Cattle Valley 27 - Alone in a Crowd (6 page)

Smokey hoisted the last bag of sweet feed into the back of his pickup as Ezra parked beside him. Shit. Since the disastrous apology at the lake, Smokey hadn’t run into either Ezra or Palmer, but it appeared his luck had just run out.

“Yeah. Oggie’s been great.” Smokey slammed the tailgate shut and walked towards the driver’s door.
“You still sober?”
Smokey clenched his hands into fists as he fought to keep his temper in check. “I haven’t taken a drink in a long time.” He tipped his hat before climbing behind the wheel. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work.”
“Wait.” Ezra walked around the hood of his truck to stand next to the open door. “I’m glad to see you’re doing better.”
“Thanks. I’m trying to get on with my life. It’s not always easy, but I’ve got a good job, and I’ve started seeing Elliott.”
Ezra lifted his eyebrows in apparent surprise. “I didn’t see that coming.”
“Did you think I’d pine away for you for the rest of my life?” It was a sarcastic comment that Smokey wished he could take back. “Sorry.”
“Nah, I deserved it.” Ezra eased Smokey’s door shut. “It’s good to see you like this.”
Smokey started the engine. “I know you believe I committed some unspeakable crime, but all I did was fight for someone I loved. I’m sure there are plenty of men around who’ve done the same thing, if not worse, and I don’t see them getting run out of town.”
For years after the fight with Ezra, Smokey thought he must be the worst man in the world to treat Palmer the way he did, but since he’d opened up to Elliott, Smokey was beginning to understand that he wasn’t as bad as he’d once thought. With acceptance of his actions came anger at the way he’d been treated by the best friend he’d ever had. He wasn’t excusing the way he’d spoken to Palmer, there was definitely no excuse for that, but he was human, and that was something he had come to accept.
“I’m sure you’re right, and I wish things had happened differently, but just like you can’t go back and change the past, neither can I,” Ezra mumbled. He stepped back and headed inside without a backwards glance, leaving Smokey to stare at his retreating form as it disappeared into the shadows of the store.
“Dammit,” he cursed and smacked his palm against the steering wheel. He had no misguided hopes that he and Ezra would be able to go back to the way things were before Palmer came into the picture, but he’d thought they’d at least learn to be friends again. If the conversation a moment earlier was any indication, Smokey would be waiting a long time for anything resembling a friendship with Ezra.

Ryan was busy in the kitchen when Nate returned from work. He had no doubt by the expression on Nate’s face that Rio had already called and given Nate a heads-up on what was going on. “Hey.”

