Mossy Glenn Ranch 3 -Saddles and Memories (6 page)

Still, Troy’s handshake was firm, his smile friendly. Will seemed almost flirtatious, but Andy thought it was likely just his gregarious nature.

Andy laid out the diagrams, the tests and studies done over almost a decade. He explained how the hormones and antibiotics affected not only the animals they were fed to, but also the humans that consumed the meat.

Then he explained how that affected the human body. By the time he was talking about pesticides and genetically modified foods, Drake had been called in and all four of his listeners looked a little grossed out.

“Lots of people don’t realise just what it is they’re eating, even when they go vegan,” Andy added.

Drake rubbed his chin. “I don’t know if I can ever cook corn again.”

“We can grow our own,” Will said, hopping up off the edge of the desk. “I’ve been telling Carlos and Troy I want a garden.”

“And what Will wants, Will gets.” Troy hooked an arm around Will’s waist and pulled him close. “Right, Carlos?”

Carlos gave Troy and Will an intense look before turning it on Andy. Andy shrugged. “I’da had to be brain-dead not to figure out what was going on with you three.” He didn’t care. Sure, it was probably hot, really hot, but he hadn’t managed a relationship with one man, so two was unfathomable for him.

“Rocky mentioned you were family,” Carlos said. “How’d she know that?”

Huh. Guess they don’t know about me and Salt.
Andy didn’t know if mentioning him would cause the man any problems, or cost him a potential customer. Not mentioning him seemed dishonest, though.

Carlos narrowed his eyes and all four men looked at him. Andy hoped he didn’t blow it for him or Salt. “Well, I saw this sexy cowboy walk into the feed store in town, and I’m not one to resist temptation when it looks like Salt.”

Drake blinked like he was shocked, but the other three men seemed pleased. Andy was relieved they didn’t quiz him on whether or not he’d hooked up with Salt. At least they respected his privacy.

“How exactly did you get started in this feed business?” Carlos asked him. “You have all these studies and graphs and such going back over a decade. You aren’t old and I have to wonder how you paid for these things”—Carlos tapped some of the papers—”when you’d have had to be pretty damn wealthy to do so.”

Andy stood and took one of the papers. He pointed to the name of the doctor who’d written it. “This was my brother, Destry. He passed away from pancreatic cancer a year ago. He was a genius, you know, one of those off-the-charts smart people. He had grants and funding for anything he wanted to do. Just about.” There’d been nothing to save his life. Nothing to fix the other problems Destry had had before he’d developed cancer, either.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Carlos murmured, the others adding their condolences too.

“Thank you, but it’s been a year, and…” And it still hurt like a fucking mother, but there wasn’t anything to be done about it. “And it’s good to be following his dream, too. Destry had a lot of physical problems, many of which he attributed to poisons and chemicals he’d ingested in his diet. Granted, lots of people eat the same thing. His theory was, though, that some people are more sensitive to chemicals, and that we’d be seeing a cataclysmic rise in diseases such as cancer because of our contaminated food sources.”

Andy sat back down. “Now, I’m not saying that’s the case, but I can’t say it isn’t, either, and after watching everything my brother went through, I am probably more on the paranoid side than not nowadays. I can’t help but think that Nature has its way, and tampering with that lands us in deep shit.

“And I went to college with a couple of guys who were health nuts,” he continued. “Smart, too, though maybe not quite up there with Destry. They’ve contributed too, and not just on paper. They’ve invested a good chunk of money in our company because they believe in what we’re doing. You’ll find all the company information in that Organics Feed packet right there on the desk.

“If you have any questions, you can call me, or my other brother, Brandt, who is co-owner. His numbers and e-mail addresses are in that packet too. He’s a good guy, but he does have a family.” And saying that caused a twinge of pain in Andy’s chest. “So I’d ask you not to call past ten at night, generally.”

“That’s just being courteous anyhow, family or no,” Troy said. “I was raised not to be calling people at all hours unless there was an emergency.”

Andy felt his lopsided grin slip into place. “Well now, there’s some folks who think a hangnail is an emergency.”

Will rolled his eyes and Troy snorted. Will muttered something about divas needing to learn some manners, but Andy didn’t think those words were for him and so he didn’t comment.

