“Sore as hell. But some of Kamal’s methods aren’t so straightforward.”
“What do you mean?”
Luke took my hand and pressed the palm against the front of his jeans. There was something hard there, but metal, not flesh.
My chin dropped. “Did he cage you? Outside of the stables?”
Luke laughed and nodded, more amused than annoyed.
“How long are you locked up?”
He shrugged. “Until Kamal decides I’ve learned my lesson, I guess. I don’t really want to think about it.”
I licked my lips. “I want to see your cock in that thing when we get back to the bunkhouse.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Sure. Does my annoying predicament turn you on? The thought I can’t come or get really hard right now?”
“Uh, yeah. Those damn cages turn me on in the fucking stables.”
Luke grinned lazily. “Well, isn’t that interesting. I was right.”
“How?”
“You’re as fucking kinky as the rest of us.”
We watched as the ribbons were presented and Noah won the top prize—a blue ribbon for comportment and presentation as well as overall performance.
“That’s our boy,” Luke said, looking so pleased I could have kissed him. Especially since he’d included me in his comment. I’d been so worried I didn’t have a place here when I had the best spot after all.
*
For thirty minutes after the show, the ponyboys and girls had to patiently pose for photos with anyone who paid for them. Noah, with the blue ribbon attached to his bridle, was in high demand.
Luke and I watched as he spoke calmly and respectfully to people, answering questions and talking about the experience of being a ponyboy at the BCR. A few times he caught my eye and sent me a shining smile, reassuring both Luke and me he was still having a wonderful time.
“You’d better get him to the grooming barn. He’s gonna crash soon, and he’s in desperate need of a hose down,” Luke said. “Take good care of him, okay? He’s giving us everything he has today. Mainly to impress you.”
I nodded, blushing. “Yeah, well, mission accomplished.”
“Good. You should be fucking impressed. That man there is a keeper. And so are you.” Luke took my hand and pulled me forward, giving me a quick kiss on the lips. “Now go. Take care of our boy before I have to slap your pretty ass. I’m serious, y’know. About taking you over my knee.”
I blinked at the look in his blue eyes. “I can hardly think of any place I’d rather be.”
I let my gaze linger on him before I took off for the grooming barn.
*
By the time Noah and the others returned to the grooming barn they looked shattered. The ponygirls and their trainers had used the showers first and were on their way back to the other ranch. Brian, Liv, and I gave the place a good hose down before we brought our ponyboys inside.
The first thing I did was remove Noah’s bridle, sliding the metal bit—wet with his saliva—out of his mouth and kissing him where the device had left red marks at the corners of his lips.
“Noah, you looked incredible out there!”
Noah gazed at me with tired blue eyes and a slow smile. “Really? You liked the show?”
“God, Noah. You don’t realize how utterly beautiful you are. I mean, you’re a good-looking guy in shorts and a shirt, but hell, put you in full show-pony gear, and you are blowing my fucking mind.”
Noah looked pleased. He stood still as I removed his gold mask and wiped his face with a warm cloth. He let me take tender care of him, stripping him of his gear and revealing him in his vulnerable nakedness as I did. His cock swelled as much as possible in the restricting cage and fluid had leaked onto the glistening metal.
