Ropes and Dreams (13 page)

“What’s so funny?” Will asked.

“Just heard from Ian, is all. It made me happy,” Drake slid his phone in his back pocket. “He’ll be coming over for dinner again tonight. I think I’m going to make pulled pork sandwiches. Let me go throw the meat in the slow cooker real quick.”

Will grabbed his forearm, stopping Drake from going inside. “You know, I really liked it when Ian was over last time. As loud as y’all were, it put Troy and Carlos into a divinely competitive mood, so please don’t hold back this time.” Will winked then canted his head as he turned it enough to see the dog trainer. “He hasn’t even come over to speak to us.”

“I think he’s all about the dogs.” Drake hoped he wasn’t blushing as he freed his arm and hurried inside.

After he got the pork to cooking, Drake returned to the porch. Will was glowering at the dog trainer. “He still hasn’t even looked this way.”

Drake shrugged. “He said he was here to train the owners. Get Troy and Carlos out here and let’s let the man do his job.”

“Salt is going to work with Rex for Carlos since he’s riding the fence line.” Will smirked a bit. “And Carlos really doesn’t take orders well, so it’s probably best to let someone else stand in for him.”

Drake wasn’t thrilled with that someone being Salt, but the older man needed to get over the burr up his ass. Drake wasn’t ever going to be Salt’s, and they needed to get along for work purposes, although if Salt wanted to be a jerk, that was no skin off Drake’s nose. He only saw him for meals, really. Dinner excluded, as Drake didn’t have to cook for the crew then, only for his three bosses.

“Can you get Salt for me? I think he’s in the corral behind the second bunkhouse working with a new mare we got in.”

Considering Will’s fear of horses, Drake wasn’t surprised he didn’t want to walk over to the corral. Neither he nor Will had the two-ways with them, either. Drake mentally straightened his spine and went down the porch steps. He was an adult and wasn’t going to hide from someone who was feeling—whatever it was Salt was feeling.

When he rounded the side of the second bunkhouse, Drake stopped and stared at the picture before him. Salt was shirtless, sweat gleaming on his back, but that pretty sight wasn’t what made his breath catch. That was owing to the way Salt was murmuring to the mare, whose eyes were wide with fear.

Her ears were twitching and her tail swishing. She bared her teeth and jerked her head up, then immediately lowered it again until she was almost resting it against Salt’s shoulder.

Salt kept talking, touching, soothing the scared horse. Drake was afraid to interrupt. If the horse spooked, Salt could be seriously injured. Drake backed away. He’d see if Rocky was available instead. She was always fun to have around, cracking jokes that made Drake laugh. If he couldn’t find her, maybe one of the other ranch hands would be available.

Rocky was nowhere to be found, which likely meant she was helping Carlos. Drake didn’t have any luck finding anyone else. Troy hadn’t arrived yet either, he noted.

“Troy’ll be here in a few minutes,” Will hollered across the yard at him. “Where’s Salt?”

Drake jogged over and noticed the dog trainer watching him and Will both out of the corner of his eye. “Salt’s busy with that mare, and she was a fearful girl, all rolling eyes and bared teeth. I wasn’t going to risk either of them being hurt by me popping into that training session.”

“Good idea,” Will muttered. “I’ll see who Troy can bring with.” Will whipped around and pointed at the dog guy. “Caught ya looking!” Then he cackled and ran inside.

Drake snickered. Will was something else, for sure. Not wanting the lessons to be awkward, Drake walked over and stood beside the bearded man. “Hey, I’m Drake, and that cute little boy in the turquoise collar is Buddy. I belong to him.” Buddy had even slept in bed with him the last few nights…which might be problematic with Ian coming over, but they’d all manage.

“I’m Lou.” Lou held out his hand and Drake shook it. Up close, he was reasonably sure Lou was around thirty. There were the thinnest of fine lines spreading from the corners of his eyes. “This is a great pack you got here.”

“We love them,” Drake said. He leaned over the side of the pen and scooped Buddy up, then pointed and named the other puppies.

Lou listened and petted each one. “They’re all just adorable. Have you ever had a dog before?”

“No, but I’ve wanted one forever, it seems like.” Drake and Lou chatted until Will joined them a few minutes later, with Troy and Salt coming from the opposite direction.

“Troy said he’d check and see if Salt was done. Looks like he was.” Will nodded at the two approaching men. “I’m Will. Are you done snubbing us mere humans?”

