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"Tell me," he murmured.

"Armed robbery is what they finally settled on, and threatening bodily harm. Was drunk, had been for days. Running wild, trying to live outside my skin and needed money, had a boot knife." Jake was staring at the blanket, the words feeling like sand in his throat.

"Took out a convenience store, threatened the girl working there with the knife. Scared the crap out of her. Got picked up the next morning, still drunk."

Tor lay back on the blanket, tilting his head to look at him. "Long sentence for that, Jake."

"Yeah. My lawyer said that the girl was pregnant. She lost the baby. They weren't sure what they were going to do with me until they got my psych results. Doctor said I needed help to get out the bottle and had potential. But the only way they could keep me in the program was to put me away for more than two years. So they charged me with intent to harm and told me to plead guilty."

Tor nodded slowly.

"When the judge saw the charges and the guilty plea he called me a born trouble maker who had most likely pulled this kind of stuff before and not been caught. Said he couldn't sentence me for anything else I had done, but by Christ he could for what I'd been caught doin'. Gave me the maximum, and that was it.

"Did the time, did the detox and the other programs, school and shit like ‘life skills’, did everything they said. Got out and my parole officer brought me up here, asked the Boss to take me on as day labor. And here I am."

Jake lay his head down on the blanket and tried to breathe. Tor was still beside him, and Jake felt like he was floating somewhere, caught between currents. Nothing he could do now but wait for Tor to decide.

He let his eyes close and listened to the frogs. He may have fallen asleep, but he doubted it, he was too keyed up now, too tense to just drift off. A voice in the back of his mind was cussing him out for saying anything, but his gut was telling him that he'd done the 54

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right thing. Man can't make good choices without all the information. He may not like what Tor decided was best for himself, but he'd be able to shave in the morning without fear of his reflection.

Finally, Tor moved, a strong hand on his back, soft mouth at his ear.

"Idiot." Then Tor was kissing him, his body hard and insistent and promising that things were going to be all right.

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Chapter Six

When they woke up the next morning the sun was already hot on them. Jake rolled Tor onto his back and started kissing his neck, loving the way they were already moving together in a sleepy relaxed way.

It only took a few moments before they were moving and pushing harder against one another, and Tor was making those wonderful noises in his ear. Jake grinned at him and said, "Good morning."

"Is. Could be better."

"Yeah?" Jake asked, and moved down to suck and bite at Tor's left nipple.

"Yeah. That's a good start. Keep going." Tor arched his back and then thrust his hips up, pushing his erection into Jake's belly.

Jake grinned to himself. God, Tor was such a pushy bastard in the morning. Jake made his way down Tor's body, stopping to lick and suck and kiss every few inches.

"C'mon, Taggart. I'm dying here," Tor groaned as Jake licked his abs and hummed to himself.

"Patience is a virtue," Jake muttered into Tor's belly button. Tor just swore at him.

Jake moved down, taking his time. He stroked Tor's thighs with firm hands, licked and sucked wherever and whenever it occurred to him, and laughed every time Tor tried to guide him to his cock.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Tor demanded as Jake sat up.

"Nowhere, twit. Want to see you 's all."

Tor looked a little confused and very annoyed. Then he just shrugged and said, "Look if you want, Taggart." Then Tor grinned and moved a hand to his cock and started jerking off, hips rising off the blanket to meet his fist.

Jake sucked in a breath and swore, diving for a condom. "Cut it out, Tor. Jesus, you're gonna make me come just watching." He got the packet open and grinned when Tor let his hand fall away, a dangerous glint in his eye.

Jake grinned and lay down on the blanket, taking one of Tor's balls into his mouth and sucking gently.

Tor moaned and arched up a little. "Yeah, like that…"

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Jake started licking at Tor's sac, moving around so he could roll the condom on. He licked Tor's cock with long, flat strokes of his tongue, and played with Tor's balls, letting his fingers slide over the wet skin, making Tor turn up the volume on his happy, horny sounds.

