Author: Chaps1870
Warnings: Slash, Incest, m/m bonding
Pairings: Jarrod/Heath
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Jarrod finds a new love, but
it is complicated when he finds out his latest love is also his new brother.
Disclaimer: This story is for
entertainment only and not intended to infringe on the holders of rights of The
Big Valley.
FOR
ALL ETERNITY
Part
1
The dark haired lawyer walked
calmly into the bathhouse, a well known establishment in
He’d been aware of a young
blond fellow eyeing him from across the room for some time and he made a silent
signal for him to follow him into one of the many private cubicles located off
the steam room. Wrapped in only a
towel, Jarrod felt his flesh begin to rise at having such a fine specimen. No
more than twenty one, a kid really, the blonde was tall with finely etched muscles
and the bluest eyes. The thought of
burying himself inside the young man was already making him hard beyond belief.
Jarrod pulled his towel away
and stroked himself impatiently as he waited for the blonde stranger to arrive.
He’d never seen him at the bath before and Jarrod prided himself on knowing all
the men that frequented the baths. This
kid was new and Jarrod was going to have him.
Something alluring about the young man made Jarrod’s erection jump in
his hand and he had to remove it lest he ruin a good night of fun. The blond opened the door and stepped inside,
wasting no time dropping to his knees in front of Jarrod, who gasped when he
felt his entire length being swallowed by the kid.
Leaning into the wall behind
him, Jarrod’s knees threatened to buckle as the kid started sucking him with
gusto. Jarrod’s eyes dropped to gaze
into the young man’s eyes, and a moment passed between them. Whatever it was neither could describe, but
the kid began sucking Jarrod in earnest as he fondled the large sacs beneath
his throbbing manhood. Jarrod was
breathing heavily and he knew if this kept up he wouldn’t last. As large as he was, he had never had anyone
take him the way this kid was and it was erotic beyond any of Jarrod’s
imaginings. His hands clenched the young
man’s hair and he held him in place as he pumped into his mouth, just to see if
he could take it. When he found no
resistance in the young man, only pure lust in his eyes, he almost lost it.
Pulling him to his feet, Jarrod was panting with desire. He’d been visiting the baths for years and
never did he ever feel anything more than the need to find release. This kid was invoking feelings he didn’t
think possible and he wanted nothing more than to slam him up against the wall
and fill him with his aching hard-on.
His hands found the young man’s
shaft and stroked it for several long seconds, savoring the length almost equal
to his own. Standing against one
another, Jarrod ground his erection against the young man’s and whispered
through gasps for air, “Need...you”
The young man’s breaths were
shallow and fast as Jarrod lifted his hands and engulfed both penises. His long
fingers stroking them together as the two men pushed against one another,
desperate for more contact. Jarrod felt
the sweat pouring off of him and it mingled with kid’s, sending a tingle into
Jarrod as he thought about the closeness of such an act. Jarrod’s hands were crushed between the two
of them as they both strove for completion, neither man used to the intensity
of feelings that coursed through them. It
was an insatiable, almost insane need to be close and grunts filled the room as
their bodies pounded against the other.
The young man’s hand slipped between them and found Jarrod’s
nipple. As he pinched and played with it
between two fingers, Jarrod’s head flew back and a moan of pleasure escaped his
lips. His balls tightened and he knew
that it was over for him. His mouth
opened and he hissed huskily, “NOW! Oh god, NOW!!”
Grabbing Jarrod’s manhood in
his large hands, the young man stroked him hard and fast, feeling it throb
beneath his fingers. Jarrod’s entire body stiffened and his hands snaked around
his waist, pulling the young man into a tight embrace. His hips never stopped moving even when his
world narrowed into a blinding ball of light that erupted into flash after
flash of ecstasy. As he pumped the last
of his release between them, he felt the young man stiffen in his arms and then
begin shuddering as he too emptied himself onto Jarrod’s stomach. Jarrod barely managed to hold him up, his
own legs weak after such an explosive climax.
As their breathing calmed, Jarrod released him. The kid looked at him
with such wonder that Jarrod had to smile, “Well that was a first for me
too!” Jarrod’s legs no longer wanted to
support him and he sank to the floor.
The young man eased himself
down on the floor beside him, his hand resting on the older man’s thigh. He
didn’t normally go for older men but something about this guy drew him and he
knew he had to have him. He only wished
they’d been able to stop long enough for the real thing, but he was too caught
up in the moment to stop anything. The
whole situation was a little unnerving to the young man. He prided himself on remaining aloof, never letting any one get close enough to hurt him
and here he was lusting after a man he’d just met. It scared him to think what would happen if
he stuck around, so he quickly made his excuses and left the man sitting on the
floor in shock.
He too was reveling in the
feelings that this young man had elicited in him. Getting slowly to his feet, Jarrod grabbed
his towel and sighed in frustration over the young man’s abrupt departure. It was going to take some time to get over
their encounter without Jarrod thinking about how bad he wanted in that young
man.
~*~
Jarrod rushed into the study to
find himself confronted by a very angry young man...a man he recognized all too
well. His manhood stirred in his pants
as he looked at the young man with blue eyes and muttered under his breath, “Oh
geez!”
It had been over a year since
he’d seen him and yet he was never far from his thoughts. He’d been almost obsessive in his thoughts
about the man and had visited the bath houses every chance he got in hopes of
coming across him again. His efforts had
been in vain.
Jarrod listened, along with
Nick and Eugene, to Heath’s story and couldn’t believe what he was
hearing. Not only was the kid claiming
to be his brother, he wanted what was his.
Jarrod’s thoughts drifted as the young man raved and Jarrod had to push
against his groin to stop his rising erection.
If he was in fact his brother, it did nothing to quell the desire that
burned in his loins.
It occurred to Jarrod how nice
it would be to have him around all the time watching that tight ass in those
skin tight pants. Jarrod shook his head
trying to clear away the thoughts that raced through his mind. As he watched
Heath confront his brothers, he began to notice that Heath avoided looking
directly at him, instead directing his anger and Nick and
It was then that Jarrod
realized that it wasn’t just him, Heath felt the pull as well and Jarrod’s
manhood twitched at the thought. They
were drawn to each other, whether through brotherhood or what and they wanted
each other. Jarrod broke out in a sweat
as he watched Heath storm from the room and leave the house. It took every
ounce of strength not to follow after him in desperation to be close to him
again.
Sleeping that night was near
impossible as Jarrod lay in bed thinking about Heath. Just thinking about that tight young body was
enough to make him hard as steel and he finally had to roll over, give in to
the urges. Slipping his hands into his
pants, he began stroking his manhood.
Using the precum that gathered at the tip, his
strokes became longer and faster as he envisioned young Heath taking him deep
in his throat. Jarrod’s back arched off
the bed as he pumped into his hand and felt the searing heat as his seed spewed
forth. Milking it to the last drop, he laid back, exhausted by the power of his
orgasm.
~*~
The family finally accepted
Heath, albeit slowly. Jarrod invited him
back to the ranch after the fight at Stemple’s and
they’d all stayed up late discussing the whole situation. When everyone else rose to go to bed, Jarrod
calmly asked Heath to stay behind so they could discuss some things. Jarrod remained behind his desk, trying to
hide the erection that threatened to burst his seams. Heath slowly approached Jarrod and leaned on
the edge of the desk looking down at his now older brother. “Reckon we got us a situation.”
Jarrod’s eyes were practically
eye level with Heath’s burgeoning heat and he licked his lips
involuntarily. Heath’s heated flesh
twitched and he rolled his eyes, “Aw hell, that ain’t
helpin’ none.”
Jarrod drug his eyes from the
tantalizing sight and looked up at Heath, “Sorry.” He tried to control his thoughts, but his
breathing increased right along with his heart rate. “I can’t stop what I’m feeling, Heath, and I
don’t think it’s going to just go away.”
Jarrod closed his eyes and his hand dropped to his lap as he
unconsciously rubbed against his erection, trying to ease some of the pain.
“Aw hell,
Jarrod!”
Heath could take no more and he
dropped to his knees, quickly reaching out to unfasten Jarrod’s pants. Like a man possessed, he divested Jarrod of
his pants and began kissing and sucking the pulsing shaft. Jarrod threw his head back and his hips rose
to meet the warmth of Heath’s mouth, his knuckles white as he gripped his
chair.
Moans of pleasure only excited
Heath more and he sucked Jarrod in and out of his mouth with abandon, wanting
nothing more than to taste the hot, milky streams he knew were sure to
come.
Jarrod gripped Heath’s head and
pumped into his mouth as he felt his balls draw up. He wanted to scream at the pleasure that was
building, but bit down hard on his lip to keep from crying out. Instead he moaned through gritted teeth,
“Didn’t...want...it...this...way.”
Heath did and he increased the
tempo, then looked up at Jarrod as he fought against
the burn that was threatening to explode within his own loins. He pulled his mouth off of Jarrod’s erection
and spoke with a ragged breath, “Need...to...taste...you.”
The cool air hitting Jarrod’s
engorged flesh had him panting feverishly and his own desire filled eyes meet
Heath’s dark passionate ones. Heath’s
heated words sent fire to Jarrod’s groin and he knew it was over. He leaned back in his chair and thrust upward
as Heath engulfed his length in one long stroke, enveloping him in warmth once
more.
Taking Jarrod’s silky sacs in
his hands, Heath worked them between his fingers as his mouth worked Jarrod’s
rock hard flesh. Jarrod’s legs began to
twitch as his muscles tightened in anticipation and his moans filled the air,
“Oh god Heath, I’m gonna....oh god!” With one powerful upward thrust, Jarrod’s
body shuddered almost violently as he exploded deep in Heath’s throat. Heath
swallowed convulsively not wanting to lose a drop of the precious fluid. Jarrod’s breathing was harsh as his hips jerked
in short involuntary spasms. It seemed
to go on forever before his whole body slumped into his chair, totally spent.
Heath wasted no time shedding
his own pants and he rested a hand on each side of Jarrod’s chair, before
leaning in and kissing his older brother.
This was no brotherly kiss, as Heath’s tongue plunged into Jarrod’s
mouth and Jarrod grasped his neck to pull him closer still. His free hand reached between Heath’s legs
and gently squeezed the golden orbs that hung there. Oh god, they hung
there. Jarrod felt the familiar stirring
in his groin and his hands slipped under Heath’s shirt to rub and feel the
tight muscles as he worked his way up to nipples, tight and aroused. His fingers pinched and pulled at the hard
nubs and Heath ripped his mouth from Jarrod’s as he gasped for air. His eyes found Jarrod’s and he pleaded
desperately, “I want you in me.”
Jarrod jumped to his feet and
grabbed Heath in a wild embrace as his mouth crushed the young man’s lips. He forced his tongue into the inviting warmth
and the two men battled for dominance.
Jarrod’s hands drifted until he held a tight butt cheek in each hand and
he pushed Heath back, pinning him against the wall. His pulsing shaft ground against Heath’s hot
erection and his hands ripped away the shirt that covered delectable skin. His own shirt followed and he rubbed and
crushed himself against the hard flesh.
Heath’s moans increased and Jarrod’s pulse raced in response. Turning Heath in his arms he pushed him to
the wall and thrust his aching member against his brother’s tight ass. “I want
you.”
Jarrod pinned Heath’s arms
above his head with one hand, something he wouldn’t have been able to do had
Heath not been willing, but he was oh so willing. He widened his stance and felt Jarrod’s
hardness slip between his legs and he let go an agonized grunt. His blood filled erection was painfully hard
and he needed more...now! Panting, he
pushed back into Jarrod wanting him to imbed his large thickness into his tight
tunnel. He begged unabashed, “Please!!”
His voice dropped to almost a whimper, “Please, Jarrod!”
Jarrod’s emotions were at a
fever pitch and he shook with desire.
Taking his shaft in hand, he guided it to Heath’s entrance, stopping as
he met resistance, “Too dry... don’t... want... to... hurt... you.”
Heath hissed through clenched
teeth, “Take me, damn it! Now!!!” He pushed down on Jarrod’s straining flesh
and felt the head push past the tight ring of muscle. Heath stopped and sucked in a harsh breath,
willing himself to relax. Jarrod tried
to pull out but Heath reached behind him and grabbed his ass, “STAY!”
Jarrod’s reached around Heath
and splayed his hand over his stomach while the other gripped his hip. Frantic to move, Jarrod trembled as he waited
to thrust. When Heath began to move and
Jarrod felt himself slip deeper into the hot tight envelope, his hand tightened
on Heath’s stomach and he thrust upward as slowly as he dared and buried
himself to the hilt. Heath bit back a
scream when Jarrod hit his prostate, and Jarrod’s lips nipped and kissed
Heath’s shoulder. As he slowly pulled
out, only to slam into him again, Heath’s head fell back onto Jarrod’s shoulder
in pure pleasure. With each slow thrust,
he felt his insides quiver with pleasure as Jarrod’s hardness found his sweet
spot. Despite his best effort, he
couldn’t stop moaning, “Harder, Jarrod. Harder...oh god
please.”
Not able to stop himself,
Jarrod pulled out until only the tip of his erection remained, then he braced
himself and slammed into Heath’s ass again and again. He was no longer capable of thought, only
instinct and the need to claim the young man.
His hand tightened on Heath’s stomach and his balls slapped Heath’s
thighs with each thrust. Every thrust
became harder than the one before as he pounded in Heath’s tight ass, hitting
his prostate with each pass.
Heath’s body quivered
uncontrollably, relishing being taken so thoroughly. Nothing had prepared him
for the feelings that washed over him when he was with this man and he pushed
back against him, wanting him deeper.
Jarrod felt Heath’s muscles
start to clench around him and he drove himself deeper and harder.
Heath tried to drop his
outstretched arms but Jarrod’s harsh hoarse voice stopped him, “Don’t!” Grabbing Heath’s arms, Jarrod held them above
his head while his other hand dropped to the young man’s heated flesh and began
stroking him.
Heath felt the familiar burn in
his stomach and his world erupted in a mind shattering, soul wrenching orgasm
that wouldn’t end. Jarrod pounded into
him as stream after stream of hot, milky liquid covered over his stomach and
the wall.
Jarrod tried to hold Heath up as his legs
buckled, no longer able to support his weakened body. Unable to fight his own approaching climax
and hold Heath up at the same time, Jarrod dropped to his knees with Heath
still in his lap and his pulsing shaft penetrating deeper inside his ass. Wrapping arms around his brother, Jarrod
thrust sharply upward as he ground Heath’s hips downward, and Heath muttered
helplessly, “Oh god...oh god...oh god.”
His body still shook
uncontrollably from the aftermath of such a powerful orgasm and Jarrod’s body
responded with harder thrusts. Jarrod
suddenly tightened his hold on Heath and with one final thrust, his back arched
sharply and he lifted Heath up as his manhood erupted deep inside of his ass. Jarrod stopped breathing as every muscle
tensed and he filled Heath with his release.
His world revolved around the intensity of unknown proportions and it
felt like his balls were being ripped from his body as he shook with pleasure.
It seemed to last forever, and Heath began to panic when he didn’t hear his
brother breathing. All he could feel was Jarrod’s tense convulsing body beneath
him. He tried to turn in his brother’s
grasp when he heard Jarrod take a deep gasping breath then collapse in a heap,
his hard length still firmly enclosed in his ass. When it softened and slid from his body,
Heath pulled himself off and helped a trembling Jarrod sit up. With a shaky hand, Jarrod clasped Heath’s
neck and pulled him until their foreheads were touching. Jarrod’s eyes were dark and possessive as he
uttered firmly, “Mine.”
Heath nodded and buried his
head in Jarrod’s shoulders and let the warmth of belonging wash over him.
Part
2
It was clear to all that Jarrod had taken his
youngest brother under his wing and there was no mistaking the love Jarrod had
for him. To outsiders, and even family,
they were simply two brothers that shared an uncommon bond. No one ever
suspected the depth of love they kept hidden from others. Their passion was unbridled and they lived
for moments together. They knew they were courting danger, but neither man
could stop what they felt for the other.
Jarrod was on his way home
after three months in San Francisco and the horse beneath him made his erection
all the more painful. He’d wired ahead
hoping for someone to meet him, and when no one showed he finally got a horse
and started home. About three miles from home he saw a lone figure leading a
lame horse.
Riding up beside him, he said
calmly, “Heath.”
Heath looked up with a frown,
but Jarrod could see the shine in his eyes, “Jarrod.”
“You wanna
ride?” Jarrod reached out a hand and
Heath easily vaulted onto the back of the horse. Handing Jarrod the reins of his lame horse,
Heath’s hands wrapped lightly around Jarrod for balance. Jarrod hooked the reins around the saddle
horn and basked in Heath’s embrace. When
Heath’s fingers found his nipples through his shirt and Jarrod gasped, “Damn
Heath, not here.”
His fingers slipped into
Jarrod’s shirt and played with the soft hair on his chest sending fire through
Jarrod. He whispered playfully into
Jarrod’s ear as he moved his hands lower, “Ain’t never done this before.”
Jarrod tried to respond before
he lost control over the situation, but when Heath deftly unbuttoned his pants
and his erection sprang free he was lost.
Leaning back heavily into Heath, he sighed as Heath’s hand teased his
flesh. Heath was pushing his own
hardness against Jarrod’s back as he stroked him. “Oh god, Jarrod, I missed you.”
“Faster Heath...need...” Jarrod lost the ability to speak and only
ragged gasps escaped his lips. Heath
ground into him harder and pumped Jarrod with fast and frantic strokes.
Desperate, Jarrod’s hand covered Heath’s and he thrust upward, spilling his
seed onto Heath’s hand. Watching Jarrod climax sent Heath over the edge and he
crushed himself to his brother’s back and came in his pants. Both men slumped forward in exhausted
bliss.
Jarrod finally rose up, pushing
Heath upright with him. “Missed you too, Heath.
If we don’t get home, Nick will be sending a posse.”
Heath flashed a lop-sided grin
and teased Jarrod, “You better hope not, you’d be hard pressed to explain
this.” Heath grasped Jarrod’s limpness
and Jarrod swiped his hand away as he tucked himself back into his pants. He twisted in the saddle and kissed Heath
firmly, wondering what the rest of the family would think of this side of
Heath. The side that only
Jarrod had the privilege of knowing.
His flesh began to twitch again and he knew he’d have to come up with
some reason to see Heath in the coming days or they would both be in a world of
hurt. He willed himself to think of
something else as he nudged the horse home.
Three days...three days at home
and Jarrod was irritable. His and Heath’s chance meeting his first night home
did nothing to quell his desire. He’d
even been tempted to break the cardinal rule and go to him at night. Only the fear of getting caught kept him in
his own bed. Heath wisely kept his
contact with Jarrod to a minimum, knowing that touch alone would be enough to
embarrass them both if they weren’t careful.
The whole family was gathered
in the study for after dinner entertainment, with Nick and Heath playing pool
and Jarrod sitting at his desk. Victoria and Audra sat watching the lively
game, fanning away the heat. The heat
was sweltering inside and out and Jarrod unbuttoned another button on his shirt
revealing a patch of chest hair. Heath
forced himself to look away and concentrated on the shot in front of him. Nick watched him miss and laughed, “That’s
the second shot you missed tonight, little brother. Where’s yer head at
tonight, boy?”
Buried in Jarrod’s crotch is
what Heath wanted to say, instead he smiled at Nick’s teasing, “Too hot to
concentrate. Figure ya
might win this one by default, Nick.” He winked at Jarrod as he bantered with
Nick, “You better take what you can get.”
The family laughed with Heath.
Nick took the final shot ending
the game in his favor. Nick pulled at
his shirt, using it to cool himself. “I can’t remember it ever being so hot so
late in the day. I’m goin’
for a ride. Anybody else want to get out
of this hot box?”
Heath shook his head, “I thought
about going for a swim myself.”
Nick looked at Jarrod, “Well,
big brother what’ll it be, a ride or a swim?”
“Well I’m partial to the
swimming idea. Perhaps Audra or Mother would like to join you for a ride.” Jarrod couldn’t believe Heath’s suggestion. It was a perfect solution, assuming no one
joined them. He grabbed his hat and
nonchalantly used it to hide the growing bulge in his pants.
“Your loss.
How ‘bout it Mother, Audra, either of you want to join me in a ride?”
Jarrod didn’t wait to hear
their answer as he followed Heath out the patio doors, intent on getting
away. As they saddled their horses,
Heath couldn’t stop from brushing up against Jarrod at every opportunity. Audra and Nick entered the yard as Heath and
Jarrod were leaving and Jarrod shifted in the saddle to ease the ache some and
tipped his hat at his siblings, “Have fun on your ride.”
Heath waited anxiously, then
kneed Charger and yelled back at Jarrod, “Race ya!”
