Love in Xxchange: Rory's Last Chance (13 page)

“Oh my God, Chance Galloway! I can’t believe I finally found you!” This particular ex was obviously still made of equal parts energy and horny—but he’d also known Art, which was the only reason Chance didn’t shove the guy right out the door.

He did, however, bat the man’s groping hands away from his ass…and dick.

“Bo, cut it out. I mean it.” Maybe if he said it a few more times, Bo would actually listen. “What are you doing here, anyway?”

Bo lowered his lashes and gave him what Chance guessed was supposed to be a coy look—he really wasn’t sure.

“Is there somewhere we can talk? About what you’ve got in the way of rough stock?”

Chance studied his ex for several moments before nodding. As he led the way to his RORY’S LAST CHANCE

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office, Chance didn’t doubt for a minute that Bo had more on his mind than the status of the rough stock. And he wasn’t sure he wanted to know just what that
more
was.

Rory pulled the ranch truck into the drive, staring at the shiny new SUV that was parked by Chance’s house. He turned the ignition off, trying to remember if Chance had mentioned he was expecting company, either business or personal. Nothing came to mind, and his curiosity kicked up a notch.

Deciding to forgo a shower first, Rory got out and walked up the porch. He started to knock but caught himself. Chance had told him on more than one occasion not to bother knocking, that he was welcome any time. He opened the door and looked around. The sound of voices coming from Chance’s office caught his attention—specifically, a sexy voice that gave a new meaning to oral sex. Anxiety and something Rory suspected was jealousy reared up inside him.

For a brief second, he considered pulling off his boots and trying to sneak over to the door. That he even thought of doing such a thing filled Rory with shame. He trusted his lover—Chance might have been someone who fucked around when he was younger, but he had told Rory he was a different person now.

Taking a breath to steady himself, Rory approached the office. He’d just raised his hand to knock when the owner of that silky voice spoke again.

“Come on, Chance. I can make sure you get a contract with the rodeo for your rough stock once you’re finally ready. What’s it going to hurt for you to give me a little incentive?

You used to be able to suck dick so good it made my eyes cross.” Sultry laughter followed the proclamation.

As much as Rory agreed with the assessment of Chance’s cock-sucking skills, he didn’t like hearing it from another man’s lips.

“We won’t be ready for anything like that for at least two years. Even so, you can shove your contract—”

Rory banged on the office door before Chance could finish his angry declaration.

“Come in!”

Anger tinged the words and Rory bit back a grin. He wasn’t feeling jealous anymore; RORY’S LAST CHANCE

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instead, he was anticipating staking his claim. Like some damn alpha, Rory thought to himself.
Well, if the boot fits…

He opened the door and immediately looked at Chance and the man trying to get a blowjob from his lover. Chance looked angry and anxious, probably worried that Rory would get the wrong idea. Rory winked at him, wanting to set him at ease as much as he could. The stranger—to Rory, anyway—was small, blond-headed and pretty rather than handsome. He was also glaring at Rory while trying to grope an unwilling Chance.

Chance had a hand wrapped around the other man’s wrist, preventing it from lowering the couple of inches necessary to reach Chance’s dick. His other hand was on the smaller man’s chest, pushing to keep him back. Rory’s lips quirked as he shook his head.

“Damn, love, I can’t leave you alone for one minute without some aging twink trying to hit on you, can I?”

Relief lit Chance’s eyes and the groper jerked back and gave Rory a venomous look.

“Who the fuck are you?” The little man was fairly quivering with anger. Chance started to speak but Rory shook his head, never looking away from the man who’d been trying to seduce—or, rather, maul—his lover.

“I’m the man”—Rory walked closer, not stopping until he was towering over the little twit—“who is the sole benefactor of those blowjobs you were speaking so highly of.”

Rory winked at Chance again before turning back to the task at hand, which was, he supposed, defending his man’s virtue. Or maybe he was marking his territory—it didn’t really matter in the end, as long as his message got across.

The other man eyed him warily. “I don’t believe you. Chance has always been a slut—”

Rory had a new understanding of what it meant to see red. His hands clenched into fists and he took a step forward, unable to stop himself. Chance jumped out of his chair and pushed the smaller man back, bouncing him into the wall. Rory was so mad he didn’t know how he managed to keep from decking the little fool.

