Cowboys Down (9 page)

Jasper sighed with relief when he saw he’d been right. Almost. Calum’s dog appeared from nowhere, her tail wagging.

“Hi, Bessie.” Jasper rubbed her head and the dog arched her shoulders so he’d scratch behind her ear. “We friends now?”

She rolled onto her back and presented her belly. Jasper laughed. He snagged a blue towel from a neat pile on a table and laid it on a lounger. Bessie moved to lie in the shade beneath. Jasper gave her a final stroke and then slid into the cool water, dropping beneath the surface to wet his head. He enjoyed swimming, liked imagining life was different as he did a slow crawl for lap after lap. Jasper didn’t often get the chance to swim in the open air under warm blue skies.

As he swam, he thought about Calum. What was he supposed to do when he saw him? Pretend the kiss, the touching, the offer to suck his cock had never happened? Treat him with civil cordiality? Spend the rest of the week riding as the third wheel with Ring and the sparkly twins? Jasper thought he’d rather not ride, except being on Zander had reminded him of what he’d been missing.
And it is my fucking holiday.

If there were fewer guests than usual, maybe he could ask Erik to send him out with Gunner.

Swimming relaxed his body but not his mind. Jasper couldn’t stop thinking about Calum, wanting Calum. It had been a long time since Jasper had been with anyone, which was probably the reason for his current slobbering. If it hadn’t been for the fact that Calum seemed just as keen until his sudden departure, Jasper would be worried he’d lost his touch. There
had
been something between them. So why hadn’t Calum appeared at lunch.

Jasper hoisted himself out of the pool to find Bessie still lying under his sun lounger and Angie sitting on the one next to it threading beads on a strand of thread. She was a really pretty girl, but Jasper could see there was something not quite right in her expression, as though the world she saw was not the same as the one seen by everyone else. She wore a pink T-shirt and denim cut-offs, and looked longingly from Jasper to the pool.

“I’m not allowed in the water without supervision,” she said.

Jasper dropped onto his lounger and brushed the water from his face. “Can you swim?”

“Yep, I can swim real good. Calum taught me.”

He glanced around before he asked his next question. “Is Calum on the ranch?”

“He had to go to Jackson to do stuff for Mom and Dad.” A cascade of small blue beads fell onto the pool deck and Angie groaned. “Ah darn it.”

Jasper bent to help her pick them up. “What are you making?”

“A necklace.”

He could see that the beads would drop off the end again if she didn’t enlarge the knot in the thread. “Can I do something to help?”

“Sure.”

He made the knot bigger and handed the beads to Angie for her to rethread. She chewed her lip as she concentrated, and although Jasper had thought she’d chat, she didn’t. Tempted as he was to ask questions about Calum, he resisted.

Angie attached fastenings to the necklace and hung it around her neck.

“That looks lovely,” he said and she beamed.

“I’m going to make you something now.”

Oh God.
“Oh good. Thank you.”

Jasper lay back on the lounger, turned his face to the late-afternoon sun and closed his eyes.

The next thing he knew cold water hit his face and he jerked upright. Bessie emerged growling from under his lounger as Jasper coughed, blinking drops from his eyes.
What the fuck?

“No,” Jasper snapped at the dog as she darted toward Matt and his ice bucket.

Melissa shrieked with laughter and jumped in the pool to join Janie and Paul. Matt put the bucket down and dived in before Jasper could follow up on the reconsidered inclination to let Bessie bite him. He stood and picked up his sodden towel. A bracelet made of blue beads had been tied around his wrist. He must have been in a really deep sleep not to notice Angie doing that.

“You’re mean,” Angie shouted and Jasper jerked around. She stood at the edge of the pool with her hands on her hips and glared at Matt. “You shouldn’t do things like that.”

“Don’t you like being splashed?” Matt took in a mouthful of water and spat it at her. It fell well short.

“You’re a big bully,” Angie said.

Jasper stepped up to her. “Where should I put my wet towel, Angie?”