Jarrod sat stunned before
kicking Jingo into gear, “Yehaw!” He briefly heard Nick and Audra’s laughter
as he and Heath raced for the swimming hole.
Heath arrived first and led
Charger to the water while he waited for Jarrod to dismount and do the same
with Jingo. This particular swimming
hole was great for swimming, not only because it afforded its swimmers privacy,
but because the water never got too cold.
Impatient, he began to undress, relieving himself of his boots and pants
first. Jarrod did the same and soon the
two of them were naked and plastered to each other, hands roaming everywhere
they could reach.
Their breathing was ragged and
urgent as they caressed each other’s skin and Heath kissed his way to Jarrod’s
nipple. Circling it with his tongue,
Heath reveled in the smoothness of Jarrod’s chest as he sucked and nipped at
the swollen bud. He kissed and sucked
his way down Jarrod’s abdomen. Jarrod sharply sucked in air as Heath brushed
against his hard, aching shaft. He tried
to pull Heath to his feet, but Heath resisted, wanting to taste him after so
long an absence.
“No!” Jarrod shifted, and pushed Heath to the
ground. He tried to straddle Heath’s
thighs, but Heath had other ideas and he rolled the two of them over so he was
on top. Jarrod writhed beneath him, and
Heath increased his weight and slowly eased his erection next to Jarrod’s as he
humped him. His eyes wild with desire,
Jarrod tossed his head from side to side. With Heath on top, Jarrod was at his
mercy, not a position he was used to.
When Heath put a hand under
Jarrod’s knee and lifted it up, opening him to further exploration, Jarrod’s
eyes filled with fear. He tried to lift
up, and Heath placed a firm hand on his chest, pushing him back down. Looking him right in the eye, Heath told him
softly, “I won’t hurt you. I promise. Just a finger.”
Jarrod had never been
penetrated and Heath wanted him to know just how enjoyable it could be. He preferred the bottom, always had, but he
wanted Jarrod to experience it just once and he figured the more excited he was
the less likely he was to resist. He
dropped Jarrod’s knee and leaned over him, shifting his groin in a circular
motion as he pleaded softly, “Please let me do this for you. If you don’t like it, I’ll stop.”
Reluctantly, Jarrod nodded and
he opened his legs letting Heath know that he trusted him. He was still tense, and Heath’s mouth dropped
to his in a searing kiss. Jarrod was
breathless when Heath pulled away and he kissed his way down Jarrod’s ribs and
stomach. When he got to his groin he
kissed his way around it, and Jarrod arched upward yearning for contact. Heath smiled as he continued to tease Jarrod
with light kisses to his balls and thighs.
His head dropped even further as his tongue darted out to caress
Jarrod’s puckered skin and Heath heard him suck in air and moan with
delight.
Heath took it as a good sign
and played his tongue over Jarrod’s sensitive flesh as his hand stroked the
hard shaft above. When Jarrod began
arching into his hand, Heath wet his finger and eased it into Jarrod’s ass
while his tongue licked the sensitive skin around it. Jarrod tensed as he realized what was
happening but when Heath’s long finger slid inside and hit his prostate, he
cried out, “Awwww!”
Heath eased almost all the way out and stayed still. Jarrod was panting loudly and hissed,
“What...was...that?”
Heath smiled as he slowly
pushed his finger back into Jarrod and lightly caressed the hard nub
again. Jarrod gasped for air and as
Heath pulled out, Jarrod tried to push down on his hand, wanting to feel the
sensation again. Heath pumped his finger
into Jarrod, each time making sure he hit the spot that had Jarrod squirming in
his grasp. With his other hand he
coated Jarrod’s engorged heat with precum and stroked
the pulsing flesh. Jarrod lifted his
head and his dark eyes shone with love and hot desire. “Didn’t...know.
Not... gonna... last.”
Understanding his plea, Heath
shifted between Jarrod’s legs and dropped his head to suck on the rigid flesh
while fingering his virgin flesh. Heath felt him stiffen and every muscle trembled
as Jarrod let loose a long keening wail as he thrust up sharply and he pulsed
into Heath’s mouth. Only when he was
done did it become silent and Heath removed his finger to lie next to
Jarrod. He ignored his own hardness as
he draped his arm over Jarrod’s chest and rested his head on his shoulder. Jarrod shuddered as Heath’s hand roamed over
his chest and abdomen spreading the sweat that had gathered there. He sighed with contentment, “Give me a
minute.”
Heath grinned, “I’m fine. Just relax.”
He leaned closer and planted light kisses on Jarrod’s neck and throat,
sucking on the salty skin, “I wanted to do that for so long. So you would know what you do to me.” He pressed his hard length against Jarrod’s
thigh.
Jarrod rolled them over and lay
on top of Heath as he looked down into his eyes. “God, Heath I can’t get enough
you. It’s so intense sometimes that it
scares me. No matter how many times I
have you I want more.” Already Heath
could feel Jarrod’s rising erection and it amazed him that this man could get
an erection so soon after the first.
Heath needed release so he bent
his knees and spread his legs wide, inviting Jarrod between them. Jarrod used his own precum
to lubricate himself and then guided the crown of his erection into Heath. Tensing for only a moment, Heath relaxed the
muscle and looked up at Jarrod who was straining not to move and said in a deep
husky voice, “Hard and fast!”
Leaning all the way forward,
bending Heath nearly in half, Jarrod slowly eased himself inside. Then slowly
he pulled out until only the tip remained. He teased Heath with several long
and very slow strokes, and when he pulled out and viciously pounded into
Heath’s ass in one deep thrust, Heath was completely unprepared and screamed,
“YESSSSSSSS!!!!!!
Bracing himself above Heath,
Jarrod slammed in and out of Heath’s ass, pushing, circling, and grinding. Jarrod felt the vibrations of pleasure start
beneath his balls and he stopped his motion to grab Heath’s hardness in his
hand, feeling it pulse beneath his long fingers. With long, slow strokes he
pumped Heath’s hot flesh as he thrust his own heated flesh in and out of
Heath’s tight warmth. Heath was moaning
for release and he tried arching into Jarrod’s hand despite his awkward
position. Jarrod sat up and gripping Heath’s hips,
pulled him closer to his groin. Heath’s ass rested on Jarrod’s thighs giving
him more control and he lifted his hips in time to Jarrod’s thrusts.
Jarrod let Heath rock on his
aching shaft and he reached forward and played with his nipples, pinching and
pulling them fiercely. Heath groaned as
he twisted his head from side to side, desperate for completion. Grabbing his own aching shaft he pumped into
his hand as Jarrod plunged into his depths with hard and frantic thrusts. Their worlds had narrowed to their own need
for release as they wallowed in the sensations that began to wash over
them. Heath stiffened first, his
quivering muscles sending Jarrod over the edge and both men arched forward as
they exploded in a simultaneous eruption of pleasure. Involuntary shudders assaulted them both and
Jarrod finally collapsed to the side of an equally exhausted Heath. The only
sound in the fading light was their harsh breathing.
~*~
Part
3
Jarrod sat in the office, bored
and wondering if the day would ever end.
He’d been on edge for weeks and he knew why. Heath was on another cattle drive. It wasn’t unusual not to see him for that
long, since he lived in
Heath was glad to finally arrive
in
Nick slapped him on the back,
raising a cloud of dust, “Sounds good to me. I might even sneak in a nap ‘fore
we go.”
“Well, you older fellas need your rest,” teased Heath. He shucked out of
Nick’s grasp and shot him a lop-sided grin.
“I’ll see you at the International about seven.”
“Yeah, tell that older brother
of mine hello.”
Heath waved good bye, as he
muttered under his breath, “My pleasure.”
He caught the first cab he could find and headed to Jarrod’s
office. Still early, he wanted to catch
him at the office before heading home, take some of the edge off. Heath sauntered into the office and waited
for Jarrod’s clerk to announce his presence. Jarrod rushed from the office and grabbed
Heath in a firm, brotherly embrace, hoping to hide his already growing
erection. “Hey, Heath good too see you
again.” He looked over his shoulder and
asked, “Where’s Nick?”
“He decided to take a nap,”
chuckled Heath, then he added slyly, “Reckon it’s just you and me this
afternoon.”
Dropping his arm on Heath’s
shoulders, Jarrod smiled with a gleam in his eye. “Come on in the office and
tell me about the drive.” Before pulling the door shut he dismissed his clerk
for the day.
The door shut and Heath was
already on his knees unbuttoning Jarrod’s pants. “Jesus, Heath,” hissed Jarrod, his eyes
already closing shut as he savored the feel of Heath’s touch. His head fell back and Heath reached in and
pulled his aching erection free causing him to moan. Jarrod ran his fingers through Heath’s hair
as his younger brother began kissing his heated flesh. He looked down at his blue eyes and demanded
tenderly in an already husky voice, “Play with yourself. Let me watch.”
Heath smiled warmly. Jarrod loved to see his male flesh hanging
out when he wore chaps and he was more than happy to oblige him. His own
hard-on was straining and when he pulled it free he made sure his balls hung over
the edge of his pants. The material
pushed on them, creating not only an impressive show, but also giving him a
nice pleasant sensation. Taking his own
pulsing flesh in hand he stroked himself as his mouth found Jarrod’s manhood.
Jarrod gasped and his hand dropped onto
Heath’s shoulder for support. Heath
stroked himself harder and harder, knowing Jarrod wouldn’t last, and wanting to
experience the moment with him. Jarrod
tried to watch Heath’s hand but his eyes started to roll back in his head and
he lost himself. It was sudden and
intense and neither man had any warning as Jarrod’s orgasm caught him off guard
and he bit back a scream, coming hard down Heath’s throat. Heath pumped into
his own hand as he arched upward, spewing a hot stream onto Jarrod’s
pants.
Mortified, Heath exclaimed, “Aw
damn. I’m sorry, Jarrod.” His breathing
came in gasps as he hung his head ashamed.
Jarrod eased himself to his knees and hugged him limply, still too
shaken to do much else.
“Don’t be! That one caught us
both off guard.” His head rested on Heath’s shoulder as they both struggled to
catch their breaths.
Jarrod helped Heath to his feet
and kissed him deeply, “Go home and get cleaned up. I’ll be along shortly.”
He swatted Heath’s butt as he headed out the
door and Heath flashed him a grin, “Don’t take too long.”
Jarrod got home an hour later,
hornier than hell and quickly deposited his hat and coat in the foyer before
rushing upstairs. He looked in the
guest bedroom and not finding Heath he headed to the bathroom. Opening the door, he found Heath with his leg
up on the commode strapping his chaps on bare ass. Blood flooded into Jarrod’s groin and he
kicked off his boots as he unbuttoned his pants, letting them drop to the
floor. Heath turned and Jarrod’s mouth
dropped as he eyed the massive flesh restrained in leather. His own large erection jutted forward as he
wrapped his arms around Heath and began frantically humping against him. Heath smiled and tried to slow Jarrod down,
“Whoa there, big brother. We got time.”
Panting with desire, Jarrod
pushed harder into Heath, desperate for contact as he cried out, “Chaps...can’t
stop.” As he leaned into Heath, they
both lost their balance and landed on the floor, Jarrod firmly pressed against
Heath’s hardness. Heath never got over
Jarrod’s obsessive fondness for the chaps.
Arching up, Heath pleaded, “Let
me turn over.”
Jarrod was still rubbing
against him frantically as he nodded, then reluctantly let Heath up long enough
to roll over, exposing his bare ass to him.
His hands shook as he spread Heath’s cheeks and found his tight
hole. Reaching behind him he grabbed the
oil and dripped it down the crack before covering his fingers in the slippery
lubrication.
With practiced ease, he slipped
a finger inside his brother’s tight hole and found the sensitive nub. Heath moaned and pushed back against Jarrod’s
finger, wanting more of the pleasurable sensation. Jarrod teased him with several strokes before
inserting a second then third finger.
Heath was bucking against his hand, and Jarrod covered his throbbing
shaft with oil as he guided it to Heath’s tight tunnel, slipping easily
inside. Giving Heath only a minute to
adjust, he grabbed his hips and slammed himself forward until his balls were
pressed firmly against Heath’s own.
Jarrod remained still, his breaths coming in harsh gasps. Heath tried to push away, desperate for
Jarrod to move, but his brother held him firmly in place. “Don’t move....need...a...minute! Too...much!”
The chaps were erotic for both
of them and they never lasted once they started. Jarrod just wanted to savor the feel for an
extra moment before he lost control.
Heath nodded as he trembled with anticipation. He knew what was coming and as many times as
they’d played this particular game, he never explained why it caused the
reaction it did. Jarrod was very much
aware of his sensitivity and never abused the privilege, saving it for when he
wore chaps. Heath never asked why it was
the only time he used that technique to get him off, but he suspected it had a
lot to do with his reaction. He was
snapped from his thoughts as Jarrod leaned across his back and whispered
softly, “You ready?”
Heath nodded and waited as
Jarrod’s hands dropped to his back and started caressing him in broad
strokes. His hips ground into Jarrod,
who took a couple of deep breaths to calm his own rising desire.
Very tenderly, Jarrod began
tracing the scars that marked Heath’s back, and his brother’s reaction was
instantaneous. Shivering almost
violently, Heath pushed hard onto Jarrod’s hard shaft, impaling himself time
and time again, as Jarrod continued to trace the scars with only the lightest
touch. And then it started... Heath bucked wildly, unable to stop the
sensations that coursed through him, every nerve on fire.
The leather, Jarrod’s touch,
and being filled to capacity,
bordered on pain and he struggled to get away, only to have
Jarrod pull him back time and again. Each time Heath pulled away, Jarrod
slammed his aching flesh into him harder and harder. Jarrod’s muscles screamed at the strength
required to hold onto Heath, yet he knew that Heath’s
struggling was not really him trying to get away. It was such an overwhelming feeling that
Heath was out of his head with desire.
Heath started to whimper and
Jarrod knew he was close now and pounded into Heath’s ass, his arms still
wrapped firmly around Heath as he tried to push away from him. Jarrod refused to release his hold as his
balls slapped Heath’s thighs, occasionally rubbing against the leather
straps. Heath tried desperately to get
away from the extreme sensations and he clawed at the floor as tears formed in
his eyes.
Jarrod couldn’t stand to see Heath in such a
state and leaned over and gently licked at his scars sending Heath over the
edge. His body spasmed
violently in Jarrod’s arms and as Heath clenched around him, he followed, both
of them trapped in the throes of passion as their bodies screamed in blissful
release.
Heath trembled harshly and
Jarrod couldn’t stop the tiny convulsions that forced him to thrust time and
time again, aching to fill Heath with every bit of his release. After what seemed like an eternity, they both
collapsed in a heap, still trembling in each others arms. Jarrod rolled over enough to spoon behind
Heath as he held on to his tearful brother.
Lifting his head, he leaned over Heath’s shoulder and asked as he always
did in a tender voice, “Are you okay?”
Heath never answered, but he
nodded weakly and pulled Jarrod’s arms tightly around him, savoring the
strength he felt there. Jarrod relaxed
behind him but pulled him closer, “Good thing you don’t go on too many drives a
year, little brother.”
Heath’s whole body shuddered
and Jarrod smiled as he kissed his shoulder.
The bathroom floor wasn’t the best place to be cuddling, but Jarrod
understood that Heath needed this almost as much as he needed the other and he
held him in a protective embrace.
~*~
Part
4
It was late in the day as
Jarrod sat in the one spot that had meant so much to Beth. The wind whistled through the trees and he
never heard Heath approach until he knelt behind him and dropped his strong
arms over his shoulders in a lose embrace.
Jarrod leaned back almost unconsciously and remained silent, afraid if
he tried to speak he would break down again.
Jarrod had ridden out early in
the day and as the day grew longer both Heath and Nick began to worry. They’d split up and began to search for their
older brother, concerned about his state of mind. Beth was dead and they’d only returned home
yesterday from Jarrod’s obsessive search for Hyatt. Heath sighed in relief as
he’d crested the rise and seen Jarrod sitting in the meadow below. He looked so forlorn that Heath’s heart ached
and he didn’t hesitate as he made his way towards Jarrod to offer comfort.
As he sat holding Jarrod, Heath
asked worriedly, “How are you doing?”
Leaning his head over Jarrod’s shoulder he caught sight of his brothers
red and swollen eyes and his heart lurched.
His face filled with sorrow.
Heath shifted to Jarrod’s side
and pulled his head to his chest and Jarrod wept in his brother’s embrace. Heath’s head dropped onto Jarrod’s and he
rubbed circles over his back in comfort as Jarrod sobbed, “I’m sorry for ever
marrying her. If I hadn’t she never
would have been killed.”
“You don’t know that,
Jarrod. He wasn’t after her.”
Jarrod turned and looked at
Heath, “It could have been you.”
“But it wasn’t. You can’t keep blamin’ yourself.”
“It was wrong for me to marry
her.” Jarrod paused, “I just wanted....”
Heath answered for him, “A
normal life? Away from the perversion?” His head dropped sadly. They both knew his
answer. It was hard to hide what most
would consider sinful acts. They even dated women in an attempt to convince
others as well as themselves that they were ‘normal’. Jarrod’s marriage and Beth’s death had them
thinking more seriously about the relationship they shared.
Jarrod jumped to his feet and
confronted Heath, “I can’t do it anymore. It’s wrong. I shouldn’t want you like I do.” Jarrod tried
to walk off and Heath reached out to grab his arm. Jarrod shrugged off his grasp and glared at
him, “No more! God, Heath, you’re my brother and I can’t keep my hands off
you...what kind of man does that make me?”
“Neither of us knew we were
brothers that first time, Jarrod.” Again
he tried to touch Jarrod, but he would have none of it, and pulled away.
Tears flowed freely as Jarrod
vented his feelings, “I want you so bad, it hurts
sometimes. I have to ignore it and act
as if we are just brothers. You have
never been JUST my brother. I get to
spend an hour here and there with you and it’s never enough.” Jarrod gazed at
Heath with such intensity that he felt his groin stir. Jarrod grabbed Heath by the shirt front, pulling him face to face as he spoke
fervently, “I want to spend a whole day
loving you then wake up with you next to me and love you some more. It’s sick,
I know that, but it’s what I want. I don’t want a woman to make my life
complete...I WANT YOU!” The fight went
out of Jarrod and he fell to his knees crying.
Heath stood staring at Jarrod
dumbfounded, replaying his words to make sure he’d heard right. Shaking his
head, he returned to the present and dropped down in front of Jarrod. He wrapped his arms around him and pulled his
head tight against his chest. “I thought
it was just me all along. I ain’t never loved anyone the way I love you. I’ve never felt so
comfortable with anyone as I do with you.
I don’t have ta worry what you think of me, ‘cause you ain’t never judged
me. I feel like somebody special when
I’m with ya.”
Tears fell from Heath’s eyes as he held Jarrod close, and a new warmth passed between them.
After a time, Heath helped
Jarrod to his feet and took him home. He
stayed with him through the night to make sure he slept peacefully. Whenever he began to stir,
Heath spoke softly to him and Jarrod would drift back to sleep. No one suspected what had passed between
them, they were just extremely thankful that Jarrod had let someone in to help
him through his loss.
Heath left Jarrod the next
morning in search of Nick, “Hey Nick, you reckon you could spare me for a
couple days?”
“What for?”
Hesitating, Heath couldn’t help
but wonder what Nick would think of his request. He hated the way he was going about it, but
Jarrod needed him right now and that was more important than the truth. “I was
just thinkin’ that maybe a couple days up at the
lodge might do Jarrod some good.” Heath blushed as he added, “You and me we
spend all day together, but Jarrod and I...well we don’t get ta do much together just him and me”
Nick draped his arm over
Heath’s shoulder, “Say no more, little brother. I think it’s a great idea. You did good with
him yesterday. I hate seein’ him hurtin’ so, maybe a
couple days fishin’ and bein’
lazy will do him some good.”
“Are ya
sure you don’t need me? I hate leavin’ without no notice.”
With a light slap on the back,
Nick smiled, “Hell, you ain’t the only one that works
around here ya know. I think this ranch will survive
a few days without ya. You just make sure you bring big brother back
with a smile on his face.”
Heath had to turn his head to
hide the gleam in his eye as he thought, oh he’ll be smilin’ alright.
~*~
Jarrod sat next to Heath in the
wagon in a state of mild shock. He was
headed to the lodge for two days, and more importantly, three nights with
Heath. “I don’t know how you managed to
get Nick to agree to this, but thank you.”
