The first thing that caught his eye as he walked the perimeter of the main event ring was the oversized banners for Cavendish. His heart immediately clenched in his chest. Visions of Marcus had his pulse racing. But a banner meant nothing. Cavendish advertised at most medium- to large-size rodeos, so it didn’t mean the man he loved was somewhere just out of sight. Even if he was, nothing could come of it. He had to avoid Marcus for his own good. Tyler’s life was riddled with danger, and Marcus didn’t deserve to deal with his baggage.
He didn’t have to ride for hours, but liked to size up his competition and check out the temperament of the animals before his turn. From his seat on one of the bleachers, his pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes and lit one up. He’d quit the filthy habit for Marcus, but now needed any help he could get to help his frayed nerves.
There was plenty of horse trading going on. Tyler only paid half his attention to the different groups of people around him, half in a daze. He exhaled a cloud of smoke, but ended up swatting away the fog when he swore he caught a glimpse of his angel. He sat straighter, focusing on the distant figures. His eyes hadn’t deceived him. Marcus Vinetti, in all his masculine, refined glory was standing just out of earshot. He was talking to Bryce Coldwater, one of his greatest threats in competition. Was he here to sign Bryce to Cavendish? Had Marcus fallen for another man so soon? Just seeing the two talking, laughing, only a foot separating them, made the stink of jealousy pierce his heart. He stood up a couple times, but sat himself back down. It wasn’t his business. He’d cut Marcus loose, so Tyler had no right to interfere in his life.
Why was it so hard to look the other way? He didn’t know much about Bryce, but he already judged him to be his enemy. Tyler sized him up, knowing he could easily take him down in a fight, if it came to that. He took another drag, trying to calm the vicious desire swirling in his head. Marcus was his.
“Bryce. Good ride earlier.” Tyler couldn’t resist. He came up behind the couple, keeping his best poker face in place.
“Thanks.”
Marcus turned, recognition blanching his features. “Tyler, what are you doing here?”
“Looks like a rodeo, and I’m a cowboy.” He returned his attention to the other man. “So, you signing on with Cavendish?”
“Thinking on it.”
Why was Bryce acting so cool and collected? He leaned against the fence, hips thrust out to show off his buckle. Tyler gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached. Was he trying to impress a potential sponsor or Marcus, the man?
Tyler nodded, not knowing what the fuck to say, but not willing to leave the men alone. He brought what was left of his forgotten cigarette to his lips. Marcus reached out and grabbed his wrist before he could inhale. “Smoking’s not good for you.”
He did care. Tyler’s body slumped in relief, his previous tension pooling around his prized boots.
“I tend to remember you mentioning that before.” He stomped out his cigarette. They stared at each other now, mirroring a similar longing. As much as he should push Marcus away, every cell in his body screamed for him to hold on, to never let him go. They’d find a way to make it work. They had to. Even if he had to go to Jet for advice or leave the rodeo altogether, it would be worth it to have Marcus back. Without him, he was just existing, as he had all his adult life. He’d never really live until they were together again. Really together as a committed couple.
“We still talking business, Marcus?” Hearing his man’s first name on Bryce’s lips made him see red, especially when Tyler was vying for Marcus’s attention.
“He’s done talking business,” said Tyler, still entranced by the dark-haired, Italian stud.
Reality and fantasy momentarily blurred as he nearly lost his balance. Had Bryce really just shoved him? He laughed out loud. “Worried about your sponsorship?”
His nonchalance appeared to piss the younger cowboy off. “Hell no! They’re looking for rising stars, not fags with a death wish.”
Tyler did what he did best, reacted without thinking. He barreled forward into the other man and let the punches fly. They swung back and forth, muttering curses and trying to dole out the most damage.
Marcus finally pulled him off Bryce, and he landed back on his ass, hyped up for more. The city boy’s strength surprised him, but then again, he’d seen his developed muscles up close and personal. “Enough!”
“He’s trying to weasel in on my sponsorship. Cavendish sent you here to recruit me, not him.” Bryce stood up and tucked in the tails of his shirt.
“Tyler already refused a sponsorship from us last month.” He ran a hand through that silky, black hair he adored.
