Wilder, Winona - Loving Tyler [Coming Out 3] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) (14 page)

“Where’ve you been? I’ve called your place a dozen times.” Franco filled the open doorway. “Who’s your friend?” He gave
Tyler
the once-over from top to bottom. The cowboy was nice to look at and an imposing sight. With cowboy hat and boots and that big silver buckle, he was the one who stood out now.

“Long story.” He pushed past his cousin. “This is Tyler James.
Tyler
, this is Franco.” The place was a typical bachelor’s joint. Empty pizza boxes were stacked on the kitchen counter, beer bottles lined the coffee table in front of the television, and clothes hung on the backs of most chairs. Marcus shuddered. He’d love to have an hour alone to clean up the place. His cousin was at a precarious age, too old to live with his parents and too young to push him into marriage. It wasn’t healthy to live alone forever, and Marcus knew that all too well.

Franco flopped onto the corner of the loveseat, while Tyler and Marcus sat across on the sofa. “What’s going on?”

“My condo’s up for sale. I don’t have any plants or anything, but was hoping you could check on the place for me once in a while.”

“Sure. But, selling? You getting married, cuz? You’ve been there for years.”

He took a deep breath, unsure if he could go through with spilling the truth. Why was he ashamed when he had his dream man beside him? That was all that should matter at this point.

Tyler
’s deep Southern drawl surprised him. “We’re moving in together, just the two of us. Your cousin just can’t seem to get enough of me.” He winked at Franco. Marcus froze in horror and shock.

“Yeah…right.” Franco narrowed his brow, unwilling to accept the truth, and no doubt thinking
Tyler
was fooling around.

“Damn straight. He’s made an honest man of me.”
Tyler
was completely nonchalant, unnerved, continuing to take in the room curiously, not even aware of the thick tension in the air. God, he loved the man.

Franco sat straighten, his carefree nature slipping away. “You mean? No way, you don’t mean…”

Marcus nodded, unable to say the words.

“I had no idea.”

“You know my mom and dad. I’ve grown good at hiding things, but I’m not living in denial anymore.” He couldn’t garner his cousin’s reaction. Was he just in shock or disgusted? Would he never speak to him again once he left the apartment? “You still willing to watch my place?”

Tyler
interjected, once again. “Darlin’, why would he change his mind? You’re not asking him to suck your dick, just watch your condo for a spell.”

He felt his face heating, flames licking up his collar. He’d grown used to his cowboy’s crude way of speaking. In the country, all the men spoke in the same way, no time to worry about being politically correct. He didn’t mind
Tyler
’s mannerisms. In fact, they endeared him to his cowboy, but people not used to it would probably be shocked to the core.

Then Franco laughed, a deep belly laugh that filled the apartment. “If I were you, I’d have picked a man just like
Tyler
. Hey, you into sports?”

“Bronc riding mostly. Marcus made me give up the bulls.”
Tyler
leaned over his knees, both men ignoring him, becoming interested in their small talk.

“Sounds just like Marcus.” Franco laughed again, his stiff stature softening. “He’s always been an old stick in the mud.”

Tyler
squeezed his knee. “Not anymore. He’s becoming a regular drifter. No more folded napkins and antibacterial soap for him.”

The two men continued to compare stories about Marcus, but he knew they both loved him, so it was easy to ignore—even though embarrassing at times.

Marcus felt he’d crossed an ocean, an impossible hurdle. One of his dear family members now knew he was gay and apparently was okay with it, more than okay, even chumming up to his lover. An immense weight was lifted from his shoulders as they returned to the car hours later. The sun was lowering on the horizon, so they’d have to choose a hotel for the night. So many things were on the cusp of changing, all for the better, but right now they were in the center of chaos and confusion, which left Marcus uniquely vulnerable. He needed
Tyler
at his side more than ever.

* * * *

“Fancy.”
Tyler
looked around the room. This place was nothing like the shitholes he’d stayed at on many occasions. It was artistically decorated, neat, clean, and spacious.

“At least we don’t have to worry about strange stains on the bedding or about someone crawling through the window to steal your boots.” Marcus collapsed on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Tyler
hated for him to have so much stress and worry. It wasn’t natural, and certainly not the cowboy way. Nobody lived a day longer by worrying about things. In fact, it could age a man before his time.

He sat on the edge of the bed, kicked off his boots, and tossed his hat on the nightside table. “You wanna talk?”

Marcus shook his head.

“I know you better than that. You love talkin’. Tell me why the corners of your eyes are all crinkled up. Are you regretting something?”

“Just worried. There’s so much to plan, so much to think about.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes.

“You’re gonna worry yourself sick. There’s nothing to plan. Your condo will sell when it sells. Until then we live day to day and enjoy life. Once it sells, we’ll find a nice little place, pool our money, and put down a nice, fat down payment. Now, let me do the worrying. It doesn’t sit well with you.”

He blew out a breath. “I wish I could think like you.”

Tyler
had had enough of Marcus and the black cloud he allowed to hover over him. In
Tyler
’s mind, this was the best time of his life, full of possibilities. He’d found a man he loved and had taken the leap to commit. Marcus’s forearm lay across his eyes, his legs below the knee dangling off the edge of the bed.
Tyler
stood up and grabbed the man’s belt in his fist, giving him a jerk.

