Earth and Sky

some sandwiches in case you get hungry.”

    Grant couldn’t help feeling that was her way of mothering. Hunter had told him he never got a lot of physical affection from his mother, but that he always knew she loved him, in her own way. Maybe that love had spread just a little bit toward him.

    About two hours later, with half his food still on his plate but his coffee long consumed, Grant watched Hunter’s truck turn into the driveway toward the house. He was huddled warmly into a thick winter coat, but his feet were freezing. His eyes followed Hunter as he parked the truck by the side of the house and walked toward it. There were deep worry lines in Hunter’s forehead and around his eyes, and Grant felt they didn’t spell much good.

    As soon as Hunter spotted Grant sitting there, his eyes lit up. “Hey, Stud Muffin.”

    “Sssh,” Grant said, shaking his head. “Your mother is just inside.”

    “I know,” Hunter said, sitting down next to Grant on the long bench that stood against the outside wall. He put his arm around Grant’s shoulders and nuzzled his ear, taking in his scent. “But I’m so glad to be back home and to be close to you again.”

    “That bad, hey?” Grant said, pulling back a bit so he could see the expression on Hunter’s face.

    Hunter shrugged without letting go of Grant.

    Grant didn’t know if he should push Hunter to talk. They weren’t that good with sharing, especially the emotional stuff, but he felt this was important, so he wanted to somehow offer his support. He brushed his nose over Hunter’s eyebrows and kissed his forehead. “Want to talk about it?”

    Hunter shrugged again. “She got really mad at me. Told me I was a pervert.”

    “Well, she’s right, of course,” Grant deadpanned.

    Hunter looked up with a start but then seemed to recover. “About getting mad at me or about me being a pervert?”

    “Both,” Grant replied, trying to keep a straight face.

    Hunter thumped him with his shoulder.

    “Aaaah,” Grant complained. “I’m an injured man, dammit.”

    “Sorry.”

    “So what else did she scream at you?” Grant asked tentatively.

    “She assured me it was my baby. That she hadn’t been with anyone else. She actually figured I would marry her, but I stuck to my guns.”

    “You think she intentionally got pregnant?”

    “Who knows?” Hunter sighed.

    “I can’t blame her for being mad, Cowboy. It’s not like she saw this one coming.”

    Hunter chuckled. “Hell, I didn’t even see this one coming.”

    “Any regrets?”

    “Not a single one. Should have done this ages ago.”

    The determination in Hunter’s voice gave solace to Grant. He wished he were as sure of his case as Hunter was, though. Not that he didn’t believe Hunter loved him, and he knew for certain he loved his Cowboy right back, but this was just such a leap for him that it took some time to adjust to it. He was still mulling it over when he noticed Hunter’s hand disappearing underneath the hem of the sheepskin coat he was wearing. Grant could feel the warmth of Hunter’s hand through the sweater he had on underneath, and he slowly turned his head in Hunter’s direction.

    “What are you doing?” Grant whispered.

    “My hand’s cold.”

    “No it isn’t. I can feel just how warm it is,” Grant answered with a slight smile.

    “You’re wearing my coat,” Hunter said cheekily.

    “Don’t change the subject. We’re sitting on the porch of your house, in full view of half the world, and you’re feeling me up?”

    Hunter gave him a mock-serious stare. “If I were trying to feel you up, I’d be way off course.”

    “That depends on where you’re heading,” Grant replied, jumping slightly when Hunter’s hand found a nipple.

    “You’re not wearing a lot of clothes under my coat.”

    Grant cocked his head. “I took my shower alone, and it takes a lot out of me to put clothes on by myself.”

    “Pain getting any better?”

    “Sometimes,” Grant said. “You’re distracting me quite well from it right now.” Their faces were very close together, but they weren’t really kissing. Grant had the feeling it wouldn’t take much, though. Maybe what was stopping Hunter was the same thing holding Grant back: the fact his mother and sisters were inside and any of the ranch hands or wranglers looking over at the house would see them sitting there, smooching.

    Suddenly the door to the house opened and Hunter pulled away slightly. To