Page 24 of His Big Hometown Cowboy
Travis carried his mug to the sink, shaking his head with amusement. “Just try to keep the making out to a minimum when I’m around, okay? There are some things a brother doesn’t need to witness.”
“No promises,” Timmy shot back, bumping his shoulder against mine.
“And maybe text if you’re not coming home next time?” Travis added, grabbing his keys from the counter. “Was about five minutes from calling the sheriff this morning.”
“Sorry about that.” Timmy had the grace to look sheepish. “Things got… distracting.”
Travis held up both hands. “And that’s my cue.” He pulled open the door. “Gotta get to the Feed and Seed. I’m covering a shift for Sheila. Lock up if you leave.” He paused on the step, looking back at us, his expression softening again. “Seriously, though. Happy for you guys.”
The door clicked shut behind him, leaving us in a sudden, loaded silence. The morning sunlight streamed through the window, dust motes dancing in the beams. Timmy let out a long breath.
“That went… surprisingly okay.” He traced the rim of his mug.
“Told you he’d be fine.” Relief washed through me, stronger than I’d expected.
“Yeah, but I didn’t expect the smug ‘I knew it all along’ routine.” He shook his head, a smile playing on his lips.
“Travis has always been more observant than we give him credit for.”
“Apparently.” Timmy reached across the table again, his fingers brushing mine. The casual contact sent a familiar jolt through me. “So… I know the whole ‘boyfriend’ thing must have blindsided you.”
My heart gave a distinct kick against my ribs. “It’s okay with me. It okay with you?”
“More than okay.” His eyes met mine. “I like the sound of it. Wyatt Walker is my boyfriend.”
“Timmy Prescott is my boyfriend,” I echoed. The words felt solid. Like settling into a well-worn saddle. Right.
He leaned back, stretching slightly in my oversized clothes. “So. We have a whole day ahead of us. What does my boyfriend want to do?”
An idea, one that had been hovering at the edge of my thoughts, took shape. “Remember our conversation at the creek yesterday? Before… well, before my horse decided I needed a bath?”
His eyes danced with amusement. “Vaguely. The part where you were trying to act all tough and cowboy-like?”
“Before that,” I clarified, ignoring the jab. “You said you missed the open space. People who knew you before California.”
He nodded slowly, his expression turning more thoughtful. “Yeah. I did.”
“Want to see more of it? The ranch, I mean. There’s a spot… up on the north ridge. My dad used to take me there.”
His face softened, a genuine warmth spreading through his eyes. “I’d love that, Wyatt.”
An hour later,after Timmy had changed his clothes and I’d tossed sandwiches and a couple of beers into a backpack, we were bumping along a dusty ranch road, heading toward the higher pastures. Timmy had the window rolled down, his arm resting on the sill, the wind ruffling his hair. He looked relaxed, more settled than I’d seen him since he arrived. Like he fit here,in the passenger seat of my truck, dust coating the dashboard, the scent of hay and dry earth filling the cab.
I reached across the bench seat, my hand briefly covering his where it rested on his thigh. His skin was warm beneath my touch. I gave a quick squeeze before returning my hand to the wheel. “Glad you came back, Timmy.”
“Me too.”
We left the truck at the base of a rocky incline, the air already hot even though it was barely mid-morning. The hike wasn’t long, but the trail was steep, winding through scrubby juniper and sun-baked rocks. I grabbed the backpack.
“Ready?”
He nodded, squinting up at the ridge against the bright blue sky.
We climbed steadily, the only sounds our breathing and the crunch of our boots on the loose gravel. When we finally crested the rise, the view opened up dramatically. Rolling hills unfolded in every direction, painted in shades of dusty green and gold. My cattle dotted the pastures like scattered black beads. Farther beyond, the ranch house, the barns, the corrals–my whole world–looked small, contained.
Timmy stopped beside me, his breath catching. “Wow. Wyatt, this is…”
“Worth the climb?” I watched his face, seeing the vastness reflected in his eyes.
