The young man laughed. "Of course I do. We hit the links on Thursday's just like the doctors in town. My handicap is a three," the younger stated with surprising confidence.
For a moment, Jon was shocked, but then he saw the slow smirk on the handsome face, and he laughed. "I'm gonna guess you're making fun of me, aren't you?"
"No more than you're makin' fun of me. What's a mulligan?"
"It means a do-over. Can we have a do-over? I behaved like a royal idiot when I was in Holloway, and I've regretted it since I rushed out of there like my hair was on fire. Can you give me another chance?" he asked as he looked into those beautiful, shamrock green eyes of Mickey Warren's, feeling his heart pound harder in his chest.
Mickey walked up to him and leaned forward, giving Jon a chance to breathe him in deeply. The man smelled like every good, masculine thing Jon had ever smelled…fresh grass, leather, sandalwood, and maybe heaven.
"Jonathon Wells, I'm not sure if we have enough in common to get us through more than one night, but I'd be willin' to explore it to the point we could get naked and see where that might take us. You game?" Mickey asked quietly as he leaned down and licked the side of Jon's neck, sending a shiver through his body like he'd never felt before in his life.
"Ahh! Yessss!"
He felt a breath of hot air against the wetness on his neck and opened his eyes to see the smiling cowboy staring into his soul. God, the eyes were green as grass and deep as an ocean. He felt his heart stutter again as he looked into them, watching as the man grinned at him. "I see we have another thing in common…you like big…horses," he teased as Jon felt a bump to the back of his head. He turned around to see his horse, Hercules, standing at the gate next to the stall where they'd put Charlie.
Jon laughed. "Michael, this is Hercules. Old man, this is my…hopefully, new friend, Michael Warren," he introduced as Mickey reached up and scratched the gelding's neck.
"He's a handsome lad," the young cowboy stated as he lifted the horse's lips to examine his teeth.
"Ten or so? How long since you rode him?" Mickey asked, surprising Jon.
"How the hell did you know that?" Jon asked. He'd heard people say they could tell a horse’s age by looking into their mouths, but he'd never actually seen it done.
Mickey laughed. "I have to keep some mystery about me, handsome. Let's get up to the house. I'm hungry."
They walked out of the barn, intentionally bumping into each other like they were twelve or so. There were questions to ask and answer, and there was plenty of things to discuss regarding whether they could find that promising common ground. There was the distance from Richmond to Holloway and so many other things to consider. If Jon concentrated on all the negatives, he'd just get in the Mercedes and go home.
But then…on the other hand…there was the bright smile and quick wit of Michael Warren. There were the greenest eyes Jon Wells had ever gazed into, and there were things he wanted to discover about the cowboy, including what he hid in those Wranglers. It had driven him bat-shit crazy, and he hoped to get up-close-and-in-person with the contents of the man's jeans…which hugged that incredible ass so well. Jon was officially on the hunt when it came to Mickey Warren. He prayed he didn't make a fool of himself, but he decided he wasn't going to hold back.
"You've ridden that gorgeous horse and you didn't even call me?" Allison scolded as they ate in the kitchen. Ursula had prepared steaks with sautéed mushrooms, baked potatoes, and broccoli in brown butter and shaved garlic. There had been a small salad, and Jon knew there was pie because he'd smelled it baking when he'd come into the house to show Mickey to his room upstairs. Hell, the house had many bedrooms, but he put Mickey across from him because he wanted them to be able to have a sorely needed conversion. Jon had been fucked up for too long after his visit to the Circle C, and he couldn't get Mickey Warren off his mind. It was time to fish or cut bait.
"Mom, I think Michael was daring me to ride Charlie, thinking I was some sort of a greenhorn or something. He's a wonderful ride, trust me. It's like sitting in a glider," Jon explained as he continued to eat the magnificent meal Ursula had prepared before she left for the evening.
He saw Allison turn to Mickey and smile. "Why does he call you Michael? I thought you told me everyone calls you Mickey? I don't want to offend you," she stated.
"Oh, no, ma'am. You couldn't…" Mickey started.
"I call him Michael because that's his given name, and as far as I remember, he never gave me leave to address him as anything else. Anyway, why don't we clear the table and go to the barn? We can saddle Charlie, and Mickey can ride him first. If the horse seems comfortable, then maybe you can take a spin?" Jon suggested to his mother.
