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Despite common belief, being a farm hand was not as bad as people made it out to be. Perhaps that was because Jamie had wanted this, though. His family did not own a farm, they had a little apartment in the city. The cutest little thing filled with keepsakes and memories of when Jamie was a child. His mother had moved into the apartment when Jamie was a teenager with her then boyfriend Simon, whom she married a few years after she had divorced Jamie’s bum of a father. Jamie had not seen him since but he didn’t complain, he didn’t like the man that much anyway. To be entirely clear, his father did not own a farm either. Jamie’s want to work on a farm did not come from either of his parents, neither of whom would step foot on a farm even if Jamie asked them.
And he had asked his mom to come to the farm with him a few times and she said no each time. She loved him but she would not be stepping foot on a farm. She didn’t have the right shoes for it, the right clothes, she didn’t want to endure the smell (which truly wasn’t even that bad but maybe Jamie was just nose blind), she had all sorts of excuses. Jamie accepted, with understanding and love, that he would never be able to convince his mother to come to the farm with him. Even if he did just want to show her the cute little calves.
No, Jamie’s want to be on a farm stemmed from someone so inherently different than him, someone who came from an entirely different world than him. Roy Kent. That’s right, the older man he had a crush on when he was twelve years old was his sole motivation for applying to become a farmhand at one of the farms outside the city. Jamie had done all of this training and all of the hard labor in the most sweltering of days just so he could have the opportunity of one day getting to compete against Roy Kent in the local rodeo. Rodeos aren’t everyone's cup of tea, not everyone watches them and a lot of people from the city don’t even know when the rodeo comes to town so they can watch it. But people will travel from all over and fill the stands just so they can see Roy Kent. He holds the record for the longest time riding a bull without getting thrown off, Jamie has never seen someone beat him in a bareback competition either.
Jamie declared that he would be the first. He would beat Roy Kent in order to make him notice Jamie and then once he noticed Jamie, he would convince Roy to be friends with him. And if things went further than that… well, he would hardly complain about it. He wouldn’t sit there and pretend that he didn’t hold his phone in one hand with his other wrapped around his cock as he watched videos of Roy Kent competing.
So Jamie had gotten himself a job as a farmhand so he would get to know the animals and be around them. He worked on Ted Lasso’s farm from ages twelve to fifteen and he didn’t ask for a single thing. He took his days off when Ted gave them and he never asked for another one, he didn’t ask to leave early. He even brought his own food and his own water so he really wouldn’t have to ask Ted for a single thing, he was saving up all of his favors for one massive one that he finally cashed in when he was fifteen. Ted had been telling him it was a big age and asked what he wanted for his birthday. Really he had opened himself up for that one. Jamie gathered all of his courage and he asked Ted if he could have a racehorse. Specifically, he wanted to start learning how to saddle bronc and bareback, he wanted to compete in the rodeos.
It had taken a little convincing. Not just of Ted but also of his mother who knew the events were dangerous and he could get hurt. Jamie begged though, claiming he had never asked for a single thing in the last three years (from Ted at least) and that this was something he really wanted to do. Eventually, they relented, and Ted took Jamie to the market in order to pick out his very own horse. He picked a beautiful chestnut colored one that he named Dusty, which made Ted laugh but Jamie didn’t understand why. Dusty was still a young horse, not quite a year old yet, but Jamie started training him immediately.
By training, he means that he started riding Dusty immediately. He would handle all of his farming duties and then he would ride Dusty for hours so he could build up his stamina and get him used to the feeling of someone on his back. Ted paid for all of it out of his own pocket, the horse and the saddle and everything else. It was Jamie’s job to take care of Dusty, though. He would have to come to the farm early every morning so he could feed Dusty and then he would have to get Dusty into his pen so he could run around while Jamie did all of his other jobs. Then they would train.
By the time that Jamie was sixteen, he was able to enter the rodeo that year and put himself and Dusty down for barrel racing and also for the saddle bronc contest. Jamie wasn’t in the same age bracket as Roy, he wasn’t an adult and Dusty was only nearing two years old so they couldn’t compete against Roy yet, but this was a good start. Jamie and Dusty had won first place in their barrel racing bracket and he got second place in the saddle bronc contest, losing by only a second and some odd milliseconds. Defeat was sour, that was the event he had to be the best in, but Jamie allowed himself to enjoy the rest of the rodeo. He watched Roy from the stands, enraptured with the way he didn’t falter for one second in any of his categories.
Jamie was almost sure that Roy was going to beat his bull riding record but he fell off at the last moment and rolled away so he didn’t get crushed. He still won but Jamie saw the dissatisfied look on his face. Roy looked to the stands where everyone was cheering for him and for a moment, Jamie swore he saw Roy lock eyes with him. Then Roy looked away and went on his way back to his tent, presumably not going to watch the rest of the events. Jamie did not see him at the rodeo the next day, one of the organizers said he left early that morning to head back to his own farm and train because he had ‘shit to do’. Jamie started training for bull racing the next week.
Now Jamie was twenty and Dusty was in the best condition of his life but if they were going to give it all for this upcoming rodeo then this could be the last year that Dusty was able to do barrel racing and barebacking. Jamie had been teaching himself to ride without a saddle for a year and a half at this point, he knew he was on a level that could compete with Roy Kent, he just had to prove himself at the upcoming rodeo. Ted was incredibly supportive of this, he even offered to get Jamie another horse so he could begin training his new horse to do the same events but Jamie had declined his offer. Said that if this were the last year that Dusty could compete then he would handle the question of getting a new horse then but not now, not before he knew for sure.
