Uncle (6 page)

Travis watched as he made his way through the gate toward the front yard. He needed to stop his mind from going where it was going. He had no right being attracted to the man. He would be gone as soon as his job was over and the last thing he needed was for Jason, or worse yet, himself, to become attached to Evan.

As he heard the car start from out front, he turned and smiled at Jason and then jumped in the pool.

CHAPTER SIX

Travis shoved the sandwiches in the saddle bags and then added a couple bottles of water to another. He made sure he had two blankets and even tossed in a few carrots for the horses to enjoy.

He was nervously watching for Evan, knowing he shouldn't be anxious, but he couldn't help wondering how his meeting with the Steeles had gone. He knew better than to come right out and ask, but he hoped that Evan would give him a few clues as to what was said.

"Uncle Travis, can I bring Dexter?" Jason held up his blue stuffed dog.

"You can. But you have to make sure not to drop him. Do you want me to put him in the saddle bag until we get there?"

"No. He knows how to ride. I will hold him in front of me. I promise he will hold on tight."

Travis smiled, wondering how many times he would have to get off his horse to pick up the stuffed animal. "Alright, as long as you're sure he will be safe."

"Promise." Jason came over and sat on the bottom rung of the corral. "I'm glad Evan is coming back. I like him."

"Me, too. Did you know he goes to the same church we do?"

"Does he have any kids in Sunday school?"

Travis laughed. "No. I don't think he has any children."

"That's too bad. You two could talk and I would have someone to play with." Jason kicked his feet, causing a cloud of dust to rise up.

"Easy there, Cowboy. You don't want to spook the horses, or worse yet, get dust in the saddlebags and all over your dinner."

"I saw you wrap them, they won't get dirty, but I don't want to scare the horses."

Travis checked each saddle on last time as he heard a car pulling up. Moving around the horses where he could see, he smiled as Evan climbed out, dressed more casual this time in Levis and a dark blue t-shirt.

"Evan!" Jason ran toward him.

Travis couldn't make out what was being said, but whatever it was, Evan threw back his head and laughed as Jason grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the horses. Travis watched pleased that Jason seemed to like Evan.

As they neared, he heard Jason telling Evan about the kittens one of the cats had given birth to in the barn earlier in the day. Travis had to fight back a laugh as Jason cast a glare at him when he told Evan that he wasn't allowed to touch the kittens yet.

"Uncle Travis says I have to wait until their eyes open."

Evan nodded. "That is best. If you touch them too soon it can scare them and make them sick."

"You want one when they get bigger?" Jason asked.

"I don't think so. My apartment is pretty small and I work all day. Maybe it's better for them to stay here. They have a lot of room to run and play. Besides, I bet there are a lot of mice out in those fields that they can chase." Evan glanced up at Travis and smiled. "Hi."

Travis stepped away from the horses and set his hand on Jason's shoulder as he faced Evan. "Glad you could make it."

"Been looking forward to it all day." He glanced at the horses. "You need help with anything?"

"Nope. We are ready to go." Travis looked down at Jason. "You need the bathroom before we go."

"No. I just went."

Travis didn't doubt they would stop along the way for him to go again. "Okay then. If you two are ready, let's go."

The sun was just starting to dip into the west and he hoped that the deer would keep habit and slowly wander down to the shaded base of the mountain where he had seen them a number of times. "Okay then, let's get you up." He reached down, hooking his hands under Jason's arms and hefted him up on the horse.

Jason sat in the saddle and reached for the reins as Travis untied the lead rope from the fence. He then turned to Evan. "You ready?"

"You'll go easy on me right?" His voice held a bit of nervousness.

"Promise. We aren't going too far, and we will go slowly. If you have any issues just yell and we will stop." Travis took hold of the horse's bridle and nodded. "This is Texas. He is easy going. I think you'll like him."

Evan reached out and brushed his hand down the horse's neck, before he lifted his foot to the stir-up, grabbed the saddle horn and boosted himself up.

Travis untied the lead and made sure the stir-ups were the right length for him. He ran his hand down Evan's leg as he adjusted them. "How does that feel?" He glanced up.

