by Carol Lynne
“Sit tight, babe. Jacko’s getting the ute from down the street. We’ve got to get you to emergency.”
Emergency? Trying to focus on Lochie was making Jamie dizzy. He saw two gorgeous faces gazing down at him. “What happened?”
“Nathan hit you on the side of the face with a stubby. You’ve got a fairly large cut running the length of your jaw. Just relax and we’ll get you taken care of.” Lochie accepted a bar towel from the waitress and pressed it against Jamie’s face.
What the fuck? He’d been hit with a beer bottle? Jamie thought that only happened in the movies. “What about Brian?”
Lochie glanced toward the door. “They gave up and dragged their wounded out about five minutes ago, muttering something about getting the bloody hell out of town.”
Jamie had more questions, but he couldn’t keep his eyes open. His world faded to black.
* * * *
Lochie made eye contact with Jacko in the rear-view mirror. “He doing okay?”
Jacko glanced down at the sleeping man in his arms. “He’s all right. I don’t know what the doctor gave him but it’s knocked him out good.”
Lochie peered over at Zeb, who was nursing sore knuckles. Their new friend had done a good job of keeping him and Jacko from killing Brian’s partner in crime, Nathan, when they’d seen Jamie hit the floor. Zeb had quickly taken care of the bloke he’d been fighting and had gone to Nathan. Wrapping his arms around Nathan, Zeb had said something Lochie couldn’t hear, but Nathan’s eyes had rounded and he’d nodded. When Zeb had released him, Nathan had called out to his mates and picked Brian up off the floor where Lochie had left him. They’d been out of the bar within minutes.
“Thanks for the help back there, mate,” Lochie said.
Still rubbing his bruised knuckles, Zeb smiled at Lochie. “I haven’t had that much fun in a while. Thanks for letting me join in.” Zeb looked at Jamie in the back seat. “Let me know if you have any more trouble. He’s a nice kid.”
“Not a kid,” Jamie piped up from the backseat.
Lochie pulled to the side of the road. He reached back and ran his fingertip over Jamie’s lips. “Hey, baby. How’re you doing?”
Jamie opened his eyes and kissed Lochie’s fingertip. “Sore. I’ve discovered that I’m a lover, not a fighter.” He tried to smile but winced when the stitches in his cheek pulled tight.
“You’re a great lover. Although I saw you did manage to get in a few punches of your own.” Lochie smoothed Jamie’s bloody hair away from his face. “We’ll be there before you know it. Why don’t you go back to sleep? We’ve got a lot of boo-boos to kiss when we get you home.”
“Mmm. I like the sound of that.” Jamie squirmed in Jacko’s lap and soon his eyes fluttered closed.
Lochie watched Jamie until he was sound asleep then turned back and put the ute into gear. He realized that Zeb had heard what he’d said to Jamie. “Sorry if that was weird for you.” He wasn’t about to apologize for what he’d said, but he did realize that not everyone was comfortable with words of love being spoken between two men.
“Don’t be sorry. If everyone had that kind of love in their lives the world would be a much happier place.” Zeb returned his attention to the view out of his side window.
“You have anyone special back in the States?” Lochie couldn’t help himself from asking.
“Not anymore,” Zeb mumbled.
Chapter Eight
“Nice operation,” Zeb said as Lochie turned onto Red’s property.
“Red’s set up real nice out here. He’s lucky he has the river running through the middle of his station. Good for the cattle and the crops.” Lochie parked next to the verandah. “How’d you find out about the job, if you don’t mind my asking?”
Zeb ran his fingers through his windswept hair. “I wanted to get out of the States for a while and saw Red’s ad on the Internet. Since I grew up on a large cattle ranch in Montana, I thought it would be a perfect fit.” He opened his door and stood beside the ute. “So, before he shows up, can you give me any pointers on my new boss?”
Smiling, Lochie climbed out of the vehicle. “Red? Aw, he’s a pussy cat. He likes managing the business side of the station more than actually working it. He does get out with his jackaroos a couple times a year for roundup and culling, but he should stay out of your hair for the most part. Besides, you’ve already got a distinct advantage going for you.”
