Remote Capture [Closed] - Printable Version
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RE: Remote Capture [Closed] - megs - 05-17-2018
Jules looked up from her useless phone at the sound of Ishara’s appearance. She smiled in greeting at the woman, but didn’t reply. Even though her long and thrilling day was catching up with her, she had a feeling sleep would still be difficult. She was surprised when the redhead joined her own the swing and draped and arm around her shoulder as if they hadn’t just met a few hours earlier, but it didn’t take long for Julianna to warm up to Ishara’s motherly nature and relax against her. Harsh blue light was replaced by the soft yellow glow of the porch light as she clicked off her phone, and rotated the device in her hands to watch the colorful glitter beads in her phone case move back and forth.
“I went out in the woods,” she explained. “I wanted to do a little exploring and see if I could get any good pictures. I wanted to go before it got dark, so sorry if I was kind of rude running off earlier.”
Julianna yawned, lifting one hand to rub the side of her face. “I got kinda lost, until Owen found me and brought me back. Also, I ran into this friendly bear and when I asked Owen about it he laughed at me. Do you know anything about it? I took pictures.”
RE: Remote Capture [Closed] - saronym - 06-25-2018
“That’s alright.” Ishara easily excused Julianna’s earlier disappearance with a wave of her hand. She took her arm from around Julianna’s shoulders and turned to the side to better face her looking shocked at the latter revelation. “You saw a bear?” A troubled frown marred her previously cheerful expression. “A grizzly? Show me.” The last was more a demand. Somehow she knew that Julianna had encountered a grizzly and she also knew exactly which one. Owen’s name in connection with a friendly bear was too coincidental to be anything but him.
“You should really be careful in the woods.” Ishara scolded though she was more mad about Owen than Julianna. Their guest hadn’t done anything wrong so far as she knew. “We’ll get you a trail map so you don’t get lost next time.”
RE: Remote Capture [Closed] - megs - 06-27-2018
Julianna didn’t know why everyone kept reacting to her news about the bear so incredulously. If there was a big bear approaching people in the woods, this couldn’t possibly be the first time the Hart’s were hearing about it. “I’m not sure what kind of bear,” she admitted sheepishly. “He was big though. Well, I don’t even know if it was a he. I can’t say I’m a wildlife expert.” Julianna chattered on about her encounter while she leaned over the side of the porch swing to reach for her camera. She seemed to have the device with her at all times. “Uh, yeah, that’s what I have been told,” she mumbled in reply to Ishara’s warning. She kept her gaze on her camera and cycled through a few of the shots until she came upon the best one of the bear and handed it off to Ishara. “Do you know anything about it?” She sounded almost eager when she asked. Still sort of buzzing with excitement from the encounter, in such a way that suggested she would soon be back wandering in the woods.
RE: Remote Capture [Closed] - saronym - 07-22-2018
Ishara watched Julianna with curious anticipation while she flipped through digital pictures before passing the camera over. Ishara accepted the device hastily. She needed only a half glance to identify her own son. She would know him anywhere. She poured over the picture on the little display studying Owen’s posture. He was posing. She pressed a little arrow button to show herself a few more photographs before letting the camera fall to her lap. Just what did he think he was doing?
Ishara realized she was staring angrily at the porch light that flies, knats, and a moth were all fluttering around. She forced her face to melt into a pleasant smile.
“Oh yes. This is a grizzly. Full grown male.” She lifted the camera and leaned over to show Julianna the display. “See how broad he is. Females are quite a bit more lean. The females are just more - delicate looking. By bear standards.”
She lifted the camera closer to her face. “It’s a good thing you ran across this dopey male. A female with her cubs might have torn you to shreds. They are very protective.” Ishara was feeling protective of her own son. She wasn't keen on his photograph in grizzly state getting out there. Her mind could jump to an infinity of worrisome results. God forbid some National Geographic journalist or zoologist show up to study this oddly friendly bear.
Ishara shoved her worries aside and patted Julianna’s leg. “You’re a wonderful photographer, but you really have to be careful.” She relinquished the camera back to her guest. “So how long was your visit with this grizzly?”
