Earth and Sky

spoken about it, and if Hunter had any say in it, they never would, but Hunter was one of the few people who knew that Grant had been more than Gable’s hired help. This, too, wasn’t something that was openly talked about, so he didn’t dare to bring it up, even in jest, but it did mean that his own fantasies were that much harder to keep at bay now that Grant had walked back into his life.

    Hunter had never acted on these urges and had vowed he never would. Here in the solitude of his own bachelor bed, he let the images in his mind wash over him. As he squeezed the base of his cock, he pushed his fingers down over the sensitive flesh behind his balls. Thrusting his straining erection into his other hand, effectively fucking it, and biting his pillow to stifle his cry, he came much harder than he had a few hours earlier at the hands of Miranda. After the spasms slowly died down, Hunter rolled onto his back to catch his breath. He was panting hard.

    Why? Why did he feel this way? Although they needed Grant’s helping hand around the ranch, Hunter was going to have to talk to Hugh about putting as much distance between Grant and him as they could manage. The only question was how he was going to explain it to his brother-in-law.

    While the rest of the household was at church, Hunter needed his own kind of distraction, so he determinedly paced to the stable block and started clearing Davenport’s box. The horse, sensing his rider’s foul mood, protested all the way against everything Hunter did. Eventually Hunter put him in the treadmill, just so Davenport would stop harassing him while he worked.

    Hunter set a good pace, knowing that if he worked hard he could get his brain to shut up. He wasn’t doing badly, until he heard a familiar voice behind him.

    “So what did your horse do to warrant being put in the mill on a Sunday morning?”

    Hunter didn’t need to look up to know it was Grant. In fact, he didn’t want to look up.

    “His stable needed a good mucking out,” Hunter answered. “He’s just a bit of a hyper horse and hates to be tied up outside, so I let him burn off some energy that way.”

    “So I guess you deserve each other.”

    Hunter leaned on his pitchfork as he turned around. “Meaning?”

    “Well, you clearly needed to burn off some energy as well.”

    Hunter thought Grant looked too smug for his own good. Part of him wanted to turn back to working, effectively ignoring Grant’s taunts, but he was never one to back down from a challenge. “So what if I did?”

    “I heard you didn’t get much sleep last night.”

    “And since when is that your business?” Hunter replied gruffly.

    Grant raised his hands. “Just wondering if you needed some help.” He shrugged. “And trying to make small talk to get to know my new boss a bit better.”

    This time Hunter did turn his back on Grant. “Hugh’s your boss, as far as I’m concerned.” He continued to rake up the straw, using long, swift strokes, and hoped Grant would just leave him alone. The last thing he wanted to do was exchange small talk with Grant. He didn’t like the man or his morals, so the less he saw of him the better.

    Hunter worked himself into such a sweat he needed a shower before he could go to Sunday lunch. His hair still wet and wearing his Sunday shirt and a new pair of jeans, he bumped into his youngest sister on the stairs.

    “You weren’t at church,” she teased. “Rough night?”

    Hunter grumbled, although he could never get mad at Bernie. “A bit short, but other than that….”

    They walked into the kitchen, and Bernie handed Hunter a cup of coffee before grabbing one for herself. “I see Hugh’s taste in men is improving.”

    Hunter sputtered as the hot coffee went down the wrong way.

    “Isn’t he the guy that used to work at Gable’s?” She pointed her cup out the back window.

    Hunter followed her gesture and saw Grant crossing the driveway toward the house.

    “Yeah, he’s the one that left Gable in the cold after his accident,” Hunter answered, fervently hoping Grant was just walking to the house to ask something and wouldn’t come inside.

    Bernie shrugged. “Cute, though.”

    “He’s too old for you, Bernice,” Hunter sighed, using her full name to taunt her. She didn’t react, and Hunter looked outside again, unable to keep himself from following Grant with his eyes.

    Bernie poked him. “Stop staring at him, then. Besides, he’s not that old, and guys