Nate leaned against Ryan’s back, resting his cheek between Ryan’s shoulder blades. “What’s for dinner?”
“Boneless barbeque pork chops, corn on the cob, salad and baked sweet potatoes.”
“Mmm, a carb-loaded dinner, my favourite.” Nate wrapped his arms around Ryan’s waist and held him tight. “Can we eat outside, naked?”
Ryan chuckled. Leave it to Nate to suggest they subject themselves to even more bug bites in the name of sex. “I won’t eat much if you’re sitting beside me all sweet and naked.”
“I could sit on your lap and feed you while you take advantage of my condition?” Nate offered.
The thought of playing with Nate’s ass while being fed definitely had Ryan’s cock interested. “What about Rio, are we going to leave him out of the fun?”
“Tonight’s all about you.” Nate reached up and began to unbutton Ryan’s shirt. “Of course, we could also cook naked.”
It didn’t seem to matter how old Ryan grew, his libido was still as strong as when he’d been eighteen. Although his recovery time wasn’t as fast as it once was, Ryan’s urges had never waned. He’d enjoyed a long fuck with Rio up on the bluff before Rio had returned to work, but his body was eager for more. Still, if he fucked Nate before dinner there was no guarantee he could enjoy stuffing Nate’s ass with his cock while they ate. “Why don’t you go take a shower and get all cleaned up for me. I have something special I’d like to try.” “That sounds promising. What’d you have in mind?”
Ryan glanced at the pile of sweetcorn on the counter and grinned. While shucking, he’d got a few ideas involving melted butter and the slippery cob of corn. “Let’s just say you’re going to help with dinner.”
Nate finished unbuttoning Ryan’s shirt and pulled it off. After moving Ryan’s hair out of the way, he began to lick and kiss Ryan’s tattooed back, something that never failed to turn him on. Many people were turned off by Ryan’s ink, but he’d been lucky enough to find not one, but two men who found him sexy.
When Nate started to unzip Ryan’s jeans, Ryan stilled his lover’s hands. “Go take your shower, and use that special wand Rio had installed.” He knew Nate would use the douching attachment anyway because the man enjoyed it every chance he got, but there was no harm in making sure of it. “I still need to put the potatoes in the oven and mix up the salad before we can play.”
“Should I lube up in preparation for your surprise?”
Ryan turned around and gave Nate a deep kiss. “I’ll take care of the lube. You know my favourite part is stretching you.” He kissed him again, swirling his tongue around the interior of Nate’s mouth as he squeezed Nate’s tight little ass. He knew Nate was trying to take his mind off his trip to Oklahoma and it was working. The only important thing on Ryan’s mind was Nate’s ass and how hard he could fuck him.
Pulling out of the kiss, Ryan smiled down at Nate. “Love you, now go.”
It wasn’t until Nate turned to leave the kitchen that Ryan noticed Rio standing in the doorway. Nate stopped and gave Rio a kiss. “Ryan’s feeling frisky.”
Rio chuckled. “I know, he fucked me earlier.”
Nate looked surprised. “And you went back to work?”
“Yep. I’m dedicated,” Rio replied, puffing out his muscular chest. “Besides, I needed the rest.”
Ryan picked his shirt up off the floor and draped it over the back of one of the kitchen chairs. With Rio and Nate watching, he slowly took off his jeans, leaving himself bared to their interested gaze. “Shower, Nate,” he reminded.
Nate licked his lips. “Yeah, but the view is so perfect from where I’m standing.”
“It’ll be here when you get out.” Ryan waited for Nate to leave before going back to his cooking.
Rio pulled off his T-shirt and added it to the pile of clothes before sitting down to untie his shoelaces. “You seem hornier than usual. What gives?”
Ryan shrugged and set the foil wrapped potatoes in the oven alongside the big cast iron Dutch oven. “You complaining?”
Rio stood and pushed down his workout pants. “Hell no. Just curious so I know how to initiate it whenever the mood strikes me.”
Drawn to Rio’s hardening cock, Ryan walked over and encircled the large shaft with his hand. “Walk around with this hanging out, and I’ll always take advantage.”
“Good to know.”

Still naked, Rio finished setting the outdoor dining table and went back inside for the food. With one foot in the kitchen, his jaw dropped at the scene playing out in front of him. When he’d carried the dishes outside, Ryan had Nate on the kitchen island within easy reach as he finished the last of the meal preparations. Sometime within the last few minutes, Ryan had laid Nate back and was currently fucking him with an ear of corn. “Shit!”

