Page 39 of Guys Like Him

Kieran leaned over when they took their seats and said, “I might have to loosen a button.” A button? Did that mean he wore button fly jeans? So freaking hot, but Finley didn’t let his mind wander too far in the crowded arena.

The goal was to stick around long enough to watch Tiny Dancer perform, then meet the Morrisons at her trailer for a quick reunion before sneaking off for their stakeout. Tiny Dancer was smack dab in the middle of the lineup, which allowed plenty of time for anticipation to bubble, brew, and give Finley anxiety. At one point, Kieran reached over and settled his hand on his knee, bringing attention to his bouncing leg. They locked eyes for several moments and Finley found his center of calm once more and enjoyed the show. Finley and Kieran weren’t confronting anyone; they were just going to take some pictures from a safe distance. They’d scoped out the area using satellite images from Google Maps and found the perfect spot to park and watch the warehouse for suspicious activity.

Finley expected Kieran to be too distracted by the stakeout to pay much attention to the performances, but he frequently leaned into Finley’s space to comment on the various elements and point out the obvious directional cues. And then the announcer introduced Tiny Dancer and sixteen-year-old Addie Morrison to the crowd. Tears filled Finley’s eyes as the horse trotted to the center of the arena, looking so proud.

“God, I love that horse,” he said as Addie and Tiny Dancer performed the prescribed movements.

“It must be hard to let them go after you bond with them.”

Finley looked over at Kieran and caught him watching him instead of the show. “Yeah, it really is, but then you get pictures or videos of the horses living their best lives, and you find joy in the role you played in their rehabilitation.” Finley looked back at the arena. “It isn’t often I get to see the horses in person once they leave the ranch, so I might blubber and make a fool of myself.” He for sure would hug Tiny Dancer’s neck.

“You won’t get any judgment from me,” Kieran said. “Look at the cat dad I’ve become.”

Finley thought about the plush setup Little Mama had in Kieran’s cabin. He’d bought her a fluffy bed, matching pink dishes, and a few catnip toys after ensuring they wouldn’t be dangerous for an expectant mother. Kieran Sullivan was the best kind of people, even if he didn’t know it yet. Finley understood that he wouldn’t be the person who helped him realize his worth, but he hoped Kieran found that special someone after leaving the ranch. It would break his heart just like when the horses left him, but he hoped that one day he’d witness Kieran living his best life. He’d try really hard not to be bitter about what could’ve been, but he wouldn’t make any promises.

Music filtered through the speaker system, and Finley laughed when he recognized “Hold Me Closer,” the Elton John and Britney Spears remix of “Tiny Dancer.” Finley often thought of the horse when he heard it and couldn’t resist humming along and dancing a little in his seat.

Beside him, Kieran chuckle-snorted. Finley turned and caught his first genuine smile since arriving on the ranch, and it was a thing of beauty. And contagious. Finley grinned back, though he didn’t know why. Then they both laughed, feeding off one another’s energy.

“This was the song you were trying to sing on the day we met,” Kieran said. “I couldn’t place the lyrics until now.”

Finley tilted his head to the side. “You’re right, but I sang the hell out of that song.”

“Screeched the hell out of it, did you say?”

Finley playfully pushed Kieran’s shoulder before focusing on Tiny Dancer’s performance again. The horse looked amazing, and Addie radiated love and joy for the horse she sat astride.

“She’s a natural rider like you,” Kieran said.

Finley met his gaze once more and the rest of the world faded away until the arena erupted in cheers and shouts for the duo when they finished. Finley gestured for Kieran to follow him once Addie rode Tiny Dancer out of the arena. Shelley Morrison had told him where they’d parked their trailer, so it was just a matter of walking there.

“These events are huge,” Kieran said, taking in the rows of horse trailers, RVs, and pickup trucks.

“This is a small crowd compared to some of the other jumping shows and rodeos. Dressage is gaining in popularity in the US, though.”

“It’s beautiful,” Kieran said, and his sincerity rang true in his words.

Addie squealed when she spotted Finley and launched herself at him. He swept her up in his arms and spun her around while her parents laughed.

“You two were amazing,” Finley said when he set her down. He extended his hand to Ben and hugged Shelly, then introduced everyone to Kieran. “Thank you so much for letting me know you were in town. You don’t know what this means to me.”

Shelly tipped her head toward the arena stall where Tiny Dancer was eating a snack. “Go say hello to your girl. She’ll be happy to see you.”

Finley took a shaky breath as he felt a familiar sting in his nose. “Ignore the blubbering.” Shelly smiled and squeezed his hand encouragingly. The horse lifted her head and knickered as Finley approached. “Hello, beautiful. Remember me?” She met him at the gate and nuzzled her head against his cheek. Finley wrapped his arms around her neck and leaned into her as hot tears fell. He loved all the horses that passed through Redemption Ranch, but some took a piece of his heart when they left him. Finley pulled back and wiped his tears.

The Morrisons joined them after a few moments and talked about her daily life. Tiny Dancer moseyed over to finish her snack while they talked about her. She contributed some noises once in a while to let them know she was listening. Finley gave her one more hug and scratched her ears before forcing himself away. The Morrisons promised to stay in touch and send him a full video of the performance. A sense of peace washed over Finley as he and Kieran made their way toward the parking lot.

“Do you know the only thing that could make this night better?” Finley asked when they reached his pickup truck. Kieran smiled at him for only the second time. The first grin was full of humor and joy, but the follow-up was sly and sexy.Keep your mind out of the gutter.“Someone is going down tonight,” Finley vowed, only realizing how it sounded when Kieran’s smile turned downright dirty. “I’m just going to shut up before I make a bigger fool of myself.”

He turned to put the key in the door lock, but Kieran placed a hand on his arm to stop him. Kieran’s expression was so warm and tender Finley thought for a moment he might kiss him, but Kieran pulled him into a tight hug instead. Heat unfurled low in Finley’s belly as Kieran’s warmth bled into him. Their embrace lasted longer than a platonic hug should, but Finley couldn’t let himself hope.

“Never change a single thing about you. Promise me,” Kieran demanded.

“I promise.”

“Good.” Kieran pulled back and placed a soft kiss on Finley’s forehead before dropping his arms and walking around the hood of the truck.

Finley would’ve told himself to hold on to his heart, but he figured it was already a lost cause.

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