“I’m going to go finish getting lunch ready,” Drake told them. He glanced at Andy. “You’re welcome to stay. Salt should be coming up to eat.” Then he smirked and his entire face lit up before he turned and left the room.

“Someone’s playing matchmaker,” Will crooned, clapping his hands. “I was gonna do it, but since Drake did, I guess I can step back and let him take the credit if you and Salt hit it off.”

But Troy cocked his head and looked at Andy. “I overheard one of the guys teasing Salt yesterday about a hot date.”

Andy shook his head and kept his grin in place. “Sorry, I’m going to go wash up and thank Drake for the lunch invite. I think I’ll join you, if that’s okay?”

Carlos laughed and Troy frowned. Will looked like he was up to something, but they all told him he was welcome. Andy stood. “Okay then. If you have any questions or concerns, let me know. Of course, if you’d like to order, let me know that, too. I have some samples in the truck, including a bag of the best puppy food on the planet.”

After he went and got the bag out of the truck bed, Andy returned inside and set the dog food by the door. He stopped by the kitchen to let Drake know it was there, then he washed up in the restroom.

When he turned the water off, his belly gave a flop and he had the strangest sensation, as if he were about to swoon—all because he heard Salt’s voice, the already familiar cadence of his laughter.

Andy wasn’t sure that staying for lunch had been wise after all. But he damned well wanted another night with Salt.

Chapter Five

Jesus, it was one of those days where time just dragged its ass like someone had tacked on a two-ton weight to it. Maybe if Salt hadn’t seen that red truck pull up, if he hadn’t caught a glimpse of Andy getting out of it, the morning would have passed quicker.

It took all of Salt’s restraint to keep from finding excuses to go up to the ranch house. He did every job he needed to get done, some of his afternoon stuff, too. When lunch time came around and he rode back into the yard, that red truck was still there and Salt just about whooped for joy.

Goddamn, he was happy to see that vehicle!

Salt got the tack off his horse and brushed her down in record time. He had Ramsey put her up and handle the feed—that newbie needed a serious attitude adjustment. Ramsey was going to figure out that working on one ranch for a few years didn’t make him knowledgeable about every damn thing a cowboy needed to know.

Salt jogged over to the bunkhouse and took a few minutes to wash his face and hands. He brushed his teeth, too, because it seemed like a good idea. Of course, Drake would probably fix something garlicky, but as long as Andy ate it, too…

Salt harrumphed at himself and wiped a splotch of toothpaste off his chin. Like he was going to be jumping on Andy any time soon. Andy might not even give a shit about seeing Salt again. At least Salt wasn’t worried that Andy was only interested in him as a means to sell to the Mossy G. Andy had approached him before he knew where Salt worked.

Regardless of the what-if’s and possible rejection, Salt was still happy as a kid on Christmas when he walked into the big house. Will greeted him by singing about Salt and someone sitting in the tree. Salt laughed and shook his head.

“You’re putting way more into it than what it is,” Salt told Will. “He’s gonna be moving on.”

Will scrunched up his face and crossed his arms over his chest. “Don’t be a dick.” Then just as quickly, he groaned and smacked his own forehead. “Oh, ignore me. There’s not a damn thing wrong with just having some fun.”

“You’ve got that happy couples…er, threesome thing going on,” Salt informed him. “You want everyone to be just as happy as you three are, but sometimes that ain’t meant for everyone. Some of us might just have to settle for what we can get.”

About that time, Salt saw Andy coming out of the hall bathroom. Andy saw him, too, and any doubt Salt had about Andy wanting to hook up with him again vanished. He’d have sworn an electrical current of sexual desire crackled in the air between them, and for one split second, Salt couldn’t hear anything but the sound of his heartbeat.

Then the noise of cowhands talking and laughing came roaring back in. Salt heard Will tell him to go have a seat, and he was walking before he knew it. Andy was headed his way, never glancing aside.

Not until Troy tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to a chair. A chair right beside Salt’s usual seat. Salt scooted around a couple of people and finally reached his spot. Andy looked up at him, grinning like he’d never been happy before that moment.

Salt’s heart thudded heavily and he wondered if his blood had been infused with helium. He thought he could just about float off, but he didn’t. Instead he murmured a hello to Andy, then pulled out his chair and sat beside the sexy man.

