Chapter Eighteen

The inside of Travis' truck smelled like him. The subtle spice in his aftershave and a little bit of the garden hung in the air around Jaron as he drove back from his mom's house. A duffle bag full of a weekend's worth of clothing rode shotgun beside him. Maybe it was a little presumptuous to have more than one night's worth. He'd pack it all up and move into Travis' house if he knew for sure it wouldn't set Bobby back. Bobby had come a long way. The fact that he'd stayed with Travis when Jaron left to get their stuff proved that. Of course, Travis had Bobby's full attention with the horse lesson, so that helped.

Travis had Jaron's full attention too.

Jaron smiled and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. He wanted things he'd never really thought about before. And yeah, maybe the other shoe would drop at some point, and Travis would break his heart, but he planned to live in the moment.

Jaron's smiled died when he turned down the Heath's driveway and saw Bobby on the back of a horse. Travis stood inside the circular corral against the fence on one side, and Jackson stood on the other. The horse walked around in the middle with Bobby on its back. Bobby had leather reins in his hand and a huge smile on his face.

Jaron parked the truck and shut off the engine. He didn't take the time to get the duffle bag out of the truck. Instead, he made a beeline straight for Bobby.

His distress must have shown on his face, because Travis climbed over the wooden fence and closed the distance between them before Jaron could reach the rink. Jaron tried to get around Travis, but he blocked him. "Don't make him scared of horses just because you are."

"I'm not scared of horses, Travis." Okay, that was a lie. The size of a horse intimidated him enough that he wouldn't ever ride one.

Travis gave him a disbelieving look. When Greg came out of the horse barn, Travis turned. Jaron saw it as an opening and made to go around Travis again, but Travis thwarted his efforts with a hand on his shoulder. "Hey Greg, would you do me a favor and saddle Rupert?"

"Sure, boss." Greg went back into the barn, disappearing in the dark.

When Travis turned, he bent, getting right in Jaron's face. The eye contact was unavoidable when Travis held him by the shoulders. Travis kept the grip firm but gentle. "I know I told you I'd ride with him the first couple times, but he's learning quicker than that. The kid's a natural, probably because he doesn't fear them. The second that changes is when he's gonna get hurt."

Jaron narrowed his eyes. "That horse weighs a ton."

"A little over a thousand pounds, actually." Travis smiled as if he thought Jaron's attitude ridiculous. "Poca is the gentlest horse I have."

Jaron crossed his arms over his chest and didn't say a word. His eyes widened when Greg led a big chestnut horse over to them and handed the reins to Travis.

Travis had to pry Jaron's arms apart, but when he did, he held his hand and put it to the horse's nose. "This is Rupert. He's big but gentle. Nothing but sunshine and rainbows for Rupert here."

"Hey Jackson, you got things covered over there?"

Jackson raised a hand. "Bobby, Poca, and I are just fine. You two go have fun."

"Bring Bobby to my house after you're done, will ya?"

"Yep." Jackson never took his eyes off Bobby. "Can you turn her on your own like Travis showed you?"

Bobby nodded, and then concentrated. A second later the horse turned around as if on its own. Bobby smiled down at Jackson.

"Yep, you'll be training horses before ya know it." Jackson took his hat off and closed the distance to Bobby. The horse stopped, and Jackson put his hat on Bobby's head. The thing fell around his eyes, but Jackson adjusted it. "Now you're a proper cowboy."

Bobby beamed. When he reached up to touch the hat with one hand, Jaron sucked in a breath. He wanted to shut his eyes against the horror of Bobby falling off. When he stayed on, Jaron breathed again.

Travis chuckled. "See. Told ya. Natural." Jaron turned his gaze on him, narrowing his eyes again but didn't speak. If he opened his mouth, he'd yell, and the horse Bobby sat on might spook. "It's your turn for a lesson. Come on."

Jaron would have taken a step back if not for Travis gripping his arm. "No way."

Travis pulled him closer until he was close enough to put an arm around his waist. "We'll ride together. You'll be perfectly safe. I promise."

"Is Bobby safe with Jackson?" Jaron hated to ask, but he didn't know Jackson. Not really, anyway. Jaron would trust him if Travis did, but he still didn't like leaving Bobby with a stranger.

"Perfectly. If you want anyone teaching Bobby how to ride, it's Jackson. But I'll keep our ride short if you want."

Oh God. "Okay." Jaron shut his eyes and shored up his courage. When he opened his eyes, Travis kissed him.

Travis let him go, chuckling. He guided Jaron around until they stood next to the horse. "Put your left foot in the stirrup."

Travis let go of the horse's reins and gripped Jaron around the waist.

Jaron did as he directed, grabbing for the saddle horn when Travis lifted him. Jaron sucked in a breath and slung his leg over. The horse shifted underneath him, and he held his breath, letting out a little whimper.

Travis handed him the reins. "Scoot forward, baby."

Jaron couldn't move. Every brain cell in his head shut down and all he could think about was the fact that he had control of a gigantic animal. And it didn't scare Bobby at all? How?

Travis moved his foot out of the stirrup and gripped the saddle horn before swinging up into the saddle.

The horse moved again, shuffling on his feet to get used to the weight.

Travis wrapped a hand around Jaron's waist.

Jaron waited for him to take the reins, but he didn't. He felt Travis' breath on the back of his neck.

"Rupert knows English better than some humans. He also knows how to read your body, so you'll need to relax in your seat. The tighter your legs, the more he thinks he'll need to walk."

