Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Meyer
I woke up in my new home to what sounded like a calf protesting and possibly her mama bellowing back. It made a change from sirens and car horns which normally awoke me back in Chicago. A smile curved my mouth as I contemplated the fact that not far from me, Dex was curled up asleep in his own bed. I wished he was next to me, but we weren’t at that stage in our relationship yet. Then I turned to squint at the clock on the nightstand and gave a wry snort. Eight o’clock. My cowboy had probably been working for hours so he’d be ready for our trail ride today.
About that. I loved the sound of a trail ride, just him and me. It sounded perfect. Apart from one small, real small if I thought about it, thing. There was just the nagging question of the horseback ride.
I hadn’t exactly ‘fessed up to Dex how rusty I was on a horse. Okay, I’d been on a horse since my return to Charming, but that was only for a short while, and Dex had been in control of Juniper. I’d only been on the backseat. As a kid I rode horses, often here on Dex’s ranch, but not since I left for college. I snorted. I swiftly discovered I preferred riding men to horses.
I winced. I could imagine how that revelation would go down with Dex. Maybe I’d keep that one to myself. Anyway, it was like riding a bicycle, wasn’t it? I’d pick it up soon enough…if it didn’t kill me first. I hoped he’d chosen a quiet horse for me.
Dex had said he would be over about ten, so I took a leisurely shower, dressed, and with a bowl of the Lucky Charms I’d snagged from Mom, and a fresh cup of coffee, I made my way onto the porch to enjoy the morning which was one definite advantage of living away from the city. I leaned against the railing as I drained the coffee, ate my favorite cereal, and contemplated a second bowl. I’m a big guy, it took a lot to fill me up. Shivering a little, I was glad I’d flung on a thick hoodie.
I sucked in a deep breath of the chilly morning air and instantly regretted it as I inhaled familiar farm smells and gagged. Definitely not the coffee, takeout, and fumes I usually smelled on the way to work.
“Suck it up, man,” I muttered. “You’re going to have to get used to this if you live here.” Mom would die laughing if she could hear me now.
“Talking to yourself, Jones?”
I looked down to see Dex grinning at me at the bottom of the stoop, dressed in flannels and sinfully tight jeans. Could I ask him to turn around and show me his ass?
“Morning,” I said, returning his smile. Just the sight of him made me happy.
“Morning,” he said cheerfully. “You’re up…finally.”
I was indeed up, but I don’t think that was what he meant. “I’ve just woken up. It’s my day off.”
He smirked at me. “I thought I was going to have to wake you up. Instead, I find you deep in conversation with yourself.”
“I was talking about the fragrant aroma.” I waved at the fields.
Dex inhaled as deeply as I had. “Isn’t it wonderful?”
I grimaced. “If you say so.”
He snorted. “You live on a farm now, city boy. You should be here when we spread manure. Then it’s really ripe. It’s not the season now.”
“I hope I am here,” I said mildly because I wasn’t planning to go anywhere.
He dipped his head as if acknowledging my point. “I’ll find you a clothespin.”
“Thanks.” I grinned at him. “I might be used to it by then.”
Dex laughed, but I had a feeling by the way his cheeks pinked that he was pleased by my declaration that I wanted to stay. “I’ll get you muck spreading next year.”
“I don’t think so.” There were limits to my boyfriend duties. “Wanna coffee? I’m going back for a refill.” I held up my cup.
“Yeah, why not,” Dex agreed. “I was just going back to make our picnic, but I need a drink.”
Back in the kitchen, I filled two clean cups with the last of the coffee, and eased my way through the door, going backward so I didn’t spill a drop.
“Nice view,” Dex murmured.
“It is,” I said, only to realize his gaze was locked on my ass. I raised an eyebrow, and he flushed.
“The landscape’s not bad either,” he chuckled, tearing his eyes away and accepting one of the cups.
“I thought that earlier,” I stared out at the nearest field. “They look hopeful,” I said, pointing at the horses staring over the fence at Dex.
“They spot me and think I’ve got food for them in my pockets.”
“And have you?”
“They know me too well,” he confessed, producing a carrot, but carefully so the horses couldn’t see.
“You think they can’t tell you’re hiding a treat?” I teased.
“Shush, we just play the game, okay?
I leaned on the railing next to him, and we basked in the morning sunshine. It was so relaxed, so easy, after the drama of my previous relationship. I could get used to this.
Dex tilted his head to gaze at me. “Ready for the trail ride?”
“About that,” I started.
He furrowed his brow. “You don’t want to spend the day with me?”
“I do.”
But Dex didn’t seem convinced. “Listen, if you don’t wanna come…”
I knew I was going to have to ‘fess up. “It’s not you, Dex. It’s me on the horse I’m worried about.”
His expression cleared. “But you’ve ridden for years.”
