Page 15 of Aisle Be The Groom (Bristlecone Springs #1)

GRAY

S omething was different about Ozzie. On the drive to Lawson’s, I kept glancing at him to figure it out, but all that did was make me hyperaware of him, of how close he was to me and how delicious he smelled. The delicate blend of freshly bloomed jasmine flowers with a hint of vanilla undercurrent was so refreshing from sweaty bodies, stinking animals, and warm hay. That must be the reason I had such a powerful urge to pull off to the side of the road and bury my face into Ozzie’s armpits.

I bet he smells good there too.

Since he came to Bristlecone Springs, I’d never seen him this at ease—not just with me but with his body as well. He was dressed nicely this evening in more form-fitting clothes that showed off his sexy curves. Normally, he carried tension in his shoulders and the groove between his eyebrows, but he was so relaxed he even leaned into me. He would casually touch my thigh, though he didn’t seem to notice doing it, while he chatted about his life back in Washington, DC.

Most of his stories were pre-Carter. He mentioned several friends, but he hadn’t spoken to one since coming here. Hell, were their names even on the wedding guest list?

“What happened to your friends?” I asked when he inhaled deeply.

“Friends?”

“Yeah. Betty, Parker, and Mac. You’ve been talking an awful lot about them.”

“Oh. We kind of drifted apart.”

“Sounds like you miss them.”

“I do. We just moved in different circles once I started living with Carter. Betty got married and moved away. Parker found a new roommate, and Mac—we had an argument.”

Shit.

He drifted back into that place of sadness and loneliness inside him that seemed to call to me. I’d been married for over twenty years, but I still felt the same ache. You knew someone was out there for you but not when you would meet them. Or if you would even meet.

Could it be Ozzie? He felt right. He turned me on like no one else ever did. He turned me on to the point where I was willing to risk it all just to touch and kiss him again. Not only was he a hot number, but he was also kindhearted and sweet—funny too when he felt free to be himself like he was this evening.

“You and Opie got along well when you met before,” I said. “I can tell you’ll be good friends.”

“He seems like an interesting guy and so damn beautiful. Lawson’s a lucky man.”

“Carter’s a lucky man too.”

“Oh shucks, Gray. You’re being way too nice.”

“I’m not that nice, Ozzie. If I were…I wouldn’t tell you how much I want to kiss you right now.”

Silence ticked by, the rumble of the truck on the dirt road filling in the void. Ozzie’s soft hand landed on my thigh. The muscles twitched at his touch, and a jolt of electricity sizzled up my spine. He raised his hand higher until only a few inches remained to my throbbing cock. He tightened his fingers, kneading gently into the hard muscle, and his breath hitched slightly.

“Ozzie, what are you doing?” I croaked.

“What do you think I’m doing? Gray, kiss me like you did that morning in the stable. The truth is, I can’t stop thinking about the kiss, about you. I know it’s wrong, but it’s just the way I feel. Can feelings be wrong?”

No, but acting on them and kissing him was. I understood that enough to know I couldn’t complain should lightning strike me dead. I pulled the truck to the side of the deserted road, the silence outside deafening compared to the pounding of my heartbeats.

Ozzie unsnapped his seat belt and leaned over to my seat. I cupped his cheek and brushed my nose against his.

“Before, you were hesitant,” I whispered. “Why now?”

“Does it matter?”

It really didn’t. I was going to kiss him either way. I captured his mouth with mine, and the world ceased to exist. Ozzie’s soft whimpers into my mouth went straight to my cock. I tightened my hand into his hair, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. The urge to touch him all over was so strong I couldn’t resist fondling his chest through his clothes. He tore his lips from mine and moaned.

“Gray. Oh, Gray.”

“I know, Oz.” I swallowed and placed a kiss on his forehead. His heart was beating as fast as mine, and the cab had grown hot.

“Do you think me a bad person for this?” he asked.

I smiled weakly. “If you are, then what does it make me?”

“What are we doing, Gray?”

“Hell if I know, sweetheart.”

Ozzie threw his arms around me and buried his face into my neck.

