The Belt Buckle Ranch Collection, Volume 1 (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove)

by Olivia Black

  The walkie-talkie beeped loudly from the truck and Cody cringed.

  He wasn’t ready to leave his special spot with Robbie. He enjoyed spending all his time with the man. It didn’t matter that they had only spent a handful of days together, he wanted more.

  Wyatt’s muffled voice came through the line, interrupting their moment.

  “Cody…Robbie…you’re needed at the house. Trent’s here.”

  He shared a long, lingering look with Robbie, trying to convey all his emotions, the words he couldn’t say, not yet anyway. It was too soon. I don’t want you to leave the ranch. Please stay with me. I think I’m falling in love and I’m scared. Slowly moving off of Robbie’s lap, Cody got to his feet, Robbie following him up.

  The big man wrapped his arms around Cody’s waist and pulled him close, crushing their bodies together.

  “I don’t want you to worry about a thing.”

  “I won’t.” Cody closed his eyes.

  “What do we need to do this afternoon?” Robbie kissed the top of his head before dropping his arms. He started pulling his boots on and Cody followed his lead.

  “I need to mend a broken fence line in the east pasture and string some barbed wire.” Cody didn’t want to head out without Robbie by his side.

  “As soon as Trent is done with the reading, I’ll come out and help you.”

  “Thanks,” Cody murmured.

  Cody picked up the picnic basket and blanket and tossed them into the back of the truck.

  On the way back to the ranch, Robbie sat close, their fingers interlaced. He parked the truck and they both paused, looking out the windshield.

  “I’ll see you in a bit.” Robbie turned sideways and took Cody’s lips in a short, passionate kiss that left Cody dizzy and breathless.

  He watched as Robbie got out of the truck and walked into the house. When the front door closed, he felt his stomach drop. This was it. This was the moment that would change everything.

  Chapter 4

  Robbie leaned against the wall inside William’s office. The neighbor and executor—Trent Weston—just finished reading his father’s Last Will and Testament, leaving everyone in different emotional states. He was still trying to wrap his mind around everything that had just happened in such a short period of time.

  It seemed that William Rickett wanted all of his sons to stay at his ranch. The stipulations of the will made sure they all lived and worked at the ranch for a full year.

  So far, Easton, Jackson, and Robbie were willing and ready to stay, leaving Jared and Oliver as the two undecided parties. When everyone started leaving the office, Robbie waited before following Oliver.

  The man walked up the stairs and into his bedroom, closing the door. He didn’t know Oliver all that well, but it was obvious he had a huge chip on his shoulder and a bad past. He’d only just arrived and kept to himself.

  Trying to figure out what he was going to say, Robbie mumbled to himself as he took one stair at a time. When he reached the top of the stairs he took a deep breath before knocking on Oliver’s door. He gave two sharp taps and stood, waiting for Oliver to open the door. When the man didn’t answer, he knocked harder. Where there was still no answer, Robbie turned the knob and peeked inside the space.

  Oliver’s room was similar to his own—high ceilings with exposed beams, hard wood floors, and a small brick fireplace. The walls were painted a creamy brown color, and Cody’s photographs of the ranch hung around the space.

  “Oliver?” Robbie called out before he heard a crash and a curse from the bathroom.

  Rushing to the adjoining room, he was surprised to see Oliver sitting on the edge of the bathtub, blood coating his stomach. Robbie grabbed a towel and covered the man’s belly.

  “What happened? Are you okay?” He looked around, trying to figure out how the man could’ve cut himself so badly.

  “Get out,” Oliver growled at him. “Get the fuck out!” He glared at Robbie with burning, hate-filled eyes.

  “Hey, calm down.” He pressed the towel harder, slapping Oliver’s hands away from him. “I’m trying to help you. What happened?”

  Oliver’s nose flared with fury and Robbie couldn’t figure out what the hell was wrong with the guy, he was only trying to help. Looking around, Robbie spotted a straight razor lying on the floor next to Oliver’s thigh. It didn’t take long for realization to dawn. Oliver hurt himself.

  “How long have you been a cutter?” Robbie asked, staring deep into the man’s eyes.

  He hoped that Oliver would be able to recognize real concern and assume he wasn’t being judgmental.

