Western Pleasure Page 2

  * * * *

  For Gordon the morning of the day of his date to meet Ty couldn’t have gone slower.

  He checked his watch every ten minutes; he checked the clock on his computer in between. When his secretary brought a pile of insurance claims to be reviewed and applications for coverage into his office for him to approve he about had a fit. But somehow he got through it all. He changed from his business suit to a pair of jeans and a tee shirt in the men’s room and was able to leave work even earlier than he’d planned.

  Gordon had programmed Ty’s address into his GPS the night before so he knew approximately how long it would take to get to him. He was a little surprised, it was a longer drive than he’d anticipated.

  He’d looked up places to buy boots and found the town had two: Zeb’s Westside Saddlery and Dave’s Western Store. Since the latter was in the direction he’d be driving, Gordon decided to stop there. When he walked in through the door, a bell jingled announcing his arrival. The smell of leather assailed his nostrils and a thrill of anticipation shot directly to his cock. Rows of saddles greeted him, some plain, some accented with silver. As he stood surveying the scene, he felt something brush against his leg. Looking down he saw an orange tabby cat, purring loudly, rubbing his calf in greeting.

  “Hi there, Mister,” he said, bending down to give the cat a scratch. The cat purred louder then walked to the counter, jumped up and lay down, tail twitching, regarding him with regal feline detachment.

  Gordon walked between the rows of shiny saddles admiring the craftsmanship. In back of the store were shelves displaying boots: cowboy boots and more cowboy boots. Gordon scratched his head. He never had expected to see so many varieties of western footwear.

  “Can I help ya?” came a deep, pleasant voice.

  Gordon turned to see a smiling, rather handsome older man walking down the aisle toward him. He wore jeans and a flannel shirt, had a stainless steel Indian feather earring in one ear, and a silver chain around his neck. The man had a pure white goatee and pale blue eyes that were shaded by a beat-up old straw cowboy hat. Gordon—while not especially attracted to mature guys—had to admit this older cowboy might just have been worth his time to check out if he hadn’t already made plans.

  “I’m looking for a pair of boots,” Gordon said, returning the man’s smile.

  “Well, here they are,” the man said with a sweeping gesture that took in the several rows of shelves. “You buyin’ ’em for ridin’ or just wearin’?”

  Gordon chuckled. “Riding.”

  “What kind a riding are you gonna do?”

  Gordon chuckled again and felt his dick respond to the images the man’s question caused to flash through his mind. “I’m not quite sure, to be honest.”

  The man gave a soft laugh, raised his hat, rubbed his shaved head, and said, “Would you be thinkin’ of show ridin’, ranch work or just pleasure ridin’?”

  “Definitely pleasure ridin’—er…riding, “ Gordon replied, the images in his head growing stronger, this time with the man in front of him replacing those of Ty. “I’m going for my first lesson today.” He could feel his cock plumping as he spoke.

  “Okay,” the man said. “I’m Dave, by the way.” He held out his hand.

  “Gordon,” Gordon said, accepting Dave’s hand.

  “Follow me.” Dave led the way around a couple of rows of shelves on which were displayed several kinds of boots. “Here ya go. The top shelf has some heavy-duty work boots. But since you’re not gonna be spendin’ all day in the saddle…”

  You never know. Gordon mentally smirked.

  “…these here in the middle should do ya pretty well.”

  Gordon looked over the selection. With Dave’s help he chose a pair of black boots with the deep heel he remembered Ty had suggested. They had a plain, rounded toe and an oak leaf pattern on the calf shaft. Gordon left them on after trying them for size and put the sneakers he had worn to the store into the box the boots had been in. As he walked with Dave to the front counter to pay, the man asked, “You think ya might want a hat to go with them boots? Would kinda complete the picture.”

  “That’s a great idea,” Gordon said, the fantasy of him with Ty dressed only in hats and boots causing his cock to react even more.

  “Right over here then,” Dave said, leading the way.

  Once again the variety of styles caught Gordon by surprise. Dave seemed to sense this and offered, “You’ll probably want straw rather than felt. It’s cooler, less expensive and usually does fine fer everyday pleasure ridin’”.

  Gordon nodded and in a few minutes had selected a Resistol All Around. As with the boots, he decided to wear his purchase. They continued their walk to the front counter.

