Saddle Up

by A. M. Arthur

  “You want to see them up close?” The flirty comment slipped out without a lot of thought, and Reyes wanted to snatch the words back, because that felt like he was putting pressure on Miles.

  But Miles didn’t look scared or offended. “Okay.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yes. I’ve always been fascinated by tattoos. What they mean, why people choose the ones they do. I mean, you don’t have to tell me those stories, but I would like to see them again. Up close with my eyes wide open.”

  They both sat up. Reyes tugged off his polo and let Miles look his fill. He hoped Miles would touch, too, but that had to be his choice, and Miles seemed content to stare. And then he raised his right hand, fingers hovering over the symbols that decorated Reyes’s shoulder. Hesitated. Brushed slim fingers across his skin, tracing the loops and swirls.

  “Do you have any tattoos?” Reyes asked.

  “No. I’ve considered it for years, but I’ve never been able to decide on something. If it’s going to be there forever, I want it to be meaningful.”

  “Many people feel that way.”

  Miles’s hand fell away. “Do you?”

  “For most of them.” He pointed to his navel. “The sun is about rebirth and new life. I got it after I quit being a firefighter, to commemorate starting over here.”

  Miles brushed his fingers over one sunbeam with the softest of touches, but Reyes still felt a flash of heat against his skin. He wanted Miles to keep touching him. To touch anything he wanted. And he really, really wanted to kiss Miles again.

  “I missed you today,” Reyes said.

  “I hated going to work, knowing you were worrying about Arthur. I’m so glad he’s doing better.”

  “Me, too. Mack’s a mess and trying hard not to show it. Glad he’s got Wes to keep him together.”

  “Wes is remarkably good in a crisis.”

  Reyes raised an eyebrow. “I never would have guessed that about Wes.”

  “Most people don’t.” Miles bit his lower lip, then surprised Reyes by snatching his own T-shirt off. “We felt a little unbalanced.”

  The revelation of swaths of smooth, pale skin sent blood straight to Reyes’s dick. Dusky pink nipples, narrow waist, and only the barest hint of a happy trail that peeked over the top of his shorts. Reyes wanted to touch all the skin on display, but he was letting Miles lead this. Allowing Miles to give, so Reyes didn’t accidentally take.

  “Can we kiss?” Miles asked.

  “Definitely.”

  Reyes allowed Miles to come to him, to be the first to put his hands on Reyes’s shoulders and press their lips together. He surrendered to Miles’s very talented mouth and tongue, going when Miles pulled him down. Half covering Miles’s body with his as they deepened the kiss. Reyes was fully hard now, and the evidence pressed into Miles’s hip, but Miles didn’t seem to care. Miles stroked his back and shoulders, fingers dragging with more force the longer they explored each other’s mouths. More aggressive by degrees, Miles wriggled until Reyes was on his back with Miles on top of him now. Taking control.

  He surrendered to Miles completely.

  Miles smoothed his palms across Reyes’s chest, lightly brushed his nipples, and continued south. Reyes’s dick throbbed, desperate for more pressure than the inside of his jeans, and Miles’s own erection pressed into his hip. He kind of wished Miles would put his leg between Reyes’s and get a little thigh action going, but Miles seemed intent on mapping his chest and abdomen with his fingers.

  And then that clever hand strayed closer to the waistband of his jeans. Miles broke the kiss to stare down at him with red cheeks and blazing green eyes. “Can I touch you?” he asked.

  Reyes’s insides trembled. For all he’d denied himself this sort of intimacy in the past, he was helpless against it. Helpless to deny Miles anything. “You can do whatever you want, Miles. You have my complete consent.”

  Miles’s smile was so tender Reyes might have been moved to tears if he wasn’t so fucking turned on. He pressed a similarly tender kiss to Reyes’s mouth before cupping his erection through his jeans. Reyes groaned at the pressure, then again when Miles massaged him. The twenty-four-hour jump from making out for hours to intimate touching jolted Reyes out of the moment, and he gently clasped Miles’s wrist.

  “Are you sure about this?” Reyes asked. “I know I had a bad day, and I don’t want you going too far, too fast.”

