Uncle by E. M. Leya Read Free Book Online Page A

Sunday school?"
    Travis laughed. "No. I don't think he has any children."
    "That's too bad. You two could talk and I would have someone to play with." Jason kicked his feet, causing a cloud of dust to rise up.
    "Easy there, Cowboy. You don't want to spook the horses, or worse yet, get dust in the saddlebags and all over your dinner."
    "I saw you wrap them, they won't get dirty, but I don't want to scare the horses."
    Travis checked each saddle on last time as he heard a car pulling up. Moving around the horses where he could see, he smiled as Evan climbed out, dressed more casual this time in Levis and a dark blue t-shirt.
    "Evan!" Jason ran toward him.
    Travis couldn't make out what was being said, but whatever it was, Evan threw back his head and laughed as Jason grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the horses. Travis watched pleased that Jason seemed to like Evan.
    As they neared, he heard Jason telling Evan about the kittens one of the cats had given birth to in the barn earlier in the day. Travis had to fight back a laugh as Jason cast a glare at him when he told Evan that he wasn't allowed to touch the kittens yet.
    "Uncle Travis says I have to wait until their eyes open."
    Evan nodded. "That is best. If you touch them too soon it can scare them and make them sick."
    "You want one when they get bigger?" Jason asked.
    "I don't think so. My apartment is pretty small and I work all day. Maybe it's better for them to stay here. They have a lot of room to run and play. Besides, I bet there are a lot of mice out in those fields that they can chase." Evan glanced up at Travis and smiled. "Hi."
    Travis stepped away from the horses and set his hand on Jason's shoulder as he faced Evan. "Glad you could make it."
    "Been looking forward to it all day." He glanced at the horses. "You need help with anything?"
    "Nope. We are ready to go." Travis looked down at Jason. "You need the bathroom before we go."
    "No. I just went."
    Travis didn't doubt they would stop along the way for him to go again. "Okay then. If you two are ready, let's go."
    The sun was just starting to dip into the west and he hoped that the deer would keep habit and slowly wander down to the shaded base of the mountain where he had seen them a number of times. "Okay then, let's get you up." He reached down, hooking his hands under Jason's arms and hefted him up on the horse.
    Jason sat in the saddle and reached for the reins as Travis untied the lead rope from the fence. He then turned to Evan. "You ready?"
    "You'll go easy on me right?" His voice held a bit of nervousness.
    "Promise. We aren't going too far, and we will go slowly. If you have any issues just yell and we will stop." Travis took hold of the horse's bridle and nodded. "This is Texas. He is easy going. I think you'll like him."
    Evan reached out and brushed his hand down the horse's neck, before he lifted his foot to the stir-up, grabbed the saddle horn and boosted himself up.
    Travis untied the lead and made sure the stir-ups were the right length for him. He ran his hand down Evan's leg as he adjusted them. "How does that feel?" He glanced up.
    The look that he received back made him suck in a breath. He quickly dropped his hand from Evan's leg and stepped back.
    Evan swallowed and nodded. "Good. Really good."
    Travis held his stare for a moment, wondering if he meant the stir-up or his hand on his leg. He knew which one he liked more. Feeling the man's muscular leg under his palm had stirred his own body into high alert.
    Making sure Evan had the reins in his hand, he smiled, and moved back, going to his own horse and getting on. He turned his horse, moving close to Jason. "You ready, Cowboy?"
    "Yep." He nodded as he held up the reins.
    "You?" Travis glanced at Evan.
    "Just stay close." Evan smiled sheepishly. "I'm still a bit nervous."
    "How about we let Jason lead us and I can stay back with you?"
    "Yes!" Jason gave his horse a kick and moved up in front of the other two horses. "You will have to