“Hey, baby.” Chance pressed up against Rory, giving full contact from chest to knees.

He wrapped his arms around Rory’s waist and held on tight. He squeezed once, hard, and it got Rory’s attention.

Unclenching his fists, Rory looked into Chance’s dark brown eyes and felt his hot temper drain away. There was no way he could be angry about anything when the man he loved looked at him like that—like he loved Rory. Maybe he did—Rory thought they just RORY’S LAST CHANCE

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might both be on the same page there, but he was afraid to ask, much less try to say it after the last time he tried.

Still, the tender feeling had a smile blooming on Rory’s mouth and an answering one spreading on Chance’s.

“All right, I won’t kill the little shit.”
Yet. If the idiot got the message
.

Chance laughed and shook his head. “Bo isn’t worth it, baby. Some people just don’t grow up.”

“Hey! That’s bullshit!” The little man—Bo—piped up behind Chance. He edged his way over to Chance’s desk and plopped down in the chair, making himself at home. Rory and Chance both arched a brow at him.

“Bo.” Chance started to pull away but Rory held him close. “Get your bony ass out of my chair!”

Bo rolled his eyes and stuck out his lower lip. “Come on, Chance! Would you seriously rather be sitting here than standing there with a double armful of handsome man?”

Chance wasn’t mollified. “No, I’d rather be where I am and have your ass out of my chair!”

“So I guess propping my feet on your desk is out of the question?” Bo made to raise his legs and it was all Rory could do to hold Chance back.

“If you know what’s good for you, you will move before I turn my lover loose on you,”

Rory threatened.

Bo laughed. “Oh, he wouldn’t hurt me, we used to be—”

Rory let go and Chance spun on his heel and charged. Bo squeaked, a sound Rory firmly believed no man should ever make, and dove around the other side of the desk.

“Fuck, Chance! It’s just a damn chair!” The smaller man continued circling the desk as Chance stalked him.

“You come in here, try to maul me, and then have the goddamn nerve to tell me I should blow you over a contract. You grope and insult me again—” Chance’s voice was growing louder with each word. “I swear to God, Bo—”

Chance stopped yelling and burst out laughing when Bo darted around to hide behind Rory. “Do you really think that’s the safest place to hide?”

Rory bit back a grin. Suddenly this whole thing seemed ridiculous. He reached behind himself and grabbed Bo’s arm. One tug and the smaller man was standing in front of him.

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“I think that’s enough of being a dumbass for one day—for all of us.” Rory stared first at Bo, then at Chance. Both men nodded and Rory let go of the smaller man. “Good. Bo—”

He waited till the man met his gaze. “That man,”—Rory pointed to his lover—“is taken, period. I don’t share and we don’t play, got it?”

Bo shot a look at Chance, who nodded in agreement. “Yeah, okay. But you can’t blame me for trying, can you?”

Rory rather thought he could but didn’t see what the point of it would be. “Just don’t try it again. And you can pass that message on along to anyone else who might think about trying this shit.”

“Fine, fine, and I suppose Chance doesn’t share, either, right?” Bo looked up at Rory and batted his eyelashes.

“No.” Chance’s voice was cold. “I don’t. Cut it out before I decide to beat your ass after all.”

“Bo.” Rory was looking down at the man’s fluttering lashes. “Someone ought to tell you, so I guess I will—that looks absolutely silly on a man your age.”

Chance laughed and Bo sputtered. “It’s not silly, it’s sexy!”

Rory just shook his head and actually found himself feeling a little sorry for the man.

“No, really, it’s not sexy. I thought you had something in your eye at first, man.”

“But…but I’ve always flirted and…” Bo trailed off, looking wounded by the comment.

Rory tried not to feel bad—he figured someone should tell the man the truth.

“People change,” Chance pointed out. “Maybe you need to start thinking about that.”

Bo looked at Chance and Rory for several long seconds. Finally, he nodded. “Yeah, maybe I should, because I want that—” He gestured to them with his hand. “Whatever it is between the two of you.”

