by Olivia Black
“Thank you. I hope you weren’t disappointed. It’s been a long time.” Robbie knelt down and picked up his discarded clothes.
Cody stared at him in complete surprise. For such a gorgeous man, Robbie sounded almost unsure of himself.
“I’m ready for the tour.” He zipped up his jeans, looking refreshed and relaxed.
Wow, I did that. I put that gorgeous smile on the man’s lips.
“Okay.” Cody put his boots on. “First thing we need to do is saddle up a couple of horses. Have you ever ridden?”
“No, I don’t have much experience around horses or barns, but I’m ready to learn.”
“You’ll be a cowboy in no time.” Cody strode down the center of the barn, Robbie following close behind.
He loved this place. The Belt Buckle Ranch had been his home for almost five years. He inhaled the clean smell of hay. Cody went to the wall and picked up a couple leather straps.
“This is the tack room. All the equipment and gear you’ll ever need can be found in this room.” Cody looked around, wondering what Robbie would think.
The room was pristine, with three rows of saddles hung on one wall, and large wooden cabinets across the other containing everything from horse blankets, bridles, and lots of other gear. Looking over at Robbie, Cody could tell he was impressed. It was nice to see one of William’s sons take an active interest in the Belt Buckle Ranch. It was a good sign and Cody hoped that Robbie would be staying.
“Before we can put the saddle on the horse, we need to put on the bridle. This is the piece of equipment that will allow you to lead and direct the horse.” He handed Robbie some leather straps.
“How long have you been working on ranches?”
“One of my fondest memories growing up was going to my grandparent’s ranch in New Mexico and riding horses. I used to ride a horse named Daffodil. I loved that horse. My grandpa showed me how to saddle a horse, ride, and work. Every holiday and summer vacation I went there.” Cody wrapped the bridle around Ginger’s head, placing the bit in her mouth.
“That sounds nice,” Robbie said, watching him closely.
“It was. Unfortunately, real cowboys can’t be gay,” Cody said bitterly.
“What?” Robbie raised a brow, looking slightly offended, and Cody just shook his head. He didn’t want to dive into his past, not right now.
“This is Titan.” Cody introduced the horse in the stall next to Ginger. “Why don’t you try to bridle him?”
“I don’t know.” He crossed his arms and stared at Cody intently. “I’m gay, maybe I can’t be a real cowboy.”
Cody let out a loud sigh. “It was something my grandpa said, okay? I don’t really want to rewind time and live it again.”
“I’m sorry that he said that to you. I only ever had my mom and my sexuality was never an issue. I didn’t know that it wasn’t considered normal until my first crush. I asked out the captain of the football team my junior year.” Robbie chuckled softly, shaking his head.
“Is this one of those, I’ll tell you mine, if you tell me yours scenarios?” he asked, relieved that Robbie cared enough to question him.
“It could be.” He shrugged.
“Did he say yes?” Cody was curious. If he would’ve gone to high school with Robbie, he would’ve screamed yes at the top of his lungs.
“No, he turned me down.” Robbie turned toward the horse, Titan, and placed the bridle gently over his head.
“Perfect. I’m impressed,” Cody praised, and Robbie beamed at the compliment. “Now, we’re going to lead the horses out of their stalls and saddle them up. Hold onto the bridle and follow me.”
Cody led Ginger out of her stall and kept an eye on Robbie. He followed after them, leading Titan. Walking out of the barn, Cody wrapped the bridle around a hitching post. “The saddles we need are back inside the tack room.”
Cody and Robbie worked together, gathering all the gear they would need. Once set, Cody took his time leading Robbie through all the necessary steps. The conversation flowed easily between the two of them. When Ginger and Titan were ready to go, Cody showed Robbie how to mount the horse.
“Are you ready to ride?” Cody asked, relaxing into the worn leather saddle.
“Yeah.” Robbie was sitting straight, looking uncomfortable.
“Don’t worry about Titan. He’ll stay close to Ginger,” Cody told him as he slowly walked Ginger out of the yard.
