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“You can’t help thinking that Rid shows Dale just what he thinks of his teaching style when they’re alone.” Garvin chuckled as he approached from the side. He was walking with Bull, and though Garvin was the one speaking, Fox’s attention was riveted to his boyfriend. As if he hadn’t just seen and touched him three hours ago at lunch.
Boyfriend. It still felt strange saying that word even only in his mind. Bull came up to him and placed a possessive kiss on his lips, while Garvin continued talking as though Bull wasn’t trying to suck Fox’s tongue out of his mouth. It seemed most of the staff had gotten good at ignoring their after-hours public displays of affection. One thing was for sure, Bull had been honest when he said he’d been wanting this kind of life for a long time, and now that he had it, he wasn’t taking a single day for granted.
Fox yanked his mouth away, gasping for breath.
“For fuck’s sake, you two… give it a rest,” Dale bitched, rewinding his rope. “You guys put the fuckin’ rabbits to shame. Have some pride, Bull. You’re a businessman.”
A few hands began gathering around, joining in on the ribbing. It wasn’t uncommon for them to shoot the shit at closing time, as a sort of fun way to wrap up a long day. And Bull smelled so rough and earthy, like a man that worked hard by the sweat of his brow. It was an intoxicating scent that made Fox hard, and Bull knew it. Fox licked his lips, and Bull’s eyes narrowed to slits before he mouthed, “Later.”
Ignoring Dale, Bull tugged his Stetson lower, keeping his head close to Fox’s temple. Shannon and Marcy ran up and tried to pry Bull away from Fox, but he held on to the fence, refusing to budge while they grabbed at his waist and arms. The girls laughed when Bull easily wrestled them both off him.
Fox glanced around, feeling as if he were in paradise. Everything he’d ever wanted surrounded him at that very moment. Nature, friends, fun… love. And not only did Fox notice Bull’s joy but everyone else did too. How could they not notice the permanent laugh lines around his eyes and the new pep in his step. As they goofed off while still on the clock, their happiness for their boss was evident.
Bull draped his arms over the top rung of the fence and propped one boot on the bottom one, mimicking Fox’s posture. His eyes caught on Bull’s thick forearms and the strong veins bulging beneath his skin, reminding him of how Bull had held him against the wall in the loft last night, while he’d fucked him from behind. Now that the weather was warming, many of the workers had foregone their heavy coats, for lighter digs, including Bull, who now wore faded jeans and a dark gray wool sweater with the sleeves shoved up to his elbows.
Fox’s phone vibrated loudly in his jacket pocket. Bull ignored it, but Garvin didn’t. “You been rejecting calls all week. Who are you avoiding so hard?”
“Mind your own business, G,” Bull muttered over Fox’s head.
“It’s okay. I am avoiding, I guess.” Fox sighed. “It’s just my boss, Garvin. We’ve been playing phone tag for a while… and I’ve been ‘it’… for like a while now.”
“Not sure that’s how phone tag works, but okay.” Garvin shrugged, then went back to watching Dale and Rid.
“I tell ya, boy.” Dale leaned on Brandy’s pommel, glaring down at Rid. “My grandmother used to throw rope better than you.”
“Is this you guys’ weird form of foreplay?” Garvin asked, making a few of the hands laugh and wolf whistle in Dale’s direction. It also wasn’t a secret around the ranch why the foreman had been smiling just as wide as the bossman lately.
“I’m trying to wrap up a lesson here if y’all don’t mind,” Dale said with pride in his voice. “Rid is gonna compete in the charity roping competition this summer. And if you all will be quiet and let us finish training, he’ll be a shoo-in this year. He’s competing for the ranch.”
“You sound like a right proud papa bear, Dale.” Bull chuckled, causing the staff to break into rowdy laughter.
“Shut the fuck up, Bull!” Dale snapped, clenching his thighs and forcing Brandy a few intimidating steps towards the fence, making them all fall back. “I bet you won’t say that shit if Brandy clears that top rung.” No one but Bull dared to tease Dale about his and Rid’s age difference for fear of getting their heads knocked off, or yeah, trampled by Brandy.
“You guys need to give credit where it’s due. None of you can match Dale’s skills, and you’re hating on him,” Rid spoke up. “I bet y’all didn’t know that back in his hometown of Summit, he was only sixteen when he became known as one roping motherfucker.”
