by Julia Talbot
Eli moaned for him, hips jerking up and down, thigh muscles like iron bands under his hands. "Thatcher! Fuck."
"That's the idea, mister." Damn, but Eli was a big brute of a man. Those legs drove him crazy, long and strong and so good. The muscles of Eli's belly were fucking ripped, cut deep enough to feel bumpy under his hands, and that chest was wide enough to make him work to get from nipple to nipple with his fingers while he sucked. And licked. And tasted.
Eli was just moaning and growling and thrashing and Jed loved it, fucking loved it. Doing for Eli and having Eli respond to him... God, it made him ache. Made his balls hurt.
He could tell Eli was getting close, was gonna blow soon, and he pulled off, a wet sound following, Eli's cock glistening. Damn. "Want you to fuck me, Eli. Think you can hold off long enough?"
"To get in your ass, Thatcher? Hell, yes." Eli reached down and pulled at those heavy balls and Jed had to close his eyes before he got too close to shooting himself. Lube. Where the fuck was the lube? There. Behind the breakfast tray. He grabbed it, got his fingers good and wet and fixed himself up right. Two fingers, boom, right in, and Eli groaned, making him look. Eli stared at him, eyes hot as a wildfire. His cock jerked and he knew he was just gonna have to take the burn, as he was gonna have to hurry.
Quick as that he had Eli slicked up and was climbing on, holding Eli in place and pushing down. They both moaned, and Eli's hips rolled, and Jed saw stars, exploding in his head. Bang.
"Jed! So good." Big hands on his hips moved him up and down, Eli pulling and panting and just going crazy under him and Jed reached for his cock, stroking it, locking eyes with Eli. "Love you, mister."
"Oh, God!" Eli roared, filling his ass, warm and wet, and Jed let it go, came all over Eli's belly and chest and his own hand, gasping for air. They smooshed together when he fell forward, and eventually Eli slipped out and Jed thought about a shower. Or maybe going out and playing in the rain. Naked.
"I prayed for rain, you know."
Jed raised his head and smiled, taking a kiss, soft and warm and happy. "We got it. We've got all day to hide."
"Couldn't ask for more." Eli pulled him back down and Jed let him, smiling against that wide chest. They'd play later. Right now he'd just stay there with Eli, and listen to the rain.
***
Eli couldn't believe it. He was out playing in the summer rain with another man and no less than four dogs. Naked.
He'd never played naked in the rain in his life. He figured his mother would heartily disapprove. Which was a good enough reason in itself. The main reason he was out there, though, was Jed Thatcher. Who was also naked and running around, laughing like a loon, teasing the dogs with a rope bone.
"One of them is gonna get tired of waiting his turn and grab something else that dangles, Thatcher."
"Oh, now, that's not funny, mister."
"Nope. It wouldn't be for me either."
Just about that time his pup Scorch came up to knock him winding, cutting him right off at the legs. Eli went down hard in the mud, sliding a good three feet. Jed hooted.
"Now who's the one getting punished for teasing?"
"Oh, you're going down."
He levered up, slipping and sliding on the wet grass and dirt, digging his toes in for purchase. They didn't often get this kind of rain, the kind that lasted all day. Not like he had in Oregon. So when they did everything soaked up the rain and greened up amazingly.
Eli launched himself at Jed, intent on rubbing that Thatcher nose in the mud. Lean and quick, Jed eluded him handily, slipping to one side and sending him tripping over Jumbo, who looked like a hellhound with his white coat all mottled with clumps of sod. Damn it.
Jed threw the bone, sending all of the dogs scrambling, then waggled one hand at him, "Come and get me, Eli."
Oh, yeah. Fucking A. He went, feinting to the right and diving in to the left, getting a hold on Jed's left calf. Yeah. That would work. Jed spun, slipping, legs splitting like a cheerleader's in the backseat of a Ford, boom, right to the ground.
"Umph."
"You may be faster, but I'm stronger, Thatcher."
"You're brute force all right." A big blop of black mud splattered against his face, making him sputter and let go. "But I got strategy."
"Oh yeah?" Okay, so that as a really mature reply, but when you were flinging mud at your lover there really wasn't much point of maturity. He flung, then paused, savoring the whole lover thing. His.
