"I guess? I mean, I keep thinking he was easy, I didn't have to work at it. You? You aren't simple, man. You challenge me, through and through."
JJ laughed. "It's pure dynamite between us -- loving and arguing both exploding hard. You need a bull between your legs in bed as well as in the ring."
"Yeah." He nodded, let his head droop down further. "I'm gonna ride again, JJ. I can't not. I don't have any other skills but bulls."
JJ sighed, and leaned his forehead against the back of Thaine's neck. "I've been waiting for you to decide that. And I've been trying to figure out what to say to make you change your mind, but I know you. I know you aren't going to stop. Not even if it kills you."
"I gotta die of something, honey, and you aren't gonna move out to a ranch so I can raise stock."
"No. No, I'm not. Not anytime soon." JJ's arms went around his waist, the lean body pressing up against him. "And I'll admit, the danger, the stubborn streak, the scars -- they're all a part of your charm."
He nodded, grinned a little. "Not only that, but it'll get me out of your hair some. That can't hurt, can it?"
JJ started laughing, body moving against his. "The arguments did get worse during the off-season, didn't they? Hell, T, I think this is the longest we've ever gone without ripping each other's heads off."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll make a few phone calls tomorrow, huh? Find out where I can pick up the circuit before it gets too late in the season." He worked his leg a little. It wasn't in good shape yet, but it ought to hold.
"You don't think you should wait 'til next season, T? I could keep my workload easy. We could do some traveling, have a bit of fun while we reconnect..."
"Oh, now. That sounds like fun. I haven't had fun traveling in..." He thought, then started laughing. "I can't remember when."
JJ popped him in the shoulder. "Goober." JJ was laughing, too, though, the chuckles fading slowly. "You still don't remember anything at all, T?"
"I remember bits -- flashes. I remember the kid, kind of. I remember Jesse's ring tone on his phone. Things like that."
"No big desire to go running back to the kid though? He really was just a calf when you need a bull?" Well, he'd be damned, JJ was worried.
"I hate to think I was that shitty, you know? I mean, I hope that he got something from it, but... no. No, I got what all I need, even if it makes me shitty."
"Are you gonna keep beating yourself up over it, T? 'Cause I can think of about a hundred things better to do." JJ's hand slid down over his spine and along his ass, rubbing the seam of his jeans into his crack. "Maybe a hundred and one."
"Only a hundred and one? Man, you're not working hard enough." Horndog.
"Maybe the problem is I'm working too hard. Not enough time to think up wicked ways to make you scream."
"You think you still can? We've been working toward that screaming thing a long time..."
"It's good to have goals."
JJ started walking backward, arms around his waist bringing him stumbling along awkwardly. "And we should probably take this inside. You remember that time the neighbors called the cops?"
"Oh, God. Yes. I'd never seen you talk so fast."
"I thought we were going to be arrested for sure." JJ laughed and pulled him right inside, turning him and pushing him up against the glass balcony door as soon as it was closed. "And you just kept on laughing. I nearly did beat you to death when they finally left."
"Nearly. You were mad as a wet hen and about as fluttery." It had been cute.
"I don't flutter, Cowboy," growled JJ, pushing him harder against the door.
"You sure? I think you might flutter a little."
Jerry looked like he was going to blow a gasket, his mouth opening and closing on non-existent words. Finally, he bit out, "I'll show you flutter," and they were off to the races, JJ's mouth hitting his hard enough his lips were ground against his teeth.
Oh, Hell. He was liking that, loving the way JJ needed him, made him want. Jerry rubbed up so hard on him, he half wondered if they were going to go through the balcony door, the heavy glass cold and surprisingly solid against his back.
"Never fucking letting you go again. I swear to God. Keeping you this time." He meant it, growling and grumbling, groaning into JJ's mouth.
"You better," JJ muttered right back, hand moving between them to tug open his belt.
"I do. Am. Will. What the fuck ever. Touch me."
JJ laughed, the sound wild and happy, and his pants were dragged down past his hips, JJ's fingers wrapping around his eager cock. "Like this, T? This what you want?"
"Yeah. Yeah, JJ. Harder." He got his hands around Jerry's shoulders, just holding on tight.
"Yeah, well you just hold your horses there a minute." JJ's fingers uncurled from around him, hand hitting his cock once or twice as JJ undid his own trousers.
Heat on heat was pressed together, squeezed to fit inside JJ's palm, and then Jerry jacked them both off with rugged strokes. His head rolled, hips bucking like all get out as he fought to get more, to feel every fucking inch of his prick as it slid against JJ's.
"Feeling any flutters?" JJ asked, growling a little, hand moving faster.
"Huh?" Fuck, he was turned on, jonesing on that touch.
JJ gave him a wicked grin. "You said I got fluttery. Tell me this is fluttery, T. Go on. Tell me." The hand around their pricks tightened, JJ's thumb pushing against his slit on the downstroke.
"You. Fluttery. Yeah. Fuck, man, don't stop." He didn't even know what the fuck he was saying.