Jamie continued to work as a farm hand for Ted, which meant that most Saturday’s he was spending his time at the farmers market in the city, selling some of the crops that Ted had grown. Jamie had also started learning how to garden and can, so he was selling his own homemade goods as well. The market is where he met his best friend, Keeley. Keeley was thirty now but she was twenty eight when they met and Jamie was eighteen. They were instant friends and she would come to the market every week even when she didn’t intend on buying anything just so she could spend time with Jamie.
Okay, maybe they hooked up once… or twice… or more than twice. But really, she was just a friend. Keeley had moved to the city when she was younger to become an influencer. She started off as a model, at first she was modeling her feet (which Jamie found moderately interesting) and then she became a fashion model. Walking runways and all of that shit, she was on the covers of magazines. She was all over social media, telling girls the best makeup to buy and what brands she wore. Then when she was twenty six, she had made buckets of money that she didn’t know what to do with. She started her own PR firm and was funding a dating app that Jamie heard of when he was a teenager but then the company funding her pulled the funding and she had to shut down.
In her own words, she didn’t let it get her down. She had been wanting to get out of the spotlight and maybe it was time for her to do something more mundane. So she took her money and she bought a storefront and she opened a flower shop. She said that she had always been invested in helping other people find love and she was a hopeless romantic and flowers were romantic. She then bought the storefront next door and connected the two so she had a little coffee shop kind of place where she hosted events for people to do speed dating and all of that.
She was all about the love.
Every week, at the farmers market, she would bring Jamie a bouquet of flowers in exchange for one item of her choosing. Usually, it was the cheese she would pick that Jamie would make in Ted’s kitchen from the excess milk they had from the cows. They would age it, of course, to kill all of the bacteria. It was entirely safe to eat and they had all of the permits they needed.
This week, the flowers that Keeley brought for him were blue though Jamie did not know the names of all the flowers. He did not know flower language and he admittedly did not care to learn and Keeley never pushed him as long as he showed that he was appreciative all the same. She sat down in the seat next to Jamie that he had taken to bringing with him for her to sit with him and sighed heavily. “The shop is an utter mess. Had a rabbit sneak in last night or something, some of the flowers are bitten up and I found him sleeping in a bed of fertilizer. He’s cute and all but man, I was so mad when I saw it,” she complained and Jamie nodded, setting the flowers on the table in front of him and leaning back in her seat. “I didn’t think I would see you this week with the rodeo being so close to coming,”
“Didn’t know you were keeping track of the dates,” Jamie pointed out and Keeley shrugged.
“I just remember things like that. You told me when it was happening, how could I forget?” she asked and Jamie opened his mouth to say something before a customer walked up to buy something. He took her money and then put it in the box, looking back at Keeley.
“I’m only gonna be here for half of the normal time, that’s why I didn’t bring as much stuff. Ted said I can spend all day practicing if I want but I figure that we pay a yearly amount to the organizers of this market, we ought to take advantage every weekend,” Jamie hummed and Keeley nodded.
“Makes sense,” Keeley nodded and then looked at the display that Jamie had set out, determining which of the goods she wanted. She ended up picking up the cookies that Jamie had in fact bought from someone else but Jamie didn’t say anything to her about it. “You think you’ll actually introduce yourself to him this year instead of chickening out once his event finished like last year?” Keeley said and Jamie leaned over to push her and then huffed and crossed his arms.
“I did not chicken out last year, he left too fast,”
“I was there, I saw it with my own two eyes. He finished first, you finished second, and he watched your turn the entire time you were on Dusty and on that bull. Then you got out and stared at him, he stared at you, he was clearly waiting for you to approach him, and then you walked away. In a hurry too, you were all red, I could see it from the stands. I know you were thinking of sucking his dick, even if you won’t admit it. Then he walked away because you walked away and you walked back with what I assume was the courage to say hi to him but he was gone. After you left, mind you,” Keeley put emphasis on the fact that Jamie had in fact chickened out and walked away just to clear his head, and then Roy Kent was gone by the time he had come back.
Jamie had even tried to go to his tent to see him but he must just leave the entire rodeo once he finished his events because he was nowhere to be found and Jamie had to come to terms with the fact that he would have to wait another year to see Roy Kent again.
“I don’t know why you don’t just send him a message on Instagram or Twitter or something. You have a phone, he has an account, I think he knows your name. Has to, the guy whose placed second to him two years in a row in the events that he does. I think if you just message him, and introduce yourself, he will message you back and the two of you can meet up,”
“It is not that easy,” Jamie said, making another sale in the time that Keeley was talking and trying to once again convince him to make this easier on himself. It was that easy, he knew it was. He just did not want to suffer rejection. What if Roy wasn’t even in charge of his social media and he never saw the message? What if he did see it and thought Jamie was just a pathetic fan and ignored the message completely? Worse, accept the message request so Jamie would see that he read it and he would leave Jamie on read. Then Jamie would have to see him at the rodeos knowing that he never stood a chance, Jamie would just die of embarrassment.
No, the only way to properly get the attention of Roy Kent was to beat him at his own events. Jamie was so close too, he had been tracking his own time and training relentlessly, he was at his best. He knew he could do it this time. Jamie said as much to Keeley and she took out her phone, searching for something and then handing it to Jamie.
“You had better beat him this year or else you may never be able to beat him again,” she said and pressed play. Jamie watched the press release. It was an interview from a small local news a few cities over in which Roy was talking to the journalist, who had asked him about his career.
“This shit is getting harder to do, I’m getting old. I fucking hate it but I’m fucking exhausted. I know Fozzie is too, he is nearing the end of his career. I think this will be the last year we are in attendance. Next question,” Roy said and Jamie could realize that he was barely holding back his emotions. Which was a surprising thing because Roy Kent was the most stoic yet also angry person he had ever encountered, Jamie didn’t know that talks of his retirement could make him emotional.
