by Carol Lynne
“Love you.” After another kiss, Lochie walked back to the SUV. “I’ll see you both later.”
Once Lochie was out of sight, Jamie headed toward the billowing dust cloud created by the tractor. He waved to Jacko as he neared and Jacko shut down the engine. Jamie climbed up the two steps to the cab. He opened the door and tried to gauge Jacko’s mood.
“Something wrong?” Jacko leaned back in the seat.
Jamie shook his head. “Can I sit on your lap while we talk a bit?”
Jacko studied Jamie for several seconds then turned completely sideways in the seat. He held out his arms. “Come on.”
Jamie tried not to wince when he sat on Jacko’s lap. He must have done a good acting job because Jacko wrapped his arms around him. “Feeling better?”
“Yeah,” Jamie said, snuggling against Jacko’s chest. “You know I was only teasing this morning, don’t you? I love the feel of you inside me. I would never want to give you the impression that I didn’t.”
Resting his chin on the top of Jamie’s head, Jacko smoothed his hand down Jamie’s back. “I worry. I’ve never had two people who I’ve cared for so much. Before, when I’d scratch my itch, it was with men I didn’t give a bloody fuck about. Never once have I worried about whether they were sore then, or the next day, because I was long gone. It’s different now.”
Jamie sat up and put his hands on either side of Jacko’s face. “You’re right. It is different. Now you have two people who are very quickly falling in love with you. Our bodies will get accustomed to your size, but our hearts would be empty if we didn’t have you with us.”
Jacko nodded and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he grinned. “You love me?”
Leaning in, Jamie came to within a hair’s breadth of Jacko’s lips. “Yes. I love you.” He closed the distance and kissed him.
Jacko pulled him even tighter against his chest and took the kiss deeper. “I love you, too.” He reached between them and playfully plucked at Jamie’s nipples.
Jamie knew that talking about his feelings wasn’t easy for Jacko. The man had spent too many years buried in the closet to the people who knew him and the admission was made even more special because of it.
“You’re the sexiest, sweetest man I’ve ever known and I can’t believe you love me back,” Jacko whispered.
Jamie removed his tight T-shirt, baring his pierced nipples to Jacko’s gaze. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. Lochie and I discussed your beauty way before we all got together. You’re perfection personified to us. The black hair, the dazzling green eyes,” Jamie ran his hand over the erection in Jacko’s jeans. “And this. No one person could ever ask for more than what you are. A kind, gentle man trapped in a Greek god’s body. The fact that you’re willing to share yourself with two people is amazing.”
With Jamie bent over his arm, Jacko brought his mouth down on one of the shiny silver hoops. Jamie moaned as Jacko twirled the piercing with his tongue prior to latching on. Jacko sucked the pebbled nub into his mouth and Jamie knew he would be left with a mark.
Jamie gasped. “Oh, fuck, that feels good.”
Without breaking his hold on Jamie’s nipple, Jacko opened Jamie’s fly. He fished Jamie’s erection out then tugged on the piercing.
Luckily, Jacko had been around long enough to know Jamie came quickly and often. Otherwise, Jamie would have been embarrassed at his body’s response to Jacko’s touch. “Oh, shit. Gonna come.”
Jacko stroked fast and with more pressure. He glanced at Jamie’s cock and licked his lips. “Come for me.”
As if on command, Jamie came. Jacko didn’t stop stroking him until the last spurt. By the time Jamie finished, he felt completely boneless.
Jacko raised his hand to his mouth and licked away Jamie’s seed. “Mmm. Love your taste.”
Jamie shifted against the hard ridge of Jacko’s erection. He slid off Jacko’s lap to position himself beside the tractor seat. “My turn.”
Jacko unzipped his moleskins before pulling out his cock. “It’s yours.”
Jamie wrapped both his hands around the long, thick length. Knowing his mouth wasn’t big enough to do a proper blowjob, he reached between his own legs and found some cum that Jacko had missed earlier. With his hands slick with his own cum, Jamie stroked Jacko’s cock.
“You make me feel so good.” Jacko leaned his head back while Jamie continued his ministrations.
Jamie took the crown into his mouth, concentrating on the sensitive area just below the head.
