Page 10 of Dust and Desire (Sagebrush Cowboys #5)

Alex

A n afternoon off wasn’t a common occasion for a ranch hand such as myself.

I was used to hard work, all day and every day.

But things at the Baker Ranch were turning out much different than any other ranch I’d ever worked on.

For one thing, I didn’t have to bust my ass nearly as much.

Thanks to the arena and the rodeo classes, the ranch made plenty of money.

That meant they could afford all the hands they needed to take care of the place.

And that, in turn, meant that each hand got a day off every week. I could barely believe my luck.

Most of the hands went down to Amarillo for their day off or out to the Rusty Spur for a long day of beer, pool, and whatever other mischief they could get up to.

My truck was reliable, but old, and I didn’t feel like pressing my luck trying to drive all the way to Amarillo.

Then again, I didn’t feel much like boozin’ all night down at the Rusty Spur either.

Instead, I chose to work the morning, even though I didn’t have to.

Honestly, doing something physical to start my day put me in a good mood.

I was used to it, and I just plain didn’t know what to waste a morning on without it.

But as afternoon rolled around, I went back to the apartment.

A quick nap and a shower later and I was on my way into Sagebrush proper.

It wasn’t much, but I thought I’d take myself out to dinner.

Nobody else was going to and as far as I was concerned, I was worth it.

I would’ve liked to take Dustin with me, but after the bonfire two nights ago, I had a feeling he didn’t want to see me anymore.

For some reason, his reaction to me was getting me all twisted up inside.

I wasn’t used to being turned down. Usually the guys, when I found them, couldn’t get enough of me.

Maybe it was egotistical, but I’d gotten sort of used to being a hot commodity.

I liked the attention, and I wasn’t ashamed to admit it.

But something about Dustin was different.

He wasn’t like those other guys. He was quiet, well mannered, and about as shy as they came.

He was also gorgeous from head to toe with a pair of blue eyes I could get lost in forever.

There was something else though, a sort of melancholy haze around him that I desperately wanted to brush away with soft kisses and whispered nothings.

He had the look of a man that had been through hell and back.

I just wished he’d tell me why. Or give me a chance to try to make it better.

Even just one night might cheer him up. And restore my bruised ego.

The diner was bustling when I walked in, the lunch crowd still lingering despite it being past three in the afternoon.

The bell above the door jingled, announcing my arrival, and a few heads turned my way.

I nodded politely, tipping my hat at an older woman I didn’t recognize who was leaving with her grandson in tow.

“Well, look at this handsome devil,” Dolly called from behind the counter, her red-painted lips curving into a warm smile. “Thought you boys only came in here for breakfast.”

“Only when we’re workin’,” I replied, sliding onto a stool at the counter. “Got the afternoon off.”

“Lucky you,” she said, pouring me a cup of coffee without asking. “Menu’s the same, but we’ve got Beau’s brisket as the special today.”

“Sounds perfect,” I said, not bothering to look at the menu. Dolly’s diner was legendary in these parts thanks to the combination of Beau’s barbeque and her home cookin’.

As she jotted down my order, I glanced around the diner.

It was a comfortable place, all chrome and red vinyl, with photos of Sagebrush’s history lining the walls.

It reminded me of a dozen other diners in a dozen other small towns I’d passed through.

But something about this one felt different.

Maybe it was because Sagebrush itself felt different.

Or maybe it was because of him.

“You look like you’re a million miles away,” Dolly said, sliding my coffee closer. “Penny for your thoughts?”

I shrugged, dumping a spoonful of sugar into my coffee. “Just enjoyin’ the day off.”

Dolly leaned against the counter, her eyes narrowing slightly. She had that look women get when they know you’re not telling the whole truth. “Uh-huh. And I’m the Queen of England.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Your Majesty.”

She swatted my arm with her order pad. “Don’t get smart with me, Alex Reyes. I’ve been servin’ coffee in this town long enough to know when a man’s got something on his mind. And you’ve got somethin’ on your mind.”

I took a sip of my coffee, considering my options. I didn’t know Dolly hardly at all, but she seemed like the kind of woman who kept her ear to the ground. And her mouth shut when it mattered. Everyone spoke highly of her, like a beloved aunt, so she must be trustworthy.

“Alright,” I conceded. “Maybe I am thinkin’ about something. Or someone.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Oh? Anyone I know?”

I hesitated, swirling my coffee. Not many small towns were accepting of men like me. But then again, Dolly didn’t seem to have a problem with any of the other boys. “Dustin Corvus,” I said at last, my voice barely above a whisper .

Something flickered in Dolly’s eyes… recognition, or maybe even concern? “The city boy out at Baker Ranch? The quiet one?”

“That’s him,” I nodded. “You know him well?”

Dolly straightened up, glancing around as if to make sure no one was listening too closely. The lunch crowd had begun to thin out considerably, and we were the only two at the counter now.

“I know him by sight and by his good manners,” she said simply. “But despite his being here almost two years, he doesn’t say much. He’s sweet though.”

“Yeah, sweet is a good word for him,” I agreed, taking another sip of coffee. “And quiet. Too quiet, sometimes. Like he’s got a whole world locked up inside him.”

Dolly’s expression softened as she refilled my cup without me asking. “Some folks carry their burdens that way. Keep everything bottled up tight until they’re fit to burst.”