Worse, they were making Jamie emotional. This could be his last chance to meet Roy Kent and beat him. They didn’t live in the same town and Jamie was not a stalker, he was not going to go out of his way to find Roy Kent’s farm just so he could meet him. It lit a new fire underneath Jamie, one that made him start to pack up all of the things he had brought to the farmers market and stand, ready to leave.
“Where you going?” Keeley asked, standing and taking her phone from him.
“If this is the last year that I have to beat Roy Kent then I have to train even harder. The rodeo is next week and I have to work even harder to increase my time if I want to even dream of beating his without worrying about the milliseconds,” Jamie said and started walking to his truck. Keeley walked with him, helping him load things into the flatbed. Jamie thanked her and Keeley went to the passenger side.
“I’ll come with you. Ted and I can talk and I can get my tickets from him like I do every year. Then I can watch you train too,”
“You’re in heels and a skirt,” Jamie pointed out. Not exactly farm clothes.
“Even heels can be washed, Jamie. Get in the car,” she said and Jamie nodded, getting in the driver's side and taking them all the way back to Ted’s farm where he made quick work of taking everything inside and then went out to Dusty’s pen to get to work. He was all too aware of the fact that Keeley was watching him but it was good for him, to have eyes on him while he was training. It was good for when the rodeo actually came around and he was being watched by many eyes. He always felt nervous when he knew a lot of people were watching him perhaps that was why he fell off quicker than he normally would.
Keeley eventually came over and Jamie let himself get thrown off so he could walk to the edge of the pen. “What’s up?” he asked and Keeley shrugged.
“Nothing, I just wanted to come over here and get a closer look at all this bucking around. You may be able to beat him if you perform this good at the actual rodeo,” she complimented and Jamie rolled his eyes and then averted his eyes to look at Dusty, who was helping himself to some hay that Jamie had set out earlier.
“You say that but if this is his last year, Roy won’t give up so easily. He will give it his all, so I will have to give it my all,” Jamie said and Keeley placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it.
“Well, exhausting yourself so soon before the competition is no good. Come on, Ted said he will put Dusty up for you. I want to take you out to dinner and then we can chat a little bit more about what you are going to do after Roy Kent retires and you no longer have a reason to continue to work on a farm.”
“I’d keep working here,” Jamie said, coming out of the pen and fastening it behind him before whistling for Dusty to come to him. Dusty did and Jamie scratched his nose for a moment before planting a kiss on it and telling him to be good for Ted. Then they left and sure enough, Keeley took Jamie out for dinner at some barbecue place that had recently opened up and she asked all of these questions about what Jamie was going to do afterward.
They were no brainer questions for Jamie. He supposed in the beginning it was all for Roy Kent but now he had been working as a farmhand for almost a decade. Ted was family. Between him and Simon, Jamie could say he had one full-fledged father figure. Ted had been there for all of Jamie’s milestones. When he turned fifteen, of course, he had bought Jamie the horse. When Jamie was sixteen, he helped put money toward buying Jamie a used car for him to drive. When Jamie turned eighteen, Ted had contributed to the first few months of rent on his own little apartment. Ted was there for every win and every loss, listened when Jamie was venting about Roy Kent and how amazing he was, and how much of a loser Jamie was for not being able to just say hi to him. Ted comforted him, told him not to speak badly about himself.
Hell, Ted had pictures of Jamie hanging on his walls as though Jamie was properly one of his sons even though he had Henry every other weekend and during the summers.
It wasn’t just a ploy to meet his childhood crush anymore, even though that was one of the benefits of the job. Ted was family now, Jamie wouldn’t just abandon him after he achieved his goal of beating Roy in a competition. If Roy did retire and Jamie did beat him, then Jamie would probably return to the farm the next morning and milk the cows like he does every morning. He would leave out bowls of food for the stray cats and dogs that neither Ted nor he knew where they came from. He would fill the many birdhouses with bird food and he would fill the fountains and water dishes with clean water. He would take Dusty for a ride around before feeding him and then going into the house to sit on the couch and watch the news with Ted and drink coffee. His life would go on, he would do everything he normally did.
Keeley thought that was an acceptable answer. Jamie would not change, he would still be at the farmers market every Saturday and she would still bring him flowers in exchange for some sort of goodie. Everything would be the same, only perhaps a little bit better.
Exactly six days later, Friday morning before the rodeo officially started at noon, Jamie went into the city and drove himself to Keeley’s flower shop. He figured if this was his last shot and he would never have to see Roy again after this if it ended badly, he may as well put his best foot forward. He went inside and was immediately bombarded by the smell of fresh coffee being made in the little cafe area and the smell of fresh flowers. Jamie rarely came in here, he did not know flowers, as established.
But Keeley did and he trusted her.
“Jamie babe, I didn’t expect to see you here today. I thought you would be setting up your tent now,” she said and Jamie blushed faintly.
“Ted is setting it up for me, he knew this was important. I want a bouquet of flowers to give to Roy when I ask him out or whatever I decide to do. I don’t know what he would like or anything but I think you’ll make something pretty that he can appreciate,” Jamie said and Keeley grinned from ear to ear.
“Say less, I will make you the prettiest bouquet. It is on the house because I have been dying to see this for ages now and I cannot wait to see you give Roy Kent flowers,”
Jamie could not tell you what kind of flowers Keeley handed him about fifteen minutes later while he looked into the coffee shop and wondered if he should get some sort of pastry as well. Maybe Roy Kent would hate the flowers but would love something sweet? No, probably not, he could probably hate both. He didn’t seem like the kind of guy who was more than fond of chocolate and Jamie was already taking one massive risk and that was enough. But if Keeley were right and Roy was in fact waiting for Jamie to approach him first then he ought to make a hell of an introduction.
