Once Kai picked up the piece and took a bite, Jasper continued to talk. “Your cousin misses you as much as you miss him.” He picked up a pickle chip and popped into his mouth and chewed it.
“This is good,” Kai said after he swallowed two delicious bites of the juicy chicken.
“He’s also what sixteen, you said?”
“Yeah, almost seventeen. But at times he seems so much older.”
Jasper shrugged. “Most of the pre-trans have a difficult time. If you want you could have Beau send someone to look in on him.”
Kai knew people had checked in at least three times already. He didn’t want to be a pain, but maybe another set of eyes would help reassure him that he was just the overprotective older cousin.
Pulling out his phone, Jasper’s fingers flew over the buttons. Once he sent the message, he got a text back before he even took a bite of his potato salad.
“What?” Kai was too curious not to ask.
Jasper smiled at him, “Beau said he’d have someone look in on him and check up on your uncle.” The older man must have read the protest on Kai’s face because he said, “It’s no trouble. There’s someone a few towns over.”
“Okay. Thanks.” Kai focused on eating. At least, he wouldn’t feel so helpless. From what Kai understood Beau’s guys in the field were pretty good so if there were a problem…
Jasper cleared his voice, which usually indicated a subject change, “You’re riding is getting better. You seem more confident and relaxed.”
Kai chuckled. “Yeah, compared to the first time.” He spooked not only the horse, but also himself and fell on his ass before he even sat astride the horse.
“Hey, marked improvement.” The grin remained on Jasper’s face as he tilted his face up towards the sun peeking through the trees. His eyes were closed, so Kai felt free to stare. He looked like a movie star waiting in the perfect position for a big onscreen kiss.
Kai looked down at his plate and shoveled some food into his mouth. He shouldn’t still be having these thoughts. It was no longer because Jasper was a guy; Kai was pretty sure the book of mated couples cured him of any traces of negativity towards gay couples. His uncle would be disappointed, but Jasper had become a good friend and one shouldn’t lust after your friends. Especially when he still wasn’t sure if he was gay or was just feeling a strong connection with Jasper.
They finished eating ending with big pieces of rich chocolate cake. It was almost as good as what his mother had made when he was a child. He almost squealed with joy when Jasper took out the thermos of ice-cold milk. As he finished the last of his cake he realized his friend was a genius. “That was great. Thank you.”
“You are most welcome.” Jasper gathered the dirty dishes and glasses to put them in a plastic bag and fit it all back into his picnic sack.
Kai fell back on the blanket, “Oh, I am stuffed. That was so good.”
Jasper reclined next to him and propped his head up his elbow, “Glad you approved.”
“Now time for a nap,” Kai teased as he closed his eyes. Oh, that would be nice he thought as a gentled breeze kissed past them.
Getting up, Jasper went over to his horse. Probably checking on them; he was great with animals. Jasper came back with a pillow and tossed it onto Kai’s head. He took the soft cushion and put it under his head making him even more comfortable. “Oh, you are a god.” He said it without thinking, but it was true.
Jasper laughed, and it looked like he may have been blushing a little bit. It made Kai want to do it again. Was this flirting? It made him feel giddy. He fluffed the pillow and laid on half of it. “Don’t you want to share, Jasper?” Was that his voice? Kai was surprised at how husky and low it sounded.
Jasper’s eyes went wide first with confusion then something else came into them making Kai feel all hot and cold at the same time. “You sure?”
Kai could hear the bigger question. But
“This is good,” Kai said after he swallowed two delicious bites of the juicy chicken.
“He’s also what sixteen, you said?”
“Yeah, almost seventeen. But at times he seems so much older.”
Jasper shrugged. “Most of the pre-trans have a difficult time. If you want you could have Beau send someone to look in on him.”
Kai knew people had checked in at least three times already. He didn’t want to be a pain, but maybe another set of eyes would help reassure him that he was just the overprotective older cousin.
Pulling out his phone, Jasper’s fingers flew over the buttons. Once he sent the message, he got a text back before he even took a bite of his potato salad.
“What?” Kai was too curious not to ask.
Jasper smiled at him, “Beau said he’d have someone look in on him and check up on your uncle.” The older man must have read the protest on Kai’s face because he said, “It’s no trouble. There’s someone a few towns over.”
“Okay. Thanks.” Kai focused on eating. At least, he wouldn’t feel so helpless. From what Kai understood Beau’s guys in the field were pretty good so if there were a problem…
Jasper cleared his voice, which usually indicated a subject change, “You’re riding is getting better. You seem more confident and relaxed.”
Kai chuckled. “Yeah, compared to the first time.” He spooked not only the horse, but also himself and fell on his ass before he even sat astride the horse.
“Hey, marked improvement.” The grin remained on Jasper’s face as he tilted his face up towards the sun peeking through the trees. His eyes were closed, so Kai felt free to stare. He looked like a movie star waiting in the perfect position for a big onscreen kiss.
Kai looked down at his plate and shoveled some food into his mouth. He shouldn’t still be having these thoughts. It was no longer because Jasper was a guy; Kai was pretty sure the book of mated couples cured him of any traces of negativity towards gay couples. His uncle would be disappointed, but Jasper had become a good friend and one shouldn’t lust after your friends. Especially when he still wasn’t sure if he was gay or was just feeling a strong connection with Jasper.
They finished eating ending with big pieces of rich chocolate cake. It was almost as good as what his mother had made when he was a child. He almost squealed with joy when Jasper took out the thermos of ice-cold milk. As he finished the last of his cake he realized his friend was a genius. “That was great. Thank you.”
“You are most welcome.” Jasper gathered the dirty dishes and glasses to put them in a plastic bag and fit it all back into his picnic sack.
Kai fell back on the blanket, “Oh, I am stuffed. That was so good.”
Jasper reclined next to him and propped his head up his elbow, “Glad you approved.”
“Now time for a nap,” Kai teased as he closed his eyes. Oh, that would be nice he thought as a gentled breeze kissed past them.
Getting up, Jasper went over to his horse. Probably checking on them; he was great with animals. Jasper came back with a pillow and tossed it onto Kai’s head. He took the soft cushion and put it under his head making him even more comfortable. “Oh, you are a god.” He said it without thinking, but it was true.
Jasper laughed, and it looked like he may have been blushing a little bit. It made Kai want to do it again. Was this flirting? It made him feel giddy. He fluffed the pillow and laid on half of it. “Don’t you want to share, Jasper?” Was that his voice? Kai was surprised at how husky and low it sounded.
Jasper’s eyes went wide first with confusion then something else came into them making Kai feel all hot and cold at the same time. “You sure?”
Kai could hear the bigger question. But
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