you’re brave.”
“Stupid is more like it.” Thom said with a snort.
“You own one of the few family farms left. Shows you’re dedicated.”
“Stubborn.”
He had to smile but he managed to hold back the bite of laughter. “Stubborn isn’t a bad thing. I’ve been called worse.”
“I can imagine.” Thom’s dry tone told him the man hadn’t forgiven him.
He took a drink of coffee and savored the warmth. “Okay. So maybe we don’t know each other very well. We had a fight. It happens.” He put the mug on the table. “I want to get to know you. If you have no interest in getting to know me, I’ll leave.” The words made his chest hurt and his gut cramp, but they had to be said. He’d camp out in the woods until he became certain the threat had passed, but he didn’t hold with staying where he wasn’t welcome. If the farmer wanted him out, he’d leave.
Thom took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t want you to leave.” He hobbled over to the table and sat across from him. “I should, but I don’t.”
He relaxed. “What do you want, then?” Whatever answers he gave, Hank would happily take it. Nothing could be worse than the thought of leaving the man unprotected.
“First of all, I want you to stop treating me like an invalid. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Even injured.”
Hank gritted his teeth against the urge to argue with him. When he trusted himself to speak again, he agreed to the stipulation.
“I’m not an idiot, however. I am injured. Although I can take care of myself, I should try to take things a little easy. I do appreciate your offer to help, and I’m happy to take you up on it until I am completely healed.”
Hank didn’t need to hide his reaction to this request. His Wolf wanted to howl with approval. He craved nothing more than the desire to be needed. “Thank you.”
“Only when I ask, though. If I say I can do something, let me do it.”
“Got it.” He made a mental note to be one step ahead of the farmer. If he found all the jobs needing to be done before Thom could, there would be no need for him to attempt to do them on his own.
“As to the sleeping arrangements….”
Hank’s mouth became dry and his stomach pitched with dread.
“You’re more than welcome to sleep in my room.”
He shifted, uncomfortably aware of the fact Thom hadn’t said he’d sleep in there with him. “Where will you be?”
“You say you want to get to know me. I’d like to get to know you. I’m not going to lie. I enjoyed being fucked by you.”
Dear God! Why does he have to drag the answer out? Doesn’t he realize the hell he’s putting me through?
“I plan on sleeping in my bed as well. If this is going to be a problem, you can sleep in the guest room.”
He smiled broadly as his body relaxed. “No problem for me.”
“Good.” Thom smiled back at hm and nodded. “In the interest of getting to know each other, you should know I don’t play games and I don’t manipulate men to get them into my bed. I don’t need to.”
“You should know I’m jealous and overprotective.”
“Figured that out all on my own but thanks.”
He chuckled at the man’s jibe. “I wanted to say it out loud so you’d realize I know I’m a pain in the ass and it’s not going to change.”
“I’ve already agreed to not have sex with anybody else while you’re my guest. There’s not much else I can do. Either you’re going to trust me or you aren’t.” The challenge lacing his words couldn’t be missed.
“I trust you. I’ll do my best to talk to you before I let my emotions take control again.”
He cocked his head as if Hank’s response had been a surprise. “Huh. Okay. Guess I can’t ask for more.” He held his hand out. “I believe he have an understanding.”
He took Thom’s hand in his.
“When the doctor gives me the all-clear, we’ll revisit the terms.”
The reminder made a small pit of nerves form in
“Stupid is more like it.” Thom said with a snort.
“You own one of the few family farms left. Shows you’re dedicated.”
“Stubborn.”
He had to smile but he managed to hold back the bite of laughter. “Stubborn isn’t a bad thing. I’ve been called worse.”
“I can imagine.” Thom’s dry tone told him the man hadn’t forgiven him.
He took a drink of coffee and savored the warmth. “Okay. So maybe we don’t know each other very well. We had a fight. It happens.” He put the mug on the table. “I want to get to know you. If you have no interest in getting to know me, I’ll leave.” The words made his chest hurt and his gut cramp, but they had to be said. He’d camp out in the woods until he became certain the threat had passed, but he didn’t hold with staying where he wasn’t welcome. If the farmer wanted him out, he’d leave.
Thom took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t want you to leave.” He hobbled over to the table and sat across from him. “I should, but I don’t.”
He relaxed. “What do you want, then?” Whatever answers he gave, Hank would happily take it. Nothing could be worse than the thought of leaving the man unprotected.
“First of all, I want you to stop treating me like an invalid. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Even injured.”
Hank gritted his teeth against the urge to argue with him. When he trusted himself to speak again, he agreed to the stipulation.
“I’m not an idiot, however. I am injured. Although I can take care of myself, I should try to take things a little easy. I do appreciate your offer to help, and I’m happy to take you up on it until I am completely healed.”
Hank didn’t need to hide his reaction to this request. His Wolf wanted to howl with approval. He craved nothing more than the desire to be needed. “Thank you.”
“Only when I ask, though. If I say I can do something, let me do it.”
“Got it.” He made a mental note to be one step ahead of the farmer. If he found all the jobs needing to be done before Thom could, there would be no need for him to attempt to do them on his own.
“As to the sleeping arrangements….”
Hank’s mouth became dry and his stomach pitched with dread.
“You’re more than welcome to sleep in my room.”
He shifted, uncomfortably aware of the fact Thom hadn’t said he’d sleep in there with him. “Where will you be?”
“You say you want to get to know me. I’d like to get to know you. I’m not going to lie. I enjoyed being fucked by you.”
Dear God! Why does he have to drag the answer out? Doesn’t he realize the hell he’s putting me through?
“I plan on sleeping in my bed as well. If this is going to be a problem, you can sleep in the guest room.”
He smiled broadly as his body relaxed. “No problem for me.”
“Good.” Thom smiled back at hm and nodded. “In the interest of getting to know each other, you should know I don’t play games and I don’t manipulate men to get them into my bed. I don’t need to.”
“You should know I’m jealous and overprotective.”
“Figured that out all on my own but thanks.”
He chuckled at the man’s jibe. “I wanted to say it out loud so you’d realize I know I’m a pain in the ass and it’s not going to change.”
“I’ve already agreed to not have sex with anybody else while you’re my guest. There’s not much else I can do. Either you’re going to trust me or you aren’t.” The challenge lacing his words couldn’t be missed.
“I trust you. I’ll do my best to talk to you before I let my emotions take control again.”
He cocked his head as if Hank’s response had been a surprise. “Huh. Okay. Guess I can’t ask for more.” He held his hand out. “I believe he have an understanding.”
He took Thom’s hand in his.
“When the doctor gives me the all-clear, we’ll revisit the terms.”
The reminder made a small pit of nerves form in
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