The Tin Star (5 page)

He smiled back at Ethan, then shook his head and went back to preparing his sandwich. He’d give Ethan a whole hell of a lot more than cooking as payment for living in the big house ... eagerly, in fact.

“So, do you clean, too?”

“Hell, no! Ethan, I’m gay ... not a damn housewife!”

Everybody laughed.

* * * * *

Ethan was doing the dishes after a wonderful meal of enchiladas, rice, and beans. He’d only been kidding earlier when he’d told Jamie to cook supper, but Jamie had taken him at his word. As soon as they’d all gone in for the evening, Jamie had set to work in the kitchen. Ethan had told the younger man he didn’t really have to cook, but Jamie had insisted.

Man, could he cook! When Jamie had pulled out the homemade salsa, Ethan had decided then and there that he’d do just about anything to keep the kid cooking for him. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten such a fine meal. Maybe he’d add it to the list of Jamie’s duties and pay him a little extra for it. It was a thought and sure beat cold cuts and frozen suppers.

Just as he put the last plate in the dishwasher, Fred came bounding in with the ball he’d found for her earlier. He chuckled and took it from her. “Okay, girl, let’s go in the living room where we have space to play without destroying the house.” The living room had a huge, open area. Once he and Fred got there, Ethan tossed the ball toward the front door.

Jamie was half sitting, half sprawled on the couch, watching TV. As Fred ran by, nails clicking on the wood floor, he yelled. “Fred! Don’t run in the house!”

Ethan chuckled. “It’s okay, she’s just enjoying herself.”

Jamie started, then glanced over his shoulder. Apparently, he hadn’t heard Ethan throwing the ball. “Oh. I didn’t know you were playing with her. You don’t mind her running through the house?”

“Nah. There isn’t much she can mess up in here. She wanted to play, so I obliged her.”

Jamie grinned. “You know the way to a man’s heart is through his dog, right?”

Ethan laughed as he walked to the couch. Before he could sit down, Fred brought the ball back. He tossed it again and made himself comfortable. “Nope, I believe it’s through his stomach ... and my heart is all yours. Supper was wonderful. Thank you.”

Jamie mumbled something that sounded like, “I wish,” then he flushed and ducked his head a little. “Thanks.”

Damn, he was cute when he got all shy like that. Jamie obviously didn’t take compliments well, and Ethan vowed to change that. He’d always known that John was the favored son, but damn! Killian’s favoritism had always seemed grossly unfair, but it wasn’t till recently that it had really started to bother Ethan.

Jamie was a credit to his family and deserved his fair share of praise. It disturbed him to realize that there was just something about the younger man that made him want to coddle him. “You’re welcome.”

Jamie’s hand came up and brushed his dark hair out of his wonderful blue eyes. He cleared his throat nervously, then looked directly at Ethan. “I don’t mind doing the cooking, if you’ll do the dishes.”

Ethan smiled and flung the ball again. “That’s a hell of a deal! You’re on.”

He got a chuckle and an offered hand. Ethan found himself staring at those long fingers and callused palm for a second. Jamie had nice strong hands, a working man’s hands. What would they feel like on --?

They shook on the deal, then Jamie watched soberly as Fred scrambled after her toy. “So you really don’t mind Fred?”

“No. She’s a good dog.”

Jamie nodded absently and gestured to Fred, then tossed the ball for her. “Daddy always complained. He doesn’t think dogs belong in the house.”

Ethan snorted. “No offense, but I’ll tell you exactly what I’ve told John over the years: your daddy can be a real asshole sometimes. Dogs are like family; of course they belong in the house.”

Jamie blinked up at him and snickered, blue eyes sparkling and nose crinkled up ever so slightly. It was the sweetest thing Ethan had seen. “Yup. Hell, I’d let George in the house, too, if she’d fit.”

Ethan laughed. “Okay, I draw the line at bringing the horses in.”

Jamie cracked up. “All right, no horses in the house, I promise. Have you heard from John?”

“No. Why?”

“He was supposed to bring me some more of my things and George, too.”

Ethan shook his head. “Last I heard from him was early this morning. Word apparently got back to the Quad J about your fight last night.”

Those dark eyebrows arched. “Yeah, I heard. How do you think that happened, anyway? It doesn’t seem something Bill, Ed, or Hayden would call people about.”

