Cattle Valley 27 - Alone in a Crowd (11 page)

Smokey walked through his newly finished house with a heavy heart. Although the house was perfect, it lacked one, very important thing. Elliott.
“Great, isn’t it?” Oggie asked, stepping inside.
“Yeah.” Smokey gestured to the oversized handles on the kitchen faucet. “You thought of everything.”
“I thought it would make it easier on you.”
“It will.” Smokey leaned against the kitchen counter, dreading the next few minutes. “Oggie, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but I think we both know I’m not young enough or useful enough for this job.”
“You’ve been invaluable to me. Without you, I’d never had made this place work.”
“I appreciate that, and I’d like to continue to help you where I can, but you need someone else, someone who can keep up with all these kids you’re gonna have running around here.” Smokey adjusted his hat. “Besides, Elliott asked me to move in with him and Jeff.”
Oggie’s expression brightened. “I’m happy for you, and as much as I’m going to miss you, I understand how important it is to grab the best things in life when they’re offered.”
“Thanks.”
“I could still use your help. If I’m going to have twenty teenagers running around, we might as well help ‘em learn a trade, right?”
Smokey liked the idea of helping kids like him. “Of course.”
“I don’t suppose you know anyone I could hire as a new foreman?” Oggie looked around. “I’d hate to let this place go empty for long.”
“I don’t know anyone off the top of my head, but Ezra could probably help you. I know there’s some kind of website that he’s used in the past to hire people.”
“Would you be willing to interview them with me?” Oggie asked. “After all, I’d like you to stay on as manager.”
“I’m grateful, but I don’t deserve a title like that if I can’t do the work,” Smokey argued.
“A manager manages the people who are doing the work. Your body may be catching up with your years, but there’s not a damn thing wrong with your mind.”
A swell of pride filled Smokey. For years, he’d felt his life as a cowboy was coming to an end, but with Oggie’s offer, he suddenly felt like he’d been given a reprieve. “I’d love to stay on with one condition. You have to be honest with me if you ever think I become more trouble than I’m worth.”
“Deal.”

“You get Grooper all taken care of?” Nate asked Ryan, scooting over to make room under the blanket.
“Yeah, I think he enjoyed himself today, talked a mile a minute on the way home.” Despite Dean Grooper’s willingness to get out of the house and volunteer for Cattle Valley Days, he still refused to climb behind the wheel of a car. It both frustrated and saddened Ryan, but he kept telling himself at least Dean was making progress.
“You like him, don’t you?” Rio asked.
“He’s okay.” Ryan grinned, knowing he wasn’t fooling anyone. After his father’s death, Ryan had flown back to Oklahoma with his dad’s ashes. He went with an officer of the tribal police to the cave where Ben had hidden his own father’s body so many years earlier. After relating the story, the authorities released the bones and allowed Ryan to finally give his grandfather a proper burial. Ryan had buried his father next to his mother, but laid his grandfather to rest on the opposite side of the cemetery. He wasn’t sure if his father would approve, but he felt lighter for doing it.
A hand on his upper thigh brought him back to the moment and the concert that was about to begin. “I should be taking my turn on patrol. I don’t think my deputies would appreciate it if they knew I was getting a hand job instead.”
Nate started to laugh. “You are so fucking sure of yourself. Maybe I was just resting my hand on your leg.”
“Really? Is that what you’re doing?” Ryan asked.
“Hell, no, I’m trying to figure out how to get you out of those skin tight jeans without alerting the entire park of what we’re doing.” Nate’s hand moved up to the button on Ryan’s jeans. “Can ya help a guy out?”
Ryan looked around. There were too many people to take the chance. He turned to Rio. “You bring the pickup?”
“Yeah.” Rio flashed a devilish grin. “It’s even toward the back of the parking lot.”
“I bet we can hear Trick and the Cowboys from there,” Ryan suggested.
Rio was the first one up. He held out his hand and pulled Nate to his feet before rolling up the top blanket. “Get that other one, would ya?” He bent down and whispered in Ryan’s ear. “You might hold it in front of you, if you know what I mean?”
Ryan looked down at his cock as it pressed against his zipper. With his top button already unfastened, it was only a matter of time before his cock would escape if he wasn’t careful. “Gotcha.”
Easing to his feet, Ryan immediately rolled up the blanket and carried it in front of him. He nodded his way through the crowd of townspeople and guests from surrounding communities, as he followed Rio and Nate to the parking lot.
“You’re not leaving already, are you?” Jeb Garza asked.
“No, the ground’s getting dewy, so we decided to sit in the back of the truck.” Ryan hoped Jeb wouldn’t question it.
The handsome veterinarian grinned and glanced at Nate and Rio who were already playing grab ass. “Have a nice evening, Sheriff.”
“You too.” Ryan shook Jeb’s hand before jogging to catch up with his men. “Thanks for waiting for me.”
