by Tara Lain
“Sounds awful.”
“Yeah.”
“What if I help?”
Laurie gave him a soft smile. “You already have. Thank you.”
“I have a little bit of money.”
“What?” Laurie’s breath stuttered in his chest.
“I’ve got about seventeen thousand dollars saved. I could invest it in your company.”
Laurie swallowed. “You know that most small business startups fail, right?”
“Yours won’t. So would that be enough?”
“Uh, it’d be tight, but maybe if I ask Viola to pay cash… or maybe she’d help. Who knows? I could imagine it working.” Don’t get your hopes up. Don’t get your hopes up. He tried to keep his voice calm. “I’d work so hard to make it succeed.” Shit, get your head out of your ass. “But that’s your school and ranch money.”
“Yeah, well, talk about it not being enough. If I use it for school, I can’t keep my job and I use up the money, which means I’d have to start over. So I think I need to try and save to buy the ranch first.”
Laurie scooted to the edge of the love seat. “It’d take me a year to repay the principal, I’m sure. Maybe two.”
“That seems right. I can go on saving.”
“I’ll pay you interest every month.”
“And maybe in a year or two, I’ll have enough to buy a place. Hell, I’m not going anywhere fast.”
Laurie’s whole body trembled. “You’d do that? You’d trust me that much?”
“Sure.” He smiled. “Like I say, you’re way more than a pretty face.”
“I won’t lose your money, Danny. I promise. If I have to go sell this body everyone values so highly, I’ll make a profit for you. I will.”
“I believe you’ll make me a profit, and no prostitution’s required. Go sell your brain.” He grinned.
“Let’s go to dinner and I’ll buy. All I can afford is pizza. After all, I have to be very careful with my investor’s money.” Oh God, which made him happier? Having a way to start his company or having Danny believe in him?
DANNY SMILED, breathed, and tried to get his heart to quit hammering. He’d just given away all the money he’d saved. He wasn’t lying—he did believe in Laurie—but he knew enough about business to know this investment wasn’t an insider trade on Amazon stock. Could be gone. Fast.
Oh well. Not like I’ve got all these big prospects. Rand says he and Kai want me around. That’s good.
He pulled his hat on and stood to follow Laurie out for pizza. Sounded about right, pricewise.
Of course, San Francisco pizza turned out to be way different from Chico pizza. By the time Laurie had added pine nuts, artichoke hearts, and feta cheese to the pie, plus two glasses of Chianti, the bill would have paid for steak in Chico. They sat in a corner booth and licked their fingers between bites. Danny swallowed. “This is good.”
“It’s my favorite combo. Angelo calls it the Laurie.”
“Angelo?”
“The owner.”
“You come here a lot.”
“I never have much time to cook.” He snorted. “Much skill either.”
“But you’re so slim.” In all the right places.
“Hummingbird metabolism.”
“And just as dangerous?” He grinned.
“What?”
“Scientists say if hummingbirds were bigger, they’d be lethal.”
Laurie raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure I’m lethal enough. I let an awful lot of people walk all over me.” A quick flash of hurt passed over his eyes.
“I’d call it generosity.”
“Hell, you’re the generous one. I can’t believe you’d lend me your hard-earned money.”
“Got no use for it right now. This will keep me from spending it.” He pretty much meant that.
Laurie pushed his empty chianti glass away from him on the white tablecloth. “Want to stay at my place tonight? I’d give you my bed—along with the shirt off my back.” He flashed that sweet smile he seemed to save for special occasions.
Danny shook his head. “Got to get back. Have to work tomorrow.” Now if Laurie were offering to share the bed with him—but that’d be stupid. They were now business partners.
“I can give you more iced coffee when we get home.”
“Jesus, my caffeine content rivals the early morning rush at Starbucks—but I’ll take it. Don’t want the wine to put me to sleep.”
Laurie left a tip, and they walked back to the apartment slowly in the cool, moist evening air. “How long does the drive take you?”
“In my truck, about three hours.”
“Oh, I forgot. Where’s your truck?”
“In the lot behind your old office.”
“That should be okay. They don’t tow or anything since people work at all hours.”
“I’ll just come get the iced coffee and write you a check.”
