Lang Downs

by Ariel Tachna

  “Thanks,” Seth said. He scrambled down the ladder and ran toward the end of the station buildings so he could follow the progress of the car down the valley. He bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited. Going out to meet Jason would be ridiculous since they would just have to come back to where he was now, but he had a hard time staying where he was.

  Finally the car reached where he was waiting, and Jason rolled down the window. “My phone got soaked,” Jason said by way of greeting.

  “You need a better case,” Seth replied hoarsely. “You scared me. I… I had a bad night.”

  “Are you okay?” Jason asked.

  “I should be asking you that,” Seth said. “You’re the one who spent the night out in the storm somewhere.”

  “I found a drover’s hut when it started getting bad,” Jason said, “but I dropped my phone and it wouldn’t work when I got inside. But you’re okay?”

  “I spent the night with Chris and Jesse. I kept my promise. I didn’t cut myself.”

  “I’m proud of you,” Jason said.

  The words made Seth feel so good, but at the same time, he hadn’t told Jason the whole story. “It wasn’t a good night. I nearly broke down, but I’d promised you, so I went to Chris instead. They have my razor. I think I’ll use disposables for a while until I’m sure I can trust myself again. Thorne and Ian came over. They’re going to help me come up with better ways to cope.”

  “Good. Get in. I need to change clothes, and I imagine there’s work to be done.”

  Seth climbed in the passenger seat. There was work to be done, but not until after he’d assured himself Jason was as unharmed as he appeared. No one would blame him. He’d heard stories about Caine and Macklin and how they finally got together.

  Jason parked in front of the house. “I should tell my parents I’m back.”

  Seth grabbed Jason’s hand before he could walk away and pulled him onto the veranda. “Ian will tell them. He saw your car. You need a hot shower and dry clothes.”

  “Is that what I need?” Jason teased.

  The heat that had been pooling in Seth’s groin flared now that they were alone and Jason was safe. “Well, maybe the clothes can wait.”

  Jason grinned and pulled his shirt over his head. “Maybe the shower can wait too. You’re just going to make a mess of me. I might as well wait to clean up after.”

  Seth grinned back. “What are we waiting for, then?” He herded Jason into the bedroom and stripped them both quickly. Jason’s jeans were still damp and his skin was cool to the touch beneath them. Seth hesitated. “Maybe you should warm up first.”

  Jason pulled Seth down on top of him. “What do you think we’re doing? I’m never cold when you’re in bed with me.”

  Seth rolled to the side so he could reach Jason better and started at Jason’s feet, rubbing his hands over the clammy skin and kissing his way up Jason’s legs. Heat bloomed beneath Jason’s skin and color returned quickly, reassuring Seth. Jason was wet, not sick. By the time he reached Jason’s groin, his cock was fully hard.

  “Is this for me?”

  “There isn’t anyone else in here,” Jason replied. Seth sent him a reproving look, but Jason just blew him a kiss.

  That was fine. He could be as cheeky as he wanted. Seth had learned his weak spots now. He’d have Jason reduced to begging in no time. Holding Jason’s gaze, he licked his way up Jason’s cock from root to tip.

  “Fuck,” Jason gasped.

  “We will,” Seth promised, “but not yet. I have a whole lot of fear to work out first.”

  Jason pulled Seth up so he could kiss him. Seth melted into the kiss, taking comfort from the contact between their bodies. Jason was with him, alive and safe. Seth might never let Jason out of his sight again, but for this moment, he could forget the fear that had driven him out into the rain the night before. Jason pushed up onto his elbow, rolling Seth onto his back. Another time, Seth might have protested the position or tried to take back control, but being surrounded by Jason now felt so right. He tugged on Jason’s arm, urging him to move more fully onto him. He opened his legs so Jason could settle between them, the movement bringing their cocks into contact. Seth hissed into the kiss and slid his hands down to grab Jason’s arse. Jason rocked his hips, increasing the friction between them. Seth hissed again and bent one knee to create more space for Jason to move.

  “Careful, there,” Jason murmured against Seth’s neck. “If you keep moving like that, I’m going to think you’re offering things.”

