Chapter 12 #2
He didn’t have to admit that really, he was lonely. Like down-to-the-core lonely. He’d worked with a team of bullfighters his entire adult life. He’d lived with his family before that, and then somehow he was retired and by himself. He didn’t like it. It wasn’t that he had demons even.
He just didn’t like being alone.
“You’re good man, Cooper Adams.” Brooks shook his head. “You did the same thing for me. I mean, if you think about it, you just said yes.”
Was that strange? “I guess that’s how I was raised. I don’t know, but I do know that I love the kids, and I’m trying to make your brother proud to know that his kids are being treated right. Loved.”
There was a long silence, Brooks’s focus fastened to the floor.
“We fought, me and Andy, because I thought he had too many kids too fast. He didn’t have the money to raise them up.
Instead of being excited for him, I was…
” Brooks shook his head. “I regret it. Cooper. It tears at me, and now I can’t?—”
Coop got that. That was hard, to have a fight and then lose someone without making it right. He knew about that shit.
“It makes me feel like a bad person, and I’m going to make it up to him. I’m going to help with the kids.”
He tilted his head, watching Brooks close. “You know you don’t have to, right? I mean if the road calls you and all. You don’t have to do this thing.”
“I want to come home.” He looked at Coop, and suddenly Coop could see this wealth of exhaustion—this bone-deep tired. “I need to come home somewhere. You said I could stay. I want to stay.”
“Yes.” There were a thousand platitudes he could come up with, but they all seemed stupid.
He guessed that was why they were called platitudes.
Coop understood the need to lay your burden down, to have your own place, a life where it wouldn’t be piggybacking on everybody else’s or being paid to be there. “You can stay. Welcome home.”
Brooks’s lips went tight, and then he reached for Coop.
For a second, this amazing second, he thought that Brooks was going to kiss him, grab him in the barn and plant one on him and?—
He was not opposed to that idea. In fact, he was curious. He had a lot of thoughts, actually. They crossed his mind in the deep of the night when he was alone and needing. But the first question to figure out was whether Brooks was a good kisser.
What did he get instead of a kiss though?
A hug.
A good, hard hug.
Which wasn’t disappointing. Not at all.
Maybe a little.
He wrapped his arms around Brooks and squeezed, being solid for the man, like he’d been solid for so many cowboys and children over the years. It was a calling, cowboy protection.
Brooks smelled like cinnamon and sage, Ivory soap, and a hint of black pepper. It was right. Possibly even delicious.
Brooks leaned back, looking right into his eyes. And those dark, dark eyes were sure pretty .
Just like Andy Whitehead, but different.
Not that Andy had ever stared at him like that—like he was fine as frog hair split three ways.
And Coop was—well, he wasn’t too proud to admit that he tightened right up, his cock lifting with interest.
“Maybe you ought not look at me like that way if you don’t want something to come of it, Brooks.”
“Who says I don’t?”
Brooks never looked away, not even when he lifted his head to take a kiss.
Humming, Brooks wrapped his arms around Coop’s neck and held on, and they pressed against each other, which made him hard as a rock in a rush.
Damn. Oh, damn. It had been a long time, but he sure remembered how to do this, and he put one hand down on Brooks’s ass, keeping them together, his breath starting to come fast.
“Uhn.” Brooks panted when he broke for air, then kissed him again. And again.
He was about to find them some horse blankets for themselves when his phone buzzed in his pocket, making him groan. “Aw, crap.”
Brooks sighed. “Get it. What if it’s the kids?”
“Yeah,” he answered. “Benji. This had better be important.”
“Um.” Benji cleared his throat. “The kids are wondering if you’re okay. You said when Brooks was done in the kitchen y’all would come watch cartoons.”
“Oh, crap. Yeah, we were looking at the cats and checking the horses. We’ll be in after ten or so.”
“Okay, cool. I made hot cocoa. It’s just instant, but we can do a cup for you when you come in.”
“We’ll be there.” He swiped off the phone, and then gave Brooks a look full of regret, he would bet. He sure felt like it .
Brooks touched his cheek. “We’ll revisit this.”
“We will?”
“Hell yes. Just not the day before Thanksgiving.” He winked.
“Okay, cool.” That made him smile. “Come on. Let’s look in on the horses so I ain’t a liar and then head for the house.”
“Yeah. Yeah, okay.” Brooks patted his butt. “Lead the way so I can watch.”
“Oh, Lord.” His ears went hot, and he laughed. “We’ll definitely revisit this, honey. Come on.”
They walked out, the cold air almost taking his breath, and suddenly Thanksgiving seemed all the more shiny.
He couldn’t wait for pie…