Still Waters

by Jayne Rylon

  Bryant followed Vaughn’s urging and crouched over his torso. Vaughn locked his hands onto Bryant’s quads, then guided him upward until his cock dangled near Vaughn’s mouth.

  His boyfriend lunged upward, taking the shaft between his lips and sucking. He didn’t screw around, instead applying just the right amount of suction to border on discomfort while pumping up Bryant’s cock as rapidly as possible.

  Meanwhile, he reached beneath Bryant. The hum that radiated along Bryant’s shaft made him fairly certain the other guy had taken his own cock in hand and started to jerk himself off. Thank God, because he wanted Vaughn inside him, as deep as he could go, while they enjoyed the storm raging around—and within—them.

  “I need you to fuck me, Vaughn. Now. Please.” Begging didn’t bother him in the least. Vaughn wouldn’t lord his needs over him.

  “Wait, Bryant. Lube.” Vaughn grunted as he tried to prevent Bryant from descending, putting his ass in prime range for fucking. “Damn it. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  Vaughn’s head sank onto the dampening ground.

  “It’s a good thing I was wearing this then, huh?” Bryant grinned as he took Vaughn’s hand and brought it to his ass. He gasped when his boyfriend nudged the base of the generously lubed plug he’d had in all day in the hopes that Vaughn would take him for a hard ride later, either because it’d finally be raining and they were celebrating like they were now, or because he needed to be soothed after more disappointment.

  It looked like all his wishes were coming true today.

  “You’re a fucking genius, has anyone ever told you that?” Vaughn grinned as he teased the toy from Bryant’s body and chucked it into a flowerbed nearby.

  They had, but it had never meant as much to Bryant as it did right then. Knowing he made his boyfriend happy was damn near as enjoyable as the pressure of Vaughn’s cock nudging his ass, seeking entry.

  Bryant watched rain splash onto Vaughn’s abs, saw them clenching beneath the sheen of the fresh, clean water pouring over them. He shook his head to clear some of the moisture from his eyes so that he could see the expression on Vaughn’s face when they were joined once again.

  Even though it had only been half a day since they’d been linked like this, their connection had the power to electrify him. He sank onto Vaughn’s cock, bit by bit, working himself down as his boyfriend thrust upward.

  Together, they made themselves fit each other. If there was a tiny bit of residual pain, Bryant didn’t mind. He knew that they’d get past it and give each other far more pleasure than that initial pinprick of discomfort.

  He sighed when Vaughn’s thighs cradled his lower back and his balls rested against Vaughn’s belly.

  “Don’t get too comfortable there, Doc.” Vaughn laughed as he reached down to run a finger along the entire length of Bryant’s cock. “You’ve got some riding to do.”

  One of Vaughn’s palms connected with the side of Bryant’s ass, then gripped it, using the hold to help him get started. His other hand concentrated on massaging Bryant’s cock and balls, which were presented for him to easily play with. Their position also let Vaughn openly admire the artwork Bryant wore with honor.

  It was nearly complete now, after more sessions than he could count. Someday soon he’d show his cousins and his father and uncles. He finally felt like a fully fledged Compton, wearing symbols of their ranch, their ancestors, his profession, and—of course—Vaughn’s name.

  The calluses on Vaughn’s hands, at the base of his fingers, only added to the rough edge of his steady grip. He pumped Bryant in time to the rhythm Bryant set as he began to fuck himself on Vaughn’s cock. Bryant put his hands behind him and braced them on Vaughn’s knees, using the leverage to help him pick up speed.

  His hips rose and fell, working Vaughn’s cock in and out of himself. Watching the heavy-lidded stare Vaughn gave him as they fucked had his own dick jerking in his boyfriend’s grip.

  “Fuck yes, Bryant,” Vaughn cheered into the storm. “Ride me. Show me how much you love this. Come all over me and I’ll fill you up.”

  How could Bryant resist a dirty-talking not-cowboy like that?

