Slip and Slide

by Patricia Logan

  “You said ya wanted to be taken?” Jarrett asked.

  “Yes,” Thayne hissed against his lips.

  “Then get them fuckin’ clothes off so I can fuck you.”

  Thayne chuckled as he suddenly let go of Jarrett’s waist and stepped back. Jarrett watched as he began working the buttons on his flannel shirt, shedding it as Jarrett had done. Thayne’s gorgeous broad chest came into view as Jarrett sank to his knees in front of him, working at the long laces on his work boots to get them off while Thayne tugged at the buttons on his long underwear. He watched, shedding his boots, and taking in the sight of every glorious inch of Thayne’s flesh as it was bared to him. Jarrett kicked out of his jeans and long johns as he watched Thayne do the same, exposing the length of that lean muscled body to his gaze.

  Jarrett traced over the scars, remembering each and every one of them, loving each and every inch of Thayne. His cock was beautiful, hard, and standing up impressively from a nest of trimmed curls. His balls were full, hanging beneath, ripe and filled with Thayne’s essence. Jarrett’s mouth watered as he imagined taking each one into his mouth and sucking gently, holding Thayne down until he drove him insane beneath him. When he glanced up to meet Thayne’s gaze, the man was smirking. He spread his arms wide and fell backward onto the bed, propping himself up on his elbows so he could keep an eye on Jarrett.

  Jarrett rose to the bait and climbed onto the bed, flattening Thayne back underneath him as he crawled up his body. Thayne laughed, wrapping Jarrett’s neck with both arms as he fell down over him. Within seconds Jarrett was kissing his smiling lips as Thayne dragged short fingernails over his back and shoulders. He loved this playful side of Thayne. Not only was it sexy as hell, but it brought joy to his heart, a heart that Jarrett had kept encased in ice for so many years, he wouldn’t have thought thawing it was even possible. He groaned against Thayne’s lips, reveling in how damned fine it felt to be in this bed in his lover’s embrace.

  Jarrett ground his cock up and down beside Thayne’s, feeling it slide smoothly as precome eased the way for him. All he could think of was how amazing and hot it was going to feel to be deeply buried in Thayne’s ass. He broke their kiss and looked down at Thayne’s face. His eyes had gone dark with desire. His cheeks were flushed with two red flags of color and his breath came in small short gasps. Thayne’s heart pounded against his chest, keeping up with the rhythm of Jarrett’s own heart as though they only beat for each other. He gazed down into Thayne’s stunning face, as open and as beautiful as any man he’d ever known and before he knew what was happening, he opened his mouth, choking up as he began to speak.

  “I-I’m… I’m…”

  Jarrett’s words were cut off as a car alarm suddenly went off right below their second floor window. The Whooooop! Whooooop! Whooooop! howled from the car and Jarrett reared back, cursing as he sat up, still straddling Thayne.

  “What the fuck, man!” he bellowed. A second later, he launched himself from the bed and stalked over to the door. He yanked it open and stepped out onto the balcony, running over to the railing, and looking down into the parking lot. A car was parked in a spot fifteen feet below him, beside the Chevy truck they’d rented. No one seemed to be near either vehicle and the motel parking lot was empty of people at this time of night. The car alarm started in on an entirely different sound, something resembling a harsh Ehhh! Ehhh! Ehhh! Ehhh! Ehhh! Followed by another round of Whooooop! Whooooop! Whooooop! Jarrett wanted to scream.

  A wolf whistle hooted from behind him and he turned to see Thayne standing at the doorway of the motel room with a towel slung low around his hips. He had one hand over his mouth and he was quite literally cracking up behind it. Only then did Jarrett realize he’d run outside stark naked. He looked down at his deflating erection and cursed again.

  “Motherfucker!”

  As if in sympathy the car alarm answered him. Ehhh! Ehhh! Ehhh! Ehhh! Ehhh! Thayne lost all composure at that and doubled over, roaring with laughter and Jarrett cracked a smile as all anger bled away from him. He started chuckling and walked back toward Thayne who squealed, turned, and fled back into the room where it was safe. Jarrett began to laugh and ran after him. By the time Jarrett slammed the door shut behind them, they were both laughing like idiots.

