Authors: Sara York
Davis stared at the machines hooked up to his dad, wondering if he was partially to blame for the stress Duff had been experiencing. He’d seen it on his dad’s face—in the way Duff held himself, how he moved—every minute since they’d reconnected. He wanted to know, but his dad was in no position to talk.
Ryan was there, at his side, never seeming to succumb to the pressure of being with him. From the moment they’d met, he’d been trouble. And now, only twenty-four hours after coming back to the ranch, they were in a dingy hospital room instead of spending the day wrapped in each other’s arms. He’d promised Ryan they would have time together. Now, they wouldn’t spend any of today alone like they’d planned. He really was too much trouble, and he hated the drama that seemed to surround him. Once Ryan realized Davis wasn’t worth it, he would be on his own. He didn’t like disappointing Ryan again and again. Perhaps he could eventually make it up to his man, but being here for his dad was too important. Soon, he would do something nice for Ryan since Ryan had already done so much already for him.
“Davis, you need to eat something,” Grant said.
“I don’t think I can.” His stomach had twisted in a knot shortly after seeing Duff drop to the floor. Fear for his dad ruled his thoughts and emotions, blocking out all other needs.
Grant squeezed his shoulder and smiled. “Just something small. You don’t have to eat more than a few bites, but we need you to keep your strength up.”
Hollow and hurting, all he could do was nod. Grant handed him a partially unwrapped protein bar, and he managed a bite, chewing until the food was soft in his mouth before swallowing. He took another taste because that was what he was supposed to do. After three bites, he handed the bar to Ryan and slumped down in his chair, unsure what else he could do.
Grant left and came back, then Ryan wasn’t beside him for a few hours but he was back soon enough. Eventually, Billy came to the hospital and relieved Grant. Before leaving, Grant made sure Davis and Ryan had everything they needed for the evening.
Duff slept most of the night, and they didn’t spend much time talking. His dad didn’t really seem like himself, but Davis realized he didn’t know what Duff normally acted like, since they hadn’t spent much time together as adults and most of that time had been mixed in with trouble.
Dr. Barlow arrived early and walked Davis through the procedure before going in to talk to Duff. After they wheeled his father away to the operating room, Davis broke down, clutching Ryan’s shirt as fat tears rolled down his cheeks.
There was a small chance that Duff wouldn’t survive the surgery, but he didn’t want to think about that. Too many things had changed recently in his life, and this was just another straw that was close to breaking his back. From being chased down and almost killed by a guy who wanted revenge on his dad, to meeting Ryan, and now moving here to Colorado—it was too much. If Duff didn’t make it, would he even stay with the guys at Wild Bluff?
Ryan brushed his lips over Davis’s mouth, bringing peace with his kisses. Davis closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath as he tried to center his thoughts. He had such strong feelings for Ryan, though they hadn’t really spent much time together. He wished they'd had a stronger foundation, more time, something longer than the few weeks they’d known each other and the few days they’d spent together in Boston before coming to the ranch.
He pulled back and gazed into Ryan’s eyes, searching for something. What, he didn’t know. Ryan cupped Davis’s jaw, running his thumb over the stubble that had grown out in the last twenty-four hours.
“I’m here for you. Don’t doubt that. I’m not leaving,” Ryan whispered.
“How do you know exactly what to say to me?”
“No clue, but I feel you. I’ve felt you since we met. I know life has been bizarre, hell, it has been a real circus, but this thing, whatever it is we have, trust it.”
He nodded then leaned in, his forehead resting against Ryan’s. The gentle caresses from his man felt good, and he stepped closer, staying wrapped in Ryan’s arms until Grant came in.
“They’ve been in for almost an hour, right?” Grant asked.
Davis stepped away from Ryan and nodded. “Yeah, close to it.”
“Come get something to eat and some coffee. The doctor knows where you’ll be. He stopped by for a small chat before he went in with Duff,” Grant said.
All of the guys from the ranch were being so nice. This was different from anything he’d ever experienced. Military life was similar, but no where near as good as life at Wild Bluff. Even his handler wasn’t this close with him. He could lean on the guys from Wild Bluff, and they were there to hold him up. It was crazy that they were all assassins, the deadliest group of men he’d ever known, even more deadly than the other operatives who worked with the CIA, but they were the nicest people in the world.