Laurie put a hand over his heart but didn’t say anything.
In the apartment, Danny sat on the couch and took out the checkbook he used for his savings account. Everyone said he should invest the money, but he’d always kept it handy. So now I’m investing. He left twenty-five dollars in the account and wrote a check for the rest, then tucked it in into the corner of Laurie’s writing desk. Even though he felt good about it, he still had sweaty palms. A lot of hours in the saddle lay on that desk.
Laurie came from the kitchen with a metal travel mug, walked to the small antique-looking desk, and sat at his computer. “I’m writing a contract between us. I’ll pay you eight percent interest.”
Danny frowned. “That’s too much. I couldn’t get that anywhere.”
“Right. That’s why I want you to get it from me. There has to be some upside to taking a risk.”
“Okay. Thanks.” That was nice of him.
“And I agree to pay back the principal within two years. I may pay a little at a time or make lump sums, whichever works businesswise.”
“That’s fine.”
Laurie kept typing and then sat back as a document printed. He pulled it out, read it over and signed it on the bottom, then handed it to Danny with a pen and a magazine on fashion to lean on.
Danny read it over. Pretty straightforward. He signed and handed it back, then stood and walked toward the apartment door. Laurie grabbed the metal mug and followed him. When Danny turned to say good-bye, Laurie stared at him with unreadable eyes. Suddenly he frowned, leaned over, and carefully placed the container on a magazine on the hall table, then looked back at Danny. “Are you a top or a bottom?”
“What?” He laughed, but it sounded phony, even to him. “Where did that come from?”
“Which are you?”
“I usually top.”
Laurie crossed his arms. “That’s not what I asked. A couple of things you said at the ranch made me think you like to bottom, but nobody lets you due to the presence of MCS.”
“MCS?”
“Macho Cowboy Syndrome.”
“Uh, yeah.” Shit, was his face turning red?
“Yeah, MCS is real, yeah, nobody lets you bottom, or yeah, you like to bottom?”
He swallowed. “All. Why?”
Laurie put a hand over his mouth and stared into space, then pulled the hand away as if to let the words out. “I’d like you to understand that this has nothing to do with the check lying on my desk. Grove couldn’t buy me for several million dollars. I’m not likely to take less.”
“Shit, Laurie, I’m not trying to buy you for any amount—”
Laurie pointed at him. “That’s why!”
“What?”
Laurie stepped in, taking Danny off guard, slammed him against the apartment door, slid a hand into Danny’s hair, tossing off his hat, and proceeded to press his lips to Danny’s astonished mouth.
“Ummmph.”
Laurie pushed his other hand into Danny’s shaggy mop, controlling his head and then, with the precision of a sculptor, molded every inch of his body to Dann
y’s, starting at the groin. Danny might be a lot bigger, but Laurie was nearly as tall, and the fit fell into the like a glove category. He adjusted their erections side by side and ground them tighter, while his tongue explored—hot and demanding, without a particle of submission or uncertainty.
Holy fucking crap. This couldn’t be happening. He’d practically come in his jeans when Laurie described himself as “bossy” back on the ranch, but this was so far beyond bossy. His cock went up in flames and lit his brain on fire. He started to wrap his arms around Laurie’s waist, but Laurie pressed his wrists against the door so fast, he couldn’t even react—except to whimper and moan. Laurie made growly sounds in his throat and rode his slim body hard against Danny’s bigger one. A sigh seemed to whisper out of every cell and drift into the atmosphere. Danny opened wider and allowed Laurie’s searching tongue full play. Nothing to do but relax, enjoy, and flame out.
Suddenly Laurie ripped his head away. “Want to get fucked, cowboy?”
Danny nodded. Sweet Jesus. Yes.
“Say it!”
“Yes, yes, fuck me.”
“Get in the bedroom and strip. Lie down and show me your favorite position for taking it up the ass.”
“Holy shit.”
“You change your mind?”
