The Author & The Rancher

[quinientos]

For the twentieth time today, Ale curses his agent for sending him out into the wilderness because he's got writer's block. He never should have said anything, he should have kept quiet about all of this. Instead, he was the idiot who decided that he would share his inability to get through the chapters of his western romance and now he was being punished.

Well, he was being sent into the West to a ranch with all-expenses paid, but to him, that meant punishment. Adjusting his suitcase, he waddles his way up the front porch after the taxi had dropped him off, staring at the estate he's been sent to.

The Faraday Ranch.

Sam, that damn agent of his, had insisted that Joshua Faraday would help to unstick some of the writer's block that was keeping the chapter from moving forward. He'd seemed so very convinced, too, and it's not like Vasquez can argue that. Besides, none of his old tricks have been working and maybe seeing a real live cowboy will actually do some help. He reserves the right to be wary about that, though.

Dropping his bags at the door, he leans on the bell, feeling disheveled and exhausted from the plane ride and the long cab in. He probably looks a mess, but he doesn't care, because right now, all he cares about is getting inside and trading on the rancher's hospitality so he can put his feet up and worry about writing later.

Besides, how handsome can this one man be? Sam is probably just exaggerating again.

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[quinientos]

Vasquez ducks his head into the fridge and pulls out the ingredients for a salad, but he goes back in when he sees some beans and butter, thinking that he could fry up the green beans. It's all very healthy, but then, he didn't get in his shape by eating junk all the time.

By the time he's working on the food, he's able to slick his hair down a bit, and become more of a human. "I called Sam," he tells Faraday as he starts to prepare the salad and fry up the beans. "He's going to send over some of the books, so you get a feel for my style."

The steaks smell heavenly and he finds himself drifting back to smell them again. "Am I going to eat this well every day here?"

[onesyllable]

Joshua moves easily about the kitchen, comfortable doing this kind of work, though he is constantly watching Alejandro from the corner of his eyes.

He chuckles though at that pronouncement. "I'll be glad to have a look at them. I guess I should have done that the moment Sam called, but I didn't really have an interest then," he admits, which maybe says a lot, but he's not hiding his words or thoughts. Subtle doesn't usually work for Joshua.

Turning, he leans back against the counter, giving Alejandro a long once over, lips pursing for a minute. "I guess you could. I mean, so long as you're working up an appetite."

[quinientos]

"Then?" he echoes, smiling to himself as he fries up the beans in a pan, feeling very good about his chances now that he's heard this. He doesn't want to see too forward or easy by pushing his luck just yet, also because he does have a job to do, but it's good to have in mind.

Maybe once he's finished a few chapters, it can even be his reward. "I think I could find some ways. You're offering horse-riding, no? I'm sure enough of that and I would be starving."

[onesyllable]

"Then I still thought you were some tiny blonde girl," he says, not having seen a reason to think that Alejandro is offended by his comments, that he might well be interested. Not offended is a good start, since most don't expect it from someone like Joshua and then get weird about it when they find out his preferences.

"Now I've seen you and I'm curious," he admits, offering him a bright smile and a slow look. He couldn't help himself. "About what it is you write," he adds, definitely smirking now.

"Oh I think riding could definitely work up an appetite. For both of us."

[quinientos]

He laughs as he pokes at the beans, glancing down at the floor from where he looms above it, six-foot-four that he is. "Not so tiny, no," he agrees, "though I was blond for one very unfortunate summer when I bleached it. It didn't last very long," he says, glancing over his shoulder and looking Faraday over very slowly, with great interest.

"I write romances for women and men to read. Hopefully, they're very hot, make people squirm and want to read more. If I can do that, I've done my job." Turning off the heat on the stove, he turns to pour the beans into a bowl, eyeing Faraday and wanting so badly for his books to turn him on.

"Maybe you can tell me if I did it right, when you read them?"

[onesyllable]

"Oh tell me there's pictures of this? Can I find them on the internet?" Because he knows he's already going to be looking later, doing what he hadn't done before Alejandro arrived. Maybe he should have, but people and television give you an idea of just what a romance writer looks like, even if those images are so wrong.

"So you make a living getting people turned on and then do nothing about solving that problem?"

Grinning to himself as he rinses off a pan and slides it into the dishwasher with easy movements that show he works in the kitchen quite a bit.