Heath gave him a brief nod and
remained silent as he dropped his hand on Jarrod’s thigh. He didn’t often get to just touch him for touching’s sake and it wasn’t long before his fingers found
Jarrod’s hardness. Jarrod leaned back as
much as he could in the seat. His pants
were pinching his erection and he was flush with the desire that coursed
through him. Heath stared straight ahead
as if it were the most natural thing in the world to be rubbing Jarrod’s aching
bulge. He unbuttoned Jarrod’s pants and
slipped his hand inside and rubbed his palm against his thick shaft as his
fingers danced over his balls. Jarrod
arched into his hand, straining for more contact, finding the whole act
incredibly erotic. Heath teased him and only rubbed with his open hand, getting
turned on by the site of Jarrod sweating and stretching for more. His hand slipped in further and touched the
sensitive skin between behind his balls and Jarrod thrust upward sharply, his
breathing coming in short gasps.
Heath continued teasing, bringing Jarrod close to the edge then backing off
before he could go over. He wanted him
to lose control, to react instead of thinking. Heath slowed the wagon and tied
off the reins, his hand still rubbing and teasing Jarrod’s manhood. Jarrod was trembling and moaning with desire
and when Heath leaned over and sucked the crown of his rock hard flesh into his
mouth, Jarrod lost all sense of anything but his own need for completion. Grabbing Heath’s head, he pushed his hardness
to the back of his throat and a grunt of frustration and pleasure escaped his
lips. Heath obliged him and sucked and licked as Jarrod thrust in and out of
his mouth, his own loins threatening to erupt as Jarrod cried out desperately,
“Oh god, Heath, harder...suck it harder.
Need to....” His balls tightened
up, and his belly burned as he gave a strangled yell, “Awwwwww.”
He arched upward and exploded
deep into Heath’s throat. He bucked with each stream that flowed from his
pulsing shaft and Heath almost choked when his own climax began. Jarrod was
only barely aware enough to pull out for Heath to breathe as he shivered
violently through his own release.
Heath’s head slumped in
Jarrod’s lap and he licked the juices off of his softening member with a very
content look on his face. Jarrod didn’t
bother to move him as he reached across and grabbed the reins to continue their
journey. Heath tried to move when the
horses did, but Jarrod dropped his hand on his shoulder and held him in place,
“Stay. I’ll drive.” Jarrod’s fingers
played with his hair as Heath sniffed and nuzzled his limp member.
Heath dropped to the floor and
stretched his legs out to the side, his face still
firmly entrenched in Jarrod’s lap. Jarrod looked at him suspiciously, “What are
you doing?”
“I want ta
suck you ‘til you’re hard again.”
“You talk like that and you
won’t have to suck me to make me hard again.”
Heath shot him a lop-sided grin
and leaned forward, taking Jarrod’s soft member into his mouth. Jarrod bit back a moan of pleasure as he
watched Heath lavish his manhood and balls with his tongue. Already he felt himself
stiffening in Heath’s mouth and he smiled at him, “I told you.”
Heath licked him and ran his
tongue along the underside of Jarrod’s shaft and his eyes gleamed excitedly as
Jarrod swelled in his mouth. He sucked
greedily and Jarrod gripped the seat with one hand, his other hand holding tight
to the reins. Reaching up a free hand,
Heath unbuttoned Jarrod’s shirt enough to get his hand inside. His fingers played with the fine hairs on his
chest before trailing light touches to Jarrod’s nipple.
He flicked and teased the taut
nub. Jarrod’s breath hitched and his arousal twitched in Heath’s mouth, getting
harder and harder and filling his throat.
Heath felt his own groin stir, but he needed a lot more recovery time
than Jarrod. He envied his older
brother’s ability to get an erection so quickly between orgasms. They’d never actually had time to see just
how long Jarrod could go, but in Heath’s experience so far, Jarrod had never
failed to perform at a moment’s notice.
He may not be able to match Jarrod shot for shot, but he was more than
willing to see just how many times Jarrod could go before he lost that ability.
He was snapped from his
thoughts as Jarrod gripped his head and thrust hard into his mouth coming hard
down his throat. He swallowed the
convulsive stream, savoring every drop as Jarrod pumped himself
to completion. Jarrod was breathing
heavily, his eyes closed in blissful ecstasy.
Sweat beaded on his chest and Heath lifted up enough to kiss the salty
moisture from his skin. Jarrod jerked
upright gasping for air, his whole body shuddering under Heath’s touch. He
pushed him away as he said in a hoarse, ragged breath, “Need...air...Stop!”
Heath teased him with a few
more kisses before rising to sit beside him. He took the reins from Jarrod and
got the horses moving once more. He looked at Jarrod slyly, “We keep that up
and we ain’t never gonna get there.”
Jarrod stretched his arms
across the back of the seat and put his feet up on the front of the wagon.
Tilting his head back, he let the air cool his overheated flesh. He dropped his
hand to his softened member to slip it back into his pants when Heath grabbed
his wrist to stop him. He looked at him
oddly and Heath teased playfully, “I ain’t done with
you yet. Just relax for a bit.”
Jarrod blushed and shook his
head in disbelief, but he left himself alone and put his arm around Heath’s
back, enjoying a closeness they seldom got to experience.
“I hope I’m up to the task,
little brother.”
Heath’s only reply was to leer
at him, “Me too.”
Heath gave Jarrod a half hour
rest before he could take no more.
Unbuckling his belt and then unbuttoning his pants, he slipped his hand
inside his pants and began stroking himself. He glanced sideways at Jarrod and
insisted, “Watch me. No touching. Me or you.”
Jarrod swallowed hard, his eyes
never leaving Heath’s groin as he watched him move his hand up and down, hiding
the true prize from his view. Heath concentrated on playing with himself,
occasionally stealing a look at Jarrod’s growing erection. He smiled with
satisfaction and stroked himself with long, easy strokes until the crown of his
shaft peaked out of his pants. He heard
Jarrod’s breathing increase and he glanced down to the see his hard member
jutting outward.
He made a big show of gathering
the moisture at the tip of his own and with his thumb, spread it down the
length of his shaft. A small moan
escaped him and the hand on his back clenched his shirt in a tight grasp at the
sound. Heath lifted enough to free
himself from his pants so he could give Jarrod a better view as he continued to
stroke his throbbing length.
Jarrod watched Heath pumping
into his hand and he envisioned it on his own aching flesh. His heart raced and
his breathing grew ragged as the blood pulsed into his shaft. He moved the hand on Heath’s back and was quickly
admonished, “Don’t... touch... yourself,” gasped Heath, his own release close.
“Too close. It hurts,” groaned
Jarrod. Heath could hear the desperation in Jarrod’s voice and it aroused him
even more.
“Soon...Just...watch,”
grunted Heath, his hand moving faster and faster.
His breathing stopped and his hips thrust upward and he groaned loudly, “Awwww!”
Jarrod watched as he was told
and saw Heath’s balls tighten and he panted for air as Heath came. He shuddered uncontrollably as the first
strands spewed forth and covered Heath’s hand and shirt. He started to tremble and his own balls drew
up. His shaft filled with blood, but he could neither go forward nor back. He
was trapped in limbo, on the verge of release but unable to attain it without
some sort of stimulation. Not able to touch himself, he was helpless as all his
muscles tightened in anticipation. His hips humped the air against his will and
he cried out in agony, desperate for completion, “Oh god...please, Heath…
Please.”
Jarrod’s face was red and the
sweat poured off of him as he shook with need, waiting for Heath to do
something...anything. Heath was caught in his own climax and was oblivious to
the state Jarrod was in. It never
occurred to him that Jarrod was unable to come without being touched, so when
he finished his own release and looked over at Jarrod he was shocked by his
frantic and wild look. Jarrod’s hard-on
was almost purple from the all the blood that flowed into it and Heath quickly
guided his come covered hand to Jarrod’s member.
Jarrod’s eyes were closed
tightly and his face was clenched in pain as involuntary tears rolled down his
face. His body shook with such intensity as he took short gasping breaths, Heath was beginning to worry for him.
When his hand enclosed Jarrod’s
heat, the effect was instantaneous.
Jarrod screamed loud enough to spook the horses and they bolted
forward. Heath reached frantically for
the reins while his other hand tried to pump Jarrod to completion. Jarrod was thrashing wildly in his seat, still
screaming as stream after stream shot forward with such force that it cleared
the front of the wagon. His hips thrust convulsively even after his release and
his screams turned to cries as his body spasmed
against the intensity of orgasm. Jarrod
tried to suck in large lungfuls of air to compensate
for the loss of oxygen and Heath worried he might hyperventilate.
Stopping the horses, he quickly
tied off the reins and cradled Jarrod in his arms, whispering reassurances,
“I’m sorry, Jarrod. I didn’t know. Try and relax.” Tears formed in his eyes as
he released his hold on Jarrod long enough to climb in the back of the
wagon. With strength born of
desperation, he lifted Jarrod from the seat and dropped to the bed of the wagon
with him. Jarrod trembled in his arms
and whimpered with the spasms that ripped through him every few seconds.
He was soaked to the skin, and
Heath stroked his hair and muttered softly,“Sorry...
sorry... sorry.” Heath held on until Jarrod’s muscles finally relaxed and he
slumped in his arms, exhausted. His
breathing was better, but every few minutes his body would shudder
uncontrollably.
Heath tried to move to grab a
blanket, and Jarrod grasped his shirt front firmly in his hand and muttered in
a whisper, “Too...much!”
A small smile appeared on
Heath’s face and he sighed with relief. “I’m sorry.”
Jarrod’s eyes were closed, but
his face reflected his bliss. “Don’t be,” sighed
Jarrod, sleepily.
Heath held him until he fell
asleep and moved to cover him with a blanket. He stroked his brother’s cheek
and climbed back up front. In under an
hour they reached the lodge and Heath unpacked everything while Jarrod
slept. Heath was shaken by Jarrod’s
reaction and once he finished everything he climbed up in the wagon and spooned
behind his brother. Until that moment,
he’d never realized the depth of Jarrod’s love for him. All Jarrod had to do was touch himself and
his pain and agony would have been over, instead he’d resisted simply because
Heath had asked him not to. Tears fell
on his cheek as he drifted off to sleep with Jarrod in his arms.
Part
5
It was morning before Jarrod
woke, and he could feel Heath behind him. Or rather he could feel the hard-on
pressed into his backside. It was enough to cause his own heat to rise and he
reached back to fondle Heath as he slept.
Heath rolled to his back and began thrusting in his sleep. Jarrod had to
stop and unbutton his pants to free his own burgeoning erection. He didn’t think it was possible to get hard
after yesterday’s incident, but he happily noted that his plans for the day
hadn’t been thwarted. He rolled over and carefully unbuttoned Heath’s shirt
then rubbed his hand through the thick mat of hair. He lifted up and leaned
over to run his tongue across Heath’s nipple and suddenly found himself crushed
to Heath’s chest in a bear hug. A
lop-sided grin came across Heath’s face as he stared at Jarrod. He loosened his hold, and Jarrod stayed atop
him, but lifted enough to take some of his weight off. Heath cupped his face
and asked tenderly, “Are you okay?”
Jarrod kissed his way to
Heath’s mouth and smiled warmly, “I’m fine.”
Heath could feel Jarrod’s
hardness grind against his own and he moaned, “I can see that.”
“Mmm,”
sighed Jarrod as he planted kisses down Heath’s chest to his nipple. He flicked
his tongue against the aroused bud and sucked on it firmly, making Heath gasp.
Jarrod reached down and unbuttoned Heath’s pants, slipping his hand inside to
caress the firm flesh. He pushed his own hard-on against it with a deep sigh of
satisfaction. “Feels
so good.”
Heath’s hands wandered down
Jarrod’s back and slid into his pants to grab his firm cheeks in his big hands.
He pushed down as his hips arched upward, grinding into Jarrod for more
contact. Jarrod responded with a moan, and his cheeks tightened in Heath’s
hands as he thrust harder into him. Both men clawed at the other’s clothes,
needing more skin and Heath’s hands moved to unbutton Jarrod’s shirt, and he
spoke in a husky voice, “Inside...bed.”
Jarrod nodded, but he continued
to grind himself into Heath, too caught up in the moment to move. Heath finally pushed on his chest to get him
to move, “I ain’t gettin’
splinters in my butt, even for you.”
Reluctantly, Jarrod let him up and eased himself to the edge of the
wagon, where he sat for a moment to catch his breath. Heath grabbed his pants to keep them from
falling and leaped out of the wagon in front of Jarrod. He yelled on his way
by, “Race ya.”
Forgetting his own pants were
unbuttoned he tried to run after Heath and almost sprawled face first into the
dirt as his pants slipped over his hips. “Damn it.”
He quickly pulled them up and
stumbled after Heath. As soon as he entered the lodge, he saw the trail of
clothes leading to the bedroom and wasted no time shedding his own. Entering
the room, his heart raced when he eyed Heath lying on his back stroking
himself.
Heath leered at him, “Missed ya.”
Jarrod composed himself and
tried to appear nonchalant, “Is that so.”
He leaned against the bedpost and crossed his arms on his chest then
motioned to Heath’s hard-on. “Looks like you’ve got things well in hand.”
Sitting up, Heath never stopped
stroking himself, and Jarrod began to lose his composure. “I’m not doing that one again...at least not
for a while anyway.”
Heath’s hand moved a little
faster and he swallowed quickly, “You mean you’d let me do it again sometime?”
Jarrod knelt on the bed and
kissed Heath softly as he leaned them both back into the bed. He lifted up and
gazed into Heath’s blue eyes, “I enjoyed it...too much. I just don’t have too
many of those in me.”
Heath grabbed Jarrod’s head and
pulled him down into a searing kiss, his tongue finding easy access. Jarrod’s own tongue battled with Heath’s and
he nipped and sucked on his lips.
Heath’s hips crushed into him as he strove for more friction, needing to
feel Heath next to him. He was
breathless when he lifted off of Heath and straddled his thighs, their
erections and balls now touching intimately. Jarrod arched forward and his head
went back as he luxuriated in the soft feel of Heath’s hard flesh against his
own. Heath reached out a hand and traced the crown of Jarrod’s rigid length,
making him moan in pleasure and jerk forward for more pressure.
Sitting up, Heath leaned in and
ran his tongue along Jarrod’s collarbone, then sucked at the hollow space
beneath. Jarrod’s hands grabbed his shoulders to keep from falling backward as
he nipped and kissed his way to his tight nipple. Using his grip on Heath for
leverage, Jarrod rocked his hard flesh into Heath’s and increased his tempo as
Heath moved from one nipple to the other.
Jarrod’s hand dropped between
them and he leaned forward, using Heath’s body to support him and he stroked
his pulsing member. It was Heath’s turn to moan from Jarrod’s ministrations and
his hips bucked upward with each downward stroke. Jarrod wrapped an arm around
Heath’s back and buried his head in his shoulder as his hand pumped Heath’s
erection and he rocked his own hardness against them. Heath lifted his knees,
pulling Jarrod even closer. He was trying to hold back the burn that started
below his balls, but Jarrod felt him stiffen and pumped him harder and harder
to completion. Heath grabbed Jarrod with both arms and bucked upward as he came
between them, smearing fluid all over their stomachs and chests.
Jarrod waited only a few
moments before he untangled his arms from Heath and pushed him back onto the
bed. Stretching out above him, he rocked
forward and back over Heath’s soft flesh coating himself
with the still warm ejaculate. Heath moaned
at the motion on his oversensitive flesh and took short ragged breaths every
time Jarrod pushed against him. Jarrod tried to slow his thrusting until Heath
could take the sensation, but his moans only intensified Jarrod’s pleasure and
he felt the blinding ache of his arousal.
Dropping his weight onto
Heath’s chest, he grabbed his shoulders for leverage and ground himself into
Heath’s groin. Heath did his best to
thrust upward to accommodate his brother, but he was still too sensitive and a
grunt accompanied his motions. Jarrod’s
back arched as he groaned with release, and Heath grabbed his ass and held him
tight as Jarrod’s seed spread between them. His body quivered as he rolled off
of Heath and snuggled against his side, his arm draped over his chest. Heath
wrapped an arm around Jarrod and pulled him close, both of them breathing
heavily from the excitement.
It was several moments before
Heath nudged Jarrod, “I’m hungry.”
Jarrod lifted up on one elbow
and winked at him, “Me too.”
Heath pushed him away
playfully, “Well you are just gonna have to wait ‘til
I have me somethin’ to eat. I missed supper last
night and I’m starving.” Heath slid from
the bed and Jarrod rolled to his back and putting his arms behind his head,
watched Heath’s naked form as he searched for his pants.
“I think they were the first
thing you dropped in your rush to get in here. You might try the front door,”
teased Jarrod, a cheeky grin on his face.
“Yeah, they’re probably right
beside yours,” smirked Heath, as he cleaned himself off with his dirty
shirt.
“Good point.” Jarrod eased
himself up and took the shirt Heath threw at him and cleaned himself. Jarrod looked down at himself with disgust,
“I need a real bath.”
“Yeah, you do.” He ducked the
flying pillow and laughed, “After breakfast.” He grabbed his flat stomach and
moaned, “I’m starving.”
Part
6
Two hours later, Jarrod was
sprawled on the bed waiting for Heath to get done in the bathroom. Jarrod had a full stomach and he had every
intention of spending the day in bed with Heath. Never had he been able to spend unlimited
time with Heath and he wasn’t about to waste it. Heath walked in the room and leaned into the
doorframe with his arms crossed, a lop-sided grin gracing his face. Jarrod sat
up, did a double take and his groin tightened at the sight of Heath in nothing
but his chaps, “Oh Christ!” He broke out
in a sweat as Heath moved slowly into his waiting arms. Jarrod sighed, “Oh god,
Heath. Do you know what those do to me?”
Heath leaned into his ear and
whispered “Yeah, reckon that’s pretty obvious.” He sucked Jarrod’s earlobe into
his mouth and let his hand wander slowly to Jarrod’s rigid shaft. Jarrod sucked
in a deep breath when Heath lightly circled his crown with his fingers. Already
hard and aching, Jarrod jerked at Heath’s touch.
“I wanted to take it slow,”
stammered Jarrod. Heath smiled. It wasn’t often he could tongue tie the lawyer
and he purposely rubbed his legs against Jarrod’s thighs causing him to groan
loudly.
“I need to feel you inside me,”
said Heath huskily, his desire clearly evident in his blue eyes.
Jarrod’s body trembled and Heath rolled onto
his back, opening his legs to let Jarrod slid between them. Heath sat up for a
moment, put his hand on Jarrod’s chest and said tenderly, “Easy, big brother.
Calm down.” Jarrod was breathing heavy
and he leaned back on his haunches and tried taking a couple of deep
breaths.
Dropping his head, Jarrod
hissed with a shaky breath, “Can’t! Need
you too much!”
Heath shifted on the bed and
said softly, “Let me take the edge off.”
His head dropped to Jarrod’s groin and he slowly sucked on the tip of
his erection. Jarrod’s hips thrust upward, aching for more, and Heath took in
his length, enjoying Jarrod’s pleasure as if it were his own. Sitting on his knees gave Heath access to
that sensitive area just behind his silky sacs and he used his fingers to tease
the area as he sucked Jarrod’s pulsing hardness. When Heath let his finger
wander to pucker of skin further back, Jarrod tensed and spurted into his mouth
with a low moan of pleasure. Heath sucked him to completion and Jarrod fell
forward onto his hands, breathing loudly and sighing with satisfaction. Heath
asked him softly, “Better?”
Jarrod nodded, “Mmm.” Heath rolled
onto his stomach and Jarrod loved the view of his tight cheeks in the worn
leather chaps. He felt his groin stir,
but it would be several minutes before even he recovered and he used the time
to get the oil. Returning to Heath, he
leaned over his back and traced light tender kisses across his shoulders and
down his back. Heath shivered under his touch and when Jarrod licked the crease
between his buttocks, he lifted up for more contact.
Using the oil on his fingers,
Jarrod slipped them into his crack and found his tight hole. Very carefully he
eased a finger in and pushed until he found the hard nub, making him shudder.
He slowly pushed in and out, before inserting a second finger. Heath was pushing back into his hand, wanting
more.
Jarrod removed his hand and
oiled his already hard flesh and gently pulled on Heath’s hips, moving him as
far away from the headboard as he could without falling off the bed himself.
With practiced ease, he slipped the head of his crown into Heath’s tight
tunnel, stopping when he pushed past the pucker of muscle. Heath was breathing hard despite Jarrod’s
careful preparation and he let Heath adjust to his size. He enjoyed being able to take his time
instead of his normal desperate act when Heath wore his chaps. This was something new to him and he was
determined to make it pleasurable for Heath.
