“I feel the same way.” It was the truth, Austin did mean something to him.
The kiss didn’t end until a pair of bright headlights flashed into his truck. They were blinded as a horn sounded off.
“See what a pain in the ass he is? It’s the only reason we aren’t in your bed right now. I need to get on the road.” Austin shot Seth the finger into the bright headlights. He kissed Kitt again before crawling out the passenger side, and adjusting himself with the light of the cab.
“Be careful out there. Text me when you get home,” Kitt said.
“I don’t want to wake you.” Austin shook his head and shut the door. Kitt started the truck, rolling down his window.
“I’ll be up. Text me,” Kitt pulled Austin in by the t-shirt for another smoldering kiss. Right there in the headlights for Seth to see.
“I feel perfectly marked.” Austin grinned, pulling away. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
Chapter 21
Winter ~ three months later
“The fuckin’ check came from the same company that bought my land!” Kitt almost yelled as Austin opened his back door.
“Hmmm…that’s a coincidence. Why don’t you come in, and we can try to sort out how something like that could’ve happened. Go over theories, investigate, get down to the root of the problem.” Austin waggled his eyebrows as he turned away from the door, needing to stir the boiling sauce he’d set on the stove. It was his turn to cook tonight. The romance of cooking for another was gone, and Austin opted to reheat the spaghetti his housekeeper made a couple of days ago.
“So, I went to your barn, and you have two new horses!” That Kitt yelled, still standing outside the back door.
“Interesting. The pieces do seem to be falling together. Kitt, come in, it’s cold out there!” Austin tried for reasonable as he turned down the heat on the stove. His head stayed cocked far enough over the center island to keep an eye on Kitt still in the doorway.
“Why did you buy my horses?” Kitt demanded. Clearly, he was angry as Austin knew he would be. It was only the beginning. Just wait, Kitt was going to be ballistic when he found out Austin also bought the other two who were still too young to wean from their mothers.
“Per you, who everyone says is an expert at all of this, they’re the best. I want the best on my farm. Come in and start the fire. You’ve let all the warmth out of the house while being your normal hardheaded self.” Austin finally looked down to dump the contents of a pot of boiling water in a colander in the sink. He flipped the cold water on before rounding the corner. Kitt still stood outside his back door.
“They aren’t the best. I never said the best. They’re close. If someone who knows what they’re doing works with them, they could be valuable.”
Austin narrowed his eyes as he walked to his back door. Kitt’s head looked close to exploding which was technically what Austin knew would happen when he got the check in the mail.
“I bought wine. Baby, come in. Talk to me inside. Let’s talk about it over dinner. Come in, it’s cold,” Austin said it all while stepping out on the porch and guiding Kitt inside. To give Kitt credit, he did walk forward. Not in the circle of Austin’s arms, but at least now he was in the house which was a great start.
“Why did you buy them? Stop buyin’ my shit, Austin! First the hay, now my horses. Why?”
“Do you ask everyone who buys something from you why they’re doin’ it? Isn’t it safe to assume I wanted them so I bought them? And my animals need hay, Kitt.” Austin tried to come off as if the answer was more than obvious. He even shook his head and rolled his eyes at the absurdity of Kitt thinking his animals didn’t need to eat.
“Not at those prices. Those prices were inflated. I’d have just given you the damn hay. Wait a fuckin’ minute, did you start the price war over them? You did!” Kitt solidly yelled the last sentence and Austin could see the real anger. It was time to stop being flippant and be truthful. He didn’t want his sexy boyfriend leaving him tonight. Last night, Kitt had promised he’d spend the entire night with Austin. This was their night to celebrate the selling of the horses. Austin needed to get a hold of this quickly before Kitt stormed off.
“Kitt, you’re only selling those ponies because you need money. The way I see it, you need time with these horses. And Hooch is yours, no one else’s. It’s clear to everyone who watches you two that he’s yours. You can make something out of him. Out of all of them. It’s an investment, nothing more. This gives you time with them. Besides, you were selling them too cheap. I’m not gonna cheat you or watch someone else do it.” Austin spoke plainly, his voice stayed even, and he never took his eyes off Kitt.
