by Lynn Stark
“That’s okay. I can scratch getting bitten by a tiny pig off my bucket list.”
Piper stared at Merck for a moment, as if she thought he had lost his last marble. Then she was laughing with pure amusement, which really didn’t amuse the dog in her lap any. Mindy jumped down and went running to Colt, begging to be lifted up. Colt paused only for a moment before he picked her up and placed her gingerly on his lap.
“There’s something else off my list. Seeing Colt holding a tiny poodle in his lap is something I never expected to live to see.”
Colt managed gave Merck a wry look. “My father never allowed them, but I love dogs. Getting one just never happened. Now I simply don’t have any time in my life for one.”
“That’s not true,” Piper countered with a teasing smile. “You have a very dog-friendly lifestyle. You’re your own boss. You own several businesses where a dog could go easily, which would mean you wouldn’t have to leave it home. So, what’s your next argument, Mr. Dog Lover?” she teased, looking at him expectantly. “Now that I am starting a dog help center and doggie spa, I’ll keep an eye out for the perfect dog for you.”
Jace leaned forward, frowning. “You’re doing what?”
“I’m opening a pet help center and doggie spa. I could really help a lot of people here.”
Merck groaned beside him, which earned him a scathing look from Piper. “Just because you don’t like animals, doesn’t mean other people don’t. And some people just don’t have the resources to take care of their pets properly. I can help with that.”
“Who said I didn’t like animals?”
“You have bucking bulls.”
When Merck smacked his forehead with his palm, groaning, Jace laughed. He wound an around his lover’s neck to pull him closer to him. “It’ll be okay, big fella. We’ll get her thinking straightened out sooner or later.” He looked back at Piper. “Piper, Merck showed me his setup. Those bulls are about the most pampered animals I’ve ever seen. If you don’t believe me, ask your buddy here. I’m sure he’s been out to Merck’s ranch at least once.”
Shaking his head, Colt told them with a note of defeat in his voice, “I’ve told her all I can about how Merck takes care of his animals. She won’t believe it until she sees it for herself.”
“I believe he treats his animals better than a lot of people do. And he proved that the cowboys riding the bulls and horses aren’t using any cruel methods. That’s not the problem. The bulls and horses shouldn’t be exploited like that.”
Piper was on her soapbox and ready for a fight, her eyes gleaming, her cheeks flush.
Jace could see that this conversation was going downhill fast. He couldn’t stop it, as much as he wanted to.
“And I’ve explained that if my bulls weren’t being used for bucking they’d be hamburger. My animals are all well fed and are housed in a manner which is above and beyond what’s necessary. They’re my bread and butter. I do everything to keep them healthy and happy. Those are the facts, lady. And until you can come out to the ranch to see for yourself, and apologize to me, you won’t be seeing hide or hair of me.”
Jace could hear the anger in Merck’s voice. Her accusations were unfair and unjustified. She had singled Merck out and was on the attack. Merck stood and put on his hat. Jace stood beside him and reached for his coat. Obviously their visit had come to an end.
Chapter Seven
Merck was pissed. He nodded once to Colt before turning on his heel and heading out of the house. He couldn’t even look at Piper. She had pissed him off before, but this was different. From the beginning he had made every effort to prove to her that he wasn’t unscrupulous, that he treated his animals well and saw to it that others did so. He would never put up with anyone abusing an animal. Sure, bulls were big, brawny beasts full of mean. They were also at the mercy of the men and women handling them. He’d seen his fair share of assholes since his earliest days of going to the rodeos as a kid with his fathers and brothers.
Climbing into Jace’s truck, he slammed the door. Jace followed him in. “Easy there, honey,” he crooned, leaning across the console so he could plant a firm kiss on Merck’s lips. “Don’t let her get to you like that. She’s still living in the past. There’s a part of her that’s trapped there. It’s going to take time for her to shift her thinking into the present. First she has to really establish herself here in Silver, create a life and a purpose for herself.”
He heard the reasoning in his lover’s voice and he relaxed slightly. But he wasn’t ready to let it go. He couldn’t. Anger was burning in his gut, as was resentment. Strong fingers slipped inside the collar of his coat, massaging the muscles corded with tension. Why couldn’t Piper just let it go?
