“What about him? He’s a nosy bastard. So what? My job will always be my job. I still love what I do, but my life isn’t complete without you,” Mick said. “It’s not.”
Evan shared Mick’s feelings. Holy shit. Life was going his way.
“Evan?” Mick closed the gap between them. “Write music for me. Love me. Let me help you run the farm and have a life with me.” He smoothed his palms over Evan’s chest. “Do you still love me?”
“We had one fight,” Evan whispered. “Just one fight.”
“Evan?” Mick’s voice cracked. “I know I screwed up, but what are you saying?”
I love you. I want you. Be mine forever. “We had one fight. If we’re even considering tossing what we started aside because of this argument, then is the relationship worth having?” He knew it was. Mick had poured his heart out. Still, Evan needed to hear the words and needed to say them, too.
“When you put things like that, I sound a little foolish.” Mick blushed. “I didn’t admit everything because we had a fight. I planned on coming here tonight to tell you I love you. That’s why I drove so fast down the lane. We’ll fight. We shouldn’t agree on everything because that’s life, but that doesn’t change the fact I love you.”
Evan bit back a grin. Mick said everything he wanted to hear.
“Evan?”
He wanted to make Mick sweat a little longer, but couldn’t. “I love you, too.”
Mick swayed on his feet, then sagged into Evan. “You had me worried.”
“I know.” He kissed the man he loved. “I love you, too. I needed to know how you felt—not the way you thought you did because you were pushed or anything like that. You kept me hanging for quite a while, too, though.”
Mick paled. “I did, didn’t I?”
“Uh-huh.” Evan breathed Mick in and rested his forehead against Mick’s. “If you’re going to live here with me and be my partner, then you should learn how to help me with the chores.” He’d taken a huge step. Would Mick want to live there?
“I want to.”
Relief washed over Evan. Things would be okay. “I need to bale the back forty. Get to it.” He bit back another chuckle as Mick paled.
“Bale? How? I’ve never driven a tractor.” Mick’s eyes widened and he leaned back a bit. “Help?”
“I will tomorrow. I spent today mowing the field. The straw needs a day to dry, then we rake it before baling it. I might run the rake over it in the morning.” He laughed and held Mick close again. “You’ll get to learn soon enough. I’ll teach you.”
“I’m your pupil.” Mick threaded his arms around Evan. “My man.”
“Always.” Evan sighed. His lowest points had been in Cedarwood, but now he had a fresh start and a home. He belonged and he was loved.
Chapter Nine
Mick tugged Evan into the house. He needed to make love to him right now and tell him the rest of his news. Admitting that he loved Evan fed him. He craved his boyfriend and everything he could get—the arguments, the misunderstandings, the loving and the growing old together. Yeah, he wanted it all.
Evan stopped him in the kitchen. “I’ve been hauling shit all day. Let me chuck my boots down here, then we can shower together. I can’t fuck when I smell like cow dung.”
“Good point.” He hadn’t noticed. He’d been too swept up in Evan. He waited for Evan in the kitchen. He removed his shoes while Evan dropped his jeans and shrugged out of his shirt. Straw debris and dirt were stuck to his skin in bits.
Evan tossed the soiled clothing into the washer. “I’ll do a load before we go to bed.”
“I’ll help.” Mick marveled at how they’d fallen into a domestic routine. He’d never been this happy before.
Evan laughed.
“What?” Mick removed his clothes. If Evan was nearly naked, then he’d get down to his underwear, too. He joined Evan in the mud room and tossed his garments into the washing machine.
“I’ll bet you never thought you’d get down to your skivvies because of cow shit.” Evan shook his head and kept laughing. “So silly.”
“I don’t mind.” Mick held Evan’s hand. “Come on, dirty boy. I need to clean you up.”
Evan said nothing and didn’t argue as he headed up to the second floor.
Mick strode into the room first and turned on the faucet in the shower. Hot water ran and steam billowed. He moved the shower curtain aside. If he had a chance, he’d change the curtain for something less flowery. He inched out of the way. “My love.”
Evan’s grin widened and he dipped his head. “Thank you.”
He wanted to lick Evan all over—after the shower.
Evan stepped under the water that glued his hair to his head and slid droplets down his back. His muscled were defined and his strength overwhelmed Mick. Evan rolled his shoulders.
Mick slid his hands along Evan’s back, then down to his ass. “Do you know you have a nice ass?”
“I’ve never seen it.” He faced Mick. “I can tell you about yours.”
“Nah. I’m nothing special.” Mick caressed Evan’s rippled abs. He and Evan had fucked so many times, but the act never turned stale. He knew Evan’s body so well. He loved being craved by this man. He loved Evan so much, too.
Evan lathered the washcloth and cleaned Mick’s chest and arms.
Mick groaned. Water stung, but Evan’s touch soothed him. “I’m supposed to be washing you.”
“I know.” Evan continued to scrub Mick. He knelt in front of him and slicked the cloth along Mick’s legs. He didn’t touch his cock or balls, eliciting another groan from Mick.
Suds licked Mick’s body. He gritted his teeth. “Ev.”
“Right here.” Evan stood. Bubbles dotted his nose. “Yes?”
“You make me so crazy.” Mick took the cloth from him. “My turn.”
“If you say so.” He didn’t protest. The wicked gleam in his eye remained.
Mick added more soap to the cloth. He stroked every inch of Evan, making sure to clean him up. He wanted Evan