Rory pulled Chance to his side and put his arm around his lover’s shoulders. “Find your own, buddy.” He was only half teasing.

Bo looked down at his boots and crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s just hard, you know? All the men my age are looking for guys who look barely legal, and all the young guys…” He looked up and gave Rory a weak grin and shrugged. “Present company excepted, a
r
e looking for a fast fuck. I guess I kind of gave up on anything other than a good time once I realised that.”

He wasn’t sure that was accurate, but Rory softened towards the little guy regardless.

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Chance must have, too, because Rory felt the tension leave his lover’s body.

“Look, why don’t you stay for dinner.” Chance cast a quick look back at Rory, who nodded in agreement. “Hell, we’ll invite Max, too, and just have beer and burgers.”

“Are you sure? I mean, after what…well, I acted like a jackass.” Bo took a deep breath and stood up straight, hands at his sides. “I am sorry.”

He looked sincere. Rory nudged Chance with his hip.

“Apology accepted, before I get hip-checked into the desk,” Chance teased, winking at Rory. “Now, enough of this girly emotional stuff, let’s round up Max before my stomach gnaws a hole through my spine.”

Rory couldn’t resist. He brought his mouth to Chance’s ear, brushing his lips over it and enjoying the shudder that went through his lover’s body. “I plan on doing some nibbling of my own tonight,” he promised, then lightly nipped the edge of Chance’s ear.

“Shit,” Chance stammered, eyes sliding almost shut as he trembled again.

“Guys, that’s just cruel,” Bo whined, but he had a big grin on his face. “Now, come on and introduce me to this Max.” He left the office, calling out over his shoulder, “If you two aren’t out in two minutes, I’m coming in with a water hose!”

Chance turned and pressed his body against Rory’s and jerked their hips together, grinding hard. Rory thought the top of his head was going to blow off as his cock rubbed against Chance’s. He heard his lover mutter something but couldn’t make out what he said.

“What’s that? I can’t hear you with the sound of all my blood from my brain rushing south so fast it makes my ears ring.” Rory swiveled his hips again and moaned. His cock twitched and Rory knew he was going to have to change jeans because sure as shit he had just got a wet spot on the ones he was wearing.

Chance moaned and rocked his hips one more time then stepped back. “I said I should have just thrown the little fu—guy out, then we could have taken care of these.” Chance looked at Rory’s cock, then his own and started laughing.

Rory checked Chance’s jeans and his own—yep, two pairs of clean jeans were definitely needed.

“Think the hose will stretch far enough?” Bo’s voice rang out from the kitchen.

“Coming,” Chance yelled back, gaze on Rory. “Almost, anyways.”

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Dinner passed in a surprisingly pleasant manner. It had been so long since Chance had company over, other than his lover, that he felt a bit rusty with his people skills. Still, he enjoyed it and he thought everyone else did, too.

Since Rory had come into his life, Chance had come to realise he had cut himself off from everyone. People who had known him when he was younger—specifically, the ones who had known he was gay and promiscuous—were the people he had wanted to avoid.

Seeing Bo again had brought up feelings of shame that Chance had thought he’d buried.

The fact that he hadn’t, made it suddenly obvious to him he shouldn’t bury it. It sounded like some new age-y crap to him at first, but he was coming to believe he needed to forgive himself and let it go rather than hiding away and trying to forget he’d ever been young and dumb. After all, hadn’t those experiences that he wasn’t proud of helped make him into the man he was today? Yeah, he was going to have to admit they did.

So, enough skulking around hiding from his past. He wasn’t going to go telling the world he was a reformed slut, but he was through being ashamed about it. He’d fucked up—

and around—but he was done being that man, had been for years now.

“You’ve got a self-satisfied smile there.” Rory touched his finger to Chance’s lips and rubbed lightly.

Chance took Rory’s hand in his own and placed an open-mouthed kiss on his lover’s palm. “Just plumb satisfied, baby, all the way around.” He nipped Rory’s palm then brought the younger man’s hand to rest against his heart.

Rory’s pupils dilated until his irises were just thin deep blue rings around the pupils.

Chance felt himself falling into those dark depths, the sound of Max and Bo talking and laughing across the room fading out until all he heard was the beating of his heart.