“I don’t appreciate being accused of being something I’m not. Am I supposed to give up my whole livelihood to make her happy? Because I just can’t do it. Would she rather see me load them all up and ship them off to be butchered? My bulls get to live out their lives on the ranch, even when they’ve outlived their usefulness. It’s money out of my pocket to keep them, but they did right by me and I’ll do right by them. Death Watch will be twenty-five this year. Should we throw him a party and invite her?”
When Jace didn’t respond as he finally ended his rant, Merck turned to look at the handsome man. He could see him clearly with the light coming from Colt’s front porch lights bathing his face. The man was obviously holding back laughter. Merck’s lips twitched. Then he choked and the laughter erupted from him.
“Thanks,” he said finally, kissing Jace when he leaned toward him again. Their lips clung for a moment. “I guess asking her out on a date is off for now.”
“For now,” Jace agreed, kissing him once last time before starting the truck. “Let’s go someplace for a beer.”
“I’ve got beer at home. We can drink it naked.”
“That’s a great time-saving idea. Got anymore?”
“Not yet, but I’ll think of something by the time we get home.”
Jace backed the truck out. Merck saw him glance over again. “Home. I like the sound of that.”
They rode out of town in silence, holding hands when Jace didn’t need his for shifting gears. He liked that the guy was giving him space to sort out his thoughts and finish cooling off. Merck had the feeling that dealing with Piper was going to drive him nuts. While one half of him wanted to give her time, the other wanted to go all caveman and tell her that she was theirs.
Merck didn’t regret giving Piper a piece of his mind. Obviously being patient with her hadn’t worked. Yeah, the woman was working through a lot of crap in her life. He got that. But she had to direct her anger and frustration at the real bad guys in her life, not at Jace and him.
If half the stuff Jace told him about Douglas and Camilla Barrows was true, then Piper had lived a pretty miserable life, slowly crushed beneath the weight of her parents’ overprotectiveness. It was going to take her time to adjust and he had to give her that. They had to give her that.
“What’s going to happen when her father shows up?”
“To put it bluntly, all hell’s going to break loose. I can see that your friend Colt is trying to help Piper learn to be independent. I believe once she realizes that she doesn’t need her father’s permission or approval, she’ll be able to stand up to him.”
“Do you think she’ll be able to do it?”
“Let’s just say I don’t think Piper is going to want to go back into the cage now that she’s gotten a chance to spread her wings. Her father’s going to be both shocked and very unhappy with the new and improving Piper.”
“She’s an adult. He can’t make her go back, can he?”
“No, of course he can’t. Not unless he’s able to bully her into it. Coming to Silver was a good decision on her part. There’s no one here that he can get to help him out.”
Jace turned the truck into the lane on his property. Merck’s ranch wasn’t as large as some in the area, but it more than suited his needs. The t
ruck hit a rut and he winced. Jace swore and swerved for the next one.
“Guess I’ll have to get some of the boys to fill those in,” he said sheepishly. The headlights glowed over every oncoming hole in the lane. Damn, it was bad. He groaned. “Sorry.”
“Don’t get your panties in a twist,” Jace laughed, squeezing his hand. “It’d take more than a couple of holes to take out this truck. Now, have you thought of anything else to do tonight, other than the two of us sitting around naked and drinking beer?” Merck’s hand was released. It landed on his thigh, first rubbing firmly, and then squeezing. The pressure went straight to his cock, causing him to moan. “Do you know how hot you are? All I could think about since we got out of bed this morning was how soon we could get back into it.”
Merck’s cock swelled even more. Droplets of fire began trickling along his veins. Jace’s words were what he needed to hear at that moment. It pushed out the disappointment he could feel building inside him.
He voiced his doubts. “I was hoping we could get to know Piper a little better.”
“We did. It’s going to take time. I don’t believe it’ll be all that long before she decides that we’re just the kind of men for her.”
Merck didn’t have anything to say to that. His mind and body were heading toward what he could have and away from what he might never have. There would be plenty of time later to torture himself over Piper.