She opened her mouth as if she was going to shout again and then sagged. “I’ll show you.”

Jasper followed her. “Thank you for my bracelet. It’s very beautiful. No one’s ever given me anything like this before.”

She smiled at him. “It’s a glow-in-the-dark friendship bracelet. I like you.”

“And I like you too.”

“Will you sit next to me at dinner?”

“If you like.”
Especially if Calum’s nearby.

“You can never take the bracelet off otherwise we won’t be friends anymore.”

Christ.
“Okay.” It wouldn’t kill him to wear it for a week.

Calum arrived back just before dinner. He fed Bessie, checked on the horses, cleaned himself up and found everyone drinking and chattering in the lounge. No sign of Jasper. Was he asleep or avoiding him? Calum sighed.

“Will you go knock on his door?” Vera asked him.

Crap, had it been
that
obvious he’d been looking? “Whose?”

He supposed he deserved the look Vera gave him.

“Okay, okay. I’ve put your supplies in the kitchen,” Calum said. “Dad’s papers are in his study. I won’t be eating. I met a friend from college in Jackson and we’re going for a drink.”

Vera stared straight at him and Calum had the uncomfortable feeling she knew what he was planning. But she’d tell his father the lie and it would come better from her than him. Calum hurried into the guest wing and headed for Jasper’s room. He hoped Jasper wasn’t pissed off with the way he’d left this morning.
Of course he is, you prick.
Calum swallowed hard and rapped on his door. Harder when he didn’t answer.

When Jasper appeared, the jolt of lust hit Calum like a cattle prod. The English guy wore jeans and a creased white linen shirt, a thin blue tie loose at his neck and no shoes on his feet. He still looked like a model, an unattainable dream.

“Oh God, I fell asleep
again
?” Jasper dragged his fingers through his hair. “Have I missed the meal?”

“Want to go out to eat instead?” Calum blurted. “There’s a bar in Landon that does good burgers.”

“Okay.”

The fast response smacked Calum right in the groin. He smiled and was rewarded with one from Jasper.

“I’ll tell Vera you’re not hungry, that you want to sleep and would like Angie to leave another sandwich. I need them to think you’re still here.”

He watched the Adam’s apple shift in Jasper’s throat before the guy nodded. Calum didn’t want to have to sneak around, but there was no choice.

“I’ll show you the back way out. Wait in the silver truck and I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”

“Should I duck down out of sight?” Jasper’s voice was cool.

Shit, have I pissed him off?
“Would you mind?”

Jasper slipped on a pair of shoes and tucked his wallet in his pocket. “Do I need a jacket?”

“We only have to walk across a parking lot. You’ll be fine.”

Jasper went to the bed and arranged a couple of pillows under the cover. “Years since I’ve done that.”

Relief flooded Calum at the sight of Jasper’s grin. He led the way downstairs, through the basement gym and out the emergency exit. Bessie bounded over.

“Stay, girl,” Calum said and turned to Jasper. “Truck’s unlocked.”

Once he was sure no one but Bessie saw Jasper get into his truck, Calum raced back to the dining room. His father glared. Roast chicken had already been served. Calum headed for Vera and bent his head to her ear.

“He’s skipping dinner. Jet lag.”

“Where’s Jasper?” Angie asked in a loud voice. “He said he’d sit by me.”

“He’s tired, sweetheart,” Vera said.

Angie’s shoulders slumped.

“You can leave him another sandwich,” Calum told her.

“Okay.” Angie looked so disappointed, he felt guilty.

Vera caught his arm as he turned to leave. “Careful,” she whispered.

“Now where would be the fun in that?” he whispered back.

Vera rolled her eyes.

There was no sign of Jasper in the passenger window of the truck, but when Calum pulled open the driver’s door, he saw him curled on the backseat and his cock twitched.

“Let me drive off the ranch and then you can sit up front.”

As soon as they cleared the gate, he pulled up at the side of the road and Jasper came to sit next to him.

“Sorry and thanks,” Calum said. He almost added “please” in there too, just in case.

