Catch and Release

by BA Tortuga

  “Can you get me some of those root beers you brought up?” Pop was fixin’ to go fishing, and Mom was desperate enough to grab a hat and a book and join him.

  “Sure. Anything for the kids, Marcie? They have those yummy ginger cookies.”

  “That would be great. And avocado? Please?”

  “As many as you want, lady.” Anything that made her smile. Poor baby.

  Tyler handed him two twenties. “Get me popcorn too? That Boom stuff. White cheddar.”

  “You got it.” He waved and slipped out the door, heading for his own cabin. He had two ulterior motives. Wi-Fi, so he could finish up sending his recommendations and follow-up to the mediation he’d done in Dallas, and a damned cell signal so he could call Dakota.

  He hadn’t been able to meet Dakota for supper or even a quick coffee. He’d been called to Dallas on business, and it made more sense to just stay there and head out with the parents for New Mexico. He’d have his ten days here, then finish his business in Dallas, and then be able to head home.

  By the time it was all said and done, it would be three weeks before he got to see his lover.

  Jayden was getting really tired of not being with Dakota already.

  He hopped in the big Suburban they’d brought and headed into town. He’d go to Tina’s Café and sit for a bit, since the deli at the Herb was closed for remodeling. Then he would go get groceries.

  He hit the hands-free, hoping for a signal, but no dice. Dammit.

  Usually the dead zone suited him, comforted his soul, but not this trip. This time it chafed him. What if McCarthy had gotten to Dakota? What if something happened at work? He wanted contact.

  He wanted to hear his lover’s voice. Dammit.

  He wanted to hear the laugh.

  He tried again once he was around the last hairpin and coasting down the long stretch into town. Bingo. “Call Dakota.”

  The phone rang and rang. Then he heard Dakota pick up, the man panting hard.

  “’Lo?”

  “Hey, honey. I was just checking in. I know you’re busy.” Because it was one thirty in Austin, and Dakota’s lunch break was well over. Crap.

  “Hey. Hey. Just a sec. Let me call you right back. Cement waits for no man.”

  The phone went dead, just like that.

  Jayden blinked. Right. Cement went in postholes. He chuckled. Now he knew what people felt like when he hung up on them for business.

  He’d made it into town by the time his phone rang again, and he keyed the phone, hunting a place to park on Sudderth. “Hey. How are you doing?”

  “Hot. Damn hot.” Dakota panted softly, and Jayden swore he could hear Dakota swallowing. “You? Having fun?”

  “Yeah. I mean, the family is nuts this year, and I miss you like crazy, but it’s cool up here, and I’ve been fishing. I have a trail ride tomorrow. Wish me luck.”

  “Good luck. I’ve been working on blanket breaking Montana, and we brought in a couple more rescues. Sage is keeping me busy there.”

  “Good deal. Sounds like you’re doing amazing work with them.” He loved that Dakota had that outlet. That he loved the horses so much.

  “Sage hasn’t fired my ass yet, so I guess I’m okay.” Dakota hooted, and the sound was so utterly cowboy that it took him aback a little. “You make sure and take lots of pictures, huh?”

  “I will. You should see the size of the ravens. They’re enormous.” He could tell Dakota was about to have to go, but he couldn’t bring himself to be polite and offer to hang up.

  “Yeah? I’m pretty sure the birds here are all hiding. We’re gonna hit 108 today, and it’s humid as all get-out.”

  “Drink lots of water, okay? Need you well hydrated.” Advice he needed to take too. Altitude, not heat.

  “Yep. I swear I’ve lost five pounds of water to the sun just today. No worries. I’ve got another gallon jug of ice melting for me as we speak.”

  “Landry! Landry, I need help!”

  “Gotta run, man. Have fun!” He heard Dakota snap, “Goddamn it, Carlos! What the fuck did I tell you about that shit?” before the phone clicked off.

  Jayden chuckled. Listen to that man, shouting orders. He shook his head, then hit the Disconnect button. Jayden had to admit, he did wish Dakota sounded as if he missed Jayden a bit more.

