by Sunny Day
“I love you, you know,” he said with a sigh, reaching to pull Ash closer. His arm brushed Ash’s hat and it fell to the ground. Leslie stared at it, letting Ash lean into him. They were both quiet.
“Promise me you’ll try not to do this next time,” he said. “What exactly is Sam doing?”
Ash rubbed his nose against Leslie’s. “Not much, really. You know that there used to be one bedroom instead of two.”
“I remember.” It was a big room, and it easily made two smaller, with one giving way to a small hallway that connected them with the bathroom and kitchen. His uncle had been using one as his office. He had cleared it to make another bedroom when Leslie came to live with him. Leslie had cleared both of them while keeping the furniture in the kitchen and dining room. It gave him strange satisfaction to get rid of those marks of his previous life.
“I told Sam to take out the partition. He is remodeling the bath, replacing the cabinets in the kitchen, refinishing the floors,” Ash mumbled, jarring him out of memories.
Christ. Looked like he would have to wait until it was done to see the extent of Ash’s meddling. He tightened his arms about Ash, reminded himself why it was worth it.
“Dark-blue tiles?” he asked.
“You liked the hot tub, in the hotel,” Ash answered absently, turning in his arms. From this vantage point, they could look over both Midnight Stars and Fourteen F.
“You put a hot tub in my bath?”
Leslie turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. He had to blink the water out of his eyes, and then grabbed a towel before continuing toward the bedroom.
The big bed, its carved headboard gleaming richly, occupied almost the whole room. It was a housewarming gift from Ash. He’d been the one to pick it. Leslie uneasily wondered what Sam’s crew, who brought it in, speculated on who was going to share that bed. It was obviously too big for one person. Then again, the one person who knew for sure Ash was the one who bought it was Sam, and he may have told them nothing. What was Sam’s opinion on that was impossible to tell. Leslie shook his head, opening the closet. His mouth tightened. Ash’s clothes were haphazardly strewn among his. It was easy to distinguish. Ash favored black, dark-blue, or dark-green. Leslie didn’t care. He was also bigger, broader than Ash. His build was similar to his uncle’s. His coloring, blue eyes and blond hair, was presumably from his father.
Leslie started to dress without enthusiasm. He threw a longing glance at the bed. He wondered how pissed Ash would be if he just went to sleep. No, it was a bad idea. Tomorrow, he reminded himself. His stomach revolted at the thought of food. It was probably nerves.
Ash was talking on his cell and didn’t immediately notice Leslie’s return.
“Look, we already talked about it, and I told Nash…yes, I realize that. I don’t care. I’m not changing my opinion. No, I don’t…listen, I—” He whirled around, and his eyes widened imperceptibly. “I have to go,” he said brusquely. “Hi,” he said softly to Leslie.
Leslie hesitated. “Something important?” For some reason, it irritated him that Ash had stopped talking when he showed up.
“No, not really. Feel better?” Ash asked, following him to the table. Leslie noted that there were two places set. The food smelled delicious. With a sigh, Leslie seated himself. The big table could house twelve. As usual they sat in adjoining seats.
They ate in complete silence. Leslie picked at his food. The meat was prepared perfectly, soft and saucy. He failed to enjoy it, and a lot of it had to do with the man he was with.
“Something wrong?” Ash asked, blue eyes looking at him with concern. Leslie shook his head, pushing his plate away. The tableware clanged loudly.
“No. I’m tired, I guess. I’m going to bed.”
He caught the hurt look in Ash’s eyes.
“Leave this, I’ll clean it after,” he said, feeling guilty for ruining a perfectly nice evening.
“It’s not a problem, I can do it. Go to sleep,” Ash answered simply. He stood up and started to clear the table, without looking at Leslie.
“Fine,” Leslie grumbled. He pinched the bridge of his nose once he was out of Ash’s line of vision. Great. Now I’ve hurt his feelings.
He went back to his bedroom and started to undress. He’d just pulled his sweater over his head when two arms wrapped around his naked torso and pulled him flush against the muscular body he knew so well.
“Love the way you smell,” Ash murmured into his hair, his hands sliding down to Leslie’s belt. “You turn me on, Leslie.” Ash’s lips slid down Leslie’s neck. Leslie’s breath caught. He ran his hands over Ash’s, pressing them to his naked belly. Heat spread slowly through him. He tilted his head to allow Ash better access.
