Page 52 of Omega's Refuge

He relaxed into me. “I am.”

“Then let’s do this, cowboy.” I pushed up on my toes and pressed my mouth to his. He immediately responded, and his taste and scent made me forget all about Mrs. Rodwell and her unwanted opinions.

When the kiss ended, he looked happy. “Mount up, city boy.”

“Yes, sir.” I grabbed hold of the saddle horn. “I hope that isn’t the last time you tell me that today.”

He grinned and held Spitfire’s bridle while I mounted my horse, and then he tied my overnight bag to the pack mule. He sprung up onto his black horse easily, and then we were on our way.

“It’s about a two hour ride to our camping spot,” Rex volunteered.

“Great. I’m glad it’s not a short ride.” I patted Spitfire’s withers. “I’ve rediscovered my love of horseback riding.”

His tanned cheek curved in a smile. “That’s wonderful.”

“It really is.” I inhaled the fresh air, looking around happily. The time I’d spent with my homophobic grandfather in my teens had almost ruined my appreciation for life on a ranch. However, the Rambling Cow Dude Ranch was helping to restore some of the joy I’d lost during that tumultuous summer.“I’d forgotten what it’s like to be surrounded by nothing but blue skies and nature. There’s no smog. No traffic. Just wide open spaces.”

“It’s an amazing life,” Rex said, giving me an approving nod.

I went back to enjoying the ride, feeling sympatico with the world. It was a gorgeous day. There wasn’t a cloud in the cobalt sky as we rode through the golden acres that surrounded the ranch. The scent of sun-warmed earth, fresh hay, and juniper hung in the air. The rhythmic creak of the leather of my saddle, and the soft thud of hooves against the ground were the only sounds as we made our way toward the distant mountains.

Despite Mrs. Rodwell’s lecture, the thought of spending the night out under the stars alone with Rex sent a thrill through me. It did irk me, though,that I might just be one of many for him. He definitely made me feel special, but if I were to believe Mrs. Rodwell, I wasn’t.

Isn’t that for the best?

Yes, ultimately, it was best if I was nothing special to Rex. That would make leaving him behind easier on both of us. I didn’t want to hurt him, and I had no desire to be pining for him once I returned home either. I didn’t see myself getting involved in a long-distance relationship. Keeping things causal was the way to go.

As we rode on, the wide-open plains gradually gave way to the rugged foothills. Patches of tall grass gave way to clusters of aspen and fir, and the terrain shifted underfoot, becoming rockier and more uneven. The air grew cooler as we neared the mountains, and when I shivered, Rex noticed.

“Are you cold?” he asked, reaching back to a knap sack tucked beneath the back of his saddle. “I have a spare flannel shirt you can wear.”

“What about you?”

“I’m not cold.” He smiled and tugged the blue and white shirt free of the bag. He tossed it at me and I caught it midair. “You city slickers get chilled easier than us.”

I wrapped the reins around the horn of the saddle, and Spitfire just kept plodding along unfazed. I was fairly certain she’d just go wherever Rex went, regardless of what I did withthe reins. I slipped on his flannel shirt, shivering at the clean scent of his cologne that lingered on the clothing. I liked slipping on his shirt. It made me feel closer to him.

Don’t want to get too close.

“Thanks,” I said, buttoning the shirt. “I feel warmer already.”

“You bet.” He smiled at me. “That color looks good on you.”

I glanced down at the shirt. “Yeah? Steve hated me in blue.”

Rex squinted at me. “Come again?”

I laughed. “He thought it made me look pale. Sickly.”

“Well, I already suspected he was a clown, now Iknowhe’s a clown. You looked sexy as hell in blue.” He shook his head. “That guy has issues.”

It was hard not to be flattered by the way Rex was looking at me. He ran his gaze over my face and body, lust flickering deep in his eyes. I knew I was blushing because my face felt hot. I cleared my throat. “Uh… do you think it’ll be even colder tonight?”

He grinned. “Am I making you nervous, Tanner?”

I laughed sheepishly. “Kind of. You’re undressing me with your eyes.”

“Sorry. It’s hard to look at you and not want to drag you behind a tree and have my way with you.”

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