Inheritance

by Sean Michael

  “Yeah, yeah. I’ll see you in the morning. Can I make some popcorn?”

  “Sure. Don’t burn it. I hate that smell.” Cash grinned, looking like 100 percent smartass.

  “You can’t burn microwave popcorn, Uncle Cash.”

  “You sure as shit can. Oh my God. I’ve seen your momma burn it so black it looked like alien popcorn, I swear to God.”

  “Okay, you can’t burn it unless you’re my mom.” Ben’s mouth went tight suddenly, and Brad reached out to tug him into a quick hug.

  Ben returned the hug, slapped him on the back, and then stepped back to stare at Cash. “Cowboy up, right?”

  “Yessir.”

  Ben straightened his spine. “’Kay. Love you.”

  Cash nodded once more. “I love you, son. Get on to making you some popping corn.”

  Ben went, and Brad sat back, making the swing creak. “Oh man. You think we passed that test?”

  “Jesus, I hope so. That was so not how I wanted that to happen.”

  “I know. Me neither.” He looked at Cash. “We need to be more careful. No more making out unless we’re behind closed doors. I don’t mind the kids knowing, but I definitely don’t want them walking in on us.”

  “Yeah. I’m sorry, man.” Cash flushed. “I didn’t think.”

  “No, we were both doing what felt right.” He gave Cash a grin. “We could go upstairs….”

  “You think it’s okay?” Cash was obviously more rattled than he wanted to let on.

  “We’re not doing anything wrong, Cash.”

  “Yeah, I know. It just… this is weird.”

  “I know. Still… well, how weird would it be if we weren’t seeing each other but going out on dates instead? That wouldn’t be any easier.”

  “Like you’d date my hick ass.”

  “No, I went straight to fucking it.” Dating for them would be… redundant.

  “Yep. It felt good too.”

  “So you want to go do it again or not?”

  “Fuck yes.”

  “Come on, then.” Brad stood and held out his hand, the mood starting to come back.

  Cash’s hand slipped into his, callused and rough and hard. Male. Brad wanted to feel that hand on him. He wanted to take their time and make fucking love.

  Brad led the way up the stairs, and they stopped at the twins’ bedroom, then Branson’s and lastly Beth’s, making sure the kids were all snuggled in and still asleep. He chuckled. “Okay, they’re all tucked in. Our turn.”

  “Your room?” Cash asked. Brad had the master; somehow Cash had taken the couch in the office.

  Brad nodded. “It has a lock.”

  “I’m becoming a big fucking fan of locks.” Cash led him over.

  The room looked less and less like Val and Jack had lived there, with Brad’s computers and his clothes going everywhere.

  Brad clicked the lock, the sound loud, making him chuckle a little. “I’m a fan too.” He swung Cash toward him and found his mouth.

  Cash smacked against him with his whole body. Oh fuck, Brad wanted. Desperately. He shoved Cash up against the wall and pushed into him. One long cowboy leg wrapped around his thigh and dragged them tight together. Fuck, but Cash was strong. Felt amazing against him.

  Cash tongue-fucked his lips, hips bucking and rubbing against him. Goddamn. That was. Fuck. Brad grabbed hold of the waist of Cash’s shirt, shoving it up so he could get to skin, groaning when he found it. Cash’s nipples were tight and hard, calling to his fingers. He pinched and twisted, fingers clumsy with need.

  “Oh. Oh fuck. More, man.” Cash tugged Brad’s shirt up, nails scratching his belly.

  “Uh-huh. More.” He lifted his arms, letting Cash get the shirt off, then he went back to what he was doing, wrapping his mouth around one nipple as his fingers worked the other.

  It was fascinating—the moans, the hums, the way Cash reached for him, rocked against him. He grabbed the belt loops of Cash’s jeans and pulled him away from the wall, stumbling them toward the bed.

  “Damn. I… you make me feel like a fucking teenager again.” Cash tackled him, pushing him to the bed.

  “I don’t think I even felt like this as a teenager.” He watched Cash’s belly, watched the muscles there ripple. He spread his legs, jeans tight. “Come and get me.”

  Wriggling out of his tight jeans, Cash stripped and then pounced, landing on Brad with a thud. The wind got knocked out of Brad, but he managed to get his arms around Cash, laughing breathlessly.

