Texas #4_Texas Christmas (8 page)

“You’re overdressed.” Jack smirked.

“I like the view,” Riley insisted. Jack reached down and circled his cock with a knowing smile on his face. A few strokes and he deliberately arched into the move. Riley swallowed at the sight of his lover pleasuring himself. He wanted to watch every line of Jack’s body as he was coming, the look of completion on his face, the way each muscle strained, the noises Jack made when he was losing his mind. But then, he wanted Jack inside him—he’d been thinking about it all day.

“How long you gonna look?” Jack drawled. “I haven’t been anywhere near your ass for three days. I’m likely to last about ten seconds.” He was smirking, but Riley didn’t want to take the risk of not believing what Jack was telling him. There was no way he was wasting a single second now of Jack hard and ready. He stripped and rummaged in the drawer of the bedside cabinet before holding a brand new lube aloft in celebration. Bouncing on the bed as easily as he could with his large frame, he arranged himself to show off all his best assets and waited.

Jack’s firm grip on his own cock was a little erratic, and his breathing was heavier.

“Gorgeous,” Jack murmured.

Riley wriggled down a little, then fought with the lid of the lube and the small silver foil cap inside. He cursed the manufacturers who decided that another level of hell had to be passed before he could get slick on his fingers. Finally his hand was wet and slippery, and Jack kneeled on the side of the bed. They never spoke of who was going to do what; they showed in action what each other needed. Riley stared directly into Jack’s stunning blue eyes as he curled over and began to stroke his hole, starting the stretch.

“Fuck. Riley,” Jack whispered. He moved forward a little in between Riley’s knees, and with his hand still on his cock, this time pinching the base, he darted his tongue out and wet his lips. “So sexy, so gorgeous.”

Riley added another finger, feeling the muscle loosen and the slick slide into his channel, preparing the way. Three fingers in, he groaned at the burn and the need that coiled inside him.

“Can I touch?” Jack pleaded.

Riley nodded and Jack, with an intense look of concentration, leaned over Riley to kiss him first. Riley swore one day he’d just come from the kissing alone; the rough scrape of stubble on his skin was the most intensely erotic touch. As Jack kissed down his body, stopping and worshipping each nipple, Riley was closer and closer to pulling himself off here and now. Jack licked and kissed a path from nipples to navel and completely bypassed Riley’s cock, which was begging for some attention. He whimpered and all Jack did was chuckle. Carefully he placed kisses on the inside of Riley’s thighs, then ran his fingers over the hand that Riley was using to stretch himself. Gently Jack twisted one of his fingers in with Riley’s, the whole time staring directly at Riley with concentrated deliberation on his face. At first the push was too much, and Riley instinctively moved back. Jack stopped pressing, but didn’t move his finger. Riley pushed down and the burn was intense and good and
fuck I need this
.

“Thank you,” Jack whispered as he pressed more kisses to Riley’s skin, “thank you for everything.” He added the last so low that Riley had to strain to hear. He made to answer, but when Jack pressed his finger a little deeper, he tapped Riley’s prostate and suddenly it was way too close to game over.

“No,” Riley moaned. “In me…”

Jack didn’t hesitate, he moved his fingers and encouraged Riley to release the stretch, then he pushed and slid inside Riley without hesitation. He stilled when he’d passed the first barrier. “I love you,” he said with feeling.

Riley smiled up at him, at the intense focus on Jack’s expression, and between him rocking up and Jack pushing down, Jack was finally fully seated. They kissed as Jack rocked into Riley and only stopped kissing when Jack reared back and instinct took over from love. Abruptly the action changed, and Riley closed his eyes at the power that Jack used to claim him. He wasn’t going to last long; if he touched his cock it was done, finished, instead he gripped the headboard. He wanted to come from Jack alone and an almost feral growl of possession from Jack was all the thanks he needed for that. He opened his eyes again. He’d never tire of the sight of Jack when they made love.

“I love you,” Riley said as orgasm threatened to take him down. He arched up and imagined Jack and him in the barn, the last time Riley had come just from being fucked alone. The visual along with Jack coming inside him was enough for Riley to come in heated trails on his belly. Jack breathed into a new kiss, and for a minute they lay exchanging lazy kisses until Jack could slip out.

Flat on their backs and staring up at the ceiling, they said nothing for the longest time. Riley was lost in thought, and he expected Jack was too.

