“Okay, boss, Jesus is bilingual. He’s staying close by you. You tell him when you need something done, and he’ll get it done for you. Jorge’s and his crew are taking the other cutters out. Half the crew’s going with him over to Smith’s place.”
“Thanks, man. Call me if anythin’ changes,” Kitt said, walking out the door Jose held open.
“Boss, you should let me do this, and you stay with her.” Jose followed him out the door, closing it behind them. Kitt never slowed until he put his Styrofoam cup on the hood of his truck and climbed inside the driver’s seat, digging around the truck for his jacket.
“Keep a close eye on her and take care of things around here. You can go tomorrow. I’ll stay. I’m thinkin’ we have time, but call me when Doc gets here. Tell Lily we’ll be back at lunch.”
They had ten fields scheduled for today and hundreds and hundreds of acres to cover in the next twelve hours. The sun was just starting to rise, and they needed to be in the first field by the time daylight hit full on. Kitt shrugged on his jacket and grabbed his coffee. He took another big gulp, letting the scalding brew burn its way down and warm him up. He headed for the tractor with the cutter ready to go.
It was a slow drive. The tractor topped out at thirty miles an hour. The men followed behind him. It couldn’t have been much past six in the morning, and as Kitt pulled off the road making a wide turn into the driveway, his phone rang.
“This is an awfully long bathroom break. You left me sleeping, and I was so hopin’ for a little good morning sex this morning,” Austin said with a distinct whine in his tired voice. “Where are you? I can come to you, do you, and then leave before anyone sees me.” The last part was said on a deep yawn. The engine to the tractor churned so loud Kitt turned the speaker on and the volume up as loud as it would go, and he still needed to shove the phone inside his ear to hear.
“I got a call. Lady’s just beginnin’ to foal, and I’m already pullin’ into the Henderson’s to start cuttin’. Hold on.” Kitt yelled into the phone over the sound of the engine. He pulled to the far right of the Henderson’s property line and came to stop, letting the tractor idle. He watched in his rear view mirror as the men lined up beside him positioning themselves to work behind him as he cut. One ran forward to get the gate opened for his entry. Every so often, a movement caused Austin’s scent to drift up and an involuntary smile formed without him even realizing it was there.
“I’m back,” Kitt said, again shoving the phone in his ear to hear.
“Is she okay? Does it mess up your day?” Austin asked.
“I think I have to watch her tonight. Jose stayed behind with her. Today’s gonna be longer without him out here, but I need him to keep an eye on her,” Kitt said. He saw everyone behind him waiting for him to start, but he missed Austin and loved knowing he was talking to him right now while still lying in his bed.
“Anything I can do to help? Mike can come over so Jose can help you today,” Austin offered.
“Nah, Jose knows her as well as I do. She needs someone she knows and who knows her. Jose’s just a worker. He can outwork anybody, but I’m staffed up. Actually, overly staffed. It should be fine,” he said. “I’ll call if I can’t get it done. I gotta go.”
“I’ll be thinking about my missed opportunity. I should have jumped you last night when I had the chance,” Austin said.
“Stay longer and get some rest. You need it.” Kitt was just as unwilling to end the call as Austin seemed to be. They sat there a minute quietly, not saying goodbye.
“I might do that. I can smell your cologne all over these pillows. I might have to take one of these home with me,” Austin finally said.
Kitt didn’t respond. He’d been smelling Austin on himself all morning. He mentally weighed whether to say it out loud or not, but decided to keep quiet, not able to find the very simple words to say.
“I love it when you get quiet, Kitt. I’m beginning to understand it happens when I unnerve you…and that feels really good.”
“I’ll talk to you later,” Kitt said simply.
“Goodbye, be careful today. Let me know if you need us.”
“Bye.” Kitt forced himself to drop the phone in the cup holder next to the coffee. His eyes darted up to the rearview mirror, and he rolled his eyes at the blush on his cheeks and the smile on his face. His cock throbbed in his Wranglers. Dear God, did he have it bad. Kitt picked up the coffee cup and carefully took a drink, and then smelled the cologne lingering on his shirt.