“Thanks, Keeley,” Jamie said, looking up at her for the flowers. She said it was on the house but he put cash on the counter anyway when her back was turned and then bid his farewells, leaving before she could chase after him with his money. Which she would do, Jamie knew her well enough to know this. Jamie checked the time and then made quick work of getting into his car and driving off to the rodeo as quickly as he could. His events weren’t for another few hours but he still wanted to make sure Dusty had been transported safely and that everything was set up.
When Jamie arrived, he hid the flowers behind his back and then went to his tent, setting them down on the table inside of it before sitting down and looking at Ted. “Now this is a beautiful bouquet,” he complimented and Jamie bit the inside of his cheek and then looked at Ted. He had never asked Ted much about Roy before. Only asked the basics even though he knew that Ted knew more. Jamie wanted to find out everything he could about Roy organically through interviews and hopefully speaking with him but that had only gotten him so far. “Ted?” Jamie asked as Ted was about to leave but Ted looked back at him and smiled.
“What's up?”
“I think I’m ready to know more about Roy. I just… I want to do this the right way, you know?”
Ted nodded and then sat down next to Jamie, quiet for a moment, contemplating his words. “For as long as I have known Roy, he has been the best at what he does. He’s been doing these events since he was a child, always been involved. I remember the first time I met Roy, he was still a kid showing pigs, would you believe it? For many years, no one could even come close to beating him. I could see him losing joy in the game, really. Then you came along, finally a worthy contender. I have watched him watch you for a few years now and if this is the year you finally talk to him then I don’t think you’ll find yourself disappointed with his interest in you. Because there is interest,”
“Yeah but does he… you know… like boys?”
“Oh!” Ted said, finally catching onto what Jamie was really asking. Jamie knew that Roy had been doing the rodeo since he was knee high to a grasshopper as a newscaster called it once. He knew that Roy was the best at bull riding in these parts and had been for a very long time. Jamie wanted to know if he stood a chance, a real chance, with The Roy Kent. “Well I don’t suppose I have ever asked him about it,” Ted hummed, fingering at his mustache in that way he did when he was thinking. “We don’t normally talk about those things,”
Jamie nodded curtly and sighed. “Well, I suppose it could go either way. Either he does not like boys and I have made a fool of myself or he does and I have a chance,”
“I think he does,” Ted nodded and then looked at Jamie. “I think I’ve seen him leave with guys before and back in the early years of his career, Trent Crimm did an article on his sexuality and said he was likely queer. Roy never commented on it but I think Trent may have been onto something with that. Trent Crimm is gay so I think he would be the expert on those things,”
Jamie didn’t say anything in response but he was most certainly thinking that Trent Crimm was not the most reliable source of information, he was a journalist and journalists lie to make the story more interesting or they just don’t have all of the facts and ruin people's lives for nothing. Jamie also recognized that Trent was a friend of Ted’s, Ted had him over a few times over the years that Jamie had worked for him, so Jamie kept his opinion to himself. He didn’t think Trent Crimm was a bad guy, but still, he would be taking everything that he said in his articles with a grain of salt.
“Well, I think my events will be starting soon, the sun is starting to go down,” Jamie said and patted his knees twice before standing up.
“Good luck,” Ted said, placing a hand on Jamie’s shoulder and squeezing before leaving the tent. Jamie was entered into three contests. He was going to do the saddle bronc, the bareback, and bull riding. The three that Roy was most famous for and would certainly be pulling out all of the stops for. Jamie went and checked on Dusty, feeding him some hay and giving him a pep talk like Dusty was going to somehow understand him and talk back. Jamie knew his time was coming up when he heard the announcer beginning to explain the saddle bronc to the people who didn’t know rodeo very well. Jamie brought Dusty out of the pen and led him to the main stage, getting his saddle fastened and the bronc rein settled comfortably over Dusty’s nose. Jamie checked it wasn’t too tight by inching his fingers underneath the rein and then turned to watch the person currently coming out of the chute.
Some guy that Jamie didn’t recognize or know. Probably new to town but he was no less experienced. His time had beat out almost everyone else's off the bat, which got Jamie’s attention. A real competitor for after Roy was gone, perhaps the universe it was kind. “What's that guy's name?” Jamie asked the man next to him, likely watching the event as a coach because he had no horse with him.
“Dani Rojas, just moved into the town over a couple months back. Been doing this his whole life though down there by the Texas and Mexico border,” the guy said and Jamie nodded. Yeah, that had to be his coach. Or a close friend. Either way, Jamie was impressed. When Dani did finally fall off, he was close to beating Jamie’s own record. A future competitor indeed, Jamie could hardly be mad about that. Then it was time for Roy to compete and Jamie to get Dusty into his chute and get ready. It was a shame that Jamie wouldn’t get to watch Roy’s last run in the saddle bronc but such is life, he was sure that Ted and Keeley were both recording it for him. Jamie had seen them both in the stands and it would seem that Keeley had gone to Jamie’s tent so she could grab the flowers to give to Jamie so he could give to Roy without having to walk away.
Time felt like it was moving too quickly. Roy’s run was over and Jamie knew that he was currently in first place because he heard the announcer say it but he felt like the seconds went by too quickly. Then it was his turn and he gave Dusty one more pat on the nose for good luck before they went out. Jamie held on for dear life, rolling his hips as Dusty did his best best to buck Jamie off of him, just as he had been trained to do. Jamie held on though, taking slow and deep breaths. He counted down the seconds in his mind, he could almost see the clock when he closed his eyes for even a second. Then he did it, he surpassed Roy’s time. Jamie let himself get thrown off and he rolled away as Dusty calmed down.