  “I’ve got this under control. I don’t need your concern, okay?” He was defensive, pulling away from Robbie and standing up, leaving the bathroom.

  “Oliver, please.” Robbie stood up, following after him into the small sitting room located inside the bedroom. “I don’t know what you’ve been through or about your childhood. I’m not going to pretend that I do. I just want you to think about staying. The five of us need to stick together, we need you here.”

  He made a disbelieving noise in the back of his throat, “Yeah, I’m sure everyone needs me here. What the hell is the point?” Oliver tossed the towel and dropped his shirt.

  “Do you have a home to go back to?” Robbie asked, deciding to jump to the heart of the issue, and Oliver took a breath, looking away. “I don’t and I don’t think Easton does either. I came here to meet my father, have a fresh start, and leave the past behind me. You can start over. You can be anyone you want to be. If you stay here, you’ll have a home and a family. We’re family.” Robbie reached out and gripped Oliver’s shoulder, hoping that his words were getting through to the other man.

  The anger bled out of his eyes, being replaced with a look of despair, and Robbie’s heart broke a little for the guy. He seemed so much younger, lost, and perhaps even a little broken. “I’ve never had a family.”

  “Then it’s time you did. Stay and spend some time getting to know us and learning more about William. This place really is amazing. Hang out and relax or go ride a horse. I don’t know, do something or nothing. Just stay.” Robbie fumbled with his words.

  “Yeah…” he relented. “I’ll stay.”

  He’d never been a motivational speaker and he wasn’t prepared to give a speech, but at least Oliver was now staying. “Thank you. You won’t regret it. Now, I’d better head out and help Cody fix a fence in the east pasture.”

  Oliver raised a brow. “Have fun?”

  “Yeah.” Robbie headed toward the door, feeling a little better.

  “Robbie,” Oliver called after him and he looked over his shoulder. “Don’t tell anyone about this.”

  “I won’t. It’s your business.” Robbie left the room, feeling some relief.

  He knew that Oliver didn’t want him to mention the cutting and he wouldn’t, but he would be keeping an eye on him. Jogging down the stairs, Robbie went in search of Cody. He needed to ease the cowboy’s worries. Now that his half brothers had agreed to stay at the ranch and follow their father’s last wish, all the folks working at the Belt Buckle were staying as well.

  Stepping out the front door, Robbie spotted Cody leaning against one of the work trucks. He had his legs crossed at the ankle, arms crossed over his chest, face hidden under his cowboy hat as he stared down at the ground. Robbie took a moment to appreciate the view before finally moving toward the man. Cody must’ve heard him walking because he looked up, his mouth curving up, and the smile in his eyes sparked, turning into a sensuous flame.

  “I decided to wait around, in case you still want to help me mend fences.”

  “I was just coming to look for you.” Robbie grinned.

  “Oh yeah?” Cody pushed himself off the pickup.

  “Let’s head out.” Robbie wanted to talk to Cody, but he didn’t want an audience.

  The quicker they could be alone, the better. Cody opened the driver’s side door and slid in as Robbie walked around and climbe
d into the passenger seat.

  As Cody pulled the truck away from the house, he asked, “How did everything go?”

  “Trent read William’s Last Will and Testament. There was a lot of legal mumbo jumbo, which I didn’t really understand, but luckily Trent could explain it all. William wants us all to stay at the ranch for a full year, living and working here.”

  “You, Jackson, Easton, Jared, and Oliver?” he asked.

  “Yeah.” Robbie nodded and turned his body so that he was facing Cody. “William is giving us the property, but only after a full year of being ranchers.”

  “Wow…” He chuckled. “So, that means everyone’s staying? You’re staying?”

  “I think so.” Robbie nodded, hoping that he’d been able to convince Oliver to stay.

  “Really?” He breathed out, a slow grin stretching across his lips. “That’s great! You’re staying at the ranch with me.”

  Robbie’s heart expanded as he laughed at Cody’s excitement. The cowboy was always so happy to see him, wanted to spend time with him, and seemed to genuinely care about him. It was a nice change since he’d been alone since his mom passed away.

  The two men worked side by side since he’d arrived at the Belt Buckle ranch. They shared old memories and childhood stories. Even though they didn’t know each other for a long period of time, Robbie felt connected to Cody and he was really looking forward to the next three hundred sixty-five days.

