by Olivia Black
His eyes rolled back inside his head as tight heat surrounded his shaft.
Fucking perfect, boy.
He’d never felt anything so intense. Grabbing Jared’s hips hard, he held onto the flesh tightly, keeping his boy where he wanted him. It took him a few seconds to feel calm enough to start moving.
Pulling his hips back, Jacob only left the head of his cock inside before slowly pushing forward. He gritted his teeth in an attempt to go slow. Jared let out a series of sounds, and he mimicked the action once more, except this time a little bit harder and deeper.
Looking down at their bodies, Jacob watched his cock slide in and out of his boy. He swirled his hips, changing the angle, and found Jared’s sweet spot with the tip of his cock.
“Oh…ah…r-right there…” Jared let out a few unintelligible sounds and reached for his shaft, pumping his length.
“Both hands on the wall,” Jacob ordered.
“But…” Jared whined but complied.
“That’s mine.” He rammed into his lover’s ass, picking up his pace. “That cock belongs to me, boy.”
“God…” He panted, his entire body shaking. “Daddy. I need.”
“I know what you need, baby boy. Come for Daddy,” he said, laying his chest against Jared’s back.
With a loud cry, Jared threw his head back and came. His ass clamped down on Jacob’s cock as his body jerked in spasms, telling Jacob all he needed to know. The feel of his boy’s tight ass, along with the smell of sex, sweat, and man, was enough to push Jacob over the edge into his own orgasm.
“Oh, fuck.” Jacob enjoyed the buildup until finally he unloaded with a deep-chested roar.
He leaned forward on Jared’s back, trying to catch his breath while holding the young man in a tight embrace. Jacob kissed Jared’s shoulder and neck, nuzzling in close.
“Do you want to take a shower?” Jacob held the base of his shaft and pulled back.
“Yeah, sure.” Jared yawned.
Jacob climbed off the bed first and disposed of the latex before holding out his hand to Jared. Together, they walked into the bathroom. He propped his tired baby boy against the shower stall and gave him a soft kiss before starting the shower and adjusting the temperature of the water. Stepping into the stall, Jacob pulled Jared back into his arms, where the young man belonged.
Jared kept his face against Jacob’s chest, nuzzling close like a contented little kitten. He couldn’t help but smile.
Picking up the bar of soap, Jacob washed Jared, doing his best not to jostle the other man too much. He wasn’t sure how clean they would both get, but it didn’t really matter. After a few minutes under the hot spray, Jacob yawned, feeling exhausted after the long day. He shut the water off and dried them both off before carrying Jared back into his bedroom.
He placed the young man under the covers before shutting the lights off and joining him. Pulling Jared close, he closed his eyes.
Jared snuggled close, moving to lie on top of Jacob. “Good night, Daddy.”
Wrapping his arms around the young man, he gently combed his fingers through Jared’s long strands, petting him. He loved the long locks.
“Go to sleep, baby boy.” Within minutes, they were both sound asleep.
Chapter 3
Jared woke up and slowly blinked open his eyes. The apartment was still dark, but he knew the sun would be up soon. He was still warm and cozy, wrapped tightly in Jacob’s arms, and the big man was sound asleep. For the first time in years, Jared realized that he’d slept peacefully. Having Jacob holding him close kept the demons that normal haunted his dreams far away. He didn’t wake up in a cold sweat, remembering the past. Nightmares usually plagued him, but not last night. Jacob’s presence alone seemed to slay all his dragons.
Carefully extracting himself from Jacob’s arms, Jared rolled out of bed. He tiptoed out of the bedroom and started gathering his discarded clothing off the living room floor. Jared was silent as he got dressed.
Now that he was awake, he needed to face the day and his past. He had to figure out what to do about Gabe. If he was to have any sort of future with Jacob, he needed to start being honest. His past wasn’t completely behind him. In fact, he still shared an apartment with Gabe in Portland, and the other man was planning a trip out to the ranch very soon. He hated having his life be so complicated, but he knew he couldn’t drag Jacob into his life until things were settled.
