Page 6 of The Finding Series: Vol. 1

“Fine,” Finn managed to get out as Rhys turned back to the stove and put the pan down. The small microwave on the counter dinged and Rhys grabbed the bacon he’d been heating up.

“I made coffee,” he said as he motioned to the nearly full pot.

“I thought you were leaving,” Finn said irritably as he hunted for a mug, then filled it full with coffee.

“Changed my mind,” was all Rhys said. He dropped bacon on both plates and began eating. Finn sat across from him, but didn’t touch the food.

“Because I kissed you last night?” Finn finally asked. Rhys lifted his eyes. “Because that was a mistake,” he stammered.

Rhys sighed and finished chewing before he responded, “I changed my mind because I don’t want to go back to prison,” he muttered.

Finn barely managed not to spit out the coffee he’d just taken a sip of. “Prison?”

“That’s why I’m here. My parole officer knows Callan and pulled some strings to get me this job. Six months and I’ll be free and clear. Otherwise I have to serve the rest of my sentence – two years.”

“You said you were a cop,” Finn said. It hadn’t even occurred to Finn why someone like Rhys would be working at a ranch in Montana – he’d just assumed the guy needed a change of scenery or something.

“Iwasa cop,” Rhys said bitterly, his tone making it clear he wasn’t interested in discussing the subject further.

Finn decided to let it go and shoveled some food in his mouth. “It’s good,” he said as he reached for a piece of bacon.

“Yeah, well, when it’s my turn to cook, it’ll be this or spaghetti and that’s it.”

Finn chuckled. “I can live with that.”

“And Finn,” Rhys said, waiting until Finn raised his gaze and their eyes met. “Even if that kiss last night was a mistake, it was a fucking great one.”

* * *

Finn watched Rhys shift awkwardly in the saddle as he tried to adjust to the horse’s stride. “You good?” he asked as he pulled his own gelding up next to the mare Rhys was riding.

“Great,” Rhys bit out.

“You look uncomfortable,” Finn said.

“If you must know, my ass hurts like hell. And not in the good way!” Rhys snapped and Finn quickly had to adjust his seat at the image Rhys’ statement had conjured up.

“It’s only been twenty minutes,” Finn said with amusement.

“Which is about nineteen minutes too long. Where the hell are the cows?” Rhys muttered as he fiddled with the reins.

“Probably over this hill. There’s a river they like to hang out at in the afternoons.”

Rhys mumbled something under his breath and Finn laughed. The man moved with easy confidence on the ground, but stick him on a horse and he was a mess. A hot mess though.

“You got anyone back in Chicago?” Finn asked, hoping a little conversation would relax Rhys enough so that riding would come a bit easier to him.

“You probably should have asked me about a boyfriend last night before you kissed the shit out of me.”

Finn felt the heat in his cheeks at the reminder of his brazen behavior as well as the fact that it turned out that Rhys had enjoyed it. “I meant family.”

“No. No family. No boyfriend either,” Rhys smirked.

“Where are your folks?”

“No idea. Grew up in foster care. Never found out who my real parents were.”

“Sorry,” Finn said.

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