“No.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
DANNY TOOK off like a bull was after him toward one of the two doors leading out of the big main room. He stopped and glanced back. Laurie waved toward the other door, and Danny ran into a good-sized room full of warm, soft fabrics and lovely paintings. The work of art Danny most liked, though, was the huge bed in the middle. He planted his tush on it and began the struggle out of his boots. God knows, he’d fucked a lot of guys still wearing them. Easy to see why they said real cowboys died with their boots on. It was too hard to take them off.
Finally, with a huff, he pulled off the second boot, tossed his socks on top, and went to work on his jeans. His whole body vibrated. Sure, Frank fucked him sometimes, but it was more like a switch, where two big masculine guys took turns being bottom. Not Danny’s fantasy. Laurie qualified as a whole new rodeo league.
He stripped his jeans, managed to get his plain boxer briefs off his super-inflated cock, and then pulled his shirt over his head with all the buttons still fastened. He stared at the white sheets. Jesus, were they embroidered? What’s my favorite position? Doggy so I really get hammered? Face-to-face so I can see his eyes? Side-by-side? Hell, each one sounded so fucking good.
A soft giggle behind him made him turn. Holy shit. He’d never breathe again.
Laurie stood in the doorway wearing—nothing. If you didn’t count Danny’s cowboy hat. His tall, willowy body glowed in the low light of just the bedside lamp. Surprisingly wide shoulders, a lightly defined chest, impossibly narrow hips, and legs so long they needed their own zip code. His pink-blond hair fell in a curtain to his shoulders, offset by the totally incongruous hat. At the center of this perfection stood—correct term—a remarkably large dick. Long and slim like the rest of him and without a single visible hair, it slapped against his belly as he walked—make that stalked—toward the bed. He stopped, hands on hips, as Danny gaped. Laurie reached up a finger and tilted the hat brim slightly. “I don’t see your favorite fucking posture, unless you want me to put this in your open mouth.” He stroked his cock.
Danny closed his mouth. No way, Jose. He’d given a fair amount of head. Fucking was what he longed for, or more correctly, being fucked. “I, uh, can’t decide. You pick.”
“When was the last time you got fucked?”
“A while ago.”
Laurie stuck out his hip, planted a hand on it, and gave Danny a duh look.
“A few weeks. Maybe months.”
“Okay, lie down on your back. I need to see if I’m hurting you.”
“You won’t—”
“Lie down!”
Down he went as Laurie rooted in the bedside table and tossed a large economy-sized bottle of lube, a box of condoms, a butt plug, and a pink dildo onto the bed.
Danny tried to inhale. “Are you gonna—?”
“Shh. You’re in good hands.”
Music to his ears.
Laurie pushed Danny’s legs back. Heat rose in Danny’s face. Pretty awkward position. Laurie hummed while he bobbed around, wrappers crinkling and bottle caps popping, seemingly unconcerned by Danny’s bare ass—or his own. Then he leaned close. “Breathe in.”
Danny did.
“Now bear down a little and relax your butt.”
“Okay, but I—holy shit!” Pop. In went the lubed butt plug, and freaking shots of electric current lit up his balls like somebody might start dancing. “Warnings. Warnings are good.”
Laurie chuckled. “Nah. Then you’d tense up.” He gave Danny’s ass a little pat. “Just let that cook for a minute.” He stretched full-length next to Danny’s body and began to stroke his chest. “Do you know how much I love all this?”
“Wh-what?”
“This whole body you’ve got going, cowboy.” He reached up and tipped the hat back so he could put his lips where his hand had been. He kissed Danny’s pec, then nuzzled his way to a nipple, licking the bud into sucking position. With pursed lips, he latched on, and—Danny’s hips shot off the bed faster than a Brahma.
“Oh man.”
“You’re easily pleased.” Laurie sucked more and licked and moved his way south, where Danny’s hips danced a salsa. The little tease bumped Danny’s cock aside with his nose so he could lick around his belly button and kiss the crease between thigh and groin. Hot breath warmed Danny’s dick, but no satisfaction was forthcoming.
“Laurie!”
“Hmmmm?”
“Fuck!”
“Soon.” In one move he grabbed Danny’s dick, shoved it in his mouth like a bratwurst, and started sucking.
“Holy shit, you’re merciless.”
Laurie pulled his mouth away. “Oh yeah.”
“Don’t stop, please.”
