Page 95 of Silas's Sweetheart

“I bet I had something to do with it,” Jupiter said, strolling in wearing his usual smug expression. His shirt and jeans didn’t bear any of the sweat or dirt covering everyone else's. “That’s two good deeds I’ve done in the last twenty-four hours.”

Laken lost his amused look. “What are you talking about? When do you ever do good deeds for folks?”

Jupiter’s eyes turned flint hard, but the smile remained. “I’m betting my brother here heard the boys talking about my dancing skills and Silas got jealous and had to prove himself to Ziggy. Nice move, by the way, flinging him over your shoulder.”

“You saw that?” Silas was the one gawping now, when he’d not sensed Jupiter the night before. But then, his focus had been on proving a point to Ziggy.

“And heard you, too. Although the loud bang and cries, not sure what that was about,” Jupiter smirked.

“You hung around? You dick.” Silas resisted fidgeting now they were all staring at him.

“Move sideways, this fucking thing is awkward to carry?” Kodi complained.

“I carried in two on my fucking own, so shut up with the whining,” Rue groused, leading in the horse he’d been tasked with grooming. Rue led the horse to the last stall. “Why y’all stood around the pile of shit? Am I missing something?”

“Silas is engaged,” Laken answered fast as lightning and with glee.

“Our brother has joined the insanity club,” Jupiter announced at the same time.

“Engaged?” Kodi swung to face Silas so fast, the horse closest to him got skittish and danced sideways, whinnying loudly. This upset the other horse Rue was holding the reins of.

Silas could see what was about to happen, but before he could move to separate the horses, Jupiter stepped between both mares and laid his hands on their manes. Whispering to the skittish horses, he got them to settle so easily the others all stared at him.

“What? They love me the same as everyone does.”

“I think Ethan is rubbing off on you,” Silas said without thought.

There was a pause before everyone bar Jupiter laughed. He shook his head and continued to stroke a hand down the horse's manes.

“So have you told Popi yet?” Kodi asked, keeping clear of the horses.

“No.”

“Told Popi what?”

At the sound of Taylin’s voice behind him, Silas glanced over his shoulder and there were all the PAs behind him, with Taylin. He hadn’t heard them come through the other stable door. He looked straight at Ziggy, who raised his brows, a question in his eyes.

“That I’m engaged to Ziggy,” he announced proudly.

Silas didn’t hear any of the comments when his complete focus was on the man running towards him. Despite smelling like a dung pile, Silas dropped his shovel, twisted and opened his arms to catch Ziggy mid jump. His legs wrapped around Silas’s waist, kissing him hard enough to turn his knees to water with the passion Ziggy unleashed.

“This is definitely a new way to clean stables,” Ethan drawled.

Silas, when his mouth was released, glanced in Ethan’s direction and gave his friend a toothy grin. “It’s all Laken’s fault.”

“Wait… what’s it got to do with me?”

Silas hooked his hands more firmly under Ziggy’s ass and walked past Taylin, who was gawping, and the PAs, who didn’t appear as shocked, not bothering to reply.

“You know you’re a total sweetheart, Silas.” Ziggy nuzzled into Silas’s neck. “I’m gonna have that as my next tattoo. Silas’s sweetheart. Yep, that, right over my heart.”

Silas’s legs wobbled at how romantic that sounded…andpermanent. “Argh fuck, you out romanced me again!”

Ziggy giggled as Silas walked them out into the sunshine with effort, his legs feeling like how he imagined cooked spaghetti felt.

“That’s okay, you have all the time in the world to catch me up,” Ziggy murmured in his ear.

How fucking amazing was that?

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