  * * * *

  Wiping his brow, Robbie stretched his back. His muscles hurt but he wasn’t going to complain to Cody. He didn’t realize how hard the work would be when he signed up to live at the ranch. He wondered if ranching was a young man’s game, but quickly pushed that thought away since Wyatt—the foreman—was at least ten years older than him. Throwing the post-hole digger down, Robbie helped Cody set in a new wooden pole. He held the post while Cody knelt down, and began filling the hole.

  Looking around, Robbie took in his surroundings. He couldn’t complain about the view. The pasture was full of bright green grass and the sky a brilliant blue.

  “How are you doing?” Cody asked him.

  “Good.”

  “I’m gonna grab the spool of barbed wire. Once this fence is mended, we can head back and take a shower.”

  “Sounds like a plan to me.” Robbie wiped his forehead on the sleeve of his shirt.

  Robbie helped Cody with the wire. This was all new to him. He’d never done this type of work before. This was what he considered real manual labor. They finished with two of the three wires, Cody showing him how to stretch them out and secure properly.

  Robbie heard a loud pop sound before feeling something sharp smacked against his face. He hit the ground hard, and stared up at the sky, unsure of what had just happened.

  One second he’d been helping Cody and the next thing he knew, something snapped back, catching him in the face, neck, and shoulder.

  “Oh, fuck! Shit!” Cody yelled. “Don’t move, Robbie.”

  Something was pressed against his head. Robbie tried to move, but he felt dizzy. He touched his face and flinched at the pain. Looking at his gloved hand, he stared, wondering how it could be covered in blood.

  “Robbie…” Cody panted, his voice shaking, and Robbie knew he was in trouble. “I need you to keep your eyes open. Okay? Look at me. I need your help. We’ve got to get to the house.”

  “Okay,” he agreed, trying to keep his eyes open when he really wanted to close them and fall asleep. He was so tired.

  “Good…good. I’m going to help you get to the truck.” Cody’s voice was full of emotion.

  Robbie wasn’t sure how Cody got him to his feet, but the cowboy managed somehow. He swayed, trying to look around, but his vision was shot. A warm arm wrapped around his waist, leading him forward. He sat down on the truck’s bench seat and closed his eyes. The slamming of a car door jerked him awake, and Robbie wondered when he’d fallen asleep.

  Cody grabbed his hand, interlacing their fingers. “I need you to stay with me. Please…please, don’t leave me.”

  Robbie wasn’t sure if he’d heard the man correctly or if it was wishful thinking. Did the cowboy have feelings for him? His vision was fading and he knew that he wouldn’t be able to fight to stay awake much longer. After a couple of minutes, he started shaking.

  “What the fuck happened!” a voice shouted and Robbie cracked open his eyes, looking up at Easton as the man stood over him.

  How did he get up there? Where am I?

  “We were stringing fence and the damn wire snapped. I need help. He’s lost too much blood.” Cody’s voice was full of panic, his hands wrapped tightly around his neck, almost choking him.

  “Shit…Wyatt and Jackson are gone. They went to the airport. We need to get him inside. I’ll stitch him up while you call a doctor. Do you even have a doctor out here?”

  That was the last thing he heard before passing out.

  Chapter 5

  Robbie went limp and Cody’s heart stopped.

  He couldn’t breathe as he stared at Robbie’s beautiful face covered in blood. There was so much blood and his skin was sliced open, some of the cuts deeper than others. Tears filled his eyes, his lower lip quivering uncontrollably as panic set in. He let out a loud, pain-filled noise, and wrapped his arms around Robbie, holding on tight. He started rocking his body gently.

  I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. Please don’t leave me. Don’t die.

  There were hundreds of accidents and deaths from farm and ranch work. He didn’t want Robbie to become another statistic. His vision blurred, tears leaking freely down his cheeks. Cody blinked rapidly as he tried to stay strong even though he was slowly falling apart.

  “Cody! Damn it, Cody, let go of him.” Looking up, he saw Mason and Preston trying to pull Robbie from his arms. “Let go of him. Can you hear me?” Mason snapped his fingers in front of Cody’s face and he blinked rapidly. Shaking his head, he tried to clear out the loud buzzing noise from his mind. “We need to stop the bleeding. Doc Perry is on his way.”

