by J. P. Bowie
“I’ll be back,” Stu yelled. “Look after my drink.”
Tim laughed and nodded then froze when he saw Ryan walking toward him. His heart speeded up and his face grew hot when the handsome wrangler stopped in front of him.
“We need to talk,” Ryan said.
Tim took a slow sip of his beer before replying, “About what?”
Ryan’s shoulders slumped. “Tim, don’t play that game with me. You’ve gone from being in bed with me to giving me the cold shoulder for the last three days. I’m sorry if what I said upset you. I guess it’s a fault of mine, saying what I mean. But it’s not a reason for us to be at odds. We can still be friends, can’t we? I get that you don’t want commitments and the like, but what we shared was fantastic…for me, at any rate. Let’s shake and agree to call it quits…and go on being friends. Will you agree to that?”
“Yeah, sure.” He took another sip of his drink. “That it?”
Ryan stared at him so long and hard that Tim had to look away, his face even hotter than before. “Yeah, I guess that’s it,” Ryan said, disappointment dulling his voice. After a pause, as if he was waiting for Tim to say something else, he shrugged and walked away toward the exit.
Tim realized he was trembling, his glass almost slipping from his hand. He slammed it down on the bar with such force the older man standing next to him glared then said, “Yeah, you should be mad at yourself. You are one stupid ass letting that great-looking guy walk away like that. If you had an ounce of sense in that head of yours, you’d run after him and beg his forgiveness and give him anything he wants.”
Tim stared at the old guy in amazement. “You heard all that?”
“How could I not? He had to speak up to be heard in here. ’Course, you could’ve taken him somewhere quiet so he didn’t have to yell.” He shook his head sadly. “Man, you kids just don’t know how to treat a good man these days. No wonder there’s so many losers in here every night.”
Tim cringed a little. Is that how this old guy sees me…as a loser? “It’s not like you think. We had just a misunderstanding. I told him he didn’t have to go, but he left anyway.”
“Fella has some pride, I expect.”
“Well,” Tim huffed, “You know what they say about pride coming before a fall.”
“Who listens to that fuckin’ bullshit?”
Why am I talking to this guy? Seems he’s not interested anyway. The man was signaling the bartender to fill his glass. Tim sighed. Ryan was right. I have been avoiding him, and now it feels like it was just stupid. All I have to say is, I like you, Ryan, but let’s take it slow, okay? So how come you didn’t say it when he was standing in front of you? Shit!
He pushed himself away from the bar and walked toward the exit. Outside, he looked around for Ryan’s beat-up old Chevy truck. There was no sign of it. He was just about to turn around and go back into the bar when he spotted the truck in the gas station next to the parking lot. His heart skipped a beat and he started to run between the parked cars. He saw Ryan get into his truck then back out of the station.
“Ryan!” He waved like a madman. “Stop!” It didn’t look like Ryan had heard him as the truck coasted out onto the street. “Dammit! Ryan!” Still waving, he ran behind the truck and gave a choked-off cry of relief when the brake lights—well, at least one of them—went on. He ran alongside the truck and Ryan lowered his window.
“Somethin’ you want to say?”
“Yes, I want to apologize. I was being rude back there, and there was no call for it.”
Ryan studied Tim’s face for a long moment before saying, “You want a ride back to the ranch?”
“Yes, if you don’t mind.”
“Don’t mind at all. What about Stu?”
“He has company. I’ll text him to let him know I left.” Tim climbed into the truck. “You have one brake light out, you know.”
“I know. I’ll get around to fixing it one of these days.”
Shit. Couldn’t I have thought of something better to say than about his damn brake light? “A-an old guy at the bar said I was bein’ a stupid ass for letting you walk away like I did.”
Ryan’s deep chuckle made Tim’s groin tingle. “Don’t know if I want to get into more trouble by sayin’ I agree with him.”
Tim slid his hand over Ryan’s thigh. “I agree with him.”
“Do you now?”
“Yes. It was stupid and petty of me to ignore you for the past few days. I think I was hurting myself more than you.”
Ryan glanced at him, frowning. “Why d’you say that?”
