Cowboy Blues

by Jamie Craig

  Spencer bit his tongue to keep from clarifying he wasn't asking Travis so much as telling. But the past week with Rebecca had taught him to curb his automatic impulses, at least until he felt more like himself. And he hadn't missed the way Travis completely glossed over Rebecca, as though Spencer hadn't mentioned her at all. But he finally had somebody fully in his corner, and he wasn't going to mess that up by picking stupid fights.

  "I'm glad you made it out here,” Spencer said as Travis pulled the door open.

  For the first time since showing up on Becca's doorstep, Travis smiled. Or he almost smiled. The corner of his mouth lifted, which for Travis was the same thing.

  "Me, too, Spence. It's been too long."

  As they settled at the table, it felt like old times, when Spencer was just a kid and he had a whole world of possibility in front of him. For the first time, he was beginning to feel that way again.

  When Travis had asked if there was any place around to get a drink, Spencer had pointed him to a bar up the canyon. Travis had promised he just wanted one drink, but one drink easily morphed into two, and though he stopped himself and switched to cola early in the night, Travis didn't show similar self-control. In fact, he didn't even show any sign of self-control when Spencer had reminded him he needed to be back at Rebecca's by ten to take his medication. Spencer kept his annoyance at bay, reminding himself this was just who Travis was. Somebody who liked to party and liked to have a good time, but didn't mean anything personal by it.

  He had refused to let Spencer drive, and he barely stopped when they finally returned to Becca's sometime after one.

  "See you in the morning!” Travis called out as he sped away, leaving Spencer standing alone in the driveway. A familiar pain settled behind his eye and his shoulder throbbed with enough force to make his teeth ache.

  He carefully made his way past Becca's truck and toward the front door. It took three attempts to get his key into the lock because he saw double, but he kept his cursing to muttered half-sounds. He didn't want to wake Rebecca up. She would just worry about him and she didn't need the added stress.

  Spencer eased the door open slowly, hoping Jake wouldn't start barking his head off. He didn't look very fierce, but he took his role as guard dog seriously, even if he was just protecting the house against Spencer. But Jake remained oddly silent, and when Spencer got the door open, he saw why—Rebecca held him on the couch.

  She lay on her side; Jake curled into her stomach as she cradled him close, while the light from the TV flickered across her face. At Spencer's entrance, she turned her soft blue eyes in his direction, but they widened almost immediately when she noticed the stiff set of his shoulder.

  Letting Jake go, she swung her legs around and stood up. “I've got your meds all ready for you,” she said as she crossed to the dining room table. “I probably should've sent them with you. I wasn't even thinking."

  "No, it was my own fault. I should have figured on Travis wanting to go out for a few drinks."

  She froze, the glass of water and pills in her hands. “Were you drinking? I'm not supposed to let you mix these with alcohol."

  "I had two beers about six hours ago. It'll be okay, won't it?"

  "Oh, yeah, that's fine.” Becca held them out, chewing on her lip as he took them. “Did you have fun?"

  Spencer tilted his head back to swallow the pills, then smiled. “I had two beers six hours ago, darlin'. What do you think?"

  Their fingers brushed against each other as she took the glass back. “I think it's good to see you smiling again, even if you didn't get to join in the party yet. But just wait. You'll be doing body shots soon enough."

  "Not with any of the guys I saw tonight, I hope.” He caressed her cheek with his fingertips. “I'm sorry I made you stay up late."

  Rebecca tilted her head into his touch, her hair spilling forward to brush against his knuckles. “I don't usually go to bed much before this anyway. You know that."

  "Still wasn't very nice of me.” Spencer's shoulder felt hot and the pain wore on his frayed nerves, but he knew well enough that the pills would kick in soon. “I'm beat. I think I might pass out as soon as my head hits the pillow."

  Her hand stole forward and curled into his. “Let's get you into bed, then. Come on."

