Cowboy Way (15 page)

T
HEY
arrived at the station and were escorted in to curious stares that made Ryan uncomfortable and nervous. Jake could sense it and made sure to keep touching him at all times, holding his hand and putting his hand on his back. When Ryan sat to give his statement, Jake stood behind him, hands on his shoulders, one of Ryans hands hanging onto his.

He told his story, the same way he had told it that morning, leaving out the most personal feelings he had expressed to his family. A couple of times, the officer he was speaking to looked up sharply and then looked at Ryan with sympathy before going back to her typing. When that was over, they were led to a door and asked to wait there for the chief. It was a short wait, but a hard one.

When she got there, Margo had some rules. Ryan was never to get close to Mike, and if he was asked to leave, he had to go, no questions asked. Ryan agreed. She opened the door and led them in. Mike looked up curiously when they came in, and his eyes narrowed sharply when he saw Jake and noticed that the two men were holding hands.

“I said I wanted to talk to Ryan, not any fucking cops, and not Ryans fuck-toy boyfriend. Just Ryan, or thats it, Im taking my chances with the courts.”

Jake looked at the chief and started objecting immediately. “Ryan is not staying in here by himself with that jackass—”

The chief interrupted him, putting up her hands in mock surrender against Jakes words. “I agree, Jake, its not proper—”

She was interrupted by a soft but firm statement from Ryan.
“Im staying.”
His eyes were locked on Mikes, and his hand was squeezing Jakes almost to the point of pain, but Jake knew he was serious. He put his hand on Ryans face, turning him gently to look into his eyes.
“Are you sure, babe?”
Ryan gave him a small smile, pressed their foreheads together, and gave him a quick kiss. Then he straightened up and pulled back.
“Its okay with me, Chief.”
She looked at him, considering her options, before turning back to Ryan.
“Are you sure?”
Ryan nodded, and she turned and left the room, leaving Jake to follow her after one last shared look with his boyfriend and a quick glare at Mike.
Once the door was closed, Ryan sat at the opposite end of the table from Mike and noticed for the first time that he was handcuffed to the table. He was kind of glad.
He looked at Mike and waited.
Mike just smiled at him strangely for a few minutes before finally speaking.
“So thats your boyfriend? He bruised my hand.” He sounded pissy.
Ryan held up his bruised wrist. “Guess were even, then.”
Mikes eyes widened for a second before his face went back to the emotionless smirk of before.
“You really are fucking gay, arent you, Ryan?” He shook his head like he just couldnt believe it.
“Yeah, well, so are you, Mike.”
Mike gasped and tried to get up but was stopped by the handcuffs. “
No, I’m not!
” He yelled it, but there was no real conviction behind the words, and they both knew it.
“So, you think all straight guys go around hitting on other guys? On their friends?”
“I wasnt hitting on you!”
“What do you call it, then, Mike?” Ryans voice was calm, and you would have thought he was just having a normal, everyday conversation with a friend. “What do you call it when you touch someone all the time, when you flirt and try to kiss them?”
Mike looked defeated for a moment. But denial is a powerful thing, and he wasnt quite ready to give up yet.
“I wasnt hitting on you, Ryan. I was setting you up to slap you down.” They both knew he was lying.
“Okay, so why didnt you tell everyone that when they found us that night, instead of lying, and letting people think that I….” Ryan still couldnt say it.
Ryans pain seemed to fuel something in Mike, something mean.
“You are so stupid, Ryan. They wanted to believe it. All of them. It didnt take much, not answering a question here, a little tear and a sigh there. They ate it up.” He had an evil smile on his face. But there was something else there too. The same thing that Ryan had seen at the bar last night. Self-loathing.

O
UTSIDE
the room, unbeknownst to Ryan and Mike, the chief, Jake, and the cop who had taken Ryans statement stood watching and listening through the one-way mirror. Jake was angry but knew that he had to keep his cool and be there for Ryan.

All of a sudden, there was a scuffle at the front desk, and a man was striding toward the chief, yelling at the top of his lungs.

“What the fuck is going on, Ramsey? Wheres my son?” Jake could see the chief sigh before answering the man. “Mr. Harris, Mike requested a meeting with Mr.

