The Jouster's Lance

by A. J. Marcus

  In the backseat, Cat gasped as they finally freed the driver of the car. There was something about the way they placed him on the highway that told Austin they’d been too late. Then someone dropped an orange tarp over him.

  “I hate seeing things like that,” Catherine said, sounding almost sober. “It reminds me of how fleeting our lives can be. Sometimes it even worries me I might be living my life wrong, and if so, then what will be waiting for me on the other side?”

  Dale shook his head as they cleared the grisly scene and traffic opened up. “I don’t worry about it. I have a rough profession. Even though everything is scripted and choreographed to the nines, there’s always a chance something will go wrong. Most directors, like Max, used to be jousters, and then something happens to them. It’s hard to tell what it’s going to be. I’ve seen men thrown from the saddle, across the list, to be trampled by their opponent’s horse. Sometimes a shield will slip and a lance hits flesh instead of metal. Hurts like hell. I know all it would take is one wrong move and it can be all over. That’s why I try not to worry about it and live my life to its fullest.”

  “Wow,” Austin said. He’d never been around someone who wasn’t afraid to die. There was something in the idea that made Dale even sexier to him.

  The clock on the dash now read 1:30 a.m., much later than they had planned to get back. He and Jasmine had to be at the pirate souvenir shop by nine, and the alarm would go off at eight so they could get showered before work. How much sleep can I go without?

  “That’s an awesome philosophy,” Catherine said. She sounded less drunk than she had before they saw the body on the road. “Maybe I need to stop worrying and continue my quest to find the best man at the

  Renfair… or at least the best lover.”

  Jasmine laughed. Austin recognized her weak, trying-to-be-cheerful laugh. “Good luck with that. I think we have two of the best guys right here with us, and neither one of us has a chance with them.” “So true, my dear, so true,” Cat agreed.

  Chapter 15

  The campgrounds appeared empty when they arrived. There wasn’t even anyone at the main gate checking passes when they rolled through at two in the morning. Dale shut off the lights before he reached his parking space so he wouldn’t accidentally wake anyone up.

  “Thanks for driving, Dale,” Jasmine said as she slid out of the truck. “See you at the tent, Austin.” Then she vanished into the darkness.

  “Yes, Dale, thanks for driving.” Catherine gave him a brief hug. “I’ll catch you on the wall before cannon. Good night, Austin.” She waved as he rounded the front of the truck.

  An awkwardness that was quite out of character for him settled into Dale’s chest. They’d had a great night out. The best he’d had in years. Austin was cute… no, hot. He deserved more than just a quickie, which was all they were going to have time for if either one of them had any hope of being able to work in the morning. Actually, thinking Austin deserved more than just a short romance before Dale rode away for the next fair on August 1 was what had stopped him from kissing him after the slow song at the bar. Austin had felt good in his arms. Dale had wanted to kiss him. He just couldn’t at that point. He still wanted to. Wanted to so much, it hurt.

  “Want to come in for a few minutes?” he asked, not sure exactly what they would do when they got into his trailer. He knew what he wanted to do, but that would take much longer than a few minutes.

  Austin smiled, that sexy smile that had graced his sensual lips several times during their evening. “Sure.”

  Dale almost took his hand but reminded himself they needed to be cautious. This wasn’t the troupe he was used to, where everyone knew what everyone was doing and didn’t care how he spent his time or who was in his bed.

  They walked around the truck to the trailer, and he unlocked the door.

  “The place may be a bit of a mess,” said Dale reflexively. It was something he always said when escorting a new guy into his trailer. Then he remembered Austin had been in before, several nights ago, when he’d made a fool of himself. “But maybe it will look better than when you were here before.”

  “Don’t remember much from that,” Austin said with a chuckle. “I fumbled for the light, got you to the bed, and left.”

  Dale found the light with practiced ease. “I thought Cat said I kissed you.”

