Page 11 of For the Love of the Lawyer

"I, uh, understand I've stepped in it with Matt, based on a conversation we had the other evening. You feel up to giving me any clues about what's got him so pissed?" Jon was certain the patriarch of the Collins family could enlighten him about just how deep Jon had dug his own hole. He hoped the man was willing to give him a heads-up.

Marty stopped and placed his hand on Jon's shoulder. "Well, I'm not too sure about this particular issue, but I do know the boys have a lot of plans in the mix, and Tim was upset about the discussion you had with Ronni, that pretty little blonde gal. She said you were an egotistical jackass on the phone, or so I heard. Well, I guess you'll get to hear all about it over the weekend.” Jon looked up to see Tim and the tall cowboy riding back toward the barn.

"What were they doing?" Jon continued to follow Marty, having changed the subject to anything other than the figurative spanking he expected from his client.

"Oh, they were vaccinatin' calves. Mickey just moved here a few days ago, and he's a hell of a hand on a horse, plus, he's the only one beside Timmy and Nando who'll take care of the horses. The rest of these hands are cow hands, and they don't like carin' for the four horses that live here now. Of course, Josie's at our barn right now because she's in season and Matt's not ready to breed her yet. Nando comes up to the house to take care of her at our barn twice a day," Marty explained.

As Jon listened, he was grateful he understood half of what Mr. Collins was saying. His parents had their farm in Dillwyn, where his mother had several thoroughbreds she used for breeding, and even Jon had a gelding at the farm he enjoyed riding when he got out to the country on weekends. When it came to caring for the cattle, Jon nodded and smiled, feigning an understanding for what the man was saying. Cattle really weren’t his thing, but Jon couldn’t afford to have Matt Collins learn that information.

When Jon walked into the barn with Marty, he took a better look at the tall cowboy he'd observed in the field earlier. Up close, the guy was off a runway—well, a runway where all the models were cowboys and REALLY. FUCKING. HOT. The man’s eyes were positively hypnotic.

"You boys finish with the calves already?” Marty asked. Jon saw the tall cowboy smile and nod.

“I saw y’all vaccinatin' one of the bull calves Matt wants to put down there by the river after he ships Smokey Joe. He started buildin’ that covered pen down there yet?"

Jon still had no idea what they were discussing but watching the burnished brunet with the bright green eyes was fascinating. "Joe’s shippin’ out next week," Green Eyes replied.

Marty nodded. "I heard he's a mean bastard. You watched him at all?"

"I actually went down there and fucked with him a little the other day when Matt let me ride Charlie. He’s been too busy to exercise him, so I volunteered. Josh let us bring Caesar over to help with the cattle. ‘Course, that don't make any of the other boys happy. Well, fuck'em. I'm Michael Warren.” The cowboy introduced himself to Jon, who was too busy watching the guy's sexy lips moving and imagining those soft lips doing indecent things to his body to say anything out loud. He failed to realize it was his turn to speak until the cowboy smirked at him.

Jon moved his eyes up from the man's mouth to see bright, shamrock greens staring back at him with a bit of mischief in the sparkle Jon was sure he was imagining. "Jonathon Wells. Pleasure to meet a real cowboy."

His cock chubbed in his jeans, so Jon pulled his jacket closed. He was pretty sure the guy wouldn't appreciate the thoughts going through his head as the two of them shook hands. It was definitely not G-rated.

"We already met, actually. I came with Matt and Tim to the custody hearing. I guess you were too busy doin' your job to notice the rest of us.” Mickey gave him a sexy grin as Jon felt the warmth from the calloused hand scurry up his arm.

Jon decided to take advantage of the man's forgiveness, smiling at him with the boxer-dropping grin he'd honed over theyears. "I must have been distracted or out of my mind. Michael? Is that what you go by?"

The man's bright, white smile as he pushed back the hat on his head was a bit of a surprise. "My given name is Michael, but my friends call me Mickey for short—though that's the only thing short about me.” He stood to his full height, which was a few inches taller than Jon.

"Call me Jon. I apologize if I wasn't courteous the last time we met. I tend to get shortsighted when I'm busy with a case.” Jon hoped he was making up for a past, completely unintentional, slight.

The handsomest cowboy he'd ever met nodded with a bright grin. "Not a problem. I get busy myself, sometimes. Well, I gotta get up to the house to make up the beds. Is that hot chick up there?" Jon’s heart sank at the question.

“I, uh, I think she went in with Mrs. Collins.” Mickey nodded and handed the reins of the horse to Tim before he left the pasture.

Jon turned to watch a very attractive ass walking away in a pair of sinfully tight, blue jeans, and he had to quell the desire to bite his knuckle. The guy was definitely hot, but he was most assuredly younger than Jon.

Since the lawyer had recently sworn off younger tail, he had to be stronger than his libido. He could resist temptation—not that he thought there really was temptation to resist. The guy seemed to be interested in Turnberry, so Jon would just lust in private. That and get the hell out of there as quickly as possible on Sunday.

Tim walked up to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulder as the two of them watched the man walk away. "God, he's got an ass to worship. Matt does as well, but his is off-limits to you, Lawyer Wells. Now, Mickey? That's an interesting prospect."

An interesting prospect? Don’t tease me, Gold Digger.

Chapter Five

Mickey was downstairs making up a bedroom for Jon Wells. The man was still as fucking gorgeous as Mick remembered from the hearing in Richmond. If he wasn't mistaken, the lawyer gave him the eye when they reintroduced themselves. Maybe the two of them might engage in a little suck and fuck? It was something to consider.

Mickey heard footsteps descending the stairs, so he walked out of the room to see the pretty blonde attorney looking around the finished lower level. She appeared to be the kind of woman straight men went for, and she knew it, based on the look on her face.

Mick, however, was far from straight. He noticed her gaze falling on the old Pac Man video game in the corner of the room. She laughed as she approached it and dropped her bag on the floor, searching for a way to turn it on.

In his opinion, it was extremely cool how Matt and Tim had finished out the basement. There was a ninety-inch HD LED 3D—and every otherD—smart TV mounted on the white, shiplap-covered wall, along with surround sound and a video game console at one end of the room. Also, in the large family/entertainment room was a pool table and the arcade-style Pac Man video game Matt had bought Tim for Christmas.

It was definitely a man cave, and since the only women who ever visited the house were Jeri or Katie, they hadn't bothered to get a woman's perspective on the build out. Mickey was happy to see even a woman could appreciate the many wonders of the room and its toys.

Tim had taught Mickey the joys ofWorld of WarcraftandCall of Duty, and the two of them played when they had time. Matt had no desire to learn to play video games, so when he and Ryan went out for their father/son time, Tim and Mickey would head to the new playroom and kill a few hours. Tim had taught him a lot about things Mickey had only heard about on television, and he'd be grateful to his best friend till the day he died.

---