“You think that’s what he’s doing? Bottling things up?”

She shrugged, wiping down the counter with a rag. “Hard to say. He comes in here once, maybe twice a week. Always orders the same thing. A turkey club, no mayo, side salad instead of fries. Tips well. Says please and thank you. But never much else.”

I found myself leaning forward, hungry for any scrap of information about Dustin. “Has he ever mentioned anything about his past? About why he came here?”

“Not to me,” Dolly said, then lowered her voice. “But I’ve been around long enough to recognize the look.”

“What look?”

“The look of a man who’s running from something.” She paused, her eyes distant. “Could be runnin’ from his past. Could be runnin’ from himself. Either way, he’s got that haunted edge to him.”

My heart sank a little. I’d suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed made it real. “I just wish he’d talk to me.”

“Oh?” Dolly’s eyebrows arched with interest. “You two having troubles already? ”

I let out a dry laugh. “Can’t have troubles if there’s nothing there to begin with.”

“But you want there to be something?”

Heat crept up my neck. “Maybe. Yeah.”

Dolly studied me for a moment, then nodded like she’d made a decision. “You know, sometimes the quietest ones have the most to say. They’re just waitin’ for someone patient enough to listen.”

“I’m plenty patient,” I insisted. “But it’s hard to listen when he won’t even look at me.”

“Give him time,” she advised, patting my hand. “But don’t give up either. I don’t think he’s the type to take the bait on the first try.”

The bell above the door jingled as a new customer walked in, and Dolly straightened up. “Your brisket’ll be out in a minute, hon. Think about what I said.”

As she moved away to greet the newcomer, I stared into my coffee, thinking about Dustin.

About the way he leaned into my touch at the bonfire, eyes closing for just a moment before panic had overtaken him.

About the tears I’d glimpsed in his eyes as he’d pulled away.

There was something there… something he wanted to give into. But he was fighting it tooth and nail.

But why? He couldn’t be that bad and I’d dated some real fucking stinkers in my time.

Maybe he was just shy. Maybe he had a past like mine, with people who didn’t accept him for who he was. God knows I understood that well enough. Or maybe he just wasn’t into me, though that thought stung more than I cared to admit.

My brisket arrived, steaming and smothered in Beau’s famous sauce. Dolly set it down with a wink and moved on to her other customers. I cut into the tender meat, savoring the smoky flavor while my mind continued to wander.

The truth was, I wasn’t used to caring this much about someone’s rejection.

Usually, I’d just move on to the next willing partner.

But something about Dustin had gotten under my skin in a way no one else had before.

It wasn’t just his looks, though Lord knows those blue eyes of his could drown a man.

It was something deeper. That sadness he carried, maybe.

I wanted to know its source. I wanted to ease it, if I could.

“Refill, sugar?” Dolly was back, coffeepot in hand.

“Please,” I nodded, pushing my cup toward her. “Dolly, do you know if he’s seeing anyone? Dustin, I mean.”

She chuckled, filling my cup. “In Sagebrush? Honey, if that man was dating anyone within fifty miles, I’d know about it. This town don’t keep secrets like that for long.”

“So, he’s alone,” I mused, more to myself than to her.

“As a fence post,” she confirmed. “Though not for lack of interest. Caroline Baker’s tried to set him up with half the eligible women in the county before she figured out he wasn’t interested in the fairer sex.

” She paused for a moment. “The first time I caught him staring at Colt Dawson, I knew she was barkin’ up the wrong tree.

But then again, who doesn’t like to look at Colt Dawson? ”

I couldn’t help the small smile that played at my lips. So, Caroline knew. And if Caroline knew, the whole ranch probably knew. No wonder no one batted an eye when I flirted with him.

“Does that bother folks around here?” I asked carefully.

Dolly gave me a knowing look. “Some, sure. Always will be those with their minds stuck in the last century. But most folks around here are too busy with their own troubles to worry about who’s sharing whose bed.

” She leaned in conspiratorially. “Besides, after what Lucas and Beau went through, most people came around. Hard to hate what makes your neighbors happy, especially when their business is keepin’ this dusty old town afloat. ”

I nodded, relief washing over me. It wasn’t like that everywhere. I’d worked on ranches where I’d had to keep my preferences hidden, where discovery meant violence or worse.

“So, what’s holding him back then?” I wondered aloud.

“That,” Dolly said, wiping her hands on her apron, “is something only Dustin can tell you.” She leaned in close, her red acrylics drumming on the counter. “So why don’t you go see him? Get him to talk to you?”

“I don’t know…” I began. “It feels… invasive .”

“Nothin’ invasive about taking a man his dinner.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” she grinned. “That I’m gonna give you a dinner to go and you’re gonna take it to that lonely man out in the wilderness. And then,” she added, leaning in closer. “You’re gonna keep him company. I’ll leave it up to you how you’d like to accomplish that.”

She gave me a wink, and I couldn’t help the blush that crept into my cheeks.

“You’ve got a deal,” I grinned.

But inside my heart was racing with excitement.

This time I was going to see Dustin, and I was gonna have a real conversation with him even if I had to drag him kicking and screaming through the entire thing.

I wanted to know about him, about who he was.

And even if nothing ever came of it, at least I could say I tried.