Always a Country Boy

It was early June in Kentucky and the vicious, sweaty heat was already taking its hold. Cooper pickup another bale of hay and pitched it to his brother on the wagon. The whole time he was muttering under his breath. He just came down for a visit to his parent's home in Pendleton County. Now he was stripped to the waist in borrowed jeans and his old work boots he parents never threw away sweating his ass off pitching square bales. It wasn't just hot work; it was hot, itchy work.

"Hey city boy anytime you need a break we'll let you ride the wagon for a couple rounds." His brother Clayton teased.

Camden chuckled from the other side of the wagon. "You know bro, you need to get a boyfriend to drag out here and pick up your slack."

"Fuck off. I don't need a break and I'm not slacking."

There were a few more good natured comments thrown around before they drifted quietly back onto the rhythm of their work. As brothers they had given each other hell all while they grew up. They knew not to take any of the comments made to each other too seriously but the city boy comments always stuck in Cooper's throat. They started that when he went to UC to college and announced his intentions to go into advertising. He knew they were kidding around. That they didn't care that he wasn't like them. Cam had a degree in Ag Sciences and Clay had one in Veterinary Medicine.

They both lived right there in Berry, having bought farms adjacent to there parents. Only by ten months Cam was older and he never let either Cooper or Clayton for get it. Cam worked for the County Extension office as 4-H agent. He loved working with the kids, helping them with their activities. The biggest project the 4-H had was the live stock classes. Every year kids raised steers, lambs, and hogs to show at the county fairs. So late July, early August nobody saw much of Cam unless they ventured near the barns at the fair grounds.

Cooper's younger brother was Clayton. He was thirteen months younger was the baby for eight years before their sister Cathryn came into the picture. And as it turned out he was the smartest of the group of boys, much to his dismay when he was younger. Having a quick mind and photographic memory may have been great in school where he was able to jump a head a grade into his brothers' class. But at home in was like having a kick me sign tattooed on your forehead in flaming neon colors. Later on Clay was able to use his smarts to slick though college and vet school in only five years. He took extra classes every semester and a full load every summer but it was worth it to be free of school and working with the animals he loved so much.

Cooper looked up at the sound of a diesel pick up approaching the field they were working. The driver jump out of the cab and started towards the field. It was his sister Cat. Great, was his only thought, now he had his whole family there to torment him. At sixteen, Cat was the perfect imagine of the totally hot, but untouchable farmer's daughter. Untouchable because she had a daddy and three older brothers that out intimidate or just out right pound any guy they got close enough to breath on her. She was had long legs, blue eyes, and blonde hair like her brothers. Today he was earning a skinny tank top and jeans over her voluptuous figure. All three of her brothers were glad they were the only ones in the field with their dad driving the tractor.

Cat pulled on a pair of gloves and went to work on Cam's side of the wagon. Cam of course took mock offense to this. "Hey, I don't need your help, the city boy on the other side of the wagon does."

"Yep, maybe then we can pick up the pace, if the city boy and the little girl can keep up." Clay quipped. If Cooper disliked being called a city boy, Cat loathed having being a girl thrown in her face. She worked extra hard to be as good as the boys, then better.

Cooper smiled at her as she came over to his side of the wagon. "Don't mind them. We such just thank God that the jack ass genes skipped over us."

Cooper could tease Cat until she turned red and was ready to beat him black and blue, but he was her favorite. It was him that would usually call an end to the torment and tell the others to back off. She could talk to him about personal matters and he wouldn't laugh. He trusted her first with the news that he was gay and she didn't tell a soul. "Thank God. I don't know were the genes came from, Mom and Dad is normal."

"Well, remember Great Uncle Robert, he was a nut job, probably filtered down from there." Cooper said just loud enough for the others to hear.

"You know your right. I can see a lot of Uncle Robert in those two. It's a good thing we don't have sheep."

By the time Cooper got back to his house he felt like someone tied him up a burlap sack and beat him with a tobacco stick. Not only did his muscles hurt he was pretty sure his bones were aching too. He took a shower at his parents before changing back into his clothes and pouring himself into his Mercedes to drive home. At his home in Campbell County he pulled off his clothes and got into the shower in hopes of working loose some more kinks.

After the shower Cooper looked briefly at his bed but then saw the clock on his night stand. It was only 9:30. He cursed to himself. He was only 25 not 95. There was no way he could justify going to bed at 9:30 on a Saturday night. Moving carefully he crossed to his closet and started pull out clothes. He would just head over to the Broken Saddle and see what was going on. He hadn't been there in a few weeks having to be out of town on conferences.

It didn't take long for Cooper to get there but by 10 the place was already starting to get packed. He worked through the crowd with ease and made his way to the bar. Having caught the attention of the bartender he waited for his beer. After passing over his bills he started to head over to his favorite table when someone stepped out in front him. He started to side step the person but then he looked up into familiar brown eyes.

"Hey didn't think you were ever coming back for that game of pool." Jimmy said with his usual shit eating grin on his face.

"Been busy." Cooper started to move on toward his table.

"Come on city boy. You owe me a game. I won't hurt you too bad I promise." Jimmy started to walk towards the pool room. "Unless you just don't know how to play."

"Fuck." Cooper muttered under his breath and followed Jimmy in the room. "Fine loser buy the winner's beer for the rest of the night."

"Hope you brought your pocket book."

Cooper let Jimmy break and stood back to admire the way the denim stretched over his firm ass. In one pocket a can of Skoal formed a ring. The legs of the jeans were snug all the way down to the worn work boots. Jimmy knew that Cooper was looking so he lingered over the table a little longer than necessary then stood slowly back up. He turned and smiled at his competition. "Looks like I'm got solids."