After a long while, the doctor came out of the operating room and found him. The man looked exhausted but said he was pleased with the surgery. Davis breathed a sigh of relief, glad he could finally relax. Duff would be okay. Later in the afternoon, he headed to a hotel and showered, getting in a quick nap before returning to the hospital to sit with Duff during the night. After he knew Duff would make it, the stress lessened, giving him some room to breathe.
If Duff wasn’t asleep, he was resting quietly or staring out the window. Duff spoke little unless someone asked a specific question. On the day Duff checked out of the hospital, Davis and Ryan left the hotel and headed home.
Wild Bluff was slowly becoming home, and Ryan was slowly becoming his. He wasn’t ready to declare his love for Ryan, but after the events of the past week with Duff’s illness, their relationship was stronger than ever before.
Once back at the ranch, Duff retired to his room, telling the guys that they were paying too much attention to him. Davis made his way out to the barn, needing to work off some of his energy before he went to bed. Ryan found him an hour later, after he’d discarded his shirt and had sweat running down his chest.
“I brought you some water,” Ryan said, interrupting his rhythm as he shoveled the dirty sawdust out of the last horse stall.
“Thanks.” Davis took the offered bottle and downed half of it.
Ryan leaned against the wall, his gaze traveling down Davis’s torso then slowly back up to his face. “Ranch life. Did you ever think you’d end up here?”
“Nope. I don’t know exactly what to do with myself right now.”
Ryan nodded and raked his teeth over his lower lip before speaking. “I know there’s more for us to talk about, you know. We’ve not been back together much.”
Davis leaned against his shovel, wondering if he’d totally misjudged Ryan. “Something wrong?”
Ryan shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. “No, I just wanted to make sure you’re still good with everything.”
“I am. I like it here. I’ve spent more time here at Wild Bluff than you have, but I think you’ll learn to enjoy it.” Being here was different from anywhere he’d ever lived before, but it was good in a way that nothing else had ever come close to.
Ryan shrugged. “It’s different. In Boston, there was the water where I could go kayaking. This place is dry.”
“Yeah.” Davis glanced around and took a deep sniff, loving the smell of the outdoors and the horses. “I like it, though.”
“You know, where I live doesn’t matter much.” Ryan lowered his head then lifted it a little, peering at Davis. His eyes were filtered by his thick lashes. He looked even more beautiful than Davis remembered. Ryan’s cheeks were a little pink and he looked so good that Davis wasn’t sure he could keep his hands off the guy. “But who I’m with does matter. That’s the way I figure it.”
Davis stepped closer to Ryan and reached out, running his finger down Ryan’s arm. “Do you like who you’re with?”
The corner of Ryan’s lips lifted and he nodded. “Yeah, the guy I sleep next to each night is kinda hot. But that’s not what I like the most about him.”
Davis stepped even closer, his cock twitching with interest. “What do you like most?”
Ryan’s gaze locked with Davis’s as he squared his shoulders, his chin tilting at a hard angle, his nostrils flaring. “He’s an amazing man, who is kind and sweet. I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather spend my life with.” Ryan placed his hand in the center of Davis’s chest. Davis flexed, and Ryan moaned. The heat between them built, making Davis harder.
“I feel the same way about you,” Davis said.
“Are you ready to come back to the room and shower?” Ryan asked.
“I need to finish spreading the clean sawdust then, yeah, I’m ready.”
“Good, because I need to hold you. The guys are making tacos for dinner. We can eat then excuse ourselves. I just want you in my arms tonight.”
Davis chuckled and leaned in, brushing his lips over Ryan’s cheek. “We can do more than just hold each other,” he whispered.
“Trust me, I intend to make you feel special. But I also just want to be with you. I’ve missed you. I know we haven’t known each other for long, but I do miss you.”
Davis smiled and squeezed Ryan’s arm. “Thank you.”
“For?”
“Being so nice through all of this.”