  “Who’s givin’ ya yer ridin’ lesson?”

  “I answered an ad in the paper,” Gordon replied,

  “Maybe I know ’im?” Dave asked, nudging the sleeping cat so he could swipe Gordon’s credit card. “Move over, Bub. You better get on mouse duty and earn your keep.”

  The cat stood, stretched, gave Dave a derisive stare, jumped lightly down off the counter, and walked away, his tail twitching.

  Swiping Gordon’s card, Dave said, “I know most of the folks that ride around here. What’s his name?”

  Gordon hesitated, not wanting to out someone. “Uh…Ty… Ty Steel.”

  “Ah, yeah, Tyler. Fine young man. I been out ta his place ta ride a few times myself.”

  “Really?” Gordon said in amazement.

  “Yep. You ain’t gonna find no better teacher anywhere in these parts. I always enjoy myself when I gets the chance to go ridin’ with ’im,” Dave said, giving Gordon a wink and handing him the receipt to sign.

  Gordon was surprised that Dave was being so open about his ridin’ with Ty. He was about to pursue the conversation when the bell on the store’s door jingled and two women entered.

  “Mornin’, ladies,” Dave’s baritone boomed to the new arrivals. “Be with ya in a jiffy. Thanks fer the business,” he said, addressing Gordon again. “Hope ya come back again sometime.” He nodded and extended a hand to Gordon a second time, smiling broadly. “Hope you have a good time with Ty.” Another wink followed.

  Gordon returned the smile, the wink and the handshake with just a bit extra pressure. “I’m sure I will. Maybe I’ll stop by and let you know how it went,” he said.

  “I’d like that. Well, bye for now then,” Dave said.

  “So long,” Gordon responded. As he left the store he pondered his good fortune at coming upon both Ty and Dave in his new hometown. Maybe his trusty right hand would be getting a bit of a rest.

  * * * *

  Back in his SUV, as Gordon followed the directions given by the female voice on the GPS, he noticed they were rather quickly leaving the city and entering a semi-residential area. Gordon leaned back and sighed. He was enjoying his drive. Back in New York he hardly ever used his car as the traffic was so heavy and parking cost an arm and a leg. Myrtle Margaret, as he called his GPS unit, directed him onto Bronner, which turned out to be a rural gravel road. He passed a sheep farm, and several residences with acreage, a couple with horses pastured in their yards. Finally Myrtle Margaret said, “Arriving at Ty Steel on left.”

  As he turned into the long sweeping drive he saw a line of horse trailers parked to one side, on the other and beyond were well-groomed pastures each with a number of horses in them. Making a right turn, he pulled up in front of a gray-green barn. The large door was open and a pick-up loaded with bales of hay was parked just inside. He pulled to a stop. Two dogs came running up to the vehicle from somewhere: one a scrappy looking gray and white terrier type, the other a black and tan hound. Both were wagging tails furiously and making a hell of a welcome racket.

  Oh my God! he thought, Ty really is a horse trainer and he thinks I’m here for a real riding lesson. You horny jerk! he chastised himself. Always thinkin’ with your dick’s head instead of your brain.

  Gordon had never bee
n on an actual horse in his life; the only ones he’d ridden were on carousels. In fact, if he were honest, he was scared of the large animals. Shaking his head and cursing his stupidity, he put the SUV in reverse and prepared to get the hell out of there. Just then something changed his mind completely. Coming out of the barn was a bare-chested vision of masculinity that made Gordon’s mouth water and put his cock on high alert status. He shifted back into park and watched as the smiling man walked toward him, lifting his black cowboy hat and mopping his brow with a red handkerchief.

  “Go on, you two,” the vision said to the dogs. “That’ll do, Maverick,” he said, reaching down and ruffling the smaller dog’s ears. He then turned to give affection to the other dog. “Sparky, that’s enough from you, too.” The hound fell silent.

  God, let this be Ty! Gordon thought, forgetting in his rising passion that this guy thought he was here to get a real riding lesson on a real horse, not the lesson Gordon had been planning on.

