Page 15 of Rust and Stardust

He gave me a wink and gestured for me to follow him inside. My heart skipped a beat, and I had to check myself mentally. There was no room for feelings, good or bad, in this mission of mine. It was strictly get in, get out, and get the fucking recipes so I could keep my fucking job. Beau Turner was just a man, and he was standing between me and a bright future. That, at the very least, I had to remember.

Holding firm to my resolutions, I followed him inside. There would be no broken hearts, just like I promised Dolly. And that included my own.

Chapter 7

Beau

My hands were shaking as I stood in the shower, watching the last of the steer blood wash away. I’d left Lucas down in the kitchen with Mable who, I assumed, was grilling him for information as fast as she could. And that, for some reason, made me more nervous than anything else. Mabel was the kind of woman that had a sixth sense about everyone and everything. Up until now I’d fooled her into thinking I was still into women. But now that she’d seen how nervous I was around Lucas, I had no doubt she’d figured it out in no time. In fact, she probably already had. And then there was Lucas himself. He didn’t know I was trying to keep things a secret, so what if he just up and told her everything about my reactions to him at the diner? I’d be doomed then.

I tried to calm down by telling myself that I didn’t actually know if Lucas was gay or not. I had a pretty good idea considering some of his hints at the diner. Not to mention there was his slick way of dressing and his wandering eyes. Then again, didn’t all city people dress nice? And were his eyes wandering or had he just never seen a real live cowboy before? I had no idea. What I was sure of though was that I needed to get back downstairs as fast as possible, makegood on my half-assed promise to Lucas, and get him out of my life before anyone found out what was truly going on in my head.

Needless to say, the shower was short. I dried off quickly, throwing on a clean pair of jeans and a fresh shirt. As I fastened the last button, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My cheeks were flushed, and my eyes looked wild with panic. I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself before heading downstairs.

The sound of laughter drifted up from the kitchen, making my stomach churn. I descended the stairs slowly, each step feeling like I was walking towards my doom. As I reached the bottom, I heard Mabel's voice, warm and teasing.

“Oh, honey, you city boys are something else. I bet you've never even seen a real cowboy up close before today, have you?”

Lucas's reply was muffled, but I could hear the amusement in his tone. I paused at the kitchen doorway, my heart hammering in my chest. Lucas was sat at the kitchen table, a steaming mug of coffee sat in front of him despite the heat outside. Mabel cradled her own mug, her eyes full of laughter as she hung onto his every word.

“We’ve got a cowboy back home in New York I bet you’d love,” he said, taking a sip from his cup. “He wears nothing but a sequin flag thong and cowboy boots! Plays his guitar all up and down Times Square.”

“My god,” she gasped, pulling a hand to her lips. “Hopefully he’s at least good lookin’.”

“He’s about seventy,” Lucas replied. He leaned close, a grin on his face. “Between you and me, he’s shaped like a bullfrog and his guitar playing is even worse.”

“Good lord!” she laughed, patting his arm. “Sounds like my Frank when he forgets to put his pants on in the mornin’!”

They both laughed until I cleared my throat. I wasn’t particularly fond of how well they were getting on. The last thing I wanted was Lucas becoming a permanent guest in the Turner household. I stepped up to the table, looking down at Lucas.

“Well, you ready for those lessons?” I asked, trying to act as aloof as I could.

Lucas looked up at me, his green eyes twinkling with mischief. “Sure thing, cowboy. I'm ready when you are.”

I felt my cheeks flush at his words, and I quickly turned away, hoping Mabel hadn't noticed. “Alright then, let's head out to the barn.”

As we walked out of the kitchen, I could feel Mabel's eyes on us. I didn't dare look back, afraid of what I might see in her expression. The sweltering Texas air hit us as we stepped outside, and I led Lucas towards the barn, my boots kicking up dust with each step. I caught sight of the half butchered steer still hanging there and decided to take him around back. I didn’t need some city boy losing his lunch over a little blood.

“So, what exactly are you going to teach me?” Lucas asked, falling into step beside me. His shoulder brushed against mine, sending a jolt through my body.

I cleared my throat, trying to keep my voice steady. “Well, I reckon we'll start with the basics. Getting on, getting off, a slow trot, stuff like that.”

“I’m already good at getting on and getting off, I can tell you that.”

My heart did a somersault in my chest and my cheeks burned as I kept my gaze down. I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the double meaning in Lucas's words. “Right, well... let's see how you do with a horse then,” I muttered, leading him towards the corral where we kept our gentlest mare.

As we approached, I could feel Lucas's eyes on me. I risked a glance his way and caught him openly admiring my form. My breath hitched, and I quickly looked away, focusing on the task at hand. Of course, that didn’t stop my jeans from getting tight again.

As we approached, I spotted my favorite mare, Daisy, already saddled up and waiting at the back entrance to the barn. Dad musthave gotten her ready while I was in the shower. I silently thanked him for his foresight, even if it meant he was meddling again.

“This here's Daisy,” I said, gesturing to the dappled gray mare staring back at us. “She's about as gentle as they come. Perfect for beginners.”

Lucas stepped forward, his eyes wide with a mix of awe and trepidation. “She's beautiful,” he breathed, reaching out a hand to stroke her nose.

I watched as Daisy nuzzled into his palm, and felt a rush of something warm through my chest. The way he so gently stroked her nose and ran his fingers reverently through her mane, it was more respect than most showed toward animals. Much more than I expected from a city slicker.

I cleared my throat, trying to shake off the warm feeling that was making my jeans even tighter for some reason. “Alright, let's get you up there,” I said, moving closer to Lucas. “First thing's first, you gotta put your left foot in the stirrup.”

Lucas nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration as he lifted his foot. He wobbled a bit, and I instinctively reached out to steady him, my hand landing on his waist. The heat of his body seeped through his thin shirt, and I quickly pulled away, my heart racing.

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