by Tara Lain
“You want me to pay for my furnishings direct?”
“Oh, dear, that would be so great. I got a small loan and managed to get my itty-bitty savings out of Armisted. Together that will handle necessities, but investment in inventory will be a while coming.”
“It’s okay. It will save me money, so I can pay you a higher fee.”
Laurie finally smiled. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”
“Flattery will get you everywhere. So are you scared?”
“Witless, because I can’t fail, Viola.”
“I know, dear. You won’t.”
“I’m serious. I borrowed money from someone who can’t afford to lose it. I really want to impress him with a great return on investment.”
“Him?” Her voice grinned for her.
“Yeah.” He chuckled.
“So obviously not your filthy-rich boyfriend.”
“No. He went the way of all filthy-rich boyfriends.”
“Good. Not your type at all.”
Boy, she should see Danny. Talk about not my type. “My investor’s just a friend, but someone who’s trusting me with his life savings.”
“Well, darling, you won’t disappoint him. Now, when can we meet about my project? And I’ll bring a friend with me who might just have some work for you.”
“I need a couple of days to get my apartment looking spiffy and professional. I’ll call you.”
“Excellent. Can’t wait.”
“Thank you so much, Viola. I don’t think I could do this without you.” Or Danny.
“This is what Carlson gets for being grabby.”
“That’s the truth.”
“Oh, and Laurie?”
“Yes, dear?”
“I want to meet your investor.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
SHIT, HIS misgivings had misgivings. Danny dialed the phone.
“Garcia.”
“Hey, Maury, it’s Danny Boone.”
“Hey, Danny. I’m takin’ you calling me as a good sign. What can I do for you?”
“I’d like to meet your friends. I’m thinking of joining the PBRA.”
“That’s real good news, although I must be one of those masochists to say so. Inviting you to kick my butt.” He laughed.
“Not likely, Maury.”
“You’ve done it twice, son.” A couple more chuckles. “Where are you?”
“Chico.”
“Okay. We’re riding in Vegas this weekend. How about I register you?”
“Not a member.”
“I think that’ll be expedited. You can meet with the guys on Friday, then ride on Saturday and Sunday.”
Jeez. Moving fast. “That’d be great. Thanks. I’ve got a piece-of-shit camper I’ll bring, so I’ll hang out in that. Find a cheap place to park it.”
“I’m staying at the Bellagio. We can meet there.”
Must be nice. “Sure. Great.” He’d have to park the camper near the Arena, which was downtown, or the cab fares would kill him. Rand certainly paid him above the going rate, but most of that had gone into his savings—the savings he didn’t have anymore.
“So what changed your mind?”
“Uh, I’ve got an opportunity to buy some land. Need the money.” Might as well be honest.
“You’re a crazy duck, Boone. Us bull riders usually reek with ego. Want to ride those bulls to prove our manhood.” He stretched out the last word and laughed.
“Yeah, well, I got mine beat out of me.”
“Damned sorry to hear that. This might be a chance to get some of yours back. You expecting to see Eldon again?”
Danny breathed out noisily. “As little as possible.”
“Don’t worry. This time you’re a man, not a kid, and you’ve got friends.”
“Thanks for saying that.” Sadly, that didn’t make Eldon any less nuts.
“It’s true. See you Friday. I’ll text you time and location.” Maury hung up.
Now he had to tell Rand and Kai.
“YES, HELLO. I wanted to inquire about the antique desk you advertised. Is it still available?” Laurie stared at the to-do list on his dining room table, the only piece of furniture currently big enough to function as a work surface. His tiny, delicate writing desk didn’t cut it.
“Yes, it sure is.” The woman’s voice sounded pleasant.
“Is the price negotiable?”
“I’ll consider it.”
“Well, I checked online and found prices about five hundred dollars less for desks of that size.”
“True, but my desk is Chinese Western. It’s more unusual. Why don’t you look at it and see?”
He leaned back in the dining room chair. “I don’t want to drive to Sacramento and discover you want full price. I’m on a tight budget.”