Lou’s beard moved, which Drake took to mean he was grinning. “Well, I’m the guest here, aren’t I? You didn’t bother coming down to greet me, and the pups were sure eager to meet me. What choice would you have made in my shoes?”

Will narrowed his eyes. “Fuck. You’d have to be all logical and shit.”

“Yup,” Lou agreed.

The training session went well, and Drake was happily optimistic that he’d have the best behaved puppy on the planet in no time at all. Milly, Will’s puppy, promised to be that troubled child that everyone loved despite her bad behaviour.

“It’s that mother’s curse,” Lou told Will. “You know, the ‘someday you’re going to have a child just like you to deal with’ thing.”

“Fuck you,” Will grumbled. “I was a fabulous kid.”

Lou gave a snort and Will flipped him off, but Will’s smile proved he wasn’t really angry. Salt lingered around for a few minutes, and Drake figured he needed to go ahead and clear up the air so the man would get back to work.

He walked over to Salt, who was pretending to pay attention to Will, Troy and Lou. Drake knew Salt was aware of his approach. The older man wasn’t blind.

“Hey, look. I don’t know what’s going on, but this whole surly bit you’ve been doing, if it’s because of me and Ian—”

“It ain’t,” Salt said with enough vehemence that Drake was taken aback. The man sounded freakin’ sincere.

“Then—” Drake realised he didn’t have the right to pry. “I mean, I was afraid it was because…”
Wow, I’ve been a presumptuous little turd.
Salt wasn’t even looking at him. It was like he was barely aware of Drake. “Okay then. As long as we’re good.”

Salt grunted as he pulled his hat down lower in front, hiding his eyes. Drake frowned but whatever was going on with Salt wasn’t his business. He certainly didn’t need to presume Salt was lying to him, because Salt wasn’t paying him the least bit of attention now.

He guessed it made him a jerk to feel disappointed. Thinking Salt had been pouting because he’d wanted Drake had been an ego boost. That was pretty pathetic, and Drake didn’t want to be the kind of person whose self-esteem was so low he needed others to be hurt by him to feel better.

He was definitely going to have to build his own confidence up so he’d never fall into that cruel trap again. He deserved better than that.

* * * *

Ian was so tired he stumbled up the porch steps. Drake came running out of the door and grabbed at his shoulders.

“Hey, let me help you.”

“I’m not hurt, just exhausted,” Ian groused. Drake’s joyous expression fell and Ian cursed. “Damn it, I’m sorry. I’m an asshole.”

“No, you’re just worn out.” Drake smiled sweetly at him and Ian’s heart fluttered. “Come on, I’ve made pulled pork sandwiches that are just divine, if I do say so myself. You’re staying the night, right?”

Ian nodded. “Yes, if you don’t mind. I have the next two days off, actually, and wanted to spend as much time with you as I can.” If he hadn’t been teetering on the brink of sleep walking, Ian might have been more tactful or at least more reticent about saying that. But the truth was a heavy weight on his tongue and he had to be with Drake, if possible.

“I’m sure you’ll be welcome here,” Drake murmured. “You can help with the puppies’ lessons tomorrow afternoon, too, if you want.”

“Okay.” Ian found himself being pushed into a seat. He hadn’t even realised he’d come inside. He really did need sleep.

“The guys already ate,” Drake informed him, then Drake proceeded to chatter away about the past few days and what he’d been doing.

Ian liked hearing Drake’s voice, the way he sounded happier every time they spoke. Even with his head buzzing with exhaustion, Ian wanted to stay awake and be with Drake in whatever manner they could manage.

Unfortunately, his head bobbed and he nearly ended up with a face full of plate.

“Come on, let’s get you in bed so you can make my morning, stud.”

Ian huffed at that, the closest to a laugh he could manage. He let Drake take care of him and fuss over him, then Ian was lying on his favourite bed. Buddy jumped up and snuggled at his feet, and Ian fell asleep with a smile that warmed him through and through.

Chapter Ten

With his work schedule so fucked up, it was no wonder Ian woke up in the middle of the night. He was instantly awake, and knew the body cuddled up to him immediately. Drake’s back was pressed to Ian’s chest, his ass soft and warm against Ian’s groin.

Ian’s cock was hard enough to be used as a weapon, though he had no intention of that happening. He did, however, want to lose himself in the pleasure Drake could give him, and in return, he’d drive Drake out of his mind.

Ian moved his hand down from where he’d had it resting on Drake’s collarbone. He found a stiff nipple and gave it a good, hard tug.

