by Jan Irving
He opened his eyes, blank, and met a flash of worried blue. Morgan. Morgan with his brown hair in his eyes and his lean body in his bed. He’d slept in Morgan’s arms.
Luke’s heartbeat kicked up.
He yanked free of Morgan’s gentle hold, turning his back to look at his daughter. Still asleep? The sun was shining in through the window, warming the bed like a spotlight, unlike the kinder starlight from the night before.
Gena had her arms crossed as she stood just below floor level on the loft stairs. “Morgan, you have patients waiting,” she prompted. “And Leif Gunnar wants to talk to Luke about restoring one of the outbuildings.”
“Shit!” Jessie woke up and, predictably, let Luke know she wasn’t happy, but hungry. Struggling to also wake up, to assimilate the night before, Luke felt a wash of familiar helplessness, looking at her. He needed to reboot, but he also needed to take care of her.
“I’ll take her,” Gena offered. “Since you look seriously hung over.”
Without a look in Luke’s direction, Morgan barreled past her.
Luke swallowed.
Gena raised one eyebrow.
“I’m not hung over, except from not getting enough sleep,” he said. “I don’t know exactly what happened last night.”
“Yeah, that seems to happen to you a lot,” Gena noted, taking Jessie. “You might want to cover yourself with, uh, a towel.”
Luke’s face flamed as he realized that his morning erection, which had grown tall innocently against Morgan’s solid warmth, was prodding his briefs. The same ones that last night Morgan had—
Embarrassed, he snatched one of the generous beach towels that were folded neatly on the end of the bed, covering himself.
“You know, Morgan’s a really good guy,” Gena said in a severe tone. “And he’s really lonely. That’s why he works too much.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Luke asked. “He’s….” He remembered how he’d pulled away from Morgan just a few moments ago. How would Morgan see that?
“Something’s brewing between you two,” Gena said. “I felt it right from the start even though I told myself… well; you have a kid, so… but I’m saying he’s more vulnerable than he seems.”
Luke’s shoulders sagged as Gena rocked Jessie. “I guess I behaved like a total cliché this morning.”
“You’ve got some time to think on it.” Gena took Jessie from Luke and headed down the stairs to give the baby her feeding, leaving Luke with tousled hair, a morning beard, and tumbling rocks lodged in his gut.
LUKE had no time to talk to Morgan alone that morning, not that he knew what he’d fucking say. He still felt as if he’d just woken up from a strange, erotic dream, as if at night Morgan had been his perfect lover, handling him confidently, stroking his chest, making him come, but now…. He managed to shower, shave, and grab one of Gena’s fresh-baked bran muffins before striding out to find Leif Gunnar.
Because it was still chilly this morning, he was wearing a blue work shirt over his white T-shirt, faded jeans, boots, and his hat. He paused when hot blue eyes raked him and then looked away.
Morgan.
Beautiful. Luke, you are beautiful.
Luke flushed. Had Morgan really whispered those words in his ear when Luke was wrapped in possessive arms, coming on command last night?
“Morgan is just out here on a break between patients,”
Leif explained as he snapped his work gloves against his thigh. When Luke caught up with the other two men, he avoided looking at Morgan, trying to force his mind to business. They headed toward the first of the outbuildings, what had once been a bunkhouse. “He wants this place fixed up pronto, for you and your daughter.”
Luke stared at the long roof, covered with moss, a sapling shooting out near the crooked lightning rod. The long row of windows were dusty, some broken. It had no heating, no electricity, and no running water. Then what Leif said impacted. Morgan wanted Luke to move into his own place.
He didn’t want Luke living under the same roof any more after last night?
Beautiful. The unfamiliar name that Morgan had called him the night before.
Disorientated with Morgan’s behavior, Luke rubbed his forehead.
“He’s the boss,” Luke rasped, still avoiding Morgan’s gaze though he felt it on him. He struggled to shove down emotion and concentrate on the task at hand. “Leif, this is going to be a major project before winter sets in.”
Leif nodded. “Last I knew, Morgan here was content to wait till spring. It was going to be a guest house for when his mother or sister visit.”
