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

“Keep your money,” I tell him. I shake


my shirt on to settle it over my shoulders, my fingers fumbling


with the buttons. Luke stands in the doorway between the kitchen


and living room, a slight frown on his face—I glance at him, see


the hurt in his eyes, and have to look away as I shove through the


screen door and out into the backyard, Kent on my heels. Ahead, the


barn looms ominous, the lock off the door because he was out here


earlier and forgot to latch it. “You want to piss away your


profits?” I say, my voice ringing out in the still morning air.


“It’s all the same to me. Just let me know before everything’s gone


so I can still get out when the getting’s good.”


and my hands tremble as the impact of what I’ve said hits me full


force. So I can still get out…is that where we’re heading?


Me leaving him? Is this all because of Luke? “Kent,” I start,


turning. My lover stares at me incredulously, did I just say I


Chapter 40