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Authors: Barbara Elsborg
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snapped. “Someone’s coming.”
Jasper groaned.
By the time three horses came into view, Calum had remounted Blue. He adjusted his hat on the pommel to ensure it obscured his crotch, but his cock knew when it was beaten. His balls, on the other hand, made their displeasure very clear. They ached like hell. There was some comfort in knowing he wasn’t the only one.
“Howdy, dudes,” Melissa shouted. “What are you guys up to?”
Jasper had retrieved his bottle of water and sat on the rock with his left leg bent. Calum slapped a smile on his face.
“Call of nature.” Calum nodded to Ring, who nodded back.
“Ooh, what have you seen?” Janie asked. “Anything interesting? We spotted antelope and mule deer.”
Calum stifled his laugh at Janie’s misunderstanding and belatedly remembered he’d been supposed to point out the local flora and fauna to Jasper.
“We’ve seen prairie dogs too,” Melissa said. “They were so cute.”
Ring gave a pointed snort.
“And what do we find to add to our list when we come around that rock but a couple of good-looking guys.” Melissa wolf-whistled.
“We were hoping for elk,” Janie said.
Jasper’s laugh rang out.
“Or a bear,” Melissa said. “Ring said there might be one in these rocks.”
“Yeah?” Calum glanced at the wrangler who smirked.
“Did you use to be a rodeo star too?” Janie asked.
“No.” Calum walked Blue over to Ring’s horse. “You mean that one time you tried bull-riding and broke your arm?”
The wrangler scowled. “You ever sat on a bull’s back?”
“No, I have more sense.”
“I doubt that.” Ring glanced toward Jasper with a sneer on his face and Calum felt a ball of fury writhe in his gut.
My fucking father. The reason for the earlier call now clear, Calum slapped his Stetson back on his head.
“Since we’re here,” Ring said, “Jasper can join us for the rest of the ride. Go and help my father work on the barn.”
Calum imagined himself planting his fist in Ring’s smug face, and then thought of Jasper’s reaction, and the report back to his father by the women of an unprovoked attack. Before he did or said something that couldn’t be undone, he wheeled Blue away and headed up the slope.
By the time Calum was in sight of the ranch, he’d calmed down. He felt bad he’d ridden off without saying anything to Jasper. It was possible his father hadn’t sent Ring after him. It was too easy to see conspiracy where there was none, especially if you had something to feel guilty about, though the fact that Calum even felt guilty infuriated him.
After a blazing row with his father three years ago, Calum’s sexuality had never been openly mentioned again. Instead, Calum put up with all the snide comments, veiled threats and looks of disgust because he’d do anything to avoid an all-out confrontation and risk what happened during that vicious argument. His father had had a heart attack, ended up in the hospital and Calum spent three days thinking if he died, it would be his fault.
When he reached Bessie patiently waiting by the Neilson Ranch sign, Calum slid off Blue’s back and stroked his dog.
“Hi, girl. You been sitting here or did you sense me coming?” Or not coming, as it happened.
Calum walked Blue the rest of the way to cool him down, Bessie padding along beside. It was just as well he and Jasper had been interrupted. His father had made it clear that if he discovered Calum had messed around with a male guest again, he’d write him out of his will and it wouldn’t be Calum taking the reins on retirement—whatever came first.
Sometimes, Calum didn’t care.
But most times, the thought of losing the ranch made his heart ache fit to break.
When he led Blue through the large wooden doors into the stables, Gunner was in there cleaning tack.
“Want me to see to him?” Gunner asked.
“Thanks.” Calum handed over the reins to the elderly, white-haired ranch hand and patted Blue on
Jasper groaned.
By the time three horses came into view, Calum had remounted Blue. He adjusted his hat on the pommel to ensure it obscured his crotch, but his cock knew when it was beaten. His balls, on the other hand, made their displeasure very clear. They ached like hell. There was some comfort in knowing he wasn’t the only one.
“Howdy, dudes,” Melissa shouted. “What are you guys up to?”
Jasper had retrieved his bottle of water and sat on the rock with his left leg bent. Calum slapped a smile on his face.
“Call of nature.” Calum nodded to Ring, who nodded back.
“Ooh, what have you seen?” Janie asked. “Anything interesting? We spotted antelope and mule deer.”
Calum stifled his laugh at Janie’s misunderstanding and belatedly remembered he’d been supposed to point out the local flora and fauna to Jasper.
“We’ve seen prairie dogs too,” Melissa said. “They were so cute.”
Ring gave a pointed snort.
“And what do we find to add to our list when we come around that rock but a couple of good-looking guys.” Melissa wolf-whistled.
“We were hoping for elk,” Janie said.
Jasper’s laugh rang out.
“Or a bear,” Melissa said. “Ring said there might be one in these rocks.”
“Yeah?” Calum glanced at the wrangler who smirked.
“Did you use to be a rodeo star too?” Janie asked.
“No.” Calum walked Blue over to Ring’s horse. “You mean that one time you tried bull-riding and broke your arm?”
The wrangler scowled. “You ever sat on a bull’s back?”
“No, I have more sense.”
“I doubt that.” Ring glanced toward Jasper with a sneer on his face and Calum felt a ball of fury writhe in his gut.
My fucking father. The reason for the earlier call now clear, Calum slapped his Stetson back on his head.
“Since we’re here,” Ring said, “Jasper can join us for the rest of the ride. Go and help my father work on the barn.”
Calum imagined himself planting his fist in Ring’s smug face, and then thought of Jasper’s reaction, and the report back to his father by the women of an unprovoked attack. Before he did or said something that couldn’t be undone, he wheeled Blue away and headed up the slope.
By the time Calum was in sight of the ranch, he’d calmed down. He felt bad he’d ridden off without saying anything to Jasper. It was possible his father hadn’t sent Ring after him. It was too easy to see conspiracy where there was none, especially if you had something to feel guilty about, though the fact that Calum even felt guilty infuriated him.
After a blazing row with his father three years ago, Calum’s sexuality had never been openly mentioned again. Instead, Calum put up with all the snide comments, veiled threats and looks of disgust because he’d do anything to avoid an all-out confrontation and risk what happened during that vicious argument. His father had had a heart attack, ended up in the hospital and Calum spent three days thinking if he died, it would be his fault.
When he reached Bessie patiently waiting by the Neilson Ranch sign, Calum slid off Blue’s back and stroked his dog.
“Hi, girl. You been sitting here or did you sense me coming?” Or not coming, as it happened.
Calum walked Blue the rest of the way to cool him down, Bessie padding along beside. It was just as well he and Jasper had been interrupted. His father had made it clear that if he discovered Calum had messed around with a male guest again, he’d write him out of his will and it wouldn’t be Calum taking the reins on retirement—whatever came first.
Sometimes, Calum didn’t care.
But most times, the thought of losing the ranch made his heart ache fit to break.
When he led Blue through the large wooden doors into the stables, Gunner was in there cleaning tack.
“Want me to see to him?” Gunner asked.
“Thanks.” Calum handed over the reins to the elderly, white-haired ranch hand and patted Blue on
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