The Farmer's Son

Chapter 12 The Business of Others

"Ray!" Alan's voice echoed among the tree trunks. He paused, then sighed. "I can hear you breathing, you jerk."

Laughter came from behind, followed by the reappearance of the other young man as Ray came to stand in front of him. "I was hoping to at least get a curse out of you," he said, standing with his hands in his jeans. "You're surprisingly wholesome."

"If you'd really left me, you'd have gotten an earful when I found you," Alan said. "Untie me. I'm all itchy."

Coming closer, Ray braced both hands on the tree beside Alan's head. "Let's talk about laundry first," he said, leaning in.

Alan drew back, his head against the tree, as his eyes fastened on the face in front of him. Skin flushed and hot, Alan's gaze flicked from the smirking lips to the blue eyes, twinkling in the twilight. Both still breathed heavily in the warm, humid air, and this close, the scent of their sweat mingled. He could see drops glistening on Ray's chin before dripping onto the ground.

Pulse quickening, Alan licked dry lips and swallowed before saying, "You lost that bet."

"Come on," Ray said.

Alan shook his head.

"Please," Ray begged. "I hate laundry."

"Then you shouldn't have bet it."

"Have a heart, Alan."

"I had one until you tied me to this tree."

Ray groaned and dropped his head. He'd removed his baseball hat earlier, and now the top of his dark hair brushed Alan's face, smelling of wood chips. Defeated, he began to tug at the knot on Alan's chest, pulling it loose and uncoiling the rope from around Alan and coiling it in his hand with the same quick flicks of his wrist. "I should have left you," he muttered.

Free from the rope, Alan pushed Ray, who fell back a few steps laughing. "Let me tie you to a tree and see how you like it," Alan said.

"Oh, is it my turn?" Ray grinned. "Tie it good and tight now."

Alan gave a scoffing laugh. "You're so..." He shook his head as Ray chuckled.

Still shaking his head, Alan pushed away from the tree and Ray followed, making their way back to the tree line and out into the open area before the fences. The sun had sunk lower, and long golden rays stretched across the grass.

Ray sighed heavily as they approached the jeep, and Alan glanced at him. "You really don't like doing the laundry?"

"I would rather take my skin off and wash it, then wash clothes."

Alan laughed. "Well, I might consider taking a week off your sentence..."

Hopeful blue eyes looked up at him.

"...if you teach me how to lasso."

"Deal," Ray said immediately, stopping and measuring out a length of rope.

"Right now?" Alan said, stopping beside him. "It's getting dark."

"I'll just get you started," Ray said. "So next time, we can do it together."

Alan, whose eyes had been on the rope already being coiled into a loop, glanced up at the enthusiasm in Ray's voice. "Do you miss it?" Alan asked.

Ray's hand slowed. "Not the actual roping," he said thoughtfully. "But being at that place, at that time, with those people, having a good time." He glanced up at Alan and smiled. "Like today, with you."

Alan met the gaze, narrowed against the low sunrays into gleaming slits of blue, and kept his eyes on Ray a little while after the other looked away.

"Here," Ray said, holding out the rope. "Measure out your loop," he continued, demonstrating as he spoke. "Then pass it over and under..."