When Heath’s breathing evened
out, he slowly pushed himself in the warm sheath until his balls brushed
Heath’s. He pulled out until only the tip
remained and slowly pumped himself in and out, until
Heath began lifting his hips to meet his thrusts. His strokes were slow and
easy, meant to tease and Heath ached for more. Jarrod grabbed Heath’s hips and
ground himself into his ass as deeply as he could. Heath pleaded, “Harder!”
Jarrod leaned over him, and
asked gently, “You ready?” Heath nodded vehemently, pushing himself against
Jarrod’s stomach.
“Shhh.
Try and relax.” His hands wandered over Heath’s back in tender caresses, and
Heath was already twitching under his touch.
With a certain sadness, Jarrod began tracing
the scars that lined his brother’s back.
Heath moaned loudly, “Ahhh.” With each new scar that Jarrod touched, Heath’s
excitement built and he was pushing himself onto Jarrod’s steely length in
desperation. His body shook
uncontrollably as he cried out, “Harder! Need...more!” Jarrod continued his tender touches as he
tried to thrust harder as Heath slammed into him. His own needs were building, but he was
intent on seeing that Heath got what he needed before he lost control
himself.
As Jarrod gave Heath the lead,
he suddenly moaned in a pained voice and Jarrod used both hands to hold Heath
against him as he began his struggles with the intense pleasure. Jarrod pulled
his hard length out and pounded into Heath, who was out of his head with the
sensations that set his body afire. Heath would pull away and then push back,
desperate for more only to retreat when the pleasure threatened to overwhelm
him.
His struggles were frantic and
Jarrod grabbed Heath’s shoulders and pumped himself into his ass as hard as he
could and Heath clawed at the sheets in anguish, needing release but not able
to get it. Jarrod knew from experience that unless he let it go on, Heath
wouldn’t get his release and that was more torturous than dealing with Heath in
this state. Only when Heath began to
buck and shudder uncontrollably, the tears of desperation forming in his eyes,
did Jarrod cautiously release his hand and trace the scars again.
The reaction was immediate and
Heath tensed in his arms, exploding his seed all over the bed in front of him.
As Heath pumped his own hardness frantically, his ass tightened around Jarrod’s
throbbing shaft and Jarrod’s balls tightened, shooting his load deep inside of
the warmth of Heath’s ass. His arms
convulsively held Heath as he thrust up sharply several times to milk every
drop. Heath was already limp in his grasp as he finished with his own gut
wrenching orgasm. Still buried inside of
him he held Heath tightly to chest, lending his strength to Heath as he cried
silent tears.
For whatever reason, Heath
always cried whenever Jarrod touched the scars and while it tore at his heart,
he made sure he was there to comfort him. With infinite care he lowered them
both to the bed and wrapped himself around Heath. His hand gently caressed Heath’s chest as he
kissed his shoulders. Heath eventually found the strength to hold the arms that
held him and he sighed with contentment.
Never in all their encounters during the chaps had Jarrod felt so close
to Heath as he did now. He leaned in close to his ear and whispered with a
heartfelt voice, “I love you.”
Heath rolled in his arms and
looked at him with red rimmed eyes. Burrowing into Jarrod’s chest, he stayed
silent but Jarrod could tell he was crying again. Concerned, Jarrod pulled back
and cupped his face, “What is it? Please tell me.” Heath sadly shook his head, but rolling over
he pushed back into Jarrod’s warmth and let him wrap his arms around his
shivering frame. Afraid to push him, Jarrod held him tightly. It was several minutes before Heath’s quiet
voice broke the silence, “Did you mean that?”
“What, Heath?” asked Jarrod tenderly.
Heath stuttered and said
reluctantly, “That you love me.”
Jarrod made Heath roll over and
his fingers stroked his damp hair, “More than I can say or even show you. I
hate not being able to show you all the time what you mean to me.” Leaning in,
he lightly kissed Heath and uttered softly, “I love you so much it hurts.”
Heath sighed with relief and
spooned up against him again, feeling loved and safe in Jarrod’s arms. He took
a deep breath and spoke in barely a whisper, “Whenever anyone has ever seen the
scars...they either turn away or are embarrassed. Some even look at me as if I
am somehow less a man for having them.” Jarrod pulled him closer and kissed his
shoulder as he continued, “You are the only person who has ever touched them as
if you are hoping your touch can somehow make the pain that went into making
them go away.” Heath stopped to compose himself, “That’s why it is so intense
when we do this. I love when you show me that you’re not afraid to touch
them....to touch me.”
Jarrod voice was very soft and
he said sorrowfully, “I didn’t know. I only knew you enjoyed it.” He snuggled closer
and added, “Thank you for telling me.”
Heath sighed as his body
relaxed and he felt sleep creep in. “I love you too, Jarrod. More than I ever
thought it was possible to love someone.”
Jarrod relaxed next to him and
sighed, “I know.”
Their relationship changed that
day. Jarrod no longer felt the frenzied
need for Heath, and found himself able to hold Heath
without wanting to undress him all the time.
Their time in bed went from frantic sex, to gentler lovemaking. They
still spent considerable time fulfilling their aching need, but both men begin
to show their love in other ways, with a light touch or a fleeting caress. They returned to the ranch feeling content
with the way things were. While they could never truly be together, they vowed
to spend as much time together as was practical without raising
suspicions.
Heath announced upon their
return that they’d had such a good time they were going to make it an annual
event. Jarrod’s new outlook after Beth’s
death was enough to convince them that the trip had been beneficial and no one
could begrudge them time to enrich their relationship as brothers. Heath made a special effort to go to
Part
7
Time passed and Jarrod and
Heath lived with the secret of their love.
One particular Christmas, Jarrod presented Heath with a pocket watch
inscribed with the words ‘Forever.’
Heath had to blink back tears
as he read the inscription and when he glanced at Jarrod, he saw him briefly
close his eyes and nod in affirmation of the words. Heath ducked his head and
ran his finger over the precious words.
The watch never left his possession and he carried it with him
always. Heath privately presented Jarrod
with a small gold medallion inscribed with his own sentiments. Jarrod refused to tell anyone from whom it
came, but he would often be seen rubbing it unconsciously between his fingers
when he was troubled or melancholy.
They lived for time together
and looked forward to their trips to the lodge. The one place they could let
loose of all inhibitions and show their love freely without the fear of someone
seeing or hearing them. The third year
of their annual visits would forever be remembered as the
turning point in all they had become or ever would be.
It was their last day and Heath
was determined to make it memorable for Jarrod.
Dressed in just his chaps, he sat on the bed and waited on Jarrod to
finish his morning bath. They’d learned
long ago that shared baths accomplished nothing more than to make a bigger mess
so they reluctantly admitted that it was better to go solo. When Jarrod walked in and found Heath sitting
on the bed stroking his thick shaft, wearing just the chaps, his knees
threatened to buckle. Jarrod stumbled to
the bed, his own erection already throbbing to life and Heath put up a hand to
stop his advance.
He pointed to the opposite end
of the bed and insisted, “Sit. No touching.” He gave him his trademark grin,
“You get to watch.”
Jarrod sat at the end of the
bed and leaned back with his legs stretched out in front of him and a raging
hard-on between his legs. The chaps
alone were enough to make him hard, but to play this particular game would be
near impossible. His voice stammered as he spoke, “I don’t think I can do this,
Heath.”
Heath let the leather on his
leg rub against Jarrod’s calf and watched his brother start sweating. Little
beads of sweat formed and trickled down Jarrod’s face and chest, making Heath’s
member twitch in his hand. Jarrod’s
breathing was fast and he tried to take deep breaths as Heath took some oil and
drizzled it on his hot flesh. “Just watch and
enjoy...I promise it won’t take long.”
Jarrod nodded and he slunk down
on the bed, his shoulders pressing hard into the end board. Lifting his knees,
he spread his legs wide so he had a clear field of view. Heath tilted his head back and closed his
eyes as he let the oil cover his shaft with each slow agonizing stroke.
Already he could feel Jarrod
moving restlessly on the bed and he knew if he opened his eyes he would be hard
pressed to prolong his rising desire.
Gripping the bed rail above
him, Jarrod’s knuckles were white as he strained to keep his hands from
wandering to his pulsing and needy flesh. Heath’s hand pumped his erection and
Jarrod’s breathing grew labored as Heath’s strokes grew harder and faster. He writhed on the bed but his eyes never
strayed from Heath’s burgeoning length.
Jarrod was trembling and his
heart beat loudly in his chest, each beat sending a surge of blood into his painfully
erect shaft. His muscles began their
tell tale twitching and his balls drew up tightly and he begged Heath,
“Hurts...oh god...it hurts!”
He was caught in the familiar
limbo and Heath opened his eyes and pumped faster, not wanting to prolong Jarrod’s
agony. It was fun and exciting to a
point, but Jarrod was truly in pain and needed release. Heath had learned that when Jarrod told him
it hurt it was time to end his teasing.
One look at Jarrod’s jutting purple hardness and the frantic look in his
eyes was enough to send him over the edge and he thrust upward, spewing his
seed all over Jarrod’s legs and stomach.
To Jarrod it felt like fire and
his balls clenched even tighter and he lost the ability to even breathe for a
second. Heath shook himself from his
ecstasy to take care of Jarrod who was shaking almost violently with need. He
moved closer, settling between Jarrod’s legs, letting his leather clad legs
brush his thighs. Jarrod jerked and his
hips thrust upward straining for contact.
His eyes pleaded with Heath,
and they darkened with a rush of desire as he saw Heath’s hand reach for his
aching flesh. His hips pumped
uncontrollably waiting for the hand to enclose him. He was never prepared for the intensity of
his impending climax when Heath finally touched his burning flesh. He screamed. He always screamed when they
played this game. He couldn’t help it. His balls felt as though they were being
ripped away from his body and his shaft never felt big enough for the force
exerted to release the fluid that had built up awaiting his release.
Tears fell and still he
screamed, his ejaculate exploding upwards in stream after powerful stream,
covering both of them with the milky white substance. Heath’s hand suddenly stilled and a look of
shock crossed his face. Jarrod could see something was wrong, but his body
wasn’t done and he thrust sharply upward desperate to finish what they’d
started. Only when his body slumped to
the bed did his screams die away to a whimper. Jarrod weakly turned his head to
where Heath was looking and he too was horrified by what he saw. Both men were stunned and speechless as they
watched Nick bolt from the doorway looking very, very sick.
Jarrod couldn’t move, his body
still shuddering from his release. Heath wanted to go to Nick but he couldn’t
leave Jarrod, not like this. Heath moved in and held his lover, while he
shivered and shook in his arms. It was a
bittersweet pleasure for both of them as they contemplated facing Nick’s wrath.
Heath whispered gently to
Jarrod and wiped away his tears. Jarrod tried to sit up forcing himself to
forget what they’d just shared in his attempt to get to Nick. Heath knew that
Jarrod was physically and emotionally exhausted and moving was always a
struggle after their little game.
He didn’t try to stop Jarrod,
instead he grabbed clothes for both of them and helped Jarrod dress. Jarrod’s hands shook and Heath did most of
the dressing. They both managed to get into pants and shirts, neither bothering
to button up the shirt. What was the point. Nick saw everything and dressing neatly now, seemed
immaterial.
Jarrod slipped on his boots and
spoke softly to Heath in a still shaky voice, “Stay here for a bit...Let me
talk to him first.”
Heath nodded. He was devastated
by Nick’s appearance and his sickened look.
He looked up to and idolized his older brother and to see such disgust
in his eyes hurt Heath more than he ever would have thought possible. Jarrod
lifted his chin and said tenderly, “It’ll be okay.” Jarrod cupped his face and
Heath leaned into Jarrod’s touch as tears fell. He thumbed away the moisture
and kissed him, “I promise.” Heath
nodded and sat dejected on the bed as Jarrod fought back his fatigue and went
in search of Nick.
Jarrod walked through the
house, not seeing Nick and then he heard the awful sound of retching outside.
He took a moment to smooth back his hair, and wipe his sticky chest off before
descending the steps. Nick was sitting on his haunches, his hands on his
thighs, dry heaving in the bushes. The
older brother in Jarrod was immediately concerned and he dropped a comforting
hand on Nick’s shoulder.
“DON’T TOUCH ME!” yelled Nick
and he swung around and backhanded Jarrod to the face with enough force to
throw him back several feet, dazed and bleeding from his mouth. Jarrod had no time to recover before Nick
head butted him in the stomach knocking all the air from his lungs. Doubled
over and gasping for air, Jarrod couldn’t block the punishing blows that Nick
was inflicting on him. His ribs, his
stomach and his face were pummeled and he took each one as punishment for his
evil deeds, never raising a hand to stop Nick’s rage.
He lay in a heap struggling to
breathe when Heath bolted from the house and pulled Nick off of him, “NICK!
STOP! HE AIN’T FIGHTIN’ YA!!!!”
Nick wasn’t hearing, aware of
nothing but the pain in his heart. When Heath grabbed him away from Jarrod,
Nick was so pumped with adrenalin, that when he hit his younger brother with a
two handed fist, Heath’s head snapped back and he was catapulted into the water
trough three feet away. His head hit
with a sickening thud and he collapsed in a boneless heap, unmoving. Jarrod watched, horrified when Heath didn’t
move. He half stumbled, half crawled,
ignoring his own injuries in an effort to get Heath. Nick stood in shock at what had happened, but
when he saw Jarrod reaching out for Heath, he reacted.
Grasping Jarrod’s shirt, he
literally threw him away from Heath as he snarled, “You stay away from him you
son-of-bitch. Keep your filthy hands off him.”
Nick tenderly checked Heath’s head for injuries, and when his trembling
hand came away covered in Heath’s blood he gasped at the sight.
Jarrod saw it too and he cried
out, “Heath!” He scrambled in the dirt to get to him, but Nick wouldn’t let him
close, pushing him back roughly at every attempt. Tears rolled down his bruised
and battered face and he pleaded with Nick in short, ragged breaths, “Please,
Nick... let me help him.”
Nick held Heath close and
screamed at Jarrod, “This is your fault. You’re sick,Jarrod! A goddamn perversion.
That’s what it is. He’s your brother for
Christ sake. You couldn’t leave him
alone could ya.”
Jarrod sat staring at Nick in
shock and Nick shook his head in disgust. “I knew you tried it when you were
younger. I thought you’d given up on it,
but you had to go and drag him into your sick little world. God! Your own brother.”
Inching closer as Nick yelled,
Jarrod finally reached forward to touch Heath as he whispered, “He wasn’t my
brother when we met.”
Nick glared at him with a fury
that even Jarrod feared and he shifted away from Nick’s reach. Not quick
enough, Nick grabbed the medallion that always hung around Jarrod’s neck and
pulled on it fiercely, choking Jarrod and tearing the skin beneath it. Jarrod’s
hands fought blindly against the thin metal squeezing his life away as Nick
pulled him closer and snarled, “Stay away from him,
Jarrod. You show your face on the ranch
again and I’ll tell Mother, I swear to god.”
Jarrod was turning purple and
his eyes started to roll back when Nick finally released his hold on him.
Falling forward, he tried to get air to his oxygen starved lungs. His damaged
ribs fought against his need for deep breaths and he felt his world begin to
blur as he fell face first into the dirt, unconscious.
Nick bandaged Heath’s head
wound and still he showed no signs of waking up. It took some time but he
finally managed to get Heath up on
~*~
Jarrod woke several hours later
in a haze of pain. The sun was beating down on his exposed skin, making him
sweaty and hot. As he slowly opened his eyes, the bright light burned his
aching head and he swallowed back the bile that threatened to rise from his
unsettled stomach.
It was painful to swallow and
he couldn’t understand why until his hand touched his swollen neck and he
remembered how he’d gotten where he was.
His concern for Heath overruled his own injuries and hurried to get to
his feet.
His world turned upside down in
a blinding flash of pain and dizziness and he dropped to his knees as he lost
the contents of his stomach. When there was nothing left to give, his body was
attacked with dry heaves. His damaged
ribs screamed with every convulsive shudder and he wrapped his arms around them
to stop the agonizing movements.
Exhausted and hurting, he
slumped against the water trough and his eyes dropped to the dark patch in the
dirt. Blood...Heath’s blood. Nick had taken Heath from him and left him without
a second thought, knowing Jarrod would never follow. He couldn’t now. Nick had
used the one thing that horrified Jarrod more than anything else. His mother
finding out he was an abomination...a perversion of nature.
He hated himself, hated what he
had become, but he was no more able to stop it then he could stop the sun from
rising. He’d tried over the years to do the proper thing, live the proper life,
but he couldn’t stop the urges. Women
were nice and he found a certain attraction in them, but it was men that excited
him, made him hard. Heath was what he lived for and without him, he had
nothing. His life became meaningless
when Nick took him away.
Perhaps Nick was right, maybe
without him, Heath could have a real chance at a real life instead of being
sucked into his sick, demented world.
Suddenly numb to everything including his own pain, he stumbled into the
house and made his way to the bedroom. Crawling into bed, he curled up and
retreated from all the pain and suffering he’d created.
Part
8
It was two days before Heath
finally came around and Nick never left his side. The doctor stitched up his
head and concluded that Heath had a concussion that he may or may not wake
from. Nick was beside himself with worry
and he’d wired Mother in
And Jarrod, he really could
care less. He’d left him at the lodge, convinced that Heath was finally safe
from his clutches. It never occurred to
him that Heath was anything but an innocent victim. Heath, his partner and
confidant, would never have drifted had it not been for Jarrod. Without Jarrod in the picture, Heath would be
free again, no longer influenced by his older brother’s wicked ways. As far as his mother was concerned, they had
gotten into a scuffle and Heath had gotten hurt. Jarrod was angry with them both and Nick
didn’t know where he was. He knew Jarrod
well enough to know he’d never set foot on the ranch again for fear of Mother
discovering his dirty little secret.
Heath’s first day awake was
blurry and fuzzy and he wasn’t aware of much more than Nick’s demands that he eat and get his strength up.
Oblivious to much else, he drifted in and out of sleep. On the third day he awoke with a clear, but
aching head and his heart raced with fear as he remembered what had
happened.
With no thought to anything but
finding Jarrod, he eased himself to the edge of the bed. His body swayed for a brief moment, but began
to clear itself of the dizziness so he stood up gingerly, wary of what would
happen. He felt weak, but he could deal with it. Going to his dresser he pulled
out clothes and carried them back to his bed where he could sit and get
dressed. It was a slow process but his
determination won out and he was ready to go.
He stood to go and was confronted
by a very irate big brother. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
Heath stood eye to eye with
Nick. “I have to find Jarrod.”
“He ain’t
here and he ain’t comin’
back. You don’t have to worry about him anymore.”
Nick was totally unprepared for
Heath’s reaction and he found himself being slammed up against the wall with
Heath’s forearm in his throat. Heath’s eyes were dark and foreboding as he
asked angrily, “What do you mean he ain’t comin’ back?”
Struggling to get free, Nick
was helpless in Heath’s iron grip and he hissed, “I took care of him. He won’t
be botherin’ you no more.”
“What did you do, Nick?”
growled Heath, his worry for Jarrod growing.
Nick had never seen such fury
in Heath, not even during those first few weeks on the ranch and he stuttered,
“I just roughed him up. I told him if he ever set foot on this ranch again,
I’d...”
Heath pressed into Nick’s
throat harder when he hesitated, “You’d what, Nick?”
“I’d tell Mother.”
“Tell me what, Nick?” Heath’s
eyes widened and his face reddened at such a thought and when he heard his
mother’s voice behind him, he instantly released Nick and refused to look at
her.
Gasping for air, Nick recovered
quickly and said tersely, “Nothing, Mother.”
Sighing in frustration, but not
one to incur his mother’s wrath when she looked at him that way, he answered,
“He’s still up at the lodge for all I know. The rig ain’t
come back yet.”
Heath’s head shot up and he
quickly grabbed his hat to leave when he was stopped by
Nick jumped in defensively, “I ain’t goin’ to get him.”
“You don’t know what he’s done,
Mother,” fumed Nick, his hands planted firmly on his hips.
Her voice softened and she
looked at Heath as she spoke, “You’d be surprised what I know.” She patted
Heath’s chest and repeated her earlier request, “Go saddle the horses, son.”
Heath could see the knowing
look in her eyes, yet there was no recrimination and he was both shocked and
relieved. Without a second thought, he kissed her forehead, “Yes, Mother.” He
left the room, leaving a very uncomfortable Nick to deal with his mother.
“Yes, ma’am.”
~*~
Victoria and Heath rode in
silence for some time before Heath asked her shyly, “How long have you known?”
“I’ve suspected it for some
time. I only knew for sure today.”
“And yet you ain’t mad. Why?”
“Mad? No, I’m not mad. Saddened
a little, but not mad.”
Heath frowned at her reaction
and she sighed deeply before she spoke, “Let me tell you a story and maybe it
will help you to understand. I have an
older brother I haven’t seen since he turned eighteen.”
