The Broken H

by J. L. Langley

  “Stop frowning; people are going to think you don’t appreciate the effort they’ve gone to,” a smooth voice drawled from behind him.

  “Shane!” Gray turned.

  His lover was standing right behind him, a huge grin on his face. Gray barely suppressed the urge to moan. Damn, the man was a walking wet dream. He’d dressed in a nice, red, button-down, short-sleeved shirt, a pair of blue jeans, black boots, his glasses -- best of all, his hair was down, hanging freely instead of its usual braid.

  Gray couldn’t help himself, he pulled Shane into a hug. Now all the phone calls and Shane’s recent distraction made more sense. “You did this, didn’t you?”

  Shane returned his embrace and shrugged. “I had help. As good as you are and as much as we all adore you, you need some sort of a campaign to get re-elected.”

  “I would have gotten around to it.”

  “Well, now all you have to do is go around and kiss babies. We did the rest.”

  Gray threw his head back and laughed. People came up to him, talking about this and that. He ended up being swept away from Shane and into the endless questions, suggestions and comments from the crowd. There had to be close to a hundred people there. Shane, who was apparently now his new re-election manager, had thought of almost everything. From what he could tell all he had to do was get out there and be seen.

  He drank some punch, ate a few cookies, talked politics, shared some jokes and shook several hands. He was even handed several large checks as campaign donations. It was incredibly heartwarming to see all this support and encouragement from folks who clearly wanted him to remain their sheriff for another four years.

  After a couple of hours, Gray finally got a chance to catch his breath. He was relaxing at the refreshments table with Ethan and Jamie when he glanced up and noticed McCabe leaning against a wall, pretending not to watch John.

  Jamie leaned in and whispered. “Weird, isn’t it?”

  Gray nodded. “Yeah. I can’t figure it out. I would have sworn McCabe was straight.”

  “Me, too.” Jamie frowned.

  Hmm. He looked around the room.

  “Over there.” Ethan pointed. Gray’s gaze followed Ethan’s finger and caught sight of long black hair.

  Shane was in a corner by himself, his back toward the room and his cell phone up to his ear.

  “Am I that obvious?” Gray didn’t take his attention from Shane’s sinewy form.

  Ethan chuckled. “Yeah.” He slapped Gray on the back. “You’ve played nice and campaigned for over two hours. Go get your man.”

  Gray tossed his empty paper cup in the trash and made his way toward Shane, only stopping once to say hello to his parents. About halfway to across the room, Shane turned around.

  Shane’s jaw was set in a hard line, his eyebrows drawn together. “I don’t know, Sarah. I’ll have to call you back.” He murmured in response to something said on the other end of the phone.

  Gray blinked. Sarah? Shane’s sister Sarah? Gray shook his head in wonder. Shane’s family hadn’t talked to him in twenty-six years and now one of them turned up from nowhere? What the fuck? Where were these people when Shane was sixteen?

  Despite his career in law enforcement, Gray hadn’t invaded Shane’s obvious need for privacy to investigate his background, so he didn’t know the exact circumstances of how Shane came to be at the Broken H; all he knew was that his dad had gone to town one morning and when he’d returned he’d brought Shane with him. He had once overheard his father telling someone that when he’d found Shane, the boy hadn’t eaten in four days. Ted had hired Shane that same day and Shane had been at the ranch ever since. He’d even had a room in the big house until he became foreman and moved into the cottage, because Kaitlyn Hunter wasn’t about to “let that boy shack up in the bunkhouse with all those old cowboys and no one to take care of him.”

  Maybe Gray was as protective as Shane after all, because he had the sudden violent urge to snatch Shane’s cell phone, give his sister a piece of his mind, then hang up on her. All right, maybe he was overreacting. He didn’t even know what Shane’s sister, maybe his parents, too, wanted yet.

