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  Flea looked like she was trying to nap, and didn't even look up as Aubrey lingered outside her stall. She was a pretty bay, ring-sour but smart. If you took her out into the open there wasn't anything she wouldn't do for you.

  Aubrey grinned and made a little clucking sound as he stopped by Reba's stall, tossing an apple to her little pony companion. Reba rode like a dream and threw strong foals with good confirmation, but she got bored and destructive if left alone. After she'd injured herself kicking at the walls a year ago, Aubrey'd paired her up with Bud, and now she behaved like a real lady, unlike Belle, her neighbor, who didn't seem the least bit sorry that she'd bitten Aubrey just that morning. The bitch. He liked Belle well enough, but she was temperamental and moody. That really wasn't a great combination in a riding horse, but Belle was just a brood mare and she wasn't ridden much.

  Aubrey had a soft spot for Matie. She was an oddball; her confirmation was sketchy, but she was bomb-proof and Haley's daughters liked to ride her. She'd somehow made friends with the flying rodents in the barn and looked like hell as always with her ass covered in pigeon poop.

  Turning the corner, Aubrey greeted Scarlet and then kicked himself, remembering suddenly that he needed to call the farrier about her shoes. Omaha was looking fine with her quick eyes and question mark blaze, and she stuck her head over the split stall door at him to nibble at his fingers and beg for a treat. He shook his head. “Sorry, girl,” he told her, “you're on a diet, remember?"

  When Omaha finally let him go he looked in on Lola. She was quiet, as usual. She was too old to care where she spent her time as long as there was good feed and something dusty or muddy to roll in. She used to be a brood mare, but she was retired now and living as good a life as they could manage for her. Aubrey gave her a pat, anxious to move on to his favorite stall.

  "Hello, beautiful,” he said as he stopped in front of Guinevere's stall door. She stretched her neck long and rested it on his shoulder and he tucked his arms up around her neck, returning the hug. When she snorted he let her go, grinning sheepishly. “Sorry, darlin'. Been a long week,” he said. “All the rain, the damn flood in the yearling paddock, and this thing with Chet.” He sighed. “The whole business is making me feel old, you know? Worn out."

  He held up a carrot and Guin chomped on it, using her teeth to draw it into her mouth. She watched him as she chewed on it and Aubrey swore she understood everything he was feeling. “What?"

  Guin snorted at him and pushed him with her nose.

  "What? Oh.” Aubrey shook his head. “You think maybe I'm feeling sorry for myself? Well, yeah. I am sorta, ain't I?” He laughed softly. “All right, enough of that crap. You're better than any shrink, I swear to God. Oh, hey! I got some news for you, sweetheart. You oughtta see the stud their gonna knock you up with this year. He's big and dark, he's got a great line to him, and he's got that fiery look in his eyes ... damn, I wouldn't want to be the one to take that collection. But that foal is gonna be handsome as hell."

  Guin seemed bored with his talk about the stud and shoved at him again, snuffling at his jeans pocket. “Yeah, darlin'.” Aubrey laughed, tugging a couple of wrapped candies out of his pocket for her. “I got peppermints."

  He was petting Guinevere's nose and still talking with her gently when he heard a voice behind him.

  "They've got some music goin’ back at the indoor. Haley's got his guitar out and Lars plays a pretty mean fiddle. How ‘bout a two-step, Aubrey?"

  Aubrey felt his jaw tighten at the sound of Kelly's voice. “Don't dance."

  "Well, everyone's out there."

  "What's yer point?"

  "Point is, friend,” Aubrey felt Kelly crowd him, just inches from his back, Kelly's hot breath on his neck, “that we have this barn to ourselves."

  "'Cept for the horses."

  "Guin ain't gonna rat us out."

  Aubrey stepped away from the arms that tried to circle his waist. “No."

  Kelly grinned, not looking the least bit put off. “Aw, come on, cowboy. It's been days, take pity on a poor hand."

  "You're workin’ for me, Kelly, it ain't right. Haley'd have my ass."

  Kelly crossed his arms. “That's crap."

  "I beg your pardon?"

  "I said, that's crap. I heard all about you and that roper, Bayard."

  Aubrey felt the heat rise in his cheeks. “He didn't work for me."

  "Fine, I'll resign tomorrow. Hell, this place has been nothin’ but mud and damp and fucking horse shit since the minute I started, I'm happy to take a walk. That what you want, Jacek? Permission? That'd get you over that two-timing roper?"

