"Do you want one of us to—"

"No. That's fine. I'm leaving now."

"Thank you, Robbie," Jack said simply.

Robbie nodded and pulled the door shut behind him as he left.

"There are some definite sparks there," Riley commented. He turned and watched from the window as Robbie clambered into the ranch 4x4 and drove down the potholed drive. Jack pressed up against him, and Riley just enjoyed the feel of his husband hard and needy and strong behind him.

"Eli knows what he wants," Jack said.

Riley agreed. "Eli always knew his own mind and I think he has his mind set on Robbie."

"And Robbie's coming round to it."

"They're good together. The cowboy and the guy in a suit."

Jack pressed against Riley so that Riley was under no illusion how Jack was feeling at this moment. "Sound familiar, het-boy?" Jack chuckled.

Riley turned in his hold as best he could. "Just a bit. Now take me to bed, cowboy, and show me who's boss."

Jack's eyes darkened at the words and he quickly drew Riley through the house without another word. Riley had heat building inside that he never grew tired of.

Not with Jack.

CHAPTER 13

Robbie pulled in to the drive of the large house he had dropped Eli at earlier that day. The edifice was still as imposing as it had been in daylight, even more so with the faintly sinister lighting washing upward from hidden lanterns in the undergrowth. He wasn't exactly good with architecture but the house looked very old and big and was probably incredibly expensive. On the drive here Eli had explained that the owner had made his money in men's underwear. Interesting way to earn a living and apparently a lucrative one.

Eli banging on his window pulled him out of his thoughts and he pressed the button to lower the window.

"Michael would like to meet you," Eli immediately said.

"I'm not exactly dressed for—"

"That's fine. Come on." Eli pulled the door open and Robbie was probably too shocked to argue. That was the only explanation he could think of when he looked back on what happened. He locked the 4x4 behind him and followed Eli up the six stairs that led to a huge porch area and an open door. A man stood there, older than Robbie, with gray hair, all dressed up in a suit and tie and with the widest grin. He was a good-looking guy, if you liked the silver fox type.

"Robbie," he said. "Eli has told us so much about you."

Robbie returned the smile and they shook hands. He had no sense from either man what was about to happen and he had no tools to draw on—he wasn't prepared.

"I told you," Eli said excitedly.

They were still on the porch and Robbie looked at Eli, confused. Told him what? He realized Eli was talking to Michael. The guy who was looking him up and down with an assessing leer and who actually laid hands on Robbie with a firm touch. Robbie didn't move. He was trapped between Eli and Michael and immobility was the result of a clash of shock and manners.

"And you can get ten or so others like him?" Michael was saying as he patted him.

Robbie was way past confused now but at least his muscles began to work independently of his brain.

"Easy," Eli said. "The gay rodeo is here in Dallas, I can go out tomorrow and see who'd be interested."

"This one has good bone structure. Interesting musculature. And I assume he's said yes?" Michael was talking to Eli but gesturing to Robbie.

What the hell? Are they talking about me?

"Of course." Eli's voice sounded odd and held a note of hesitation that he covered up really quickly. Robbie stared at him for clues as to what the hell was going on. "He said yes."

Eli's voice then took on that cocky tone that Robbie knew so well and finally the flag was raised and Robbie saw the whole picture. Before he could say a word Eli was pushing him down the steps and toward the car calling something back to Michael that Robbie couldn't even hear over the anger in his head.

"What the fuck?" Robbie snapped.

"Don't say anything out here, Rob," Eli pleaded. They climbed into the car. Since when did Eli call

him Rob? As soon as the door shut them in Robbie thought he would be safe to let loose with questions.

"What the hell was that about? What did you do,

Eli?"

"I kinda promised I had proper cowboys and they

said, Michael said, my contract would be extended so I can

get the shots they need. I didn't think he was going to

assume you were one of the models. I was just telling him

how gorgeous you were and that you were all natural—" "Eli—"

"What I said back there, when I said yes you had

agreed, I just needed to get him off my back. I'll just tell

him your test shots were crap."

"He looked at me like…" Robbie was flustered and

furious. He couldn't find words enough to cover the horror

of being checked out like a prize bull. Fuck, he could feel

Michael's gaze still all over him and the firm touch of his

probing hands pushing at muscle and testing bone. "I'm sorry. That is what he does." Eli was

apologizing—Robbie could hear the words but they were

empty platitudes. "He could make or break my business." "Let me get this straight. You took me in that house

so that your creepy client could check me out as a freaking

nude model for a photo shoot he wants me in that isn't

going to happen over my dead body?"

"Not nude—"

"Semantics, Eli."

Eli slumped a little and leaned on the door. His

body language radiated defeat as if he was giving up on the

discussion. Robbie immediately jumped to conclusions. "That's it?"

"What's it?"

Was Eli being deliberately stupid here?