Right Move--A Gay Cowboy Romance

by A. M. Arthur

“Happy to.” Miles drew back a bit but didn’t let go of George’s forearms. “I don’t know what Mrs. Harrison said to you but I saw how you reacted. I’ve been in a similar place. Where something unexpected triggers you.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “And I’m not asking. Only offering an ear to bend if you need one. Everyone who lives here has a story, George. Even our guests have stories. I just hope I helped today.”

  “You did.” George twisted his arm so he could clasp one of Miles’s hands. “Thank you. I was not handling that well.”

  “Do you need Patrice or Reyes to speak to Mrs. Harrison about whatever it is she said that upset you? They will. We want all our guests to feel welcome and safe here.”

  “She wasn’t being mean.” As much as George hated talking about his abrupt departure from competitive figure skating, he also believed the woman had simply been curious. She had no way to know what sort of hornet’s nest of bad memories she’d stirred up with semi-innocent questions. “If she’s an empathetic enough person, she won’t bring it up again.”

  Miles snorted. “You give people a lot more credit than I do.”

  George gazed around him, not at all surprised to see he was in the big, semi-industrial kitchen of the guesthouse. Long prep counters, a huge oven with a bunch of burners on top, and a walk-in fridge.

  “I’m just really out of my comfort zone here,” George said. “I’m not used to being recognized anymore.”

  Miles didn’t ask or question the statement. “Speaking as someone who has also had to work to challenge their own comfort zones, it can suck but it’s usually worth it. The newfound sense of freedom. And Clean Slate is...a really good place to find yourself. Not physically, exactly, but emotionally and spiritually. I first came here for a week’s vacation with my best friend, and it changed me in more ways than I can ever express. Moving here was the best choice I ever made.”

  George pulled on what bits of personal history he recalled. “You moved here for Reyes?”

  “No, I moved here to start over and leave my past behind. Reyes was the most amazing bonus feature ever, and loving him changed my life.” Miles chuckled, his green eyes crinkling at the corners. “Not that I’m advocating you move here to find true love, but keep your heart and mind open to possibilities. The world can be scary but it can also be a very beautiful place.”

  “Thank you.” George carefully extricated himself from Miles’s gentle hold. “I don’t know what I want right now other than more than I used to have.”

  “It’s a good first step. And if you ever need to talk, you can call me anytime.”

  “I don’t have your number.”

  They swapped phone numbers, and by the end of things, George’s confidence was back up and swinging for the fences. Miles was easy to talk to, and he spoke like a man who understood fear. George didn’t want to imagine what the guy had gone through, so he didn’t ask or ponder as he tucked his phone back into his jeans pocket.

  “George!”

  Levi’s voice broke through the quiet of the downstairs, and George was not prepared for the way Levi thundered into the kitchen and yanked George into a fierce hug. “I’m okay,” George said, several times in a row.

  “You weren’t outside,” Levi said to his hair. “Samuel said he saw one of the staff take you into the house, that you looked weird, and I guess I panicked.”

  George pressed his cheek against Levi’s shoulder. “No, I panicked. One of the guests brought up my skating past, and I had an attack, but Miles saw it and he got me out. Calmed me down. I’m okay, I promise.”

  Levi growled softly, and the protective sound went right to George’s dick. “Who do I have to speak to?” Levi asked.

  “No one, it’s okay. At least now I know someone here knows who I am. Or who I was, I guess. I can prepare for it.” George pulled back to stare into Levi’s angry blue eyes. “I haven’t faced this in years because I hid from it. If I want to be in the world again, I need to be able to face people who remember who I used to be. If that first step is on a rural ranch with a dozen other people, then so be it. I can do this.”

  Levi brushed his lips over George’s. “Yes, you can.”

  George glanced around the kitchen but they were alone. He pressed his mouth to Levi’s for a long time, basking in the heat of the man holding him. In their physical and emotional connection. “Your faith in me is everything.”

  “You are very easy to believe in.”