* * * *
Robbie was trying to appear relaxed.
He wasn’t used to being on a horse. It felt as if he was a mile off the ground. Taking a deep breath, he stared straight ahead, letting Titan lead the way. The animal knew what to do and loyally followed after Cody and Ginger. He held onto the saddle horn, his body gently swaying with each step.
“How are you doing?” Cody looked over his shoulder, peering at Robbie.
“I’ll be okay as long as I don’t fall,” Robbie told him honestly.
Cody’s gentle laugh rippled through the air and Robbie grinned. The sound was so honest and Robbie started to relax. He really was enjoying his time with Cody.
“The Belt Buckle Ranch is approximately twenty acres. There’s a fence that stretches around the property.” Robbie looked around as Cody talked, inhaling the clean mountain air. The mountains in the distance were breathtaking. The whole place looked like a brilliant postcard. “We have cows, horses, and prized bulls here. William bought the place in nineteen ninety-four. I’m not sure if you know this, but he was famous in the rodeo world. After he retired, he bought this place and with his contacts, started supplying bulls to rodeos around the country.”
“Hearing you talk…” Robbie shook his head. “I wish I would’ve known him.”
“I’ve been here on this ranch for five years. William was always very kind to me—more like a fath—” He stopped suddenly, clearing his throat, and looked over at Robbie with a look of shame on his face.
“Father?” Robbie asked.
“Yeah, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
“No, no, please don’t feel bad. I’m glad that you had him.” Robbie had a wonderful childhood filled with love. He had no regrets or anger toward his mom or William.
“Thanks, he was always supportive. One of my passions is photography, and he put my pictures around his house. He did things like that for the guys around here.”
“He must’ve been a good man.” Robbie was glad that Cody had good stories about his father.
“This is my home,” Cody told him, his voice full of emotion.
“Of course it is,” Robbie agreed. “You don’t have to leave the ranch. Is someone telling you to leave?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I just—I just don’t have anywhere else to go.”
Robbie pulled his horse up against Cody’s. He reached out a hand and touched the cowboy’s knee, trying to offer comfort. “You don’t have to go anywhere. I’ll do whatever I can to make sure you and the others stay.”
“Are you planning to stay?” Cody asked, nudging Ginger. The horses started walking again, heading further into the field.
“I don’t really have a plan. I just wanted a fresh start and this place seemed as good as any. I lost my mom a while ago and I was really looking forward to meeting my father. Unfortunately I was too late. Now, I don’t really know what I’m going to do.” Robbie stared out at the green rolling hills.
“I–I’m sorry for your loss. I wish I knew what to say,” Cody replied in a small voice.
“I appreciate that.”
“I hope you’ll stay. William would’ve wanted you to stay here. He loved this place. What do you want to do? I mean, do you have any desire to work on the ranch?” Cody asked.
“I don’t know. I used to own a bike shop, but that didn’t work out. The bills piled up and I had no idea how to turn it around and make it a success. I thought it would be easy.” Robbie sighed. “I’m a good mechanic. But maybe I wasn’t meant to own my own garage.”
“You
can still be a mechanic, if that’s your passion. We have vehicles here that need maintenance.” Cody’s mood changed, and the cowboy appeared pleased with himself for coming up with such a wonderful idea.
“I don’t really know what’s going to happen now, but if I can stay for a while, I will.” He didn’t have anywhere to go, but at this point, he didn’t know what was going to happen.
William was gone. Would he even be allowed to stay at the ranch? Jackson seemed pretty certain, but Robbie didn’t share the man’s optimism. Only time would tell.
“Well, then, I’d better put you to work and convince you to stay.”
Robbie chuckled. “Let’s finish the tour first.”
They rode side by side around the property. With each minute that passed, he felt more at ease on the back of the horse.
Chapter 3
Time on a ranch seemed to move at a different pace than anywhere else Robbie had been. There was always a lot of work to be done. His internal clock was set to the needs of his stomach. During the daylight hours, he stayed close to Cody, working around the property, doing various chores. At night, he barely made it upstairs to shower before falling into bed.