“Bloody hell.” Jacko gripped a handful of Jamie’s hair and spread his legs farther apart.
The new position afforded Jamie easier access to Jacko’s ass. Jamie pushed his hand between the moleskins and Jacko’s butt. Using two fingers, he began pressing against the hole. When he lost concentration on the cock stuffed into his mouth, his teeth accidentally scraped across Jacko’s crown. Without warning, Jacko’s cum shot into Jamie’s mouth with the force of a fire hose. Pulling off just enough to loosen his jaw, Jamie put his lips over the slit and finished swallowing Jacko’s seed. Once Jacko’s cock was drained dry, Jamie licked him clean and gazed up at the man he loved.
“Come here,” Jacko ordered.
Jamie crawled back onto Jacko’s lap. He gave him a deep kiss before pulling back. He moved his sore jaw back and forth. “That was a workout.”
With Jamie’s jeans still undone, Jacko slipped his hand down the back waistband and ran his fingers up Jamie’s crevice. When his touch stopped at Jamie’s hole and started to enter, Jamie couldn’t help but wince.
Jacko froze. “I know you told me this morning that you were sore, but why didn’t you tell me when you crawled into my lap that you still hurt?”
Jamie chewed his bottom lip for a moment. “I didn’t want you to keep feeling bad about it.”
Jacko removed his hand. “Always tell me the truth. Even if you think it’ll hurt my feelings. The last thing in the world I want is to hurt you.”
Jamie nodded. He decided to change the subject. “Lochie suggested we go into Mandarra for supper. He went to Red’s to tell him about the three of us.” Jamie kissed Jacko’s chest. “I thought maybe we could go a little earlier because I have some business at the bank, and I want to run by the department store.”
Kissing Jamie’s forehead, Jacko stared out over the field. “Let me do about another hour of planting first, then we’ll go home, and I’ll get cleaned up. I guess while we’re in town I should buy something a little more decent to wear around here in the evenings, too.”
Jamie ran his hand over Jacko’s spent cock. “I like you in the boxers.”
“Yeah, but what if someone stops by or something while I’m outside with them on? It would be better if I found some pajama pants or something.”
Jamie crossed his arms in front of him. “I don’t know whether I can get through a meal anymore without reaching under the table and being able to pet my new friend.”
Chuckling, Jacko nipped Jamie’s protruding lower lip. “I’ll see what I can find. I wouldn’t want you to feel deprived in any way.”
* * * *
Lochie pulled to a stop in front of Red’s house. He opened the back door of the ute and whistled. “Come on, boy.” Blue jumped out. Tail wagging, he stared up and Lochie and waited. “Okay. Go find your mates.” The blue heeler let out a bark and headed toward the barn.
Lochie wiped the sweat from his brow as he surveyed his surroundings. He’d agonized over the upcoming conversation for weeks. Despite the way Red had treated Jamie in the past, he was still a good friend. Now that Jacko was part of his family, he wasn’t sure how Red would react. Red’s earlier admission of love had thrown Lochie, but he couldn’t make his heart feel something that just wasn’t there. He just hoped to hell Red understood that.
Lochie decided to try the house first. Knocking on the door, he peered inside through the wire meshed screen as he called out. “Red?”
“Right here,” Red said from behind
him.
Lochie turned and flashed Red a smile. “Where the bloody hell did you come from? Don’t you know better than to sneak up on a bloke?”
Red wiped his greasy hands on a rag he’d pulled out of his pocket. “Just over in the equipment shed working on one of the trucks. Heard you drive up.” Red motioned toward the rockers on the porch. “Have a seat and I’ll get us a couple of drinks.”
Lochie nodded and sat while Red disappeared into the house. Lochie noticed several new station hands going about their duties. The bang of the screen door signaled Red’s arrival and he turned to take his beer.
“Thanks.” Lochie motioned toward the man unloading sacks of feed into the barn. “New bloke?”
Red glanced up from his beer to where Lochie pointed. “One of my new jackaroos, Ned. Right enough fella. Already had to fire my new manager, though. Bloody bigoted ass. I just don’t have the stomach for it anymore.”
