The Set Up
In last week's Six, Cass was successful in introducing Ty to a little manlove. He decides to take Tyler on a weekend trip to Las Vegas. He plans the evening: a card tournament, dinner, a show. And with any luck at all, he can finish that slow seduction he had planned.
You know what they say about best laid plans....
Not much about the trip to Las Vegas goes the way Cass expected. They've only just arrived and already Cass realizes he may be in over his head.
The Six
“I don’t know what’s happening to me,” Cass said in choked voice. “Practically from the first moment I saw you, I wanted to claim you, to keep you. Shit, I know I’m fucking this up. You’ve never been with anyone but me, and even that was just a baby step. But Ty…I gotta tell you—”
Cass swallowed hard, then ran a hand over his face, leaving his eyes covered for a minute.
Tyler looked around the luxury suite, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the extravagant furnishings. They were on one of the suite levels of the Bellagio Hotel, overlooking the famous fountains. “I’ve never been to Las Vegas, before. I don’t think my blue jeans are exactly going to cut it here, Cass. This hotel, this suite…you obviously have something in mind that I’m not sure I’m ready for. Something I might never be ready for. You should have said something.”
The cowboy wrapped long arms around his waist and rested his chin on his shoulder. Ty forced himself to relax enough to accept the embrace, but not enough to melt into it, as certain parts of his body were encouraging him to do.
“Hear me out, Ty. Please?” Cass asked, voice a hot whisper against his neck.
Ty gave a quick nod and tried to figure out what to do with his hands. His arms felt awkward hanging down by his sides, but Cass was wrapped around him, holding him tight.
“I’ve been on my own a very long time. My parents were big adventurers. We were a close, happy family, took a lot of trips together. To celebrate my graduation from high school, they planned an African safari. They started the trip without me so I could make a quick side trip to visit MIT to plan for my first semester in the fall. The department chair woman tracked me down to tell me that parents had been killed. The jeep they were in overturned and suddenly, my whole world changed. I went into a bit of a tailspin. Gave up the idea of college, quit my job, sold their house. I bought a pickup truck and headed west. Decided I was gonna be a cowboy.”
Ty noticed Cass’ voice took on a singsong rhythm and his words rolled a little more, as if he was pulling his cowboy persona over the pain of losing his family. A shudder passed through the rancher, and he seemed to shake himself out of the memories.
“Sorry, got lost for a minute there. The point is…I’ve been on my own for twenty years. I never had any intention of settling for one man, because I know how quickly all that can be ripped from you. In a lot of ways, Jed was right about me. I never bring anyone home, never had a relationship, unless you count the guys on the ranch.”
Cass dropped his arms suddenly and moved around him to press his forehead against the window. Ty wasn’t sure what to do. He was pretty sure of what he wanted, but he didn’t think this was the time.
“I don’t know what’s happening to me,” Cass said in choked voice. “Practically from the first moment I saw you, I wanted to claim you, to keep you. Shit, I know I’m fucking this up. You’ve never been with anyone but me, and even that was just a baby step. But Ty…I gotta tell you—”
Cass swallowed hard, then ran a hand over his face, leaving his eyes covered for a minute. Ty put a hand on the cowboy’s shoulder.
“Come on, Cass—”
“No, I’m sorry, Ty. You’re right. I should have told you where we were going, what we were doing. I just wanted to surprise you. I’ve never had someone I wanted to…hell, I don’t know. I just want to make you feel better, okay? You’ve had a shitty time of it lately, and I just want to give you this weekend as something a little special.” He turned to face Ty.
“Let me give you this weekend. It’s no big deal, no strings attached. Here’s all I had planned…I hate fuckin’ shopping, but I thought we could go downstairs and get a pair of slacks for the evening. The dress code said business casual, and, well, I figured it would just be easier to get that here.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? What dress code?”
Cass grinned, his good humor and confidence temporarily restored and went to the small table and took an envelope tucked into the front of the welcome basket of fruit and wine. Holding out two passes, he asked, “Do you play poker, sailor? We’ve got a Texas Hold’em tournament that starts in an hour. Then I figured dinner and a show. That’s it. No other plans. Tomorrow we can go wherever you want. Please, Ty. Say yes, let me give you tonight. Don’t sweat the bed, I’ll stay on the couch. Let this just be about me giving you a special weekend because I want to, not about anything else.”
The silence was tense as Cass looked at him expectantly. Hell, what could he say? The big cowboy was wearing his heart on his sleeve. He knew what a risk the man had taken to tell him all that and his words had cut right through every last line of Tyler’s defense.
Ty couldn’t even remember who he thought his lifelong self-denial was appeasing. There was nothing he could do, no price he could pay that would change what happened to his mother. He owed his father nothing. Not one fucking thing. His penance was done, the price paid. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket to check the time. He heard Cass’ shape intake of breath and realized his friend thought he was going to call someone or maybe even a cab.
Ty looked up into deep, dark eyes and a let a slow grin curve his lips. “We better get our asses in gear, then, if I’m gonna kick your ass in poker.”
Ty Hard is available for pre-order at All Romance eBooks (And already a "Best-Seller").
Poor Chase...But I think in the long run...he gets what he wants
ReplyDeleteDawne
I feel for Chase - loved it :)
ReplyDeleteLisa
x
Funny how the confident cowboy suddenly found himself in deep trouble. Thanks for reading!
ReplyDeletetee hee....I know what happens next....!!!!! (SEND MORE, or else).
ReplyDeletelove
Liz
Good job. Such a real reaction.
ReplyDeleteNice job capturing the emmotion.
ReplyDeletei love this story Laura! On my TBR
ReplyDeleteSo getting this book!
ReplyDeleteThanks, everyone! I love the feedback.
ReplyDelete