“I’m sorry,” said Heath, the
sorrow evident in his voice.
“Don’t be. It was a long time
ago. My brother was a wonderful and caring individual and he doted on me. I adored him.
He...”
They traveled as fast as they
dared, both of them lost in their own thoughts. When they stopped to water and
rest the horses, Heath asked curiously, “Why didn’t you ever say somethin’ to Jarrod or me?”
“What could I have said? I
assumed you both understood that what you were doing would be considered wrong
in the eyes of most people and yet you were driven to do it any way. While I don’t understand it or even condone
it, I do accept that sometimes we have no control over things that happen in
our lives.”
“Hmmm.” Heath
hesitated, not sure if he should be telling her what was on his mind, but it
was nice to be able to finally talk to someone that could understand a little
of what he and Jarrod had to live with. He spoke sorrowfully about the past, “I
met Jarrod before I even knew he was my brother. By the time I found out, it
was too late to turn back.” His voiced saddened as he recalled Nick’s reaction,
“We never meant for anyone to find out. I reckon neither one of us ever thought
about it. We went to great lengths to keep it hidden.”
“I would never have suspected
had I not had Michael as a brother. It was very subtle and even then I could
never prove it. For the most part, I tried to convince myself that the two of
you simply cared for each other as brothers.
I suppose if I really wanted to know the truth I would have looked
harder. I guess deep down I didn’t want to know. It was easier to ignore it
rather than having to deal with it.”
“And now?”
“At this point, only myself and Nick know about it. We’ll simply have to find a
way to deal with it unless you think that you and Jarrod can put an end to it.”
Heath shook his head sadly,
wishing sometimes it were that easy, “No, ma’am.”
Heath nodded, knowing that
Jarrod was doing just that. “I reckon we better get a move on, it’s still a
ways to the lodge.”
Reaching her hand out,
Tears gathered in Heath’s eyes
and his voice wavered as he spoke, “He didn’t pull no
punches. He was still hitting him when I was knocked out. I don’t know what
happened after that.”
She tried to reassure Heath as
well as herself, “Jarrod’s taken a beating from Nick before and come through it
fine. I’m sure he’ll be alright.”
Heath didn’t have the courage
to tell her that Jarrod made no attempt to defend himself
and Heath could still see Jarrod struggling to get up when he tried to stop
Nick, only to be cast aside by his brother’s anger. He knew that even if Nick had stopped there,
Jarrod was now hurting and alone. They rode the rest of the trip in silence,
except for occasional token conversation. The closer they got to the lodge the
harder Heath pushed the horses, anxious and worried for Jarrod.
Part
9
Heath dismounted before the
horse even stopped and was headed inside when he remembered his manners. Turning back, he helped his mother dismount.
She patted his hand, “Go. I’ll catch up.”
He wasn’t prepared for the
sight of Jarrod curled up on the bed in a fetal position. Before he even got
close, he could see Jarrod shivering. He rushed to kneel on the bed and was
shocked by the heat that emanated from his brother. Heath rolled him to his
back and softly called to him, “Jarrod, can you hear me? Come on, wake up for
me. Please, Jarrod, open your eyes for me.”
Jarrod’s breathing was shallow
and he made no response as Heath anxiously looked him over. His face had
multiple bruises and one eye was swelled shut. Heath gasped at Jarrod’s neck.
Almost all the way around it was swollen and angry red with the skin cut and
oozing pus. His jaw clenched tight when he realized that Nick had used the
chain to try and choke Jarrod. Carefully opening Jarrod’s shirt he found the
bruises that told of Nick’s abuse to his ribs and stomach. Still in the same clothes of three days ago,
Heath knew that Jarrod hadn’t moved since that day. He lay in his own mess and
had made no attempt to even clean his wounds or bind his ribs.
When his mother arrived, she watched
as Heath carefully checked Jarrod over. When he noticed her, he stood up and
told her with barely suppressed anger, “I’m gonna get
a fire started so we can get him cleaned up. I’ll be right back.”
Heath only nodded, afraid if he
spoke he would reveal more than he cared to.
Once they were done, Heath held Jarrod up so that
He looked up at her in surprise
and found only a warm smile, “You give that back to him when he’s feeling
better.” She wiped away a tear and patted him gently on the shoulder. “I’m
going to fix us something to eat before we leave.” She started towards the door
and turned back to watch Heath pull Jarrod closer and bury his head in his
shoulder. She left to give him privacy,
but was struck by the emotion Heath showed towards Jarrod.
The medallion and Heath’s
reaction to Jarrod’s condition was something she hadn’t expected. She knew what was involved in their relationship,
she was no fool, but it had never occurred to her that two men could love as
deeply as a man and a woman. If Heath’s
reaction was any indication, then he and Jarrod had more than a simple
relationship of convenience.
~*~
Heath lined the wagon with a
mattress and very carefully lifted Jarrod to carry him out. Jarrod didn’t respond to being jostled, and
Heath laid him the wagon and covered him with a light sheet. His body was still hot with fever and they
didn’t want him getting any hotter than he already was. Jarrod’s skin was dry despite his fever and
Heath worried about the three days he’d gone without food or water. He tied the horses to the back and helped
his mother up into the wagon. “I left a canteen back here. You might see if you
can get him to drink.”
Heath shook his head, “You sit
with him. I’ll get us home.” He blinked back his tears and quickly climbed on
board.
Years of not being able to show
any feelings in the presence of family were so deeply ingrained that even now
he couldn’t make himself touch Jarrod in comfort. His heart was shattered by Jarrod’s haggard
condition. He taken extra time to shave Jarrod, knowing he hated to be
scraggily in his appearance, but he could do nothing about the gaunt and drawn
look that graced his features. Jarrod had woke only once during the journey and
Heath shuddered at the haunted look in Jarrod’s eyes. When they finally pulled
into the yard both Heath and Victoria were emotionally exhausted.
Heath helped his mother down
and carefully lifted Jarrod into his arms. In only sleeping pants, his body
showed the damage so clearly against his pale skin, and Heath bit back his
emotions.
Nick stood speechless at
Jarrod’s condition, not realizing until that moment how badly he’d hurt
Jarrod. Even when Heath and his mother
insisted on going after him, he thought Jarrod would come back angry for the
fight, but still standing. He shook with
fear for his older brother, and his knees buckled under the strain. Sitting on the steps he couldn’t make sense
of anything.
He hated Jarrod for corrupting
Heath and yet here he was worried he would be all right. There were too many
conflicting emotions coursing through him, especially Heath’s reaction. He
honestly thought he was doing his little brother a favor by getting Jarrod out
of his life, but Heath acted like he’d committed a mortal sin. Smoothing out
his hair, he rose and went inside. The
doctor had been waiting for their arrival for almost an hour, so Nick went
upstairs to look in on his examination. He wisely stayed back and out of sight
of Heath.
As the doctor carefully removed
the bandages on Jarrod’s neck, Heath’s anger grew.
She totally understood his
anger, for she would be having a long talk with her middle son once Jarrod was
settled. It was obvious by the marks on
his neck that Nick at done his best to choke Jarrod. The cuts were deep and only excessive force
on the chain would have done the damage on Jarrod’s neck. It shocked her to
think that Nick had come so close to killing his older brother.
As Nick stood watching, he had
to think hard to remember hurting Jarrod so badly. He reacted without thought
and his unleashed temper made him oblivious to what he was doing during the
fight. Looking back now, he shook his
head in sorrow. He had almost killed his older brother and Jarrod had not
raised a single hand to stop him. Jarrod had taken every blow and insult
without a fight and Nick could see the light go out in his brother’s eyes just
before he pushed him away that final time.
He had left Jarrod in the dirt, not even caring if he were dead or
alive.
His anger had gotten the best
of him and his only concern at the time was for Heath. He had to get away from it all but he knew
his mother would be having words with him, and to leave now would only make the
inevitable worse. Turning away, he went
downstairs and poured himself a stiff drink.
He downed it quickly and poured another.
He was on his third when his mother swept into the room. She stopped to pour a sherry for herself then turned to Nick, “It’s time we had a talk,
Nicholas.”
“Yes, Mother.”
~*~
Heath sat at Jarrod’s bedside
watching him sleep. For three days he
hadn’t moved other than to see to his basic needs. He’d hardly eaten, and sleep
was all but nonexistent. His face was sporting a dark shadow of beard, not
taking time to even bath. His world revolved around caring for Jarrod and no
amount of pleading on his mother’s part could get him to move.
Jarrod’s fever had finally
abated, and he’d woken several times, but he only stared unseeing. Heath had seen the look often enough to know
that Jarrod had retreated into his own little world. So Heath stayed with him, talking softly. He
carefully avoided the topic of the two of them unless he was absolutely certain
they were alone, even then the conversation was stilted.
Heath couldn’t find the words
necessary to bring Jarrod back to him and it was taking its toll on the young
man. On the fourth day, his body could
no longer take the abuse and on a trip down the hall, he collapsed in a
heap.
Nick sat with him for the whole
eighteen hours he slept. Heath woke feeling better than he had in days. Rolling
over he found Nick watching him and his anger resurfaced. “Get out, Nick!”
“I just want to talk.”
Heath rolled away from Nick
with disgust. “There ain’t nothin’ to talk about.”
Nick rubbed his face and leaned
forward onto his knees. “Look, I’m sorry, alright! I’m sorry I overreacted.”
“I’m not the one you need ta be apologizin’ to,” said Heath
softly, refusing to look at Nick.
“Look, I’m sorry I beat him up,
but he didn’t have no right doin’ what he did to ya.”
Heath shot up and sat glaring
at Nick. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Nick grew defensive, “Oh come
on, Heath, you were just a kid when he started in on ya. He shoulda known better.”
Heath actually laughed at
Nick’s attitude, “Geez Nick, I’m twenty nine years
old, don’t you think I’m old enough to know what I want.” His voice hardened
and he frowned, “How can you blame him and not me?”
Standing, Nick started pacing
the room angrily, his voice getting louder as he spoke, “Because he’s your
older brother that’s why. He’s always professing how responsible he is and how
he takes care of this family. Well, he pulled you into his sick little world
and I don’t see that as very responsible.
Hell if ya wanted in someone’s ass or mouth a
two-bit whore’ll do that for ya.”
Heath launched at Nick and
landed a blow that set him on his ass several feet away. Dazed by Heath’s reaction, he stared at him
in disbelief. Shaking his head in disgust, Heath stopped on his way out the
door. “You just don’t get it do you, Nick?”
“Get what?” snapped Nick. “What
else is there? He gives it and you take it.
If he weren’t offerin’ you never would have got
trapped by him.”
Heath was fed up with Nick’s
whole attitude and walked over, squatting in front of him Heath hesitated only
a moment before he told Nick plainly, “For your information, Jarrod ain’t the one spreading his legs, big brother.” He stood up and left the room, leaving Nick
staring at his back in shock.
Returning to Jarrod’s room,
Heath sat in vigil again. His hands fiddled with the medallion he was keeping
for when Jarrod could wear it again. The chain was wrapped haphazardly around
his fingers and the medallion dangled beneath his hands as elbows rested on his
knees. His voice was very quiet as he spoke his mind to Jarrod. “Ya know when I met
ya that first time, it scared me. That’s why I hightailed it outta there. I ain’t never
felt that way about nobody. I’d lost too much by then to let anybody in, but
you stuck with me for over a year. When
you come bustin’ into the study that first night, I
couldn’t believe it was you.”
Heath fingered the chain and he
continued with his confession, “I knew it wasn’t right wantin’
ya like I did, but I couldn’t fight it any more than
you could I guess.” Heath paused almost afraid to say more, “I got me a theory
‘bout it, but you’d be laughin’ if I told when you
was awake, so I reckon this is as good a time as any... The way I see it, we
was together in some past life and them two souls found their way into us when
they died and we was born. Now them souls needed each other so bad that we was just drawn
together. I reckon it didn’t matter none to them that we was brothers in this
lifetime and when we die them souls will find someone else, and we’ll be
together again. In that lifetime and then the next...” He held up the medallion
and said tenderly with tears in his eyes. “...for all eternity.”
Unbeknownst to Heath, two
silent watchers stood listening in the hallway. They watched as Jarrod’s eyes
opened and his hand lifted to grasp the medallion in Heath’s hand. His eyes
found Heath’s and he whispered hoarsely, “For all eternity, Heath.”
Heath’s hands shook as he
untangled the chain and opening Jarrod’s hand he gently placed it in his palm
and closed his fingers around it. He clasped it tenderly and leaning forward he
kissed Jarrod’s hand. Jarrod sighed and
closed his eyes, tears falling down his cheeks.
In the hall, Nick’s stood
behind his mother. His hands found her shoulder in comfort. Her hand covered
her mouth and tears fell unchecked as she watched the scene unfold. If she had
any doubts about what Heath and Jarrod shared before, they vanished in that
moment. She turned to see Nick wipe away tears of his own. He seemed
embarrassed by his reaction, but when he gave her small smile and a kiss before
leaving, she knew that he had finally accepted what he could not change. Nick
knew as well as she did that the medallion Jarrod treasured over anything else
had been inscribed with the words ‘For All Eternity’, and now they knew why.
Part 10
Jarrod slowly came around, but
his voice was weak and raspy making it hard for him to talk. His swollen neck
still made swallowing painful and Heath’s anger flared whenever Jarrod had to
struggle to drink or eat. The first time
Jarrod had to face his mother, he knew instantly that their secret was out. His
face fell and panic set in. Heath tried to calm him, “Jarrod, it’s okay.”
Shaking his head, Jarrod tried
to get out of bed, desperate to flee his mother’s presence.
Jarrod’s head shot up and
looked her in the eye in disbelief. He
could see that she wasn’t upset, but his own inner turmoil still hung heavy on
his heart. His eyes flashed with self hatred as he said harshly, his voice
cracking with the effort to talk, “Oh it matters! How can you even look at me,
knowing what I am?”
The pain of talking made him
cough, aggravating his throat and broken ribs. He slumped at the edge of the
bed and dropped his head to his chest, trying to breath through the pain.
Heath took his arm and tried to
get him to lie back down, “Come on, Jarrod, you need to rest,” he said,
concerned.
The next day brought little
improvement. Only when Jarrod was alone with Heath did he show any sign that he
was aware of what was going on and even then his interaction was limited to
letting Heath take care of his needs.
Things only went from bad to worse when Nick finally decided to pay a
visit two days later. He stood in the doorway unsure if he was welcome, but
needing to know how Jarrod was doing.
His voice was quiet as he asked, “How’s he doin’?”
Jarrod’s eyes shot open and
there was no doubting his anxiety as his breathing rate increased. Heath
ignored Nick as he tried to calm Jarrod. “Take it easy. It’s just Nick.”
Nick stepped towards the bed,
not aware that it was his presence that was aggravating Jarrod. “I just wanted
to say I’m sorry for hurtin’ ya,
Jarrod.” He dropped his head and tried to apologize but Jarrod turned his back
and rolled over. Jarrod trembled as Nick continued to speak louder, “I overreacted
alright. I’m sorry!”
Jarrod remained quiet but his
breathing was getting worse and he wrapped his arms around his ribs. Heath
knelt on the bed beside him and looked up at Nick in annoyance, “Ya need ta leave, Nick.”
Nick could see that Jarrod was
uncomfortable with him being in the room and it hurt. He nodded in resignation,
knowing he only had himself to blame. His voice was almost a whisper as he
sighed, “I didn’t mean no harm, just wanted to see how he was doin’. I won’t bother him no more.” Nick ducked his head and sadly left the room.
Heath looked puzzled at first
and then upset. “Why?” he said defensively, wondering if she was trying to get
rid of them.
Her eyes dropped to Jarrod. “He
needs you, Heath. It’s hard to admit that what you have with him is so
important that he’s retreating just to protect you... and us from it all.” She
moved to the side of the bed and dropped her hand on Heath’s shoulder, and said
softly as she blinked back tears, “Take him where the two of you can be alone
without worrying what Nick or I are going to think. Make him see that we don’t
hate him for it.”
“What about Nick? I can’t bring
him back if Nick doesn’t come around.” Heath was as hurt as Jarrod was by
Nick’s reaction but he’d had little time to dwell on it worrying more for
Jarrod than himself.
Sorrow filled his eyes. “I hope
so, Mother.”
“Get Jarrod ready and I’ll have
Silas pack you some supplies. Nick is getting the wagon ready.” Heath was surprised by Nick’s participation
and it showed.
Heath nodded and got Jarrod
ready for the journey while his mother saw to everything else. With a lot of
help from Heath, Jarrod managed to make the long trip from his room to the
wagon. He was exhausted and hurting by the time Heath got him settled in the
back. Nick had thrown the mattress and
several pillows to make Jarrod’s ride more comfortable.
Climbing up front, Heath took
his mother’s hand and said his goodbyes. Nick stayed quiet until Heath was
ready to move out, “I put a couple fishin’ rods in
there. If you’re gonna be up there, ya might as well enjoy the fishin’.”
Heath met his older brothers
eyes and could see that Nick was trying to be cordial, “Thanks, Nick.” He flicked the reins and headed out.
Nick embraced his mother sadly.
“You think this is gonna work?”
~*~
The trip to the lodge was long
and tiring for Jarrod. He was pale and sore when they arrived and he was
leaning heavily into Heath by the time he got into the house. Heath helped him
sit.
“I’ll get a fire going and you
can get a hot bath. May help with the soreness.” Jarrod stretched out and leaned back into the
chair as he nodded, his eyes drifting shut.
Already Jarrod was relaxing in the absence of onlookers and Heath was
hopeful he would continue to unwind.
It was sometime later when
Heath shook him awake, “Jarrod.”
“Hmm,” said Jarrod groggily,
still half in sleep.
He opened his eyes and Heath
was squatting in front of him. “You ready for your bath?”
Jarrod nodded and stood very
slowly, his muscles resisting his efforts. Heath let Jarrod do it on his own
but watched him carefully, ready to lend a hand if needed. Once in the bathroom
Heath asked, “You need any help?”
Shaking his head, Jarrod sat on
the edge of the tub and began undressing. Heath made sure he was okay before
turning to leave, “I’m gonna fix us somethin’ to eat.”
When Heath returned almost an
hour later, Jarrod was leaning on his forearm on the side of the tub, sound
asleep. Heath reached in and drained the
semi-warm water and nudged Jarrod awake, “Hey, it’s time to eat sleepyhead.”
Disoriented for a brief moment,
he shook himself awake and nodded. “Gimme
a minute.”
“Don’t take too long or you’ll
have burnt beans for supper,” teased Heath.
Jarrod grunted his disapproval and Heath smiled, “Nah, Silas fixed us up
with chicken, potato salad and a nice loaf of fresh bread. You might wanna hurry ‘fore I start without ya.”
Heath left him to dress but
stood outside the door making sure that Jarrod was alright. When he finally heard
him scuffling towards the door, he returned to the kitchen to fix him a plate,
making it back to the living room as Jarrod was sitting down. “You hungry?”
“A little.”
“Feeling any better?”
“Not so sore.” Jarrod ate what
was in front of him, not realizing he was so hungry. His appetite hadn’t been too great lately and
it was still hard to finish everything on his plate.
Heath took the empty plate,
“Silas sent pie, but I figure we can dig into that later. Let our meal settle.”
He took their plates to the
kitchen and wiped them down. Standing over the sink, his hands rested on the
edge of the counter and his head dropped.
The sadness washed over him and he fought the rising emotions, needing
to get back to Jarrod. Jarrod was at
least talking but Heath needed more. He needed Jarrod back, not the one in the
living room keeping himself distanced. Not knowing how
long he stood there, he was startled by the hand on his back and the soft voice
at his side, “Heath? What’s wrong?”
Heath shook his head. “Nothin’, I’m fine.”
But he wasn’t fine and Jarrod
knew it. Jarrod did what he had always done, he turned
Heath and pulled him into a warm embrace. Heath’s arms hung limply at his sides
as took a deep breath and sighed. His head dropped onto Jarrod’s shoulder and
he let go an anguished whisper, “I don’t want to lose you, Jarrod.”
Jarrod cupped the back of
Heath’s neck and held him tight, “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I feel like I’m losin’ ya.” His hands finally
lifted and reached around to hold Jarrod in a tight fisted grip. “We can’t stay
here forever and I’m afraid you’ll drift away from me when we go back.”
“I just need time. I don’t know
what to do or think any more. When it’s just us it’s easy to forget how wrong
it all is. I just don’t know how to deal
with it when Mother or Nick are around. I can’t seem
to get past what they think of me...of you.” His fingers played with the fine
hair at the back of Heath’s neck and he spoke with a heartfelt tenderness, “For
the first time I understand what love is.” He lifted Heath’s head and gazed
into his blue eyes. “I promise we’ll work this out.”