  He told himself that Dakota was working, was hot and busy, and fuck, Jayden was goofing off in beautiful weather having a vacation with his family, so he needed to stop being… what would Dakota say? Stop being a titty baby.

  So he parked and headed into Tina’s to get lunch. When he got home, he and Dakota would need to talk, though. He wanted Dakota to be his own man, but Jayden also wanted Dakota to be his.

  He wanted… shit. He wanted more. He wanted a little bit of the man who could bark orders and gentle fractious horses.

  Maybe that was the man who could make love with Jayden.

  God. God, he hoped so. His body tightened, belly rippling. He wanted Dakota, and he wasn’t even sure his lover knew that, really.

  He thought it was time he made that clear.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  DAKOTA HANDED receipts to Jim for the lumber. “I sent you the pictures of the job. It looks good.”

  “Yeah. I got them. Good work. You can start the Franks job Monday.”

  “I can do that.” Dakota nodded and took the papers Jim gave him in return. “Any feedback on the lumber situation up at McCoy’s in Georgetown?” They had promised him they’d work up a good deal for posts.

  “Yeah. We’ll be getting our lumber from them for a bit.”

  “Good to know. I’ll build in the extra time to head out there in the mornings.”

  “Good man. I got nothing for you tomorrow. Take it off and I’ll see you Monday.”

  “Works for me. I’ll head down to the horses and spend the day.”

  “Have a good one.” Jim flipped him a careless wave and strode away, already miles away from Dakota.

  He headed down to his truck, whistling away. He wasn’t miles away. He was right fucking there and aware, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t happy.

  In fact, aside from missing Jayden, who was supposed to be home early this afternoon, he was feeling pretty good. Huh. Home. He reached for his phone, ready to see if Jayden wanted to have supper.

  He heard something snap behind him, and he spun around, his hand shoving his phone in his back pocket. “Back off.”

  He didn’t even need to ask who it was. He didn’t care. If you were that close to his ass, you’d better buy supper first.

  He recognized the face, even if he couldn’t recall the name. The one guy who hadn’t come crawling to Jim to get his job back. The meaty fist that came toward him was way easier to dodge when Dakota could see it coming.

  He bobbed and dug the roll of quarters out of his pocket as he did. When he stood back up, he hit the motherfucker square in the breadbasket, doubling the piece of shit over so Dakota could land an uppercut to the jaw that sent him ass over teakettle.

  Groaning, the big guy tried to get to his feet, and Dakota shoved him back with one booted foot. “Stay down, asshole. I ain’t getting paid to fight you. I’m fighting for my life. One-on-one I will mess your ass up.”

  “Fuck you, gringo.”

  “Shit, I’ve had way more impressive threats, you lousy fuck. You get up, and I will make you hurt like the little bitch you are.”

  The shithead got up, pulling a knife out of his back pocket. God, he hated stupid people.

  Still, it was what it was. He took a stance and bared his teeth. “Bring it on, man. Let’s do this thing.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  GOD, IT was good to be home.

  Jayden glanced at the dining room table, where he’d put the mail he’d picked up from Patrick on the way to the house. He grinned, then shook his head. No. The mail could wait for Dakota. In fact, after the conversation he’d had with his pop on vacation, he figured that particular piece of mail only mattered if Dako
ta was with him.

  “Don’t let your mother ruin your new thing with that cowboy, Son,” his dad had said.

  Jayden had looked at him, brows up, fishing reel still where he held it despite the lure he had on the line needing motion. “Who are you, and what have you done with Pop?”

  His dad had grinned hugely. “I just want you to be happy. I can tell you’re all down about it. Your momma was out of line.”

  “Thanks, Pop.”

  “I mean it. I tell you what, Son, your momma’s people tried their best to run me off. They wrote me a check, you know? I didn’t give up. Don’t give up.”

  “I won’t, Pop. I love him, even if no one else approves.”

  His dad had nodded, eyes serious and sure. “It won’t be an easy row to hoe if he’s not exonerated, but you can do it. I know I always said marry up, but it’s tough to get better than your momma.”

  He’d laughed and given Pop a one-armed hug, but Jayden had taken the words to heart.