  Seth moaned as need swamped him. Jason had told Seth early on that he was perfectly happy as a switch and had no problem letting Seth fuck him. He’d been the epitome of patience, never pressing Seth to try things the other way. Some men, he’d said, never bottomed, and Seth had left it at that, but Jason wasn’t a true bottom. He was a switch, and the thought of letting Jason top him now appealed in a way it never had before. If Jason could fuck him senseless, Seth would have incontrovertible proof that he was home and safe and that he was Seth’s as fully as Seth was his. “What if I am offering?”

  Jason froze above him, tension investing every line of his body. “Are you sure?”

  Seth wasn’t at all sure he was ready for this, but he wanted it, so he nodded. Jason all but fell on Seth, kissing him so fervently that Seth’s head spun. He kissed Jason back with all the passion he could put into it, but just in case he hadn’t made his point clear enough, he bent his other knee and opened himself to Jason as completely as he could. “Just remember I’ve never done this before.”

  “Believe me, baby, I haven’t forgotten,” Jason replied. “I was just hoping you’d want to try it someday.”

  “You like it so much,” Seth said. “It has to be worth a try.”

  “Trust me,” Jason said as he rocked back on his heels. “I’ll take care of you.”

  Trusting Jason was easy. In the worst of his panic last night, he hadn’t once worried that Jason had left him on purpose. He’d worried Jason was hurt or dead, but not that he had decided to break things off and leave. After that, trusting Jason with his body was a lark. Seth tensed when Jason ran his fingers over Seth’s balls and down into his crack.

  “Just relax,” Jason said. “Let your body get used to me touching you.” He left his hand where it was and shifted down on the bed until he could bend down and take Seth in his mouth. Seth groaned in delight and completely forgot about the foreign feeling of Jason’s fingers between his cheeks. Jason swallowed around him, making Seth cry out again. Fuck, he loved the things Jason did to his body. He’d never come as hard as he had at Jason’s hands… and mouth… and in Jason’s arse. This would be just as good because he’d be doing it with Jason.

  He was panting hard and fighting not to come by the time Jason lifted his head, eyes glittering in the light of the lamp by the bed. “You’d be more relaxed if you came now.”

  Seth shook his head. “Then you’d have to wait until I was ready again. I recover fast, but not fast enough for this time.” He grabbed the lube from the bedside table and handed it to Jason. “Get me ready and fuck me until I can’t walk straight.”

  Jason’s gaze darkened at Seth’s provocative words. He pressed a little harder against Seth’s entrance. Not enough to push the tip inside, but definitely enough to draw Seth’s attention back to his fingers. Anticipation sparked along Seth’s skin and eased his nerves.

  “Do it,” Seth said.

  “Not dry,” Jason said, squirting lube onto his fingers. The gel was cool despite the heat of Jason’s skin when he touched Seth again, but Seth pulled his knees up in encouragement anyway. The gel would warm up quickly, and Seth didn’t want Jason to have any doubts about how much he wanted this.

  “Bloody hell,” Jason cursed. “Look at you, spreading yourself out for me. You really do want this.”

  “I told you I did. Did you not believe me?”

  “I believe you,” Jason said. “I’m just having a hard time convincing myself I’m awake.” H
e rubbed the gel over Seth’s entrance, the same patch his fingers had explored before he added the lube. Instead of feeling strange now, Seth craved the touch. Jason applied more pressure, and with the lube to ease the way, the tip of his finger slipped into Seth with only a little resistance. “Damn, you’re so tight. You’re going to squeeze the come out of me before I even get a chance to fuck you.”

  “So loosen me up,” Seth challenged. “I’m not letting you out of bed until you’ve fucked me properly.”

  “That’s not much incentive to do it right the first time,” Jason retorted. “I could keep you here in bed all day making love.”

  “The bosses might have something to say about that.” Their next day off, Seth would take Jason to bed and keep him there all day. Now that he’d put the idea in Seth’s head, nothing else would do.

  Jason twitched his finger, wringing a cry from Seth’s throat. “I’ve got my finger up your arse and you’re talking about the bosses? I’m obviously doing something wrong.”