Cooper's eyes jerked up to Jimmy's face. "I guess so."

Jimmy smirked before turning back to the game at hand. He sank another before blowing the next shot. He knew he could run the table if he wanted to but he wanted to see Cooper play. Have the same advantage that Cooper had. He stood back and gestured for Cooper to move in. With a shrug Cooper walked around the table and took note of the placement of the striped balls. Then slowly and systematically he worked the table. Between shots, Cooper stood back and studied the table and considered the angles. Not once did he look up at Jimmy.

When he sank the eight ball in a nearly impossible shot he stood and smiled at Jimmy. "I told you I know my way around the felt."

"Shit." Jimmy watched it but he wasn't quite sure he could believe it. "I've never been beaten here. How the hell?"

Cooper walked over to the door and got the attention of a waitress. After placing his order he turned back to Jimmy with a smirk. "I guess your buying. That was the deal right. Maybe I should have mentioned we had a pool table in the basement all while we were growing up."

"You hustled me."

"No, I never said I didn't play. You just assumed you were better." The waitress appeared at that moment with the beer. "Well pay the lady."

With an unspoken agreement both guys turned back to the scarred green felt table to play another game. For the first few pockets neither man said a word. The music throbbed into the room from the band. The chatter of people was just a roar with snippets of conversation floating in. Occasionally you could here people cheering on the man or woman who paid the money to climb up on the back of El Toro the mechanical bull.

"So city boy, what have you been so busy doing?" Jimmy asked and fished a cigarette out on the pocket of his western shirt.

Cooper waited until Jimmy lit his Marlboro. "You know that stuff will kill you."

"Yeah, but I can't have a drink without a nice smoke." After considering the glowing tip of the cigarette Jimmy put it to his lips and bent over the table. "So? You've been busy keeping cool in you air conditioner."

"I've been in New York and then Pittsburg. Meeting clients, conferences, you know work shit." Cooper watched Jimmy circle the table. The man was light on his feet. He moved in a slow, lazy pace. He imagined that he could move quickly if the need arose. "Hell, give me one of those cigarettes."

Jimmy pulled the pack out of his pocket and shook a cigarette up to the filter. He replaced that pack and dug his lighter out of his front pocket. When Cooper held out his hand for the lighter Jimmy took note that his manicure was shot to hell and back. "You've been doing more than just pushing papers."

"My dad's haying, I was home so I gave them a hand. Or more precisely I was pushed into helping." Cooper leaned against his stick and inhaled the Virginia tobacco. "It wasn't too bad. I got to harass my brothers and I get to go home at the end of the night."

The finally gave up the table about an hour later to sit and listen to the music. Around one o'clock they got up and walked out of the bar. With a quick look around Jimmy cursed under his breath.

"What's up?" Cooper shot Jimmy a look.

"I road in with a buddy and apparently he ditched me." Jimmy turned and started to head back onto the bar. "I guess I'll go in and call a cab."

"Fuck that. I'll give you a ride."

"I don't want to put you out. You probably live across the river in Cincinnati."

"No I live near Silver Grove. If you know were that is."

Jimmy laughed. "We're neighbors. I live in Melbourne."

"So you're not putting me out. Come on."

Jimmy walked along with Cooper through the still crowded lot. He figured Cooper for the sports car and was surprised when he kept walking. When Cooper hit the fob to unlock the black Mercedes were chuckled and shook his head. Never in his life did he ever expect to ride in a Mercedes. It was a classy ride; heated leather seats, CD, MP3 player, dual climate control. You ask for it this car had it. And the engine purred like a well contented cat.

The ride down Route 8 was a quiet one for both men. They seemed lost in there own thoughts. Both were thinking the same thing. As different as they were they couldn't possibly get along. They had very little in common. Cooper was running from the past that shaped him, one that Jimmy lived and breathed everyday. And no matter how much Cooper denied it he loved the life he came from, he just didn't want to live it everyday.

As they got closer to Jimmy's place he guided Cooper to the proper turn offs. In his mind he already decided that there couldn't be any romantic involvement. They could be friends. Watch out for each other if they were both in the same bar. Any think else would be ridiculous. They were two different people, who were looking for two different things. The Mercedes pulled into the drive way to a two story farm house. They had arrived at Jimmy's.

Cooper put the car into park and turned to bid Jimmy farewell. He never expected to meet someone at the Broken Saddle. Not anyone that was gay anyway. But now he didn't really think it would be a good idea to pursue the issue. He didn't want Jimmy's sort of life. He needed a man that was working towards the same goals as he. Had the same interests.

Jimmy smiled at Cooper. "Thank for the ride."

"Not a problem, I'd do it was any friend."

The message was transmitted loud and clear. Not a chance for anything more. Jimmy started for the door. "Well thanks. I guess I owe you another beer."

It happened all at once. Without any thought both Jimmy and Cooper leaned towards each other. Their lips met tentatively at first. There was only a brief hesitation before they tilted there heads for a better angle. Jimmy could smell Cooper's cologne and was surprised his was Stetson. Cooper could feel the scrape of Jimmy's growth of beard. Slowly they opened their mouths to each other. It was brief, tracing each others lips with their tongues, the gentle probing into the others month. They parted with a light nip to each others lips.

Jimmy once again placed his hand on the door handle. He looked over at Cooper before getting out of the car. "I guess this sort of changes things."

Cooper nodded and watched as Jimmy climbed out and headed into his house. After he went in Cooper leaned back in his seat and placed both hands on the steering wheel. He never expected one kiss to rock him so much. He had been kissed before, but never before has it jolted him down to his toes.