“I can make somethin’ out of them, but sellin’ them is a normal way to progress. It was fair market value, Austin. You let me be all excited about makin’ so much money when it was you trickin’ me!” Kitt’s voice was lower now, he wasn’t quite as angry, but clearly still upset.
“I loved seeing you so excited. It’s a special memory I’ll always cherish and now you see how much it means to me that I was able to make you that excited. I don’t want to talk about this. I bought a couple of horses, and it was still a very good deal. I took an opportunity to keep the horses in the family. Now come sit down, eat dinner and let’s talk about how terrible you’re being to me, and how much attention I’m gonna need to get past all this.” Austin tried to lighten the mood as he reached across the table and poured Kitt a glass of wine. Kitt took it, drained the glass and poured another. It gave Austin hope, and he worked quickly making two plates of food. Austin didn’t keep his back turned away for too long. Kitt was very good with a weapon.
“Whatever, Austin. I don’t want your money. I’m not cashin’ the check,” Kitt declared as he sat at the kitchen table with a thump and poured himself another glass of wine, draining that one too.
“You are cashing the check, Kitt. I bought a couple of horses. I’m also buying hay to feed mine and my dad’s animals. Why can someone else buy them, but I can’t?” Austin asked proud of this argument as he set Kitt’s plate down in front of him.
“I don’t like takin’ your money. It makes me feel like I’m kept. I don’t like it at all.” Kitt sounded more dejected than Austin ever heard him sound.
“Get over it. You took it when you sold me this land, and if I remember correctly, it was way more overpriced than those horses.” Austin took his seat and dug into his plate of spaghetti with more gusto than he felt. He just wanted things back normal between them.
“That was before I knew you.” Kitt sat there looking at Austin.
“Get over it!” Austin’s mouth was full of food as he spoke. “They’re announcing my separation from Cara tomorrow.”
“They think she’s strong enough now?” Kitt asked. It was the perfect diversion to take his mind off the horses as Austin had hoped it would.
“Yup, Cara’s supposedly doing well. They’re planning a pretty immediate wedding to help draw some of the attention off me, per the publicist email.”
“And you’re not sad?” Kitt watched Austin closely.
“Nope, not at all. I’m actually incredibly happy for them and me.” Austin taped Kitt’s plate with his fork. “Eat babe, I have plans for you tonight.”
“You say that every night,” Kitt said with a chuckle. Austin supposed that meant they were over the argument, at least until the next sell.
“Because it’s true. It’s my most pressing issue of the day. You know what occurred to me? We’ve never had sex in my laundry room, and I have a side loading machine. How have we let that one slip past us?” Austin grinned big at the thought.
“You’re a mess, Austin Grainger. My plan was to come here, tear the check up in your face and leave for the night,” Kitt said, taking his first bite of food.
“I like my plan so much better.”
~~~~~~
Kitt was pushed up on the washing machine. His feet hooked up around Austin’s shoulders. The washing machine was in ful
l spin mode with a purposefully lopsided load. Austin was buried deep inside his ass. All in all, it was great sex. The spin cycle did add that extra vibration and thrust. It even made the control panel digging in his back bearable. Austin looked like he was in heaven. He gripped Kitt’s thighs tightly, keeping him right in that position as he fucked him hard, in perfect time with the spin on the machine. Austin had even talked him out of their required condom wanting to feel that moment they shared in the break room all those months ago.
“Fuck, it feels so good. I want it to last forever,” Austin groaned from between clenched teeth. His eyes were closed tightly, his breath panted and pleasure was clear on his face.
“Harder, Austin. Make it harder.” Kitt watched Austin move faster, trying to go deeper. Austin always wanted to please Kitt. It seemed its own kind of aphrodisiac for both of them and made the orgasm a little better in the end. Kitt reached down, gripping his cock and stroked. Having Austin over him like this was enough to have him come. It wouldn’t take much more than a few strokes to get Kitt off.