“Guess things have changed.” Luke was pale, sweating, like when he had a hangover. The last time he’d felt this confused was when he’d woken up with Jessie and found out he’d be a full-time daddy, ready or not.
“Luke, are you all right?” Leif suddenly asked him gently.
Feeling Morgan’s eyes on him, Luke merely shook his head. He didn’t know.
“Funny how you and Morgan both look like you got hit by the same truck,” Leif observed dryly.
AT NOON, Luke was resolved to talk to Morgan. His head was thumping and he was tired, but they should talk, shouldn’t they? Or was Morgan going to pretend it had never happened?
Shit, did that mean he was supposed to pretend as well?
Morgan had touched his cock, pleasured him. How the fuck was he supposed to forget it ever happened?
He rubbed his palms over his jeans nervously as he entered the kitchen, spotting Gena spooning out some soup, Morgan sitting at the table, blue eyes even more shadowed than they’d been this morning, and—
Luke’s stomach twisted, sick.
No, oh no.
A voluptuous woman with brown hair and green eyes was leaning against the counter by the window, nursing Jessie with a bottle.
“Your fiancée is here to see you, Luke,” Gena said, raising her eyebrows coolly in Luke’s direction. Morgan looked away.
“Zelda?” Zelda Mancuso, who had dumped Jessie and him weeks ago in a shitty little motel room.
Luke wanted to snatch Jessie from her, but he couldn’t help but notice she was holding their baby much more adeptly than Luke had ever managed. Shit, a week ago, he would have been thrilled to see her. He might even have given into her demands to marry her. Anything for Jessie.
A blue gaze lifted and caught his own, and Luke knew all his pain and uncertainty must be written on his face.
What now? Oh, Christ.
Gena’s words from this morning repeated themselves in his mind. You’ve got some time to think on it. Luke took a deep breath, and then he moved forward and held his arms out to take Jessie.
MORGAN found traces that Luke had mucked out Sable’s stall when he entered the barn later that afternoon. He noticed the tack room had been organized: some of the old gear repaired, hanging up neatly; the mess from the floor cleaned up.
His barn was ready to house the riding horses he wanted. Rubbing the back of his neck, Morgan wondered when he’d get around to that. He’d imagined bringing Luke with him, getting his opinion of some of Charlie LaFountaine’s horses before buying one or two. But now….
Where was Luke?
Morgan paused to rub Sable’s head, liking the calm dark eyes of Luke’s horse, before he wandered deeper under the loft…. And then he caught it—the sound of water falling.
Luke must be using the old sun shower on the outside of the barn to get cleaned up. Morgan had been a bit dubious about it, but Luke had convinced him to let him restore it.
During the day, the sun warmed collected rainwater in a tank on the side of the barn roof. It was only practical when the weather was warm, of course.
Morgan hesitated, heart thudding. He should go back to the house. What had happened last night had been an impulsive mistake. Luke had pushed him away. Luke had a fiancée.
LUKE’S ass gleamed white against the brown of his back and thighs, highlighting his butt and making Morgan want to dig his fingers into i
t in appreciation, kiss Luke’s neck as he touched him, made love to him—
As if feeling Morgan’s gaze from the shadows where he watched Luke through hooded eyes, Luke turned around, daylight hiding nothing, not the muscles, slick with water, the rounded arms above his head, his hair back from his high forehead, his lips wet and soft… his heavy hanging cock and luxuriant pubic hair.
His hazel eyes collided with Morgan’s, and his lips parted.
Morgan knew he should look away, give Luke some privacy. Instead, he raked the other man with his eyes, hungry. Desperate to get on his knees this time and suck Luke, wanting his come in his mouth, hitting his face as Luke cried out, gave himself to Morgan.
Luke swallowed as the moment stretched between them.
Then, unbelievably, he held out a hand. “Coming in?” he croaked.
Morgan yanked off one boot, hopping, stumbled over Luke’s discarded boots and jeans and laughed breathlessly.
“Shit!”
Luke smiled back, white teeth against tanned skin, breathtaking. “Whoa.”
