by Jory Strong
Heat shuddered through Clay. "You drugged me."
Tekoa laughed. "Hardly. My constituents wouldn't be happy with me if I did that."
"Constituents?" He set the empty cup on the mantel, and for a heartbeat was mesmerized by the Thunderbird carved into the rich wood.
"I'm sheriff here."
"And healer?"
"Not usually. But for you and Jessica, yes. The land brought the two of you here, but we can take it slow."
Clay's cock jerked in warning and this time he couldn't keep from taking it in hand to appease the ache. He didn't stroke. He wanted to, had to fight against it, but he didn't dare risk it. Having another guy looking at his dick, looking at his hand on his dick was nearly enough to make him go off.
He couldn't, not yet. Not until things were right between him and Jess. She had to come first, literally and figuratively. If she accepted Tekoa on her side of the bed then she would accept Tekoa on his side.
Tekoa's eyes heated and color highlighted his cheek bones. Clay's hand tightened on his shaft.
"I've got some sweats you can wear," Tekoa said, moving to a dresser.
Clay smiled at Tekoa's rapid escape. He might be naked and hard but at least he wasn't suffering alone.
He glanced down at where his hand encircled his dick. Yeah, he'd always been one to grab for the brass ring when it presented itself, but right now it felt like he was wearing a cock ring.
It took concentration and willpower to peel his hand off his dick one finger at a time. He managed it. Barely.
Tekoa tossed him the sweats. He snagged them and tugged them on, his cock leaking against the soft fabric.
A navy blue T-shirt followed. He pulled it on, his balls going tight because apparently wearing clothes that smelled like Tekoa and had been against Tekoa's naked skin did it for him.
He wasn't sure he could handle learning anything else new about himself today.
Tekoa came back to the rug in front of the fireplace and lifted a second cup from the mantel. "Get her to drink this. She was hurt too, but I could only do so much to heal her during the sing. I'll be dressed when you two come back in. Maybe we can play cards or something, spend some time getting to know each other."
Clay took the cup. There was need in Tekoa's eyes, the same aching desire to be with another man that had his chest and balls and cock burning. But there was also a willingness to wait, to take it slow. It wasn't only about the two of them, it was also about Jessica.
"Yeah, that's a good idea. Jess likes to play cards." He took a deep breath. Not that he wanted to delve into the whole healing thing, or the old man rolling a cigarette, and there was no point in going into details about the idiot-move of coming out to Jessica in the car, but Tekoa needed to understand where things stood. "She didn't know I was bi until today. She's trying to find a way to handle it. And she's still wearing the engagement ring. That's something."
His hand tightened on the cup. It'd turned him on to see Jessica's body go soft and yielding as another man took her lips, but it'd pissed him off too. Jess wasn't a casual conquest and he wouldn't share her easily. "She's fragile right now. I won't let you near her if you're looking to fuck a couple of stranded tourists until they head back home."
Anger flashed in Tekoa's eyes like a deadly lightning strike. "I'm not looking for a quick, meaningless fuck."
Clay exhaled and gave a nod. He felt the truth in Tekoa's words though he didn't intend to explore the metaphysical stuff that swirled around them like a dense fog. He'd leave that to Jess. Going with his gut had always worked for him. Grabbing at the brass ring when it presented itself was more his style. "I'll go check on Jess."
"Give her the cup. It's important that she drink its contents."
"Sure. First thing." And fuck if he didn't want to lean forward and kiss Tekoa before he left the cabin. Christ, he was hard.
He joined Jessica on the porch. She glanced at him then went back to staring into the night.
Rain struck the ground in a steady beat and the cold air smelled of wet dirt and cedar. Ache spasmed through his chest.
He needed to make this right. For most of the day that'd been his mantra.
She shivered and he wished he'd grabbed Tekoa's jacket from the peg next to the door so he could put it around her. He offered the cup. "Drink this, Jess. It'll warm you up. Guaranteed."
