Posted: January 2004
Title: Special Delivery
Author: Sairalinde
Type: RPHet
Characters: Viggo/OFC
Rating: R maybe NC-17
Beta: Glorfindel
Warning: Description of breech foaling.
Disclaimer: This never happened...this is total fiction. Viggo is incredibly, deliciously real but sadly I can make no claims on him. This was written in fun that's all. None of it is real not even the fictional characters I invented or the fictional town…though those do belong to me. (The dogs however are patterned after and named after dogs I used to own as a kid, and Boisterous was a real horse.) This did start out as a much longer story but I went on a bunny trimming rampage and this is what I ended up with.
Summary/Notes: Viggo and his neighbor Anne don't get along very well, but during a snowstorm she needs help with one of her prize horses. Viggo goes to help and they finally get past their problems. ;)

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Special Delivery

Viggo walked out of his barn removing his gloves and slapping them against his dusty, jean clad thigh. He made a mental note of what he needed to pick up from town. Once a month he went into the small town of Milford Falls about a half hours drive from his ranch to pick up feed for the horses...and this Saturday he also needed dog food.

Megan and Duke were quick to remind him of that fact this morning. The two black and white border collies met him on the back porch with their dishes in their mouths. Viggo had to sit down on the steps he was laughing so hard, and that turned into a wrestling match. Despite the man's best efforts to pin them by rubbing their tummies; the dogs won.

"You two can't come." He told the dogs as he walked. The two dogs had raced ahead and were waiting by the truck.

"Megan! Duke! You can't come!" Viggo warned. The two dogs stared at their master tilting their heads. "Go up on the porch!" Viggo told them and pointed to the porch. The dogs did as their master said and he shook his head as he got in the truck.

"I've spoiled them taking them on rides." Viggo chastised himself softly as he drove down the driveway. He flipped on the radio and listened to the local station. The local news and weather was on and he was very interested in the weather. They said it was supposed to be colder with a chance of snow tomorrow he figured it might not be a bad idea to pick up some extra feed just in case of heavy snow. Idaho this time of year could sometimes be a little unpredictable.

Viggo parked his truck in front of the feed store. When he got out he saw Kate Wilson on the sidewalk across the street in front of the Post Office with her brood talking to Fred Shorney the Police Chief of the tiny town. Poor Fred looked trapped; Kate could talk a rampaging herd of buffalo into submission. Viggo tried to slip into the feed store without Kate noticing…but she always noticed him, the town's lone celebrity.

"Viggo!" She called. Viggo forced himself not to flinch and turned to wave.

"Hi!" Viggo called waving. ‘Shit the look Fred is giving me I have to go over there, the poor man is practically begging with his eyes for me to save him from the torture that is Kate when she is upset about something.' Viggo thought to himself.

He walked across the street and stepped up on the sidewalk to immediately be mugged by four children between the ages of ten and two. The fifth was on Kate's hip and number six appeared to be causing Kate a bit of sleepless nights, as her eyes were puffy and dark circles were under them. She was due in the next few weeks. After greeting the children Viggo smiled at Kate and Fred.

"So decided to grace the town with your presence this month?" Kate asked grinning. She loved to tease Viggo.

"Something like that. The horses and the dogs need feed…and with the forecast figured I better buy extra." Viggo responded.

Fred smiled. "Well that's a smart move."

Viggo smiled at Fred and decided to give the man a break. "Fred I been meaning to talk to you about something. Kate, could you excuse us a minute?"

Fred's eyes were priceless Viggo thought. The old man looked as if he were ready to drop to his knees and offer his undying loyalty to Viggo.

"Oh…sure thing…I need to mail these anyway before Joe closes the Post Office. We aren't through here though Fred, something needs to be done about those boys." Kate said warning the old man she wasn't through with his ass chewing yet. Viggo shook his head. The poor, poor man. He thought. The group said their respective goodbyes and Fred held the door for the pregnant woman and her many children to pass through.

Fred turned to Viggo. "So what is it you need to talk to me about?"

Viggo grinned. "Nothing really, you just looked like you were in need of being rescued." Viggo admitted.

Fred laughed. "And I thought you only played a hero in movies! Actually all you did was just delay the rest of that lecture she was giving me, but I do appreciate it. Kate means well, and I agree with her, but you know her you can't just agree. You have to listen to her tirade until she is satisfied that she has convinced you she was right even if you agreed with her all along." Fred said shaking his head.

"Yeah I heard Bob saying that Kate would argue with a brick wall, I am not sure how the man puts up with her." Viggo said smiling and shaking his head.

"Love is blind and with Kate and Bob apparently it's deaf too." Fred said laughing. "Well I need to get back to the Police station…and I guess you are off to buy feed."

"Yeah…see you later Fred…you better get before Kate comes back out." Viggo warned then smiled at the man and shook his hand.

Viggo headed back across the street to the feed store. Well he had done his good deed for the day…rescued the Police Chief. He almost chuckled at the thought. He went in the feed store and made his purchases. When Viggo walked back outside snow was starting to fall. Perfect. The weather was only off by a day.

Once the truck was loaded Viggo headed back home, and the snow started falling at a faster pace.

