Chapter 16

SIXTEEN

DEV

When I returned to the waiting room, Pete was waiting.

“Okay. The tube seemed to provide quite a bit of relief, and I’m cautiously optimistic we can treat Trigger without surgery.” He went on to explain his diagnosis and treatment plan. “And, of course, if anything unexpected happens, I’ll call and discuss it with you. But I think you caught it early. Best-case scenario, he can go home tomorrow under close supervision.”

“Supervision.” My stomach dropped. “I’ve got roundup in two days.”

Tully opened his mouth but then closed it.

“What?” I prompted. “Say what you’re thinking.”

“You can still bring Trigger home, and I can watch him. Or I can help with roundup and let you watch him. Or we can take turns.”

Pete looked back and forth between us. “Either way. You know he’s in good hands here if you need to leave him longer. We have someone keeping an eye on everyone around the clock anyway since we have high-risk breeding animals on-site.” He patted me on the shoulder. “We’ll take good care of him, and I promise to call. Go on home and get some rest. If you need more help with roundup, let me know. I have a high schooler who works part-time as a tech. She’d love to help and has experience loading trailers. She’s been doing hunter-jumper shows for years. Runs our supply closet like a drill sergeant.”

My brain was sluggish. I was overwhelmed with relief at the news Trigger wouldn’t need surgery.

Tully stepped forward. “He’d love that. Would you mind sharing her contact information? I can give it to Way.”

Pete nodded. “Will do. I promise to take care of your baby, Dev. Go get some sleep.”

I shook his hand and thanked him before turning back to Tully and tilting my head toward the door. It wasn’t easy leaving Trigger, but I also knew I didn’t want to see him sedated. It would agitate both of us if I went back there to say good night.

We left the ranch truck and trailer in the lot and loaded up in my SUV. The silence on the drive was comfortable. Trigger’s prognosis was a relief, and I took a few minutes to allow it to sink in. Darkness had finally settled, with only the barest slim band of faded copper outlining the triple peaks of Three Daughters in the distance. Warm night air came in through the open truck windows, and the scent of sage carried hints of cattle grazing nearby.

“I love it here,” I murmured. Tonight was one of those rare moments of feeling like I was exactly where I was meant to be. I’d arrived in Majestic almost a year ago exactly, and I’d felt right away that it was a place where I could find contentment.

“I can see why you do,” Tully agreed. “It suits you.”

“The people here are good. Loyal and kind. I assumed they’d be closed-minded and prejudiced, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised.”

I felt Tully’s eyes on me. He was probably wondering where I was going with this.

My hands stretched around the steering wheel as I pointed us home. “I’m building a house.”

Why was I so nervous? Suddenly, it felt like a decision I’d known was right for me was up for debate. I wanted him to approve. I wanted him to tell me it was a good idea.

“Here?” he asked. He shook his head. “Stupid question. Of course it’s here, your job is here. Is it in town?”

“Not in town, no.” I explained how I’d selected the home site adjacent to the Fletcher Ranch. I didn’t explain that it was a multimillion-dollar parcel of land located on a hundred acres with over a thousand feet of frontage on the Majestic River.

“That makes more sense,” he said after I described the views and the peaceful setting. He hesitated. “Is there room for Lellie?”

“Plenty. It, ah… it has several bedrooms.” I didn’t explain that I’d specifically designed it with a bedroom and full bath for each member of the brotherhood and Kenji, plus an additional guest suite. Even though I’d told him I had money, I wasn’t about to explain that I was building a seven-bedroom house for a single man. It was ridiculous and extravagant, the only obscene splurge I’d made since buying the Bugatti for my brother.

I cleared my throat. “I worry that she’ll be isolated, though.”

Tully surprised me with a soft laugh. “Dev, we’ve barely been alone in all the time I’ve been here. Your life is full of people. Silas, Way, Jo, Way’s sister, that damned sheriff, Indigo or whoever else is helping out around the ranch, and every single person we come in contact with in town who seems to know who you are, even if you haven’t met them yet. I can’t imagine her growing up isolated in such a small town. Your friends wouldn’t fucking allow it. Even if it was what you wanted.”

That last sentence seemed almost to be a question, as if he was wondering if that was what I would want.

“I can see your point.”

I pulled off the highway and onto the ranch road. The familiar curves and dips welcomed me to the only place that had felt like home in years.

Tully’s features were hard to read in the dashboard lights, but I could see his bright eyes as he looked at me. “All she needs is security and love, Dev.” His voice was soft but firm enough to make me believe him.

I parked the SUV by the barn. My mind was twisted in knots, wondering whether I could simultaneously convince him to put his hands on my body and also continue to reassure me with his words that I wouldn’t make a horrible father.

Either way, I was grateful Lellie was up at the main house so I could have Tully to myself for the rest of the night.

But before I could fully exit the vehicle, Indigo was there, wringing his hands and stammering. “H-how’s Trigger? Please tell me he’s good, dude. I’ve been legit freaking out thinking he’s sick and it’s totally my fault. I?—”

“He’s fine,” Tully said quickly, hopping out and closing the door behind him. “It’s colic, but they’re treating him without surgery, and the prognosis is good.”

