Chapter Twenty-One

Phillip sat on the porch steps of the ranch house and waited as Rush pulled his truck up to park. Sammi hopped out of the passenger side and Rush got out of the driver’s.

“Hi!” Sammi waved to him.

“You ready for your first lesson?” Phillip stood and brushed off the seat of his jeans.

“I know I said I wanted to ride, but, to tell you the truth, after my day at Edward’s spa, all I want to do is continue relaxing. Can we put it off until tomorrow?” Sammi bit his lip and smiled at Rush. “Do you think you can spare him?”

Rush laughed. “I can spare him. Y’all get a time set up and I’ll work around it. Maybe you can ride with us out to one of the pastures in the afternoon? Think you’d like that, Sammi?”

“Well, yes! That sounds awesome! Thanks! And thank you again for picking me up from Edward’s.” Sammi gave a big grin to Rush.

“Hell, it’s not a bother. Anything for Brian’s best friend’s boyfriend.” He laughed and headed up the steps. “Phillip, maybe this afternoon you could introduce Sammi to his horse.” He ducked inside the house.

“Good idea.” Phillip glanced over at Sammi. “Can your relaxing wait for a bit?”

“Sure. I can’t wait to meet my horse. Which one will I ride?” He bounced on his feet like a kid getting his Christmas wish—which, in a way, he was, Phillip figured.

“I’ve got a couple in mind for you, but I thought I’d let you do the final pick. Come on.” Phillip jerked his head toward the stable. “Let’s go pick one out.”

Sammi clapped his hands and followed him. Once they reached the stables, Phillip led the way to a stall.

“I thought one of the ladies would be good for you. This is Star.” He clicked his tongue to get the horse’s attention. She ambled over and stuck her head over the stall door. “I’m new here, so I’ve only met a few of the horses.”

Sammi’s eyes grew as big as a full moon at midnight. “She’s beautiful, just like I imagined. Damn, I wanted to feed her a treat.” He pouted.

She snorted and tossed her head, as if telling of her disappointment.

“You can bring her a treat tomorrow, or whichever horse you pick.” Phillip stroked her muzzle. “Here, feel how soft.”

Sammi reached out and touched her. “Oh, she’s so soft. I’ve never seen a horse up close before.” His wide eyes, huge grin and tentative touch spoke of his wonder at the horse. “And she’s got those incredible eyes!”

Phillip chuckled. “Yep. She’s a sweet lady. Like I said, I haven’t ridden many of the horses, but Manuel says she’ll be gentle and not give you any trouble.”

Sammi stepped closer. “Can I pet her?”

“Sure. Most horses like to have their necks scratched. Here.” He took Sammi’s hand and guided it to Star’s neck. “Just take it easy.”

Sammi petted her neck and Phillip let go. “Want to see the next one?”

Sammi bit his lip. “I suppose so, but I really like Star. She looks just like the horse in my daydreams. She’s even got that strip of white down her face.”

She nuzzled at his shoulder and he giggled.

“I think she likes you, too.” He motioned with his head. “Let’s check out Bart.”

They walked down to another stall on the other side of the aisle. A big roan stuck his head out, nickering for a treat.

“Bart?” Sammi held out his hand. “I don’t have anything for you, sorry.” Bart lipped his hand, then tossed his head.

“Manuel says Bart’s a good old boy. Gentle. He’ll do whatever you tell him to.”

“He’s pretty. Sort of reddish and all marbled.” Sammi glanced back down the stable to Star’s stall.

“But you like Star better?”

“Yeah. She’s what I think of when I dream about a horse.”

Phillip followed his gaze. Star stuck her head out again and whinnied, as if calling to Sammi.

“Hey, you can’t read their minds, can you?” The idea just came to him. “’Cause if you can, that would be an awesome power.”

Sammi shook his head. “Nope. Just people. But it would be cool, especially if you had a horse.”

“It would be great for a cowboy.”

Sammi might not have been aware of it, but his body canted toward Star’s stall. Looked as if they’d made some sort of connection.

“Well, I think there’s no reason to check out the other horse. You seem to have your heart set on Star.”

Sammi gave Bart a last pet. “Sorry, Bart. But there’s something about Star. It doesn’t mean you’re not a good horse, just not the horse for me.” He sighed.

“How about I give you your first lesson before lunch tomorrow? Show you how to saddle her, mount up and we’ll do some turns around the corral. Then, if you feel up to it, you can ride out with us.” Phillip suggested.

“Sounds perfect.” Sammi gave Bart a last pet.

“I have a date tonight.” Phillip scuffed his boot in the dirt as he walked back to Star’s stall.

“With Estaban.” Sammi nodded. “I don’t have to read your mind to see how excited you are about it.”

Heat burned Phillip’s cheeks. “Hell, I’ve been dreaming of him for so long.” When they reached the stall, Star hung her head over to get Sammi’s attention.

“I understand, I think. Well, I understand wanting something for a long time.”

“You do? Did you want Mitchell for a long time?”

Sammi giggled. “Mitchell? No. I picked him up in a bar and we’ve been together ever since.”

“Really? Like love at first sight?”

“Something like that. You know I read minds, but…” He bit his lip. “If I tell you about my past, will you promise not to hate me?”

“Hate you? Why would I do that? I think you’re pretty great.” Phillip scratched Star’s nose while, on the other side of her, Sammi petted her neck.

“Everyone here, Rush and all, they know about me. About my past.” He cleared his throat. “I used to be a sex slave. I had a rough time growing up, eventually ran away from the foster home system and I landed in the wrong hands. This guy found out about my power and grabbed me, held me prisoner.” He lowered his voice to a near whisper so Phillip had to lean closer to hear. “At first, I thought he liked me, but before I knew it, he wouldn’t let me go. I had no one, no friends, not like now. He sold my body to wealthy clients and kept me locked up in a penthouse in Houston.”

