Page 145 of Bad Cowboy, Tennessee

Sometimes it seems like a rose will never bloom.

You watch it, for what feels like forever, willing the green bud to burst open, waiting for the flower to unfurl.

It doesn’t.

It won’t listen to your wishes, or your quiet, subtle urging, as you walk past another time, finding each stem still dotted with green bulbs.

And then you stop trying so hard. Stop trying to rush it. You forget, a little, and carry on with other things.

By the time you turn around next, it’s there: small, soft, dusty-red petals, the green coverings opened wide, letting the new buds emerge.

Then, it’s like a mad rush.

Each bloom, spilling out, the petals fragrant and intoxicating andso muchreddish-pink, all there for you, because you were patient.

Walking into the Hard Spot with Max by my side tended to feel like that, every time. When had everything in my life become so rewarding? So much bounty, of friends and happiness and the man I loved more than I ever knew I was capable of loving.

Everything in bloom, no matter the season.

Tonight was no exception. I walked up to the Hard Spot with Max, marveling at how goddamn good he looked.

He was in a simple, basic light blue tank top, hugging the curves of his body.

“Little chilly out,” I said, brushing my fingers across his nipples, visibly hard through his soft shirt.

“I should have worn a hoodie,” he said.

I pinched his nipple and he retaliated, leaning in to give my cock a squeeze through my pants.

“Don’t tempt me,” I said. “I know you’d like it if I fucked you right out here in front of this bar.”

“I would love it,” he said. “I thinkKane, on the other hand, would take a vodka bottle to each of our heads.”

I hummed. “No need for a hoodie, by the way. Your goosebumps are hot.”

“Your cowboy hat is hot,” he told me, touching the rim.

“You say that every time I wear it.”

“Because it’s always true.”

As Max and I walked into the lively bar, I saw more than one familiar face.

“Yo!” Andrew said from his usual place at the bar, waving over to us. “Kane is looking for you two.”

“Oh, God,” Max said. “Am I in trouble?”

“A good kind of trouble,” Andrew said. “Hey, Draven. Have you tried the new Japanese whiskey Kane imported?”

I talked with Andrew about whiskey for a while, and when Kane finally emerged from the back office of the bar, there was another familiar face next to him.

“Dom,” I said, doing a double take.

Dominic smiled at me, coming out from behind Kane and wrapping his arms around me in a hug. “Fancy seeing you here, stranger.”

“What brings you to Tennessee this time?” I asked.

“Well, when I visited last month, Kane and I got to talking about the financials here. I knew I could help him organize a few things, and I’m just about fuckingsickof Montana without you there, so… I thought I’d pick up some remote work, here in Tennessee.”

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