She reached for it, her fingers lingering on his, easing some of the ache. She took the cup and drank.
"What was that?" she asked, the husky timbre of her voice enough to have his cock pulsing and another bead of arousal soaking into Tekoa's sweats.
"Don't know. Something to go with the healing." He took the cup from her and placed it on the porch rail. "That was pretty cool, wasn't it? Shades of Tony Hillerman. Maybe you can work it into your next story."
"Maybe."
"Jess…" He put his hands on her sides and pulled her to him so their bodies were flush.
She stiffened at the feel of his erection, but he was braced for that reaction. He refused to let it hurt. This had to be about her, not about him.
He rubbed his cock against her mound. "If I weren't afraid of him catching pneumonia after all he's been through today, I'd push these sweats down so he could greet you properly."
She smiled against his neck and his heart lifted into his throat. He stroked his hands down her back and she slid her arms around his waist.
Pleasure slammed his eyes closed. It was going to be all right. They were going to be all right. "Let's go inside and get to know each other. Or if it'd make you feel better, we can ask Tekoa to take us to the nearest town with a hotel. Hell, maybe there's a place to rent rooms in Hohoq."
"You don't really want to leave."
He rubbed his cheek against her rain-dampened hair. "No."
He fucked his tongue into her ear and her little moan had his cock banging against Tekoa's sweats. He wanted to lay her down and make love to her. Alone, with Tekoa. Either or both worked for him. He captured her earlobe and sucked, his heart lifting and leveling off at having her hands push under the T-shirt and her palms press to his back.
"Do you want to leave, Jess?"
The slight shake of her head had his chest swelling. He rubbed his cheek against hers then pulled back to met her eyes.
"We're safe, we're dry. It doesn't make sense to do anything about the car until tomorrow. You're attracted to him, Jess. I'm attracted to him. Why not see where it goes?"
She tried to look away but he gripped her hair and kept her from avoiding the question. "No hiding from the truth, Jess. No secrets. That's the only way it could work. So I'll go first. It turned me on to see him kissing you. It made me harder seeing you go soft and submissive the same way you do for me."
He cupped her breast with his other hand, rubbed his palm over the hard point of her shirt-covered nipple. "At least admit you're attracted to him."
And if I do? Jessica thought, her heart thundering harder and her sex getting wetter. She already burned and ached with a need that was so primal she wanted to push her panties down and beg Clay to fill her with his cock.
She could claim it was nothing more than reacting to the fear of losing him. Or that something in the drink had heightened the need. Both would be true, but they weren't the only reason she felt so needy, so desperate for Clay to make love to her and reassure her with the thrust of his cock.
It scared her, how easily, how quickly she'd responded to Tekoa when he caught and kissed her. Thoughts of Clay had fled. Her resistance to giving herself to another man had vanished. Her worries about the future had been obliterated.
It unnerved her, how easy it was to imagine spreading her legs and letting Tekoa push his cock deep inside her. When he'd kissed her…
She shivered. She still wanted more of Tekoa than that press of lips and quick stroke of tongues.
"Admit it, Jess," Clay said, his voice husky. "Admit you're attracted to him."
She couldn't fight his need and her own. Her hea
rt pounded hard and fast, as if she was running down the side of a mountain and about to launch herself off and hang glide. "I admit it."
Clay's hands tightened on her hair and breast, possessive and at the same time rewarding her honesty with pleasure that had heat pooling in her stomach and more arousal wetting her panties.
"We'll only take this as far as you're comfortable taking it."
His mouth took hers. Each stroke and twine of his tongue with hers built the need to feel naked skin against naked skin, to have him on her, in her.
How far would they go tonight? She didn't know.
She only knew that she didn't want to lose him, that she was willing to stay here, to go back into the cabin, to spend time with Tekoa.
Clay ended the kiss, stared into her eyes, not hiding his need or his desire. "How about we get inside before Tekoa has to do another healing ceremony?"