  The man was tall and muscular. Broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, he exuded sexuality with every stride. His biceps—one with a barbed wire tattoo—bulged invitingly. His deep chest was shrouded in thick black hair that glistened with sweat. The lush pelt descended in a perfect pattern to disappear into the man’s jeans that were slung low on his hips. His dark brown eyes smiled a greeting as he approached Gordon who was sitting transfixed in his vehicle. The man’s handsome face, with its scruffy day’s growth of beard, made Gordon fairly melt with desire. He opened the door and nearly fell out of the car.

  “Hey, whoa there,” the deep voice Gordon remembered from the phone conversation said. “Don’t want to lose ya afore ya get yer lesson in.” Gordon was steadied by a strong arm on his shoulder. “I’m Ty. You must be Gordon.”

  Gordon nodded dumbly. Then, realizing he had to say something, babbled, “Uh…nice spread y’all got here,” Nice spread y’all got here! Who’s this idiot that’s taken over my mouth?

  “Yep,” Ty responded, still smiling. “I’m pretty proud a her. Look, yer a might early. I was hopin’ ta finish stackin’ this hay I fetched this mornin’ afore ya got here. But if ya just gimme a minute ta shower and put ma shirt on…”

  Oh please don’t! Gordon thought.

  “…we’ll get Kruzer outta the pasture and get ya up in the saddle.”

  Gordon noticed the two dogs were sitting patiently, one either side of Ty as if waiting to be acknowledged. Taking advantage of them as a distraction and to give him time to think, he bent and scratched each pair of canine ears in turn. As he did, he said, “No, that’s fine. I’ve got the time. You go ahead and take your shower.” I wouldn’t mind hopping in there with you if you had no objection, his mind continued his unspoken thought.

  “Thank ya for yer patience. Come on inta the observation lounge. Ain’t much goin’ on in the arena fer ya ta watch but Sparky and Maverick’ll keep ya company. It won’t take me but a minute.”

  “Take your time. I’ll be waiting,” Gordon said. I’d wait for you all day, he thought.

  Ty picked up his shirt as they walked through the barn and past the truck with its load of hay. The mixed smell of hay and horse manure assaulted Gordon. Both inviting and repugnant at the same time, the olfactory sensation reflected his emotions. Ty was more attractive than Gordon could ever have hoped and he wanted to spend as much time with the cowboy as he could. Yet in order to do that he’d have to face his fears and get up on a horse. As Ty preceded him up the ramp into the barn, the sight of the man’s shapely ass clinched the deal. If it took riding a horse to be near this cowboy, then Gordon would do it.

  The men walked down the aisle-way between the empty horse stalls. Ty turned and apologized for not having them cleaned as his hired hand was off that day and Ty had to go ‘fetch’ hay.

  “I usually like to make sure ma clients get a good impression when they come out.”

  “No problem,” Gordon replied. If they had any sense at all, one look at you and that’d be all the impression they’d…

  “Right in here,” Ty said and opened a door, letting Gordon through ahead of him.

  The room he entered was spacious. There were couches and lounge chairs arranged in rows facing a large observation window. On the other side was the indoor riding area, empty at present but soon to be the location of Gordon’s first lesson. His heart fluttered.

  “Make yourself at home.” Ty swept a hand in the general direction of the sofas and chairs. I’ll be right out. If ya want a pop or coffee…” He pointed to a kitchenette area where Gordon saw a small refrigerator, stove, and other kitchen equipment. Then Ty went into an adjoining room, presumably the bathroom.

  Gordon sat down. Maverick, the scruffy terrier, jumped on his lap and Sparky the hound dog lay down at his feet.

  Gordon looked around the room. The walls were lined with ribbons and pictures of Ty and others on horseback, apparently taken at shows. Signs in each photo testified to the success of the rider or the horse: Champion, Grand Champion, Reserve Champion. Gordon was duly impressed…and scared. He decided he’d have to come clean. He’d told Ty he’d had riding experience when he thought they were talking about sex. Now that the reality was staring him in the face—he pictured himself on the back of a bucking bronco through the window of the observation room—he needed to clear up the issue of just how much riding experience he had.

  In about fifteen minutes Ty emerged from the bathroom, clothed in blue and white checked western shirt and tight Wranglers. The lack of a bare chest disappointed Gordon, but Ty hadn’t shaved, a fact Gordon was grateful for.

  “Hi. The boys takin’ good care a ya?”