“Damn, it’s gonna be a long day!” Kitt positioned the tractor and adjusted himself in the seat as he pulled forward starting to cut the miles of overgrown hay in front of him.
~~~~~~
“You’re in love.” Seth declared as Austin came through the back door. “You’ve been making fun of me for the last forty-eight hours, and here you’re grinning, whistling, acting like life couldn’t get any better in this aloneness. In the desert. Texas is a dust bowl, so not the heaven you’ve made it out to be.” Seth sprawled out on the sofa with the television on and the laptop in his lap. It was noonish, and Seth already looked bored as hell.
“As per normal, you have no idea what you’re talkin’ about.” Austin quipped, walking through the house, deciding Kitt should be the first one to hear he carried that emotion, not anyone else.
He’d stayed at Kitt’s most of the morning. Made himself breakfast and just stayed in Kitt’s stuff until he forced himself out. He only did a little bit of pillaging through Kitt’s belongings, and only because he found an interesting stash of his photos and movies hidden in the bottom drawer of Kitt’s night stand. At some point, Austin would definitely be getting some kind of explanation about those. Of course, it would have to come after he figured out how to say he’d seen them under the stacks of hunting and fishing magazines, and still buried further under the accounting folders of the farm.
“It’s either love, or a long night of great sex confusing itself as love,” Seth said, watching Austin closely. After a second, his eyes narrowed, and he bent his head to the side to watch Austin closer as he made his way to the coffee pot.
“I didn’t have sex at all last night. I slept until about ten this morning and just hung out alone until a little while ago. Ever think I need a break from your love sick ass? I haven’t spent this much time with you in years. And now I remember why…” Austin waggled his brows at Seth and poured himself a cup of coffee.
“Huh. You’re already starting to get your accent back.” That caused Seth to put the laptop down and turn completely around, eyes fully trained on Austin. “How’d I miss this?”
“What?” Austin asked, cocking a brow. He leaned back against the sink and concentrated. He was an accomplished, award winning actor, he needed to find his ‘you’re wrong face’, but he really didn’t want to hide it.
“At first I was giving you shit, but now…it is more than a regular fuck, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it’s more than a regular fuck. I told you that when we were sitting with Cara,” Austin said, nodding his head and pronouncing each word distinctly. He took a drink of his coffee; his eyes stayed on Seth trying to gauge his reaction. For everything Austin had said about someday coming out, talking about it now made him nervous. Seth was one of the only people on the planet he’d actually told he liked doing guys.
“I didn’t really pay attention. Is it love?” Seth wasn’t going to let it go.
“We haven’t gone there, and I’ve known him a long time, but not really, if that makes sense. I just re-met him when I moved back.” Austin moved into the living room.
“And this is the cowboy all over the security reports? He lives close?” Seth tracked Austin with his eyes as he came to sit down in a chair near the sofa. The TV was muted, and all of Seth’s attention focused on Austin.
“Yes.” Austin couldn’t get a read on Seth, and he felt like Kitt with these one word answers.
“Did you know he was gay before you moved here, or is that why you ch
ose here?” Seth looked like he was piecing together a puzzle that Austin didn’t even know existed.
“No, not at all. It was just a happy coincidence.” Austin waggled his brows again and took another drink of his coffee.
“Convenient,” Seth finally said.
“Tell me! I haven’t had this much sex since…well, ever,” Austin said, crossing one leg over the other. He perched the mug on the side of the chair, waiting for Seth’s next comment.
“I didn’t think rednecks were so open-minded about these sorts of things,” Seth said after a minute’s silence.
“They aren’t. You can trust me on that one.” Austin shook his head, chuckling a little.
“So he’s in the closet?” Seth asked.
“He’s buried.”
“Huh…then how did you figure it out so fast?” Seth pulled his laptop back in his lap. He looked a little relieved as he turned away from Austin.
