Easton [Belt Buckle Ranch 4] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) by Olivia Black

Trent held out his hand and Easton took it, allowing the older man to lead him out of the terminal and toward his truck.
    He didn’t say a single word, his mind moving faster than his mouth could process. The silence continued as Trent opened the passenger-side door and buckled him in. The drive toward the ranch filled Easton with anxiety and kicked his heart into overdrive. Trent tried to engage him in conversation with simple questions about Oklahoma and his grandma, but Easton was barely able to answer with more than a couple syllables.
    Easton’s palms began to sweat as his panic grew, overwhelming him. He was confused and scared. Had leaving the ranch ruined everything he and his brothers had worked so hard to accomplish? Would they lose their father’s legacy? By the time they neared the turn-off, he was sick to his stomach and thought he might actually puke or pass out from the stress. He just hoped his brothers would be able to forgive him after all was said and done.
    “Wait…” Easton whispered as Trent drove past the Belt Buckle. “The ranch.” He looked over his shoulder as sign became smaller and finally disappeared altogether.
    “I’m taking you home.” Trent reached across the bench seat and squeezed his knee.
    The gesture was probably supposed to calm Easton and put him at ease, but it had the opposite effect. Trent had made himself pretty clear the day Easton wrapped a truck around a tree. The man didn’t want a relationship. So why was he acting as if the two of them were together? Shouldn’t Trent be keeping his distance?
    When Trent pulled off the main road, Easton glanced up at the metal Twin Acres Ranch sign. He didn’t say a word until Trent was parked in the front of his home.
    “What’s going on?” Easton asked, looking over at Trent.
    “I’d like the two of us to talk. Would you please come inside?”
    “Sure.” He shrugged. “I guess.” Easton had no idea what Trent wanted to talk about. He didn’t allow himself the opportunity to assume, either.
    Opening the door, Easton climbed out and shut the door behind him. Trent grabbed his bag, tossing it over his shoulder as he headed toward the front door. Easton followed his lead up onto the porch and inside the house. Everything looked exactly the same as he remembered, incredible. Trent really did have a beautiful home. Trent clasped Easton’s hand and pulled him down the hallway. Instead of stopping at the guest room the two of them had shared, Trent took him into a large suite.
    The walls were painted a light blue, with the same exposed wooden beams and iron ties. Thick carpet turned into hard wood, opening up to a second room that appeared to be a closet. A giant king-sized bed dominated the room with large wooden posts. This time, Easton could see all the metal eye-hooks screwed around the bed. Pulling his lower lip into his mouth, a wave of sadness hit him. He wouldn’t be experiencing Trent’s ropes, cuff, or chains again.
    Hell, after today, he probably wouldn’t see the man again.
    “Here.” Trent held a manila envelope and Easton started shaking his head.
    The last time he’d opened an envelope his life changed. He didn’t want his life to change again. He loved the Belt Buckle Ranch. Creating some distance between him and Trent, Easton walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of the mattress. He felt dizzy, his vision becoming blurry.
    “Baby, what’s wrong?”
    “Why are you calling me baby? Why did you bring me here? What’s inside that envelope? Why the hell are you dragging this out?” He jumped up. “Just punish me already so that I can move on with my life.”
    Trent stared at him intently before saying, “Take off your clothes.” His heart rate kicked up a notch and Easton could feel a slight tremor skimming over him. He was almost positive that he misheard. Trent moved closer. “Clothes. Off.”
    With a shaky hand, Easton awkwardly lifted the hem of his shirt and pulled the thin cotton over his