Chapter 13
"You should've told me. We're a
team! I always thought it was you and me
against the world," Kylie said following
Kitt into his bedroom.
"You're supposed to concentrate on
school, not come back here," Kitt said
back just as confrontational, but he
slammed the bathroom door and locked
it behind him so she wouldn't follow
him in. The door didn't seem to stop her
from yelling at him through it.
"Just tell me why you never trusted
me enough to tell me about yourself,"
Kylie yelled. It took a full minute of him
standing on one side of the door,
imagining her on the other side, both just
staring at the closed door.
"Kylie, I couldn't tell you. You're a
little girl…" Kitt said. His tone was soft
and he turned from the door to start the
shower, not completely drowning her
out, but close.
"I'm not a little girl, I'm eighteen
years old. And I guessed it. But all those
trips to Dallas threw me off. Everybody
says you just have a thing for city girls,"
Kylie called out as Kitt stepped inside
the shower. He stayed there longer than
normal hoping she'd get tired of waiting
and leave.
He took his time grooming. He
thoroughly brushed his teeth, brushed
and dried his hair, even shaved and
plucked a few unwanted hairs trying to
drag it out. Kylie was impetuous, always
moving. No way she could stay waiting
for him for the forty minutes he took in
the bathroom.
Only as a precaution Kitt wrapped a
towel around his waist before he
stepped out into his bedroom only to be
faced with Kylie sitting on his bed,
looking at his door. The bottom drawer
to his nightstand was open with his latest
People magazine in her lap. The issue
featured Austin Grainger, People's
Sexiest Man Alive.
"I guess it was more like city boys
than girls," she said flipping through the
pages. "Sorry, couldn't resist. Now I get
why you have all these magazines
around."
Kitt stalked over to her, frustration
clear on his face, and jerked the
magazine away from her.
"I'm sorry! Kitt, this is all fine to me.
I'm glad to know. But no one else
knows? Not anyone?"
"No one! I haven't told anyone." He
dropped the magazine back in the
drawer, slamming it shut with his foot.
"That makes me feel bad for you.
What a lonely life you must've led, I'm
sorry for you. You're such a good man. I
honestly don't think people will care.
My campus is loaded with banners and
petitions about equality for all. And now
that Dad's gone he can't disown you or
anything like that," she said, sorrow now
securely in her eyes.
Kitt held the towel in place, pulling
jeans and a t-shirt from his closet. He
stopped by his dresser, grabbing
underwear before he went back to the
bathroom to dress.
"They'll care and it will ruin
everything so you can't tell. Period, end
of story!"
Kylie didn't respond. Kitt dressed
quickly and walked back out into his
bedroom. He stopped and stared at his
sister, with his socks and boots in hand,
waiting to get her promise to keep quiet.
"I already promised you Kitt, but how
crazy is it that my brother's datin' Austin
Grainger! You are datin' him, right?"
She jumped off the bed following him as
he headed toward the living room.
"I think so. He wants to be together as
best as we can. He needs time to get past
all the media, but Kylie, I can't ever
come out and I don't see him stickin'
around here for any real length of time.
He's just burned out right now, that's all.
He'll go back to California. So don't get
all excited about it. I don't think we have
any sort of future, but right now it's cool,
I guess," Kitt said. He sat down on the
sofa to pull on his boots, and Kylie sat
down beside him.
"I thought he was engaged?" She sat
still, her hands in her lap watching him
with his boots.
"Nah, she just works for him. People
aren't as acceptin' as you think. He had
to hide too." Kitt pushed down on both
heels and stood stomping a couple of
times making sure the boots were tightly
on his feet. He made his way to the
kitchen, Kylie back on his heels. He
pulled sandwich stuff from the
refrigerator and began to make them both
a sandwich.
"You need to stay at school, not
worry about things goin' on here. We
talked about this already. Next year,
after you get in the swing of things with
balancin' class and studyin', but not
now," he said, looking down as he
worked.
"The cafeteria food sucks." Kylie
came to stand with her hip on the kitchen
counter.