  “I’m sure.” Miles kissed the tip of his nose. “The way I instinctively feel safe with you has everything to do with you, Reyes. I’m a big fan of sex, and I want to be comfortable going all the way again, and you’re helping me get there by being so careful with me. A lot of guys would get impatient, or pressure me to go faster, but not you. Can you trust me to know that I’m ready to take new steps?”

  “I do trust you. I didn’t mean to make you doubt that.” Reyes never wanted Miles to doubt him or his intentions.

  “Good.” Miles kissed his nose again. “Because I’m falling in love with you, and one day I will be ready to make love to you. I hope you will be, too.”

  A small knot of tension over his leg scars settled in Reyes’s belly, but sooner or later, he’d have to show them to Miles. Evidence of his failure to save Luke’s life and protect his assigned rookie. “I want that very much,” Reyes replied. “I’m falling in love with you, too.”

  Miles kissed him again, this time a hard press of lips to mouth, and then began to work at Reyes’s belt with one hand. He managed it quickly and tugged at Reyes’s button fly, opening it easily. Reyes’s pulse raced with excitement and joy at the first brush of Miles’s fingers against his aching cock. Miles reached into his boxers to stroke him with a firm grip, his foreskin easing the way.

  Instead of watching his hand, Miles’s eyes stayed on Reyes’s face, and as much as Reyes wanted to see what was happening down below, he couldn’t look away from the positive emotions shining in Miles’s eyes. Hope, joy, excitement, pleasure, adoration. All things that sent bolts of arousal down Reyes’s spine and straight to his dick.

  Miles shoved his boxers and jeans down a bit more, so he could expose Reyes’s cock and jerk him harder. He licked his palm once to get a bit more slick and help him along, and it was all Reyes could do not to thrust his hips and take over, to get his damned release. The journey was worth the wait, though, simply for the expression on Miles’s face.

  God, but Reyes wanted to touch Miles, too. To push their dicks together and rut to release, but that wasn’t what Miles wanted. Reyes could control himself, let Miles lead this delicate dance. Stolen moments of mindless fucking with a stranger were over. This was so much more precious, and he wouldn’t do anything to spoil it.

  Miles took him right over the edge, and Reyes moaned softly as he came over Miles’s fist, splashing come onto his belly and chest. Only then did Miles break eye contact to look down at his work. He continued twisting his wrist, pulling every last ounce of Reyes’s release out of him, before letting go to swirl his fingers in the small pools of semen.

  “Fuck, that felt amazing,” Reyes said.

  “You’re gorgeous when you come.” Miles drew his hand to his mouth and Reyes nearly came again at the sight of Miles licking his fingers clean. “Taste good, too.”

  Fuck, for someone who comes across as shy, he’s filthier than I ever imagined.

  “I do, huh?” Reyes asked. “You gonna share?”

  With a saucy grin, Miles scooped a bit of come off Reyes’s belly and raised it his lips. Reyes licked those wicked fingers clean, sucking each one into his mouth in turn. Loving the way Miles’s eyes flashed with arousal, the evidence still hard against Reyes’s hip. “You wanna get off?” Reyes asked.

  Miles bit his lower lip, then nodded.

  “You want me to help, or just watch?”

  * * *

  The question bounced around in Miles’s h
ead, and he had no clear answer. Giving Reyes a hand job had been an impulse, and Reyes had been completely on board. Knowing how much control Reyes was giving to Miles when it came to sex was a huge turn-on. Dallas had never given Miles any power. Even when he’d dated Kevin, Miles had been trained to defer to him during sex. To submit and be used. Not with Reyes. Reyes raised Miles up, gave him total control, and that was everything.

  But was he ready for another man to touch him again?

  “I’m not sure,” Miles replied, his face burning with shame.

  “Then how about I watch.” Reyes touched his cheek. “If you want me to help, just say the word.”

  “Okay.”

  Miles opened his shorts and pulled his aching dick free, kind of pleased that he and Reyes were similar in length and girth. Average, not too big, so the idea of Reyes one day fucking him didn’t scare him at all. His hole clenched at the idea, and he hid his gasp by kissing Reyes hard. Thrusting his tongue inside, while he jerked his own cock. Rubbed over his balls, using a bit of precome to slick his way.

