Page 10 of Barn Burner (Love The Game #2)

Jesse

“I don’t think I could ever get tired of this view,” Brayden says with a wistful tone to his voice.

Since that morning in my kitchen a week ago, Brayden has come on every trail ride with me.

The first day, it was just the two of us.

We didn’t go very far, as I wasn’t sure whether he could ride or whether he’d be feeling sore.

When we went into the barn to let him pick a horse, he instantly went to Dakota, laughing when she nibbled on his neck like she did that first time they met.

It’s no surprise. She’s a sweet girl, and she clearly has good taste to like Brayden so much.

And considering he admitted to never riding a horse before, he’s a natural.

I only had to show him the basic commands, and he had it mastered.

Seeing how well he fits, not just with my family but in my everyday life… it’s going to make things a lot harder when all of this comes to an end.

Remembering what he said about wanting to explore, I figured I could show him the areas surrounding the ranch.

We’re too far away to trail up to Lake Louise, but I can always take him in my truck if he wants to go.

I want to show him all my favourite spots that I like to go to, such as the small creek that runs through our property, leading toward one of the rivers that is popular with hikers.

The route I normally take trail riders on provides picturesque views of the mountains and stops by various waterfalls and gives the chance to glimpse at the wildlife living in the dense woodland.

But we’re yet to see a moose, much to Brayden’s disappointment. I haven’t wanted to tell him he’ll probably need to wake up a lot earlier if he wants to see a moose this time of year, as they are normally seen in the early morning.

That would also mean I need to keep my hands off him late at night, and I’m not quite sure that’s something I’m ready to give up just yet.

We’ve currently stopped on one of the hills, looking out at the mountain vistas while having a drink and eating some of the sandwiches I prepared this morning. Dakota and Prince are grazing on the grass behind where we’re sitting, the former letting out happy little huffs as she eats.

Brayden takes in the scenic surroundings in front of him, so I take a moment to take him in.

His long legs are stretched out in front of him, feet crossed at the ankles.

He leans back on his hands. The angle elongates what I now know is an incredibly strong torso and causes his biceps to curve beneath the plaid shirt he stole from my closet.

My clothes look so fucking good on him, too.

I’ve never experienced this level of primal want before.

I’ve had a total of two relationships, which only lasted a mere couple of months, but even during that time, I didn’t feel this immense need to be with someone.

To protect them. To see them wearing my clothes and smiling over a fucking sandwich I made them.

My eyes drift to his face, which is currently shaded by the brim of his ball cap, but nothing could dull the soft smile that’s currently brightening his eyes.

He’s beautiful. There’s no other word for it. His nose might not be completely straight, and he might have a faint scar lining the edge of his brow, but it’s the look of complete contentment and peace that is one I wish I could have ingrained in my memory.

His jaw is lightly dusted with dark stubble, like he forgot to shave this morning.

Or maybe he didn’t care to. The Brayden sitting in front of me is so much more relaxed than the Brayden I found on the side of the road a couple of weeks ago.

The tension in his shoulders has disappeared.

The hurt he tried so hard to hide from us has gone from his eyes.

It’s like a weight has been lifted from him.

Whatever was troubling him seems to have now gone.

And as selfish as it may sound, knowing I may have had a part in making that happen… I wish I could be the one to make sure he’s never troubled by anything again.

“You’re thinking very hard over there,” he says teasingly.

“Mhm,” I hum, not wanting to confess to where my mind went. I clear my throat, then ask, “So, how old are you?”

He snorts a laugh. “You’re only asking me that now?”

I grunt, bending my knees enough to rest my arms on them. “It’s never been the right time to bring it up.”

“I’m twenty-four.” When I don’t respond, he glances over at me, squinting from the high sun. “Did you think I was older?”

“No, I figured you were mid-twenties.”

“Is it a problem?”

“It depends.”

He sits up, twisting his upper body toward me. “On what?”

“Whether you think I’m too old for you.”

He scoffs, tearing up a strand of grass. “Please. I don’t think that at all.”

I raise a brow, hoping he’ll elaborate on that thought.

“Why? How old are you?” he asks instead.

“Thirty-six.”

“Thirty-six and fucking sexy.”

I can’t stop the laugh from escaping. I shake my head, chuckling softly to myself.

“What?” He laughs.

“You. You’re just so…” I pause, trying to find the right word. “Brazen. You don’t have a filter. You just say whatever is on your mind.”

He goes quiet, and I wonder if I’ve said the wrong thing.

I’m about to tell him that I think it’s a good thing when he opens his mouth.

Only this time when he speaks, his voice has a hint of sadness to it.

“I think it’s because I have to watch every single word I say at work and how I say it, otherwise it could be twisted and misconstrued into something very different from what I meant.

It’s exhausting having to second-guess myself all the time, so when I don’t have to do that, it’s like I can’t keep my honesty in check.

It’s like the tap has been opened, and it just pours out of me.

” He uses his hands, waving them from his chest to the air in front of him, like a dam opening and water rushing through.

A spark of anger unfurls inside of me. I don’t know what it is he does for work, and I meant what I said to him last week about me not pushing for answers.

In a way, not knowing will make it easier to let him go when the time comes.

