by David Horne
Sterling nodded but didn't lift his eyes from their hands. "What if I'm not okay?"
Carter glanced his way with a frown. "You will be," he insisted, finally feeling a little nervousness of his own. He hoped he hadn't miscalculated.
***
Davis Jackson felt much better about the next flight out to Talkeetna than he had the first. He spent most of the trip with a smug smile on his face. He nodded at the other passengers as only someone with his level of confidence could. He'd be finishing up the deal of a life time today. The only thing left would be to clear Decker's property of its little shanty, and then start felling trees for the resort. With any luck, it would up and running in a year.
After landing at Talkeetna airport, he took the same taxi service into town. The place seemed a lot more lively this time around, but he chalked it up to the good weather. He checked in at the same hotel, and then made his way back to the little restaurant at the end of town.
The same grizzled woman came up to meet him. "Back again?" she asked.
"Yes, just a bit more business to clear up," Davis answered, pleasantly.
"Oh, you're a businessman then?"
"Yes, I'm in building and real estate."
"Ah, can't imagine you'll find much of that out here," Wynona sassed.
"You'd be surprised," Davis answered with his self-satisfied smile.
"No, I really wouldn't," Wynona countered again, and dropped all pretense of civility. "I know exactly who you are, Mister Jackson, and you're not welcome on my premises."
"Excuse me?" the balding man sputtered.
"You heard me. I know what you're trying to do here, and I won't stand for it. Get out of my restaurant!" With that, Wynona picked up a broom, and started trying to shoo Davis away.
He let out a terrified squeal as the broom almost hit him over the head. He backed away until he got to the door, and then spilled out onto the street.
"And stay out!" she yelled after him.
Davis turned away from her, angry and embarrassed. "We'll see about this," he spat at her, but as he turned to try and walk away with some dignity, he noticed that there were quite a few people on the street already. They were all looking at him, and many of them were moving closer. "What's going on here?" he demanded.
As Carter and Sterling drove into Talkeetna, they noticed a bit of a commotion going on. Carter stopped the car in front of Wynona's shop, trying not to smile too much.
"What's going on?" Sterling asked as the two of them stepped out of the car. It was then that he spotted Davis Jackson. "That's..." he sputtered and pointed.
"Yeah," Carter commented in a lazy voice as he watched the man being herded closer and closer to them. When Davis turned and spotted them, Carter waved. "Ah, Mister Jackson."
Davis looked them both over, fright and confusion turning to anger. "You," he said, pointing at Sterling. "This is your doing."
Sterling quickly shook his head. "What is?"
"This, this..." Davis stammered, and gestured wildly.
"It looks to me like a simple matter of these people not wanting you in their town," Carter called out.
Sterling slowly turned his head and ogled his boyfriend. His mouth fell open, and he hissed, "This is what all of those phone calls were about?"
Carter simply nodded, never taking his eyes off of Jackson.
"We had a legal business transaction to discuss," the man complained. "How dare you—"
"You want to talk about legal?" Carter cut in, loud enough for the crowd around them to hear. "You tried to force this man off his land by burning his property down."
A shocked and angry murmur went through the crowd, and Davis looked around desperately. "I did no such thing. You have no proof of anything like that."
"Don't I?" Carter taunted, and out from behind their truck, Ralph and Martha walked forward. Ralph had Jacob and Garth Hannigan by their scruffs and shoved them forward. "I believe these two men would beg to differ. You hired them to do the dirty work."
The murmur turned to shouts of rage and disgust. There was nothing Davis could say now to dissuade them, and he knew it. So did Carter.
"We won't press charges...this time, but if you ever even send another letter Sterling Decker's way..."
The townspeople cheered, and shouted their agreement, before herding Davis Jackson toward the airport. Sterling watched them go in disbelief, but after a few moments, realized that not everyone had gone. Ralph and Martha had stayed behind as well as a few other people eyeing him curiously.
He turned to Carter, and muttered, "Maybe we should go home now."
