Broken Rules

by Jade Buchanan

  "Damn, you're all set, aren't you?"

  Jonah blushed. "Well, I've been looking forward to it. Haven't seen you in a month."

  "Not to mention the ten years before that."

  "Yeah, don't mention the ten years."

  Neil started to laugh. "Got it. Lips are zipped." He stepped into the Jeep and got settled while he waited for Jonah to get behind the wheel.

  Jonah turned to him with a grin. "Ready?"

  "Shit, yes." Neil reached forward and pulled Jonah toward him. Angling his head, he pressed his lips against Jonah's. Jonah moaned, tongue darting out to play. Neil opened his mouth, loving the feel of Jonah against him.

  Finally drawing apart, Neil touched his forehead against Jonah's. "Missed you."

  Jonah smiled sweetly. "Man, I missed you too. Come on, let's get out of here."

  The next half hour passed quickly. The two of them talked, laughed and reminisced between looking at the fat prairie they were driving across. Neil amused himself by occasionally brushing his fngers along Jonah's thigh and feeling how tense Jonah would get before relaxing. Oh yeah, this was going to be a fun weekend. He wasn't being crude about it but he was fucking dying to get inside Jonah. Or let Jonah have his ass. Either way, both of them were going to be pleasantly sore after the workout Neil had planned.

  Hell, he was surprised his hand didn't have a new callus after all the phone calls with Jonah. He'd never felt more like a teenager than the past month. Giddy, horny and tense. Lovely combination.

  "I think this is it," Jonah said, leaning forward over the steering wheel.

  If this was where they were going to spend the weekend, Neil was all for it. Nestled in amongst the trees were a variety of buildings and a few paddocks flled with horses. "Is this a working ranch?"

  "I think so. Not really too sure. I just found the information on their website and it sounded so cool. There are two cabins for rent, but the bigger one was already taken so we're in the little one."

  Neil glanced at two wood cabins as they drove past them. There was a space right off the gravel driveway that looked like it would ft a couple of cars. A small cabin was right in front with a larger one set on the other side of a patio with a picnic table and above ground hot tub. On the other side of the larger cabin was a view that nearly took Neil's breath away. A lake could be seen in the distance but it was the rolling green hills that captured his attention. That and the hint of majestic mountains in the background. Maybe on his next trip they could drive into the mountains. That'd be something for sure.

  "Think that's where we're staying?" he asked.

  Jonah slowed to nearly a crawl. Probably a good thing considering the two Labrador retrievers that came tearing out of one of the barns to dance around the vehicle. One was chocolate brown and the other a golden yellow. Neil couldn't help but grin at their happy faces. Neither barked, but he imagined they made quite the welcoming committee for unsuspecting visitors. Although, they were labs, so their welcome might consist of licking folks to death.

  "Those must be the cabins. We're in the little one. Merde. Where do we go to get the keys? I've never checked into

  something like this."

  Neil pointed to the white house set a little ways off from the cabins. "Maybe over there. Think that's the main place?"

  "Well, it's probably their house. I think they only have the two cabins to rent. They have someone who will take you horseback riding though, and their website showed they have spa services like massages and wraps. Not sure where those are done, though."

  Jonah pulled to a stop in front of the sprawling house just as the front door opened and a lady walked out onto the front porch. She lifted a hand in a wave which Jonah returned jauntily.

  They looked at each other. "This is going to be great," Neil said.

  "Let me go get the key and then we can get acquainted with our new cabin."

  Jonah slipped out of his door, barely managing to walk to the house with the two dogs merrily running around him.

  Neil glanced to the right, staring at the horses in the paddock. A few of them had come to investigate, their big heads were lowered over the top of the white fence holding them in. He'd never been on a horse and he really wasn't planning on it now. It was probably a draw for a lot of people, though. If he was into that sort of thing it might be fun.

  Fortunately, the only riding he intended to do this weekend involved their new bed. Or whatever other surface he could fnd. Not the hot tub, though. He wasn't that much of an exhibitionist.  

  "Welcome to our ranch. I'm Susan." The woman was trim and blonde, with a fippy hairdo that reminded him of one of his coworkers. Wearing a pair of longer denim shorts with a white sleeveless blouse she was ruining his image of someone who lived on a ranch. He'd expected jeans and plaid, and wasn't that a horrible thought. When had he moved to Stereotypistan?

  Jonah stepped forward to shake her hand. "Hi there. I'm Jonah. This is a great place you have."

  "We like it." Susan let out a chuckle. "Just ignore the monsters. They'll leave you alone eventually. Did you have a nice drive out?"

  "It was great. I'm really looking forward to the stay."

  "Excellent. Well, you're more than welcome to take a horse out once my husband gets home. Or let me know if you want me to come over and give you a massage or a wrap. The spa room is right inside your unit, so you don't even have to leave the place. I have your credit card on fle, so we'll charge that when you leave and add in any extras if you decide to take us up on one of them."

