Contributors: Jodi Payne, BA TortugaSeries: The Sin Deep Series #4
Genre: BDSM, Co-Authored, Contemporary, Gay, MM, Novel
Release Date: April 28, 2026
Buy the Book: AmazonBull rider Roper Vales isn’t sure what to do with himself when a broken ankle sidelines him mid-season, but after a very short visit, he knows it’s not going to be staying with his twin brother Ryder. Roper is proud and stubborn and despite his injury, he’s still intending to get back on a bull. Ryder has a softer life now that Roper can’t even begin to understand. So when Ryder’s lover Charles calls in some help in the form of a bossy and gorgeous man, Roper decides to see where it takes him.
Professor Toby Tyler has been warned that Roper’s a brat and needs a firm hand. He’s interested in exploring a lifestyle relationship with this strikingly beautiful man, but what he finds is that Roper needs much more. The cowboy needs to believe he deserves the good things in life. Toby is determined to help in every way, and soon finds himself falling for this complex, mercurial man.
Roper, though, has trouble opening up and sharing his life, trouble shaking off past failed relationships, and trouble fighting the urge to run when things get hard. Can he and Toby find steady ground to make a life together, or will Roper be gone before they can admit how they feel about each other?
Gemini: Roper is an opposites attract, hurt/comfort, D/s, power exchange romance featuring a bull rider and college professor.
Also in this series:
Chapter 1
“Roper, if you don’t get up out of that bed and stop sleeping—”
“Mama, leave me be. I’m hurting.” He was hurting and down, and he was flat-out paying his folks for rent, and if he wanted to stay in bed twenty-four fucking hours a day, he would.
“I’m fixin’ to call Ryder and have him come out.”
“You leave him alone. He’s busy.” His twin brother had a whole life now. A lover, a house, good work to keep him happy.
“Not too busy for this! I want you up and living like a normal person, dammit, not—sleeping and stinking up my house.”
He was going to kill her. No question—he’d wrecked pretty bad in Dallas, going over the head of a little Mexican bull with one horn and a temper, breaking his thigh bone and basically everything below his left knee, and he wanted to sleep.
For a few more months.
Mama crossed her arms and stared at him, so he stared right back. Sooner or later one of them was going to storm off and, since he couldn’t storm anywhere just now, he was pretty damn sure it was going to be Mama.
“Ugh!”
And there she went, slamming his door behind her.
He grabbed his phone and texted his twin brother. <Mamas fixin’ to call>
<U still in bed?>
<Shut up I’m tired>
<U need me?>
Did he? He wanted to see Ryder, absolutely, but he didn’t want to fuck with Ryder’s new, amazing, perfect life.
Asshole.
<Nope. Fine.>
There was a pause, and he watched three dots dance on the screen for a while.
<Mama called. I go there, or you come here. Your choice>
Oh, for fuck’s sake. He was going to bite something.
Hard.
Like munch munch munch.
<I mean it>
<Be patient. Buy me a plane ticket>
There was a long pause, and then his phone buzzed with another text.
With a plane ticket for tomorrow.
Son of a bitch.
<Charles says he can send a car. Do you need help?>
<Can u come>
<of course. I’ll pick you up.> Another pause. <WE’LL pick you up>
Charles was a good man, and he took good care of Ryder. But the two of them were so perfect for each other it was almost hard to watch.
<ty. cu tomorrow>
<Yes. Love you. I’ll call mama.>
<thx. Love you more>
He sighed, then he looked at the mess in his room. He needed to pack. Maybe Mama would do some laundry for him…
There was a knock at his door. “Roper, honey. I’m coming in.”
“Goodie,” he murmured, too low for his mother to hear. “Okay, Mama. Come on.”
“Ryder says he got you a plane ticket. I’m glad. You two are better together. I never figured out how to handle you on your own. Daddy says he’ll Venmo you the rent back.” She surveyed his room, and he could see the wheels turning. “I’ll help you get your laundry to the laundry room, but you’re perfectly capable of running the machines.”
He blew out a hard breath. “Whatever you say, Mama.”
Lord have mercy, when was the plane leaving?
“I’ll get a couple of baskets. How do you make such a mess? Bull riders. Ugh.” She kept complaining as she walked away, leaving his door wide open.
Lasso came wandering through, his youngest brother the spitting image of the rest of them. It was what Mama got, having two sets of twins fifteen years apart. “Hey. Want some help?”
“Yeah. You mind?”
“Nah. Daddy’s got Latigo out at the roping pen, but I got a job hanging a door with Jeremy Rodgers. He’s picking me up at three.” Lasso started picking stuff up. “Need me some beer money.”
“Priorities.” He was reaching for his crutches when Mama came back with two laundry baskets.
“I see you’ve enlisted your brother. Lasso, don’t you have actual work to do?” She set the baskets down, and Lasso started throwing clothes in one.
“I’ve got an hour to kill, Mama; don’t fret. I’m just helping out.”