Since that first morning, Cody had been joining him inside his bedroom every night. He’d been a little nervous about sharing his bed with another man, since the two had only just met and had sex, but things were easy with Cody. They set up a routine that Robbie was beginning to depend on. He liked having Cody by his side, whether they were working, cuddling, or just talking.
He didn’t feel like a newbie any longer now that he had dirt under his fingernails and a hitch in his step from riding horses. That first night, his thighs and ass had ached something awful. Luckily, Cody was there to massage his sore muscles and ease the pain.
Easton had arrived and got settled in easily with the other ranch hands. The Oklahoma cowboy was a natural on the back of a horse. He wasn’t afraid to dive in and work hard with the rest of them. The young man was very friendly and with his manner, referred to everyone as sir and ma’am.
Jared was the fourth to show up. Robbie could easily see the man on a stage somewhere with his guitar rather than out on the range. Since his arrival, he stayed at the house instead of joining the rest of the men outside. Robbie caught him in William’s office a few times, looking at pictures, strumming his fingers on his guitar, or whispering into his cellphone. He seemed content being lost in his thoughts and Robbie didn’t bother to interrupt him since they were all still getting to know one another.
This morning over breakfast, Wyatt announced that Oliver would be flying into Telluride. Hearing the news reminded Robbie that he wasn’t on the ranch to romance Cody or live comfortably. This wasn’t his home. The Belt Buckle Ranch was only a temporary layover on the way to somewhere else.
He was here for William, and it seemed that in a few short hours, William’s Last Will and Testament would be read to all of his sons.
Where am I going to live? Where am I going to go from here? What’s going to happen with Cody?
Rubbing his stomach, Robbie looked up at the sky. It must be lunchtime.
He couldn’t decide if he was hungry or just feeling uneasy about the future. The idea of leaving Cody behind hurt his heart far more than it should. He’d only been on the ranch for a handful of days, but the connection and easy camaraderie with the other man made him want something more. He wasn’t going to try to fool himself. He wanted a romantic relationship that would last a lifetime.
“Hey, big man, you ready for lunch?” Cody slapped him on the shoulder, pulling Robbie out of his thoughts.
“Yeah, sure.” Robbie stretched out his back and leaned the shovel against one of the horse stalls.
He followed Cody out of the barn and toward the house, staring at the cowboy’s tight ass covered in denim.
Pull your head out of the gutter, man.
Before he could even step up onto the porch, Cody leaned over and picked up a large wicker basket.
“I was thinking we could do something different today. How would you feel about a picnic instead of eating with the others?”
“That sounds great. I haven’t been on a picnic since I was a little boy.” Just looking at the basket reminded Robbie of the past and his mother.
“Come on then, I have the whole thing planned out.” Cody’s eyes sparkled with mischief.
He flashed a sensual smile, winked, and tilted his head toward one of the work trucks parked in front of the house. Cody led the way and Robbie followed along, excited at the prospect of having some private time with Cody.
Cody placed the basket in the back of the pick up before getting behind the wheel of the truck. Pulling away from the house, Cody stared straight ahead, both hands on the wheel. He didn’t speak or try to engage Robbie in conversation. Instead, he tapped on the steering wheel, appearing nervous.
As the seconds ticked by, questions ran wild through Robbie’s mind. Was this really the end? Was Cody bringing him out here to end their short affair? Or could this just be a romantic gesture? Either way, he was becoming as nervous as the silence stretched out.
It didn’t take them long to reach a large, open field in the back part of the property.
A lone tree stood out tall against the mountain backdrop and bright green grass. Cody pulled up close, shut the engine off, and climbed out. He grabbed a blanket out of the back and laid it out in front of the tree before Robbie could even climb out of the passenger seat and walk over.
“Why don’t you take a seat? I’m going to serve you lunch.”
