Page 86 of Adored

“Color me not surprised,” Poe stated. “He’s also going to be fat and not able to run if he doesn’t calm down on the apples. I’m sure he’s been having fun while I was away.”

Oh, he had been.

Apparently, Elizabeth was smitten with the horse and enjoyed feeding him apples and carrots as much as she could while she was watching them before they were flown here.

And wildly, Diablo loved her just as much.

Clearly, since he didn’t care that they were talking shit about him, Diablo ignored them and just kept doing his thing.

When they got to a group of trees, Gamble got off, and helped Poe down by grabbing him by his waist and hoisting him off of the horse to the ground.

“Hemmingway and I helped plant these trees,” he admitted. “The older ones were dying, and my mother wanted apples on the property. We had to be about seven at the time, so they are twenty-nine years old.”

Gamble grabbed the blanket on the horse, and put it down between two trees so they could enjoy the cooling evening air. Then, he grabbed a couple apples, and held out his hand.

“Join me?” he asked.

How could he say no to that?

He wasn’t crazy, so Poe joined him on the blanket.

As they kicked off their shoes, and sat there, Poe was leaning against Gamble’s body as they each had a little snack. Not far away, Diablo was three apples in as he was bellied up to the buffet.

“This is nice,” Gamble admitted, as Poe was comfortably against him.

To him, it honestly felt like they’d been a couple for a very long time. There was no new nerves, or worries. They just clicked together, perfectly.

“Mmmmhmmm,” Poe said.

Gamble was curious.

“What’s going on in your doctor head, my love?” he asked.

At the term of endearment, Poe’s mind was made up. Now, it was about getting Gamble onboard.

“We need to go,” he finally said.

Gamble stopped.

“Pardon? We just got here. Are you okay?” he asked, worried about him.

Poe was honest.

“After tomorrow’s wake, and the dinner after that I have to be at, we need to go back. I don’t want to be here anymore.”

While shocked, Gamble ate his apple, but he let the man talk.

“This isn’t home, Gamble. I feel lost here. I left here a long time ago. This isn’t the duty I want. Can we leave?” he asked.

The man had to know.

“Is this you really wanting to leave, or you wanting to leave because you think I’m unhappy here? Because, Poe, I’m eating an apple near my man, on a blanket in the orchard on an estate while no one shoots at me. I’m happily retired right now, and content.”

He focused on him.

“Would you hate going back?” Poe asked.

This was a fine line.