Jarrod started to sway from the
effort of standing so long and Heath quickly supported him with an arm around
his waist, mindful of his ribs. “You need to rest. Let’s get you to bed.”
Jarrod let himself be led to
the bedroom and didn’t even fight when Heath began undressing him. He got him
under the covers and turned down the light. As he started to
leave Jarrod asked softly, “Stay.”
“Sure Jarrod, I’m just gonna lock up.” Heath returned and found Jarrod already
asleep. He undressed and spooned behind him, content for the first time in
almost a week.
~*~
Jarrod continued to improve and
began gaining back some of the weight he’d lost. His strength improved daily, and by the end
of the first week the only thing still bothering him was his ribs. They’d spent
the days being lazy and enjoyed the time together, fishing, walking and Jarrod
even talked Heath into reading to him.
Heath insisted Jarrod wasn’t
ready for any extracurricular activities and Jarrod had to admit that he wasn’t
up to anymore than just snuggling. So in
the late afternoon, Jarrod sat on a blanket in the grass, one leg stretched out
in front of him and the other one bent at the knee. Heath sat in front of him,
lazily hanging over his upraised knee.
They had poles in the water, but the fish weren’t doing much biting so
they were just relaxing in the cool breeze.
Jarrod was leaning on his
hands, his head thrown back with his eyes closed and his shirt flapping open.
Heath turned and smiled warmly when his eyes dropped on the medallion resting
on Jarrod’s chest, happy to see it back in its rightful place. Jarrod lifted his head and saw Heath’s smile.
Leaning forward, he kissed him. It was a tender kiss that became more heated
with time. Jarrod gained easy entrance into Heath’s mouth and teased him with
his tongue. Heath responded, using his own tongue to probe Jarrod’s mouth. His
hand found Jarrod’s chest and he lightly caressed it with his open palm.
This was the first time since
Jarrod was hurt that he’d allowed himself the freedom. Jarrod pulled away from
their kiss, flushed and breathless. Heath’s touch was like fire on his skin,
and his head went back as he rested on his hands, savoring every caress. He missed this closeness and couldn’t stop
the stir in his loins. Heath moved to sit beside him, and settling his hand
close to one of Jarrod’s, he used it to support himself while his other hand
roamed freely over Jarrod’s chest. Heath
stopped his motions and pressed his hand into Jarrod’s chest. He looked at him
and whispered huskily, “Let me touch you.”
Jarrod nodded and lowered
himself to the blanket as Heath finished unbuttoning his shirt. With love and
tenderness, Heath’s fingers made lazy circles up and down Jarrod’s chest and
abdomen. It wasn’t long before Jarrod shifted his hips in an attempt to ease
the pain in his groin. His erection was
rubbing the seams of his pants, and he needed more room for his already
straining member.
Heath stopped his caresses and
rose onto his knees, then unbuttoning his pants, let them slide down before
sitting down and removing them. Jarrod lifted enough to remove his own, while
Heath took off his shirt. Soon they were both lying naked and Heath carefully
lowered himself onto Jarrod, supporting himself on his arms so as not to hurt
his ribs.
He very slowly rocked his
hardness into Jarrod’s own, and Jarrod’s blue eyes locked onto the mirror eyes
above him. Heath set an unrushed pace, enjoying a closeness they hadn’t had in
weeks. Jarrod’s hands found Heath’s thick chest hair and he let his fingers
slip through the coarseness to find the soft skin around his tight nipples. He
circled the silky skin and Heath pressed into Jarrod’s arousal with long, slow
strokes. Their pulsing lengths rubbed side by side and the moisture of
excitement and sweat mixed to make the motion smoother and more pleasurable for
both.
Slipping his hands under
Heath’s, Jarrod pushed them up even with his head, pulling Heath closer. Heath
kept his weight off Jarrod, their lips meeting with a passion born of love. The
rhythm was agonizingly slow and with each thrust, Jarrod’s hips rose as Heath’s
pressed into him. Heath leaned closer and whispered softly, “Tell me.”
Jarrod nodded and was biting his
lip to prolong the ecstasy but Heath knew him well enough to know it wouldn’t
be long. Only a few strokes later he felt it start and Jarrod looked at Heath
with desperation as his hands tightened on their grip on his, and he gasped, “Heathhhh”
Heath lifted himself up to get
more leverage and pushed hard into Jarrod’s flesh, his own eyes closing with
the burn at the base of his shaft, “Jarrrodddd.” Both men strained against the other as they
exploded in symphony. It was a hard and
long climax, too long held in check and both of them were breathing in ragged
breaths when they finally collapsed side by side. Heath rolled to his side and
reaching out his fingers he found Jarrod’s medallion and held in tightly in his
hand. Jarrod’s hand gently covered Heath’s
clasped one and a collective sigh was the only sound that could be heard as the
breeze cooled their heated bodies.
Part
11
Another week into his
convalescence and Jarrod was as good as new. They’d already spent a good part
of the day testing Jarrod’s stamina. It was well into the afternoon and Heath
had lost count. He’d given up trying to
keep up, but he was enjoying the ride. At the moment, Jarrod was on top of his
back as he lay sprawled on the bed still recovering from the last one. Jarrod’s
semi-erect member was still buried inside his ass and he’d insisted Heath not
move until he was hard again. He was too exhausted to really move, but feeling
Jarrod’s member slowly fill him up was erotic beyond imagining. Jarrod pressed into him not wanting to lose
the tight warmth he’d fought to keep.
Jarrod was kissing his back and
shoulders in light kisses sending tiny shivers down his back, occasionally
making him arch at the sensation. His moans of pleasure stirred Jarrod on and
he could feel the pressure of being filled to capacity. He couldn’t stop his hips from pushing into
his hard length, yearning for that one spot.
When Jarrod shifted and hit it with his hardness, Heath grunted his
approval, “There!”
Rocking slowly forward, Jarrod
buried himself to the hilt pausing to catch his ragged breath. Pulling out
slowing, he kept the pace slow and easy, their sweat covered skin making it
seductively sweet. Heath was writhing with pleasure and Jarrod was too close to
think of anything more than finishing.
Both of them were breathing fast and when a loud booming voice broke the
air and both men swore beneath their breaths. A very startled Jarrod tried to
pull out, but Heath stopped him with a firm grasp on his ass and a panted plea,
“Finish it!”
Jarrod grabbed Heath by the
shoulders and pounded into him, concerned for nothing more than their release.
In seconds, they were both shuddering in pleasure. Rolling off of Heath, Jarrod stumbled to shut
and lock the door to the room, hoping to hold off Nick until they got dressed.
On his way back to Heath, Jarrod grabbed their clothes so they could both get
dressed. It wasn’t long before the two
weary men were headed out to find out what brother Nick was doing there.
Nick paced nervously back and
forth in front of the house. He blushed when he realized he’d interrupted
something, based on their disheveled appearances. He stuttered, “Mother sent me
up to see how you were doing and to bring more supplies.” Heath stood on the step not sure what to say.
Jarrod stood above him, but clearly kept his distance.
“We’re doing just fine, Nick.”
Planting his hands on his hips,
he looked at both brothers, “Well, when are you comin’
home? I got a ranch to run and I could
use some help.”
“It ain’t
that easy, Nick.”
“Aw hell, I know that, but we ain’t gonna settle nothin’ with you up here not talking to us.”
Jarrod remained silent, his
emotions waging war with him. He
remembered all too clearly his brother’s initial reaction and the words spoken
in rage. His hand absently rubbed at the
tender skin around his neck as they all stood in silence. Nick saw Jarrod’s unconscious gesture and
walked closer and looked up at him and said with genuine regret, “I’m sorry for
layin’ into ya like that,
Jarrod. I was wrong.”
“You tried to kill me,
Nick.” Jarrod’s tone was distant as he
spoke his thoughts still focused on the past.
Nick hung his head in shame,
and he dropped onto the steps. His words were slow in coming and they seemed
hesitant, “I just don’t understand it all.
I want to but...” He turned and looked at both of them and confusion and
hurt graced his face, “you’re brothers damn it and I just can’t see past that.”
Heath sat down opposite Nick on
the steps, and Jarrod reluctantly sat down on the step above him. “When we met
the first time we didn’t even know each other. No one was more surprised than
we were to find out we was brothers,” stated Heath.
Rubbing his hands through his
hair in frustration, Nick sighed, “Why?”
“Why what,
Nick? Why did we do it anyway? Why couldn’t
we leave well enough alone?” Heath’s own frustration and anger were starting to
surface and Jarrod placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, then removed it just
as quickly when he saw Nick startle at the simple gesture.
Jarrod leaned forward, resting
his elbows on his knees as he spoke, “You and Kate are getting married in what
Nick, two months?” Nick’s eyebrows furrowed and he nodded, unsure what Jarrod
was getting at.
“What if she were to suddenly
show up on our doorstep and say she was your sister? What would you do, Nick?
Stop loving her?” Jarrod’s voice grew harder as he continued, “You have to see
her everyday, but you can’t show her how you feel, because all that stuff you
enjoyed together is wrong now. All the feelings you have for her are wrong, but
you have to live with her, pretend she’s just your sister. Could you do that, Nick? Could you forget how
you feel about her, knowing all the time that she feels exactly the same way
you do?”
Nick looked surprised by
Jarrod’s analogy, and retorted, “It ain’t the same.
You’re men. Even the bible...”
Jarrod stood and shouted at
Nick, “I know what the bible says, Nick. I don’t need you telling me what I
know. I live with it everyday. You think I want to be what I am. God, Nick, I
would give anything to be ‘normal’, but I’m not.” Jarrod slumped down to the step, burying his
head in his hands in frustration. Heath
was fighting every muscle in his body not to go to him, but even he couldn’t
forget Nick’s presence.
“What’s wrong with women? I’ve
known you both date em, why can’t you just find a
good woman?”
Jarrod lifted his head and
feigned a weak laugh at Nick, “It’s a show, Nick... just a show.”
Nick raised his voice in ire,
“You married Beth! You telling me it was all a lie to
throw us off?”
There was hurt in Jarrod’s eyes
as he shook his head and said sadly, “No. I thought I loved Beth, but when she
was killed do you know what I thought of more than anything, Nick?” Nick shook his head and Jarrod looked at
Heath, tears gathering, “I thought of Heath. What if it had been him that had
been killed? I realized then that I was only kidding myself. I didn’t really
love her, I was just trying to do the right thing, lead the good life and she
died because of it.”
Jarrod took several seconds to
compose himself, “I know it’s wrong to feel the way I do, but I can no more
change it than you could stop being who you are, Nick. I didn’t ask to be this
way, but I’m tired of denying it doesn’t exist.”
The desolation hung over Jarrod
like a cloud as he stood and walked away from his brothers. Heath hurried after
him and stopped him out of Nick’s hearing range. Nick watched as Heath grabbed
his arm and the two men talked in hushed tones.
Jarrod finally patted Heath’s shoulder and walked off. Heath watched him
for a bit then returned to the house.
Nick nodded in Jarrod’s
direction, “He okay?”
Heath turned and watched
Jarrod, “No, but he will be.”
“And you, how are you doing?”
“I made my peace with it years
ago, Nick.”
“How?”
Heath leaned into the hitching
rail and told him, “I lived with some Indians way back and they told me all
about how Indians see it different then we do. They call ‘em
two-spirited and they have a very high status within the tribe. When I was with
‘em I started to see that it wasn’t something I could
change. You’re either born with it or ya ain’t. It was a lot
easier to accept when I figured out it wasn’t somethin’
I did or that I was evil because of it.
I learned to hide it and live my life around it. Doin’ what Jarrod did. I dated women, even got serious a time or two, but it
was never the same as being with a man.”
Nick sat wide-eyed as Heath spoke, “Aw hell, Nick! I can’t help what I
am no more than Jarrod can.”
Nick waved him off, “I’m beginnin’ to see that, but that don’t excuse the fact that
you’re still brothers.”
“I know it don’t and I wish
more than anything we weren’t, but we are.” Heath hung his head as he spoke, “I
couldn’t stop what I was feelin’ any more than he
could, Nick. Ya gotta
understand that. When we found out we was brothers it
was already too late.” Heath blushed as he told Nick in a whisper, “Even if we
didn’t admit it at the time, we loved each other.” Heath looked up at Nick and told him
defiantly, “I won’t give him up, Nick. Not for you or anybody else.”
Nick realized in that moment
that he was at risk of losing both his brothers if some sort of compromise
wasn’t reached. He tentatively reached out a hand and clasped his brother’s
shoulder, “We’ll work something out. I promise.”
Heath’s expression was relieved
and he implored Nick, “You need to talk to him.”
Nick nodded his head in sorrow,
“I know.”
Gesturing to the trees, Heath
told him, “He’s at the pond.”
~*~
Jarrod sat on a large rock
overlooking the pond, fingering the medallion that hung lazily around his neck.
Seeing Nick approach, he steeled his expression and asked, “What do want,
Nick?”
Sighing heavily, Nick sat
nearby, “I want my brothers back.”
“I want that too, Nick, but I
still have reservations about going back home.”
“Why?”
Jarrod huffed, “Why? So you can
scrutinize my every move. Hell, it was
hard enough when no one knew.” Picking
up a handful of rocks, he plunked them one by one into the water. Jarrod
hesitated before asking Nick, “Are you going to tell Kate?”
Nick shook his head, “No, don’t
figure it’s anybody’s business, but family.”
“She’s going to be your wife
soon, Nick. That makes her family.”
“Well, I don’t figure on
telling Eugene or Audra either.”
Jarrod frowned, “Why not?”
“Hell, Jarrod. I ain’t none to proud of the fact that you and Heath are doin’ what you’re doin’. You
think I want anyone else to know about it,” grunted Nick. Jarrod’s expression fell and Nick added
quickly, “I didn’t mean it like that. I just figure the less people know the
better. Me and Mother have to live with ya, they
don’t.”
“And when
“Well that ain’t ‘til after the weddin’.
Maybe things will be back to normal by then.”
“Your normal or our normal?”
asked Jarrod, curious what Nick wanted from them.
Nick said with a slight
annoyance, “Well from what I gather I’ve been living a lie since Heath got
here, so I guess it would be ‘my’ normal.”
Jarrod looked at him in
surprise, “That’s what’s got you riled ain’t it,
Nick. We didn’t tell you.”
The hurt was obvious as Nick
spoke, “I always considered Heath my partner. Wasn’t nothin’
he couldn’t tell me after all our years ridin’
together. And you, well... I knew, but...”
“You condemned me all those
years ago. What did you expect me to say?
You reacted exactly the way we thought you would. That’s why, Nick.”
Jarrod emphasized his last
words and Nick sighed at the truth. “I’m sorry for hurtin’
ya so bad.”
Jarrod seemed to ignore his apology and Nick pleaded with his older
brother, “Come on, Jarrod, I said I was sorry.”
Still absently throwing stones
in the water, Jarrod stopped and said solemnly, “That don’t erase the things
you said to me that day or the fact that you pretty much left me for dead, not
caring whether I lived or died.”
Nick dropped his hand on
Jarrod’s back, “I cared.”
Jarrod shrugged off Nick’s hand
and shook his head, a tinge of rejection in his voice, “No you didn’t, Nick.
You were so intent on getting Heath away from me, you could have cared
less. Damn it, Nick, think about it. Do
you honestly believe I could have forced Heath to do something like that if he
didn’t want to?”
Shaking his head dejectedly,
Nick sighed, “No, I suppose not.” They
sat in silence for a long time before Nick looked at Jarrod sheepishly, “You
can hit me if it’ll make ya feel better.”
With a tight smile, Jarrod
retorted, “While that does sound rather satisfying, Nick, I doubt it’ll solve
much.”
Nick got quickly to his feet
and planting his hands on his hips he glared down at Jarrod, “Come on, big
brother. Show me what you got!”
Looking up at Nick, Jarrod
shook his head, “I don’t want to fight you, Nick.” Nick purposely leaned down and shoved Jarrod
making him lose his balance.
Jarrod’s eyes darkened and he
growled at him, “Knock it off, Nick.”
Getting to his feet, Jarrod tried to walk away and Nick rudely grabbed
him by the shoulder and turned him around to face him. It was enough to push Jarrod over the edge
and he hauled off and hit Nick squarely on the chin, dropping him like a rock.
Nick shook his head to clear it and lifted up on one elbow as he rubbed his now
tender jaw. “Feel better?”
Shaking his hand to ease the
pain in his bleeding knuckles, Jarrod looked down at Nick, “NO!” A slow smile
appeared, “Yes.”
Nick lifted his hand for help
up and Jarrod hesitated only a second before helping Nick to his feet. Swaying a little, Nick let Jarrod steady him
as he brushed himself off, “That was a hell of a punch, big brother!”
Jarrod slapped him on the back,
“I was motivated.”
“Humph! How’s the hand?”
“I think it’s broke,” winced Jarrod, as he held it out for Nick to see. Already it was swelling and turning a deep
purple around a couple of the knuckles.
“Serves ya
right,” teased Nick, as they walked to the house.
Jarrod bantered back, “If you
didn’t have such a hard head, it wouldn’t take so much to knock some sense into
you.” Grasping his wrist he pulled his
hand to his chest and held it there as they walked. The closer they got to the house the more
Jarrod began to falter. He was sweating
from the throbbing in his hand and when he stumbled, Heath rushed out to
help. One look at the growing bruise on Nick’s jaw and he knew what had happened.
He told Jarrod with a lopsided
grin as he guided him to the well for some cold water, “Try to miss bone next
time, he’s too hardheaded if ya don’t.” Heath helped Jarrod sit and then squatted in
front of him.
Jarrod nodded and chuckled,
“I’ll try to remember that... for next time.”
“Ya
know I’m still here!” said Nick indignantly. He pulled up the water bucket and
handed it to Heath, as they laughed at him.
“Put yer
hand in there, Jarrod, it’ll help with the swelling.”
“Thanks.”
Heath winked at Jarrod and
looked up at Nick, “Ya reckon ya
had to break his hand to get us home?”
Nick snapped back at him, “Now
I didn’t do...” Heath and Jarrod couldn’t hold back the laughter at Nick’s
expected reaction to Heath’s teasing.
Nick waved his hand at the two of them, “Arghh!
I’m gonna hitch up the wagon and load up. If you two
think you can take care of that.”
Lifting his head, Heath talked
to Nick’s retreating back, “Sure, Nick, no problem.” Turning back to Jarrod he
asked with concern, “How is it?”
“Cold water feels pretty good.”
“Good. Leave it in there while
I round up something to wrap it in.”
Heath patted his leg as he got up. “I’ll be right back.”
Two hours later they were
headed out. Heath and Jarrod rode in the wagon and Nick trailed beside them on
Heath reached under the seat
and uncorking the canteen, handed it to Jarrod.
Looking at him with thanks, Jarrod took a drink with a shaky hand and
gave it back to him. Jarrod slumped into the seat from pain and exhaustion and
Heath wrapped his arm around him, letting him lean into his shoulder. Nick rode up and asked worriedly, “You
alright, Jarrod?”
Sitting up quickly at Nick’s
voice, Jarrod started to move away from Heath when Nick admonished him, “Don’t
be so sensitive, Jarrod. Let him help ya.”
Jarrod was surprised but sighed
with relief, in too much pain to argue.
He tentatively leaned back into Heath, who again draped an arm across
his shoulders for support. His touch was
comforting and it wasn’t long before Jarrod drifted off to sleep.
Part
12
3 months later...
Heath slumped in the saddle,
ready to call it a day. He hadn’t been
sleeping well at all for over two months and it was taking its toll. Nick rode up beside him and it hurt him to
see Heath looking so pathetic. He’d lost weight and his clothes hung loosely on
his already lean frame. His eyes were
bloodshot from lack of sleep, but as long as he’d been doing his work, Nick had
been reluctant to say anything. His weariness was so evident that Nick asked
sympathetically, “You wanna talk about it?”
“Ain’t
nothing to talk about.” Heath trotted on ahead, hoping
to end the conversation.
Nick easily caught up, “You’ve
been like this for months, what is it? Is it Jarrod, the way he’s treatin’ ya?” Heath was astonished and Nick added, “Have
you talked to him?”
“How ‘m I supposed to do that
when he spends all his time in
“Well I have to admit, with
Eugene and his crew back, things are a little more crowded, but that don’t
account for him ignorin’ ya
like he does.”
Heath just shrugged, “He’s got
his reasons.”
Nick bristled, “Why you defendin’ him?”
“Because I know what he’s doin’ even if he don’t say so,” snapped Heath, irritated by
Nick’s prodding. “Leave it be, Nick.”