When he arrived at the ranch Viggo shivered and buttoned his coat as he got out of the truck. He started unloading the feedbags and soon was done. He grabbed the bag of dog food and lugged it back to the mudroom at the house. He fed both the dogs and then went in the house, the dogs would go to the barn and if it got too cold he would let them in the house.

He stood stomping at the back door for a while knocking snow off his boots and removed his coat, hat, and gloves. He went straight to the kettle in the kitchen and set it to boil for tea. Viggo glanced out the kitchen window, the snow was coming down so hard and fast he could barely make out the shape of the barn.

"Slight chance of snow tomorrow my ass." He hissed to himself.

Viggo stood leaning against the kitchen counter watching the snow fall and drank his tea. He considered grabbing his camera and taking a few shots. His thoughts about the snow were disrupted by the jangle of the phone.

"Hello?" He asked into the phone.

"Hi. Viggo, this is Fred Shorney." The Police Chief said on the other end of the line.

"Hey Fred…um what do you need?" Viggo wondered why the man would be calling him.

"Can you do me a favor? Sam and myself have our hands tied here in town with a couple of fender benders, and we couldn't get there in time anyway snow or not. We got a call from Doc Brown that he is tied up at the Dugan Ranch, but needs someone to go out to Anne Masters place. She is having trouble with one of her horses, figured since you don't live too far from her and you are a horse man yourself…well you could give her a hand." Fred said quickly as if he was in a huge hurry.

Viggo rolled his eyes. Anne Master's hated him with a passion. She was the only person around Milford Falls who gave him a persistent cold shoulder. He had heard that Anne thought he was just another actor who had come to Idaho to play cowboy and had no idea what it was like to actually work a ranch for a living. Viggo had never gotten the chance to tell Anne how wrong she was since he had experienced life on a "working farm" with his grandparents in Denmark.

"Are you sure I am the best choice for this?" Viggo asked running his hand through his hair. He'd let it grow back out again, and it was longer than he'd worn it in quite some time, brushing his shoulders.

"Oh come on man the woman doesn't bite, and she needs the help, from what Doc Brown said it's Boisterous her prize mare having trouble foaling, she wouldn't care if you were the devil incarnate as long as you were there to help. She can't possibly handle a breach if that's what it is on her own, Viggo. She'd kill herself and the horse." Fred pleaded.

Viggo knew then he had to go…for the horse's sake.

"Alright….alright…how long has it been?" He asked knowing that if it had been more than thirty minutes more than likely the foal and the mare were going to die.

"It's been about umm five minutes since I got the call…you better hurry." Fred said a relieved goodbye and Viggo hung up.

He thought Fred was wrong about Anne not biting…the last conversation if you could call it that, which Viggo had with her had left him feeling like he had been thoroughly bitten, chewed up, and spit back out.

That was when he had attempted to buy one of her horses she had up for sale. He even offered twice what the colt was worth and she practically ran him off her porch…with a broom like she was shooing off chickens no less!

Viggo shook his head…this was a bad idea. It wasn't just that Anne hated him that made him feel uncomfortable about going over to her ranch. It was what he felt for the woman was far from hate, much more like lust. He was attracted to her, almost painfully so. That's why it bugged him so much that she hated him.

The thirty eight year old widow was everything he loved in a woman. She was strong willed, independent, and also pretty but not in a Hollywood sort of way. Even when she was yelling at him he wanted her…actually especially when she was yelling at him. He wasn't sure why that was, but it was true.

He sighed as he saddled up Brego as quickly as he could, "This should be interesting boy."

Viggo mounted up and raced Brego into the snow and across the field toward the fence that bordered his ranch and Anne Masters. ‘She is just going to love seeing me show up.' Viggo thought sarcastically to himself as he rode.

When he approached the fence he pressed Brego on…one thing the horse loved doing was jumping. So this one time he let him have his head, and they leapt over the fence easily. Viggo couldn't help smiling…damn he loved that feeling!

When they approached the barn he could see lights on inside…he hoped he wasn't too late. Boisterous was a magnificent mare and he would be heartbroken if she died foaling.

He dismounted quickly and led Brego to the door of the barn…he knocked and then opened it not waiting for a reply.

"Doc Brown?" Anne's voice called out a bit weakly.

"Um no…it's Viggo…Doc Brown couldn't make it, asked me to come." Viggo said hoping she was too worried about her horse to go off on him.

She stood up from where she knelt on the ground in one of the stalls and frowned at him. "Wonderful", she said sarcastically, "you rode over?" She asked shocked seeing Brego behind the man.

"Yeah he is safer in this weather than my truck." He explained.

She sighed heavily and pushed her long black hair back, it had fallen out of the bun she always wore it in and was a complete mess with bits of hay stuck in it, but he thought she still looked beautiful. "Fine…come on in then, just put him in that empty stall there." She said pointing.

She turned back to the mare and went back to her knees ignoring Viggo as he tied his horse.

Viggo was relieved she hadn't gotten too upset the sarcastic ‘wonderful' was to be expected. He glanced over at her while he settled his horse and saw that the woman looked worn out. He soon came to her side and dropped down next to her.

"How long has it been?" Viggo asked looking at the struggling chestnut mare. She really was having a tough time.

