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Flynn heard scratching outside the stable door and pushed it open.
    Bridget entered and sat herself down next to Flynn. “Well, I‟m glad you could join us, girl,” Flynn told the dog. “I guess we‟re all here now.” He chuckled at the scene. “We were just talking about how to handle Gable,” he said to Bridget, who perked up her ears and cocked her head. Very much like her owner sometimes did, Flynn thought.
    “Come on, girl, everything seems okay in here. We‟ll let the horses sleep, okay?”
    Flynn smiled as he watched Bridget get up and move to the door, as if she‟d understood every word he‟d said.
    They walked toward the house in silence, side by side. Flynn checked that Bridget had enough water for the night and then walked upstairs toward his bedroom. He couldn‟t resist pausing in front of Gable‟s room to listen for any sounds inside, but it was quiet. The door was slightly ajar, as it usually was when Bridget didn‟t go upstairs with Gable, because Flynn knew the dog always slept in Gable‟s room. He watched her push it open some more to enter and couldn‟t help stealing a look inside.

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    Zahra Owens

    Gable was on the bed, his naked body covered by a blanket, but only up to his waist. Flynn felt his body react to the vision of the lightly furred chest and nicely sculpted, but slightly sinewy, shoulders. He contemplated going inside, but given the interesting turn the day had taken, he was reluctant to jinx what he had gained. He leaned against the doorpost and watched Bridget settle down for the night next to the bed before heading to his own room.

    30

    Clouds and Rain

    Chapter 5

    AS USUAL, Gable woke up before dawn. Even Bridget was still sleeping on the floor next to his bed, although she looked up as soon as he stirred. The rest of the house was just as eerily quiet.
    Gable got up to pee and realized he was pretty sore all over.
    Although they‟d had quite a busy day yesterday, he hadn‟t done an unusual amount of riding, so his protesting muscles surprised him.
    Maybe he was coming down with something, or maybe he was just getting too old for this work. He sighed, scratched his head as he returned from the bathroom, and decided to lie down for a few more minutes before he had to get dressed.
    The next time he opened his eyes, there was some sort of banging going on outside and he quickly pulled on his jeans to go and take a look.
    Outside on the porch he was greeted by an enthusiastically tail-wagging Bridget and a bright, mid-morning sun.
    “Flynn?” Gable called out.
    “Up here!”
    Gable looked up and felt his heart stop. Flynn was on the sloping roof, hammer in hand, trying to keep his precarious balance.
    “You look like I just woke you,” Flynn shouted down, not without some amusement in his voice. “I‟m sorry, I thought you were out already.”
    Gable looked down at his bare chest and couldn‟t help rubbing it, as he felt exposed all of a sudden. He didn‟t want to leave Flynn alone, so he crossed his arms in front of him. “Will you come down from there? You might get hurt.”

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    Zahra Owens

    Flynn laughed. “I‟m fine. This isn‟t the first roof I‟ve climbed on, you know. Hand me that plank, will you?” Flynn pointed at a piece of wood leaning against the side of the house, right next to the ladder.
    Gable handed it up and would have climbed up on the roof alongside Flynn but he knew his foot wouldn‟t let him do that. His heart was still racing, though, and a little voice inside him was telling him he wouldn‟t feel comfortable until Flynn was on solid ground again.
    “I wish you had waited,” Gable told Flynn.
    “Come on, Gabe,” Flynn pleaded, using the slightly abbreviated version of Gable‟s name he must have heard Calley use. “It finally stopped raining long enough for the roof to be dry and they‟re already saying it‟s going to rain again later on today. I don‟t know about you, but I‟m kind of tired of taking my boots off in a