“I can’t. Not when it’s
affecting you like this.”
“I’m doin’
my job. It ain’t none of
your business.” Heath’s angry glare was enough to make Nick back down.
Nick told him coolly, “Fine,
but if this starts to affect your work or the men, it ain’t
over, little brother.”
~*~
Jarrod came home two weeks
later from
Nick got himself a drink and
when Jarrod heard his presence he sat up and tried to concentrate on his work.
Nick had other ideas, “You look like hell, big brother.”
“Thanks Nick, I appreciate your
thoughts on the matter,” smirked Jarrod.
“You gonna
tell me what’s going on?” Nick sat on the edge of the desk and Jarrod ignored
him and went for another drink.
Jarrod poured himself a bourbon, “There is nothing to say.”
“You and Heath look like hell.
Anytime Mother or I try to talk to you, you hightail
it back to
With a fierce look, Jarrod
growled, “I’m doing the RIGHT thing.”
Downing his drink, Jarrod slammed the glass to the table. Grabbing his
hat, he turned to Nick before leaving, “You can’t have it both ways.”
Nick rushed towards him and
grabbing his arm, spun him around. “You can’t go on like this. You’re killing
yourselves!”
Shrugging angrily from Nick’s
grasp, Jarrod hissed, “Back off, Nick!”
Nick held up his hands in
defeat, and he sighed, “Fine, Jarrod. But at least talk to him. It’s eating him
up inside that you won’t talk to him.”
Jarrod shook his head miserably
and muttered, “I’m going for a ride.”
~*~
He returned several hours later
feeling no better than when he left.
Dropping his hat in the foyer, he was surprised to see the family
gathered in the parlor. One look in his mother’s face and he knew that
something was wrong.
“It’s Heath.”
All the color drained from
Jarrod’s face as he stared into his mother’s eyes, and asked, “What happened?”
“Diablo threw him and he was
stepped on. Doctor Merar
is with him now.”
Jarrod’s hands shook as he held
his mother, and his steady voice belied his fear, “How bad, Mother?”
“His shoulder and his...head.”
Pulling her close, he spoke
reassuringly, “I’m sure he’ll be fine, Mother.”
Kissing her forehead, he
squared his shoulders and forced himself to remain calm. Proceeding up the
stairs, he went to Heath’s room and found Nick holding him in his arms while
Howard bandaged his head. Jarrod took a few tentative steps into the room, and
nodded towards Heath when Doc Merar looked up at him.
“How’s he doing?”
“He has a concussion and his
shoulder is going to be pretty sore if he wakes.”
Jarrod grabbed for the end of
the bed to steady himself, “IF?”
“It’s a head wound, Jarrod.
There are no guarantees.”
Nick scowled, “He’ll be fine, Doc. Heath is too tough to let a horse keep him down.” He
gently laid Heath down on the bed as the doctor finished.
“Keep him calm. See if you can
get some molasses water in him. He is looking pretty thin to begin with and
needs nourishment.” The doctor pointed
to the bandages that wrapped his head, “Make sure you clean out that cut a
couple times a day and I’ll be back in the morning to see how he’s doing. If he gets worse, send someone for me.”
“Sure, Doc,” said Nick
absently, not taking his eyes off Heath.
Howard packed his bag up and
headed towards the door. His eyes rested on Jarrod and noticed that Heath
wasn’t the only one who seemed to have lost weight, “Are you feeling alright,
Jarrod?”
Jarrod barely noticed the
question, “I’m fine.” Remembering his manners, Jarrod reluctantly left his
brothers, “Let me walk you down.”
Howard waved him off as they
entered the hallway, “Stay. I know my way around.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” Jarrod
turned to go back into the room, but one look at Heath’s still form and he knew
it would be impossible to remain detached, to pretend they were just
brothers. With a heavy heart, he went to
his own room and locked the door behind him.
So busy with Heath, the rest of
the family hardly noticed Jarrod’s absence. Only when they gathered for
breakfast the next morning did they realize that no one had seen him since the
previous day.
A quiet voice sounded from the
other side of the door, “Go away, Nick.”
“Not gonna
happen. Open the door or I’ll kick it in.”
Nick waited several tense
moments before he heard the door click open. He slowly opened it and stepped
into the room only to be assaulted by stale cigar smoke. “Geez,
Jarrod. At least open a window.”
Striding across the room he
threw open the window and tried waving some of the oppressive smoke out. His
hands stopped in midair when he caught sight of Jarrod sitting in the chair by
the fireplace. There was no fire, just Jarrod leaning forward with a cigar
between his fingers, staring vacantly at the empty space. Unshaven and sitting in rumbled clothes, his
distraught features seemed even more pronounced than they had the day before.
The closer Nick got the more he could see in the darkened room. Jarrod’s eyes
were rimmed red with dark circles beneath them, testimony to his lack of
sleep.
Ignoring Nick’s worried
expression, Jarrod asked quietly, “How is he?”
“He’s tried to wake a couple
times, but can’t quite get back.” Nick put a hand on Jarrod’s knee as he
squatted in front of him, “He’ll come around. Take more than a kick to the head
to stop Heath. He’s a Barkley,
remember.”
Jarrod only nodded, but Nick
saw the sigh of relief pass over his features before the blank look returned.
“Go see him, maybe you can get through to him.”
Jarrod shook his head,
desolation in his voice as he muttered, “I can’t.”
With hands on his hips, Nick
stood and glared down at him, “Why not?”
Nick barely heard Jarrod
whisper, “If I go in there...I can’t be his brother.”
“Is that is what all this has
been about? Being his brother?” Agitated, Nick paced the room. “A brother
wouldn’t be sittin’ in here while another one was layin’ hurt in that other room.” Nick leaned over Jarrod and stated firmly,
“You better decide just what it is you’re gonna be to
that boy in there,” Nick pointed towards the door as he added, “cause right now
you’re a sorry excuse for a brother and whatever else you wanna
be to him.”
Jarrod sat unmoving.
Frustrated, Nick turned his back and strode angrily out of the room.
~*~
Nick relieved
Releasing his hand from Jarrod’s
shoulder, Nick walked around the bed and slumped into the chair. He looked at
Heath’s unconscious form on the bed and scrubbing his hands through his hair,
stated sadly, “It’s was my fault. Heath’s been beggin’
me for a long time to let him have a place to work the horses. I put it off,
telling him it wasn’t necessary.” Nick reached out and took Heath’s other hand,
rubbing it as he continued, “He kept insisting that all the unexpected noises
around the house and barn upset the horses when he was trying to work with ‘em.” Pausing as he remembered the accident, his voice
wavered as he spoke, “He was up on Diablo and some of the men come out of the
bunkhouse hollerin’ and carrin’
on. Heath lost his concentration for just a second. That was all it took for
that horse to throw him. He reared up and came down on Heath.”
Nick stammered, “If I’d only
listened to him, none of this woulda happened.”
A very weak voice came from the
bed, “Not... your… fault. Damn... horse.”
As Nick listened to Heath, he
noticed that his head was turned towards Jarrod and the two men’s eyes were
locked onto each other. Rising from his seat, he silently left the room,
closing the door behind him.
Heath asked hoarsely, “Water.”
Jarrod carefully helped him sit
up and holding him in his arms, he held the glass for Heath to drink. As he
finished, Jarrod set the glass aside and held Heath as he slumped against his
chest. Jarrod leaned down and kissed his blonde head and whispered, “I’m so
sorry. I wasn’t much of a brother was I?”
Heath pulled back enough to
look up at Jarrod, “Don’t want... a brother,...just...you.”
Jarrod’s voice hitched as he
spoke, “I tried it their way and all I did was hurt you. I couldn’t let you go
no matter how hard I tried to convince myself it was the right thing to do.”
Looking back up at Jarrod,
Heath shot him a tired grin, “You look...like hell.”
Jarrod cupped Heath’s face and
whispered softly, “You’ve never looked better.” He leaned in and kissed him
lightly then lowered him to the bed. “Get some rest.”
As Jarrod moved off the bed to
sit in the chair, Heath grabbed his hand, “Stay!”
Patting his hand, Jarrod smiled
warmly, “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right here.”
Nick came back an hour later to
check on them and found both men sound asleep. Jarrod was slumped forward in
the chair, his head resting at Heath’s side.
He was going to be sore as hell when he woke up and Nick just shook his
head at the sight. For the first time in
months, his brothers seemed to be at peace and he wasn’t going to be the one to
disturb that. Closing the door quietly,
he went to inform his mother that all was well again.
Part
13
Heath was allowed up for
breakfast two days later and was the first one down. Jarrod was the last and
when he entered he strode over and kissed his mother, “Morning, Mother.”
“Morning,
son.”
As Jarrod slipped pasted Heath,
he rested his hand ever so briefly on his shoulder and teased, “Glad you could
join us, brother Heath.” A more innocuous gesture there ever was but
it spoke volumes to
As the family sat saying a
blessing, Jarrod stole a look at Heath and was rewarded with a warm smile
before he ducked his head in thanks. His hand dropped under the table and he
pushed down his growing bulge. Three
months was a long time and his new outlook was making him anxious to spend time
with Heath now that he was feeling better. Heath had a few more days before the
doctor would release him for ranch work, so Jarrod began planning for some time
alone with him. The sooner the better.
Having a day to himself, Heath had plans of his own. Heading into town, he
went straight to Jarrod’s office. It was close to lunch and he was hoping to
catch him beforehand. Entering the office he greeted Jarrod’s clerk, “Is Jarrod
in?”
“Yes, sir. I’ll let him know you’re here.”
“Don’t bother,
I’ll just let myself in.” Heath knocked lightly and entered, not waiting for an
answer. He stood in the doorway and the
clerk heard the cowboy address his employer, “Hey Counselor, you busy?”
“Heath!
What are you doing in town?” Jarrod was quickly at the door and he told his
clerk, “I guess you get the day off, Ted. I’m spending the afternoon with Heath
here.” Jarrod looked at Heath and asked, “Unless you have other plans, little
brother.”
Heath shook his head and
flashed him a grin, “Reckon I can make some time for ya,
but yer gonna have to feed
me first. Mother insisted you make sure I eat, so I reckon yer
buyin’.”
Grabbing his coat and hat,
Jarrod teased, “Well, let’s go then. You need to build up your strength if
you’re going to keep up with me.”
An hour later, after a hurried
lunch, they returned to the office. Jarrod let Heath in and followed behind
him, carefully locking the door. Jarrod
removed his coat and hat as he did the same in his inner office, then walked to
the window and drew the shades. Heath
stood watching, suddenly unsure of himself after three months of waiting for
Jarrod.
When Jarrod came and stood in
front of him his eyes were dark with desire and Heath’s breath
quickened. He watched as Jarrod lifted a hand and slowly unbuttoned first one
button, then the next, carefully avoiding touching his skin. Reaching the last
button, he tugged on Heath’s shirt, pulling it from his waistband. Heath gasped
as the material slid across his sensitive flesh and Jarrod finished the last
button, his eyes never leaving Heath’s the whole time.
Jarrod took a step closer and
moved the shirt off his shoulders and let it slip to the floor. Both men were breathing heavier in
anticipation, but Jarrod needed to savor the moment. Moving behind Heath, he
whispered, “Don’t move, let me touch you.”
He kissed Heath’s neck and
shoulders lightly as he removed his own shirt.
When he was done, he stepped up and pressed his now bare chest into
Heath’s back. Heath’s head rolled back onto his shoulder and Jarrod nipped at
his exposed throat. His hands roamed
very slowly forward to touch his chest and abdomen in light caresses. Heath was
having a time keeping his hands to himself as Jarrod’s fingers found his
nipples and began to make lazy circles around them. Jarrod pressed closer and Heath could feel
his arousal against him, and his own manhood strained hard against the coarse
material of his pants. His breathing was
hard as Jarrod continued to tease him with light touches and kisses.
When Jarrod’s fingers began
exploring the skin under Heath’s waistband after loosening his belt, Heath
sucked in great lungfuls of air and his knees
threatened to buckle. Jarrod deftly undid the top button and his finger’s
played over Heath’s hips and stomach, dropping lower with each pass. Panting
with anticipation, Heath faltered when Jarrod’s fingers moved over his aching
flesh. Jarrod’s arm reached around Heath’s chest, holding him up while his
other hand reached deep into his pants and caressed his balls. Heath reached an
arm around Jarrod’s back and moaned, “I need you.”
Jarrod leaned over his
shoulder, “Shh...Just enjoy it.” He shifted the hand
in Heath’s pants enough to cause them to drop to the floor, and Heath peeled
off his boots. The cool air hitting his heated skin caused him to shudder in
Jarrod’s arms. Standing naked with
Jarrod still half dressed, made Heath’s whole body feel limp and he was
thankful for Jarrod’s added support.
Jarrod’s thumb played with the slit in the crown of his erection and
teased the fluid around the red tip. His finger traced the vein on the
underside of his jutting length and Heath’s breathing came in sharp and rapid
gasps.
Jarrod’s hand shook with his
own mounting excitement as he grasped Heath’s flesh in his hand and began
stroking it. With each slow stroke he
ground his clothed erection into Heath’s backside. His hand pumped Heath’s throbbing
shaft and his other hand teased his nipples. No longer able to hold himself up,
Heath dropped to his knees, with Jarrod slipping easily down behind him.
Sitting back on his haunches,
Jarrod used his hands to caress Heath’s back as he hunched over trying to gain
some control over his ragged breathing. Jarrod stood up to remove his boots and
pants then leaned for his jacket and retrieved the bottle of oil he’d put there
this morning. His hands dropped onto Heath’s shoulders and he ran them down his
chest as he sank back to his knees behind him. Pressed tightly to Heath’s back,
Jarrod shivered at the contact and let his hands rest on Heath’s hips, trying
to rein in his own raging emotions. Three months was a long time to go without
any contact, but he was determined to make this coupling special for Heath.
His hands continued their
caresses, but he kept them from roaming to Heath’s groin, letting him recover
some before moving on. He traced his
scars only briefly, not wanting to go that route this time, but wanting to
touch them nonetheless. Heath arched
into his touch and moaned. Jarrod leaned into him heavily and muttered
reassurances, “Shh...not
here...not this time.”
At Jarrod’s insistence, Heath
eased down onto his stomach. He turned
his head to the side so he could gaze back at Jarrod as he leaned over him, his
hardness pressed firmly into his backside. Jarrod bit his lip and closed his
eyes, savoring the feel of Heath against his flesh and rocked slowly over his
back and thighs letting him feel his heated length. Jarrod dropped his weight onto Heath’s back
and reached up to clasp his hands where they rested beside his head. Heath twisted his head and looked up at
Jarrod, who covered his mouth in a crushing kiss as he ground his hips in to
Heath’s. Their hands gripped each
other’s tightly as the heat between them rose to unimaginable heights. Jarrod
finally broke the kiss and buried his head in Heath’s shoulder to catch his
breath and utter softly, “Roll over.” Jarrod kissed him on the shoulder and
released his hands, letting Heath turn to his back.
Heath was flush with desire and
he tried to caress Jarrod, but his efforts were thwarted when Jarrod took his
hands in his again. Heath writhed beneath him, “Please.”
“Soon.”
Jarrod planted kisses over his
face and neck as he rocked over his slippery flesh. Removing his hands, he sat
up and straddled Heath’s thighs. Reaching for the oil, Jarrod dribbled it onto
Heath’s straining erection, making him buck upward. Heath’s head flew back and
he groaned loudly as Jarrod started touching him with long, easy strokes.
Lifting up, Jarrod positioned himself above Heath’s hips and guided Heath’s
hardness to his own tight hole. He
tensed with anxiety, but willed himself to relax as he pushed down on the head
of Heath’s hard shaft. Heath’s eyes flew
open at the sensation and he was panting as he pleaded with Jarrod, “No!” He grabbed Jarrod’s hips to stop the
penetration.
Jarrod’s eyes flashed with need
and he begged Heath, “Please.”
Heath shook his head as Jarrod
tried to force himself onto his shaft and said firmly, “Not this way.”
Trembling in Heath’s grip,
Jarrod looked at him in desperation, “Need to do this.”
With a hand on Jarrod’s heaving
chest, Heath looked him in the eye. “Alright, but not like this. Let me do it.
Please! I don’t want you hurt.” Jarrod
hung his head in resignation and Heath spoke to him gently, “Lay on your
stomach.”
Jarrod did as he was told and
Heath grabbed a couple of cushions off the couch. Heath touched Jarrod’s hip and said, “Lift
up.” Jarrod raised his hips and Heath
slid the cushions under him, “It’ll be more comfortable.” Nodding, Jarrod tried to relax but Heath
could see the tense muscles in his back.
Taking the oil, he put some in his palm and began massaging Jarrod’s
back and buttocks. When he began to relax, Heath slipped his hand down and
teased Jarrod’s tight hole. With practiced ease, he slipped his finger inside
and wasted no time hitting the hard nub that had Jarrod gasping for air. He
rubbed Jarrod’s back and teased his hard flesh with each new finger and by the
time he had three fingers inserted, Jarrod was begging for him, “Please!”
Heath knelt between Jarrod’s
legs and guided his aching member to Jarrod’s entrance and gently pushed
forward until the crown slipped past the tight ring of muscle. Jarrod arched
his back at the pain and tears leaked from tightly closed eyes. Heath’s hand
rubbed small circles over Jarrod’s lower back as he tried to help him through
the agony. “Try to relax...don’t clamp down or you’ll make it worse.” Jarrod was panting and biting his lip to keep
from crying out as he nodded to Heath, who was trembling at the powerful
sensations coursing through his own body.
In a short time, Heath felt Jarrod’s sphincter loosen its hold on him and
he sighed with relief. He pushed in,
inch by inch, and waited for Jarrod to adjust to his size.
Jarrod had never felt so much
pressure and he didn’t know if he wanted it to stop or go on. When Heath’s hard length found his pleasure
spot he couldn’t stop himself from pushing back for more, despite the
discomfort of being filled to capacity. The discomfort was slowly replaced by
need as Heath eased in and out, making sure he hit his prostate with each
thrust. Heath leaned over his back and
whispered hoarsely, “Take my hands.”
Jarrod grabbed Heath’s hands, and felt him using them for leverage.
Heath pulled almost all the way out and thrust into Jarrod’s warm tunnel
several times before he leaned forward and asked between breaths, “Tell... me.. why?”
When Jarrod didn’t answer he
thrust sharply, making Jarrod want to scream with pleasure. Heath asked again,
“Why?”
“Need...this,” groaned Jarrod
as Heath slammed against him, their balls touching.
“Why?” hissed Heath. He stopped
thrusting, but held himself deep inside of Jarrod waiting for the answer. Jarrod’s hips raised up, needing more, but
Heath refused to move. He chin rested on Jarrod’s shoulder and he begged him,
“Tell me.”
Heath began moving and Jarrod
gasped between thrusts, “Take me... want... to... be... yours,” Jarrod flushed
red, embarrassed that he needed something this badly. Heath was straining to
hold back his desire and not wanting to hurt Jarrod, but he lost all control
when Jarrod cried out, “Harder! Need... all... of... you...
inside.”
Raising
up, he slammed into Jarrod and with each thrust he hit the spot that had Jarrod
writhing beneath him. His hands held Jarrod’s firmly and he pounded harder and
harder into Jarrod’s tightness, finally taking what was his. The possessiveness
washed over him and he grunted fervently into Jarrod’s ear, “Mine!”
He felt Jarrod’s muscles start to clench
around his pulsing shaft and they both tensed as they rushed towards
completion. Jarrod could feel Heath explode deep inside as his world shattered
into a thousand pieces only to reform in a blinding light of sensation that
threatened to send him into the brink of darkness.
Heath couldn’t stop the sharp
thrusts as he needed to fill Jarrod with all that he was. Jarrod lay trembling
under him when he finally finished and collapsed on top of him. Heath eased
himself out of Jarrod and sat up, pulling Jarrod up with him. Leaning back into
the desk, he let Jarrod rest against his chest until their breathing evened out
and the shuddering muscles calmed. Jarrod lifted himself up enough to grab
something off the desk then settled next to Heath on the floor. He readied a cigar and lit it, then taking a
big drag he handed it to Heath, who did the same. Holding the smoke in for as
long as they could, both men released it in a long pleasing sigh.
Chapter 14
It was late and Jarrod was glad
to be home after a month in
He just finished feeding and
putting up his horse when a voice spoke from the darkness, “Drop the gun belt,
Counselor.”
Startled, Jarrod turned and
spoke sharply, “Damn it, Heath, don’t be sneaking up on me like that.”