  The pressure of her fingers around his comforted Spence, the way her touch always seemed to. The tension started to ease from his neck and shoulders, and his pulse hammered with anticipation. He just wanted to feel her soft body against his, wanted to smell her hair, and listen to her breathe. That was probably one of the biggest reasons he told Travis he didn't want to leave. He had grown accustomed to falling asleep with her gently wrapped around him.

  "Travis'll be around again tomorrow."

  "That's good.” She flicked off the lights as they slowly made their way down the hall, taking his weight when he needed to lean without offering a word of commentary. “Are you two going to stick around here and visit, or do you think you'll go into town again? I can always get out of your hair if you two want some privacy."

  "No, we'll probably stick around. Eat up all your food, get under your feet, and be general pests."

  Rebecca chuckled softly. “Something tells me you two under the same roof are trouble, no matter where you are."

  "We do tend to find trouble when we're together. Or trouble finds him. I haven't been able to figure it out."

  "Oh, I'll bet you do just fine causing some of that trouble yourself.” She guided him into the bedroom, but as had become their custom, left the light off. It was easier on his head, and neither one of them needed more than the spillover from the hall to get his clothes off. “How long is he going to stick around?"

  "Awhile, I think. He said he's going to take some time off the circuit to help me get back on my feet.” And back on a bull, but Spencer didn't want to mention that part. Not yet.

  Rebecca eased him to the edge of the bed, pushing him gently to sit down. She knelt in front of him, and while she undid the buttons on his shirt, Spence toed off his shoes.

  "So...is he staying someplace in town, or does he have a trailer? I can probably go over everything he needs to know tomorrow, if you want me to."

  "Everything he needs to know about what?"

  She kept her eyes focused on her fingers, rather than look up and meet his eyes. “About your medication schedule, and your doctor appointments, and things like that. Or if he doesn't want to be bothered with some of it, I'm willing to come over and help out."

  "Why would he need to know...oh.” He tried to keep his hands to himself whenever she undressed him, but now he took her shoulder, squeezing until she finally looked up to meet his gaze. “Look, unless you're kicking me out, which I would understand, I don't really want to go anywhere."

  "I don't want you to go, either.” He wasn't used to seeing her less than confident, but now there a hesitation lurked in her eyes, making him wish he could do more than touch her shoulder. “But Travis is family and I'm not. I just thought...I figured you'd want to stay with him, that's all."

  "He might be family, but you're much nicer than Travis.” He leaned over and inhaled. “You smell nicer than he does. You're cleaner than he is. I think I like you a bit more than I like him...wait, I know I like you more."

  Her smile was a flash of something bright and warm, but the smooth glide of her palm over his torso as she slipped the first sleeve off his arm was even better. “My bed's more comfortable than any old trailer's, too, I'll bet."

  "About a thousand times more comfortable. I'm used to all these creature comforts now."

  Rebecca had to press closer to pull the shirt around his back without jerking his sore shoulder. The soft crush of her breasts against his chest prompted him to lean down and breathe in even more of her scent, his eyes closing as he got lost in it.

  "Well, if it means anything...” It felt like her mouth brushed against his jaw, so slight a caress he could have imagined it. “I like spoiling you."


  "And I'm grateful.” He pushed her hair over her shoulder, exposing her neck. It just made him want to kiss her. They hadn't done anything like that in the ten days he'd been living there, and he wasn't sure if Rebecca wanted to. “Even though sometimes I don't act like it."

  "But you're getting better, every single day.” She worked at the sling, freeing his arm in order to ease the shirt off the rest of the way. “Just the thought of you being strong enough to go out in the sunshine is enough to make it all worth it."

  "You should tell me, though, if you get tired of me hanging around. I know this was just supposed to be a short-term deal."

  With his shirt now off, Rebecca sat back on her heels and finally met his eyes. “If I hadn't had the problems with my dad last summer, I would've jumped in your truck without looking back. Which would've meant spending a lot of time together. That hasn't changed."

  "I wish that would have worked out. I think we would have had a lot of fun together."