"Stop." Jerry snorted. "Not gonna, T. Not gonna."
JJ's lips wrapped around his Adam's apple, sucking hard as that hand most certainly did not stop. He lost it, humping and bucking, pushing into that hand over and over again.
"Just like that." JJ's liplock on his Adam's apple moved to the hollow in his throat, tongue flicking over his skin.
"Love. Love, fuck." His toes curled in his boots, hips bucking restlessly. "Please."
"Come on, then. Gimme." JJ's mouth fused back onto his.
He cried out into JJ's lips and shot, belly and balls tight.
"Oh yeah. Yeah." JJ nodded and more heat splashed between them.
"Uh-huh." He was all about the yeah and more. Christ.
JJ leaned against him, pressing him up against the window and taking a slow, lazy kiss.
"Mmm. Hey." Better. Much fucking better.
"Yeah, hey." JJ took another kiss and straightened, stretched. "You feel like dinner next door? I thought I heard the oysters calling your name."
"Mmm. Let me clean up and I'm all yours."
"Oh now, I kind of like you dirty." JJ felt him up. "I like it a lot."
"Perv. They won't let me in like this..."
"There is that... I'll just have to dirty you up again after." JJ gave him a wink and stepped away.
"Promises, promises." He swatted at JJ's ass as he headed toward the bathroom with its big old shower. He'd always loved it. Missed it when he was gone.
"You need help getting cleaned up?" JJ asked, falling into step with him. "I might need a shave."
"I could do that for you." They'd done that for each other for years, the sounds and smells so fucking intimate.
JJ stopped. "Yeah? Been a long time since anyone shaved me, T."
"You trust me?"
"Nobody else but you."
"Good." He winked, grabbed a handful of towels. "You still got that good razor?"
"Yep. I still keep it in the same spot, too." JJ grabbed the little stool and sat on it, smiling up at him.
He went right to the cabinet, got the razor and the cup and brush, the little hard soap disk new, whole. "Fuck, I love how this stuff smells." It always reminded him of his daddy.
"I always loved the look on your face when you did it."
"You can do me, after." He got the hot water going, swirling the brush over the cake until a lather started. Oh, man. "This brings back memories."
"Good memories, T?"
&
nbsp; "You know it." He lifted that pointed chin, stared into his lover's eyes. "Some of the best."
"Well then. Let's make us some more."
He nodded, lathering JJ up, using the brush careful, drawing lazy circles on that well-defined jaw.
"You always did like taking your time, playing. Making it special." JJ grinned, the words and smile trying to ruin his lather job.
"What can I say, man? It's a thing for me." A real thing.
"Lucky me." The look in JJ's eyes echoed the words, and one of JJ's hands landed on his waist, just holding on.
He shaved slowly and carefully, gentle enough not to cut, sure enough not to chafe. JJ's eyes watched him the entire time, the space between them almost humming. Thaine cleaned that fine fucking face without even a nick, baring Jerry’s fine skin and leaving it baby smooth.
"Mmm... I do like the way you shave me, T." JJ rubbed his hip.
"Yeah? You think it works for you?" He got a wet towel, smoothing all the shaving cream away.
"I think you work for me." JJ winked and tugged him close. His shirt was pulled up, JJ rubbing a newly shaved cheek against his belly.
"Mmm. Gonna feel all rough, next to you." He chuckled as his hairs caught and tugged a little.
"I'll do you in a minute and we can match." JJ licked at his navel.
"Mmm..." He went up on tiptoe, groaning low.
JJ chuckled. "You wanting again already, babe? You're insatiable."
"Nah. I'm too fucking old to get it up again. Just feels fucking good."
"If I wasn't hungry for dinner, I'd take that as a challenge to prove you wrong." JJ laughed. "Oh, T. I’m wanting dinner first -- we're both old."
"You know it, honey." He reached down, cupped JJ's cheek. "Good thing we have each other."
JJ nuzzled his hand, then turned to kiss his palm. "Your turn for a shave, and then I'll scrub your back in the shower."
"Sounds like a plan, mister." He was grinning wide. "Sounds like a plan."
"Well all right then." JJ stood and switched places with him, hand sliding over his cheeks, under his eyes. "You haven't been sleeping right, T."
"I got a lot on my mind, honey."
"No shit." JJ lathered up the brush and started on his face. "You still need to sleep. Eat, sleep, fuck -- the essentials, man."
"Are you sure that's the order? Leave the mustache, honey. I like it." It made him look distinguished.
"It tickles, T. And no, that's not necessarily the order. Just the top three." The lather went over his mustache, JJ's eyes twinkling away.
"Did you not hear what I just said, you ornery cuss?" Little shit.
"And I said it tickled. In my books, that makes you the ornery cuss." JJ picked up the razor, head tilting from side to side.
"No. That makes me a tickly cuss." Was tickly a word?
"You know..." The look JJ gave him had moved into speculative. "I don't think I've ever seen you without the mustache, T."
