Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
It looked like JB managed to hold in his smile for all of a second before it finally fought free. “You gotta watch that. Stuff like that is my sense of humor. You start making jokes like that, and Rowe won’t let you go home.”
Cole rolled his eyes and tossed the straw to the floor. “We’ll see.”
“He’ll start to think that I’ve been rubbing off on you.” JB’s grin grew even wider with the dirty pun that had Cole groaning.
“Bad. That’s bad even for you.”
JB cackled and some of the worry that had tightened the muscles in his shoulders loosened. Cole shifted to his right so that his shoulder was now touching JB’s.
“You’re an idiot. Tell me about Bandit.”
“He’s a smart horse. Damn smart. I’ve had a number of horses over the years, and never thought I’d have a favorite. I tend to adopt the troublemakers.”
“Really? Why?”
Cole could feel his shrug. “Troublemakers usually can’t be ridden. If they can’t be ridden on a ranch, then they don’t have much use. They tend to be sold off or put down.”
“But you save the troublemakers from that fate?”
JB wordlessly shrugged and Cole smiled, his heart tightening in his chest for this man. He was starting to see the allure of the unpredictable troublemaker.
“Bandit is smart, but he can also be incredibly stubborn and crafty. He didn’t want to be ridden. Until me.”
“Took one look at you and saw a kindred spirit?”
JB laughed loudly, falling sideways so that more of him was now touching Cole. “Isn’t that a romantic picture? But no, it’s more likely he took one look at me and realized that I was his last chance. It was touch and go for the first month, but once he decided he wanted to be my horse, it was amazing. He’s so responsive. It’s like he can read my mind half the time. He just knows what I need him to do and does it before I even have to tell him.”
“That’s amazing.”
“Yeah,” JB sighed, his voice turning rough. “There’s always something going wrong on the ranch, but I felt like I could handle it because Bandit was there. Bandit had my back, and we could do it.”
Cole turned his head and pressed his face into JB’s temple so he could whisper directly into the man’s ear. “Bandit still has your back. Nothing has changed. He’s gonna recover from this. The vet has it under control.”
JB reached across and patted Cole’s knee a couple of times. “Thanks.”
The gesture had started innocent and harmless, but then JB seemed to tense, and his hand stayed resting on Cole’s leg, just above his knee. His hand tightened, adding the slightest bit of pressure, and Cole found himself staring at that hand, wondering what it would feel like for JB to continue moving his hand higher. To grip and massage his inner thigh muscles. To slip down and fondle his balls before stroking his dick.
The quick and dirty hand job had been exhilarating, but over too fast. They’d explored some in the shower, but he wanted more. Wanted to sink deep into the feel of JB touching him.
It was only when his lungs started to burn that he realized that he’d been holding his breath. He sucked in a gulp of air, knowing that JB had heard it since his face was still pressed to JB’s temple. They hung there. Neither moving. Barely breathing. JB’s hand burning through his jeans, while Cole’s dick filled, pressing against the front of his pants.
JB licked his lips and softly asked, “Does it bother you?”
“What?”
“Does it bother you that I’m a man? After everything we’ve done.”
Cole grinned. “At first. It threw into question things I thought I knew about myself. It was frustrating.”
“And now?”
“The part of me that was frustrated with the questions has started to really enjoy what it feels like to be with you.”
“Oh, yeah?” JB turned his head a little toward Cole and he could see the hint of a smirk playing on that perfect mouth. “How’s it feel?”
Cole grinned at him. “So fucking good.”
He barely got the words out before JB was kissing him. God, they were getting good at this kissing thing. JB’s lips moved over his as if he owned him. Their tongues tangled and then JB’s started to retreat, but Cole chased after him. His hands plunged into JB’s hair, knocking away his ubiquitous hat as he held him captive. The most wonderful growling moan rumbled up JB’s chest, but it quickly turned into a laugh.
“Fuck. Your mouth,” JB said without pulling away. “You gonna think less of me if I start moaning like a porn star?”
“Not as long as you don’t laugh at me for coming in my jeans.”
“Never,” JB swore, diving in for another draining kiss. His hand definitely wasn’t stuck to Cole’s knee now. It was steadily inching its way up Cole’s leg, kneading straining muscles, but it wasn’t moving nearly fast enough. It needed to be in his pants, wrapped around his dick.