A Subtle Breeze

by Bailey Bradford

  “We, ah, can take three vehicles, if you all want. Otherwise, Charlie and Miguel, you two will be bouncing along in the truck bed.” And that would knock those smirks right off their faces.

  “They can ride with me, if you don’t mind, Zeke,” Doc Michaels offered. “Doubt I will be leaving before them anyways.”

  Brendon dashed out of the screen door, long-sleeved shirt dangling over one arm and one pant leg tucked into his boot in his hurry to get ready. Zeke thought about pointing it out, but the man looked like such a hot mess he decided to let it be.

  He nodded at his ranch hands, indicating they should load up with Doc and led Brendon to the ranch truck. Once inside, Zeke reached over and stroked Brendon’s cheek.

  “You sure you want to do this? No one is going to think less of you if you don’t.” And he really didn’t want his man seeing the horror he feared was waiting for them. Brendon reached up and cupped Zeke’s hand, holding it to his cheek.

  “I would think less of me, Zeke,” he murmured. “No matter how bad it is, I’ll be there.” Brendon turned his face and placed a kiss on Zeke’s palm before letting it go. Zeke nodded, too touched to say anything right then. Brendon hadn’t been talking about just this, just the cattle. He’d meant so much more, and that more soothed a lonely broken place deep down in Zeke’s soul.

  * * * *

  Brendon felt his stomach churn and clenched his muscles tight, grinding his teeth in an attempt not to hurl. His intention to spend the day researching panic attacks had been pushed aside for a chorus of ‘I will not throw up, I will not throw up’ looping over and over in his head. The sight of bloody, dying cattle was only a little less upsetting than the sounds the creatures made, which was still not as bad as the smell. He’d been out in the heat—which only made everything worse—helping Zeke in any way he could.

  Maybe he should have been offended that his helping had been confined mostly to running back and forth with information between the other four men, or going back to the house and getting drinks, but damn, he knew he couldn’t have handled much more.

  Zeke, Doc, Charlie and Miguel—those men were covered in a mixture of manure, blood, saliva and God only knew what else. Still, watching Zeke take charge, sure of himself and doing what needed to be done… Well, Brendon hadn’t seen anything so damn magnificent in a long time. Looking at the man right now, no one would ever know he’d had a moment’s doubt about himself, or that he’d lived in fear for so many years. And there was no way anyone would ever think this calm, assured man had been tormented with panic attacks. It amazed Brendon to think how much more there was to a person than what people let show. He was so proud to be the person Zeke trusted enough to share himself with.

  As though he felt Brendon’s gaze on him, Zeke turned, exhaustion and worry fading a bit as he gave Brendon a slight smile and gestured him over. Brendon knew the man was beat, emotionally and physically. He’d just have to do his best to push this from Zeke’s mind when they got back to the house.

  “We’re about ready to head back,” Zeke told him, and Brendon didn’t think he’d ever heard someone sound so weary. “Charlie’s calling for removal of the carcasses, scheduling some of them for necropsies and all of them for incineration. I… Fuck, Brendon. Someone poisoned them, and I just…” Zeke shook his head, all his earlier confidence fleeing. Brendon couldn’t stand to see the pain flickering in his eyes. He wrapped Zeke in a hug, not giving a good goddamn what anyone else thought or worrying about what he was getting all over himself.

  “I know, Zeke. I’m so sorry, honey, I am, but it’ll be okay. We’ll make it okay, despite this.” Despite the fact that Brendon was pretty sure that he knew who did this. There was only one person he could think of who would want to hurt Zeke, and if he got the chance, Brendon was going to set that bitch straight. Someone needed to, for God’s sake. He enjoyed the feel of Zeke pressed against him, though he tried not to inhale much. Wouldn’t do for him to heave on the man he was trying to comfort.

  “Got everything scheduled, Zeke.” Charlie strolled over, Miguel and Doc not far behind him. Brendon and Zeke parted reluctantly, turning to face the three men.

  “All right, thank you, Charlie, Miguel. And thank you, Doc Michaels.” Zeke reached out to shake the man’s hand. “You think it’ll be long before you get the lab results back?”

  Doc shrugged. “Doubt it. I have a friend or two who owe me a couple of favors up at the lab. I’ll see if I can get them to kick this up on their to-do list.”