Jake teased the head of Tor's cock with his lips, then took Tor in, his lips making a tight seal as he moved down, still stroking with his tongue. His fingers found a flaw in the smooth skin of Tor's thigh, right where groin met leg and he changed his angle a bit so he could trace it with his fingers.

He started sucking, taking in as much of Tor's cock as he could, moving his tongue in what he thought was a pale imitation of what Tor did to him, but Tor reacted beautifully, thrusting up and moaning. Jake's fingers continued their exploration, moving back to roll those balls and Tor started to thrust harder.

"Oh God, yes, suck me, Jake,” Tor gasped.

Jake hummed again and Tor shuddered a little, so he did it again, this time moving faster on Tor's prick, sliding up and down, sucking hard and using his tongue in fast sweeps over the head and teasing the underside of his cock. As he moved his mouth up he followed with his hand, getting it wetter and dropping down to tug at Tor’s balls again.

"Fuck, Jake, yes!"

Jake's own cock was starting to throb, and his balls ached, drawing up tight every time Tor spoke. He bobbed his head faster then relaxed as much as he could, dropping straight down and taking Tor as deep into his mouth as he could. He wasn't up for deep throating, but he came close, and when he swallowed around Tor's cock he heard a gasp and then Tor was coming, pulsing in his throat and mouth, and Jake couldn't take anymore.

He dropped his hand to his own shaft, stoking fast as he continued to suck Tor, feeling his lover come down. He sat up, letting Tor slide from his mouth and knelt above Tor, hips pistoning into his fist as he jerked off over Tor, spurting onto that muscled chest and stomach.

"Fuck yes," Tor said, watching with wide eyes. "Fuck, so hot, Christ, Jake!" Then he was pulled down into Tor's arms, across the wet heat on his belly and Tor's tongue was fucking his mouth.

~*~*~

When they got cleaned up they lay on the blanket for awhile, eating and dozing a little before they got ready to go back to the ranch.

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Jake felt good. So good that it wasn't until they rode into sight of the ranch that he realized they were about to out themselves. Tor had the same thought, apparently, as he reined Lug in and turned in the saddle.

"Not sure I'm ready for this part," he said.

Jake shook his head. "Know I'm not. Not with over a hundred people there. You walking in or am I?"

Tor grinned and kissed him on the mouth, fast. "I am. Boss told you to take Lug."

They dismounted and Tor got a blanket out of the saddlebag, along with a bottle of juice.

"See you later on, Taggart."

Jake just grinned at him and rode toward the stables.

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Chapter Seven

The first time Jake got called to the Boss's office that week was two hours after he rode in from spending the night of the dance camping out with Tor.

He was in River's stall, checking out the horse's sore hoof when Elias came up and said,

"Boss wants you in the main house, now. If not sooner."

Jake glanced at him and raised an eyebrow. "What's up?"

"Hell if I know, I just happened to be on the porch when the window flew open and he hollered for someone to find you. If I were you I'd hustle. He's not in a great mood."

Jake walked to the house, wondering what was going on. He'd only been called into the house like this a few times, and each time it had been something to do with one of the other hands. He walked through the front door, stood outside the Boss's office and rapped on the doorframe, waiting until beckoned to enter.

Tor was standing at the window, looking out, but Jake saw the silent acknowledgement of his presence in the way Tor's shoulders loosened a little even though the rest of his posture remained ridged, hands clenched at his sides.

The Boss was sitting on a couch, leaning forward to look at Missy, who was curled up in the armchair, looking upset. She glanced up at Jake and gave him a small smile, but Jake could see smug triumph in her eyes.

He felt a hard knot start in his stomach, and glanced at Tor again. He hadn't turned from the window, still wasn’t looking at Jake.

A sound from behind him made Jake turn. The Boss's wife was standing against the wall, glaring at Tor. Jake figured if looks could injure then Tor would need an ambulance right about now.

"Jake, maybe you can clear something up for us," the Boss said.

"I'll try, sir," Jake said, his confusion coming through in his voice.

"Seems Missy here had a bit too much fun last night–"

He was interrupted by a snort from his wife, who had turned her glare to her daughter.