“Yeah? What’s that?” Zeb got his duffle and saddle out of the back of the ute.
“Well, you’re obviously not turned off by the sight of gay men. Red has very little tolerance for bigots. He’s lost not only the four we fought with today, but the manager he hired to replace Brian because of it.”
Lochie opened the back door and stuck his head inside, getting a few tender kisses from Jamie and Jacko. “You stay here with Jamie while I introduce Zeb to Red.”
Lochie didn’t need to go far. Red was coming down the verandah steps.
“It’s about time you guys got here,” Red called.
Lochie waved at Red. “Yeah, well, after we called to let you know we were coming, the doc decided to give Jamie a couple of X-rays just to make sure there were no broken bones.” Lochie left Jamie in Jacko’s capable arms and walked toward Red. Instead of shaking hands, he gave his old mate a quick hug.
Red looked through the open window at Jamie and shook his head. “How’s the face?”
Jamie lifted his hand to his bandaged jaw. “Well, no one will call me pretty after this.”
Anger filled Lochie at Jamie’s assumption. He stuck his head through the open window. “Are you crazy? Nothing’s sexier than a beautiful man with a scar.” He looked back at Zeb and Red. “Isn’t that right?”
“Hell, yes, that’s right. The scar will make you even sexier.” Red cleared his throat before glancing at Zeb.
Zeb held up his hand to assure Red he wasn’t a bigot. “Relax. It’s hard to be prejudiced against your own kind.”
Red cleared his throat again. “You want something cold to drink?”
Lochie shook his head. “I think we need to get Jamie home. Thanks for helping us out, Zeb.” Lochie turned his attention to Red. “Hopefully, Brian and his blokes will leave us alone, but I might need to call on the two of you again, if that’s all right.”
“Anything you need. You know that.” Red shook Lochie’s hand then Jacko’s. He stood in front of Jamie and ruffled his hair. “We may not have started out on the right foot, but I consider you a friend now. In this country friends stand up for one another.”
Lochie shook Zeb’s hand again. No words were needed, so none were spoken.
Lochie didn’t waste time getting back on the road. It was hard to keep his attention on driving instead of constantly checking on Jamie in the rear-view mirror. Despite knowing it had done Jamie’s confidence a world of good to stand up for himself, Lochie still couldn’t stomach the memory of Jamie going down after being hit with the bottle. “Love you,” he said when he caught Jamie’s gaze in the mirror.
Jamie reached forward to run his fingertips over the bruise on Lochie’s cheekbone. “Love you.” Jamie turned to Jacko and gave him a light kiss. “Love you, too.”
Jacko squeezed Jamie tighter and kissed him back. “Good. Because the two of you own my heart.”
Fingering his bandage again, Jamie tried to smile. “That was one hell of a fight, wasn’t it?”
Laughing, Jacko ruffled Jamie’s curls. “It bloody well was. Did either of you see Zeb fighting that really big guy? It was like he was just playing with the man. It wasn’t until he saw Nathan hit Jamie with the bottle that he finally got serious.” Jacko shook his head. “I don’t know where that man learned to fight, but my guess is he’s done a lot of it.”
“I think you’re right.” Lochie returned his attention to the road. Yep. There was something about Zeb that he just couldn’t put his finger on. He smiled at the thought of Red having his hands full with his new station manager. Although
the way Zeb seemed to be checking Red out, Lochie’d guess Zeb would like to be Red’s handful. The thought had him chuckling.
Jacko gripped Lochie’s shoulder. “What’s gotten into you?”
Lochie glanced over his shoulder. “Just thinking about Zeb and Red.” He gave Jacko a wink. “I give them ten days, two weeks tops before they’re fucking.”
Jacko whistled. “You got all that in the ten minutes we were there? Damn. If you’re that good at reading people, why’d it take you so long to read me?”
Lochie covered Jacko’s hand with his own. “Because I was so ashamed of who I was I didn’t dare look too closely at you.” He squeezed Jacko’s hand. “I’m sorry about that. But it’s good now, right?”
“It’s good. If I didn’t have Jamie in my arms, I’d be all over you.” Jacko kissed the top of Jamie’s head. “But when we get home your ass is mine.”