"Are you crazy?" Carter snorted. "These people came out to help you. Some of them have spent ten years wondering what happened to you."
Sterling looked up to see a small, gray-haired woman, cautiously moving his way. He took a breath and gave her a small smile. It brightened her own face up, and she stuck out a hand as she reached him.
"Mister Decker, it's a real pleasure to meet you," Wynona cooed.
"Um, thanks," was all Sterling could muster.
"Why don't you come on in, have some lunch? It's on the house. I know there are a few people here who'd like to speak with you."
Sterling turned to Carter, trying not to look terrified, and after a supportive nod, he followed her.
"I'm Wynona," the woman said as she led the small group inside.
When they got there, though, Sterling stopped in his tracks, and looked around the walls. All of them were covered in his work.
Carter leaned into his ear, and whispered, "This is how I knew who you were." Then he passed him with a smile, leaving his boyfriend to stand and gape.
"I had no idea..." he muttered as Wynona stepped up to him with a kind, proud smile.
"Some of them are just prints," she admitted.
"Yeah, I know. I have the originals at my cabin," Sterling replied, absently.
"Really?" she enthused. "We were always worried they'd disappeared."
"We?" Sterling repeated.
Wynona nodded to the tables and booths full of people. Some of them were still staring, and it suddenly became more than Sterling could take.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, and quickly ran through the door into the shop.
Carter got up from where he was sitting with Ralph and Martha and put a hand on a worried Wynona's arm. "He'll be all right. I'll go talk to him."
Sterling was standing by the register with his head down on the counter. He had his eyes closed and flinched when Carter put a hand on his back.
"Are you okay?" his boyfriend asked.
Sterling straightened up and shook his head. "I had no idea anyone still cared about my work."
"I told you, you had friends here," Carter said with a kind smile.
"You knew all along, didn't you?"
Carter nodded. "I told you, this is where I found out about you. I confess, I haven't been a fan that long."
Sterling huffed, but then grit his teeth, and looked away. "I don't know if I can do this," he finally said.
"Of course you can. There's nothing to it. Just walk out there, say hello, sit down, and chat with a few people. They're just people, and so are you. They don't expect anything from you."
Sterling thought it over for a moment, and then nodded, slightly. "Okay," he whispered, and ran a hand through his unruly hair to try and smooth it. It didn't work. Then he followed Carter out, hiding behind him as long as he could. The room had grown quiet, so he peeked out from behind the taller man to see what was going on.
"Mom?" he breathed.
Standing by the door was a woman not much shorter than Sterling. Her hair was dark, and her eyes big and brown, just like his. Carter could tell it was the same woman Sterling had been talking to on the video chat, the same woman he'd called the day before, and asked to come.
His mother smiled through her tears, and then opened her arms wide as her son staggered over to her, unable to hold back his own emotions. Gasps and awes went through the room
as they hugged, and then everyone started clapping.
Chapter Thirteen
Four months later, the air began to give the ever-so-subtle indication that fall might be coming soon. The mornings were crisper, and the daylight hours beginning to feel shorter and shorter. Normally, that would mean a mad dash to cut wood, catch fish, and weatherize all the buildings. This year though, that had all been put on hold. Instead, Sterling and Carter had been busy putting up a new building, with some help from Ralph, Martha, and Wynona.
They even had a party planned for when it was finished, something Sterling had grown more and more nervous about. He was resolved to go through with it though, especially since it wasn't just about him anymore, and now that the day had come, he actually didn't feel too bad. Not too bad.
"Are you all right?" Carter called from the outhouse door.
Sterling's head was still over the toilet, where he'd thrown up for the second time that morning. "Yeah, I'm fine," he insisted as he wiped his mouth with his hand. "I may need to change again, though," he added to the sound of Carter chuckling.
"Well, it's a good thing I keep the laundry done up, isn't it?" his boyfriend teased.
