Ropes and Dreams (16 page)

Joe’s mouth turned down in an expression of distaste that did his jowly face no favours. “That’s the, er, place hiring all the—”

“Yup, they’ve been hiring all the new people we’ve been seeing in town,” Frank said loudly. “It’s good to see that place up and running, isn’t it?”

“Sure.” Joe didn’t sound very sincere, though.

“Any idea how the fire started?” Ian asked, hoping the man would be professional despite his personal feelings towards Ian.

Joe seemed relieved to be talking about the fire, his expression lighting up as he glanced at the duplex’s remains. “Well, usually we need an arson inspector to be sure, but whoever did this was either dumber than a stump or didn’t give a flying fig about covering his or her tracks. There’s gas cans right over there.” He pointed, and about twenty feet to the left of the place, Ian saw four large gas cans. “He left a couple in your place, too, Ian. Caused a big damn explosion.” Joe looked at him, then at Drake. “Some people here might not be liking one of their officers hanging out at a place like the Mossy Glenn.”

Ian tightened down on his anger, keeping his face stiff, his feelings hidden. “Well now, Joe, that was more direct than I’d have expected from you. I’m impressed, almost, that you have balls enough to even insinuate that someone like you might have done this.”

Joe sputtered and Ian gave the coldest stare he had. “What I do off the clock isn’t anyone’s business, but let me just be clear about this. I am dating Drake. Period. I’m not going to stop doing that because some people have dirty minds and want to concern themselves over my sex life. It’s not anyone’s business, like I said, but if you or anyone else is so hung up on what I do with my dick, I can surely point you to some websites to help you out.”

Joe turned on his heel and stormed off, arms pumping like he was running, except only the upper half of him was doing it.

“I’m surprised he didn’t put his hands over his ass,” Frank said as if he were giving the matter a great deal of thought. “I mean, we all know how horny you gay guys are. You just have to fuck every man around, even if he’s so undesirable even a woman won’t have sex with him.”

Ian almost laughed at that, but the sad truth was, plenty of people thought like that. “Yeah, well, you know the saying, not even if he was the last man on Earth.”

“I’d never have sex again if he was my only option. Gross.” Drake shivered. “Nothing worse than an ugly personality.”

“No kidding.” Ian looked at the gas cans. “I really think you might want to do a check on where my stepbrother Norman was when this fire started. I never gave him my address, and last I knew he was in Bozeman, but that isn’t very far and he really does hate me. We had a verbal spat a few days ago and I hung up on him. He’d do something like this for payback.”

“He’s been out of jail, what, six months?” Frank asked.

“Something like that,” Ian muttered. “I need tomorrow off.”

Frank looked at the scene of the crime. “I imagine you’ll need at least that much time off. Talk to the Chief. Oh.” Frank blanched. “Shit. I hope he doesn’t react like Joe did, because you know Joe’s going to go spreading the news like it was something that needed to be told.”

Ian shook his head. “Nah. Chief knows. I told him when I interviewed.”

“Huh.” Frank canted his head. “Well, what do you know about that? I’d have pegged him for being more like Joe.”

Ian didn’t tell Frank that the Chief’s son was gay. That had been what had changed his way of thinking. The Chief loved his son more than he loved the demands of his religion.

“He’s a good guy.” Ian took Drake’s hand again. Drake curled his fingers around Ian’s, and it just felt right. “The sad thing about this is”—he gestured to his place, or what was left of it—“there’s not much in there that meant anything to me. My laptop’s at the ranch. The only thing I really liked or bothered with was the yard, and my poor roses are ruined.”

“I’ll buy you some more,” Drake said at the same time Frank said, “Darcy’ll give you clippings.” The two men looked at each other and Drake tipped his nose into the air.

“Are you flirting with my boyfriend, Frank?”

Frank looked confused. “By offering him clippings my wife will send to him?” Then he got it. “You’re teasing me, huh? You’re going to keep Ian on his toes, aren’t you? I can already tell you, I’ve seen more emotion from him—happy shit, too, mind you—since we’ve been standing out here than I have since I was partnered with him.”

“It’s true. I didn’t even know his wife grew roses,” Ian admitted.

Drake didn’t seem surprised by that. Instead he squeezed Ian’s hand. “Well, we’ll have to invite Frank and Darcy out to the ranch for the day when they can make it. Do you and Darcy like horseback riding?”