“Oh!” Drake jolted like he’d been hit with a livewire, driving his ass back eagerly. “Ian, please!”

Ian really liked that eagerness, the willingness to beg already. “Get the condoms and lube,” he muttered in Drake’s ear. Drake was closer to the nightstand. “I’m gonna fuck this sweet ass of yours right after I warm it up. What are your safe words?”

“Red for stop, yellow for pause,” Drake whispered as he stretched out an arm to reach the little stand’s drawer handle.

“Right. Use them if you need them.” Ian palmed Drake’s butt through his cotton briefs and squeezed. God, he loved the man’s ass, that was all there was to it. One of these days, he was going to try Drake’s mouth, but he’d always loved anal sex more than being blown. It might take him a while to get around to having Drake suck him off.

His mind was much clearer than it had been, enough so that he wondered how in the hell he’d managed to fall asleep without fucking Drake first. Ian pinched Drake’s butt cheek hard enough to bruise.

“Oh, yes,” Drake hissed.

Ian moved his hips back enough to slap the spot he’d just pinched.

“Ian!” Drake rolled onto his belly. “I’m too close!”

Ian sat up. “Did I bring a bag in with me?”

“No, but I went out and got it after you passed out.” Drake got up off the bed and as the room wasn’t totally dark, Ian could see him walking to the dresser and hefting Ian’s bag up. “It’s right here.”

“I don’t need the whole bag, just the cock ring we used last time, and—” He stopped when Drake gasped and pulled out something he hadn’t meant for him to see yet. “That’s just something I wanted to show you, it’s not—”

“Wait.” Drake came over and turned on the lamp beside the bed. He went back to the bag and picked up the leather paddle again. “Can we use this? Now?” He clenched his ass, causing deep divots to appear in the sides.

Ian’s cock twitched and he reached down to tug at his nuts. “Are you fully awake and capable of deciding you want to have that leather marking your skin?”

“Yes,” Drake said breathlessly, bobbing his head up and down. “Those videos—one was of this Dom who spanked his sub’s thighs, the insides…” Drake trailed off and brought the paddle to his face. He rubbed it against his cheek and inhaled deeply. “Oh. Please, Ian.”

Ian was awake, coherent and horny. So was Drake. There was no reason for them not to play. Ian got up and stood beside the bed. “Bring the bag after all.”

“Yes, Ian.” Drake brought it over and set it on the bed, then he knelt just as Ian had taught him to do the last time they’d been together. Drake bowed his head and Ian petted his dishevelled hair. “You want me to bruise that fine ass of yours, make sure you feel me with you every time you take a step tomorrow?” Or later today—Ian hadn’t bothered checking the time.

“Yes, please.” Drake leant forward and licked Ian’s leg, starting at his knee and not stopping until his nose nudged Ian’s sac.

“Jesus.” Ian cupped Drake’s chin and tipped his head back roughly. It was nothing to bend, to crush his lips to those parted, berry-red ones. Ian wanted to bite and suck, but there were precautions they had to take. He kept the kiss harsh but not brutal. When Drake shuddered, Ian stood straight and moved aside. “Stand up, put your hands on the bed. You’re going to bend over and offer me your ass for spanking.”

“Yes, Ian.” Drake stood and assumed the position. Ian took a moment to get him situated perfectly—shoulders lower than his hips, legs parted so he could see Drake’s balls and cock, the pink clenching pucker he’d be fucking later.

“The strikes on the inner thighs can be very painful,” Ian warned. “Are you sure you want to try that?”

“Please.” Drake arched his lower back more. “I promise to safe word if it’s too much.”

Ian trusted Drake to do just that. He got behind Drake and began running his hands all over the skin he’d soon be marking up. Cold skin made a spanking more painful, and he wanted Drake’s pain to come from the blows he’d receive, not the temperature. Ian wanted to control it all.

“I’m going to put a cage on you soon, lock that big dick of yours up,” he murmured, picturing it in his mind. He’d have to get a better, and bigger, cock cage first.

Drake moaned and Ian left off touching him long enough to get a condom and the leather cock and ball ring out of the duffle. He had Drake stand up and put both on himself, then Ian pushed at Drake’s shoulders. “Down.”

Drake immediately dropped back into position. Ian took the lube out and set it and another rubber within easy reach. He’d put the latex gloves on later, when he prepped Drake’s hole. Right now he wanted to feel as much as he could.