The Tin Star Read Online Free PDF Page B

that kind of thing anymore at your age.”
    Great! He was getting a boner over the kid -- who thought he was too old to be fighting. He sighed. “Nah, I’m good. Listen, I’m going to bed. You and Fred make yourselves at home. Mi casa es su casa and all that.” He stood up and saw Jamie’s gaze slide down his naked chest to his groin and widen. The kid got a dreamy look on his face and his tongue darted out to wet his lips. He blinked up at Ethan, then quickly looked away, blushing, then glanced back.
    His interest did nothing to cool Ethan off. His cock jerked and his balls pulled up at the avid attention. He knew he was hard, but was it really that damned noticeable? His jeans weren’t all that tight. Ethan looked down and, yes, it was that noticeable. He didn’t know whether to blush along with Jamie or laugh. Instead, he got a sudden urge to pay the kid back for his comment about his age.
    He grinned down at Jamie and said, “Don’t start that! My willpower is pretty good, kid, but it ain’t that good. That’s all I need, for you to out me, too.”
    Jamie’s eyes opened so wide, Ethan was afraid they were going to pop right out of their sockets. Then Jamie dropped his coffee cup on the table. He hastily jumped up to avoid spilling the hot beverage on himself, sending the chair clattering to the floor.
    His gaze shot back to Ethan. The blush was gone, now he was pale as a ghost. He stared at Ethan as if he’d sprouted two heads.
    Ethan barely held in a satisfied grin. He went and put his cup in the sink. As he walked out the kitchen door, he called over his shoulder, “Night, kid. Clean that up before you go to bed.”

Chapter Four
     
    “I can’t believe you never told me about Ethan,” Jamie whispered into his cell phone, careful not to be overheard by the other two ranch hands.
    “It wasn’t my secret to tell, Jamie, any more than yours would have been had I known. Frankly, I’m surprised he told you. As far as I’m aware, Jules and I are the only other people who know, and the only reason Jules does is because she saw him out on a date when we were all in college.” John sighed. “Look you have more important things to worry about. I heard what happened last night. That was just the beginning, Jamie. Are you sure you want to stay around here?”
    “Hell, yes, I’m staying here. This is my home! I have no intention of leaving because of a bunch of asshole bigots. Hold on a sec. I gotta go after this calf.”
    “What?”
    Jamie pulled the phone away and tightened his grip on Spot’s reins, ignoring his brother. Spot, in turn, tried his best to ignore Jamie’s demand to follow the calf.
    “Damn it, Spot! You’re not gonna win, so you might as well mind me, you obstinate pain in the ass!” He heeled the horse in the ribs, making him trot along after the stray animal. Once Spot decided to quit fighting him, they herded the calf back into the main group of cattle without much effort. As they fell back behind the herd, Jamie spoke into the phone again. “You still there?”
    “Yeah, I’m here. What are you doing?
    “I’m helping Hayden and Ed move the cattle to the west pasture. When are you gonna get George over here for me? I’m having to ride Spot.”
    “What’s wrong with Spot?”
    “Aside from the fact that he’s a thief, and he only listens to Ethan?”
    John chuckled. “A thief?”
    “Yes! He stole my hat and my bottle of water! I went out to call him in, so he waltzed into the corral. Came straight to me and snatched my hat right off my head. He pranced around for ten damn minutes before I finally got it back. Then, damned if he didn’t grab the bottle of water I had on the fence post and tease me with it for ten more minutes. It was practically forever before I got him in the barn and saddled up.”
    John’s chuckles turned into full-out laughter, forcing Jamie to pull the phone away.
    Ed rode up beside him and grinned. “Just wait till you have to fix a fence with him