"–and I wanted to know where she got the beer—not that it was hard to find around here last night. I was more concerned about the fact that she didn’t actually make it into the house last night and when she did turn up she was…well, not fit to receive company.

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Now, she's telling me one thing, and Tor's telling me another. Trouble is, I can't find anyone who can say where either of them were last night."

Jake felt the knot in his gut tighten and he looked at Tor's back, hoping for some kind of hint. Tor didn't move a muscle.

"Missy says she was in the loft drinking with Tor most of the night. Tor says he wasn't there. Now, I'd just let it drop, but–"

"But if he's been getting my daughter, a child more than ten years younger than him, drunk, and doing God only knows what, I want it dealt with." Yeah, Missy's momma was pissed.

The Boss held up a hand. "Now, let's not get like this. Point is, Jake, no one I've asked saw either of them all night. Missy says one thing, Tor says another. I'll not be doing anything to anyone without proof. 'Cept you, Missy, I got the proof you were drunk after you were told to mind your behavior, and I’m fairly sure that the rest of your clothing will turn up at some point. We’re just so proud of you."

The glare he gave her surprised Jake; he'd been sure that Missy had her daddy wrapped around her littlest finger. Missy seemed to shrink a little under the weight of it. Jake looked at Tor's back again and saw him clenching his fists.

The Boss turned his eyes to Jake. "Tor says you know where he went last night."

Jake stood very still and looked the Boss in the eye, not seeing anything there but the man who'd taken him in, the man who knew all about him. He wasn't accusing or searching, he was just…asking.

"Tor?" Jake asked, looking at the Boss.

When Tor spoke his voice was low and even. "Just tell him the truth, Taggart."

Jake nodded sharply and looked at Missy. "Tor was out in the fields with me last night."

Missy snorted. "Yeah, right."

As soon as the words left her mouth she looked stricken. Her mother rounded on her and Jake tried to make himself small in the wake of the woman's anger. She didn't even say anything, just stood in front of Missy and stared at her.

Finally the Boss said, "Missy, apologise to Tornado. And you will tell your mother where you were last night."

But Missy wasn't the sort to cave that easily. "What, you're just going to believe him?

Jake says he was out in the field and you say, oh, okay?"

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Tor moved. He spun from the window and stalked across the floor to her chair and stood in front of them all. "What do you want, Missy? You want to see the goddamn condom wrappers? I was with Jake last night, rode out on Lug."

There was a second of absolute silence and then several things happened at once. Missy's jaw dropped open. Her mother gasped and put a hand to her mouth. Jake flushed and thought about dying, and decided against it. Tor moved back to stand next to Jake. The Boss let a slow smile cross his face as he looked at them.

Everything was still for a moment and then the Boss looked at Missy.

"Yes, I think I believe them. Now we have a new problem, young lady. You just outed a man who didn't want to be outed. I think that you had best keep it to yourself, and seeing as how you seem to have it in for the man, I'm not sure if you will."

Tor made a noise in his chest and everyone looked at him. "Don't care. She can tell who she likes. I can handle it, but I think it might be a good idea to restock the first aid kits.

Gonna be fist fights."

"Not on my land there won't be." The man's voice was hard. "See Missy? That's what these men have to deal with. Threats of violence, and sneaking away. You got anything to say?"

Missy looked at Jake and Tor, her eyes wide. "I didn't…I didn't know. I thought you were just being mean."

They didn't say anything. Jake glanced at Tor and saw pain in his eyes. Fuck.

Finally they were allowed to leave, Missy swearing she wouldn't tell anyone and that she would never lie about anything so stupid again. They didn't speak on the way to the bunkhouse and when they got there Tor went to his room and closed the door.

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Chapter Eight

The first fight happened two days after the party, and if it had to be blamed on anyone Jake figured it was ultimately himself.

Boss had asked just about damn near everyone on the ranch if they had seen Missy or Tor during the dance and most had figured Tor had been a dog and would soon be hitting the road for fraternizing. Then nothing happened, Tor was still there and Missy was walking around for two days in a sulk.