  ****

  Sweat poured down Thayne’s body as he clung to the motel bed’s headboard. Jarrett grunted behind him as he pounded hard into Thayne’s thoroughly worked ass. They’d fucked like bunnies all night long, Thayne bottoming each and every time. This was round three and Thayne knew Jarrett could have gone on and on if he’d asked. The feeling of having Jarrett’s cock inside of him, buried to the hilt for a few seconds before he pulled out and slammed back in, was so fucking amazing, there was nothing he could compare it to. He loved this man. He adored this man. The fact that he hadn’t been able to tell him until now was just unacceptable. The time was coming and it was coming soon. Thayne could only hide his feelings for so long.

  Thayne kneeled up, his hands raised above his head, clinging to the tall headboard as Jarrett wrapped his body with his arms as he knelt up behind him, blanketing Thayne with his muscled body. Jarrett’s heart hammered against Thayne’s back, his hands wandered over his chest and down lower, caressing Thayne’s abs in a slow descent to his dick which hung hard even though he was untouched as Jarrett took him from behind. Thayne gasped when one of Jarrett’s large paws encircled his cock and began to pump.

  “Jesus! Gonna come like that, Jarrett,” Thayne gasped.

  Jarrett answered with a particularly hard thrust which nearly made Thayne’s eyes cross.

  “Fuuuuuuck!” he groaned.

  “Come on. Come for me, Thayne,” Jarrett panted against his ear. He followed it with a wet kiss and a gasp as he fucked into him hard, stroking his cock the whole time.

  Thayne’s body lit up with the tingling sensations of the climax that rushed toward him, sending his entire body into a glorious overload of sensations coursing through his veins like liquid fire.

  “Jesus, Jarrett! Fuck me! Oh God!” Thayne screamed, going blind for a split second as he came, coating the peeling veneer Days Inn headboard with his spunk. Goddamn! The man can fuck!

  “That’s it, darlin’,” Jarrett gasped again. His hand worked furiously, wringing out the orgasm that washed over Thayne. He somehow managed to do this to him every goddamn time. He shouldn’t be surprised. He got hard just looking at Jarrett sometimes.

  “Gonna come, Thayne.”

  Thayne reached back with one hand, dragging his fingers over Jarrett’s hip as he continued to thrust, driving his cock into his ass. The panting and gasping breaths at his ear became almost a growl as Jarrett increased his thrusts. He was going to empty into Thayne’s body and the very thought of it had Thayne crazed with need. He wanted everything Jarrett had to give and more. He couldn’t get enough of him.

  “Thayne!” Jarrett shouted behind him. “Can’t hold back.” He slammed into Thayne hard, losing his rhythm as his hips stuttered.

  “Come on, Jarrett,” Thayne encouraged.

  With a shout Jarrett stilled his thrusts and grunted, clasping Thayne around the middle as he came deep inside, pouring everything he had into him. Jarrett dropped his forehead against Thayne’s shoulder and held still for several beats as his climax washed though him. Finally, Thayne heard him blow out a long slow breath. He loved the moments after they both came and he only had to wait a minute before Jarrett lifted his head and then pulled out of his body slowly. He flopped onto his back beside Thayne, still gasping and trying to slow his breathing. Thayne looked down at him and then scooted backward, dropping beside Jarrett and almost immediately turning to his side so he could slide an arm over Jarrett’s hip.

  Jarrett stared at the ceiling for a few seconds and then looked at Thayne. He was still breathing hard but when his ice-blue gaze met Thayne’s, Jarrett began t
o smile. “You have no idea how exhausted I am. I ain’t gonna be able to keep my eyes open in the mornin’.”

  “At least you’ll be able to walk,” Thayne said, loving the way Jarrett’s eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

  Jarrett barked a laugh and reached forward, circling one hand behind Thayne’s neck and bringing their mouths together. The filled condom squished as their bodies slid together. Thayne felt Jarrett grin against his lips.

  “Guess I better take care of this,” he said, pulling back just far enough that they could stare into each other’s eyes. Jarrett was happy and seeing that expression was worth everything to Thayne. I love him.