Jamie could hear Keeley cheering for him and he was sure if he looked at Roy then Roy would be giving him either some sort of sour look or perhaps he would be impressed. But there were two more events and Jamie had to keep his head in the game. He couldn’t get distracted by Keeley or Roy Kent and that would most certainly happen if he let himself celebrate his win now. After everyone else went, it was announced that Jamie Tartt was the winner of the saddle bronc and people cheered for him but he was getting ready for the next event, the bareback.
It was at the last second that Jamie realized that Roy hadn’t even signed up for the bareback but Dani Rojas did and Dani was sure to come up to him before either of them had to go in the chute. “That was very impressive,” he said and Jamie looked at him, taking in all of him. They were close enough in height and up close, Jamie could see the smile lines that Dani had from smiling all of the time. He seemed like a very happy person. “You are the person to beat, aren’t you?”
“Well, I have been training for these specific events,” Jamie nodded and Dani let out a laugh, something almost infectious. Jamie almost felt like he could laugh too but he would certainly be thrown off.
“I have never once lost the bareback,” Dani said and then narrowed his eyes ever so slightly in a way that made it very clear to Jamie that he was not underestimating Jamie. Dani was taking him very seriously after the saddle bronc and he was telling Jamie he was entirely serious about winning. Jamie could respect that. They shook hands as competitors, perhaps they could even become friends, and then Dani went off into the chute. Jamie went in after him but he could tell as he was mounting Dusty that Dani was perhaps the best barebacker that this rodeo had seen since Roy Kent’s glory days. Jamie lost by a second and some odd milliseconds and Jamie shook Dani’s hand in respect. Jamie now knew for sure that Dani was the man to beat the following year.
Then it was time for the bull riding contest, Roy Kent’s specialty. Jamie had been training as best as he could but nothing compared to the real competition. They locked eyes for one moment, one electrifying moment, and then Jamie was off. He was going first this time and he could feel Roy’s eyes on him the entire time. The roll of his hips, the tightness of his grip on the rope. Jamie stayed on for the entire eight seconds and then one, a personal record. He would almost be celebrating his victory but Roy was next and he looked more serious than Jamie had ever seen him. Perhaps his loss in the saddle bronc was weighing on him, Jamie could almost see the words floating above Roy’s head. He has to put this kid back in his place and show him what a real legend looks like.
Jamie watched the bull riding event so closely once it was Roy’s turn, watched every muscle contortion and the way that Roy didn’t seem the slightest bit phased. It was Roy’s best run, he went out with a bang and reasserted his dominance over this sport with an overwhelming win. “Jamie,” Keeley whispered, suddenly right next to him. Jamie jumped and looked at her to ask what she needed but she said nothing and handed Jamie the flowers before rushing off as Roy came out of the pen.
It was now or never.
Jamie gathered up all of the courage in his bones and swallowed all of his anxiety, making his stride over to Roy with the flowers in hand as Roy wiped the sweat from his brow. “Roy Kent? I’m-”
“I know who you are,” Roy interrupted him and stood straight, looking at Jamie and the flowers. “You’re that little brat who beat me in the saddle bronc and has been watching me through heart eyes for years now. Jamie Tartt, isn’t it?”
Somehow, talking to Roy made the illusion of him go away. Roy Kent was just an ordinary guy, Jamie didn’t know what he was so worked up about.
“I have not been watching you through heart eyes,” Jamie huffed and looked at the flowers. “I got these for you. Heard it was your last season, last chance to meet you,”
Roy took them when Jamie held them out and examined them. “Waited until the last possible moment, didn’t you?”
“I hear you’ve been waiting for me,” Jamie recalled what Keeley had said earlier. Roy said nothing in return, just gave a grunt that indicated he heard Jamie as he looked over the flowers. “Sorry if you hate them,”
“I don’t. I fucking love flowers. No one ever gives me flowers,” Roy said and looked back at Jamie. “You gave me a run for my money, made my last season fun. The last few seasons, really. It’s nice having someone to actually be competing with but you didn’t get the better of me,” Roy gave a toothy grin and Jamie snickered as he shrugged.
“Guess the world will never know if I could beat Roy Kent as a bull rider. Gave it my best shot though and I took that saddle bronc champion title from you. I can be satisfied with that,”
“You ought to be, that shit was fucking mental to watch. You can tell some of these guys don’t know jack shit about horses and don’t have a real relationship with them. That’s what fucks them over in the end. If your horse doesn’t fucking like you, you’re screwed in these kinds of events. Got to have trust and training. I’m about to grab Fozzy and leave,”
“I’ll walk with you,” Jamie said and Roy raised an eyebrow but nodded and started to walk away, Jamie right beside him. “Fozzy, huh? I always was curious where that name came from,”
“The muppets,” Roy said and glanced at Jamie. “Fucking love the muppets,”
“I got Dusty when he was a foal still, barely old enough to be in the market. Raised him myself, spent many hours every day just riding him through the acres of land my boss has. I think that’s the best way. I was thinking this would be his last rodeo, you know these sorts of things can be difficult on a horse long term. He’s done me well, it’s time for him to live his life in leisure, eating hay and running around the country. But after today, I think he might have a couple more years left in him. Can’t let Dani Rojas get the better of me,”
“That’s that new kid right?” Roy asked as they got to the pen where the horses were taken after the events to be checked on by doctors and such. “Look at that, Fozzy and Dusty are drinking next to each other,” Roy commented and Jamie looked into the pen, nodding as he saw it.
