conversations.
Dressed in the clothes Flynn had brought him and with his foot carefully bandaged again, Gable limped toward his bedroom. When he opened the door, he noticed his bed was made, the blanket and top sheet neatly folded back so he could step into it. He sighed. Flynn‟s urge to take care of him was both a blessing and a curse. Gable had to admit it felt good. In the few relationships he‟d had that went beyond one-night stands, he had always been the carer, the one who provided for his lover, never the other way around. Yet Flynn didn‟t seem to be able to help himself, and if anything, it was refreshing.
As Gable sat down on the bed, he opened his nightstand drawer and was relieved to see the contents undisturbed. At least Flynn wasn‟t a snoop. It would have unsettled Gable more if Flynn had poked around in his private places and found God knows what embarrassing items.
Still cold, Gable crawled under the covers and picked up his book, hoping he‟d feel warmer soon. He hadn‟t been reading long when a shy 46
Clouds and Rain
knock on the door made him look up. Before he could answer a more insistent one followed.
“Flynn?”
The door opened and Flynn walked in, carrying a tray, so Gable sat up, momentarily wondering if he should get out of bed. Flynn didn‟t give him time, though, as he walked to the unslept-in side and sat down, putting the tray between them.
“I didn‟t have time to cook today.” A shy and slightly wicked smile spread around Flynn‟s mouth. “But there was soup left over from yesterday and that‟s sure to warm us up, so I thought I‟d bring some up to you.”
“I don‟t deserve you,” Gable said under his breath, not looking at Flynn, who was sitting on his bed, fully clothed.
“Sure you do,” Flynn answered with the same teasing smile. He handed Gable a steaming bowl of vegetable soup and a spoon, which Gable immediately put down again in favor of a chunk of bread he could dip into the liquid.
“Maybe you should explain to me why I deserve a really great horse wrangler and an exceptional cook when I haven‟t even paid you for what you‟ve done around this place,” Gable asked while he tried to get the dripping bread into his mouth without embarrassing himself.
“Because you put up with me?” Flynn tried, spooning some soup into his mouth and almost burning his tongue.
“Nothing to put up with,” Gable shrugged. Part of him was afraid to open up to Flynn, but then, so much had happened between them today. Gable didn‟t want him to leave too soon. “I like having you around.”
Flynn nodded as he continued eating his soup, letting an uncomfortable silence fall between them. Gable wished they were outside on the porch again. There, it seemed, they could just sit together and enjoy each other‟s company without the need for conversation.
Eventually, Flynn got up and put their empty bowls back on the tray. He seemed reluctant to leave, but there wasn‟t much else to do.
Just before he lifted the tray from the bed, Gable covered Flynn‟s hand with his own.
47
Zahra Owens
“Are you still hungry? I can make some hot cheese sandwiches if you like. Until Calley comes with groceries tomorrow, there‟s not much else left, I‟m afraid.”
“I‟m fine. The soup was great.” Gable hesitated. Could he just blatantly ask Flynn to sleep with him tonight? Lord knows he wanted to. He wanted to feel that warm body close to him again. “Will you come back again when you‟re done downstairs?” Gable asked hesitantly, annoyed by his creaking voice. “I mean, in here,” he added to clarify. He wanted to add “if you want to” but he was too afraid Flynn wouldn‟t want to, so he left it unsaid.
Flynn smiled a little and nodded. “Okay, I won‟t be long.” As Gable watched Flynn leave his bedroom, he realized he‟d never been this nervous in his life. When he heard a muffled “ Yes! ” outside on the landing, he couldn‟t help but chuckle. And
Dressed in the clothes Flynn had brought him and with his foot carefully bandaged again, Gable limped toward his bedroom. When he opened the door, he noticed his bed was made, the blanket and top sheet neatly folded back so he could step into it. He sighed. Flynn‟s urge to take care of him was both a blessing and a curse. Gable had to admit it felt good. In the few relationships he‟d had that went beyond one-night stands, he had always been the carer, the one who provided for his lover, never the other way around. Yet Flynn didn‟t seem to be able to help himself, and if anything, it was refreshing.
As Gable sat down on the bed, he opened his nightstand drawer and was relieved to see the contents undisturbed. At least Flynn wasn‟t a snoop. It would have unsettled Gable more if Flynn had poked around in his private places and found God knows what embarrassing items.
Still cold, Gable crawled under the covers and picked up his book, hoping he‟d feel warmer soon. He hadn‟t been reading long when a shy 46
Clouds and Rain
knock on the door made him look up. Before he could answer a more insistent one followed.
“Flynn?”
The door opened and Flynn walked in, carrying a tray, so Gable sat up, momentarily wondering if he should get out of bed. Flynn didn‟t give him time, though, as he walked to the unslept-in side and sat down, putting the tray between them.
“I didn‟t have time to cook today.” A shy and slightly wicked smile spread around Flynn‟s mouth. “But there was soup left over from yesterday and that‟s sure to warm us up, so I thought I‟d bring some up to you.”
“I don‟t deserve you,” Gable said under his breath, not looking at Flynn, who was sitting on his bed, fully clothed.
“Sure you do,” Flynn answered with the same teasing smile. He handed Gable a steaming bowl of vegetable soup and a spoon, which Gable immediately put down again in favor of a chunk of bread he could dip into the liquid.
“Maybe you should explain to me why I deserve a really great horse wrangler and an exceptional cook when I haven‟t even paid you for what you‟ve done around this place,” Gable asked while he tried to get the dripping bread into his mouth without embarrassing himself.
“Because you put up with me?” Flynn tried, spooning some soup into his mouth and almost burning his tongue.
“Nothing to put up with,” Gable shrugged. Part of him was afraid to open up to Flynn, but then, so much had happened between them today. Gable didn‟t want him to leave too soon. “I like having you around.”
Flynn nodded as he continued eating his soup, letting an uncomfortable silence fall between them. Gable wished they were outside on the porch again. There, it seemed, they could just sit together and enjoy each other‟s company without the need for conversation.
Eventually, Flynn got up and put their empty bowls back on the tray. He seemed reluctant to leave, but there wasn‟t much else to do.
Just before he lifted the tray from the bed, Gable covered Flynn‟s hand with his own.
47
Zahra Owens
“Are you still hungry? I can make some hot cheese sandwiches if you like. Until Calley comes with groceries tomorrow, there‟s not much else left, I‟m afraid.”
“I‟m fine. The soup was great.” Gable hesitated. Could he just blatantly ask Flynn to sleep with him tonight? Lord knows he wanted to. He wanted to feel that warm body close to him again. “Will you come back again when you‟re done downstairs?” Gable asked hesitantly, annoyed by his creaking voice. “I mean, in here,” he added to clarify. He wanted to add “if you want to” but he was too afraid Flynn wouldn‟t want to, so he left it unsaid.
Flynn smiled a little and nodded. “Okay, I won‟t be long.” As Gable watched Flynn leave his bedroom, he realized he‟d never been this nervous in his life. When he heard a muffled “ Yes! ” outside on the landing, he couldn‟t help but chuckle. And
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