“You smell like sunshine and hard work, horse and leather,” Andy whispered in his ear. “God, you have no idea how bad I want to fuck you.”

The words were so softly spoken, Salt had to strain to hear them, and it was that softness, combined with the words themselves, that caused a rapid reaction from Salt’s dick. He winced as his filling pecker was pinched in a fold of his jeans. Salt inhaled and the citrus and smoke scent of Andy’s cologne filled his nostrils.

He had to shift in his seat and bob his head in agreement. It took him a couple of tries to speak past the lump of need in his throat. “I want that too.”

Andy pressed his knee to Salt’s. Then he moved closer until his outer thigh was against Salt’s. “Been working hard?” Andy asked, sounding for all the world as if he wasn’t so hard and horny he was ready to crack.

Maybe he wasn’t, but Salt was considering grabbing him and dragging him back to that bathroom. “Yeah, yeah, been keeping busy.” He looked into Andy’s dark eyes and the truth just fell from his lips. “I knew you were here and had to force myself to stay away. Damn near finished all my work for the day.”

“You should take the afternoon off then,” Will said, sliding into the seat beside Salt. “Seriously. I smell the horny coming off you both.”

Everyone in the room went silent. Salt sighed and closed his eyes. “Will.”

“Isn’t that like sexual harassment?” Troy asked. “Look, Salt’s blushing.”

“Maybe I should go,” Andy offered.

Salt opened his eyes and grabbed the man’s knee under the table. “No, they don’t mean anything by it. They’re just teasing.”

“I have this problem with my foot,” Will began, sounding morose. “It just keeps flying up and filling my mouth. Sorry, guys.”

“God, ain’t that the truth,” Carlos added. “Of course, that makes you special, in a good way. Wouldn’t change a thing about you.”

Will glared at Carlos then he stuck his tongue out at him. “Whatever. Let’s eat.”

And that simply, the awkwardness was gone. Salt kept his hand on Andy’s knee, just because it felt good, and it wasn’t like there was a secret to be kept.

“You got plans for the rest of the day?” he asked Andy in between bites of the best damn enchiladas on the planet.

Andy shook his head, his mouth full of cheesy goodness.

“Want some company?”

Andy swallowed quickly. “Hell yeah.”

Salt smirked. “Yeah, I think Will owes me an afternoon off for his earlier blabbering.”

Will popped Salt on the arm. “I wasn’t joking. Carlos had already told me you could take off.”

Salt looked at Carlos, who kind of grimaced as he spoke. “I thought you’ve been working hard for the past few months, and not taking more than a day off here and there. You need to at least have a full day or two off every week.”

Salt had been busy helping to get the ranch in shape, and it wasn’t like he’d had other stuff to do before. Before today, or last night.

“Nah, I’ll finish up with my stuff, and leave early if I get done early.” As much as he wanted Andy, Salt couldn’t just shrug off his work. That wasn’t how he was made. He shot Andy an apologetic look, but Andy didn’t look irritated. No, the man looked downright pleased as if he was proud of Salt for making them both wait.

“A good work ethic turns me on,” Andy said quietly, but not quietly enough because Will snickered.

“Well then, Salt should be making you hor—”

“Will,” Troy growled, and Will beamed at the bald man.

Someone else besides Salt was going to be getting fucked good and hard tonight. Andy gave Salt’s balls a little squeeze then left off tormenting him to resume eating.

As much as Salt loved those enchiladas, they suddenly tasted like dust in his mouth. Desire pinged throughout his body, making him ache with a sweet need that he wanted to revel in.

“Is everyone usually so friendly here?”

Salt glanced at Ramsey, who shrugged and stuffed a forkful of food into his mouth. “Jush wondered,” Ramsey said around his fork.

Carlos canted his head and studied Ramsey. “If by friendly, you mean do people joke and flirt a little? Yeah, they’re allowed to do that. Working on a ranch and living together makes for some close relationships, and not all of them are private, or strictly companionable. I’d think you’d know that, having worked on a ranch before.”

Ramsey ducked his head and didn’t say another word, but Salt started paying more attention to the man. Something about Ramsey had seemed off to Salt from the start. His lack of knowledge in regards to his job, for one thing. It was like he knew what the job entailed because he’d memorised it, or played at it. But Carlos had surely checked his references. Maybe the guy was just weird. It happened.