#really i mentally call the baby deer 'bambi' most of the time. i even have a few variables with that name. XD

[lacunafiction]

about your tags, i would like to see it (🦌).

Hello Anon,

I'm happy to share the pics! 😊 Behold the momma and baby deer, who were grazing around our yard for a while. The fawn in particular was having a good time by running around in circles; it's so cute.

Midnight (my cat) doesn't totally agree with me on that... He must have thought the deer was a small dog or something because he growled and dove back inside when I was taking him on a mini walk.

It is close to what I have in mind for the fawn the MC encounters in Fernweh.

I put the 'family' photo under a 'read more' cut. I do think that this is its mother because she was on high alert while they were out in the open. My mom laughing at the baby caused its mom to look at the windows and stomp her hoof in warning... So, yeah, very protective.

Best wishes! 💚

[puckinginsane]

Take the Bull by the Horns

Wattpad

ao3

When I first walked into the bar and saw the mechanical bull I immediately turned around to leave. I was not about to be caught up in some Texas cliche. My friend, Stella, grabbed me by the hand and pulled me back. “It will be worth it. Trust me,” she promised as I followed her back to the wooden fence barricade that surrounds the bull. I quickly learned that she wasn’t wrong. It was worth it. Guy after guy tried their shot at the bull, each seeming to become more attractive than the last. A few girls have tried but it’s mostly guys.

“You can thank me later,” Stella boasts as the latest victim takes off his shirt and whirls it around his head after being thrown to the mat within seconds. His attempt was pathetic but his body more than makes up for it. He looks right at Stella and winks at her. She waves back.

“Don’t you dare ditch me, especially not for that guy. He probably lasts just as long in bed.”

She laughs. “You’re terrible. He’s hot. If he comes over here I’m not pushing him away.”

I scoff. “Fine, but might I remind you that you’re the one that dragged me here?”

“You’ll find your own mechanical cowboy.”

“You know I could easily find myself a real cowboy if that’s what I was looking for.”

“Loosen up and have some fun for once in your life. Get on up there and show ‘em how it’s done.”

“There’s no way I’m getting on that thing.”

“We just have to get a few drinks in you.”

“Speaking of drinks, can I buy you one?” A voice asks. Stella and I both turn around to see the shirtless guy from the bull standing there. His shirt is back on of course, which is a shame.

“Only if you buy one for my friend too,” she replies as she twirls her hair around her finger. Sometimes I swear she’s not real and just a character out of every cheesy rom com, but she’s real and my best friend.

He looks at me and smiles, then back at her. “My pleasure.”

We tell him our drink orders and he scurries off to the bar like an eager puppy, happy to please.

“If you don’t find anyone, seems like he’s game for both of us,” she suggests.

“You’re insane.”

“It would be a night he’d never forget.”

“Stella, no.” This is not the first time she has brought up having a threesome with some guy at the bar and I can never tell if she actually means it or not. I’m always scared to ask.

The next person is called to the bull and I turn around to watch. My eyes are immediately drawn to his broad shoulders and defined back muscles that can be seen through his form fitting shirt. His muscles flex as he pulls himself onto the bull. The next thing I notice are his full tattoo sleeves and the huge biceps those sleeves wrap around. His thick thighs squeeze on the side of the bull and I’m pretty sure my mouth is hanging open in awe of the specimen before me. My eyes make their way up his body. Flat stomach, perfect chest, nicely groomed beard, and that smile. Not only is that the most perfect smile I have ever seen, he’s got these double dimples that I could just get lost in. His eyes crinkle when he smiles and his curly brown hair is begging to be released from the backwards snapback that is keeping it prisoner.

My trance is broken when a glass is shoved in my face. “Earth to Bambi.” I quickly divert my attention to Stella. “Your drink.”

I take the drink and thank her new friend for it before going back to watching this god on the bull. “Who is that?” I ask.

“That is bad news. Don’t even think about it.”

“Too late.” The bull jerks to one side, spins, and jerks to the other. His hat flies off of his head and lands at my feet. His hair sways in the air and falls in front of his face. His giggles can somehow be heard over the loud music and talking. “Way too late.” I find myself smiling and laughing along with his infectious smile and laugh.

“Look away, I’m serious,” Stella demands. “He’s not your type.”

“He’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. How is that not my type?” I bend down and pick up his hat. He’ll have to come over to me for it after he falls off.

“Put the hat down.”

“How is he not my type?”

“He’s a fuckboy. King of the fuckboys in fact.” She smacks the hat out of my hand. “And don’t touch that. You don’t know where it’s been.”

“Oh stop. You’re being ridiculous.” I pick the hat back up. I look just in time for him to get thrown from the bull and to the mat. “He did pretty well.”

“We’re going to a table. Come join us when you’re finished drooling.”

