"You fucker. You're going to let your pride kill you." Jerry glared at him. "I tell you what, I will keep track of every single fucking penny I spend until you've found something else to do, and then you can pay me back."
"Don't fucking holler at me." He stood up, pulled the IV out of his arm and headed toward the bag of his clothes. "I'm fucking going home."
"Fine! I'll fucking drive." Jerry just growled and glowered.
"Okay." He couldn't see straight yet and he might just puke. "Where are my motherfucking jeans?"
"That would be the mud and blood covered dark mess beneath the mud and blood covered white mess that's your shirt."
"I..." Thaine stood there, holding the stiff and smelly clothes, knees getting a little weak.
Jerry took the clothes away, tossing them in the corner and wrapping him in strong arms. "You nearly died, T. No lie. No drama. Just the bare fact. And going back out there will make it happen."
"Shit, JJ. I'm scared. For real."
"Good. That's good, T. It means you don't want to die. It's okay. It's good." Jerry murmured the words, holding him tight, rocking him some, but mostly just holding.
He let Jerry get him to the chair, Jerry drawing him down and letting him lean a second.
"We're a team, you and me."
Thaine nodded. "We are. We are, JJ."
He'd walked away from this once, he wouldn't do it again.
Chapter Twenty Seven
Two months.
Thaine had been home for two months and Jerry knew one thing for sure. They needed to find the man something to do and soon.
It wasn't like they hadn't had all that time where Thaine wasn't working, but obviously the prospect of going back to it had mitigated the lack of current work. What they had here now was Thaine with nothing but time stretched out in front of him.
"I swear to God, Thaine, you sigh like that one more time and I'll beat you." Which would be a shame as the man was finally looking human again.
"Fuck off." Thaine grabbed the want ads and headed for the kitchen, the lines in the strong back stiff and furious.
Shaking his head, Jerry decided it was now or never. He printed off the real estate pages with particulars, and headed into the kitchen. Jerry would either think this was a great idea or tell him to fuck off again. He put the papers with the land details on top of Thaine's newspaper.
Thaine frowned, reaching out for the papers. "What's this?"
"Land for sale. About an hour out of the city. Looks to me like a good spread for raising bulls."
"What?" He got this look, scarred brow furrowed, eyes confused. It was actually cute.
"All right, all right. I'm no expert. You'd want to go check it out, I agree. But for argument's sake, let's say this land will do the job. It's close enough to the city I could commute a couple days a week, work from home the others. 'Sides, the company practically runs itself at this point, I've half a mind to appoint a VP in charge of operations and find me a new project or two to work on. I've a few ideas, but that doesn't matter right now."
"You. I. Wait. What? I thought you said ten years." Yeah. Definitely cute.
"Well, I hadn't had a chance to work from home at all then." The last year or so with Thaine, playing as much as they could had showed him he didn't need to work from sun up to sun down seven days a week; a man needed to play a little, to enjoy life. "That was before I knew what kind of money these bulls could bring down."
Thaine's fingers were tight on the paper, eyes going back and forth between him and it. "No shit? Because, I could. I mean, shit, I wanna..."
He nodded, letting his grin out now that Thaine wasn't hitting him over the head and yelling at him about charity and carrying his own weight. "I figure it'll be a good investment."
"I got enough set back to put in my bit of the seed money. It'd be fair to you."
"Yeah? Cool. Running it would all be on you. I'd be more a silent partner in all this."
"I'd be good at it, JJ. I've been planning for a few years."
He was counting on Thaine being good at it. "So what all do we need aside from the land to get things started?"
"Cattle. Horses. A couple dogs." Thaine started scribbling, more engaged than the man had been in weeks, maybe longer.
Grinning, he sat back to watch. "The dogs are a necessary part of the bargain, are they?"
"Yeah. Some cattle dogs. They can work. Besides, ranches need dogs, Jerry."
"So it's a rule or something," he teased. "Does how many depend on how big the place is? X amount of dog per acre or something? Because I have to tell you, there's a lot of acres in this place."
"Possibly, yeah. I'd have to look in the old cowboy handbook..."
"Old cowboy handbook..." He laughed and cuffed Thaine on the arm. "You're not old, babe. Just... well-used."
"Shit. You haven't used me since I got home." Thaine's cheeks went pink, eyes flashing.
"I haven't left you wanting." He'd sucked and jacked. He'd made sure Thaine was well taken care of in bed. His prick had jerked at those words though, reminding him just what had been missing since Thaine hit his head.
"I want. I want you to fuck me like you don't think I'll break."
He licked his lips and managed not to groan. "You sure you're ready, babe?" He couldn't say no. Not to Thaine. Not to this.
"I am. Fuck, honey. I'm ready."
"Then what are we doing in the kitchen dithering?" Standing, he grabbed hold of Thaine's arm and tugged. Man thought he could take it, then Jerry would give it.
"We were talking about buying a ranch." Thaine stood and followed, fast enough that they smacked together.
"That can wait."