Jace parked in the garage and turned off the engine. Pushing the button on the control Merck had given him, the door slid down behind the truck. They both got out. It was difficult to walk with his cock pressing against the front of his jeans. He felt more than a little conspicuous as they entered the mudroom between the garage and the house and shed their jackets. His heart was pounding in his chest as he anticipated the night to come. He wanted to know if the magic would happen between them again. It was more than sex, though that was a very big part of it. The connection between Jace and him was unbelievable. Merck wanted to know if it was still there or if it had been some phantom, one-time thing.
Being shoved against the wall and having a muscular thigh wedged between his legs was a definite indicator. The sparks of heat in his veins flared as his balls were pressed upward and his arms were lifted above his head by hands fitting like manacles around his wrists. Oh, hell yeah! Merck thought as he stared at the man igniting the passion he’d buried for so long.
Jace grinned, a wicked glint in his dark eyes, just before he leaned forward and began biting him along his jaw. Merck moaned and closed his eyes. Jace was now half of every sexual fantasy he’d ever have. Piper was the other half.
The thought of her disgust of him threatened to cool Merck’s ardor. Jace must have sensed his mental withdrawal because he intensified his attack on the throat under his mouth, licking and sucking at the pulse, biting the tense corded muscles, a tongue stroking slowly across his Adam’s apple.
“Stay with me, precious. I’m going to rock your world.” The words were whispered in his ear, causing him to shiver. His cock jerked behind the strained denim. “Now, give me your mouth.”
The wide, muscled chest pressed against his as Merck offered his mouth almost desperately. He loved the way Jace talked to him. It touched something deep in his soul, pulled him into a place he had never known with another person.
Jace’s mouth opened over his, devouring Merck’s. Groaning, he ground their mouths together, his tongue dancing and dueling, teasing and tasting. Jace explored his mouth with bold thrusts of his tongue. Lips were bruised against teeth. Breaths were exchanged as they reached the boundary of the last one drawn. Pleasure spun through his head. Brilliant lights flashed behind his eyelids as he tilted his head back and gasped for breath. The man holding him against the wall was relentless. He was completely without mercy as he tormented Merck.
Gasping, aching, Merck thrust his groin into Jace’s. The man’s cock was as hard as his own. Raw need gnawed at him like a wild, starving animal. It had been like this between them the night before and relief washed over him. It hadn’t been a one-time thing.
“Jace, please.”
“Jace?”
“Baby, please. I need you.”
“That’s better,” Jace praised and he opened his eyes to see the man looking at him with such love in his dark eyes. His wrists were released and his arms dropped down to wind around the other man’s neck. A hand brushed over his cheek. “I think I could use that beer now. Why don’t we get undressed?”
Opening his eyes, Merck stared at Jace. “Beer?” he moaned in disbelief. “You want beer right now?”
Jace chuckled. “I did mention we were getting undressed, didn’t I?”
Leaning forward he gave him a soft kiss on the mouth, rubbing their throbbing cocks together. “Yes, undressed. I can do that.”
In a daze Merck moved into the kitchen when Jace released his wrists. He missed the forceful contact immediately. Grinning, he pulled off his clothes as he walked through the room. He hopped on one foot then the other as boots were yanked off and tossed under the kitchen table. He eyed Jace’s black, combat-style boots. The man had them laced up and was now yanking impatiently at the laces until they came free.
“Maybe you can get those with a zipper,” Merck laughed, pulling off his socks before standing back up and pulling the large silver buckle at his waist. A moment later he was unbuttoning and unzipping, giving himself a measure of relief as the pressure against his cock was finally eased. He gave the cotton-covered flesh a good rub before shoving his jeans down to his ankles. Jace was still trying to get his boots off. Laughing again, Merck kicked the jeans away then went to his lover’s aid. “Here, let me help,” he offered, straddling a long, muscular leg when Jace lifted it.
“Oh, yeah, I can always use this kind of help,” Jace said, then grabbed the mounds of his ass with both hands, squeezing them firmly. His asshole clenched with remembered pleasure. “Nice ass. Firm, slightly rounded, it fills my hands just right.”