  He stared straight into Vaughn’s eyes as he surrendered to the moment. He embraced the rapture streaking through him as bright as the lightning striking around them, adding drops of his own fluid to the rain spattering all over Vaughn’s torso. Vaughn angled his chin down and lapped a pearly line from his own pectoral muscle, sampling the proof of Bryant’s pleasure.

  And then his cock bulged inside Bryant’s ass a moment before he began to buck.

  True to his word, Vaughn deposited jet after jet inside Bryant, his fists pounding the ground, sending water spraying in every direction. Though the wind shrieked and the storm seethed, all Bryant heard was that guttural gasp of ecstasy that he’d inspired.

  Then he collapsed beside Vaughn.

  They lay there, staring up at the sky, being washed clean of all their fear, doubts, and worry. Until, after a while, the summer rain brought chills to even the toasty places where they connected.

  “You’re dying to go check the system, aren’t you?” Vaughn asked.

  “Yeah. Do you mind?” Bryant bit his lip.

  Vaughn climbed to his feet, then held his hand out for Bryant. “Not at all. How can I help?”

  Bryant ran for the cottage. “Just stay with me while I do my thing and don’t let me freak out if things aren’t as they should be.”

  “That’s not a problem, but we should probably rinse off and get dressed first.”

  “Good thinking.”

  Vaughn was never more than a step behind as they splashed through puddles, inspected connections, and monitored the water levels while the retention ponds began to fill. Everything worked perfectly.

  Hours later, Bryant felt solid enough to return to the cottage. Once there, Vaughn grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch and wrapped it around them both, bundling them together.

  They stood, dripping and shivering, in the entryway, hugging each other and slow dancing in place until the chill began to fade from his fingers and toes. It would be impossible not to be warm in Vaughn’s arms.

  “Rainy days are my new favorite,” Vaughn purred.

  “Mine too.” Bryant squeezed him tight enough he might be smothering the other guy. Still, he refused to let go. “Though with you, any day is amazing.”

  “But especially the wet ones.”

  Bryant laughed and nodded. “Especially those.”

  “Even though you’re a stubborn-ass Compton, I love you, Bryant. I think I have from the first moment I saw you. I don’t ever want to lose you again.” Vaughn took Bryant’s palm. He smoothed it over his heart and the tattoo he wore so proudly there. “I’ll do my best to make sure you’re never hurt again, especially because of me.”

  “I’ve told you a million times. That wasn’t your fault. None of this was your—”

  “And it sure as fuck wasn’t yours either.” Vaughn shook his head. “But it screwed us both up anyway. No more. That’s done and so is the running. If there’s trouble, we’ll deal with it together and come out stronger for it.”

  “Deal.” Bryant choked when Vaughn loosened the blanket just enough to drop to one knee.

  “I never imagined doing this buck-ass naked, but what the fuck? You see all of me, loved all of me when no one else thought I was worth it.”

  “You do the same for me,” Bryant whispered, his voice somewhere down around his ankles.

  “So…will you be my partner for life? Marry me?” Vaughn asked.

  Bryant swallowed hard so that he could roar. “Hell yes!”

  He put his hands beneath Vaughn’s arms and lifted him up, like they’d always do for each other. “But…”

  “No. No buts allowed. It’s a yes or no question.” Vaughn bit his lip as if he had any reason at all to worry.

  “I’m just wondering… I know you asked me, but I’d love it if you would become a Compton.” It was a dumb det
ail. His mind specialized in facts, though, and now that he’d thought of it, he couldn’t imagine it any other way.

  “You think your family would want me having their name?” Vaughn asked.

  Considering how serious he was when he said it, Bryant knew without a doubt he would insist the other guy take it. Convince him he was as worthy of it as any of the rest of them. “Of course they would be proud to give it to you. Snake was an honorary Compton. It feels right that you should make it official.”

  “I would love that.” Vaughn hugged him tight. “Nearly as much as I love you.”

  Of course, that led to more kissing, and more fucking—this time the long and slow variety in the comfort of their bed. The entire time, it rained. And rained. And rained. Until Compass Ranch’s water retention system overflowed, filled to the brim like Bryant’s heart and soul.

