Without a Trace

by Lynn Hagen

  “I’d listen to him if I were you.” Mercy winked. “He can be a real tiger when riled.”

  “I promise to rest.” Red tossed the blanket over his chest. “But I can’t do that with you two hovering around.”

  “I’ll be in my office trying to resurrect my computer,” Lincoln said.

  That reminded Red. As soon as Lincoln was out of the room, Red pulled his phone out and showed Mercy. “Just need your credit card info.”

  Mercy eyed him.

  “You don’t have to worry,” Red said acerbically. “I’m not gonna steal the info.”

  “It’s not that.” Mercy tucked the blanket around Red. “You’re a very mysterious man, Red. I’m just trying to figure you out.”

  “Don’t.” Red lay his head down as Mercy filled out the information on the phone. Red was mildly surprised Mercy knew the credit card information by heart.

  “Here you go.” He handed the phone back to Red. “I’ll get you a fresh glass of water.”

  Mercy got off the edge of the couch and walked out of the room. Red looked to where Lincoln had walked down the hallway. He clutched the throw blanket tighter around him, burrowing into the soft couch, wondering if maybe it was time for him to move on.

  Chapter Four

  “It looks like Christmas in here.” With a cup of coffee in hand, Lincoln leaned against the doorframe of his office and watched as Red opened a ton of boxes. “You sure you got enough things?”

  “I only ordered what I needed.” Red was sitting on the floor among computer things that Lincoln couldn’t even name. But his mate’s eyes were lit up, and he had a smile on his face. “It might take me the rest of the day to put all this together and get it up and running.”

  Lincoln didn’t have a problem with that. With Red in his office, he was assured he couldn’t be injured or pass out in the heat. And today was another scorcher.

  Not even Lincoln was working outside. He’d left the horses in the stable with the central air and told the men to make sure they had plenty of water and sunscreen as they worked their various tasks.

  “Take your time.” Lincoln looked Red over, and his cock became half-hard. His mate was a beautiful sight. Tall, lean, with a head full of brownish-red hair and the prettiest green eyes.

  He thought about those puckered bullet hole scars he’d seen on his mate’s chest, and Lincoln wanted to know the story behind them. Red had been on the ranch for weeks and Lincoln still knew very little about him.

  Red looked up at him. “I never asked what happened to Rhinestone. Is he okay?”

  “I had the vet come out yesterday while you were resting on the couch. It’s muscle soreness. The vet gave him some supplements for it. Rhinestone is old and doesn’t like to move around a lot. I have Adam taking him for morning walks to help loosen him up.”

  Red nodded. “Mornings are the coolest time.”

  Lincoln moved a chair that had been in front of his desk close to the door, making sure to keep enough distance between them, and took a seat. “He’s twenty-five years old, and I’m trying to make his remaining days comfortable. He just gets so stubborn sometimes, refusing to go out to the pasture to graze and exercise.”

  Mercy walked in with a plate of sandwiches. It was after twelve, and Lincoln was starving. His brother had spoiled him with his schedule of eating, and Lincoln had become used to having his food at a certain time.

  “Something to nourish you fellas.” He set the plate on the desk. “I’ll be back with drinks.”

  “Thanks.” Red got up and snatched a sandwich from the plate as Mercy walked out. “Your brother is a gem.”

  So are you. Lincoln nodded his thanks when Red picked up the plate and handed it to him. “He means everything to me.”

  Red sat back down, crossed his legs, and placed his sandwich on his knee. They sat in companionable silence as Lincoln watched his mate work. There was no mistaking the joy on his face, especially when he moved everything to the desk and started typing.

  There was peacefulness to him, as if working with computers was what grounded him and brought him happiness. Red was so engrossed in his work that he hadn’t said anything about Lincoln being in the room.

  To be honest, it seemed as if Red had forgotten Lincoln was even there. He hadn’t even looked up when Mercy brought their iced teas, hadn’t acknowledged Mercy giving him the glass.

  “He’s definitely in his own world,” Mercy commented before he left.

  This was the first time since meeting his mate that Lincoln could stare his fill without Red finding a reason to run off. Not that he was being creepy about it. He just liked watching Red work. He had a focus about him that Lincoln hadn’t seen before in his mate.