Ethan shrugged and held out his hand as Fred came trotting up. “There’s no telling how it got around. I swear ranch hands gossip more than a gaggle of old, blue-haired ladies on bingo night.” They shared another laugh. “Carl and Jeff probably whined about being tossed out on their asses. Anyway, one of the ranch hands there told John about it first thing, and he called just around the time you headed out to move the cattle.”

Fred came to an abrupt halt, flipped her head up and let go of the ball ... which went flying into Jamie’s lap.

Jamie sucked in air.

Ethan’s eyes zeroed in on Jamie’s crotch.
Oh, man!
The green flannel drawstring pajama bottoms Jamie had put on after his shower were tented.
Damn! How long has he been that way?
Jamie shifted. Ethan felt his cock turning rigid at the sight of Jamie’s erection.

He realized he was staring and looked up. Jamie cleared his throat, sat up straighter and moved his baggy white tee-shirt over to cover himself. The younger man was biting his full, bottom lip, gaze on Ethan’s face. Damn it, he was sexy!

Ethan knew it was a bad idea, but he just had to taste that sensual mouth. He leaned forward, his lips lightly brushing Jamie’s. Jamie gasped, and before Ethan knew what hit him, Jamie had taken over, his mouth crushing his, tongue pushing for entrance. He grabbed Ethan’s face with both hands and urgently pressed his body against Ethan’s, or as near to it as he could get with them both still sitting. He was rough, aggressive, practically swallowing Ethan up as his tongue searched and caressed every bit of Ethan’s mouth. Finally, he calmed down a little, gentling the kiss, and Ethan had the chance to kiss him back at last. Jamie’s hands slid to his shoulders. Their tongues met and parried. It was like making slow and easy love. Jamie moaned.

It was one of the most erotic things Ethan had ever heard and made him even more painfully erect. His hand slipped down to ease the restriction of his jeans. Jamie dropped his hands from Ethan’s face and pulled out of their kiss to look down at him. Ethan looked down, too, as he adjusted himself.

Jamie moaned again, then reached out tentatively to touch Ethan through his jeans. Those clear blue eyes shot up to his, as if he were asking for permission.

“Good God!” Ethan gasped out as Jamie squeezed; then he lost what little control he had. He pushed Jamie backward on the couch, unfortunately dislodging the grip on his cock in the process. It didn’t matter; nothing mattered except he had to feel that mouth on his again, taste Jamie again.

He couldn’t remember wanting anyone as much as he wanted Jamie, right here, right now. He knew this wasn’t smart. Jamie was too damned young. He’d also outed himself. And, to top it all off, he was John’s brother. Still, he couldn’t help himself; the kid had had him all twisted up, albeit in a good way, ever since he’d stepped out of his truck yesterday.

Ethan had always liked Jamie, always found him attractive, always felt mildly protective of him. But now? Now everything was so much more intense. He had no idea why things had changed. Maybe it was knowing that Jamie liked men, too. Whatever it was, Ethan knew that Jamie was his now.

His lips found Jamie’s mouth at the same time his hand found its way inside those soft pajama bottoms. He wrapped his hand around that incredibly stiff prick and they both moaned. God, Jamie was so hard! Ethan could feel the cock pulsing against his palm.

Jamie’s hips bucked.

Ethan had to see him. He broke the kiss and sat back, pulling Jamie’s flannel pants down with his free hand. Jamie groaned, his pelvis pushing up again, making his dick slide in Ethan’s hand. Ethan released his grip, looking at the prize he’d claimed. It was hot to the touch and felt like velvet, and was longer than his own by about an inch or so, but not near as thick. The deep red color really stood out next to Jamie’s much paler legs, which were a sharp contrast to the dark curls above his cock. As Ethan watched, fascinated, a drop seeped from the slit and began to streak down the flared head; another soon followed. He leaned forward and caught the first drop with his tongue, then the next. Mmm ... It was almost sweet, not overly salty.

Jamie’s cock jerked in his hand, and he cried out. Ethan opened his mouth to take more of his dick in, to taste him fully.

Fred barked.

They both jumped. Then the back door opened.

He let go of Jamie and sat up. Jamie scrambled to get himself back in his pants and into a sitting position.

“Jamie! Ethan!” John’s voice echoed through the house.

Ethan ran his hands down his face and glanced at Jamie, whose face was scarlet. Ethan frowned and whispered, “Stop blushing!” then yelled, “In here!”

“I can’t help it!” Jamie hissed back, glaring. That was just too much, Ethan grinned. God, he had it bad!