  “Well, there was that,” Austin replied, pulling the door closed. “But you were drunk so I discounted the whole thing.”

  Dale reached for Austin’s hand. “Do you always discount things that happen when people are drunk?” He pulled Austin close. Heat curled up between them.

  “Pretty much.” Austin slipped a hand around Dale’s waist, closing the last little bit of space separating them.

  Their lips met. Tingles coursed through Dale’s body. The kiss was more intense than any kiss he’d ever had. In the back of his mind, he heard a little boy’s grandfather talking about the greatest kisses of all time. What was it about Austin that caused such a reaction in him?

  Austin ran strong hands across his back, feeling his way across the firm planes there. Dale wished they were skin to skin. Under his hands, even through the black T-shirt, Austin felt amazing. Running his fingers up in the long dark hair, he pressed their mouths tighter together. He wanted all of Austin.

  They stumbled backward, hitting the table that occupied a good portion of the small space. Austin mumbled something through their kiss. Dale moved his hands down Austin’s back so he could cup the tight ass and steer them toward the bed. They landed heavily on the soft mattress. A groan escaped Austin, but he handled Dale’s weight on his chest just fine. Brushing the hair out of Austin’s face, Dale looked at it in the light.

  Forming an interesting point at the end of his sharp cheekbones, Austin’s well-groomed goatee matched his hair color. The deep blue eyes looking up at Dale were some of the sexiest he’d ever seen, and his nose was nearly perfect, not too small and bulbous, and not too long and pointy. When they kissed, it fit with his beautifully.

  His small wall clock chimed two thirty. He stiffened. They needed to be asleep.

  “Do you think we could get some sleep if we tried?” he asked. He didn’t want to interrupt making out with Austin, but he—they—had work in a few hours.

  Austin sighed and stared up into his eyes. Dale fought the urge to lean down and resume kissing him.

  Austin shook his head. “I think if I’m here, I’m going to be all over you,” he said with a soft frown. “You are so hot, I want to lose myself in you, but we both have work tomorrow, or today, depending on how you look at it.”

  Dale nodded. “I know, and we can’t very well call in sick. Max and your boss can come check on us, and then where would we be?” “So when can we get together again?” Austin asked.

  Dale’s heart sang with joy at the thought of seeing him again. “You work outside the fair. Are you off at all this week?”

  “Thursday and Friday.”

  “I’ll talk to Max and see if we can have a break from practice one of those days. We’ll figure out something to do. What are you doing for breakfast?”

  “Jas and I normally just grab something from the bakery or the espresso booth. But I take a break at two between pretzels and the souvenir shop.”

  “Two it is. That’s right before the second joust. I’ll only have a few minutes. Meet me over at the food booths near the joust arena and I’ll buy.”

  Austin shook his head. “You got dinner tonight and drove. I’ll get lunch.”

  “Deal.” Dale smiled. He was happy. He was making a date with a hot guy and he was happy.

  Austin pulled Dale down so their lips met again. Time ticked by as they lost themselves in the kiss. Then the clock chimed again. Two fortyfive.

  “I’d better go,” Austin sighed as their lips parted.

  Dale didn’t want to let him off the bed, but knew he’d better or they’d never get any sleep. Something told him that sex with Austin wouldn’t be just a wh
am-bam-thank-you-ma’am job. He wanted it to last for hours. Reluctantly, he rolled off.

  “Okay, if you insist,” Dale said with a heavy sigh.

  “If I don’t, we’ll be up all night.” He rubbed his hand suggestively across Dale’s tight crotch, where the fabric of his jeans threatened to rupture. “Yeah, that feels like an all-night job.” Austin stood up and reached back for Dale’s hand.

  Even that simple movement sent tingles through Dale. He rose and caught Austin in his arms. Their lips met briefly this time.

  “I had a lot of fun tonight,” Dale said as he released Austin.

  “Me too. Even with the girls along.”

  “So I’ll see you at lunch tomorrow?”