“His underwear.” Austin gave his truthful response and hid his smile with another drink.
“Huh?” Seth cocked his head back to Austin.
“It took me a couple more days, but he wore a pair of Andrew Christian underwear. I watched him work. They showed through,” Austin said with a chuckle. Seth just stared at him, the puzzled look back on his face. “You asked…”
“First, I have Andrew Christian underwear, and second, it’s really getting serious? Like this guy’s gonna be around us for awhile?”
“I think we’ve been over this part,” Austin said.
“Humor me.” Seth’s attention was fully back on Austin, his laptop forgotten.
“I see the manager slash agent hat coming out. I see it in your eyes, Seth. I told you I’m done. I’m retired.”
“I didn’t believe you,” Seth replied instantly. “I thought you’d get tired of all this nothingness. Seriously, how have you not?”
“You should’ve believed me. I’m not going back into that crazy ass mess. These last few days confirmed it for me. So done with all that.”
“So you’re thinking about really settling down here, making this your life.” Seth waved his hand around the living room.
“You need to believe me when I tell you I’m not thinking about it. I’ve done it, and I don’t want a bunch of bullshit from you right now. I’m happy. You’re going to be happy with Cara, and I’ve made you a fortune over the last ten years. You’re so tight I know it’s all saved up so you have nothing to worry about,” Austin said.
“It’s not that. You’re a great actor. It’s a shame to think you’ll never act again.” Seth’s words sounded sincere, and even though Austin had always considered him a good friend and not just his agent, hearing those words eased something inside him.
“I appreciate that, but if I do act again, it’s years down the line, and it’ll be a pick and choose kind of deal. I don’t want that life anymore. I couldn’t wipe my ass without someone taking my picture and all those rumors…no, I’m out, done! I can’t even imagine what’s being said about me being seen out in public,” Austin said.
“It’s your own damn fault. It’s because you’re so good looking. Gain weight or grow out your nose hair.” Seth focused back on his laptop. “So where do you see this going?”
“With Kitt?” Austin asked. Not only had he missed Kitt while he was gone, he found he missed this farm. He rose, taking his empty coffee mug to the sink. He needed to get out to the barn to see what was going on.
“Yeah.” Seth stayed glued to the sofa.
“I don’t really know. He won’t come out, so I guess I’ll keep hiding until he’s ready. However long that might be. You coming to the barn with me?”
“So you’re really thinking long term about this guy.” Seth didn’t move but did cock his head back to watch Austin head to the back door.
“Yes! I think I’ve said that over and over.” Austin strode to the back door. He brought his Southern accent out in full force. “You comin’?”
“Huh.” Seth turned back to the laptop.
“Huh back, and what the fuck ever. I’m done with this conversation. You’ll be meetin’ him soon. He has a horse about to give birth. We’re going over there later. Get changed, I’ll be takin’ you on a tour after I go check on things at the barn.”
Chapter 18
About dark, Austin and Seth drove up to the Kelly horse barn. Austin purposefully waited until the field hands left for the day. Mike came over earlier and made regular visits for most of the afternoon to help watch Lady until the vet could free up and stop by. Mike also kept Austin posted on how things were going, even when the place started clearing out. Mike gave Austin the green light to come over. As a precaution, Austin still wore a ball cap he could pull down low and a high collared jacket he could pull up if need be.
Seth knew the drill. He’d been part of several duck out situations in the past. They walked into the barn together, Seth first, but he stopped soon, having no idea what to do or where to go. It gave Austin the second to look around, make sure the coast was clear before he guided Seth to the horse stall everyone stood around.
They walked side by side. Seth was clearly out of his element as a disinterested sneer splayed across his face. Seth’s only concern seemed centered on dodging the dirt and other possibilities lying on the barn floor. Seth so wasn’t feeling this ranch life like Austin had hoped he might. There was just way too much city boy in his agent, and it was something he’d never realized about Seth until right now. Over the years, they had always been in sync with one another, Seth being the peanut butter to Austin’s jelly. But, by the end of the ranch tour, Seth was past the fun of the four-wheeler and ready to be back on his laptop, looking for messages from Cara.
