Red/Wolf (Working Title)

Chapter 26: Butterflies Sorrell

Chapter 26: Sorrell

I was more than excited to see, where Kenyon lived. I had heard stories about how big and beautiful the Beaufort Ranch was, and about the man that owned it. James Satordi was like a local celebrity. He was some billionaire that made his money by investing in many small businesses. He even owned a small stake in Charlotte's. He basically own the city, but I had always heard that he was low key, and that it was almost impossible to get in his ranch and here I was with my dad, and my brother in one of the most talked about places in Louisiana.
There was a dirt road that turned right off of the main road. The dirt road was something out of a movie. The road itself turned into a bridge that went over what seemed like an endless gator infested swamp with weeping willows scattered everywhere. It was beautiful, but treacherous to drive through, so we had to drive slowly.
Russ pointed point out an alligator near a bank in the distance. We both counted out seven in all on the entire path. It was then we reached a clearing in the weeping willows, where we found a large black cast iron gate with beautiful calligraphy letters over it that read "Beaufort".
"Beautiful Fortress!" I translated to myself.
We pulled up next to the intercom that was about a yard in front of the gate. My father mashed the button.
"Who dat?"
I recognized the voice, and climbed over my dad in the driver seat to speak out the window.
"Ro? Is that you?"
"Sorrell, girl we been expecting you, come on in."
"Thanks Ro!" I sat back down and the gates began opening automatically.
"Who is Ro?"
"Just a friend of Kenyon's."
He shrugged and drove into the gates. Russ and I looked back to see the gates clink shut after we passed through them. There was a winding path that lead through a forest of trees and stopped over by a huge lake. On the far end was tons of wooden cabins, everything else was woods. We stopped in front of the river, and there we saw Kenyon and Satordi waiting for us.
Satordi was a tall olive skinned man. Handsome in his own respect with long shiny grey hair that went down his back way longer than Kenyon's and his was straight. It looked like silk going down his back. He wore a grey tank top, blue jeans, and hush puppies. He seemed extremely built for his advanced age, but I was beginning to understand that muscular bodies ran in Kenyon's circles.
I had butterflies fluttering away in my stomach like crazy when I caught sight of Kenyon. His hair was braided back in corn rows, he wore a blue and white unbuttoned button up, a white tank top underneath, some khaki shorts and some brown loafers. He was looking good like he always did at school, but now was a little more laid back.
"Hey where can I park?" My dad asked. We were still sitting in the car.
"Just pull it off to the side Mr. Garnett." Instructed Satordi.
My dad did as he was told and we all got out of the car and met Satordi and Kenyon.
"Well, we are glad you guys could make it. Kenyon has told me so much about you. I guess I just had to meet you for myself." Satordi went over and shook my father's hand. "Mr. Garnett, it is great to meet you."
"Please call me Russell."
"Russell, it is a pleasure meeting you!"
"Thank you Mr. Satordi, it is and honor to be here."
"James." He corrected. "Just call me James."
He then came to me and kissed my hand. "Miss. Sorrell. It is a real pleasure to finally meet you. You are as beautiful as Kenyon described."
I couldn't help but to blush.
He then went to my brother. "I am sorry I don't think I have heard of you."
"Sorry, I'm Russ, Sorrell's twin brother."
Satordi shook his hand and smiled. "Well it is nice to meet you, any friend of Sorrell's is a friend of mine."
"Well, I am not sure if everyone ate, but I thought we would have lunch and then go fishing, in the lake."
"I love to fish." My dad gloated. "If I would have known I would have brought my tackle box."
Satordi laughed. "No need, I have more than enough supplies. It would be an honor for me to host your family at my ranch. Make yourselves at home."
"Hey you look familiar!" said Russ addressing Kenyon.
"Yeah, you do too." Said Kenyon. "You are Sorrell's twin brother?"
"Yeah!"
Kenyon shook his hand but they still looked at each other curiously, trying to figure out where they knew each other from. Kenyon shook it off and politely grabbed my hand.
"I'm so glad that you made it here."
I blushed again. "I am glad to be here."
He looked at my dad. "If it is alright with you Mr. Garnett, I would like to take Sorrell sightseeing."
Dad looked at Satordi and Satordi nodded in approval,
"Sure, you kids have fun."
"Come on Sorrell." Kenyon took my hand and lead me to a path in the woods my entire body felt warm and my stomach began feeling fluttery again.
"You are so polite."
"What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing, just making an observation. I think that it’s nice." I batted away some gnats with my free hand that were about to fly in my eye. I then decided to part hands with him and just follow him.
"I'm sorry am I making you uncomfortable holding your hand?"