  The instant and confident way Levi said that he believed in him curled around George like a warm blanket and left him a bit gooey inside. “Saying stuff like that will get you dragged back up to our room, and we have horses to ride soon.”

  Levi’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “I guess we’ll have to save your ideas for later tonight when we’re sharing a tent.”

  His insides wobbled. “A tent. Right.”

  “It’s a two-person tent and we’ll have separate sleeping bags. In the summer the campers usually sleep under the stars but it’s too chilly for that. But I can ask Reyes to make sure you have your own tent if you’d rather.”

  “No, it’s okay.” George shook his head, trying to clear out the mental cobwebs. “I guess I didn’t think the camping trip through, and us sharing a tent is totally fine.” He didn’t mind the idea of snuggling up close to Levi with two sleeping bags between them. Sharing body heat with someone else for the first time since the womb.

  “Okay.” Levi kissed his forehead once before letting him go. “You feel up to facing the other guests?”

  “Yeah, I think so. Mrs. Harrison probably thinks I’m a basket case. Maybe she’ll stay away from me from now on.”

  “You’re irresistible.”

  “You’re biased.” One more forehead kiss from Levi left George feeling all kinds of gooey inside.

  “Come on, let’s go mingle a bit before we have another horse riding lesson I really don’t need.”

  George laughed, truly and joyfully, at the comment. “Well, the rest of us aren’t talented trick riders like you, so you can suffer a while for us mere mortals.”

  “I suffer for one mere mortal alone.” Levi winked. “And that is little Miss Faith.”

  George tried to pinch him as he chased Levi out of the kitchen.

  * * *

  One of the processes of the morning horse riding was the hands pairing each rider up with a specific horse. If yesterday had been about assessing talent and skill, today was all matchmaking, and Levi leaned against the corral while this happened. He was confident he’d end up riding Zodiac. She was the horse he performed with at the ghost town, and she’d probably love the quiet exercise of an overnight trip after working hard all season.

  Reyes was leading this trip, and Levi was not surprised to see Miles nearby, saddling up his horse Tango while Reyes assisted the campers. George was paired with Figuro, a horse Levi wasn’t familiar with but he trusted Reyes’s judgment. And George seemed perfectly comfortable in the saddle, as if the younger man had been waiting his entire life to discover horse riding. It definitely seemed to bring out a joyful innocence Levi had never seen in him before.

  Once the campers—every single guest had signed up—were on their mounts, Reyes led the group around the corral several times. “The horses are trained to follow each other and stick to our trails,” he said. “But if your mount wanders away from the group, gently lead them back on-path with the bit. To go right, use the right rein. Left, use the left rein. They’re unlikely to fight you.”

  “Unlikely?” Samuel asked. He and Rey were each mounted on their own horses directly behind Faith, and Levi couldn’t blame the young parents for being wary.

  “The horses are highly trained, but they’re still animals, and as such can be unpredictable under certain circumstances. I’ve got a story about exactly that to tell tonight when we reach our campsit
e.”

  Levi hid a smirk; he knew that story by heart at this point but it would be new to the other guests. Except maybe George, if Slater or Derrick had already told him about Wes and Blizzard discovering the ghost town a few years ago.

  After a bit more instruction, the group tied their horses to the corral fence and broke for lunch. “We’re leaving in one hour,” Reyes said in a booming voice. “Anyone who isn’t here gets left behind. Also, if you have a hat, wear it. It might be winter but the sun is still out and you can burn. If you don’t have a hat, you can purchase one in the canteen in the main house. And you won’t need your phones unless you want to take pictures. After we’re a half mile out, the Wi-Fi will drop. Wear clothes you’ll be comfortable in for the next twenty-four hours.” He gazed around the corral. “All right, see you soon.”

  “I packed a 49ers cap in my suitcase,” George said as they walked toward the guesthouse for lunch. “Will that work?”

