Cowboys Don't Ride Unicorns

by Tara Lain

  “How’s she feeling about his decision?”

  “I honestly don’t know. I saw him alone and took off in the truck on Friday afternoon. We haven’t spoken since.”

  Danny frowned. “Did you drive all night?”

  “Uh, yes, mostly. I parked outside the arena and slept on the seat.”

  “Sweet Jesus, you must be exhausted.”

  “A day in the hospital gave me some nap time.”

  “Like hell. You can’t drive all night tonight, and I’m not sure I’m up to it either. We have to stop. I’ve got the money I just won, so we can afford a motel room, uh, or two.”

  “You need that money.”

  “We’ll find a cheap motel.” He grinned. No ulterior motives here. Nope.

  They saw some signs off the freeway, and Danny pointed. Laurie pulled into the parking lot of a pretty plain-looking motel. At least it wasn’t advertising rooms by the hour. Before Danny could even react, Laurie was out the door and walking toward the office. Kind of hobbling, actually.

  Shit. Danny wiped a hand over his face. It’s my fault he’s hurt. So just sleep and don’t try anything gymnastic. He needs his rest. Not that Danny was exactly prepared for Cirque du Soleil.

  Laurie walked back out, still limping but with a little smile on his face. Danny crawled painfully out the passenger-side door and moved slowly to meet him. “What’s funny?”

  “The desk clerk took one look at me and said if I needed to get away from an abuser, she’d call the police. I told her I’d been in a fistfight with two guys at the rodeo.” He snorted a laugh. “Some people just don’t believe the truth.” He looked down the row of motel room doors. “On the end.”

  Danny held his breath for most of the walk to the room and didn’t let it out until the butterflies attacked after Laurie opened the door. One bed. Queen-sized.

  Laurie gave him a sideways glance. “I could say she only had one room.”

  Danny cleared his throat. “Yep, you could.”

  “Of course, the fact that there’re only two other cars in the parking lot might create suspicion.” His dimples had dimples.

  It was exactly what he’d hoped for, but now that he was face-to-face with a bed, Danny’s heart hammered against his sore ribs. Could have something to do with that word Rand had used so idly.

  He must have waited too long, because Laurie got a crease between his light brows. “Too sore or—just not interested?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be interested?”

  He shrugged. “Maybe you found someone else or got serious with your cowboy fuck buddy?”

  “No. Frank and I split for good.”

  “Really? Why?”

  Danny hobbled to the bed and sat on the edge. He wiped a hand over his face, which reminded him not to do that again anytime soon. “Okay, here’s the truth.”

  Laurie’s crease got deeper.

  “You do it for me.”

  “What?”

  “You do it for me better than anyone I’ve ever known. So, no, there’s no one else.” He let out a long slow exhale. “But there’s also not you, you know what I mean? Every time I’m with you, I figure it’s the last time, and every time I leave you, it gets harder.” Laurie just stared at him. “Sorry. Was that too much of a declaration for a cowboy?”

  “No. Not exactly. But I feel kind of like the ‘Gift of the Magi.’”

  “You mean the story about the combs and the hair and the watch?”

  Laurie sat beside him. “You gave me your money to start my business that keeps me in San Francisco, and I’m trying to give you back the money to buy property that keeps you in Chico.”

  “I know.”

  “It’s not exactly fucking Australia, though. We’re only about three hours apart.”

  Danny gazed at that near perfect face with the split lip and big bruise on the cheek. “Really?”

  Laurie fell back on the bed. “Come on, Danny. What can I change? I’m not a cowboy. I don’t raise horses or cows or even fucking chinchillas. I don’t blend in. People stare at me, even in San Francisco. I’m way too attached to my parents. Those are the facts.” He draped a forearm over his eyes. “I like you too. A lot. But that doesn’t change anything.”

  “So where does that leave us?”

  He raised the arm and peeked under it at Danny. “I hope it leaves us with me fucking your ass most of the night and us figuring out the rest tomorrow.”

  Hadn’t he said some Laurie was better than no Laurie at all? “Doggy, face-to-face, or swinging from the light fixture?”

