“Nope. That’s gonna be Saturday. We
changed it because Morgan has plans to take Blayne
out. You seem to know the weekly movie night schedule
better than I do. The kids are always having to remind
me when and where it is.” Paxton smiled.
Windsor watched the smile that he
wanted under his lips and made a decision.
“I remember when it concerns
someone I’ve come to care for.” Windsor was surprised
his voice had deepened, and by how much he really
meant what he’d said.
Paxton paused, glancing up at him.
His expression was startled, shocked, then his eyes
narrowed. Windsor leaned against the open stall door,
waiting for him to work it out. He could see when it
dawned on Paxton. He lowered the brush out of Ra’s
mane.
“I’ll be damned. You’ve been
courting me,” Paxton accused.
“Yep.” Windsor didn’t see any need
in denying it.
“I haven’t been courted since…”
Paxton trailed off and his eyes became shadowed with
pain.
Windsor figured he was thinking of
his deceased husband, Adam. He knew the basics—that
Paxton’s partner had died almost six years ago.
“I’m a forty-five-year-old man,
Windsor. Too old to be courted. You don’t want me. Is
that why you became my friend? To get close to me to…?
What the hell do you want?” Paxton demanded.
“I know how old you are, Paxton. I
was there at your birthday party. You could be a
hundred and two and not be too old for courting.
Everyone should feel the centre of someone’s
attention. I’m thirty-five, Paxton, and old enough to
know what I want. I’m not your friend to just get
close to you. I wanted to get to know you. I’d still
find you intriguing, Paxton, and I want to be your
friend,” he stated firmly, then lowered his eyelids.
“Being attracted to you happened instantly. And I
can’t…no… I don’t want to shake the feeling you invoke
in me.”
Paxton gulped, then asked quietly,
“What feeling?”
“I think about you often, Paxton.
Enjoy our conversations. And look forward to when I
can next see you. I find that I can’t seem to keep you
out of my mind. And I like the feeling. I want to
explore what I feel between us.” Windsor closed the
distance between them as he spoke.
He was standing a hairsbreadth away
from Paxton by the time he had finished speaking.
Windsor could smell him. Paxton’s scent was man, sweat
and horse all blended together to make Windsor want to
lay him down and fuck him. But Windsor held the need
in check. He hadn’t come this far to spook Paxton. And
he could see that Paxton was rattled by the way he
held himself. If Windsor made one gesture, Paxton
would back off and run.
Paxton’s jaw clenched and he
stepped back. “I—”
Windsor cut Paxton off, hearing the
regret in his tone. “Think about it. Give it some
honest thought. I’ll be back in person when the Lisa
Gardner book is in. You can answer me then. I’ll still
call on Sunday for our book discussion.”
Paxton didn’t respond. Windsor
backed up and placed the book on a table just outside
the stall, turned on his heel, then walked away. At
the door, he paused and glanced back. Paxton was in
the stall doorway, staring after him. Windsor smiled,
nodded, then turned his head and continued on his way.
The ball was now in Paxton’s court. |