  “Let go of him!” Preston pushed Cody, forcing him to let go of Robbie, and the men rushed toward the house.

  He stayed on the hard gravel until they were out of sight. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed but eventually he tried to stand. Moving in slow motion, Cody pushed himself up off the ground and stumbled toward the house. Cody felt as if he were looking down at his body as he drunkenly swayed and walked to the front door.

  Opening the screen, he stepped inside and the door slammed behind him. He stood rooted in place and watched the other men run around, yelling orders.

  “Cody?” Easton strode over and gripped his shoulders, looking at him with a mixture of concern and curiosity. “I think he’s in shock, guys, what should I do?”

  “Lay him down on the couch, elevate his feet above his heart, and wrap a blanket around him,” Mrs. Hunt snapped out, and Cody reeled back, her voice a slap to his face.

  “Cody, come with me.” Easton wrapped an arm around his waist and led him to the nearest couch. “Sit down and relax.”

  He helped Cody to sit before maneuvering his body so that he was lying flat on his back. He lifted his legs, since Cody couldn’t seem to find the muscle strength to do it himself. A thick, soft blanket was draped over him.

  “Cody, can you hear me?” Easton knelt next to the sofa.

  He tried to acknowledge the man, but he couldn’t seem to speak. His voice wouldn’t work.

  “Everything is going to be okay. You did a good job, you brought Robbie back here, and he’s going to be fine. Mason and Preston are taking care of him and Dr. Perry just drove up. You’re both safe.” Easton’s voice was calm as he spoke. “I want you to breathe with me. In through your nose and out through your mouth.” Cody followed his order. “Perfect.” He grinned. “Keep breathing. Follow my lead, nice and slow.”

  For a very long time, Cody laid on the couch. He couldn’t define time. It could’ve been minutes, hours, or eve
n days. It took a while, but the shaking finally stopped and his vision slowly cleared, forcing him to leave his dreamlike state and return to reality.

  “Hey,” Easton whispered, leaning forward. “It’s so strange. Your eyes just cleared up. How are you feeling? Are you okay?”

  “Uh…” A heavy dose of shame filled him and Cody looked over the man’s shoulder, but everyone had cleared the room at some point. “How’s Robbie?”

  The only thing that mattered was Robbie.

  How could he have been so weak when the man needed him? How could he fall apart like a child as Robbie lay on the ground bleeding out? He was ashamed and embarrassed. He wouldn’t be able to face his friends, Mason and Preston, without feeling inadequate. Luckily someone had stepped up to save the man.

  “Can you stand?” Easton asked cautiously, and Cody gave a sharp nod.

  He needed to check on Robbie. Cody didn’t want the man to think that he’d abandoned him, especially while he was injured.

  “Let’s go check on him. The doctor, Mason, and Preston moved him upstairs so that he’d be more comfortable.”

  “Doctor Perry is still with him?” Cody asked as Easton awkwardly helped him to stand. Once he was on his feet, he headed toward the stairs with Easton on his heels.

  “Yeah,” Easton breathed out, sounding worried. “He said that Robbie lost a lot of blood, but he did manage to stop the bleeding.”

  Cody took one stair at a time. He was scared. For the first time in a really long time, he felt real fear. There were so many questions running through his mind and all of them were focused on Robbie. When he reached the top of the stairs, Mason pushed off the wall by Robbie’s bedroom door.

  “Hey, are you okay?” Mason asked.

  “Don’t worry about me.” Cody shook his head. Every time someone asked that question, it made him feel sick to his stomach. “Is Robbie okay?” he asked, tilting his head toward the man’s door.

  “Doc Perry is bandaging his wounds right now. He didn’t want to waste time by calling in an ambulance, since Robbie lost a lot of blood. He stitched him up. He also gave him a tetanus shot to prevent lockjaw, a shot of penicillin to prevent infection, and he hung an IV for fluid.” Cody felt ice spreading through his stomach at Mason’s words. What had he been thinking? Robbie had never worked on a ranch before. It was his responsibility to take care of the man and he’d failed. “We’re lucky to have the doc here. The man swooped in and got to work fast.”