“After more than fifteen years, that’s good to hear,” he whispered, leaning back into Ash. Leslie could feel him, hot and hungry, pressing into his back.
Ash chuckled. “Never going to change,” he murmured, his hand slipping lower. Leslie hissed. His eyes snapped open as he realized what Ash was doing.
“Dammit, Ash! Stop this.”
Jarred out of his pleasant fantasy, Leslie shook him off.
Confused, Ash pulled back, letting his arms fall to his side. “Leslie? What’s wrong?”
“This! Everything. Just stop it! It irritates me to no end.”
“Stop what?” Ash asked quietly. His eyes went wide and luminous. Leslie sighed, dropping to sit on the bed. He buried his head into his hands.
“You know what,” he murmured, squeezing his eyes shut. “You’re using yourself as a bribe. I don’t like it. I hate it, actually. Don’t think I haven’t figured it out. You being home earlier? The dinner? And now you tried to placate me with sex? That sucks, Ash!”
“I upset you,” Ash repeated. He was awfully still. Something in the tone of his voice made Leslie look up.
“What? Ash, no, calm down. That wasn’t what I meant. I didn’t say it right. I—” He sighed, reaching to grip Ash’s hand. “Come here,” he ordered, imploring Ash with his eyes. Ash didn’t move, his face expressionless. Leslie tugged at him. “Come here. Please.”
Ash sat. “How am I supposed to take that another way?”
Leslie took a deep breath. So much for leaving this for the morning, he thought cynically.
“You’re feeling guilty,” he said gently. “Don’t. There is no reason for it.”
Ash opened his mouth to protest. Leslie laid his fingers over his mouth. He squeezed Ash’s hand warningly. “No. Wait. You’re feeling guilty. We both know that your family traditionally has a two-day party for the Fourth of July. We both know you have to be there. And we both know I’m not invited.”
Leslie knew that there were many reasons for him not being invited. One of them certainly was his relationship with Ash.
Ash flushed. “Leslie, I haven’t—”
“Ash,” Leslie interrupted him. “Pay attention! I don’t want to go. I never wanted to go. You don’t need to feel guilty because you have to be there, and I can’t be. Frankly it pisses me off more than the fact that I’m not going.”
He wasn’t lying when he said that. The only member of the Foster family he cared about was Ash. It didn’t hurt that he wasn’t invited. Leslie suspected Ash was actually forbidden to bring him, and that must have hurt his lover. He knew Ash’s family was close-knit and he was angry at Ash’s behalf. After all the years they were together, the most Ash got from his family was willful ignorance of his relationship. Leslie supposed he should be grateful they weren’t trying to break them up actively anymore. He shivered as he remembered that particular conversation and focused on Ash.
“It’s all right, Ash,” he said softly. “It doesn’t matter.”
Ash hung his head. “It’s not that I don’t want you there, Leslie,” he said hesitantly.
Leslie snorted, leaning his forehead on Ash’s. “Ash,” he said, “you don’t. Those are your family, your friends, your business partners. You don’t want to flaunt your male lover
in front of them. It’s okay. I understand.”
He closed his eyes, letting himself concentrate on Ash’s body so close to him, on his scent enveloping him, on Ash being there.
“I don’t need them, Ash. I need you. I’ve got you,” he said with conviction.
“I won’t be here with you, Leslie. I can’t stay.”
“That day,” Leslie agreed, refusing to move. He knew it was necessary for the scion of the Foster family to be there. It meant he wouldn’t be seeing Ash for at least two days, probably more. They got so little time together anyway.
Ash pulled back slightly. “It’s not only Fourth of July, Leslie, and you know that.” Frustrated, he stood up, spun around. His fist hit the wall. “I’m never here for holidays, and you can’t come to my own birthday. It’s not fair. I want you there. If you weren’t a man, no one…” He cut himself off.
“I am a man, Ash. Being fair doesn’t really come into this. I don’t care about this. I care about you. It has always been enough. Besides,” he added, hoping to lighten the mood, “do you have complaints on how we celebrated your birthday last time?”