Austin’s gut told him he didn’t see Seth sticking around the farm too much longer, and Austin couldn’t seem to want him to stay. Their lives were different now. Austin’s one hundred percent different, and he was happy with the change.
Austin picked a darkened corner and perched a leg on the bottom rail. He looked over the side of the stall. Seth came in beside him. No one paid any attention to either of them; every eye was on Kitt who stood in the stall with Lady.
Based on Mike’s last call, Kitt had only been back about half an hour. He’d worked a fourteen hour day and looked a sweaty, dirty mess, which was interesting because at the same time Kitt looked hot as hell bent over rubbing Lady down. He spoke directly to her in soft soothing tones. Austin couldn’t hear the words he said, but he watched every move Kitt made. Kitt handled the horse with such tenderness Austin yearned for those hands to be rubbing him down just the same way.
Before his dick grew too hard, Austin noticed the vet stood close by in the stall, watching everything Kitt did. Mike, Jose, and Lily were like he and Seth: on the outside looking in. Austin pulled his ball cap a little lower on his head, and stayed in the dark. He turned his full attention back to Kitt. It was so easy to see this was where he belonged. Kitt had some innate understanding here, and this horse responded to him on a level of which Austin had no knowledge. The man and the animal watched one another closely, and Kitt rubbed her down until he got close enough for her to move her head and knock his ball cap off. Austin realized Kitt got in the position intentionally to let the horse do the move.
“So you aren’t so sore that you can play games? I think that’s a good sign, big girl.” Kitt nuzzled her head, rubbing behind her ears. He scooped his hat up and ran a hand down her nose as he rested the ball cap back on his head. Austin could see everything great about this horse was due to the tender loving care Kitt gave her. Based on everything he’d heard, she was most comfortable with Kitt in there with her.
“We can see what’s goin’ on in there, Kitt. Make sure he can come on his own, but it’s risky. I’m not sure it’s needed,” the vet said.
“Nah, he’s facin’ right. I don’t wanna risk it. Let’s give her time. If we need that exam, I’ll do it,” Kitt said in that same loving tone. He spoke to the vet, but looked at the horse.
“What’s going on?” Austin asked Mike quietly trying to get caught up.
“They’re talkin’ about maybe needin’ to turn the position. She’s in full labor and they’re just eliminatin’ he may be breech. They don’t think he is. The last ultrasound showed him in the right position,” Mike said equally quiet, keeping his eyes on the horse. Seth stood beside him with horror in his eyes as the doctor shoved a long plastic glove back in his bag.
“Can Kitt do things like that?” Austin’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“Yeah, he’s done it for us quite a bit. He knows what he’s doin’, Lady would respond best to him,” Mike said.
All eyes stayed on Kitt who positioned himself behind the horse rubbing from high on her belly to her back legs. He kept a steady stream of conversation going and ran his hands over her udder. Kitt looked totally absorbed in what he did, as if it were just the two of them and no one else in the barn. The vet stayed back and let Kitt work. The horse whined a little, nodded her head, but stayed still. Kitt never stopped the flow of conversation with her. His tender, gentle touch never changed.
“That’s it. Her milks droppin’, he’s comin’ soon,” Kitt said to the vet seconds later.
“I’m guessin’ a couple of hours,” the vet replied, his eyes trained on the horse.
“I don’t know. She’s too early for this. It could still be a day.”
“You know it’s an estimate.” Doc nodded at him. “She’s close. It’ll be tonight.”
“It’s an estimate when it’s not an absolute firm date. Hers is a firm date,” Kitt challenged back. The horse turned to Kitt as he stood talking to the doctor. His body faced her, but his head was cocked to the side, deep in thought. She took a step or two toward him, and Kitt reached out to rub her as he spoke to the vet. She had other plans. She lifted her nose and knocked his hat off again.
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