  By the time Jayden had gone to bed that night, he’d known that Pop was right. It didn’t matter what results came in on the DNA test. Dakota was his lover, and he wanted to be together, no matter what they had to fight through.

  The doorbell rang, and Jayden frowned. What the hell? You had to really want to see him to come up into his yard and ring the bell, and no one had called.

  He turned his tired ass around and went to answer, thinking maybe he’d forgotten a delivery.

  He looked through the peephole, shocked as hell to see Dakota standing there, blood covering his face.

  Jayden threw open the door. “Dakota? What happened? Did you have a wreck?” He reached for his cowboy, completely unnerved.

  “A fight. I kicked his ass, Jayden. I mean, I laid him out, and I… I needed to… shit. Are they going to arrest me? He hit me first.”

  “What? Jesus.” He tugged Dakota inside. “You have blood all over your face.”

  “Do I? It ain’t bad. He had a knife. Fucker. Seriously, do these assholes think I’m scared? Still?”

  “What? No. No, you know what? Don’t bleed on the floor. Come sit in the bathroom, and I’ll clean you up.” Seriously? Really? He’d known Dakota for four months, and there’d been two more major fistfights than all of his lovers before put together had been in.

  “Sorry. I just… I started driving and ended up here. I shoulda called first, I guess.”

  “No, I’m glad you came here.” In fact, he was a little jubilant under the worry. Dakota usually went to Sage first. Maybe Azel. As if he didn’t want to shock Jayden with his life. “Here, have a sit. I have some little butterfly bandages from when I was working on the floors in the dining room.”

  “I wouldn’t think it was that dangerous, laying floorboards.”

  God, Dakota looked like… well, he looked like a Greek fucking god. Chiseled and tanned to the point of leather, eyes like chips of ebony, a little hint of stubble like he’d forgotten to shave this morning. Jesus.

  He fought the urge to just throw Dakota down and—no matter how hot Dakota looked, he had to move slowly. He got a wet washcloth and started mopping blood.

  “It’s not bad. Head injuries just bleed a lot, you know?” Dakota was right. There was a slice above one eyebrow that was long but not deep. It was just bleeding like someone had pulled a Carrie on his lover.

  He got most of that washed off, then applied some Neosporin and a couple of little butterflies. “Anything else, honey? How are your hands?”

  “Shit, after I shot a nail through one last week? What’s that bastard going to do to me?”

  “You did what?”

  “Didn’t hit a bone. Went right through. No big.”

  “You—” Okay, this was crazy. His mouth was watering. When had Dakota become the movie star cowboy? Oh, he’d been working on it this whole time, and Jayden knew it, but they’d been apart long enough that this was a whole new world. “It…. Let me see?”

  “Sure.” Dakota held one square hand up, and there was a scabbed-up spot near the webbing. “See? No big. Am I going to get arrested, man?”

  “No. No, I think you’ll probably be fine. He’s not going to want all the legal problems of admitting he was hired to try to hurt you. Hell, didn’t Jorge invite you to his niece’s quinceañera last week?”

  “Yeah. I got her an Amazon gift card.”

  Jayden looked at Dakota, and then he started to laugh, because that was this normal, easy thing, this real-life answer.

  Dakota grinned back at him, eyes dancing, and Jayden bent to kiss him, because he had to. If Dakota punched him for it, so be it.

  Dakota pushed up, just pushed up into the contact, the copper in the kiss just barely there. Hell, maybe he imagined it. Then Dakota stopped, staring into him. “Hey. I missed you, huh?”

  “I missed you too. I want to kiss you again, honey.” They had about a million things to talk about, including the mail, but this was more important. This touch.

  “You sure? Your people didn’t convince you I was a bad bet? Because I’ve been thinking a lot over the last few weeks, and I’m doing good. I ain’t rich, but I like it—working the horses, working outside, camping and fishing and being busy. This is the first time I got to choose who I wanted to be.”

  Jayden grinned wide. “You’re fucking hot when you’re confident, honey.” He liked happy Dakota. A lot. Fuck the rest of it, including the contents of that envelope. They would figure it out.

  “Well, that’s a first.”

  “What?”