I looked at him. I didn't mean to offend him. "No," I said "Not at all, I just am afraid that it doesn't mean to you what it means to me."
He looked at me curiously. "What does it mean to you?"
I blushed. "I'm sorry!"
He chuckled. "What are you apologizing for?"
I thought. "I don't know! It is just that, I am just so in awe of this place."
“You’re appoligizing for being in awe?”
I shrugged. “Nevermind.”
"There is a lot more to this place."
We were following a dirt path through the woods. I reached for his hand anyway absent-mindedly when the path had got uneven and I almost tripped. I fell into his back and for a moment my nose was in his shirt, taking in the thick heavenly musk of his body wash. My heart thudded hard against my chest.
Remember what you are here for. I reminded myself.
"Are you okay?" He put his hands on my waist, his beautiful eyes were filled with so much concern, and that it took my breath away.
I smiled assuringly. "I'm fine!"
He took my hand again and continued to lead me through the path.
"Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise."
"Should I be scared?"
He let out a quiet chuckle. "No. Are you?"
"No." I said. I noticed a mosquito on my arm and I smacked it and smashed it and scratched the itchy surface of my skin. "I don't know if you know this, but I am not the outdoorsy kind of girl."
He stopped and looked at me curiously. "You're kidding." He began to laugh.
He stopped and turned around towards me and must have seen that I was red with embarrassment "Sorrell, I'm sorry. I'm not making fun of you. I guess I am just not used to seeing you so much out of your element." He looked down and smiled. "I guess it is just refreshing, so see that you are not always, perfect." His gorgeous eyes then searched mine and couldn't help but smile blushingly.
I didn't totally understood what he meant. I just kept thinking of him putting my limp drugged body in his car. I must have looked a mess and here I was having a small freak out moment in the wilderness with him and I was a riot. I was confused.
When I saw the sunshine through an opening in the path, which I had hoped was the other side of the woods. Kenyon led me toward it.
When we got to it, all I could see was horses. It was a big horse stable with a huge field.
"Kenyon, they're beautiful!"
"Come on." He led me through the gate passed the pasture and into the stables. There were many different horses, in the stables all white ones, all back ones, ones white with black spots, and all were equally as beautiful and majestic. We walked down a long line of stables and stopped at the second to last stable, and in it was the most gorgeous redish-brown horse that I have ever seen. He. whinnied with glee at the sight of Kenyon.
"Hey boy, did you miss me?" He petted the beautiful animal in between the eyes. "I want you to meet someone, and I am kind of trying to make a good impression, so just make me look good, okay?"
He held his other hand out to mine. I took his hand and he placed it on the animal's forehead. I rubbed the fur on his face. I had never been this close to a horse. He was the most beautiful horse I had ever seen.
"Sorrell, this is Dexter. Dexter. Sorrell."
"Hi Dexter." I whispered
"I am just going to leave you two to get better aquatinted." He walked off into the stables.
"You're so beautiful!" I said stoking his long shiny mane.
Kenyon re-emerged holding a saddle.
"Whoa! Wait we are going to ride him?"
Kenyon chuckled. "Of course we are going to ride him. " He opened the stable took his reigns and led him out into the pasture, and tightened the saddle in his back. He put a foot in the stirrup and reached out to me. "Come on, I'll boost you up."
"What?" I said. Now I was freaking out. I barely knew this guy and we wanted me to get up on this animal. He could not be serious. "Are you kidding?"
He flashed me another one of his trademark warm smiles. "Do you trust me?"
I thought a moment. What had he done to tell me he was untrustworthy? He has gotten ice for my head, when he accidently smacked me with the door, he has taken me home, when I was drugged, without taking advantage of me, and he even hurt the guy who tried to hurt me. He had not given me any reason not to trust him. I took his hand and he helped me on the horse's back. He then jumped on behind me, and we were off.
The rhythm of the horse was more soothing than I had expected it to be, somehow, my anxiety went away when I felt Kenyon's warm body behind mine and I was in between his arms as he held the reigns.
"Are you okay?"
"F-fine." Our voice wobbled as the horse took steps.
"This isn't so scary is it?"
I smiled. "No, not at all. I have always wanted to ride a horse."
"Maybe you can come back and I'll teach you."
I smiled wider. "I'd like that."
It made me feel warm all over at the thought of seeing Kenyon in this incredible ranch place again. He was one of the only guys outside my family that I felt comfortable being alone with. I felt incredibly safe with him. I loved to be around him, I always had an odd excitement about coming to school just so I could see him. There was an undeniable attraction to Kenyon. It was now even stronger than ever.
We rode up to an enormous oak tree by the lake. Kenyon slid off first, and then helped me down. I took in the brief moment in his arms, I breathed in his scent deeply.