Andrews, and so we gave it to him. Theyre in the interview room now.”
Mr. Harriss face was purple.
“You have my boy locked in that room with that fucking pervert? What the hell is wrong with you? Ill have your badge for this.”
He was still screaming when he turned and reached for the door to open it.
“Touch that door, Mr. Harris, and you and your son will be in adjoining cells.” The chief spoke with deadly authority, and the hand stopped.
“Now, come over here and pay attention. You might learn something useful!”
Mikes father looked like he was going to argue, but the chief arched her eyebrow, and something about her look told him to behave. He walked over to the glass and looked in. His eyes widened dramatically when he saw the look on his sons face. All the color left his face as he heard the awful words his youngest child had to say.

and your money, you think it can get you out of anything. But it didnt, did it? They listened to me, paid attention to what I said. They didnt care if it was true or not, they just wanted to believe me. My father believed me.” His voice trailed off to almost a whisper, obviously not even seeing Ryan in that second.

Ryan could see that Mike was losing control of his emotions. He looked at him and wanted to hate him, but he couldnt. He felt nothing of the love he used to feel when he saw this boy. All he felt was pity. And it showed on his face.

Mike started yelling, his eyes bulging, spit flying from his mouth.
“Dont you fucking pity me, you fucking faggot. I dont need your pity. I have everything, you have nothing. No one believes in you, not one of them did. My dad believes me now, listens to me. Who cares if it was a fucking lie?”
He was screaming with rage as Ryan stood up and headed for the door. Jake moved to meet him.
“Thats right, Ryan, run away again. Run away and never come back!”
Ryan turned one last time and spoke quietly.
“Im done running, Mike. I dont have to anymore. Everyone knows the truth now, and I have what I need from you. Good-bye, Mike, I hope you find peace someday.” He turned and walked out the door into Jakes arms.

A
S
R
YAN
pulled his old truck into the driveway of the ranch and came to a stop, he looked around and smiled. His life had changed so much in the ten months since he had first pulled in to this place.

When he turned into here the first time, he had been lost and alone. He had felt like a burden on his family and had left them behind to make his own way, and until then, he hadnt been doing a very good job of it.

Jake had changed all that for him. In Jake he had found a soul mate, someone who gave him the strength to turn his life around. Hed found love and understanding, all in the form of a beautiful blue-eyed man who made his heart stutter every time he saw him.

Jake was a man who was beautiful on the inside too. The events of last November proved that. Jake had given him back his family. His love had given Ryan the strength to go back to his hometown and face his fears. His name had been cleared, and he had walked out of that police station a stronger person.

When they got back to the farm, the whole family was waiting to have the delayed Thanksgiving dinner they had missed. He had gotten more kisses and hugs from his mother and both grandmothers than he could ever remember getting, and his dad had beamed with happiness the whole day.

They had arrived back in Galesburg a month later, having caught a ride on Ryans grandmother Evelyns plane so they could be there for Christmas. Sometimes having a rich relative had its perks. It was the happiest he could remember being in a long time.

And the reason for that happiness rode up, looking almost exactly like he had the first time Ryan saw him. Ryans heart skipped a couple of beats at the picture of Jake, shirtless and barefoot, riding that gorgeous horse bareback. God damn, if he took a picture of that, he could make a fortune selling it, only he liked that it was all just for him.

There was no hesitation in getting out of the truck this time. And he was pretty sure that his boyfriend knew exactly the kind of effect he was having on him.

When those mesmerizing blue eyes peeked out from under that straw hat, he saw playfulness and heat, his favorite combination.