  Cash leaned down and took his lips in a hard, fierce kiss. It stole Brad’s fucking breath, but he didn’t care. He pushed up against Cash’s body.

  “I. Damn.” Cash reached down, cupped Brad’s balls, and rolled them.

  Groaning, Brad spread his legs, hips tilting. “You want me?” He could go either way as long as one of them got fucked.

  “Hell yeah. Your ass is worth writing songs about.” Cash squeezed his ass.

  “No singing. Just fucking,” Brad said. He put his hand behind Cash’s head and pulled him down for a kiss.

  Cash was one hell of a multitasker—stripping Brad and kissing him and driving him crazy.

  “Fuck. Please.” Brad slid his legs up along the outside of Cash’s thighs as his hands moved restlessly, trying to touch everything at once.

  “Uh-huh.” Cash scooted down, licking Brad’s body all the way.

  Oh fuck, that mouth was as hot as Brad remembered. Felt even better than he remembered on his skin too. His cock got a kiss and a nibble, and then his balls were bathed and licked, one pulled into Cash’s hot and hungry mouth.

  “Shit. Cash. Fuck.” It wasn’t what he’d meant to say, but it was all he got out.

  Cash’s fingers rubbed over his hole, teasing and touching him, driving him a little crazy.

  “Please,” he begged, tugging at Cash’s hair. He wasn’t even sure what he was asking for except more.

  “Mm-hum.” Cash’s mouth moved lower, and his teeth scraped Brad’s perineum before his tongue slid over Brad’s hole.

  The sensation made Brad jerk and buck, and he could feel every touch all over. Oh fuck. Cash’s tongue was fucking magic, sliding and touching, sparking every nerve he had. Letting go of Cash’s hair, Brad twisted the sheets in his fingers as he tried to hold on. Brad hadn’t ever been rimmed like that—like it was hot and necessary and good. He was reduced to sounds, to moans and groans and little whimpers that would be embarrassing if he didn’t feel so fucking good.

  Then, all of a sudden, that touch was gone, replaced a few moments later with a thick, hot cockhead. Cash’s eyes burned down at him. “Now?”

  “Fuck yes.” He nodded, grabbing his knees and spreading himself for Cash.

  Cash pushed in, sure and strong, sinking into him and making him groan. He didn’t do this often, and the stretch burned a little. It felt good, though. Felt great.

  “Fuck, it’s good.” Cash stared at him, almost wild.

  “Yes. Don’t fucking stop.” He grabbed Cash’s ass, encouraging him.

  Cash’s skinny hips bucked and rolled as he pushed his cock deep into Brad, who hadn’t been so well fucked in years. He managed to get one leg around the back of Cash’s legs, holding on and pulling him in even deeper. Then he grabbed Cash’s head and tugged him down for a long, hot kiss. One of Cash’s hands snaked between them, reaching for Brad’s cock, tugging on it, pulling hard.

  “Oh yeah. Fuck.” Brad nodded, seeing stars behind his eyes.

  It didn’t take more than that before he was shouting into Cash’s mouth, hips bucking as he came all over Cash and himself. Cash’s heavy cock slammed into him—once, twice, three more times—and then Cash groaned and stilled.

  Brad patted Cash’s back, his heart beating hard in his chest, his breath slowly coming back to normal. Cash blinked a little bit, then got up to deal with the condom, stumbling a little.

  Man, it seemed cold without Cash sprawled all over him. “We need a trash can next to the bed.”

&nbs
p; “Uh-huh.” Cash came back, looking almost asleep. “Can I come in?”

  “Yeah.” Brad rolled so he could get under the covers and held them up for Cash to join him.

  “Thanks.” Cash snuggled in. “Man, this one’s better than mine.” One leg draped around Brad’s hip.

  “Yeah? You could maybe…. Well, you know, bring your suitcase up.”

  “Yeah? I could do that.” Cash snuggled in. “Would make this easier.”

  “It would. Tomorrow, then. And we’ll tell the rest of the kids…. Shit. I don’t know what we’re going to tell them.”

  “We’ll figure it out. Hell, we might not have to say anything. The baby’s up here. That’s easier.”

  “Yeah. And Ben knows. He’s the only one, I think, who really understands what it means.” He spooned up around Cash, the man’s ass fitting nicely against his crotch.