RE: Remote Capture [Closed] - megs - 07-28-2018
Upon hearing she had had a run in with a grizzly bear in the woods, Julianna didn't make her look of surprise. the expression was mingled with just a touch of terror. A city girl by nature, she had only ever heard of the ferociousness of grizzlies on television and news reports. She couldn't imagine how she had managed to come out of the woods unscathed. Well, mostly. She wasn't physically harmed, but her emotions were certainly all out of whack. Julianna watched Ishara as she clicked through a couple of the different photos she had taken of the bear. All of the air seemed to fall out of her lungs at once in a deep sigh. "Obviously, I don't know anything about bears, but why wouldn't it attack me? I hear they're aggressive. This one was like...a large dog more than a bear."
Taking her camera back from the other woman she rolled her eyes upwards in thought. "I don't know. Thirty minutes? Maybe forty-five? I followed a path into the woods and had only been walking about ten minutes when it approached me. It let me pet it, and take pictures and then it lead me to a river. We hung out there for awhile, I wasn't really keeping track. It licked me. Then, I don't know. I had to leave and it didn't follow and then I got lost and Owen found me."
RE: Remote Capture [Closed] - saronym - 08-23-2018
Ishara smacked her lips and shrugged uselessly. She had no good explanation as to why that grizzly hadn’t attacked the city girl. Well, no explanation she could readily give. What was she supposed to say, Oh it was my son. Sometimes he turns into a grizzly bear and acts like an idiot? That would hardly do. “I suppose he wasn’t particularly hungry.”
Her green eyes rolled upwards as she calculated a rough timeline. Julianna had only spent 45 minutes with the bear at maximum. Yet she had been gone much longer than that. Owen hadn’t just let her wander around lost in the woods for a couple of hours. Ishara knew Julianna wasn’t telling the whole truth. She suddenly very much wanted to call Darcy to complain about their - his - son’s behavior.
“I’m glad you ran into a friendly bear, but you really should be careful. If you want to hike, you should take one of our guided tours. At the very least, let me get you a trail map for the area.” Ishara patted Julianna’s knee before pushing herself up. “It’s late.” She announced, though it wasn’t really. She got enough information out of their guest and was anxious to relay it to all to Darcy.
“I’ll be right back with that trail map.” She said before disappearing inside.
---
After Owen left the barn and the two women from the city, he drove his truck back to his own home. His house was separate from the main house that served as the base of his mother’s operation. After Renly had died and his mother had added this wedding stuff to the business of the ranch, Owen found it difficult to stay in his childhood home. The scent of the guests bothered him. The noises they made. Their presence. The absence of his father. So he built his own home and retreated there every night. He liked his privacy but he was beginning to dislike the solitude.He didn’t find much peace at home that night. He was left replaying the events of the day with that pretty photographer over and over. He could still smell her on his clothes. What was the draw she had on him?
It didn’t matter. She wasn’t his.
He wondered at how easily she had fallen into a flirtatious manner with him. How easily she had let him kiss her. It was difficult to believe she was planning her happily ever after when she seemed to want something else, or anything else.
Owen showered and changed. He made up his mind to go drinking. That would take his mind off her. He dressed himself in his beat up brown leather jacket, a white v-neck tee, and jeans before loading himself into his truck.
The private dirt road from his section of the property took him past the main house to get out onto the road. When he rolled down the window, the scent of her strong and close blew inside with a whoosh. Headlight beams bounced as his truck navigated the rough dirt road. As he rolled on the road alongside the house, Owen glanced over half expecting to see Julianna hanging out a window her scent was so strong. The truck rumbled along until he could finally see her on the porch swing. She was idly pushing herself back and forth and staring at her phone.
Owen didn't have a porch swing at his house. He had no use for one. But seeing her swinging bundled up in one of their blankets made him want to build one for his place if that meant she might swing there. A stupid, irrational thought.
He cut the truck across the yard and pulled up to the main drive where his mother’s truck and the wedding planner’s car were parked. He pulled up close to the porch steps and hung out the window of his truck.
“Hey, city girl.” He called to her teasingly before banging his hand gently on the truck door. He jerked his head at the empty seat next to him. “Get in. I’ll show you the local watering hole.”