  “Should be fine.” Levi had packed his favorite cowboy hat, and he was curious what George looked wearing one. “It’s mostly to keep the sun off your face while we’re riding. Plus, actual cowboy hats are a fun fashion statement.”

  George chuckled. “I’ll take your word for it. I have zero fashion sense. Then again, I work from home, so who cares what I wear?”

  “What about your skating outfits?”

  “My coach always chose those. Besides, those outfits were about performance not style. Something flashy to match the music and moves. I never kept a single one.”

  Levi partially regretted bringing up George’s old career, but George didn’t seem glum or upset. Only matter of fact about those years of his life. Very different from the man Levi had first met.

  They each made sandwiches and a few salad selections, then went out to the porch to eat. They were soon joined by the Briggs-King family, and little Faith barely stopped talking about the camping trip long enough to eat her lunch. Levi loved seeing the girl vibrating with excitement, even though her dads seemed a touch reserved. But they loved and were indulging their daughter, and that was a beautiful thing.

  After a quick trip to their room for hats and a bathroom break—Levi might have spent a few quick minutes kissing George by the window—they headed down to the corral to meet up with their group and guides. Hugo was the other horseman on the overnight, and he was riding lead while Reyes rode on the chuck wagon, led by his own horse Hot Coffee. The wagon had their food supplies, sleeping bags, tents, and a shotgun for safety.

  Before they entered the corral, George’s phone rang. He immediately walked in the opposite direction, his face expressing guilt that Levi didn’t like. Levi watched from a distance, giving George privacy, and fairly certain the caller was Orry. Probably unhappy about the camping trip and George being unreachable until tomorrow around lunchtime. Too bad. This was George’s life, and he was allowed to live it.

  George looked defeated when he returned to the corral, and Levi resisted the urge to hug him. “Everything okay?” Levi asked.

  “Orry being his usual, overprotective self. He’s scared I’ll get eaten by a mountain lion or fall off a cliff like Slater did.”

  “Slater’s fall last spring was a freak accident. There’s also a shotgun on the chuck wagon, but no guest has ever been threatened by a mountain lion.”

  “You were.”

  Levi squeezed George’s wrist. “I wasn’t threatened. I experienced the beauty of the land and then I backed away unscathed. There’s a lot to be said for what Arthur, Judson and Reyes always say: respect the land and it respects you. We’ll all be okay out there, George. Besides, you’ve got me to protect you.”

  Affection gleamed in George’s eyes, and it took all of Levi’s self-restraint not to drag him into the privacy of the barn. “I’ll hold you to that. All of this is brand new for me.” Something in his tone suggested he meant more than just the camping trip.

  “I’ll do my best to make it memorable,” Levi whispered. “All of it.”

  “I know you will.”

  Someone nearby cleared their throat. Miles stood a few feet away, smiling. “We’re heading out soon,” he said softly. “You guys good?”

  “We’re perfect,” George replied. “I’m excited for the trip.”

  “It’s fun. I’ve been out with the guests before, and Reyes and I love to camp, just the two of us. It’s that special thing we share.” His knowing gaze seemed to hint that Levi and George could find a special thing to share, too—only he and George weren’t married like Miles and Reyes. They weren’t even technically a couple. Friends with brand-new benefits, maybe.

  Whatever they were, Levi was here for it. He only hoped George was, too.

  * * *

  The first leg of the trip left George sore and exhausted by the time their entire party stopped by a long, babbling creek of water that bisected the land. They’d been riding for about two and a half hours, and his butt hurt more than he’d ever imagined. Figuro was a great horse and easy to manage, but damn, the constant rolling and up-and-down movements weren’t easy to get used to. He had no idea how Levi managed to ride at a full gallop, never mind do all those tricks.

  Everyone dismounted at the creek and the horses were allowed to drink. George took some time by himself to stretch in familiar routines from his skating days. Warming muscles and getting blood flowing again. He probably should have stretched before the ride began but too late now. Once his body felt less wound up, he took a few pictures of the scenery to send to Orry tomorrow because, as promised, the Wi-Fi signal was gone.

