endoftheline (4 page)

“Yep. Kids these days just don’t get that.”

Chance nodded. “It’s definitely a different mindset, you got that right.”

“Still I’m surprised there wasn’t any high-schooler looking for a summer job snapping up work at the feed store. Guess that was my luck.” Bastrop wasn’t the first place he’d been looking.

“The FFA kids volunteer a lot, but the kids don’t want all the hours, not when they can drive half an hour and work in the mall near a bunch of other kids.”

“They do seem to move in packs, don’t they?” God, had he ever been that young? He supposed he had been, but damn, he felt sometimes like he was from a different species.

“Hell, yes. There’s no such thing as one kid.” Chance chuckled, swatted at a fly.

“You realize we’re now officially old men?” He gave Chance a wink.

“Oh, hell yes. I keep expecting my hair to fall out alongside my teeth.” He got another of those laughs, the sound filling the air.

“I hope not, that would be a shame.” Damn, had he said that out loud?

Chance gave him a grin and a wink. “Yeah, I agree. Still, we’re looking fine for old dudes. I mean, you take damned good care of yourself.”

He shrugged. “Just do what’s habit.”

“I’m more just lucky. I’m a natural beanpole.”

He chuckled. He’d have called Chance a long, tall drink of water rather than a beanpole, but he supposed the analogy worked.

“Man, when I get wealthy, I’m going to put a real life swimming pool in. Chlorine water and all.” Chance grinned. “Snake free, thank you.”

“That mean it’s not safe to go for a dip with the fishes?”

“I’ve never really tried. Never seen a snake in there, but by myself? That’s one hell of a chance to take.”

“Well I’m here now if you’re hot and wanted to have a dip.” Not to mention he wouldn’t say no to the view that would result in.

“Hmm.” Chance gave it a minute’s thought. “I think I might, just to say I had.”

Chance stood, stripped off his shirt and belt, shucked the ancient jeans, leaving him in nothing but deep green boxer-briefs, hugging a good-sized package. Sam was surprised to see a dreamcatcher tattooed on one thin shoulder, the eagle feather trailing down Chance’s spine.

“That’s a fine piece of work.” The man as well as the tattoo, though he’d keep that little tidbit to himself. He tried not to shift and make it too obvious he was starting to sport wood.

“Thanks. It was my second. Lucky had one to match.” Chance waded into the water, slow and careful, the green of the shorts going black.

“Your second? Where’s the first?” Now that? Might have been a leading question. It all depended on where the other one was at.

“Hmm?” Chance turned to face him, pulled the waistband of the briefs down on the left side, exposing another feather, this one with strips of beaded leather disappearing into dark gold curls.

Well hello, sailor. He swallowed hard. “Nice. There a significance?”

The waistband was settled back into place. “My first lover was an art student and a Latoka Sioux Indian. He drew it for me.” Chance grinned. “I’m sure he had the symbology figured, but I was so scared of the sound of the tattoo gun, I didn’t listen.”

He chuckled. “That’s a hell of a place to have your first one done. Why’d you and Lucky go with the dreamcatcher?”

A beautiful striking man no doubt, that first lover. And talented. An old war horse like him hardly stood a chance, so he resolved himself to just watch and enjoy the view for as long as he was there.

“Partially because I had the one and wanted to stay with the theme.” Chance waded deeper. “Mostly because Lucky was fixing to head to Saudi and he was scared, having nightmares. We got shitfaced the night before he shipped out and decided the tattoos would keep him safe, let him sleep.”

He winced. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, it happens, I guess. I mean, he died doing what he loved. Lucky was a lifer. He loved the whole package.” Chance gave him a smile, and it didn’t look forced at all. “He’s in a good place now. I’ve done my mourning for him.”

He nodded. It was a good attitude, one the family of a lifer needed. He’d been a lifer himself, the early discharge due to the bum knee that just wouldn’t heal up enough for him to be of use to anyone. He almost envied Lucky.

“You probably would’ve liked Lucky, although I’d have had to point him out to you. It’s funny -- we’re identical twins, but he wasn’t diabetic, so he was bigger than me by damned near eighty pounds. Strong.” Chance gathered the water up in his hands, poured it over himself. It was like a god-damned porno and he had to spread his legs where he sat, giving his cock more room.