On his way out the door, he grabbed Jacob’s leather jacket. Bringing the material up to his nose, he inhaled the man’s cologne. He wanted to stay. In his heart, he felt a connection, one that he’d never experienced before. Jared told himself he was taking Jacob’s jacket to stay warm on the long walk home, but in reality, he took it so that he’d have a reason to see the older man again.
Looking toward the bed, Jared exhaled quietly. I don’t want to leave. I want to climb back into bed with my daddy. Shaking his head, he silently closed the door behind him.
Jared walked down the stairs and back into the bar. He paused for a moment and looked around at all the damage. The place was trashed—tables and chairs broken, the glass that hung behind the bar was smashed, the liquor bottles were broken and lay shattered on the floor. Shaking his head, he couldn’t believe the disaster that Jacob would have to clean up.
He didn’t know what to do. But he did know that he needed to talk to Gabe before he could move forward with Jacob.
Leaving Jacob and the bar behind, Jared walked toward the ranch. He shoved his hands into the leather jacket and hunched his shoulders, trying to keep warm as the cool morning air blew against his back.
The further he walked, the more he questioned his actions. He hated feeling confused. It shouldn’t matter that Gabe was back in Portland, but he didn’t want to hurt his friend. He didn’t want to ruin their relationship. He’d already promised Gabe that he could come out and visit. What kind of jerk would he be if started something serious with Jacob, knowing Gabe would be flying into Colorado?
It took a while to reach the long gravel driveway leading to the ranch. The sun was slowly starting to peak over the horizon when a truck started toward him. Cringing, Jared exhaled. He didn’t want anyone seeing him walking home during the early morning hour. It was obvious that he’d been out last night. The truck slowly pulled to a stop and the driver’s side window lowered. Jared walked toward the vehicle when he recognized Robbie behind the wheel.
“Hey, are you okay?” Robbie asked, concern written all over his face.
Jared shrugged, not wanting to dive into all of his thoughts and feelings. “Yeah, I guess.”
“Why the hell are you walking home at this hour?”
“It’s a long story.” Jared sighed and then quickly changed the subject. “Where are you heading?”
“The police station. I need to pick up Oliver.” Robbie’s words rocked him. He didn’t know that Oliver would be hauled off to jail after giving Jacob his name.
“Shit. He got arrested?” He breathed out, shocked that Jacob hadn’t stayed to his word. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! He promised he wouldn’t press charges.
“I’ll find out when I get to town. The sheriff came out and slapped some cuffs on him last night. He said I could pick Oliver up in the morning. Climb in, you can tell me about your night on the way.”
“I shouldn’t.” Jared shook his head.
He wasn’t sure he could face Oliver, not now that the man had been taken away in handcuffs.
“Come on,” Robbie coaxed. “The three of us can get breakfast at the café in town.”
He wanted to refuse, but instead of saying no, he walked around the truck and climbed in. After buckling up, Robbie started down the driveway.
When the door closed and his buckle clicked, Robbie once again started driving toward town. He stared straight ahead as all the emotions he was feeling rushed over him like a tidal wave—Gabe, Jacob, and now he had to worry about Oliver, too.
“Are you okay?” Robbie asked.
“I me
t someone last night,” he admitted.
“And…he was a dick?”
“No,” Jared chuckled. “He was everything I ever wanted.”
“What happened?”
“Amazing sex and then, I woke up.” Jared sighed and leaned his head against the passenger side window.
“There is definitely more to that story.” Robbie let out a whistle.
“That guy back in Portland…” he started, but emotion choked him.
He felt like such a jerk every time he thought about Gabe. He’d made a promise that they would always be together and now, he realized he wouldn’t be able to follow through. He wouldn’t be able to stay by Gabe’s side and love him forever, not the way he deserved.
“Uh-huh,” Robbie coaxed.
“We grew up in the same boy’s home. His name is Gabe Austin. When I first laid eyes on him, I wanted to protect him. Hell, I wanted to keep him in a safe little bubble away from the rest of the world. He was so damn cute and innocent, like a little puppy. He’s been by my side since we were fifteen.”