“Dog,
guard!” A scruffy mutt took up residence
outside and Heath moved up behind Jarrod and slipped his hands around his waist
as he whispered huskily, “Missed you.” He grinned in Jarrod’s neck, “Now drop
the gun belt.”
“I thought you liked the gun
belt look,” muttered Jarrod, already unbuckling it as Heath nibbled his neck.
“I do. Right now it’s in my
way.” Heath’s hands were unbuttoning Jarrod’s pants as the belt dropped to the
floor. His hand wrapped around Jarrod’s semi-hard member and a loud sigh broke
the silence in the barn. “Let me taste you,” whispered Heath, his hot breath
sending shivers down Jarrod’s back.
Jarrod turned in Heath’s arms
and cupped the back of his neck as his tongue dove into his mouth. Heath returned the kiss feverishly, both men
pushing and straining for more until Jarrod’s back was to the wall. Breathless and needy, Heath loosened his own
pants and his hand found his aching flesh as he dropped to his knees in front
of Jarrod then he pulled down Jarrod’s pants exposing his jutting hard-on.
Heath’s tongue dart out and tasted the moisture gathered at the tip and Jarrod
sucked in a harsh breath. His hands clawed at the wall behind him when Heath’s
mouth slowly enclosed his straining erection.
Heath sucked and licked Jarrod
as he pumped his pulsing shaft in his hand faster and harder, knowing neither
of them would last this first encounter. Jarrod’s hips were straining to thrust
into Heath’s mouth when he felt his balls draw up and the familiar burn started
at the base of his shaft. Heath sucked
harder and his hand worked faster when he tasted Jarrod’s seed as it filled his
mouth. Swallowing fast, Heath moaned when
his own climax exploded and Jarrod pulled out enough to give him room to breath,
still pulsing in his mouth. Jarrod’s hand found his own flesh and milked himself dry as he listened to Heath pumping and moaning in
the darkness. Only when Heath was done, did Jarrod slip down the wall, his legs
too weak to hold his weight. Heath leaned into his shoulder and Jarrod wrapped
his arm around him, holding him tight.
Heath chuckled, “Got your pants
again.”
“Umm.
Don’t care,” sighed Jarrod happily. “Nice welcome
home.”
“Not done yet.” Heath got slowly to his feet and reached out
a hand to help him up. Both men tucked
themselves back in and headed towards the house. Their house. Almost five years ago Nick had finally
relented and let Heath have a place of his own for the horses, due mostly in
part to his accident. As luck would have
it the property was between
At first it was just Heath
living there, but over time Jarrod slowly worked his way to living there full
time as well. In the beginning, he used Heath’s house as a place to work away
from the noise and chaos at the main house and would often spend the night
rather than ride back to the house. With
Eugene and Nick’s growing families taking up residence at the ranch, it was a
great excuse for Jarrod to eventually move out and live with Heath. They continued to date women on occasion,
just enough to keep people from asking questions, but nothing serious ever
became of any of their relationships.
Most people accepted the fact that the two unmarried Barkley’s were
likely too set in their ways to ever settle down.
Jarrod enjoyed the hard work of
fixing up the place and often spent long hours working side by side with Heath
after a full day of work at the office.
Heath still spent his days at the ranch, but would take off time if they
had a horse contract to fill. It was
easier to work with the horses now since there were fewer distractions to upset
them. Jarrod even helped out when it
came time to break the new horses. For
the most part, they kept their private life separate from the ranch only
relating the vital news when they visited the main house. Only Victoria and Nick knew the real reason
the two men shared a home and they had both come to terms with it years
ago.
Heath grabbed Jarrod’s gun belt
on the way out and handed it to him, “Tomorrow we’re breakin’
horses.”
Jarrod swallowed hard, “My
first day back. That should prove interesting.”
Since Jarrod had begun helping with horses, Heath made sure he had chaps
of his own and horse breaking had taken on a whole new meaning for both of ‘em.
“Nick’s comin’
to help,” winced Heath.
Stopping dead in his tracks,
Jarrod shouted in horror and disbelief, “WHAT!?”
“I didn’t know you was coming back, so when he offered to help, I took him up
on it.” Heath stood beside Jarrod and tried to reassure him, “It’ll be fine.”
Jarrod hung his head, “I’ll never
survive.”
Heath smiled and patting his
back moved him towards the house, “If it makes ya
feel any better, it ain’t gonna
be any easier for me.”
“Oh sure.
You aren’t the one that gets hard just looking at the damn things.”
“We won’t wear ‘em.”
Jarrod snorted, “Then I’ll just
be thinking of them all day.” He pulled off his hat and wiped his brow with his
sleeve, “God, why Nick? He’s merciless.”
Once in the house, Heath got
Jarrod something to eat and sat with him while he ate. “I was wondering something.”
“Hmm?”
Jarrod asked with a mouthful of food.
Heath leaned back in his chair
and asked with a lopsided grin, “When was the last time I made ya scream?” Heath
got a face full of food and Jarrod was gasping for air and grabbing for his
water. Brushing himself off in disgust, Heath exclaimed, “Ewww!”
“Serves you
right.” Jarrod pushed his meal away, no longer
hungry.
“You didn’t answer my question
though.”
Jarrod’s head dropped to his
chest in resignation. Heath moved around the table and massaged his shoulders. He leaned over and teased sympathetically,
“Just think how much better you’ll sleep. Might even take
some of the edge off of tomorrow.”
The next morning, Jarrod found himself spooned around Heath, not really remembering how
he’d gotten there. True to his word, Heath had made him scream but he wasn’t
complaining. He’d slept like a baby and was ready to start the day. His groin
stirred against Heath’s backside and he snuggled closer, careful not to wake
him. Even after a wonderful night he couldn’t stop his growing erection. After more than ten years of loving Heath, he
never tired of him. If anything he needed him more. Their relationship had changed when they
moved in together. Going from stolen moments of passion to a
more comfortable, unrushed relationship.
They enjoyed each other’s company and could love anywhere, anytime
making it all the more pleasurable.
He wasn’t even worried about
Nick this morning, Dog would let them know when Nick
arrived. Grasping his aching flesh in hand, Jarrod guided it between Heath’s
legs, but didn’t enter him. Not this morning. A day of riding broncs would be bad enough, Heath
didn’t need the added problem of waking up sore. Jarrod draped his arm over
Heath and teased his nipples and listened for Heath to groan in his sleep. It wasn’t often he woke before Heath and he
enjoyed making love to him before he had a chance to wake fully. Heath’s body
relaxed in his arms, still in the throes of sleep, and Heath reacted to his playing
with moans of pleasure. He thrust slowly between Heath’s legs in short strokes
and lightly traced Heath’s semi-hard length.
Jarrod moved his hand to play with the hair on Heath’s chest and smiled
when he found his aroused nubs. Heath
pushed into Jarrod’s hips and groaned when Jarrod’s fingers teased the sac
beneath his now pulsing shaft. Leaning over Heath’s shoulder Jarrod nuzzled his
ear, “You waking up, cowboy?”
“Hmm.” Heath rolled onto his back and groaned as his
hand rubbed firmly over his balls and erection, not fully awake enough to
realize it was Jarrod that made him hard with his teasing. Heath sighed
sleepily, “Hard.”
“So I see.” Jarrod rotated on
the bed and leaned over Heath’s hips. His mouth enclosed only the tip of the
hard length and Heath’s eyes opened wide as his hands clenched the sheets. “Sweet Jesus!”
Jarrod released him and ran his
tongue up and down his shaft then moved lower to suck one of Heath’s balls into
his mouth. Heath grunted and bucked under Jarrod’s teasing and rolled to his
side in search of his own plaything. The more one was pleased, the more the
other worked at sucking and they fed on each other’s excitement. It wasn’t long before they were both
straining for release. Jarrod felt Heath’s hardness grow in his mouth and he
swallowed convulsively to keep from choking as Heath erupted deep in his
throat. It was hard to do when his own
climax started and he spasmed in Heath’s mouth. Heath
finished him off and both men rolled onto their backs, breathless and panting
for air.
The sun was just coming over
the horizon when they heard Dog’s frantic barking. Both men stilled and waited
for it. Nick’s bellow followed right on schedule, “HEATH! CALL OFF YOUR
DOG!!!”
They laughed at his standard
response and got out of bed. Dressing in a hurry they went out to rescue Nick,
who was standing stock still in the middle of the yard with Dog yapping at his
heals.
Jarrod went to the kitchen and
Heath stopped on the porch, “DOG! Go lay down!”
He was holding in a laugh when
Nick grabbed the saddlebags and slammed them into his chest on the way by,
“Breakfast!” Heath bobbled the bags
before following Nick in the house. Jarrod was getting coffee ready when Nick
entered the kitchen scowling, “If you weren’t always goin’
at it like rabbits ya wouldn’t need that damn dog.”
“If you weren’t always bargin’ in we wouldn’t need him at all,” retorted Heath,
handing Jarrod the bags. “Breakfast.”
Jarrod clapped his hands, and
unloaded breakfast. “Ahh, Silas is a man after my
heart.” Jarrod smiled as he pulled out more packages, “And lunch too.”
Nick smirked, “He thinks you’re
starving over here. Every time I come over he’s throwin’
food at me.”
“We do all right, Nick. Mary
takes care of us.” Jarrod patted his flat stomach, “No complaints here.” Mary was their housekeeper and occasional
cook. She came by a couple days a week and took care of the house, their
laundry and often cooked meals on the days she was there. Mary was old and they doted on her and in
turn, she treated them as if they were her own.
Jarrod poured the coffee and
the three men ate breakfast while Heath told ‘em
about the horses, “I figure with the three of us takin’
turns we oughta be able to have an early day of it.”
“Three of
us? You actually gonna dirty those
lily white hands of yours, Jarrod,” huffed Nick. “This I gotta
see.” Jarrod turned his back and looked
busy at the sink, but Heath didn’t miss the tense muscles in his back.
Heath knew how much Jarrod
hated Nick to belittle his ranching skills and he quickly intervened, “Well, if we don’t get started we ain’t gonna get nothin’ done.” Heath slapped Nick on the back as he and
Jarrod grabbed their gear and headed outside, “Come on, Nick, this is a workin’ ranch.”
Nick took his horse in the barn
while Jarrod slipped on his chaps. He was trying to ignore Heath as he got
ready but when he looked up and came face to face with him, he knew then that
this was gonna be the longest day of his life. Heath
squeezed his shoulder and smiled slyly, “You wanna
have some fun with, Nick.”
Raising an eyebrow, Jarrod
asked, “What ya got in mind?”
“You just ride like you have
been, Counselor and let me do the rest.”
Nick returned and Heath already
had the first horse picked out. The three men got him saddled and Heath asked
Jarrod, “You wanna go first?”
Jarrod tightened his gloves and
teased, “Watch and see how it’s done, gentlemen.” Wishing he felt as confident as he sounded.
Jarrod mounted and Nick and Heath hurried to the corral fence to get clear of
the angry horse. He was used to people and used to being handled but this was
the first time with a rider on his back and he did his best to throw
Jarrod. The muscles in Jarrod’s arm were
corded tight as he fought for balance as Nick and Heath looked on.
“Ya
reckon he’s gonna stay on?”
“The lawyer,
no way! He ain’t
used to meeting that kind of power at the end of a rope.”
“Ten bucks says he stays on.”
Heath watched Jarrod as he prodded Nick, appearing more interested in Jarrod
than the bet.
“You’re on.”
Heath smiled inwardly, this was
gonna be too easy.
Ten minutes later, Jarrod was calmly leading the horse around the
corral. Heath opened the gate and looked up with pride as he patted Jarrod’s
knee, “Great ride, counselor.”
Jarrod beamed, “Thanks.” He rode to the opposite corral and unsaddled
the horse, returning to it to Heath for the next horse. Grabbing the canteen, he took a big drink and
wiped his brow on his sleeve. Watching Heath work, Jarrod’s eyes wandered to
his tight ass in chaps and he felt the familiar stirring in his groin. He adjusted his pants and tried to ignore it
as he moved into help with the next horse.
His luck went from bad to worse
as Heath mounted up to ride. He backed
up and lifted himself up to sit on the top rail and his eyes never left Heath
for the twenty minutes he worked the horse, getting thrown only once. Unable to take it any more he leaped from the
rail and headed behind the barn. Leaning
against the wall, he unbuttoned his pants and after only a few quick strokes he
ejected a stream into the dirt. Sighing in relief, he did up his pants and
joined his brothers in time to see Heath headed to the other corral.
For once he wished he had a
longer recovery time between hard-ons. Getting a
drink, he caught Heath’s eye and saw him smiling. Nick was already getting his next horse, so
Jarrod walked beside Heath into the corral. “Go ahead and laugh, but it’s going
to be you doing the screaming tonight,” smirked
Jarrod.
Heath’s step hitched and Jarrod
chuckled, “I ain’t the only one going to visit the
barn today.”
They helped Nick and watched
while he rode, trading comments.
“You
getting’ hard again.”
“I am now.”
“This is more fun when Nick ain’t around.”
“Can’t argue
that one.”
“You ain’t
much for words today.”
“I’m preoccupied.”
“Does it hurt?”
“Startin’ too.”
“I could suck it for ya.” Heath broke out laughing when Jarrod bolted for the
barn. Jarrod returned minutes later, sweatin’ heavily and Heath refrained from commenting.
Instead he got another horse ready for him.
Jarrod’s turn was much like the first and Heath made another ten bucks,
but not before he hedged his bet with Nick. “You reckon he’ll last the day?
It’s got to be killin’ him to work like that after sittin’ in an office all the time.”
“I’ll bet ya
a hundred bucks he can’t stay on all six. Never happen,” insisted Nick.
“Now that
don’t seem fair. I already got throwed once
and so have you.”
Nick planted his hands on his
hips, and relented, “Alright, he has to stick with all six. He can’t be quittin’.”
“I don’t know, Nick. Seems ta me, I’m on the wrong end of this bet.”
“Two
hundred.”
Heath smiled, “Well that
certainly makes it more worth my while.”
Jarrod rode his third and then
his fourth and Nick was starting to get nervous. He watched his older brother carefully and
noticed Jarrod sweating as he watched Heath ride.
“You getting’ tired yet?”
“Nope.
You?” Jarrod stared straight ahead his eyes glued to
Heath.
Nick asked worriedly, “You’re lookin’ a little peaked. All them trips to the barn, you
sure you’re alright.”
Embarrassed, Jarrod snapped at
him, “I’m fine. Would you leave me alone?”
“Geez,
you’re mighty sensitive today.” Nick laughed as he added, “I thought you got
some this morning.”
Jarrod lifted his leg to the
rail, hoping to hide the bulge in his pants.
Seeing Heath in leather was killing him, but he couldn’t stop himself
from looking. Normally they broke the
horses alone and over several days. They had fun doing it and Heath was always
good about seeing to Jarrod’s needs as was Jarrod to Heath’s needs. It was a
good time for both of them and Nick’s presence was putting a big damper on the
festivities. Jarrod was getting tired of
having to take care of the problem on his own. He wanted nothing more then to
rub his exposed flesh against Heath’s leather covered thighs and cover him in
his seed. He waited impatiently for Heath to finish and Nick to go help before
he headed to the barn again. He’d waited
too long and barely got himself clear of his pants before he exploded with a
powerful orgasm, shooting his seed on the side of the barn. It took a minute
before he found the strength to move again.
He took his fifth ride and then
watched Nick ride as he endured Heath’s teasing, “You doing okay?
“No!” growled Jarrod. He stood
with a foot on the lower rail and his hands gripping the upper on tightly, “Do
I look okay?”
“You look hot. You’ve been doin’ a lot of sweatin’
today. Why don’t you go cool off?”
“Hmm.”
Jarrod headed to the trough for some cool water, but Heath caught up and shot
him a lop-sided grin.
“You know Nick ain’t seen you for a long, long time without a shirt. You
have one horse left and I thought he might like to see what he bet against,
before that final ride.”
Jarrod blushed, but stood a
little straighter at Heath’s reference. Years of helping Heath with the ranch
and the horses had gotten rid of the extra weight he’d carried for so
long. He was in better shape then he’d
ever been, with firm, tight muscle to show for it. None of the family was even aware of the work
he did besides his practice and it rankled him when
they made some comment about his working habits, especially Nick. “What are you
up to?”
Heath smiled wickedly, “Five
hundred.”
“You’re gonna
owe me for this.”
“Oh I reckon we can come up
with somethin’.” Heath left him standing at the
trough and Jarrod waited until he was sure Nick was looking his way before he
started. He muttered under his breath as
he started pumping the water, “Well see who runs to
the barn now, cowboy.”
Jarrod ducked his head under
the water, letting it thoroughly wet his hair. Standing up, he shook his head
and let the water spray in all directions. He stood for a couple seconds with
his head thrown back letting the breeze cool his wet skin. Squaring his shoulders, he unbuttoned his
shirt, then tugged it from his pants. Peeling it off
his broad shoulders, he snuck a look at his brothers who were eyeing him
curiously.
Nick’s face fell when he got a
look at the muscle beneath the shirt, and Heath’s eyes widened at the tanned
hardness of Jarrod’s chest, abdomen and arms. He’d made his point with Nick,
that was obvious, but he wasn’t done with Heath. Throwing the shirt over the pump, he ducked
under again and when he stood, the extra water trickled down his chest and
back. He reached his hands under the
water and rubbed them over his chest and stomach in lazy circles, enjoying the
coolness on his skin. His motions were
interrupted by Nick’s howl of laughter and he looked up to see Heath on his
knees and his head buried in his chest.
Slipping on his shirt, he rushed over to see what was wrong. The closer
he got he could see Heath’s breathing was ragged and he was shaking. Nick was no help at all, doubled over with
gales of laughter.
Jarrod dropped to one knee
beside Heath and put his hand on his back with concern, “You alright.” Heath lifted his head in a side-ways glance
and Jarrod could see his embarrassment. Jarrod’s eyes widened in shock, “You
didn’t?”
Heath nodded and hung his head.
Surprised, Jarrod fell to his butt in the dirt and smiled, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t sound very sincere,”
growled Heath, glaring at him with dark eyes.
Nick had tears in his eyes as he laughed,
“Oh...you shoulda...seen...his...face!”
Jarrod was trying not to laugh, knowing how
embarrassed Heath must be, but Nick’s laughing was not helping. “Shut up, Nick,
you aren’t helping matters. Besides, I believe you are one horse away from
losing five hundred dollars.”
Nick suddenly remembered the
bet and knew he’d lost even before Jarrod made the ride. He hadn’t been thrown
once today and Nick knew he’d been had by his brothers. “That’s not fair, you
set me up.”
Jarrod looked at him sharply,
“No, Nick. You set yourself up. Do you think I got this way overnight? You just
chose to ignore it.”
Heath was the one laughing now,
at Nick’s indignation. Jarrod reached
out a hand to Heath, “Come on, we might as well saddle up my last one so you
can take Nick’s money.”
They walked away leaving Nick
to fume. Jarrod glanced down at Heath’s
pants as they walked and snickered, “The chaps almost cover it.”
“Shut up.”
~*~
Nick had left a few minutes
earlier and Jarrod had Heath pinned to the wall, trying to grind himself into
his tight ass. Heath was undoing his own pants so they could do what they’d
waited all day to do. The darkness of the barn was suddenly illuminated when
the door flung open and a stunned Nick stood in the light. “Aw damn it. You’re
like a couple dogs in heat! I ain’t even left the yard.”
Heath turned and glared at
Nick, as Jarrod pressed against him, trying to hide at least some of himself. “DOG! Guard!”
The dog went on alert, and Nick
high stepped out of the barn with the dog nipping his heals. His swearing didn’t stop until he was safely
mounted. Jarrod was helping Heath undress when they heard Nick yell, “I’m gonna kill that dog someday. Mother wants you both for
dinner tomorrow!”
Heath asked Jarrod in a husky
voice, “Where were we?”
“I was gonna
ride you and put you up wet,” answered Jarrod in low voice.
~*~
The sun was almost below the
horizon as they sat on the back porch in nothing but sleeping pants. Jarrod sat on the step with Heath sprawled
out between his legs. Heath’s arms were draped over Jarrod’s knees and he was
leaning back into his chest enjoying the sunset. Jarrod had his arms over
Heath’s shoulders and was fingering his chest hair.
“I’m sorry about what happened
today. I never meant for that to happen.”
Heath patted the arm on his
chest, “You’re pleased with yourself ain’t ya?”
Jarrod didn’t even hesitate at
Heath’s remark, “Yep.”
They sat in silence enjoying
the sun set when Heath spoke with pride, “You did great today, counselor.”
“Thanks,
cowboy.”
“You reckon it’ll be this good
thirty, forty years from now.”
“For all
eternity, Heath. For all eternity.”
THE END