Page 30 of Herds and Hooves

“Or you have better hearing,” I mumbled.

“Don’t worry, Keith is a gentleman, and didn’t let me take advantage of him,” Bart said. A weird choking sound came out of my mouth that I’ve never in all my thirty-eight years ever made before while Asa looked between the two of us and once again laughed.

“Oh, you two are going to have so much fun,” he said before walking out of the barn, laughing the whole way.

“What’s so funny?” Noah asked him at the door making him laugh even harder.

“Maybe now he’ll know I’m not the one he needs to worry about,” Bart said and leaned against the pen wall opposite of me.

The same noise came out of me but before I could regain any control his lips were on mine. He gripped the back of my shirt and pulled me as close as he could until I finally relaxed against him. “You’re trying to kill me,” I panted when he finally released me.

“I’m just reminding you how much I want you,” he whispered making my dick take notice. I tried to speak, but my god this was a lot to take in for someone who hadn’t exactly been public about liking guys and was now hanging out with someone who very obviously did not give one fuck who knew about us.

“I can’t believe I ever worried about you not wanting Asa to know about us.”

“Sorry, I’ve never been one to hide who I am.”

“Don’t you ever change,” I whispered before I pulled him close for another kiss. “Not ever.”

Twenty-Five

Bart

Monday came and life was back to normal on the farm. Well as normal as it could be now that I was completely obsessed with the newest edition. Annie was the cutest little thing I’d ever seen, and I hated when I didn’t know what she was up to. Georgia didn’t seem to mind. She was always there when Annie needed her, but she was more than happy for me to keep her busy.

“Tired of that little one yet?” Asa asked when he walked out to the barn to make sure Noah and I were starting the morning milking.

“Nope, she’s my little girl,” I said without a bit of regret.

“Just make sure your ‘little girl’ stays outside. I don’t want to wake up to a pile of shit in the kitchen.”

“Like Annie would ever do something like that.” Not that I knew she wouldn’t, but I’d still defend her.

Asa shook his head and walked off to the milk house. “He’s very amused by you and Keith,” Noah said from behind me.

“Oh, believe me, I know.”

“Poor Keith,” he said surprising me.

“Hey!”

“Sorry, but you’re from the city, you can handle it. I wasn’t sure which way he swung. I mean my radar pinged him, but you know how that goes.”

“Your—what?”

“Look, I’ve lived here my whole life, and believe me when I say it was not always as friendly to those of us that are a little different,” he said with a hopeful look that I understood.

“I didn’t know that, and I’m not about to start hiding who I am.” I’d said it once and I’d keep saying it even if it was just to reassure myself.

“Don’t you dare. That’s what I guess I’m trying to say. The way you told Asa about you and Keith. I want to be able to tell the world about who I love and not even feel tempted to hide it.”

“Poor Keith, did you hear the noise he made when Asa was telling him he’d better do right by me.” Just thinking about it gave me a warm feeling inside because even if Asa caught Keith off guard, he didn’t try to hide how he felt.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone make a noise like that,” Noah said with a grin. “Now let’s finish with the girls before they get impatient.”

I didn’t know much about Noah, not even his age, but I made myself promise I’d start getting to know him better. A few more friends were always good, and I thought it sounded like he could use a few more too. “How old are you?” I asked as he led the next cow into the chute that would guide her to me and the milking machine.

“Twenty-five, but I feel like I’m ninety.”