“Hello, cowboy, what brings you my way?” That low drawl sent shivers down Ryans spine.
“I was just looking for a new ride. Can you help a guy out?”
Jake lifted the brim of his hat a little so Ryan could see his eyes better, before responding.
“Well, it aint exactly new, but Im willing to share.” He reached a hand down to Ryan and scooted back to give him room. He helped Ryan up in front of him, and Ryan reached down and pulled off his boots and socks and dropped them on the ground, looking over his shoulder to give Jake a sexy wink and a grin.
“Comfy?” He could hear the smirk in Jakes voice.
“Not yet!” Ryan reached back with both hands and pulled Jake against him before grabbing the reins. “Im driving.”
Jake chuckled. “Fine with me, leaves my hands free for other things.” He spoke quietly into Ryans ear, the warm air, blowing over sensitive skin, causing him to shake a little.
Both arms came up around Ryans waist, and he was pulled back against Jakes chest in a hug that made him feel cherished and safe. They rode like that for a while, Jake humming in his ear, and he felt content. Then he realized that Jakes fingers were on his shirt buttons.
“Are you trying to get me naked on a horse, Jake Evans?” He felt warm lips on the back of his neck, kissing and sucking, leaving little marks down the top of his spine.
“Just trying to even things out, babe.” Jake pulled Ryans shirt back off his arms and put it behind him, sitting on it a little so he didnt lose it. Then his hands were everywhere, and Ryan reveled in the feeling of them, hot and seeking on his chest, caressing his stomach, tweaking his nipples, raking through his chest hair. Ryan was finding it hard to catch his breath, and he liked it.
Soon those naughty hands were sliding down to the button of his jeans, and his cock was getting harder by the second. Jake very slowly lowered the zipper on Ryans jeans, deliberately rubbing over the hardness beneath it. Ryan couldnt help the moan that escaped his lips.
There was a hot mouth on his neck, and it all felt so good, he wanted to return the favor. He reached one hand back to wrap it around Jakes neck and pulled him in for a sloppy sideways kiss that curled both their toes.
Jakes hand reached into Ryans jeans and pulled his aching cock out of his boxers, giving it a few light, frustrating strokes. Ryan almost growled in frustration before getting an idea. He pushed back a little, shoving Jake further back on the horse, then swung one leg over so that he was sitting sideways and slid the other one over in front of Jakes awed eyes so that he was facing Jake.
The look on Jakes face was priceless. Ryan reached out and pulled his boyfriend forward again before lifting his legs to wrap around Jakes waist. The reins were wrapped loosely around the saddle horn, and Storm pretty much just kept wandering in the general direction they needed to go. Hed been on this trip before.
Ryans hands came up and wrapped themselves around Jakes neck, pulling him down for a breathless kiss that had his boyfriends heart almost pounding out of his chest.
“Ryan.” His name was a whispered gasp. He looked up into those bottomless blue eyes as his hands smoothed down Jakes hard chest, and the love he saw there almost overwhelmed the lust, and it made his heart stutter for a second. Jake pulled back a little, and Ryan leaned into him, placing tiny, heartwarming kisses on his neck and shoulders, following his collarbone, before kissing his way down to one of Jakes nipples.
When he pulled the hard little nub into his mouth, he bit down a little, loving Jakes moan of pleasure-pain, before using his tongue to soothe away the pain.
“Not fair, Ryan.” Jake was almost whining with pleasure.
“Turned the tables on you, didnt I?” He was nibbling on every bit of skin he could reach. “Hmm, you taste good.” He swirled his tongue over muscle, loving the feeling of Jakes skin under his mouth. He could spend hours tasting his beautiful boyfriend, and in fact, he usually did.
Ryan slid his hands down, smiling at the way those tight stomach muscles rippled with pleasure under his fingers. He undid Jakes jeans and slid his hand in to pull out his weeping cock, moans coming from deep in Jakes chest as Ryan stroked him. Finally, Jake couldnt take it anymore, and he knocked away the hand touching him, ignoring Ryans whimper of protest. He put one hand on Ryans ass, pulling him as close as he could, then wrapped those long, agile fingers around both of them, stroking roughly, relishing the broken sounds coming from the blond who was practically in his lap.
Jake looked up for a second and realized that they had come to their special clearing. He smiled as he remembered the first time he had brought Ryan here. It had changed his life. He still had one question he had never asked, though.
