Page 21 of For the Love of the Bull Rider

Their tongues continued to wrestle in the sweet kiss, and Tim felt Matt draw his body closer, his hands finding purchase on Tim’s ass. He felt Matt’s hard cock against his stomach, and he was sure Matt felt his against his thigh. Tim wasn’t sure where they were at the jumping-off point in a possible relationship, so he chose not to take things further.

He might have wiggled against the bull rider just to feel the sensation, but that was as far as he was going to go with the man at that moment.

“Let me take you home, sweetheart. I don’t want us to go too fast into this. I got too much ridin’ on this, Tim. You can leave the carrot here.” Matt pointed to the costume hanging over the back of the couch with a wide grin. Tim was having a hard time catching his breath from the kisses and the clothing-covered contact.

Of course, the taller man’s comment was so out of left field, Tim couldn’t help laughing at the offhanded way Matt had dissolved the tension—which was totally sexual.

“You sure? I wouldn’t want topeasyou off.” It was Tim’s turn to tease. Matt laughed as he took Tim’s hand and kissed it before the two headed for the front door.

“You’re a piss riot, ya know.” Matt led Tim out to his big pickup and opened the door, helping him inside to drive Tim home.

When they turned into the driveway at the Katydid, Matt turned off the headlights as he took the fork toward the barn, stopping and turning off the truck. He tuned the radio to a station to play softly in the background, staring at Tim with a sexy grin.

“So, how… I mean, I’m not sure how this works. We have a lot of shit on the floor, here. I know what I want, but I’m not sure how to get there,” Matt stated quietly with only soft acoustic guitar sounds and their own breathing in the truck.

Tim exhaled, biding his time to respond. He knew the two of them needed to discuss how they’d go from strangers to lovers—if that was the way it was going to go—but Tim wasn’t exactly sure how to get there because he’d never been in a relationship.

He could also see Matt wasn’t exactly sure how to walk the walk either. It became clear that if Tim wanted there to be achance for the two of them, he’d have to take the bull by the horns—so to speak.

After a minute, Tim finally had the words together. “Okay. First, we don’t have to tell anyone about us until we figure out ourselves. You said you told your mother you’re gay, but nobody else has to know until you’re ready, Matt. Certainly, Ryan doesn’t have to know. We can hang out platonically for a while, get to know each other better, see how it feels as you get ready for your new reality. I guess it’ll take some time to become comfortable in your skin since you’ve only just accepted that you’re gay. I know it tookmesome time when I figured it out.”

Thankfully, Matt nodded, so Tim continued. “Second, the situation with working for you and working for Uncle Josh won’t be that hard for me. Of course, I’ll need to spend time at your place to figure out how you do business before I can gear the software to meet your needs.

“I mean, in your situation, automation will be much more productive for you than it is for Uncle Josh because you function on a much larger scale. His business really just needed something simple and easily maintained, which I was able to create pretty quickly, though I made sure it was secure and easily upgraded should he decide to expand.” Tim knew he was rambling, but it was important to hammer out the business—or was he stalling?

“Uh, for you, I need a more in-depth plan, and after I spend time there and observe you guys in action and peg your business style, I can figure out what’s required to make things run smoothly. After that, I’ll be better able to design a computer system geared toward the types of challenges you face, hopefully, making things easier on all of you.” When Tim finally reached the end of his convoluted explanation, he released a nervous sigh.

It was as pitch dark as Tim had ever seen because of a new moon. When Matt’s hand touched his on the middle console, Tim grabbed it and twined their fingers together.

Mat squeezed Tim’s hand before he spoke. “That’s doable, but I guess I’m wonderin’ how we figure outus,’because I want there to be anus, Tim. I think about ya all the time, and I know Ryan loves ya.”

There was a prickle up his spine, and he couldn’t help himself. “You’re not just doing this because you need help with Ryan, are you?” Immediately, guilt swamped him for asking the question.

Fortunately, Matt snickered. “I can see why you’d think such a thing, but no. I’m gonna take care of my boy. I got that cell phone like you told me, so he’ll always be able to get me if he needs me. Can I get your number?”

Tim reached into his pocket for his phone, handing it to the man without comment. He watched as Matt programmed his information and called himself. “I’m new to texting, but I’d like to text you if that’s okay. I know you love my boy, Tim. He’s easy to love, but I know you don’t think I am. I’m hopin’ to change your mind.” Matt leaned forward and nuzzled Tim’s ear.

Tim shoved his phone into his pocket and turned his head to capture Matt’s lips, pushing his tongue between the cowboy’s lips. They twirled their tongues together and when Matt cradled the left side of Tim’s face, pulling him closer, the younger man fell into the most glorious spiral he’d ever imagined.

Matt was the epitome of Tim’s dream man, and anyone would have been just as gobsmacked by the man as Tim was in that moment.

Matt pulled away and stared into Tim’s eyes, laughing quietly. “You’re just like I always imagined the man of my dreams would be.”

Tim giggled because the line was unbelievable and a little cheesy coming out of the man’s mouth. “So, you like blonds?”

Matt reached up to run his hand through Tim’s blond locks. “On you, they’re great. It’s more the inside of you that has my head spinnin’, though you have the most amazin’ eyes.” With that, Matt kissed him again.

Tim was so lost in the kiss he almost forgot he was trying to be strong and not throw himself at the man like the slut he clearly wanted to be. He pulled away and placed his hand on Matt’s face, stroking the soft stubble of his jaw.

“I had fun tonight. Can Ryan come over here sometimes? It’s still warm enough to go for a ride after school, you know. I’ll pick him up if you’ll notify the office and give them my information.”

“Actually, um, I’m buyin’ Josie as a Christmas gift for Ryan, but I was hopin’ maybe you’d let me bring Chester over to the ranch sometimes so you could ride with him over there. I’m gonna buy a horse for myself, but Josh is lookin’ for an American Saddlebred because they’re bigger than the quarter horses he has on the Katydid. He says I need a bigger horse.

“Miss Katie offered to help me find tack for Ryan to grow with, and I’d like it if you’d work with him on ridin’. He can’t stop talking about riding Betsy and Chester, and when I asked Josh about the gelding, he said it was a good horse to have around when it came time to move cattle. Of course, he reminded me when y’all moved my cattle while my ass was in jail for bein’ stupid.”

Tim couldn’t help but laugh at Matt’s honest admission of the situation, which brought a chuckle from the cowboy, too.

Matt continued. “Anyway, he told me Chester’s your horse, so maybe you wouldn’t mind ridin’ with Ryan at my place?”

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