  Laurie sat up and gave the flimsy ceiling lamp, antique in the very worst way, a speculative glance, then grinned. “Since you’ve been beaten up by man and beast, how do you feel about side by side?”

  “As long as your cock’s inside me, I’ve got no recognizable complaints.”

  For a second a glimpse of that sweet, sad smile appeared, then Laurie pounced—gentle pounce—pressing Danny back on the bed and smothering Danny’s lips with his own.

  Oh yeah. Just relax and ride the bull in the direction it’s going. Danny sucked as much of Laurie’s tongue into his mouth as he could get, and Laurie proceeded to give him a preview of thrusting motions to come, pressing deep and soft again and again.

  Instant fire. Oh crap. Like an addict who’d been off his drug of choice, then given a whiff, Danny’s whole body remembered at once. Get. It. In. His hips humped up, which was uncool and uncontrollable. “Clothes. Get them the fuck off.”

  Laurie pressed one finger into the middle of Danny’s chest. “Umm. Anxious, are we? Let’s not forget who’s on top, Mr. Boone.”

  Danny nodded and quieted down, but his groin kept bunny hopping, which made Laurie giggle.

  Wincing a little, Laurie sat up. When Danny moved to follow, Laurie wagged a finger. “I think you should stay right there and watch.”

  Hoo yeah.

  Laurie stepped off the bed, kicked off his sockless loafers, then grabbed the edge of the white shirt with flowers on it and pulled it over his head, leaving his chest bare. He held the shirt out straight in one hand, spun it from the wrist, and tossed it toward a chair. Then the dirty little tease ran his hands from his tiny waist up the swell of his chest, over his flat pink nipples to those surprisingly wide shoulders, then extended his arms as if he was about to break into a chorus of “Let Me Entertain You” from that old movie about the stripper.

  Danny leaned on his elbows, which almost didn’t hurt, and licked his lips. Like silk or satin or one of those creamy, shiny things, Laurie’s skin glowed in the ugly light.

  Very slowly, Laurie slipped his hands down to his waist and unfastened the fancy leather belt, then the button on his tight black jeans. He grasped the top of his zipper. “Ready?”

  “Oh yes, always.”

  Inch by tantalizing inch, he slid it down, showing—whoa, more soft, milky skin, and the bright pink, flared head of his long, slim cock.

  “Whew. Look who showed up.”

  “He always puts in an appearance when you’re around. One look at those long cowboy legs and my dick dances, baby. Every minute at the ranch, I had an erection. You walked up to our car and I would have jumped your bones right there. I’ve never wanted anything so badly.”

  A tiny, still lucid part of his brain whispered But that doesn’t change anything, does it?

  Then Laurie slid the zipper the rest of the way, and all thoughts got swallowed in a sea of lust. Want. Want.

  Laurie shook his cock, then hopped in a circle so his taut ass faced Danny, the pale pinkish hair hanging past his shoulders. He wagged his hips, and Danny chuckled. With a glance over his shoulder, Laurie leaned far, far forward and slid the jeans to his ankles, then persuaded them over his feet one at a time. Of course, during the whole process, Danny got a view of that round, high ass and two low-hanging balls bobbing between Laurie’s legs. “Uh, Laurie. I’m gonna come before you get anywhere near my ass.”

  Laurie grabbed his butt cheeks and spread them w
ide, flashing his pink pucker at Danny.

  “Shit!” He leaped off the bed. Even the pain that move caused couldn’t stop him. He fell to his knees and grabbed Laurie’s ass hard, then stuck his tongue between the gorgeous globes and licked and tasted and licked some more.

  “Oh crap. Yes. That’s great, oh God, Danny, that’s great!”

  Danny pulled the cheeks wider and rolled his tongue into a swizzle stick, then worked it a fraction of an inch into Laurie’s hole. Laurie yelled, dropped to his knees, and plopped his head on his arms to give Danny better access, bobbing his butt against Danny’s questing tongue. Danny reached under and grabbed Laurie’s cock and started cranking it. Laurie raised his head and thrashed so the mane of hair flew around him. Suddenly in one reversal, Laurie sat up, scooted behind Danny, and shoved Danny’s ass in the air. “Lube?”