"I haven't shaved it since I was sixteen, honey. Just trimmed it."
The mischievous look was back. "I could shave it now. Just to see."
"I'd beat your butt. I'm too old to change now." He swatted JJ's backside, just in warning.
"Stuck in the mud," JJ accused, pushing in between his legs and moving his head to the side. "And if you do that again my hand is going to slip and who knows what might happen then."
"You won't cut me." He knew that, balls to bones.
"I won't cut you."
JJ started shaving him, the edge of the razor cool against his skin as it cut away his whiskers. Thaine closed his eyes, chin lifting to give JJ more access. JJ hummed a little as he worked, just a little noise to accompany the scrape of the blade. His cheeks and neck were done, JJ's strokes careful but sure. He opened his eyes again, looking into Jerry’s face.
Thaine loved the fine son of a bitch, every fucking inch of him.
Every now and then JJ's eyes would flick away from what he was doing to meet his, the smile in them warm and all his. The humming stopped as JJ worked beneath his lower lip, that extra bit of concentration coming in for his chin.
"There. Almost presentable," teased JJ, wiping his face with a warm washcloth.
"Almost?" He grinned, pulled JJ down for a kiss.
"Uh-huh," JJ murmured into his mouth, tongue sliding all along his teeth and teasing the roof of his mouth. "You still need that shower if we're leaving the house though. You smell like we've been catting around each other all day."
"Bitch." He chuckled, grinned against JJ’s lips. "Shower and food and maybe we'll go play pool downtown, huh?"
"That sounds just about right." JJ left another kiss on his lips, a real smacker, all wet and sloppy and then went to start the water. "We can argue over where we want to go play over oysters and chicken parmesan."
"Works for me, honey." It so would.
Hell, the rate they were going, he'd be able to sleep tonight.
Chapter Nineteen
Drew sat at the scratched up dining room table, going through Jesse's books, studying the charts, and doing calculations on piece of scrap paper.
Jesse was teaching him all about the bull raising business, and the books and paperwork were Drew's least favorite part. He'd rather have been cleaning stalls even. But as selling bull semen was actually where some of the best money was made, keeping proper books and understanding how things worked was important.
He checked his numbers against Jesse's and crowed. He got them all right this time, and it had only taken him two tries. He closed the books up, grinning hugely. He'd have to find Jesse and tell him. They could celebrate it.
"Jesse?" He called out as he put the books away. He was pretty sure he'd heard Jesse coming in earlier.
"Yeah, baby? In the kitchen." Oh, he smelled hamburgers. Yum.
"My numbers matched yours, second try." He grinned, rocking on his heels.
"Go you!" He got a grin, a quick, hard kiss, Jesse's eyes dancing.
He slid his hand over Jesse's hip and held on, smiling up. "And unless we're both wrong, Margarita's ready to be bred tomorrow. We putting her in the pen with Jesse's Pride or are we playing doctor?"
"We'll fix her up. I don't want Pride getting her worked up." Their noses touched, nice and easy. "Grab some French fries from the freezer?"
"'k. Those burgers smell good. You going to share your secret recipe ever?" He'd asked more than once and Jesse'd managed to change the subject nice as you please every time. He found the French fries and grabbed the fryer basket.
"Hmm? The Fry Daddy's heated up."
Drew shook his head and put a couple handfuls of fries into the basket, and then into the fryer, closing the lid on it.
He turned to watch Jesse finish setting the little breakfast table that this tended to eat at, putting out the salsa and cheese and sliced onions. Jesse was a handsome man; long lean body moving easily -- there was a lot to look at and he liked being allowed to stare. "I was thinking I needed to celebrate getting the books done so quick."
"Yeah? You wantin' a beer, baby? Or a Coke?" He got another smile, Jesse chuckling low. "I could tie a ribbon around your cock and make you a cake."
"You could just suck it," he suggested, mouth snapping closed as soon as the words were out of his mouth. "I mean. Well, that, I guess. But I'd do you, too. After. Or at the same time. Oh man." It was a good thing Jesse didn't expect him to be all smooth and suave.
Jesse leaned back, laughing good and hard, the laughter friendly and loving and making him chuckle along. Lord, it felt good, to just feel at home.
He grabbed a pair of beers out of the fridge and opened them up, putting them on the table next to their plates. "I guess we should eat first, huh?"
"Yep. You don't want to waste the burgers, baby."
"No, I don't." Besides, he'd learned with Jesse that sometimes things were even better if you had to wait for them, anticipate them. "Maybe you'll tell me what your secret recipe for them is tonight." And maybe those bulls out
there would fly across the night sky, but he was going to keep asking.
"Maybe, but I might need it to keep you here, you know? I'd hate to lose you."
"You think I'll take off if you share?" He shook his head. Like a burger could hold a candle to Jesse. Like anything could. Not even Thaine coming back with his memory intact... which made him a jerk, but it was the truth. He'd hero-worshipped Thaine, put the man up on a pedestal, he could see that now. Jesse he loved.
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