"That's why he keeps moving around?" Jaron confused the poor guy. He leaned against Travis, his back to Travis' front, and let his legs relax. Sure enough, Rupert stopped shuffling around. "If he knows how to do all that, why do we need the reins?"

Travis chuckled. "With Rupert, we don't really. Most of the time they're just used to give us more control."

"So Rupert is a smart horse."

"He had a good trainer." Travis pointed to Jackson. "Rupert is Jackson's horse. His baby."

"Why does he keep him here?"

"His dad has Alzheimer's disease. Diagnosed a couple of years after Jackson graduated high school. He's getting worse but still wants to help around the farm. He sells horses they don't even own anymore. Jackson's afraid he'll accidentally sell Rupert. He keeps others here too."

"That's horrible about his dad." Jaron looked Jackson's way, seeing him in a new light.

"Yeah, it's tough on Jackson." Travis made a clicking noise in his throat, and Rupert started walking.

Jaron tried not to stiffen. His heart pounded, hard and fast. The longer the horse walked at a leisurely pace, the more relaxed Jaron got. "So you just click, and he walks."

"Yep. If you smooch, he trots. We won't ask him to do that, though. Telling him to whoa will get him to stop." Rupert slowed down as soon as Travis said it. Travis chuckled and clicked again. "To turn him I use my feet and legs."

"Okay."

"You let me do the turning for now, though."

"Okay."

Travis must have used his feet because Rupert turned, heading to the fields.

"This is peaceful."

"And now that you're on a horse, you're more comfortable with Bobby being on one."

"Yes. Smart ass."

Travis chuckled. "Being right wasn't the goal."

"I know. You're looking out for Bobby." Jaron would have stood in Bobby's way at some point. They both knew it. "Thank you."

Travis kissed Jaron on the cheek. "You don't have to thank me for looking out for Bobby. I always will. The kid won't be able to get rid of me now."

Jaron turned his face up, rubbing his cheek against Travis'. "You're great."

Travis chuckled. "You say that like you're surprised."

"I didn't know you in high school. We never had much to do with each other."

"I didn't pay attention to much more than alcohol in high school."

"Your friends were assholes." Jaron smiled. The skin on his neck held a warmth he wanted to curl up against and cuddle.

"Sometimes they still are. Jackson not so much anymore."

"Why is that?"

"He grew up a lot since his dad became ill. He and I have that in common."

Jaron tilted his face up, wanting a kiss, which Travis gave him, although the angle was awkward. "He's family." Jaron began to understand that Travis thought of anyone close to him as family.

They walked Rupert up into the yard of a big lodge cabin-type home with huge windows making up half of the front, and a porch that wrapped around two sides. A grill and picnic table sat on the porch along with a blue rocking chair. Through the windows, Jaron made out a gray fireplace, but not much else because the windows were tinted just enough that the low lighting didn't allow for it. With the forest as a backdrop, the house was the perfect picture of a cozy home.

"This is your house?"

"Your house now and our house soon."

Travis stopped Rupert in the center of the yard and got down.

Jaron followed his lead, Travis helping him with hands around his waist.

"How was the riding lesson?" Travis pressed against him, Jaron's back to Travis' front. His arms snaked around Jaron's waist, and he held him close.

Jaron leaned into the embrace. His hands slipped away from Rupert's saddle. He placed them over Travis' where they met at his middle. He forgot about everything except the way Travis made him feel. "I feel like we've been dancing around each other forever."

Travis kissed his cheek. "Since that day in the grocery store."

"Yeah. Probably." Jaron turned in Travis' arms, facing him. "What do you say we do something about it tonight?"

Travis' eyes sparkled with mischief, and his arms tightened. "I'd say the anticipation is gonna kill me."

Jaron grinned. "Would a kiss keep you alive?"

"It would help."

Jaron placed a hand on the back of Travis' neck, pulling him down. When their lips met, Jaron didn't waste time with slow. He licked across Travis' lips, letting him know what he wanted. When Travis licked back, Jaron opened, inviting him to take the kiss to the next level.

Travis didn't tease but let Jaron know exactly what he'd like to happen next. Naked and horizontal came to mind, ramping up the desire. He trailed a hand down Jaron's back, running it over his ass.

Jaron whimpered and rose onto his toes, wanting more, wanting Travis' touch on his bare skin. It didn't help, so he tightened his grip on Travis' neck, trying to get him closer but they were already mashed against each other. Still, Jaron wanted to crawl inside Travis and live there forever. Nothing short of that would satisfy him.

"Go home, Rupert." Jackson's voice made Jaron jump.

He ended the kiss and turned to see Jackson holding Bobby's hand as they walked into the yard.

Rupert moved away from them, going right over to Jackson. He stood in front of Jackson and Bobby, nudging Jackson on the chest with his nose.

Bobby giggled. "Why is he doing that?"

Jackson had nothing but affection for the horse. That much was clear. "He wants my attention. Wants to go for a ride." Jackson petted Rupert on the nose. "And don't think I didn't notice you're still here instead of back in the barn."

Bobby's face lit up. "We can go for a ride?" Jaron knew at that moment that he'd never get the kid off a horse again.

Jackson met Jaron's gaze as if asking permission to take Bobby for a trail ride. Jaron nodded.

The puppy growling got his attention. He looked down to see him pulling at Travis' pant leg. "I don't think he likes you so close to me."

"He best get used to it." Travis grinned and reached down, lifting the dog into his arms. He handed the pup to Jaron and walked over to Bobby.

Jackson swung up into the saddle and then reached for Bobby when Travis lifted him. Rupert walked back the way they had come. "You two got an hour before we're back."