Special Cowboy Menage Collection

by Morgan Ashbury

  “Shh.” Chase had left the chair and stood beside him, so close Lucas could feel the heat of him, smell the soap he’d used earlier. The younger man’s voice had become a crooning, a gentle sound without words as he gently pried the bottle from Lucas’ hands.

  All this Lucas felt in a heartbeat. And more.

  The sensation of a hand, strong but gentle stroking his back was something foreign and intoxicating. Supple fingers played across his shoulders, down his spine, then up to gently comb through his hair. Pulling him so that he leaned into the solid male chest, Chase’s touch felt good. Better than good.

  “Chase.”

  “I’m here. It’s all right, love. I’m right here and everything is going to be all right.”

  Lucas could only stand still and absorb the gentle caresses with his heart hammering and his breath hitching. Undecided what to do with his hands, he gripped the edge of the sink. As his blood heated, his cock hardened even more. A groan rumbled from deep in his belly, a groan that spoke of arousal and need, and emotions that spiraled in directions he’d never dared truly imagine.

  Any doubt he might have harbored about what was happening here in his kitchen fled when Chase pressed his hips against him and for the first time in his life Lucas felt the unmistakable ridge of another man’s cock pushing against him. The strength of it thrilled him. Arousal and excitement wove together. Lucas liked the sensations, a lot.

  “Do you want me to stop?” Chase whispered the question, his breath tickling Lucas’ ear.

  Did he want him to stop? Lucas had never planned to act on his attraction to Chase, just as he’d never acted on any of the attractions he’d felt toward other men over the years. He’d convinced himself that these feelings were an aberration; that they weren’t real and could never be reciprocated, ever, by anyone.

  He’d convinced himself that he was broken inside—flawed, bad. He’d believed the feelings inside him, the needs and desires to be one-sided and imaginary.

  When Chase had come home a few days ago, Lucas thought his heart would burst, he felt so happy to see him. On the heels of that joy came an attraction, an infatuation that had first shocked and then shamed him.

  It had never occurred to him that Chase could feel the same way.

  Did he want him to stop?

  “No. Don’t stop. Please…but I…I don’t know how…” He couldn’t finish the thought because at that moment Chase reached down with his right hand and stroked Lucas’ denim covered erection.

  “Then I won’t stop. And don’t worry, I’ll show you how. Do you still have that lock on your bedroom door?”

  “I…yes.” Lucas pressed his cock against the pressure of Chase’s hand. He nearly laughed because he thought he reacted to the petting in the same way a love-starved puppy reacted to a gentle hand and a kind word.

  “Come on. Let’s go to where we can be assured of privacy. Last thing we need is someone knocking on the door and spoiling the mood.”

  Lucas was a novice being led by a wiser, more experienced man. That thought penetrated when Chase paused in the parlor and shut the inside front door and locked it. “No interruptions.”

  Lucas followed him down the short hall, so many emotions bubbling to the surface he became giddy with them, because the chief sensation was freedom.

  He heard the bedroom door click closed behind them, heard the lock engage. Before he could turn around, Chase’s arms came around him from behind, the embrace warm and strong. And then, whisper light, firm moist lips brushed against Lucas’ neck and shoulder.

  Lucas turned around then, the need in him so fierce it could no longer be contained. In Chase’s eyes Lucas read desire and appreciation. Such kindness stared back at him he reacted instinctively. Leaning forward, Lucas tested the feel of Chase’s lips against his own. One touch, and then another. Then gently, a kiss that was full, questing, a tasting and a statement all rolled into one. Chase’s lips melded to his as his arms drew him closer. The touch of his tongue electrified Lucas. Starving, he opened his mouth and gave him full access.

  Lucas reached for the front of his pants only to find Chase’s hands already there. Eager, shaking, he swore softly when the garment hit the floor and Chase dropped to his knees and took Lucas’ cock into his mouth.

  Lucas’s hands caressed the younger man’s head, his fingers combing through his hair even as he shivered with pleasure.

