Stallions and Studs Box Set

Shoulda Been a Cowboy-9

After breakfast Charlie headed for the stable. The other men that had been in The Chuck Wagon left about the same time he did. He hadn’t noticed when he’d first come in for breakfast but Jeff was among them. As they stepped off the porch their eyes met. Charlie smiled, raised an eyebrow and nodded at the young man. Jeff looked uncomfortable and quickly looked away.

Not to worry, my man. You actually might have done me a favor shacking up with my boyfriend. Charlie again let the comments about being ‘Wade’s project’ for the week play on his imagination.

When the men reached the stable Charlie saw there were four horses standing tied with ropes on either side of their halters. Two were in cubicles to the side and two were in the aisle-way itself. Jeff went immediately to a tall brown horse and patted its nose. Chris, one of the other men who had walked to the stable with Charlie, also went up to a horse and petted it. Charlie and Tim stood in the aisle not quite knowing what to do.

Wade walked up behind them and put a hand on each of their shoulders.

“Mornin’, gents,” he said, giving Charlie’s neck a squeeze. “Good ta see ya’ll up so early all bright eyed and bushy tailed.” The last statement was punctuated by slaps on the rump for both Tim and Charlie. “Jeff and Chris, ya had yer groomin’ lesson yesterday, so you two kin go ahead and git the horses ready. When you’re done I’ll be over ta help ya saddle ’em up. Charlie, and ah…Tim is it?”

Tim nodded.

“These two in the aisle er fer you. This here sorrel is Sadie. She’s a quarter horse. Tim, ya’ll’ll ride her. And Charlie...” He turned and smiled. Charlie’s heart skipped around in his chest and his d**k twitched. “Ya’ll’ll be workin’ with Saylor. Saylor’s a Quarter-Arab cross.”

Charlie looked at the handsome black horse Wade had pointed to. He took a deep breath to try and dispel the butterflies that were flitting about his stomach.

“First off, I want ya ta learn how ta groom proper. So follow me and we’ll git ya each a groom box.”

The men went to the tack room with Wade. He pointed out Sadie’s and Saylor’s cubbies that housed the horses tack. There they also found a wooden box that resembled a carpenter’s tool holder filled with brushes and other grooming supplies. Returning to the horses, Wade proceeded to show Tim and Charlie how to use a hoof pick to clean out a horse’s feet. This Charlie found to be a bit intimidating as he had never been in close contact with an animal of such size and power. Now, here he was, bent over leaning into the horse’s side, picking up each hoof, and cleaning the debris embedded there.

Wade continued, demonstrating how to use a curry, the hard and soft brushes and explained what each was for.

It seemed to Charlie that Wade spent extra time with him. And when it came time to use the brushes, Wade stood directly behind Charlie, leaning lightly against him, one hand on his shoulder, the other covering the one in which Charlie held the brush, showing him exactly how to stroke the hair. With each stroke, Wade leaned harder against Charlie, his firm package pressing against the small of Charlie’s back. Charlie was so hard it hurt.

Once the grooming session concluded—much to Charlie’s disappointment—Wade helped all four men saddle and bridle their horses. He gave each man a set of spurs and showed them how to put them on. Then he had them lead their mounts out to the arena.

Wade instructed each in proper mounting technique and then checked to make sure the stirrups were the correct length. He came to Charlie last. Looking up into his eyes, Wade laid his hand on Charlie’s thigh, gave it a squeeze and said in his soft, deep, and sexy voice, “How ya doin’ so far, cowboy?”

Charlie felt himself hardening as he shuddered out, “Uh…fine.”

Wade had the riders spread out and walk their horses around the arena. Charlie was pleased that although Chris and Jeff had had one lesson, they still seemed to need some further instruction. They were all coached on how to stop, walk on again and steer—Wade explaining that all his horses were trained to stop and turn when you applied the spurs. This seemed to counter what Charlie had assumed spurs were for, but since Wade was the expert he didn’t question what he was told.

After a half-hour of practicing these skills, Wade had them move on to jogging, which he explained was a slow trot used by western horses.

Charlie was feeling fairly comfortable in the saddle by this time so when he cued his horse to jog he was caught off guard. While the other horses seemed to shuffle around the arena, Saylor had a definite bounce to his jog. It wasn’t that he was fast, but his gait was active, so there was a definite interplay between the saddle and Charlie’s balls. For the first time in his life he regretted he was more adequately endowed than most men in that area.

He reined the horse to a stop and tried again with the same result. He stopped Saylor a second time.

Wade noticed and walked over to him. “Somethin’ wrong?”

“Um…my anatomy doesn’t seem to be…ah…well…” Charlie was embarrassed. Finally he just said, “My balls are getting a fair workout here.”

Wade laughed. “Well now, I did give ya a horse with a real handsome jog all right. That’s the Arab in ’im. What are ya wearing under them jeans?”

“Boxers,” Charlie admitted, realizing that probably wasn’t the best choice for riding.

“Well, next time, wear somethin’ that holds them family jewels in a bit snugger. Fer now jist rock back on yer butt and take the pressure off them stones a yers.” Wade winked.

Charlie couldn’t believe they were having a conversation about his nuts.

“And,” Wade continued, “Saylor’s a spur horse. The tighter ya hold ’im with yer leg and spur, the slower he’ll go. Give ’er another try.”

Charlie did and was somewhat more successful. With Saylor slowing his jog and Charlie rocking backward on his ass, his nuts were less impacted. But he was relieved when the lesson came to an end.

After the horses were put away Wade walked up to Charlie. “How’s them family jewels a yours? Anything I kin do ta help ya out?” He winked.

Charlie laughed. “I could probably think of something.”

“Ya let me know then and I’ll see what I kin do fer ya,” Wade said with a smile. “Hey, are ya plannin’ on comin’ ta the bonfire tanight?”

Charlie hadn’t really thought about it, but the way Wade had asked he figured the man would be there, and if that was the case, so would he. “If you’re going, yes sir, I am.”

“It’s a date then,” Wade said. “See ya later.”

A date? Charlie thought. Did he mean it as a real date? Or was he just using the term for something more general like they’d both be there and if they ran into each other…fine.

“Great,” Charlie responded. “See you later.”