  "Two-timing, mother fucking, son of a bitch is more like it.” Aubrey spat in the dirt. “Now you shut up about Chet. Ain't none o’ your business."

  "Like hell it ain't."

  "I said drop it, kid,” Aubrey hissed.

  "It's my business on account o’ it's standing between me and the finest-looking cowboy I ever met."

  "You don't know nothin’ about me."

  "I know how much you care about these horses. I know how well you treat them. How gentle. I want some of that for me. Can you treat me like that?” Kelly smiled at him, green eyes flashing. “You feel this? The pull between me and you? I felt it that night at Jake's. You wanted me then, I could see it in your eyes. And you want me now."

  Aubrey reached out, grabbing Kelly by the lapels of his vest, and pulled their faces close together. “Shut your mouth."

  Kelly didn't even flinch. Nothing seemed to rattle this kid. “Make me."

  Aubrey shoved Kelly to the floor of the barn. He landed hard in the wet dirt, the wind rushing out of him with a soft whoosh. After getting his bearings, Kelly sat up, brushing the dirt off his hands and looked up from the floor. “What are you so angry about, cowboy?"

  Everything. Nothing. Not being man enough to admit he'd made a mistake? Not being smart enough to have seen it coming, or brave enough to let it go? Being utterly humiliated in front of his friends, some of whom could and should have told him what was going on with Chet, but didn't?

  He looked down at Kelly and offered a hand up. He shouldn't have shoved the kid. Aubrey wanted to apologize, but the words weren't coming. He tried, his eyes on Kelly, hoping maybe Kelly'd see what he couldn't say. And then suddenly it didn't matter because Kelly moved in so close their belt buckles clashed together.

  "Let it go, cowboy,” Kelly breathed softly in his ear. “He ain't worth this much o’ your energy. He ain't worth this much o’ your time. Let him go.” Kelly leaned into him, backing Aubrey against Guin's stall door. “Let him go,” the kid whispered again, leaning in close, and Aubrey felt that pull Kelly had been talking about. He felt the tension start to drain from his shoulders, felt his anger begin to dissolve, and he felt his cock start to fill.

  Aubrey stared at him. “Where the hell did you come from?"

  Kelly just grinned back at him and then leaned up, asking for a kiss. Aubrey didn't give a damn about his job just then; he wanted a taste of those lips and a share of Kelly's skin. He kissed Kelly deeply this time, finally free of the painful crush of need and emotion he'd unleashed on the kid that night in his truck. Now he could feel the warmth of Kelly's soft lips and taste his breath, both of which were tinged lightly with root beer and barbeque sauce. He let his hands roam down Kelly's back and pulled the kid closer, trying to keep it slow, but finding himself wanting more.

  "Loft,” Kelly suggested, his voice smooth. Aubrey nodded and followed him to the ladder. Aubrey had slept up here a handful of times, and he and Chet had fucked up here a handful more than that. But it didn't bother him now; Chet was the farthest thing from his mind.

  "My bunk.” Kelly made his way over to a metal bunk bed, but Aubrey shook his head.

  "Broke one already,” he said, and dragged Kelly's mattress onto the floor.

  Kelly laughed, pulling his shirt off over his head. “Damn, cowboy."

  Aubrey took a good, long look. He reached out his hands to touc
h the smooth skin over Kelly's tight abs, tanned from the long, hot summer sun. He slid a hand upward and stroked his thumb over a dark nipple and Kelly sighed and cupped Aubrey's cheek, leaning in to kiss him. Slowly, the music from the indoor ring faded and the warm, dusty smell of the loft was replaced with a mix of Kelly's musky aftershave and hard-earned sweat. The combination made Aubrey more lightheaded than whiskey could have. Aubrey shed his shirt and they both tossed their jeans aside and stood, naked as truth, touching and feeling and getting hard, until they were both moving, bumping hips so their cocks rubbed together as they kissed.

  Aubrey made a move then, stepping back from Kelly and stretching out on the narrow mattress on the floor. He watched Kelly's cock, which strained away from his stomach and curved just slightly toward one hip, as the kid fished a foil package and a small bottle of lube from his jeans.

  "Expecting me?” Aubrey grinned, and Kelly tossed him the rubber.

  "More like hopin’ and prayin'.” The kid's voice was rough with need and made Aubrey ache for him.

  "Want you.” His fingers were trembling as he rolled the condom over his swollen prick.

  "'Bout time, cowboy.” Kelly knelt beside Aubrey, and didn't seem to care much that his bare knees were resting on nothing more than the hard floorboards. He bent over Aubrey's chest and his tongue rasped across a nipple as his fingers worked their way around Aubrey's cock.