“Okay. What if I said I’d reduce the price by three hundred dollars?”
“I’d say that was worth the drive.” He grinned.
“My shift isn’t over until seven, so I wouldn’t be able to meet you before then.”
That was late to be driving back, but the desk was a buy. “Okay. Shall I come to the address on the ad?”
“Yes. See you about seven fifteen or so.”
Laurie went back to rearranging furniture so the dining table became a conference center. He pushed the love seat and chairs next to the big coffee table. Good place for reviewing swatches and samples. He’d probably have to sell his big couch. Too casual for work and not enough room to keep it.
Finally he collapsed into the chair. Man, he hadn’t been this sweaty since he’d galloped across the pastures at the ranch all afternoon.
Whoa. Just the thought knocked the wind from his lungs. Danny. Suddenly he missed Danny with an ache so intense it literally hurt. Stupid. All they had in common was sex—but damn, that had been great. Almost mythical.
He got up, showered, dressed, and called his father. “Hi, Daddy.”
“Where are you, Laurie? We haven’t seen you for days.” His voice sounded tired, like his mother was standing there telling him what to say.
“I have lots going on. I’ll come over and tell you, but first I need to borrow the truck.” His dad had an old truck he’d once used to haul inventory for his business. The company outgrew the truck, but his dad had kept it.
“Oh, okay.”
“I’m going to run in and get the keys in about twenty minutes, if that’s all right?”
His dad’s voice dropped to a near whisper. “How about I put them on the porch? If you’re in a hurry, that’d be best.”
“Thanks, Dad. I’m sure you’re right. Under the pot?”
“Yep.” He raised his voice. “You’re coming to see us soon, right?”
“Yes, sir, I am. And I’d sure love a chance to talk with you privately. Any chance we could have a guys’ lunch or something?”
“I’d like that.”
“Okay, I’ll bring the keys back.”
“No hurry.”
“Actually, if you don’t mind, I could use it for a few days.”
“No problem.”
“Thank you, Daddy. I’ll call you soon.”
A half hour later, he’d sneaked onto his parents’ porch, found the key, started the truck his father kept in a shed behind their house, and made it to I-80, headed for Sacramento. The old vehicle wasn’t the fastest on the road, but his dad loved to tinker with it and kept it in perfect running order. Still, one and three-quarter hours later, he’d heard plenty of cowboy music for the immediate lifetime, since that seemed to be the only radio station that worked, and he searched the street for the address the woman had given him. It turned out to be an older home in what must once have been a quiet residential part of Sacramento. The lady, Elinor, was still dressed in her nurse’s uniform. She showed him the desk, he bought it as he knew he would, and she introduced him to her son, Edgar, who helped him haul the desk from the house and load it on the truck.
“You drivin’ back to the big city tonight?” Ed
gar smiled a little flirtatiously. He was about eighteen and obviously more than homocurious.
“That’s the plan.”
“I-80 is a real killer at this time of night. I’ll bet Mom would put you up.”
“That’s kind, but I need to get back.”
He shrugged. “Sorry.”
Couldn’t blame the kid for trying. Laurie smiled, crawled in the truck, and started driving toward I-80. What had Edgar called it? A real killer at this time of night. Big rigs going a million miles an hour and him in an old pickup truck carrying an antique desk. Perfect.
He crawled down the feeder road toward the freeway and stopped at the light before the on-ramp. A big sign said San Francisco and showed a straight-ahead arrow. A second sign said Chico and pointed to the right. That same tidal wave of longing he’d felt earlier filled the truck like he’d fallen in a river of lust. Dear God, why am I so stupid about a stupid cowboy? We’ve got nothing in common. Nothing. Well, except he loves queens who top, and I love butch guys who bottom—but that’s hardly the basis for a lasting relationship. Everything Laurie’s mama ever taught him screamed in his brain. “It’s as easy to fall in love with a rich man as with a poor one. The only way to have power is to manipulate the ones who have it to do your bidding. Use your beauty while you have it or you’ll die old and lonely.” Shit, haven’t I learned anything?
