Page 13 of The Earl’s Wrangler (Cowboy Nobility #3)

“She was already dead before he started acting this way. I know my father loved her. Hell, she was probably the only person in the world he truly cared for other than himself, and after she died, he went off the deep end. That’s when the bad drinking started and he…

.” Randall had said more than enough. This was too painful to hash over, and his father was dead.

There was no use dredging up what was best left in the past.

A gentle kiss ghosted over his skin.

“What was that for?” Randall asked.

“My mama used to kiss my knees whenever I skinned them. She said it would make them feel better.” He did it again, and Randall slowly turned around. “And it seems a shame that no one tried to make you feel better. There should have been someone to stand up for you.”

“Not against him. He was the earl, so everyone deferred to him. He was very used to it and liked it. Damned idiocy made him feel important and smart. But he was dumb as a stump, I swear. The man could barely add, and he never read anything other than the label on a whiskey bottle. But he thought everyone in the village should come by and ask his advice before they did anything. And when they stopped because his advice was usually wrong, it only deepened his sink into the bottle.” He didn’t dare move, not wanting the break the connection with Sawyer’s deep blue eyes.

“You don’t want to talk about this anymore, do you?” Sawyer prompted. More than anything, Randall wanted to forget that part of his life, but he bore constant reminders of it on his body. He shook his head slowly. “The scars….”

“I know they’re ugly. I’ve been told that by almost everyone who saw them. I used to stay out of the locker rooms until everyone else had left so I could change without others seeing.”

Sawyer drew closer. “Bullshit. They’re scars.

We all have them. Some on the outside where they can be seen, and some on the inside.

Those are the ones that are worse, because no one knows they’re there but us.

” Sawyer gently turned him around, then ran his fingers over the scarred skin, sending ripples racing through him that Randall didn’t quite know how to parse.

Were they desire or weirdness? Maybe a combination of both.

“But….” He was supposed to be strong and a leader. That was the role he was born into, and the one his father had failed at. He wasn’t supposed to feel this way about his own body.

“These are war wounds.” Sawyer rested his hand flat on his shoulder blade.

“They happened because of what someone else did to you. And you survived and were strong enough to heal and go on. Your father is dead and he can’t hurt you any longer, so really, you came out the winner.

” Sawyer pulled away, and Randall had to see into his eyes to know if he was serious or just humoring him.

When he turned and looked into them again, he saw heat and desire reflected back at him.

This was a bad idea, but it was just the two of them standing in the damned hallway outside his room.

Randall slipped into it, not looking away from Sawyer, who seemed to follow him, drawn by an invisible string.

Neither of them moved nearer to the other until Sawyer shut the door.

Then he closed the distance, drawing Randall into his strong cowboy arms and moving to kiss him.

“Is this okay?” Sawyer’s voice was rough and deep.

Randall nodded, and Sawyer bridged the last gap between them, sealing their lips together in a kiss that made Randall’s head spin.

He had been with a number of guys. Hell, Randall was no shrinking violet, but Sawyer seemed so forceful and sure that Randall found himself taking a back seat, letting Sawyer lead the way.

Sawyer pressed him back toward the bed until the backs of Randall’s legs hit the mattress.

Sawyer paused, sliding his hands down Randall’s back and into his sleep shorts, then slipping them down his ass and legs until his cock popped free.

Randall sighed as the fabric slid down his legs, and he stepped out of them.

He was bare in front of Sawyer, and almost instantly, his very own cowboy was just as naked.

And damn… now he understood why the guys had come here, because cowboys were bloody hot.

“Hey, you gonna keep looking or what?” Sawyer stepped back and slowly turned around.

“What are you doing?”

“Giving you a gander at the full package.” He came to a stop after doing his cowboy pirouette. “You seen enough?”

“I don’t know if that will ever be possible,” Randall said as he pulled Sawyer to him. Their kisses grew in intensity. Sawyer pressed him further, and before Randall knew it, he was falling back onto the bed, bouncing slightly.