Frank’s eyes lit up with excitement, and Ian figured Drake had just made a friend for life. Ian completely understood that kind of devotion to the man.

Chapter Twelve

“God, it’s been a couple of hectic days,” Drake said as he and Ian were walking in the door. They’d been to Bozeman and got their tests done. Drake had already had the antibody tests done, but this time an antigen test and an RNA PCR would be run. Even if it was negative, he knew he’d be nervous for another year or so. Ian had said he understood, that they could keep using condoms for as long as Drake wanted to even if the results were negative. That kind of acceptance was priceless. Drake had fallen a little in love with Ian when he’d said it.

“Hey, you got a box,” Will said when they entered the living room.

“I did?” Drake asked, casting a glance at Ian.

“No,” Will drawled, “Ian did. Catch.” Will tossed the box over to Ian, who caught it easily. “Sex toys?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Ian teased. “Maybe if you’re extra nice to your guys, they’ll buy you something new.”

Will sniffed and looked down his nose at them. “Whatever. I can buy my own damn toys. And, Ian, you made a joke. Don’t scare me like that.”

Ian winked and Will sputtered. “Let’s go while he’s distracted.”

They sprinted to Drake’s bedroom, Drake giggling like a fool but he couldn’t help it. He was just happy, even with the possibility of being positive hanging over his head. Ian wanted him regardless, and Drake would take care of himself and Ian so they could have a long time together.

“What’s in the box?” Drake asked as he shut the door.

Ian held it up about groin height. “How bad do you want to know?”

Drake’s cock began filling as he knelt in front of Ian. “Really bad.”

Ian used his other hand to trace Drake’s lips. “I’ve been wanting to feel these around my dick since I first saw you, but I keep getting distracted by that pretty ass of yours.”

It was still hard for Drake to believe anyone would think his ass was anything other than fat, but Ian surely did like it. He’d had his cock up there last night and this morning, and Drake’s hole was pleasantly sore.

“Get one of the flavoured condoms out,” Ian ordered. “Safe words and gesture?”

“Are you going to spank me or something?” Drake asked, confused by the need for them otherwise. He turned to open the nightstand drawer only to stop when his scalp prickled.

Ian caught him by the hair, not so hard it hurt, but it did get Drake’s undivided attention. “Because I plan on fucking your throat like I do your ass—fully—and if you don’t like that, I need to know. This won’t be your typical blow job, Drake. Don’t think it will.”

Drake couldn’t stop the whimper that escaped him. He gulped because the saliva pooled in his eager mouth and his poor dick was so hard he could barely think from lack of blood to his brain.

“Red, stop. Yellow, pause. Two pinches, stop. Two taps, pause.”

Ian had come up with the gestures, explaining that as much as he hated being pinched, it’d certainly bring him to the mood for stopping completely.

“Very good.” Then Ian did tug on his hair, and Drake moaned needily as little streaks of pain shot through his scalp. “Do you want me to do that, Drake? To fuck your mouth, to fill your throat with my dick so that you can’t breathe unless I pull out?”

“Yes, yes, please, Ian,” Drake got out. It wasn’t about finding out what was in the stupid box now, either. Drake just needed to let Ian use him.

“Good, you’re so good to me,” Ian whispered. “And I promise to be very good to you after you get me off. You’re not to come while you’re blowing me. If you do, you don’t get the surprise I have for you in the box.”

Drake gulped and he lowered his head enough to get another bit of pain.

“More?” Ian asked. He tightened his hold on Drake’s hair and Drake began to pant. “Damn, you are so fucking sexy.” Ian bent but kept the tension on Drake’s hair. With his other hand, he pinched at Drake’s left nipple. “Love these. They get so hard for me.” He twisted and Drake let the pain wash over him. It spread from his chest to his cock, pre-cum slipping from the tip. His balls drew up, eager to spew their juices.

“I am so clamping these beauties.” Ian applied more pressure to his hair and tit and Drake gave in to the need to groan. Ian released his nipple suddenly and fiery streaks shot from the nerves in that happily abused flesh, tagging every other nerve along the route to Drake’s groin. “Get the stuff.”

Ian slowly loosened his grip on Drake’s hair, and Drake swayed a little before steadying himself and getting out a cherry-flavoured condom. He tore the package open and removed the sheath before rolling it down Ian’s cock.

“Open your mouth for me,” Ian said.