  "Me, too.” At this point, she usually helped him stretch out before taking his jeans off, but for some reason, she didn't. Instead, she reached forward and skimmed her fingertips across his belly, upward to his chest. “Don't go until you're ready to. It won't be the same here without you otherwise."

  Spencer looked down, watching her hand. He wouldn't stop her. Whatever she wanted to do, and for however long she wanted to do it, he would let her. “In about a month, when you want your bed and your normal life back, I won't hold those words against you."

  Rebecca nodded, though her eyes had taken on a soft, distant quality, and her fingers continued to caress his skin. She brushed the pad of her thumb over his nipple, then did it again after he audibly caught his breath.

  "And when you want your normal life back, I won't stop you from leaving.” Her hushed voice matched the care in her touch. “Even if I'll wish it was the Fourth of July again so I could see you."

  Spencer swallowed and his cock twitched the third time her thumb brushed his hardening nipple. “Are you...are you going to sleep in the other room tonight?"

  Her hand hesitated. “Do you want me to?"

  "I hoped you'd stay in here with me. Not because I expected anything...I mean, I just...” He had seen this woman in every state of undress and in what felt like dozens of positions. He knew what she tasted like and what she sounded like when she came. But now he almost felt shy. “I like it when you're here when I wake up."

  "Then I'll be here.” Straightening, she retreated to the doorway. “I'll be right back."

  Spencer frowned as she left, but the comforting sounds of her moving around in the small house soothed his irritation. Carefully, he slid back onto the bed and lay down, but after a few tries, gave up on undoing his jeans. It was more fun when Rebecca did it anyway.

  She came back in what had to be only a few minutes, but it felt like much, much longer. He caught a glimpse of her before she shut the door, her curves illuminated through the long, worn T-shirt she'd changed into. Then he was plunged into darkness, and he couldn't see anything but the faintest of outlines.

  "I took care of Jake.” Her disembodied voice sounded nearer, and then her hands were at his waist, her fingers sure as she opened his fly. “Did you need anything else?"

  "No. I think I've got everything I need here."

  He helped her get his jeans off by lifting his hips, just a little disappointed when she stopped there.

  "It'll be nice not to have to worry about waking you up when I leave,” she said as she stretched out in the empty space next to him. Her hand returned to touching his stomach, though without his jeans on, it felt even more intimate than before. “How's your shoulder feel now?"

  "Better.” Good enough he thought about pulling her closer and kissing her throat. Good enough he focused on her fingers and let himself imagine her hand moving lower. He couldn't remember the last time he seriously considered either one of those things.

  He felt the mattress move beneath her. Her lips pressed to his good shoulder, and she cuddled a little closer, her full breasts heavy against his arm.

  "I should get the camera out tomorrow and get some pictures of you and your uncle. You probably don't have any recent ones, do you?"

  "No. Travis isn't the sort to live in the past, anyway. Or the future. All that matters is what's happening right now. Hell of a way to live."

  Rebecca laughed. “Gee, well, at least now I know where you get it from."

  "You think I just live in the present?"

  "I think...” Her fingers stuttered across his skin as she resumed her caresses. “You've never really thought about your future until now, and I think you only think about it now because you have to."

  "Yeah. I guess you're right. It made sense to me, you know. After my mom died, it didn't seem like a good idea to dwell in the past. And Travis always said no good could come from thinking too much."

  "Well, we don't have to think about it at this exact minute.” She kissed his shoulder again, this time letting the tip of her tongue trail across his skin. “We could think about other stuff instead."

  Spencer barely held back his moan. “What other stuff do you have in mind?"

  Her hand drifted lower. “We can't do the stuff I wish we could, but...I think about touching you. About how we would've spent the Fourth if you hadn't had the accident. About how much I love this little dimple here...” As she tickled over a spot near his hip, her warm breath floated across his neck. “You've always driven me crazy, Spencer Cole."

