Ethan
thank you, and I didn’t need one anyway, but I appreciate you thinking of me
Colt
you’re welcome
Colt
have a good day tomorrow
Ethan
you, too
No other message comes, and I don’t know what to say anyway. We’re both tired and need sleep. After placing my bowl in the sink, I crawl into bed and fall asleep thinking of oranges and a job I never wanted.
Chapter 11
Colt
“Is everybody ready!?”
A chorus of excited shouts sounds as the group of kids cheers. Gunner starts our last ride for the day, leading the group of twelve overly talkative teenagers. I bring up the back of the ride and let my mind wander as I tune out their chatter.
It’s been a busy week at the ranch. The first wave of LGBTQ+ kids arrived for camp. Gunner and I were called in to help more since a few of the boys weren’t acquainted with the term modesty. Turns out they wanted to get a cowboy’s attention. The sexy kind.
They got attention, but not the kind they were looking for. The one boy, Kaspar, has a thick German accent and bright blue hair against his pale skin. He’s newly out and enjoying the attention from older men. He’s still just a kid, only 16, and some of his stories make me blush before becoming alarmed at the situations he’s put himself into. My word, I could never do the things he talks of now, let alone when I was a teenager.
His punishment of lugging hay bales into the barn loft and missing the campfire that night seemed to beeffective. He promised to behave, and I hope he means it even after he’s left the ranch.
I felt bad for the blisters on his hands, but we sat up past curfew talking. It broke my heart listening to all the things he kept to himself because of where he lived and his family life, but he assured me he has a solid support group of friends. He also showed me all the things I could do with my phone…including how to lie about my age to access an OnlyFans account.
“Kaspar, you know you have lots of time to meet boys, right? You should take time to enjoy being a teenager, and these men are adults. They shouldn’t be talking to you like that.”
“Yah, but why wait? I like the attention, Colt.” He pauses and touches my arm. “I don’t have sex with them, if that’s what you’re worried about. Just…don’t tell anyone I told you that.”
That should at least make me relax knowing he’s smart enough to be safe, but he’s so young. Maybe I shouldn’t worry about him. He seems confident enough, and we all like to spread our wings, but do kids even want more than casual relationships these days? Am I that out of touch that I don’t know anymore?
“That’s good to hear, but don’t you want more than sex or someone liking your looks one day? Do you ever want to find that person who lights you up without even being in the room?”
“That sounds maybe a little nice.” He nods. “Maybe…but right now, I like what I do.” Shrugging, he hands me my phone back with the background set as the OnlyFans symbol and a naked man.
“Kaspar,” I hiss. “Fix this, or I’ll have you move more bales until your hands are so sore you won’t be able to do anything.” I nod and look toward his zipper. “Including that.”
The boy laughs and takes my phone back, switching the background to the only photo on my phone that’s not horses. The selfie of me and Ethanfrom what feels like a year ago now.
“Is that the guy who makes you light up?”
Damn kids.
“I don’t think that’s anything for us to talk about, Kaspar. You should probably get to bed. You have a full day planned tomorrow.”
“Ah, I see.” Kaspar looks me in the eye. “He’s cute. Maybe if I see him here, I should wave, yes? Maybe get a photo with him like that, too.”
His blue eyes sparkle with the mischief that matches all his stories, and I shake my head.
“He’s…it’s complicated, okay?”