The look that he received back made him suck in a breath. He quickly dropped his hand from Evan's leg and stepped back.

Evan swallowed and nodded. "Good. Really good."

Travis held his stare for a moment, wondering if he meant the stir-up or his hand on his leg. He knew which one he liked more. Feeling the man's muscular leg under his palm had stirred his own body into high alert.

Making sure Evan had the reins in his hand, he smiled, and moved back, going to his own horse and getting on. He turned his horse, moving close to Jason. "You ready, Cowboy?"

"Yep." He nodded as he held up the reins.

"You?" Travis glanced at Evan.

"Just stay close." Evan smiled sheepishly. "I'm still a bit nervous."

"How about we let Jason lead us and I can stay back with you?"

"Yes!" Jason gave his horse a kick and moved up in front of the other two horses. "You will have to tell me which way to go."

Travis turned his horse so he was beside Evan and pointed. "See that mountain just over there? We are headed close to it."

"Okay." Jason started moving forward, leaving Evan and Jason no choice but to follow.

"Keep it slow, Jas. No running ahead of us."

"I won't, Uncle Travis. I know Evan is new at this. I remember how hard it was my first couple times."

Evan laughed and shook his head as he gave his horse a soft kick and they started forward.

Travis stayed right beside him, noticing how Evan gripped the saddle horn for extra security. "You okay?"

"I will be. It's just been awhile." He glanced to the side and smiled at Travis. "Thanks for this. Was a rough day and this is just what I need to relax."

"Anything you want to talk about?" Travis rested his hand on his own thigh as the horse followed Jason without any urging.

"Not now." Evan nodded to Jason. "Not something he needs to hear."

Travis nodded. He frowned thinking how bad it must be if he couldn't talk about it in front of Jason. It gave him new admiration for Evan and the things he must come across in his job. As stressful and serious as his own custody battle with the Steeles was, it was probably nothing compared to some of the others that Evan dealt with on a daily basis. He had the strange urge to comfort Evan and try and ease the weight he carried.

"You have the weekend off, right?" Travis asked, keeping an eye on the direction Jason was leading them and making sure he didn't get too far ahead of them.

"Yeah. And this weekend I really need it. Was a rough week." He glanced over at Travis. "Did you contact that lawyer?"

Travis stiffened. "I did yesterday, but I am guessing you asking that means I'm going to need him?"

Evan frowned as if he didn't know how much to say, he glanced up at Jason and then back at Travis. "Yeah. I think you are."

A sudden rush of fear washed through Travis. Could he really lose Jason? The thought made him sick. He opened his mouth to ask why, but shut it as he looked at Jason who was within earshot. Any questions would have to wait. Not that he had any right to be asking them anyway. The last thing he wanted was to put Evan's job at risk.

Evan must have known what he was thinking. "I can't talk details, but I will help you where I can."

"I know and I appreciate that. I wouldn't have you do anything to risk your job." Travis rolled his shoulders, feeling tense all the sudden. "I knew it wouldn't be as easy as I hoped."

"I have some forms in my car to leave with you. They want more information. Financial stuff and things like that." Evan slowly relaxed his grip on the saddle the farther they went.

"Uncle Travis, did you see that bunny?" Jason looked back excited.

"Nope. I missed it. Must have been fast." Travis grinned at the boy.

"Really fast. I've never seen one hop like that. Can I have a bunny, Uncle Travis?" Jason looked back hopeful.

"Don't you think we have enough animals on the ranch already? Besides, would a rabbit be happy caged up when he could have all this space to run around in?"

"I guess." Jason turned around and sighed.

Evan and Travis exchanged a smile.

"You're pretty lucky, Jason. When I was your age all I got was one cat," Evan called out.

"I know. Just a bunny would be so fun. I asked Grandpa if I could get one and they told me I couldn't have pets at their house. Said they didn't want the smell. Do bunnies smell?" Jason pulled back and eased his horse beside Evan's.

"Any pet can smell if you don't clean up after it." Evan told him.

"Is that why Jake makes me help clean the stalls?"

Travis nodded. "Yep. Can you imagine how stinky it would get if we didn't clean them?"