He saw Mickey swallow and quickly gulp at the glass of beer next to his plate. "Miss Allison, I'm sure you're a fine horsewoman, but Charlie's sorta…"
Jon saw his father laughing. "Did you tell him about your mother's trophies?" He then turned to Mickey and smiled. "Young man, I'm pretty sure aside from a bronc, Ally can hold her own on that stud. She holds her own with this stud, and I bet that horse ain't got nothin' on me," Ham joked.
Mickey actually cracked up, and Jon started laughing as well. His parents were pretty damn great. He only hoped they would remain so great when he told them he wasn't going to marry Audrey Langley because she was engaged to Lyla, her 'roommate'.
He needed to finally come clean with them about what he wanted in the future, and it wasn’t Audrey for a wife. It had been far too long he'd carried the lie, and as he watched Mickey interacting with his parents, he had the feeling things might not be as bad as he assumed. Only time would tell…
There was a soft knock on his bedroom door, bringing a smile from Jon. He hesitated for a minute, deciding whether to lay his cards on the table and tell the young man he'd like a chance at maybe more than one night or gently explain to the young cowboy all the reasons why they were wrong for each other. Although, as he thought about it, maybe he wasn't thinking straight. He remembered back to when they were all down at the barn, and he smiled.
"Now, Miss Allison, you sure you're ready? I mean, I'm sure you're an accomplished horsewoman in your own right, but if Charlie acts up and anything happens, Matt will have my nuts in a shadowbox on the wall of the barn. Tim Moran, my best friend, gave him that horse for Christmas, and he's a prize possession of Matt's, after Tim, Ryan, and Rocky. If you get hurt, ma'am, he'll put the horse down, and that would be a damn shame," Mickey explained, trying to talk Allison Wells out of riding Charlie.
Ham Wells laughed. "Ally, sweetheart, I don't want the boy to piss himself. You sure you wanna ride that stallion?"
"I'm breeding my mares to him. I want to try him out and see if his gait will enhance the bloodlines," she explained. She then looked at Mickey. "Young man, I have two lawyers here, and I promise you, if I fall off, I'll hold the Circle C, Matt Collins, and Tim Moran harmless. Guys, you'll testify," she goaded as she turned to Jon and his father. They both nodded because the woman wasn't anyone to fuck around with. She meant business, and Jon knew she wanted that horse to breed her mares. It was already a done deal in her mind, and after she rode him…She was convinced.
He opened the door of his room to see Mickey standing in front of him in a pair of sweats and a bare chest. His dark hair was wet, which Jon expected because the man had said he was going to shower, almost like an invitation. Of course, Jon felt they had too much air to clear so he didn't join him, opting to use the other shower down the hallway.
"Come in," he invited as he took Mickey's warm hand, pulling him inside the room so he could close the door.
"Look, we were both played, okay? I talked to Tim, and he pushed Ronni to contact your mother. This ain't gotta have one the thing to do with us, okay? Charlie can breed those mares tomorrow and again on Monday mornin' before I load him up to take him home. You, my friend, are welcome to leave here without one regret," Mickey explained to him.
It was definitely time to make a decision.<
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Chapter Thirteen
Mickey Warren stood in Jon Wells' bedroom at his parents' home, not quite sure what else to say. He'd given the man an out, and he fully expected him to take it. The news Jon was gay wasn't really a shocker. Mickey had hopefully deduced as much, even if he doubted his gaydar. How they'd proceed from that revelation was the biggest question.
Mickey finally exhaled. "Look, Jon, I'd never, ever out you. You have parents who love you, and I actually envy it. You come out when you're ready if you’re ever ready," he told the gorgeous man, wishing with everything inside him he could just kiss him one last time.
Jon chuckled as he took a seat on the bed. "I used to lay here and dream about a day when I'd be able to bring a boyfriend out for the weekend, and we'd go swimming or ride horses through the woods surrounding the property. I like to pleasure ride, which is why Mom keeps Hercules, but I've let other stuff get in my way. I've let my worry over how my parents would take the news I'm gay shadow everything I do in my life.
