Chapter Four
Nick hoisted two fifty pounds sacks of flour over his shoulder and strode toward the cellar, berating himself every moment for the way the sight of the newcomer had gotten to him.
Contrary to what most folks seemed to believe, being a man that was attracted to men did not mean you were attracted to every man you saw. To think that would be ridiculous but for some reason ordinary folks seemed to think it was the truth. Men would panic, believing that you wanted to tear their clothes off and have your way with them just because they had a pecker. Or they feared that an 'infected' man's sexuality was somehow contagious and would spread to them if they were too near.
Nick snorted, as he walked down the cellar steps and tossed the sacks down in the corner. Nick had only ever had one lover, and while he could acknowledge that other men looked good, most of the time it didn't mean he wanted to have his way with them—that was until this morning when Aiden had run smack into him outside the mercantile.
While Nick hadn't ever given much thought to what his type was he knew that if he had a type it would be Aiden. Under six foot, slender yet lean build, boyish face, charming smile and dark eyes the color of that fancy imported Spanish chocolate that the mercantile sold for five dollars a bar. Aiden had looked so awkward and unsure and it had awoken every protective urge that Nick possessed; urges that had been lying dormant for six long years since the night that had changed his life forever...
Nick wasted no time in headed back to the cart and grabbing two sacks of feed. As he carried them into the barn he met Brody who was on his way out, "Ya trying to prove something?" Brody asked with that classic brow raise that he was better at than any other person Nick had ever met. When Brody raised that brow he was able to portray a wide variety of emotions such as amusement, irritation, curiosity, disbelief, arrogance and anger.
Just now he seemed amused as he glanced at the two heavy sacks of feed on Nick's shoulder. "Naw, I'm just too lazy to make two trips," Nick assured him.
Brody nodded, "A real man never makes two trips."
Nick grunted in agreement. Truth was he liked Brody and had a lot of respect for the man. Nick never let anyone get close enough to consider them friends but Brody would be the closest thing he had to one.
Nick tossed the two sacks of feed into the tack stall and wiped his hands on his pants as he walked back out into the sun beside Brody. Brody pulled a rolled cigarette from his shirt pocket and offered it to Nick who shook his head.
Brody shrugged, ignited the match in his hand by swiping it across his rough, stubble covered jaw and lit the cigarette. He took a long draw off of it as he squinted into the sun, "That must be the new hire," Brody said unexpectedly. Nick looked in the direction Brody was looking but all he saw was the bright sun and the horizon. "Not there," Brody grunted, "He's coming out of the bunkhouse and looking around like a lost little chick."
Nick didn't want to look but found his gaze drawn in that direction anyhow. Brody was right. Aiden looked more than a little lost. Nick clenched his fists, fighting the urge to go to the other man, while struggling to appear uninterested.
"Wait here, Nick. I gotta have a chat with that boy and then I gotta run out and check a line of fences at the northern edge of the land. I'm really hoping there's a hole cuz several of our cattle were caught on McIntyre land."
Nick's own temper edged up just as he could hear Brody's doing at the same time. Cattle rustling was no slap on the wrist offense but Nick figured there had to be a hole in the fence. Only a man with more balls than brains would steal cattle from Brody Atkinson.
Brody scratched at his jaw before continuing, "I'd go alone but—" Brody shrugged and a grin pulled at the corners of his lips, "—you know how the boss is."
Nick nodded. Elizabeth was against anyone going anywhere in the fields alone. "I'll get two horses ready," Nick stated before heading off toward one of the other barns where fresh horses were waiting to be saddled.
***
Aiden stared around the large ranch and had no idea of what he was supposed to be doing or where to go. Elizabeth had left before giving him any job to do thanks to a man that had run in and let her know that another man had hurt his leg and was refusing a trip to the docs.
Aiden stepped out into the sun and was thankful that at least it was a pretty day. A man who had nothing had to find the small things in life to be thankful for.
He was about to just start wandering around and explore his temporary home but he was stopped very quickly in his tracks at the sight of a man coming his way.
The man was big and more than a little scary as he strode Aiden's way. Scuffed up boots, work stained and worn denim pants with a gray chambray shirt tucked into them, a lean stomach, broad shoulders and a scarred face that could no doubt give small children nightmares.
It wasn't that the man was ugly, as a matter of fact he was quite the opposite, but Aiden 's knees were quite literally knocking together at the intimidating sight of this man and the way he carried himself.
"I take it she gave you the job?"
"Huh?" Aiden asked as he found himself looking at the man's weather hardened, battle scarred face.