“Good. Then why don’t you fuck off.” Tyler lunged at the other man again, but Marcus intervened, holding him back with an outstretched arm.
“Marcus, I need to talk to you in private. Just you and me, darlin’.” He didn’t care what Bryce thought. In fact, he wanted him to know they were an item, that Tyler had claim over the man.
“Tyler, I have business…”
“Business with me.” He deepened his tone, letting Marcus know he wasn’t playing games. This wasn’t just about getting him away from Bryce. He did need to talk with him, to confess his true feelings, explain why he pushed him away, and plan a future they could both live with.
Chapter Ten
Marcus always had Tyler in the back of his mind, but he never expected to find him way out here in Smithfield, especially when the events were centered around the bulls. Tyler promised never to ride the bulls again, and he didn’t like the thought of him risking his life.
When he showed up, Marcus swore his heart stopped beating for a second. It was like seeing a ghost after grieving for his love for so many weeks. But Tyler had claimed to not want him, which was why he returned to the city with a cloud of despair hanging over his head. Now Tyler acted possessive, as if he wanted him for more than a casual affair. Although he stopped the fight soon after it started, he had to admit that it made his cock hard as granite. Watching Tyler fight for him, display such passion, proved he wasn’t as cold as he had portrayed.
He allowed Tyler to lead him away, unwilling to witness another fight, and he desperately wanted to hear what the cowboy had to say. He prayed now, as he did every night, that Tyler would actually love him, that the man he fell in love with wasn’t just a mask.
“Where we going?” he asked as they entered the dim interior of an aging barn. Sunlight beamed in through the many cracks, like lasers, highlighting the dust motes. It smelled rich of sweet hay.
“I needed to find a little hideaway. My motel’s at the other side of town, and I couldn’t wait another second to get you alone.”
“The air’s heavy in here. I doubt it’s good for my lungs.” He kicked at the hay littered on the concrete center of the barn. This barn hadn’t been maintained in ages.
“That’s right. You’re delicate, aren’t you, sweet thing.” He cupped Marcus’s face and leaned in for a kiss. Marcus pulled back in a rush, straining his neck he moved so fast.
As much as he wanted to succumb, he couldn’t forget the fact Tyler had pushed him away, made him feel smaller than an ant. “You told me you weren’t meant to change. You made me feel like a man whore.”
Tyler shook his head. “Darlin’, you know I didn’t mean any of that.”
“Then why? I thought everything was going so well between us, then the whole three-sixty. I don’t know what to believe.”
He grabbed him by the belt, tugging him against his chest. “Believe that I love you,” Tyler whispered against his ear.
Marcus closed his eyes and exhaled, savoring the words, wanting to believe them. “For how long this time? A day? A week? Until something better comes along?”
“I know I hurt you, but I did it because I care, not because I don’t. My life ain’t peaches and cream. You deserve better.”
“That should be my choice.”
“You’re right. And I’ve been sick since you left. I wa
nt you to choose me, choose us. I’ll do everything I can to make you happy. No cigarettes. No bulls. No lies.”
He knew his voice would crack, but he spoke anyway. “Promise?”
Tyler chuckled and dropped his face against the side of his neck. Marcus could hear him breathe in his scent, and feel the heat as he exhaled against his sensitive skin. “I missed your smell. It was on the shirt you wore for a couple days, but then it faded away.”
“I’m here now.” If Tyler was playing with him, it would utterly destroy him, but he couldn’t resist. Didn’t want to resist. “All I’ve thought about is you. I’ve been like a zombie most days.”
“I’m so sorry, baby. If it’s any consolation, I’ve felt worse than shit since you left. You give my life meaning.” He kissed his lips. Once. “I need you, Marcus Vinetti.”
“You do realize we’re the worst possible match, don’t you?”
“That’s why it’s gonna work.” He pressed Marcus’s hand against the front of his jeans. Tyler was hard, threatening to blow the zipper clean off his Wranglers.
“What about my condo? My job at Cavendish?”