“That’s my line,” Morgan growled. He didn’t give a fuck about why he should stay away, how crazy this was. Luke’s wet skin beckoned. He needed to taste Luke’s stiffening sex, needed to be on his knees to take it into his mouth….
He yanked off his T-shirt and walked into the sun-warmed water, his boxers saturating and hiding nothing of his own aching erection, staring into beautiful hazel eyes, capturing him. “Jesus, Luke,” he whispered. “I just can’t stay away from you.”
Luke yanked him close, desperate, and their lips crashed in a kiss. Morgan moaned, hands running down Luke’s back to his bare ass, cupping, loving the hard, round shape filling his palms. God, he wanted to fuck that ass. He wanted Luke bent over, hands clawing the wall as Morgan took him.
He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the hurt from earlier making his throat ache, but not caring now. Luke. Luke against his body, naked, wild, briefly his.
He fell to his knees in the sand, glimpsing startled hazel eyes as his hands clenched over Luke’s hips, and then he opened his mouth and took the hardened tip of Luke’s penis in his mouth.
He moaned again, and Luke cried out, “Morgan, fuck!”
Morgan broke away, water hitting his face as he looked up, licking his lips and the taste of Luke. “I wanted to do that last night. I want to suck your cock. I want to do it all the time, get on my knees, pull your jeans down and let you fuck my mouth….”
Luke’s eyes were huge. “God almighty…!” Then his hands clenched in Morgan’s wet hair. “Take it. I want to see you take it all—” he ordered.
Morgan opened his mouth obediently and let Luke thrust into it. Luke stiffened and his body arched, his prick growing huge in Morgan’s mouth, hungry, needing sensation.
Morgan licked at it, taking Luke deep, sucking strong.
To fuck with technique! Fast, hard, Luke slammed into him again, all of him, long, thick, and then he spilled hot with a choked cry….
Morgan tasted and then pulled away a little, and Luke shot against his skin. As Luke’s come slid down his lips and chin in the water, he saw Luke staring at him under heavy lids, his eyelashes clumped together from the shower, his beautiful eyes the color of clear rain, his fingers digging into Morgan’s skull, huffing. “God, that’s hot,” he rasped.
Chapter Eight
MORGAN rested his forehead against Luke’s thigh, puffing himself. He struggled with his own arousal. He couldn’t…
Luke was innocent to men being with men. Morgan didn’t want to turn him off. Surely he couldn’t want—
“Water’s running down,” Luke said calmly, and Morgan blinked, seeing that only the occasional drop was spattering from above them.
“We….” He looked up at Luke and his breath caught.
Luke’s eyes again reminded him of labradorite gemstones, lit by the autumn sunshine. “We need to talk.”
“Talk later, Doc,” Luke rasped. “Action first.” And with that, the taller man lifted Morgan up and over his shoulder.
“Luke!” Morgan gasped. No one had ever treated Morgan this way! There was always witty conversation and light anticipation and fine food before bed. In contrast, Luke just kissed him, invited him into the sun shower, threw him over his muscular shoulder, and carried him up to the loft in the barn….
“Cowboy,” Morgan murmured. Luke put him down in a fresh bed of straw. It prickled a little against Morgan’s back and Morgan almost sneezed, so he turned over onto his hands and knees, looking over his shoulder at Luke.
“Yes sir, I am,” Luke murmured. His gaze ran over Morgan’s raised ass with his wrinkled boxers; Luke knelt behind Morgan and carefully removed them, catching Morgan’s gasp with his lips when the saturated cloth caught on his erection. “Better?” he whispered.
“Yes,” Morgan whispered back.
He felt the imprint against his rear end of Luke’s cock, stiffening with renewed interest, brushing Morgan’s cooler skin and making him shiver. He could still taste Luke, coating his lips.
Luke’s lips brushing against his back made Morgan arch, his penis hanging heavy between his legs, aching for relief. Morgan swallowed, able to count his heartbeat in the throbbing of his sex. He looked over his shoulder again as Luke mounted him from behind, rubbing his cock against Morgan’s ass.
“I need to do this,” Luke’s voice was stifled. “Morgan…?”
In answer, Morgan pushed his rear higher, and Luke wrapped his arms tightly around him, panting hot against the chilled skin of Morgan’s neck as he thrust, needing to hump Morgan.