“Looks like they’re friends. Anyway, yeah, that new kid. Can’t let him think he can run this rodeo and it’ll take at least a year to train up a new horse so I think if Dusty and I work hard at maintaining him, he could have another year in him,”
“Good to know you’re not giving up just because I’m retiring,” Roy said. There it was again, Roy commenting on this being his final season. He said it once already when they had just finished the event but nerves were high so Jamie ignored it but this time it hit him. This was Roy’s last season, he was done.
“Let me take you out for a drink,” Jamie said before he thought it all the way through. “You inspired me to do all of this and I have so much fun at these rodeos. I would have never gotten into this lifestyle if you hadn’t made it seem so exciting to a ten year old Jamie Tartt. You’ve had quite the career, I think I owe you at least one beer,”
“Make it two,” Roy said and then nodded. “Sure, I’ll let you take me out tonight for a couple beers. Ought to celebrate the fact that you pulled one over on me,” Roy said and then held the flowers up. “Thanks for these. I’ll meet you at the bar just down the road from here in an hour, you know the one?”
“Yeah,” Jamie nodded and watched as Roy walked away with Fozzy in hand. That was when it hit Jamie. He was taking Roy Kent out for beers, it was almost a date. He had given Roy flowers and spoken with him and asked him out, perhaps it was a date. Jamie wondered if Roy was considering it a date. Jamie swallowed thickly and looked at Dusty. “I’m going on a date with Roy Kent,” he whispered and busted out into a big grin that didn’t go away even as Ted found him and offered to take Dusty back to the farm so Jamie could freshen up a bit and then go to the bar.
Jamie got there first, sitting down and ordering two beers. When they came, he took a sip of his and pushed the other to the other side of the table for Roy, watching the door to see when he would come in. Jamie kept looking at the clock every now and then, getting halfway through his beer before wondering if he was being stood up. He contemplated leaving before finally the doorbell rang and Jamie watched as Roy walked in. Jamie waved him over and Roy sat down in front of him, looking at the beer before picking it up and taking a sip. Roy had changed into more casual clothes but he looked just as good, meanwhile, Jamie had only sprayed some cologne and eaten a mint before he came in.
“So,” Jamie started the conversation. “You like the muppets?”
“Grew up on them,” Roy nodded and cleared his throat after setting his beer down. He had drank a quarter of it in one drink. “We don’t have to do the small talk to get to know one another. Only makes this sort of shit awkward,”
“Alright,” Jamie nodded and averted his eyes. “I have to ask though, just to make sure that we are on the same page as far as this goes.”
“Are you about to ask me about that stupid article that fuckass Trent Crimm published some years back?” Roy asked, narrowing his eyes.
“Not that specifically but I was going to ask what you thought we were doing here. I don’t want to get the wrong idea and fuck things up before they even start,” Jamie said and Roy took a moment to relax before huffing in that angry way he does before crossing his arms.
“Pretty sure Trent saw me at some gay bar and then wrote the article and cited bullshit sources that never saw me kissing a guy or anything. But either way, I was at the gay bar and I knew it was a gay bar,” Roy said and Jamie assumed that was all he was going to get out of Roy on that front. But it was safe to assume that Roy had just told Jamie that he was at least a little bit interested in him. He had more or less confirmed that he liked guys.
“I’d be pissed,” Jamie said and took another drink of his beer, relaxing his shoulders and trying to get more comfortable in his seat. He wanted his nerves to take a chill pill but the alcohol was only making them feel heavier. “It isn’t easy being gay around here, never knowing whose safe to talk to and who isn’t. If some reporter made up some bullshit about me and basically outed me to the entire world, I would want to beat him to a bloody pulp,”
“I did for a long fucking time but after so many years, I held the grudge close to my heart and chose not to dwell on it any longer. No one has ever approached me to try and fight me about it, I could beat anyone's ass if they did try. The article caused a lot of whispers in my hometown for a while but I can get over it, who gives a fuck what people behind your back are saying about you?”
“I’m bi,” Jamie said. He had only come out to a few people before and he didn’t think he would be coming out in the middle of a bar to his idol but there he was. “I have had this crush on you since I was like ten years old, all of this feels like a fucking fever dream. Can’t count how many times I went over what I would even say to you in my head. I’ve known I’ve liked boys since I was a kid. But I’ve also always liked girls. I have this friend, Keeley, you’d love her I think. She made the bouquet, she’s real sweet,”
“The model right? I’ve seen her in the stands, always wondered what she was doing at these sorts of events. Just figured she liked to see men get dirty and needed something to do,”
“She always comes and supports me. Been trying to get me to talk to you ever since shes known me and about my crush,”
“What sorts of things did you plan on saying?” Roy asked, which caught Jamie off guard.
“What?”
“When you were imagining what you would say to me when we finally met for all these years, what sorts of things did you plan on saying?”
Jamie blushed a deep red though he didn’t think it was entirely visible underneath the dark lighting of the bar. Jamie could only really see Roy through the vibrant lights that flashed over the entire bar. “Depends on the year, I suppose. When I was younger, like ten to twelve, I probably would have just fanboyed over you and told you a bunch of shit about you that I found out through interviews. As I got older, say about sixteen, well I was thinking a lot about…” Jamie trailed off.
Roy could imagine what it was that he was going to say but he wanted to hear Jamie anyway. “Say it. What were you thinking of?”
“Well, there was this article that came out when I was like sixteen that said your cock had a curve in it. I thought a lot about that, imagined it. Probably would have asked you if it were true, probably would have begged to see it. Sixteen year olds have a lot less control than twenty year olds, I would never ask so blatantly now,”
“Perhaps you should,” Roy said and finished off his first beer, looking right at Jamie as he did. “Go on, ask about it,”
Jamie didn’t think he could get redder. “Does your cock have a curve in it?”