“Not for even more years,” I pointed out. “The only thing I ride is—” I clamped my teeth shut.
“The only thing you ride is…?” Dex’s eyebrow shot up. “What were you going to say?”
“Never mind,” I said hastily.
Dex leaned in. “Were you going to say the only thing you ride is men, Meyer Jones?” He chuckled as I whistled under my breath, gazing at the horses rather than blushing at him. He patted my hand. “Don’t worry, big guy. I’ll find the right horse for you. Just right for your size.”
A nasty suspicion trickled through me. “It had better not be Midnight Thunder.”
He stared at me. “You remember old Thunder?”
“Dex, we all remember him,” I said pointedly. “He nearly killed Brad in my class.”
I swear I heard the screams from my house when Thunder, the ranch’s prize stallion, threw Brad from his back. He was lucky to end up with a broken arm, a broken ankle, and a concussion. If Thunder had stepped on him it would have been lights out for Brad.
Dex sniffed. “Brad shouldn’t have been stupid enough to try to ride him.”
Brad’s parents had tried to sue the ranch until Chief Wally pointed out that Brad shouldn’t have been anywhere near the ranch without supervision, let alone near the stallion, and Dex’s parents could sue for damaging their livelihood. They made a lot of money from Midnight Thunder’s foals.
“Anyway,” Dex continued. “Thunder’s an old boy now. He’s retired and spends his days in the paddocks.”
“He’s still here?” I couldn’t hide the fear in my voice.
Dex smirked at me. “Don’t worry, Meyer. You stay close to me. I’ll protect you.”
Sticking close to Dex sounded like an excellent idea.
“I won’t even feed you to Magnum. He’s our new stallion, a real gentle giant.”
A gentle giant. That’s what they all said until you found yourself on the back of a wild beast.
“You can ride on Yukie,” he continued.
“Yukie?”
“Eucalyptus. The roan horse next to Junie. She’s placid enough for beginners, but she also likes the men.”
“I know just how she feels,” I murmured.
Dex rolled his eyes, and I smirked at him. “You two will get on fine. Give me thirty minutes, and I’ll be ready for our ride.”
I opened my mouth because, come on, I had to respond to that. But Dex handed me the empty cup, saying, “Come over when you’re ready,” and jogged down the stoop.
Dang. Next time.
I wandered into the kitchen and cleaned up the cups and coffee pot. I didn’t want Dex to think I was a bad tenant. I didn’t have much else to do except get ready for the trail ride. I dressed in a flannel shirt and jeans, plus a hoodie if it got colder. I didn’t have a hat like Dex’s.
He’d obviously thought the same because he handed me a brown felt cowboy hat as soon as I arrived at the barn.
I turned it over. “It looks new.”
“It is,” Dex said as he slung a saddle over the roan horse, as Junie was already laden with saddle bags, presumably containing our picnic. “You keep it in case we go riding again.”
“Thanks.”
I jammed it on my head and smiled at him. “Introduce me to Yukie.”
“Yukie, meet Meyer. He’s a big lump, but he’ll get used to you.”
“Thanks,” I said dryly.
He smirked at me. “You’re welcome.”
The sturdy mare eyed me with curiosity as I stroked her long neck. Dex had assured me she was placid, but I’d wait to see what she was like with me on her back.
“You’ll be fine,” Dex said, patting my ass. “Yukie is a good old girl.” Yukie tossed her head and Dex quickly apologized. “I’m sorry, Yukie. You’re not old at all.”
He fondled my butt again, almost absently. Which I liked. A lot. Could we stick with the butt-patting rather than the trail ride?
But then he pointed at the stirrup. “Up you go, cowboy.”
I couldn’t put off the evil hour any longer. Okay, so I may have been less than graceful hauling myself over her back, but once I settled in the saddle, I remembered some of the time I spent riding before.
“Your thighs…” Dex started.
“What about them?”
“Gonna hurt like heck later,” he assured me with a wicked grin.
He was probably right. No, he was definitely right. “We could picnic here,” I suggested.
“And deprive Junie and Yukie of a trip out? Would you be that mean?” Dex swung onto Junie’s back and clicked his tongue. Junie moved obediently, and Yukie followed her.
“Hey, little lady,” I chided her. “I’m in charge, just you remember that.”
I wasn’t sure who gave a derisive snort, Dex or Yukie. But I’d show them. Soon. Once I’d gotten more experience.
It was a beautiful morning. I raised my face to bask in the morning sun and my irritation faded away under Yukie’s smooth gait. I’d taken the trail at the back of the ranch many times, but I was happy to let Dex lead the way. I mean, I could stare at his tight ass without him knowing. Once or twice, he looked over his shoulder at me, but he didn’t interrupt the comfortable silence that was only broken by the clip-clop of the two horses on the dirt path.