Luke’s hand hesitantly wrapped around him, thumb caressing the rim of Morgan’s penis. Morgan groaned, unable to keep from thrusting in that callused grip. “Luke, God, touch it!”
“You like it, huh, Doc?” Luke’s blank, unfocused hazel eyes were hazy with passion as he rubbed himself against Morgan. He reached down and touched Morgan’s balls, rolling them in the way he probably did his own when he masturbated, weighing him. “I’ve never held one of these, ’cept my own.”
Morgan thrust against Luke’s touch, and Luke made a channel for him with his moist fingers. Then Luke’s hands tightened, choking Morgan’s cock as hot come splashed his ass.
“You needed… to fuck me,” Morgan huffed as lightning shot through his nipples, his tight balls, his strangled penis, and he creamed Luke’s hand full, dripping.
“Yeah, but don’t know how.” Luke wobbled, thighs trembling.
LUKE hefted Morgan onto his back, his hand leaving a slippery imprint of Morgan’s spill on his chest as he collapsed on top of him. Sticky, straw prickling, crushed close together. Morgan rubbed Luke’s heaving back, feeling the rapid thump of his heart as their bodies lay skin to skin.
He knew next time, he’d let Luke fuck him.
Luke whispered, “Do you think I’m going to lose my little girl?”
Morgan pulled him closer. “You aren’t alone.”
LUKE put Die Hard in the DVD player and then came back to the couch in the great room where Morgan waited with Jessie. Morgan handed his daughter to him and then hesitantly cuddled up behind him, putting one hand on Luke’s hip. When Luke didn’t stiffen, he relaxed slightly.
“I think Jess likes action movies,” Luke reflected. “She especially likes Bruce.”
“How did Zelda get pregnant?” Morgan asked, obviously refusing to leave the touchy shit alone. But his hand ruffled Luke’s hair, stroking it.
“We used protection,” Luke answered. “I guess it didn’t work. At first… when she met me at a road house with Jessie, I was….” Luke swallowed.
“It’s all right,” Morgan encouraged.
“I didn’t want Jess. I didn’t even want to see Zelda again,” Luke admitted. “Stuff never seemed to work out with girls.”
Luke saw the curious light in Morgan’s eyes and wasn’t surprised when Morgan asked, “Ever think of men?”
“I always liked a guy’s body,” Luke said. “But
I never let myself think about it much. The old man was tolerant and he raised me to have an open mind.” He looked at Jess. “I want that for her. I guess I’ll have to find out how Zelda feels about shit like that.”
Morgan rubbed Luke’s shoulder, his fingers curving over muscle as if he appreciated it. Jess was a little puddle in Luke’s arms, avidly slurping her formula as Bruce arrived in L.A. for his first adventure. “You don’t even know that much about her, her attitudes?”
“We just….” Luke’s jaw ticked. “We got drunk and fucked. Now I guess she’s in my life forever.”
Morgan nodded. “Yes, Luke.”
“I guess I also got impulsive with you,” Luke said. “I get real physical when I like someone. I need to fuck.”
“I noticed,” Morgan said, his voice a little droll.
Luke flushed, remembering how he’d positioned Morgan so he could rut against his ass.
Morgan cupped his cheek. “I didn’t mind.”
Luke searched his eyes. “Can we do it again, Doc?”
“I thought you only did one-nighters?”
“I used to, but Jess changed me, like the side of a mountain after a wildfire, you know? I feel stripped down.”
“I think you should see a lawyer and make sure that Zelda can’t take Jess from you, that you protect your rights,”
Morgan suggested. “Even though you are going to have to talk to her, negotiate with her over Jessica.”
Luke sighed. “She wanted me to go dancing with her.”
“Sounds like she hasn’t given up the party lifestyle.”
Morgan’s voice was carefully neutral.
“Like me, you mean? I was usually too tired except for Saturday nights,” Luke said. “And she’s not my fiancée. I never asked her.”
Morgan swallowed. “Oh?”
“I didn’t love her,” Luke admitted. He studied Morgan. “I guess men don’t love other men in your world.”
