Hogtying the Bartender

by Charlie Richards

  A bloom of heat fired through Vance’s belly. His breath caught in his throat. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had been so concerned about his welfare... other than Brand or his boss, but he knew that was a completely different kind of care.

  “God, you’re an amazing man, Jimmy.” As Vance watched, Jimmy’s brows shot up and his lips parted, expressing his surprise. “That you care so much already... I—Fuck, you’re amazing.”

  Vance couldn’t help it. He’d never met someone with such a big heart. The knowledge that Jimmy cared so much for his wellbeing caused Vance’s heart to thud wildly in his chest in a way Vance could never remember feeling.

  Needing to touch, to feel the amazing man in his arms, Vance lifted his hand from Jimmy’s thigh as he slid closer on the sofa. He cradled the man’s jaw in his palm and leaned toward him. Hearing Jimmy’s surprised gasp, seeing his lips part, Vance took advantage and sealed his mouth over the other man’s.

  Pressing lightly at first, Vance used his lips to tease gently against Jimmy’s. He rubbed back and forth before swiping over Jimmy’s plump lower lip. Sliding his hand along Jimmy’s jaw, Vance wrapped his fingers around the back of his neck, then used his thumb to tilt the man’s head.

  Vance nipped his lower lip, then pushed his tongue between them. Jimmy’s flavor exploded across his taste buds, tantalizingly masculine. It inflamed his blood, causing desire to shoot through him, and he shivered as the hairs on his nape stood on end.

  Pressing forward, Vance reached out with his left hand. He attempted to slide it around Jimmy’s shoulders, hoping to draw him closer. Pain flashed through his hand and up his arm, causing him to jerk back with a hiss.

  “Vance!” Jimmy cried, rubbing his hands over his flannel-covered pectorals. “Are you okay?”

  Getting himself under control, Vance slowly nodded. He wasn’t certain when Jimmy had placed his hands on him, but he certainly enjoyed the man’s caresses. The mixture of soothing and stimulating caused his nipples to bead and tingle pleasantly, distracting him from the pain oh-so-nicely.

  “Yeah, I’m okay.” Vance smiled reassuringly. “Just tweaked the tips of my fingers and it pushed my thumb against the back of the sofa enough to catch my attention.”

  Jimmy smirked at him. “More than catching your attention, but probably a good thing.”

  Vance narrowed his eyes as confusion filled him. “How so.”

  Lowering his eyelids to half-mast, Jimmy whispered huskily, “Because I’d hate to get started with something and end up having dinner interrupt us.”

  Groaning at the idea of starting something, Vance shook his head. “Minx.” He continued to grin even as he eased away.

  Chapter Twelve

  Jimmy breathed heavily as he struggled to control himself. Every time Vance touched him, any hope of reasoning always seemed to fly right out the window. He’d never experienced anything like it, but he couldn’t deny he enjoyed every second of it.

  “So.” Jimmy cleared his throat, trying to remember what they’d been discussing. Right. Vance’s relationship with his son. “Am I the only one of us who is worried about—”

  Something wet seeping into his thigh caused him to start. “Oh, shit,” he hissed, grabbing for the spilling tumbler.

  At some point during the kiss, Jimmy must have released it where he’d had it balance on his thigh and leaning against the sofa’s arm. He’d obviously gotten carried away, since it’d half tipped. Vodka spread in a wet patch over not only the outside of his thigh but also down the side of the sofa.

  Jumping to his feet, Jimmy quickly set the tumbler on the coffee table. “I’m so sorry.” He turned and peered at the dark spot on the arm of the medium-brown, cloth sofa. “I’ll grab a dish towel.”

  From his time in the kitchen last week, Jimmy knew where they were kept and hustled that way.

  “Try to relax, Jimmy,” Vance called. “It won’t stain the sofa. Plus, this is old.”

  Jimmy still felt bad as he grabbed a towel from the drawer and headed back to the living room. Instead of allowing him to wipe up his mess, Vance leaned forward and grabbed the towel. He unfolded it once, then laid it over the damp spot on the arm. Then he grabbed his drink and slid backward, leaving room for Jimmy to sit without being next to the wetness.

