Welcome Home, Cowboy

Air brakes signaled that the bus had stopped before Jason looked up. He fought his way to his feet, wincing in pain. Although it had been a few days and his doctor had cleared him to travel, his side still hurt like a beast. The painkillers he’d taken earlier must have begun to wear off. He’d need to find a drink soon to take more.

Scanning the area, he took in the mountains just past the depot and dragged in as much of a deep breath as he could. No fresher air existed than the air in Montana. When he realized Fenn was not among the few people waiting to pick up the travelers, he frowned and checked his watch.

A distinctive clip clop met his ears from behind, but another spasm of pain hit, causing him to stand where he was rather than turn to look. A tall horse, almost as big as some thoroughbreds, drew alongside him. Fenn bent forward over the saddle until his head was level with Jason’s. “You’re early,” he commented.

Jason’s frown deepened. “And I’m sure you don’t expect me to ride with you on Demon.”

Fenn’s expression brightened as if that were possible. A smile habitually graced his lips. “You remember him.”

"Cut the act, Fenn. I haven’t been gone that long.”

“Long enough,” his friend quipped. “No, of course I don’t expect you to ride the horse. In fact, I never expected you to take a bus. A plane would have been much more comfortable with your injury.” Fenn’s gaze flicked over Jason’s form. Feeling somehow exposed, Jason shifted his stance. The amusement in Fenn’s eyes told him he knew just how uncomfortable Jason felt right then.

“I needed time to think, and a plane ride would have been over too soon,” Jason explained. “Besides, the bus was fine.”

“The paleness in your cheeks tells me you’re lying.” Fenn straightened. “Anyway, I had planned to head back and then get my car, but my morning ride took longer than I intended. Mind if I use your phone to call someone?”

Jason flared his nostrils. “You haven’t learned to take yours yet? How the hell do you conduct business, Fenn, if you can’t be reached?”

“The only time I can’t be reached is when Demon and I are working out our…” He laughed. “Our demons.”

Jason shook his head and held out his phone. He watched as Fenn slipped off the horse, as usual the material of his shirt straining across hard muscle. Fenn took the phone and began dialing. He stuck the other hand out toward Jason, and Jason gripped his friend’s palm. Normally, Fenn would give him a warmer greeting. Almost a year had passed since they saw each other, but he supposed his friend was thinking of Jason’s injury. He appreciated the thought.

When a pickup rolled into the lot where they waited, Jason led Demon to the truck and handed the reins to the driver. “See that he gets home and brushed down. Jason and I will take the truck.”

“You got it, Fenn,” the man responded, and they got in and pulled off.

With light chatter all the way back to Fenn’s ranch, Jason not in the mood for talking, they made good time. Fenn left the truck with still another person in his employ and grabbed Jason’s bags to show him inside. On the way to the second floor, Jason called over his shoulder. “There’re a lot of faces I don’t recognize. You must be doing really well.”

“I get by,” Fenn said. He never bragged about his success. “But don’t worry. Cook’s still here, and you know how she loves you.”

At the top of the stairs, Jason laid a hand on his stomach. “She loves cooking for me. I think I gained twenty pounds the last time I visited.”

For the second time, Fenn’s gaze swept him. “You’re all muscle, and you know it. A wounded cop? I’ll have to beat the women off of you.” Jason thought he saw a flash of something in Fenn’s eyes, but it was gone before he could identify it. Fenn led the way into the bedroom. “This is a different room than what you had last time. It’s right next to mine.”

Jason walked over to the king size bed and stopped. The last time he visited, he’d dragged Bev along. Fenn must have thought the other room would bring back memories of that. He couldn’t know that even if everything was unfamiliar, the mess his life was would fill his mind.

The door bumped shut behind him, and suddenly Fenn’s arms came around his shoulders. This was what Jason had expected from his friend who thought nothing of doing whatever was needed to cheer him up. Fenn stood too close so that Jason felt his friend’s hard thigh and unless he was mistaken, Fenn’s cock at the top part of his ass. Fenn had him by a few inches even though Jason was over six feet himself.

“Have I said I’m sorry?” Fenn whispered.

“Yeah.” Jason didn’t move. He knew he should shove Fenn off of him and remind him about personal space, but knowing Fenn cared so much helped him to continue standing there existing. “I wish I could be like you, Fenn. I’ve faced off against guys with guns pointed at me without flinching. In my career, I shot one person and killed another. It was hard, and according to department regulations, I had to have a psych eval and talk to the staff shrink for a bit. But all of that I dealt with. This is different, and I just can’t get my head straight.”

“I know.”

Jason sighed. “You’re probably tired of hearing me go on and on about it. Maybe you think I’m a wuss.”

“No!” Fenn turned him to face him. His big hands landed heavy on Jason’s shoulders. He stood not more than a couple inches from Jason. If Jason had the strength or the will, he would push him back. Fenn’s intense expression made him pause. “I will be here for you, Jason, just like I always have been. If you have to tell me about her or about your situation a hundred times to feel better or even a thousand, that’s fine with me.”