Sounded like Chance was more his type than Lucky. A muscleman was nice to look at, but he liked ‘em long and lean, like Chance, when it came to actually making out.

The sun caught the water as it ran, catching in the hollows of Chance’s collarbones, the indentation of Chance’s navel. He bit back his groan, hand twitching to head for his cock.

“Damn, the water feels fine. You want me to come out, give you a shot?”

He was torn between getting in and letting his overeager cock cool down and not wanting to put on the show stripping would give Chance. “Nah, I’m good.”

Chance shrugged and waded in deeper, the dark cotton clinging to the tight little ass, leaving nothing to his imagination. Oh, now there were his fantasies for the next month, easy.

He did let his hand stray this time, trying to casually adjust himself. Not so easy when he sporting a raging hard on. Chance turned about the time he did, eyes flicking to the motion of his hand. Chance’s gaze lingered for a second, tongue sliding out to lick his lips, then the man blushed and ducked under the water.

Damn, he wanted a piece of that. A great big piece.

Sam made sure that by the time Chance came back up he was busy with their poles, working on imaginary tangles. Chance slowly made his way up to the bank, grabbing the long muscle shirt before stripping off the briefs and sliding on the jeans.

Not before he got a look at that long cock, though, full and heavy. His fingers curled into fists. Damn. He needed a fucking cold shower.

“You...” There was that huskiness from this morning again, low and rough. “You ready to go in?”

“Yeah, pretty much.” His own voice was husky and he couldn’t meet Chance’s eyes, so he whistled up Magpie, looking around for her.

Lacey came up and Chance got her saddle bags settled, then swung up into the saddle, denim tearing just a little in the seat. Now what kind of sense of humor did the man upstairs have to be torturing him like this?

He almost went for it, but he wasn’t exactly a great catch, down on his luck, bum knee and all and if Chance wasn’t really interested it would make things really awkward.

He got up on Magpie and nodded to Chance, letting the man lead the way. Might as well go for the full torture package and watch that ass in the saddle.

Chance moved in the saddle like a wet dream, hips shifting constantly. “What’d you do to your leg, Sam? You hurt it in the army?”

“Yep. Twisted it up pretty good running through the sand and as we were kind of running for our lives, I didn’t get it looked at right away.” He shrugged. “I finished my tour in the Gulf, managed to get some physio done on it, which kept me going until about two years ago. I was only a coupla years shy of my twenty, but I got an honorable. Sometimes you just have to admit you can’t do what you used to.”

“Damn. You get disability for it?”

“Yep, about enough for smokes if I smoked.” Or coffee and a donut every day which was what he’d survived on when he’d first gotten out.

“That sucks. Still, you look like you were managing just fine this morning, yeah? So maybe the Texas sun is helping?”

“It sure is. I haven’t had too many aches at all since hitting the warmer weather a few months ago. It stiffens up a little if I forgo the PT though.”

Chance nodded. “I reckon it does. You got quite a regimen.”

“You could join me if you wanted.” Because watching that ass while he was running sounded like more wonderful torture. He shook his head at himself. Still, he’d be happy to have company.

“Oh. Well, maybe. I’d have to sort of plan it, you know?”

“Not an early riser?” He hadn’t noticed Chance up and about before he’d gotten back before today.

“Huh?” Chance looked confused for a second, then his eyes went wide. “Oh! Nah. I gotta take my shot and eat at seven. I’ll need to move my meal and shot up to go running with you or I won’t make it. Maybe I could just have a little snack and then go...”

“Oh, right! Damn there’s a lot to remember with it, isn’t there? Well if you really do want to join me, I could do warm-ups for a half hour or so before I head off on the run -- give you more time to eat. I’ve been getting up at oh-five hundred for over twenty years, not an easy habit to break. Guess I’ve never found a reason to either.”

“Be easier with a warm body keeping you in bed, I reckon.” Chance blinked, shut his mouth, turned dark red.

“I suppose I wouldn’t know,” he admitted. You didn’t stick around to spend the night when you were dicking with other men and you were in the army.

“Oh. I’m sorry.” Chance looked down. “It’s one of my favorite parts of having a steady.”

“Having a steady in the service’ll get you a dishonorable and the tar beaten out of you.” He shrugged. “It’s just the way things are. I’m not exactly great boyfriend material anyway.”

