Page 200 of Nothing Special X: The Last Stand

He strutted.

The horse beneath him moved with slow, insulting grace, every step deliberate.

Dale sat loose in the saddle, one hand easy on the reins, the other resting on his thigh. His cowboy hat was pulled low, shadowing his face. Aviator shades caught the late afternoon sun and gave nothing back. A short, neatly trimmed beard sharpened his jaw.

Dust clung to his boots, and the man’s shoulders looked broad enough to carry fence posts…and years-long grudges. His thighs were toned from a lifetime in the saddle, denim worn at the seams, shirt stretched tight across his chest. He had the audacity to keep his face turned toward him as he approached. He stopped a short distance away from the group and let the horse settle beneath him.

“Look what the polluted city dragged in,” Dale drawled.

God pushed his sunglasses up into his hair and glared back. “Dale.”

Dale scoffed. “Still ain’t learned no manners, I see. Where I’m from, when you come to another man’s house, you greet him with a proper how-do.”

God stepped forward. “You get down off that horse, and I’ll greet you real fuckin’ proper.”

Day caught his bicep as the rest of the guys broke into laughter.

Dale shook his head slowly. “Nah. I like the view from up here just fine. Besides, I wouldn’t want you to get all that pretty hair tangled around my fist.”

“Fuck, you are a fuckin’ asshole,” God snarled.

Fox was grinning like a sly bastard. “Y’all gonna do this all weekend?”

“Yes,” God and Dale said together.

Dale’s attention shifted.

To Curtis.

God saw it happen and immediately hated it.

Dale tipped his head, assessing a bright, flushed, ridiculously happy Curtis tucked beneath Genesis’s arm. “You must be the one getting married.”

Curtis beamed. “I am.”

Dale’s lips curved slow enough to be criminal. “Well, ain’t that something. They told me the groom was pretty, but nobody warned me I needed to take my hat off and show respect.”

Curtis went pink so fast, God was embarrassed for him.

Genesis’s brows rose.

Ruxs went still.

Green frowned.

“This fucking guy.” God groaned.

Dale urged his horse a couple of steps closer, enough to make Curtis tilt his face up. “How would you like a tour of your venue? Crew’s got it set up real nice.”

Curtis’s eyes widened. “Really?”

Dale leaned over the saddle horn, charm pouring off him like whiskey over fire. “Really. But I’ll be honest with you, sweetheart. No matter what they did out there, you’re still gonna be the prettiest thing on the property.”

Curtis melted into a damn puddle.

Rid shook his head at Dale. “Is this supposed to be payback?”

Dale’s head snapped up to his boyfriend. “You’re damn right it is.”