Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 10

it was him. The faded jeans embraced long, lean horseman's thighs and an ass I ached to feel. Instead, I disappeared back into the house and sought distraction in making sure the rooms were ready for our first guests.
    "How's it going?" Will strolled through the kitchen door.
    "We're ready. The rooms are tidy. Luz did a great job." I glanced at my watch. "They should start arriving soon."
    He opened the fridge and took a bottle of beer. "Do you want one?"
    "Please."
    "Here you go." Will handed me a beer and turned on the radio. A commercial for a local car dealership filled the companionable silence
    I shoved a wedge of lime in my bottle and gritted my teeth when he tuned it to his favorite country station. A sweet silvery voice sang about a travelling soldier. It was one of the few songs I actually liked.
    Will sat down and took a long draw of his beer. One foot tapped gently on the floor to the rhythm of the song. "Haven't heard this one in a while."
    "Neither have I."
    "Do you like country music?"
    "Not much."
    "You can change the station if you like."
    "No, this is fine." I opened the oven door. A blast of heat hit me.
    "Something smells good."
    "Cookies for the guests." I grabbed the oven mitts, pulled the tray from the shelf and set it on top of the stove.
    He eyed the tray. "Any spare?"
    I scooped one onto a napkin and handed it to him. "Careful, it's hot."
    His fingers touched mine for a moment. "Chocolate chip…my favorite."
    The rest of the cookies went onto a rack to cool. On the grounds that familiarity breeds contempt, I resisted the temptation and stuck with my beer.
    "Tasty." Will licked a smudge of molten chocolate from his finger. "I hope the guests appreciate it."
    "They usually do." My dick stirred. The innocence of that simple motion woke something in me that had been asleep for a long time. I took a deep draw of beer.
    "Full house tonight?" He leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs out beneath the table. One foot brushed mine.
    I crossed my legs and concentrated on my beer, grateful the table hid my physical reaction to his casual touch. "Not quite. There's still one room free. I can't complain, since the website's only been up for a couple of weeks."
    Will raised his bottle to mine."Here's hoping for a full house. You've done a great job, Bryn."
    "Thanks. I wish I wasn't so damned twitchy about it. You'd think after years of running a high-end hotel, I'd get over the worry."
    "I'm sure it'll be fine." His foot nudged lightly at mine. "Want me to make dinner tonight?"
    I swallowed and took another mouthful of beer, wondering where this sudden game of footsie had come from, wondering how I could stop myself from leaping across the table and giving him a good, hard kiss. "Thanks, I'd appreciate that."
    "There's a couple of steaks in the fridge. I'll toss 'em on the barbecue. Might as well enjoy what's left of summer. It'll be fall soon enough."
    "Sounds good to me." I dared to nudge back.
    Will lifted an eyebrow and smiled. "Looks like it'll be a nice evening. I haven't sat outside under the stars with a beer for a long time. Does that sound good to you?"
    "It does. I can't remember the last time I did something like that."
    He grinned and finished his beer. "Good. Let's do it."
    "Shall I bring anything? Make anything?"
    "No, we're good." Will rose. "Just bring yourself. I'll take care of everything else. Now, I'd best get back out and see to the horses." He left, as suddenly as he'd arrived.
    I stared at the back door for a long time and wondered if the game of footsie was going to continue under the stars. It worried me that I didn't find the prospect unpleasant.
    By the time I'd seen the guests settled, the sun sent long shadows across the back yard. I found Will standing beside the brick barbecue, poking at the charcoal. Pale smoke drifted idly into the chilly evening air. The smell reminded me of long-ago family barbecues, kids running riot under the stars while the adults sat on lawn chairs, drinking beers while their cigarette ends glowed softly in the dusk.
    "There you are." He turned and smiled. "Have a seat and help yourself to whatever you want to drink. There's wine in the cooler if you prefer."
    I sat down at the picnic table and found the wine. "Wine would be nice."
    "Will you pour me a glass?"
    I poured out the wine. The last of the daylight turned it to liquid garnet. "Here you go."
    Will took the glass from my hand. "Cheers." He nodded toward the table. "If you're hungry,