  This was Red’s calling.

  His mate finally looked up, and his eyes widened slightly, as if surprised Lincoln was still in the room. “You don’t have to sit there. Trust me, this work is boring.”

  Lincoln wasn’t going to be kicked out of his own office. “I don’t mind. Seeing my computer built is kind of interesting.”

  That wasn’t wholly true, but watching Red build it was the interesting part.

  “Right now I’m just installing your hard drives, operating system, network drive, software, and then I’ll have to do updates. I’m also going to be installing the latest malware program, which I’ve tweaked a little. Unless you surf porn all day long, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting any viruses.”

  Lincoln chuckled. “Getting a virus from surfing porn?”

  Red grinned. It was genuine and warm and made Lincoln’s heart flutter. “Exactly. So unless you want a nasty virus, stay off the porno sites.”

  It seemed Red was most comfortable talking about computers. He seemed relaxed, and his humor was coming out. “What if I do get a virus? You gonna be the one who doctors me this time?”

  Red crackled his knuckles. “I’ll wipe it out for you, but just because I can doesn’t mean you should be on sites you’re not old enough to visit.”

  That made Lincoln laugh. If Red only knew that Lincoln was one hundred and seventy-five years old. “Those sites aren’t my cup of tea.”

  “Good.” Red stuck his nose back into the computer.

  Why would Lincoln want to watch others having sex? It would only make him want his mate even more, and since Red wasn’t open to the idea just yet, Lincoln wasn’t going to torture himself.

  * * * *

  Red finally felt better. Two days after passing out, he woke without feeling as if his skin was too tight for his body. He still wasn’t looking forward to working in the heat. He’d enjoyed the central air yesterday while building Lincoln’s computer. He’d been in the zone, finally feeling alive again.

  He’d also enjoyed Lincoln’s quiet company. The guy hadn’t talked his ear off, distracting Red from his work. It had been comfortable, having the cowboy sitting in the room with him.

  But in a way, it had been distracting. Red hadn’t had sex in several months, and fuck, he was horny as hell. Having such a gorgeous guy watching him the entire afternoon had made Red thankful he’d been seated behind the desk to hide his boner.

  He got up, showered, and skipped breakfast to go check on Rhinestone. Red had become attached to the horse and wanted to make sure he felt better.

  It was still dark out as Red made his way from the bunkhouse to the stables. The wide sliding doors were already open on both ends, lending a cool feeling in the breezeway.

  Adam had already put a rope on Rhinestone’s bit and was leading him out. The horse, even at his age, looked majestic as he walked out of his stall.

  “Do you mind if I walk him this morning?” Red asked.

  Adam looked at him in surprise, as if he hadn’t expected anyone to be there. “Lincoln charged me with his morning walks.”

  It was still hard as fuck to understand the guy. His jaw had barely moved.

  “I don’t mind.” Red walked up and brushed his hand over Rhinestone’s soft coat of fur. He could take Rhi
nestone toward the fences and kill two birds with one stone. Red had already planned on checking the fences for broken wires, and this was the perfect opportunity where the oppressive heat wouldn’t bear down on him.

  By the time they got there, the skies should’ve lightened, enabling Red to see better.

  Adam stared long and hard at Red before handing over the rope. “Don’t walk him too fast, and if he stops, let him have a break.”

  “Okay.” Red took the rope and headed out of the stables. Rhinestone walked next to him at an even pace.

  “Don’t worry, boy.” Red patted the horse’s nose. “We’ll go as slow as you like.”

  It took them nearly half an hour to get out to the fence line. When they arrived, Red stopped and let the horse rest for a bit. There was one thing he enjoyed about waking at the crack of dawn.

  Watching the sun rise. It was the most beautiful sight Red had ever seen, and he still hadn’t tired of it. It was also peaceful out there with the slight wind, the grass rustling, just him and Rhinestone.

  “Too bad life isn’t like this.” He petted Rhinestone’s side. “Peaceful and relaxing.”