“Because you look like you always do. Calm and pulled together…and fuckin’ gorgeous. Oh God, did I just say that last bit?”
Ryan laughed. “Yes, you did, you really did!”
Tim turned to sit sideways on his seat so he could gaze at Ryan. “Well, you are…and you’re a good guy, and I’m a damned fool.”
“I think we should talk about that when we get back to the ranch. What say you to that idea?”
“I say, I’m good with that.”
Ryan put his hand over Tim’s, that still rested on his thigh. “Good boy,” he murmured.
Chapter Eight
“You like Scotch whisky?” Ryan asked as they walked through the dimly lit common room.
“Yeah, I do.”
“Good, I got some in my room. I’ll go get it. We can have a shot to loosen ourselves up some.”
“You feelin’ nervous?” Tim’s smile had always been just one of the many things about him that Ryan adored. He was glad it was there again.
“Just a tad. I want us to be back to bein’ friends again, without any tension between us.”
Tim kissed Ryan’s cheek. “I want that too.”
While he waited for Ryan to bring the Scotch, he shucked off his boots and jeans and slipped on a T-shirt and shorts. Ryan must have had the same idea as he showed up in much the same gear, and Tim couldn’t help but admire his strong, muscular thighs and calves. The man was built, and Tim knew from firsthand experience how it felt to have that fine body pressed to his. He wasn’t surprised when his cock pulsed with obvious interest.
Ryan handed him a shot glass filled to the brim. “Here’s to friendship,” he said before swallowing it all in one gulp.
“Friendship,” Tim repeated and gulped his too. It burned on the way down and he coughed a little, but it did taste damned good.
“Another?”
“Uh, yeah, but I need some water in this one. Don’t want to get hammered too quickly.” He went to the bathroom to get a glass. “How ’bout you?”
“I’ll just sip it slower this time around.”
His cell phone pinged when he went back into the room. “Shit, I bet that’s Stu. I forgot to text him. Yep, it’s him.”
Where r u?
Sorry, got a ride back to SP. Have fun with Jake.
Ok
Tim smiled at Ryan. “He introduced me to his latest boyfriend, Jake.”
“Oh yeah?” Ryan sat on the edge of the recliner. “What’s he like?”
“Big and blond was all I remember. Stu likes blonds.” He sat down on the bed.
“You have a type?”
“Not really. You’re very different from Abe. He’s of the buttoned-down variety, along with bein’ a dick.”
Ryan laughed. “Don’t hold back now.”
“Sorry, but he proved to me in the short time I saw him again that I was better off single.”
“Forever?”
“No, not necessarily forever, but…”
“I know, just not too deep, too quick.”
Tim felt his face warm. The words he’d used on the night of their ‘misunderstanding’ now seemed clichéd. Ryan deserved better than this. “Ryan…”
“Can I kiss you?” Ryan said at the same time.
There was a hushed pause as they stared at each other, then Tim put his glass to one side, got up and knelt between Ryan’s legs. “Yes.” He held his breath when Ryan lean
ed forward and laid a tender kiss on his lips. Tender, yes, but the underlying sensuousness was palpable and Tim couldn’t resist, parting his lips to give Ryan the access he knew they both craved.
Ryan stood and lifted Tim into his arms. He lowered him onto the bed and lay over him, kissing his lips and as much skin he could get to while they still had their clothes on. He slipped a hand under Tim’s shirt to caress the smooth skin and tease his perky nipples. He began to ease the shirt off and Tim helped then turned his attention to Ryan’s, pulling it up and over his head. That first slide of Tim’s naked skin on his always made Ryan shiver with a kind of longing he’d never experienced before. Before Tim.
God, but he was so glad they’d got over whatever the hell that had been. Ryan would never be ready for a repeat performance of Tim’s cool avoidance of him. He wants to know more about me, about my past, about what makes me tick, I guess, and what’s the harm in that? But first…
He smiled down at Tim lying under him, at the small, almost wanton smile on his lips, at the lust in the depths of those beautiful blue eyes that gazed back at him with an intensity that took Ryan’s breath away. His heart quickened in anticipation of what he knew the young wrangler wanted, and what he was so desperately willing to give him.