  Chase released him with a wet plop, his eyes focused as he looked up and asked, “Want to return the favor?”

  Though he never had, Lucas nodded his head eagerly. Chase got to his feet and peeled off his own shorts and t-shirt. Kicking free of his pants, Lucas sprawled on the bed, pulling the younger man down with him.

  Finally free to indulge what had always drawn him, Lucas encircled Chase’s cock with his hand, the caress the same as he’d used on his own a hundred times before. But this caress thrilled him beyond measure. How arousing to hear Chase groan in response, to know he pleasured this hot young stud.

  Leaning forward, he placed wet, open mouthed kisses on Chase’s chest and belly, stroked muscled thighs with his hands as he worked his way down.

  Pleasure became a quiver that flowed over his body as he took the hot, hard flesh into his mouth. The salty flavor, the delicate heat satisfied a craving he’d never admitted to himself he had. With lips and tongue, Lucas lavished attention on Chase, humbled and aroused when Chase shook and groaned in return. Then everything inside him rejoiced as he once more felt the hot moist caress of Chase’s mouth on him.

  The overwhelming urge to thrust, to take and claim and own transcended everything else, and as he moved his hips to meet the wet wild suction on his cock he rode the same motion from Chase. This joining of two into one felt more powerful, more basic than any he’d ever experienced before. This was a perfect mating of souls.

  Rapture exploded, sharper, bolder, longer and Lucas swallowed even as he felt his own seed drawn from his body into Chase’s eager mouth. Hot and heady, wild and wanton, the orgasm went on and on, each streaming pulse more potent than the one before until finally the last spasm faded. Still, Lucas was reluctant to release Chase, dotting tender kisses low on his belly.

  “That was better than I had dreamed it would be,” Chase whispered, and Lucas practically preened under the gentle petting Chase gave him.

  “I never even dared to dream,” Lucas admitted quietly.

  “Have you had dinner?” Chase asked, stretching then bracing himself on his elbow.

  Lucas turned on his side so he could see the other man’s face. “This didn’t count?”

  Chase laughed, the sound fresh and young and uplifting. Lucas smiled. He wondered if the lightness of spirit he felt inside him could be seen on his face.

  “Well, there are calories involved, but no. How about if we go make something for dinner? Then we can talk.”

  “I want more,” Lucas said, his resolve firm. He’d crossed the barrier he’d lived behind all his life. There would be no going back. He wanted to experience everything he’d denied himself. At this moment on a Thursday night, he wanted it all.

  “So do I. Let’s eat first.”

  Lucas got to his feet and headed to his closet. Inside, a scant collection of clothes that he would wear on a Sunday, or to some social function or other laid limply on hangers. Also stored there, rarely used, hung two robes, both of them Christmas gifts from years past—one from Maddy, and one from a woman he’d dated for a time nearly a decade before.

  He took the blue one down and extended it to Chase, then snagged the brown one for himself.

  “I don’t think I have a whole hell of a lot in my fridge,” he said by way of apology as he belted the robe.

  “As I recall, you never had a whole hell of a lot in that fridge.”

  “As I recall, you ate everything in sight, which was why it was usually empty.”

  Chase opened the bedroom door and turned to face him. Laughter lit his eyes and curved his mouth, and Lucas felt suddenly
awed by the reality of what had just passed between them. Years may have separated them, but in that moment it seemed as if they’d never been apart.

  Chase must have understood the expression on his face. Reaching out, he laid his hand on Lucas’s shoulder.

  “We have a lot to talk about.”

  “Yeah, we do.”

  Chapter Three

  The stallion stood fierce and proud, descended from excellent bloodlines. His name was Knight Shadow, one of the K-Temple Ranch’s stars, and worth more money than Maddy wanted to think about. Stud fees, though not as expensive for quarter horses as they could be for some race horses, cost dearly. But the Circle D had three beautiful mares also descended from excellent stock, and Maddy had cut a deal with Beth and Michael Templeton. In exchange for the conjugal visits about to take place, they would get their pick of the three foals.