"Hell, Audrey's engaged, and she hasn't told her parents yet because I'm not ready to tell mine she and I won't be getting married and give them grandchildren. How fuckin' sad is that?" Jon asked with a humorless chuckle.
Mickey could tell he was angry about something, but he was pretty sure it wasn't his fault. Obviously, Jon had some shit to sort with his parents, and some unresolved issues he probably needed to think about. "Look, Jonny, I'm not tryin' to take over your life. I just…well, you have things to discuss with your parents. I sure as fuck ain't gonna interfere," he told the man.
Jon looked down, bending over and resting his elbows on his thighs as his hands covered his handsome face. Mickey could see he was in a bad spot, so he decided to attempt to ease some of the tension by taking a seat on the bed next to him. "Dude, seriously, this ain't that complicated. Your momma wants to breed Charlie to her mares, so I'll make sure it happens tomorrow, and then again on Monday mornin' before I take him home. It's likely we won't run into each other again…" Mickey began explaining to the gorgeous man before Jon turned to him and pushed him down onto the bed, straddling his hips.
"I have it on good authority if I ask enough questions, I'll find something in common with damn near anyone I ever meet, so Michael Warren, are you in an exclusive relationship at the moment?" Jon asked as he knelt over Mickey.
Of course, Mickey was nervous. "N-N-No. Not for a while." He saw a tender smile on Jon's face which he appreciated. He relaxed a little and placed his hands on Jon's thighs, squeezing gently.
The lawyer relaxed a little. "Okay, that's a start. I'm not either right now, but that doesn't mean I'm looking for exclusivity or anything. I'm very attracted to you physically, Michael. Unfortunately, I'm not ready, nor do I really have time, for a monogamous relationship, but that doesn't mean we can't spend some time together when we're both available, or maybe just tonight," Jon explained.
Mickey laughed a little and took a deep breath, preparing to experience heartbreak one more time. "Well, I reckon I've got one more, one-night stand inside me. I want to settle down someday but maybe I got one more wild oat to sew. You a top or bottom?" he asked, keeping his hands on Jon's muscular thighs.
He saw Jon smile, which was a surprise. "You first, Michael."
Mickey chuckled. "I guess you can call me Mickey if you wanna. Nobody calls me Michael, but that's okay, too. I lost my ass cherry without it bein' a lot of fun but I expect I can take it again if you're a top," he confessed, not looking into those beautiful, light green eyes of the man on top of him.
When Jon sat up and looked at him, Mickey could tell something was horribly wrong, and it made him uneasy. "Hey, we don't gotta do…fuck, I should go." He tried to push the man off him so he could do just that.
Jon pinned his hands next to his head and looked into his eyes. "How old are you, Mickey?"
Mickey chuckled. "I feel about a hundred most days, but I'm twenty-three. I lied to Tim and the Simmons' family, tellin' 'em I'm twenty-five to get the job because…well, that's all a bunch of bullshit you don't wanna hear. I'm old enough to know right from wrong, and that's all you need to worry about, Jonny."
He saw Jon smile. "So, you're that much…ten-years younger? What on earth do we…could we ever have in common?"
After a minute, Mickey laughed. "Well, I like to get my cock sucked. How 'bout you, lawyer?"
He watched Wells glance down at the bed for a minute, so he decided it was time to be honest about something. "Look, I've been with a few guys over the years, and for a while, I was in an exclusive relationship with a younger guy, so I know how leery you probably are of the age difference. Jackie was a good guy, or so I thought until he took off without a word to me. It broke my heart, but I took the time to get over it. I'm not lookin' to feel that kind of pain again anytime soon, so I'm not in a hurry for anything serious right now. Hell, I'm just gettin' back in the game," Mickey explained.
Much to his surprise, Jon Wells began stripping the two of them in record time. It was like heaven to him when Jon's velvet mouth encased his hard cock, and when he finally got Jon's manhood in his mouth in a vigorous sixty-nine, he didn't hesitate to treat it with the respect it deserved. It was big, as he expected because he'd bought into the stereotype regarding men of color, but that dick was no lie.