"Almost too long…I…I can't get the foal to turn, Mr. Mortensen and her water hasn't broken yet. I think the foal is blocking the cervix." She said softly.

She never called him Viggo…always Mr. Mortensen…although once she did refer to him as ‘the idiot actor from next door', and he was sure she had referred to him as much more colorful names when he wasn't around to hear.

"We are probably going to have to pull it even if we manage to get the foal turned which I doubt. Move over to the other side…right there and put your hands here. This would be easier if she wasn't down." Viggo said showing her what he wanted her to do.

"I do know what I am doing and I have already tried that!" She snapped irritably. She probably knew more about birthing foals than Viggo could ever want to know but he wasn't about to let her know that.

"Humor me ok?" Viggo said then. "You didn't try it with an extra set of hands…so just give whatever grudge you have against me a rest and humor the idiot actor ok?"

She winced when he threw her words from a few months ago back at her and looked down at the mare. He was right and she knew it.

"Ok….hand me those gloves and the gel." He commanded as he took off his coat and tossed it over one of the rails. This was going to get very messy.

She hadn't expected him to be so authoritative, Viggo usually spoke in low tones but his voice this time was commanding leaving no room for argument really. Normally that would have pissed her off…everyone always seemed to think she didn't know what she was doing. Though she didn't think Viggo meant it in that way at all. She liked Viggo…she truly did. He didn't think so and neither did half the town; everyone thought she hated him but it wasn't hate at all.

Part of her just loved arguing with him. Her husband used to say she would argue with a dog if she thought the dog would give her an intelligent argument back. There were very few in Milford Falls that Anne considered worthy of a good match of wit…at least not until Viggo moved in next door.

There were other reasons why she snapped at him not the least of which is to keep him on his side of the fence so to speak. She couldn't afford to loose her heart to the man and the moment she met him she knew she would if they were to become friends. So she acted like a total bitch toward him. Plus she didn't have time for romance anyway…she had a ranch to run and more than anything she had to prove she could do it on her own. Prove that she could take care of the ranch without a man. When Tom died everyone especially the men in town pressured her to sell or to hire on male help. She refused four years ago and she wasn't about to back down now. She would do it on her own or die trying, she owed Tom that much.

She watched as Viggo slid the long plastic gloves on quickly and then slicked the antiseptic gel up and down his plastic covered hands and arms. She could tell he certainly knew what he was doing and that put her at ease. She continued to massage the mare and tried to think how long it had been since Boisterous went into labor, she prayed it hadn't been too much time.

"Yep I feel the tail, the foal is definitely in the wrong position. I am going to have to tear the placenta. Shit, well at least it's upright." He told her as he felt the foal inside the mother. Those were definitely upper hindquarters.

"Now I am going to try and turn the foal, you give me pressure ok…and keep her from trying to get up or it's just going to make things worse." He said softly. She was probably going to rip him a new one for giving her those kinds of instructions she more than knew what to do.

Viggo traced the foal's right hip and followed the line of the hip to the leg until he found the foal's right foot. He cupped the foal's foot and fetlock and was able to guide the right rear foot out of the uterus and through the pelvic opening into the vagina.

"What are you doing?" She asked still comforting the struggling mare.

"I have a foot, turning it isn't going to work…" he said sucking in a frustrated breath, he had lost his grip. "Well we definitely have a live foal." Viggo said scowling at the horses rear end. The foal had jerked its leg back and out of his grasp.

"Cup the foot so you don't tear her." Anne warned.

"Yeah…hang on." Viggo said trying again to recapture the foal's leg. Damn frustrating having to do that all over again. "I am going to have to tear the amniotic sac or this is going to take forever."

Anne frowned but didn't say anything, obviously Viggo really did know a thing or two about birthing breech foals.

They worked and struggled with the horse. Viggo was sweating despite the cold and Anne was so exhausted tears were threatening to fall. Viggo tried again after tearing the sac and managed to capture the actual leg and foot rather than just try and hold it on the outside of the slick sac as before.

Finally he moved the foot into the birth canal and asked Anne for something to use for leverage. She handed him a soft pulling strap and he placed the noose above the fetlock joint so the foal couldn't pull its foot back into the uterus again. Then he repeated the procedure with the left hind leg.

Viggo considered the situation. "Ok we got two rear legs in the canal, we are going to have to do this fast, Anne. I need you to come around here if you can."

Anne made her way beside Viggo, she knew what he was going to do. They were going to pull the foal out backwards on Boisterous' next contraction. There was no time, and turning the foal so the mare could do this on her own was no longer an option.

"Alright…ready?" Viggo asked.

"Ready…come on girl." Anne said then.

The two were a bit amazed at how easily the foal was delivered from that point.
Boisterous had given birth to a beautiful filly.

He didn't say a word when he noticed Anne's tears finally sliding down her face, he could tell the woman was nearly ready to drop from exhaustion. Just the fact she wasn't sniping at him was proof enough of that.

After a few tense minutes the mare seemed to recover and finally got up to clean her foal. Viggo and Anne both sighed in relief and stood up. Anne grabbed some towels one for herself and one for Viggo. He removed the gloves and attempted to clean himself up a bit.

