Page 46 of Cowboys Can't Kiss

Maybe I’ll be patient a little longer and just keep being there for him.

The sky is perfectly clear, and my truck idles at the curb while I wait for Riley.

When he shows up with sleep lines on his face and bedhead, my hands itch to pull him to me and kiss the ever-loving fuck out of him.

“This better be good, Jackson. It’s 1 A.M. and I have a wedding to take care of today. Not to mention you have a long drive ahead of you.”

“I know, but…you need to see this.Weneed to. I promise it will be worth it.”

Riley sits quietly, still in his pyjamas, as I drive us out to the country and into an open field. After parking the truck, I tell Riley to sit and wait as I quickly throw the patio chair cushions and blankets into the truck bed.

When I’m done, I hurry around to Riley’s side and open the door. He almost falls into my arms since he was propped against the door snoozing. After internally sighing at how damn cute he looks hitching his pyjama pants up after stepping onto the tailgate with his old man slippers, I bounce up beside him and lead him down onto the bed I’d made in the truck bed.

“When I was a kid, I was fascinated with astronomy. I still have a telescope and I get these daily emails about star reports and phenomena and…” Riley’s unimpressed stare has me break off. “So, anyway, look up and watch for shooting stars. There’s a meteor shower happening and the next hour is prime time to see it.”

Riley’s surly face softens as he leans back and pulls the blanket up to his chin.

“Really? I’ve never seen a shooting star or anything like that.”

We lie together on the cushions, snuggled under the blankets, our eyes roaming the sky. It’s still and quiet out here in the field, just down from Hunter’s ranch. It’s actually part of his ranch and was once filled with cattle, but not anymore.

“Oh my god, there’s one!”

Riley, suddenly wide awake, struggles to get his hand out from under the blanket and point to the sky.

“I saw it! Oh, there’s more!” Riley gasps as three orbs streak across the sky in quick succession. “Jackson…this is so…fucking cool.”

Grinning to myself, I sneak a peek sideways and catch his profile in the darkness. Eyes wide and lips parted in wonder like a child who just discovered the magic of Christmas. What I wouldn’t do to put that look on his face every day. I’m just happy it worked out that I could do this before I have to leave again.

He points out a few more meteors, but I miss them because the view beside me is far more breathtaking. Riley twists his head to find me watching him.

He remains silent, but our gazes lock and we’re so close we share the breath between us.

“You’re missing the stars,” he whispers.

“No, I’m not. The brightest one is right here.”

Riley’s eyes drop to my mouth before he turns his head back to the night sky. After a beat, I do the same.

I know we shouldn’t be out here. He has a big wedding event tomorrow and I need to drive to the Big Rock rodeo. I got the invitation, and it’s a quick turnaround for me and Hunter, but I needed to show Riley something I always enjoyed. Hopefully, it lightens his spirit like it does mine.

I’ve always wanted to share this with someone I cared about. If I can’t have him in the way I want, I can share these kinds of moments with him instead as a friend, because that’s what friends do. I’d do just about anything to make him smile and realize there’s more to life than living in fear.

It might make me want him more after sharing this with him, but I’m willing to feel the pain if it brings him joy.

“Jackson?”

“Yeah?”

Riley is silent for a long beat, and I fear he may have fallen asleep mid-thought.

“Thank you.”

Swallowing hard, I can only reply in the way my parents taught me.

“You’re welcome.”

thirteen

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