Ishara hadn’t yet come back with the trail map.
RE: Remote Capture [Closed] - megs - 08-30-2018
Julianna was mostly petulant and silent through being almost scolded by the matronly Ishara. She nodded idly to the other woman's instructions, having absolutely no intention of following them. Not if wandering off meant more surreptitious meetings with a sexy rancher. She did consider that she shouldn't be worrying about her next run in with Owen. "Thanks." Julianna muttered as Ishara popped up suddenly to get her some trail maps, but she supposed that it was really about something else. Though, she didn't know what it could have been. Ishara wasn't gone very long, but Julianna soon discovered that she wouldn't have to worry about running into Owen because there he was like something out of a Montana-themed bodice ripper. Hanging out the window of his pick up truck and gesturing her inside. She blinked back at him from the porch swing, almost as if she couldn't believe he was there. She even found herself looking over either shoulder, as if he could possibly be gesturing to someone else. Someone who wasn't engaged to be married that he had just met earlier that afternoon.
It took mere seconds for her to forget about Ishara's return. A slow smirk curled at one corner of her mouth, as she pushed herself away from the porch swing and sauntered towards the truck. He retreated back inside and she replaced him, leaning into the window. She reached in and plucked his jacket with her fingers. 'I can't go out with you if you're going to look nicer than me," she complained, still wearing the jeans and Converse she'd neem trampling through the woods and riding horses in. She lifted on her toes and leaned even closer, sniffing near his neck and collar. "You even showered." She pouted. "All my stuff is inside and Maeve is asleep."
RE: Remote Capture [Closed] - saronym - 09-29-2018
Owen stared down his chest to where her fingers had plucked at his jacket. His brow arched. Then his gaze slowly rolled up to her face. A slow smile creeped over his lips. The cocky expression turned to something more like a bit of stupid surprise when she brought herself close to him to smell him. Her face was very close to his. She had no idea how good she smelled to him. Better even than this morning. Her scent was intoxicating. How could no one else smell this? He felt like his head was swimming and he couldn't tell if his contact high was from the way she smelled or the flirty way she was being with him. Maybe a bit of both.
He stared at her pouting lips forming words in that flirty way. His hand moved from the steering wheel and he slapped a command with his hand on the seat next to him.
Owen leaned over the center console and opened the passenger door for her from the inside. The cab light came on overhead the door opened and flooded the interior with a yellowy light. The radio was on but turned very low so that the commercial currently playing was nothing more than a dull hum of a man's voice.
“Get in the truck, city girl. So I can buy you a drink. You fit right in with those tight little jeans.”
RE: Remote Capture [Closed] - megs - 10-07-2018
Ishara's potential return with the promised trail map was a distant memory by the time Owen turned his head to look down at her like... that. She was grinning at him, coy and flirtatious. He was close enough for her to kiss. She absolutely could have kissed him and she knew he wouldn't do anything to stop her. Julianna had waffled back and forth on how she felt about their surreptitious cliff-side make-out session, and right now she was tottering towards the 'no' side. What was the point of feeling bad? Harmless fun, she thought to herself, as she pushed away from the window and rounded the front of Owen's truck. Bright headlights cast her figure in silhouette before she appeared on the other side and slipped into the door her had opened for her. Consider this her bachelorette party. She was allowed to do what she wanted. There were worse things she could do besides kiss a handsome rancher while her fiance was on the other side of the county.
Thinking about this situation this way, kept Julianna from thinking that any of this situation was more than it was. .She figured this was like a game to Owen. Who knows how many brides-to-be he hand kissed.
Hopping into the truck, Julianna immediately slid to the middle of the bench seat and closer to Owen. "Where exactly are you going to be whisking me off to this evening?"
RE: Remote Capture [Closed] - saronym - 10-16-2018
Owen’s eyes tracked the small figure that passed in front of his headlights as he took the truck out of park. He gave her only enough time to close the door before he started accelerating. He was sort of in a rush only insofar as being in a rush meant avoiding a confrontation with his mother. She would, no doubt, be curious as to just what he thought he was doing whisking a bride-to-be into the Montana night.The truck bounced over the uneven yard, tires crunching over rocks before they maneuvered into the dirt path that led away from the ranch house. Dust and dirt were kicked up in a cloud cast red by the glow of his tail lights.