“Ryan, baby, look at me.” Ryan looked up at him through dark eyelashes but was having trouble keeping his eyes open against the pleasure of Jakes hand, so Jake stopped moving it, just kept holding on.
“I need to ask you something.” Ryan smiled and nodded for him to continue, not even realizing that his hips were instinctively trying to move against Jakes hand.
“That first night, when you went for your bath, what were you thinking about? I mean, I know it was me. I heard you, but what… what was I doing?” He looked down at his hand, holding them together, and he kept rubbing his other hand up and down Ryans back, but he couldnt look him in the eye while he waited for his answer.
“Jake, darlin, you are too cute. Here you are, giving me a hand job on a horse, and you cant look me in the eye when youre asking me about my fantasy?” He slid his hands back up around Jakes neck, pulling him down a little, so he could whisper in his ear.
“I was imagining you, the first moment I saw you, looking like this, in jeans and a hat, sexy and sweating, sliding off this horse and dropping to your knees and giving me the blowjob of my life.” He flicked his tongue over the shell of Jakes ear, taking pride in the intake of breath it caused. But he gave a disappointed whine when Jake let go of him and slid off the horse.
Jake reached his hands up, helping Ryan down to stand in front of him before curling his hand around the back of Ryans neck and pulling him in for a soul-searing kiss. When he came up for air, he confessed to Ryan.
“After I heard you, I went upstairs and jerked off, and we must have been sharing a mind, because I was imagining sucking you off, you looking down at me with those chocolate eyes of yours.”
Ryan smiled at the thought, and before he could say anything, Jake dropped to his knees, taking Ryan into his mouth in one breath, and it was like everything Ryan had imagined that night.
Jake seemed to have a talent for this, right from the first time he did it. He swallowed Ryan down, using both hands on his ass to control his movements, pulling him further into his mouth. Jake loved everything about this. How Ryan felt on his tongue, the taste of him, the delicious sounds he made, and just like in his dream, he loved it when Ryan twisted his fingers in his hair and pulled, just a little. He had grown his hair out a little longer, for that reason. It gave Ryan something to hold on to.
“Jake?” Jake opened his eyes and looked up at that rough voice, the one that said that Ryan was getting close. “Touch yourself, baby. I want to see.”
Jakes hand let go of Ryans hip, so he could reach down and give himself a little relief. He stroked quickly, keeping in time with the movements of his mouth on Ryan. He pulled off for a moment and slicked a finger into his mouth before inhaling him again. Ryans whimpers and cries were overwhelming his senses. The smell of Ryan and sex and the woods around them was his favorite smell now, like Ryan was something untamed that needed to be taken in the wild.
He slipped his wet finger around and slid it into Ryans ass, trying to hold Ryan still with that same hand. He prepared himself for the other mans reaction by pulling back just a little. He used a little extra suction, and slid his finger in further at the same time, finding Ryans prostate with practiced ease. He felt Ryan tense, and he came with a shout down Jakes throat, and Jake swallowed it all, forgetting himself and wrapping both arms around Ryan to keep him from falling.
He slid up Ryans body, never letting go, and just held him while he came down from his orgasm. When Ryan could speak again, he clutched Jake to him tightly, raining kisses on his face and chanting Jakes name over and over again.
They stood there for a while, just holding each other, kissing lazily, until Ryan realized that Jake was still hard.
He grinned devilishly. “Need some help with that?” He was about to return the favor when Jake stopped him.
“Hold on.” Jake walked over to what looked like a box hidden under a bush and grabbed the blanket he had stashed there, secretly wanting to surprise Ryan.
He spread it out on the ground before walking back to Ryan and removing the rest of his clothes. “Ryan, its a sin that you have to wear clothes, sweetheart. You are too beautiful to be covered up.” Ryan dropped his chin and blushed, like he always did when Jake complimented him like that. Then he raised his head and smirked a little.
“Could be dangerous doing farm chores naked, Jake. And besides, we would go through a hell of a lot of sun block. And if I gotta be naked, so do you.”
He dropped down, pulling off Jakes jeans and boxers. Soon they were standing naked together, each one thinking the other was the most amazing sight he had ever seen.
