Chapter 12

Ryder was looking forward to spending the evening with Nolan. He wasn't examining his feelings on the matter too deeply. It was just a coincidence that he'd woken this morning to wood so hard he came before he even moved. That hadn't happened in ages.

Getting his libido back was encouraging. The year after Amy died, he hadn't masturbated once. When he spoke to a doctor about it at some random appointment, the man had said it wasn't surprising. That grief stole more than just sleep. He'd looked it up and found that some people spent years not having any desire at all, so he didn't feel bad about it. But waking to cum shooting out of his cock from rubbing up against the sheets was bizarre.

He pushed the errant desire out of his mind as he drove home. The date with Nolan wasn’t why he was excited. Not that it was a date. They were just two friends hanging out. There wasn’t anything to the evening. He hung out with guys all the time.

Ryder didn't investigate that thought too much because he'd only hung out with guys and their wives when he and Amy moved to Atlanta. He might have done a few nights with the guys, but that had been when his friends had gotten married, and it had only been five or so times.

He pulled up into his driveway as Nolan was stepping from his car. Excitement pulsed through him, and his lips spread into a wide grin.

“Hey,” he shouted as he stepped from his truck.

Nolan was in his driveway, a smile on his face. “Hey yourself. Do you need help with the chores before we eat? I noticed Mavis is complaining.”

Ryder chuckled. “She’s always complaining. I’ll toss a bit of hay into the pen and let her munch on that while we eat. I’ll do the stuff after dinner when it’s not so hot.”

"I can help you then. I'd like to learn, so if you're away for a weekend or something, I don't hear Mavis bawling all night."

He laughed again. He hadn't laughed this much since Amy. He felt so much better when he was talking to Nolan. It didn't make sense, but it was like they had some weird connection. Maybe this was the brother he never had and needed. That would explain the feelings and thoughts, well, some of them.

“Sure. After we eat and sit around for a bit. You know, once the night starts to cool, we’ll come out and I’ll show you what I do.”

“Sounds good. I’m going to go change. Come in when you get over to my place.”

“Sure. I picked up a bottle of red wine.” Heat filled Ryder’s face as he admitted that he’d been thinking of Nolan during the week.

“Oh, that’s great. Thank you.”

Ryder lifted his chin and flashed a smile, knowing he was playing with fire, but he liked the way it made his body tingle.