  Austin nodded before leaning in for one quick parting kiss. “Count on it.” Then he slipped out the door before Dale could say or do anything to delay him.

  Dale stood there for several minutes, staring at the door. A large part of him wanted to run after Austin and just say “fuck it” about tomorrow and settle into several hours of hot sex, but the fair didn’t have a replacement jouster who could fill in for him. He had to be there. There would be other times.

  When he pulled off his clothes, it was painfully obvious his body was still in an excited state. He wondered if a cold shower might help, but he was too wound up for that. He needed a release.

  Dale turned off the light and lay down on the bed. He moved his large hands down the hard, hairy contours of his body. He visualized Austin poised above him, feeling him for the first time. How would Austin handle him—would the man be gentle, as their make-out session suggested, or might he be a bit rougher? Rough would be quicker.

  Closing his eyes, he took a firm hold on his balls and pulled, making his throbbing cock come off his belly and stand up straight and tall. For several minutes, he yanked on his balls, until the sensation hummed through his body. As he worked his balls, he pinched his left nipple with his other hand, sending shockwaves through him.

  When he couldn’t stand it anymore, he moved his hand from his nipple to his cock. He squeezed the swollen organ until he moaned in pleasure. Then, still maintaining tension on his balls, he began to beat off in earnest. He thought of Austin’s lips on his as he manhandled his cock. The tingling he felt when their lips met, or their hands touched, wormed its way through him as he worked his cock over. Holding on to the image of Austin’s face as they kissed brought him over the edge.

  Hot cum shot out of his throbbing dick hard enough that it struck him on the chin. His balls emptied their contents onto the dark hair of his chest and stomach. As he stopped pulsing, he could feel Austin’s lips on his in their parting kiss. That quick, almost painfully short meeting of their mouths. He wanted more.

  Chapter 16

  “Austin!” Chipmunk’s voice rang out through the crowded lane.

  Austin turned, looked back, and saw the pole full of popcorn bags waving above the crowds. His own pole was about half full. Settling the thing on the ground to give his arms a rest, he waited for his friend to reach him.

  “Hey, Chipmunk, how’s it going?”

  “Hot today,” Chipmunk replied as he lowered his pole to the ground so it stood between them. “But there are lots of people out today, so business is brisk.”

  “Yeah,” Austin agreed. “It’s not even parade time yet and I’m already on my second load of pretzels.”

  “So how’d you enjoy the party the other night?” Chipmunk asked. “You disappeared, and then I got busy… if you know what I mean….” He winked. “That little gal with the big bodice that works in the ceramics shop on the high road. But when I got back, everyone was gone.”

  Austin thought back to helping Dale down to his trailer and their first stolen kiss. It hadn’t been as awesome as their kisses last night, but it had been a start, thanks to Chipmunk’s party.

  “I had fun getting to know new people and such,” he admitted.

  “Cool, that’s why I throw the things, to bring people together,” Chipmunk said.

  A fair patron came up and asked about some popcorn. Chip quickly got him a bag while Austin waited. He didn’t want to rudely dash off, and they were in a good spot to make a few sales while they stood there.

  “So, I just heard a bit of gossip. It’s going to be all over the fair soon,” Chipmunk said as his customers walked off.

  Austin nodded his interest.

  “It turns out the accident that took out Richard, the previous dark knight, might not have been an accident.”

  “But I heard his horse fell on him,” Austin said. Then he had to pause to sell a couple of pretzels to two shirtless college boys. They had nice bodies but were a bit young for his preference, not to mention their chests looked shaved.

  When the boys moved off, Chipmunk continued. “It did, but rumor has it that something spooked the horse and that someone deliberately did it.”

  Austin paused. What did this mean for Dale? Could the hunky new dark knight be in danger?

  “So is there anything more to this than rumor and fair gossip?” he asked before another person wanting pretzels could come up.

  Chipmunk shook his shaggy brown head. “Nope, not at this point. But I got it from a really reliable source.”

