More Than A Manny: Gay Romance

by Trina Solet

  Nate had gone to class leaving Brent to put the kids to bed. Already in their pajamas, with teeth brushed, the kids were both in Ricky's room. Lying at the foot of his bed, Ricky was propped up on his elbows with a book in front of him. Georgie was turning the lights off and on while Ricky was trying to read.

  "Having fun, Georgie?" Brent asked.

  "Daddy!" she said playfully and tried to run away.

  Brent caught her and gave her a big kiss. He put her to bed first then went back to find Ricky still reading. Seeing that it was his bedtime, Ricky flipped over and got under the covers without being told. Brent picked up his book. Ricky showed him where he left off.

  "Do you want me to read what it says or make something up?" Brent asked him.

  "Read what it says," Ricky said. He did consider it for a little bit before he answered so his answer didn't hurt Brent's ego too badly.

  "OK. Just this once," Brent said.

  Despite the unpleasantness with Davis, Brent had a good feeling. He had put his kids to bed, and now he was waiting for Nate to come home so he could seduce him. Everything felt right in his life. His only real worry was that it wouldn't last. But there was something about Nate that nearly obliterated that fear. He was steady and grounded, and sexy, and almost home.

  Sitting in class, Nate had felt like time passed too slowly. Now he smiled as he came home. As soon as he saw Brent waiting for him in the loft and kissed him, he had to bitch about him.

  "Damn it, Brent. I missed half of what Franklin was saying in class because I was thinking about you."

  "You say the nicest things," Brent said right before he kissed him again.

  As they went down the hall toward their bedrooms, Nate stretched his back, feeling both pain and relief as he did so.

  "You're all stiff again, and not in a good way," Brent noticed.

  "I spent too much time bent over earlier today, looking at stuff through a magnifying glass. I was sifting through a box that Professor Pullman marked as questionable. If he couldn't be sure if that stuff was genuine, I don't have a chance in hell. They need to be looked at by an expert. Plus I found this one request for supplies that's practically illegible already. And that thing is genuine. It can't wait. I asked Professor Franklin to put me in touch with someone who could preserve it. Sitting in class for hours, thinking about you didn't help my back."

  "You need some stress relief," Brent said as he pulled him toward his bedroom.

  "I think I'll just get some sleep," Nate said. He liked his offer, but he wasn't sure if he could do him justice.

  "Just let me give you a massage," Brent implored.

  "That's OK," Nate said since he would probably just fall asleep on him like the last time.

  "Are you refusing?" Now Brent looked disappointed.

  "OK, then. I could use it."

  Now Brent looked happy.

  "Stop being so sweet, or I'm going to fall in love with you," Nate warned him as he pulled off his t-shirt and threw himself on Brent's bed face down.

  "I dare you to."

  Brent climbed up on the bed to kiss his shoulder and down his back. He straddled him and started working his back with his strong hands. After kneading his muscles for a while, Brent slid his hands up to Nate's shoulders. He massaged until Nate felt good again. Leaning down, Brent licked the edge of his ear making him squirm. He must have noticed that Nate's ears were sensitive and now used it against him. While kissing his neck, Brent drew his hand down Nate's back to his ass. His grip was firm as he groped Nate over his jeans, but Brent's kisses only skimmed his back. Nate was already aroused from the massage. He was too far gone for teasing.

  "Hey, get serious," he told Brent.

  "You are impatient," Brent said as he turned him over so he could get at his fly.

  "Your fault," Nate said and dragged Brent down to him for a kiss. Brent returned his kiss hard and deep. Nate felt like he might drive him right through the mattress. He slipped his hand over Brent's ass feeling the curve and the muscle. Gripping him lower, he parted his legs. Brent sat up suddenly and grinned at Nate. He pulled both their cocks free and joined them in both his fists. Pumping them together, he also rocked his hips so his cock slid over Nate's. It was a wonderful sensation, and Brent was always a beautiful sight. The controlled motion of his hard body was mesmerizing. When Nate started moving too, Brent made him lie still. That was a torture but it paid off.

  After they came and Brent cleaned him up, Nate fought to keep his eyes open.

