Chapter Twenty

Aseries about catching snakes in South Africa held everyone's attention.

Travis would classify the man catching the snakes as a brave idiot, but he probably saved people's lives. Especially the little children who ran around in brightly colored shirts and bare feet. He rubbed his thumb across Jaron's arm even as his gaze trailed to the recliner. Jackson had the plush chair stretched out and his big sleeping form was equally as stretched out. Bobby lay on him, having fallen asleep first. "Those two made fast friends."

"Jackson's an easy person to like. He was in high school, too." Jaron smirked. "Not for me, but most everyone else."

Travis kissed Jaron on the temple and thought about the last part of what Jaron said. "Jackson worshipped Brad back then."

"Everyone did. He supplied the alcohol." Jaron met his gaze, shaking his head. "Anyone who drinks as much as Brad did in high school used it to drown out something."

Travis lifted his eyebrows at Jaron's perceptiveness.

"Tracy self-medicated. A lot. She had a traumatic childhood and never really dealt with it properly." Jaron leaned into Travis. "As shitty as her life had been growing up, she still managed to protect Bobby at the end. I'll always be grateful to her for that."

"You miss her." Travis hadn't asked about Tracy, and he should have. Jaron needed to talk about her and what happened if he wanted to come to terms with it. Travis remembered that stage of grief. The struggle for acceptance had been the hardest for Travis to get through and maybe in a lot of ways he still hadn't accepted his father's death.

"I think about her every day."

"Yeah. That won't change." Travis smiled. "Dad would have liked seeing Bobby today. I can practically hear him in my mind. ‘That kid has something special. He'll be training show horses before you know it. You mark my words.'"

Jaron smiled. "Tracy would have liked seeing him on the horses too. She always thought I coddled him too much. Maybe she was right."

"Nah, Bobby needs a balance. She helped create that."

Jaron turned his face up and kissed Travis. "So did you today."

Travis met Jaron's gaze, studying him. "And how do you feel about that?"

"You said you wouldn't push Bobby away if things didn't work out between you and me. I trust you."

Jaron might have used the word if but he meant when. As much as that rankled, Travis couldn't do anything about it but stay the course. The last thing he wanted to do was comment on Jaron's lack of faith and start an argument. Instead, he changed the subject. "You getting hungry?"

Jaron nodded and smiled. "When Bobby and Jackson wake up, they probably will be too. No doubt all that riding worked off a lot of calories."

Travis' cooking skills needed work, but he could grill a steak okay. He bet Jaron did a better job, though. Cupping Jaron's cheek, he stared into his eyes. "I'll make it worth your while if you make dinner."

Jaron snorted out a laugh. "How?"

Travis wiggled his eyebrows. "With more alone time."

"We'll do that even if I don't make dinner. Try again."

"Maybe that's all I have."

Jaron pursed his lips and stood. "Not good enough."

"Not good enough. Why you…" Travis went for a playful swat at Jaron's butt, growling.

Jaron dodged at the last minute, running for the door as he did. Travis gave chase, which was probably what Jaron's aim had been all along. He laughed as he left out of the front door, running across the yard. Travis closed the distance between them easily.

When Travis wrapped his arms around Jaron, he laughed like a loon. Travis worked it so Jaron lay underneath him on the ground. He held Jaron's arms over his head.

"You're getting me dirty." Jaron chuckled through the words.

"Getting you dirty is the fun part."

"Travis." Jaron squirmed around, trying to upend him.

Travis held firm, grinning the whole time. He held Jaron's wrists in one hand, freeing up his other to tickle.

Jaron laughed, wiggling around even more, trying to get away from the gentle torture, all the while screaming in laughter. His shirt bunched around Travis' hand as he tickled Jaron's side.

At some point, the puppy grabbed hold of Travis' sleeve and pulled at it.

And then he had a boy lying across his back. He stopped tickling Jaron long enough to see Bobby smiling at him, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

"I know what I want to name the puppy."

"What is it?" Jaron's face flushed, and he still chuckled.

"Brownie. Jackson said it fits." Bobby turned his head toward Jackson over his shoulder. "It fits, right?"

"Yep." Jackson chuckled from where he stood, leaning against the porch railing.

When Bobby turned back to them, he looked at Jaron, his expression turning serious. "Papa, I'm hungry."

"Travis and I were negotiating dinner. I'll be right in as soon as I get what I want."

Bobby climbed off him. "Huh-oh. That means Papa's gonna yell. Probly."

Travis tickled him again. "You gonna yell, baby?"

Jaron laughed hysterically and shook his head.

"Are you gonna make dinner?" Travis stopped until Jaron caught his breath.

Jaron grinned and shook his head again, so Travis continued his torture. "Okay. Okay."

"And what's your price?" The next time Travis stopped tickling Jaron, he worked his hand up to cup Jaron's cheek. "My attention later?"

"A bath in that whirlpool tub you have. And your attention."

"Deal." Travis let Jaron go. When he stood, he pulled Jaron up with him and led him back into the house.

Jaron went right to the kitchen and pulled the refrigerator door open.

Travis sat on one of the stools.

Bobby wanted on the stool next to him, so Travis helped, picking him up and settling him in the seat.

Jackson sat on the stool next to Bobby.

Jaron had spices and red meat in front of him, but he didn't prep them. Instead, he met each one of their gazes. "You guys need a job to do."

"I'm fine right here. I like watching you." Travis winked.

"Me too. The view is rather cute." Jackson grinned.

Reaching around Bobby, Travis smacked Jackson in the back of the head. He didn't hit him hard enough to hurt, and that was confirmed when Jackson chuckled. "Stop flirting with my man."

Jaron blushed. He tried to brush off the effects of Travis and Jackson's teasing with an eye roll, but he didn't quite succeed. "Jackson, will you go start the grill?"

"Sure thing, cutie." Jackson's stool slid across the floor.

Travis stood when he passed and grabbed Jackson around the neck in a headlock. The dog barked at their roughhousing and Bobby giggled in delight. "Get your own guy. Leave mine alone."

"I would, but yours is so pretty."

Travis tightened his hold, making Jackson chuckle.

"Travis, let Jackson go and make a salad." Jaron's dad voice laced through the command.

Letting Jackson go, he pushed him on the shoulder when he straightened up.

Jackson chuckled and headed outside.

Travis plucked Bobby off the stool. "What goes in a salad, little man?"

Bobby looked to Jaron for the answer.

Jaron smiled at him. "All the veggies."

Bobby met his gaze again and looked at Travis expectantly. "I think we can manage that. But first, we gotta give your dad a kiss."

"Because you like him?"

Travis knelt, getting on Bobby's level. "I have a secret." He crooked a finger as he whispered the comment. Travis winked at Jaron when their gazes met.

Bobby's arm came around Travis' shoulder, and he leaned against him. "I can know?"

Travis nodded. "I more than like your dad."

"Do you more than like me too?"

"Oh yeah. We're full on to love, you and I." Travis kissed Bobby's cheek.

Bobby grinned and nodded before hugging him.

Travis lifted him into his arms.

Bobby laid his head on Travis' shoulder and stuck his thumb into his mouth.

Travis closed the distance between them and Jaron.

Jaron had all kinds of emotions floating around in his gaze. Before he could voice any of them, Travis gripped his nape with his free hand and pulled Jaron in for a kiss. It was just a press of the lips and not designed to heat the blood. When he pulled back, he said, "I meant every word. Just so we're clear."

"Okay."

Bobby pulled his thumb out of his mouth and grabbed Jaron's face in both of his hands. He planted one on him quickly before letting him go. "Now we make a salad?"