Ebony River 1: His Cowboy Temptation [ManxMan]

Chapter 5

His Cowboy Temptation [ManxMan]

|Chapter 5|

The next four days blurred for Max and Luca. They spent every moment they could together. From early morning to mid-afternoon they worked Max's grandfather's land, stealing a kiss or two every chance they got, and at night they slept in each other's company more often than not. It was blissful, even though both knew it would end soon.

Max wasn't sure but he thought he could feel Luca pulling away with each day and he couldn't figure out how to tell his cowboy to stop seeing as he was the one who would leave at the end of the week. Neither had brought up the subject and Max was content to let it go for now. He knew they would have to talk about it eventually but right now he was too happy simply being with Luca.

All the time they spent together helped them get to know each other better. Max didn't think he could fall harder for his cowboy but hearing about the way he volunteered on his days off to mentor young kids and the love and respect he had for his mother stole his heart.

How was he supposed to let him go?

In two days Max would go back to the city, back to his life. Except he wasn't as excited to go back to the hustle and bustle of New York as he was two weeks ago. He was getting used to waking up to the sounds of cows mooing and crickets chirping. Not to mention the soft snoring of his cowboy. 

The thing was, Max didn't know what he would do if he stayed at Sterling Ranch. He'd been away from the place for eight years. All the experience he'd had as a teenagers was gone or fuzzy at best. So what would a city dweller do at a ranch year round? He could always take over Luca's responsibilities once his cowboy go this ranch back.

But then, would Luca even want to be with Max once he got his ranch back?

That was the million dollar question. Although they had had three great days and incredible nights together, neither had said or mentioned this relationship turning in a more serious direction. Max knew how he felt for Luca. Hell, he'd known he was attracted to the man the first day they met when he saw his cowboy towering over him on Cinnamon. Over the last two weeks that attraction turned into so much more.

Luca's feelings for him were a different matter entirely. What if Luca didn't feel the same for Max as Max for him? Did Luca want this thing growing between them to be long term or was he anxiously waiting for the day Max left so he would be free? Max, didn't know but he figured it was better to be safe than sorry. He would keep his feelings to himself, for now, and see how the next two days worked themselves out.

Walking into the kitchen of Sterling Ranch Max took his mind off those thoughts and, stopping, looked around the big room. Martha was at the counter tidying up the remains of dinner, a young woman in her early twenties, named Sonya, helping her. Max walked further into the room and Martha looked up. She gave him a big smile when he got near.

"Young Master, do you need anything?" She asked, wiping her hands on her apron.

Max shook his head, "No, I'm on my way to see Luca."

She gave him a knowing smile, it wasn't a secret what had been happening between Max and Luca, "You really like, don't you?"

"Maybe." Max said evasively, Martha was like a grandmother to him and talking about his love life with her was a bit embarrassing. Martha laughed and Max smiled sheepishly. Giving her a soft kiss on the cheek he said, "I have to go. Good night."

"Good night, young master." She replied as he walked to the end of the kitchen and out the back door.

The quiet night settled around him as he made his way to the door of the small room at the back of the house. The distant howling of a coyote the only sound in the darkness. When Max approached the door to the room he could see a thin strip of light coming from the gap beneath the door. A faint melody drifted to him through the wood.