John stepped into the living room with a pile of stuff in his arms while Fred barked again.

Jamie was digging around the couch cushions.

“What are you doing?” Ethan asked.

Jamie stood up and looked back at the couch. “She wants her ball.”

John set down the pile he was carrying onto the coffee table. “I brought Jamie more of his gear.”

Jamie finally found the ball and flung it for Fred. Ethan and John both turned their heads to watch the dog scramble on the wood floor, then looked at each other. Ethan took the time to calm his breathing. It wouldn’t do for John to notice.

“I bet Fred is loving this,” John said, a smile in his voice.

“She is.” Jamie started going through the pile of boxes and bags on the table. “What all did you bring?”

“Some clothes, Fred’s toys, a few of your books and a box I found in your nightstand.” John flopped down on the couch next to Ethan.

Jamie looked up, the flush gone from his face. Ethan thought he looked a little startled, but John didn’t seem to notice anything unusual.

Jamie dug through the boxes until he came up with a black lock box. He tried the lid, but when it didn’t open, he seemed to relax.
That’s weird.
Ethan wondered what Jamie had inside there.

“Did you bring the key?”

“What key?”

“The one hidden under the lamp on the nightstand.”

John shook his head. “Nope. Didn’t know it was there. I’ll bring it tomorrow. What’s in the box?”

“Nothing much, just this and that. Did you bring George?”

Ethan blinked. Well that was an evasion if he ever heard one. Now he was even more curious about what was in that box. He glanced at John, who seemed to have missed Jamie’s noncommittal reply.

John cleared his throat, and Ethan braced himself. John always cleared his throat when he was nervous, a habit he’d had since they were kids.

Jamie must have realized it, too, because he set the black box down, stood up straight and put his hands on his hips. Thankfully, his boner was gone. “What?”

“Uh, well, there was a little problem with that.”

“You’re hedging,” Ethan commented.

John’s head snapped toward him. “Shut up, Ethan!”

“Well?” Jamie asked.

John sighed and got up, then began pacing. Jamie opened his mouth about to say something, but Ethan shook his head. “He’ll get to it.”

Jamie groaned and started pacing in the other direction. He stepped over Fred, who’d confiscated a chew toy from one of the boxes.

Ethan grinned. Pacing must be another Killian trait. They all did it the same way, with the same stride, the same carriage. John finally stopped and looked at him. Ethan knew the look, it was John’s I-really-don’t-want-to-tell-you-the-bad-news look.
Aw, shit!
Ethan raised an eyebrow at him. John sighed and turned to face his brother.

“Dad won’t let me take her. He says that if you want the horse, you’ll have to buy her.”

Jamie’s face flushed bright red and his eyebrows lowered. Anger was coming off him in almost visible waves. “That son of a bitch! George is mine! A gift is a gift! He gave her to me for my seventeenth birthday! You can’t freakin’ charge someone for a fuckin’ gift!”

Ethan was speechless. He’d known Jacob Killian could be a mean old bastard, but this was pretty low, holding a man’s own horse hostage.

“He can’t do that!” Jamie paced rapidly. Fred came up to him, stopping him in mid-stride, and whined, apparently attuned to his mood. He patted her head absently and turned back to John and Ethan. “Can he do that? I mean, can he actually get away with that?”

John shrugged. “Probably. He’s the one who actually bought George and you know what they say about possession being nine tenths of the law.”

Damn, this sucked! Ethan stood up and walked toward his office, leaving the brothers alone for a minute. Poor baby! All this just because he’d tried to be honest with his family ...

Whoa!
Ethan stopped. Where the hell had that thought come from?
Poor baby?
Oh, no, no! Jamie wasn’t his lover yet and he damned sure wasn’t poor or a baby ...

Ethan shook his head to clear it and continued to the brandy decanter. He poured a splash into a tumbler, then returned to the living room. The brothers were sitting on opposite ends of the couch. Fred was at Jamie’s feet with her chew toy, chomping happily away. Ethan strode over to Jamie and pressed the glass into his hand. “Drink up.”

Jamie gulped the contents back, then coughed. He wiped his forehead and handed the glass back. “Thanks.”

“Welcome.” Ethan set the glass on the coffee table.

“How much does he want for her?” Jamie mumbled.

“Ten thousand.”

Jamie shot to his feet. “I don’t have that kind of money, damn it!”