Page 36 of Cowboy Needed

HethoughtIchabod was open to that, but he didn’t want to overstep and make a damn fool of himself or upset the man, so he was waiting.

Impatiently.

He sucked at waiting. He was a cowboy, and he was used to getting shit done as fast and efficiently as possible.

But this wasn’t work. This was… this was way more important.

He was out in the barn, picking out some tack to clean and repair during the upcoming snowstorm. The skies were gray and roiling, the temperature dropping fast. When he hauled them out of the main door, he saw Ichabod standing on the porch of the main house, looking at him.

He frowned, setting the bridle and girth strap aside so they wouldn’t get ruined before heading up to the house.

“Hey, honey. Is everything okay? Do I need to go get the kids?”

Ichabod blinked at him. “What? No, no. It’s not… the snow isn’t going to be that bad, at least until tomorrow.” Ichabod winked at Ellis. “I grew up in Denver, remember? Snow doesn’t scare me.”

Ellis shrugged then. “So what’s up?”

“Nothing. I was taking a break.”

“Uh-huh…” That didn’t feel like a break. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s perfectly fine.”

Huh. “So, what were you looking at?”

Ichabod’s cheeks pinked a little bit. “You.”

Oh, now that started buzz in the pit of his belly. “Oh, yeah?”

Ichabod nodded, licked his lips, and Ellis filled his lungs with icy air.

“Why?”

“Because I like you. Because I think you’re incredible, and I like to watch you.” Ichabod searched his eyes. “Is that bad? I mean, I’m not being too…weird. This isn’t like a creepy boss thing.”

Ichabod was a sweetheart, no question.

“You’re not creepy, honey.”

“Good.” Ichabod held his gaze, eyes searching his, begging to be understood. “Look. It’s been a good, long time since I’ve done something like this. Like a really long time. But—I’m into you, and I think you’re into me, I think…I think we could figure this out together.”

Ellis stood there for a second. He hadn’t thought Ichabod would actually get up the courage to do this, but the fine son of a bitch had. “I am into it. You. Us. Whatever. I mean shit.” Ellis rolled his eyes and took off his hat, running his hands over his short hair. “Yes. I’m interested. I’m ready to?—”

Talking wasn’t doing either one of them any good, so he stopped bothering with it, then he leaned forward and kissed Ichabod right on the mouth.

If the problem wasn’t wanting, and the problemwasIchabod worrying about him being the boss, that was something Ellis could work with.

The kiss went deep and hot, their tongues tangling together, and he slid one hand behind Ichabod’s head, cradling it so he could tilt them just right. The angle changed, and bang, they were cooking with gas.

Lots of it.

This wasn’t a slow burn.

This was a match tossed onto a gasoline-soaked hay bale.

He loved the way Ichabod’s body fit against his, the man wiry and solid, pure muscle. He worked for a damn living and Ellis respected the hell out of that. And he liked that body, holding it close to his, loving on Ichabod with his hands and mouth.

He shivered—partly from need, but a lot from sheer cold. The temperature was crashing.