  “Sit, please.” Vance beckoned.

  Jimmy obeyed, settling next to him again, grabbing his own drink in the process.

  “You were right, Jimmy,” Vance began after taking a sip of his drink. “It probably was a good thing we were interrupted.” Placing his cast on Jimmy’s leg, he teased the tips of his fingers over his thigh. “However, not because I don’t want to drag you to my bedroom.” Winking, Vance leaned close and murmured, “I just want to be a gentleman about it. Feeding you first and all.”

  Snorting, Jimmy felt himself heat under that look. “That’s so kind of you.”

  “It is, isn’t it?” With a rakish grin, Vance straightened. “Also, I want to thank you for being so concerned about my relationship with my son. That shows what an amazing heart you have.” The more Vance had spoken, the more serious his expression had become. “Thank you for sharing it with me.”

  The warmth blooming in Jimmy’s chest caused his mouth to dry. Lifting his drink, he took a sip. The unfamiliar beverage slightly burned his senses, and when he swallowed, it sent heated tingles through his torso. He sort of understood why Vance enjoyed the strong liquor so much.

  “Th-Thank you,” Jimmy stammered, uncertain what else to say.

  Vance leaned close and bussed a light kiss to his temple. “I’m the one who’s grateful.”

  When Vance straightened and peered into his eyes, Jimmy just held in a gasp at what he saw within their hazel depths. The man seemed to peer at him in a way he’d never before experienced. His heart rate spiked, and his pulse pounded.

  Surely I’m not seeing what I think I see. It’s too soon.

  Vance blinked, and the look was gone. Smiling, he commented, “Well, we’ve talked about my family, so how about you tell me about yours?”

  Jimmy recognized a blatant subject change when he heard one, but he didn’t mind. Grinning, he pointed out, “Well, you’ve talked about your ex and son as well as your uncle. What about your parents? Grandparents? Siblings?”

  “Oh, no. None of those, actually.”

  Since Jimmy had meant it in jest—mainly to get out of talking about his own parents—he couldn’t stop his jaw from sagging open. “Oh, shit. I’m putting my foot in it tonight, aren’t I?”

  Vance shook his head. “Not at all. My parents died when I was twelve. I was an only child, and my uncle raised me.” He shrugged. “To my knowledge, I didn’t have anyone else.” Vance’s brows furrowed. “Maybe that’s why I chose to get married so young. So I’d have someone.” Rolling his eyes, he muttered, “That didn’t work out so well, and until you, I couldn’t find anyone worth making changes for.” His thin lips curved into a warm smile as he again looked at him in that way that made Jimmy’s belly flutter. “And you are more than worth that effort, Jimmy.”

  “Wow.” Jimmy wasn’t certain how to respond to that either. “I—”

  Chuckling roughly, Vance smiled ruefully. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to put you on the spot there. I don’t expect you to respond in kind.” He looked away and lifted the glass to his lips, taking a sip.

  Jimmy was quickly beginning to recognize that was a defense mechanism Vance used to hide his thoughts or his discomfort. Not wanting to cause more unease, he lifted his glass and cheered, then took a sip. Swallowing, he took the few seconds to sort through what he wanted to say.

  “Hmm... my family,” Jimmy mused, doing his best to keep from rolling his eyes at his thoughts. “Where to start? With how disappointing I am to my mother?”

  As they waited for the enchiladas to cook, Jimmy explained about his parents. While his father had been largely apathetic in regards to him after he’d failed at baseball, his mot
her kept pushing him, making him pretty much hate all sports. By the time he’d hit high school, he’d flat out refused to join any groups and had spent the majority of his time with Oliver.

  His sister, on the other hand, had excelled at everything Jimmy had failed at. She’d become the golden child. Jimmy had stopped competing with her when he was fifteen and she was fourteen. He’d recognized that there was no point in it. That didn’t stop Mary from showing off at every opportunity.

  “I know something that she’ll never beat you at,” Vance said at one point.

  “What’s that?” Jimmy couldn’t imagine what that could be, since she always seemed to be the best at everything.

  Vance gave him one of his heart-stopping grins and whispered, “Making me smile.”

