8. Lucas
Chapter 8
Lucas
I had never been so scared and turned on at the same time in my life. When that horse took off for the horizon, I thought I was going to die. But when Beau not only rescued me, but when he caught me in his arms and whispered to me until I calmed down… well, let’s just say my heart did some things I didn’t know it was capable of.
I could still feel the warmth of his strong arms around me, the roughness of his calloused hands as they steadied my trembling body. Beau's blue eyes locked onto mine, concern etched across his sun-weathered features.
“You alright there, city boy?” he drawled, his deep voice sending shivers down my spine.
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. My legs felt like jelly, and I wasn't sure if it was from the wild ride or from being this close to Beau. The scent of leather, hay, and something uniquely him filled my senses.
He didn't let go right away, and I found myself hoping he never would. The Texas sun beat down on us, but I barely noticed the heat. All I could focus on was the way Beau's muscular chest rose and fell with each breath, how his blonde hair caught the light, and the way his skin felt against my own.
Before I knew what I was doing, I leaned forward, wrapping my hand around the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss. For a moment, Beau tensed, and I feared I'd made a terrible mistake. But then, with a low groan, he melted into the kiss, his arms tightening around me. His lips were surprisingly soft against mine, a stark contrast to the rough blond stubble that scratched my chin.
The world around us faded away - the endless prairie, the distant lowing of cattle, even the horse that had nearly been the death of me. All that existed was Beau, his strong body pressed against mine, his fingers tangling in my hair as the kiss deepened.
When we finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, Beau rested his forehead against mine. His blue eyes, usually so guarded, were dark with desire.
“Well, I'll be damned,” he murmured, his Texas drawl even more pronounced.
Then, as if he’d been suddenly bitten by a snake, he leaped backwards, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Those blue eyes were no longer full of desire, but fear. He turned them to the ground, scuffing his boot through the dust. I stood there for a moment, trying to figure out if I’d gone too far. It took a moment before I realized he was shaking.
“Are you alright?” I asked, forgetting about my own near-death experience.
Beau didn't answer right away, his gaze still fixed on the ground. When he finally looked up, his eyes were a storm of emotions - desire, fear, and something that looked a lot like shame.
“I... I can't,” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the rustle of the prairie grass. “This ain't... it ain't right.”
My heart sank. I took a step towards him, but he flinched away. “Beau,” I said softly, “there's nothing wrong with what just happened. It's okay to feel- ”
“No!” he cut me off, his voice sharp. “You don't understand. I'm a Turner. We've been ranchin' this land for four generations. I can't... I can't be...”
He couldn't even say the word, but I knew what he meant. I’d seen that look plenty of times before with first timers. They wanted it so bad, but the world had convinced them they were sick or disgusting in some way. It wasn’t true, of course, but telling them otherwise wasn’t going to help. They had to figure it out on their own.
“Beau, I'm sorry if I?—”
“No,” he cut me off, finally looking up. The pain in his eyes was raw, almost tangible. “You ain't got nothin' to be sorry for. It's me. I'm the one who...” He trailed off, running a hand through his tousled blonde hair.
I took a tentative step towards him, but he flinched away. “Beau, it's okay. We don't have to?—”
“I think it’s time for you to go,” he said, his voice cracking. “I… uh… have chores to do.”
I didn’t have to be told twice. Beau needed some space, and I was too grateful for his help to push him any further. I reached out, grabbing Daisy by the bridle.
“Alright,” I nodded. “I’ll bring her up and then I’ll go.”
He nodded right back, keeping his lips tightly sealed.
I led Daisy back to the stables, my mind reeling from what had just transpired. The kiss with Beau had been electric, passionate, everything I'd dreamed it might be. But the aftermath... that had been heartbreaking.
As I secured Daisy in her stall, I heard the crunch of boots on gravel. My heart leaped, thinking it might be Beau, but when I turned, I found myself face-to-face with one of the older men I’d seen butchering the cow out front.
“Well, howdy there, city slicker,” the man said, his weathered face creasing into a smile. I noticed he had the same bright blue eyes as Beau. “Heard you had quite the adventure out there. ”
I nodded, trying to keep my expression neutral as Beau shifted nervously beside me. “Yes, sir. Beau saved me from a runaway horse and nasty fall.”