  “Then do it right,” Seth said hoarsely. Jason pushed his finger deeper and twisted it, running the pad over the walls of Seth’s passage. Fireworks exploded behind Seth’s eyes. “Oh, fuck!”

  “What was that about not doing it right?” Jason prodded that spot again before Seth could form a reply. He couldn’t think with Jason doing that. He could only pull his knees back and lift his hips into Jason’s touch. Jason gave it to him, pushing his finger in to the hilt before withdrawing it slowly and putting pressure on Seth’s prostate as long as he could. Seth’s eyes rolled back in his head and wordless sounds fell from his lips. He wanted to beg for more, but his brain couldn’t find the words. All the blood in his body had rushed to his cock and that one little spot inside him that Jason was playing with mercilessly.

  Then Jason pulled his hand away. Seth opened his eyes and made a sound of protest.

  “I need more lube,” Jason said. “I won’t hurt you.”

  Seth didn’t even care. He could live with a little pain to have those incredible feelings again. Jason returned his attention to Seth’s arse, pushing in with two fingers this time. The stretch burned, but Seth was too far gone to care, especially when Jason found his prostate again. He didn’t immediately start fucking Seth with his fingers, choosing instead to tease Seth’s prostate until he was reduced to breathless pleas.

  “One more finger,” Jason said, pulling his hand away again. “When you can take that, I’ll give you what you want.”

  The third finger hurt enough to bring Seth back from the edge of completion, even with Jason pressing the pad of his fingers to Seth’s prostate. He breathed through the pain as he had learned to do when he cut himself, but that didn’t stop his erection from flagging. He still wanted Jason with a need bordering on desperation. He just wasn’t sure he could come from Jason fucking him.

  “Relax,” Jason murmured as he moved his fingers in and out of Seth in a steady rhythm. He never let them come all the way out so Seth’s entrance stayed stretched, but each withdrawal eased the pressure a little, giving him a brief respite. He caught the rhythm of Jason’s hands and moved to meet each inward push.

  “That’s it,” Jason said. “Fuck yourself on my fingers. Let your body open up and take them.”

  Finally the burn faded. Seth reached for a condom, but Jason snatched it out of his hand. “I won’t hold out if you put it on me,” Jason admitted. “I need you too much.”

  “I’m all yours,” Seth replied huskily. “Only ever yours.”

  Jason rolled the condom on and moved between Seth’s thighs. He slotted his cock between Seth’s cheeks and then stopped.

  “You’re not getting out of this, Thompson,” Seth said. “Fuck me already.”

  Jason shook his head. “I’ll make love to you as often as you want, but my fucking days are over.”

  Seth wanted to roll his eyes at the sentimentality and accuse Jason of playing with semantics, but the intensity of his voice stilled the words before they could form. He pulled Jason down for a kiss. The change in position pushed Jason’s cock against his entrance more firmly. Seth took a deep breath and lifted his hips. Jason met him halfway and breached Seth’s body.

  Seth’s breath caught in his throat. It stung a bit despite Jason’s careful preparation, but not as much as his fingers had done at first. More importantly, Jason was inside him. He wrapped his legs around Jason’s hips and urged him to push the rest of the way inside.

  “You’re so tight,” Jason said against his ear.

  “Because no one else has ever been inside me like you are,” Seth replied.

  “Sap,” Jason teased, but he kissed Seth tenderly. When he lifted his head, he added, “I love you.”

  “I love you too,” Seth said, “but if you don’t move, I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

  “Going to flip me over and ride me?” Jason asked.

  “The thought had occurred.”

  “Tomorrow,” Jason said. “If you’re not too sore. Let me have the reins right now.”

  Seth nodded. Jason began moving slowly, just rocking his cock in its berth until Seth was delirious with need. At some point his strokes lengthened, but Seth knew only the incredible feeling of Jason inside him, his cock hitting Seth’s prostate with every pass. He writhed beneath Jason, wanton with desire, but it wasn’t enough. He grabbed Jason’s arse, round and sculpted from hours spent on horseback, and squeezed in time with Jason’s thrusts. Jason groaned and drove his cock harder into Seth. Seth cried out and urged Jason on.