“What you thinking about?” he asked Jack.

“Our family,” Jack replied. He sounded emotional. Riley knew exactly how that felt.

“It’s pretty fucking awesome,” Riley agreed.

“Don’t you ever feel overwhelmed?”

Riley hesitated. He wasn’t entirely sure what Jack wanted to hear. Then he decided for the truth. “Every freaking day,” he admitted.

Jack rolled onto his side and placed a hand on Riley’s chest. “Me too.”

“We can do this,” Riley stated simply. He believed what he was saying as well.

“I know. Together. Riley…”

“Uh huh.”

“I don’t know what I’d do without you in my life.” Jack’s voice dripped with feeling.

“What makes you say that?” Riley asked gently. “Not that I don’t feel the same way.”

“No reason really. Just that I love you.”

“And I love you, and we really should get showered and dressed,” Riley said.

Jack traced a pattern in the cool come on Riley’s stomach. Then he smiled. “I think you need to go first, I’ll listen for the twins.”

In the shower Riley made quick work of cleaning himself up and was out in the bedroom to find Jack still naked and sleeping, his chest rising and falling slightly. He sat next to Jack and pressed a kiss to his lips.

“You want a shower?” he asked with laughter in his voice.

“
Mmmph
” was all the reply got. He knew that Jack had been up twice in the night with the twins to let Riley sleep for work today. And hell, he looked so gorgeous all laid out on the covers. Pulling the sheet over Jack, Riley decided an hour wouldn’t hurt, and quietly he left the room and closed the door behind him.

Eli crossed his arms over his chest and gave both Robbie and Liam his best no-arguing expression. The clothes he’d grabbed from the latest model shoot looked pretty damn fine on Liam, and he wasn’t going to let the man pull them off.

“I can’t wear this,” Liam said in horror. That was the tenth time he’d said that. He stood in front of the full-length mirror that Eli had demanded be installed as soon as he moved in with Robbie.

“And I say again. Why not?”

“It’s…look…” Liam pulled at the tight-fitting jeans. “They’re too tight. Fuck, they don’t even need a belt.”

“You’re a slim guy, you should show that off, and your butt, you have the best butt.” Robbie coughed behind him. “Of course it’s not as good as Robbie’s.” Eli threw a look over his shoulder and grinned at Robbie, who smirked back at him. “But look…” He ran a hand over Liam’s back and admired the black shirt with the threads of silver. “The gray in this shirt makes your eyes look huge,” he explained again.

Liam shrugged in the shirt. “That’s too tight as well, I can’t freaking breathe.”

Eli moved swiftly to stand between Liam and the mirror. Liam attempted to look around him, but Eli gripped his chin and held his gaze.

“How old are you, Liam?”

“Twenty, nearly twenty-one, but you know that.”

“You have a whole life ahead of you. Be young, have fun, be sexy, have men staring at you all night.” Eli kept his voice low but realized he’d fucked something up when Liam’s eyes shone with emotion. Hell, had he made the kid cry? “Liam?”

“I don’t want to be someone that people look at,” he said brokenly.

Eli didn’t know what to say, but he caught Robbie’s glance and nodded.

“I’m checking the horses,” Robbie excused himself until only Liam and Eli remained.

“You’re gorgeous,” Eli said gently. “People will look at you if you were in your oldest jeans and that shirt you wear every day. You can be scruffy and messy, but what shines through is that under all of that you are a beautiful guy with a good soul.”

A single tear rolled from Liam’s eye, and Eli caught it with his thumb.

“You really see all that?” Liam asked. There was doubt and denial mixed into his tone, and for a moment Eli was lost for words that Liam couldn’t see Eli was telling the truth.

“Yes, I do. Robbie does. And I really think Marcus sees it too.”

“I don’t know what to think. When I was…at the old ranch…there was…” He stopped as emotion choked his words and a flicker of fear passed over his expression.

“You don’t have to explain. Whatever happened to you, maybe one day you can tell me everything, maybe not. But if you want to I’ll listen or Robbie will, Jack, Riley, but you have to remember you are bigger than what you’ve been through.”

“I wish it were that easy.”

“You look good. The jeans aren’t tight, they’re fitted, which is a whole lot better than the jeans you wear for work. They’re not designer; this is from a day-wear shoot, nothing screams
look at my ass
. And the shirt?” Eli smoothed a hand over Liam’s arm again, gentling him. “The shirt is tailored and looks good on you.”