Laurie stared at the signs—go back or go forward. He almost smiled. Almost. Not fair, universe. Not even subtle. Talk about your fucking crossroads. Two roads diverged and all that shit. But if he had to choose between going home to his lonely bed and driving an hour and a half out of his way—three hours actually, there and back—would going to Danny be the road less traveled? Laurie chuckled. Not if they could see that cowboy’s ass.
The light changed and the cars started to move. Don’t be stupid! His hands turned the wheel, and he started chugging north.
DANNY SET his cup down on the small table beside the rocking chair and stood. “I sincerely appreciate it.”
Rand nodded. “We’ll make it work as best we can. Fall’s here, but we’re still pretty busy. I’m gonna need as much attention from you when you’re here as possible.” He blew out a breath. “And that could be hard since you might get pretty beat up.”
Kai glanced at Danny. “That’s his way of saying he’s worried about you.”
“Yeah. But I’ll work my ass off. Promise.”
“What about that old man of yours?” Rand frowned.
“Guess I have to cross my fingers he’s not at the rodeos I’m competing in or that he keeps his opinion to himself.” That would happen when bulls flew. Still, even thinking about looking in those icy eyes again made him a little sick.
Rand glanced up. “Gonna be hard to stay on a bull with your fingers crossed.”
Danny forced a chuckle as he walked down the porch steps, but man, that was fucking true.
Just tomorrow and Thursday to get his work done. He’d drive to Vegas late at night and hook up the camper at a site he’d found close to downtown. It was cheap since they wanted the guests to gamble in their casinos. That meant he needed lots of sleep tonight and tomorrow night to get ready for the weekend. Maury had texted him a time for Friday’s meet-up. If the PBRA guys knew Danny’s background, Maury sure hadn’t mentioned it. He wiped his hands on his jeans. The meeting made him more nervous than the bulls.
He opened the front door of the bunkhouse, not being too quiet since Manolo had gone home for the night and Pauly wasn’t staying, so he had the place to himself. Yay. All the hot water. Mine.
He walked straight to the bathroom, stripped, and stood under the stream for about ten minutes. Just thinking about a whole weekend of bull riding made his ass hurt, so he stuck it under the water, which made his ass yearn for other things. Good to have that dildo in the bedside table.
Finally the water ran cool and he stepped out, dried off, and wrapped the towel around his waist. After grabbing his clothes and boots from the heap he’d left them in, he padded into the dim hall to his room and opened the door. Like usual, he stepped inside, and lighted only by the moon through the window, he tossed the clothes in his hamper and set the boots behind the door where he always kept them, then he closed the door and set the damp towel over the edge of the chair. Wait. There was clothing on the chair. What had he left there? He shrugged, stepped across the short distance to the bed, and pulled back the cover. His moves were so automatic, his mind registered the warm body at the same time his butt hit the mattress.
“Holy shit!” He about flew off the bed, didn’t manage to make it to his feet, and slammed his ass onto the floorboards as he scooted back to the wall. “What the hell?” Talk about practice for bull riding!
That soft Scarlett and Marilyn voice whispered, “Hi, cowboy. I happened to be in the neighborhood, so I thought I’d drop by.”
Brain and body not connected. By the time he finally manifested the entire thought—Laurie—his cock and balls were already halfway back to the bed, dragging him along for the ride like he’d gotten his boot caught in the stirrup of a runaway horse.
He piled into the bed and had already explored the recesses of Laurie’s mouth before he could say, “What are you doing here?”
“If you don’t know, I must be doing it wrong. Turn over.”
Shit, yes. He was on his hands and knees so fast he should have won a prize, and Laurie pushed lube into his ass like he was shoving butter in a turkey. “Oh God, Laurie, get it in. Please.”
“Yes, baby, yes.” The head of that cock, squeaky with condom and lube, pressed against Danny’s target and then rammed home so hard he yelled.
Laurie gasped. “You okay?”
