were, Renner doubted his feet would have hit the floor this early.
Humming to himself, Renner went through his usual morning routine. He showered, groomed, ate, and then he was out the door, heading toward the garden. When he stepped onto his porch, the last thing he expected to see was Caleb standing there, arms crossed and anger turning his face red.
“It’s about time you got your ass up.” Caleb pointed to the garden. “There’s a row of weeds with your name on it.”
Rather than argue or point out that Caleb wasn’t the boss of everyone, Renner slid past him and hustled toward the garden. On his way, he looked at the porch of the big house, but he didn’t see Quintus. He frowned but then let it go. He hadn’t gotten into his own bed until late, so he probably wasn’t up yet. As Renner looked around, he realized neither was McBride.
Apprehension tightened his muscles as he joined everyone else in the garden. A cursory head count told him that everyone was here but Quintus and McBride. While he was weeding a fresh row, he kept looking up at the big house. The shutters were up, but he couldn’t see into the windows since they were clean and reflected back the yard and sky. Renner knew the only way he was going to find out what was going on was to go into the big house and see for himself.
As soon as Caleb disappeared into the shed, Renner excused himself under the guise of checking on his patient. It was true only up to a point. What he was really doing was checking on his mate. Renner had always thought when he took that step he would be overjoyed, but he was terrified. He’d never been all that good at keeping secrets. Even with his diligent closing of his drapes and hiding his leather clothing away, most of his brothers knew he had a kink. Not that he cared, just that they ribbed him about it. But then again, they all ribbed each other about everything. All but for Caleb. He was too mean to tease.
When Renner stepped into the foyer, he heard the mantle clock chime nine times, reminding him it was indeed a very late start when he was normally up at six. He closed the door behind him and then stood, listening. Nothing. Concerned but unsure why, he went up the stairs as fast as he could without running and then moved swiftly down the hall to Quintus’s room.
Finding the door open sparked more fear across his nerves. As he crossed the threshold and looked toward the bed, he was expecting almost anything other than McBride. When he realized he was asleep, Renner backed away from the door. He was just turning to go back outside when he saw Quintus down the hall.
Rather than speak, Quintus waved him over. Renner ran as quietly as he could to the room where Quintus was. As soon as he was inside, Quintus closed the door and embraced him.
“What is he doing in your bed?” Renner couldn’t decide if he was more angry or afraid.
“I don’t know.” Quintus looked as worried as Renner felt. His hair was a mess of tangles, making him appear disheveled and yet still so handsome. “When I came back last night, he was in there.”
“He knows.” Renner sagged against Quintus, who held him up.
“I guess he fell asleep waiting for me.”
“What are we going to do?” Renner wanted to run, but where could they go? The slammers who’d tried to come onto the farm the other day had made it clear that any gentryman in town would be tossed in the stocks and used until he died. Just the thought of that happening to his handsome mate terrified Renner, tightening his grip on him.
“I don’t know.” Quintus gave Renner a squeeze and then took him over to the bed. They sat down on the edge, holding hands. “We can’t hide forever.”
“What if you pretend it doesn’t mean anything?”
“Our bloodbond means everything.”
“No, I mean, finding him in there. You came home last night, found he was asleep, so you found another bed.”
Quintus considered. “It sounds kind of iffy.”
“Do you have a
Humming to himself, Renner went through his usual morning routine. He showered, groomed, ate, and then he was out the door, heading toward the garden. When he stepped onto his porch, the last thing he expected to see was Caleb standing there, arms crossed and anger turning his face red.
“It’s about time you got your ass up.” Caleb pointed to the garden. “There’s a row of weeds with your name on it.”
Rather than argue or point out that Caleb wasn’t the boss of everyone, Renner slid past him and hustled toward the garden. On his way, he looked at the porch of the big house, but he didn’t see Quintus. He frowned but then let it go. He hadn’t gotten into his own bed until late, so he probably wasn’t up yet. As Renner looked around, he realized neither was McBride.
Apprehension tightened his muscles as he joined everyone else in the garden. A cursory head count told him that everyone was here but Quintus and McBride. While he was weeding a fresh row, he kept looking up at the big house. The shutters were up, but he couldn’t see into the windows since they were clean and reflected back the yard and sky. Renner knew the only way he was going to find out what was going on was to go into the big house and see for himself.
As soon as Caleb disappeared into the shed, Renner excused himself under the guise of checking on his patient. It was true only up to a point. What he was really doing was checking on his mate. Renner had always thought when he took that step he would be overjoyed, but he was terrified. He’d never been all that good at keeping secrets. Even with his diligent closing of his drapes and hiding his leather clothing away, most of his brothers knew he had a kink. Not that he cared, just that they ribbed him about it. But then again, they all ribbed each other about everything. All but for Caleb. He was too mean to tease.
When Renner stepped into the foyer, he heard the mantle clock chime nine times, reminding him it was indeed a very late start when he was normally up at six. He closed the door behind him and then stood, listening. Nothing. Concerned but unsure why, he went up the stairs as fast as he could without running and then moved swiftly down the hall to Quintus’s room.
Finding the door open sparked more fear across his nerves. As he crossed the threshold and looked toward the bed, he was expecting almost anything other than McBride. When he realized he was asleep, Renner backed away from the door. He was just turning to go back outside when he saw Quintus down the hall.
Rather than speak, Quintus waved him over. Renner ran as quietly as he could to the room where Quintus was. As soon as he was inside, Quintus closed the door and embraced him.
“What is he doing in your bed?” Renner couldn’t decide if he was more angry or afraid.
“I don’t know.” Quintus looked as worried as Renner felt. His hair was a mess of tangles, making him appear disheveled and yet still so handsome. “When I came back last night, he was in there.”
“He knows.” Renner sagged against Quintus, who held him up.
“I guess he fell asleep waiting for me.”
“What are we going to do?” Renner wanted to run, but where could they go? The slammers who’d tried to come onto the farm the other day had made it clear that any gentryman in town would be tossed in the stocks and used until he died. Just the thought of that happening to his handsome mate terrified Renner, tightening his grip on him.
“I don’t know.” Quintus gave Renner a squeeze and then took him over to the bed. They sat down on the edge, holding hands. “We can’t hide forever.”
“What if you pretend it doesn’t mean anything?”
“Our bloodbond means everything.”
“No, I mean, finding him in there. You came home last night, found he was asleep, so you found another bed.”
Quintus considered. “It sounds kind of iffy.”
“Do you have a
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