“And it really makes my eyes look big,” Liam said with question in the tone. He looked down at the shirt doubtfully.

“The color, totally.”

“One question,” Liam said finally.

“Uh huh.”

“Please God, tell me I can wear my boots?”

Eli smirked. “Hell yes, a cowboy separated from his boots is a crime. Now, we have an hour. I’ll pretend like you’re twenty-one already and get you a beer.”

“Okay, I think I need one.”

“Beer and then go see the horses.”

Eli knew he’d said the right thing when Liam visibly relaxed. If in doubt with Liam get him with the horses.

“No touching though,” Eli sniffed the air. “’Cause you smell good now.”

“I didn’t smell good before?” Liam teased. Eli loved that there was the hint of smile that reached Liam’s eyes.

Eli snorted a laugh. “Eau de shit? What’s not to love?”

* * * * *

Liam was relaxed and had swallowed all of his beer and half of Eli’s by the time Marcus arrived to pick him up. But seeing the man get out and walk toward him was a whole different ballgame. Marcus was dressed casually in jeans and a red shirt, and he looked so damned sexy and comfortable in his own skin. Liam wished he could shove the growing nerves to one side.

“Wow,” Marcus said with an added whistle. “You look good there, cowboy.”

Liam could feel the weight of Marcus’s gaze and the added expectation that he should say something clever back.

“Thank you,” he said. “You’re very…” He stopped, suddenly aware he had no idea of what a man said to another man. Not in polite ways anyway. “Handsome,” he finished lamely. And Marcus was. His blond hair was soft and layered, and he had bangs that were normally gelled back but that he’d allowed to fall onto his forehead. And his brown eyes were wide with appreciation and a touch of humor.

“Thank you,” Marcus said. “You ready to go?”

Liam patted the jeans pockets. Cell. Money. He was good to be moving on now although leaving the D wasn’t something he was looking forward to doing. Maybe they should have agreed to eat here? He ruthlessly pushed the thought down. Where would they eat? In the kitchen with the guys and the kids? Or in his damn tent in the horse barn? Maybe Marcus had a house? Of course he had a house. He was a responsible adult with a company and a house and probably money, unlike Liam, who had a tent.

The D paid well considering Liam was only twenty, and he actually had money in his account and in his pocket, but yeah, a tent.

“You okay?”

Liam nodded. He realized he had been motionless at the passenger door and was simply staring into the car. “Sorry. Yeah.” He climbed in and belted up. The scent inside the car was of Marcus. Liam’s damn treacherous cock was well into the idea of being near Marcus. Maybe he should listen to his cock instead of the hateful words that filled his memories.

“I thought we could go for a steak at The Rusty Nail,” Marcus began conversationally as they left the D and headed away from Liam’s safety net.

“I’ve never been there. Is it good?”

“Steaks are good apparently. Think it’s a good place to eat. Few bar fights but we can leave if there’s trouble.” He smiled over at Liam, then concentrated on the road.

“I was a bit selfish demanding all that about the place we’re going,” Liam said to fill the sudden quiet in the car as Marcus drove.

“Not at all.”

“I only said it ’cause I thought you’d say no,” Liam admitted.

Marcus snorted a laugh. “I would have agreed to eat on the ground if it meant you’d say yes.”

“Uh huh.” Liam was noncommittal.

“You don’t believe me?”

Liam was abruptly horrified that he had offended Marcus, then equally as pissed at himself for worrying about it. “Of course I do.”

Marcus chuckled. “We’ll be there in a bit,” he said. Then he adjusted a dial and soft music filled the car, something classical and smooth. That didn’t surprise Liam one bit—Marcus was sophisticated compared to him.
Stop it. Stop it now. Stop putting yourself down.

“That’s nice,” he said. God he hated the silences.

“You think? I’m trying to broaden my horizons a bit,” Marcus said and as he indicated to turn onto a new road. “Found myself listening to the radio and realizing I don’t get any of this classical stuff. Marcie gave me this CD—Marcie is my twin sister. I kind of like it too. She’s the one with the music in her soul.”

Liam chuckled. “What is in your soul, then?”

“Not sure I’ve found it yet,” Marcus said easily.