Page 78 of Boss and Brat

Carter snorted. “My hat?”

“Yeah,” Ethan said, smiling. “And your whole… cowboy thing. The rough look. The boots. The way you walk like you’re ready to fix a fence or fight a bear.”

Carter laughed, shaking his head. “You’re ridiculous.”

“But you like it,” Ethan said.

Carter didn’t deny it. Instead, he reached over and took Ethan’s hand—just slipped his fingers through Ethan’s as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Ethan’s heart gave a little leap, a surprise in his chest.

Carter squeezed gently. “I like a lot of things about you, too.”

“Like what?” Ethan asked, voice soft.

Carter looked at him, really looked. “Your smile. The way you get excited about small things. The way you try so damn hard even when you’re scared. And the way you look at me like I’m worth something.”

Ethan felt warmth spread through him, deep and certain. “You are worth something. You’re worth… a lot.”

Carter didn’t say anything for a moment. He just held Ethan’s hand as they walked along the water, the sky stretching wide above them; the waves rolling in steadily.

Then Carter said, “It’s time for us to drive to the surprise.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The dirt road rattled the truck so hard Carter had to keep one hand braced on the wheel. The path to the secluded park was always rough—half potholes, half loose gravel—but he didn’t mind it. The bumps kept Ethan laughing under his breath every time he bounced in his seat, and Carter would take that sound over silence any day.

Ethan glanced over, gripping the door handle as the truck hit another dip. “Where are we going?”

Carter smirked. “We’re gonna practice riding cross bikes. Then, if you want, we can join in the racing.”

Ethan’s entire face lit up. “No kidding? I’ve wanted to do this since the incident.”

“I figured,” Carter said. “But you gotta promise to be safe.”

Ethan nudged him with his shoulder. “Are you gonna ride too?”

“Yes, of course. I used to ride back in Texas.”

That earned him a grin—wide, excited, boyish. Carter felt it hit him right in the chest.

Damn kid had no idea what he did to him.

The trees opened up, revealing the motorcycle club tucked behind a ridge. The place was loud, chaotic, and alive. Hard rock blasted from speakers mounted on poles, the kind of music that thumped through the dirt like a heartbeat. Dirt bikes tore across the track, kicking up clouds of dust. The air carried gasoline, sweat, and that sharp edge of adrenaline that always hung over places like this.

Carter parked and killed the engine. Ethan was already halfway out of the truck, practically buzzing with excitement, as if he couldn’t get his feet on the ground fast enough.

Inside the rental shack, a line of riders waited—some seasoned, some nervous first-timers. Carter stepped up to the counter when it was their turn.

“Name?” the man behind the counter asked without looking up.

“Carter Higgins,” he said.

The guy grabbed two sets of keys and slid them across the counter. “Bikes are out back. Lockers are to the left. Gear’s inside.”

Carter handed Ethan his set. “This place is special,” he said as they walked toward the lockers. “No one gets an edge. You gotta rent their equipment. Everyone rides the same stuff, so it’s all skill.”

Ethan nodded, eyes wide as he took everything in. Carter enjoyed seeing him like this—open, curious, alive.