She nodded, glanced at the porch railing, intending to pick up the cup, but it wasn't there. Clay leaned over to peer at the ground. "Must have fallen off and rolled somewhere. I don't see it. Let's get you inside, Jess, then I'll look for it."
They stepped into the cabin. Her eyes went immediately to Tekoa.
He'd pulled on jeans and put on a hunter green flannel shirt but his feet were bare. He looked less like a warrior who'd stepped out of the past, but still very much like a man capable of defending his family and serving justice.
Strength radiated from him, internal and external, like what poured off Clay, but different, and no less appealing. Their eyes met, the heat in his was banked, offering friendship that would flare into lovemaking with the least bit of provocation.
Admit you're attracted to him.
I admit it.
She kept her gaze from straying to the bed but couldn't keep her pulse from speeding at what might happen there. Grabbing the hem of her shirt, she dried suddenly damp palms and gave a little tug though the shirt covered her panties.
Clay reached for the jacket next to the door and Tekoa said, "What's up?"
"The cup fell off the porch and rolled. Couldn't see where it went."
"Don't worry about it. Crash in front of the fire with Jessica. You guys want something to eat? It's bachelor cooking but I haven't died of food poisoning or killed anyone with it yet."
His self-deprecating smile melted bands of tension she hadn't been fully aware of. They dissolved, allowing for a deep breath. She could do this, get to know him, push thoughts of what might come next into the background.
Smoothing her hands against her shirt tail, she said, "Let me help."
Tekoa's smile became a mesmerizing sunrise. God he was gorgeous, so very gorgeous.
He made a sweeping gesture toward the kitchen area. "It's all yours."
She really looked at his place then. It was essentially a single large room with two short walls extending out to form an alcove for a small office, and a counter separating the rest of the cabin from the kitchen.
On either side of the cabin door there were totem poles capped by Thunderbirds. There was another Thunderbird carved into the fireplace mantle.
Animal figures, some painted, some left as polished, stained wood, were scattered throughout the cabin. A grizzly with two cubs was on his desk. Several mountain goats along with wolves and coyotes were on the bookcase.
The sofa and chairs in the living area looked handcrafted and built for a man's comfort. The cushions were a dark brown that wouldn't show every speck of dirt and went with the photographs on the wall. She'd bet most, if not all, of the pictures had been taken locally. Fog and storm dominated, though one was a close-up of a golden eagle taking flight.
Her eyes returned to Tekoa. "The photographs are amazing. Whoever took them is a natural with the camera."
The self-deprecating smile reappeared. "Lucky and patient are more accurate."
A little thrill spun inside her. Photography wasn't her medium, pencils and watercolors were, but he had an artist's eye. "It's your work?" she asked, moving toward the kitchen.
"Most of it. The picture of the bull rider was taken by my cousin Briar."
Jessica skirted the kitchen counter. Clay pulled out one of the bar stools and sat, sending a swell of emotion up her throat so everything else faded.
He was okay. The wreck, the frantic search for help, finding him on the road, pale and shivering and hurting, it almost seemed like a nightmare.
Masculine lips that could deliver exquisite pleasure kicked upward. "Babe, if you keep looking at me that way, I'm either going to drag you to the rug in front of the fireplace or I'm going to ask Tekoa if we can borrow his bed."
She blushed and turned away from him though she couldn't escape the images of the two of them lying naked on the rug, or lying on the bed with Tekoa watching, a strong dark hand around his erection, moving up and down on his shaft.
Her heart fluttered and the heat in her face was nothing compared to the heat between her legs. She clamped her thighs together but that made the need worse.
Tekoa came to her side, and breathing in his scent had a wild storm forming in her chest. She shivered, rubbed her palms against her shirt.
How was she going to say no to this? Did she really want to?
A fist squeezed and released her heart. There was so much to lose.
He tapped a cabinet door on the wall to the left of the counter. "Canned goods here. Next one over is baking stuff. There's steak in the freezer and some ground beef in the fridge along with fresh vegetables. There's a loaf of homemade bread in the box next to Clay's elbow. If there's something else you think you might need, ask."