Which he asks just so he can say the next part

"And you want me to tell you if you've done a good job? I can do that."

[quinientos]

"I don't even use an author photo, what makes you think I would publish some of my worst memories," he quips, but he is amused and maybe if Faraday earns it, he'll dig out some of his old albums in order to show off how bad a decision it had been at the time.

"I have to hope they solve the problem of their arousal themselves," he points out. "I can't get to everyone's home and some might not even want me."

"I want you to say if you think it's good. Be honest. If there's something I can improve, I want to know. It will help me to sell more," he says. "It'd be nice to be able to afford a nicer house."

[onesyllable]

"What? None of your friends have facebook?" He's definitely teasing, and not even hiding how amusing he finds himself from the smirk on his face.

"I suppose they would have to, though seems kind of cruel to leave a person like that, on their own," he says, making the words so utterly casual. "Though I can't imagine who wouldn't," he notes, still trying to sound as easy going about it as he can.

"I can do that though. I can let you know if you get me hot and bothered, sure."

[quinientos]

"I don't really like to use it," Vasquez admits, which is a short way to say that his editor banned him from using it, seeing as he got too distracted all the time and as a result, he's not on the social networks anymore.

Not to mention, if his friends did post those photos, he's not so sure they'd be his friends anymore.

"Will you?" he asks, putting the beans in the bowl and leaning his hip up against the counter. "Don't forget to describe it in detail. Otherwise, how will I get inspiration for my next book?"

[onesyllable]

"And already you're making things hard for me," he says, shaking his head as he pulls the steaks out of the oven.

Setting them down to let them rest as he moves to lightly brush past Vasquez, encouraging contact that he doesn't have to have but upping the ante as he moves to get plates and take them to the table. Glancing back at him as he sets them on the table, moving to set things out on the small table in the fully windowed breakfast nook.

"I promise to tell you in full detail," he offers, knowing that this is madness. He doesn't know the man, he's there for work, and now he's baiting him to see if he's at all interested in more than work and banter.

Okay so it wasn't a one night stand, but was it a bad thing to have a fling like this? He couldn't see how it could be, and more than that, he didn't want to see how it could be bad. Not when he looks at that smile.

[quinientos]

Vasquez feels his breath catch in his throat and he's already chiding himself. He needs to work on the book first. If he doesn't do that, he's going to get in trouble from Sam, even if he's the one who sent him out here to the handsome cowboy world.

"The steaks, they look..." He's awkward now, his words barely coming out. "It looks delicious." He manages to get another smile out, but this one is more nervous, because he's not entirely sure what he wants to do here. He needs to write his book, not think about his personal life.

[onesyllable]

They're definitely flirting, and even as much time as he spends working and not dating, he even is certain of that. He also knows that he is meant to be helping this man, and not just seeing how nice it might be sharing a bed as well as his kitchen.

So when the subject gets quickly changed, he suspects he's gone a bit too far.

"Thanks. Like I said, I like cooking, but I may let you do some of it for me.' Changing his language, not commenting that he's taking advantage of him. "But we'll get you some knowledge for your book about the ranch, and once you get your writing done, I'll let you know what I think of the book."

Because he's certain he can control himself until then. Surely.

He hopes.

[quinientos]

"That's a fair trade," he allows, because if he's going to be here (and he suspects Sam probably didn't pay as much as he would have, if Alejandro had gone to a hotel), he should do his part and help out. "I don't know if you'll get the book immediately," he warns, taking a seat.

"My editor is brutal, slashes through it with a knife," he deadpans, even though it's not a literal knife. "The sad thing is, he really does make it better, so I can't even be that angry."

[onesyllable]

"Oh no worries," Joshua said, moving to set the steaks onto plates that he could move to the table. "I meant the books you had written previously. So that you'll know if those scenes have the desired effect."

Smirking tightly and amused. "Which is why I'm going to help you to make sure things are authentic."

[quinientos]

"You're going to be my star rancher," Vasquez agrees with a laugh, seeing as he hadn't really had a reference point before. "This is going to be my first Western. It's in the modern day, but I've never lived on a ranch or worked like this. The last thing I need is for it to look like some city boy wrote it."

And yet, he's already painting the characters in his mind. He's going to base the cowboy on Faraday and he knows his protagonist - Maria, from Mexico, who's there to learn and earn her keep, so that she can help with her family's business.