“Well, Lucky Lil’s, of course.” He answered Julianna’s question as she settled into the smaller middle seat next to him. He claimed her draping his arm over her shoulders and drawing her next to him. “There’s dollar drafts and a mechanical bull. Classiest place north of the Wyoming border.” He described their destination with more than a little bit of sarcasm.
The truck made a brief stop before pulling out onto the main two-lane road called Beartooth Highway that led south all the way to Wyoming and arched northeast out of Yellowstone and into Montana. The drive out of the national forest was eerily scenic. The night was clear enough to see the galaxy but the mountains that rose around them blacked out the stars with their jagged shapes.
Owen reclaimed his arm long enough to fiddle with the radio. “There’s country. Annndddd more country.” He turned from one station to another criticising the selection somewhat bitterly as if he wanted to impress the city girl with his awareness of how limited and backwards middle-of-the-country folks could be. He settled on one and put his arm back around her shoulders.
“So what are the odds I can get you on that mechanical bull tonight?” He asked with a wry grin.
RE: Remote Capture [Closed] - megs - 01-06-2019
The bouncing of the truck and the arm of a man she had just met around her shoulders, didn't seem to bother Julianna as they took off into the night. Compared to their sunset excursion mere hours before this was downright prudish. Not that she was making such comparisons, she was only trying to decide when she could reasonably kiss him again. She leaned into him, only half-aware that she shouldn't be thinking about any of that at all. "Why do I have a feeling it's the only place north of the Wyoming border," she joked. Julianna hadn't seem much of the small, rural town that the ranch was closest two, but she'd be surprised to learn there was more than one establishment for anything in the tri-county area. It was charming, to be honest. Coming from a large city where there was too much of everything. People, cars, coffee places. Name one thing that you wanted and there would be two dozen places to get one. It could be overwhelming. She was learning that she was liking the simplicity of her stay, even if she was supposed to be planning a wedding.
Well, her wedding.
Julianna gazed out the front window at the night sky as he fiddled with the radio. The view was breathtaking, she had never seen anything like it, and she didn't much care what he put on. It was all background noise to her anyway. She didn't yet know what it was about it, but suddenly everything was background to her when she was around him.
"Oh, absolutely not," she said, interjecting before he could even finish the sentence. "I am not getting on a mechanical bull." She laughed and pushed at him playfully as he rounded the truck into a crunchy dirt parking lot. It was lined with other big trucks and mud-covered utility vehicles. "Dollar drafts? I'm your girl. Mechanical bull? No way."
RE: Remote Capture [Closed] - saronym - 05-07-2019
Owen’s pouty expression was ruined by the almost permanent smirk on his face. “Next time, then.” He was already trying to secure a round two with her. A second date.
Not that he could call this a first date.
It was a first...something.
Owen rounded his truck quickly to have the opportunity to let her out of it. Offering her his hand for the step down. He kept her hand, while he led her to the door. The contact with her was almost too much. He felt the familiar tingle down his spine.
Already demanding a shift?
He felt in a rush to dampen his bear senses some with alcohol and other sensory input.
He let go of her hand to open the and usher her inside for her first view of Lucky Lil's the best nightlife in the tricounty area.
She had the first view of the unfinished concrete flooring, an American flag hung vertical on the wall behind a stage area that overlooked the square dancing floor. There were lights strung up backyard cookout style that gave the place enough of a romantic ambiance. The mechanical bull was placed in an offshoot of the room. Unused for the moment. The night was still early.
A crowd of locals scattered the place. The bartender, an older woman with eyes that looked younger than the rest of her greeted Owen as he approached with her hands on her hips.
“Why hello there stranger,” she leaned to the side to peer at Julianna next to him, “what's this?”
“This is Julianna. From New York.”
Grey brows crept closer to her hairline. “Mighty far to come for a beer.”
"Maybe she's come for the spirits."
The woman gave Owen a knowing look. “Your mama know about this.”
