Aaron ignored Sam as she locked on the door, and remained on the floor. The pain was about as bad as it had ever been, and there was a new fear that he had just set himself back quite a ways as far as his recovery went. Had it been worth it? He didn’t even know.
By the time Sam returned, he had shifted to the wall and managed to sit up, but couldn’t even muster up enough strength to get on his cot. He refused to look up at Sam, but he did eye the ice pack and the pills. Whatever gratefulness there might have been though, was buried under his anger and pain, keeping him from saying a word.
And as he was locked in again, he just closed his eyes and remained on the floor. The pain would pass, right?
As Ashlee looked at him, Travis held eye contact, just letting her see what she might. He had nothing to hide, and he liked seeing what her eyes had to offer, too. Still working after she broke eye contact, his lips curled slightly as her fingers ran over his. He’d wondered about her and Dylan earlier, but with her returning his subtle attention, he was pretty sure he had nothing to worry about.
He entered into a little bit of small talk, mostly about the work here at the ranch, and some of his experience with his dad at the cattle ranch, which wasn’t a lot, but enough for a few stories. With one saddle done, they moved on to several smaller pieces of tack – mostly bridles and breast collars that had been neglected. Working on several long sets of reins, Travis saw Ashlee working little by little on them, and moved back over closer to her.
“Here...I learned a little trick when oiling reins.” Slipping an arm around her, he took her hands in his so he could guide her movements, and showed her how to hold an oily rag around the leather, and slide the reins through it so it quickly and easily spread the oil. Travis grinned and nodded. “See? Easy peasy.”
By the time Sam returned, he had shifted to the wall and managed to sit up, but couldn’t even muster up enough strength to get on his cot. He refused to look up at Sam, but he did eye the ice pack and the pills. Whatever gratefulness there might have been though, was buried under his anger and pain, keeping him from saying a word.
And as he was locked in again, he just closed his eyes and remained on the floor. The pain would pass, right?
As Ashlee looked at him, Travis held eye contact, just letting her see what she might. He had nothing to hide, and he liked seeing what her eyes had to offer, too. Still working after she broke eye contact, his lips curled slightly as her fingers ran over his. He’d wondered about her and Dylan earlier, but with her returning his subtle attention, he was pretty sure he had nothing to worry about.
He entered into a little bit of small talk, mostly about the work here at the ranch, and some of his experience with his dad at the cattle ranch, which wasn’t a lot, but enough for a few stories. With one saddle done, they moved on to several smaller pieces of tack – mostly bridles and breast collars that had been neglected. Working on several long sets of reins, Travis saw Ashlee working little by little on them, and moved back over closer to her.
“Here...I learned a little trick when oiling reins.” Slipping an arm around her, he took her hands in his so he could guide her movements, and showed her how to hold an oily rag around the leather, and slide the reins through it so it quickly and easily spread the oil. Travis grinned and nodded. “See? Easy peasy.”
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