"Yeah." Suddenly Jed was right in front of him, pushing a fistful of mud right into his face. He blinked, laughing like an idiot when Jed blinked back, face black but for two bright blue eyes shining out. "You're getting slow, you old fart."
"Old? Old!" Oh that was too much. Quick as a wink he had Jed pinned and wiggling in the mud, smooshing it into all of the nooks and crannies. Jed wailed, flailing his arms and legs, kicking and screaming. Which brought the damned dogs nosing about, barking their fool heads off. When Spot started licking his butt, that was about all he could take. Eli just broke down and howled.
Eventually he managed to get up and hold a hand down for Jed. "Come on, Thatcher. Let's go get cleaned up, huh?"
"Yeah." Jed hugged him hard, the mud sliding between them. "Thanks for playing, mister."
"Hey, don't think we're done playing yet." He settled for patting Jed's ass. He didn't think he could hack a grainy kiss. "Should we hose off first?"
"Yeah."
They rinsed off under the hose and when Jed's face came back into view Eli kissed it, settling his mouth over Jed's and loving on him for all he was worth. Sometimes he thought he would never have remembered how to play in his whole fucking life if it wasn't for Jed.
Inside they turned the water on good and hot so they'd be cooler when they got out and stepped into the shower, rinsing off but good. Once the rinsing was done the touching started, and man, that was playing in the best fucking way ever.
Jed kissed him, hands sliding on his skin, up and down his back to cup his ass. He moaned, arching, needing so bad so suddenly that it shocked the heck out of him. His cock rubbed Jed's belly and Jed's prodded his hip and they weren't playing anymore. Not one bit.
They rocked, both of them rubbing like crazy, hands slipping and sliding.
"Damn, Thatcher. Good."
"Yeah. Love you, Eli. You know that, yeah?"
"Hell, yes."
He knew it. Every damned day of his life these days. They moved faster and faster, and he reached for Jed's cock, stroking it hard and fast. Jed made the sexiest fucking sounds, gasping and panting, holding him tight. He bent, sucking at Jed's throat, worrying until a bruise came up. Goddamn that was hot.
Jed keened, back arching and hips bucking as he came, and Eli just watched, feeling like the luckiest man on earth. Then Jed touched his cock and he was coming too, shouting at how good it felt, his come washing right away with the rapidly cooling water.
"Come on, mister. Let's dry off and take a nap before supper."
"Sure."
Damn it was nice to have a day off.
Even if it was raining like crazy. Eli was learning that rainy days? Weren't so bad after all.
2005
The beer was cold, Kev was warm next to him, and the conversation was, well. Heated.
"Goddamnit, Ross, do you try to be an asshole? Why'd you have to go and piss Ken off like that? You know he'll pout now, for hours."
The whole family had gotten together at mom's up on the Mesa, and Ross was just doing what he did best. Needling his brothers while he had the leave time to do it. Kevin looked a tiny bit uncomfortable with it, especially when Ken got all red faced and stomped off and Jed started yelling, but Ross was having the time of his life.
"Not my fault he's so touchy. Maybe if he hadn't bought that stupid bull I wouldn't give him so much grief."
"Oh, I think you'd find something else to poke him about."
"Well, hell, I could poke you if you want."
"Oh, shit, kid. Come on. Let
's go help Nancy with the dishes." Eli got up and grabbed Kev by the arm, hauling him off despite protests and looks back. Good guy that Eli. Anyone could see Jed was spoiling for a fight.
"Your man is smarter than he looks."
Jed growled, just grrrred through clenched teeth, and launched himself at Ross, hands balled into fists. Ross grinned fiercely and waded right in, catching Jed just under the eye with a swinging right hook.
They traded punches for a few seconds before Jed took them off the porch in a flying tackle, dust kicking up as they rolled together, grunting and straining. Wasn't long before a sucker punch caught him on the side of the head, stars exploding before his eyes. Jed growled some more and went after Ken too, snarling at him for not playing fair.
By the time the fray ended, their mom sat on the porch, rocking in her rocking chair and smoking one of her long cigarettes, just wearing that half smile. Kev and Eli were there too, Kev looking worried, Eli just looking amused as hell.
"So who won?" Mom asked.