“Babe, you’re important to me. Let me help you finish up then we can spend some time alone, and I can show you what you mean to me.”
Davis stepped back and nodded. Their gazes stayed locked for a long moment before he went back to work with Ryan helping him. They finished in the stall, making everything just right for the horses. He and Ryan put away the tools before they headed back to the house. He walked a few paces behind Ryan, watching his man move. No doubt about it, he was one lucky guy. Ryan was sexy as hell and incredibly kind. How he’d found such a great guy was beyond him.
Ryan shut the door to their bedroom and watched as Davis tugged off his shirt and shoved his jeans down his legs, revealing his fit, muscular body. They’d been apart for so long, and though they’d had sex when he’d come home, they’d both been tired and exceedingly horny, blowing off steam instead of loving each other. He’d wanted to show Davis how much he cared the day of Duff’s heart attack, but their plans had been tossed to the wind as they'd scrambled to take care of Davis’s dad.
He was glad Duff had survived. It would have devastated Davis to lose his father so soon after finding him. And he didn’t know what losing Duff would have meant for their jobs, but for now it appeared the ranch was stable. Grant and Marshal knew what they were doing and seemed capable enough to take over operations. They reminded him of a few of the guys he’d served under who were exceedingly sharp.
Davis turned around, and his eyes grew bigger when he caught Ryan staring at him. Lust pumped hot, twisting through his body and down his legs. He tugged his shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor. Ryan let his gaze travel down Davis’s body then back up. Davis crossed his arms over his chest as he chewed on his lower lip. Ryan’s heart gave a little twist from the worry passing over Davis’s face.
“I’ve thought about you so much over the last month. You know, we didn’t get to spend much time together before I left.”
Davis nodded. “I know.”
“I worried that you would realize you didn’t need me.”
Davis shook his head, his eyes narrowed. “Babe, why would you think that?” Davis moved closer, stopping about a foot away. His lips turned down, and his eyes clouded. “Sorry, I stink. I need to shower.”
Ryan chuckled. “I don’t mind. I like you, sweaty or clean.”
Davis drew in a sharp breath, his cheeks turning pink. “Get in the shower with me. I just want to spend some time with you.”
Emotions twisted through Ryan, reaching straight to his soul, tugging up his deepest insecurities, issues from the past, and all of the scary bits he'd tried to hide from. But Davis was different. Though he hadn’t known the man for long, he knew Davis wouldn’t take advantage of him by using some crazy power play, perverting Ryan’s darkest worries and twisting them for personal benefit.
Ryan's throat closed and he nodded. “Sure, I’d like that.”
He moved to the bathroom and reached into the shower, turning on the water before unbuttoning his jeans. Davis gave him a heated stare before he leaned in and licked Ryan’s nipple, sending a shiver through him.
“Oh fuck, that felt good,” Ryan groaned.
The chuckle from Davis made his balls tighten. When he’d been alone in training, he’d thought about Davis, fantasized about what they would do. He’d also wondered if he’d imagined the way Davis had made him feel, but now that he was back at Wild Bluff, he knew he hadn’t been wrong. Davis had rocked his world from the very beginning, and he wasn’t disappointed now that they were together again.
“I really missed you,” Davis said as he tugged at Ryan’s pants, pushing them low.
“I think we have some catching up to do.” Ryan rocked his hips, brushing up against Davis. The contact was as delicious as it was torturous. He wanted more, needed more.
“Yeah, we do.” Davis’s voice was thick and gravely, turning Ryan on even more.
Ryan kicked off his shoes then shoved his pants to the side, his socks rolling off in the process. He pushed his underwear to the ground before stepping into the shower. Davis stripped quickly and moved into the enclosure with him. The water pounded on his back, heat filling the space as they stared at each other. Ryan drank in Davis, taking in his passionate, dark eyes, the way his mouth curved, and the stubble coating his jaw. Lust pumped hot, and he felt like he was going to combust. Davis leaned in just a little, and their lips met in a passionate kiss that had him going full-stiff at the first touch.