  "Close your eyes, there's nothing to see here," Brent told him and kissed his eyelids.

  "There's you," Nate told him.

  "I'll always be here," Brent promised.

  Chapter 24

  Friday afternoon, Brent and Nate were lounging by the pool. Brent had bought a bunch of rubber duckies and filled the pool with them. Georgie and Ricky were swimming among them. While Nate got it all on video, Brent walked away to take a phone call. After he got off the phone, Brent came to talk to Nate.

  "Patricia Owens invited us to go horseback riding tomorrow. She and her husband are old friends of the family. Their granddaughters are visiting, and they are just a little bit older than Ricky and Georgie," Brent told Nate and watched him make a face. "You've never been on a horse," Brent guessed correctly.

  "I'm invited?" Nate asked him.

  "Of course," Brent said. He tried to sound casual, but Nate wasn't fooled.

  "Did you tell them you were bagging your hot manny?" Nate asked.

  "Not in so many words. But I did tell them you weren't just the manny." To convince him further, Brent said, "You can't leave me outnumbered. When it comes to large, easily startled animals that like to kick, the preferred ratio is one adult for every child. And several for Georgie."

  "You sold me. Kind of." To Nate, the whole thing sounded like a recipe for disaster, especially that whole thing about kicking.

  Next day, Nate was surprised to see that Brent and the kids were all decked out western style. They were all wearing cowboy boots, and Brent carried a pair for Nate.

  "Based on some close scrutiny of your measurements, I think these will fit you," Brent said as he handed them over.

  In front of the kids, Nate chose to ignore the more suggestive aspects of what Brent said. The boots were brown and they fit decently. They went well with Nate's plaid shirt and jeans. Brent wore jeans and a white shirt with snaps, and he looked gorgeous. The kids looked adorable in similar outfits but with the addition of fringed vests. Georgie's was red over a checkered pink and white shirt, with jeans and red boots. Ricky wore a more serious and manly brown vest with a denim shirt, jeans and brown boots like Nate's. Nate felt strange being part of a group that looked ready to go line dancing, but he decided to have fun with it.

  "Where are your horse riding helmets?" Brent asked the kids.

  They both shrugged.

  After a fruitless search, Brent had to call Pam in Costa Rica to ask her where they were.

  On the drive over, Brent filled in Nate about what he was in for.

  "The Owens' horses are sweethearts. The Owens' grandkids ride them all the time. But someone will have to reign in Georgie. I don't think she understands the difference between a horse and a kitten. She's a nightmare around horses. Aren't you?" Brent asked her to confirm it.

  "I want a horse," Georgie said.

  "No," Brent said simply.

  "Yes! I want a horse."

  Nate decided to jump in.

  "Horses are too big for a little kid like you."

  "No, they're not. I want a horse."

  After she said that several times, Nate asked her, "Do you want your dad to turn this car right around and head back home?"

  "No. We have to go see the horses." She didn't seem to understand that this was a threat, and a time honored classic.

  "Then zip it or no horses. Got that?" Nate told her.

  She made a face but stayed quiet only for about two minutes.

  "We could have a little h
orse," she said.

  "A little horse is called a pony," Ricky lectured her.

  "I know!" She leaned over to yell in his ear. Then she addressed the adults again. "We can have a pony!"

  The Owens's sprawling, one story house was well outside of town. A beautiful, wide porch encircled it. Close to the house was a garden full of flowers and then the open fields all around. Mr. and Mrs. Owens and their two granddaughters came to meet them. Mr. Owens was thin and leathery. Mrs. Owens was blond and older than she seemed from a distance. Mrs. Owens welcomed them. Her voice was a little louder than necessary, but she was casual and friendly as she led them around and to the stables. When the horses were in sight, grazing in a small enclosure, Georgie pointed and yelled excitedly, "I see them! I see them! Look! Horses!" She acted like she had just discovered them and needed to point them out to everybody, even their owners. Then she pinched her nose as they walked by the stables.

  "Did you forget that horses are stinky," Brent asked her.