  20

  Two Months Later

  “The results are in.” Bryant raced outside to the informal Sunday gathering the Compass Boys, their sisters, and their parents had started having now that the weather had cooled off some. He held up a thick sheaf of papers. “After eight weeks of operation at full capacity, we’ve used seventy-two percent less water than our baseline and have been able to reclaim enough of that to fully restock the storage systems, even with less than two inches of precipitation during that time.”

  “That’s amazing, son.” Sam slapped him on the shoulder. “I could tell by our bills that we were consuming a hell of a lot less. But…what about your degree?”

  “It’s official. After seeing these reports, the board unanimously approved my project. Dr. Burgess will personally be hooding me at the winter commencement ceremony. They also submitted my data to an award panel for innovation in agriculture, and they think it’s likely that I could win. The prize is a hundred thousand dollars toward implementation of the ideas in the paper. So…I could pay you back, Dad.”

  “You’ve already given the ranch its money’s worth.” Sam smiled. “Use anything that comes of this to start your own business. One where you can install this stuff at other farms. No reason you can’t do good and prosper, too.”

  Bryant nodded. He wanted to argue, because he knew how much his family had sacrificed to push him ahead and it still wasn’t sitting right with him. He’d told Vaughn how he felt and they’d been working through it together. As a team. He still hadn’t figured out the right solution, but together they would eventually.

  As if Vaughn could read his mind, he pulled Bryant aside. “I think this would be a good time to give this back to your dad.”

  He pressed something cool and heavy into Bryant’s hand. When Bryant got a good look at it, he nearly choked. “JD’s watch? How? Hang on, is this why you sold your truck?”

  “Like I said, we pretty much go everywhere together. We don’t need two vehicles right now. This was more important to you and your family. For us.” Vaughn smiled softly. “I would have told you sooner, but it wasn’t a done deal until this morning, while you were giving your presentation to the board. I went back to the shop with the sales money last week but the watch was gone. I had to track it down again and make a deal with the new owner. I didn’t want to get your hopes up until I knew I could pull it off. Anyway, I won’t let you lose something this important if there’s anything I can do about it. Not now or ever.”

  If Bryant hadn’t already been madly in love with Vaughn, he would have fallen right then. But like his father, who’d obviously traded a material possession for the good of his family, Bryant needed Vaughn to understand that what they shared was priceless. “I couldn’t have done any of this without you. No matter what the outcome had been today, I was at peace with it, because I knew that I’d walk out here after that videoconference, and you’d be waiting for me.”

  “That’s true. I have your back. I always will.” He closed Bryant’s hand around the watch. “And that’s why I did this.”

  Bryant flew to Vaughn and crushed him in a bear hug that the guy returned after a moment or two. Right there on the ranch, surrounded by everyone who meant anything to him, Bryant no longer gave a fuck who saw. In fact, he was proud to be Vaughn’s man.

  “I’m so happy for you two,” Bryant’s mom Cindi murmured from nearby. “I never wanted anything except for you kids to be as happy as your father and I have been for so long. I can’t wait for your wedding and for Vaughn to be my son-in-law on paper, like he already is in my heart.”

  “It means a lot to me to be part of your family. It’s something I’ve always wanted, and never had.” Vaughn cleared his throat.

  Cindi nodded, unable to speak. Was she knuckling away a tear? Oh God, Bryant couldn’t survive his mom crying, especially since he could count the number of times he’d seen her do it on one hand. To distract her, he turned to her and his father, who—as always—was right by her side.

  Bryant lifted the watch, carefully cradled in his palm, and held it out to them. “I think this belongs to you.”

  If he thought returning the heirloom to his father would stem his mom’s tears, he miscalculated. Because they escalated into sobbing. “Is that—? How?”

  Sam staggered back a step. The commotion began to draw the attention of the rest of the family. Bryant’s uncles Silas, Seth, and Sawyer huddled around his dad, making sure he was okay.

  When Uncle Silas saw the watch, he cursed.

  Even Uncle Sawyer took off his hat and stared.

