Cowboys Down (5 page)

Not sure my feet are going to move. I really need to piss. Oh Christ. Is that a spaceship?

“Your turn.” Erik smirked at Jasper’s knee-high black boots. “Show jumper?”

“No,” Jasper muttered, though once upon a time he had been.

His fingers clenched around the helmet. He slammed it onto his head and clipped it in place before he could change his mind. Jasper averted his gaze so he didn’t catch anyone’s eye, particularly Calum’s, but anxiety ballooned in his chest, making it hard to swallow the bile surging up his throat. He sensed he was fighting a losing battle to control his nerves. Even the thought of taking the apple bribe from his pocket made him feel sick.

“Climb over and show us what you can do,” Erik said.

Oh God, shit, fuck, crap.
As if he could read Jasper’s mind, the horse gave him a look of disdain, flaring his nostrils.

Erik gave an impatient sigh. “When you’re ready.”

“One minute,” Jasper mumbled, turned and threw up.
Oh fuck, fuck, fuck.

“Shit,” Pete muttered.

Jasper didn’t think he had that much in his stomach but he’d been mistaken. Oh God. He dragged a tissue from his pocket and wiped his mouth. “I’m sorry. I’ll clean it up if you’d point me in the—”

“Don’t worry about it,” Erik said.

“You okay?” Calum asked.

“Must have eaten something that disagreed with me.” Jasper backed away. “Sorry.”

He practically ran back to the ranch, tearing off his helmet as he went. Why the hell had he thought forcing himself to confront this was the way to go? There were plenty of other things to do in life, why throw himself over this particular cliff?

Note to self: Look more carefully before I leap. I might land in quicksand.

Chapter Three

Calum stared after Jasper’s retreating back and sighed. A guy with issues was not what he needed to be hot for because he had enough of his own.
Fuck.

“Looks like you’re not going to be riding today, Pete,” Erik said. “You can see to those damaged boards on the barn. Put Bonny back in the pasture and get Gunner to deal with that mess. Calum, go see if the guy needs a doctor. At least we know it’s nothing he’s eaten here. He didn’t touch his breakfast.”

“He had that sandwich Angie made,” Calum said.

“How do you know?” his father snapped.

Calum thought quickly. “Because it’s gone from the fridge. I assume he ate it.”

“Oh Christ. Get after him.”

Calum didn’t rush. Jasper had to be embarrassed. He’d give him a chance to compose himself. He’d watched the English guy as one by one the guests went through their paces, proving they knew how to mount and hold the reins correctly, to cue the horse to walk, stop, turn and canter and most important—they didn’t yank at the animal’s mouth. With every passing minute, Jasper’s face had steadily paled, taut lines bracketing his lips.

But Calum didn’t think the dude was sick. More like scared.

When Calum knocked on the door of Jasper’s room, it swung open. A suitcase sat on the bed, a few clothes lay inside together with an apple. Packing or not unpacked yet? Packing, Calum guessed. There was no sign of Jasper. Bathroom, maybe? Calum stayed where he was and banged harder on the door.

It took a couple of moments before Jasper appeared, dark shadows evident under those beautiful eyes, and it was all Calum could do not to pull him into his arms.

“Okay?” Calum leaned on the doorframe. “Deserting us already?” He nodded toward the bed.

“I started to pack and then realized I was being an idiot. Nothing new there.” He backed up to the bed and sat next to his case, elbows on his knees, head in his hands.

“Calum, is he okay?”

Angie came running up the corridor, her long blonde hair tumbling down her back. She pushed past him and burst into the room before he could stop her.

“I just made you what I like,” she blurted. “Not my favorite, but still good.”

Jasper straightened and sent Calum a confused look.

“Angie made the sandwich,” Calum said. “We’re worried it made you throw up.”

Jasper rose to his feet. “That sandwich was delicious. One of the best, if not
the
best I ever had. That’s not why I was sick.”

Angie’s chin wobbled. “But Pete said it made you sick.”