  "Sounds good."

  "Great. Why don't you go around and park beside the cabin and I'll walk over to let you in."

  Jonah nodded his acceptance before stepping back outside. Neil was staring away from him so it gave Jonah a moment to collect himself.

  He wiped his palms on his thighs. Why was he so nervous? Talking to Neil on the way in here had helped but just the simple act of getting out and getting the paperwork for their stay had him nearly sweating. This was Neil. He should be relaxed now that they fnally had the chance to spend some time together when Jonah wasn't dealing with the death of his mom. Not that he had dealt with any of that completely. He wasn't sure the pain of losing her, or the confusion he'd felt, would ever go away. Part of him still felt like she was back at home just waiting for him to come visit. He knew better, he really did. It was just going to take time.

  Neil had been amazing over the past month. When Jonah had left Ontario he wasn't sure what would happen with them. Neil had promised to keep in touch but Jonah didn't want to hold out hope. Hell, he'd never had a boyfriend before so he hadn't even been sure what Neil would expect from him. They lived across the country from each other. A relationship of any sort would be close to impossible to sustain. But, when the opportunity rose to have Neil come out, Jonah had jumped at it.

  He was determined to make this trip special. He wanted to discover everything he could about his childhood friend. When they were together it was almost like they'd never been separated, but there was still so much they'd missed out on. Half of the phone calls over the past weeks had been spent just telling stories about their experiences apart.

  With that came the realization that Jonah liked this older Neil. They'd grown up together but that was no guarantee that they'd still have anything in common when they moved away. Not only did they have just as much in common now, but the man Neil had become was fascinating. Jonah was proud of everything he'd accomplished. He knew what his dream was for his life and he reached for it with both hands.

  So different from Jonah. He seemed to falter at every turn. Or maybe he was just being too hard on himself. He cursed himself for it, but every once in awhile his father's words came back to chip away at his confdence.

  Shaking his head to get rid of those thoughts, Jonah walked back to his Jeep. "We're all set. She's going to meet us over here to show us how to get into the cabin and give us a quick tour."

  Neil grinned. "Excellent."

  It di
dn't take any time to drive over and park beside the smaller cabin. They walked together up the small pathway toward the front door of the cabin. It was set facing the hot tub, with a narrow porch in the front. A barbecue took up space on the right while a few chairs were set all cozy like on the left. A couple of windows and a Hitching Post sign completed the façade.

  Jonah turned as their hostess walked up another path. She was accompanied by three cats all weaving around her sandaled feet. Geez, she nearly had a zoo here. At least the dogs had fnally given up and gone somewhere else.

  "Okay, there's no big secret to getting in. There's no key, so just punch in the four digit code and press enter to let yourselves in. Five three two four. Got it?"

  "Sounds easy enough." Jonah replied.

  "Excellent, come on in then." Susan stepped inside and held open the door.

  Jonah instantly liked what he saw. The cabin was one big room. To the left of the door was a tiny kitchen barely big enough for one person to stand in. A white counter with a single sink was against the wall with a row of cupboards above it and a mini fridge underneath. To the side of the sink was a breakfast bar and two barstools. To the right of the door was a dark wood couch with red leather cushions. A matching chair was set to one side and a red leather recliner was on the other. In front of the couch was a river stone freplace and a small TV. The décor was most defnitely western, with cowboys and horses appearing in paintings and sculptures that had been set up around.

  Opposite the door was the bed, covered in a quilt made up of squares of different shades of red. End tables framed each side of the bed and were topped with lamps shaped like cowboy boots.

  "As you can see, it's set up pretty basic. The door over there leads to the bathroom and down the hall to the left is where you'll fnd the spa services. I'll be by in the morning with a basket for your breakfast, and you can use the kitchen tonight if you want to. We also like to recommend several restaurants in Strathmore if you want to go out to eat. I can make any reservations for you, so just let me know."

  "We should be good, but thanks," Neil said.

  Susan picked up a small book sitting on the breakfast bar. It had been placed beside a popcorn bowl full of what looked like goodies. "In here you'll fnd the phone number for our place, and feel free to call us if you need anything. We've left a few business cards in here with local restaurants and shopping. There's also a really great winery nearby and the directions are in here. Any questions?"

  "No, thanks. This looks fantastic."

  "Thank you. You boys have a great stay. I'll see you in the morning, then." Susan stepped back outside, taking the cats with her as she left.

  Jonah hesitated now that they were alone. He wanted to take up where they'd left off with that kiss in his Jeep but he wasn't sure how to initiate it. What was he, twelve? Just kiss him already.

  Neil looked at Jonah. "Pretty nice digs, here. I especially like the bed."

  Jonah snickered. "Thought you might. Looks cozy enough. Let's check out the rest of the place." They might as well since he was too chicken shit to make a move. He should have done it right away, now it didn't seem right. Again, he was acting like a twelve year old girl, all nervous and unsure.

