Chapter Five

"And we're just going to stay in the corpse pose a little longer," Hope said, her voice soft and melodic. "Feel your body where it connects with the mat. Let's close our eyes and do a wellness scan. Keep your inhales and exhales nice and natural. If you find discomfort, try to direct your breath there to ease the tension. This was a tough session, and you all did amazing. Let's do three deep cleansing breaths and start the scan."

Rueben's legs still shook even after the extended cooldown session. He'd pushed himself extra hard, leaning into every pose like his life depended on it. Considering the rigorous sex he planned to have with Seth later, it just might. There was no telling how long it would be before they could sneak off again, so he wanted to leave lasting impressions they could both enjoy. Anticipation hummed through Rueben's skin, canceling out the calming side effects he achieved through yoga. His hands shook as he rolled his mat and tucked it away in his tote. Rueben still had twelve hours until their rendezvous, and he'd be a hot mess if he didn't get himself under control.

"You okay, Rue?" Keegan asked.

He offered his best assuring smile. "Just low blood sugar, I think."

"You didn't eat much at breakfast and were quieter than usual."

"Are you calling me a big mouth?" Rueben teased.

Keegan rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Go ahead and deflect, but I know something is off." He slung his tote over his shoulder. "Are you upset about seeing Burke at dinner with his ex last night?"

A correction rose swiftly to his tongue, but Rueben blocked it before it could roll off. Seth didn't meet Oliver for dinner. He'd come for the chance to see Rueben, and Oliver invited himself to sit down. Rueben had leaped to a similar conclusion as Keegan's until he'd studied Seth's body language and Sven filled them in on the couple's history. Seth had stated unequivocally during their conversation that Rueben had nothing to worry about on that front, but he couldn't stop viewing Oliver's visits to Last Chance Creek as a double threat. Maybe Seth didn't have lingering feelings for his ex, but could the same thing be said for Oliver? Rueben saw the way Oliver watched Seth when he went to the bar to talk to Kerry. From his vantage point, he'd only seen the man's profile, but the smile and softening around the eyes told Rueben everything he needed to know.

"It definitely put a damper on trivia night," Rueben admitted. But the hours that followed afterward were incredible, and he was hours away from touching and tasting Seth again. There his hands went to shaking again.

Keegan slung an arm around his shoulders, and Rueben silently implored him not to offer trivial platitudes. He wouldn't meet someone better. Things didn't have a way of working themselves out. Rueben didn't believe this was the universe's way of saying he wasn't meant to be with Seth. He didn't want to hear about shitty timing, and luckily, his friend didn't say any of those things. "Let's hit the diner and drown our frustrations in carbohydrates."

Rueben chuckled. "I need to take a detour over to the wellness shop to restock my supplies for my second favorite way to relieve tension." He leaned closer. "Zero calories, carbs, or guilt."

Keegan blushed and dropped his arm. "I'll chat with Hope while you shop."

Even after nine months of therapy, Kee still repressed a majority of his natural instincts and urges. Rueben looked forward to the day Keegan fully embraced everything beautiful about himself and would happily push him in Kerry Hart's direction if it sped the process along. Keegan wasn't ready to date, and Kerry sounded allergic to the idea, but the attraction between them was off the charts. Thinking of ways to help his friend got Rueben's mind off his own problems and steadied his hands as he looked at the lubricants and massage oils for sale. The shopping led to flashbacks of the previous weekend he'd spent with Seth and the many ways they'd shared their bodies. A wave of heat and longing hit Rueben hard enough to make him stagger back a step.

Pull yourself together, Sanchez.

He grabbed two types of lubricants and a scented massage lotion. Oils were too slick and messy for his taste. Rueben glanced over at Keegan as the young lady at the register rang up his purchases. His friend had stepped away from Hope to stare out the large window at the front of her studio. Something was really off with Keegan's body language, and Hope darted a concerned glance in Rueben's direction.

"That'll be twenty-nine ninety-seven," the clerk said. "Cash or charge?"

Rueben kept his eyes on Keegan as he handed his debit card to her. He had to look away to return his card to his wallet and stuff his purchases in his tote, but then he made a beeline for his friend. Keegan was as still and stiff as a statue as he stared unblinkingly out the window. Rueben eased up beside him and settled a hand on his friend's shoulder. Keegan's muscles twitched under his fingers, but that was the only acknowledgment of Rueben's touch or presence. His mind had swept Kee someplace scary, judging by the looks of it. Rueben scanned the sidewalk in front of the shop, looking for the cause. He hadn't seen this catatonic-like response from Keegan in six months or more.