  "Yes,” Aubrey said, but his mouth was dry and the word came out so quietly he wasn't sure Kelly had heard it. He cleared his throat and tried to speak louder. “Kelly, yes."

  "Shhh. Hush, cowboy,” Kelly's tone was gentle, but his voice was rough. “I know."

  After that, there wasn't anything left to say. Aubrey groaned and writhed under Kelly's nimble fingers and sweet lips. He let Kelly touch and stroke him, and the next thing he knew the kid had straddled him and was sinking down onto his cock. Aubrey gasped at the sudden heat and rolled upward impatiently, his hands taking Kelly firmly by the hips.

  Aubrey had seen the kid ride a horse, and to be truthful, he'd seen more skillful riders. But this particular gait suited Kelly and he rode like a man born to it. Slowly at first, then faster, until Aubrey could no longer keep his hips still. He planted his heels in the thin mattress and bucked.

  "Ah, fuck!” Kelly shouted. “More. Jesus, Aubrey, please, more!"

  Aubrey's whole body felt the weight of Kelly's words and his hips never rested on the mattress again. He rolled them, thrusting upward and watching Kelly's face twist into a grimace. The kid gripped his own prick and stroked hard. “Fuck, Aubrey! Fuck, yes!” He squeezed his eyes shut as he came, his spunk soaking his chest and hand.

  Kelly's display had done little to ease Aubrey's own need, however, and as the kid fell forward, collapsing toward Aubrey's chest, Aubrey caught him and flipped them over. Kelly's back hit the mattress harder than Aubrey had intended and the kid grunted heavily, but as Aubrey pulled back to see if the kid was okay, Kelly shook his head and pulled on his shoulders. “No, no,” he protested. “Come on, Aubrey, do it."

  Fucking hell. Goddamn, fucking hell.

  Aubrey laid into the kid, driven hard by his need until he felt the fire in his belly finally explode. He gasped as he came, but there wasn't enough oxygen in the world to fill his lungs just then. There were streaks of light behind his eyelids and his body shook, but when he finally began to relax he felt arms around, him, pulling him close.

  "This is better than angry, cowboy,” Kelly said, and Aubrey could hear him grinning.

  "This is better.” Aubrey agreed. So much better. He found himself hoping for a dry day tomorrow so he could take the kid home with him.

  * * * *

  He was dozing, comfortable and warm, and it took a minute for Kelly's voice to cut through the haze.

  "...coming up!” and then he felt Kelly shove at him. Aubrey blinked and stood up, completely disoriented, but Kelly shoved his jeans at him. “Put them on, you idiot!” Kelly's voice was a ragged whisper, but he was laughing under his breath and grinning like a fool.

  Oh, shit.

  Aubrey pulled on his jeans and looked around wildly for his shirt, but he'd only just pulled it over his shoulders when the men started to appear on the ladder.

  Jim's head popped up first. “Oh, Jesus Christ!” he swore. “I'm gonna give you love birds two minutes to move it on outta here, y'hear? Let's go."

  "Oh, come on, Jim, we got our pants on!” Kelly was still laughing.

  There was a mix of grumbling and laughter below them while Aubrey and Kelly finished dressing. Kelly seemed to find the whole thing pretty damn funny, but Aubrey wasn't nearly so amused. Jim was standing there with his arms crossed waiting on them and looking none too pleased, and Aubrey knew this would get back to Haley for sure. The kid leaned up to kiss him, but Aubrey shook his head and started for the ladder.

  "Let's go, boys, we're waitin'!” someone shouted.

  "Yeah, let's go, fuckin’ homos!"

  "Shut up, Ed.” Ray's voice cut through the men's laughter.

  Fucking Edward. Aubrey had been looking for an excuse to light into him since the day Ed let that fencepost fall on Chet. He skipped over the last half of the ladder and jumped to the dirt below, his boots kicking up dust as he strode toward the man. “Got somethin’ to say, friend?"

  "Oh, we're friends now? Why can't you fuckin’ homos keep it in your pants for five fuckin’ minutes?"

  Aubrey didn't bother answering. He ignored Kelly's shout behind him and let his fist fly, catching Ed square in the jaw and sending the man reeling backward. He didn't let the guy recover at all, stalking after him and hauling him back to his feet. “You're a low-life, Ed,” Aubrey said, hitting him again. There was more than Chet driving his anger now, there were years of humiliation surging through his fists; worlds of hurt and shame fueling his temper; and then there was Kelly, who he suddenly felt needed to be protected from Ed's hateful mouth. Without alcohol in him Aubrey was even more dangerous than usual.

