Page 43 of Stable Hand

Luke exited the shower room first, a towel wrapped around him, crumpled boxer briefs in hand. I figured he made his exit in such a way that he could deflect some of the attention we might have garnered.

“Where’s Jensen?” Hunter asked. “You didn’t leave him groveling on the bathroom floor, did you?”

Luke barked a laugh. “Jensen can take care of himself. Don’t you fucking worry. It’s a wonder I can still function.”

Hearing him, I closed my eyes and felt my cheeks heat. Looked like Luke wasn’t going to deflect anything. I should have known.

Now I had to go out there—I had to go out there with everyone knowing what had occurred between me and Luke. At least the mechanics of it. Nobody would understand the repercussions of what it meant between us.

I put on my clean boxer briefs and made sure I looked okay. At least I wasn’t erect anymore. Luke had dealt with my desire on an expert level.

When I walked out into the bunkhouse, all eyes went to me, the silence louder than if they’d been talking.

“Sorry,” I said. “Just wanted a little privacy.”

There were some chuckles and murmured comments I couldn’t make out. I walked quickly to my bunk and started to get dressed, cheeks burning with embarrassment.

“So Luke could get his dick wet, no doubt,” Callum muttered loudly. “Why is Luke always the one to initiate the newbies?”

I froze. I glanced at Luke, getting dressed beside me. His forehead creased as he focused on his clothes and didn’t meet my gaze.

Callum stood and came closer. “You know that, right? He fucks everyone. Doesn’t make you special or anything.”

Luke did up his pants and reached for a shirt from the top bunk. “What the fuck do you know, Callum?”

Callum laughed. “I know more than poor Jensen, who probably thinks you actually have emotions. I know you use people for your own kicks.”

I kept my eyes on Luke, refusing to believe what had happened in the shower room was simply a random fuck. It had been so much more. Hadn’t it? But then, what did I know? I was such a greenhorn in this place. It was entirely possible I’d been completely bamboozled.

Luke turned around slowly and gave Callum a look out of those hard blue eyes. “You don’t know shit, Callum,” he said, so softly I wasn’t sure the other man heard him. “You keep your hands off him and your mouth shut, you hear me?” he said loudly so everyone in the bunkhouse heard him as he stared at Callum. “This cowboy’s mine.”

Luke pulled on his shirt, grabbed his Vans, and strode out of the bunkhouse, leaving a stunned silence behind him.

I stood motionless, fingers on the buttons of my clean shirt, eyes on the floor as I wondered what had happened. Of all the things I’d expected Luke to say to Callum, mine was not one of them. It made me feel claimed. Maybe I hadn’t imagined everything I’d felt in there. After a few seconds I forced my shaking fingers to finish buttoning; then I glanced around the room.

Men stared at me with disbelief and, possibly, admiration? Respect? I couldn’t be sure, but I’d gained a different place among the group.

I stole a glance at Noah, who had been sitting quietly on his bunk through the entire exchange, and he looked gobsmacked.

“He’s never done anything like that before,” Noah said. “I think he really likes you.”

I nodded, relief flooding through me.

Noah gestured in the direction of the other men. “Don’t let them get to you. You’re doing fine.”

*

Later, at the main house, I sat at a table apart from the crowd, turning my hat over and over in my hands and wondering if I would ever fit in. I hadn’t filled a plate because my stomach felt unsettled.

“Jensen.”

I looked up to see Adam Marsland walking toward me.

“Hey.”

“Just the man I wanted to see,” Adam said, plopping down on the bench of the picnic table and placing his plate of food on the top.

“Oh?” I said, worried there was a problem.