Title: Eastern Cowboy
Author: Andrew Grey
Series: NA
Genre: M/M
Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: Mar 16 2015
Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print
Blurb/Synopsis:
Brighton McKenzie inherited one of the last pieces of
farmland in suburban Baltimore. It has been in his family since Maryland was a
colony, though it has lain fallow for years. Selling it for development would
be easy, but Brighton wants to honor his grandfather's wishes and work it
again. Unfortunately, an accident left him relying on a cane, so he’ll need
help. Tanner Houghton used to work on a ranch in Montana until a vengeful ex
got him fired because of his sexuality. He comes to Maryland at the invitation
of his cousin and is thrilled to have a chance to get back to the kind of work
he loves.
Brighton is instantly drawn to the intensely handsome and
huge Tanner—he’s everything Brighton likes in a man, though he holds back because
Tanner is an employee, and because he can’t understand why a man as virile as
Tanner would be interested in him. But that isn’t the worst of their problems.
They have to face the machinations of Brighton's aunt, Tanner’s ex suddenly
wanting him back, and the need to find a way to make the farm financially
viable before they lose it.
She turned off the engine and unfastened her seat belt, muttering
the entire time. She didn’t stop as she went to the barn or let up as she was
opening doors and shooing the “beasts” outside. “They have water and feed. The
rest is up to you. I’ll see you later.”
Brighton met her at the barn door and saw her stop, eyes
widening. “What is it?” he asked as he followed her stare. “Oh…,” Brighton
added as one of the biggest men he’d ever seen walked down the drive in a
cowboy hat, tight jeans hugging tree-trunk thighs, and a flannel shirt that
look about ready to bust at the seams if the man breathed too deep. “Jesus,” he
whispered, watching as the man got closer. Brianne, who had been in an
all-fired hurry to get away, suddenly stood stock-still. Not that Brighton
could blame her. He blinked twice and stepped out of the barn, taking slow
steps as he leaned on his cane. The man got close enough for Brighton to see
blond hair poking out from under his hat and eyes as blue as the summer sky.
“Hello,” the man said in a deep resonant voice. “I’m
T-tanner.”
Brighton leaned on his cane, breathing hard, his mouth dry.
Damn, the man was gorgeous in a rugged, had-a-hard-life kind of way. He pushed
those thoughts aside, though, because they weren’t appropriate on so many
levels. First thing, this guy could snap him like a twig if he wanted, and
second, hell, if he hired this man, then he wasn’t doing anything with an
employee. Stop, he silently yelled at himself. He was getting way ahead of
things.
“I’m Brighton, and it appears I’ve inherited this place, but
as you can probably guess, farm chores aren’t something I can really do.”
Brighton began moving toward the house. “How did you get here?”
Tanner pointed toward a motorcycle parked out near the road.
Brighton wondered why he’d parked it way out there but didn’t ask. And Tanner
didn’t seem too keen on talking.
“I’m Brianne, his sister.” Brianne reached to shake Tanner’s
hand. Tanner looked uncomfortable but shook her hand.
“Didn’t you have things to do?” Brighton asked Brianne. She
smacked him on the shoulder.
“I’ll see you later,” Brianne said, laughing as she walked
to her car. Brighton waved as she got in and then drove away. Then he turned
back to Tanner. “Can we go talk on the porch? I need to sit down. My leg hurts
because I’ve been standing too long.” He hobbled across the yard and climbed
the two steps, then sat down in the rocking chair. There were days when he felt
so damned old. Brighton motioned to the other chair, and Tanner perched on the
edge of it like he wanted to be ready to run away at any second. “Arthur told
me that you worked on a ranch in Montana.”
Tanner nodded and reached up to lift his hat off his head.
He placed it in his lap and nodded again. Brighton got no further answer.
“What kind of work did you do?”
“Ranch… stuff.”
Brighton waited but didn’t get any further elaboration. “Did
you make repairs?”
Tanner nodded.
“Take care of horses and animals?”
Tanner nodded again without speaking, but his attention was
clearly on Brighton.
“I need someone to feed and clean up in the barn and help
with repairs around here. My grandfather hadn’t been able to do a lot of
things, and it’s hard for me to haul and carry.” It was hard for him to know he
was getting his point across. Arthur had said his cousin didn’t talk much, but
he hadn’t said he was nearly mute. “Do you understand?”
Tanner opened his mouth, but no sound came out at first.
“Yes. I can… help.” Tanner stood up, and without any further word, he walked
over toward the barn and disappeared inside. Brighton sat a minute and was
about to get up to see what was happening when he saw Tanner hauling a
wheelbarrow full of mucked bedding out of the barn. He looked around and must
have seen the muck pile. Tanner emptied it and returned to the barn without a
word.
Brighton wasn’t quite sure what had happened, but it seemed
he’d hired himself some help. He’d have to explain to Tanner what he needed,
but from the looks of things Tanner knew what he was doing and was willing to
get his hands dirty. Brighton could do some things on his own, but many were
beyond his capabilities. One thing he needed to do was to get Internet and his
work equipment set up in the house if he was going to be spending his days
here. For the first time since speaking with the lawyer, he felt that things
just might work out. But then again, things had a habit of going to hell just
when he thought he was out of the woods.