  Jarrett let him go and he rolled to the side where he reached for the box of tissues to begin to clean up. Thayne was still staring at him after he’d disposed of the condom in a bedside trashcan. “I gotta get at least a couple hours sleep before we start the day or I ain’t gonna be much good to you, Thayne.”

  Thayne reached out and cupped Jarrett’s stubble-covered jaw, glancing down at his lips. From the top of his silver head to the bottom of his feet, the man was stunning, so stunning that it almost hurt Thayne to look at him sometimes. He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his lips, taking a leisurely pace and making it thorough. This was so much more than just messing around anymore. This was real and the thought that his feelings weren’t going to be reciprocated any time soon scared the living shit out of Thayne. He continued kissing his lover, saying what he wanted to confess without words. He had to convey through actions everything he couldn’t and wouldn’t say. Jarrett signed against his mouth and finally pulled back, only to roll Thayne into his arms. Thayne’s eyelids drifted shut as he relaxed his head on one of Jarrett’s pecs, happy and content that at least they had this. He’d accept whatever he could get of Jarrett and he had to content himself to stay wrapped up in his arms, pressed to him so tightly that he could feel Jarrett’s heartbeat, at least for the rest of the night as he drifted into slumber.

  Chapter Four

  Thayne and Jarrett were waiting at the Denny’s sipping their coffee when Special Agents Sales and Lafford walked in. They had expected the ATF agents to be less than cooperative after SAC Howard told them that he was pretty concerned that the men were not trustworthy. They’d both gotten the impression that they would be dealing with two agents who were going to be useless yet the day before, they’d been more than helpful with the miners when they were in the hospital. They hadn’t struck either Thayne or Jarrett as men who wanted to avoid helping where they could so they were hopeful that they would actually get somewhere when they sat down that morning. The agents greeted them with smiles and ordered coffee when the waitress came up to hand them menus. Lafford looked across the table after the four had given their orders for breakfast.

  “So, what’s on the agenda for today?” he asked.

  “We really wanted to go down to the mine and see if we can get inside to get a firsthand look at where the explosion happened,” Thayne answered, taking a sip of his coffee.

  “That may be a problem,” Sales drawled. “We got a call from the MSHA inspector this mornin’ and he tells us that no one is gettin’ inside until it’s been thoroughly inspected by them to determine if it’s safe or if more collapse will keep us from goin’ down in there.”

  “Don’t know if you remember, but those boys is real rigid about that ‘round here,” Lafford added.

  Jarrett nodded. “I remember.”

  “How often do the mine inspectors go down into the mines?” Thayne asked.

  The waitress came up and set down their orders and after they got situated, Sales replied.

  “Mines are inspected quarterly and those records are kept on file. If we can’t get down in the Red Hills Mine, we’ll try to get you copies of them reports so y’all can take a look at them.”

  “But you’ve seen them?” Thayne asked.

  Jarrett watched him cover his hash browns with ketchup and take a bite. He smiled to himself, taking a bite of his own pancakes.

  “I haven’t seen the last one,” Sales said. “They came out with it just last week after an inspection last month. Because we work out of a satellite office in a small town, there ain’t a hell of a lot to do down here and if I’m bein’ honest, we deal a lot more with bustin’ moonshiners than mine safety or gun running. Everyone and their mama has a gun down in these parts so we do the job of ATF investigators down here. We haven’t had a mine accident ‘round here since 2011 and it was only a partial collapse that had nothin’ at all to do with explosives. It weren’t in our scope of authority.”

  “I see,” Thayne said. Jarrett watched him smile. “But you have a multitude of moonshiners, huh?”

  Lafford chuckled. “There’s a hell of a lot of woods around here to hide moonshine stills. And most folks have access to moonshine. Some actually operate stills but we concentrate on the ones who distribute it in large quantities. We’ve deprived quite a few hillbillies of their drink in the last few years.”

  “It hasn’t endeared us to the neighbors,” Sales added with a smile.

  Jarrett laughed. “I bet it hasn’t but if I remember correctly, they even serve it in the local bars.”