  Red snapped his head around when he heard a four-wheeler getting closer. He couldn’t make out who was riding it, but Rhinestone started to step back and forth, whining nervously, his eyes wide.

  “Whoa, boy.” Red kept a tight hold on the rope. He didn’t want to have to explain to Lincoln that the horse had gotten nervous and taken off.

  Then he heard the rapport of a gunshot echoing in the open plain. Rhinestone reared to his hind legs then took off, trying to pull Red along with him. Red had no choice but to let the rope go unless he wanted to be dragged along.

  The sound of the gunshot made his insides freeze and memories slammed into him. Red dropped and curled into a fetal position. There was nowhere he could run. It was all open land.

  He covered his head with his arms and smashed his eyes closed, hearing that voice taunting Arturo to come into the kitchen. When Arturo refused, the gunman had shot Red.

  His chest felt as if it were on fire. Red couldn’t get enough air into his lungs. His head pounded, along with his heart.

  “Easy. It’s okay, Red. It’s just me, Lincoln.”

  Those words refused to register. Red smelled his own blood. Felt the pain, heard the taunting voice, tasted the bile in his throat.

  “Red, look at me, hon.” A hand touched his arm, and Red jerked, whimpering as he tightened his arms on his head. “There was a coyote bearing down on you. I had to shoot it. You’re safe.”

  Lincoln kept talking softly to him, his soothing voice slowly penetrating the fear Red was drowning in.

  Then Lincoln scooped Red into his lap and held him, rocked him, and continued to talk to him.

  “Are we alone?” Red’s own voice sounded foreign to his ears.

  “It’s just you and me.” Lincoln slid his hand down Red’s back. “Take deep and cleansing breaths.”

  Ever so slowly, Red opened his eyes. He wasn’t in Arturo’s kitchen. There weren’t any bad guys standing around him. His wounds were healed, not fresh and bloody.

  He buried his face in Lincoln’s chest, drawing on the man’s strength, flooding his lungs with Lincoln’s masculine scent of leather and campfires.

  “How’re we doing?” Lincoln’s hand slid up Red’s back and then down to his waist.

  “I’m getting there,” Red said. He’d already calmed down, but it felt so good to be held, to have hard muscles encompassing him. He’d forgotten just how much he loved having a man wrapped around him.

  Lincoln swept his hand over Red’s nape and held it there.

  “However long it takes.” Lincoln rested his cheek against Red’s hair. “It’s just you and me and this gorgeous sunrise.”

  “And a dead coyote.”

  Lincoln grunted. “That, too.”

  Red tilted his head back to ask how Lincoln knew about the danger, but all he saw were stunning green eyes—eyes that pulled him in and threatened to steal his very breath.

  Lincoln leaned down but hesitated. Lost in the turmoil of emotions that still gripped him, Red slid his hand to the back of Lincoln’s head and pulled him down.

  Their kiss set off fireworks inside Red. It was slow, sensual, and filled Red with a burning desire to be conquered by this big, strong man.

  Lincoln smoothed his hand down Red’s side, turned them, and placed Red on his back. Lincoln stretched out beside him, his lips hungry, his touch gentle.

  When Lincoln tried to pull away, Red gripped him harder, keeping him in place. “Just another second.”

  Red needed more time to lose himself in Lincoln before reality set in and his day began. He needed this stolen moment in time to feel like his old self, to forget his fears and what had happened to him.

  Red groaned and jerked his hips forward when Lincoln pressed a heavy hand against the hard outline in his jeans. Red huffed out a breath, grinding his swollen cock against Lincoln’s palm.

  God yes! This was what Red wanted, needed, craved. Lincoln unfastened Red’s jeans and snaked his hand inside, curling his fingers around Red’s erection.

  “Fuck,” Red groaned. “Get me off, please.”

  Lincoln deepened the kiss as he pumped his fist, pressing the pad of one of his fingers into the slit. He twisted his wrist, working Red’s cock, driving his need higher and higher.

  Red was fucking unhinged, ready to strip naked and get on his hands and knees. Nothing else mattered. Just Lincoln, his hand, and Red’s cresting orgasm.