  The bathroom was basic, but the shower was huge and defnitely gave him a few ideas that he didn't need to be thinking about right now. The spa room was a single room with a massage table set up in the center and a shower and sink against one wall. Moving back into the main room, Jonah glanced around. "Want to grab our bags and get settled before heading in to town for dinner?"

  Neil was digging through the popcorn bowl. "Sounds like a plan. Shit, there's chocolate, popcorn and candy in here. Guess what we're having later tonight?"

  "You're a dork."

  "Oh, take it back or you're going to get punished." Neil bent down and picked up a long object that had been hanging at the side of the breakfast bar. He held it aloft.

  "What is that?" Jonah stepped closer before he started to laugh. It was a long skinny piece of wood with a fap of black and white spotted material at the end. "Is that a fy swatter?"

  Neil tapped the material on his hand. "Yep, an honest to God Holstein fy swatter. This is defnitely real cowhide." He glanced up with a wicked grin.

  "Don't you dare."

  Neil's shoulders started to shake.

  "I mean it." Jonah held up a hand in warning.

  Neil pursed his lips.

  "Neil!"

  A bark of laughter erupted before Neil took an experimental swing of the swatter. "Could be fun for later."

  "In your dreams."

  "Oh, most defnitely. How'd you know?"

  "You're a dork." Jonah couldn't hold his grin in anymore.

  "Yep, we're positively using this later."

  Jonah shook his head before leading the way outside. Neil followed him, still snickering.

  Dinner ended up being at a casual restaurant where they both chowed down on burgers and fries. By mutual agreement they didn't want anything fancy or anything that was going to take them ages to eat.

  By the time they got back to the ranch, Jonah was feeling more than a little jittery. He'd made over a dozen aborted moves toward Neil at dinner and he didn't know what to do with his hands. Every time he moved he felt like everyone in the restaurant was watching them. Could they tell the two men were together? Nah, most probably assumed they were just friends. And why did it matter? Not like there were any laws against it. Completely the opposite, in fact. For some reason, though, he just couldn't settle.

  They both slid their shoes off and placed them beside the front door. Neil moved forward before turning and staring at Jonah.

  "I think I'm going to step into the shower real quick." Neil shrugged. "Need to get the airplane feel off."

  Jonah nodded slowly. "Sure. Okay. I'll, uh, just sit down and watch some TV or something."

  "Or you could join me."

  Neil hadn't just said that, had he? "Seriously?"

  The look on Neil's face was hot enough to scorch. "Seriously."

  "Okay. Yeah, I can do that." He fdgeted for a moment.

  Neil suddenly reached for him, pulling Jonah into his arms. "Come here for a minute."

  Jonah wilted, leaning into his friend. "What's wrong with me?"

  "You want me to list everything or ignore that?" Neil whispered into his neck.

  "I'm nervous."

  "I could tell. You nearly jumped out of your seat every time our waiter came to our table. You okay?"

  "Yeah, just being twelve."

  "Ah, I have no idea what that means."

  "It means I've wanted to touch you a dozen times today and keep freaking out."

  Neil pulled back slightly, a frown on his face. "You can touch me whenever you want."

  "Yeah, I know that. I mean, it's just weird. You're Neil."

  "Again, no clue."

  "It means you're my friend. And now, we're something more. But I don't know how to act." He'd never dealt with this before. Uncharted territory and he just kept freezing.

  "Ahh. Gotcha."

  "And what does that mean, enlightened one?" Jonah rolled his eyes.

  "It means it's time for you to get naked. I have the perfect remedy for nerves."

  Jonah started to laugh, and just that quickly he was relaxed again. Damn, Neil always knew what to say. Of course, it helped that sex came more naturally than any emotional stuff for Jonah. Neil kissed him, the movement slow and easy. They stayed that way for a moment, their lips touching gently.

  Neil pulled away, sliding his hands down Jonah's sides before lifting one and touching his cheek. He angled his head and lifted a single brow.

  Jonah nodded. With a cheeky grin, Neil walked backward toward the bed.

  Following him, Jonah pulled his shirt off and threw it on the quilt. Keeping his gaze on Neil, he unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans before sliding them and his briefs down his legs.

  "Shit, that's nice." Neil groaned.

  "It's your turn
to get naked now." Jonah replied, bending over to pull off his socks.

  Neil could have broken a land speed record in the time it took to whip his clothes off. Jonah barely had enough time to appreciate the view before Neil was striding toward him. They embraced again, this time skin against skin and it was nearly too much for him. Shit, Neil felt good. The feel of his naked body had Jonah's dick perking up, and by the redwood bumping his hip he knew Neil was similarly affected.

  Neil grasped Jonah's ass in both hands and ground their groins together. They moaned in unison. "Shit, we need to move this along or I'm going to embarrass myself right here."

  Jonah saw nothing wrong with that. He groaned when Neil stepped back out of his reach.