Goldridge (Steve Rogers AU)

5

"Who the fuck are you?"

Steve sat out on the porch with his coffee a couple of mornings later, contemplating on his father's words from their last conversation as the door opened and a man walked out, doing his belt up before noting Steve and the question that hung in the air between them.

He was going to have to get used to this so it seemed. Elsa was out to piss him off in any way, shape or form - and if it meant bringing home a different man to fuck each evening, then she'd do it. He was going to have to lay a few ground rules so they could try and at least live with one another without the urge to put a bullet in the other. 

"John Walker - I'm one of the ranch han-" The man started but Steve stopped him, really not wanting to make small talk with a one night stand. He just didn't have any energy for anything or anyone until at least 9am. Right after the caffeine fix had hit.  

"I don't pay you to fuck Miss Rollins, I pay you to get out there and work - so get your ass to it". Steve grunted, then seeing Elsa leaning against the doorway in just her bra and panties, smirking. 

Of course she was enjoying this. 

John simply nodded to Steve and then turned to the woman at the door. "See you later".

"You really won't" She mused and watched as he headed down the steps, then walking out and turning to Steve with a mischievous look on her face, leaning back against the porch railing. "Like what you see, asshole?"

He sipped his coffee, "you look better with your clothes on, Rollins".

"Like that's gonna offend me - I've heard worse. Y'know...you seem to have awful pent up tension - your whole body looks stiff sitting there".

"Because my morning had started off seeing you and some random ranch hand in the damn house". He snapped and watched John walking away from over the rim of his mug, making a mental note to serve him with the news of his unemployment if he pulled this shit again. "Is his dick even worth it?" 

Elsa shrugged and studied her nails for a moment. "Gotta get my kicks somehow", her eyes flickering up and staring at him from under long lashes. "Besides, I made sure I was quiet - which for me? It's a challenge". 

"With him? I don't think it took that much - besides, I can see you're walking fine so that's a sure sign it was underwhelming enough for you". Steve couldn't help but smirk  to himself at his own words, lips tightened around the rim of the mug as he drank more to conceal the amusement and pending laughter. "Anyway, you really think that I give a shit about whose name you're moaning?" 

If this was going to be a regular occurrence and if she was as loud as she claimed to be? He'd need to invest in a decent pair of ear plugs. 

She pushed herself from the railing and walked over to him, slowly sliding down astride him  and then looking into his eyes with a mischievous glint in her own. 

"Yeah...coz it ain't yours". 

Taking the mug of coffee from him, she stood back up and sipped it, walking back into the house while he silently cursed the slight boner she'd caused just from simply sitting on him. It was something that he could really do without. In fact he could do without Elsa Rollins altogether, but that wasn't about to happen anytime soon. 

He just had to find some way of living with her, even if it wasn't in perfect harmony. 

**

After the disappointing fuck and slight coffee kick courtesy of Steve Rogers mug - Elsa showered and dressed. Heading to the pen where the wild horse she had been taming was grazing for the morning. The ranch hands were hard at work already, and if she were honest? It was the most work that she had seen going on for the first time in months. 

Contractors had come in to start making repairs, and she'd heard talk of a new barn being raised near one of the pastures to make it easy for the cattle to be sheltered during the winter months. Even though she despised the Rogers, she couldn't fault them for wanting to make better changes to the shit show that was her home. They seemed to get things done at the snap of a finger - the influence they had within the town meant that they were viewed in the highest regard. If Joe Rogers didn't agree with something, then the town also didn't. That was just the way it went. The Rogers were golden and the Rollins trash. But it had always been that way - the two families feuding constantly until her father had put a stop to it. 

In some ways, she felt satisfaction that her dick of a brother had been left with nothing, as it meant that their father's death had been pointless. At least she had the sense to stay, and that was purely for making sure that the place didn't get raised to the ground. She still has the roof and four walls she'd grown in, and if it meant having to share it with Steve Rogers, then she would do so. Enemies or not. They'd survived two days without killing one another - but just because they'd let her stay, it didn't mean that she needed to be grateful or make an effort with the Rogers. They would simply co-exist, pass like ships in the night. Ok, the house wasn't that big, but considering the ranch was, she could easily go anywhere and avoid Steve all day. 

Avoid like the plague. 

That was the plan. 

Plus, he'd be out and about doing Rogers stuff anyway, she could focus on her horse training. It sounded so simple in her head, but it would be anything but that in the weeks that followed.