  Red fumbled with Lincoln’s snap. He got it undone, and then he lowered the zipper. Red wanted a fat dick in his hand, to remember what it felt like to be wild and crazy and not caring.

  He palmed Lincoln’s cock and groaned at the hot flesh so hard that it was like silk over steel.

  “Shit, Red,” Lincoln moaned against his lips. “Just like that, baby.”

  A blast of lust shot through Red. He wanted to feel Lincoln’s cock in his ass, pounding against him, but he seriously doubted the guy had a condom and packet of lube in his pocket.

  When Lincoln used his other hand to snake down the back of Red’s jeans and tapped at his hole, Red nearly lost his ever-loving mind. He shoved backward, needing to be filled.

  Finger, cock, toy, that didn’t matter to Red.

  Lincoln pulled back and looked Red in the eyes as he sank his finger in. Red gasped, and his eyes fluttered closed as Lincoln crooked that thick digit, setting off an explosion inside Red’s body.

  Red cried out, punching his hips upward as he came. His seed shot everywhere as Lincoln continued to stroke him. For a moment Red had forgotten about the fat cock in his hand. He turned sideways and used his cum to coat his hand.

  “How’s this?” He smirked.

  Lincoln fell to his back, shoving his pants and underwear down his muscled thighs. “Fuck, finish me off, beautiful.”

  Red slid to his stomach and nuzzled Lincoln’s heavy sac, licking the wrinkled skin that was drawn tight to the man’s body. He pumped his fist in a furious motion until Lincoln arched his back and shouted his release.

  Red laid his head on one of Lincoln’s thighs and cursed his libido for making him cross a line he said he wouldn’t cross. He’d gotten caught up in the moment, had let his hormones take over.

  But Red couldn’t find it in himself to regret what they’d just done. He’d been attracted to Lincoln since setting foot on the ranch, had wanted the guy, and had even jacked off to fantasies of them fucking.

  “Come here.” Lincoln patted his chest.

  When Red lifted up, Lincoln pulled his pants and underwear back up. Red rested next to Lincoln, placing his head on the guy’s chest as the sun began to rise higher.

  Red shot into a sitting position. “Rhinestone!”

  “He’ll go back to the stables,” Lincoln said. “Besides, the fence will stop him from getting off the property.”

  Now that Red was no longer touching Lincoln, realit
y set in. “We need to get moving. The others are awake and out of the bunkhouse. I don’t need any of them finding us in this compromising position.”

  Especially Jason. Not that Red gave two shits about what Jason thought, but he had to live and work with the guy. He didn’t want to hear any more remarks about how he was the boss’s pet. Red’s patience went only so far.

  With a groan, Lincoln got up and helped Red to his feet. Lincoln dipped his head and went in for a mind-blowing kiss that left Red breathless.

  “Something to think about while you’re working today.” Lincoln winked.

  Red snorted. “You’ve already given me plenty to think about.”

  Like he could think about anything else. Red wished they’d had more time, had more privacy. He’d just gotten off, yet he still yearned for Lincoln.

  He mentally shook his head, knowing damn well he was now addicted to the guy’s touch.

  Lincoln swatted his ass, eliciting a yelp from Red. “Come on. I’ll give you a ride back, handsome.”

  When they arrived at the stables, Adam had Rhinestone’s rope and was talking with Jason. He turned a glare at Red. “This is how you take him for a goddamn walk?”

  “Watch your tone,” Lincoln said as they dismounted. “He got spooked after I shot a coyote. It wasn’t Red’s fault.”

  Lincoln’s words seemed to fall on deaf ears. Adam still scowled at Red, and so did Jason.

  Red had a list of things to do, and dealing with their shit wasn’t on it. He walked away and smiled to himself, a pep in his step as he headed toward the barn.

  Chapter Five

  After making sure Rhinestone was back in his stall, and having it out with Adam, Lincoln drove back to where he’d shot the coyote. He needed to bury the carcass so it wouldn't attract other animals.

  In the back of his mind, he prayed it was a wild animal and not a shifter. Then again, even if it had been a shifter, going after Red like that had been a death sentence. Lincoln had had a heart attack when he’d seen that coyote bearing down on Red.