"I can give you more money a week.
You should've said somethin'. I know I
talk about how bad things are around
here, and it's still gonna take a few years
to pull this place back up, but it's not as
bad as it was. I still have money from
sellin' the land and I have seven AI jobs
lined up. Did I tell you I might've sold a
colt to a racin' farm in Kentucky
already? We just need him to get here
and let them come see him. So we're
doin' better, or at least the future's not
so dark anymore," Kitt said, handing one
sandwich to Kylie before taking a big
bite of his.
"I shouldn't have gone to A&M,"
Kylie said and took her sandwich,
looking at it but not taking a bite. Kitt
could see the concern in her eyes.
"Yes you should've and I don't wanna
talk about it anymore. You're where you
need to be, plus in eight years we're
gonna need a vet around here."
"Let's go back to Austin Grainger. I
like that conversation better! Kitt, he's
seriously hot," Kylie said, finally taking
a bite of her sandwich.
"I know, right?" They stood there
together with their hips perched on the
counter eating. This was how it was
with them. They always were
comfortable with one another. It was an
unconditional kind of deal.
"They could legalize gay marriage,
Kitt. It looks like it's comin'," she said
with her mouth full.
"No way Texas will ever, unless it's
forced on us. And even if that happens,
it's not gonna happen like that for Austin
and I. Kylie, seriously, he's just here
catchin' his breath. He's not gonna stick
around for too long or pick some country
boy to be with for the rest of his life. It's
just convenient for him for now." Saying
it so candidly to his little sister made
Kitt blush a little, but he took another
bite, grabbing two Dr. Pepper's from the
refrigerator and shoved one toward his
sister.
"You're wrong about yourself, you're
a catch. He'd be lucky to have you."
"Whatever! He could get some of
those hot male models, not a scarred up,
broken nosed, cowboy!" Kitt said with a
laugh. The thought was totally ludicrous.
He laughed so hard he choked on the
soda he drank from.
"Whatever back! Have you looked in
the mirror, you're hot, and I know the
ranch's failin', but you're workin'
through it. And if nothing else, we could
sell the land and it would free you up."
Kylie nodded, shoving the last bite of
her sandwich in her mouth.
"No one wants this much land in the
middle of the desert down here close to
nothing. And I don't want to have this
conversation. Now, seriously, why're
you here this weekend? It seems like I
just dropped you off and if I remember
correctly, there was somethin' about
never comin' back to this town again."
"I missed you guys…" Kylie smiled
as she said it.
"Why?" Kitt cocked an eyebrow.
"Ha ha! I did miss you and you must
really be out of touch. It's home comin'
and you weren't returnin' my phone
calls. You should come to the game
tonight with me," she said.
"It's home comin' already? Really?
How did I miss that?"
"My guess is you aren't spendin' any
time in town, just with Austin freakin'
Grainger!" Kylie dumped her napkin in
the trash laughing, and put everything
back in the refrigerator while Kitt
finished his sandwich.
"How're your grades?" Kitt asked in
an attempt to change the subject as he
took his last couple of bites. He refused
to say another word about Austin.
"So far so good. I'm strugglin' in
Chemistry but I have a good tutor. I think
I can pull a low A if nothing else."
"Promise to let me know if you need
help before it's too late. I can get online,
do that webcam thing and help you." He
tossed his napkin in the trash and looked
around for his phone and keys. It was
already after nine and he needed to get
started on the day.
"I will. I'm goin' back to the house.
Mama's gettin' ready for the parade and
Bryanne was gonna paint her fingernails
leopard print to match her bow, just in
case she wins Homecomin' Queen."
"Y'all have fun," Kitt said and Kylie
followed him out.
"Are you sure you don't wanna go
with us tonight? Everyone'll be askin'
about you," Kylie asked, mounting her
horse.
"Nah, I gotta catch up on some stuff
and check out the baler, get it ready for
next week," Kitt said, getting inside his
truck with the window rolled down.