The thought of Jacko’s cock buried deep inside him had Lochie’s cock filling instantly. He squirmed in his seat and pushed the gas pedal a little closer to the floor.
Chapter Nine
Two days later, Jamie was sitting alone on the verandah when a cloud of dust appeared down the road. He automatically got out of his chair and went into the house. He knew Lochie and Jacko were working in the field by the river and would be there for at least another few hours.
Peering through the curtain, Jamie watched as a pickup pulled into the yard and parked behind Jamie’s truck. Jacko and Lochie’s old friends, Trev and Chooka, climbed out of the vehicle. Relief fill Jamie. He unlocked the door then stepped onto the verandah.
“Hey, guys.” He hadn’t seen much of the two men since the night of Red’s barbecue. He sure hoped he wasn’t the reason they’d been staying away.
Trev and Chooka greeted Jamie with a friendly hug, putting Jamie’s mind at ease. When he noticed the glances passed between the two men, Jamie knew they weren’t there for a friendly visit.
He backed up a little. “Who told you?”
“Red,” Trev said as he sat in one of the chairs. “Called and told us to keep a lookout for those blokes whenever we were in town.” He took off his hat and rested it on his knee. “Where’s Jacko and Lochie?”
“They’re in the north field. You guys care for a beer?”
Chooka nodded and took a seat beside Trev. “Sounds good.”
Jamie went into the house for the beer. He still couldn’t read Chooka and Trev very well. Sometimes they acted like lovers and other times they seemed like they were merely friends. He returned to the porch with three cans. “Here.” He passed them out before taking the remaining seat. “How’re your crops doing this year?” Jamie knew the two men farmed land that sat side by side.
Chooka swallowed a gulp of his beer. “Who the hell knows for sure what the season will produce? Out here it’s always a crapshoot. We managed to get all the sorghum planted and with a little irrigation it seems to be sprouting nicely, but…”
They all three nodded. Jamie was searching for something else to say when the phone in the house rang. He got to his feet. “I’ll be right back.”
Jamie picked up the phone on the fourth ring. “Hello?”
Jamie waited for a reply but none came. “Hello? Is someone there?”
“I’m coming for you.”
Pulling the receiver away from his ear when the dial tone sounded, Jamie bit his lip and closed his eyes. Dammit, haven’t we been through enough? He placed the phone back in its cradle. In an attempt to get his shit together, he pulled more beer out of the refrigerator. He knew he needed to tell someone or face the wrath of Lochie and Jacko upon their return.
Jamie made his way back out to the verandah.
Chooka looked up. “What’s wrong?” He took one of the beers Jamie held out.
Jamie gave the other can to Trev as he dropped into his chair. He picked up his earlier drink, finishing it off in two swallows.
“Jamie? Who was on the phone?” Trev asked.
Opening his second beer, Jamie looked from Trev to Chooka. “Brian, I imagine.”
Trev scooted to the front of his chair and leaned toward Jamie. “What do you mean, ‘you imagine’? What did he say?”
Jamie swallowed. “That he’s coming for me.” He jumped at the speed with which Trev and Chooka got to their feet.
Both men moved to stand in front of Jamie.
Trev glanced over his shoulder. “Go call Lochie and Jacko.”
“I can’t. There’s no signal where they’re working.” Jamie took another gulp of his beer even though his stomach was tied into knots.
Chooka elbowed Trev. “Why don’t you go find them?”
Trev nodded. “Where exactly are they working?”
“The one Lochie calls the north paddock, by the river.”
Trev climbed behind the wheel of the truck. “The two of you should wait inside. Chooka, maybe you should call Red?”
Chooka opened the door and waited for Jamie to enter first. He waved and Trev roared away.
* * * *
Out of the tractor, checking his planting depth, Lochie spotted the dust cloud on the road in the distance. This far out, there was no doubt it was someone who needed him, so he took off across the field. A horn sounded and Lochie picked up his pace. Soon he was running toward Trev’s pickup.
“Where’s Jacko?” Trev yelled before Lochie could reach him.