"What's wrong, Kee?" Rueben kept his voice soft and calm, trying to ease his friend out of his fugue.

Keegan blinked rapidly, then trembled like a frightened animal. He turned wide, wet eyes toward Rueben and reached out with both hands. A wave of helplessness buckled his knees as fat tears dripped down Keegan's face.

"Sweetheart," Hope said, stepping up to bracket Keegan's other side. "What's wrong?"

Keegan blinked a few more times, sending more tears streaking down his face. "I thought I saw him."

"Who?" Reuben and Hope asked at the same time.

"Brother Cain."

It took Rueben a minute to understand the reference to one of the Salvation Anew members. Most of the cult had remained at the compound after Mick and Quinton Carson fled. They'd been brainwashed to only do what they were told. No one had given them permission to leave, so they'd stayed behind even when food became scarce. Law enforcement interviewed those members thoroughly after their rescue and reunited them with their worried families. That was when Seth and the feds learned that two high-ranking cult members, who went by Brother Cain and Brother Abel, had also fled in the days after Mick and Quinton left. Keegan named Brother Cain his chief tormentor, and the potential sighting had triggered all his past trauma.

Rueben tensed and scanned the streets again, looking for a man with an overlong beard and an unkept appearance who dressed in simply constructed clothes, but no one fit the bill. Then he realized the guys could've easily altered their appearance by shaving, styling their hair different, and wearing normal clothes. "Where, Kee?"

"Across the street." He blinked and shook his head. "I don't think it was really him. Something about the guy's posture just reminded me of that bastard." He shivered hard again.

"Do you need something warm to put on?" Hope asked.

Keegan shook his head and smiled pitifully at her. "I'll be fine, but thank you." Then he turned his wounded eyes back to Rueben. "The guy had white-blond hair like Cain and had a similar build. But he wore regular clothes and didn't have a beard. If I could've seen his eyes, I would've known for sure. They're the coldest blue you'll ever see. It's like he's dead inside. But this guy wore a ball cap low on his forehead."

Rueben shivered from the description, and fear for his friend gripped his heart. "Kee, do you think we should call Sheriff Burke?"

Keegan swiped the tears from his face. "There's nothing to tell. I zoned out and didn't even see where he went." Embarrassment lingered in his expression before he averted his gaze.

Hope rubbed small circles on Keegan's back. "Do you want me to get security camera footage? If mine didn't pick him up, others along the street would have."

Keegan shook his head. "No. I feel so silly. There's no way Cain would risk coming back here."

Rueben wasn't nearly as certain, and law enforcement would definitely like to talk to anyone that remotely resembled either man. But he didn't want to push the issue and make things worse for Keegan. They'd just need to be vigilant.

"Brendan taught me how to deal with triggers in therapy." Keegan closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and exhaled slowly. When he met Rueben's gaze again, he looked calmer. "I used to see them everywhere I looked, but I haven't had one in a few months. This just caught me off guard. Please don't make a fuss. I'm okay."

Rueben nodded, but he wasn't taking chances. "Let's head back to the ranch." Keegan would feel safer there and could work through the aftereffects in private.

"What about getting something to eat?" Keegan frowned.

"We both know there are plenty of leftovers at the ranch. I call first dibs on the spaghetti and meatballs."

Keegan smiled at that. "You're going to turn into a meatball." He reached for Rueben's hand. "You're not going to hover all day long, are you?"

Reuben snorted. "Of course not."

But he kept his eyes on Keegan over the next several hours. They ate leftover spaghetti and meatballs in his cabin and binge-watched the newest season of The Traitors, including the postmortem episodes and the reunion. The combination of food, friendship, and faithless traitors worked wonders for Keegan and distracted Rueben from obsessively watching the clock. Or that's what he thought until he unintentionally drew attention to himself during their weekly poker game at Ivan and Rory's house.

"You got someplace you need to be?" Owen asked as he dealt the next hand.

"No." Rueben's answer came fast—too fast—and all eyes in the room shifted to him. "Why?"

"You've checked the time at least three times in the past fifteen minutes," Ivan said.