[onesyllable]

Joshua arches a brow at that, chuckling. "I'm not sure I'm a star of anything that's a romance novel,' he points out, shaking his head. "But I'm all in to help you any way I can," he says, spreading his hands as if in supplication.

"And I will give you what I can when I read the others. That way I'll have a better idea what you're looking for here, and from this ranch and me."

[quinientos]

Alejandro wants to tell him that he means it literally. He thinks that Faraday is his new inspiration for the character in the book, but maybe he doesn't have to outright tell him. After all, if he ends up sending the man his book, then he's going to figure it out very quickly when he sees the description of the main character.

He shrugs, not saying anything, then, because he doesn't think it's so much of an issue.

"Good," he promises, eating his meal and sneaking glances at Joshua the whole time. "I should tell Sam to make the books get here quicker, then?"

[onesyllable]

Getting the steaks out and onto a serving plate, trying to sort out the swirling thoughts racing in his head. Needing to try and straighten things out. Even if this man wasn't offended by his flirting, he can't cause issues for him while he's trying to actually work. Just like he'll find a way for Alejandro to work with him so that he's not in the way here either.

"I would say might help me to sleep, but if they're that good, I won't be able to sleep," he says, smirking at him as he moves the steaks to the table. "You ready? Want a beer?"

[quinientos]

"Always," he agrees, even though he suspects it's only going to end up putting him to sleep. No matter how exciting it's been to get here and see who Faraday really is, it's been a long day of travel and with a beer in his system, he knows it will put him right to sleep.

"I can't promise I'll be much conversation after dinner, though," he forewarns. "It's been a long day and I need to poke at some editing, but tomorrow? We could make it a full day, you could show me the stables and what ranchers might wear?"

[onesyllable]

Moving easily about the kitchen, getting the bottles out of the fridge and a bottle opener. Setting them on the table, he headed back and got a plate of lemon slices out of the fridge and set them down by the beers.

It shows he's used to doing this, moving through the room and getting the items they need, setting things up easily for two people.

"Eat you a good meal, go on and head to bed," he says, giving him a smile. "I'll even do the clean up. This time," he offers. Though he can't help but look him over. "So I get to dress you?"

[quinientos]

Vasquez reaches over the table for a beer, putting off sleep until he can drink some of this, because it's been a very long day and he deserves it. Not only that, the more time he gets to know Joshua, the better. It's not just for his personal satisfaction, but also because he wants to know for the book.

"You should be able to. I think maybe you're only a little shorter than me, but bigger, so the clothes will hang off me," he says, a tiny thrill going through him to imagine being a cowboy, properly. "I'll get to play the part, it'll be fun."

[onesyllable]

"I've got some options as well," he admits. "We have some clothes that get left behind sometimes, and I make sure they're washed and kept in the barn. In case. We get transient workers through here. Mostly men and women that don't settle down, move from one ranch to another. So we'll see what we can work out.

"Now sit down and eat, before I'm having to carry you up those stairs," he says, waving a hand for him to take a seat as Joshua slid into his own seat.

[quinientos]

He raises a brow, thinking that maybe he could use that. He wants to jot down the note, but he'll tuck it into the back of his mind. Maybe the woman in the back is one of those -- a transient worker who stops by and falls in love, and ends up staying.

He settles, gesturing to him sitting, and begins to cut at his steak. "Tell me about that?" he coaxes. "The workers? It would make for a good plot. How long do they stay and what jobs do they do?"

[onesyllable]

He settles in, chair scraping, though he's considering Vasquez for a bit before he starts cutting his steak.

"Depends on what a place needs. Right now I've got some guys in from New Mexico helping with a full run, bringing in a dozen or so lost head that got through a fence after a lightning strike. And honestly? I posted on a message board," he admits with a chuckle. "Not sure how it might have worked in the past, but there's places on line to find transient help. Good people who just either fell in hard times, or just don't like living in one place for too long. Some of them owned their own places before and are trying to save the money to get a new place."

[quinientos]

Vasquez's eyes light up a little at the mention of a message board. Maybe he could use that, because people love a little bit of technology in their romance, especially if it lets him play with the 'You've Got Mail' comparisons that he'd love to get away with.

"And if one of them likes it here, how would they ask you to stay?" he asks, once he's swallowed his bite, not wanting to appear rude. "Do they have to come ask you personally?"