  “Mm-hum.” Cash hummed, nodded.

  Brad chuckled, patting Cash’s hip. “You wanna sleep, man?”

  “Nap. I gotta do dishes….”

  “I put ’em in the dishwasher, Cash. Go to sleep.”

  “Oh, you rock.” His hand was drawn up, kissed.

  “Uh-huh.” He settled with his face buried in Cash’s neck. He smelled good, like the two of them and sex and man.

  He was damn afraid he could get used to it.

  Or that he already was.

  Chapter Five

  “WHEN’RE YOU coming home, Cash?” Bill sounded frustrated, worried. Tired. “You are coming back, right?”

  “Yeah. Yeah, man. I gotta handle shit up here, man. I have to. There’s six kids.”

  “Y’all got room. Bring ’em home.”

  “I hope to once school’s out. There’s three of ’em in school, baseball, scouts and shit. They just lost their folks, man.”

  “Yeah, but you still got a life, Cash. Cattle. Land. Horses.”

  “No shit.” He growled a little, grabbing a beer from the fridge.

  Brad sauntered into the kitchen with the popcorn bowls the kids had used earlier, whistling. The noise stopped as soon as Brad saw he was on the phone, Brad mouthing, “Sorry, man.”

  He nodded, tried to smile. “Just a little longer, Bill. I’ll fly out with the kids over spring break, okay? Take the week to settle some shit.”

  Brad set the bowls in the sink before leaning against Cash’s back and reaching for a beer of his own. Cash pressed back and wrapped his arm behind him, around Brad’s waist, idly listening to Bill piss and moan and bitch. Brad looped an arm over Cash’s shoulder, hand hanging near his ribs. A soft kiss tickled his skin below his free ear.

  Cash turned to look back at Brad and smiled. He rolled his eyes, hand flapping as Bill went on and on. Brad chuckled against Cash’s skin and trailed soft kisses over his neck. Oh. Oh man. Damn. He mouthed, “Tease.”

  The hand hanging over Cash’s shoulder slid across his nipple, flicking at it through his T-shirt. “Me?”

  Cash’s eyes went wide, and he nodded, swatting Brad. The kids were up, and he was on the phone. Brad chuckled, dancing out of the way of his swat before coming back to rub against his ass.

  Cash couldn’t stop his laughter. “Look, Bill, I have to go. The kids need me.”

  Brad nodded and made a victory sign.

  “Yeah. Uh-huh. Buh-bye.” He hung up, rolled his eyes. “Wanna come visit the ranch?”

  “Yeah. I want to see this wonder ranch of yours.” Brad tugged him in, wrapping him in a hug.

  “Oh, good. I need to get some stuff done.” He hugged Brad back. They were starting to get the hang of this dealing-with-kids thing.

  Brad nodded. “And I need to see it before I can be in 100 percent on the moving-to-Texas plan.”

  “Yep. You might hate it.” Cash looked out at still-bare trees. “It’s full-blown spring back home.”

  “Oh, the warm weather’s a selling point. We can always come back for holidays if we miss the snow.” Brad’s hands were back to wandering.

  “Mmm. Your hands are warm. What are the kids up to?”

  “Branson is down for his nap. The others are playing hide-and-seek with Ben. I came looking to see if you wanted to play our own version of it upstairs. Or in the office. I’m only picky about the locking-the-door part.”

  “I could play a quick game.”

  “Come on, then.” Brad looped an arm around Cash’s waist, encouraging him toward the office where all Brad’s computers and books and shit had been moved. “Everything okay back at the ranch?”

  “Yeah. The guy who’s working it is ready for me to come back, but yeah. Basically.”

  “You miss it, huh?” Brad closed the office door, clicking the lock behind them.

  “Sure I do. It’s home, and I love to feel something warm and strong between my thighs.”

  “Cowboy, I’ve got something warm and strong to go between your thighs right here.”

  Oh, somebody was in a fine, fine mood. Cash grinned and perched on the edge of the desk, thighs sprawling. “You think?”

  “I know.” Brad walked toward him, coming right into his space and standing between his legs.

  Cash leaned back, hips tilting, cock rubbing against Brad. Groaning, Brad followed him, leaning in for a kiss and rubbing back. The more they did this, the better it felt. The more Cash needed and the more he wanted and the more he figured he was utterly fucked.