  § § § §

  Shane rested his head on the headrest and let his lids cover his eyes. He was glad he’d ridden with the Hunters to the party, so now all he had to do was drive back with Gray. He’d worked very hard to get this campaign going for Gray, and the kick off seemed a big success so far. In the days of planning and talking to folks, he’d come to realize that perhaps Gray’s sexuality would not be as big a deal as he’d first thought. People had actually come to him to volunteer to help in the re-election effort. And from what he could tell, most of those folks had already heard the rumors about him and Grayson. He was finally starting to believe that he probably hadn’t ruined Gray’s chances being sheriff again after all.

  “Hey, chief?” The truck turned a corner.

  “Yeah?” He kept his eyes closed. Damn, he was tired.

  “Who was on the phone?”

  Shane blinked his eyes open and lifted his head. He glanced at Gray. “My sister.”

  “What did she want?”

  “Me to go home. My father is dying. Seems he wants to see me.”

  “Are we going?”

  “No.” Fuck them. Shane looked out the window at the growing twilight. Suddenly, he felt every one of his forty-two years. Apparently, his parents had known where he was for years. They’d probably been contacted when Ted had enrolled him in school here and given permission for his academic and health records to be released. From what Sarah had said, their mom had told her how to get a hold of Shane. His sister had called the ranch and one of the hands had given her Shane’s cell number.

  Gray was quiet for several seconds as the truck turned another corner. “What if he wants to apologize, Shane?”

  “Then that’s his problem, not mine. If he was truly sorry he’d have never kicked me out in the first place.”

  “Hmm ...” Gray seemed to think about it. “The man is dying. People make mistakes.”

  “A mistake is adding up numbers wrong or spilling coffee in your lap. Forcing your only son from his home because he’s gay isn’t a mistake. It’s hateful and cruel and ... I don’t want to talk about it, Grayson.” He did not want Gray to know all the sordid details. He’d told his sister that he wasn’t going back to New Mexico and that he didn’t want to hear from her or the rest of his family again. He had put them behind him where they belonged and had moved on long ago.

  Shane pinched the bridge of his nose with a thumb and forefinger. His life was here, with Gray and with the Hunters. Ted and Kaitlyn were more parents to him than his flesh and blood had ever been. They loved him, and he loved them.

  “Shane --”

  “You have no fucking clue, Grayson, so stay out of it!” Shane winced. He hadn’t meant to be so harsh, but he really didn’t want to talk about it. He’d overcome that period in his life and he refused to look back. Certainly not now, when he didn’t need yet another reminder that Grayson was too damned good for the likes of him.

  Gray turned another corner, the last one on the way to the ranch. When he spoke his voice was soft, soothing. “I don’t know what all happened to you, chief, but I know you. I know that if you don’t go, you’ll beat yourself up over it later. If nothing else, just go to show them all what you’ve become without them. Go show them that you didn’t need them and you made it by yourself just fine. Hell, go so you can tell the old bastard off one last time while he’s still around to hear it.”

  Goddamnit, his head hurt! “I’m working on your campaign and too busy to go. I’m doing my damnedest to see that you every have opportunity to remain in office. In fact, I’ve been working my ass off to get you what you want.”

  Gray pulled up to the house and parked. He turned and laid his hand on Shane’s shoulder. “I don’t need you to get me what I want. You don’t have to try and fill my every desire. Besides, I already have everything I could possibly want
-- with the current exception of my partner’s happiness.”

  “I’m happy!” Shane shrugged off Gray’s hand and got out of the truck. He didn’t need Gray fawning over him. It was his job to take care of things, not the other way around. The last thing he wanted to do was burden Grayson any more than he already did. He made it up to the porch steps and got the key in his door before Gray caught up to him.

  “Yeah, you sound real damned happy.” Shane swore he could hear Gray’s teeth grinding together.

  Shane shoved the door open. “If you will just shut up about my goddamned family, I will be happy.”

  Gray held his hands up.

  Shane sighed. “Look, I’m sorry. I’ve been pretty busy and I’m exhausted. I want to give you the best campaign I can and my family has nothing to do with that or with us, all right?”

  “I’d rather have you rested and happy than stay sheriff. I can do other things, you know. I can work here, for you, for instance. Or I can get a job on one of the smaller cop shops around here.”