He pressed Davis up against the shower wall, holding him against the tile as Ryan leaned back, staring into his lover’s eyes. It was crazy that he’d missed Davis so much. Maybe he was insane for doing this, for moving halfway across the country with a man he really didn’t know, but he didn’t think he was wrong for following Davis to Colorado. Wild Bluff seemed like the right place to be. And having Davis in his bed and in his life was better than anything else he’d ever known.
Davis ran one hand down the center of Ryan’s chest to his dick, wrapping his fingers around the length. He moaned and arched into the touch then pulled back, fucking Davis’s hand slowly. Davis knew just how to stroke him, when to squeeze, and when to toy with the tip. Crazy need filled his mind and he had to grab onto Davis’s shoulders, holding tight so he didn’t fracture and get lost in the swirl of water flowing down the drain. Davis was strong. He was his rock, his anchor, and he never wanted to let go.
Davis had both of their cocks in his hands, slowly stroking them, making Ryan’s desire pump higher. His heart sped up and he leaned in, pressing against Davis. Heat filled him and he didn’t know how long he would last.
Ryan grabbed the bar of soap, sliding it along his palms he made thick suds before he pushed Davis’s hands aside, stroking them both. He pumped his hips, rocking gently as Davis held on to his arms, finger pads digging into Ryan’s flesh.
“Aw fuck, Ryan, that feels so good.”
Ryan wished he could do this all day long with Davis, never leaving the circle of his arms. The world would be a much better place if everyone had a Davis to hold, to love. It felt so good to be touched and held by his man, and he never wanted it to end. His cock was hard and ready to blow. Lasting long wasn’t going to happen this time. Ryan continued to stroke both of them with one hand and plastered the other on the wall, grounding him. It would be easy to get lost in Davis, never finding a way back to reality.
They held each other’s gaze as they approached heaven. Before tumbling into oblivion, Davis slammed his eyes shut, his body trembling as his cock shot off, cum coating Ryan’s hands seconds before his own orgasm hit. Ryan didn’t let go of their cocks until the last of their shudders played out, both of them shivering and jerking against each other.
Davis’s lips skated over his chest and up his neck, finding his mouth. Their kisses were charged with meaning. Thick emotions closed Ryan’s throat, forcing him to draw in air through his nose. He was falling fast for this amazing man and didn’t want to ever lose him.
“We should probably actually wash. You know, get clean so I don’t stink,” Davis said.
“Yeah, they’re going to get mad if we use all of the hot water.” Ryan chuckled.
Davis stepped under the hot spray and got his hair wet before grabbing the shampoo bottle, squeezing out a blob. He rubbed his fingers over his hair, spreading the bubbles before rinsing. Ryan palmed the soap again and started washing Davis’s body, cleaning under his arms and under his dick. When he slid his hands over Davis’s ass, he stepped close, and Davis tilted his head back. Ryan planted his lips on Davis’s as he ran his soapy fingers between Davis’s round globes, brushing over his pucker. Davis moaned and slid his tongue in, fucking Ryan’s mouth.
He was getting hard again but he wanted to continue this out of the shower. He spun Davis around, shoving him under the spray to rinse him off. Davis laughed and scrubbed at his body before he turned back to Ryan and melted against him.
“I need more,” Davis begged.
“Let’s take this to the bed. I want to feel all of you under me.” They had a lot of time to make up, and he planned on spending as much of that time in bed with Davis as possible.
*~*~*
Marshal gripped the dumbbell tighter and pushed it away from his chest, wishing he felt stronger. He’d been working hard to get his strength back but he knew no matter how hard he worked he would never be strong enough to gain a sharpshooter’s badge again. His arm was gone, his power diminished. The door opened and he sat up, placing the dumbbells on the floor beside his feet. He lifted his gaze, seeing Grant coming closer.
“Hey, how’s Duff?” Marshal asked.
“He’s good this morning. Pissed as hell that he has to take a break. It must be hard on him to have to admit that he’s not the strongest son of a bitch on this ranch.”
“Whoa, don’t be saying stuff like that. I think he is still the strongest one of us.”
Grant chuckled as he leaned against the wall. “We’ve taken a beating lately.”
Marshal stretched and rubbed his arm. “Yeah, it’s been difficult.”
