Earth and Sky

He was pretty sure he could do the job, despite how hard it would be to fill Hugh’s boots, but in light of what he needed to ask Hunter, he knew he couldn’t claim the position. The money would be welcome, but his private life didn’t allow for the sacrifices it would take right now. Not to mention that if anyone ever found out about the relationship that was growing between him and Hunter, he’d lose all credibility with the men. He didn’t want to lead Hunter’s decision, though. He preferred playing it by ear.

    Hunter was silently making notes, and Grant’s eye fell on Hunter’s full glass of lemonade. “Bernie’s?”

    Hunter swallowed with a grimace. “Yes, and it’s way too sweet. You didn’t say yes too, I hope?”

    Grant chuckled. “Couldn’t resist.”

    “Couldn’t resist what?” Bernie asked, handing over a large glass of yellow liquid.

    “Couldn’t resist your delicious offer of lemonade,” Grant was quick to answer, taking the glass from Bernie and downing at least half of it in one gulp. Tears shot into his eyes as soon as the sourness hit him, but he swallowed anyway, hoping the taste would soon dissipate.

    “Needs more sugar, right?” Bernie asked with an unsure expression.

    “Maybe a bit,” Grant answered. “But it’s good!”

    “You think so?” Bernie asked, wide-eyed.

    “Sure, honey,” Grant assured her.

    She smiled widely and twirled around. “Best leave you two to talk business then.” And with that she practically skipped inside.

    “Thanks for making her feel good,” Hunter said with half a smile, his face still buried in papers.

    “Thanks for warning me,” Grant replied, nudging Hunter with his shoulder. “Too sweet? Damn thing was sour enough to burn through metal. I felt it all the way down to my stomach.”

    Hunter laughed. “Sorry. She’s crap in the kitchen, but Mom keeps telling her that if she doesn’t learn, she’ll never find a man.”

    “She’s probably like you and Izzie. Better at working the ranch than the house.”

    Hunter nodded. “Yeah, but Izzie was always a tomboy. Bernie’s all girl. She’s a good rider, but she’d rather braid her horse’s mane than actually get her hands dirty.”

    “Well, maybe she’ll meet some show jumper and take off on the circuit?”

    “Yeah, maybe,” Hunter said, sounding melancholic all of a sudden.

    Grant wondered if this was the right time to spring Hunter with the news that he needed a few days off. Maybe not. Maybe a little more empathy was needed right now. “Sounds like you wanted to get away too?”

    Hunter eyed him suspiciously, but his shy smile returned. “This is my land. I want to be buried here, like my father and his father before him. I get homesick when I drive to the next county.”

    Grant nodded. He was a gypsy and had never really had a feeling of home, but on an intellectual level, he could understand Hunter.

    “I miss having a place of my own, though,” Hunter said after a long pause. “I mean, it’s great to be able to come home and shove my feet under a table full of great food, but on the other hand, I’d love to be able to do something without four pairs of eyes watching my every move.”

    Grant nodded in understanding, watching how Hunter’s hand seemed to casually brush against the side of his thigh. The sensations sent shivers up his leg, making his cock swell. He knew they wouldn’t be able to do anything about it here. Not with Bernie inside and Hunter’s mother and sister no doubt somewhere in the house as well. Just as casually, Hunter put his hand on Grant’s knee as he bent down to pick up a large, rolled-up document.

    “I always fancied building my own house,” Hunter said, unrolling the plans to what looked like a moderate version of the large ranch house they were sitting in front of.

    Hunter had clearly been thinking about this a lot longer than their conversation about finding more privacy. Grant gave the plans a quick once-over. “Where do you want to build this?”

    “Right there,” Hunter said, pointing at the large stretch of land in front of them.

    Grant turned the blueprint. “I’d suggest facing the master bedroom away from the main house, then. And the entrance maybe to the side or facing the same way. That way they won’t see everything that goes on.”

    Hunter gave him an amused smile. “You have a point there. I’ll have the plans changed.”

    Seeing Hunter’s mood lighten gave Grant the courage to