His eyes twinkled. “That's my boy. Always been one to help others in need.” He paused, smiling to himself as Beau tried to act like he wasn’t listening. “He gets that from his mother.”
“I think I met her inside,” I said, pointing back to the house.
“Nah. That’s Mabel. She’s a great woman but married to my ranch hand Frank. Beau’s mother passed away after he was born.” He let out a long sigh, a look of longing in his eyes. “She was a good woman. Best I ever met.”
“I’m sorry,” I said automatically, not knowing what else to say.
“Don’t worry yourself about it,” he said, the smile coming back to his face. “I apologize. I can get a little caught up in my feelings sometimes. Beau gets that from me.”
There was a grumble of disapproval from the other stall, but the old man, who was obviously Beau’s father, just kept smiling. I stood there for a moment, wondering if he’d seen us kiss in the pasture. There was no hint of it in his expression, but then again, why would he say something like that? Had I accidentally outed Beau to his entire family?
“Anyway,” Beau’s father said at last, tipping his hat up. “I’m glad to see you’re alright. Would’ve been a right mess had that old mare thrown ya. Don’t wanna send ya away in an ambulance on your first visit.”
“I appreciate that. And if it’s alright with you, I think I’m gonna avoid horses for a little while.”
“Well, don’t be a stranger now. It’s not like Beau to bring a friend home. Between you and me, I’m just glad he’s talkin’ to someone else besides that old diner waitress and that damn horse.”
“He talks to the horse?” I glanced over at Beau, my eyebrow arched. He kept his head down, avoiding my gaze. But I could see the pink tinge to his cheeks and it brought a smile to my lips .
“The boy has been talkin’ to the animals since he could speak! Can’t get him to stop, actually.” He took a step back, clapping Beau on the shoulder. “But he’s good with critters, so we let him keep going on.”
“Pa…” Beau sighed at last. “Will you stop embarrassing me in front of company?”
“That’s what parents are for!” The old man looked back at me, holding out his hand. “Jack Turner by the way. Nice to meet ya.”
I returned the handshake. “Lucas Greene.”
“Well Lucas, it’s gettin’ around to supper time, and we’d be mighty bad hosts if we didn’t feed you before you left.”
“You don’t have to do that—” I began.
“He’s probably busy, Pa,” Beau added.
“Nonsense!” Jack laughed, clapping me on the shoulder and pulling me back toward the entrance to the barn. “Mabel always puts on a feast before the fair starts. And since Beau is competin’ this year, it’ll be our last big family meal until after the barbecue competition is over.”
I glanced back at Beau. “I… uh… I mean… if you insist?”
“I do,” Jack smiled, leading me away.
We left the barn, leaving Beau behind to take care of the horses and put them away. Jack led me into the house once more, pausing at the door to hang his hat on a hook. A moment later I found myself in the kitchen once more with Mabel cooking away at the stove. She stopped as Jack sat me down, giving me a big smile.
“I heard you screamin’ all the way down the pasture,” she grinned. “Excitin’ first ride I take it?”
I chuckled nervously, feeling my cheeks flush. “You could say that. I think I'll stick to cars from now on.”
Mabel laughed, a warm, hearty sound that filled the kitchen. “Oh honey, don't you worry. Everybody falls off a horse at least once. It's practically a rite of passage 'round here.”
Jack nodded in agreement. “Yep, even Beau took a tumble or two when he was learnin'. Though I reckon he'd rather forget about that.”
As if on cue, the screen door creaked open and Beau stepped inside. His eyes darted around the room, landing briefly on me before quickly looking away. He mumbled something about washing up and disappeared down the hallway.
Mabel turned back to her cooking, but not before I caught the concerned look she exchanged with Jack. There was a moment of awkward silence, broken only by the sizzling of whatever delicious concoction Mabel was preparing on the stove.
“So, Lucas,” Jack said, clearing his throat. “What brings you all the way out to Sagebrush? We don't get many city folk 'round these parts.”
I shifted in my seat, trying to come up with a plausible explanation that didn't involve my growing infatuation with his son or the fact that I was trying to steal family secrets for my company. I decided to stick to my usual lie. “I'm actually here on business. I work for a marketing firm in New York, and we're looking to expand our reach into more rural areas with food festivals. Thought I'd come down and get a feel for the place, see if it’s a good fit for what we want to do.”