“Are you in love with him?”
“I…” He cleared his throat, wiping a stray tear off his cheek. “I love him, but I’m not in love with him. I wanted to be. I wanted him to be forever, but…” He paused, shaking his head. “Last night I lied to Jacob when he asked if I was in a relationship. I lied and pretended Gabe didn’t exist.”
“Are you in a relationship with Gabe?” Robbie pressed.
“I am such a fucking asshole. Gabe is the sweetest soul on Earth. Why can’t I just love him the way he loves me? Why couldn’t he be the one?”
“Sometimes it doesn’t work that way.”
“Fuck!” Jared pushed his hands through his long hair, the same hair Jacob couldn’t stop touching the night before. The same hair Gabe loved as well and now, he hated his hair. “Gabe is planning to come out here and I started this thing with Jacob. God help me, but I don’t want to stop seeing Jacob.”
“I’m sorry, man.” Robbie pulled into a parking spot.
“Do you mind if I head over to the store? I’ll meet you and Oliver at the café.” Jared spoke in a quiet voice.
“Yeah, sure.” Robbie nodded. “Take your time. We’ll wait for you.”
“Thanks.” Jared slammed the door, shoving his hands in his pockets as he hurried down the street toward the small market.
Jared walked up and down the aisles of the grocery store.
He dragged his feet until he spotted what he was looking for. He grabbed the box off the shelf and made his way to the bathroom. Locking himself in the single stall, he stared at his reflection in the mirror. He tried to envision what people thought of him when they saw him. He had long hair that hung in loose waves down past his shoulders, deep blue eyes, and facial hair, beard and mustache that he kept shaven close to his face. He was five foot nine inches with an athletic runner’s body—slim and tight.
Staring at his hair, he shook his head. Last night, Jacob couldn’t stop touching the long locks. He wrapped his fist around Jared’s hair, brushed his fingers through the strands, and every time he did, it reminded Jared of Gabe. He didn’t want to think of Gabe.
He needed to talk to his lifelong friend, because deep inside his heart, Jared knew he wouldn’t be able to stay away from Jacob. Not now that he’d gotten a taste. Jacob.
Flicking open the box, Jared plugged in the clippers and flicked it to the “on” position. He placed his left hand on top of his head and with his right hand he used the clippers to remove the long, beautiful strands. Jared made one long line down the middle of his head so that he couldn’t chicken out and change him mind. With each fistful of hair, he dumped it into the trashcan. It took him a while to get through the thick strands, but eventually, all his hair was gone.
Next, he removed his facial hair, leaving rough stubble behind. He would use a razor and shaving cream when he got home. Jared cleaned up the mess he’d made and headed toward the checkout counter, leaving his former identity behind in the garbage.
He felt like a different person as he left the grocery store and headed toward the small café in town—a lighter, newer version of the old Jared.
* * * *
Waking up, Jacob rubbed his eyes and moaned. Memories from the night before tickled his senses and Jacob couldn’t help but smile as he stretched and welcomed in a new day. He was feeling pretty good as he opened his eyes. When he didn’t see Jared’s sleeping face, Jacob’s smile faltered. He hated waking up alone. Sitting up, he threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, going in search of his lover.
“Baby boy?” he called out, but there was no answer, no sounds of any kind.
Disappointment consumed him as Jacob realized that Jared was gone. What the fuck? He really thought Jared wanted more than just a one-night stand, but maybe his perception of people was off. Maybe Jared had only wanted to play. Feeling aggravated for getting his hopes up, Jacob went back to his bedroom and got dressed before heading down to the bar.
In the daylight hours, the place was worse than he remembered. Sheriff Ramsey said that Oliver would be helping to put it all back together, but he didn’t even know when the man would show up. Instead of allowing himself to get pissed, he pushed his emotions down and got his ass to work. Marilyn’s was his pride and joy. He didn’t want the place to sit empty and broken for too long.
