“Man, Daniel was an all-around cowboy—from roping to riding, roughstock, team events. When I was a kid, I wanted nothing more to be like him. I’m not built right for it, though, no matter how I tried, I couldn’t stick on them bulls. Dan tells me, ‘Coke, man, you ain’t scared of nothing. Let me introduce you to Punch and Zeke, they’ll set you up’.”
Christ, Punch and Zeke had been working the arena way back when, before John Dalton, Lefty; hell, even Tanny Martin, the barrelman that he replaced, hadn’t been working that far back. Dillon had his own heroes, just like that, so he got it. Coke had just started way earlier than him. Dillon took a quick kiss, cutting it off before he lost his towel. “That’s a good hero to have, babe. I’m going to put on some shorts.”
“Okay, honey.” Coke stroked his back, just a little.
“Mmm.” Dillon wiggled, just a little in return, wanting Coke to know he was happy, and that he still wanted to be there. “Don’t worry, babe. They can’t be with us every hour of every day.”
Coke chuckled softly. “Nope. They’ll spend a lot of time locked in the blue room.”
“There you go.” He could hear Andy’s distinct voice getting closer, the man teasing Jason about the blind and the dumb. He grinned, kissing Coke one more time. “Be right back.”
“’Kay, honey.” Coke opened the fridge again, the low whistling starting up.
Rubbing his sore belly, and wishing he was naked so he could rub everywhere else, Dillon headed off to get some clothes on. Damn, but he and Coke had been having fun.
Too bad he had to worry about Andy Baxter’s delicate sensibilities.
Of course, now he had something to tease Bax with unmercifully. Looked like the situation wasn’t all bad.
Chapter Twenty-One
He got the burgers started, listening to Dillon and Jase and Andy play in the pool. Jase had been balky about getting in, but Andy’d just tumped him in with a crash, and there you go. Now Dillon was playing Marco Polo with the man and damn, Jase was good at it. Made him feel good because Jase needed to be able to do this—listen and follow. More than that, though, Coke liked that Dillon jumped right in, teaching and helping without being weird about it.
God knew he wanted to cry sometimes, seeing them blank eyes.
“I‘m real sorry, Danny,” he said, for what had to be the ten thousandth time. “I swear to God, I tried to get there in time. I did.”
“Who are you talkin’ to, Coke?” Andy dangled off the lip of the pool, legs kicking idly.
“Huh? Nobody. Just woolgathering.” Just trying to make his peace.
“Smells good.”
Dillon was diving, swimming right up behind Bax, hands reaching out.
“It does.” Jason was walking along the wall, head tilted. “Bax, watch your butt.”
Andy turned just in time to get a face full of water, Dillon popping up and hollering, “Boo!”
They all laughed, Andy tackling Dillon and chasing that fine ass around the pool. Jase stayed close. “You good, Coke?”
“You know it, son. I’m solid as a rock.”
“Cool. I had to get away for a while, you know? Just away.” Yeah. Jason was a little haunted around the edges.
“You know you got a place with me, son. Always.”
“I know. I know, man. Thanks. You having a good season so far? The announcers never say on the tube.”
He turned the burgers again, then sat so they could talk shop.
Andy drifted over, leaning on the wall again, and Dillon hopped out of the pool, shaking like a wet dog. “It’s not bad, huh, Coke? Kynan’s going to get himself killed.”
“Only if he keeps pushing AJ’s buttons.” Course, didn’t none of the bullfighters like that little son of a bitch none.
“AJ’s not the only one. Good thing Carreio don’t speak better English than he does,” Bax grumbled. “Aje says the little shit is saying Carreio’s new baby ain’t his.”
“That boy needs to get his head out of his ass.” Coke didn’t hold much with assholes.