“I—I swear to God, you boys are going to be the death of me.”
“Nah. We’ll just make you wish you were gone.” He stuck his tongue out at her, teasing.
“Every damn day, boy. Every day.” She smiled at him, though, and picked up a full basket. “I’ll start these.”
“Thank you, Mama.” He grabbed her and kissed her cheek. “I promise not to make Ryder cry too much.”
“I doubt Ryder has anything to cry about. He’s got quite the…gentleman friend now.”
“Gentleman friend. I bet they get married, Mama.” Charles seemed the type.
“We’ll cross that bridge…as they say.” Mama shook her head and left with his laundry.
“Gentleman friend? I didn’t know people still said shit like that.” Lasso laughed, still picking things up off his floor.
“I guess it’s better than fuck buddy.”
“Dude. Ew. Just ew.”
“Yeah, I hear you.” He rolled his eyes. No one wanted to think about the two of them doing the nasty.
“Are you really leaving? You can’t ride for a while, right? What are you going to do up north? Like, for work?”
“I’m going to sponge off Ryder.” He had plenty in savings, but he preferred seeming like an asshole. It made things easier.
“You mean off Ryder’s gent-eel-man buddy?” Lasso giggled himself silly.
“Yep. His sweet little buddy.” He rolled his eyes, dramatic as all get out.
“Can we come visit?” Lasso looked at him hopefully. “I want to see New York City.”
“Sure. I’ll talk to Ryder, but sure. Let me settle in, get him prepared for company. Fair?” He didn’t want Ryder to lose his shit.
“Yeah. Totally fair. Cool.” Lasso grinned at him, so excited and…young.
Worst came to worse, he’d get the boys a hotel room and let them explore the city with him.
Ryder was a bit of a fuddy-duddy.
“Roper…” Lasso straightened up and looked at him. “Can I ask you something?”
“You can ask me anything, buddy.” Anything at all.
“You’re going to ride again, right? I mean, that will get better, and then you’ll be good as new, right?” Lasso’s question was full of worry. It was in his eyes.
“Shit, it’s just a leg. I been hurt there a bunch.” Besides, what else was he going to do? He didn’t have a sugar daddy to keep him. “I ain’t like Ryder. My brain is solid.”
Lasso nodded. “Mama says Ryder might as well have won the lottery.”
Yeah, when he’d met Ernie, he’d thought he had too. Too bad the guy was a way better friend than a lover.
At least Ernie had found Ryder the perfect job and lover after his accident.
“True that.”
“I met a girl.” Lasso grinned at him. “She’s pretty enough I don’t care about the lottery.”
“Oh, ho! What’s she like?” He started digging out his suitcases.
Mama and Daddy had to be tickled, having two sons who were going to be able to give them grandbabies.
“Her name is Jessica. She’s fun. Kind of daring. She has the best smile. She works in town at the bookstore. Even better?” Lasso stood a little taller. “Mama likes her.”
“Oh, man. Good for you! Latigo like her too?” He knew that was important.
“I think so, but he gives me such shit about her. I told him he needs to get out more, but all he wants to do is practice. He’s good, you know? Real good.”
“Yeah. Yeah, I know.” Latigo was going to be a rodeo man forever. The rest of them? Not so much. “You ought to ponder getting some schooling, huh, cowboy?”
Lasso sighed. “Daddy says the same, says I should talk to you, but I don’t know…”
Yeah, he’d been smart, once upon a time.
He got over it.
“You got time—but you could try welding or some such, if you’re not in a college place.” Listen to him, giving advice. Shit.
Lasso nodded. “I was thinking about construction. Like houses, I mean. Barns. Or plumbing.”
“There’s good money in both those. Daddy ought to be able to introduce you to folks.” Daddy and Mama knew everyone.
Lasso nodded. “Is it weird not being near Ryder though? I think it would be weird.”
“It is weird, but I talk to him a lot. I FaceTime him. I visit. You know?” It was tough, but part of it was okay. Ryder was happy.
“I guess I’ll get used to it.”
Mama came back with another empty basket and started to fill it. “Get used to what?”
“You being so nosy, Mama.” Lasso stuck his tongue out at her.
“You see what I deal with? I know I raised you boys to have more respect for your mother.”
“Sorry, Mama,” they spoke together, both of them grinning wide.
“God save me. Please.” She wandered back out, and they both cracked up.
“I better get going. You travel safe tomorrow and text me sometime okay?” Lasso stuck out his hand.
They shook and got in a half-hug. “You know I will. Get on with yourself, now. I’m going to go drive Ryder insane.” It was what he was best at.
“Your specialty. Have fun. I know I would!” Lasso hurried out of the room.
“It’s so easy, right?”
Lord knew, Ryder was…finicky.
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes. He hoped this was the way to heal up.
He prayed this was right
Title: Gemini: Roper
Published by: Tygerseye Publishing, LLC
ASIN: B0GTBQBLF1
ISBN13: 978-1963644227