Jason bit his lip thinking about it and nodded. "I guess so."

They rode in silence for several minutes before Travis took the lead and led them to the right. He saw the cropping of trees he planned to stop at just ahead of them. Looking over his shoulder, he found Evan watching him. "So how you holding up."

"Not bad. This is easier than I remember, but then again, it might just be the horse. I haven't had to do anything really but follow."

"Uncle Travis wouldn't give you a mean horse. He says I can't ride the mean ones until I'm a lot older." Jason looked upset at the fact.

"I saw them working with some of the mean ones the other day. I think it's good your uncle won't let you. You could get hurt on them now."

"Jake said he would teach me to rope soon though. He said I could learn how to rope the goats first. Do you know how to rope, Evan?"

"Nope. I've never even tried it."

"Then you should learn with me. I'm sure Jake would teach you."

Travis stifled a laugh.

"Hmm, I don't know. I might not be any good at this ranching stuff. I come from the city." Evan teased.

"That's okay. Everyone can learn. Right, Uncle Trav?"

"That's right, Jas. You can do anything you set your mind to. I'm sure Evan would learn." He glanced at Evan and laughed. "Jason will make a cowboy out of you yet."

"I guess there are a lot worse things I could be." Evan pulled the reins back as they stopped. "Is this the place?"

"Yep. Jason, keep quiet and look over there." Travis pointed several hundred yards to his side. "Can you see the deer?"

Jason turned his horse, looked, and let out a scream. "I see them!"

"Shh. You can't make a lot of noise. You'll scare them off." Travis dismounted, went to Jason, and lifted him from the horse. "If you climb that big boulder over there you should be able to sit on top and watch them." He wrapped the horses lead to the tree beside his own and turned to Evan as Jason ran for the rock.

"I don't know if I can get down." Evan laughed.

"Want me to lift you, too?" Travis asked and then wished he hadn't after seeing the way Evan's eyes flashed.

They stared at each other a moment and Travis had to tighten his grip on the bridle to keep from reaching out and touching him.

"Just like I got up, right?" Evan broke their stare, lifted his leg over the horse and slid off.

His foot caught in the stir-up and Travis reached out to steady him. Evan fell hard against him and Travis grasped his hips to keep him from falling. Evan looked up at him as he straightened and stilled. Travis continued to hold him. Even though Evan was safe on the ground now, he couldn't bring himself to let go. The feel of Evan's body pressed up against his own caused emotions and feeling to stir that Travis hadn't felt for a very long time.

Evan reached up and placed the palm of his hand against Travis's chest, and when Travis expected him to push away, Evan curled his fingers into his shirt instead, and leaned closer.

Travis's gaze fell to Evan's lips and then back up to his eyes. His heart beat heavy in his chest as he lowered his head to close the distance between them.

"Uncle Travis, look." Jason called from the rock.

Travis licked his lips as he moved back from Evan and slowly turned toward Jason and tried to clear his head. He had been seconds away from kissing the man responsible for his case. He took a deep breath as he tried to fight back the stirring arousal that seared through him. "What, Jas?"

"There are lots of them. I can see so many." He started to count out loud.

Travis turned back to Evan, to find him standing several feet away, looking out over the pasture. Travis took a deep breath and started pulling the blankets from where he had them tied at the back of his saddle. Glancing over his shoulder he debated on saying he was sorry, but decided against it. He wasn't sorry. In fact he was far from it. He wanted it to happen again, only this time without Jason around.

He turned and spread one blanket and then the other on the ground at the base of one of the trees away from the horses. As he started pulling the food and water from the saddlebags, Evan was once again at his side.

"Let me help." He reached out and took the water from Travis's hands and turning to set them on the blanket.

"This one is mine. You two get the ugly one." Jason sat down on the new green blanket and pointed to the worn red one. "I like green better."

Travis set the bag of sandwiches down along with a bag of chips and another bag of grapes. "We can all share." But even as he said it, both he and Evan sat down on the red one, giving the green one completely to Jason. Travis smiled at Evan as he tossed a bottle of water to Jason. "He isn’t spoiled or anything." But he was pleased that Evan was so close to him.