"Alright brother, I love you. I'll come
see you when we get home. Bring you
dinner," she said, turning the horse
around. "Kitt, I got that you don't wanna
talk about Austin, but I can tell you like
him and I'm happy for you."
She didn't wait for an answer, nor did
he give one. He just watched her go in
the rearview mirror. As she faded away
he stopped watching her and looked at
himself.
He couldn't see why anyone would
find him good looking. He had a deep
scar in his eyebrow from one of the
fights his dad had tried to pick with him.
It started above the eye, threading
through the brow and up into his
forehead. He also had a scar across his
bottom lip. Both were fine, thin lines
now, but still there. And his nose had
been broken at least three times that he
remembered. Nothing about him
classified as pretty at all.
He also didn't have those polished
hard bodies you got from trainers and
gym workouts. Those guys were
sculpted from head to toe to have every
muscle toned, fit and flowing together.
Austin's body was like that – just hot
from head to toe. Kitt had muscle, but it
was different. His muscle came from
hard work. They were two completely
different things. His thighs were too
thick, his ass too round and the sun had
done its fair share of damage to his skin.
At twenty eight years old, the lines were
already forming around his eyes and
mouth. He was starting to agree with
Sean, he should consider sunscreen.
Kitt lifted his gaze to his too long hair.
It had grown out past the point of
whatever style the hairdresser last cut it
in, and it was a strange color. Mostly
auburn with gold and blond in it, but it
was odd. It was all the sun's doing. The
complete study of his overall physique
helped settle some of the hope his
runaway heart had let filter in last night.
No way did he compare at all to the
Seans and Austins of the world.
Kitt might be momentarily happy, but
he couldn't lose sight of the fact that he
was convenient and available. Austin
had secluded himself here with no one
else. After time faded and people
stopped caring, Austin could come out
and find someone better suited to fit him,
and it was almost laughable how the
thought hurt Kitt's heart. Kitt pushed the
pain aside. He'd made the decision last
night, committed to this thing between
them until Austin decided to leave.
Which Austin technically already did…
But if he came back, Kit would enjoy the
regular sex and the friendship. He
wasn't going to make anything more out
of it. Looking back at the mirror, he
nodded to himself to confirm the thought.
He finally reversed the truck and
began to back away from the cabin.
Focus on his future required he spend a
full day at the barn. No more time for
distractions. He pulled out on the trail
and his phone vibrated. The message
was from Austin.
'I loved waking up in your arms. It's
something I want to repeat as soon and
as often as possible. I enjoyed myself
last night. I can never decide what's
better, for you to be buried inside me,
or me in you... It's a tough call but my
ass is sore in all the right ways. I
shouldn't be gone more than a day or
two and I'll call as I can. Think about
me while I'm gone. Your sister's lovely.
A'
Kitt read the message and then he read
it again. His heart gave a little flip in his
chest as he brought the truck to a
complete stop in the middle of the trail.
After a minute he began to scold his
himself. "Stop! It's not really anythin'
more than sex, so stop reading more
into these words! It's not real. It's not
real. It's. Not. Real! He doesn't really
want you, you're just fillin' time."
Kitt put the phone down without
returning the message. He drove all the
way to the barn with the phone sitting
beside him. The big white elephant in
the cab. Finally when he came to a stop
in front of the barn he picked the phone
back up again, warring with himself until
he sent a message back.
'I'm sorry about my sister. Be
careful.' He barely had the phone
clipped to his hip before another
message came back.
'Tell me what happened to already
have you back to the super quiet
attitude. Never mind, don't answer
that. I look forward to convincing you
again that I'm for real. Have a good
day playing sexy cowboy. I'll try to call
you tonight if I'm not already home.'
Kitt didn't respond and refused to
read the message more than once. He
didn't have the time to be playing phone
games when there was so much work to
be done. First on the to-do list, the
maintenance on the discounted, yet still
expensive as hell hay baler he'd bought
at an auction. Second, see if any orders
had come in for all this hay he was about
to have up for sale.