He nipped Marcus’s jawline, sending an erotic current sizzling through his body. “Details.” Tyler continued his assault with his lips and now his hands. He unbuckled him without looking, and then began to tug up his shirt.
“You sure you’re not just horny?”
“I promise you I’m horny,” he said in that sexy Southern drawl. “You’ll find out soon enough. But that’s just one element. You’re mine, Marcus. I won’t leave you, I won’t share you, and I want you for more than sex.”
* * * *
Tyler continued to undress Marcus, needing to feel him skin to skin. It had been so long. Every minute felt like an hour, every day, a year, when they were apart. He wanted to indulge himself on his lover’s golden muscles, to give him enough pleasure he that he’d never want to return to the city.
“How’re your ribs healing?” asked Marcus.
“Don’t change the subject. All I care about right now is you.” Tyler felt the beast clawing inside him, urging him to let loose. Marcus was no delicate flower, but all hard, sinewy muscle. He’d be able to handle what Tyler dished out, no matter how rough. When he yanked off the other man’s shirt, revealed sculpted pecs and abs, he had to step back to get a full view. “You’ve been working out.”
“It helped keep me from going nuts. All I’ve thought about is you.” His dark eyes looked haunted, and Tyler felt like an asshole from putting him through such turmoil. He should have been honest from the get-go and worked something out between them. Love at first sight couldn’t even begin to describe the full and utterly complete attraction Tyler had for Marcus, body and soul.
He tentatively trailed his fingertips down his chest, watching his reaction. When his eyes lit up and lips parted, it was Tyler’s sign to continue. He walked Marcus backwards until the backs of his legs hit two stacked bales of hay. “Ever been fucked in a barn before, Marcus?”
“You should know. I haven’t been with anyone else.” It wouldn’t matter one way or the other, but knowing Marcus hadn’t strayed when he returned home, as many jilted lovers did, pleased him. The city boy was all his, and he’d devote his every breath to keeping him safe, happy, and satisfied.
“Saving yourself just for me, eh, darlin’?” He sucked on his shoulder, giving a slight nip. “Drop your pants. I’m going to give you a little head.”
“Here? Anyone could just walk in.” All the bay doors of the century-old barn were open, a slight breeze wafting through. With all the traders and riders showing up early, it was very possible they could get an uninvited guest.
“Drop ’em,” he demanded, licking his lips tauntingly. Marcus shimmied out of his pants until they pooled at his ankles. He looked side to side and slightly behind him to ensure they were alone before he released his cock from his boxer briefs. The man was a god and could have easily passed for a Calvin Klein model. Marcus leaned back against the hay, the soft shadows outlining every ridge of muscle, including the perfect V leading to his proud erection.
Tyler stroked him, just his hand making contact. He enjoyed the divide between them, making the simple touch more erotic, and their public surroundings more taboo. Marcus groaned and muttered something incoherent, his eyes drifting open and closed. “Someone might see…” he whispered.
Tyler bent down on one knee and lapped at the swollen mushroom head of Marcus’s cock. He gasped and braced his elbows back on the bale. “If they wanna watch, they’re welcome. But like I told you, I ain’t sharing.” It was funny how only a month ago Tyler was ready to share Jet with James and anyone else who wanted to play. Now he couldn’t even think of another man.
He sucked his dick down his throat, using his tongue to tease the nub of skin at the base of his head with each upstroke. Every twitch and moan from Marcus spurred him on. He wanted to bring his lover to the pre-orgasmic realm before he flipped him over and fucked him hard.
The sound of shuffling footsteps and voices echoed in the barn as they neared. Marcus bolted upright, but Tyler held his hips and continued to indulge on his ripe cock. He recognized the two distinct voices. They were drifters, both gay. He’d had a fling with the younger one, Josh, last year. If anyone knew Tyler’s illicit past, it was them, so they wouldn’t be surprised to find him sucking a man’s dick.
“Tyler! They’re coming,” Marcus whispered harshly. The idea of getting caught, of other men witnessing their lovemaking, made the act that much more titillating. His own cock wept inside his jeans, rubbing mercilessly against the coarse denim.