  “Hip pocket.” He pointed toward the denim on his own ass.

  Laurie fumbled in Danny’s jeans, crinkled some plastic, reached around, and suddenly Danny’s pants were pulled down over his butt, almost to his knees. More crinkling. Two fingers shoved into Danny’s ass and he howled, but before he could even register the change, Laurie’s cock breached and shoved inside.

  “Yes!”

  Laurie pushed Danny’s head onto his own forearms. “Rest.”

  “Oh, right. So restful.”

  Laurie leaned over his back and grabbed his cock like a man possessed. His hips pounded in jackhammer mode, and his hand jerked Danny’s dick just as hard. If he wanted to stretch this out—wrong strategy! Danny’s balls sucked so tight they should have practiced the California Raisins dance, and bolts of electricity traveled up his spine like an electric wire. “Laurie, God. Stop or I’ll—” Too late. “Shiiiiiit!”

  Volleys of cum shot from his cock into Laurie’s hand, and flashing lights filled first his vision, then his whole brain as his body hit the floor. Laurie yanked Danny’s hips up and kept fucking until he screamed, “Oh, oh, oh God.” He fell onto Danny’s back, which hurt—perfectly.

  For minutes they just breathed. Finally Laurie whispered, “We should shower. No idea where this floor has been.”

  Danny laughed, and they managed to pull each other up to standing, accompanied by moans and giggles. Arms around each other, they staggered to the bathroom.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  DANNY RECOGNIZED the street from his last visit, even though they approached from a different direction. Odd to feel so nervous. He was just going in, getting a much-needed check, and then riding home with Laurie to buy the land he’d wanted so desperately for so long. It wasn’t a meet-the-folks moment. In fact, it was more ending than beginning. Maybe that’s why I’m nervous.

  Laurie pulled the old truck into the driveway beside the home and inched all the way back to a shed-like structure. He parked and looked at Danny. “It’s possible my dad didn’t get payment yet. Sometimes these things take a while.”

  “I, uh, just have to pay the seller before, like, December.”

  “Oh, that should be no problem. I’ll get him to write you a check, and then I’ll call you when you can cash it. Or I can wire the money into your account.”

  “Check is good.”

  “Thank you for trusting me with your money.” He smiled softly.

  “Thank you for saving my life.”

  Laurie leaned forward and kissed him, which felt so fucking final it almost made him cry. Then Laurie smiled. “Come on.”

  Laurie climbed out of his side of the car with a slight squeak of the door, and Danny got out the passenger side with a big squeak of his sore back, belly, and shoulders. He followed Laurie’s swaying hips to the door, where Laurie tried the doorknob. It opened. He called, “Daddy, I’m home.”

  Voices came from the other room.

  Laurie stepped inside and motioned for Danny to follow. They walked across the kitchen, and Danny’s father came through the swinging door to the front part of the house.

  “Laurie, don’t come in. Go home and I’ll call you later.”

  “What? Why?”

  Mr. Belmont looked up at Danny. “Oh, hello. Please take Laurie home. You can use the truck.”

  Laurie frowned. “Hell, no. I brought Danny to give him back his money. The money I promised him and you promised me. Did you meet with the son?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is he buying the business?”

  “There’s a complication.”

  “What? For God’s sake, Dad, you said you were resolved.”

  Mr. Belmont glanced at Danny. “Your mother doesn’t want to sell. She’s here and—” Laurie barged past his father and burst through the doors. “Laurie, wait!”

  No way Danny would let Laurie face the music on his own. There was more than one voice in the other room, and Danny had a bad feeling. He stepped through the open door and almost ran into Laurie’s back, where he stood staring through the dining area into the living room. Mrs. Belmont sat on the edge of a chair, and beside her, of course, perched Grove. Danny sighed very softly.

  Laurie crossed his arms over his chest—the chest he’d displayed so beautifully to Danny the night before—and marched into the larger room. He glowered at Grove. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  Mrs. Belmont said, “Lawrence, watch your language. And what on earth happened to your beautiful face?”