“Well, I spent some time in Austin, you know? College. Long time ago.”

“You don’t have to apologize for having a different life from me, Chance. Hell, I can’t say as I think it would be great if we could all just get along instead of having to hide like we’re doing something wrong.”

“Yeah.” Chance grinned, sort of rolled his shoulders.

“Hell, you’re the closest I’ve ever come to having a steady.” Now it was his turn to go a little red. He wasn’t sure why he’d said it, except it was the truth.

“Well, then, we’re even, huh? It’s been fifteen years since I had one. That’s long enough to be a distant memory.”

“Well aren’t we just a pair of old men.” He guided Magpie into the field off the barn, reminding himself of all the reasons why jumping Chance’s bones was a bad idea.

“Yep. Old and crotchety.”

“Nothing wrong with my crotch,” he muttered as he dismounted.

Chance gave a strangled laugh. “Good to know, given how well-formed it is.”

“What?” Chance had been checking him out? Why?

Chance’s eyes met his over Lacey’s back. “You heard me.”

“I guess I did at that.” He just wasn’t sure what to make of it. He wanted it. Hell, he wanted it bad. And he supposed he could move on when Chance figured out he was a bad choice. “But I guess I think you should come over here and say it to my face.”

The air seemed charged, suddenly heavy as Chance walked around Lacey’s rump. “I said, I’m glad there’s nothing wrong with your package, Mr. Sam, ‘cause it looks just fine.”

“You wanting a better look?” Shit, he was hard. Almost fucking vibrating with it. It had been a long time since he’d gotten laid. It had been forever since he’d cared about the person he was fucking.

“Hell, yes. I’m tired of imagining it every fucking morning.”

“Shit, Chance, we’d better get inside.”

“Let me get the saddles in the tack room.” He got a nod, Chance moving fast to get the horses settled, the tack stowed away. He didn’t bother to help; he’d have just gotten in the way.

He was harder than hell, harder than he could remember being.

The tack door closed and then blue eyes met his. “Inside, yeah? Before I get blue balls from wanting.”

He nodded and headed in, knowing he couldn’t possibly handle watching Chance ahead of him. He didn’t run, but only because he didn’t think he could in his condition.

“Fucking fine.” He barely heard the moaned words, Chance right behind him, close enough to feel.

They got in and he looked around, trying to decide if they should go to his room or Chance’s or just drop on the fucking floor right there in the hall.

The sound of the door closing and locking was loud, Chance’s hand hot on the small of his back. “You want to start in the shower? I’ve got pond water on me.”

Well thank the lord one of them still had a few working brain cells. He nodded and cleared his throat. “Sounds good.”

Chance’s hand slid around, then those fingers twined with his. “Cool. Come on.”

He nodded, walking with Chance, a part of him sort of sitting back and watching this like it was a dream or some jerk off fantasy. They hadn’t even kissed yet -- it wasn’t real yet.

Chance got two towels out, then got the water running before starting to strip, baring that skin to his gaze.

And the whole time he just stood there watching, like a bump on a log. But it was like he was mesmerized, his cock throbbing, his eyes glued to Chance’s lean body as it was bared to him, this time all the way down to skin.

As soon as Chance was naked, those long fingers started on his clothes, started stripping him down. “Need to see, Sam.”

“Yeah. I know. I’m sorry, I... “ He leaned forward, pushing their lips together.

Shit, he’d practically forgotten what a kiss felt like. Soft and warm and hello nice to meet you, too. A quiet little moan pushed into his lips, one of Chance’s hands sliding around to cup his neck. Chance opened right up, tongue sliding against his own, licking him.

The taste of the man exploded across his tongue and he groaned, pushing into Chance with his body, feeling like a firecracker, all ready to go on a hot July night. Chance didn’t pull away either, just snuggled right into him, rubbing. The man was hot, almost liquid in his arms.

He whimpered -- there was no other word for the high-pitched needy little noise he made -- and wrapped his arms around Chance’s naked back, hands sliding down to that fine ass and squeezing…

Chance groaned, ass wiggling into his hands, rubbing in little circles.

“Damn, you feel good.” He dove back in for another kiss, starting to rub up against Chance, wishing he’d let the man get him naked before starting this because now he felt like a car careening out of control, just going for the edge of that cliff full on.