  Before the horses were brought out, Mrs. Owens reminded the kids how to behave around them. Nate listened too, for his own sake and so he could make sure the kids stayed safe. All the kids now wore their riding helmets. When the horses were brought out one by one, Brent held on to Georgie. Even if she heard what Mrs. Owens said, she wasn't going to obey in her overexcited state. After she calmed down a little, Brent went over the safety rules again with her and led her to one of the horses. She looked tiny standing next to a horse. It was a little scary. Brent never let go of her hand, and Ricky never took his eyes off her. Then Mrs. Owens came up to them leading a brown horse.

  "I think Ricky should try riding Brambles again," she said as she patted the horse's side. Turning to Ricky she said, "Nothing to worry about. He is as sweet as can be."

  Ricky was frozen, standing next to that wall of muscle. He did pet the horse as instructed and fed him some treats, but from a bucket not his hand. When it was time to help Ricky climb into the saddle, Brent handed the very envious Georgie to Nate. As Brent picked up Ricky to put him on the horse, Nate could tell how nervous he was. Brent held on to him even after he was in the saddle. Surprised that he didn't take to it, Nate asked him, "Isn't it just like climbing a tree?"

  Ricky shook his head. He was too scared to speak.

  "Trees don't move," Brent told Nate.

  Mrs. Owens led the horse while Brent walked alongside and steadied Ricky. After a ride that lasted only a few minutes, Ricky was visibly relieved when it was over and he was back on solid ground.

  "You did good," Nate told him.

  Georgie wanted a turn, but she couldn't be trusted on a horse. Mrs. Owens held on to Brambles while her granddaughters took charge of Georgie.

  "Dibs on Licorice," Brent said of a black horse that was bigger than the one Ricky had ridden. Mr. Owens led him to Brent. He patted the horse and said some endearments to him before he climbed into the saddle. Brent sure knew how to get on a horse. He looked magnificent up there. Ricky looked impressed too. Brent smiled at him.

  "Climb on here with me," Brent urged Ricky. "Hurry before Georgie beats you to it."

  Ricky looked over at Georgie to make sure she was still busy with Mrs. Owens and her granddaughters. They seemed to know how to handle her. Making sure Ricky's helmet was still strapped on securely, Nate lifted him to sit in front of Brent. Putting one arm around him, Brent held the reigns with the other. Now that he felt safe, Ricky looked more relaxed, and he could enjoy being on a horse. He even smiled as excitement overcame any lingering fear. Of course Georgie saw what was happening. Her eyes almost popped out when she saw she was missing out. Before she could demand a turn, Nate picked her up.

  "Let Ricky have some fun," Nate said. He didn't trust her to be generous for long so he took her to look at a grayish white horse Mr. Owens had brought to his granddaughters. Out of the corner of his eye, Nate saw Brent and Ricky riding off. When they got back, Ricky was grinning.

  "We went fast!" he said as Nate helped him climb down.

  "Me next, me next. I want to go fast!" Georgie jumped up and down.

  "OK. Climb up," Brent told her then he reached out his hand like she was supposed to do it by herself.

  She looked at Nate.

  "Go ahead. Jump up there," Nate told her.

  "It's too far," she said, but she jumped anyway.

  That alone was worth Nate's help. He handed her up to Brent. In the saddle, she was fearless.

  "Let's go fast!" she said.

  As they rode off, Nate turned to Ricky. He was still exhilarated and didn't look worried about Georgie. Maybe he trusted Brent to keep her safe.

  "They won't go as fast as you guys did," Nate reassured him anyway.

  Nate wasn't eager to ride, but he got his turn when Brent got back. As Nate carefully got on that grayish white horse, Georgie wanted to ride with him. There was no way. Nate could hardly handle himself in the saddle much less a crazy little kid like Georgie. It was strange to feel the shifting of the powerful animal underneath him. After a few slow turns, Nate picked up speed and felt some of what the animal was capable of. He didn't go far or fast. When he went back and dismounted, Brent said, "Just like driving a sports car."

