Page 81 of Cattle Stop

“Hmm.” Cooper peels an eye open. Whit looks tired, his hair rumpled like he’s been running his fingers through it, and the skin around his eyes is drawn. “Long day, huh?”

“Long day,” Whit says.

“D’you eat dinner?”

“No.”

Cooper nestles his cheek into his pillow. “Me neither.”

“Wanna order a pizza?”

“Funny.”

“Scooch.”

“What?”

But Whit just crawls over Cooper instead of answering, settling on his side between Cooper’s back and the wall and wiggling until there’s room for both of them.

Cooper kicks at Whit’s shins. “This is my bed,” he says.

“Technically, it’s my second bed.”

“Technically, I think you’re getting hay on my sheets.”

“Maybe you’ll finally wash them.”

“Please, I’m practically pristine.”

Whit pushes his nose into the back of Cooper’s neck, a heavy hand falling to his waist. “M’gonna get you a dictionary, if that’s what you think that word means.”

Cooper waits for that hand to wander down the front of his boxers, pluck at the cotton and pull at the waistband, but Whit just leaves it where it is, his thumb stroking over Cooper’s ribs through his T-shirt.

Okay, so they’re just lying here, not fucking. How weird. Nice, though, too. Cooper shifts and Whit tugs him backward into the warm line of his body.

“Are you going to go talk to Drew?” Cooper asks.

“I’m not going to wake him up.” Whit’s hand slips around to press to the flat of Cooper’s stomach, holding him close. “Should I leave?”

“I mean, it’s your room, so—”

“The farm?” Whit asks.

Cooper twists to look at him, though with Whit’s strong grip, the most he can see are Whit’s messy curls.

“What the hell?” he asks.

“I’m clearly not doing much to help Drew.”

“Um, you’re not—I’m sorry, what?”

“I’ve been here every step of the way with him. And the finances of the farm just aren’t working, and I’m as much at fault for that, especially this summer since Drew asked me to step up and help out. You’ve been here for a couple weeks and we’re selling more cheese than ever, the fencing is so much better, and what’s it going to be next, Coop? It seems like you’re just getting started.”

“Better?” Cooper asks. “Say that again, I kinda like the ring it has.”

“I’m not kidding.”

Cooper blows out a breath. Fuck, he’s not good at this kind of thing. He wants to make a joke, strip both their clothes off, and ignore any type of actual conversation for the allure of bare skin.