They walk away but I’m too busy watching this guy look around for his hat to care too much. He finally looks in my direction and I hold the hat up for him to see that I have it. He smiles, which makes my heart skip a beat, and starts walking towards me.

The closer he gets, the faster my heart beats. He is so sexy. He walks with this confidence that tells everyone that he knows it too. He hasn’t broken eye contact with me yet. I don’t think I’ve ever talked to someone this good looking before. I’m not sure what I’m even going to say. I take a deep breath right before he gets to me.

He holds his hand out for the hat and I give it to him. “Thank you,” he says in his deep, soothing voice. And I thought he couldn’t get more perfect, I was wrong. He runs his fingers through his hair, pushing it back on his head and out of his face, before putting the snapback on backwards.

“You’re welcome.” I can’t believe I was actually able to get the words out of my mouth. “You did pretty well up there. You must be strong.” I am immediately mentally kicking myself for saying that last part. I do not know how to play it cool.

He blushes. “Yeah I guess.” He looks around then back at me. “It looks like it’s your turn.”

“I don’t think so,” I protest.

“I do. Your turn. Get over there.”

“No, no, no. Not me.”

“She wants to go next!” He shouts over to the attendant working the bull.

“I do not,” I say to him. “I do not!” I shout to the attendant.

“Don’t be scared.”

“I’m not scared.”

“You seem scared.”

“Well I’m not.”

“Then get up there. I’ll hold your drink.”

I down the rest of my drink. “No need.”

“Ok then. You gonna get up there?”

“Yeah.”

He smirks. “Cool. Let’s see what you got.”

I walk over to the bull and the attendant offers to help me up into it, which I decline. I pull myself up onto the bull and scan the room for Stella. I wouldn’t want her to miss this. I finally spot her. “Stella!” I yell to her. She looks around the room for me. “Over here!”

She finally sees where I am and jumps off of the bar stool and drags her new friend over to the fence to get a closer look “Yeah, Bambi, woo! Show these guys how to ride that bull!”

I shake my head and blush. She is always my loudest cheerleader. I look over to mister snapback, who I don’t think has taken his eyes off of me. He smiles, which immediately makes me melt.

“Are you ready?” The attendant asks me. I nod yes.

The bull starts spinning slowly and bucks to one side. It doesn’t faze me at all. I could do this in my sleep. It spins around a few times before bucking from side to side, up and down. I’m not even close to falling. These mechanical bulls are never a challenge to me, which is why I never go on them. People don’t want to see people conquer it, they want to see them get thrown.

“Is this all this thing has?” I say, my cockiness coming out.

It starts going a little faster, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. More and more people have started to gather around to watch. I fake a yawn and pat my mouth a few times to show boredom, which gets a laugh from the crowd.

“She’s cheating!” Mister snapback yells.

“You think I’m cheating?”

“Yeah!”

I let go. “What if I do it with no hands?” I squeeze my thighs against the saddle in anticipation of a buck. I am able to hold on when it does. Everyone in the bar erupts in cheers. The bull bucks forward a few times and I rock my hips with the rhythm. I am not getting thrown from a fake bull.

“Show off!” Stella yells. “I love you!”

I blow her a kiss. She is now taking video of me with her phone. The bull spins back around to face mister snapback, who is watching me with his mouth open. I hold onto the bull with my thighs as it bucks hard to one side. That one almost threw me. I maintain eye contact with him as I once again move my hips to the rhythm of the bull. I can see him mouth “fuck.”

The bull slows down and eventually comes to a stop. I hop down off of it and once again everyone in the bar cheers. I take a bow before walking over to where mister snapback is standing.

“That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” he says.

“I doubt that.”

“Not bad, Bambi.”

“Oh. That’s not my name.”

“Sorry, it’s just that she…”

“She calls me that. It’s just a nickname.”

“Can I call you that?”

“Only if you tell me your name.”

“Since we are going by nicknames Seggy or Segs. Up to you.”

“Seggy it is.”

He smiles. “Do you want to sit and talk?”

“Yeah, definitely.”

We walk over to a table and sit down across from each other. He orders us each a drink, which are promptly delivered.

“Why Bambi?” He asks.

“Because I’m quiet and shy, nervous a lot. She always calls me her baby deer.”

“Quiet and shy, eh? That’s not what I saw up there.”

“We all have different sides to us.”

“Do you have a bad side?”

“I might.” He smirks. “Speaking of bad sides, my friend tells me you’re bad news.”

“Your friend might be right. What’s the fun in being good all of the time anyway?”

“Does that line usually work for you?”

“Most of the time, yeah.”

I shake my head. “Girls make things way too easy for you.”

“I’m not complaining about that.”

“Wouldn’t you rather have a challenge?”

“Depends. Luckily I don’t have to work that hard with you. I saw the way you were looking at me.”

“Just because you’re attractive, doesn’t mean I’m easy.”