Sawyer leaned over him, growing closer. Randall wound his arms around his neck to reel him in. “Do you think this is a good idea?”

Sawyer groaned. “Sometimes you think way too much.” He kissed him, and Randall had to agree—sometimes thought was way overrated…

and this was definitely one of those times.

He was naked and in bed with the sexiest man he had ever met, one he really liked, and all he could wonder about was if this was a good idea.

Of course it was—it was fantastic. He let himself sink into the moment, with Sawyer caressing his chest, that amazing touch sliding downward.

He held his breath as Sawyer stroked his hip, and then he moaned softly into their kiss as his touch settled on his belly.

Sawyer seemed intent on going slowly, while Randall was as hyped up as he could remember being. “How can you be so calm? I want you more than I have ever wanted anyone.” He felt like he was sputtering.

Sawyer pulled back. “I want you too, and that’s why we need to go slow.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

Sawyer smiled. “Sure it does. It means that you and I only get one first time together, and I intend to make sure that it’s the most mind-blowing sex you have ever had so you’ll remember it long after you have to go home.

” He stopped Randall from saying anything more by kissing him again, and this time, Randall stopped talking.

They had all night. And hell, whatever Sawyer had in mind for the two of them was more than fine with him.

The way he felt at this moment, Randall could stay like this for hours.

THE LIGHT through the window hit his eyes, and Randall groggily came to.

He tried to remember if what happened last night was real or a dream.

Then he rolled over and bumped into Sawyer, who startled awake, sitting right up, the sheets pooling around his waist. “I need to get to work.” He jumped out of bed and hurried around, pulling on the few clothes he’d been wearing before they’d attacked each other.

“Okay. I guess….”

Sawyer leaned over the bed. “It’s just that I have chores.

It’s not like I’m running out on you. This ranch ain’t that big.

” Then he kissed him. “Work first, and tonight you and me can have as much fun as we can stand.” He kissed him again before quietly leaving the room.

Randall stayed in bed for a few seconds before pushing back the covers and searching in his bag.

He got dressed and hurried out to the barn, where Sawyer was already checking the horses and letting them out in the paddocks after the storm.

“Was there any damage?” Randall asked.

“Not that I can tell, and it’s too nice a day for them to stay in here.” He opened the doors, and the horses ambled out into the sunshine.

“You’re not supposed to be alone, remember?”

“I’m just in the barn,” Sawyer said as though it wasn’t a big deal. “There are plenty of folks here. I don’t think anyone is going to try anything here on the property.” He finished with the horses and slid the door closed. “What has you so wound up?”

“These collection people are not going to respect the ranch boundaries. If they think they can get you to pay, they will come anywhere and do just about anything. These aren’t lawyers.

They’re bounty hunters, and they sure as hell don’t care about things like that.

So you need to stay around others and keep your eyes open. ”

Sawyer grabbed the shovel and leaned on it slightly. “You really think they are going to come after a broke cowboy like me? I don’t have any money to pay them. I don’t own anything but my truck, and you can tell they ain’t getting much for that.”

“Maybe not, but how do you think Mrs. J or Alan are going to feel if you get grabbed? They might pay, or maybe they shoot you and then threaten them?” Randall drew closer. “Just be careful and don’t take any chances. That’s all I’m saying.”

“Okay. Maybe you know best. Now, I have to get this finished, and you can help.” He handed Randall the shovel.

“The horses were in the stalls all night, so give them a spot clean, and then we can set about looking over the colts. I want to see how they’re settling in and maybe work with them a little.

Get a halter on them and maybe see how they respond to a lead.

Not too much, but we can assess their behavior. ”

“Okay. You’re the boss.” He grabbed the shovel and a wheelbarrow and got started. “Do you have any idea how tickled all the people in the village would be to see me mucking out stalls?”

“They’d probably like you all the more for it.” Sawyer strode away before pausing and then pulling out his phone to snap a picture.

“What was that for?”

“To keep you humble.” He grinned as he left the barn. Randall groaned and rolled his eyes before getting to work.