“Hey there!” Merck shouted just as he was pulling the first boot off. He nearly fell on his face as strong teeth sank into the right cheek of his ass. Clinging navy blue cotton was peeled down. A moment later warm, firm lips were caressing the stinging flesh. Jace lifted his other leg but Merck could barely think of why he was doing so as a tongue began stroking his skin. Warm, then cool as the air touched the moisture, he shivered and grabbed the second boot. “Oh, fuck, I can’t take much more. I’m going to come right here and now.”
“No you won’t,” Jace told him sternly. “You’ll wait until I’ve got your cock down my throat. Until then we play.”
Elastic stretched, cotton slid, as Jace pulled his boxer briefs down until they were stopped by the leg between his. Merck caught his breath and pulled the boot off, letting it drop with a thud to the plank floor. He put his hands on his knees, bracing his upper body, as Jace began to “play.” Strong hands molded his backside. Biting back a moan, he wasn’t certain how long he’d be able to withstand the sensuous torture. Just the simple touches were driving him mad. His legs began to tremble and his breath caught in his throat as the flat of a tongue ran up from the curve between right thigh and ass cheek, to the upper curve. The tip of that tormenting tongue began to leave a wet trail of curly cues and winding, dipping lines until Jace reached the left mound.
There was a deep, husky laugh which sent shivers of pleasure down Merck’s spine when a finger began playing along the cleft of his ass. Warm breath caressed his skin. Strong teeth nipped his flesh. Merck moaned. The man was going to tease him into an early grave.
“I thought you were going for beer,” Jace teased, slapping his ass.
Shocked by the sudden change in play, Merck straightened as if he’d been shot, rubbing his ass as he spun around to stare in disbelief at his lover. “You slapped my ass?”
Jace leaned back and unzipped his jeans. He looked at him from beneath heavy lids. Fuck was he ever sexy. “Yeah, I did. Do you have a problem with that?”
/> Merck shook his head. “No, I just wasn’t expecting it.”
“Good. Now quit being a baby and get our beer.” Those dark eyes flickered down over his body, lingering over his throbbing cock which was pointing at Jace like divining rod to water. “Unless you don’t want to play with me anymore?”
Even as he wanted to kiss the adorable smirk off Jace’s firm, sculptured lips, Merck went to the fridge for the beer. He opened the bottles and carried them back to where Jace was waiting for him. He had shed his shirt, jeans, and underwear, which revealed a perfectly gorgeous male body. Jace was big, muscular, tanned, and tattooed. There were scars, too. Two were from bullets and four from shrapnel. Merck didn’t like the idea of Jace being in danger and hoped that those days were far behind the man. He wanted a future with him. He couldn’t do that if Jace planned on letting people shoot at him in the future. They’d discussed it briefly, but Jace had told him he hadn’t decided what his future held as far as employment.
Handing over the beer, Merck watched as Jace took a long pull. Then he was setting the bottle aside and leaning back again in the chair, fingers curling around his cock. Merck nearly choked on the beer as the steel-hard flesh was stroked in a leisurely manner.
When his eyes slid back up over the hard, well-defined six pack of abs, over the sculpted chest with its scattering of crisp black hair, Merck knew he was lost. Jace was hot, sexy, and so desirable he didn’t even know if there was a rating high enough for him.
He waited eagerly to see what Jace would do next. The man was a fantastic lover.
Jace picked up the beer again as he did his own share of looking. He took another drink then held the beer above his groin. “Ever had beer on a stick?”
Merck laughed and dropped to his knees on the plank floor. He slid his hands along powerful thighs, enjoying the sensation of the crisp black hair under his palms. “Never. Sounds good, though.” Leaning forward he caught the first droplets of beer as they splashed onto the wide head of Jace’s cock. From there he licked and sipped as Jace poured more of the beer over his length. Merck enjoyed the play. The man was a fun and sexy lover. He doubted he would ever be bored. When Jace gave him a moment he lifted his head to look at him, licking beer from his lips. “Shouldn’t this be called beer on a dick?”