Ash’s head hit the wall. He’d turned so he was now facing Leslie. “No. Yes. I don’t know. It just frustrates me sometimes.”
“Ash.” Leslie stood up, noticing the wary look Ash regarded him with.
He caught his lover’s face in his hands. Their lips almost touched. “Look at me. I don’t care. I really don’t care. I’m a foster child, Ash. I never got into the spirit of family celebrations, or national holidays. I don’t get it. It’s the same day as any else to me. I’ll miss you, but I miss you every day, every second you aren’t with me.”
Ash sighed, letting himself lean into the taller man’s embrace. “But you’re angry with me.”
“I’m angry because you keep coddling me. This is not you. I fell in love with you, Ash, not this indulgent, soft version of you. My arrogant, hardheaded lover. Don’t get me wrong. Not that I don’t appreciate dinner, or you being here. It irritates me to think you’re doing it because you think you have to. I want you to do it because you want to.”
“I always want you, Leslie.”
Ash’s arms tightened around him. “I always will.”
The alarm clock started beeping in its usual irritating tone, rousing him from sleep. Leslie heard a muffled curse. A wonderfully warm body, settled next to his, shifted. Ash sat up in bed. Leslie missed his presence immediately. “What’s that?” He squinted at the clock. Leslie sighed, throwing his arm over his eyes as he realized what was happening. He had completely forgotten about the alarm. “Just turn the damn thing off.”
In the semidarkness of the room, he could see Ash reaching for the clock. He turned the lamp on.
“It’s early,” Ash said, puzzled.
“I know.” Leslie closed his eyes. “I set it last night. I was going to talk to you this morning.” And really he should have remembered to turn it off, he thought mournfully.
“What about?”
Leslie sighed, rolling to his side to look at him.
“The argument we had last evening.” He stretched his arm, letting it rest on Ash’s thigh. “Come back to bed. We have to have at least an hour.” He snuggled happily when Ash laid back again. He rubbed his cheek against Ash’s naked chest. “That’s better,” he murmured, ready to go back to sleep. Ash’s arm stroked his back.
“We resolved that, didn’t we?”
“We did. Go back to sleep.”
Dropping a kiss on Leslie’s head, Ash carefully extricated himself. Leslie’s eyes flew open. He heard rustling of sheets. “Seems a shame to waste the time when we are already awake,” Ash mused aloud. Leslie groaned. Ash was always an early bird.
“We really don’t have to get up. Please, Ash. It’s not like you are going to be late or…fuck!”
He yelled as a warm mouth enveloped his dick. He gasped. “Ash?” He reached tentatively in the dark to touch his lover. His hips quivered. Ash’s weight pressed him back into bed. He slammed his head into pillow. Ash hummed around his dick.
“Figured that would get you awake,” he murmured before returning to his task.
Leslie stared at the ceiling, bitterly regretting the fact that it was too dark for him to see what was happening. He was enjoying it immensely. His fingers threaded through Ash’s hair. He resisted the temptation to fuck Ash’s mouth, wanting this to last.
It didn’t, ending in a rush of pleasure that made his muscles tighten and his back bow as he spilled into his lover’s mouth. “Ash,” he whispered brokenly into the dark.
He was still panting softly when Ash resurfaced, and his mouth found Leslie’s. Leslie spread his legs to pull him close. He felt Ash’s erection drag across his inner thigh, and knowing what his lover wanted, obediently twisted to extract the lube they kept in the nightstand. He handed it to Ash and settled back on the pillows. He bit his lip when he heard Ash uncapping the bottle, his body tightening in anticipation. Ash’s fingers teased his balls then dipped lower. Leslie hissed at the slight burn then shifted impatiently under other man. Ash laughed, pulling his fingers out. A shiver ran through Leslie’s body. After all these years, he still got a thrill which had nothing to do with sexual pleasure as Ash pushed into him. He let out a long sigh, running his hands over Ash’s muscular arms.
He had had other partners, and enjoyed most of them, but none of those were ever the same as Ash. Ash moaned, his hips stuttering. He buried his head in the curve of Leslie’s shoulder. Leslie gasped as Ash’s cock brushed his prostrate. Despite having already come, his muscles tightened around Ash’s dick. Ash stiffened above him. Leslie wrapped both arms around him.