“No, I just make it feel like it does with my hips,”
“Jesus fuck,” Jamie muttered, downing the rest of his beer as well and signaling for another round. He was about to ask Roy if he took pride in making Jamie as red as possible when there was a loud eruption of cheers and they both looked to a crowd that had gathered around the mechanical bull that the bar had. People were cheering for whoever had just fallen off. Jamie thought the premise of a mechanical bull in bars could be interesting when you didn’t ride real bulls, which he did so he didn’t ever bother with the ones in bars. Roy was grinning though, looking between the bull and Jamie.
“Want to make a bet?” Roy asked and Jamie raised an eyebrow.
“What on?”
“Who can stay on the bull the longest,”
“And what do I get if I win?”
“You won’t, but you can have anything you want from me. I have nothing but time for granting wishes these days,” Roy said and Jamie hesitated but then he nodded. Jamie knew it would be of no difficulty for him at all to stay on a mechanical bull. Mechanical bulls were good for amateurs but they were real bullriders and Jamie knew he could outlast Roy on a mechanical bull.
“Fine, you’re on. What do you want if you win?” Jamie asked and Roy looked in thought for a moment.
“How about you let me take you on a date?” Roy hummed and took a swig of his beer. “What about you? Just so I know what I’m getting myself into,”
“Mine is a lot less pg,” Jamie said but there was no backing down now that he had the image in his head. “If I win, I want you on your knees in front of me when we go back to your hotel room,” Jamie said and Roy let out a loud laugh before he snickered and nodded.
“You’re on,” Roy said and stood, going over to the bull and demanding that the guy on it get off now so he could get on. The guy must have been at the rodeo because he recognized Roy Kent and got off. Jamie watched Roy getting onto the bull as he walked over and they locked eyes. “You watching pretty boy?” Roy asked and then started the bull once Jamie nodded, holding his hands up in the air to make it more difficult. Probably just to show off and it was working. The girls all cheered for him, some of the boys too, and Jamie just narrowed his eyes and watched. The beginning of the bull ride is always easy enough and it gets more rowdy as time goes on.
Jamie had to give Roy credit where credit was due, he didn’t hold onto the bull at one point and when he did get knocked off, he had managed to stay on the bull for a whole four minutes. Mechanical bulls were easier than real bulls but it was impressive all the same.
And Jamie knew he could do better.
Jamie mounted the bull, making a show of holding his hands up after the bull started. Everyone cheered for him and he felt Roy’s eyes on him the entire time, waiting for Jamie to fall off so he could take Jamie on that date. With the way that Roy was looking at him, Jamie was sure they’d end up at the hotel anyway but Jamie also was competitive and he wanted to win. Maybe it was the alcohol that made him stop fanboying so much and get out of his head, perhaps it was because he was right where he wanted to be.
“You know,” Jamie started as he reached the three minute mark without even seeming to break a sweat. He got Roy’s attention, not that he didn’t already have it. “You should have asked me how much experience I have riding these dumb mechanical bulls. See, I have one bull on the farm I work on, and honestly speaking, he sure isn’t for beginners. So I have spent quite a lot of time honing my skills on these mechanical bulls so that when I get on a real one, I don’t immediately get knocked off and trampled.” Jamie hit the four minute mark easily and he could have stopped there but he didn’t, he continued until five minutes before stopping the bull and hopping down. “I’ll go pay the tab, you bring the car to the front?”
“Whatever you want pretty boy,” Roy grunted, the nickname made shivers run down Jamie’s spine. Along with the excitement of what was waiting for him in the car. Jamie went forward and paid for their beers and went outside, seeing a black Jeep waiting for him. Jamie had his own car but he figured he could come back in the morning to get it. An excuse for him to spend more time with Roy. Jamie got into Roy’s car and smiled slightly at him, his nerves beginning to kick in now that they weren’t in the club and Roy was definitely driving them to his hotel room. “So,” Roy started as he drove. “Tell me a little bit more about what you’re wanting from me,”
“You don’t have to actually-”
“Oh no, I am going to hold up my end of the deal. You will find me on my knees in front of you, but you have to tell me what you like, what you want me to do,” Roy hummed and Jamie looked forward through the windshield.
“Well, I haven’t really had a lot of experience with guys. Most of the time they just want to fuck and don’t ask what I like. I guess just do what you’re comfortable with doing,” Jamie said and Roy slowed the car down a little bit so he could put a hand on Jamie’s thigh and glance at him ever so often.
“So you’ve never had a real man pleasure you before, hm?”
“Guess not,” Jamie shrugged but he could feel his cheeks heating up.
“We’re going to change that,” Roy said and the rest of the drive was silent. So was the walk into the hotel and the elevator ride up. Once they got into Roy’s room, Jamie felt like his nerves were on fire but Roy gave him a reassuring look before leading him by his hand to the chair on the far side of the room and sitting him down in it. “You just relax, alright baby?” Roy said and Jamie gave a curt nod. He wasn’t sure that anything that did come out of his mouth would sound right anyway. His head was all jumbled as he leaned back in the chair and looked down as Roy kneeled and started to take off Jamie’s boots. Roy set them aside and pushed Jamie’s pants legs up and started to pull off Jamie’s socks as well.
Jamie went to protest, to say something to the degree that his feet stink after being in his boots all day, but his complaint died in his throat as Roy tossed his socks aside and took both of Jamie’s feet into his hands and pressed his thumbs into the bottoms of his feet, beginning to massage them ever so slightly. And fuck, it felt good, Jamie actually let out a soft moan and leaned back in his seat to let Roy do whatever he wanted. Roy started by taking one of Jamie’s feet into both of his hands, massaging them, and working out all of the tension that had gathered before he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of Jamie’s foot.
