Chapter 17
This outing with Bodie was wild.
For starters, Bodie was in much better shape than Cole was, and he was feeling it about halfway to their camping spot. He was happy as a clam though, and excited about sleeping out under the stars with his man.
Hopefully his. They’d touched on it just a little at dinner last night, and he thought that’s what was happening, but Rocky had always said you could never be sure with a bull rider.
“Okay, cowboy. I need a water break. Pull over.”
“Pulling.” Bodie winked at him, sliding off trail a bit and stopping. “It’s a gorgeous damn day, isn’t it?”
“They don’t get any better.” He tugged his water bottle from his backpack and took a long sip, feeling the cool water energize him a bit. He chuckled. “You’re in very good shape. I am a marshmallow that goes to the gym a couple times a week.”
“I like marshmallows, but I think you’re just fine. I love the way you look, bare butt naked.”
That was sweet, and he felt himself blush. He wasn’t really squishy, he just felt it in comparison to the bull rider’s rock-hard body. He grinned and leaned toward Bodie. “I think I did better.”
“I have way more scars, though. Way more.” Bodie waggled his eyebrows, playing with him.
“I like them. They’re proof of all the times you got your ass back up out of the dirt.” And that was what it was about. Cowboy up and get back on the bull. It was exciting, and it scared him to death.
He figured that was part of the point too.
“The other option sucks rocks.” Bodie leaned on a tree, sucking water.
“Yeah. It does.” He was very aware. It was as terrifying as it was exciting to watch Bodie ride. “Climbing this trail with you doesn’t though.” No, he had a great view. And the view from the mountain wasn’t bad either.
“No, shit on that. I’m having a ball. I love the campsite here. We’re going to sleep well tonight.”
He’d been sleeping so damn well lately he wasn’t sure he could do any better. “After this hike wears me out. Or you do.” He made sure to make that sound as dirty as he meant it.
“You may get both, you know.” Bodie proved that he was following along, happily.
“Well, then we better get moving.” He hauled himself off the rock he was sitting on and tucked his bottle away. “I have things to look forward to.”
“I have sandwiches in my pack for the top of the trail. Peanut butter and jelly.” Bodie rubbed his belly, so dramatic.
The funny part was that for Bodie, it probably was a treat.
“Ooh. Indulgent. Wait until you see the view. Did you cheat and google?”
“I didn’t. You said it was something you wanted to show me. I figured it was important.”
He smiled; he couldn’t help it. Bodie was too damn good. “I would have forgiven you, but this is better. And we have such a clear day for it.”
“Mmhmm.” Bodie had on a hat, and he looked like the spitting image of a rugged outdoorsman. He snapped a couple of pictures. Maybe Cabela’s would be interested in sponsoring a cowboy.
“What do you think about selling hunting gear? Or tractors?” He’d never really gone that route with a client, but it wasn’t a bad idea. He showed Bodie the pictures. “See?”
Bodie gave the pictures a glance, then nodded. “Sure. I’ll sell whatever, so long as it ain’t nasty. I won’t sell anything that would embarrass my granny.”
“Oh, I am absolutely going to ask you to sell tighty-whities.” He would never. But Bodie would set the cameras on fire.
“Bah. I don’t have that kind of body. I wish I did, but there’s no way.” Bodie yanked up his T-shirt, showing off his belly.
“Mm. No. You’re right, there’s no way. No way I’m sharing that with Calvin Klein.” He slid his hand across the warm skin, admiring.
Bodie’s muscles rippled for him, actually moving his hand as they moved. “No? You don’t want the world having what you got?”
“No.” He moved in close enough that Bodie couldn’t misunderstand him. “I plan to hang onto it myself. To you.” Life was too damn short not to speak up when it was time, even if he wasn’t great with words. “I’ve got it pretty bad for you.”
“Good.” Bodie held his gaze, face still, serious. “I’ve never been in love before. I like it.”
“Keep talking like that and you’ll get plenty of it.” He offered Bodie a kiss, leaning in close and sliding a hand around his waist.
“Mmm… hey, you.” Bodie’s eyes danced for him. “You’re fixin’ to make it hard to walk.”