“Shh, baby,” he whispered as Ash’s body convulsed. “I got you.” Ash panted, spilling his release into Leslie. He collapsed onto Leslie, pulling out his softened dick regretfully. He settled down with a sigh. They lay together, their hearts racing, as they had so many times in the aftermath of passion.
“I need to go,” Ash said. He sounded regretful. He carefully extracted himself from Leslie, sitting up in bed. Leslie was already dropping into sleep again, his body sated and relaxed.
“I know.” He flipped onto his side. He’d slept through the years of Ash leaving early in the morning. They had the routine down pat. Ash usually kept just the lamp on, as to not disturb him.
“I really don’t want to go.” Ash pressed against his back, his chin nudging Leslie’s shoulder. Without looking back, Leslie patted his hip clumsily.
“You’ll be back.” That simple fact was enough to get him through a lot. He snuggled into the covers. “Have a nice day.”
He heard Ash snort.
Chapter 2
“Leslie,” Kyle, Ben’s young employee, greeted him as he entered the store. “Do you need help?” he asked earnestly. Leslie glanced to his left side, where Ben, the store owner, waited on another customer.
“No, not really. I need to talk to your boss.”
Kyle looked uncomfortable. “He may be some time.”
“That’s all right,” Leslie said, pulling his hat off and leaning deliberately on the counter. “I’ll wait.”
Kyle gave him an apologetic look and turned to another customer. Leslie idly glanced around the room as he waited. Ben’s feed store was an old one, and it stayed in business because their owners were shrewd businessmen. Whatever they didn’t have, they could order easily. Most of the ranchers in the area came here. If Leslie couldn’t resolve things with Ben, he’d have to go to another town. He’d spent the morning researching possibilities. He figured Ash would probably know where he could go, but he wasn’t willing to broach the subject with his lover yet. He’d totally forgotten Ben was related to the Fosters.
“Leslie.” Ben’s customer, Ned Hallen, had finally left, nodding at Leslie so Ben had no choice but to acknowledge him. Leslie gave him a sunny smile. As always, Ben seemed less than thrilled to see him. Leslie had noticed this before, but it didn’t bother him especially. He didn’t
socialize with many people in town, and as far he knew, Ben’s was never a warm and fuzzy personality.
“Ben,” he answered in the same tone of voice. He wasn’t going to back off. It wasn’t in his nature. “Calvin talked to me. Seems he was here Monday, and our order wasn’t ready yet. I’m here to pick it up now.”
“Yeah, about that.” Ben raised one shoulder dismissively. “It seemed the supplier sent us the wrong parcel.”
Leslie raised his eyebrows and kept his face impassive. It could happen, he knew that. But Ben’s whole body language yelled he was lying.
“Wrong parcel?”
“I’ve returned it, and I’m going to call later to confirm the order. I’m afraid you will have to wait a couple more days.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong,” Leslie said, noticing heads turning in their direction. He wasn’t polite anymore. “But this is the fourth order in six months you managed to screw up.”
“I don’t know what Calvin said to you—” Ben started defensively. Leslie didn’t let him finish.
“I trust Calvin. I don’t trust you.” He paused to let the words sink in. “I think,” he added in a dry tone, “that it would be best—for all of us—if I settle the Midnight Stars account right now. How much do we owe you?”
Ben started to look worried. “Look. The shipment was wrong. It happens. It was an honest mistake.” Out of the corner of his eye, Leslie saw Kyle bite his lip.
“It happens, I’ll agree with that. When it happens that often, something clearly isn’t right. Just bring me the bill, Ben.” Ben huffed, refusing to move. He stared stubbornly at Leslie. He must have realized they’d attracted attention of other people in the store. The town was small. Leslie didn’t doubt everyone would know what happened by tomorrow.
“You are overreacting, Leslie.”
“Maybe I am, but it’s my right,” Leslie agreed. He gave the other man a cold smile. “The bill, Ben.”
That finally got Ben moving. He didn’t say much after that. Leslie tucked his wallet back into his jeans and put his hat back. “Have a good day, Ben,” he said politely. He was aware of Ben’s angry gaze on his back as he left the store. He shrugged. It couldn’t be helped.