  "Nothing like driving a sports car," Nate told him. Though at times Brent's cars seemed alive with power, the horse was truly, and undeniably alive. Since Nate kept petting the horse, Mr. Owens showed him what to do to cool him down, though Nate hadn't exactly given him a major workout. Nate brushed down the horse until Mr. Owens told him to stop or he would spoil him.

  On the ride home, Georgie didn't stop asking for a horse for even one minute. She seemed to think that a hundred no's could be followed by a yes. Nate understood the appeal a lot better now. And Brent on a horse was a sight he wouldn't soon forget.

  After an early dinner, Brent and Nate were sitting at the outside table, which was nestled among the trees across from the kitchen. The wind was cool. The air was ruddy but smelled green and fresh. Playing nearby, the kids filled the evening with noise.

  "You really know how to ride," Nate said. Brent looked beautiful on a horse, like he was born to it.

  "You mean...?" Brent asked leaning forward as if they were about to discuss something that shouldn't be overheard.

  Nate leaned back in his chair and folded his arms.

  "Horses. I'm talking about horses."

  Brent leaned back too.

  "My mom and dad took me riding all the time. My mom was crazy for horses just like Georgie."

  Thinking about Georgie, Nate had to say, "That girl isn't afraid of anything."

  "An occasional bug maybe," Brent said.

  On the other hand, Ricky was only able to enjoy himself when Brent held him.

  "I think that Ricky is afraid of big, unpredictable things. Horses, you," Nate joked.

  "Those are perfectly nice horses. They haven't gone wild and run off with anyone in weeks. And neither have I, by the way," Brent said wanting credit for being good and maybe a treat.

  "You must be saving yourself for something good," Nate told him.

  "Am I?" Brent asked like he actually didn't know for sure how Nate felt about him. Nate again saw that vulnerability in him.

  "As far as I'm concerned, it's just us," Nate told him.

  Brent smiled and looked really happy to hear that. Seeing him like that made Nate wish he had said more.

  As the sunset colored the air and the breeze cooled it, Brent listened to the kids shouting and laughing. Sitting there with Nate, Brent had been wondering how many happy days could stack up one after another. And now Nate confirmed that it was just the two of them. That was another way of saying they were a couple. Life was too good. It kind of scared him. It reminded him of the fast, frightened beating of Ricky's heart right under his hand when he put him in the saddle by himself. That's why he didn't let go of him. Just like when they went riding before, Ricky couldn't relax into it. Being on a horse was nothing like being up a tree. Trees can't throw a little boy o
ff, or run off with him at a gallop. Maybe it was the unpredictability of a big, fast moving thing with a will of its own that scared him, just like Nate said. Riding with Brent had worked out much better. Ricky was happy and so was Brent. Maybe that meant that Brent wasn't some big, unpredictable animal. He could make Ricky feel safe and put a big smile on his face. He could make Nate want to stay to be with them forever and complete their family.

  As Nate was putting Georgie to bed, she was making a case that a horse could live with her in her room. Nate looked over at Brent who was waiting by the door holding his nose and saying, "Stinky! Remember?"

  Georgie just said that they could give the horse a bubble bath. To get her to settle down, Brent told her a story about a little horse that grew big until he was bigger than a house so that a little girl who was riding on his back could ride through the clouds. Then he grew even bigger so the little girl could ride through the stars. First they counted all the clouds. Then they counted all the stars. The two of them were still counting as Nate went to see if Ricky was ready for bed. When he was tucking him in, Nate noticed that he had something on his mind.

  "You want to ask me something?"

  "Yes. I heard Mrs. Owens talking to Mr. Owens, and she said I was a poor little rich boy just like my dad. What does it mean?" Ricky seemed to be asking if he was being insulted.

  "She means that both you and Brent lost your parents. You know Brent's parents died, right?"

  "Yeah. They were in a boat, and it turned over and that's very bad." Ricky was quiet for a while then he asked, "Did he get to say bye?"

  "I don't think so."

  Hearing that, Ricky looked both sad and thoughtful. When Brent came in to kiss him goodnight, Ricky held on to his hand. He didn't say anything, but the way he looked up at Brent made Nate both envious and proud of them as father and son.

  Chapter 25