Rio neared the island to get a better look. The make-shift dildo was glistening with melted butter as it eased in and out of Nate’s stretched ass. “Holy fuck, that’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Nate opened his eyes and stared up at Rio. “It’s so warm. I swear I’m gonna grow a damn garden of corn for those times when you two are too busy to pay attention to me.”
Ryan removed the cob and slathered it with more butter before holding it up to Rio’s mouth. “Wanna bite?”
Rio sank his teeth into the buttery corn and bit off a large chunk. He could taste all the goodness the corn had to offer with a hint of Nate. “Perfect.” He grinned and pointed to the missing section. “How’s that going to feel fucking him?”
“I don’t know. Let’s find out.” Ryan reinserted the ear and pushed it inside as deep as he could while still holding on to the end. Nate moaned, giving Ryan and Rio their answer.
“Whatever you do, don’t lose that damn thing inside him. That would be embarrassing as fuck to explain to one of the docs.” Rio continued to stare at Nate’s hole, watching as the stretched skin adjusted for each kernel as it slid in and out.
Ryan continued to fuck Nate with the corn while he leaned over to kiss Rio. “Next time I’ll leave the husks on.”
“The hell you will,” Nate immediately replied, trying to sit up.
Ryan removed the cob and set it on the counter. “I meant to use as a handle. Come on, I’m hungry and the food’s getting cold.” He helped Nate to his feet before carrying the platter of hot corn out of the kitchen.
Rio grabbed the plate of pork chops and motioned for Nate to get the potatoes and salad. “You okay to walk?”
Nate took several steps. “Yeah, but now I know what they mean when they say someone walks like they have a corn cob up their ass.”
Laughing, Rio carried as much food outside as he could manage before going back in for the bucket of ice and beer he’d set up earlier. He set the drinks on the small table beside their double lounge chair and handed each of his men a beer before taking his seat. Instead of loading his plate right away, he took a moment to enjoy his beer.
With Nate on his lap, Ryan was trying to fill his plate one handed, while he simultaneously fingered Nate’s ass. It was a beautiful sight, but he still couldn’t figure out what had got into Ryan. Sure, Ryan was usually readily available anytime one of them was in the mood to fuck, but rarely had he seen Ryan as worked up as he appeared to be. It had to have something to do with his impending visit to Oklahoma, but was it anxiety or his need to remind himself that he was loved? Either way, Rio was more than willing to give Ryan what it appeared he needed.
“If I’d have known the two of you were sharing a plate, I wouldn’t have set another one out,” Rio commented as he speared a pork chop with his fork.
Nate readjusted himself until he was impaled on Ryan’s cock. “Are we bothering you?”
“Not at all, although I’m feeling a bit left out.”
Nate moaned as he passed Rio the bowl of salad. “You eat while Ryan fucks me then you can have my ass while we eat dessert.” He glanced over his shoulder at Ryan. “You did make dessert, didn’t you?”
“Uhhh, I’ve got a package of cookies in the cupboard,” Ryan said, steadying Nate with a hand on his hip.
“Good enough.” Nate continued to bounce up and down on Ryan’s lap as he cut the meat into small, bite-sized pieces. “Let’s make a new rule. I say we have naked dinner at least once a week from now on.”
“I’m game as long as we have it inside once the weather changes,” Rio readily agreed. He scooted his chair closer to Ryan before digging into his food. With his meat cut up and everything else prepared, Rio had a free hand just begging to jack Nate off. Yeah, he could definitely get used to naked dinner night.
“Oh, shit. Need more,” Nate begged.
Thinking fast, Rio quickly transferred the food to the chaise. Picking up on Rio’s lead, Ryan stood and laid Nate on the table. “How hard do you want it?” Ryan asked, staring intently at Nate.
Nate hooked his forearms under his legs and brought his knees up to his chest. “Make my teeth rattle.”
Rio exchanged glances with Ryan. The flare of Ryan’s nostrils told Rio his partner liked the idea of fucking Nate hard and deep. “Do it,” Rio whispered.
Ryan lined up his cock and thrust his hips, burying his length to the hilt. He leaned over and braced his hands on the table as he started a fast rhythm in and out of Nate’s ass.
Rio stepped up beside Ryan and began to kiss his neck. He reached down and ran his palm over the pert swell of Ryan’s sweet ass. “Let me?”
Without breaking stride, Ryan moved his feet apart and lowered himself over Nate’s body. “Lube. Lots of it.”
Rio rolled his eyes. “Like I’d fuck you dry.” He grabbed the bottle he’d set on the lounge chair and poured a good amount of lube in his hand. He wiped the majority of the slick down the crack of Ryan’s ass before stroking his cock.
It didn’t take long to get Ryan’s hole stretched and soon Rio eased the crown of his cock past the outer ring of muscles. Ryan groaned as Rio slowly rocked back and forth, feeding Ryan’s ass an inch of his cock at a time.
Once Rio’s cock was fully seated, he waited for Ryan to give him the signal that he was ready for more. Several moments later, Ryan began to move back and forth between Nate and Rio, fucking one moment and getting fucked the next.
“Fuuucckkk,” Ryan ground out between clenched jaws.
Rio looked over Ryan’s shoulder to find Nate jacking his cock at lightning speed, obviously on the verge of climax. “Close?” Rio asked when Nate opened his eyes.
Nate opened his mouth to answer but ended up grunting instead when cum shot from his cock to land on his chest. Ryan immediately began to lick the thick seed from Nate’s chest as he hammered in and out of him.
Ryan was the next to stiffen with the force of his orgasm. His muscles tightened around Rio’s cock, sending chills of pleasure up Rio’s spine. Trying hard to fuck Ryan throughout his climax, Rio only managed a few more thrusts before he, too, couldn’t hold his cum at bay. He filled Ryan’s ass with burst after burst of cum as he dropped to rest his forehead against Ryan’s back. When his legs began to shake, Rio had little choice but to pull out and drop back into Ryan’s chair. “Christ,” he huffed, trying to catch his breath.
Ryan landed on Rio’s lap, still holding Nate in his arms. The weight of two men on his already exhausted legs was more than Rio could stand at the moment. As much as he loved his men, he still needed to breathe. “Chaise. Now,” he ordered.
Nate was the first to voluntarily climb off Rio’s lap, eventually followed by Ryan. By the time Rio got to his feet, Nate and Ryan were already transferring the food back to the table. It always amazed Rio how starved they all felt after a vigorous round of sex.
“Are we eating or sleeping?” Rio asked.
“Eating, then sleeping,” Ryan answered, moving Rio out of the way so he could sit in his chair.
Rio took his seat and stared down at the cold food. He held up his ear of corn and grinned at Nate. “Wanna warm this up for me?”