“I’m coming. Fuck I’m coming. I can’t hold it…” Austin slammed into Kitt, over and over until Kitt felt Austin’s release filling his ass. Austin jerked a couple more times, digging his fingers into Kitt’s legs until he finally fell forward with Kitt’s legs and chest underneath him. Kitt barely finished his own release before his knees were shoved to his chest. Kitt’s body wasn’t this limber and the washer cut off finishing the load as if declaring all three of them were done with this session.
“Baby, you’re hurtin’ me.” Kitt moved, trying to free his legs. Austin moved, but not in a good way and a spasm struck Kitt’s calf. He jerked forward in pain, and they both landed hard on the laundry room floor. Kitt pushed at the cramp in his leg, trying to work it out.
“God, that was good.” Austin lay fully back on the tiled floor, his eyes closed, totally sated. “Jesus, I love doin’ you bareback.”
“How in the world did we go from me from tearin’ up your check, to you fuckin’ me on a fuckin’ washer with no condom?” Kitt asked, all that calm goodness gone as he walked out the cramp in his leg. He put a hand on his back where the washing machine knob scraped straight up as they fell to the floor.
“Kitt, I’m clean. I just got checked again. I got the test back like three days ago,” Austin said watching Kitt as he walked around the laundry room.
“Was that when you were off signin’ my check to mail to me? Why didn’t you just bring it with you, save the postage,” Kitt asked, and grabbed a towel in a laundry basket to clean himself up. Austin was dripping out of him, and running down his leg.
“I thought about it, but decided if I brought it home, you’d figure it out faster.” Kitt walked out of the laundry room door toward the bathroom. Austin could see Kenmore pressed into his back. “Where are you going?”
“To shower, I’m a mess. My back hurts,” Kitt called out, walking farther away from Austin. It took a second before he heard Austin running barefoot across the tiled floor toward him. He smiled, figuring he wouldn’t be showering alone.
~~~~~~
Close to midnight and after another round of hot shower sex, Austin lay with Kitt wrapped in his arms in Austin's bed, just like he liked. This time Austin bottomed, and Kitt made sure Austin knew who the real boss was in their relationship. It didn’t seem to matter how many times he’d been with Kitt, or how often they were together. It never quenched the thirst Austin had for Kitt. Lucky for him, Kitt seemed to feel the same way. After a minute of searching Kitt’s handsome, sleeping face, Austin ran a finger down his nose and across his lips as he slowly woke him.
“Babe, wake up for a minute,” Austin said quietly. Kitt’s eyes fluttered open, and Austin turned them to where Kitt could see Austin’s face clearly. “I don’t like it when you get so angry at me over something as silly as buying some horses. I don’t like to fight with you.”
“Me either, I’m sorry.” The response made it clear Kitt was tired, still groggy, probably half asleep. Austin smiled down placing a soft kiss on Kitt’s slightly parted lips.
“Kitt, I want you to keep and work those horses. No, now, I see you waking up. Listen to me. I want it to be an investment. I’m investing in your ability. It’s not a loan. Look, if it doesn’t work, then you’re not out a thing, and you sold the horses like the farm needed you to do. No harm, no foul. And, I’ll get two really good horses to have on my farm. If it does work, you keep the primary share in the horses, and we both make a lot of money. Actually, it does have a downside. You’ll have to work them for no payment. We can hire a trainer. You can pick him, I’ll pay him, but it’s you that needs to work them. If they turn out like shit, it’s wasted time for you, but this money gives you breathing room to try and make something of Hooch. So no matter how it all turns out, I win in this investment. And, at some point, what I want has to matter.”
Austin kept his eyes locked on Kitt’s as he spoke. There was a rawness there between them. Kitt was fully awake, but still relaxed in Austin’s arms. His eyes scanned Austin’s face for several moments before he responded.
“Every day I wonder if this is the day you’re gonna wise up and realize what you left behind. If you start feelin’ obligated to me, that’s just gonna speed that day up faster.” Kitt spoke quietly, staring straight up at Austin. It was an honest, true answer. One that was completely unexpected, and Austin could see Kitt’s heart in his eyes.
