Authors: Penny Brandon
"If you want." Kyle grinned back and then pushed himself closer for a kiss, but his movements were arrested by a squelching sound and he froze. "Oh yuck! I'm leaking."
The shocked expression on his face was comical, and Jared couldn't help the laughter that bubbled up from his chest.
"It's not funny. I'm leaking all over the lounge."
That sobered Jared quickly. "Get off; it's only new."
They both moved at the same time, trying to untangle arms and legs, but Kyle lost his grip, and before Jared could stop him, he fell to the floor.
His grunt of pain had Jared quickly scrambling to his side. "Are you all right?"
Kyle looked up at him, his eyes bright flashes of humor. "Now I'm leaking all over the floor."
Jared couldn't help it; he burst out laughing, relieved when Kyle laughed with him. "Don't worry. I'll clean it up."
Kyle pulled him down, wrapping his arms around him. "I know you will, because it's your mess. How much did you pump into me anyway?"
"A lot. I came pretty hard, but then we both did."
"Yeah. It was good."
"Better than good, Kyle."
A beautiful smile curved Kyle's mouth, and he stretched up for a kiss. Jared complied, taking Kyle's lips gently, wanting nothing more than to give Kyle everything he desired.
"Want to go out for dinner tonight?" he asked as Kyle slowly released him.
"Out? Do you think that's safe after what happened last night?"
"Are you asking me if I can keep my hands off you?"
"Well, can you?"
Jared glanced down Kyle's body while feeling the effects of being this close to him even though they'd just made love. He wanted Kyle again, wanted to hold him, touch him, possess him. Could he keep his hands off him in public? Probably not.
He grinned and saw an answering smile deep in Kyle's eyes. "How about we order in?" he suggested.
"Or I could cook for you."
"I'm supposed to be looking after you, not the other way round, and anyway that would mean having to buy food, which would entail a trip to the supermarket."
"We have to do it sometime."
"Yeah, and shopping with you is something I'm looking forward to, but right now I'm not in the mood."
Kyle stretched his arms above his head and arched his back a little. The livid bruises he flaunted were starting to fade, though the impression of a car running over him was not going to fade as quickly from Jared's mind.
"What are you in the mood for?" Kyle asked, sporting a look that was shameless and brazen.
"For you," Jared said, sliding a firm hand down Kyle's hip and seeing him writhe with pleasure. He moved in for another kiss, pressing himself against Kyle's body so they were chest to chest, groin to groin.
The kiss was gentle because Jared felt no urgency, just the need to touch and taste and know Kyle. It didn't take long, however, before heat and desire changed the way his mouth slanted and the way his tongue played. Kyle's moan only urged him on, and Jared couldn't help starting a slow grind with his hips. He felt Kyle's cock hardening against the press of his, which sent his need spiraling out of control. He pulled his mouth away before he ended up making love to Kyle on the floor.
"Let's go to bed," he said, helping Kyle up.
"Jared?" Kyle stopped and stood in the middle of the room. "You never told me whether you've forgiven me."
Not sure what Kyle was talking about, Jared frowned. "What am I supposed to forgive you for?"
"For walking out on you."
Looking into Kyle's face, Jared saw a hint of uncertainty, and it tore a hole in his chest. "Of course I forgive you. Shit, Kyle, it was my fault you left. If I'd told you how I felt and hadn't been so damn stupid..."
Kyle shook his head. "I should have stayed, talked it out with you."
Jared smiled a little, running his thumb over Kyle's lower lip. "It would have helped. At least it would have saved you getting run over."
"And miss out on you giving me a sponge bath? Now
that
was one way of getting me here."
Surprised Kyle had realized what he'd been trying to do and relieved he wasn't going to chew him about it, Jared grinned, matching the teasing gleam in Kyle's eyes. "Want another one?"
Laughing, Kyle sauntered toward the bedroom. "Thought you'd never ask."
Jared slowly followed him, still a little stunned that Kyle actually wanted to be here, and even more that he was willing to work the ranch with him. He'd never felt such a true rush of happiness as he did right then, and as Kyle turned to smile at him, the blue of his eyes shining with love and contentment, Jared knew he was never going to be any happier,
if
he could stop Kyle from almost killing him when they made love.
Kyle stopped on top of the hill and looked down, his gaze searching out Jared's figure, smiling when he saw him in the fenced pen next to Felix. Just seeing him brought a flush of warmth to Kyle's loins, but knowing what he had planned for the next couple of hours filled Kyle with blazing heat that had him squirming with both impatience and need that just seemed to grow the longer he was around Jared.
Gunning the engine of his bike, Kyle eased it down the grassy knoll, pleased when Jared looked up and watched him descend.
"Hi, babe."
Jared gave Felix one last pat and climbed out of the pen, eyeing the bike with caution. "I see you finally got it going," he remarked, running a light finger over the handlebars.
"Yep, just needed a good clean and a few spare parts."
"I can't believe it was still sitting in a shed on your land."
Kyle shrugged, remembering the note attached to it, a message from his grandfather telling him he hoped he would be able to enjoy it one day. Though Kyle didn't particularly favor bikes, he'd taken the message to heart and had spent the past few weeks getting it restored and back in working order, and now it was time to try it out. Kyle watched as Jared took in his leather jacket and the two helmets he'd stashed on the back.
"You're not expecting me to get on that, are you?"
Kyle casually raised one shoulder; he'd learned over the last two months not to give too much detail away. Jared had a tendency not to trust him when it came to the innovative ideas he cooked up in order to prolong their pleasure during sex. "I just thought we might go for a ride," he said nonchalantly. "You know, for a picnic or something."
"That's what I'm worried about."
"The picnic?"
"The something."
"We won't go far, I promise."