  “Ah, I wouldn’t want you to use up your favors for me, Doc.” Zeke looked a little uncomfortable, but Doc waved a hand through the air, cutting him off.

  “I don’t want to hear it, Ezekiel Matthers, not when there are sixty-three dead head of cattle laying here, almost half of which we had to put down because they were convulsing like…well. You saw it, and I have no doubt it was a deliberate poisoning. I didn’t find a thing in this pasture that would have caused this. Goddamn it, I will call in whatever favor I have to, you hear me?” Doc had worked himself into an impressive tizzy.

  Zeke looked properly chastised while Charlie and Miguel tried to hide behind him. Personally, Brendon wanted to slap a high-five on the doctor. Someone needed to let Zeke know he deserved help, that he was worth it. Well, someone besides him.

  “Yes, sir.” Zeke’s mouth twitched, as if he was fighting a smile. “I appreciate it, Doc.”

  Doc Michaels huffed out an irritated breath, jerking a hand through his hair. “I don’t mean to snap, Zeke, it’s just… Damn, man, you have to let people help you sometimes. Not everyone in McKinton is a backwards homophobe. Most of us aren’t, for that matter.” He stared at Zeke until he got a nod. Brendon winked at Doc before turning and leading his man back to the truck.

  “What do you say we head back to the house, take a long, hot shower, then I’ll massage out all that tension running through you? Right before I swallow your cock?” Brendon was counting on shock value to knock Zeke out of his Doc-induced musing, and it worked like a charm. Zeke’s head whipped around, mouth opened in a sexy-as-hell ‘o’. Oh yeah, his man liked that blow job offer, sure enough. Brendon could see Zeke’s cock trying to burst free from the confines of his jeans. He let his knuckles accidentally brush Zeke’s erection as he walked by, winking at the man as he slid into the passenger seat.

  “Of course, if you’d rather, we could just go to sleep I reckon,” Brendon teased as Zeke started the truck. Zeke reached over and cupped Brendon’s cock, squeezing with enough force to make him groan with need. Geez, he’d thought he was doing so good teasing Zeke into a horny state, but the man had it all over him on making someone hot. Steering the truck onto the dirt road with one hand, Zeke continued to stroke Brendon’s cock using light, fluttering touches that gradually became firmer and more insistent, making his hips buck up into the touch.

  “I don’t think sleep is gonna be happening for a while, babe.” Zeke popped open a few buttons and slid his hand into Brendon’s jeans. Rough fingertips teased his wet cockhead, and Brendon found himself running an embarrassing risk of creaming his jeans like a kid.

  “Ah, fuck, fuck, Zeke…” He really was going to come with that hand stroking his cock and the bumpy ride. “Stop, I don’t wanna come yet,” he panted, reaching for Zeke’s hand. Brendon pulled back quickly when Zeke squeezed his dick, hard, sending a bolt of pleasure-pain to his balls.

  “Shoulda thought of that before you started teasing, babe.” Zeke caressed the head of Brendon’s cock, pressing his thumbnail into the slit.

  Oh, damn, that’s it. Brendon’s entire body clenched, head flinging back as thick, white spunk pulsed from his dick He gasped for a minute straight, trying to stop the shivers that raced through his body.

  “Holy fuck, Zeke,” he muttered. “Uhn…” He was pretty sure something had just shorted out in his brain. Zeke shot him an evil grin, the weight of today’s events vanishing entirely from his expression for a brief moment.

  “I can think o
f better things for you to do with that mouth other than just grunt, ya know.” Those green eyes glowed at Brendon, stoking the fire inside him all over again.

  Brendon grinned back, finally able to form a coherent thought or two. “Doubt you’d want me to blow you while we’re bouncing around the cab of this truck, could be dangerous,” he pointed out.

  Zeke nodded. “Yeah, but as soon as I get you home, babe…” He looked down and seemed only then to notice the mess he was wearing. The sight of the blood and other evidence of the dead cattle took the teasing right out of Zeke. Brendon watched the man go from happy to restrained in a snap, not that he could blame him. He reached out and petted Zeke’s thigh, squeezing it lightly, getting a little smile back from his man.

  “Reckon I need to shower first, huh? Been a bitch of a day.”