It keeps a level of anonymity, even though I desperately want to know every single thing about him.

But there’s also this need to protect him from whatever or whoever it is that makes him feel like he needs to be anyone except who he is.

Who makes him feel like he needs to put on a facade and make him question his natural instinct.

Sure, he’s bold as brass with me, and at first, I wasn’t sure how to take him, but that was my issue.

I wouldn’t ask him to change himself just because I didn’t know how to take him.

Placing my hand on the ground between us, I reach over to cup his face, brushing my thumb over his rough cheek, then the smoothness of his lower lip.

“Don’t ever change, Brayden. If people don’t know how to take you, that’s on them. If people don’t appreciate you for who you are, then they don’t deserve to be around—wait, why are you smiling like that?”

“Because you ,” he replies. “You’re a man of such few words, but when you do speak, your words have so much power. The second you open your mouth, I just want to listen to everything you have to say, and I’ll do anything you tell me to do.”

My lips quirk. “Anything?”

“ Anything ,” he emphasizes, then pushes against my chest until I’m lying flat on my back. My hat falls behind me as he straddles my waist, knees on either side of my ribs, and holds my wrists above my head. I could easily roll him off, but I’m enjoying seeing him up there.

Especially because it’s the one position we haven’t gotten around to in the bedroom, and I know it’s driving him wild, and he’s desperate for it.

“If I wasn’t so worried about scarring sweet Dakota over there, I’d blow you right on the side of this mountain.”

My cock plumps at his boldness, but instead of acting on it, I decide to tease him. “It’s not a mountain.”

He blows a raspberry. “Pfft. Whatever. A big hill thing surrounded by other big hill things.”

He lets go of one wrist to wave a hand around, then quickly pins my arm back into the grass when I go to grab him.

“That’s a minor detail. All I’m saying is, if things were different…

If this was us, I’d do anything you asked of me.

You want me to come on trail rides with you, I’d do it.

If you asked me to clean out the horse shit, I’d do it.

If you wanted to fuck me while a grizzly bear watched, I’d probably question your sanity for maybe 2.

5 seconds, but then I’d drop my pants and bend over. ”

“Brayden.” I burst out laughing. “If a grizzly is watching, I don’t think anyone’s dick would be getting hard enough to fuck.”

“Maybe except the grizzly. Wait, do grizzlies get erections?”

I turn to hide my face in my bicep as I laugh, except he lets go of my wrists to place both hands on my face, holding me in place. The tips of his fingers travel up into the hair on my temples, and his expression shifts into something soft.

“I wish things were different, Jesse.”

I swallow hard at his admission, the ache blooming in my chest feeling almost visceral. “Me too.”

He gives me a sad smile, then closes the gap between us.

He slants his mouth over mine, tongue teasing the seam of my lips.

I open willingly, meeting his tongue with my own as I wrap my arms around his back, splaying my hands to hold him tight to me.

Like if I hold him tight enough, then he can’t go.

We lie there in the afternoon sun, sharing a slow, unhurried kiss, until I hear Prince grunt—his telltale sign that he’s bored and wants to move. I nip Brayden’s bottom lip, breaking our kiss, then give his ass a playful smack.

“Okay, the boss has spoken. Time to go.”

“I thought you were the boss,” he says, pushing himself to stand and holding his hand out to me.

“I am, until Prince decides he’s the boss.” I jerk my head toward where my horse is currently staring at us like a petulant child. I pick my hat up off the ground and place it back on my head as I make my way over to him. “Couldn’t wait to be a cockblock, could you?” I murmur to him.

Prince huffs, and if he could, I’m sure he’d be rolling his eyes at me right now.

I slip my foot into the stirrup and hook my leg over to sit in the saddle, and when I glance over to check on Brayden, he’s watching me, head tilted to the side, mouth opened slightly. An expression I’ve seen him on him a few times recently after I’ve wrung him out with orgasms.

“What?” I ask.

“You’re so fucking hot, you know that? Now I’ve gotta ride with a hard-on because the way you just…” He waves his hands around Dakota’s saddle. “ Whoosh , and you’re on the horse. And your ass in those fucking jeans? Wait, no. Can you fuck me wearing just chaps one day?”

“Jesus Christ.” I stifle a laugh, rubbing my face with my palm. “Just get in the saddle, Brayden. We’ve gotta head home.”

When we get back to the barn, Cooper is waiting outside for us, a bright smile on his face as we approach. I hop off and lead Prince into the middle of the barn to unsaddle him.

“Hope you’ve been taking care of my girl,” I hear Cooper say to Brayden.

“She’s the best,” Brayden says.

“That she is. She’s yours while you’re here,” he offers, then raises his hand like he’s remembered something. “Oh! The parts place called me earlier. Your water pump should be in tomorrow, so I’ll need a few days to get it fitted and make sure there’s no leaks, then you’ll be good to go.”

My spine stiffens, and something in Brayden’s expression shutters. He glances over to me. A flash of hurt shines in his eyes, but he’s quick to recover, giving Cooper a grateful smile. “Thanks, Cooper, I appreciate it.”

Cooper waves him off and lets us know Mom will have dinner ready in twenty, completely oblivious that he’s just given a verbal bucket of cold water to the bubble of denial we’ve been living in all day.