“Better than. Just fuck me. Do it.”
“Oh yeah.”
Laurie rode hard, and every thrust hurt perfectly, pushing waves of pleasure punctuated by shocking jolts of joy when he’d hit Danny’s prostate just right. “Never. Oh God, never.”
“Never what, cowboy?”
“Never felt anything so good. So perfect. Shit, don’t stop. Don’t ever stop.”
Laurie’s hips froze for an instant, and then he went nuts, all over Danny like a blanket of passion, hammering his ass and biting his shoulder. His hand wrapped in Danny’s hair and pulled. Sweet God, how could he love anything so much?
“Gonna come, cowboy. Dreamed about you the whole fucking drive from Sacramento. I was hard as an iron rod just thinking about this moment. Can’t wait.”
Danny threw his head back, which pulled his hair more. “Don’t want it to end.”
“It won’t. We’re gonna come, then rest a minute, then fuck some more until we can’t stand up.”
Who needed sleep anyway?
ON FIRE. Laurie’s whole body trembled as he tried to bring Danny to climax before going over the edge himself. I’m insane. He couldn’t get enough of this big, hunky cowboy coming apart like Laurie’s own baby doll—whimpering, moaning, completely submissive—until he got up and went off to ride some damned bull. It’s a dream. Yeah, not real. Don’t care.
Every thrust of his hips exploded in his head like a fireworks display, no sight, just feeling, sparks flying up his spine, blasting off in his head.
Danny’s cries escalated with every pump of Laurie’s hips. He reached around and grabbed that big bull-riding cock and jacked it in time to his humping.
“Oh, oh God. Yes. Shit, shit—shiiiit!” Spunk flew out of Danny’s dick and flooded Laurie’s hand.
Oh, baby, that’s my cue. He relaxed the tight clamp his muscles held on his groin, and his balls pumped semen like a river into Danny’s hot, tight ass. Laurie’s hips froze, stuttered through a few convulsing thrusts, then feeling flowed out in a warm stream of pleasure.
Danny collapsed on the bed and Laurie landed on his lean, hard-muscled back. He stroked Danny’s smooth skin with his fingertips. Amazing. Just amazing.
Danny’s heart thumped against his back so hard it vibrated in Laurie’s chest. He co
uldn’t tell where Danny left off and he began.
Shit. He tensed and rolled to the side, landing on his own back, pressed hard against the wall on the narrow bed. What the hell am I doing?
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
THE BED began to vibrate. Is he crying? Laurie placed a hand on Danny’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”
With the suppleness of a circus performer, Danny managed to flip over in the tiny space and threw an arm over his eyes. “Are you kidding?” His belly convulsed as he—laughed!
“What’s so funny?”
He dropped his arm. “I’ll never walk into this room or sleep in this bed again and not expect something great to happen.” He turned on his side, reached out a hand, and touched Laurie’s cheek. “How on earth did you get here?”
Okay, pretty damned cute. Laurie turned toward him so their faces were inches apart. “I was in Sacramento, buying an antique desk for my new office in my apartment.”
“Uh, sweetheart, that’s over an hour and a half away.”
Laurie sighed. “Closer to two the way I came.”
Danny laughed. “By horse and buggy?”
“Close. I’m driving an old pickup truck my father’s had for years. With the desk in the back, I should mention.”
He frowned. “Maybe I should drive you?”
Laurie frowned back. “I can drive. Very capable grown-up here.”
Danny held up a hand. “Whoa. Nobody thinks you’re more grown up than me. Remember, I’m on the bottom. It’s just a bitch of a drive for anybody, and that’s without a desk tied down in your truck.”
“Okay.” He grinned. “Thanks. But you’ve got work, and you’d be stuck in San Francisco with no way home.”
“There are planes.”
“Neither of us have the money to waste.” He smoothed Danny’s hair. “Seriously, let me sleep a few hours and I’ll be fine. Hell, there will be fewer trucks in the morning anyway.” Jesus, he could barely believe he’d blown half a day—but wow. Irresistible.