  Knight Shadow had arrived, on loan until all three mares had been serviced. One of the ladies, Francesca, was ready to go. Maddy fully expected the other two mares to become estrous within the next few days.

  Maddy watched as Chase approach. He leaned on the railing of the corral beside her and together they observed the stallion prance around the outdoor paddock. He sniffed the air and announced his presence, accustoming himself to the new space and, Maddy thought, proclaiming his superiority.

  “Ralph Meade is getting settled in the bunk house. Seems like a nice guy. That stallion, on the other hand, is magnificent. I’m not surprised the Templetons sent someone to guard their asset.”

  Maddy chuckled. “Every once in a while you say something that makes you sound as if you have a degree in business.”

  Chase’s smile flashed, sending an immediate jolt to her belly. She’d done her best to put carnal thoughts of the younger man out of her mind since she’d seen him shirtless the other day. In this case, her best really wasn’t good enough. She focused like a laser on their conversation.

  “Well I can’t really help that,” Chase said. “I do have a degree in business. But I learned how to work right here, and this is home. So, when is the live sex show?”

  Maddy thought she was going to choke. Chase patted her on the back until she could breathe again. She hadn’t realized how much laughter her life had lacked until Chase came home.

  “Just as soon as the cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are ready to serve the voyeurs.”

  It pleased her she could make him laugh in return.

  “Seriously, I only every watched one mating session, and it had a decidedly…feral effect on me.”

  Oh, she really didn’t think talking about sex in any context was a good idea. Maybe teasing would help. “If I recall, you were around fifteen at the time. For a fifteen-year-old boy, everything has a decidedly feral effect.”

  “You had a feral effect on me back then, and that certainly hasn’t changed."

  He turned his head to stare at her square on and the look he sent her settled right between her thighs.

  Licking lips suddenly gone dry Maddy searched for a clever or even not-so-clever throwaway line. What she said wasn’t what she’d meant to say. It came from deep down, a secret thought, a secret idea that had begun on an afternoon’s work detail and ended that same evening as she’d seen the lights turned out in her foreman’s house.

  “Funny, I watched you go into Lucas’ house the other night, and emerge the next morning and for some reason I figured my affect on you had changed.”

  “I’ve simply broadened my horizons, sweetheart, not changed them.” He focused his attention for one moment on her breasts. His gaze met hers and she wondered she didn’t burst into flames on the spot with the heat that look contained. In the next moment, Chase straightened up and took one step away from the fence.

  “I promised Bill I’d give him a hand getting Francesca ready. Guess I’ll see you over at the foaling barn later?”

  “Yeah, later.”

  It was the best response Maddy could produce. Her mind suddenly filled with images more feral than the horses they’d been talking about. She wished she had time to sit and think about everything that had just happened between her and Chase. She hadn’t missed that reference to his having come home, and that pleased her because that’s how she felt about his return, too.

  But all the other stuff had her heart pounding and her nipples tingling and she wanted to sit and think about them.

  Unfortunately spare time was something she had in short supply at the moment. She needed to call the Templetons and let them know their man and their horse had arrived safe and sound. She also needed to send off an order to the supply store in Gunnison so they could get it together for pickup tomorrow. There was the fence-line to finish—and after the other day she wondered if she should just do that on her own—she had the breeding session to attend, and she needed to finish going over the ranch’s financials. She only had so many fingers to keep on all the buttons. At times running the ranch could run her a bit ragged. As she walked, she shrugged her shoulders, dislodging tension and recent thoughts.

  She’d been working on coming up with a five year plan for the ranch. As she headed toward the house, she wondered if maybe Chase would have some insights into that.