“The subterfuge is because of your father?” Jasper asked.

“He won’t accept that I’m gay. I feel bad about asking you to keep this quiet, but—”

“It’s okay. I don’t want to make trouble for you. Well, not in that way.” Jasper grinned.

Calum gulped. “How about your folks?”

“My father’s dead. My mother’s in denial. She wants grandkids.”

“Ah. Well, it’s not impossible.”

“No, not impossible,” Jasper said.

They were both quiet for a moment and Calum wondered if Jasper was thinking the same as him, that he’d like kids one day and a home to share with a guy he loved. Maybe Angie could live with him and help look after the children. Which reminded him.

“Angie thought you were going to sit with her at dinner.”

Jasper groaned. “She asked and I said I would. I’ll apologize tomorrow.”

“Talking of apologizing, sorry I rode off this morning without saying anything. I’m fairly certain my father called to find out where I was and then sent Ring to make sure I was showing you the appropriate flora and fauna.”

Jasper laughed.

“I’m not Ring’s favorite person. Hell, I’m not anyone’s favorite person.” Calum sighed. “So are you riding again tomorrow?”

“Not if I have to go out with the dazzling duo. Unless I can take duct tape.”

Calum chuckled.

“Is this a gay bar we’re going to?” Jasper asked.

“Christ no. There are no gay bars in Wyoming. Well, none that I know of.”

“Really?”

“If you’re different out here, you keep your head down and your mouth shut because people don’t want to know. I went to a high school where no one spoke about being gay—well, not in a positive way.” Calum didn’t imagine it to be like that in England.

Jasper frowned. “That must make life difficult.”

“Sometimes. Especially if you can’t keep your cock under control. So I could be in trouble tonight.”

Jasper’s face creased in laughter, and Calum wanted to find a place to park, and then drag him into the backseat by his tie and kiss him.

“Did you have a problem at school because you were gay?” Jasper asked.

“Not at school. I wasn’t gay when I was at school.”

“What?”

Calum sighed. “Well yeah, I was but I wasn’t. I dated girls.” He glanced across at Jasper but he didn’t look surprised.

“Do you still date women?” Jasper asked.

“No.” Calum pulled into the parking lot of the bar. “I don’t date anyone.”

When he got out of the vehicle, Jasper came round and sidled up to him. “So no kissing, no fondling and no touching while we’re in here?”

“Not unless you want us to get beaten up.”
That tie might do it, all on its own.

Jasper straightened. “Are you serious?”

Calum nodded.

“Have you ever been—?”

“I’m hoping for plenty of kissing, fondling and touching later.” Calum prayed Jasper accepted the deflection.

“I’ll think about it.” Jasper stalked toward the bar.

Calum chewed his lip. He wasn’t sure if Jasper was upset he had to go back in the closet for the night. Maybe it hadn’t been a good idea to bring him to a place where they couldn’t be themselves. But then Jasper turned and beckoned him, mischief in his eyes, and Calum felt a weight lift from his chest.

He noticed the beaded bracelet dangling around Jasper’s wrist as he reached for the door. “Angie’s work?”

“I’m forbidden to take it off. It glows in the dark. She snuck it on while I dozed by the pool.”

Calum laughed. “Asleep again?”

“I was thinking I might not get much rest later.”

The look in Jasper’s eyes was unmistakably carnal. Maybe coming here was a mistake. Calum should have just found somewhere they could fuck this out of their systems. He sucked in his cheeks and followed the guy in. Jasper was here for a week and that was it. This could be nothing more than a fling and Calum had to be satisfied with that.

They sat at the bar. Jasper ordered a beer, Calum asked for orange and tonic water. No way would he risk getting caught DUI. He had enough problems in his life. He hadn’t been in this bar for years, but that didn’t mean he’d remain unrecognized. The Neilson Ranch wasn’t the biggest spread, but everyone in the county knew his father. No matter how far Calum drove, how obscure a place he picked, it only took one person to report he’d been in here and add the detail that he’d been sitting too close to a guy.