His breath was warm and comforting against my skin as I held him close, trying to absorb the reality of this intimacy. We were in big trouble. We weren’t just fooling around. It felt like more…like something big under construction.

“I liked that,” he whispered.

“Liked what?”

He shook his head and pulled back. “Nothing.”

“It’s not nothing.”

“That you called me sweetheart. I enjoyed hearing it a lot. If only it were true, Gray. You know how to make a boy feel special, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted from a partner. Sometimes I wish—”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Ozzie, not again.”

“Can we pretend?” He took my hand and held it tight.

“What do you mean?”

“This is the most fun I’ve had with someone in a while, Gray.”

“But all we’ve been doing is driving.” I waved at the stretching horizon and the barren landscape. “This isn’t even much of a scenery.”

“But it’s the first I’ve felt like myself in such a long time. That’s why I want to pretend. I don’t want anything to ruin how I feel right now.”

“What do you want to pretend?”

Our eyes met, and his gaze held a softness that shot straight to my core. “That you’re the one I’m marrying, not your son.”

The words hung in the air, tangible as smoke. They filled the cab, a truth too real to dismiss, too dangerous to entertain. My heart skipped a beat, then resumed thudding violently against my rib cage.

“Ozzie, do you know what you’re asking me?”

“Just for one night, Gray.”

There was only one acceptable answer to his ludicrous request. One I couldn’t give, even though it was the right thing to do. I didn’t want to see Ozzie’s sad eyes this evening, but didn’t he realize something was wrong with his engagement with my son if he wanted to pretend to marry me?

“How far do we go with this pretense?” I asked.

“There’s no limit. For as long as you are comfortable.”

Fuck, with Ozzie teasing me with sex, how could I turn him down? I wasn’t a saint.

“We’ll have to be subtle with Lawson and Opie,” I said. “So they don’t question us.”

“That’s fine, but afterward, we can pretend you asked me out for a date to propose.” His eyes sparkled again, and his smile was more beautiful than the rising sun warming the land after morning dew.

Ozzie tugged the ring from his third finger. He stared at it for a few seconds, then handed it to me. “For safekeeping.”

Because after our little game, he would slip it back on and, poof, turn into Carter’s fiancé again? I squelched the rising bitterness and accepted the ring.

Ozzie wriggled his fingers. “It feels odd to no longer wear it, but at the same time freeing.”

“Is that what you want? Freedom?”

“For this evening.”

“Well, you’re out of luck.” I took his hand and kissed the back of it. “Tonight, I’m going to lock you down and make you mine.”

“That’s so hot, Gray.” He slammed his mouth back onto mine, and we grunted and moaned, groping each other like two horny teenagers with a 1980s Tony Danza wall poster. Except Ozzie was hotter and made me harder.

“Okay, we need to stop this if we’re going to make it to Lawson’s.”

Ozzie giggled. “True. We have after.”

Ozzie fell into the part of happy, soon-to-be fiancé easily. The rest of the drive, we held hands, exchanging flirtatious glances and hidden smiles as if we were a real couple. I told him about me playing football in college and my grandmother, whose death had broken my heart. And if we both deliberately avoided the topics of my marriage and his engagement, we didn’t acknowledge it.

Soon we arrived at Lawson’s ranch. Over the years, he’d worked hard to build back his grandfather’s legacy. His dedication to the land reminded me of mine. Many would have given up when he’d hit rock bottom, but the man refused to throw in the towel. Now he had a husband who was right there with him through the tough decisions.

I gave Ozzie’s hand a squeeze. “Stay right there.” I hopped out of the truck and dashed around the bumper like a young, overeager buck.

Ozzie smiled. “Thank you.” He glanced around, then kissed my cheek, prompting a smile from me. He was so damn sweet.

“Dammit, Ms. Cluck, can you stop pooping for one minute!” A shout rang out.

We turned our heads toward the porch. Opie had one hand on his hip, his brows scrunched in reproach as he wagged a finger at a hen.

“What in the world is going on?” Ozzie whispered.