“Well, darling, I give awfully good oral, but I think fucking is on the top of both our lists.”
“Yes, please, yes.” Sweet Jesus, his whole body throbbed like a big sore. His nuts felt like—nuts. Hard and ready to crack. He wanted—just wanted. No matter what, he’d take it, as long as it was from Laurie.
Laurie pushed his legs back again and extracted the butt plug far more gently than he’d inserted it, although Danny’s writhing hips had to be a challenge, then slid a condom on his own cock. Promising. Before Danny’s hole could close, Laurie inserted two fingers of lube and worked them in and out. The torture of pleasure, but not enough pleasure, tingled along Danny’s nerves. “Please, please, please.”
Laurie inserted a third finger, not rushing despite Danny’s begging. “Oh shit, you feel so good in there.” He must have curved his fingers, because a flash of blinding heat seared through Danny’s nervous system. “Oh, oh.”
Another one. I could pass out.
Laurie pulled out his fingers and, as Danny began to moan, kneeled between Danny’s legs, pressed a warm, blunt object against Danny’s hole, and shoved. Everything gave way. Danny’s legs collapsed on both sides of his hips, his ring of muscle spread, and Laurie’s cock thrust into a full-scale ticker-tape parade of welcome. Danny yelled so loud they could have heard him in a bull arena, and Laurie laughed. “To paraphrase a famous lady, ‘Hang on. It’s gonna be a bumpy ride.’”
With that, Laurie redefined the term top. Gazing into Danny’s eyes, he thrust, hammered, and pounded until Danny’s asshole would stay Laurie-shaped forever. He grinned. “You like it?”
“Shit, yeah.”
“Want more?”
“Harder.”
“Oh, baby, nobody ever had a bull ride this good. That ass was made for me. I want to brand it with an L.”
Danny laughed back and pointed to his asscheek. “There. Right there.”
The mischief in Laurie’s eyes resolved into a deep burning, and he lea
ned over Danny, gritted his teeth, and fucked like a jackhammer.
Total immersion. Like he’d never been fucked before. No smell but Laurie. No sound but Laurie’s guttural grunts—so very not girlie. No feeling but the consuming fire of that cock hammering its way from his ass to his heart—every thrust like a pump forcing more and more joy into his overloaded nerves and brain. Danny threw back his head and shrieked. His balls pulled up so hard they should have popped, and bubbling, boiling cum seemed to gather in every cell, ready to explode.
Laurie laughed. “Oh yeah, come for me, cowboy. Come all over me.”
Like the command had been given, Danny’s cock turned into a volcanic eruption and spewed hot spunk so hard it hit Laurie’s chin and flicked onto his eyelashes. The next shot splatted on Danny’s cheek and dripped off the end of his nose, but he barely noticed as white light flamed in his head and exploded out until he felt like a companion to the stars.
Laurie yelled, “Holy shit!” His body froze except for little stutter fucks of his hips. “Oh, oh my God. Oh.” Like a soft forest animal, Laurie folded onto Danny’s chest.
Somehow, Danny’s body relearned mortal existence, and he sucked air to get his heartbeat under control. Okay, admit it. You might as well never have had sex before. He sighed long and deep.
DANNY’S EYES fluttered open. Where am I?
Soft breathing and a luscious smell of orange and sex. Oh, right.
For a moment he let his heart beat in time with those gentle inhales.
What time is it? He glanced at his wristwatch, but the light-up feature had quit a couple of bulls ago. Still, it would have been late to start driving back home before he fell asleep. Now it had to be ridiculous.
He shifted, and Laurie sighed. Oh crap, I hate to go. I hate to let this go. But what was he going to do? Greet Laurie in the morning with cappuccino and brioche? Stop by for a chat with Laurie’s mom—before she fed him arsenic? Help him pick out brocade drapes? Yeah. No.
His legs felt like iron weights as he dragged them off the edge of the big bed.
Let go.
This night—part of a night—fell outside the walls of real life. They’d celebrated something they both wanted, but there it all ended. Fancy decorator from San Francisco had nothing in common with the saddle tramp from Chico. A little smile warmed his lips. But then, he kind of had a small grubstake in that fancy life now, didn’t he?