  Lafford took a big sip of coffee and set down his fork, leaning back in the booth. “The local establishments all sell moonshine but only to the locals. You won’t find them handin’ it out to the tourists—not like we get a hell of a lot of those—but we get a few.”

  “So it’s not sold out in the open,” Thayne concluded.

  “Hell, it runs like water ‘round here,” Sales admitted, “But unless you’re from around here, there’s no way you’d know it. Course, some is manufactured and sold in them specialty gift shops but that stuff is mild compared to the homemade stuff and manufactured for the tourist crowd. It ain’t nothin’ like the stuff that comes out of some of the stills up in them mountains.”

  “They’re well hidden?” Thayne asked. Jarrett knew they were getting off topic but it didn’t look as though they’d be getting access to the mine this morning anyway. He decided not to interrupt his partner as he asked his questions.

  Sales snorted. “You could say that. They’re well-hidden up in the mountains. Ya won’t find them anywhere near the trail that’s for sure. Too many tourists pokin’ around.”

  “I’m sorry, the Appalachian Trail?” Thayne asked.

  “That’s the one,” Lafford said. “It’s over two thousand miles of trail stretching from Maine to Georgia and it’s rough in places but the locals ‘round here hide their stills far away from wanderin’ tourists and through hikers.”

  “A through hiker is someone who hikes the trail from top to bottom,” Jarrett added, heading off Thayne’s question before he could ask it.

  Thayne smiled at him and then turned to the other two agents. “Wow, that’s quite a hike.”

  “Yeah, but you can’t keep diehard hikers off the trail,” Sales said, “Best thing I can equate it to is like climbing Everest or somethin’.”

  “I get it. A bucket list item,” Thayne said.

  “Yeah, like that,” Lafford replied, nodding vigorously and pointing his fork at Thayne. He had a smile on his face. Jarrett liked Lafford. He was the quieter of the two agents but he had an easygoing manner about him. In fact, Sales had an easygoing manner as well. It was hard to believe these two agents were dirty but Jarrett knew he and Thayne were there only because their own SAC didn’t have faith in them. That meant he had to keep an open mind about them and look for clues to whether they were being on the up and up.

  “Anyway, most of the stills we shut down are well-hidden and booby trapped. If we don’t have hard evidence of where they’re hidden and who’s doin’ the hidin’, we don’t go in at all. All of them folks are well-armed and don’t stop to ask who we are. They shoot first,” Sales said, “Or they string up shotguns that’l
l blow a man’s head off if he’s unlucky enough to trip one of ‘em.”

  Jarrett smiled and glanced at Thayne. He’d set up a similar booby trap at the house he had out in Shafter where he and Thayne had stayed while trying to avoid Virgil, the hired gun who’d been sent after them by Mills Lang. Judging by the smirk Thayne sent him, he remembered his booby trap as well. Jarrett said nothing but shoveled more pancakes into his mouth and chewed. He chased the bite with black coffee and swallowed.

  “They’re well-guarded and unless you know where you’re going, you don’t go traipsing around the woods unarmed. Plenty of folks been shot for doin’ just that,” Sales continued.

  Thayne looked at him with a smile that spread across his face. “You have experience with moonshiners, Jarrett?”

  “Anyone growin’ up around here has experience with moonshiners, Wolfe. It comes with the territory. You ever had moonshine?”

  Thayne shook his head. “No, never had it.”

  Sales and Lafford laughed as Jarrett smiled at Thayne.

  “We’ll get ya some,” Sales said with a grin.

  “I agree. We need to remedy that while we’re here, then.” Jarrett sat back and smiled. It was just fun picturing Thayne’s face when he tried real moonshine for the first time. His partner smiled back at him and the mischief sparkling in his bright blue eyes told Jarrett that he was looking forward to the experience as much as Jarrett was.

  “Getting back to the mine,” Jarrett said, “SAC Howard told us they’ve had several citations from the MSHA. What’s up with that?”

  “We haven’t had a chance to go through them,” Lafford said, quickly. “Until the explosion, the mine didn’t fall within our purview but now…” He paused as the waitress returned with the coffee pot and refilled all of their cups.