Page 16 of The Barn: Frost and Q
“Oh, come on, not even a little curiosity. I’m disappointed.”
They got to the top floor, the elevator doors opened, and he rolled out, heading for his rooms with Boone right behind him. He got through the set of double doors, and he went right to his bathroom, needing to wash off sort of desperately. “Bring me a T-shirt, will you? Make yourself useful.”
He didn’t want to ask. Boone was going to give him no end of shit if he asked. He knew Boone. Boone was going to tease him about this forever, because Boone was a fucker.
“No problem. You need socks and stuff too?”
“Yeah, my pants are pretty good, but I could use a pair of socks. Thank you.” He started cleaning up, and he began to feel more and more human.
“You want a protein drink or a glass of water?” Boone was pretty; he was nice; he knew what Q wanted.
Why couldn’t he be in love with Boone? Why couldn’t Boone be in love with him?
They had a routine. They knew how to be together. They had this down.
He heard the fridge open and close, and then Boone was in the bathroom giving him a T-shirt and a pair of socks and a glass of water.
“I figure there’s no reason for you to get your calories with a protein drink when you can have real food.”
“Thanks.”
Boone grinned at him. “I worry about you, you know?”
“Oh, I know it. I know that you spend hours worrying about my happy ass.”
“Don’t be a dick, Q. It’s a shitty look.” Boone went to sit on the counter next to the sink, watching him get dressed. “So, come on, make me feel good. Ask me.”
He rolled his eyes and tugged on his clean shirt. “So what is Frost doing?”
Boone’s eyes lit up. “He is visiting with Tug.”
“Tug’s here?” How did he not know Tug was here? “When did Tug get here?”
“When you were in therapy. He flew in.”
It was always so exciting when Tug came in to visit. The rodeo cowboy was just totally unpredictable. There was a little bit of a spark that this place needed when it all was too damn normal.
“So what does he want?”
Boone grinned wider. “I don’t know, but it came in with boxes. I love it when it comes with boxes.”
“You dipshit.” He drank his water, and Boone hopped down to help him put on his socks.
“Oh, I know. But it’s so fun. He really is the only one of us who ever leaves. He goes and has this huge life. You know there’s him, and every so often, Frost, who goes. But me, Carson, you? We’re always here.”
“Yeah.” Okay, that made him want to run away. “Why did you stop going to the lower forty-eight? Don’t you have a ranch down there?”
“I do. In the Roaring Fork valley.” Boone’s expression held a wealth of sadness before he shook his head and grinned. “I may own it, but my family never ceases to fight over it. So, I have a ranch manager, an accountant, and an incredible security system.”
“Oh, man.” He shook his head. “I had no idea.” There was so much he didn’t know about the personal lives of these guys. Frost was the one who’d gone into business with them. Quentin had just been along for the ride. But they were his friends, too, and he was ashamed at how little he really understood.
So, he was going to sit here and have lunch with Boone and not talk about him and Frost. “Did you order lunch?”
“Yep. Want help wheeling out?”
“Nah. I got it. You go first so I have more room.”
Boone headed out to his little lounge room, and he flopped on the couch, leaving Quentin his favorite chair. It was a sleek recliner that looked more fashionable than it was, and it was easy to get in and out of. He loved it.