Picking up large pieces of broken glass, busted-up chairs and tables, Jacob trashed things that couldn’t be fixed and started hauling the debris to the dumpster out in the front parking lot. It didn’t seem to matter how hard he worked, Jared was at the forefront of his mind.
Did he move too fast? Did he want a daddy-boy relationship so much that he’d forced the issue onto Jared? Running their conversations through his mind, he couldn’t think of where he’d gone wrong.
He’d been working for hours when someone walked in. Instead of looking up, he kept working and shouted, “We’re closed.”
“Hi, I’m Robbie Robertson,” a man introduced himself as he came closer. “I’m sorry about your bar. And I wanted to thank you for not pressing charges against my brother, Oliver.”
“I didn’t do it for you or Oliver,” Jacob said honestly, shoveling trash into a metal can.
“I know. I’m pretty sure it was because of Jared,” Robbie murmured and Jacob stopped what he was doing and made eye contact.
“Yeah, well, lot of good it did me.” He was pissed that Jared had left him without an explanation or a note. Had their night meant nothing? Why was he so hurt by Jared’s actions? “I can’t reopen my bar until this mess is cleaned up. When is Oliver planning to make an appearance?”
“I was wondering if you’d allow me to bring all of my brothers and maybe even a couple of ranch hands out to help you. We could work together and get this place open sooner rather than later.”
Jacob looked out at the bar he loved and realized that he needed help. The place was a disaster area. “The more the merrier.”
“Great.” Robbie held out his hand and Jacob took it. “I’ll head to the ranch and bring some backup. We’ll have this place put back together in no time.”
Turning on his heel, Robbie weaved through the mess back toward the entrance.
“Hey,” Jacob called out, stopping him. “Did Jared make it home safely?”
“Yeah, he’s good.”
“Good,” he said, not about to share any personal information with Robbie.
He cared about Jared, perhaps a little too much.
Jacob went back to work, his mind on Jared and the night they had shared. Everything seemed so perfect. A young man wanting a daddy and him, an older man searching for a baby boy to love, cherish, and protect.
“Fuck!” He threw the trashcan down.
Chapter 4
As soon as they reached the ranch, Jared climbed out of the truck and walked straight inside the house. He went to his dad’s office, hoping to find the answers he was looking for. Sitting in the man’s office cha
ir, he leaned his head back, enjoying the silence.
What am I going to do? Should I call Gabe and hope he’ll understand? Will he forgive me? Will he cry? Will our friendship be over? He’s the only family I had growing up. I don’t want to lose him. Should I just forget about Jacob and any hope of a future with the man?
There were so many damn questions and no answers. He didn’t know what to do. He could never be lost or scared, not growing up. He had to depend on himself and take care of Gabe.
When he heard voices and a door slam, Jared forced himself to stand and walk over to the window. He held the blinds open and watched as Robbie drove down the driveway. He wanted to help with the mess at Marilyn’s, but he wasn’t ready to face Jacob, not yet. Not after running out of the man’s apartment like a scared little rabbit. Dropping his arm, Jared walked up the stairs and went into his bedroom.
He closed the door, clicking the lock into place before taking off Jacob’s leather jacket. Holding it with care, Jared hung it up in the closet. He touched the leather, running his fingers over the soft, worn material. His mind was focused on Jacob and the amazing night they shared. When his phone beeped, Jared cringed. He’d left his cellphone at home before going out last night. He didn’t want to be disturbed. At least, that’s what he told himself, when in reality he just couldn’t see all the text messages from Gabe.
Grabbing his phone, Jared typed the four-digit code and checked his messages. The number fourteen was in bright red, mocking him. Jared exhaled loudly and sat on the edge of the bed. He opened the message app and read through all of Gabe’s text messages.
I hope you’re having a good day working on the ranch. I miss you.
I just checked the schedule at the coffee shop. I’ll be able to come out and see you soon.
I love you.
Just got off work. Sitting in the apartment. This place is so quiet without you. I miss hearing you play the guitar.
I’m going to bed now. I just wanted to say good-night.