  He felt a set of hands on his shoulders and another on his arm, but he shrugged them all off angrily and hauled Ed to his feet again. “What's the matter, friend? Ain't gonna hit me back?” There was blood at the corner of Ed's mouth, and it ran down his chin and pooled in the dirt next to Aubrey's boots. He sent his fist hard into Ed's belly and the man doubled over, his breath leaving his body in an audible whoosh.

  Two men caught Ed as he stumbled backward, dragging him toward the stalls and out of Aubrey's reach. Two more men tried to get hold of Aubrey's arms and Ray got in his face. “Enough, Aubrey!” he heard Ray shout through his blind rage. He was panting hard and his pulse roared in his ears, but Ray stood his ground and held Aubrey's eyes. After a while Aubrey nodded, trying to calm down, trying to breathe deep. He'd given Ed what had long been comin’ to him, and he was satisfied.

  "Shit,” he sighed. “What have I done, Ray?"

  Ray shook his head.

  "You okay, cowboy?” he heard Kelly ask, and he looked over Ray's shoulder at the kid, nodding slowly.

  "Yeah."

  Kelly looked shaken but visibly relieved. He started to smile at Aubrey, but it faded quickly and his eyes went wide. That was the last thing Aubrey remembered seeing that day.

  Aubrey felt the unforgiving sole of a boot hit him hard in his back and he fell forward. He landed on Ray, but Ray couldn't support him with his bad hip and they both went down in the dirt. Kelly yelled something and Ray shouted back, but he couldn't focus on either of them, as the toe of another boot landed solidly in his gut, knocking the wind out of him and forcing him onto his back. He squinted upward, shielding his head with one arm and got a blurred view of a cowboy standing over him before being hauled to his feet by other men he didn't see.

  He heard a horrible ringing sound and saw a blinding light before everything just went black.

  Chapter Nine

  Aubrey woke up slowly, but everything was all wrong. Breathing hurt. His head was muzzy and pounding. One eye wasn't
opening for him at all and the other he managed to open just enough that he was immediately blinded by sunshine. He groaned and turned his head away, closing his eye again.

  "Aubrey?"

  That was Kelly's voice. Aubrey opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out.

  "Wait, wait. Don't talk, cowboy, hold on a minute.” Aubrey's ears were ringing slightly, but he heard Kelly shout out that he was awake and then the sound of heavy boots on a wooden staircase. Wasn't his place, he didn't have any stairs. “He's trying to talk."

  "Get ‘im water."

  Haley. Holy Mother of God, it was Haley. Aubrey wanted to hide, pretend he was still asleep, anything but face Haley's disapproving stare.

  "You're awake, eh, boy?” Haley asked, and Aubrey groaned at the pressure the man put on his chest. “Yep. Would you look at that, you sure is. An’ here I had ya’ pushin’ up daisies."

  "Water,” Kelly said, and Aubrey winced as his head was lifted slightly and a glass put to his lips. He opened his mouth, but Kelly tipped the glass a little too far and Aubrey ended up choking on it. Through the searing pain in his belly and the pounding in his head as he coughed, he heard Haley shouting for Thelma and Kelly apologizing over and over. “Aubrey, I'm sorry. Christ, I'm sorry. That's gotta hurt, cowboy, goddamn. I'm sorry, brother. Shit.” Aubrey reached out and got hold of whatever part of Kelly he could reach.

  "Shut up, kid,” he said, and the whole room went quiet. His voice was rough, but his words were clear and after a moment of stunned silence, both Kelly and Haley started to laugh.

  "Thelma, woman, see t’ this here cowboy ‘fore the kid kills ‘im, please?"

  Thelma sat on the bed beside him and touched Kelly's arm. “S'all right, Kelly, you just set yourself down and let mama see to your man."

  Aubrey heard Kelly sigh.

  "Let him go, Aubrey."

  Reluctantly, he let Kelly go, but not before giving him a tight squeeze with his fist.

  "Ain't goin’ nowhere, cowboy,” Kelly reassured him.

  Thelma talked to him softly as she worked and her tone was soothing, even if her words weren't. He'd been out for a full day. Doc Cathcart had come and gone, twice, and would be back tomorrow. Aubrey was at the Big House, in their guest room, and like as not to be there a while. The horses were fine; they'd pulled Denny back from the range to run the barn for now with Kelly helping out. Kelly, she said, was doing a mighty fine job and they were glad to have him.