“Ms. Cluck is Opie’s pet.” I took Ozzie by the arm. Nothing was wrong with that, right? It was just a casual touch, except I rubbed his skin with my finger.

“A hen as a pet?”

“Yup. That hen is the one thing he and Lawson fight about, even though I think Law has softened about that too.” I climbed the steps, keeping Ozzie behind me because the crazy hen could sometimes go into attack mode. She must have seen me two dozen times but still flew straight at me whenever her pea-sized brain registered my presence.

Sure enough, Ms. Cluck turned her beady eyes on us, fluffing her feathers as she clucked indignantly. Ozzie stared at the hen warily as I extended my hand to help him up the last step.

“Don’t worry, guys. She’s in a good mood today,” Opie said with a grin, ruffling her feathers. “Aren’t you, girl?”

“Opie, the last time you said that, I went home covered in pecks.”

“Hah!” Opie snorted. “Wasn’t that the time that rodeo cowboy Warren King rode into town? From my recollection, you would have been fine with the hen pecking you to within an inch of your life just to have King put ointment on your body.”

“I keep telling you King and I are just friends. Nobody wants to believe me.”

“Ozzie, I’ll ask you.” Opie slid his arm through Ozzie’s and walked him to the door. “If two men are friends, but they occasionally fuck. What do you call that?”

“Fuck buddies?”

“Exactly! I’m so glad you’re around to take my side, Ozzie. Please tell me you’ll stay forever.”

Ozzie’s laugh was high-pitched. “I wish I could. I love what I’ve seen of the town already.”

Opie waved a hand at me. “Gray, grab a beer from the fridge. Law’s out back fixing the chicken coop. He got mad I snuck Ms. Cluck in last night and she ended up waking him in our bed. Don’t ask me how she did that, but just between us, it was messy.”

From his grin, I could hazard a guess. Normally, I was quick to find Lawson, but my feet seemed stuck to the ground. Would Ozzie feel comfortable with me leaving him alone?

“Jeez, Gray, I won’t be corrupting your son-in-law.” Opie rolled his eyes. “Just go on already.”

Ozzie nodded, his smile reassuring me he was at ease. “I’m looking forward to talking to Opie. I’ll be fine.”

“Yup, we need to discuss his wedding, and you ranchers are never interested in how we get to the altar as long as we get there, but don’t worry, Ozzie. You got me!”

As they entered the living room together, the tension released from my shoulders. Opie was a good person. Having him as a friend was exactly what Ozzie needed. Maybe if they spent enough time together, Opie might convince Ozzie how happy he was here, even though he grew up in the city.

Not that any of that mattered. Ozzie wasn’t mine. This was all pretend, and it would last just for the night.

I found Lawson in the backyard, hammer in hand and sweat soaking his shirt. He didn’t look up, too focused on the wooden structure that was steadily taking shape.

“Hey, Law,” I called out. He straightened up and wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.

“Gray, what’s up?”

“Thought I’d check on how things are.” And take Ozzie out while I was at it.

“We decided it was best to put down the affected cattle rather than to wait and see if it spreads to the others.”

“Man, I was hoping it wouldn’t come to that.”

“But better to lose a couple than the entire herd.”

“Well, if there’s anything I can do, let me know.”

Not that I expected him to. Lawson was a private man and never shared his struggles with anyone. At least now he had Opie to get him to open up a little, but I couldn’t blame him. I wouldn’t be much different if I were in his shoes.

Hell, Pascal was my oldest friend, and I hadn’t even told him about my internal turmoil with Ozzie. I couldn’t see how anyone wouldn’t think me a complete SOB for my inappropriate behavior. Worse still was not knowing if I could stop if I confided in someone and their advice was to leave Ozzie alone.

“Gray.”

I snapped out of my thoughts. Lawson was staring at me. He couldn’t possibly know about my feelings for Ozzie, but still, his scrutiny unsettled me a bit. “You were saying something?”

“You look awfully distracted. Want to talk about something?”

My tongue dried up in my mouth. I shook my head. “Nah. I’m good.”

Far from it, but he didn’t need to know that.