Whispers of Home (11 page)

“No, no. Let Heidi Klum have her wardrobe,” Jaron joked.

“Why you...” Travis went for a playful swat at Jaron’s butt, but Jaron dodged at the last minute, running for the door as he did. Travis gave chase as Jaron suspected he would. Jaron, laughing like a loon, ran down the stairs and out the front door. He leapt over his son, who still sat in a sulk on the front steps. Jaron looked back to make sure Bobby was okay and saw Bobby’s elbows resting on his knees and his hands holding up his chin. Jaron also saw Travis leap over Bobby, much the same way Jaron had. Travis closed the distance between them quicker than Jaron thought he would.

Jaron was still laughing hysterically when Travis’ big body took them both to the ground, landing on top of him. He held Jaron’s hands above his head in one big fist. “You think you’re funny, huh?”

“Mm-hmm.” Jaron squirmed around, trying to get his legs around the other man. Travis’ weight pressing down on him, along with the heat of his body, was making him lose his mind with lust. “I can’t help it if you have more cloths than a super model.”

“I’ll show you a super model.”

Travis proceeded to tickle him to within an inch of his life. Jaron’s body squirmed and bucked beneath Travis, trying to get away from the gentle torture, all while he screamed in laughter. It wasn’t until Travis’ body jolted a little, then tensed so that he didn’t hurt Jaron by collapsing onto him, and a blond, blue-eyed head peeked over his shoulder, looking down at Jaron, that Travis stopped.

“Can I have a puppy?”

Jaron let out a big sigh and rolled his eyes. Travis said, “Just let the kid have a puppy. I don’t even know how you can say no to him anyway. Look at him.”

“If I say yes, will you both get off me?”

Bobby climbed off Travis’ back and whooped around the yard. Then he stopped, looked right at Travis and said, “That means yes.” As if Travis needed Bobby’s help to decipher daddy speak.

“Thanks, buddy.”

* * * *

Travis winked at Bobby, then turned his attention to the man he currently was lying on top of. Jaron had the prettiest lips. They were full and had looked amazing stretching around his prick last night. Said prick was already semi-hard from having Jaron under him, but now thinking about Jaron sucking him, it was like steal. The zipper on his jeans was a little painful, though.

Travis leaned down, pressing his lips against Jaron’s lightly, right before he deepened the kiss, tasting with his tongue just on the inside of Jaron’s lips. Little licks that sent fire to his balls. Jaron chased his tongue with his own, trying to get more, but Travis kept it light.

He was completely aware of the boy running around the yard. Travis released Jaron’s lips, searching his face. He had never felt this connected to another person before. He had been walking around like the undead before meeting Jaron. He could see that now, even if he hadn’t been aware before. His whole life had been preparation for this very moment.

Travis lifted off Jaron, taking the other man with him as he stood. Once both men were on their feet they headed back to the main house, and to Lucy, Travis’ dog. Travis held Jaron’s hand the entire way down the wide path. It felt comfortable in his loose grip, like it was meant to be there. As they got closer to the house he could see Jackson’s truck in the driveway.

“You two go around back. I’ll be there in a minute,” he said, releasing Jaron’s hand.

Jaron looked to the truck. “Everything all right?”

“Yeah, babe. Everything will be fine. I’ll come out when I’m finished.” Travis squeezed Jaron’s shoulder gently and leaned in for a kiss. Jaron smiled and happily gave him what he wanted.

“I want a kiss too,” Bobby said and tugged on Travis’ hand.

“You do, huh?” Travis squatted down to get at Bobby’s level. As soon as he did the boy put his arms around his neck and gave him a peck on the cheek. Then Bobby went right back to hugging him. Travis sucked in a breath. Never in his life had he thought a small child could bring him to his knees. His arms came around Bobby’s little body just a little tighter, returning the hug.

Bobby released him, smiling up at him as Travis straightened to his full height. He turned just as suddenly and ran to the backyard.

“You have some kid there. You know that?” Travis said as he grabbed Jaron around the waist and pulled him in close. Travis lowered his head until his nose was buried in Jaron’s neck. He breathed deep, taking in the other man’s scent.

“Are you sniffing me?”

“Yes,” Travis whispered and did it again.

“Why?”

“Because you smell good.”

“O-Kay.” Jaron tilted his head, giving him more access.