Indigo’s eyes shot between Tully and me. I could tell he was terrified about my response, but until I discovered whether his actions had contributed to the colic, I was withholding the loving reassurance Tully seemed eager to give him. Instead of speaking and potentially saying something I’d regret, I remembered what my father used to say and took a breath, simply nodding to agree with Tully’s words.

I could tell Indigo wanted to press me, but he must have read my body language. Instead, he turned to Tully. “What can I do to help? Just say the word and I’m on it.”

Tully glanced at me before answering. “You can make sure to check with Dev or Way before feeding any of the stock. Colic isn’t always caused by ingesting something bad, but it can be, so we need to be extra careful. Make sure you speak up if you see anything around the horses that shouldn’t be there. Trash, shoe nails, sand, dead animals or bugs… anything at all that seems like it’s not right. I’m not sure the vet knows the cause yet, so relax. It’s not always preventable, even if it is caused by something he ate.”

I appreciated Tully’s levelheaded response when all I wanted to do was pin Indigo against the barn wall and interrogate him about everything he’d ever fed our stock. But I knew Way had already talked to him and checked everything related to the feed. There’d been no sign of anything out of place. Tully spoke the truth; it was very possible it was simply bad luck.

I scraped my upper lip with my teeth before deciding to put Indigo at ease. “Tully’s right. I appreciate your concern. Best thing you can do is help us keep an eye out. And get some sleep. We’ve got roundup day after tomorrow. Gonna kick all our asses, so be sure to get some rest.”

The kid let out a breath and shook his shaggy head like a dog who’d just gotten out of a pond. “Yeah. Cool. Okay. Shaking off the bad vibes. Gonna do some moonbathing before I crash. A buddy recommended it once for grounding before a big final. Crushed it, bro. Lunation, like, totally realigned me, you know?”

I stared at him for several beats while my brain tried to sort out what he’d said. Tully grabbed my elbow and steered me toward the barn. “Happy bathing,” he called over his shoulder.

“What the fuck?” I griped as soon as my apartment door was safely closed behind us. Instead of answering, Tully shoved my back against the door and kissed me, his strong body pressed fully against mine. His firm warmth covered me from neck to thigh, and his tongue invaded my mouth.

I was here for all of it.

I yanked his shirt up and over his head before fumbling between us to open his pants. “Boots off,” I ordered against his mouth.

The following thirty seconds were a chaotic mess of bumped elbows, the thunk of dropped boots, and the clink of belt buckles, all interrupted by more kissing and grappling. I wanted to get him naked without having to take my mouth and hands off him.

“Bed,” I said at one point, which only served to spread out our shucked clothes across the space between the door and my bedroom. Tully tripped along behind me, hopping out of his jeans while simultaneously grabbing at mine.

We fell together on the bed in our underwear before yanking them off and groaning as our bare bodies finally collided.

“Fuck, you feel good,” he said. “You’re all muscle.”

His hands moved over my arms and shoulders, squeezing the curves and dips of my biceps and delts. His body was plenty fit, but I could understand why he saw a difference between us. I spent most of every day outside, moving and lifting, riding and wrestling large animals while he spent that time sitting and typing, planning and negotiating asset management.

“You’re gorgeous,” I admitted. “I’ve…” I stopped my mouth before saying something I’d regret.

He pulled back from where he’d been sucking on my neck. “What? What were you going to say?”

I sighed and leaned over him, brushing my hand through his short hair. “I’ve thought of you an embarrassing amount of times since we were together. I…” I took in a large breath before letting it out. “I stopped hooking up because everyone was a disappointment compared to you. I told you, that’s why Foster and I didn’t…” I shrugged.

“Devon McKay, you sweet-talking son of a gun.” Tully’s lush lips widened into a huge grin. “I can’t deny it’s kind of a rush knowing I cockblocked the sheriff.”

“You’re very prickly about Foster,” I observed, enjoying every minute of this.

His grin faded. “The night I arrived, I thought the two of you were a thing. And you’re already like a son to his mother. Everyone wants the two of you to get together.”

“Except me.” And Foster, but I didn’t say that part out loud. Foster had known before I did that we were better off as friends, but he loved to be provoking when given a chance. Supposedly, he’d done the same thing when Silas came to town. “Whoever ends up with Foster will need to have a spine of steel.”

“And you don’t?”

I shrugged. The slight movement reminded me my dick was very happily nestled against his. “Can we stop talking about other men?” The rough edge to my voice betrayed my desperation.

Tully arched up into me and grinned again. His hands moved down my back to squeeze my ass. “Not if it lights your fire.”

I kissed my way down his throat to his chest, moving to the side to drag his brown pebbled nipple into my mouth. He sucked in a breath. “My fire is always lit when you’re around,” I murmured.

He lifted my chin until I met his eyes. They were the color of the Gulf of Mexico on a clear summer day when the water was an incredible turquoise. I wanted to dive deep down and swim in there forever.