  Spencer sighed, goose bumps sweeping down his limbs. He wanted her to keep touching him, but more than that, he wanted to kiss her. Properly. Like he would have kissed her on the Fourth if the ride had gone as planned. “Can I show you what I'm thinking about right now?"

  "You can do whatever you want to me.” She slipped a finger beneath the waistband of his boxers and immediately found the wet tip of his cock. “Just as long as you don't hurt yourself."

  If Rebecca hadn't provided that stipulation, Spencer might have forgotten about his injuries. He hooked his good arm beneath her and pulled her partly onto his chest so he could reach her mouth. As soon as their lips touched, Spence wondered why he hadn't kissed her sooner. Her mouth was sweet and familiar, and so welcoming he immediately deepened the caress, sweeping his tongue against hers.

  Rebecca cradled into his body, bending her leg over his knee, the soft skin of her inner thigh rubbing along his. Her hand pushed farther into his boxers, surer, stronger, seeking out his shaft in order to pull in long, intoxicating strokes. All the while, she never stopped kissing him, and she never stopped making those little moans in the back of her throat he hadn't realized he'd missed until that exact moment.

  He pressed his palm into the small of her back, itching to touch her the way she touched him. Itching to pull her onto his body, to feel more of her. But he couldn't do anything except kiss her and caress her back, moaning each time her hand brushed against his sensitive crown. After so much pain, misery, and self-pity, he had forgotten such simple pleasure existed.

  "I've missed this,” Rebecca whispered. She rocked gently against his hip, the heat of her covered pussy seeping into his leg. “I would've been very disappointed if you'd left with Travis, you know."

  "I've missed this, too.” An understatement, especially when she twisted her wrist and her fingers caught the pre-come, or her nails dragged across the base of his shaft. He couldn't remember the last time anybody had touched him like that—and he was pretty sure it had nothing to do with his loss of memory. The closer it got to the Fourth, the more his desire for other women waned.

  Her mouth descended along his neck, reviving sensation in flesh he'd thought could only feel pain. He welcomed the desire. Wanted it. Becca managed to obliterate everything but here, and now, and how warm she felt against his body.

  She didn't speed up her strokes, but her grip tightened, constricting around every inch of him. The sounds coming from her now were higher, the grinds of her hips harder, and
Spencer dug his fingertips into the soft swells of her ass to encourage her to continue.

  "God, you feel so good...” Lifting her head, she turned shiny eyes to his, her tongue swiping over her lower lip. “I'm not hurting you, am I?"

  Spencer lifted his head enough to catch her mouth, and what he meant to be a brief caress evolved into another long, hungry exploration. He loved kissing her. He loved the heat and the shape of her mouth. He loved the way she tasted like she was hungry for him.

  When they broke apart for breath, he murmured, “I hope that answered your question."

  Her mouth curved into a pleased smile. “Oh, yeah.” Without uttering another word, she sealed their mouths again, quickening the pace of both her hand and hips.

  Spencer closed his eyes and concentrated on the widening circles of pleasure. It wasn't perfect. He would have much preferred her to straddle him and sink onto his cock. But the fact that she touched him at all meant that more was a very real possibility. It meant they didn't have to stay in a polite limbo where touching was forbidden. It meant his stated intent to stay in Oakley wasn't just a result of wishful thinking.

  He began rocking his hips, moving against her as his moans matched hers. Pressure built beneath his skin and his heart hammered in his ears. Her hand moved faster and faster until he couldn't stand the friction any longer. He broke away from her mouth to gasp for breath as his cock jerked and he erupted in her palm.

  He barely heard her cry out, but he definitely felt the clamp of her thigh over his. Her body went rigid, her hand suddenly shaking, and her slippery fingers scrabbled to find a hold along his skin. The dig of her nails into his hip sharpened everything—the tremors wracking his flesh, the pleasure burning to the tips of his toes—and he sought out her mouth one more time, needing the taste of her to ride it all out.

  Gradually, Rebecca relaxed, her plush form sinking against him. Each sweep of her tongue grew longer, and when she finally pulled away from him, a smile was already on her lips.