"Josiah?" he prompted helpfully. The man was bright red in the face and Riley did, for one minute, think that pride would overcome his innate greediness.

"I never said I had an issue—"

"Good," Riley interrupted. "I'll have the papers couriered to your offices by midday tomorrow with a view to having everything in place by Friday. Is that doable?"

Three yeses, and a reluctant scowl from Josiah, were his answer. Riley exchanged a quick nod with his dad—he knew they would talk later in private about the worries both had where Santone Corp was concerned. Santone was like HayesOil under Gerald Hayes, unwieldy, corrupt, and a hundred other problems. If Riley had a choice he wouldn't be dealing with Josiah or Santone, but it had been Santone who had approached him and he knew the weight of the company's name on his proposal would look good. Riley hoped that doing things his way would show Josiah how good oil business could be done. Jim doubted it, but at least the Santone investment was in name only with Riley and his team providing the actual ground work for the whole thing. They stood and Riley exchanged pleasantries until finally his dad and the others left leaving only Riley and a hovering Josiah remaining at the open door. Riley tensed when Josiah leaned forward, his florid face purpled across his cheekbones and his fists balled at his sides.

"You daddy always warned me you were ineffective and weak. If your research isn't sound and you are screwing us all over, then I swear I will take you down just like Gerald wanted to."

"Gerald is dead, Josiah." Riley was not rising to this.

"Don't fuck this up, Hayes." Josiah leaned back with the glitter of triumph in his eyes. He was leaving having had the last word and saying what he wanted to say.

"Campbell-Hayes," Riley said softly but firmly. "My name is Campbell-Hayes."

If anything Josiah's contemptuous expression rose a notch. He said nothing though. Standing toe-to-toe, Riley had a foot in height on him and God knows how much toned muscle where Josiah had turned to fat. With a huff Josiah walked out of the reception area toward the exit and Riley watched from behind his pet Yucca plant. When the doors opened Josiah pushed out and Riley was never happier to see who walked in seconds afterwards.

Jack.

Jack with his hat in his hand and the dirt and dust of work on his skin and the widest of grins on his face. They said nothing as Riley just grabbed his husband's hand and dragged him into the office. Fuck the Armani suit, all Riley wanted was to be held. Josiah wasn't the problem. Crippling doubt and self-esteem issues were what made him cling to Jack. Jack smelled of the outside and horses and everything that grounded Riley.

"Josiah Harrold, Santone Corp," Jack said on a laugh. Riley pulled away.

"You know him?"

"Of him. Came courting my mom some years back when I was about fifteen. Moved on when she told him to. Before she said so he did an awful lot of tousling my hair and cooing over Beth." Jack smiled that wolfish grin—the one that Riley knew threatened mischief. "Guess I ought to follow him out and ruffle his hair?"

Riley snorted a laugh. The thought of the expression on Josiah's face if Jack's dusty working form went anywhere near him was a thought he would hold all day.

"Did he say anything to you when you passed outside?"

"Tipped his hat and said 'Campbell'."

"Did you say anything?"

"'Mornin' Josiah and it's Campbell-Hayes'," Jack said thoughtfully. "Course he may or may not have heard the extra 'asshole' I tagged on the end."

Lightness consumed Riley. Jack had this way of dragging all the shit in Riley's head down to where it could be bagged and tagged. Then a thought crossed his mind.

"Not that I don't appreciate the visit but what are you doing here in the big bad city?" CH didn't have their offices in Hayes tower but this ground floor set of linked offices was still square in the middle of the Dallas business district. Jack didn't often visit, said it gave him hives being shut in with people.

"That meeting with the trainers."

Shit. That was today?

"That was today?" Riley said. Jeez. He was so wrapped up in the oil crap that he had missed what was singularly the most important day in Jack's calendar. A consortium of riders were looking for a trainer in Texas to take on three cutting horses for training to rodeo level. "I'm sorry," Riley tagged on.

Jack simply smiled and reached up to kiss Riley full on the lips. His hands cupped Riley's face and they deepened the kiss. Riley could never get enough of this sexy length of male who plastered over him and consumed him with every touch. Wasn't married life supposed to be staid? When did they change the rule books on that one? Every day with Jack was passion and life and as a man so starved of both in his formative years, Riley drank every ounce of whatever Jack gave him. Riley melted into the kiss, took a step back toward the wall behind him, and pulled Jack along. There was no argument and Riley had a firm hold on his husband with his fingers tucked into Jack's leather belt, dragging him and holding him close.

Finally, at that point when kissing was going to either turn into one of them dropping to their knees or separating and catching their breath, Jack eased away.

"So ask me," he said. There was excitement in his expression and Riley wondered at it until his head was back in the game.

"I don't have to. They placed the horses with you, didn't they?" Riley couldn't have been happier. This was Jack's dream—to make something of the Double D and to build a future that was sustainable for Hayley.

"Yep, two weeks and we're up and running. We spent the morning at the Double D and I just dropped them at the airport."

"I'm so proud of you." Riley couldn't have said truer words. His heart was bursting with pride for Jack.

"I'll need to think about hiring some help and I need to finish off the accommodation in the new barn, and I guess I need to grab Neil and get his input. I have to—"

Riley interrupted his husband's thoughts with a kiss.

"Let's go home and talk."

Jack blinked and cast an eye around the empty office. He frowned.

"Where's Kathy?" Riley's assistant was generally in the background bustling and organizing. "And the rest of the team?"