"I counted four times in the past twelve minutes," Rory countered.

Everyone picked up their cards to assess their hands, except for Finley. His keen green gaze locked on Rueben and didn't budge. His scalp prickled and beaded with sweat, but Rueben kept a neutral expression on his face.

"You've seemed off for a few weeks," Finley said softly. "Quieter and a little withdrawn."

"Is this an intervention, or are we playing poker?" Rueben kept his tone light so as not to betray how cornered he felt.

Kieran settled his hand on Finley's shoulder and leaned in close to whisper something in his boyfriend's ear.

Fin sighed heavily and nodded. "Kings or better to open."

The remark shifted the attention back to the game, but Rueben could tell the gears were still turning. That was one downside of living on the ranch. The proximity and camaraderie ensured everyone knew each other's tells. Another potential pitfall was the monitored activity at the gate. Cash got an alert every time someone entered a code to open the gate or a visitor pushed the intercom button. He would not be able to come and go without detection. Rueben had bragged about winning over the sheriff's heart to everyone on the ranch. He'd tried to walk that back a little but would need to have a cover story ready if someone asked where he'd gone. Rueben gave himself a good mental shake. He'd gone out on dates or to the Thirsty Cowboy plenty of times. There was no reason for anyone to assume he was carrying on a torrid affair with Seth. Relax, idiot, before you trigger another inquisition.

Keegan nudged him softly with his elbow. "Tyler opened."

Rue looked at his cards for the first time and fought back a smile when he saw three aces in his hand. The rest of his cards looked like shit, so he kept his aces and threw the rest of his cards away. Finley dealt him his replacements, and Rueben could not believe his luck when he revealed his fourth ace. If he believed the universe sent signs, this one would flash neon. One good way to shift the narrative was to trounce everyone at poker. They stopped worrying about his demeanor and whined about his winning. Rueben had never been one to fret about the poker night outcomes, but he had to admit, it felt good to rake in all the chips. They cheered when he tapped out instead of cajoling him to stay. Each of them was eager to change their luck and remained at Ivan and Rory's place when he left to get ready for his night with Seth.

Rueben took great care with his grooming, wanting every part of his body to look and feel exceptional. He didn't expect to stay at the cabin longer than a few hours, so he didn't pack a bag. His hands shook with nerves, and he dropped his keys on the way to his truck. Rueben huffed a breath of frustration as he retrieved them. Calm the fuck down, Sanchez. The lights were still on at Ivan and Rory's, so it seemed the poker game was still in full swing as he drove by. Momentary doubt flittered about his psyche like a pesky gnat, but Rueben batted it away. He refused to believe that something that felt so good could be wrong. That conviction tripled when he saw Seth's personal truck parked in front of the old fishing cabin.

The excitement coursing through him was stronger than his previous visit, and the knowledge that they fit so well together tempered any anxiety before it rose to the surface. Rueben strode to the front porch with sure steps, not fretting about first-time awkwardness this time. He didn't have to wonder if he should tilt his head left or right when they kissed or worry that Seth would get turned off if his exuberance got a little rough. Rueben knew to tilt right and that Seth found his eagerness endearing and a real turn-on. His heart knocked as hard against his ribs as his shoes trod on the rough porch boards. Seth had left the door open a few inches, so Rueben skipped knocking and let himself inside the cabin. The interior was completely dark except for a few flickering candles placed around the living room to illuminate the naked man on the sofa, who stroked his dick as if he didn't have a care in the world. Seth had propped one foot on the edge of the cushion to access his pucker, where he worked two glistening fingers into his ass.

The air whooshed out of Rueben's lungs, and his messenger bag hit the floor. His mouth suddenly felt arid, but he swallowed hard and rasped out, "Fuck me, Seth."

The answering smile was as indulgent as the self-play. "Oh, I will, baby, but I want fucked first."

Rueben's big, strong alpha man loved to surrender his sweet ass for a hard pounding. Dick throbbing in anticipation, Rueben moved toward the sofa. But first, he was going to deep-throat that thick shaft until he gagged on it. He didn't drop to his knees immediately, though. Rueben stood between Seth's splayed thighs and watched the play of powerful abdominal muscles flexing beneath taut skin. He thought about drawing out a striptease until a pearl of precum rolled over the edge of Seth's swollen cockhead and dripped down his shaft. Rueben's mouth watered to taste him, so he hastily shed his clothes and tossed them on top of Seth's.