"What's wrong with here?" Jared indicated the grass they were standing on. They were on their own land and there was no reason for them to go anywhere, but Kyle wanted to show Jared something and he wanted to bring him there on the bike.
"Indulge me."
Kyle knew Jared would come with him, but Jared made a token show of protest when Kyle held out a brand-new leather jacket and the black riding helmet that matched his own.
Jared took the jacket and held it at arm's length. "You went to a lot of trouble."
"I want you to be safe."
"I'd be safer not going anywhere. Are you sure you know how to ride that bike? It's pretty old."
"Stop complaining," Kyle told him while coaxing one of Jared's bulky arms into the sleeve of the jacket and worrying he'd not bought one big enough. Jared eventually complied, allowing Kyle to see it was a perfect fit. In fact, black leather on Jared looked good. Damn good. Hot and sexy in an edgy kind of way, which took nothing from the fact he was still a cowboy. Kyle had to concentrate on not letting his cock get hard. Jesus, that little fucker had a mind of its own. Around Jared it didn't care where they were or what they were doing, it wanted in.
"You ever ride pillion before?" he asked as he helped Jared on with the helmet.
"No."
"Just move with me and we'll be all right."
Jared looked skeptical as Kyle slipped on his own jacket and helmet. "You ever have a passenger before?" Jared asked him.
"Nope, but don't worry; I won't go fast and we're not going far."
"Then why not take the truck?"
"Because I have something in mind for later."
Jared suddenly looked worried, and Kyle had to bite back a laugh. "No music, I promise."
"It's not only music. You have a devious, scheming mind, you know that?"
Kyle just grinned. Jared loved it, and he knew it. He threw his leg over the bike and started the engine, waiting for Jared to climb on behind him. The bike dipped under Jared's weight, and then Kyle felt Jared plaster himself against his back, and his strong arms come around his waist.
"Hold on tight."
"I'm going to, believe me."
They both dropped their visors, verbal communication now impossible. Kyle hadn't really thought about the actual ride, he'd only thought of what could happen when they reached the top of the mountain, but as he eased onto the long, curving country road, he became all too aware of Jared wrapped around his body with his cock pressed against his ass. Not surprisingly, Kyle's body responded, his cock becoming ridiculously hard and painfully trapped in a tight pair of jeans, but fully attuned to the man at his back, Kyle noticed when Jared shifted his weight and he grinned when he realized Jared was getting as turned on by their close proximity as he was. Maybe he wouldn't have to use as much persuasion as he'd thought when they finally got to their destination. Jared was more than likely to end up propositioning him if the light groan he felt vibrating against his back was anything to go by.
He headed north, along the Summerland Way and into the Border Ranges National Park. A World Heritage listed area, the rainforest was on the rim of a vast and ancient volcano and boasted over thirty thousand hectares. It was a popular tourist destination and afforded beautiful views over Tweed Valley.
There were several picnic spots along the way, but Kyle wanted privacy so he headed farther west, pitting the bike against graveled roads before he got to a small, out-of-the-way clearing dominated by a stand of Antarctic beech trees. It was cooler up here, but after their hot, sticky ride, Kyle was glad to shut the engine down and climb off, relieving himself of both his heavy leather jacket and the constant sexual tension of having Jared at his back.
"This is nice," Jared said once he'd slipped his own helmet and jacket off. He placed them on the back of the bike and stretched. Kyle couldn't help but notice the sinewy way his body moved, the graceful line of his back, the bulk of his arms and chest and vaguely wondered when he was going to stop ogling his lover. When he was sixty? Seventy? Then he remembered the vast improvements of modern medicine and their quest for longer-lasting libido in men and decided he could easily go till he was eighty.
"What are you smiling at?" Jared asked him, taking his mind off his very real need to ask Jared to keep taking his clothes off.
"Tell you later. First, let's eat." Kyle opened the small backpack he'd brought, which he'd slung over the back of the bike. "Not a gourmet meal, but it'll do." He spread out a blanket and handed Jared foil-wrapped sandwiches and a couple of cans of soft drink.
"And here I was thinking you'd brought me up here to seduce me with fine dining." Jared seated himself on the blanket beside Kyle, his smile inviting.
"Seduce you, yes, fine dining, not so much, unless you really go for ham and cheese."
"Do I have a choice?" Jared queried.
"Not really; it was the only thing left in the fridge." Kyle grinned and settled himself down to eat, though his mind and body were on totally different planes of consciousness. His body was physically aware of Jared, of the simple way he swallowed, of the occasional, distracted thrust of his hand through his hair, and of the warm glances he kept throwing Kyle's way. And it wanted him. His mind, however, was thinking of far more important things.
"Jared?"
"Mmm?" Jared looked over at him, his eyes expectant.
"Want to go for a walk?" That wasn't what he'd been going to say, but suddenly nervous, Kyle decided he wanted the added benefit of the scenery he'd come up here to see.
The puzzled frown that met his told him Jared hadn't expected this either. "Okay."
Jared stood up, and Kyle followed before he led them on one of the short walks that took in the stunning vista of the valleys and gorges below and Mount Warning to the west.
"What's wrong?" Jared asked as Kyle stopped to stare at the mountains. Kyle smiled at him, not surprised Jared knew he was anxious over something.
"My dad brought me here once. On that bike."
"I thought it was your grandfather's?"
Kyle nodded. "It was, but my dad borrowed it one day. I was about ten, and he said we were going to take a trip. We came up here, and we spent the whole day exploring and taking in the scenery." He saw the curious expression in Jared's eyes and smiled. "It was a good day."
"So that's the reason you brought me up here, to share your experience?"
"Yes, and before you ask me why, it's because there are times when I think you still feel I'm not happy here."