  A ball of fear formed in Brendon’s stomach at the emotionless tone of Zeke’s voice. What had happened to his teasing lover of moments before? Why did it feel as though he was suddenly freezing Brendon out? He looked at Zeke, willing the man to meet his gaze, but Zeke kept his eyes on the bumpy road. They pulled into the yard and parked in the shade. Zeke slid out from under Brendon’s touch and practically bolted out of the truck.

  Brendon watched Zeke walk toward the house without even glancing back. What the fuck? No way was the man going to escape him that easily. He jumped out of the truck and ran after his stubborn lover.

  Zeke felt like a total asshole, but he didn’t know what to do. He’d been letting go of some of the sheer horror of the day, teasing and laughing with Brendon, just feeling lighter inside. When he’d looked down and realized he was coated in graphic reminders of the attack on his cattle, he’d had one thought—what if, next time, Brendon was hurt? Or, God forbid, killed?

  The tight band squeezing his chest at those thoughts had nothing to do with a damned panic attack. If something were to happen to Brendon, Zeke didn’t know if he would survive it.

  Zeke was so lost in his thoughts he almost didn’t hear the pounding of Brendon’s boots as the man chased him across the yard. A hard hand grabbed Zeke’s shoulder and spun him around right before he reached the porch steps. Angry brown eyes narrowed as Brendon stepped close, almost bumping their chests together in a show of force. Zeke reached behind himself and grabbed a porch rail to keep from toppling onto his ass on the steps.

  “What the fuck is your problem?” Brendon bit out, hurt seeping through each word. “One minute, we’re better than fine, and the next, you just turn cold as ice and walk—no, run—off like you can’t stand the sight of me? Is that how you’re going to handle it when something scares you, by pushing me away?”

  Zeke felt his own temper spike, guilt from hurting Brendon, worry about the man’s safety, frustration and fear boiling up and over. Letting go of the railing, Zeke grabbed two handfuls of Brendon’s shirt, pulling his lover up to his toes.

  “Maybe you should fuckin’ leave if you can’t deal with it, Brendon. Just pack your things and get gone.” It didn’t matter that even saying the words broke something inside him. Zeke couldn’t seem to stop himself. He felt like he was wound so tight he was ready to shatter, but he’d handle it if only Brendon would be safe. Which meant the man needed to be away from here, from Zeke…from this cruel little town.

  Brendon’s hands came up to clasp Zeke’s, holding them in place. Zeke blinked in surprise—he’d expected Brendon to try to pry his shirt free. Instead, his thumbs were gently caressing the tops of Zeke’s fisted hands. He blinked as he realized his lover’s eyes weren’t shooting out angry sparks any more, but were soft and warm in a way that touched something deep inside Zeke.

  That didn’t bode well for his hastily derived plan to get Brendon to leave at all. Yesterday, he had been almost certain he could keep the man safe with him, here on the ranch. Today, now, with someone trespassing onto his property and perpetrating a violent attack on his herd, Zeke just didn’t feel as assured of his protective skills any more. Zeke tried to pull his hands free, but Brendon grabbed both of his wrists, holding them in a surprisingly strong grasp.

  “Is that what you want, Zeke, for me to leave?”

  No, no, it wasn’t what he wanted, but it was what would be best for Brendon, and that was more important. Zeke shrugged, trying his best to look bored with the whole conversation.

  “I know what I don’t want, and that’s to put up with this kind of shit. So maybe you should just leave, run on back to Austin.” Somehow, Zeke found the strength to get the words out, even made them sound convincing, he hoped.

  Brendon kept his grip on Zeke’s wrists, studying him so closely Zeke feared the man could see into his soul. Brendon’s lips twitched, tipping up slightly at the corners. Zeke felt his heart sink even as he tamped down the joy trying to spring up at the sight of that beautifully curving mouth.

  Shaking his head, Brendon moved forward, forcing Zeke to stumble backwards up a step. Brendon just kept on moving, walking until he had Zeke pressed up against the door.

  “You don’t want me to go. You’re just afraid—for me. Admit it, lover.”

  Zeke shook his head, some line about protesting too much flying around in his conscience.

  “No. You can go, you can stay. It doesn’t matter to me. You choose to hang around, don’t expect me to be touching you or—” Zeke’s protest was cut off by Brendon’s laughter.

