Page 24 of Wellspring
Cade didn’t object.Hell no, he didn’t object.“Why do you think I’m in here?”He let a little of his appreciation seep into his tone as he turned on the second spigot and angled himself into the spray.If he treated being naked in the shower together as the commonplace event it was, maybe Erick would relax too.“You’re lucky I’m the first person to barge in on you.Course it ain’t that hot yet, not like it will be in a couple of months.Then there’ll be a line to get in here before dinner.”
“Another aspect of my new life I must accustom to.”Erick dropped the towel on the bench and moved under the water again, keeping his back turned to Cade.Not that he minded a longer view at that sweet ass.“You must think me foolish.”
“None of that,” Cade insisted, trying to catch Erick’s expression, but he kept his back firmly to Cade.Protecting his tender underbelly in more ways than one.“I think you’re incredibly brave to come here and start over like you have, especially since I know your life in Prussia wasn’t like it is here.You’ve got class and book learning and shit I never had the chance at.I think you’re a lot of things, Erick Heller, a real gentlemen and a real catch for whoever’s lucky enough to catch your eye, but foolish definitely ain’t one of them.”
His heart pounded in his chest as he spoke, his whole body tensed as he waited on Erick’s reaction.Chel better be right, or he could be risking not only Erick’s affection but his friendship.And even if he couldn’t have one, he couldn’t bear losing the other.
Erick glanced over his shoulder at Cade, his cheeks pinker than the lukewarm water could account for.Cade hoped that was a good sign and not the result of a day spent working in the sun and heat.Had Erick remembered to wear his hat?Keeping his gaze fixed on Cade’s face, Erick said, “You have something much more valuable than mere ‘book learning,’ Cade.You have taught me so much since I arrived in America.I would be honored should you allow me to share what knowledge I have with you in return.”
Well, he hadn’t driven Erick off with the compliment.That was a start.Not that he knew what to do with the return compliment.Still, he recognized an opportunity when he was handed one.“You’d do that?Miss Dawson, the schoolmarm, offered once, but I don’t have time to ride into town for lessons.My only other option was Burke, and no, I’d end up shooting him before we finished a single lesson.”
The corners of Erick’s mouth curled up, the equivalent of a wide grin from anyone else.“I would be happy to help you.”
Cade wanted to cross the space between them and lick the crease at the edge of Erick’s lips caused by that little half smile.He smiled back, elated.He still wasn’t completely convinced Chel was right, but he had a way now to guarantee Erick’s time and attention.“Maybe we could start after dinner.If you’re not too tired?”
“Of course.We can spend an hour or two each night, if you wish.”Erick turned his attention back to washing up, but he seemed more relaxed.“I will hope to finish several lessons before you are tempted to shoot me.”
Cade snorted as he turned back to his own shower.“There’s exactly one thing you could do to make me want to shoot you, and since I doubt you’ll ever decide to insult my Comanche family, you’re probably safe.”
“I would enjoy hearing more of your time with them, if you should not object to speaking of it.”
“Careful what you wish for,” Burke said as he swanned into the shower area and tossed his towel over the enclosure walls.“If you get him started on them, you’ll never get him to shut up.”
“Fuck off, Burke,” Cade snapped.He had the worst timing.Not that Cade could tell him to leave.The shower was public space unless Chel was using it.Still, he resented anything that intruded on what little private time he could find with Erick, though the offer of lessons would give him more.“Like you aren’t just as bad about the things you come up with.”
“At least ‘the things I come up with’ are useful,” Burke retorted.“This shower, for example.Or trying to come up with a better prothesis for Mac’s leg.Not like your old stories.”
And that, Cade thought,is why we put up with his sorry ass.Because he cares enough to do shit like improve Mac’s broken-down peg leg.
“They are not old stories to me,” Erick said.“I can appreciate both your devices and Cade’s adventures.It was tales such as his that drew me to America.”
Burke rolled his eyes but didn’t keep the conversation going.Cade shot Erick a grateful look, quietly pleased that Erick would defend him, and finished up.If it was just the two of them, he’d linger as long as he could, but he didn’t have any desire to give Burke any more fodder for his commentary.Last night’s comments had been bad enough.He slung his towel around his waist and ducked out of the shower enclosure.He hadn’t stopped to get clean clothes on the way from the barn, but fortunately the back door to the bunkhouse was just a few steps away, and no one would blink twice at him coming in with just a towel on.
He pulled on drawers and pants—it was already too hot for a union suit—but didn’t bother with a shirt.He’d have to put one on before dinner, but he had a little time still before then.
Erick entered a few minutes later.He must have brought clean clothes to the shower with him, since he was dressed and carried his soiled clothes under one arm.He opened the chest at the foot of his bed to stuff them into his saddlebag.
“There’s a basket over there you can put your laundry in.”Erick flushed again as he looked up at Cade.So what if he flexed just a little?He’d worked damn hard for those muscles, and he hoped the blush meant Erick was appreciating them.“Miss Sarah’s sister Annie comes to the ranch a few times a week to do the washing.Just be sure to put your initials on them so you get them back.”
Erick pulled a pencil from the saddlebag and marked inside each piece before dropping them into the basket.“I am glad you told me before I ran out of clean clothes.”
“Not that anyone would complain about seeing you naked,” Burke commented as he dropped his own load of clothes on top of Erick’s.“What?”he squawked when Cade elbowed him.Burke made everything sexual about everyone, but Erick was different.In part because he was new and didn’t understand yet that Wellspring was a safe place for everyone, but mostly because Erick washis.Except it would take more than an elbow to stop Burke from running his mouth.“I’ve got eyes, haven’t I?Hoss is a better nickname than I thought.”
Erick’s face turned nearly as red as Javier’s chiles, making Cade wish he’d gotten as good a view of Erick’s front as he had Erick’s back.He’d have to add that to his list of things to do next time he ran into Erick in the shower—which would be as often as he could arrange it without being obvious.
Chapter Fifteen
THE SUPPERbell saved them both from any more of Burke’s innuendos.Cade stood up and pulled a shirt on, because Miz Roarke insisted on proper attire at the tables.If they left off their shirts while they were working, that was their business, but not at meals.
“How’d the first day with the mustangs go?”Cade asked Erick as they waited in line for their food.
“I think Payne was pleased.”Erick accepted a bowl of chili and a slab of cornbread from Javier with thanks.“The horses are quite intelligent, which is not surprising in wild creatures.Once they are used to being handled, training them will be a pleasure.”
“That’s great!I knew you could do it,” Cade said.He hadn’t doubted Erick’s skills after watching him with Zephyr, but a little vindication was good for the soul.And he suspected Erick needed the validation too.“I’ll have to come watch, the next day I have here at the house instead of out on the range.”
“You spend most days on the range,” Erick observed.Cade thought he sounded regretful, but that might be wishful thinking.
“Five days on, two off, ’cept when we’re driving the herd to market.One night out of the five, or two while I’m covering for Kit while Mac needs him.”Cade claimed his own food and led them to a table where Chel was already seated.She nodded a greeting but kept eating.“Payne usually puts them on the same schedule, but Mac’s leg’s been bothering him enough to keep him from riding, and there’s not much work needs done here at night.”