After one final lick, he stood tall, braced Marcus’s shoulders, and kissed him. Their mouths molded together, hot and demanding, but he felt the other man continually pull away. He was standing in the nude, his cock poking Tyler’s stomach, while he was fully dressed.
The uninvited spectators drew near, almost at the opening of the side doors they’d entered. Tyler flipped Marcus around and used the flat of his hand against his back to hold him down against the prickly bale of hay. He almost chuckled, knowing his city boy would be worried about bugs and hay dust. Tyler unbuckled and released just his dick, and then used a dollop of his own saliva to coat Marcus’s pretty, little asshole. The slight touch made the other man jolt in awareness.
“Tyler! Let me up, for God’s sake. People are coming!”
Tyler positioned his dick and penetrated his tight ass, thrusting forward in a firm, smooth motion. He gasped and gripped fistfuls of hay as Tyler breached his unforgiving sphincter muscle. His body hugged his cock, so warm and snug, the perfect fit.
He kissed his sexy Italian’s back, smoothed his hands up and down his arms, and admired his firm ass pressed tight to his groin. Before he’d given Marcus the time to fully adjust to his invasion, the men entered the barn. They stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of Tyler with his cock in another man’s ass. No one said a word, and Tyler returned his attention to his man.
After pulling out slightly, he worked back in until he established a steady rhythm. Marcus struggled beneath him when he noticed the two men watching their intimacy. He leaned over his back and whispered in his ear. “They’re just watching, sweet thing. You’re a beautiful sight.”
His dick had never been harder. He gripped his hips and pummeled his ass. Tyler’s balls pulled up tight, his body coiling for release. Marcus stopped focusing on the public exhibition and accepted his cock, moaning and grinding back against him.
“Tell me you’re mine, Marcus. Tell me for everyone to hear.” He punctuated each sentence with a hard thrust.
“Yes!”
“Yes, what?”
Marcus’s back was sweat-glistened, the droplets from his own forehead dripping down onto his moist flesh. “I’m all yours. Only yours,” he muttered. A few more forceful thrusts and Tyler came, his orgasm nearly blinding him from the intensity. He growled and pumped his seed into Marcus, claiming him, marking him forever.
>
He secured his cock in his jeans and sat down on the bale, nearly collapsing from exhaustion. “Roll over, darlin’.” Was he still being shy? Tyler didn’t think he’d reached his peak and wanted to ensure he received the same pleasure that he did. He had to nudge him to sit upright, and even then he tried to cup his solid erection with his hands. Marcus’s modesty was adorable, but Tyler didn’t want him to feel shame or insecurity—not anymore, not as long as they were together.
After prying his hand away, Tyler began to pump the man’s cock. Their two-man audience had hungry looks in their eyes, one of them reaching in his own pants to play with himself. “Look at me, Marcus.” The other man sat a little straighter, and turned to look him in the eyes. “Do you like the way I’m touching you?”
He nodded.
“Come for me. Right here, right now. I wanna milk you until my hand is covered.”
His words appeared to undo his lover. He closed his eyes, his mouth opening in a soundless cry as Tyler fucked him hard and fast with his hand. His release was punctuated with a loud exhale. He leaned over and kissed Tyler, probably needing the reassurance that this wasn’t just sex. It wasn’t.
Marcus’s cum shot out in a wide, white arch, coating his hand and the hay between his legs. “Good boy.” Tyler kissed him back, ready to go again, but knowing it was time for them to leave. With their pent-up passion alleviated, they could talk with clear heads.
Once decent, they made their way to the bay door. “You’re a lucky man, Tyler,” said one of the men from behind them.
“I know it!” And he did.
Chapter Eleven
They’d stayed in Tyler’s hotel for two nights while he rode in the events he’d registered in. It had rained last night, heavy enough that the static hush on the roof had lulled Marcus to sleep. Now he awoke in Tyler’s strong arms. The cowboy was still asleep, his chest gently rising and falling. He snuggled in close, resting his head on his shoulder. It was a grey day, no sunshine trying to get in through the cracks in the curtains even though the digital clock put them at nine thirty in the morning.
Wilder, Winona - Loving Tyler [Coming Out 3] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) Page 8