“At least I know you’re interested.”

I smirk. “Maybe.”

“Maybe? Ok, sure. If that’s what you have to tell yourself to make you feel better.”

“You don’t get told no often, do you?”

“Not really.”

“I see.”

“Enough about me. I gotta ask, do you ride mechanical bulls for a living or something? Because that was…wow.”

“Not mechanical bulls.”

“Huh?”

“I’m a bull rider.”

“Oh, so like real bulls.”

“Real bulls exactly.”

“So you were cheating.”

“You insisted I go up there. Not cheating.”

“A bull rider, eh? I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Most guys are either intimidated by it or find it sexy.”

“I guess I’m feeling a little bit of both.”

“You’re not running away, though.”

“Nope.”

“Ok good.”

“See? Interested.”

I blush. I guess he’s got me there. “I really don’t want to give you the satisfaction.”

“Don’t you want satisfaction, though?”

“Yes I do.”

He smiles. “That wasn’t so hard to admit, was it?”

“I’m not easy, though.”

“You’ve said that.”

“It’s true.”

“We’ll see where the conversation takes us.”

What have I gotten myself into? I’m not used to going toe to toe with someone this sure of himself. I don’t want to be another notch on his belt but my defenses are cracking. The most attractive man I’ve ever see wants me, don’t I owe it to myself to let go for one night? I’m not sure how long I can fight it. My body is aching to be touched by him.

“You’re awfully quiet. Want another drink?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

He orders the both of us more drinks. “Don’t think too much. That’s when things get messy. We are just having a good time, right?”

“Right.”

“I know what will help loosen you up.”

“What?”

He holds my face in his hands and kisses me, which surprises me, I wasn’t expecting that. I’m a little shocked at first but he doesn’t pull away so I kiss him back. It’s a little aggressive, especially for a first kiss, a first kiss with someone he doesn’t know, but he soon follows my lead and tones it down a bit. We finally pull apart, even though I don’t want to. I do feel a lot more at ease. Damn him.

I feel giddy and can’t fight the stupid smile forming on my face. He smirks. “Better?”

“Much better.”

“You really are Bambi, aren’t you?”

“What makes you say that?”

“I only just kissed you and you’re blushing.”

“Oh no.” I cover my cheeks with my hands.

“Don’t.” He grabs my hands and moves them down. “It’s cute.”

Ugh. Cute. I don’t want him to think I’m cute. I want him to think I’m hot, sexy, irresistible. I’m not going to get anywhere with a guy like him if all he thinks is that I’m cute.

“Do you want to dance?” I ask. I need to show him that I can be more than just cute.

He smiles. “Sure.”

I hop down from the bar stool, take his hand in mine, and start walking away from the table. He follows behind me. I look back at him and smile and he raises an eyebrow wondering what is going on in my head. I usually don’t do things like this, but I can’t let him know that. I want to dance with him. I want to be so close to him that you can’t tell where he starts and I begin. I want to get lost in the music and the movement of his body against mine. I just want him.

He starts out dancing close to me, but not as close as I’d like him to be. He’s not touching me. It’s almost like he’s scared to, like he’d break me if he did. For the first time tonight he seems to be a bit timid. I dance closer to him and cup the back of his head and bring it down so I can say something in his ear. “You can touch me, you know.” Somehow the roles have be reversed. I grab his hands and place them on my hips. He looks up into my eyes and smiles. That’s all the invitation he needed, I guess, because he pulls me up against him and grinds up against me.

I wrap one arm around his neck and hold the back of his head while place my other hand on his chest. I wish he wasn’t wearing the snapback. I would be running my fingers through his hair right now, instead I lightly massage the back of his neck. He moves his hands up to my waist and pulls me even closer towards him. He leans in like he’s going to kiss me but he lingers there, looking down at my lips, he’s close close I can just about taste him.

His hands make their way down my back and rest again on my hips for only a second before caressing my butt and eventually grabbing onto it and pulling me up against him. I want him to kiss me but the anticipation is intoxicating in itself. I run my tongue slowly over my top lip which makes him look up into my eyes. We have this intense staring contest as we continue to dance. I’m lost, so lost in his world, and I never want to be found.

Why hasn’t he kissed me yet? Is he waiting for me to make the first move or is this some kind of game? Whatever it is I’m not sure how much longer I can stand it. His eyes are like fire and my heart beats faster and faster the longer I look into them. I can’t hold myself back any longer. I wrap my other arm around his neck and kiss him. He holds onto my ass tighter as he kisses me back. I nibble his bottom lip and we pull away from each other breathless.

He holds onto the back of my head and says into my ear, “I can’t get the image of you riding that bull out of my head.”

“Stella took video of it. I can send it to you so you can always have it.”

“I was thinking of replacing that image with a different one.”

“Oh yeah?” I smile.

He smiles back. “You want to get out of here?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”