He'd just kneeled when he remembered the supplies he'd left in his bag. Seth had the lube handled, and a quick check on the couch revealed a long strip of condoms.

Seth watched him through heavy-lidded eyes. "Hurry, or this will be over way too soon."

Rueben settled himself between splayed thighs and pushed Seth's busy hands out of the way. "And whose fault is that for starting without me? You know how much I love to use my mouth to work you up to arousal."

"It's my favorite way to wake up in the morning." Seth reached forward and cupped Rueben's face, brushing his thumb over the lips that would soon be stretched around his cock.

Another bead of precum pearled at his slit, and Rueben couldn't resist tasting him any longer. He cupped Seth's thighs to anchor himself, then took that gorgeous drooling cock straight down to the root, not stopping until he buried his nose in neatly trimmed pubic hair. Seth's rich taste exploded on Rueben's tongue, making his mouth water. Rueben inhaled deeply to get high on Seth's masculine smell. He nuzzled his nose against the short curls, swallowing around the throbbing shaft in his throat until Rueben's eyes watered.

Seth released a savage growl and fisted Rueben's hair. "Get your dick inside me now before I come. I promise I'll plow your face before the night's over."

Rueben faced a big dilemma—about nine inches—and momentarily wrestled with how to proceed. The last time he'd gone down on Seth, he ended up on his back with his big man straddling his face and fucking his mouth with a ferocity that rivaled a porn star. Taut balls slapped Rueben's chin before Seth emptied them on his face and neck. Just the memory of it made his dick throb and leak. But the last time he'd fucked Seth, his tight ass had milked an orgasm so strong it nearly caused Ruben to black out. When faced with such a dilemma, how was he supposed to choose?

The need for air won out, and he eased back from the thatch of pubes to breathe through his nose.

Seth brushed his thumb over Rueben's stretched mouth, then brushed an escaped tear off his cheek. Stormy gray eyes pleaded with Rueben before Seth voiced his need. "Please, baby. I want to feel your dick stretch me open. I need the connection of having you inside me. It's what I crave the most when missing you becomes a physical ache."

How the hell could Rueben resist that, and why would he want to? Rueben took his sweet time pulling back, slurping and licking the remaining eight inches of cock. He didn't just roll on a condom and plow Seth's sweet ass, though. Rueben cupped Seth's face and kissed him, pouring all the longing and need into a kiss that stretched on for long minutes. He wanted to convey with his body what his heart already knew. This was real. They were real. This level of passion and nonverbal communication between lovers was the shit he stumbled across on the ranch all the time, but Rueben couldn't publicly claim Seth like the rest of his friends had done. Acknowledging their reality didn't dampen his mood; it heightened the awareness and made Rueben more present in the moment. He clocked and stored each of Seth's reactions, from small things like goose bumps to more obvious responses, like trembling muscles and verbal cues.

Rueben slowed his caresses as the need to claim Seth amped up inside him. The stronger the urge, the longer he wanted to draw his pleasure out. Rueben kept his eyes locked on Seth's as he rolled the condom on.

"Finally," Seth huffed. He grabbed his thighs and pulled his legs toward his chest, submitting fully. Seth's slicked pucker pulsed, and Rueben couldn't resist tracing its crinkled rim. "Teasing time is over." Seth's growl was sexy, and it was cute how he thought he was in charge.

Rueben answered by sliding his middle finger into his tight heat, straight down to the second knuckle. He wiggled his digit to massage Seth's prostate and smiled when those dark eyes rolled back in his head a little. "Want this?"

Seth answered with a slutty moan and a white-knuckle grip on his legs. Rueben leaned forward as if he were going to suck Seth's cock into his mouth but turned his head at the last moment to sink his teeth into those tightly bunched thighs. Seth's gasp was pure indignant pleasure, and Rueben responded by licking the offended flesh as he repeatedly pegged the responsive prostate.

Seth broke the kiss and panted softly. "Baby, please. I want to come on your cock."

Rueben wanted that too, and one day, he'd slip inside Seth with no barriers between them. He eased his finger free and lined his cock up to Seth's entrance. Desperate eyes begged him for mercy, and Rueben couldn't hold back any longer. He bottomed out on the first plunge into Seth's tight channel, and they cried out together. Rueben gripped the couch cushions on either side of Seth's head, then used his hips and thighs to give his man the ride of his life.