By the time Lochie made it to the truck, he was out of breath. “Down the road.” He bent over with his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“Someone called to threaten Jamie a few minutes ago. Told him he was coming for him. I had Chooka take him in the house and put a call in to Red.”
Lochie’s first instinct was to go home to protect Jamie, but he knew how Jacko would react to the news coming from someone else. He started running, hell bent on finding Jacko as quickly as possible. He yelled back at Trev. “Go back to the house with Jamie. I’ll find Jacko and meet you there. If you need it, there’s a licensed shottie over the front door and shells in the silverware drawer in the kitchen.” He wanted to add ‘shoot the bastard on sight’, but didn’t.
Lochie fired up the ute and didn’t look back as he shot down the road. He caught sight of the old tractor Jacko was using and honked the horn. He was out of the ute the second he had it parked. He waved his arms in an attempt to get Jacko’s attention.
The tractor stopped seconds before Jacko started running.
Motioning Jacko toward his vehicle, Lochie jumped back in. By the time Jacko reached him, Lochie had the ute turned around.
Jacko threw open the door then climbed in the front seat. “What’s happened?”
With the gas pedal pushed to the floor, Lochie took off. “Someone called Jamie, most likely Brian. He told him he was coming for him. Trev and Chooka are with him, and Chooka called Red.”
Lochie tried to remain as calm as possible as he tore down the dirt and graveled road. At least Jamie wasn’t alone. Shit. What would’ve happened had Chooka and Trev not been there?
“Fuck,” Jacko shouted and pounded his fist against the dash. “We need to call the law. Something needs to be done.”
Lochie pulled into the yard at such speed that he nearly lost control of the vehicle. He barely managed to get the ignition turned off before he was racing to the house then up the stairs. The door opened for him and Jacko as they reached it. The moment he was inside, Jamie flew into Lochie’s arms.
Burying his face in Jamie’s hair, Lochie held him tightly, being mindful of Jamie’s injured jaw. “Don’t worry, babe. We’ll get him. We won’t let him hurt you again.” He tilted Jamie’s chin up. “You doing okay?”
“I’m fine. Just glad you’re home.” Jamie held out his arm for Jacko.
Not appearing to care that Chooka and Trev were there, Jacko immediately stepped into the three-way embrace. Lochie peered over Jamie’s head to Chooka. “You get a hold of Red?”
“He’ll be here as so
on as he can. I think he was going to try and find his new manager to come with him. He said he had a license and would bring a couple more shotties.”
Lochie cursed silently. He hated getting his friends involved. With the county’s gun laws, any of them were likely to get into trouble for brandishing a weapon, license or no license.
“I think I’ll go put a call in to the authorities,” Lochie said, giving Jacko and Jamie a kiss before going into the kitchen.
Jamie watched his partner leave, the tension obvious in the set of Lochie’s shoulders. He wanted to follow, but he didn’t want it to appear as if he were hiding out. “Would anyone like something to eat?” he offered.
Jacko squeezed Jamie’s hand. “That would be great. We might be here a while.”
As Jamie started to leave the room, he heard Jacko issuing orders to his friends. “Chooka, I think we need to close the curtains and make sure the windows are all locked.”
Jamie turned and walked into the kitchen. Lochie was on the phone cussing—at the police, he presumed. Searching the fridge and freezer, Jamie couldn’t even remember why he’d come in. When Lochie slammed down the phone, Jamie sighed. “No luck, I take it.”
“Assholes. They said, since there’s been no real threat made, their hands are tied. They told me if something changes to give them a call, and they’ll send someone out.” Lochie scrubbed his hands over his face and back through his hair. He looked up at Jamie. “What are you doing in here, babe?”
Turning back toward the fridge, Jamie got out the stew meat he’d cut up earlier in the day. “I need to keep busy, so I thought I’d make dinner. Does everyone like beef stew?”
Lochie raised an eyebrow. “Can’t say as I’ve ever had it. I can remember my dad making something like that with lamb, but not beef.”
“Okay. Well, then, I’m making beef stew. You want to help me chop some vegetables? Since I reckon Jacko will want someone to be in here with me, I don’t see that I should have to do all the work.” Jamie rubbed Lochie’s shoulders. “I’ll let you kiss the cook.”