  At that point the fire-eater on the stage behind them finished up his act, and his crowd flooded out. Within a couple of minutes, Austin was out of pretzels and on his way back to the bakery for more. As he and his empty pole moved through the busy festival grounds, he thought about what Chipmunk had said. Could the accident have been more than just an accident? Why would anyone want to hurt the jousters?

  By the time he handed over his pretzel pole at 1:50, Austin had worked the minor concern into full-blown fear for Dale’s life. True, he’d only just met the man, but he was a good man from what Austin could tell. He was desperate to explore more of Dale and didn’t want any accidents happening that could prevent him from doing that. He hurried across the fairgrounds to the food vendors near the joust arena.

  The lane dipped sharply as the rolling hills of the site dropped toward the only true flat area, the joust field. In the distance, the carillon player was warming up. The sounds of the heavy bronze bells rang out. Then Austin spotted Dale. Standing near the edge of the food area, talking with several people, Dale stood out in his dark red and black garb. There was something in the way he stood there that looked more regal than the man Austin had been kissing the night before. He knew it was just a performance by Diederik, the Dark Duke of Denmark, but it made Dale look like he really had just walked out of the middle ages.

  Austin walked over, trying to figure out a polite way to draw Dale’s attention from his fans. He hadn’t stopped to think they might not have the quiet romantic lunch with the fair patrons wanting to shake Dale’s hand or have their picture taken with him. He now understood why the cast had their own kitchen where they could go to get away from the crowds. He thought about it and realized every time he saw the more recognizable members of the cast—the queen, the king, jousters and such—they were often surrounded by fans. Minor cast members like Lady Catherine didn’t have that problem.

  “Sorry for that,” Dale said once he was clear of the people. “Fans.” He flashed Austin a smile that made his heart skip.

  “No problem. So, what would you like for lunch?”

  “Nothing too much for me, I’ve got a joust in a few minutes,” said Dale as they walked toward the vendors. “How about a sausage on a stick with nothing extra. A little protein is good.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll add some fries to mine to get me through till I get home tonight.”

  “So how’s your day going so far?” Dale asked as they joined the line.

  “Busy and hot, but not too bad,” Austin replied.

  Dale wiped his hand across his brow. “Yeah, I hear ya about the heat. I was hoping to escape it by coming up here.”

  Austin laughed. “You have to get used to Colorado weather. It’s constantly changing. I think it’s on
e of the few places in the world you can get heatstroke and frostbite in the same day. Some folks say if you don’t like the weather, wait ten minutes or drive ten miles and it will change.”

  Dale chuckled and then gave his order to the tired-looking girl behind the counter. “So what do you say we drive ten miles and get out of the heat for a bit?”

  Austin paid the woman after he ordered. “It would be nice, but we both have more work to do today.”

  “Yeah, and it’s one of my afternoons to win the final competition.” Dale winked. “Just don’t tell my fans we know who’s going to win.”

  Accepting their food from the woman, Austin laughed. “I’ll try to keep it to myself.”

  They worked their way over to a table that had a couple of places on one bench open. Austin tried not to watch as Dale slid the sausage past his tasty lips. It was too easy to wonder what those lips would feel like wrapped around certain parts of his body.

  “I had an interesting chat with Chipmunk a little while ago,” Austin said between bites of his own meat.

  “Is he telling folks his theory that Richard’s accident wasn’t an accident?” Dale’s hazel eyes looked dark for a moment.

  “Yeah, that would be his gossip today.”

  Dale sighed. “Any time there’s a jousting accident, there are always rumors that start up that it might have been something more than an accident. I talked it over with Max the second day I was here, and he’s sure that it was an accident. He even said that someone, I forget who, said they saw a rattlesnake slither off after the horse reared up and went over. Richard was in full armor, so it wasn’t hard for the extra weight to overbalance the horse and cause it to topple.” “A rattlesnake?” Austin shuddered.