Ross looked at Jed, who grinned and shook his head, pointing to Ken.
"Ken," they said together, and mom just snorted and held out her hand to Eli, who pulled out his wallet and handed her a twenty.
Ken hooted and crawled to his feet, climbing up the porch like he had a hitch in his getalong. "Anyone else want a beer?"
"I'll take one." Ross got up and held out a handful of skinned knuckles to Jed. "You?"
"Yeah."
They all clumped back up on the porch, Ken's kids crawling all over them to make sure they were okay, laughing and chattering. All was right with his world until Ross noticed Kev sitting off to one side, watching him with those big puppy eyes, a troubled expression in them.
Damn.
Disentangling from Amy took a minute, but he finally passed her off to Lloyd and went to take Kev's hand, squatting in front of him.
"You look like you need to talk, baby."
"Can we?" Kev looked around at his family, squirmed a little. "Somewhere?"
"Sure. Come on to the barn."
They slipped away, his mom just mouthing, “be back in an hour for dessert”. Lloyd had made a fine 4th of July red, white and blue trifle, with strawberries and blueberries. No way was he gonna miss it. Kev stayed quiet for the longest time, fingers tense in his.
Finally they got inside the cool, dark barn and Kev reached up to touch his mouth. "You were bleeding."
"Want me to dunk my head in the watering trough?"
"No." Poor baby. He was all twitchy, fingers skating over the old tack that hung on the walls, starting as one of the horses nickered a greeting at them.
"What's wrong?"
"Why do you fight like that?"
Bing! Give that man a cigar, he'd had a feeling Kev was freaked out by that. Now how did you explain brothers to an only child, and one who'd been raised all southern and polite at that?
"Well, we blow off steam that way. Always have. I guess you could say our dad taught us it was a manly way to solve disputes, though we try to only do it to each other. And sometimes we just do it for fun."
"I don't get it."
"Well, neither does Eli. He was an only child too. Thing to remember is that it's not a bad thing, or a scary thing. It's just us being brothers the only way we know how."
Kev gave him a weak grin. "You're gonna have a black eye."
"And sore kidneys thanks to Ken. You going to doctor me up, baby?"
"Sure. If you want me to."
"I can always use some of your tender loving care, baby." Ross hauled his T-shirt off over his head. "Come kiss me better."
"Oh. You're gonna bruise up bad."
Ross glanced down where Kev touched him so gently, looking at the mottled bruises starting to form and grinning wryly. "Ken got me good. Jed was just teasing. Guess Ken really was mad."
"He deserved to be." Kev bent, kissing his chest just above his left nipple. "You were awful."
"Gee, thanks." Hell, he knew he had been. But Kev had missed Ken poking on and on about his big gay family. It was no wonder he and Jed'd gotten tense.
"You look beat to hell and you're still sexy." Brows knitting, Kev glared at him. Like it just wasn't fair. "But I guess that's because you're a Thatcher. It's genetic or something."
"Well I think you're pretty hot, baby. Especially when you go all sex kitten. Come on, play with me."
"Okay." Eyes lighting up, Kev pushed him back against the rough wood of the, thankfully, empty stall behind him. Having a pony nibbling your hair was so a mood killer. Kev pushed one thigh between his and kissed him, hands hot on his skin, and Ross just hummed, letting his baby love on him.
They kissed nice and deep, Kev pushing into his mouth eagerly, tasting him, burning his lips. God, it felt good, even with the stretch and pull of his newly bruised skin. Long and hard through Kev's jeans, Kev's cock pushed against him, rocking against his leg like Kev's hips had a mind of their own.
Grunting, Kev tried to climb up him, just hanging on for dear life. Ross helped, hoisting him up by his ass, using his other hand to tear at Kev's zipper. The flat belly, narrow hips and pretty nipples were all hidden by cloth, and that made him sad, damn it.
Kev helped, unbuttoning both of their shirts, that determined look in those deep brown eyes. Ross loved it. He loved the feel of the hard cock that pushed into his hand, too, hot and damp and insistent. Stroking it made Kev moan, let Ross know his baby had forgotten all about the bruises and the awkwardness and was in full on sex kitten Kev mode.