  Jimmy laughed self-consciously, feeling his cheeks flush. “Thanks. You make me pretty happy, too.” It was true, too. He always looked forward to talking to Vance, and he’d been so excited to come to the farm today, and it wasn’t because he was finally going to ride a horse. “And I feel pretty grateful that you decided to join the guys at the birthday party.”

  “Me, too.” Vance grinned again, then stated, “I’m going to take a wild guess that you’re out to your parents.” He tipped his chin up and added, “And the rest of the world. How’d they take it?”

  “My dad grunted, then turned back to the television.” Jimmy scoffed softly. “My mom still invites me to dinner for the express purpose of ambushing me with women.”

  “Ah, so it could be worse.”

  Acknowledging that truth, Jimmy agreed. “Yep. Could be worse.” Curious about Vance’s own experience, he asked, “What about you? Did your uncle know that you were”—he waved his hand, stumbling over the word—”um, bisexual?”

  His catch drew Vance’s attention, for he cocked his head, and his eyes narrowed. “Yeah, my uncle knew. He said I would need to be sure, whoever I decided on, so I wouldn’t hurt them.” His cheeks heating uncomfortably, Vance winced as he confessed, “I’m pretty damn sure that he was disappointed with my choice.” Staring hard at Jimmy, Vance added, “And I’m also damn certain he would have been impressed with you.”

  Jimmy felt as if his heart skipped a beat, and he gaped at Vance.

  In the next instant, his cowboy leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Now will you tell me why the fact that I claim to be bisexual causes you such concern?”

  Knowing he had to come clean and needing to share something just as personal, Jimmy whispered, “My younger sister stole my boyfriend when I was a junior in high school.”

  Vance’s eyes widened. “Bitch!”

  “Ha!” Jimmy barked before a series of chortles worked through him. Between giggles, he muttered, “I know, right?”

  Lifting his casted arm high to clear the back of the sofa, Vance wrapped him in a one-armed hug. He tucked Jimmy against his side, then pressed a kiss to his temple before whispering, “I would never do that to you.” Vance drew away a little so their gazes could meet. “I never cheated on my ex-wife. She cheated on me, however, so I know how it feels to be on the receiving end. I would never do that to you.”

  Jimmy held Vance’s gaze, reading the truth in his eyes. “I’ve been there, too, and I’ll offer you the same courtesy.”

  Vance’s smile was brilliant. “Thank you.”

  Just as Vance’s head began to descend, his intention to kiss Jimmy clear, the oven beeped. Vance drew away with a laugh, which Jimmy followed with one of his own. Grinning, he rose to his feet and headed to the kitchen.

  Jimmy followed, sliding behind him to reach the cupboard where he knew the plates were. Just because he hadn’t explored most of Vance’s house, that didn’t mean he hadn’t checked out the kitchen. After pulling out two plates, Jimmy opened a drawer and grabbed silverware.

  While Vance used an oven mitt to remove the food, Jimmy set the table. The heavenly smell of chicken enchiladas smothered in baked cheese followed him, causing his stomach to growl. Walking also caused certain parts of his body to twinge, reminding him of the unfamiliar activity he’d performed. Who knew sitting there on top of a horse and walking around for forty-five minutes could cause such soreness? Dismissing the thought, Jimmy headed back to the living room and returned with their drinks.

  By then, Vance had placed the baking dish onto a trivet which stood in the middle of the table. He held a spatula in his good hand and used his cast to steady the dish.

  “Do you want me to do that?” Jimmy asked, concerned by the thought of Vance putting strain on his injured hand.

  Vance glanced at him before shaking his head. “I got this. Even injured I can serve my lover.”

  Jimmy gasped. “L-Lover?”

  Pausing after sliding a pair of gooey, cheesy enchiladas onto the plate before Jimmy, Vance met his gaze. His expression turned serious. “Perhaps you giving me a couple blowjobs doesn’t really label us lovers, but I’m hoping we’ll change that this evening... if you’ll stay the night with me.”

  Shock filled Jimmy, and a fire of arousal licked through his system.