“You’re still a valuable member of the team, Marshal. You have to know that, right?”
He blew out a breath and shook his head. “I’m not sure I know anything. It’s difficult. Zander is great, and he tries to help me, but I’m kind of devastated. I’ve not told anyone, but I’ve always been really good at the physical stuff and now I’m not. It hurts.”
“I get that. I’m getting older. No, I’m not anywhere near as old as Duff, but still, there are things we do that I’m having trouble with, and I wonder if maybe I’ve gone as far as I can. I mean, what if I can’t keep up on a mission.”
Marshal grabbed a bottle of water for himself and one for Grant. He took a quick swig after passing Grant his. “What are you having issues with?”
“We did that climb the other day, and I couldn’t make it up the last bit without help. Two years ago, I could have scrambled up easily.”
Marshal huffed out a breath. “You know I couldn’t even go on the climb.”
“What are we going to do?” Grant asked. “I hate getting older. If I was twenty again then I could do all of this physical stuff.”
“But we were stupid back then.”
Grant laughed and took a swig from his water. “No really, what are we going to do?”
“You’re going to get your ass back in the gym and work harder so you can keep up. Like you said, you’re not that old and you haven’t been injured. Roger is young and fit. You two just need to workout more.”
Grant nodded and slapped his leg. “I think we all need to get back into the groove of things. We’ve been doing too many missions, and then this thing with Craig. It’s thrown us all off. Duff having a heart attack could sink us, and I’m not ready to let this place, this idea that we can change the world for the better, go just yet.”
Marshal took another drink and glanced around the room. They had workout equipment, but it wasn’t enough. “How about we build an outdoor training ground, with an obstacle course?”
Grant nodded. “You’re a freaking genius. Can you plan something for us?”
“Sure. I’ll talk to Zander and Roger. We’ll come up with a good plan and order the material we need. I’m sure we can put a plan together in the next two weeks. The build should be done in about a month.”
“Cool. And thanks, you’re going to make a good leader for this group.”
Grant’s words made him choke. He sputtered and shook his head before narrowing his eyes at Grant. “Oh, hell no. I’m not going to be the leader. You’ll be the one in charge.”
“Oh please, you’re smarter than I am. You’ll make a much better leader,” Grant said.
They didn’t hear the door open, but there was no mistaking Duff’s voice. “You’ll both lead. I’m going to need both of you to step up and take charge. My days here on the ranch are numbered.”
Grant shook his head. “No, Duff, this is your home.”
“It may be my home, but if I stay, I’ll never get any peace.”
Marshal nodded. “That’s the truth. Are you here for your physical therapy?”
“Stupid doc wants me to get on our exercise bike and go slow, just a little something to keep me moving.”
“You know it’s a good idea,” Grant said.
Duff blew out a breath and shook his head. “Shut up. Now, I need both of you to take the reins for a few weeks. I’m not checking my email or my phone messages. You two are in charge. I need you to guide us.”
Marshal nodded and began telling Duff about their idea to build an obstacle course, but Duff shut him down quickly.
“I don’t want to hear about it. Just take charge and do it,” Duff said.
“Okay, Duff, we’ll let you get the rest you need. Have you talked to Davis today?” Marshal asked.
“Yeah, I saw him for a little bit.” Duff frowned and looked away. Something in his eyes made Marshal feel weird. He brushed the odd feelings away. Duff was tired and had dealt with a lot lately. The last thing he needed was Marshal butting into his business.
Grant left the weight room, and Marshal finished his set then moved to the elliptical because he didn’t want to leave Duff alone. Eventually, Roger came in and Marshal pulled him aside.
“I have a project for us to work on,” Marshal said.
Roger paused mid-stretch and met his gaze. “Sure, what’s up?”
“We need an obstacle course for our guys. I want it to employ some of the difficulties we may run into on missions.”
Roger’s eyes lit up and he slapped his hands together. “Oh, I’ve got ideas. This is going to be fun.”
Duff stood and shuffled to the exit with his head down, not even saying goodbye. When the door closed behind Duff, Roger shook his head and pressed his lips together. “I can’t believe how bad off he is. When I came here, he seemed so strong.”