  “You saying I’m fucking hot.”

  He blinked. “You’ve never said it to me either.”

  “No? Huh. I’m pretty sure I have.”

  “I would remember, Dakota.” That would have made Jayden dance in circles and shout to the sky, in fact. “Am I?”

  Dakota leaned back a little, giving him a most thorough once-over. “Fucking hot? Jayden, I could tear your ass up five times a day for the rest of my life and not be done with you.”

  Well, okay.

  He didn’t know whether to run, shout for joy, or take Dakota up on it right there in the bathroom. “I—wow.”

  “Yeah. So, is this where I ask how New Mexico was?”

  “No. No, that seems anticlimactic.”

  “Hmm.” Dakota made a show of frowning. “Well, then, how about this? Is it gonna piss you off if I get a dog when I move in when I’m not an ex-con? And roses. You need roses.”

  “I like dogs and roses. And just so you know, you can move in now, if you want. Or plant roses and we’ll start looking at the shelter for a dog. I don’t give a shit whether you’re an ex-con or an exonerated man or what. You’re mine, and I intend to keep you.”

  “Huh. Really?”

  Somehow Jayden felt like he finally answered whatever question Dakota didn’t want to ask.

  “Yeah.” Jayden grinned. “I mean, the results came in the mail while I was gone. Been sitting there for a week or so. I think that’s probably some kind of sign that I don’t give a shit, right?”

  “Probably. Or that you haven’t been able to find it in the mess of shit that you keep on your dining room table.”

  “Hey!” He pinched Dakota’s arm. “This came to the office. I stopped and got the mail on the way home.” He’d left it sealed, wanting Dakota to open it.

  “You think we should go look now?”

  “I think you should come see my bedroom, cowboy, and show me how this whole tear my ass up process works.”

  Dakota raised his eyebrow up to his hairline. Not the one with the bandage. “You sure? I mean, it’s been awful important to you.”

  “You’re important. We’re important. My impending case of blue balls is vitally important. The results won’t change.” He knew his lover was innocent.

  “Well. Come on. Let’s explore some naked possibilities.” Every time Dakota proved how fucking brave he was, Jayden wanted to give praise and throw confetti. Possibly toot a very small horn.

  Jayden grabb
ed Dakota’s hand and started moving them toward the bedroom. “I love you, honey.”

  “I know, Jayden. Thank God for small favors.”

  Jayden nodded, but he knew this was no small favor. With any luck, this was the beginning of a whole new life for both of them. Jayden thought just maybe they’d earned that.

  He knew without a shadow of a doubt that Dakota had. His lover had paid all Jayden’s debts along with his own.

  Epilogue

  DAKOTA SAT in the courtroom and watched the judge’s mouth move. He couldn’t hear the words really, but he heard the important ones.

  Dismissal. Innocent.

  Those were the right ones.

  The McCarthys weren’t there to argue, because the DNA had not only not been his, but it’d been the guy Briony had been dating. A man who was in prison for cutting his wife up in a fit of rage, and this time, she’d bled out. Apparently he loved to talk about how he’d done it before, how he’d started with Briony McCarthy and then practiced a bunch of times on other women. Dakota had heard shit like that for his entire incarceration. Prison life was boring as fuck. Some assholes needed to brag.

  Thank God for that, he guessed, because the guy was fixin’ to stay put for a good long while.

  He didn’t know why Briony’d fingered him at the time, and he didn’t care. He couldn’t help the past.

  Sage was there, and Troy and Eric and Jim, Adam and Jorge and Azel and all six guys from his crew, plus the lesbians who ran the horse rescue. Most importantly, Jayden and Mother and Pop Wilson were sitting right behind him.

  Innocent.

  Dismissal.

  The judge did all the rest of his talking, and there was signing of things and handshakes and shit, and Dakota sat there.

  His lawyer stood and indicated that he should too, so he did. The attending prosecutor brought him his affidavit, the one he was supposed to present for restitution.

  The number Jayden had whispered to him was pretty impressive. Enough to buy a piece of land for horses and camping. Enough to know that, if he wanted to go to New Mexico with everyone else, he could.