2. Benny

CHAPTER TWO

benny

I walk into my house, and immediately my stomach starts growling because a delicious smell is coming from the kitchen. I follow my nose and find my mom at the stove and my dad walking in from outside, dirty from a hard day’s work.

“Men,” my mom says with a shake of her head and a soft, light laugh. She stirs whatever she’s cooking, and it smells delicious. “You’re late. Both of you.”

She’s not mad though. Mom rarely gets mad. “Sorry, dear,” my dad says and smacks a quick kiss to her lips. “I’ll go clean up, and then I’ll set the table.”

“And do the dishes after dinner,” she calls after him as he leaves. He winks at her, and I just grin. My parents are one of those couples who, even after twenty years of marriage, are ridiculously happy.

I mean, it’s kind of gross how happy they are sometimes. My dad is the strong, silent type. Some may even think he’s grumpy, but not for her. He smiles for her. And for me. I kind of take after my mother—okay, I do a lot. We both give that man a run for his money, but I don’t think he’d have it any other way.

She points her spoon at me after she finishes stirring what I now see is gravy. Hell yes! Country-fried steak for dinner with her homemade gravy. “And why are yoou so late today, mister?”

I chuckle and go to the sink to wash my hands before I grab the plates and set the table for dinner, even though Dad said he’d do it. He looks pretty wornout, and I like to help where I can. “Had to stay back and help clean up the field.”

She cackles now, tossing her head back and then shaking it. “Rowan again?”

I frown as I put a plate down on the table where my dad sits. “Yes. Why can’t he just block for me? I swear.”

She laughs again. “It’s always the Kincaid boy with you, sweetie. You two have been at it for years.”

“That’s because he’s a dickhead.”

Mom frowns, but it’s Dad who playfully smacks the back of my head as he walks in, freshly showered. “Watch your mouth around your mother.”

I can’t and don’t argue with him. I just smile over at my mom. “Sorry, Mom. He’s a total poopy head.”

She rolls her eyes at me, but I see that smile on her face. She thinks I’m funny. My dad kisses her again before we make our plates and sit down for dinner. After dinner, Dad does do the dishes, and I head out to the barn to do my nighttime chores.

I’ll be right back here at the crack of dawn, but I don’t really mind it. There’s something soothing about the animals I tend to. I mean... the goats are total dickheads, just like Rowan—headbutting each other and me—but I like them still. I make sure to pet all four of them before locking them up for the night.

We have several cows, and I make sure to tell each one goodnight. I lock the chickens up in their coop, then check on the horses in the barn before finally going inside and taking a shower.

I climb into bed and look up at my ceiling, going over the day in my mind. Tomorrow is the first day of my senior year. How did I already get here?

I hope football goes well. I need it to be the best season, but if Rowan doesn’t remove his head from his ass and just block for me, I don’t see how it can be. Which really pisses me off.

Rowan.

Unfortunately, just thinking about him makes my brain flash to seeing him today... naked. His hard, tanned body, fully nude. I don’t know what the hell is going on with me or why my dick stirs, thinking about it.

It’s just a naked dude. I’ve seen it. All of it. Many times.

But there’s something about Rowan naked that just won’t stop hounding my mind. It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten off. I’ve been busy. That has to be it. I’m just super horny.

I mean, I’m an eighteen-year-old guy. Of course, I’m basically constantly horny.

It’s not a big deal.

I tell myself that as I reach into my side drawer for the bottle of lotion I keep there as I push my briefs down, freeing my rapidly filling cock. I’m hard as hell and leaking by the first lubricated stroke from the root to the tip. And yes, Rowan is still on my mind.

All that strong muscle, flexing tight. The power and the strength. He could easily toss me around if he wanted to. Shit. Do I want that?

I groan too loudly, my cock jerking in my hand as I reach the tip and make a twisting motion.

Holy shit. I think I’d like that.

Whatever. I toss my head back on the pillow, my body bowing off the bed with intense pleasure as I just lean into it, stroking my hard cock at a punishing pace and heading toward the finish.

And when I come, it’s Ronan’s firm, bare ass that’s on my mind.

Well, that’s new. But it’s fine. I’m not going to spend all night worrying about the fact that I just came harder than I ever have in my entire life to the image of my ultimate nemesis in life totally naked.

Nope. Not at all.

Yeah, I spent most of the night tossing and turning, going over why the hell Ronan was my jerk-off material last night. I don’t get it. I’m not into guys. I love soft curves. I can respect strong muscles, but they don’t make me horny.

At least, they didn’t used to.

I’m tired when I go out to the barn and do my chores, barely taking any extra time to talk to the animals—which is so unlike me, but I can’t seem to get my head on straight this morning.

I shower quickly and thank my mom for the breakfast burrito she hands me on my way out to my truck and then head to school. But as fate would have it, I don’t get very far before I see the object of all my current obsessions on the side of the gravel road.

He has the hood of his rusty old truck propped up, and he’s leaning over it, checking something. I should just drive on by. He probably would if the situation was reversed, but I just can’t seem to do that.

I pull off the road, right in front of his truck and hop out. “Trouble?”

Rowan’s green eyes flare with annoyance when he sees me. “Nope. Just love standing out on the road, looking under the hood.”

Grumpy bastard. I should just leave. “You need a ride to school? You can’t be late or Coach will ream you.”

“We don’t have practice this morning.”

“You get a tardy on your school record, and you’re going to get reamed,” I supply because he knows this. Coach let us know exactly how important he thinks school is and has made it clear he won’t allow us to slack in that area and still play for him.

He slams the hood on his truck with a huff and turns toward me. “Fine. You’re a real pain in the ass, you know that, McBride?”

I just toss my head back and laugh but don’t argue. I lead him to my truck, trying really hard not to study his profile when he climbs in. His dark hair is trimmed pretty short, and there are some lighter streaks in it from the summer sun. His jaw is masculine and sharp with higher cheekbones than I ever realized.

His lips are almost pouty, and for one very misguided, stupid second, I wonder what they’d feel like on my own.

“Did you forget how to drive, McBride?” His green eyes are shimmering with mirth as he faces me, his lips quirked up in a smirk.

Huh. He’s kind of beautiful when he’s not scowling.

His right eyebrow lifts, and I can tell he’s getting frustrated, so I finally get the truck going and get us heading toward school.

Yeah, I’m really not sure what to make of this thing with Rowan Kincaid.