Chapter 6:Alone in the hay

Marcy's POV

I don't want to do this,I thought when I stepped out of the bathroom,I don't want to do this,while putting on some shorts and my plaid shirt,I don't want to do this,I thought while I put my hair in a ponytail,I really don't want to do this,I thought while putting on my boots ,I definitely don't want to do this,I thought while I stood at the front of his door.

I doing it for my mom right?I asked myself while I deliberated knocking,I literally avoided him after our last convo trying to convince myself that I hated him but I felt it whenever he looked my way,the unfamiliar feeling that held me captive whenever our eyes locked,the way my knees would go weak whenever he got close and I inhaled his scent,I was trying to process this feelings I was having for Hardin and thought pretending I hated him would solve it.

My mum put the cherry on top by suggesting that I gave him a tour of the ranch,i knew deep down that I didn't hate him and that he didn't hate me, which was the reason I was scared of this encounter we were about to have.

I took a deep breath and muttered "screw it"then I knocked,there was no answer from the other side.

"Hardin it's Marcy"still no response "I just wanted to know if you were ready yet,you know I'll still have to give you that tour and it doesn't really seem like I have a choice so.."

Still no response,what the hell was I even doing here knowing very well we hate each other guts,I was already going back to my room when i heard his door open,

"Marcy?"

I turned back and instantly wished I didn't,he looked like he just got out of the shower,he had a towel on his waist,his sleek black hair was wet and most of them clung to his forehead,water was still dripping from them and his body was emitting steam from the hot shower,i badly wanted to keep looking at his face but my eyes starting drifting downwards,I just couldn't resist looking at those muscles,oh I wish those ripped hands could pin me to a wall right now.

I looked down to his chocolate bar abs,how does one attain that,they were definitely more than 8,my stomach did a backflip when I looked at his happy trail,looking so yummy,I felt like kneeling and licking the…

"Marcy!"

"Huh?"shit I wasn't listening to a single word he was saying. "I said I was in the shower when you were knocking,I slept very late so I didn't wake up on time"

"I'll be with you in a few minutes,you could wait for me in the living room"I looked at him and nodded,he had this bemused look in his face,I just know he caught me staring like some thirsty wannabe.

I went to the living room and sat down I picked up my phone to watch some reels then I realized that I had gotten a text from my best friend jayla,she wanted to join us for this year's summer activities.

She had joined two times in the past whenever her family didn't go on their summer vacation,she had a crush on Hardin so she was really eager to meet him.

I was so engrossed with my phone,I didn't notice Hardin had entered the living room

"Okay,I'm ready now"

I almost burst out laughing,he wore a plaid shirt with a nice pair of Levi jeans with a ridiculously large buckle belt,boots and a hat.

(Okay cowboy,I feel you)

We walked through the patio then through the back of the house to the path that led to the ranch,our first stop was the cowshed even if I was pretty sure he still hated me,I knew he would want to see how Miranda was doing,

"Our first stop is the cowshed,I'm sure you're already familiar with this place"

"Yeah"he smiled and went straight to where Miranda was with her calf , he patted her and she acknowledged him with a cheerful moo.

We left the shed and started walking towards the barn,the silence between us was loud as hell,

"This is the barn where the Horses are kept,that's horace,Wallace,sandy,pierce and rock.

"Why is that one named rock "

" well he is the strongest and fastest horse in this ranch,my mom says he is hard as a rock Cus he's relentless and hardly gets tired,thus the name rock "

"Oh"he looked intrigued."I've never really riden a horse before"

"Maybe after the skating,I'll teach you"

He nodded.

"What's that other shed there?"

"Oh that's where hay is kept"

"I see"his facial changed from intrigued to nervous.

"Umm Marcy I've been meaning to talk to you about something..

Just as I was about to ask him what,Nathan walked to where we were standing ,he said hi to me and nodded towards Hardin who nodded back.

"Giving your couz a tour I presume"

"Yeah, I am"I answered

"Do you really have time for other things like you know fun,you do know what fun is right?"he asked with a smile.

" of course I know what fun is Nathan"I said with a faint smile.

(Nathan and his horrible flirting)

"Cool I was thinking you could come with me to an amusement park at Mayfair,my friend Mickey was supposed to go with me,but he bailed".

"So a date?"i asked with a raised brow

"Yeah "he fumbled with the hem of his shirt"you're literally the only girl I like in this town so.."

I saw Hardin go stiff from the corner of my eyes.

"So what'd you say Marcy,would you like to be my date for a day?"

Before I could even answer,Hardin came and took my hand and started pulling me towards the hay shed,

He looked at Nathan and said"sorry i need to speak with her ,it's a family emergency"

Then he dragged me inside the barn leaving the puzzled Nathan left standing.

He dragged me inside and shut the barn door,it was dimly lit with hay at every corner except where we were standing.

"What the hell is your problem,Hardin,why would you pull me out of there like that? Or what?!do you hate Nathan too?"

He scoffed "what do mean hate Nathan too?"

"Oh don't play dumb with me". I was actually getting really angry" Oneminute you say you hate my guts and the next you're intercepting my date proposal"

"What makes you think that I hate you Marcy?"

"You do"I didn't even notice I was yelling,tears started welling in my eyes "you told me the other day,what did i ever do to make you hate me this much?huh Hardin?what did i ever do?"

"I don't hate you Marcy"His voice had lowered so much,it was almost a whisper.

I wiped at my eyes"Alright then,prove it,I want you to prove me otherwise"

He looked me in the eyes,then drew me close by the waist,so close I could feel his breath on my face and before I could even process what was going on,

He kissed me.

Not a peck or something but an actual deep kiss,his lips was soft and quite warm and welcoming.

He wasn't like other boys I had kissed,he was gentle and inviting and the way he kissed me gave me tingles and even though I was a bit reluctant,I eventually gave in and deepened the kiss,one of his hands groped me from behind and the other went to my boob(Damn he was good).

I was telling myself that this was wrong that he was my cousin and the one I hated for that matter but this way a too good to be true kind of kiss and I'm not gonna lie,I had been doing a bit of yearning for a while now.

He skillfully unclasped my bra and once his hand made contact with my bare skin,I let out a moan I never knew I had in me and shuddered.

Hardin went stiff all of a sudden,he took his hand off my boob and helped me clasp my bra then without looking at me he said

"I don't hate you Marce,even if I really want to ,I can't,I have a different feeling whenever I'm around you and you're all I can think about whenever you're not there,even when I try to avoid you,you still find a way to visit me in my dreams,I can't stop wanton thoughts from coming in so I keep telling myself that I hate you but I really don't,and believe it or not I can't let you out of my head"

Then he walked out of the shed leaving me standing there bewildered with some of my buttons still undone.