“We knew you could handle Jeb on your own,” Rio said, draping his arm over Ryan’s shoulder.
“Tell me you’ve cleaned the back out recently?” Nate groaned.
Rio opened the tailgate and whistled, pop cans and empty water bottles littered the bed. “Think of them as cushions for your bony ass.”
Nate reached back and squeezed his butt. “My ass isn’t bony, is it, Ryan?”
Ryan couldn’t resist taking a feel for himself. “Doesn’t feel bony through your jeans, but we might need a closer,
in-depth
, inspection.”
Rio helped Nate up before climbing in. He kicked the trash to the sides and held out his hand for Ryan’s blanket. “I’ll make it nice and cosy.”
Trick started talking to the crowd in the background, signalling the beginning of the concert. “Hurry up. Trick’s had strep throat, so I doubt he’ll last long tonight.” Ryan used the side of the bed for leverage before hoisting himself up. “I’m shutting this,” he informed Rio before closing the tailgate.
“What’d you do that for?” Nate asked, shimmying out of his jeans. “If someone walks by they’re going to see us anyway.”
“Yeah, but they don’t have to see us from five cars away.” Ryan carefully unzipped his jeans and pushed them down far enough to free his cock.
“Take them off,” Nate whined.
“Can’t, I might get a call, besides, I can fuck you quite nicely with them on.”
“Look what I got at the parade today.” Rio produced several small packets of lube from his pocket. “You gotta love a town that throws lube and condoms from the floats.”
Ryan sat in the middle with his back against the cab and watched Rio strip from the waist down. He tapped his foot to the music and settled Nate on his lap. “God, I do love country music.”
Rio sat down and covered them as much as possible, given Nate’s upright position. “That’ll have to do.”
Ryan glanced down at his cock, exposed to the cool night air. “Now somethin’s going to have to warm that up.”
Nate wiggled his hips. “Got anything special in mind?”
“Kiss me.” Ryan grabbed Nate by the back of the neck and pulled him in for a deep kiss. “Lube him,” he instructed Rio between nibbles to Nate’s bottom lip.
“Mmm,” Nate moaned. “I love it when you get all demanding and sheriffy with me.”
Ryan reached for Nate’s cock and squeezed. “You like to be told what to do, do ya?”
“Not often, but occasionally I’m open to strongly worded suggestions.” Nate scooted up on Ryan’s torso until he was in position to take Ryan’s cock. “Order Rio to get his fingers out of my ass so you can fuck me.”
Ryan narrowed his eyes. He glanced up at Rio. “Fuck him.”
Nate’s eyes rounded. “I thought you were the one with the cold cock?”
“Don’t you worry about my dick. You just bow that pretty little back of yours and get that ass up in the air.” Ryan tried hard not to crack a smile. He was wearing his stern, sheriff expression, something that never failed to excite Nate during sex. “Now, wrap those long fingers around my cock and get to work.”
Nate did as ordered, playing the part of subordinate when all three of them knew who was really in charge of the situation.
Ryan settled against the cab and enjoyed the expert attention to his cock. Things were getting back to normal and sex with his men was a big part of his everyday life. He reached up and nudged Nate’s shoulders. “Scoot down so you can suck me.”
Nate inched his way towards Ryan’s feet as Rio continued to fuck him. “Just don’t mess up my hair. We’re supposed to go to O’Brien’s after this,” Nate warned.
Ryan closed his eyes as Nate enveloped his cock in his warm mouth. He’d rather go home after the concert, but with friends in town it was expected. When Rio started to sing along with the music, Ryan knew he was close. “Are you ready?” he asked Rio.
Without missing a note, Rio nodded.
Nate’s tongue swirled around the sensitive skin just below Ryan’s crown. “Shit, babe, brace yourself because we’re getting ready to fill you at both ends.” Ryan waited for Nate’s nod of acceptance before meeting Rio’s gaze. Feeling connected to both of his men, Ryan shot the first load of cum deep into Nate’s throat as Rio’s singing turned into a series of grunts.
In the throes of his climax, Ryan forgot Nate’s request and buried his hands in his partner’s hair. He knew he’d hear about it as soon as Nate finished swallowing his seed, but it was worth it.

After cleaning up at The Gym, Rio drove towards O’Brien’s. “If we don’t get a seat it’ll be your fault.”
Ryan stretched his arm across the back of the seat and rubbed Rio’s earlobe between his thumb and forefinger. “Garron’s saving us a seat, Nate talked to him earlier.”
“Only after you fucked up my hair,” Nate butted in.
“It looks better now anyway.” It was a tiny white lie, Nate’s hair always looked exactly the same, never too long, never too short, but Ryan had become an expert at smoothing Nate’s ruffled feathers. “By the way, the headstones are ready. I told the funeral home to go ahead and set them. I figured we’d take a trip down sometime next month.”