"Love you, baby." He did. So much it hurt sometimes, and he had to say it. Just had to.
"Mmmhmm. Ross." Humping, Kev worked his hips, really pushing now, eyes half closed, bottom lip between his teeth. Looked like he was just in the zone, going for it.
"Come on, baby. Come on."
"What about, uhn there. What about you?"
"I'll get mine. Just come on."
Kev came for him, shooting into his hand and hollering loud enough to make the horses stamp and snort. They just hung there for the longest time, Kev panting, Ross breathing hard as he tried to hold still while Kev recovered. Then Kevin sort of *wiggled*, dropping to the floor and sliding along Ross' body to kneel at his feet.
His jeans went so fast Ross figured he had fabric burn. His cock was in Kev's hand seconds later, and it took even less time for him to feel the rough rasp of Kevin's tongue on him. Felt so good, so hot, that all Ross could do was hold on for the ride and let Kev take him right down.
Groaning, Ross started moving, pushing into that sweet, hot throat until Kev's nose was buried in his pubes. It was the hottest damn thing he'd ever seen. Damn, but he was a lucky, lucky man.
Belly tight as a board, thighs shaking, Ross went for it, really thrusting hard, every muscle in his body standing at attention. Kev made encouraging noises around it, and that finally set him off, those little vibrations. Ross shot hard, eyes wide and unseeing, hands on Kev's shoulders holding tight.
The wood against his back scratched and caught against his skin, and sweat dripped out of his hairline as he leaned there, recovering.
"Did that kiss it better?"
"Uh huh." Ross grinned down, stroking Kev's hair, curling from the heat and sweat. "That eased the ache big time."
"Oh good."
Hauling Kev to his feet, Ross steadied them, thumbs rubbing over Kev's arms, the little hairs tickling. "You feeling better about it?"
"I don't think I'll ever understand it. But yeah. I'm okay now."
"Good. Come on. I think there's trifle."
"Lloyd's a good cook."
They straightened up clothes and cleaned off the spunk, heading on up to the house. "He is."
"Makes me wonder how you learned to cook, if your mom never does."
"Desperation, baby. Pure desperation.
***
"Damn. Someone's already in the barn." Eli stopped him with a hand on his arm, and sure enough Jed heard someone grunting, and it wasn't a pig.
&n
bsp; Well, maybe Ross qualified.
"We'll have to go somewhere else. Come on." He hauled Eli along, down the back of the property toward the stream. There'd be shade there, and a nice cool breeze along the water, and hopefully not too many damned mosquitoes.
"You think Kev is okay? He looked kinda freaked."
Jed nodded. "He was. I think he'll be fine once Ross gets done with him. Melted out of his worry."
He got a wicked grin and a single tug that stopped his forward progress dead so Eli could kiss him. Damn, that man was strong as an ox. The kiss tasted like sunshine and beer, and it made even the bright sun of that late afternoon fade as Eli bent him back and just *took* his mouth.
Goddamn, he loved that.
They kissed long and hard, ending up on their knees on the ground, just touching and licking, both of them moaning. They were such damned adrenaline junkies, whether it was Eli fighting fires and coming home horny, or him getting in a fight and just wanting it bad.
Squirming, he got his hand between them, opening Eli's jeans, and started rubbing that thick cock, wanting to get Eli off, wanting it so bad. Eli grunted, his scent rising up, musk and smoke. Jed tugged and pulled, fingers brushing black curls on the downstroke.
Eli got him out too, got his cock in one big hand and started up a rhythm guaranteed to kill him, pulling at him like crazy. The grass crunched under his knees as only mid-summer Colorado grass could, and the roaring in his ears owed nothing to the summer snow runoff.
It took maybe three minutes. Maybe less. Next thing Jed knew he was shouting and coming hard, his head falling back as Eli bit down on his throat hard enough to bruise. Eli came right on his heels, grunting as he shot, hot liquid spurting over Jed's wrist.
"MMmm. Damn, mister. That was fine."
"You know it, Thatcher. Was that trifle I saw up in the kitchen?"
"It was. Patriotic, even."
"I say we go get us some of that."
"Me too."
***
Ross had never had such damned fine trifle. The iced coffees Mandy whipped up were a great topping, and the company couldn’t be beat.