"So what are you naming her?" Viggo asked smiling at the little foal trying to stand.

"I don't know yet. Maybe Trasero would be fitting?" Anne said with her back to him as she put some things back on a shelf. Viggo laughed.

"Breech in Spanish huh?" He said smiling at her.

"Either that or Special Delivery." Anne teased then turned to face him. "Sorry about your clothes." Anne said looking at the man before her.

"That's alright they can be washed." Viggo said glancing down at himself, his flannel shirt and his undershirt were covered in blood and amniotic fluid. "Or thrown out." He added grinning.

She actually smiled back which surprised Viggo…he never knew Anne had dimples. Then he started to feel that familiar pull the woman seemed to have over him. Time to get the hell out of here. He thought.

"Well I uh…I guess I better get back before it gets dark." Viggo said heading back to the stall where Brego was patiently waiting.

"Um…would you like some coffee and a chance to clean up? It's the least I can do." Anne asked softly.

Viggo stopped and turned back to her. He knew that couldn't have been easy for her to ask. "Are you sure? I know I am not your favorite person, Anne…don't feel obligated."

He nearly grinned when she blushed. "I am not obligated…I…I want to thank you." She explained.

Viggo nodded, probably wasn't the best idea but his shirts were soaked and he was freezing. Coffee sounded damn good and so did getting cleaned up.

"That sounds great really, but if I am to stay for a while I need to rub down Brego. I rode him kind of hard from my place." He said going to Brego.

"Oh…I was meaning to ask…how'd you get here so fast? Going along the highway would take more time than it took for you to get here." She asked moving toward Brego to help rub the horse down. There was no way she could have called Doc Brown, told him the news, then the Doc call Viggo and then he arrive here so fast going down the side of the highway.

"We crossed the pasture." Viggo explained.

"What? But the gate…you jumped the fence??? On THIS horse?" She asked in shock.

Viggo laughed, "Yeah Brego is a great jumper actually, even though he doesn't look it. Guess you didn't count on that when you locked that gate to keep me out."

"I didn't lock the gate to keep you specifically out you know. Though our arguing about it for all those months I have to admit was a little fun for me." She said pulling a blanket off the shelf and watched with a small smile as Viggo removed the saddle and gear.

He was frowning at her. ‘She argued with me for fun? Jesus, I must be her only source of entertainment then if that's what I am to her.'

"Whom specifically are you locking out then?" Viggo asked he needed to know the answer. They had butted heads over that damn gate for months. He was even so angry at one point he considered cutting the chain with bolt cutters just to piss her off.

She grabbed a curry brush and handed one to Viggo.

"I did it to keep those kids out…those boys that have been riding three wheelers across everyone's property around here. When you said you didn't mind them that was fine, let them ruin your pastures and scare your animals but I have worked too damn hard to have them out there in the field cow tipping or something equally as stupid." She said running her hand along Brego's neck.

Viggo regarded her a minute and realized those were the same "boys" Kate had been talking to the Police Chief about.

"Fred is going to talk to them I think." Viggo offered.

"Don't think it will help." She said shrugging.

"They haven't bothered anything over on my land." Viggo wasn't sure why he was defending the kids, but then again they were just kids looking for something to do in a small town.

"You're a man, and a famous actor. They wouldn't dream of doing anything on your land, but mine…that's another story. You have to remember just because women are treated as equals where you come from they aren't treated that way up here. Up here it's still the good ole boys, and I am a widow trying to keep a 500-acre ranch running. Oh hell…let's just drop it." Anne finally just lowered her gaze to the horse and continued brushing.

Viggo watched her for a few minutes and realized that in her exhausted state she was talking to him rather than fussing at him. Her reasons now were more plausible than any he had heard from her in the past.

They continued working in silence on the beautiful horse, and both kept stealing glances at the little filly and Boisterous. Once they were done they walked to the house in silence.

Viggo honestly had no idea what to say to Anne after she had told him all that. Did she think he looked at her that way? Did she think that he thought she was weak? Hell she was the strongest woman he knew. Did she believe that he thought she wasn't capable of running the ranch on her own? Hell she had done it for three years before Viggo moved here and in the last year he had been there he knew for a fact she could more than handle it.

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They walked in the back door of the house into the laundry room off the kitchen. Both of them stomped the snow off and then Anne tossed her flannel over shirt in the big sink next to the washer and started filling it with water and some kind of stain remover. Her t-shirt was wet and clinging to her a bit and Viggo had to look at the ceiling to stop from staring at her breasts that were outlined under it through the thin fabric of her bra.

"You know I can wash your shirts and dry them before you went home. I am sure you feel horrible in that stuff." She said eyeing his ruined flannel shirt, and the long sleeve gray Henley under it, she might be able to salvage them…might. She thought.

Viggo wondered had alien's abducted the real Anne Masters? "Uh wouldn't want to be any bother."

Anne smiled at him; she was feeling horribly guilty for all the bad things she had ever said to him. Most of it was done in fun though he probably didn't know that until today.

"It's no bother. There really is no sense in going out in this cold with those wet clothes; you will catch your death and I am sure you want to get cleaned up…I know I do. Besides I do owe you a bit more than a cup of coffee…if it wasn't for you I would have lost them both ya' know. Not to mention those clothes are going to get ruined beyond saving if we don't wash them soon." She said as she began washing her hands.

