flutter between her legs. "Yeah?" she whispered, drawing herself closer to him until they were just barely touching.

He felt her hands slid up his arms to rest on his shoulders and he snaked an arm around her waist, wrapping a leg around his hips. "Mhm." Dean hadn't felt a connection like this with someone in a long time, and while part of him was hesitant, there was another part of him that was dying to give into it. His other hand brushed a wet lock of her from her cheek, tracing her jaw and tipping her chin up. Dean lips captured hers, drawing a breathless gasp out of her, and she melted into him allowing Dean to pull her even closer.

Romy's fingers tunneled through his hair, moaning as Dean's hands roamed her slicked body. He squeezed the globes of her ass as she clung onto him, his calloused palms igniting a fire with every place he caressed. It had been so long since she'd felt the touch of a man, and Dean was like no other man she'd been with. He was the perfect balance between rough and gentle; his kisses slow and coaxing while he ground himself into her gripping her hips and thighs firmly.

When they pulled away for air, they shared a euphoric smile. "Wow…" she breathed with a giggle.

"Mm…as far as first kisses go that definitely ranks pretty high." He teased, brushing a thumb over her bottom lip affectionately before coming in for a softer peck.

They spent the afternoon floating in the water, trading stories and stealing kisses, and when the sun dried them off, they reluctantly redressed and mounted their horses to head back. Neither of them wanted the day to end, and as they approached the valley Dean slowed, turning to look at her. "You hungry?"

"Starving." She beamed. A glint of mischievousness sparkled in her eyes. "Race you back!" She dug her heels in and Whiskey took off in a gallop, laughter floating back to him in her wake.

He shook his head with an indulgent chuckle. "Oh yeah Beau…I like her." He uttered to the stallion leaning closer to his ear. "Come on, why don't you show off for her a little, huh?" he joked before taking off after her.

…

AN: Hey guys! I'm pretty excited about this one! It was only supposed to be a one-shot but it's turning into a multi chapter fic. I have AI generated photos of what Romy is supposed to look like, but I don't know how to post on this site.