now the sight of Jamie dressed up had it threatening to come back. He groaned silently.
“Yeah. Let’s go.” He held his hand out toward the door for Jamie to go ahead of him. He told himself he was not going to notice that fine ass encased in those tight jeans, in front of him. Unfortunately, he never had been very good at following his own advice.
* * * * *
Jamie sat in the passenger seat of Ethan’s truck, listening to the radio and watching the land pass by through the windows. After he’d greeted George, he and Ethan had gotten a list of supplies from Bill and taken off in the truck. They hadn’t said much yet on the drive. And Jamie was afraid the silence meant Ethan was regretting not just this morning, but last night as well.
Jamie had been embarrassed in the bathroom at first, but he’d taken Ethan’s reaction as a good sign. Now he wasn’t so sure. At least Ethan hadn’t started babbling about how they couldn’t do that again. Jamie reached over and turned the volume down on the radio. He had to know where they both stood. “Ethan?”
Ethan glanced over at him, a dark eyebrow arched under the straw hat, before he looked back at the road. “Yeah?”
“I’ve been thinking. We’ve definitely got something between us. I think we should pursue it. I can --”
“I agree.”
“-- be very discreet and ... What?”
Ethan chuckled. “I said okay. I agree with you; we should just go with it and see where it leads.”
Jamie felt like he’d been hit with a sledgehammer. He’d fully expected to have to argue his case. “You do?”
“Yeah, I do. Am I speaking English?” He smiled.
Jamie chuckled, feeling better than he had in a while. “Smart ass!”
Ethan laughed with him.
“Ethan?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks ...” Thank you for taking me in, for getting my horse, for giving me a job, and for giving me the chance to be with you. “... for everything.”
Ethan glanced over at him again, then held his hand out. Jamie looked at the big, callused hand for a second, then put his in it. Ethan squeezed. “You’re welcome ... for everything.”
The gesture and words were intimate, held promise. It said everything they didn’t ... all the questions, the reservations and finally the acceptance. Jamie smiled and finally relaxed. For the first time, he thought that getting kicked out of the only home he’d ever known might not be such a bad thing. Maybe it had happened for a reason. He savored the feel of Ethan’s hand holding his for a few more moments, then let go. “So, what all are we doing in town?”
“Other than the long list of supplies Bill gave me, you mean? We are getting you more tack.”
“Excuse me? I have a saddle and --”
Ethan shook his head. “Not anymore. Your dad wouldn’t so much as give me a rope to load George with this morning. Fortunately, I had some in the back of the truck. And with Fred there, George didn’t need much coaxing. Fred herded her right on into the trailer.”
“Godammit!” Jamie took a deep breath. “Will it ever not hurt?”
“I don’t know, Jamie ... I don’t know, but we can hope.”
Chapter Six
The saddle was beautifully made, hand-tooled leather and would really put a dent in his savings, but it was well worth the cost. He picked out a new hackamore bit, bridle, halter and saddle blanket, plus all the things he needed for the saddle. Ethan had told him not to bother with anything to do with grooming, had even offered to buy all his tack, but there was no way he was allowing that.
Jamie went ahead and grabbed a currycomb. He had the money now that John had brought him all his belongings and personal effects; he could only take so much charity. Jamie knew he was a hard worker and hiring him wouldn’t hurt Ethan’s budget in the least, but he also knew darn well that Ethan hadn’t been looking for another hand. Charity was still charity. Jamie was going to do his best to make sure Ethan never regretted hiring him on,
“Yeah. Let’s go.” He held his hand out toward the door for Jamie to go ahead of him. He told himself he was not going to notice that fine ass encased in those tight jeans, in front of him. Unfortunately, he never had been very good at following his own advice.
* * * * *
Jamie sat in the passenger seat of Ethan’s truck, listening to the radio and watching the land pass by through the windows. After he’d greeted George, he and Ethan had gotten a list of supplies from Bill and taken off in the truck. They hadn’t said much yet on the drive. And Jamie was afraid the silence meant Ethan was regretting not just this morning, but last night as well.
Jamie had been embarrassed in the bathroom at first, but he’d taken Ethan’s reaction as a good sign. Now he wasn’t so sure. At least Ethan hadn’t started babbling about how they couldn’t do that again. Jamie reached over and turned the volume down on the radio. He had to know where they both stood. “Ethan?”
Ethan glanced over at him, a dark eyebrow arched under the straw hat, before he looked back at the road. “Yeah?”
“I’ve been thinking. We’ve definitely got something between us. I think we should pursue it. I can --”
“I agree.”
“-- be very discreet and ... What?”
Ethan chuckled. “I said okay. I agree with you; we should just go with it and see where it leads.”
Jamie felt like he’d been hit with a sledgehammer. He’d fully expected to have to argue his case. “You do?”
“Yeah, I do. Am I speaking English?” He smiled.
Jamie chuckled, feeling better than he had in a while. “Smart ass!”
Ethan laughed with him.
“Ethan?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks ...” Thank you for taking me in, for getting my horse, for giving me a job, and for giving me the chance to be with you. “... for everything.”
Ethan glanced over at him again, then held his hand out. Jamie looked at the big, callused hand for a second, then put his in it. Ethan squeezed. “You’re welcome ... for everything.”
The gesture and words were intimate, held promise. It said everything they didn’t ... all the questions, the reservations and finally the acceptance. Jamie smiled and finally relaxed. For the first time, he thought that getting kicked out of the only home he’d ever known might not be such a bad thing. Maybe it had happened for a reason. He savored the feel of Ethan’s hand holding his for a few more moments, then let go. “So, what all are we doing in town?”
“Other than the long list of supplies Bill gave me, you mean? We are getting you more tack.”
“Excuse me? I have a saddle and --”
Ethan shook his head. “Not anymore. Your dad wouldn’t so much as give me a rope to load George with this morning. Fortunately, I had some in the back of the truck. And with Fred there, George didn’t need much coaxing. Fred herded her right on into the trailer.”
“Godammit!” Jamie took a deep breath. “Will it ever not hurt?”
“I don’t know, Jamie ... I don’t know, but we can hope.”
Chapter Six
The saddle was beautifully made, hand-tooled leather and would really put a dent in his savings, but it was well worth the cost. He picked out a new hackamore bit, bridle, halter and saddle blanket, plus all the things he needed for the saddle. Ethan had told him not to bother with anything to do with grooming, had even offered to buy all his tack, but there was no way he was allowing that.
Jamie went ahead and grabbed a currycomb. He had the money now that John had brought him all his belongings and personal effects; he could only take so much charity. Jamie knew he was a hard worker and hiring him wouldn’t hurt Ethan’s budget in the least, but he also knew darn well that Ethan hadn’t been looking for another hand. Charity was still charity. Jamie was going to do his best to make sure Ethan never regretted hiring him on,
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