"I guess you are right." Viggo relented. He didn't want to push it too far, the woman was being nice, and so he would accept whatever she offered him. He wanted to spend time with Anne without her yelling at him for a change.

"Of course I am." She said nodding as she dried her hands and then headed for the closet in the hall. She grabbed a plaid throw and handed it to Viggo. "Now take those shirts off and wrap up in this if you're cold. I don't think I have anything that will fit you so the blanket will have to do while you wait, I got rid of Tom's clothes a couple years ago or one of his might have fit you."

Viggo stared at her for a moment he had never heard her talk about her late husband.

"Come on now…strip." She said when he didn't make a move.

Viggo couldn't help but grin and raise his eyebrow at her forceful tone. He had never been told to strip quite that way before. Anne noticed his look and quickly turned away from him. ‘Just like a damn man.' She thought to herself. Then again she had seen this particular damn man naked in movies and that made her even more uncomfortable.

This man was dangerous…maybe she shouldn't have offered to wash his clothes? He is far too attractive. Plus he was great fun to argue with, such an intelligent man, and up here that was severely lacking, she thought.

It would be too easy to fall for a man like him; she was attracted to him before she met him you could say. Anne had watched him in movies, over and over. She never dreamed the man she fantasized about would move in next door to her in Idaho a year ago! After Tom died she swore she would never love like that again, and Anne knew it would be easy to love Viggo. So she was mean to him, to keep him from coming around too much.

She couldn't keep up the ruse today though, he had been far too helpful, far too kind, and she was too tired to keep up the act. She hadn't been sleeping well the last few weeks worrying about Boisterous. Plus she had spent the last three nights in the barn and she was feeling it. She knew the foal hadn't turned and she was hoping it would before the mare went into labor. Turned out she was right to worry, but thanks to Viggo they both lived. She wouldn't have been able to pull the foal on her own.

He slipped into the small half bath and stripped off his shirts and washed up.

Anne set about making fresh coffee. She planned it in her head, she would serve him coffee, and wash and dry his clothes and then he would be on his way back to his place. Then things would get back to normal…she would have thanked him properly and she could go back to the way things always were.

When Viggo returned he had the throw loosely draped over his shoulders. He took his clothes to the laundry room and set them in the sink like she had done with her things.

When Anne turned to look at him as he walked through she nearly spilled coffee all over the counter. The throw over his shoulders did nothing to hide his lightly tanned and sculpted chest and flat stomach. God, he had a terrific body, but she already knew that. Thankfully he had his back to her. She turned away from him again so she wouldn't stare. This is going to be tougher than I thought. She said to herself. The man was after all featured in all of her erotic fantasies and she hadn't had sex in four years!

He came back in and leaned against the counter tugging the throw tighter.

"Thanks I feel a hell of a lot better now." Viggo said smiling at the woman.

He didn't understand Anne at all, one minute she hated him with a passion the next she was being nice to him. Then he thought she must really feel obligated over the horses or something. Her comment about enjoying arguing with him made him wonder if there was more to that.

"Here you are Mr. Mortensen." She said handing him the cup of coffee.

Here we go again. Viggo thought. "Anne do you think at some point you could just call me Viggo? I mean I am standing in your kitchen half naked…I should think we are past the formalities." Viggo teased grinning over the top of his cup.

Anne flushed red and Viggo had to suppress a chuckle. "Uh guess you are right." She mumbled pushing a towel across the counter to mop up a bit of spilled water.

"Well I am going to go up and take a shower…make yourself at home." She said walking out of the kitchen.

Viggo stood there shaking his head after her… she was such an odd woman. One minute in total control and the next blushing.

He walked over to the window and watched the snow continue to fall, there were already about four inches on the ground. He noticed a small radio on the counter and reached over and flipped it on. It was on a classical music station…hadn't exactly pegged her for classical he figured she would listen to country music for some reason. He shrugged and switched stations to the local news and weather station. Maybe they had updated the forecast and had some idea when the snow would end.

He continued to watch the snow and listened to the news when he heard Anne approach. He turned around and smiled widely when he saw her, she was dressed in faded jeans, a big pink sweater, and a pair of hilariously ugly green slippers that looked like some kind of furry animal feet. Her dark hair was wrapped in a blue bath towel and she had a laundry basket in her arms.

Viggo chuckled, "What the hell are those?" He asked indicating her feet.

"Monster feet." She said holding one up and waving it a bit laughing. "My niece sent them to me last Christmas and believe it or not they are comfortable and very warm. My feet are frozen so I put them on…so buzz off ok?"

Viggo raised his eyebrow and smirked. "Monster feet…well."

"Shut up or I will toss you out in the snow in what you are wearing right now." She threatened but she couldn't help the smile that ruined the threat.

"You know you are alright when you aren't railing at me Anne." Viggo said seriously then.

Anne just frowned slightly and then went into the laundry room and started washing their clothes. When she came back in the kitchen Viggo was leaning against the counter watching the snowfall again.

"You know glaring at it isn't going to make it stop." Anne said to Viggo's back.

He laughed and turned around. "Suppose you are right about that."