  “I don’t think so, Zeke. You can’t even say those words like you mean them.” Brendon leaned harder into Zeke, finally removing his hands from Zeke’s wrists only to slide them up and around his neck.

  “You suck at lying, babe, and you’re not going to run me off just because you’re afraid. I’ve told you that before. I get that today has hit you hard, but I’m here, and I’m staying, and you want me here.” Brendon brought his lips up to Zeke’s, stopping short of touching. Zeke couldn’t hide the way his body reacted to Brendon. His cock was hard and throbbing, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Brendon’s pretty mouth. It was so fucking close…

  Brendon chuckled softly, rubbing his own hard cock against Zeke, stealing his strength and determination with that one move. Zeke’s eyelids slid down, too heavy to hold open when all he could think about was stripping this man naked and burying his cock so deep inside Brendon that his lover would feel it for days. That thought drew a groan from Zeke’s throat before he could stop it. Brendon’s smile grew bigger as he thrust his cock again.

  “I’m not going anywhere, unless it’s to your room, Zeke. And I can guarantee that you won’t be able to not touch me. Guarantee it.” Brendon grabbed the back of Zeke’s head and pulled him down the little bit that was needed to bring their lips together. Teeth nipped his lower lip, sending a jolt of fire straight to Zeke’s balls. He groaned again as he opened for Brendon’s kiss, letting the man dominate and control the melding of their mouths.

  When the kiss ended, Zeke rested his forehead on Brendon’s, trying to catch his breath. When he could manage it, Zeke met his lover’s gaze. Maybe he was just imagining the bit of hurt he saw there, but he doubted it, and his conscience wouldn’t let him ignore it.

  “I’m sorry, babe. I just…I don’t want you to be hurt, and yet I turned around and hurt you myself. I’m so sorry, Brendon.”

  Brendon nodded, hurt replaced by something that caused his eyes to glisten with tears. “I knew, within minutes, what you were doing, Zeke. Doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt, so don’t ever pull that shit again, you understand me?” Brendon hugged Zeke tight as he spoke, burying his face against the side of Zeke’s neck.

  “I won’t, Brendon,” Zeke promised. “Not like that, though I won’t vow not to ask you to leave if I’m worried about your safety.” He gave into the need and wrapped Brendon in his arms.

  “You can ask all you want. Just remember to respect my decision when I turn you down flat. Every time.” Soft lips nibbled against Zeke’s neck, making his cock leak even as his heart swelled with happiness. They’d figure this out, somehow, and he would keep
Brendon safe at the same time. Right now, though, it was time for the make-up sex Zeke had heard so much about. Well, if it was supposed to be more explosive than non-make-up sex, he and Brendon just might end up killing each other—in the best way possible.

  Grinning, Zeke pulled Brendon off of him. “Time to shower, babe.”

  Chapter Six

  Zeke took Brendon’s hand and waited until he had stepped under the water before following. “You are so fucking sexy, baby, all wet and slick. Makes me want, need.”

  Hearing those words had Brendon whimpering and leaning into Zeke, feeling the burn of his own pressing need. Zeke held Brendon tight, belly-to-belly and cock-to-cock, rubbing them together in slow, scintillating circles. When his lover stepped back, breathing hard, and tapped Brendon’s nose with a fingertip, Brendon was more than a little disappointed.

  “I have plans for these.” Zeke touched their cocks, a quick stroke that had them both gasping. “We need to get done with this shower, fast before I toss my plans to hell.”

  The wicked look he gave Brendon made his dick thump against his belly with anticipation. Wait. Zeke had plans?

  “You know, babe, I had plans, too,” he informed Zeke, trying to figure out when, exactly, he’d let those plans go. Probably sometime in the truck, or during their little spat on the porch. Well, Brendon had to admit there was a lot to be said for spontaneity.

  Zeke grinned, eyes burning hot. “I bet our plans work just fine together, but for now”—he reached out and pinched Brendon on the ass, making him yelp—“for now, let’s hurry up and wash so we can…merge our plans.”

  Brendon rolled his eyes at that, which got him another pinch. Reaching for the soap, he lathered up a cloth before tossing the soap to Zeke.

  “Race ya,” he taunted, knowing Zeke wouldn’t be able to refuse the challenge. Judging from the way his cock jerked and pulsed, that man was every bit as eager to get out of this shower as Brendon was.