“You’re going to let us go with you this time?” Nate asked.
Ryan was finally coming to terms with the two lives of Ben Blackfeather. He still had some work to do before he forgave his mother, but he knew it was a matter of putting himself in her shoes. The love between his parents had never been in question, and the letters his mom had written claimed she had loved Ryan as much, but he still didn’t feel it. He may never understand why things happened the way they did, but at least he no longer carried a ball of hatred with him everywhere he went.
“The trailer’s gone. The cave’s been cleared. The only thing left is to pay my last respects, and I want the two of you with me for that,” Ryan explained.
Nate leaned against Ryan. “I know you were embarrassed by the money thing, but I can promise you, money doesn’t make an easier childhood.”
“That’s easy to say if you had it, but until you’ve known the shame involved, you can’t say something like that. I couldn’t even make friends because I knew at some point they’d want to know where I lived, and there was no way in hell that I’d take them there.”
Nate snorted. “Where’s that violin of mine?” He bumped his shoulder against Ryan. “Suck it up, Sheriff, you’re a man now and have more friends than you know what to do with.”
“You’re right. I am rather adored around here.” Ryan rested his head against the back of the seat. He was tired after the long day of festivities and really wished he could go home. “Can’t we just see them tomorrow at the barbecue?”
Rio found an empty parking spot two blocks from O’Brien’s and pulled in. “We’ll see them tonight, tomorrow and every other day they’re in town because they’re our friends and they’ve come all the way from Nebraska to spend time with us. Now, get your whiny ass out of the truck and slap on a happy face.”
Ryan realised he might have a little of Nate in him, because Rio’s commanding voice definitely had a direct effect on his cock. “Are you the DD tonight, because I feel like drinking a couple beers?”
Rio got out of the truck and waited for Nate and Ryan to join him. “Here’s the deal. I’ll drink that fake beer crap tonight if I don’t have to clean up after the party tomorrow.”
Ryan had to think about the offer. Rio always cleaned up, something Ryan hated doing. A thought suddenly occurred to him. He’d have a lot of people at the house, perhaps he could recruit some of them to help? “Okay.”
Rio rolled his eyes and started towards O’Brien’s. “You’re so transparent. Asking guests to clean up is so not cool.”
“I never claimed to be cool,” Ryan said in his own defence.
Nate opened the door, and the blast of laughter from inside hit Ryan like a breath of fresh air. It always happened. Although his natural instinct was to hide himself away at home, he always had a good time when friends surrounded him. It was to Nate and Rio’s credit that they never pointed it out, just accepted it as part of who he was.
The realisation summed up their entire relationship. None of them were perfect. They all had skeletons in their closets, but slowly, with the help of each other, they were picking through the bones of their pasts and laying them to rest.
Ryan smiled and entered the bar, ready to embrace the life he’d worked hard to build. It may not be perfect all the time, but it was his, and he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“BK House,” Charlie Salinger answered.
Becket smiled for the first time in a month. “Hey, it’s Becket.”
“Staying out of trouble?”
“What fun would that be?” Becket rested his feet on the porch railing. “I was

wondering, I know I’m not signed up for summer classes, but do you think it would be possible for me to come back early?”
“Why would you want to? The campus is dead this time of year.”
“I live in a town of thirteen hundred and thirty-four people stuck out in the middle of fucking corn fields. Believe me, you don’t know the first thing about dead.” Without a car of his own, Becket was forced to drive the dirt roads of Crescent Ridge, Iowa, in his grandpa’s old rusted out pickup. It would be different if his dad actually needed his help on the farm, but with three older brothers, all living and working on the six-hundred and seventy acre spread, Becket’s help wasn’t needed or wanted.
“Locky’s not here if that’s what you’re hoping for,” Charlie informed Becket.
Resident Assistant Lockland Regent was the golden unicorn, the one man Becket continued to drool over but had never been able to conquer. It didn’t seem to matter how many times he caught Locky looking at him with lust in his eyes, he always turned Becket away when the offer was made.
“What about Fallon?” The uncle of one of his old housemates may not have been Becket’s first choice, but Fallon was hot and rich, two of his favourite things. Besides, for some reason, Fallon’s ongoing interest in getting Becket into bed seemed to infuriate Locky.
“Stay away from Fallon. He’s too damn old for you,” Charlie scolded.
Becket grinned. Forbidden fruit always tasted better. “Will you let me come? I’ll pay.”
“You’ll clean. This place needs a good cleaning from top to bottom before the fall semester, and since I obviously can’t do it, and Jack’s taken a job at one of the local bars for the summer, we were planning to hire it out. However, since you obviously have the time, you can do it in exchange for room and board. How’s that?”
The thought of cleaning the house made Becket groan. He weighed the work involved against his need to be within a two mile radius of gay bars, and, as usual, his sex drive won out. “Fine.”