  Shane nodded. He did know all that, but he still had to do what he could for Gray. He would have put his best effort in it anyway, but it seemed even more important now because he was the reason Gray might not get re-elected in the first place.

  Gray pulled him close, kissing his temple. “Come on, chief. Let’s get you in the shower, then bed. You’ll feel much better after that.”

  He let Gray lead him to their bathroom. “I’m the one that is supposed to take care of you.”

  Gray flipped on the bedroom light. “Who says so, chief?”

  “I do.”

  Gray went to the bathroom and turned on the water. “Did it ever occur to you that I might like to take care of you once in a while?”

  “No.”

  Gray grinned and came back out and began undressing him. When he had Shane naked, he started on his own clothes. “Well, I do. You’ll just have to suck it up like a man and let me.” Gray got rid of the last of his clothes and shoved Shane toward the shower.

  “I don’t want to get my hair wet, it takes forever to dry.”

  Gray rummaged through the drawers on the vanity and came up with an elastic band. Gray, bless him, had bought a ton of the things and stashed them all over the place. Shane no longer broke the damned things, and now he always had one handy.

  Gray parted Shane’s hair and buried his face in it, inhaling strongly. “Thank you for wearing it down for me.”

  Shane grinned. “You noticed.”

  Gray hugged him fiercely, his face still buried in Shane’s mane. “Of course, I did. You did leave it down for me, right?” He pushed his hips against Shane’s butt; Shane could feel he was already hard. Gray took one last deep breath, parted Shane’s hair and braided it.

  Shane groaned, pushing his ass back against Gray’s erection. His own cock had stiffened the instant Gray had begun undressing him. “Uh huh.” Leave it to Gray to cheer him up, just like he always had. “Grayson?”

  Gray wrapped the elastic band around the end of his braid and moved away. He tested the water and jerked his head to the side, indicating that Shane should get in. “What?”

  “I want you.”

  “You’ve got me. Get in.”

  Shane stepped into the steamy stall and turned, waiting for Gray to join him. As soon as Gray closed the shower door, he moved into Shane’s arms. Shane tugged him close, bringing their mouths together. He kissed Gray, then pulled back just a little. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  Shane closed his eyes and rested his forehead on Gray’s. “For being you, love.”

  Gray let out a little moan and pressed his lips to Shane’s. His hand reached down and gripped Shane’s cock, squeezing and stroking lightly.

  Shane grunted into his mouth and tried to return the favor.

  Gray shook his head, breaking their kiss. “Just feel.”

  “But --”

  “Shh ...” Gray slid to his knees -- and sucked him right in. He grabbed Shane’s hips with both hands and drew him closer. He suctioned off Shane without mercy, setting up a fast pace and rhythm.

  In mere seconds, Shane’s hips were snapping to and fro, fucking Gray’s greedy mouth. His fingers tangled in Gray’s hair, knowing Gray loved it when he did that. He watched his cock disappear into that hot moist cavern over and over again, marveling at the erotic sight. Those greener-than-grass eyes peered up at him as Gray’s nose abruptly buried into his pubes. Shane lost it. He came with deep moan, pouring himself endlessly down his lover’s throat.

  Gray held him between his lips until Shane was limp, then got up. Gray kissed him, then spun him around. “Let’s get you cleaned and into bed.” He voice was sexy, a little husky.

  Shane tried to protest, and turn back toward Gray, but Gray wouldn’t allow it.

  “Let me take care of you. You haven’t come yet.”

  Gray chuckled and started soaping him up. “You’re out of it, aren’t you, chief? I came just before you did. Relax and let me do something for you for once.” He kissed the nape of Shane’s neck and murmured softly against his skin. “I love you, Shane.”

  Shane nodded, very near tears; it was all he could do. Damn, he was a mess, but it had all finally fallen into place. No matter what his parents had put him through, he couldn’t regret it because he’d gotten Gray from their actions. For that alone, he couldn’t hang on to his anger any longer.