His gaze raked over Tim’s lithe, toned body. “So sexy,” he murmured and bent to take each tiny nipple between his lips, nipping at them one at a time, catching Tim’s writhing in his arms. He trailed his lips and tongue over Tim’s smooth torso, taking his time to savor the texture and scent of his lover’s skin.
“Ryan,” Tim whispered.
“What is it, darlin’?”
“I don’t know what else you’ve got planned, but I’m gonna up the ante and ask you to fuck me so hard I’ll remember this night forever.”
Ryan grinned at him and kissed the tip of his nose. “Trying to set a standard, huh?”
“Somethin’ like that.” He reached into his nightstand drawer and withdrew a condom and a bottle of lube which he waved cheekily in Ryan’s face. “After three days of no kisses and no rimming and…well, just nothing at all, you have a lot to make up for.”
“Has anyone ever told you, you are one pushy bottom?”
“Nope, and if you want to be the first, you better get on with it.” To make the point, Tim raised his legs, exposing his opening by way of invitation. Ryan dove in, circling Tim’s hole with his tongue, teasing the pucker before probing past the rim. Tim’s body shuddered under him and soft whimpers escaped his throat. Tim clutched at Ryan’s broad shoulders and gasped when Ryan added a finger along with his tongue, pushing in far enough to find Tim’s sweet spot and curl over it.
“Oh, my God, you’re gonna make me come,” Tim wailed. “Fuck me, dammit!”
Ryan almost laughed but figured Tim might not see the humor at that moment. He raised his head and grabbed the lube, squirting some over Tim’s opening, then quickly sheathed himself. He lifted Tim’s legs higher and guided his now throbbing cock between Tim’s butt cheeks, penetrating him with one long, smooth but demanding stroke. Tim reached up and wrapped his arms around Ryan’s neck, dragging him down for a hot, searing kiss that had him seeing stars. He knew neither one of them would last long under this intensity, so he quickened his pace, ramming himself hard into Tim, who stared up at him, eyes fixed on Ryan’s, his parted lips swollen from that bruising kiss. He met every one of Ryan’s powerful thrusts by arching his hips into them, keening his pleasure, clinging to Ryan as if his life depended on it.
Ryan gripped Tim’s pulsing erection and used the friction between their bodies to bring him to the edge. Tim yelled when he came in great jolting spasms, his cum spraying his and Ryan’s chests. His ass muscles clamped around the base of Ryan’s straining cock, causing Ryan to explode into the condom with a startled cry. For a moment he thought he was flying. Dizzy from the force of his orgasm, it took him several moments to come down from the waves of euphoria that rushed through his brain. He collapsed over Tim, but rather than crush him, he rolled them both onto their sides, facing each other, his cock still deep inside Tim.
Tim caressed Ryan’s face and kissed him with such tenderness that Ryan’s eyes welled with unshed tears. Lord, but what this man could do to him. He found he couldn’t speak, just gaze with wonder into Tim’s eyes. It seemed Tim shared his emotion, because he too remained silent and just kept on stroking and kissing him gently until they both fell asleep.
* * * *
Ryan woke first, uneasily aware he still had a cold condom around his cock. Oh, great… He slipped out of bed to dispose of it in Tim’s bathroom. He soaked a washcloth in hot water and rinsed off the dry cum from his chest then gave himself a quick whore’s bath, as some of the rodeo riders called it when they couldn’t get to a shower. After drying himself, he soaked the cloth again and took it, along with a towel, over to the bed. Tim gazed at him from sleepy eyes, and to Ryan, he had never looked more adorable. Ryan climbed onto the bed so he could kiss his lover then lowered the covers to take care of Tim’s cummy torso.
“I was thinking,” Ryan said as he ran the washcloth over Tim’s abs. “What started our spat was me bein’ unwilling to tell you more about my past. It was kinda dumb of me. I guess I just didn’t want you to think less of me.”
“That’s not going to happen.” Tim took the towel from Ryan and dried himself. “But like I said, if it’s real personal, you don’t have to tell me.”