He then went into the saddle bag and pulled out a red and blue fleece blanket and spread it out in front of the tree."Sit." He said. I sat down on the blanket and took in the scenery. Kenyon went back to Dexter and pulled a walkie-talkie out of his saddle bag. He mashed the side button and talked into it.
“The canary is in the nest, I repeat the canary is in the nest.”
Who’s canary? I thought. Just then a tall attractive red haired woman came out of the woods holding a basket.
“Fresh from Ro’s kitchen!” she beamed.
Kenyon smiled as he took the basket. “Thanks Kit.”
She winked. “Glad I could help, sweetheart. You two have fun!” She then took back off into the woods.”
Kenyon sat next to me. His warmth was both comforting and sorrowful. The food smelled delectable, almost better than anything cooked at Charlotte’s I had to admit, but I couldn’t help but think here I was in a beautiful place with an amazing guy and we were going to talk about someone else.
“That’s Kit!” he said.
“She lives here too?”
“Yup! She is like the aunt I actually wanted.”
I laughed uneasily.
"Are you okay, Sorrell?"
I couldn't even look at him. I was almost ready to cry. I swallowed, and struggled with myself. I looked away. Kenyon gently guided my chin back in his direction. My eyes met his, and I could feel the water works coming.
"Sorrell, please don't cry!" He said sweetly.
"I sniffed and pulled my face away. "I'm not crying."
"What's wrong?" He cupped my face in his hands."Please tell me Sorrell."
I gazed into his gorgeous, light brown eyes, wondering if I should tell him, I had already upset him, I was afraid the truth would only make it worse.
"I just have something in my eye." I rubbed my eye and turned away.
"Sorrell, there is nothing in your eye. Tell me the truth."
"It's nothing. Really!"
"Is it me?"
I looked at him. How could he think that it was him? He had been the perfect gentleman at all times. He was the kindest person I had ever known. "No, it isn't you. It's me. It's all me."
"What did you do?"
I sighed in surrender. "I am supposed to help you talk to this girl you have had a crush on and I can't."
He rose an eyebrow. "Why not?"
"Don't laugh."
"Why would I laugh?"
"Just promise me you won't laugh."
He took both my hands. "I promise I won't laugh."
I bit the side of my lip. "I think I might-" I paused. My heart was pounding like crazy. I couldn't believe I was saying it. "I think I might be falling for you." My head fell down into my hands. I didn't even want to see his reaction.
He wrapped his arms around me and held me to him. "It's okay!" he brushed my hair out of my face and cupped my face. "Trust me it's okay."
"How is it okay? You are in love with someone else."
He smiled slowly and my heart melted. He shook his head. "Sorrell, I am falling for you too, more than you will ever know."
My heart stopped and my mouth hung open. I searched his eyes for a sign that he was joking, but there was nothing but sincerity in his eyes. His lips fell into mine, and I felt like everything exploded inside of me. When we pulled apart my mind went blank.
"Sorrell, please say something."
I realized my mouth was hanging open. "What do you want me to say?"
"Anything."
"Wow!" was the only thing that came out. I giggled. "That was-"
"Amazing!" He finishing my sentence.
"So let me make sense of this. You like me?"
"Yes, I do." He took my hand in his.
"And I like you." I looked around and everything began to make sense the horse ride, the picnic by the lake. Was this his way of asking me out all along? Was the girl just a ploy to get me out here with him? Just then an uneasy thought came across my mind. "Is this how you ask all your girlfriends out?"
"No." he said. “ Only you."
"Kenyon, I can't do this." I got up and just started walking. I felt tears welling up in my eyes again. When I realized he was following me, I slowed down. He deserved an explanation. I turned around.
"Kenyon, you are so incredible, and today was amazing, I'll never forget it for the rest of my life." I put my hand to my chest. "And that kiss, was just everything that I have ever imagined, but-"
"Sorrell, what is it?" He wrapped his arms around me, I almost pulled away but I stayed in his embrace.
"I am not like your other girlfriends Kenyon."
"I know, that is why I love you." He said.
I turned and walked away. He went after me and ran in front of me to block my path. "Sorrell please don't walk away."
Then the water works started. He grabbed my face and wiped away my tears.
"What is it Sorrell? Did I say something wrong?"
“No.”I pulled away. "But two weeks isn't enough, Kenyon." I turned and walked to the lake and crossed my arms.
Kenyon wrapped is muscular arms around me and whispered in my ear. "You're right, two weeks isn't enough."
"I sighed.
"Why don't we make it the beginning?"
"Of what?" I turned around to look at him.
I was still wrapped in his embrace, as he stared deeply into my eyes. His lips once again sank to mine. "Our love story."