Lochie took another drink of his ice-cold beer. “So, do you still hate me?”
Red waved his hand to swat away a fly. “I needed some new help, anyway.”
“You know what I meant.”
Red shook his head. “You know I could never hate you. Just wasn’t meant to be. No worries.”
Although relieved, Lochie couldn’t hold Red’s gaze any longer and returned his attention to the landscape. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “There’s something I need to say. Something you need to know before you find out from someone else.”
“All right.” Red crushed his empty can.
Lochie cleared his throat. “You know Jacko’s been living with us.”
“Yep.”
“Well…”
“Bloody hell. Don’t tell me you finally noticed the man’s in love with you? Bugger, it took you long enough.”
Shocked, Lochie nearly dropped his beer. “You knew?”
“We all knew. You might’ve been blind for the past twenty-odd years, but none of the rest of us were. Since we were teenagers, Jacko’s had eyes for no one but you.”
Lochie’s mind was reeling. Have I been so afraid of being outed that I didn’t notice my friends were just like me? He wondered if, subconsciously, he’d remained friends with the small group of men because they were alike. It made sense. He’d hung around quite a few people when he’d been younger, but only the group he now considered his closest mates had stuck by him.
“So, what’s this mean for the kid?” Red asked.
Lochie’s hackles rose at the question. He narrowed his eyes. “We’re a family now, and that’s all I’m going to say on it.” He wouldn’t open his relationship further, even though Red was an old friend.
“Fair enough,” Red said as he stood. “Want another?” He motioned toward Lochie’s beer. “Maybe stick around and have some tucker?”
Swallowing around the lump still lodged in his throat, Lochie answered his long-time mate. “That would be good.” He knew, in that moment, everything had worked out for the best. At least he no longer had to worry about losing a friend.
Chapter Five
On the drive into town, Jamie glanced at the clock on the stereo. Damn. Maybe they shouldn’t have taken their shower together. “You think the bank will still be open by the time we get there?”
“Well, if someone weren’t so bloody horny all the time we’d have gotten to town much earlier. We’ll just have to see how it goes.” Jacko gave Jamie’s cock a slight squeeze before putting both hands back on the steering wheel.
Jamie leaned over then ran his tongue up the side of Jacko’s face. “Can’t help but to be horny around a stud like you.”
That made Jacko laugh as the truck veered around a hole in the road. “Oh, right. I’m such a stud.” He winked at Jamie. “Never been called anything like that in my life.”
Jamie didn’t know what was wrong with people in the bush. Couldn’t they see how hot Jacko was? Yeah. They probably could but were afraid to voice their observations. It was Jamie’s turn to tease, so he ran his hand over the baggy crotch of Jacko’s jeans. Just as he suspected, Jacko was getting hard. “I’m sure half the county has thought it, but you can be a little off-putting when you want to be.”
That seemed to surprise Jacko. “What do you mean, off-putting?”
Jamie started to unzip Jacko’s jeans, but Jacko pulled Jamie’s hand away and shook his head. “You start that and we’ll never get you to the bank on time. Now, answer my question.”
“You just seem kind of indifferent to the people around you. I noticed it right away.” At Jacko’s raised eyebrows, Jamie tried to explain further. “You were friendly enough, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that you’re always so quiet. Like you’re thinking life through and don’t have time to be bothered by anything else.”
Jacko turned the radio down. “Didn’t have a reason to be all smiles and jokes. Mom died when I was just a boy, and Dad turned into a drunk.” Jacko returned his attention to the road. “Wasn’t happy until recently, I guess.” He winked at Jamie. “I think I’ll make up for it, though.”
“You bet your sweet ass we’ll make up for it.” Jamie hadn’t had an ideal childhood by any stretch of the imagination, but at least he’d had two sober parents who loved him. The fact that he no longer spoke to his father was an adult decision, not one brought on by horrible childhood memories.
Seeing the change in Jacko’s mood, Jamie switched subjects. “Now let’s get to town and take care of business so I can get to that sweet ass of yours.”
Shaking his head, Jacko picked up speed. “Like you’re really going to have a go at my ass. You like being the bottom and you know it.”