Anne's head was starting to hurt and her back and shoulders ached. She wanted to just crawl in bed, but she would need to check on the horses in a few hours, and still needed to feed the cows. Plus she couldn't leave Viggo down stairs all alone to wait on his clothes. At one time she had been a gracious hostess. Back before the accident…before Tom died they had a lot of company over the years.

Neither of them spoke. Anne grabbed the newspaper and started working the crossword puzzle and Viggo switched the radio back to the station she had it on earlier and now Mozart was playing softly in the background.

Not a bad Saturday afternoon, Viggo thought as he glanced over at Anne. He wished she liked him more…he knew this afternoon was an apparition based on her feeling that she should thank him in some way for his help and the fact she looked absolutely exhausted. He knew this friendliness between them wouldn't last beyond his leaving today. Though now that he knew most of her arguing and yelling at him she did because she found it entertaining changed things.

That revelation gave him new perspective on Anne Masters…one he never thought he would have. She found arguing with him entertaining…then he remembered one argument that started over the gate and ended with an argument about politics. That time however he had in fact agreed with her but he was so upset that he played devils advocate just to piss her off more!

He knew Anne had been a widow for four years. Her husband Tom had died after a horrific car crash. Unfortunately he hadn't died right away. Viggo didn't live here then but Bob had told him about it. About how the man had lingered for weeks at the hospital before he finally succumbed to his injuries. Anne was heartbroken Bob said and threw herself into running the ranch, refusing any offers of help anyone made.

He had learned today that she felt that the men around here didn't give her any respect, she had to work twice as hard as any of them just because she was a woman. Probably why she refused any help with the place. Viggo knew that at least one man, his friend Bob held her in very high regard. When Viggo had complained about her arguing with him Bob had defended her and so had Kate. Viggo was beginning to understand why now.

Viggo felt Anne's eyes on him and he turned to her.

"You certainly were lost in thought." She mused walking past him to the laundry room.

"Huh?" He asked not sure what she meant.

"I said you were lost in thought…the washer stopped and I had said that it won't be long before you will be able to leave and you completely ignored me." Anne shouted from the other room as she put the clothes in the dryer.

Viggo went to the doorway. "Oh sorry…I WAS lost in thought I guess." He watched her bent over in front of the dryer and felt a tightening low in his stomach. He decided staring at her ass in those faded jeans was not what he needed to be doing at the moment.

"You're an artist you are supposed to get lost in thoughts though aren't you?" She asked closing the dryer door and setting it.

Viggo stepped back from the doorway to let her through and smiled. "I suppose."

"Have you ever considered…having photos taken of this place? Of the ranch?" Viggo asked curiously.

"What?" She asked settling back down at the table.

Viggo crossed to the table and sat down with her. "What I mean is…not just photos of the ranch but photos of it and you…you working it…and a story about you. Your story would be inspirational to other women I would think…how you have kept this place running…successfully I might add."

She scowled at him. "No."

"No, you don't want to tell your story…or have photos done, or don't think you are inspirational or what?" Viggo asked knowing full well he was goading her.

"No to all of it." She answered smacking her pencil down on the newspaper.

Viggo grinned he knew that would get a rise out of her.

"Why not?" Viggo asked and was very satisfied with the flash he saw in her bright blue eyes. He had seen that flash before many times.

"Oh you are the most irritating man, you know that? I said no…and that's the end of it. I am not inspirational, there is nothing worth photographing here!" She snapped rubbing her temples.

Viggo frowned. "You know that's not true…I know you have been selling horses as far away as Texas…if you took photos of them…a bit of marketing…"

"Viggo! For crying out loud…you are nuts. You are the last person on earth I would think would be giving marketing advice. The man who hates doing PR for his movies!" She said laughing.

Viggo shook his head. "Anne just because I don't like doing PR doesn't mean I don't understand the value of it. My father was an economist, I do understand a bit about marketing a business. I am not just an idiot actor I understand this ranch isn't a hobby it's a business and like any other business you have to do a certain amount of marketing…doesn't mean you have to like it's just the way capitalism works."

Anne began to laugh. "Oh for heaven's sake. Now you of all people are lecturing ME on capitalism?" She said still laughing, she'd argued with him enough to know his political ideologies. "Thank you but no. I don't need to do that. Besides I am very particular about who I sell my horses to, so marketing in that way isn't something I want to do."

"Well that stung. I guess I wasn't up to your standards." Viggo said in a wounded tone scowling at his coffee cup.

Anne frowned in response. Shit…shit…shit, that's not what she meant.

"Please…Viggo…I am sorry I didn't sell you that colt, I should have explained instead of making you think I simply didn't want to sell it to you. That colt was promised to someone else by the time you came by to ask about it. It wasn't that I didn't want to sell it to you, I couldn't. You started arguing with me before I could even say it was already sold. You immediately thought I wouldn't sell it to you because I didn't like you and that isn't true but I didn't correct you and for that I am sorry."

Viggo stared at her for a moment remembering that day and remembering that she had tried to say something but he had cut her off. "Well if you didn't argue with me all the damn time, Anne I might not have thought that."

She sighed heavily. "I'm sorry."