  “They are, thanks,” Gordon replied, getting up as Maverick jumped off his lap and curled into the corner of the couch.

  “Well, then, let’s get started.”

  “Um…”Gordon began.

  Ty looked at him, his dazzling smile awakening butterflies in Gordon’s groin.

  “I’ve got a confession to make.”

  The cowboy inclined his head and raised his eyebrows.

  “I’ve never been on a horse before.”

  “Thought I remembered you said you’d had ridin’ experience. Oh, well, shucks, that’s no problem. But I better put ya up on Happy instead a Kruzer. He’s a little easier for a beginner,” Ty said, apparently not concerned at the deception. He led the way out of the observation lounge.

  Gordon followed him along with Maverick and Sparky. Ty stopped at a rack of ropes and picked up a lead, then proceeded out of the barn with Gordon in tow.

  They made their way down a short lane and stopped at a red gate beyond which was a pasture in which Gordon could see four or five horses. Ty unlatched the gate and entered. Gordon hung back.

  Ty waited a second then said with a chuckle, “Come on, don’t be scared. They ain’t gonna hurt ya.”

  As Gordon tentatively entered the pasture, Ty turned, whistled, and called out, “Happy, time to go to work.”

  A reddish brown horse raised its head and looked in Ty’s direction.

  “Come on, ya ole bag a bones. Got someone here wants ta learn how ta ride.”

  The horse ambled slowly toward them. The closer it got the more nervous Gordon felt about actually getting on and riding. When the animal got to the men Ty reached out and rubbed its neck and snapped on the lead.

  “That’s a good ole boy,” he said affectionately. “This here’s Gordon. He’s a newbie so y’all take good care a ‘im.”

  Gordon smiled nervously.

  “Go on, you can pet ’im. He ain’t gonna bite ya. Happy’s a sweet old guy. He’s never lost a rider yet, have ya, buddy?”

  Gordon reached out and tentatively stroked the horse’s muzzle. It was soft and velvety to his touch. Gordon took a deep breath and smiled at Ty.

  “There, ya see, that weren’t so bad now was it?”

  Gordon swallowed and nodded. But the size of the animal now that it was close still unnerved him.

  Ty led the horse to the b
arn with Gordon and the dogs following. He had to admit, despite his nerves, he was enjoying being with this sexy cowboy. Just watching his masculine walk and seeing his demeanor increased his desire to be around him.

  Once they got to the barn Ty tied the horse in an open-ended stall he referred to as a groom stall and began to brush Happy, all the while explaining the procedure. Gordon listened politely but couldn’t shake either the dread of actually getting up on the horse’s back or the disappointment that he wasn’t going to get to ride the cowboy instead.

  However, when Ty got out a saddle and started to put it on the animal, for some reason—Gordon never could figure out why except, in addition to his fear of horses, it had something to do with being horny and in the presence of such a hot man—he acted on an impulse and said, “Actually when I answered your ad…it was in the personals, you know?”

  “Yeah?” Ty stopped what he was doing and turned back to Gordon. “I couldn’t figure out where ta put it, so I put it there. What about it?”

  That explains it, Gordon thought. “Because it was in the personals I thought it was…” He stopped.

  “Was?” Ty prompted.

  “Was for a different kind of ‘riding’.”

  “A different kinda ridin’?” Ty looked puzzled. “What other kinda ridin’ is th…” Then his eyes opened wide and he exclaimed, “Oh mah God! Ya thought I meant…I mean…ya thought we was gonna…” He laughed. “Well don’t that beat all.”

  Gordon nodded and said, “I’m sorry I misunderstood. I feel like a real idiot.”

  “Well now, no need to be sorry. It was a simple misunderstandin’.” Ty replaced the saddle on the rack and took a step toward Gordon. “No need to feel like an idiot neither. I’m the one should feel like that. I put the ad in the personals. Shoulda asked where an ad for ridin’ lessons should go.” He took another step. “Ta be honest with ya. I wasn’t into giving lessons anyway…just doin’ it ta make a little extra cash. But I’m kinda glad, now I met ya, that I made that mistake.” He put his hand on Gordon’s shoulder. “I ain’t opposed ta them other kinda lessons ya thought I was talkin’ about.”