  Every pass over his prostate pushed Seth closer to release. Jason reached between them to stroke Seth’s cock, but he pushed Jason’s hand away. He knew what Jason’s hand on his dick felt like. He wanted to focus on the new sensation of Jason inside him.

  “Can you come just from that?” Jason asked.

  “Fuck it out of me,” Seth replied.

  Jason slammed into Seth, thrilling Seth with his loss of control. He wanted Jason as wild as he was. He’d feel it later—and he’d probably hear about it from the other year-rounders—but he wanted that. He wanted Jason’s claim written as deeply on his body as it was already inscribed on his soul. He clung to Jason’s shoulders and gave himself over to the thorough ravishing. As the emotion built, every touch to his gland became its own mini-orgasm until he was flying so high he thought he’d never come down. His climax blindsided him, bubbling up from his balls without warning and spouting over his stomach and Jason’s chest. He cried out as he came, his whole body spasming with his release.

  Jason’s rhythm faltered. He pushed deep and stayed there, rocked by his own climax. Seth hated the condom between them at that moment. He wanted Jason’s spunk filling him up and running down his thighs. Forget spending the day in bed the next time they had a day off. They were going to Boorowa to get tested so they could ditch the condoms for good.

  Jason collapsed on top of him, his breath hot and wet against Seth’s shoulder. Seth held him tight as he waited for the high to fade. It passed slowly, but Jason still moved before Seth was ready. Seth let him dispose of the condom, but he pulled Jason back down beside him before he could start toward the shower and the rest of the day.

  “I’m a mess of problems and probably about the worst risk you could take,” Seth said. Jason started to protest, but Seth put his finger on Jason’s lips. “Let me finish, okay? I’m every definition of a bad risk, but I love you, and that’s never going to change. And by some miracle, we’ve both ended up on Lang Downs, surrounded by people who have proven that even bad risks can have happy endings. Last night when I was scared you were hurt or dead, I realized something: you’re it for me. I don’t want to envision a life without you. I know it’s not really legal yet, but will you take a chance on me, Jason? Will you marry me?”

  Seth moved his fingers away from Jason’s lips and braced himself for the answer.

  “First of all, you’re not a bad risk. You have some issues, but that’s nothing we can’t overcome, so stop put
ting yourself down that way. And to answer your question, yes! God, yes! We can go to Boorowa today and register our partnership if you want.”

  “Your mum will kill us if we don’t let her plan a party at least,” Seth said.

  “After today, she’s your mum too, so don’t put that all on me.”

  Seth grinned. “I guess she is. She has been for a long time, but it’ll be nice to make it official.”

  Jason kissed him hard and fast.

  “One more thing,” Seth said.

  “Yes?”

  “Get a better case for your phone,” Seth said.

  “Bosses’ orders?”

  “Husband’s orders.”

  Jason smiled, all radiant joy and sappiness. “The best kind.”

  Epilogue

  MACKLIN JOINED Caine on the veranda of their house and wrapped his arm around Caine’s waist. “Did you imagine, when you moved here eleven years ago, that things would turn out like this?”

  Caine smiled up at Macklin before turning back to continue watching for Seth and Jason’s return from Boorowa. The party couldn’t start without the guests of honor. “Define ‘this.’”

  “The success of the station, the family we’ve built, seeing kids we watched grow up getting married and carrying on our legacy,” Macklin said.

  “You make it sound like we’ve got one foot in the grave already,” Caine teased. “I’ll have you know I’m still a man in my prime.”

  “Oh, so I’m the old one?” Macklin countered.

  “If the shoe fits…,” Caine replied as he leaned into Macklin’s embrace. “But to answer your question, no, not in my wildest dreams did I believe things could turn out this well. My best-case scenario was to not end up losing the station through mismanagement. I hope Uncle Michael is looking down on us right now. I’d like to think he’d be proud of us.”

  Macklin’s arm tightened around Caine’s waist. “There’s no ‘think’ about it. He’d be proud of you. You’ve taken his legacy and built on it. Lang Downs still stands as a place for the people who need it most.”