Page 37 of For the Love of the Broken Man

“This is Dillinger, the new gelding Josh bought for Ethan to start training for Ryan. They still have Sam and Mabel, but from what I’ve been told, Ryan’s growing like a weed, so they’re planning ahead. You mind putting him in Charlie’s empty stall and pulling out that roan gelding while I run up to Josh’s?”

Jase had enough exposure to horses to know what the young man meant, so he did as he was told while the good-looking guy took off, leaving Jase in the barn with the horses.

As he was brushing down the gray horse named Sam, Jase felt strong arms around his waist and a kiss through his shirt between his shoulder blades. “You lied.” He turned to see Danny standing in front of him with a handsome smile on his face.

“Hey, I didn’t lie intentionally, okay? Mrs. Wells gave me time off to come. I have gifts for the boys from them.” Finally, he took a deep breath.

“I’ve missed you, Danny,” Jase whispered as he pulled Danny into his embrace. It wasn’t an untruth. Jase had missed Dan Johnson more than he’d have missed his own heartbeat.

After Danny kissed Jase so thoroughly that he thought he’d implode, they pulled away from each other. Danny smiled at him and hugged him again, tightly.

“That was Jeremy. His daddy works with Miss Jeri at the school, and he told her his son was lookin’ for a summer job while he’s visitin’ Holloway, so Matt and Tim hired him. He goes to boarding school somewhere in New Hampshire since his parents got a divorce. He’s seventeen, and he’ll graduate next summer. He’s a nice kid.” Danny captured his lips in another passionate kiss. Jase felt the spark all the way down to his new boots.

Jase had been told that Miss Jeri always had a picnic and swim party at her house the night before the birthday celebration, insisting everyone who’d worked at the ranches that day should stick around for dinner and a swim. “Just the family,” she’d insisted, giving Jase a sly wink.

He liked her and Miss Katie. There weren’t two nicer women on the planet—except for maybe DeAnne Stanford and his own mother. He was starting to believe Ally Wells fit into the camp as well.

“Aw, now, you’re a growin’ boy. You need more than that,” Miss Katie chastised as she put another hamburger and an extra scoop of beans on his plate as he went through the buffet line with Danny and Kayley, who was anxious to eat and get back into the pool.

Jase had got in with her at Danny’s request after he told Jase his leg was bothering him a little. They’d sorted calves earlier in the day and a couple of the young steers had been aggressive with him, ramming him into a metal gate.

“You’re gonna make me fat,” Jase teased Miss Katie before he moved on to the coolers, grabbing himself a Coke.

He heard a deep laugh behind him and felt a chill down his spine. “You can have a beer, Jase. We won’t call the cops,” Matt Collins stated.

It was the last place Jase wanted to be—standing in front of Matthew Collins, the man who seemed to want him dead. Hell, he’d nearly dropped his plate at the sound of the man’s voice.

“It…u-u-uh, it’s okay. I’m d-d-driving.” Jase’s skin flushed in embarrassment.

Suddenly, Kayley was by his side, pulling on Matt’s jeans. “We talked about this, Mr. Matt.” She held up a little fist toward the tall bull rider. He immediately put his plate on the table and covered his groin.

“Oh, Little Miss, I remember.” He reached down and picked her up, settling her on his hip.

“Jason, I’m sorry for my behavior in the past regarding my stupid jealousy. You’re a good-lookin’ young guy, and I let my stupidity get the best of me, makin’ an as—s horse’s behind of myself on more than one occasion. I hope you’ll forgive me.” Matt looked Jase in the eye the whole time he spoke. Jase noticed it was suddenly quiet around the pool deck, but he dared not look around.

Kayley leaned forward and whispered something into Matt’s ear which made him smile. “How about a hug? I doubt your Uncle Danny or Timmy would like it if I kissed him.”

Everyone around the pool area started laughing as Matt placed Kayley on the brick patio before he wrapped a long arm around Jase’s shoulders to give him a gentle hug.

When they pulled away, Matt had a grin on his face, “Friends?”

Jase felt relief flow through his body. “You bet.” Jase turned to see Danny with a beaming grin on his face.

It was a huge weight off Jase’s shoulders that he no longer had to dodge Tim Moran because he respected the man. Tim had always been cordial to Jase, and with the new truce between him and Matt, Jase hoped, especially for Danny’s sake, maybe the two couples could become friends.

All in all, it was a great day in Jase’s life. There were more of those lately than not. It was a new occurrence he welcomed with great gusto.

Jase was awakened by a ringing sound. When he opened his eyes, he was confused for a moment before he remembered he wasn’t at Wonderland Farm. He was at Danny’s house in Holloway.

He glanced over his shoulder to see Dan behind him as he burrowed into Jase’s back a little. It was amazing to feel Dan’s curly chest hair tickling his spine. The phone chimed again, rousing Jase enough to recall it was his ring tone. It had to be Savannah because very few people had his number.

He knew if Jon or Mick needed him, they’d call the landline, so he gently extricated himself from Danny’s vice grip to see what Savannah wanted. It was late, and he was worried there was something wrong, though it was an hour earlier where she lived.

Jase adjusted his boxer briefs because Dan had insisted that they put on something after they made love…incredible, simultaneous blow jobs where Jase nearly lost his mind at the tricks Danny had shown him on his dick, his balls, and his entrance. The man’s tongue was an amazing instrument, and Jase was making a list of questions to ask Mickey when he returned to Dillwyn.

The ringing finally stopped but Jase needed to empty his bladder, so he continued to move out of his lover’s grasp. Could he call Danny his lover? They hadn’t had intercourse, but Jase assumed the term applied to anything two people did when they lovedeach other.

After emptying his bladder, Jase went in search of his jeans across the bedroom chair in the corner. When they’d left the party, Kayley was asleep, so Dan carried her inside and put her to bed while Jase locked up the house. He’d been nervous when he went to Danny’s bedroom, but his worries had been quickly assuaged.

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