Robbie followed Cody’s orders. He toed off his new boots before stepping foot onto the blanket. Leaning his back against the tree trunk, he crossed his legs at the ankle, and watched Cody closely. He seemed uneasy, which affected Robbie’s own state of mind—making him believe that Cody might really be end things between them.
Cody flipped open the basket and started pulling out food—two sandwiches, a bag of chips, a plastic container with Mrs. Hunt’s homemade potato salad, and some other goodies. He unwrapped one of the sandwiches and lifted it to Robbie’s mouth. He took a big bite and moaned at the mixture of fresh carved meats and vegetables.
“Tell me what’s going on,” Robbie finally blurted out after he swallowed the first bite.
“Oliver is arriving soon.” Cody’s voice was low, shaking slightly.
“I know.” Robbie nodded, trying to figure out what the real problem was.
“I’m a little worried.” He shrugged his shoulders.
“What are you worried about? I told you that I would do whatever it took to make sure you didn’t have to leave the ranch. I know this is your home.”
“I don’t really care about that, not right now. I’m worried about you.” Cody exhaled on a sigh.
He started to sit down next to Robbie, but he tapped his lap. He didn’t want any distance between them. Cody immediately complied, cuddling close.
“I don’t want you to leave me behind. I don’t want to lose you,” he admitted into Robbie’s chest.
Relief rushed through Robbie’s body and he relaxed back against the tree, wrapping his arms around Cody and holding him close. He was so grateful that Cody wasn’t ending things. It felt nice to have someone want him for longer than a short, sexual romp. Especially since he was already falling in love with the sexy cowboy.
The emotions he was feeling toward Cody were reflected back, not just in the other man’s words but his actions.
“You’re not going to lose me, Cody. I promise. We’ll figure this all out.”
Cody leaned back and looked into Robbie’s eyes. “Promise me that we’ll be together.”
Robbie smiled. “I promise.”
“Okay, good. Are you ready to finish eating? I’m starving.”
* * * *
Cody had been concerned about this day arriving.
Since spending time with Robbie, they had grown closer, and he couldn’t help but open his heart to the man. William’s
Last Will and Testament would be read in a matter of hours. Would Robbie really stay? Had he grown attached to the ranch and Cody? What about the other men?
As the morning ticked away, he was relieved to have this short break for lunch before Oliver was delivered safely from the airport.
Cody fed Robbie and himself. Bite after bite until they were both stuffed and the basket was practically empty. He packed up the trash and empty containers before making himself comfortable between Robbie’s spread legs. He sat with back against the big man’s chest, as the cool afternoon breeze blew against his face.
Yawning, Cody let his eyes drop. He knew that they needed to head back to the house soon, but he wanted to keep Robbie to himself for as long as possible.
“Mmm…Mmm…Mmm. Mrs. Hunt sure knows the way to a man’s heart,” Robbie murmured, kissing the top of Cody’s head.
“Actually—” Cody lifted his face and placed a kiss on Robbie’s chin. “I made the sandwiches, but Mrs. Hunt did pack the basket up for me.”
“Thank you, honey. You did a wonderful job. Best damn sandwich I’ve had in years.” Robbie cupped his cheek and kissed his lips, brushing his mouth gently. “I really like it out here. It’s so quiet and peaceful. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to live around a big city again.”
“This is one of my favorite spots on the ranch,” Cody told him.
“Why?” Robbie asked, seeming genuinely curious.
“I can still remember the first time I saw this tree. It felt majestic in some way, it still does. I always wonder why this old oak tree stands alone in the middle of this pasture. When I’m feeling overwhelmed or unsure about a situation, I come here. It provides answers to all my questions. Well, most of the time it does.”
“The series of pictures in the living room are of this tree in each season, right?” Robbie asked and Cody nodded. “I love your pictures. I need more of them in my room.”
“I have a lot of pictures. You can have whatever you want.”
“I can, huh?” Robbie rocked their bodies side to side and Cody grinned. “Well, in that case, I want your favorite pictures hanging all around me.”