“Well, I don’t want it to be the elephant in the room every time we’re alone together. I know you and your inquiring mind. So if you want, I’ll spill.”
Tim nodded but didn’t say anything.
“Okay, you were right about nothing showin’ up when Royce did a background check on me. I didn’t do jail time, but maybe I should’ve. I got lucky that there were no charges brought against me.”
Tim remained quiet. He was itching to know what Ryan was about to say, but he figured he’d let him do it in his own time. Instead he gave Ryan an encouraging look and a quick kiss on his lips.
Ryan groaned. “See, I don’t want to lose any of this. I don’t want to lose you.”
“You’re not gonna lose me, Ryan.”
“You say that now…”
“I promise that whatever it is I won’t run screaming from this room.” He gave Ryan a lopsided smile. “’Course I know it can’t be that bad, because you passed Royce’s background check.”
Ryan sighed. “Okay… Five years ago, I was runnin’ around with a guy. His name was Holden and he was a rider like me. We were together for a year, worked the circuits together. He was good, really good. Young and fearless. Could rope and bring down a steer faster’n anyone else I ever saw. He was a bit on the cocky side, liked to let a lot of people know how good he was.” He fell silent for a moment or two, as if remembering. Tim stroked the arm that held him close to Ryan’s chest, and waited.
“He was so darned good-looking, so charming when he wanted to be, but he was full of himself, and he made enemies because of it. He had a bad habit of making fun of the other riders if they messed up, or if they didn’t do like he thought they should’ve…and he had no problem telling them just that. I tried warning him to cut it out, that maybe one day somebody wasn’t gonna take it without lashing back at him. I guess he thought he was unstoppable.”
“Were you lovers, Ryan?”
Ryan nodded. “Briefly. Holden had a hard time loving anyone but himself. It was difficult for him to understand that the ones who really cared for him were genuine. He told me once they only came around because of his fame and his looks. So when I told him I loved him, he kinda just laughed it off. Said he was there for the sex, but the rest of it, he wasn’t interested.”
“His loss,” Tim said, with some vehemence.
“He said I was too old for him.” He laughed bitterly. “He was twenty, I was twenty-seven. Too old? I guess at twenty, anyone more’n maybe twenty-one is too old. He also said he was going to enjoy everything that life could offer,
so he didn’t want to be tied to just one man. I knew he was seein’ other guys, and probably playin’ them just like he was me.
“Of course, stuff like that is bound to catch up with you at some point. He was in a bar in Billings…rowdy place, hustlers and the like, and he got into a brawl when two of the guys he was seeing started fightin’ over him. Sounds stupid, I know, but they were young hotheads and one was carrying a knife. He went for the other guy. Holden, tryin’ to stop the fight, got in the way and took the knife in his chest.”
“Christ.” Tim glanced up at Ryan and he felt sick when he saw the look of anguish on his face.
“He was dead, they say, before he hit the ground. Straight through his heart. I got the news when the cops came to the rodeo grounds outside of Billings. Said the guy had gotten away but they had a good description of him and some folks actually knew him and where he was likely to go. They showed us a picture of him and—son of a bitch, I knew the bastard from him sniffing around Holden for the past several days. I knew where he lived. I’d been there with Holden and some other guys, for a drink. I didn’t tell the cops any of that, just got in my truck and drove over there. I really didn’t expect him to be home, but he was there, all aquiver and weepin’ like a woman.
“He went berserk when he saw me, started screamin’ loud enough to wake the whole neighborhood. I clapped a hand over his mouth to shut him up. I was ready to break his neck, but the bastard pulled a knife on me. I remember thinking it was probably the same one that he’d killed Holden with. We struggled, he stabbed me in the arm. I hauled off, got him square in the jaw and he went down, the knife under him. He was bleeding bad and the sight of it kinda cleared my head, so I called the paramedics. They arrived, pretty damned quick, with the cops, of course. I explained to them what had happened, said it was self-defense, and from the wound on my arm and the way he was lying there with his hand still on the knife’s handle, they believed me.”
“And they should’ve, Ryan,” Tim exclaimed. “It was total self-defense.”