The man raised one brow and tossed down his cigarette before snuffing it out beneath his boot tip, "My wife gave you the job?"
"Yeah," Aiden nodded, realizing that this must be Brody Atkinson; the man that apparently everyone was afraid of. Aiden figured there was one more person that could be added to that list now that he'd finally met the man.
Brody grinned, the gesture twisting the scar on his cheek, before patting Aiden on the back. "You ain't got no need to be scared of me. I'm not nearly as mean as the stories make me out to be."
Aiden forced a smile, though he was sure it came across as more of a grimace, "I'm not scared," he lied.
The man's brow rose again and Aiden knew he hadn't believed him. "What are you wandering around looking so lost for?" Brody asked.
"Not sure what I'm supposed to be doing," Aiden replied honestly.
"I had a man polishing saddles and reins in that third barn down the way this morning. He got busy and didn't get a chance to finish. Why don't ya go make yourself useful finishing that up?"
Aiden nodded. How hard could polishing a couple of saddles be? "Yes, sir."
"Don't call me sir. The name's Brody."
"Aiden."
Brody held out a scarred and calloused hand and Aiden shook it, "I know you've more than likely already been made aware or the rules and such around here since you've already spoke to my wife—" Brody paused and Aiden nodded. "—Good. Let me just let you know that I don't care much about the rules. My main concern is whether or not you're gonna bring trouble around my family."
"No, sir," Aiden promised. The bounty hunters after him wouldn't trouble themselves with any of these folks. They were only getting paid to kill one man and that was Aiden himself.
"That's good. I protect what's mine, Aiden. Remember that." Brody patted him on the back once again, adjusted the hat on his head, spit into the dust and then walked away with his thumbs through his belt loops.
Aiden saw Nick come out of a barn with two saddled horses and something inside Aiden wished the other man would look his way.
He didn't.
Aiden watched Brody and Nick ride off and was about to head to the barn Brody had wanted him to work in when he heard a chuckle.
He glanced over his shoulder to see Cookie, still sitting in that same rickety chair with that same hound at his feet, "He's lying, you know," Cookie mumbled, without opening his eyes.
"About what?" Aiden questioned.
"He can be just as mean as those stories say he is."
***
Nick and Brody rode back into the ranch at nearly sundown. Thankfully there had been a small hole in the fence where the weather had knocked down a wooden post. Brody had seemed relieved to know he wasn't going to have to get into a war with the neighboring ranch.
Brody bid Nick a quick goodbye and then rode off, clearly in a hurry to get home to his wife and children. Nick envied that. Not the wife part, (nor the children since he knew that was a dream that would never come true), but the having somewhere to go home to and having someone there waiting on him who would be happy to see his silhouette riding in.
Knowing Cookie would have something to eat waiting at the bunkhouse, Nick hopped off the mare he'd ridden out on and walked her to the barn. Once he had her settled in her stall with a bit of fresh water and supper of her own, Nick walked back outside and wiped his sweat slicked brow on his shirt sleeve.
The sky was beautiful tonight. Pinks, purples, oranges and reds all swirled together and stretching out for as far as the eye could see. Nick's stomach let out a rumble and he rubbed at it sympathetically, "Let's go get you some food."
"Are you talking to your stomach?"
Nick felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on edge and turned toward the sound of that voice to see Aiden standing beside the barn watching him with amusement, "No," Nick grumbled, turning away from him quickly.
"imaginary friend then?" Aiden offered and despite himself Nick felt the corners of his lips twitching.
"Yep. His name's Fred." Nick spared another glance at Aiden and when their eyes met Aiden blushed and glanced away toward the sunset. That was interesting.
"That's a good name," Aiden said as he kicked at a rock on the ground. Then he winced as he stretched out his arms.
"You alright?" Nick found himself asking.
"Yeah—I didn't realize how many saddles this place had," Aiden admitted. "I got one hell of a knot in my shoulders.... I couldn't get you to try to rub it out could I?"
Nick's eyes narrowed as his nostrils flared and he stared at the man beside him. The request was innocent enough and wouldn't be a problem with any other man on the ranch. But Nick didn't see Aiden as any other man. Dammit! Nick had learned his lesson once! Was he really going to make himself learn it again? Aiden's blush deepened as he looked away and rubbed at his own shoulder, clearly embarrassed.
Without a word and with his blood thundering through his veins, Nick turned and let his feet carry him quickly away from the temptation that was Aiden. His only hope was the work at the ranch would prove too much for the man and he would run away scared sometime very soon.
Preferably before Nick gave in to the temptation to taste the forbidden fruit.