  She’d never consulted anyone before on that level of ranch business. In the last few years, not even her father had been privy to all the details of the operation. She’d allowed him to think they just scraped by, because he’d taken a liking to the shopping channel, and while she hated to deny him anything, he’d damn near bankrupted her with his purchases. No, scratch the idea of having Chase give his read on things. When you let other people get that close, they just screwed everything up on you, leaving you with a bigger mess and more work than you had to begin with.

  At least that had always been her experience.

  * * * *

  Chase felt positively Machiavellian.

  He’d kept his eye out for Maddy, knowing that she would insist on being present for the breeding. From what he’d seen in the short week he’d been home, Maddy pretty much insisted on being everywhere and doing everything. As he’d focused on the owner of the Circle D it hadn’t taken him long to understand two very important things: first, Maddy had control issues. Very serious and very deep-seated control and trust issues; second, coping-wise, she was hanging on by a thread.

  Chase figured she needed to relax and unwind, and knew that had to happen very soon. The other part of his prescription—the control and trust issues—would take longer to deal with.

  Chase hoped that over time, he and Lucas could help her with that control problem. He didn’t expect over-night results there, because trust took time to build. But he knew one surefire cure for the stress she seemed to be suffering from, and that cure would be immediate.

  He remembered the raw physicality of horses mating and wondered what sort of an effect that would have on her in her current frame of mind. He’d also deliberately teased her earlier, deliberately put images of sex front and center in her thoughts, and knew all that would be in play as the horse handlers—and the stallion—did their jobs.

  When Maddy entered the foaling barn, she went straight over to Bill, who had Francesca on a short rein, soothing her. Not too many people were allowed in the area—a moderate-sized indoor paddock—at this juncture. Francesca would be nervous enough. Bill was preparing to cover her eyes as horses had a very fine fight or flight instinct. Plus, you never knew how a mare would react during mating.

  “This will be her first time. I think she knows what’s coming, and she’s a bit afraid.” Lucas’ voice washed over him. Chase met his eyes and couldn’t hold back the smile which he knew to be intimate, because that’s how it felt. Lucas continued his observation.

  “I can really sympathize with her.”

  Chase wanted to hug Lucas, but didn’t dare. Someday, when the other man felt more comfortable with their relationship, a public display of affection might be possible. But for now, since Chase couldn’t hug him, he used the tone of his voice to
soothe him.

  “I told you there was no rush on that. I’m perfectly happy just having oral sex with you. We’ve got all the time in the world.”

  “I appreciate that. But I want more, even if the prospect has me nervous.”

  Chase watched Lucas’s eyes track over to Maddy, and noticed the softening of his expression. When he realized Chase had noticed, he flushed.

  “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry. We’re both of the same mind there. I’m looking forward to our first time together.”

  Lucas nodded, his eyes on Maddy as she listened to Bill. When she walked toward the door and took up her position along the wall, he looked back at Chase.

  “How are we going to manage that, exactly?”

  Chase smiled. He wouldn’t tell Lucas that he’d done what he could to manipulate the situation already. Later, he’d be completely open and honest with both his lovers. But not quite yet. For now he could tell him part of it, all true.

  “We’ll watch and take our chance when we see it.”

  “You think she’ll be receptive? To having both of us? At the same time?”

  “I do.” Interesting words. In Chase’s mind, he was building a serious relationship with Lucas. He wanted one with Maddy, too.

  The large door at the other side of the room opened, and Ralph Meade, the horse handler from K-Temple Ranch, entered leading Knight Shadow.

  The stallion stopped once he got inside the indoor paddock, his head raising as he sniffed the air. Giving a fierce scream, he managed to lift up on his two hind legs before Meade could control him.

  The scent of his mate in the air, his cry one of dominion, staking his claim.

  Francesca, even with her eyes covered, sensed the moment. Her flesh quivered, as if she’d been overtaken by a premonition so primal it took her back to truly feral times.

  Chase turned his attention on Maddy, who just at that moment turned hers gaze on him. Enough space separated them to protect her personal space, but not so much that she couldn’t see his face, read the intent in his gaze, and he held nothing back.