When Sterling finally emerged, the two of them went to the cabin, and got him cleaned up. Though Carter had joked about the laundry, his boyfriend was now working on his last nice shirt. As they walked back out for some fresh air, they heard engines in the distance. Over the summer, they'd cleared a path from the highway to Sterling's house. It had taken a lot of work, and it was little more than a four-wheeler trail, but it would do. As they stood in the doorstep, the first of the four-wheelers began to arrive.
Sterling took a deep breath, tried not to blush, and held up his hand in a wave. Carter put a hand on his shoulder, and then did the same.
"Hi Carter! Hi Sterling!" Jess from the bar called out, and then made her way to the building they'd only just finished that morning.
As two more people drove up, Carter turned to his boyfriend, and said, "Guess it's time to make an appearance."
"Yeah," Sterling agreed.
Inside the building, Wynona was handing out glasses of champagne and tiny cocktail napkins. She assured everyone that this was still Alaska, and that the hot food would be along shortly. It drew the appropriate laughter, and she smiled warmly as Carter and Sterling walked in.
"And here are the devils themselves," she said as the two of them stepped out of the doorway to let a few more people in. She ushered them in, and muttered, "Mingle. Say a few words about your process."
Carter chuckled and nodded, and then took Sterling's arm to steady him as they strolled.
The building wasn't really much bigger than Sterling's cabin, but the space had been left open save for one half wall that separated the two rooms. On one side, Sterling's paintings hung from the walls, including the new ones he'd done over the summer. On the other side were Carter's photos of Denali, the forests and the local tundra.
"I can't believe we've actually done it," Carter said. "I've never really done an exhibition before."
"I can't believe there are so many people here," Sterling countered. "People are going to have to start waiting in line outside."
An older man sidled up to him and nodded at one of his new paintings. Sterling recognized him as the caretaker at the park campground.
"That's a nice one," he commented on a painting of the burning greenhouse.
Sterling blushed. "I was still a bit angry about that. I bet you're surprised, though. I mean about me being a painter and all."
The old man stuck out his bottom lip and shook his head slightly. "Nope. I always knew who you were."
Sterling's eyes widened while Carter grinned. "You knew?"
"Yep." With that, the man walked away to give Carter's photographs a look.
Carter laughed heartily as Sterling stared at his retreating back. Then a few more people came up to them; a family with a young girl who wanted to be an artist. This made Sterling even more nervous. He'd never thought of himself as a mentor before, but the longer they chatted, the more he felt proud to be able to help.
After a while, Carter and Sterling made their way back outside to get some air, and let people look around on their own. They were both in high spirits, chatting away, but as they stepped outside, Carter gasped and stopped. Standing by a truck, next to the cabin, were his mom and dad. He gaped at them for a moment, and then he whipped his head in Sterling's direction.
"What did you do?" he asked.
"I thought I'd return the favor," Sterling replied with a mischievous grin.
Carter slapped him on the back, and then jogged over to his parents. He gave his mom a big bear hug, lifting her off her feet.
"Carter!" she squealed and laughed until he put her down.
As Sterling hesitantly stepped over to them, Carter pulled him over, under his arm. "Mom, Dad, this is Sterling Decker."
Carter's dad held out a hand. "I hear you're an artist too."
"Yes, sir," Sterling answered, shaking his hand. "Mostly oil and colored pencil."
The event went on for most of the day, people coming and going almost constantly. They'd started to worry the road might need repaired already, but luckily the weather held, and it didn't get washed out. Carter's parents were the last to leave, and only because he assured them that they should get back to town before dark.
"I'll come into town, and visit you tomorrow," he promised. He grinned as his mom kissed him on the cheek, and then he shut her door, and turned back to the cabin.
Sterling was already waiting for him, slumped on the loveseat they'd replaced his recliner with. "What a day," he breathed.
"Yeah," Carter agreed, and slumped down next to him.
