Clouds and Rain by Zahra Owens Read Free Book Online

Flynn‟s back and continued, keeping his voice gentle and soothing. “You‟re not my housekeeper. I can do my own dishes.”
    “I don‟t mind.”
    “I know you don‟t,” Gable acknowledged. “But you‟re spoiling me and I could easily get used to it.”
    “And we wouldn‟t want that, now would we?” All of a sudden, Flynn‟s voice sounded harsh and unforgiving. He turned away from Gable and walked toward the mudroom, but Gable stopped him.
    “I know I‟m not much of a talker, but maybe it‟s time we talked.” Although what he said was certainly true, Gable felt he needed to clear the air. He couldn‟t prevent Flynn from leaving, but he could ask for some reassurance that he would be told in advance when he was going to have to do without. Right now, Flynn was running away from something, though, and this something had to do with his family. Gable knew all too well that it was easier to walk away from the things in life that hurt too much than it was to face them head-on, but he was afraid Flynn was going to walk away from him too, and he couldn‟t let that happen.
    “The honest truth is that I need you. I can‟t manage this ranch on my own anymore.” It felt strange to hear himself say those words, and even though they were true, they were also difficult to hear.
    “I‟ll stay,” Flynn said quietly, not looking Gable in the eye. “If you need me, I‟ll stay. Now, there‟s work to be done.” With that, Flynn pushed past Gable out of the kitchen.

    34

    Clouds and Rain

    Gable could see Flynn striding toward the stable and knew it was no use chasing after him. Knowing how much Flynn hated it when his kitchen was untidy, Gable first washed his dishes and cutlery before going out himself.

    FLYNN couldn‟t get out of the kitchen fast enough. He didn‟t cry; he hadn‟t cried since the day his father threw him off the family property, but he‟d come very close this morning. Hearing Gable say he needed him had made his heart jump, the elation almost too high to contain, but the feeling had quickly abated when Gable made it clear he just needed him to manage the ranch. He wanted to stay, but this way it was torture. Every time he was near Gable, every time the man touched him the lust boiled up inside him, but somehow, Gable seemed oblivious to what he did to him.
    Flynn grabbed a bridle and saddle and stepped into T.C.‟s stall.
    He needed to clear his head, so going for a ride to check the fences was a good excuse. On his way back he could check out one of the older mares who looked like she was going lame, and then he wouldn‟t be back until after lunch time. The last thing he wanted right now was to sit on that porch with Gable. They‟d done enough fraternizing for one day.
    After riding along the fences for well over an hour, Flynn reached the herd and found that the mare was doing just fine, so he uncoiled his rope and used it as a halter for one of the younger geldings instead.
    This was one that Hunter had wanted to buy, but Gable had told him it wasn‟t ready to be sold yet. The horse looked old enough, but maybe it lacked the proper training. Flynn was curious enough to bring it back to the corral to see for himself.
    Inside the confined space of the round corral, the horse was frisky and easily distracted. Flynn made him run to ease the stress, and that seemed to calm him down. Throwing a rope in the horse‟s path, but far enough away from him that he didn‟t touch him, was enough to make the animal stop in his tracks. Flynn clicked his tongue to make the horse take notice, but didn‟t approach him. Instead, he turned his back 35

    Zahra Owens

    on the animal, allowing the horse‟s natural curiosity to take over.
    Slowly the horse came closer. Flynn could feel him lower his head, although he couldn‟t see it, and then he felt the animal‟s soft nose nuzzle his back, near his shoulder.
    Flynn carefully let his hand travel toward his back, enticing the horse to sniff it, which it