"Me too." Viggo responded and then the loud ring of the dryer startled them both. The two of them could never seem to get on the same page could they?

"Uh…well sounds like your clothes might be dry. I'm sure you want to get back to your place." She said getting up and heading for the laundry room. "And as far away from this bitch as possible." She added softly to herself as she walked to the laundry room.

Viggo stared at her retreating back stunned. He had heard her, though she said it softly to herself.

He got up and went to the doorway again as she pulled his clothes out of the dryer and was shaking them out a bit. "Anne…I don't think you are a bitch."

Anne froze and then turned to him. "Excuse me?"

"I heard you just then…I think you are a lot of things. High strung, stubborn, argumentative, intelligent, strong, beautiful, but never have I ever thought you were a bitch. Never." Viggo said softly.

Anne blinked a few times and stared at him. "Viggo…" She began but was unable to say anything else.

She shook her head and sighed deeply. She stepped up to him and handed him his clothes. She schooled her features and decided this was it…just bid him goodbye. "Here…thanks again for your help with Boisterous. I did appreciate it…I think you better go home now."

Viggo reached out for the clothes and his hand closed over hers. She started and tried to pull her hand back but he held it firmly.

"Viggo…" She began but he tugged her closer. She was too tired to struggle, at least that is what she told herself as he pulled her closer. The warm clothing was crushed between them and the throw slid off Viggo's shoulders to the floor. Anne was afraid to even breathe, she felt completely entranced by his blue eyes staring into hers. Then his lips were moving over hers, lightly at first but the pressure grew, and grew until she could do nothing else but respond. She'd wanted this man for far, far too long.

Anne's lips were warm and soft under his, when his tongue demanded entrance she submitted and then her soft sigh sent heat surging through him and he pulled Anne even closer, pressing her smaller frame tightly against him.

The world seemed to begin and end in a single kiss. Viggo pulled back and looked down at Anne. Her cheeks were rosy and just like him her breathing was ragged. God, he wanted her, had wanted her for months now. He realized then that his clean shirts were still clutched in her hands between them. He reached down and tossed them on the washer and then turned back to her. She was still wide eyed and he noticed that she was trembling.

Viggo's finger traced the curve of her jaw, then slowly traversed down the soft skin of her neck and then father still to the swell of her breast. Anne made no move to stop him, never looked away though she sucked in a shaky breath and her eyes were dark with desire. She obviously wanted this too. That thought only enflamed him more.

He impatiently tugged her sweater over her head and tossed it to join his own shirts on the washer. She sucked in a breath when cool air washed over her breasts through the thin lace of her bra.

Viggo had been dreaming of this moment every day for the last eight months.

Anne started to say something but the words simply wouldn't come to her.

"What?" he growled, and bent his head, suckling the nipple through the lace of her bra as her head jerked back. Her eyes slid closed with helpless pleasure as he pushed one strong thigh between the unresisting softness of hers.

She gripped Viggo's shoulders as the fierce promise of his body began to send sensual messages through her body. Her hips seemed to move of their own accord, sliding against his strong thigh, she couldn't stop even if she wanted to.

"Do you want this?" He murmured as he impatiently tugged at the button of her jeans. He shifted and within a few moments they were slid halfway down to her knees.

"Do you?" He demanded. He wasn't sure if he would be able to stop if she said no, but he had to ask. His question however, was accompanied by his hand sliding up her inner thigh. She could do little other than emit a shuddering little sigh, which became a moan when his questing fingers found what it had been seeking.

"God, yes!" She whispered.

He felt her body jerk in his arms from desire, so incredibly intoxicating. His fingers delved beneath her lace panties and she shuddered in his arms as he sucked in a disbelieving breath. This was how Anne was in all of his dreams; so instantly responsive to everything he did to her. But this was no dream.

"Do you know what I want to do to you?" He whispered huskily against her ear sending more shivers throughout her body. His heart was beating so fast he thought she might actually feel it.

She shook her head, and nipped at his ear lobe weaving her fingers through his hair. She smiled when she heard his half-stifled murmur of pleasure.

"Everything, and more. I want to see you come undone in my arms, to feel you, to taste you. Make you mine." he breathed against her ear.

His words coupled with his warm breath against her ear made her body buck against his. Anne couldn't answer him, she could barely control her breathing as it was…she wanted this more than anything. The entire world seemed to shrink and disappear except for the two of them.

She knew before he began to tug at her panties that this was never going to make it to the bedroom…or even the couch in the living room. She could feel the hard length of his arousal pressed tight against her.

Anne's brain finally decided to fully join the game. She couldn't wait forever, it had been four years since Tom died. He would want her to move on. Though she may not have had sex in four years she wasn't going to stay on the sidelines any longer. Anne reached down and flicked open the button of his jeans and unzipped them. She felt his sigh of pleasure against her neck as his warm throbbing length sprang free into the palm of her hand. It didn't surprise her in the least that he wore no underwear.

"Then make me come undone, Viggo." Anne whispered shakily.

"Anne." he ground out unsteadily as he looked down at her eyes glittering with desire. His mouth closed on hers once again, and she met his fervor with her own. They continued exploring each other until their blood was on fire, like molten lava flowing through their veins. He impatiently backed her through the doorway, then turned and bent her over the kitchen counter.

