Marcus was just passing through Texas when he met Kent. In his cowboy hat, low-riding jeans, and black boots, Kent looks like the type of guy Marcus desperately wants to love.<br><br>But two years later, he's discovered Kent is cold and distant, the quintessential American cowboy, and spends more time drunk than sober. Marcus can never predict his mood and blames himself for the flailing relationship.<br><br>Then, one day when Kent rides into town, Marcus finds a young runaway hiding in their barn. Luke is warm, loving, and quick to please ... everything Kent is not. Though the answer seems obvious, Marcus finds himself torn between the boy who demands his love and the man whose love he craves.

Cowboy

Crossing the yard, I notice that the barn


door is ajar. I’m fairly certain I didn’t leave it that way—I


alwaysclose it when I’m done, after the time a possum was


hit on the road and managed to drag itself into our loft. I found


it dead the next morning, blood everywhere, the heat making me


swoon from the stench, and I stumbled from the barn gagging as Kent


watched with impassive eyes. “Road kill,” was all he said, but he


took the rake and cleaned out the hay, disposed of the carcass,


didn’t mention my moment of weakness—I can’t help but love him for


that. Since then, I make sure to pull the barn door tight behind me


whenever I’m through in there, latch the rope toggle lock across


the doors, check it before I go inside. I know I didn’t leave that


A coyote then? The rope isn’t chewed, though,


I don’t know how an animal could get inside. Kent did it,I


tell myself, easing the door open as I peer in where it’s dark and


Chapter 9