Chapter One

Skip knew Justin liked strawberry shortcake. He may still not know much about Justin, but he remembered that much from the day they'd met. So when he saw it on the menu he bought them each a plate of it, hauling it back to their table along with the iced tea refill Justin had asked for, and his own Coke.

"'Ey, look what they had." He set it down in front of Justin with a flourish, happy to do something that would put a smile on Justin's face after that spill his personal favorite cowboy took in the day's second round.

"Ooooh!" Justin was sporting a fine shiner, dark eye black and swelled up, the blue one still shining. "Oh, lord. You know how to make a man's day."

Skip grinned, bouncing on his toes. Well, that worked well. "Something has to make it good. You and I both took a beating today." His ass was still feeling the sting of a turn in with a bull named Cyclone, which was fair enough, as he'd saved the cowboy from being stomped flat. But it still hurt.

"No shit. I'm thinking we're on somebody's list today, yeah? How's your hinny?" Justin nodded his thanks for the tea, scooted over a little.

Lowering himself gingerly, Skip took a bite of shortcake and moaned at the tart and cream taste. Oh, good. "It's still there, but I tell you, it's telling me to get a cushion."

Justin winced for him, taking a slow bite of the whipped cream. "Pillow time, yeah? Damn."

Took him a moment to come up with an answer to that one, as he was watching Justin lick cream off his lip. Sexy beast. "Yeah. Something soft."

Not that he was soft. Not a bit.

Justin lowered his voice, "It's a shame. I had plans for it." Then another bite of cream disappeared between those lips.

That almost made him choke on his strawberry. Still, he managed to chew it, and slide another into his mouth besides, slow and easy as he watched Justin. "I could be convinced to tough it out."

That blue eye was fastened on his lips. "I could kiss it and make it better."

Well. That was an offer that made him sit up and take notice, then. Skip looked around. Everyone was ignoring them handily, so he scooped up a bit of berry and held it out to Justin. "You could. You're good at that."

Justin leaned forward, lips tugging at the fork. "That happens when you're doing what you love."

Continued in First Section