“It’s two different deals...there’s you and me, that’s one deal, and then we’ll also be business partners in another deal. But baby, I’m not going anywhere, no matter what. I like this between us. You’ve healed my soul. There’s nothing I miss from that old life that I haven’t found a hundred times better here with you.” Kitt started to speak but Austin stopped him, placing a finger across Kitt’s lips.
“I see the doubt in your eyes. I hate it because I can’t remove it no matter what I do. Only time will prove that I’m here to stay as long as you want me. You’re so hardheaded, Kitt!” Austin took a deep breath and stared at Kitt. “Honestly, as for the investment, I need them. I made twenty-three million dollars off my last dumb movie and that’s before it’s gone to DVD. I have money, too much money. I pay people to search out investments for me. What I’m gonna love is when you pay out more than any of those stockbroker or investment firms have ever made for me.”
“I’m not ready to take your money. It’s not a separate deal for me. It’s all personal,” Kitt said quietly.
“I get that, but since I’m defining all the areas of our lives together, you need to know, I love you. It’s completely personal for me, too. Let’s do this between us all the way.” It was the first time Austin declared his feelings. Certainly not the first time he’d felt it, but the first time either one of them said it out loud. Austin hadn’t risked much, he thought Kitt felt the same way. But, the silence, although normal, wasn’t helping his nervous heart. When the silence continued, Austin panicked a little.
“You are my boyfriend, right? I’d hate to lose my wife and not have a boyfriend...” Not the funniest thing Austin could have said, but he tried to lighten the mood between them. Kitt was perfect at being quiet. Now, his declaration was beginning to feel like a major faux pas on his end.
“Okay, well I see maybe I oughta have asked you to be my boyfriend. Be my boyfriend, Kitt. You’ll be my first boyfriend ever.” Austin shouldn’t quit his day job to become a comedian, but worse than that, his heart was breaking. A boyfriend didn’t require love. Why was that asking too much? Hell, they’d spent the better part of the last four months together. Why was it so out of line for Austin to ask Kitt to be his boyfriend? It wasn’t out of line at all. Kitt had to share these feelings. The guy hadn’t really slept since Austin moved here, surely that meant he wanted to spend time with him.
“I love you. But I still think you’re gonna go back to that other world someday. Leave here behind. I’ll be your investment partner. I’ll train the horses for a whil
e. If we see potential, I know a trainer I want to hire. She’ll cost a lot, but she’s worth it if the talent’s truly there.”
Austin stayed focused on the ‘I love you’, not really hearing more than bits and pieces of the rest of what Kitt said.
Austin bent to whisper in Kitt’s ear. “Say it again.”
“I love you.” Kitt stared straight in Austin’s eyes. “Why does that surprise you? I’ve been in love with you since the beginnin’, you know that.”
“I didn’t,” Austin simply said.
“What? That’s crazy. You knew. How could you not know?” Kitt asked and Austin didn’t have an answer. He started to speak, then closed his mouth not sure what to say.
“Austin, I risk everything I have every single night to spend time with you. How does that not say I love you?” Kitt asked clearly confused.
“I guess I just needed to hear it. I don’t know. Stop looking at me like I’m dumb. I didn’t know!”
“Of course, I love you. I’ve honestly probably loved you since I was fifteen years old and watched you play ball. Hell, I was in the truck when my dad caught you and Wanda at the pond. That memory’s etched in my mind forever. I was like twelve or thirteen. I’ve loved you since then. You were so beautiful in every way to me. I loved to listen to you talk when we were in school. I’d wait for hours in the locker room just in case you walked through. You’re the reason I worked so hard to make Varsity my freshman year. Just so I could be near you. You’ve always had my heart. It’s never belonged to anyone else.” Kitt said it all with such truth and honesty in his eyes Austin was stunned speechless. Kitt laid his heart out and rolled from Austin’s arms. It took a second for Austin to even comprehend Kitt was leaving the bed. Why was Kitt leaving his arms? Austin reached for him not letting him get too far away.
“Come back here. Where are you going? You can’t say all that and leave my bed,” Austin said, but Kitt shrugged free.
Texas Pride Page 24