Travis couldn’t resist. He licked a long trail along his neck, up to Jaron’s ear. “I can’t resist you. I’m falling hard, baby.”

He could feel Jaron’s heart beat faster against his chest as he held him tight.

Travis kissed the side of his neck, released him just enough to place a kiss into his hair just so he could feel its softness against his lips. With his heart thick in his chest, Travis let him go. Jaron was quickly becoming his whole world.

With a smile on his lips, Jaron turned and strolled to the backyard. Travis watched him until he disappeared around the house. Only then did Travis enter the house from the front door.

Jackson was in the house, entertaining Beverly by the looks of it. Jackson was animatedly telling her some story Travis hadn’t heard before. Jackson and Beverly were sitting at the kitchen table. He had a soda in front of him, just like he had looked when they were kids and he came to visit. Beverly stood, patting Travis on the arm as she left the two men alone, instinctively knowing the two men needed to talk alone. Jackson was Travis’ best friend, and as such, he already had a good idea of why the man was there.

“Go ahead. Say whatever it is you need to say and get it over with,” Travis said harshly. Leaning against the kitchen island counter, his arms and legs crossed as if he didn’t have a care in the world. His stance was in complete contrast to his words.

“What the fuck, man?” Jackson stood.

Travis shrugged.

“Do you even know what the fuck you’re doing?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Will you enlighten me then?”

Travis couldn’t do it anymore. He couldn’t stand here and act like he didn’t care about anything, including this conversation. He couldn’t be the hard-ass right now, not with his best friend. He hung his head, shutting his eyes briefly. When he opened them again he made eye contact. “I’m in love with him, man.”

“Are you ready for all that that means? This ain’t exactly San Francisco, dude.”

Travis’ voice had an edge to it that would have scared a lesser man when he said, “I’m ready to beat the ass of anyone who so much as looks at him or his son the wrong way.”

“Yeah, I kinda got that message loud and clear last night. So did Brad, by the way.” Jackson contemplated him for a second. “I’ve never seen you like this before.”

“Like what?” Even though Travis asked, he already knew what Jackson meant. He just wanted to hear the man put it into words. Maybe by listening to someone else put words to his feelings he could define them better himself.

“I don’t know. You’re...completely devoted. Too someone other than yourself.”

“Come on, man. I wasn’t that bad, was I?”

“You are your biggest fan.” Jackson started prancing around the room. Pretending a kitchen cabinet was a mirror, Jackson started teasing his hair like he was a beauty queen. In his best girly voice he said, “Look at me. I’m the lovely Ms. Travis Heath. I’m so gorgeous even I can’t stand me.”

Travis chuckled. “Asshole.” Travis drew his friend into a brief hug, whispering, “Thanks, man.”

When Jackson started singing Maroon 5’s
She Will Be Loved,
Travis left through the back door, to the yard, Jackson following him, singing the whole way. Travis rolled his eyes.

Jaron was sitting on the ground with Bobby. They were surrounded by puppies. Lucy sat about two feet away, looking grateful that her five babies’ attentions were elsewhere. Jaron looked up at him and gave him a smile, then eyed Jackson with curiosity. He didn’t comment though.

Finally, Jackson stopped singing. Thank God, because he sucked. Travis held his hand out to Jaron, who had stood about halfway through Jackson’s serenade and closed the distance between them. When Jaron stood, Bobby had to suddenly turn on the shyness like flipping on a light switch. Puppies following in his wake, he buried his face where Travis and Jaron connected. Jaron rubbed the boy’s back soothingly with his free hand. His other hand was around Travis’ waist. Jaron took the hand Jackson held out and introductions were made.

“Nice meeting the person who has Ms. Travis all tied up in knots. Well, re-meeting I suppose.”

Ms. Travis? “I have him tied in knots?” Disbelief could clearly be heard in Jaron’s tone.

“Oh yes, Jaron McAllister, you most definitely do.” Jackson turned his attention to the small boy trying to disappear. “And who is this handsome little man?”

Bobby peeked out at him. Jackson’s dark brown eyes held only affection when he looked down at Bobby. Jackson squatted down on one knee, much like Travis had done earlier. The puppies took that as a sign that he wanted to play. He picked one up and stroked its furry head. “Cute, aren’t they,” Jackson said to Bobby. “Which one is yours?”