Jamie blushed and sat back in his seat. “Yeah, but who would blame me?” He glanced at Jacko and pursed his lips in a loud kissing sound. “Feel free to top me whenever the mood strikes.”
“Oh, I plan on it.”
* * * *
They barely made it into town before the bank closed. Jacko pulled up in front of the old building and looked at Jamie. “You go on. I’m going to the parts store. I’ll meet you over at The Imperial when you’re done. We should have enough time to eat and get over to the department store before they close.”
Jamie nodded and climbed out of the truck. He gave Jacko a wave as he drove off. When he turned toward the bank, he was stopped by a big brutish man who had moved to block his path. The guy seemed familiar, but Jamie couldn’t quite place him.
“Hey, you’re that poofter of Lochie’s, aren’t you?” The man towered over Jamie and narrowed his eyes.
Nervously, Jamie stepped to the side and tried to get around the hulking beast.
The man sidestepped and blocked Jamie’s way again. “You don’t remember me, do you?”
Jamie shook his head, wishing he was already inside. He glanced toward the bank door and saw a man with a set of keys locking up. “If you’ll excuse me. I need to see if they’ll still let me in.” Sidestepping again, Jamie tried to politely get around the asshole. He knew, physically, the guy could annihilate him. If swallowing his pride and being polite would get the bully to go away, then so be it.
“I lost my job because of you. And unless you’re going into the bank to get me some of the money you’ve lost me, the answer’s no.” The man gripped Jamie’s arms so hard Jamie knew he’d have bruises. It wasn’t that he was a weakling, but the shithead was built like an ox.
As he stared at the stranger’s face, Jamie finally figured out who it was that had a hold on him. A vision of the big man kicking his ribs flashed through his mind. “You used to work for Red.”
“That’s right. Name’s Brian. I had a nice paying job as station manager until you taunted me and my mates by prancing around the party.”
Brian gripped Jamie’s arm tighter and he couldn’t help but wince at the pain. “I didn’t ask for you and your friends to beat the shit out of me. I went to what I thought would be a barbecue and ended up almost dead. If anyone’s to blame, it’s you for your own narrow mind.” By th
e time Jamie managed to get his arm free of Brian’s grip the closed sign was on the door of the bank. “Great.”
“Get out of this town, poofter.” Brian started walking down the sidewalk but called over his shoulder. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get the bloody hell out.”
Once Jamie was safely across the street he watched as Brian disappeared down an alley. He bent over and put his hands on his knees, afraid he was going to vomit. It was the first time since the night of the attack that he’d been confronted. Has the asshole been in town this whole time? Jamie thought he’d heard the ex-manager had moved on. With the parting threat Brian had made, Jamie didn’t think he planned to go anywhere anytime soon. Shit. Jamie tried to steady his breathing while walking the block to The Imperial.
Once he was sitting at a table in the back of the bar, Jamie ordered a beer and a shot of whiskey. He pulled his T-shirt sleeve up. There, plain as day, was the beginning of an ugly hand-shaped bruise.
“Dammit,” he mumbled to himself.
How was he going to explain that to the two Alphas in his life? He knew he couldn’t keep what had happened to himself. After the beating he’d sustained, both Jacko and Lochie had made him promise to tell them if he was ever bothered again.
He jerked the sleeve down when the waitress set his drinks in front of him. “Thanks.”
The young woman’s gaze went to Jamie’s arm. “You okay, love?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Jamie picked up the shot of whiskey. “You might go ahead and bring me another of these.” He looked at the amber liquid just before downing it. Jamie inhaled sharply as the burn of the alcohol hit his stomach. “Whoo.”
Jacko walked in and hollered a greeting to the bartender. The last thing Jamie wanted was to start a fight between Jacko and Brian. The town still didn’t know Jacko was gay and this definitely wasn’t the way to come out of the closet. He decided to wait until they got home to tell Jacko and Lochie about his run-in with Brian. He still had to find out what a ‘poofter’ was. Brian had kept calling him that and he remembered the whole group who had beaten him up at Red’s had called him that. He wasn’t a complete idiot. He knew it had to be a derogatory term for his sexual preference, but if people were going to continue to volley it at him, he wanted to know exactly what it meant.