“Roy…” Jamie blushed deeply and looked down at him.
“Shush, baby. Let me worship you, alright?” Roy said, voice far too soft and too gentle. Jamie could hardly believe that Roy had such a side to him, Jamie felt like he was melting in Roy’s hands all too easily. Roy pressed kisses to each of Jamie’s toes, to the soles of his feet, massaging them all the same. He gave both feet the same treatment before he pulled away. Roy’s hands reached up and started to unbuckle Jamie’s belt and Jamie helped Roy get his pants and boxers off. Jamie would have been contented with them down around his ankles but Roy insisted on tossing his jeans and boxers aside so he could kiss all the way up from Jamie’s feet to his inner thighs. Jamie unbuttoned his shirt, the heat in the room beginning to get to him.
Roy pulled away to grab a small travel sized bottle of lube out of his pocket, which Jamie would have made fun of him for always having on him except Jamie was too busy trying to keep up with everything Roy was doing. Roy squirted some of the lube in his hand and then started to stroke Jamie, kissing and nipping at his inner thighs, which made Jamie’s cock twitch and leak pathetically. Roy only chuckled at that and Jamie shut his eyes so he wouldn’t have to deal with the smug look on Roy’s face.
He couldn’t help but to look when Roy’s mouth was on him, though. Jamie moaned loudly as Roy finally took Jamie’s cock into his mouth, suckling gently on it at first, warming Jamie up, before he started to actually blow him. Roy had all of these little tricks that blew Jamie’s mind as he leaned forward in the chair, one hand over his mouth and the other in Roy’s hair. He didn’t push or pull, didn’t guide Roy or fuck into his mouth, though Jamie was sure that Roy would let him. He merely held on as Roy took his cock as deep as he could and swallowed around it, causing Jamie to arch his back and cry out.
It wasn’t as though Jamie had never been blown before or that anyone had given him bad head. But fuck, Roy was the best and Jamie had no idea where in the hell he learned how to do all of that. Jamie came all too quickly, much quicker than he ever had before. He tried to let Roy know, pulled his hair a bit, and let out a sentence that sounded halfway coherent before he finished in Roy’s mouth. Roy didn’t pull away, though, he doubled down and took Jamie all the way to the base, swallowing every drop and milking Jamie for all he was worth.
It left Jamie whining in overstimulation as he panted heavily and Roy finally pulled away. Jamie looked down at Roy, swallowing thickly as he did, tears in the corners of his eyes that threatened to spill over. Roy went to reach up and wipe them but Jamie grabbed his hand before he could, his wits coming back to him after such a strong orgasm. “Stay right there,” Jamie said, commanded really, and Roy slightly nodded.
“Want to take in the view a little bit longer?”
Jamie didn’t respond to him. Instead, he adjusted himself so he was more on the edge of the seat. He had never done this before but how hard could it be? Clearly, Roy liked his feet. “Take your pants off,” Jamie said and Roy raised an eyebrow.
“What are you thinking of doing?”
“Just do it,” Jamie said and Roy held his hands up in surrender before he did, tossing his pants aside just as Jamie had asked. “And your shirt,” and so the shirt was next to go and Roy was there, kneeling in only his cowboy hat and his shoes, which was too attractive of a sight for Jamie to completely take in. Jamie figured he would burn the image in his mind so he would never forget it. Or if he could give Roy a good enough time, could ask Roy to recreate it one day so he could take a picture.
Jamie bent his knees and raised his feet up, pressing them to Roy’s hard cock and taking it between his soles. “Oh fuck,” Roy said, breath hitching.
“Pleasure me too,” Jamie said and Roy nodded, seeming to have a plan in mind already. Roy lubed up his fingers once more and then reached up and pushed Jamie’s chest a bit so he was leaning back and Roy had better access. Jamie whined as Roy pressed one finger against his entrance but he didn’t stop stroking Roy with his feet, though it was hard to maintain his focus while Roy was pressing a finger into him, much deeper and thicker than any of Jamie’s single fingers.
Roy reached his other hand down and wrapped it around Jamie’s feet, holding them together and in place and he moaned deeply and bucked his hips up in the same rhythm as his fingers. “You just relax, baby, as I told you to earlier. I can handle this,” Roy said and pressed a kiss to Jamie’s hip. “But I appreciate your effort,”
Jamie could only nod as he let Roy take complete control, turning him into a moaning puddle. Jamie felt himself getting hard again, close all too quickly from the overstimulation. Jamie could wiggle his toes and feet the veins of Roy’s cock pressing against his feet, Roy added a second finger and started to to pump his fingers even faster. Jamie could hear Roy moaning so thickly, eyes hooded and sweat dripping down his chest with exertion. The sight was enough to send Jamie over the edge again, cumming on his stomach and chest. Roy was not far after him, pulling his fingers out and releasing Jamie’s feet so he could hold them up and stoke himself to completion on them. It felt weird having cum on his feet but Jamie could see the way that Roy’s eyes darkened at the sight. Perhaps also with the fact that he had a perfect view of Jamie’s fluttering hole as well.
Then he came back to himself, his climax wearing off and his knee beginning to grow sore. Roy told Jamie to stay put while he grabbed a wet towel and cleaned Jamie up while he collected himself. Then Jamie stood and helped Roy get into the bed, massaging his knee now that they were both back to their wits. They said nothing the entire time they adjusted themselves so they were laying down and cuddling, Jamie’s head on Roy’s chest. “You know,” Jamie said finally breaking the silence as Roy turned the light off. “I wouldn’t mind a breakfast date tomorrow morning. And many other dates after that,” Jamie hummed and he was met with a slight snicker and a kiss pressed to the top of his head.
“Whatever you want baby,”