  It had been a while since he’d jerked off with another guy in the room. Hell, he hadn’t even liked jerking off while Wes was home, much less on the other side of a wall with a shower going. Reyes surrendered to his kisses, but after a few hard tugs, Miles wanted more. He reached for Reyes’s hand and brought it down to clasp his cock, never once breaking their forceful kiss.

  Reyes moaned into his mouth and began his own careful pace, his calloused palm the perfect touch against Miles’s aching erection. Miles thrust into his hand, needing a bit more to get him there. A little faster, a little rougher. Reyes tore his mouth away and looked down. Miles stared at the wonder and joy on Reyes’s face as Reyes studied him. Worked a thumbnail into his slit, squeezed his already tight balls, played with the curls of dark pubes. Exploring while he slowly drove Miles insane.

  “Close,” Miles panted. “Fuck, please.”

  Reyes licked his palm, then redoubled his efforts, and Miles saw stars. His orgasm jolted down his spine, and Miles cried out, thrusting hard against Reyes’s hold, his own fingers scraping across Reyes’s chest.

  “Oh fuck, yeah.” Miles collapsed on the pillow beside Reyes, his chest heaving as he came down from the best orgasm of his life. Reyes, the dirty, dirty man, licked his own hand clean, before offering a bit to Miles.

  Miles sucked on his fingers just like Reyes had sucked on Miles’s. Boneless and sated, he relaxed into Reyes’s lazy kisses, while a warm palm rubbed over his bare chest and belly, mapping him in a similar way to how Miles had mapped Reyes.

  “Thank you,” Miles whispered when Reyes finally rested his head next to his on the pillow. “This was wonderful.”

  “Happy to. Loved watching you come.”

  “It’s been a while since I’ve gotten off with someone else like this. I’m starting to remember all the things I used to love about sex.”

  Reyes tensed. “I’m glad I can give that back to you. I’m so sorry that love was taken away.”

  “Thanks.” Miles kissed Reyes’s shoulder. “Thank you for being amazing.”

  “It’s easy with you, Miles.”

  They relaxed a bit longer, until the residual stickiness made Miles itchy. “We should probably shower.”

  “You go,” Reyes said. “The tub isn’t big enough for two.”

  “Okay.”

  Miles reluctantly climbed out of bed, curious if the “not big enough” was more of an excuse to keep hiding his scars from Miles. Reyes had to know he’d never judge him for physical scars, because Reyes had never judged Miles for his emotional ones. Just because Reyes’s were visible didn’t make them any less painful.

  But that was a bridge Reyes would cross when he was ready, so Miles showered quickly. When Reyes went to take his turn, Miles took a chance by getting under the covers in Reyes’s bed. Reyes’s sexy grin when he returned in pajama bottoms and no shirt made Miles’s stomach curl with delight.

  They cuddled together in the small bed, and Miles fell asleep quickly, lulled by the steady breathing of his boyfriend, and the very real sense that everything was going to be all right.

  Anything less was unacceptable.

  * * *

  “It’s after one.”

  Mack looked up at the sound of Wes’s voice, unsurprised his partner had sought him out. After reluctantly leaving Arthur’s room, Mack had been restless and upset, and instead of taking out his bad mood on Wes, he’d headed down to the ranch and taken his favorite horse, Tude, out for a ride. Wes had been asleep on the couch when Mack got home, so he’d put a blanket over him, and then come out onto the porch with a six-pack.

  He’d hoped the beer would help him relax enough to sleep, but all he could do was spin out with worst-case scenarios. What if the angioplasty wasn’t enough? What if Arthur had another heart attack? Or a stroke? Would Arthur be the same after this? He was pretty much retired from running the ranch, but what if his doctor said it was too dangerous to work with the rescue horses?

  Too many possibilities, and it wasn’t his default setting to be so pessimistic, but Mack had become ultra-sensitive to loss since Geoff died, and it had intensified after he nearly lost his friendship with Colt this past year. He wasn’t on speaking terms with his father yet. Hell, Mack hadn’t even called his father about Arthur’s heart attack. The man had been so cold on opening day that he probably wouldn’t care.