"You sexy bastard," Seth snarled. "Make me—" His breath hitched, and his body tensed all over. Seth's mouth fell open, and his hole clamped around Rueben's cock. They dropped their gazes to his dick in time to see it splatter cum all over his stomach. Seth gulped a lungful of air and panted, "Come."

Rueben gritted his teeth until his jaw hurt and snapped his hips forward in short bursts until Seth stopped spurting spunk all over himself. He'd painted his stomach and chest, tagged his chin and mouth, and dribbled onto his pubic hair. Seth's pink tongue swept over his lips to collect his seed. That image pushed Rueben over the edge, and he pulled out and yanked the condom off. He fisted his dick and glazed Seth's cock, balls, and asshole.

"Fuck, you look good enough to eat," Rueben said. He reached up and swiped his fingers through Seth's spill, then massaged their combined release into Seth's balls, taint, and around the puckered rim. "Doesn't look like we'll need the massage lotion I brought after all." Seth would eventually wash their essence away, but Rueben enjoyed knowing his man smelled of them for a little while.

They kissed like they'd never get another chance. Everything was so damn primal between them—the messier, the better. Seth pushed Rueben back on the rug he'd kneeled on and covered him with his hot, sticky body, trapping their softening dicks between them. They continued to kiss like their lives depended on it, and just maybe they did. A person faced multiple types of deaths in their lifetime, and not all of them physically erased one's existence. Not being able to claim Seth, to touch him and love him openly, was a kind of psychological death. Rueben was determined they'd survive it because something amazing waited for them on the other side. There had to be. Reuben held him tighter, just in case they wouldn't get another chance for a long time.

Maybe Seth had similar thoughts, or maybe he'd picked up on Rueben's distress because he caressed Rueben's cheekbones with his thumbs and gentled their kiss. He eased back after several moments and looked into Rueben's eyes. Their shared orgasm eased the tension in Seth's body, but it didn't diminish the intensity in his gaze. It felt like Seth could see right into Rueben's soul and pull out his secrets. He was mostly an open book to Seth, but there were three special words he wanted to hang on to until the time was right. Sneaking away for raunchy cabin sex wasn't it.

"You okay?" Seth's dark, rough voice practically reduced him to a puddle of Rueben soup on the floor.

"I'm great. Exactly where I want to be." Then he felt a twinge in his lower back and grimaced. "Okay, maybe I imagined us in that creaky bed of yours instead of a floor, but the sentiment is still sincere. With you is where I want to be."

Seth carded deft fingers through Rueben's hair, then placed a tender kiss on his forehead. "I might've replaced the bed since the last time you were here."

Rueben arched a brow as doubt performed a round-off and three back handsprings through his postcoital bliss. "Been entertaining a lot, have we?" Rueben kept his tone light and teasing, but Seth didn't need cop vision to see through his bullshit.

He pushed back to sit on his haunches. "Nope. The bed coughed and died in a cloud of dust after you left." Seth unfolded his body and rose to his feet with more grace than someone his size should possess. He leaned forward and held out a hand to help Rueben up. He didn't need the assist but would never refuse his touch. Instead of letting go when Rueben was on his feet, Seth used their connection to tug him closer. "And a part of me always knew that weekend wasn't the end for us." Seth cupped Rueben's face and lowered his head. "You're not alone in this, baby. I want us too."

"We'll find a way." Rueben rose up onto his tiptoes and kissed Seth before he blurted more than he should.

They retrieved their clothes, and Rueben grabbed his bag while Seth blew out the candles. One day, he'd get to see where Seth lived, but Rueben would always have a soft spot for the old rustic fishing cabin. Seth made a detour to the tiny kitchen at the back of the house while Rueben headed down the hallway to the bedroom. He bit back a laugh when he laid eyes on the new bed. The old option was a full-sized that fit better in the cramped space, but Rueben had feared for their safety every time they got horizontal on the thing. The new bed had a gorgeous wrought iron frame and nearly took up the entire room.

Seth came up behind Rueben and kissed the back of his head. "It's beautiful, right? The craftsmanship on the metal frame made me think of your ironworks."

Rueben spun around and came chest first with a cold pint of ice cream. "You watch my Redemption Ridge YouTube episodes?"