  “Not a chance on the language, my face doesn’t matter, and I want to know why the man who cheated on me continuously for over a year is sitting in your living room.”

  Grove stood.

  Laurie snarled. “Make that standing.”

  Grove looked nervous and—what? Ashamed? “I’m your mother’s lawyer.”

  “Since when?”

  “Since she hired me, but the main reason I’m here is to tell you how deeply sorry I am.”

  Laurie clenched his fists. “Uh, wrong house, asshole. If you wanted to talk to me, why are you in this house?”

  “Your father said you were away. I hoped to catch you.” He glanced at Danny with ice in his eyes. “But I see you’ve been extremely busy.”

  “What I do is none of your fucking business.”

  His mother yelled, “Laurie!”

  “Sorry, Mama.” He turned to her. “Why are you messing around in Father’s business?”

  “It’s my business too, and I won’t have it devalued in a fire sale.”

  His father said wearily, “You know full well the business is devalued because I couldn’t give it the kind of attention it needed. David Anders will restore the business to life.”

  “Nonsense! You’re a talented technologist. None better.”

  “But I’m not a talented manager. How many times do I need to say it?”

  Laurie narrowed his eyes at his mother. “What are you planning?”

  “Grove’s going to sue David Anders for everything he’s worth for interfering with the value of the company.”

  “And then what? Who’s going to run it? You? Because Daddy’s not going to.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course he is, and if he doesn’t, you will.”

  “No. I won’t.” Laurie looked around the room. “And on top of that, Daddy owes me seventeen thousand dollars and I want it back. Now!”

  “What do you mean?” His mother was putting on a good front, but she looked worried.

  “It’s a part of the money I’ve been loaning you to live on. I’m collecting. If you want to survive, you better damned well sell something.”

  “You wouldn’t do that.”

  “Watch me.”

  “I’ll give you the money, Laurie.” Grove stared at his hands. “I’ll give you everything I have. Please, try to forgive me. I want to be with you. I’ll marry you. We can set up your business in one of my buildings, and I’ll introduce you to all my clients. Laurie Belmont Designs will be huge.” He stepped closer. “I made a terrible mistake. I felt inadequate, and I tried to get my ego stroked in the dumbest possible way. But I understand what I’ve lost. Please,
give me a chance to prove myself.”

  Laurie’s mother wiped a tear from her cheek.

  Danny’s stomach churned and bile seared its way up his throat, burning like a son of a bitch. There it is. Everything Laurie needs. Wants. Deserves.

  He took a step back, wiped a hand over his face—oh right, shouldn’t do that. Another step. A man should bring treasure to honor a unicorn.

  He turned, ran through the dining area to the kitchen, and out the back door. Looking frantically around, he half limped, half trotted down the driveway and turned left on the street. By the time he knew where he was—he was lost.

  A DOOR slamming sounded behind Laurie, and he whirled. “What? Danny!”

  His mother snapped, “Good riddance!”

  He raised a lip at her as he raced to the back door, though it hurt like hell, threw it open, and ran out. No one. He trotted to the end of the driveway and stared both ways. Again, nobody was there. Shit! He glanced back over his shoulder. Oh crap, I have to finish one crisis before I deal with another. He limped back to the house and walked straight in the front door.

  It was like he’d snapped his fingers and suspended the scene in the living room. Everyone sat or stood exactly where they’d been when he left. Laurie let out a long, tired, and totally disgusted breath.

  His mother said, “Laurie, you look just awful. What has that horrible man done to you?”

  His voice cut like a whip. “Mother, do not ever insult or denigrate anyone else I care about again. You do not run my life. Furthermore, if you continue with this lawsuit, I’ll never speak to you again. You can forget you have a son. Is that clear?”

  “You don’t mean—”

  “I do. I love you, but I don’t like you much at this moment. I’m done with your manipulation. Run your own damned life.”

  Her eyes widened, but he turned his back and faced his father. “Daddy, grow up. You’re not a child to be taken care of. You made an intelligent decision, so follow through with it. Meanwhile, I want my money. Consider me a merciless creditor. I don’t care what you have to do to get it.”