They spent the rest of the evening resting. They fixed a quick dinner and played with Larry after coaxing him out from under the bench. By the time bedtime rolled around, the two of them were excited about the day again, and sleep was the last thing on their mind. They climbed up into the loft, but the pajamas they'd just changed into quickly started coming off again.
"I can't believe it," Sterling said for the hundredth time.
"You're just that good, baby," Carter teased, and nuzzled into his neck.
Sterling chuckled as his boyfriend's hands slipped under his shirt, and lightly danced over his spine. He ran a hand of his own through Carter's thick, silver hair, and then he kissed his forehead.
"They were there to see your photos too, you know," he pointed out.
"True, but more as an afterthought," Carter replied, and then pulled off Sterling's shirt. His head dipped down as he pushed the man back a little, and he took a nipple between his teeth.
Sterling hissed, and his eyes closed. As his boyfriend's tongue swirled over the sensitive skin, he felt the blood rush to cock, and he let out an appreciative hum. His hand went back to Carter's hair, and his fingers twirled it as his hips began to squirm.
After a few moments, Carter leaned up again to get a good look at Sterling's pleasured face. "You like that?" he teased. When his boyfriend simply smiled and nodded, he took off his own shirt, and then dropped to his side.
Sterling opened his eyes and laughed as he ended up on his back on the bed. The sight of Carter above him, looking amorous made his giggles catch in his throat. He reached between them, and undid his pants, and then did the same to Carter's. Then he slowly slid his hands down his waist, revealing his boyfriend's hardened cock.
"I see you're ready for me," he teased, and gave the man a wink as he slid his hands all the way down his butt.
Carter growled and buried his face in Sterling's neck again. He sucked at the delicate flesh, but not hard enough to leave a mark. Then he pushed back again, grabbed his boyfriend's pants, and gave them a yank. When Sterling lifted up his hips, he pulled them all the way off. Then he crawled back over his boyfriend, settling between his legs. He grabbed their trusty jar of petroleum jelly as he slowly ran his other hand up the shaft of Sterling's cock. He smiled as i
t drew a groan from the other's lips, and then he lifted his legs up around his waist.
"Are you ready?" he teased.
"For the love of..."
Carter laughed and applied some of the slick substance to a couple of fingers. Before long, Sterling was writhing and moaning beneath him, so he pulled his fingers out. Before he could do anything else, though, Sterling sat up, and took the jar of petroleum jelly.
"Let me," he whispered, practically breathless. He took a little jelly, and then he began, ever so slowly, to run his hand up and down Carter's cock. It was warm and throbbing, causing his own erection to grow even harder. He watched as his boyfriend's eyes closed, and he let his head fall back. After a moment, he moved his hand a little faster, and gripped a little harder, until Carter's hips began to move with him, and a moan came up from his throat. Then he settled back onto the bed, and let Carter get on with it.
Sterling was still surprised at how completely the man filled him, and he grunted when Carter slipped all the way in a few moments later. He pushed back to meet him, crying out as his boyfriend teased his sweet spot over and over again.
Carter kept the momentum from getting out of hand, pushing in hard, but slow. He leaned in to kiss his distracted boyfriend and felt a shiver down his spine as Sterling groaned into his mouth. His arms were beginning to shake, so he sat back, and grabbed Sterling's hips. He pulled them back towards his own.
"Oh God," he groaned, and thrust faster. Sterling was so deep that he could feel his whole cock sink in, causing him to pull even harder at his lover's hips. "Oh God," he repeated, his breath starting to strangle in his throat.
Sterling felt the same and had long since given up trying to keep up with Carter's moves. He simply laid there, letting the pleasure wash over him as his hands grasped the headboard above him. As his boyfriend thrust faster and faster, and he slid along the bed, he felt his body begin to go taut.
"Carter!" he cried out as his boyfriend hit his sweet spot again and again. His legs wrapped tight around Carter's waist, and he shoved himself back, crying out as his climax came hard. He pushed back again and again until he felt his boyfriend come inside him. He knew he was going to be sore in the morning, but the thought only made him smile.