Bobby turned around, leaning into Travis now more than Jaron. Bobby pointed to a puppy that sat by his feet. Jackson slid to the ground and Bobby’s puppy, along with all the others, sans the one he was already holding onto, climbed up into his lap. To Travis’ surprise, Bobby followed his puppies lead and sat on Jackson’s stretched out legs. The little boy giggled when he got licks from two of the puppies.

“Whatcha gonna name him?” Jackson asked.

“It’s a boy?”

“Yep.”

“Brownie. Because he’s brown.” Well, Bobby did like things simple.

“What should I name mine?”

“You’re getting one too?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Will it grow to be a girl dog or a boy dog?”

“A boy like yours.”

“I like boys.” Jaron raised an eyebrow at this, but otherwise didn’t comment.

“Me too,” Jackson said.

“Since when?” Travis croaked out, frowning down at his friend.

“Always. Equal opportunity and all that,” Jackson said, winking at Jaron.

“Why is this the first I’m hearing about it?”

Jackson shrugged. “Not my fault you don’t pay attention. I’ve walked out of many a bar with a man, instead of a woman. Besides, who I choose to...um...spend time with is not that big a deal. It is what it is, ya know?”

Travis was silent after that. He looked at Jackson in a new light now. Maybe what Jackson said earlier was correct. Maybe Travis had been up his own ass so much he stopped paying attention to the people he cared about.

Travis knew working so hard on the ranch these last few years was partially to blame. After his dad died two years ago, Travis didn’t have much choice. He was the owner of the ranch now, so he had to step up and be the man his father would have wanted him to be. So Travis had. If people in this town overlooked that and saw him as the partying bad boy he hadn’t really cared. He still didn’t, if he were being honest.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you lately, man.” Travis watched as Jackson gently removed all the babies from his lap, including Bobby. The man stood and pulled Travis into a hug. A better man would have let Jaron go, but not Travis. Nope, Jaron got smashed into the side of both men. Not a bad place to be for everyone involved.

“I forgive you. You’re Ms. Travis, the beauty queen. How can I stay mad at your pretty self?” Jackson laughed.

Travis chuckled. “I think the pretty one here is Jaron.”

Jackson pulled away enough to look down at Jaron. He winked, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Very true, my friend. Very true.”

“Men can’t be pretty. I think the term you’re looking for is devastatingly handsome,” Jaron said, winking right back.

Jackson shook his head. “Nope. You’re pretty.”

“Am I pretty too, Jackson,” Bobby asked, tugging on his hand.

Jackson bent down and scooped up the boy. “You most certainly are.”

Bobby smiled. To everyone’s surprise Bobby grabbed the man’s face in both of his chubby little hands, looked right in his eyes and said, “You’re pretty too.”

They ended up watching The Discovery Channel the rest of the day and into the evening. They grilled chicken for dinner and went right back to their couch-potato state.

Jaron thought about the picture they must make. Jaron leaning against Travis’ side, his arm around Jaron, pulling him closer, and Bobby in Jaron’s lap, the puppy cuddled up next to them. Jackson took up most of the love-seat, looking to be asleep. In all Jaron’s life he never felt this content, this relaxed, before. It was as if this was where Jaron was supposed to be, right here in this moment with the people he loved most in the world. At least he thought he loved Travis. He was certainly beginning to fall in love with the other man.

Things were moving way to fast in their relationship. Jaron knew this and couldn’t bring himself to care.

“Will you spend the night?” Travis whispered in Jaron’s ear.

Jaron looked down at Bobby already sleeping against his chest. “Looks like someone doesn’t have any objections.” Jaron smoothed the hair back from Bobby’s face.

Jaron should really have told Travis no. Instead he scooped Bobby up and followed Travis. Travis carried the puppy up. He laid Bobby in the bed and tucked the blankets around him. Travis put the dog down on the bed. Brownie walked around in a circle several times before settling next to Bobby’s blanket covered legs. Bobby never woke up. Jaron decided to leave the door open to the room his boy was currently occupying. Travis grabbed the extra blanket and pillow off the bed and went back to the living room. Jaron watched as Travis took care of his friend, making sure he was comfortable.

He followed Travis to the master bedroom, sitting on the bed with his hands folded in his lap. He was suddenly nervous. Jaron wasn’t sure if it was being in Travis’s bedroom or the prospect of being with the one man he could truly say he might be falling in love with.