  Uncle Seth cleared his throat and said, “I guess what they say is true. What’s meant to be…”

  Bryant didn’t waver. He clutched Vaughn’s hand and said, “Thank you for believing in me and for all the sacrifices you made for us, even when you didn’t let us know there was a price to be paid.”

  “It looks like it was all worth it. You kids are turning out pretty damn fine. JD and Vicki…and Jake…would be even more proud than we are,” Sam said, and his brothers nodded in agreement.

  Bryant was in danger of joining his mom then, so he turned toward his cousins with Vaughn still holding his hand tight. If he spied Austin blinking rapidly or James staring at Ivy, he couldn’t blame them either.

  Doug, however, knew just what to do to save them from an emotional free-for-all. He grimaced. “Hey guys, somebody missing this?”

  He tossed something stubby and black at Vaughn, who snatched it out of midair and jammed it into the pocket of his jeans before any of the older—or younger—generation could see what it was. The rest of the Compass Boys, however, started cracking up. Austin, Hayden, James, Ivy, and Doug drew attention away from the sentimental moment with their riot of hoots and snorts.

  “What—?” Bryant started to ask Vaughn before he remembered the night they had fucked in the rain. Right about where Doug had planted his lawn chair. Oops.

  Vaughn grinned as he put an arm around Bryant’s shoulders and whispered in his ear, “Don’t worry. He’s just jealous he doesn’t have wild sex with that girl of his out in the storms they chase.”

  Doug grimaced, but said, “I’m happy for you, Bryant. We all are. For finishing school and for finding someone to spend the rest of your life with. I never figured I’d be the last one of us to hold down the bachelor fort considering my wicked good looks and irresistible charm.”

  “For the record, I found Vaughn a long time ago. It just took forever to work things out.” Bryant leaned closer to his partner, grateful that they were finally together and would never break apart again. “That could be the same for you.”

  “I’m not that patient.” Doug shrugged, then drained his beer before reaching for another from the old metal washtub filled with ice. Bryant let it go. For now.

  Sterling came outside then, carrying something heavy. Viho rushed to her side and took a fancy cake covered in blue icing that looked like waves from her, carrying it over to the table and adding it to the mountain of food his relatives had brought with them.

  “What were you all going to do if I failed?” Bryant wondered.

  “Celebra
te your other successes and help you drown your misery in beer and cake. What else is family for?” Sterling grinned as she patted his cheek.

  Lomasi wedged herself between them and said, “Or we could have just scraped the icing off and ate it when you weren’t around like we did last time, Uncle Bryant.”

  Her parents looked horrified enough that he knew she was telling the truth. Vaughn squeezed him, as if trying to shelter him from the memories. He didn’t need to, though Bryant loved the heat and weight of him nearby, as he would always be from then on.

  He laughed and laughed. Something that had hurt him so much no longer had the power to do so. He was finally ready to let go of all the mistakes he’d made in the past and fully embrace his future.

  As often as he’d prayed for rain, he was now looking forward to basking in years of sunny times.

  Just like these.

  What Happens Next?

  If you’ve enjoyed Still Waters, be sure to check out the continuing Compass saga in Light As Air—Compass Boys Book Four—for Doug’s story.

  If you haven’t already read the rest of the Compass saga, be sure to go back and read all about the original Compass brothers (Silas, Seth, Sam, and Sawyer) and their daughters, the Compass Girls (Sienna, Hope, Jade, and Sterling). The first three Compass Boys books (Austin, James, and Bryant) are also available now.

  The adventure begins with Northern Exposure. Click here to find out more.

  About the Authors

  Jayne Rylon and Mari Carr met at a writing conference in June 2009 and instantly became arch enemies. Two authors couldn't be more opposite. Mari, when free of her librarian-by-day alter ego, enjoys a drink or two or... more. Jayne, allergic to alcohol, lost huge sections her financial-analyst mind to an epic explosion resulting from Mari gloating about her hatred of math. To top it off, they both had works in progress with similar titles and their heroes shared a name. One of them would have to go.