  “God, you always taste so fucking good.” Brad’s arm went around him. His fingers slid on Cash’s back while his other hand rose between them to tease Cash’s nipples through his shirt.

  Cash nodded, wrapping one leg around Brad’s hip, dragging them closer together.

  “Fucking hot.” Brad was muttering, kissing from Cash’s jaw down his neck.

  “Uncle Brad! Gramma’s here!” The knock came hard, rattling the knob. “She has some papers for you.”

  “Fuck,” Cash said.

  “Papers? I have a bad feeling about this.” Brad growled and straightened, running a hand through his hair. “Coming, honey.”

  “You go first, man. I’ll come out in a couple.” He straightened Brad’s shirt. “Whatever she wants, we’ll deal.”

  “Fucking papers.” Brad took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay, I’m ready for whatever she’s gonna throw at us. I hope.”

  With that, Brad went out, finding her right there. “Mother. We weren’t expecting you this weekend.”

  “I don’t expect so. Do you always leave the children without supervision?” Oh, fucking bitch.

  “Since when is two adults in the house without supervision, Mother?” Cash couldn’t see the wicked witch of the east, but Brad was standing with his arms crossed, back tight with tension.

  Cash headed out the second door so he could short-cut through the dining room and get to the kids in the playroom. Once there, he grabbed Ben’s arm. “Bud, get the kiddos into the TV room and put on cartoons. This shit with your granny’s fixin’ to get ugly.”

  Ben’s eyes went wide. “She’s not going to take us away from you, is she?”

  “No, son. I ain’t gonna let that happen. Your uncle Brad and me? We’ve got you and we want you, okay?”

  “All of us, right?”

  At his nod, Ben gave him a quick, hard hug and then gathered everyone up, herding them into the TV room.

  Then Cash went to get that woman out of their house.

  Brad was still standing in the same position, glaring at his mother. “Just tell me what you’re here for. Belle said something about papers?”

  “I want the children. You’re not capable of raising them, and you’re threatening to take them to Texas. That is utterly unacceptable.”

  “Oh bullshit,” Cash said. “Ben and Belle have good grades. Bethy’s settled back in, and the little ones are great.” He got up in the old bitch’s face.

  He might have seen Brad’s lips twitch out of the corner of his eyes.

  “You’re two gay men who refuse to accept any help. I can take much better care of them.
”

  “You mean you think the gang of strangers you hire to look after them can. No judge is going to give you custody,” Brad said.

  “Besides,” Cash added, “we’re two men who love those kids and want them happy, whole. Just like their parents did.”

  “I won’t have you taking them away.” She tried to push the papers at Brad, who refused to take them.

  “You’ve been to see them twice since the funeral, Mother. I don’t think moving them to Texas will make that much of a difference in how often you come see them.”

  “Aha! So you are planning to take them!”

  “Look,” Cash said. “We haven’t made any decisions about what we are going to do, but let me tell you, ma’am, those babies are in our custody and we’ll deal with them and do what’s best!”

  “Not for long they aren’t.” She stared at them steely-eyed. “I’m contesting the will and petitioning for guardianship.”

  “Do you really want to drag the kids through a court battle, Mother?” Brad asked. “They’re happy with Cash and me. And you know damn well we’re taking good care of them.”

  Cash tilted his head, narrowed his eyes. “Besides that, you aren’t looking to raise six more babies. So what is it? Money? Or are you pissed you weren’t asked first so you could whine to your girlfriends about what a fucking martyr you are?”

  Her hand came at Cash’s face, but it never landed, Brad grabbing her wrist before she could connect. “Enough, Mother. You don’t want the kids; you want control. You know damn well Val and Jackie wanted me and Cash to have them. Why don’t you think of someone other than yourself for a change and just be their grandmother?”

  “You ungrateful little….”

  Cash growled at her, took her arm. “No, ma’am. Ungrateful wouldn’t be loving Val enough to do as she asked.”

  Brad looked like he was either going to hit her or explode. “Get out, Mother. You do what you have to do. We’re going to take care of Val’s kids like she wanted us to.”

  “Yep. Go take your papers and get settled,” Cash advised. “These kids love you.”

  Brad nodded. “The best way to change that is to fuck them over on the custody thing.”

  She looked like she was going to blow a gasket.