Damn Pete. Why did he have to do that?

“Can you keep a secret?” Jasper asked.

Angie nodded hard. She pulled him to the far side of the room and glared at Calum. He rolled his eyes and put his hands over his ears as Jasper bent to whisper to Angie. Calum didn’t hear what he said.

“There’s no need to be scared of horses,” she said in a loud voice.

Jasper’s face flushed with a tinge of red and Calum groaned.

“I’ll let you ride Misty,” Angie said. “She’s good as gold. She’s never thrown me. Well, only once and that was my fault.”

Calum opened his mouth, but Jasper shook his head and smiled at Angie.
Oh God, this guy is going to break my fucking heart.

“That’s really kind of you, Angie. I think I might lie by the pool instead today. I’d love another sandwich for lunch.” He sat back on the bed.

“Go tell Mom you make the best sandwiches,” Calum said. Angie raced off and Calum flashed Jasper a look of apology. “She likes the idea of a secret, but she can’t keep one. She’s…” Oh God, he didn’t want to say.

“Sweet,” Jasper said. “And special.”

Calum’s jaw twitched. “Yeah, she is.” He realized he’d taken a step nearer Jasper and backed up. “Why did you choose this kind of vacation if you don’t like horses?”

“I
do
like horses. It’s not horses I have a problem with, it’s getting on their backs that’s the issue.” His fingers fidgeted on the bed. “I used to ride a lot, but I…haven’t for some time.”

Why did you stop?
“Sure you want to lie by the pool? Can I convince you to try again? Everyone’s gone now. We can take it as slow and easy as you like.” Oh God, slow and easy sounded good, but listening to his dick, Calum suspected fast and hard would be more likely.

“
You’ll
take me out?” Jasper asked.

Calum nodded. He hadn’t missed the interest in Jasper’s voice and his cock nodded an I-told-you-so.

“My stomach’s empty now. You should be safe.” Jasper gave a wry grin.

“Wait here. I’ll be back in a sec.” Calum turned at the door. “Unpack. You don’t look like a quitter to me.”

On his way to his room, Calum bumped into his father who grabbed his arm to bring him to a halt. “Angie says the pansy’s scared.”

Oh shit.
If his father didn’t keep his mouth shut, everyone on the ranch would find out and Jasper would be a laughing stock.

“What the fuck’s he doing here?” his father asked.

“He’s not scared of horses.”

“Well he did a damned good impression of it. At least we know it wasn’t the food. I don’t want someone else threatening to sue us.”

“That didn’t come to anything.”

They’d had a guest who’d almost taken them to court a few months ago. Some crap about bedbugs. Pest control had found no evidence of any problem, but word spread based on internet comments. Calum had jumped on every post he saw and eventually squashed the rumor, though there was no way of knowing if they’d have had that level of cancellations without the issue. It damn well annoyed him his father had refunded the bedbug guy’s money. The lying bastard had probably made up the whole thing.

His father glared at him. “We had four cancel that should have been here this week.”

“Coincidence,” Calum said, though he wasn’t sure it was.

He knew his father was worried. Even when they weren’t running at capacity, the wranglers and other help still had to be paid and horses had to be fed. They weren’t the only dude ranch in Wyoming. They couldn’t afford to make mistakes.

“Go and help Pete replace that boarding on the barn,” his father said.

“I’m going to take the English guy out. He wants to ride.”

His father scowled. “Think that’s a good idea?”

Calum stiffened. “Don’t you trust me?”

They stared at each other and Calum thought if the wrong thing was said, he’d walk off this ranch and never speak to his father again. But then he’d thought that a lot of times and he’d never left. Calum backed down from confrontation just like he always did.

“Sorry,” he muttered.

His father nodded. “I’ll tell Gunner to saddle Zander.”