“So how did you meet Mitchell?” Phillip whispered back.

Sammi leaned into Star’s neck, as if seeking comfort. “I escaped, slipped past his guards and went on the run. I used my power to seduce men to take me home and get me off the street, because I knew the guy…Donovan…was looking for me. I went into a bar, listened for a mark and heard Mitchell. It was so loud and clear, like his voice spoke to mine, cut through all the music and chatter and homed in on me.” His eyes closed. “I think I fell for him right then. I knew he was the one for me, the one who could hear me as well as I can hear him.”

“But you can hear others? Like you did with me?” Phillip blinked at the story Sammi told. A sex slave? How did that even happen? He’d heard stories on the news channels about the cops busting sex rings, but he’d never met anyone involved in it before.

“Yes. Sometimes it’s clear, but most of the time I have to work really hard to hear it. And no one has been able to talk back to me, in their mind. Mitchell can hear me and speak to me in his mind.” Sammi gave Star a kiss on her muzzle and a final pat.

Phillip pushed off the stall and led the way out of the stables as they talked.

“So, when you talked about longing for something, you meant your freedom?”

“Yes, but I think I just wanted someone to love me, not my power or my sexuality or what I could do for them. I ached for security and stability. Someone who would take care of me.” He smiled and cut Phillip a side glance. “Mitchell is my daddy and I’m his boy.”

Phillip halted. “Daddy?”

Sammi looped his arm through Phillip’s. “Do you have time to chat more or do you have to get ready for your date?”

“Well”—he glanced at his watch—“I could spare about ten minutes.” Maybe what Sammi needed to talk about would help get something off his chest. And that’s what friends do, right?

They sat on the porch swing. Phillip kicked off and set the swing moving.

“Did what I tell you about myself change what you think of me?” Sammi stared out at the ranch.

Phillip snorted. “Sammi, if you knew my past, you wouldn’t ask. I’m the last person to judge anyone or look down my nose at a person. Especially someone who was just doing what they had to do to survive.” He leaned his head back and exhaled. “Been there.”

Sammi put his hand on Phillip’s knee. “Is your leg still good?”

“Better than it’s been in years.”

“How’d it happen?”

Phillip hadn’t told anyone, at least not around Spring Lake, what had happened to his knee, but Sammi had been so truthful with his past, and didn’t friends share stuff like this?

“So, you know my power. I discovered it when I was about ten. I guess I had it all along, but only knew what it was, used it, I mean, around then. But I was so excited about it, I told my mom.” He gripped the chain holding up the swing. “Big mistake.”

“Why?” Sammi shifted in the swing, tilting his body away from Phillip, and brought his gaze to meet Phillip’s.

“Because my mom was as crooked as a snake. She never did an honest day’s work in her life, and once she found out I could influence people, well, she did what came natural to her…she used me to steal from people.”

Sammi gasped. “Not your mom!”

Phillip hung his head, breaking their contact. “Please don’t tell anyone, especially not Rush or Brian. By the time I was fifteen, I knew it was wrong and someday we’d get caught. She’d go to jail and I didn’t know what would happen to me. So, I left.”

“You were fifteen?”

“No, sixteen. But I’d been fighting with her about it for nearly a year. I’d refuse and she’d…” He rubbed his knee as if the old pain was back.

Sammi closed his eyes. “She beat you. With a…broom handle? Oh, Phillip, I’m so sorry.” He shook his head. “I used to get beat too.” He reached out and took Phillip’s hand. “My mom died when I was very young. I was in foster care, I don’t remember how many homes. Everyone was scared of me because I knew what they were thinking. Most people have such awful thoughts, they scared me. Some of them just gave me back. Some thought they could make me behave by punishing me.” He squeezed Phillip’s hand tighter.

Phillip had never met such a kindred spirit. He gave Sammi’s hand an answering squeeze. “I understand. It’s like a betrayal, you know. Your mom’s supposed to look out for you, teach you how to be a good person, not teach you how to be a thief. I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive her, as long as I live. Because I was so scared of her, I stole from folks. Old people mostly. Got them to write her checks. Give her jewelry and stuff.” He ran his hand over his face. “And the worst part is I knew better.”

“You can’t forgive her if you can’t forgive yourself.” Sammi patted his face.

Phillip snorted. “Guess you’re right. Not sure if that’s ever going to happen. I hurt a lot of people, Sammi.”

“But you were a kid, and a scared kid as well.”

“Not sure if the cops would see it that way. The day I left, the cops had my mom and me picked up and questioned. There was no way they could prove we forced someone to give us money, unless one of us told. And would they even believe it?” He shook his head again. “They let me go first, and I rushed back to the room we stayed at, packed a bag and lit out. Never looked back.” He stood. “So, you see, I’m not one to judge. I got to go get ready, Sammi.”

Sammi let go of his hand. “I’m glad we talked. I can always use another friend. Thanks for listening. And sharing. And I promise, I won’t tell a soul.” He made the motions of zipping his mouth closed and throwing away the key.

Phillip laughed. “Same here, friend.” With a nod, he went inside and up the stairs to his room to get ready. Somehow, he felt lighter, like he’d dropped a heavy sack of grief off his shoulder.

“I guess that’s what friends are for,” he mumbled as he stripped off his work clothes.

Naked, he went into his bathroom and started the shower. He had plenty of time to get ready.

Would it look too anxious to wait for Estaban on the front porch? Or should he act cool and wait for him inside?

He’d never been on a date before. Maybe he should ask one of the guys.

Brian would probably know what to do, since he’d been out for so long. Most likely, he’d had a lot of dates.

Phillip crowed, his head bent back, his voice echoing off the tiles of the shower.

“I got a date!”

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