  When Vance cleared his throat and looked away, returning his focus back to the tray, Jimmy realized he’d been quiet too long. He reached out and touched his forearm. Vance remained focused on sliding a pair of enchiladas onto his own plate.

  “Please, look at me,” Jimmy pleaded.

  Maybe something in his voice caught Vance’s attention, for he lifted his head and stared at him questioningly. Jimmy wanted to kick himself when he noticed the glimmer of hurt in his cowboy’s eyes. Sliding his hand up, he touched Vance’s angular jaw, skimming the pads of his forefingers along it.

  “I have wanted to explore your sexy body since the first minute I met you, Vance,” Jimmy admitted roughly. “I want to lick and tease every inch of your skin. I want to suck your nipples, trace your muscles, and find all your sensitive spots.” Watching the bloom of lust ignite in Vance’s eyes, Jimmy continued hotly, “I brought a bag, just in case you asked me to stay, but I left it in the car because I didn’t want to seem presumptuous.” Glancing at the food pointedly, he stated, “How about we eat this amazing food you made, then I’ll grab it, and we’ll spend the rest of the evening... relaxing.”

  Jimmy put as much sexual innuendo into that one word as he could, making his meaning clear.

  Vance’s eyes flashed, the deep green of his hazel eyes beating out the brown as heat filled them. A low growl erupted from the bigger man’s throat. He grinned, the expression appearing almost feral.

  “Yeah,” Vance rumbled. “That sounds like a damn fantastic way to spend the evening.”

  Jimmy flashed a brilliant smile Vance’s way, then settled in his seat.

  While Jimmy mentally cataloged that Brand was right—the dinner was amazing—he couldn’t focus on it. He was too busy watching Vance’s mouth... and his hands—or hand—as well as his eyes and throat and the muscles that moved beneath the fabric of his shirt. Every move the man made caused more and more fire to burst through his veins.

  By the time they both finished the meal, Jimmy’s cock throbbed behind the fly of his jeans. His pierced nipples ached, sending tingles to wash through his torso. Even his stomach clenched with every heated glance Vance sent his way.

  “I’m going to put some plastic wrap over the enchilada dish and shove it in the refrigerator,” Vance stated, his voice sounding rough. “Why don’t you zip out to your car and get your bag while I do that?”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  Jimmy leaped from his seat and did just that. It took every bit of his self-control not to run. Still, by the time he returned, the food had been put away, the dishes had been piled in the sink, and Vance waited for him.

  Vance held out a hand to him, his expression clouded with lust. Taking Vance’s hand, Jimmy ever-so-happily followed the bigger man. Anticipation easily beat out his nerves as he spied the big bed with the deep blue comforter.


  He wanted to mess that up so bad.

  “So, I do have a confession,” Vance murmured, his voice trembling just a little.

  The betrayal of nerves settled something in Jimmy, and he found himself calming. “Yeah?”

  Vance turned, his smile appearing uneasy. “I’ve never done this before.” His cheeks glowed a rosy red. “I’ve wanted to. Dreamed about it.” Releasing Jimmy’s hand, he lifted his own to palm Jimmy’s cheek. “Dreamed about sucking your pierced nipples, pushing my nose into your balls and breathing you in deep, and sinking my dick deep into your body.” A shudder worked through Vance, and his body trembled. “Can I do all those things?”

  Jimmy gasped out a hard breath. A tremble worked through him even as he forced himself to nod. “Yeah,” he whispered. “Yeah, definitely.” Then remembering Vance’s casted hand, he grinned widely and added, “Maybe just not all those today.”

  Before Vance could respond, Jimmy took control. “How did you button all these with one hand?” he asked curiously as he reached up and slid the top button out of the hole. A flash of jealousy hit him, hard and unexpected. “Did someone help you, Vance?” Jimmy couldn’t believe the low anger in his tone, but he couldn’t help himself, either.

  Obviously Vance heard it, too, but instead of growing upset, he grinned. Jimmy’s ire seemed to please him. Threading his fingers through Jimmy’s hair, he cradled his nape.

  “This isn’t the first time I’ve worn a cast on my hand, so I already knew how to work around it,” he told him, grinning broadly. “And it may sound perverse, but I sure love the jealousy flashing in your eyes.”