  His conversation with Orry had been terse and uncomfortable, and not because of anything George had done. All he wanted was to go on an overnight horse ride/hike. What was wrong with that? His worrywart brother had made a much bigger deal out of it than it was, and it had taken all of George’s patience to calm his twin down. To assure him he’d be perfectly safe in a large group of people, headed by very experienced members of the Clean Slate staff. He also promised to stay far away from the edge of the bluff in the morning—the bluff their neighbor Slater had fallen over saving a kid’s life.

  He had not mentioned that one of the staff overseeing the trip was his own age. Hugo was young but seemed perfectly capable.

  Once his muscles were properly loosened, he glanced at his fellow campers. Levi, Miles and Reyes were chatting together, while Hugo made conversation with the two married couples. The Harrisons were keeping to themselves, which suited George just fine. He had no desire to relive his experience with Mrs. Harrison and embarrass himself again.

  Rey approached with a cell phone in his hand. “Hey, Faith really wants a picture of the three of us by the creek. Do you mind?”

  “Not at all.” George accepted the phone and took several shots of the adorable family in different poses by the rushing water. “These are great. You having fun, Faith?”

  “The best time ever,” she replied. “Are you?”

  “Lots of fun.” Even if his butt was sore. He handed Rey his phone back. “Your family is precious. I envy you.”

  Rey offered him a kind smile. “If kids and a partner are what you want one day, you can have that. For a long time, I didn’t dare reach for my dreams. I existed one day at a time. One hour at a time. Until I met Samuel. He taught me how to dream again. You meet someone like that, you hold on tight, okay?”

  George glanced briefly across the creek at Levi. “That’s good advice, thank you.”

  “Anytime. I learned the hard way that family doesn’t always have to be blood. Just the people you choose to love who also love you back.”

  The beautiful sentiment made his eyes sting as he thought about his brother and friends back in the city. “I’ve started learning that recently. Thanks.”

  Rey winked and returned to his husband and daughter.

  George wandered down the creek and stopped at a shallow spot to dip his f
ingers into the icy water. Something shiny caught his attention, and he fished it out of the gravel and mud. Flat and round, like some sort of old coin, but time and the water had smoothed the markings down, making it difficult to know how old it was. It was about the size of a penny, though. He smiled at the unique find he’d randomly plucked out of the creek.

  A shadow appeared nearby, so George didn’t jump when Levi asked, “Going fishing?”

  “Yup.” He stood and held out the coin. “Found this.”

  “Huh.” Levi squinted and held it up to the light. “I wonder how old it is.”

  “I don’t know but as a trip souvenir, it’s pretty unique.”

  “Very true.” He handed it back, and their fingertips brushed.

  George wanted to hold his hands again like last night, but they were surrounded by people, and he wasn’t ready to out himself to the group. He hadn’t even come out to his twin yet. But everything about Levi made George want to do things he’d never imagined doing—like pushing him against the nearest tree so they could make out, audience be damned.

  He could behave himself until they were in a tent.

  Maybe.

  Chapter Thirteen

  They reached the campsite at dusk, just as they were losing sunlight. Levi had never been on one of the overnights before, and he marveled at the beauty of the area. They were on flat land near the base of a rocky crag that crept up into a much larger mountain that cast long shadows from the setting sun. Stones had been laid out in a large circle in a sandy area free of grass, which was their fire pit. Another creek—or maybe the same one as before—babbled nearby, giving the horses a place to hydrate before they were tied off at a long rail made out of thick, rough-hewn logs.

  He couldn’t wait for the sun to fully set and the stars to come out.

  Once the horses were untacked, brushed, and tied up with bags of oats for their dinner, Reyes divided the group in two for campsite chores. Everyone pitched in. Levi joined the group of campers assigned to gather firewood for the big fire pit to provide light, heat, and cook their supper. George was part of the group unloading the chuck wagon, and he seemed perfectly at ease with Hugo, Faith, Rey and the Harrison teens.