objectively,” Caine said. He kept his voice measured because he didn’t sense in Macklin’s tone the ridiculous fear he sometimes ran across that his goal was to somehow turn every straight man he met gay—as if!—and he didn’t want to come across as unduly defensive. “It’s kind of like you looking at Nicole Kidman or someone and finding her attractive. Sure, she’s nice to look at, but you know it’s never going anywhere because she’s never going to be interested in you. My number one requirement in pursuing someone is a chance of him returning my interest.”
“Fair enough,” Macklin said. “There’s a gate up ahead. Usually I’d open it for you, but I’m not sure this girl’s going to let me get out and back in without tearing up everything.”
“I’ll get it,” Caine said, putting on the emergency brake and hopping out of the Jeep. He opened the gate and then had to remind himself to go back to the right side rather than the left to get back in.
He drove through, closed the gate behind them, and then drove on. As they continued, the road became considerably smoother. “I guess we’re getting near the main house?”
“Yes,” Macklin said. “Another twenty minutes, maybe. Just keep going.”
Caine did as Macklin said, finding it easier to drive the Jeep as the minutes ticked by. The sheep in the back seat bleated occasionally, but it didn’t sound to Caine like she was in constant or terrible distress. Not that he knew what that sounded like, but he figured if she were really badly hurt, she’d make more noise if nothing else. As they continued, the dirt road changed to gravel and rough-hewn buildings started to come into view.
“Head toward the barn all the way to the left,” Macklin directed. “Even if Taylor isn’t there, someone will be who can take the lamb off our hands and sort her out.”
Caine slowed as they entered the busier paddock area. As he approached the barn, several men came out of the various buildings, watching their approach with stoic faces that betrayed no interest or emotion, only awareness. For no reason he could name, it made Caine nervous. “N-nobody’s g-going to be upset that we’re here, are they?”
“Don’t panic on me, pup,” Macklin scolded as Caine put the Jeep in park. “We’re just helping out the neighbors. You can stay in the car if you want.”
Chapter Six
C
AINE wanted nothing more than to stay in the Jeep as Macklin opened the door and pulled the lamb out, but he wouldn’t help his case any by cowering in the vehicle like he didn’t belong, or worse, like he’d done something wrong. He opened the door and scrambled down, trotting along behind Macklin as the Lang Downs foreman carried the lamb toward the biggest of the clapboard barns.
“Who’s the kid, Armstrong?”
Caine waited to see how Macklin would answer, sure the foreman’s response would govern his interactions with these men for some time to come, but Macklin ignored the question entirely.
“Where’s Taylor?” Macklin said, setting the lamb down. “Out in the bush,” one of the hands answered.
Macklin scowled. “We found one of your lambs all tangled up in barbed wire. Tell Taylor he needs to clean up after himself better because if his trash gets on my land, I’m not going to be happy.”
“Tell him yourself,” the hand replied as another one took the injured animal into the barn. “It’s not worth my job to say something like that to the boss.”
Macklin’s scowl deepened. He pivoted on his heel and stalked back toward the Jeep, leaving Caine scrambling once again to keep up. “Give me the keys,” Macklin practically growled.
“They’re in the ignition,” Caine replied softly.
“Then get the wire out of the boot. I don’t care if you toss it in their faces, but they can clean up their own bloody mess.”
Caine hurried to do as Macklin said, opening the boot and pulling out the strands of wire he had cut off the sheep. In his haste, he
“Fair enough,” Macklin said. “There’s a gate up ahead. Usually I’d open it for you, but I’m not sure this girl’s going to let me get out and back in without tearing up everything.”
“I’ll get it,” Caine said, putting on the emergency brake and hopping out of the Jeep. He opened the gate and then had to remind himself to go back to the right side rather than the left to get back in.
He drove through, closed the gate behind them, and then drove on. As they continued, the road became considerably smoother. “I guess we’re getting near the main house?”
“Yes,” Macklin said. “Another twenty minutes, maybe. Just keep going.”
Caine did as Macklin said, finding it easier to drive the Jeep as the minutes ticked by. The sheep in the back seat bleated occasionally, but it didn’t sound to Caine like she was in constant or terrible distress. Not that he knew what that sounded like, but he figured if she were really badly hurt, she’d make more noise if nothing else. As they continued, the dirt road changed to gravel and rough-hewn buildings started to come into view.
“Head toward the barn all the way to the left,” Macklin directed. “Even if Taylor isn’t there, someone will be who can take the lamb off our hands and sort her out.”
Caine slowed as they entered the busier paddock area. As he approached the barn, several men came out of the various buildings, watching their approach with stoic faces that betrayed no interest or emotion, only awareness. For no reason he could name, it made Caine nervous. “N-nobody’s g-going to be upset that we’re here, are they?”
“Don’t panic on me, pup,” Macklin scolded as Caine put the Jeep in park. “We’re just helping out the neighbors. You can stay in the car if you want.”
Chapter Six
C
AINE wanted nothing more than to stay in the Jeep as Macklin opened the door and pulled the lamb out, but he wouldn’t help his case any by cowering in the vehicle like he didn’t belong, or worse, like he’d done something wrong. He opened the door and scrambled down, trotting along behind Macklin as the Lang Downs foreman carried the lamb toward the biggest of the clapboard barns.
“Who’s the kid, Armstrong?”
Caine waited to see how Macklin would answer, sure the foreman’s response would govern his interactions with these men for some time to come, but Macklin ignored the question entirely.
“Where’s Taylor?” Macklin said, setting the lamb down. “Out in the bush,” one of the hands answered.
Macklin scowled. “We found one of your lambs all tangled up in barbed wire. Tell Taylor he needs to clean up after himself better because if his trash gets on my land, I’m not going to be happy.”
“Tell him yourself,” the hand replied as another one took the injured animal into the barn. “It’s not worth my job to say something like that to the boss.”
Macklin’s scowl deepened. He pivoted on his heel and stalked back toward the Jeep, leaving Caine scrambling once again to keep up. “Give me the keys,” Macklin practically growled.
“They’re in the ignition,” Caine replied softly.
“Then get the wire out of the boot. I don’t care if you toss it in their faces, but they can clean up their own bloody mess.”
Caine hurried to do as Macklin said, opening the boot and pulling out the strands of wire he had cut off the sheep. In his haste, he
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