“I’m sorry. Only not, actually.” He gave Bodie’s butt a squeeze. “March on then, baby.” He could go back to watching Bodie’s ass hike up the trail, no problem.
“Let’s do this. I want to make the top of this trail and see what there is to see.”
He let Bodie lead again because the trail opened right up to this amazing view of the Rockies and a deep valley below and the view of that and the uninterrupted blue sky usually stopped him dead in his tracks.
He wanted to share this because it was a special place, a place he came a lot by himself when he was home, and he hadn’t shared it with anyone but Rocky. Rocky thought it was neat, but he didn’t have Bodie’s patience and wonder; he didn’t have Bodie’s joy.
They made the trail summit, and Bodie gasped, his eyes going wide. “Look at that. That is proof there is a loving hand on us.”
Bodie reached for his hand, their fingers twining together.
Cole nodded and squeezed Bodie’s fingers, stepping up beside him. There wasn’t much to say that did this view justice, but he tried. “I think it’s my favorite place.”
“It’s perfect.” Bodie leaned against him, solid as a rock. “Wow. I think I can see the whole world from up here.”
“Right? Maybe Canada. Maybe my house, which is way over there.” He pointed in the direction, but of course they couldn’t see it. It was just fun to point it out. “The sky is pretty amazing too. We got such a great day for this.”
“Is that an eagle? Flying up there?” Bodie pointed to a golden eagle that was wheeling around, hunting.
“Aren’t they beautiful?” He dropped his pack and dug out a pair of binoculars. “Here. Have a look.”
“Oh, good idea to bring those.” Bodie’s lips parted as soon as he focused on the birds. “Look at that… This is heaven. Pure heaven.”
“They mate for life, you know. If you don’t see her up in the air, then she’s probably on a nest somewhere.”
“Oh, wow. I wonder if I can see one…” There. That wonder. That was why Bodie was so different, so amazing.
So beautiful.
“We have plenty of time to look.” He didn’t want to rush anything about this adventure. He pulled out his water bottle, sitting down to take everything in. He’d sat on this big rock many times before, but this time felt different, watching Bodie enjoy it.
After ten or fifteen minutes, Bodie came to sit next to him. “That was amazing, man. I mean it. This place is magical.”
“I thought you would like it. It’s even neat on a cloudy day. The clouds hang kind of low, it’s a little eerie. Still pretty too.”
“I’m glad you brought me here. It feels important.”
It was, he supposed, in a way. “It’s meaningful to me. Being up here puts things in perspective, you know? It reminds me that the world is big and beautiful and I’m just one tiny piece of it. I came up here a lot after Rocky died, even though he was never as impressed with it as I was.”
“Well, honey. Rocky was dear, but he wasn’t real deep.”
He glanced at Bodie, grinning, then laughed. “Fuck. No he was not.” They’d been friends for a long time, and if it wasn’t bulls or football or food, Rocky didn’t have much to say about it.
“There you go.” Bodie grabbed him around the waist, kissing him good and hard. “I’m not a genius, but I know about beautiful things.”
He blinked a second, catching his breath. Bodie’s kisses made him dizzy. “Oh, you’re a genius. You’re kissing me, right?”
“I am. I do love a man who pays attention.” Now Bodie was laughing at him.
He stuck his elbow in Bodie’s side playfully. “Shut up. You made me a little woozy just now.”
“Mmm… I am a stud, huh?” Bodie flexed for him, winked. “You want your sandwich?”
Damn, how the hell did he get so lucky? “I could use a snack. You set a good pace on the way up.”
“I wanted to get up here. I was curious as all get-out.”
He took a bite of his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. “Why does PB and J always taste like the best thing I’ve ever eaten?”
“Because it’s magical. It’s got fruit, peanuts, bread, and good memories.”
He nodded and took another bite. It did seem magical. This day was magical. Reality was coming in a few days, Bodie would get back to riding and Cole would keep hustling to find him gigs and make him that nest egg he wanted. But right now, they were indulging in blue skies and in each other.
And a tent together and coffee on a campfire. It was going to be perfect.