Rough Ride CV4 by Carol Lynne Page A

come to you, but were afraid to betray him.” Ezra reached across the table and thumped Neil on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. What went on with Smokey was between me, him and Wyn.” Neil went stiff as a board at Ezra’s touch. “Okay,” Neil said, but Ezra could hear the tension in his voice.
    Glancing at Jax, Ezra’s brows rose in question. Jax shrugged his shoulders. “Neil? Are you afraid of me?”
    “No, sir. I’ll admit you were more intimidating when you had your beard, but you’ve never been anything but nice to me.”
    “Then why are you suddenly wound up tighter than a top?”
    “Just not used to being touched, sir,” Neil answered.
    “Call me Ezra, please.” He soothed Neil’s shoulder for a second more before removing his hand.
    Picking up his fork, Ezra dove in to the rest of his dinner. Between bites he talked back and forth with Jax on what needed to be done around the ranch. “Go ahead and put an ad in the paper for another hand.”

    ROUGH RIDE
    Carol Lynne
    77

    Jax wiped his mouth on a napkin. “Well, if you’ll let me, I already have someone in mind. There’s a friend of my baby brother’s that’s in need of a job on a gay-friendly ranch.
    Logan needs to leave Montana as much as I did. I haven’t seen him in about eight years, but he practically grew up at my folk’s ranch.”
    “Does he know the business?” Ezra asked, finishing up his steak.
    “Yeah. Logan may be a little wild from what I hear, but he was practically raised on the back of a horse. He helped us out during round-up every spring. He’s an expert at branding and he’s been working as a farrier for the last couple of years. He learned the trade from his Uncle Bob when his parents kicked him out of the house.” Damn, the kid sounded like a wet dream to a rancher. “Hire him.”

    * * * *

    Ezra stayed after dinner to help clean up and play a couple of rounds of poker. He knew Wyn was up at the house, but he thought the cowboys needed him to reconnect.
    Letting himself in the house, he found Wyn asleep on the couch. He hadn’t meant to stay out so late, but he knew Wyn wouldn’t be angry. Kneeling beside the couch, he studied his lover. His eyes went to the scars on Wyn’s neck and cheek.
    Maybe Smokey had been right. Even though Wyn had grown up on a ranch, he obviously didn’t want to live on one. Why else would he have built that big fancy house in town?
    Wyn’s eyelids opened as Ezra ran a knuckle down the side of his man’s face. “Hey,” Ezra said, leaning down to give Wyn a kiss.
    “Sorry I’m so late. Did you eat?”
    “Yeah, I took Gavin out to dinner at Canoe.”
    Ezra had only met Wyn’s employee on a couple of occasions and really knew nothing about him. He guessed that was something else that needed to change. They both should get to know each other’s friends. “Next time you take him out, let me know and I’ll go with you.”
    Wyn grinned. “Jealous?”
    “No, not at all. I was just thinking it’s time we got to know each other’s friends.” ROUGH RIDE
    Carol Lynne
    78

    Leaning up on his elbow, Wyn gave him a kiss. “Thanks, but I don’t know if I’d consider Gavin a friend. He’s even prissier than I am. He’s an excellent employee though, which is why I made him store manager this evening.”
    “You what?”
    “Yep. I decided it was time to take a small step back from the everyday running of the store. I’ve worked hard my whole life, and now I’m financially able to kick back and enjoy myself.”
    Wyn squirmed around a few seconds, looking like a boy afraid of telling his dad something. Oh, he knew that look.
    “Babe, is there something else you want to tell me?” He turned Wyn’s face to look him in the eyes. “What’s wrong?”
    “You’ll probably think it’s stupid, but will we make it?”
    “What do you mean will we make it? Are you asking if this love between us is solid?”
    “Yeah. I feel like I’m at a crossroads. I just need to know if you think