“Though I have a right to a private life, Ms. Irene, I have accepted the fact that my mother knows about everything.” He lied with ease.
Her eyes narrowed skeptically. “Mhmm. You'll have your usual I suppose.” She turned to Julianna, “And for New York?”
RE: Remote Capture [Closed] - megs - 05-08-2019
Next time. Julianna heard it, too. It was sweet, and hopeful if not utterly naive. She figured they both knew there would be no next time. That even this time was asking for too much, but she smiled when he opened the door for her. Slipped her hand easily into the one he pushed in her direction and hopped out of the lifted truck. Her Converse kicked up a cloud of dust when she landed, and she wondered if the venue would be better suited to cowgirl boots.
While she wasn't exactly impressed by the space he directed her into, she was charmed. It wasn't anything like the upscale nightclubs and ice bars that he fiance would have dragged her along to back in New York. It was simple and rustic and she liked how it just existed without the pressure of being pretentious. She could get used to this.
She took on the sight of the venue as she trailed behind him in his path to the bar. She eyed the mechanical bull off in the corner. Julianna rolled her eyes before trotting to catch up with Owen.
"I'll have that honey cream ale," she said with a smile, sauntering up to the bar to join him and leaning her elbows against it. She didn't sit, and looked smaller in comparison to Owen who still stood as well. There was a row of taps with handwritten labels on them. She shifted on her feet, smiling up at Owen cutely. "Is there food here?"
RE: Remote Capture [Closed] - saronym - 11-18-2019
Owen’s usual looked a lot like a double shot rye and coke which the inquisitorial but warm bartender served him with a smile. She nodded her understanding of Julianna’s order and poured her a taste from the tap. She passed the glass over to the younger woman taking the opportunity to give her a keen look. “She’s pretty, Owen.” The bartender observed.
Owen picked up his drink and quickly brought it to his mouth so that he would spare himself some kind of embarrassing answer. She wasn’t his like the barkeep thought she was. He hummed an answer that sounded like agreement as he sipped his drink.
“No food sweetheart.” The bartender answered on Owen’s behalf. “What you didn’t feed her?” She joked at Owen as she passed Julianna her ale.
“We’ll have a couple drinks and then get something.” Owen offered. He seemed to want to get away from the talkative older woman and as soon as Julianna was handed her ale, he whisked her off to a corner booth.
“Sorry about that.” He said as they took their seats. He scooted in next to her now accepting his fate. His mother would undoubtedly find out about their outing and he would most assuredly get in trouble for it. So, his thinking was, he might as well enjoy it to the full extent that Julianna would allow since he was already going to get maximum shit for it.
“Small town. Everybody up your ass around here.” He nudged her with his arm and smiled before taking another healthy swig of his drink. He was so absolutely intoxicated on her that he really wanted to balance it out with a little bit of something else.
“So, what’ll it take to get you on that mechanical bull tonight?”
RE: Remote Capture [Closed] - megs - 01-10-2020
Julianna pretended not to see the way the bartender was looking at her and let herself be distracted by her little sample of ale. She was surprised by the taste. It was good. Like, really good. Smooth with a hint of creamy sweetness. She traded her sample for a full pint. Her gaze danced between Owen and the older woman as they bantered. She couldn't resist a bit of preening when she was called pretty. She grinned at Owen and tossed her dark curls over her shoulder.
While she would have been more than pleased to stay and listen to all the things she was sure the aged barkeep had to say about her company, she let herself be whisked away to a more secluded booth. He slid in next to her in the worn vinyl booth like they were any other couple on a date.
Weren't they though? Already kissing and sneaking off together like she wasn't a woman about to get married. They knew the stakes. Why not have fun until the inevitable end.
Julianna laughed when his arm made contact with her. With a joking pout she pushed his arm away and behind her, so he could either chose to put it over her shoulders or over the back of the booth. Either way, she scooted closer to him until she was under that arm and their thighs pressed together. She let her free hand rest casually on his leg while she drank her beer.
"There is no way, you're getting me on a mechanical bull," she said, sounding very matter-of-fact. Truth was she could be talked into it with a bit of booze and some prodding from a handsome man. "What about you? What's it take to get you on one?"