Drake parted his lips and Ian guided his dick past them. “Get it wet, and suck. I’m going to hold your head still. If it’s too much, you know what to do.”

Drake wanted to holler at him that yes, he knew what to do already, but he wasn’t dumb enough to do something that would surely bring this new experience to a halt. Drake had sucked cock before, but he’d never let anyone flat-out take his mouth like Ian had said he was going to do. He’d never trusted anyone enough to let them, until Ian.

Ian braced his thumbs under Drake’s jaws and used his other fingers to grip his head. “Keep your eyes open,” he growled when Drake started to close them. Drake looked up into Ian’s gaze. Slowly, so very slowly, Ian began pushing into his mouth.

Drake licked and sucked, needing to please Ian more than anything else he’d ever needed to do. Ian nodded and pushed in deeper. “Relax. Let me have my way.”

Something about those words flicked every horny switch Drake had. He barely kept his lids open as he moaned around the thickness pushing over his tongue. Ian held his head with more force as he breached Drake’s throat.

“Fuck, yes,” Ian hissed. “Take it!”

Drake wanted to. He was trying and eager.

Ian kept sliding his cock in, and in, until his balls were pressed to Drake’s chin and Drake’s nose was in Ian’s dense sandy brown pubes. He swallowed and Ian moaned, his cock sinking even deeper.

And Drake realised he couldn’t breathe. Ian’s cock cut off his air, which started to freak him out until he tapped at Ian’s thigh.

Instantly, Ian let go of his head and withdrew. Drake gasped and pressed a hand to his chest.

“Too much?” Ian squatted. “It’s okay, honey. Talk to me. I need to hear you.”

Drake drew in another breath and let it go. He was so freaking mortified by his failure.

“Drake, love, please, look at me,” Ian said in a voice so rough it sounded like he’d been the one with a cock in his throat. “Drake—”

“I’m sorry,” Drake eked out. “I panicked, that’s all. I just panicked and I shouldn’t have. It’s stupid—”

“It’s never stupid to use your safe words when you need them,” Ian said, touching his cheek. “I don’t want you terrified, panicked. I want you to enjoy what we’re doing together. You didn’t enjoy that, so we won’t resume doing it.”

Drake shook his head. “I did too enjoy it! I want to do this. Why are you making me stop when I called yellow, not red? It’s like I’m being punished for being honest!”

“I’m not punishing you, I thought—” Ian stopped and looked up at the ceiling for a few seconds. “I thought you hated it.”

“It’s scary, Ian, but look at my dick. Do I look turned off?” Drake fisted his shaft and gave it a shake.

Ian looked at it and licked his lips. “No, no, you don’t, but I need to know you understand that you never have to do something—”

“I know, and I won’t do something I hate just to let you get off, I promise.” Drake let go of his cock and folded his hands on his lap. “Please, Ian.”

“Okay, okay, we can try again. This time, I’ll count down so you know when I’ll be pulling back. Maybe that will help. I should have thought of it sooner.”

Drake thought it would help. If Ian started counting down from five or ten, it would give Drake a time frame for when he’d be able to breathe. “I like that idea a lot.”

Ian kissed him then grimaced. “I really wish they could make flavoured condoms that tasted good. That’s not as bad as regular lube-flavoured ones.”

“I agree.” Drake opened his mouth and Ian stood. He guided his dick between Drake’s lips again, and Drake closed his eyes before he remembered Ian’s earlier order.

Ian held his head just as he had before. He pushed in, showing Drake with actions that he trusted Drake’s assertion that he wanted to try this again.

Drake revelled in the feel of that thick rod gliding over his tongue. He licked and sucked as Ian rocked back a little then thrust in deeper. When Ian’s cock penetrated Drake’s throat, Drake reminded himself that this was Ian, the man he trusted—the man he loved.

Ian sank his cock in fully. “Three, two, one,” he rasped, then he was pulling out.

Drake moaned in regret at the loss of that heavy weight in his mouth and Ian slowly brought it back.

“Five, this time,” Ian told him. “Okay?”

Drake couldn’t exactly nod, but he hummed his approval and Ian’s cock pulsed as he slid it in deeper.

“Five, four, three—”

Drake’s lungs began to burn, which was ridiculous. He’d held his breath much longer before this.

“One,” Ian finished. This time he didn’t pull out fully, rocking his cock over Drake’s tongue as Drake inhaled through his nose. “You’re doing so good, honey. So good.”