Jake took Ryans hand and led him to the blanket, stopping to grab his jeans, then gently lowering him to the ground before laying himself on top of him. The brush of his cock against Ryan almost had him coming right there, but that wasnt how he wanted to do it. His eyes locked with Ryans, and he reached for the jeans beside him again, sliding a small bottle of lube out of his pocket. They had both been tested, twice, three months apart, and had done away with condoms when they both were deemed clean. He put the bottle in Ryans hand.
“Make love to me, Ryan.” He rolled them over so that Ryan was on top and opened his legs to let Ryan rest between them.
Ryan leaned down and licked his way into that sinful mouth, softly at first, until his feelings overwhelmed him, and he was kissing Jake so hard that he scraped his lip on sharp teeth, and blood beaded on it.
Jake held Ryans head still as he licked and soothed the spot before kissing his way across his jaw and down his neck. Things slowed a little then, the urgency gone, feelings of love and comfort and home overriding the
now, now, now
of the moment. Jakes hands were sliding off Ryans face and down and around his shoulders, long arms wrapping around and strong but gentle fingers tracing nonsense patterns on tanned skin, relaxing tense muscles.
Ryan was getting hard again, just from the feeling of Jake against him, and he knew that his boyfriend could do this to him every time.
He kissed his way down Jakes body, leaving little red marks with his teeth, then soothing them with his tongue, trying with every touch to let Jake know how much he was loved. He nuzzled into the hollow of his hipbone, breathing in the scent of Jakes arousal and smiling, because it was just for him. When his lips finally found Jakes length, the broken moan made his heart clench, like always, so happy that he could made his man feel so good.
Jakes hands found his hair, and Ryan looked up into stormy blue eyes as he slid his mouth down, one hand on Jakes hip, keeping him from bucking up into Ryans mouth while the other traced over a strong thigh, then slid below, one finger rubbing over his entrance, causing it to pulse and then relax.
Urgent hands were pulling at him, wanting him to stop, and Ryan whined in protest.
“Ryan, stop, please.” He pulled a little harder on Ryans hair. “Dont wanna come like this, want you in me.” Jakes voice was hoarse with the effort of holding back. Ryan reluctantly pulled off, lunging up to claim Jakes lips again before pulling back and grabbing the bottle of lube he had dropped on the blanket.
He drizzled some on his fingers and slid them once over Jakes cock before reaching down to gently slide one into him, finding his prostate almost immediately. He loved to do this sometimes. Sit back and watch Jakes face as he gently prepared him, watching as he fell apart and waited for Ryan to put him back together again.
“God, Ryan, God, more.” Jake was panting out the words now as Ryan slid in another finger and then another. Finally, Jake was begging.
“Please, please, please, now, Ryan, now!!”
Ryan pulled his fingers out, sliding Jakes legs up onto his shoulders, leaning in to kiss him once more before lining himself up and pushing in.
Jakes long, needy moan made Ryan catch his breath. “I gotcha, babe, right here with you.”
When he was all the way in, he stopped for a second to let Jake adjust, to wait for his signal, and when those blue eyes opened again, they locked with his. Jakes arms grabbed Ryans hips and pulled him close, and Ryan started moving.
“Love you, Ryan, so much, dont stop, fuck, please, dont stop.”
“Love you too, Jake, I wont, I promise.”
He leaned in for another kiss, feeling Jakes hardness rubbing against his belly, knowing it wasnt gonna last long for either of them.
Jakes hips were snapping up to meet his downward thrusts, each one trying to get Ryan as far into Jake as possible, feeling like they wanted to be in each others skin.
Jake was begging again. “Touch me, Ryan, I need….”
Ryan knew what he needed. He leaned all his weight on one arm and reached between them, wrapping greedy fingers around velvet steel. The throb and pulse of the cock in his hand was just one more layer of sensation. He stroked gently at first, until Jake whined in frustration, needing more friction. Ryan tightened his grip, twisted his wrist a little on each upstroke, and Jakes hips stuttered, then stopped for one second before his back arched, and he thrust his whole body against Ryan, a keening wail from his throat was Ryans name, and he came hard, ribbons of white heat splashing over both of them.
Watching Jake go over the edge was too much for Ryan. One more thrust into that clenching heat and he threw back his head and emptied himself into Jake. Even in his orgasminduced haze, Jake could feel every pulse inside him.
Ryan collapsed on Jake, and he felt Jakes arms tighten around him, holding him close, like he was afraid Ryan would go somewhere. Ryan lay there, whispering words of love and comfort until he could move again, but when he tried to slide off, he was kept in place by strong arms.
“Stay.” It was a whispered plea.