  The screen door opened, and moments later, Wes plopped down on the step beside him. Wrapped an arm around his waist and rested his head on Mack’s shoulder. Mack raised an arm to curl around Wes’s waist.

  “What can I do?” Wes asked.

  “You’ve been amazing all day. You don’t need to do anything else.”

  “Well, obviously I do, if my boyfriend can’t sleep.” Wes clacked his silver tongue stud against his teeth. “How about a blow job to take your mind off things.”

  As much as Mack loved the way that stud felt against his dick, he wasn’t getting it up anytime soon. “Rain check, boss. But thanks for the offer.”

  “I want to take this off your shoulders so badly.”

  “I know. You being here all day was enough.”

  Wes truly had been his rock today. From waking up to Judson’s early morning phone call, to making sure Mack put his boots on the right foot, to getting food in front of him when all Mack could do was pace waiting rooms and hallways. If Wes had ever once freaked out, he hadn’t done it in front of Mack.

  “How are you handling all this?” Mack asked. “Honestly.”

  Wes shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve been so focused on you today, I haven’t really thought about it.”

  “Talk to me.”

  After a moment of silence, Wes trembled. “I’m scared. I’ve never had someone I’m close to get so sick before, and it makes me worry about my own parents. I mean, they’re way younger than Arthur, but my dad will turn sixty in a few years. I can’t imagine him having a heart attack.”

  “Don’t think like that, you’ll just drive yourself crazy.” Mack pulled Wes in for a full hug. “No one can guess what will happen tomorrow, or next week. The what-ifs will make you crazy, if you let them.”

  “Yeah.” Wes sobbed once, and Mack held him tighter. “I love you so much.”

  “I love you, too, boss.”

  He held Wes while he worked through his own pain over Arthur’s heart attack, and Mack felt a bit selfish for not realizing sooner that his partner was in pain. For being so focused on his own pain, eagerly accepting Wes’s emotional energy, that he hadn’t seen Wes was hurting, too.

  “I’m so sorry,” Mack whispered. “I’ve got you.”

  Eventually, Wes settled, and Mack kissed the tears off his cheeks. Wes kissed his lips once, then settled into his arms again. They sat like that for a while, in the quiet of the early morning, and Mack wished upon a st
ar for his family to be all right.

  Please.

  Chapter Twelve

  In the last week of June, Mack called an unexpected staff meeting on their usual Tuesday off, to be held at Mack’s place. Miles half expected the entire cast and crew to show up, so he was a little surprised when the meeting was him, Wes, Megan, Colin, Shawn, Judson, and a few people Miles didn’t know, but were introduced as the folks who provided the canned goods and other items for the general store.

  They were all seated around the long dining table. Wes served drinks, while Mack set up a white board at one end of the table, where he also had a laptop open.

  “I want do something special for July Fourth up at Bentley,” Mack announced. “Something bigger to really bring in not just guests, but people from Garrett and surrounding communities, too.”

  “Something special like what?” Megan asked.

  A ringing noise interrupted Mack from answering. He leaned over the laptop and clicked something. “Right on time,” Mack said.

  “Hey, Mack.” Avery’s voice rang out from the computer, which Mack spun around to face everyone else. Avery waved.

  “I thought our historian would want to weigh in on this,” Mack said to the rest of them, after hellos went around. “I know this is a little last-minute, because the Fourth is the end of next week, but I want to organize a big Bentley celebration. Put up patriotic bunting on the buildings, have a big picnic, maybe rent one of those portable woodsmoke grills and do barbecue. Have local artists set up tables to sell things.”

  “I think that’s a terrific idea,” Megan said. “It will definitely draw people into the town.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping.”

  “I was also thinking,” Avery said, “of researching historically accurate games for kids, and perhaps having area businesses donate prizes. That way it’s more interactive with the town of Garrett and its surrounding communities.”

  “Games are a great idea,” Judson spoke up. “Gives the little ones something to do while their parents spend money on food and wares. Could even ask the local vendors to dress up in period clothing. Or close to it.”