Jack nodded, a knowing smile on his face. “Well, you certainly picked a fine place for it. No better food in the world than in Sagebrush, Texas. And Beau’s gonna win that barbecue competition again this year just to prove it.”
“He’s won three times, hasn’t he? I have no doubt he’ll do it again.”
Jack beamed with pride at the mention of Beau's accomplishments. “That's right. My boy's got a gift when it comes to barbecue. It's in his blood, you know.”
As Jack regaled me with tales of past competitions and family recipes, I couldn't help but steal glances down the hallway, hoping to catch a glimpse of Beau. My mind kept replaying our kiss, the feel of his strong arms around me, the taste of his lips. But then I remembered the fear in his eyes, the shame that had clouded his face. His family didn’t seem like the type to let him skip supper, but he was taking so long. Maybe he’d pretend to be sick just to get away from me. I’d used that excuse plenty of times myself on bad dates. It worked like a charm.
Finally, Beau reappeared, his hair damp from washing up. He hesitated in the doorway, his eyes meeting mine for a brief moment before he quickly looked away. He took a seat at the far end of the table, as far from me as possible.
Mabel bustled over, setting down a steaming platter of fried chicken in the center of the table. The aroma was mouthwatering, and despite the tension in the air, my stomach growled audibly.
“Hope y'all are hungry,” Mabel said cheerfully, seemingly oblivious to the awkwardness between Beau and me. “I've made all of Beau's favorites.”
As she brought over more dishes - mashed potatoes, green beans, homemade biscuits - I couldn't help but notice how Beau kept his eyes fixed on his plate, barely acknowledging anyone's presence. The easy camaraderie I'd witnessed earlier between him and his family was gone, replaced by a palpable unease. It was only when the other older thin man walked in and struck up a conversation with Jack that the silence faded away. I learned quickly that the thin man was Frank, Mabel’s husband, and the ranch hand Jack had spoken of earlier.
All throughout the meal I fielded questions about my job, where I was from, and what New York City was like. But each time I got a chance, I looked up at Beau, hoping he would give me even the slightest hint that he didn’t hate me for kissing him. As the meal progressed though, I found myself growing increasingly uncomfortable. The food was delicious, but the tension radiating from Beau made it hard to fully enjoy. I caught him stealing glances at me when he thought I wasn't looking, his blue eyes a storm of conflicting emotions.
“So, Lucas,” Mabel said, breaking the silence that had fallen over the table once more. “How long are you plannin' on stayin' in Sagebrush?”
I swallowed hard, acutely aware of Beau's gaze suddenly fixed on me. “Well, I'm not entirely sure. I suppose it depends on how things go with the festival research. At least for the fair. Then I’ll need to get back to work in the city.”
Jack's eyes lit up. “You know, if you're gonna be around for the fair, you ought to let Beau show you around the place. He knows all the other competitors and where you can find the best food. It might be just what your company is looking for!”
Beau's head snapped up, his eyes wide with panic. “Pa, I don't think-”
“Nonsense!” Jack waved him off. “You're not competing until the last day, anyway. Might as well make yourself useful.”
I could see the conflict playing out on Beau's face. He opened his mouth to protest again, but Mabel cut in.
“That's a wonderful idea, Jack,” she said, beaming. “Beau knows this fair like the back of his hand. He'd be the perfect guide.”
Beau's shoulders slumped in defeat. He glanced at me, a mixture of resignation and something else - maybe a flicker of hope? - in his eyes.
“I... I suppose I could show you around,” he mumbled, his voice barely audible.
My heart raced at the prospect of spending more time with Beau. “That's really not necessary,” I said quickly, trying to diffuse the situation. “I'm sure I can find my way around on my own.”
Mabel chimed in, her voice warm but leaving no room for argument. “Now, Lucas, we can't have you wanderin' around lost at the fair. Beau will be happy to show you around, won't you, honey?”
Beau's jaw clenched, “Yeah. Of course.”
“Well, that’s all settled then!” Mabel smiled. “The fair starts tomorrow night and it’s a Turner tradition to have dinner there on opening night.” She patted my arm before placing another fried drumstick on my plate. “If you stop by here around six, we’ll all drive in together and Beau can show you around.”
Mabel’s gaze darted over to Jack, both of them smiling at one another knowingly.
“That… sounds great,” I replied, still staring at Beau who looked like he wanted to either strangle or fuck me. Maybe both. “I can’t wait.”