Seth swallowed hard and nodded. Rueben wondered what the admission cost him. "On repeat. You're so fucking talented."

Reuben's cheeks heated, and his heart swelled. "Thank you."

Seth's lips curved into a wry smile. "You've amassed quite the fan club. There are a lot of thirsty fuckers out there, but only I get to drink you down."

Rueben basked in his possessiveness. "Damn right." He dropped his gaze to the butter pecan ice cream. "Are you planning to share?"

Seth held up his other hand to reveal two spoons.

Rueben cast another glance at the ornate frame and plush bedding. He met Seth's gaze again with a quirked brow. "You know what's going to happen if we get in that bed?"

Waggling his brows, Seth lowered his head to kiss Rueben's mouth. "Damn right." He placed a metal spoon against Rueben's nipple and made him hiss in surprise. "You're going to feel me for days."

Rueben's stomach quivered, and he felt lightheaded. "And you'll hear about it every night on the phone."

Seth's smile went from playful to sinister. "Which will only make my dick harder and my imagination dirtier as I talk you through nightly orgasms."

Rueben furrowed his brow and tapped a finger to his lips like he was actually considering Seth's proposition. He lowered his hand and met Seth's gaze head-on. "So, a win-win for both of us?"

Seth advanced forward, forcing Rueben to step back into the bedroom. "God, I can't get enough of you."

"I feel the same way, but I got to get back to the ranch before daybreak to avoid unwanted questions about where I disappeared to after poker." His legs bumped into the mattress, and he sat down.

"Set an alarm on your smartwatch."

It sounded like a simple solution to the problem, and it would've been if Rueben remembered to follow through before he crashed into Seth's arms after ice cream and another round of sex. One minute, he was telling himself to set the alarm before he nodded off, and the next, birds were chirping outside the cabin at sunrise. He flung himself out of bed with rapid-fire curses that woke Seth, which really said a lot because his man gave new meaning to sleeping like the dead.

Seth jackknifed up in bed like someone had hit him with those defibrillator paddles they use on heart attack victims. "What happened?"

"I overslept." Rueben pulled on his jeans and stuffed his underwear in his bag. "It's almost seven o'clock."

"Fuck! I'm sorry." Seth threw back the covers and helped gather the rest of Rueben's strewn clothing off the floor.

The ranch was more relaxed on Sundays with minimal chores, but everyone would gather for breakfast within the hour. His tardiness or absence would get poked and prodded until he fessed up to where he'd been. Rueben had never lived like a monk. He'd gone out plenty of times, but he never missed breakfast. He tugged his shirt into place and slid his feet into flip-flops. That's when he noticed Seth's naked body and morning wood.

Rueben stalked the short distance between them and took Seth's erection in hand. "I'm not sorry, and I'm certainly not leaving you in this condition." Rueben dropped to his knees.

"You don't—" Seth let out a lusty groan when Rueben swallowed his cock. "Fuck, baby."

It was the sloppiest blow job he'd ever given, but Seth's quaking legs and promises of retribution made it all worth it. Rueben had taken himself in hand and jerked off onto the floor, but he'd let Seth handle the cleanup after he left.

"Call me later," Rueben said.

Seth pulled him close for one last kiss. "Looking forward to it."

Reuben dragged himself away and headed to his truck. The cabin was pretty isolated from the nearest neighbor, but it sat closer to the access road than he would've liked. Maybe he should park around back next time. Rueben wouldn't waste stamina trying to convince himself he wouldn't return to the cabin, but he would use the energy to come up with a viable reason he was late for breakfast. He felt prepared when he breezed into the dining room like his tardiness was a weekly recurrence.

"Morning, everyone." With his back to the room, he piled his plate with the scrumptious offerings from the buffet.

"Did you oversleep, Rue?" Keegan asked.

Could it really be that easy? Rueben plastered a smile on his face as he turned to face everyone in the dining room. "Kicking your asses at poker wore me out." He took his seat beside Keegan and reached for the syrup. Rueben's gaze collided with Cash's, and his mentor watched him with a pensive expression. There was no one he respected more, and the ranch boss didn't amass his fortune by falling for anyone's bullshit. Rueben might reach a point where he had hard choices to make, and Cash's watchful gaze said he was quickly approaching that crossroad.