He sucked it and licked it, jacking the part he couldn't fit into his mouth as Jon schooled him on the art of sucking cock. Never in his life had he felt the kisses and the licks, along with the suction of the gorgeous man's mouth. If it was the last time they'd see each other, it would be a grand sendoff.
After swallowing Jon's release, equally surprised when Jon swallowed his, they both lay panting on the bed, holding onto each other's legs. Mickey decided to speak first because he damn well didn't want the man to think he was going to become an obsessive asshole so he flipped around and lay with his head on the pillow next to Jon. "That was really fuckin' great. Thanks, Jonny." He leaned forward and kissed the man's cheek before he hopped up and pulled on his sweats to slip out of the room.
He knew Jon Wells was already backtracking on what had happened and before he had to hear how sorry the other man was about taking advantage of someone Mickey’s age, the cowboy decided to leave the scene of the beautiful crime. It had been incredible to suck that beautiful cock, but to hear Jon say it was a mistake wasn’t a hurt he wanted to suffer. A pre-emptive strike was necessary, and he’d made it. He slept a restless sleep, but at least he felt he had the upper hand and ended things on his own terms.
Standing in the hallway of the barn at the Wells Ranch, Mickey was seriously considering his options. Allison Granger Wells was standing next to him, having led her mare to the breeding stall she had behind the barn. Mickey had seen horses bred before but not in a breeding stall like the one she was planning to use.
"So, um, ma'am, how's that work? I'm not sure Charlie will know what to do in that thing. Usually, we just stake the mare and pad her back so he doesn't bite her, though he's generally a gentleman. I'm worried if she gets in that thing, he might throw a fit," Mickey explained to her as he took in the red, metal stall.
He watched as the woman examined the stall and then walked back to where the stallion was waiting, having raised its head because the mare was in range. She'd brought the mare in and led her passed the stud a few times to get him riled up, and he was ready to go. The next step was the one upon which they disagreed.
"I've never bred any of my mares freestyle, and I'm not so sure about trying it with that stallion. He's awfully damn big," Allison Wells stated.
Mickey nodded but offered his own argument. "I understand, but I know Charlie and I think that thing will confuse him. He's really a gentle horse, and I'm sure he won't hurt Rosie," Mickey offered.
Allison stared into space for a few minutes before she opened the front gate of the stall and led the mare out of it. "Okay, if you believe he'll be okay, I'll take your word for it. I'll get a breeding pad, but if anything goes wrong, it's on
you, young man." He nodded with a sense of relief, but he knew the woman meant business. Thankfully, Charlie was a dependable stallion. A little prayer didn’t hurt, either.
After the mare was settled in the hallway of the barn, Mickey hooked a lead to Charlie's halter to lead him away for a bit, causing the large horse to balk a little. Mickey slapped him on the back with the rope to get his attention, and the horse calmed a bit. He took him into the fresh air to clear his nose as Allison got the breeding pad placed on her mare.
He'd never been around when a woman was present as Charlie did his thing so he hoped things didn't get too uncomfortable when he had to lubricate Charlie's magic wand. He definitely had to quit thinking about Jon Wells or he would sprout wood just like the stallion, which would be embarrassing on a whole other level. None of it would be productive at all.
"I thought fucking was taking place," Mickey heard behind him as he brushed his hand over Charlie's neck to calm him a little before they returned to where the mare was ready to go. He turned to see Jon with a cup in his hand and a look on his face that was anything but friendly.
"We hit a bit of a snag. Your mom's used to using a breeding stall, and usually, we let Charlie into the pen with the mare. This one's orchestrated, but he's too big for that stall and I'm worried he'd hurt the mare. Miss Allison's staking her mare in the hallway to put on the breeding pad, and then I'll bring him in to get him ready, but I needed him to clear his nose for a bit. I don't want him to hurt any of us," he explained, not looking into Jon's gorgeous green eyes.
"Well, let's hope he doesn't run off like you did," Jon stated as he walked into the hallway of the barn, leaving Mickey totally confused.
Not surprisingly, Ebony Prince Charles performed his duties four times that afternoon without hesitation. He was truly the stud his papers portrayed him to be, and when Mickey put him to bed that night with lots of grain and hay, he patted him on the neck with a "Well done, old man."
Loving the Lawyer (The Cowboys of Katydid Farm Book 2) Page 14