Yukie was a dream to ride and didn’t try to play tricks on me. But Dex was right. It didn’t take long for unused thigh muscles to make themselves known. All complaints vanished when I turned my head to gaze out over Charming.
“I forgot just how beautiful it is here,” I murmured under my breath. We’d barely climbed the butte, but the view was already stunning. “The colors…” I heard Dex murmur in agreement. The deep blue of the sky and the pink and orange of the butte. I’d taken it for granted as a kid. Now, it took my breath away.
Dex steered Junie so we were side-by-side staring out over the town rooftops. “I love riding up here. It’s good for the soul.”
I sucked in the cold morning air and nodded. I’d longed to get away from Charming Butte, but now, here I was, back home and working in my dad’s old firehouse. Maybe I needed views that were good for the soul.
“You okay?” Dex asked, leaning over to brush his knuckles over the back of my hand.
I tried to ignore the sparks his touch sent through my body by answering his question. “I am okay.” And I realized that was the truth. I was okay. For the first time in a long time, I felt like the tension that I lived with constantly had drained from my muscles. “I feel relaxed. And hungry.”
Dex chuckled. “You’re always hungry.” He clicked at Junie, who turned back to the trail, and Yukie followed her.
We continued our ride and to be honest, I lost track of time, content to let Dex take the lead as we climbed higher, finally stopping at a place I recognized as where generations of high school kids disappeared to get away from their parents. I’d been here and my mom assured me she and my dad had spent more than one picnic here in their day. I’d slapped my hands on my ears and pretended I didn’t see her knowing smile. No one wanted to think of their parents doing…that.
This time of day, we had the place to ourselves. Dex slid off Junie’s back, then held Yukie as I did the same, although not as gracefully. I groaned as my feet hit the ground.
I patted Yukie’s neck. “Yukie, next time can you bring me a cushion for my butt?”
Dex just laughed as he handed me a carrot to give to Yukie.
“I think she just gave me the horse equivalent of an eye roll. She doesn’t look impressed.”
“Would you like it if someone said your ass was too hard?” Dex pointed out.
I opened my mouth because, you know, I couldn’t let that go by, but he placed a finger over my lips. “We don’t need any hard jokes.”
Now I rolled my eyes and spoke against his finger. “Seriously, dude, I’m a gay man. I’m full of hard jokes.”
I was tempted to suck his finger, but I wondered if that was too forward of me. I wasn’t really sure where we were in this relationship. I hoped it would become clearer during the picnic. It was a date, wasn’t it?
“Just give her the carrot, Jones,” Dex ordered.
I did as I was told.
When we’d given the horses their treats, Dex left them ground tied. I wasn’t surprised. Both horses were exceptionally well trained. I squinted at him. He liked giving me orders. Was he training me as he did the horses?
Oblivious to my thoughts, Dex opened one of the saddle bags, pulling out a large faded rug which he spread on one of the rocks. Then he pulled out packages and cokes from the bags. “Our treats,” he said with a grin.
“No beer?”
“Other side,” he said. “Like I’d bring you here without beer.”
Did I mention it was where the high school kids did most of their illicit drinking? I grinned as I looked in the saddle bag. It was even the same brand all the kids drank around here, Bud Light.
Dex stretched out on the rug and patted the spot next to him. “Sit down before you fall down.”
“It’s not that bad,” I grumbled, and I did not groan as I sat down, no matter what Dex said.
“I feel like I’m reliving high school when I come up here,” I admitted.
“I bet you brought all the girls here,” he said, and I couldn’t miss the edge in his voice.
“I thought we went over this already. No cheerleaders. No girls.” I gave him the side eye. “Never the one guy I wanted to, though. I wasn’t brave enough to ask.” I turned to Dex, but he wasn’t looking at me. He was staring moodily out at the view. “I never expected he would ask.”
“Lucky you.” He still didn’t turn my way.
“I am,” I agreed. “He even brought a rug for my sore butt.”
“Very thoughtful,” Dex growled, but I saw the corner of his mouth curl up.
“I wish I’d been braver back then,” I confessed.
“You were a kid.”
“I was scared. I couldn’t wait to go to college and find me.”
Dex gave me a wistful smile, and I was sure that as much as he loved his life on the ranch, there had to be some regrets, too. “And you did.”
“I longed to get the hell out of Charming, but I never forgot the boy I left behind. He just never grew into this hot-as-fuck man in my head.” I reached out and tipped the hat off his head.
“Hey!” he said indignantly.
I pulled him down and kissed him, soft and chaste at first, then harder just to make him shiver. Then I rolled him underneath me, nestling between his legs. “This is what I wanted to do with that boy.”
Dex stared up at me, wide-eyed. “Kiss me?”
“Uh-huh, but I want to ask you a question first.”
“Go on,” he said, warily.
I bent over to whisper in his ear, relishing his shiver.
“Now, how do we make prickly-pear salsa?”