  Now he just had to work up the nerve to tell Gray the whole story about his past.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Shane closed the back door quietly behind him and carried his cup of coffee to the back porch rail. He hadn’t been able to sleep and he didn’t want to wake Gray, so he’d thrown on a pair of flannel sleep pants, put on his glasses and gone to make coffee. Ironically, Grayson was the one who usually lost sleep thinking, not him.

  He lifted a leg and sat onto the wooden railing. His braid was in the way under him, so he flipped it over his shoulder to rest on his chest, then leaned back against the post. It wasn’t the most comfortable spot, because his butt didn’t quite fit on the rail, but it was better than sitting on the ground since Gray had taken all the lawn chairs to the front porch.

  There was a soft breeze blowing. It felt really good on his bare feet and chest, creating just the right atmosphere and temperature. Texas was nothing if not hot in the summer, even at night, so the breeze was much appreciated.

  Shane took a sip of coffee and looked out over the quiet south pasture. The Johnson grass swayed in the moonlight and crickets were chirping. It was beautiful out here at night; he could see the stars twinkling above in the endless black sky. This was his home, and it had been for the over twenty-five years. He wasn’t going back to New Mexico. There was nothing there for him now. He didn’t belong there and those people meant nothing to him anymore.

  Taking another drink, he closed his eyes and rested his head on the post. His family had known how to find him, but in all the time he’d lived here, they hadn’t once tried to contact him. Until now, that is. Now that they wanted something from him.

  His father was dying, Sarah had said. The thing was, that man from his past wasn’t his father. No. His father was sound asleep in the big white house that sat thirty feet away.

  Funny how things in life tended to go full circle. He’d thought he was done with believing he wasn’t good enough for Gray, but here he was again. The reminder of how he’d got here and what he’d gone through had him feeling inadequate again. He knew Gray though, and he was certain Grayson wouldn’t stop loving him once he knew the whole story, but even still there was that little shadow of doubt. Thinking about his biological family always did that to him ... made him doubt himself.

  Shane took one last swallow from his cup, then tossed the rest of the contents into the grass. He set his cup behind him on the rail, eyes still closed, enjoying the feeling of the wind on his face. Maybe he was a cold-hearted bastard, he didn’t know -- and he didn’t care. He’d put the pain behi
nd him ... well mostly. After he told Gray, it would be done with and finally, irrevocably over.

  Something snapped behind Shane, pulling him out of his thoughts and forcing his eyes open. There was a rustling, as if someone or something was moving around the side of the house. He sat really still, listening. There it was again, rustling like someone walking through the grass. Must be one of the hands taking a stroll, though they usually didn’t come back here.

  Only the fence to the south pasture lay near Shane’s back porch. All the outbuildings, stables and barns and such, were to the left of his cottage. The bunkhouse was even further out past them. The structures over here in this area were his cottage and the big house, giving him and the Hunters a bit of privacy from the day-to-day operation of the ranch.

  Shane turned his head and straightened up slowly. He didn’t want to startle whichever one of his hands was out wandering around.

  “Well, hell, Cortez, you’re making this easy.”

  Shane started at the voice. His anger kicked in. What the fuck was that man doing on his property this time of night? He pivoted on the porch, swiveling to face the man as the trespasser came into sight.

  Kauffman. Sherry Ann’s dad strolled into the clearing between the fence and Shane’s porch. He held a shotgun over steadily pointing at Shane.

  Shane’s stomach dropped to his feet. Great, just great. Figured, didn’t it, that he’d worked out his family issues and had realized how blessed he was, but now he was probably going to die. Well, screw that! He had too much to live for.

  He had to keep Kauffman from shooting him, otherwise Gray would hear the blast and come out to investigate. What if the man hurt Gray? He couldn’t risk that. He couldn’t risk his brave. “What are you doing here, Kauffman?”

  “What the fuck do you think I’m doing here, Cortez? You think you can get away with using my daughter and treating her like trash?” Kauffman jabbed the shotgun forward, punctuating each word.