He turned and grabbed Thaine up as soon as they got to the bedroom, taking the man's mouth and pushing him up hard against the wall. Oh, sweet Jesus he wanted this. His cowboy pushed right back, hips jerking and rubbing against him.
Jerry pulled Thaine's shirt open, fingers going for the little nipples, twisting and tugging. Thaine groaned right into his mouth, hands hard as steel on his shoulder. Fuck, his cowboy needed a good, hard ride.
"Naked," he growled. "Now. Right fucking now, T."
"Uh-huh." Thaine grabbed his shirt, started pulling it out of his waistband, eyes hot on his skin as it was bared.
His own hands kept busy, fingers tugging off that familiar belt. "You like what you see, babe? Think I got what you need?"
"No. I know. You're it for me."
He nodded. "Yeah, T. I know. You, too." He got Thaine's pants open, pushed down, and started dragging the man back toward bed.
"Need you. Now." Thaine was hard, the pretty prick wet-tipped and throbbing.
"Lie down on the bed, babe." He pushed off his own pants, shoving them off, his underwear going at the same time.
"Uh-huh..." His lover leaned back, spread for him, one hand working that heavy cock.
"Just look at you. Sexy, needy motherfucker." He grabbed the lube and took himself in hand, slicking it all up.
"Wanna look at you." Thaine groaned, arching up into that callused hand.
"We can do it like that, T. Be real good like that." He climbed up onto the bed, between Thaine's legs.
"Uh. Uh-huh. Yeah. Please." Oh, hell yes. Begging already.
He rubbed his fingers over the tight little hole, sliding one into the amazing heat. Thaine's eyes rolled like dice and his cowboy started riding him, hips bucking. And with just one finger. Damn, the man was going to go nuts on his cock. Groaning, he pushed in a second finger, and then a third, spreading Thaine wide.
"Oh. Yeah. Come on. Need." Thaine was moving good and hard.
He tugged his fingers away, pressing up close, the head of his prick pushing up against Thaine's balls. He got a hold of it and dragged it down along soft skin until hit that tight hole.
"JJ." Thaine pushed down, grunting as the head of his cock popped in.
"Oh, fuck, yes." He sank the rest of the way in, his man so tight and hot around him, like a hea
ted vice.
T leaned up, begging for a kiss, tongue sliding over his lips. He grabbed the back of Thaine's neck, holding his head just there as his tongue slid against Thaine's. Then he pushed their lips together, tongue fucking those lips like his cock was gonna fuck that tight ass.
Oh. He'd needed this. Right now. Right fucking here. His cowboy in their bed, happy and willing and settled. He circled his hips, not even fucking yet, just letting Thaine feel him, his mouth devouring Thaine's. That sweet body rippled and fluttered around him, working his prick.
Their kiss broke apart on twin gasps and he leaned their foreheads together, looking into dark, dark eyes as he slowly pulled out, loving the way Thaine's body grasped at him, tried to keep him deep. Then he slid forward again, cock head pushing past the tight muscles, stretching that hole all over again.
"Oh. Oh, hell yes. Please." Look at the blush covering that tight belly.
He did it again, pulling all the way out and slowly pushing back in again. It was sweet, slow torture for both of them, and exactly what they needed. Thaine's body fought him every time he pulled back, trying to keep him in deep. He kept it up as long as he could stand it, and then he pushed, rolling that tight little ass up a little and set a hard, fast rhythm, fucking Thaine with everything he was.
Thaine must be ready, because the lean form met his, bodies slapping hard together. He took a kiss, and then another, their teeth clacking, their lips mashed. He could feel Thaine's prick caught between them, hotter than a tin roof in August and wet, making their bellies slick. Thaine whimpered for him, tongue pushing in, sliding against his own.
Groaning, he pushed harder, faster, hips working to send Thaine flying.
"Gonna. Gonna. Please, honey. Oh. There!"
He stayed right there, working that spot inside the finest place his cock had ever been. Meeting Thaine's eyes, he grinned wildly. "Love you, babe."
"Love." Those bright eyes rolled, pleasure making Thaine grimace.
"Hell yeah, just like that, T." His movements became jerky, his cock stabbing desperately into Thaine. Heat sprayed over his belly, ass squeezing him tight, milking his cock. "Babe. Yes." His eyes rolled as he came, filling that stubborn fucking cowboy deep.
Thaine settled, heart pounding, a wide smile on the beloved face. He slid out and shifted, lying on his side next to Thaine. He threw a leg over the man, fingers sliding, finding scars and tracing them.
"You needed that." They both had.
"Uh-huh." Thaine grinned like a fool.
He laughed, burying his face in Thaine's neck and breathing the man in.
"Gonna do this until we're old and grey and wrinkled like a pair of raisins."
"Promise?" A stubbled cheek crinkled against him, that smile getting bigger.
"I do." He licked Thaine's neck. "You promise you're gonna be around for it?"
"I can't do that, but I promise I'll try, honey."
That was as much as he could ask.