So this was how he wanted it? She felt a wild and dizzyingly sensation of euphoria, this was how she wanted it too. Fast and hard.

God, but she made him crazy, arguing with him all the time and making him so turned on he ached for days! He tugged her jeans the rest of the way down and she kicked off the ridiculous slippers and stepped out of her jeans. Anne felt strange standing in her kitchen in nothing but her panties and a bra and suddenly the panties were gone too.

Viggo kicked away his jeans and stared down at her, bent over the countertop. The towel had slipped off her head back in the laundry room and her damp midnight hair tumbled down her back wild and messy.

He felt her moist warmth as he pushed against her soft folds with his aching shaft. When she moaned and pushed her hips back to meet him, Viggo forgot all reason and thrust into her in one fast smooth stroke that ended with a conquering growl. Anne cried out at the invasion. God she was tight, but then she had been alone for several years. She began to push back meeting his thrusts with her own, as his arm wound around her waist pulling her even closer. Then his other hand wound into her hair and tugged her head back.

Anne couldn't believe how turned on his pulling her head back by her hair was making her. She scrambled for something, anything, to hang onto so she grabbed the edge of the kitchen counter and held on tight. This probably was not the wisest move of either of their lives, but she needed this. Oh, she needed exactly this.

They moved together falling into a perfect rhythm while the kitchen was filled with her soft moans, punctuated occasionally with his own. Her hot, slick heat enveloping him until all feeling was concentrated on his body connected with hers.

Anne was unprepared for the sensation of completeness, of this being so right, but then, her thoughts went out of control as his thrusts sent her spiraling toward the edge of oblivion. The fiercest, most earth shattering orgasm she remembered ever having sent her trembling wildly in his arms. She cried out as her muscles contracted around him just moments before she heard Viggo issue a deep growl as his shaft pulsed deep inside her with his own intense release.

He let go of her hair not even realizing he had her pulled back by it like that and collapsed against her back kissing her shoulder softly as he tried to catch his breath.

Slowly the world seemed to come back into place around Anne. Classical music on the radio, snow falling outside, her pushed forward onto a cold countertop and Viggo still pulsing inside her as her own glorious aftershocks danced through her.

"Viggo?" She asked softly.

"Hmm?" He said in a sleepy sated sounding voice and curling his arms around her tighter.

"Uh…this counter is a bit cold." Anne said softly. Looking down at her breasts pressed against it, her bra wasn't doing much to keep the cold granite from making her feel uncomfortable.

"Oh…uh sorry." He said raising up and stepping back. He hadn't realized he had her so crushed against the counter. Anne whimpered at the loss…he felt so good inside her.

Anne stood up and wasn't sure how she would turn around to face him, but Viggo made that decision for her. He turned her around to face him and was smiling at her.

"Anne, I…that…" He wasn't quite sure what he was going to say. He didn't want to say something stupid.

Anne just stared at him. "Yeah." She breathed then she stepped forward and kissed him. Viggo returned the kiss and they wrapped around one another kissing and nuzzling each other.

"Anne, if you don't stop I am going to bend you over that counter again." Viggo warned after finally breaking away to take in a breath of air.

Anne laughed. "Oh…well then I better not stop huh?"

Viggo grinned. "This mean you don't hate me anymore?"

"I never hated you Viggo…never." Anne assured him and kissed him again.

"Good, but as great as that was…I assume you have a bed?" Viggo asked hoping that she wouldn't turn him away now.

"Yes, I have a bed." Anne answered grinning.

"Hmm, well maybe we better inspect it?" Viggo grinned kissing the tip of her nose.

"Mmm hmmm." Anne answered and began leading Viggo to the living room and up the stairs to her bedroom.

"So no more arguing?" Anne asked as they entered her bedroom.

"I don't mind the arguing now that I understand you better." Viggo answered.

"Understand me, huh?" Anne asked sliding her hands into his soft hair and kissing his chin.

"Yep." Viggo answered and then pulled her in for another soul searing kiss. After the kiss ended she smiled at him.

"So what would you like for breakfast in the morning?" She asked leading him toward the bed.

"You." Viggo answered as they tumbled into Anne's bed.

Anne laughed and then looked at him seriously as they lay facing one another. She sighed heavily. "Actually I can't stay here even though I want to, I have to take care of the animals."

"I know. We still have plenty of time before we need to go out and feed them." Viggo answered.

"How do you know that?" Anne asked grinning and feeling oddly elated at the fact he said ‘we', she hadn't thought in terms of we in a very long time.

"You feed them at exactly five o'clock every night, except Saturday night's, which you feed them at six-thirty." Viggo answered brushing a few stray strands of hair back from Anne's face.

Anne laughed. "How'd you know that?"

"Well I am your neighbor." Viggo said laughing.

"And a helpful neighbor at that." Anne said grinning and scooting a little closer.

"You could say that." Viggo answered running his hand down her back to her bottom.

Anne sucked in a breath and moved against him a bit.

"Hmm, well then ‘neighbor' I guess you've talked me into staying here a while." Anne said barely suppressing a giggle.

"Good." Viggo answered and then kissed her deeply.

*****

THE END

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