really was a fluke, I’m not leaving.This is my home now, get it?”
“No,” Macklin said. “I don’t. I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but I don’t ‘get it,’ as you put it. I don’t know how you can uproot your life the way you did and how you can claim such loyalty to Lang Downs after only a month, and because I don’t understand, I’m having a hard time trusting it.”
“That’s fair,” Caine said, weighing his words. “Why didn’t you tell me you were gay?”
“Because it doesn’t matter,” Macklin replied, running his hand through his shaggy hair. “This isn’t Philadelphia. It’s the outback. Being gay isn’t a choice.”
“No, it isn’t a choice,” Caine agreed. “It’s the way you are, just like it’s the way I am. I’ve seen the way people around here watch you. You really think they’d care?”
“Maybe not,” Macklin said, “but it doesn’t matter since I’ve never met anyone out here I want to be with, and I don’t want a lover who can’t share my life.”
“And now that you’ve met me?”
“You’re… you’re this beautiful exotic creature,” Macklin said, obviously struggling to put his thoughts into words. “I can’t stop staring at you, but you don’t seem real.”
Caine took a deep breath and stepped closer, catching Macklin’s hand in his. “I’m real,” he said, “and I’m just as fascinated by you.” He brushed his lips softly over Macklin’s to prove his point.
Macklin groaned, his grip tightening on Caine’s hand while his other hand grabbed the back of Caine’s head, hauling him close. Caine wrapped his free arm around Macklin’s neck, holding on as the foreman kissed him with the same fierceness from that morning, like he was starved for touch and desperate for more. Caine gave it willingly, stroking the nape of Macklin’s neck and opening beneath the onslaught of the kiss. Macklin’s tongue invaded his mouth, possessing more than exploring, and arousing Caine faster than he’d imagined possible. Maybe it really was John’s fault the sex had been boring, because there was nothing boring about the way he felt with Macklin!
Macklin lifted his head, eyes dilated and breath coming fast. “This isn’t a good idea.”
“It feels like a damn good idea to me,” Caine said, rubbing against Macklin’s body. He could feel Macklin’s interest in the erection that matched his own.
“We have to work together,” Macklin reminded him.
“So we’ll work together,” Caine replied, kissing along Macklin’s jaw. “I wasn’t planning on kissing you while we were working anyway.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Macklin said. “If we sleep together and it doesn’t work out, what are we supposed to do? Lang Downs is my home. I can’t just go work somewhere else.”
“And what if we sleep together and it does work out?” Caine demanded.“You could be tossing away a chance at happiness.”
Macklin shook his head and disentangled himself from Caine’s embrace. “Lang Downs is the only constant I have in my life. I can’t take chances with that.You know the way out.”
Caine watched in stunned silence as Macklin disappeared into another part of the house, leaving him alone and reeling in the living room. His body throbbed, demanding more of the pleasurable stimulation, a painful reminder of what had just happened. Slowly he turned and walked outside, staring up at the unfamiliar constellations as he tried to make sense of Macklin’s swings in attitude. One minute the man had kissed him like he never wanted to let go, and the next he’d all but pushed Caine out the door. It didn’t make sense.
Caine was tempted to pound on the door again and demand more of an explanation, but he doubted it would help. Macklin was a law unto himself, and trying to change his mind was like trying to channel the tides.
Caine kicked at the gravel beneath his boots as he walked back to the main house, all the aches from a day on horseback making themselves
“No,” Macklin said. “I don’t. I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but I don’t ‘get it,’ as you put it. I don’t know how you can uproot your life the way you did and how you can claim such loyalty to Lang Downs after only a month, and because I don’t understand, I’m having a hard time trusting it.”
“That’s fair,” Caine said, weighing his words. “Why didn’t you tell me you were gay?”
“Because it doesn’t matter,” Macklin replied, running his hand through his shaggy hair. “This isn’t Philadelphia. It’s the outback. Being gay isn’t a choice.”
“No, it isn’t a choice,” Caine agreed. “It’s the way you are, just like it’s the way I am. I’ve seen the way people around here watch you. You really think they’d care?”
“Maybe not,” Macklin said, “but it doesn’t matter since I’ve never met anyone out here I want to be with, and I don’t want a lover who can’t share my life.”
“And now that you’ve met me?”
“You’re… you’re this beautiful exotic creature,” Macklin said, obviously struggling to put his thoughts into words. “I can’t stop staring at you, but you don’t seem real.”
Caine took a deep breath and stepped closer, catching Macklin’s hand in his. “I’m real,” he said, “and I’m just as fascinated by you.” He brushed his lips softly over Macklin’s to prove his point.
Macklin groaned, his grip tightening on Caine’s hand while his other hand grabbed the back of Caine’s head, hauling him close. Caine wrapped his free arm around Macklin’s neck, holding on as the foreman kissed him with the same fierceness from that morning, like he was starved for touch and desperate for more. Caine gave it willingly, stroking the nape of Macklin’s neck and opening beneath the onslaught of the kiss. Macklin’s tongue invaded his mouth, possessing more than exploring, and arousing Caine faster than he’d imagined possible. Maybe it really was John’s fault the sex had been boring, because there was nothing boring about the way he felt with Macklin!
Macklin lifted his head, eyes dilated and breath coming fast. “This isn’t a good idea.”
“It feels like a damn good idea to me,” Caine said, rubbing against Macklin’s body. He could feel Macklin’s interest in the erection that matched his own.
“We have to work together,” Macklin reminded him.
“So we’ll work together,” Caine replied, kissing along Macklin’s jaw. “I wasn’t planning on kissing you while we were working anyway.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Macklin said. “If we sleep together and it doesn’t work out, what are we supposed to do? Lang Downs is my home. I can’t just go work somewhere else.”
“And what if we sleep together and it does work out?” Caine demanded.“You could be tossing away a chance at happiness.”
Macklin shook his head and disentangled himself from Caine’s embrace. “Lang Downs is the only constant I have in my life. I can’t take chances with that.You know the way out.”
Caine watched in stunned silence as Macklin disappeared into another part of the house, leaving him alone and reeling in the living room. His body throbbed, demanding more of the pleasurable stimulation, a painful reminder of what had just happened. Slowly he turned and walked outside, staring up at the unfamiliar constellations as he tried to make sense of Macklin’s swings in attitude. One minute the man had kissed him like he never wanted to let go, and the next he’d all but pushed Caine out the door. It didn’t make sense.
Caine was tempted to pound on the door again and demand more of an explanation, but he doubted it would help. Macklin was a law unto himself, and trying to change his mind was like trying to channel the tides.
Caine kicked at the gravel beneath his boots as he walked back to the main house, all the aches from a day on horseback making themselves
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