Calum carried on to his room, his heart hammering. Just him and Jasper? At least he’d know by the end of the ride if the guy was only going to figure in his dreams. But if Zander wasn’t in the right mood, they’d be lucky to make it to the bottom of the first pasture by lunchtime. He snatched up boots and gloves, turned to leave and then went back to grab a couple of foil packets from his bottom drawer. Fuck what his father thought. Calum was listening to his dick. It was more fun.

When he got back to Jasper’s room, the suitcase had gone.

“These should fit.” Calum handed him the boots. “We look about the same size.”

“I don’t want spurs. I don’t need them.”

Calum sucked in his cheeks. “The horses are used to them.”

“But I’m not. I don’t want to risk injuring a horse if I…”

If you panic. Shit.
“Here, I’ll take them off.”

Calum removed the metal and passed the boots back.

Jasper slipped them on and stood to press his heels down into the boots. “Thank you.”

“You should wear these too.” Calum handed him the gloves. “You don’t want to end up with hands like mine.”

“Nothing wrong with yours,” Jasper murmured.

Calum’s breath caught. “Come on, then. Let’s see if Zander likes you. Leave the helmet, you won’t be going above walking pace.”

Jasper was silent all the way to the corral. Calum couldn’t help but notice he trudged the worn path like he was walking to his execution. The sunglasses were back in place. Hard to tell what he was thinking. Calum wondered what had happened. Had to be some sort of accident. Hence the helmet.
Shit, I should have let him wear it.

The docile brown horse they used for beginners was tethered to the rail of the corral. No one else was around.

“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” Calum said.

Jasper remained tight-lipped.

“You could try again later.”

Calum could almost see the battle going on in Jasper’s head. He wanted and didn’t want at the same time.

“Why don’t you just say howdy to him?” Calum climbed over into the enclosure.

He was a little surprised when Jasper followed.

“Good boy, Zander.” Calum patted the horse at the base of its neck.

Jasper tipped his sunglasses onto his head and held out his hand, palm flat and let the horse sniff. “You look older than me,” he said and laughed quietly, though the smile didn’t make it all the way to his eyes.

“He’s been around for as long as I can remember.”

As Jasper stroked the horse’s shoulder, Calum moved away. The petting turned into a firm scratch and Zander dropped his head so Jasper would keep doing it. Calum’s gaze was glued to Jasper’s hand and his mind returned to an earlier train of thought. What would it feel like being stroked by Jasper? Soft fingers sliding into his pants, wrapping—
Oh fuck.
There was a distinct lack of room in his jeans and Calum swallowed his groan.
I’m jealous of a horse?

“Those long brown eyelashes don’t have me fooled.” Jasper ran his hand along Zander’s flank. “We both know if I do something you don’t like, I’m going to be eating dirt.”

Zander bobbed his head.

Jasper turned to Calum, and sighed. “Did he just agree?”

Calum chuckled. The chances of Zander mustering enough energy to throw anyone off were zero. He’d pretty much put up with anything except overuse of spurs. He was a good boy, unlike Calum. “Keep stroking him. Let him get used to the sound of your voice and your scent.” He moved up behind Jasper, his heart jumping.

“Good lad,” Jasper whispered and scratched between the horse’s ears.

Zander swung his head round hard and knocked Jasper into Calum. Calum couldn’t help himself. As he caught hold of Jasper, he breathed in. Soap, coconut shampoo, musk.
Fuck it.
Calum jerked away.

“Sorry,” Jasper said.

“Oh yeah, and don’t mess with his ears.”

Funny how he hadn’t thought to mention that. Jasper turned and gave Calum a look that said he knew exactly why he hadn’t mentioned it. Calum’s cock continued to grow. He couldn’t tear his gaze from Jasper as he petted Zander.
Want him, want him, want him.
Except someone like Jasper could probably have any guy at all.
And it won’t be a guy like me.

“So, Zander, are you going to play nice?” Jasper whispered as he stroked the horse’s neck. “Not going to bolt for a fence the moment I sit on your back and try to launch me into the next paddock?”

The horse whickered.