“What’re you doing?” He raised his head, looking sinfully sexy with his dark features and curious scowl.

Tyler
unclasped his belt and peeled back the flaps of his pants. “Taking away your stress.” He freed his semi-flaccid cock, which was already firming up just from the slight touch.

Marcus didn’t refute him, just dropped his head back on the mattress. As soon as
Tyler
sucked him into his mouth, he groaned and muttered, “I love it when you suck my dick.”

“And I love your dick any way I can get it.” He proceeded to indulge on Marcus’s now stiff erection, licking, teasing, and sucking. His flesh was warm and silky.
Tyler
loved cock, loved Marcus. The way the city boy lost himself, forgot his stress so he could focus on the pleasure, made
Tyler
want to go down on him every day. Maybe he would.

“Oh, yeah.” Marcus groaned and reached for
Tyler
’s shoulders. He grabbed handfuls of his shirt, directing him to give more, which he delivered.
Tyler
hollowed his cheeks and sucked him hard and deep, working up to a frantic rhythm. Any minute and Marcus would detonate, and this time he wanted it to happen in his mouth. This wasn’t just about sex. It was about helping Marcus find some temporary peace.

As he began to come, he tried to pull free, but
Tyler
pinned his wrists as his side and swallowed every drop of his ejaculate. Marcus writhed, struggled, and moaned until his prolonged release finally eased and his body went pliant.
Tyler
crawled up on the bed over his body. “Did that help?”

“I think I should worry in front of you more often.” He glanced up through hooded eyes. “Let me do something for you.”

Tyler
shook his head and dropped down beside him. “Take a rest. When you wake up we’ll order some room service. I can’t wait to see what this upscale place has to offer.” He gave Marcus a kiss and went to hit the shower.
Tyler
could get used to this kind of living. Now he just had to teach his boyfriend to follow the direction of the stream rather than trying to dam it.

Chapter Thirteen

Marcus shielded his eyes from the glare of the sun. He’d been sitting under the sheltered bleacher-style seats, but now that
Tyler
was in the ring, he wanted a good view. And did he ever look magnificent with his leather chaps and cowboy hat. The crowd cheered as soon as the announcer said his name. His boyfriend was becoming a legend, and he bet Cavendish was kicking its ass for not signing him, gay or not. Times were changing, and Marcus was quickly learning that change was good. Not everything could be programmed into a BlackBerry scheduler. Sometimes a man had to go where life took him, not knowing where he’d sleep the next night. As long as he had
Tyler
, everything else would fall into place.

“Eight seconds,” said a voice from behind him. “That’s all it takes to make or break a cowboy.” He turned to find that same lazy-eyed man from months ago, the one
Tyler
said was his abusive foster brother. Marcus alternated from watching
Tyler
in the ring to keeping tabs on the creep behind him.

“
Tyler
will always be a winner,” he said proudly, daring the man to contradict him. This loser was the one giving his true love nightmares. The reason he’d almost broken up their relationship over? When he turned back after checking on
Tyler
when the buzzer sounded, the man was gone, disappeared into the crowd of spectators. “Fuck,” he muttered under his breath. Should he tell
Tyler
about this? He didn’t want to worry him for nothing. Marcus couldn’t imagine that trailer park reject making any real trouble for them.

They recently signed the mortgage papers for their new home. The closing date was in just three weeks. They were both so excited and eager to settle into a regular routine mixed with spontaneity. The two men complemented each other perfectly, bringing out the best in one another.

“You see me?”
Tyler
was out of breath, removing the wound up protective fabric from around his gloves. The crowd parted for them as they made their way away from the ring. Fans patted him on the back and praised him.
Tyler
was forever gracious, even when exhausted, smiling and shaking hands.

“You looked great out there.” He tried not to let any concern slip into his tone and ruin his shining moment. Even as they walked side by side he continually replayed the strange man’s words over and over in his head. Were they meant to threaten
Tyler
? He could only imagine what those heathens did to his sweet cowboy.

They were staying at another one-star hotel, but in these small rodeo towns there was often little selection. It was better than sleeping in the car or truck, as
Tyler
apparently did on many occasions before they met. “I’m starved. How about I take a quick shower, and then we can go get a bite to eat?”

“Sounds good.” He continually scanned the streets, ready for a sneak attack of some kind. Marcus wouldn’t allow any assholes from
Tyler
’s past to ruin what they were building together. Their new place was out in the country with fifty acres.
Tyler
mentioned he’d love to get into horse breeding when his body became too weary for the ring. They had dreams, big ones, little ones, even silly ones…but they were their dreams, and he wouldn’t have an outsider try and steal away what was theirs.

By the time they left the hotel for dinner, Marcus was downright paranoid. He’d continually checked out the window of their one-story hotel, jotted down license plate numbers of strange vehicles, and was jumpier than a guilty child. Could
Tyler
just have overreacted? Maybe it wasn’t his foster brother who slashed the tires. Coincidences happened every day, didn’t they?

They entered the local diner. At this point they all looked the same to Marcus. He hadn’t sacrificed his dietary habits, but he’d compromised a bit. They took a table at the end of the diner. “I wonder if they have salads here,” he said, glancing at the menu.

“Darlin’, you need meat. Men need meat.”