Page 9 of Rust and Stardust

The way he said cowboy sent a shiver down my spine that went straight to my cock. In less than a second, I felt my dick begin to swell, the denim stretching tight. My cheeks burned as I smiled back.

“Hey there yourself,” I replied. It felt like a stupid answer, but I didn’t know what else to say. I glanced up at the bar, catching Dolly’s eye.

“You didn’t call ahead,” she said, lifting and eyebrow in my direction. “That’s not like you, darlin’.”

“It’s been a busy mornin’,” I replied, pulling my hat off as I stepped up to the counter. “Tourists in dune buggies took out a big section of the southern fence. Spent all mornin’ fixin’ it.”

“You must be starved.”

“Yeah,” I nodded.

“The usual then?”

“If it’s not too much trouble.”

She chuckled, patting my arm. “If it was too much trouble, I wouldn’t be runnin’ a diner.” She glanced over at the handsome stranger and placed a roll of silverware on the counter in the spot right next to him. “Make yourself comfortable and I’ll get your order in. Maybe you two can keep each other company.” She gestured to the diner that was mostly empty. “Lunch rush ended an hour ago and there’s no sense in y’all sitting here in silence.”

It was odd for Dolly to force me to socialize. But then again, she and everyone else in town thought I was too cooped up. I caught her giving a look to the stranger and for a moment I thought she even winked. But I had to be making that up right? What reason would she have for winking at him?

“Alright,” I nodded, taking my seat. “If you don’t mind of course.”

“Doesn’t bother me,” he said, shaking his head. “You said your name was Beau, right?”

“That’s right.” I felt my cheeks burn again. “I… uh… I’m sorry but I forgot your name.”

He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling in the cutest way. “It’s Lucas. Lucas Greene.”

“Beau Turner,” I replied, holding out my hand.

He took it, then stopped short. “Wait… Beau Turner? Not the same one that won the barbecue championship three years running?”

I sighed, still smiling in embarrassment. “Yeah, that’s me.”

“Holy shit! You’re a legend around here!”

“You know about that, huh?”

“I mean… we did our research on the way to Sagebrush, my coworker and I. He’s from here, so he recognized your name.”

“Who’s your coworker?” I asked, desperate to talk about anyone but myself.

“Logan Baker.”

That was a blast from the past. “He was a couple years younger than me in school,” I replied with a nod. “I knew of him, but we didn’t hang out in the same circles. His family used to be some of my biggest competition at the fair though.”

Lucas cocked his head to the side like a curious puppy. “Used to be? Did they stop competing?”

I shook my head. “Nah. I did.”

Lucas's brow furrowed, his green eyes studying me intently. “Why'd you stop? From what I heard, you were unbeatable.”

I shrugged, suddenly feeling uncomfortable under his gaze. “Just lost interest, I guess. Got busy with the ranch and all.”

It wasn't even close to the whole truth, but I wasn't about to spill my guts to a stranger, no matter how attractive he was. The real reason was more complicated, tied up in expectations and small-town gossip that I'd rather forget. He didn’t need to know about Amber May’s failed proposal. In fact, I wished everyone would forget it ever happened.

“That's a shame,” Lucas said, leaning in a little closer. “I was hoping to taste some of that famous barbecue while I was here.”

His proximity sent a jolt through me, and I caught a whiff of his cologne—something woodsy and masculine that made my headspin. I cleared my throat, trying to regain my composure as I felt my jeans tighten once more.

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