Her eyes darted to his jeans-covered erection and her stomach did a little flip. She licked her lips and his cock flexed against the material.
She tore her eyes away from the front of his jeans. What happened to pushing thoughts of what might come next into the background?
Why wasn't he married? He probably had women making up reasons to call 9-1-1. He probably had men committing crimes so they could run and have Tekoa take them to the ground.
She pressed her legs together. Rubbed her palms against her shirt.
Maybe he wasn't married because he was bisexual. Because like Clay, he needed to be out, and needed a woman who could accept his need for a male lover before he said I do.
She opened the cabinet, selected cans of red kidney beans and diced tomatoes, and was amazed by the steadiness of her hands given that her heart couldn't seem to find a steady beat.
This was like her first date with Clay. She'd been hopeful and afraid and needy and nervous.
She glanced at him, drinking him in, her heart climbing into her throat on a swell of tears. She'd been so afraid, both before the wreck and then after. She couldn't lose him.
"Jess…" His eyes and the heated, edgy tone in his voice warned that he could only take so much, not that she needed the warning. He'd go slow or fast, he'd take his cue from her, but he knew her body as well as he knew his own, and he was fearless.
A hint of willingness, the slightest indication that she was ready to take the next step and he'd strip her out of the shirt and panties, he'd make love to her and it'd only turn him on more to do it with Tekoa watching.
Clay's eyelids lowered. His features hardened and her sex grew more swollen. The tears that had risen with thoughts of loss evaporated in a rush of scorching heat.
She turned away and reached for a can of corn with a hand that shook. What would she do if he ordered her to take off her shirt and panties and brace her hands against the counter?
Part of her wished he would take the decision away from her and simply make her accept Tekoa as a lover. He had the power. But the part of her that loved and trusted him was glad he'd never do something like that. He could be a thoroughly dominating lover, but he was also a sensitive, caring man who treated her as an equal and made her feel protected and treasured.
"Pots and pans?" she asked, hyperaware of how wet her panties were, of the blush that seemed to be permanen
tly warming her face.
Tekoa pushed away from the counter. "What do you need?"
"One of each. How does chili with a salad and the homemade bread sound to you guys?"
"Works for me," Clay said.
Tekoa touched a hand to the middle of her back and sent a surge of heat into her pussy. "I'll be your assistant. You give the orders. I'll carry them out."
She nodded, fantasies raging, of her ordering him to strip, her ordering him onto his knees, her ordering him to put his mouth on her pussy. If she said something he'd hear the husky need in her voice, not that he couldn't already see it in the way her nipples were outlined against the light blue shirt.
She hugged her arms to her chest and her heart banged against the tin cans she'd selected. Dinner first, she thought. She didn't have to decide right now how far they'd take things tonight.
She breathed deeply to clear her voice of husk. Braced herself in a futile effort not to react physically. Glancing at Tekoa, she said, "You get onion duty."
"One chopped onion coming up."
She threw herself into cooking. It'd always been a refuge.
Clay and Tekoa launched into a discussion of the outdoor activities and local places that might become adventure destinations. They were engrossed in a conversation about fly fishing by the time they sat down at the table to eat.
"So you tie your own lures?" Clay said, squeezing Ranch dressing onto his salad.
"Don't you?"
Clay shook his head. "Haven't learned."
"You've probably got a handle on the knots. I could teach you how to make the flies. Not to brag, but a cousin of mine has been winning tournaments using a design of mine."
Clay laughed. "Yeah, not to brag. So I'd be a fool to say no to the offer?"
"Could be."
Jessica smiled at their exchange. And the image of the two men, heads bent over thread and pieces of fur and feathers, Tekoa's hands guiding Clay's, had her heart racing toward a dangerous destination.
She finished her salad and as she dug into the chili, Clay said, "So did you always want to be Sheriff?"
"Who wouldn't?"