Epilogue
"Move, you." Thaine shoved a heifer out of the way, side-stepping as she kicked. "I can't feed y'all if you don't move."
Thaine headed for the feed buckets after he turned the water on in the tank. He had three cows fixin' to calve, and he was crossing his fingers Jesse'd steered him right on the bull semen they'd sent over. He could use a couple baby bulls and a heifer to breed, yes sir. Him and Jesse, they’d talked on the phone a lot. Well, they’d yelled a lot at first, the only hatchet burying threatening to be in each other’s skulls. But eventually they’d made their peace together, which was good. Jesse’d been his best friend a long time.
"Hey, anyone home?" JJ's voice came from the other end of the barn, his form silhouetted in the door, breaking him out of his thoughts.
"Hey, honey. I'm just feeding. You have fun in New Orleans?" Jerry'd been gone for a couple days, working in the Big Easy.
"Would have been more fun with you, babe." Jerry came on in, grinning, grabbing a bucket.
"You know it. Maybe next time, huh? When we both have less to do."
"Less to do?" Jerry gave him a smile. "You're busier than I am these days, T."
"Yeah, but I could've played in New Orleans; you had to work."
Jerry laughed. "Point to the cowboy."
Jerry helped him with the feeding, something that had been happening more and more of late as Jerry cut back on his work.
"You home for a bit, now?" He stole a quick kiss as he went to turn off the water.
"I am. Two weeks, barring a conference call on Tuesday." Jerry waited until he'd turned, and then tugged him in close. "Just you and me and a bunch of cows, babe."
"Two whole weeks? Goddamn. I'll get fucking spoilt." He got himself a kiss, leaning right on in.
Jerry opened wide, tongue sliding against his, hand reaching to squeeze his ass. "I'll show you spoilt, babe."
"You'll try, you beautiful son of a bitch." He pressed back into Jerry's hand, hips starting to rock.
"You know I will." Jerry's hand squeezed his ass, the other hand sliding between them and popping his top button. "Gonna start now."
"Here in the barn? Perv."
"I try, T. I surely do." Jerry winked, hand pushing into his jeans and wrapping around his cock.
"Mmm. Fuck. Love your hands." His head fell forward, hat sliding back on his head.
"They sure do love you." Jerry brought their mouths together for another kiss, thumb working the tip of his cock.
He answered as best he could, groaning and grunting out his pleasure against Jerry's mouth. Jerry pushed the hand on his ass down into his jeans as well, one finger sliding along his crack as skin met skin. Goddamn, that felt fine. He spread as far as his Wranglers would let him.
JJ pushed the tip of that finger into him, other hand pushing down to stroke his balls.
"Oh, fuck. Want." His boots slipped on the floorboards a little, toes curling.
JJ backed him up into a corner where he had hay stacked and then stripped off his own shirt, laying it down over a bale. "You can have, T. Assume the position."
"You're kidding." He wasn't gonna... not in the barn.
"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Jerry really didn't. He was naked from the waist up, and was sporting a sizable bulge in the front of his jeans.
"No. No, you look..." He shook his head, sighed. "Like heaven."
Jerry undid his belt buckle, the top button, his pants sliding to ride low on his hips. "I want you, T."
"Yeah. Yeah, honey. Yours."
"So bend over for me, babe, and let me have you." Jerry undid his zipper as he spoke, drew out his cock and started to pump it, right there in the middle of the barn.
It was hot as fuck, walking over to the bale, bending over for his man. Jerry thought so, too, if his groan was anything to go by. Then Jerry was behind him, bending and licking at him.
"JJ!" He spread as far as he could, jeans creaking.
"So fucking good, T." JJ's tongue flicked back and forth across his hole, and then stabbed directly in.
"Jerry. Jerry, need you." He jerked, hands digging into the bale.
That tongue fucked him, pushing into him over and over, Jerry making him wet. Thaine just rolled with it, hips bucking, pleasure sliding over his nerves. Jerry's tongue slid down to lick at his balls, two fingers pushing into his body and scissoring, stretching him wide.
"Fuck." Sweat popped up all along his spine, his forehead, just driving him nuts.
"It's coming, T." He could feel Jerry's grin against his inner thigh, the heat of Jerry's tongue sliding all over his skin. The fingers inside him worked hard and fast, and then slid away, Jerry standing back up. They were both panting like steam engines, Jerry groaning as the head of his prick pushed into Thaine's body.
Oh, hell. He was going to have to welcome Jerry home more fucking often. Thaine's eyes rolled, muscles tight as they slapped together, moving over and over.
Jerry's hands were hard on his hips, digging in as JJ pulled him back into each thrust. "Babe. Fuck."
That voice got to him, all twisted up and hard, Jerry started moving faster.
"Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Please." He went up on tip-toe, thigh muscles tight as boards.
One of Jerry's hands wrapped roughly around his prick, gripping hard as the thrusts sped, hot cock sliding up against his gland.
"JJ!" He hollered out, voice just ringing in the barn, the horses stamping.
Amnesia Page 19