“You going to bolt if we do this?” Tully asked softly.

Not yet.

The words were there, but they remained unspoken. I knew this couldn’t turn into anything other than a short-term string of hookups. There was too much going on in my life, not to mention he lived a thousand miles away. But I wanted to take as much from him as I possibly could this time. And that sure as hell included an orgasm.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” I said instead, not paying much attention to the words but knowing they were the truth.

Tully’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve barely looked at me since I arrived.”

I let out a huff of laughter before sucking the skin below his ear. “Liar. All I do is drink you in.”

Why was I being so honest? I didn’t want him to know how much I felt for him when anything beyond the short term was impossible.

I cleared my throat and added, “I can appreciate an attractive man as much as anyone.”

He tilted his head, unsure. “Good to know.”

I leaned in to press my lips to his. They were irresistible, soft and firm at the same time. His fingers dug into my scalp as if making sure I didn’t pull away. I wondered if he’d meant what he’d implied the other day, about me fucking him. The thought of being inside the hot clench of his body made my cock even harder than it already was. Which seemed impossible.

But I didn’t need to be inside him to come. If I simply remained pressed against his bare body with his hands on me and the warm rumble of his voice vibrating against my chest, my release was inevitable.

“Tell me what you want,” Tully murmured against my lips. “My mouth. My ass. My hands.” I felt his grin. “Dirty words? A few spankings?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? A chance to enforce a little discipline.”

He moved his hands down to squeeze my ass. “You have a very delectable ass, cowboy. It might look pretty with some pink on it.”

Being with him like this was just like I remembered, easy and hot. But this time, I wasn’t anxious about getting back to Katie’s before she noticed I was gone. We had the whole night.

I leaned down to kiss him again, too lightly to satisfy. Every time I pulled away, he sucked in a breath and let out a grumble of frustration. “I want you.” I breathed against his neck. His stubble abraded my lips and tongue as I licked and teased the sensitive spot under his chin. “So fucking much. Any way you want.”

He moved his hands into my hair and tugged. “Want you to fuck me. I’ve wanted it for a long time.”

I moved down his body and took his cock in my mouth, giving it a few licks and pulls before lifting my head off and making a point of wetting my fingers where he could see. His eyes, that impossible color that reminded me of private islands and fruity cocktails, tracked my movements.

After shoving a pillow under his ass, I moved my hand down between his legs, shifting slightly to the side before leaning back down to lick a thick stripe along his shaft. The hair on his legs tugged on my dick, and the musky scent of his arousal filled my nostrils.

He was tight and hot around my fingers. I wondered how long it had been since he’d bottomed for another man and how much prep he’d need before I could feel the squeeze of his body around me. Just the thought of it made me groan around his cock.

“Dev,” he said, inhaling a noisy breath and yanking my hair to pull my head away. “Please. I want to make you come.”

I wasn’t done stretching him, but I moved to kiss up the trail of hair on his stomach and latch onto one of his small nipples as I continued exploring his hole with my fingers. His torso wasn’t as pale as I would have expected in someone who spent his days at a desk, and though I knew how the rest of him had gotten tanned from being in the sun this week, I knew for a fact he hadn’t been outside without his shirt.

I would have noticed.

Hard .

I moved farther up and sucked a mark onto the base of his neck, low enough to remain hidden under a shirt collar but high enough I might get a peek of it if I knew it was there.

Tully shoved me away. “Enough. Where’s the lube?”

He turned to find my bedside table, fumbling into the drawer and finding the bottle immediately.

He also found a dildo.

Tully’s eyes glinted. “You want to bottom for me, Dev?”

“Not right now,” I said, reaching for the lube. As I pumped some onto my fingers, we had a quick exchange about our status and preference for condoms.

“Want to go bare,” he said as my slick fingers entered him again. “That good?”

I nodded and leaned forward, giving my cock a cursory pass with my lubed fingers before lining myself up at his entrance. His face was flushed and his eyes bright. His hair was a mess from my greedy fingers when we’d kissed earlier.

The buttoned-up city boy was nowhere to be found in the ruggedly disheveled man with the semi-feral tangle of hair currently splayed out on my bed, and I found myself wishing I’d be the only one to ever see him like this, sex-mangled and well-loved.

As I pushed into his body, into the stranglehold of his channel, I closed my eyes and prayed for patience. Tully let out a long, slow sound of surrender, which caused me to open my eyes again and watch his face.

His eyes were half-lidded, and his top teeth pegged his bottom lip for a split second before he opened his mouth in an O shape.

“Good?” I whispered.

He closed his mouth and nodded, using his hands to pull my hips in closer. I moved slowly, back and forth, until I struck the right spot inside and Tully’s head arched back. A low curse escaped his lips on a groan.

My balls ached with the need to come, but I also felt a strange tingling in my upper chest as I watched him take his own pleasure. I wanted him to feel good. His experience was exponentially more important than mine, and I felt like if I could just make him happy, he’d want to do it again. And again.

“You feel so fucking good,” I murmured before kissing him. His body was straight fire, and his strong hands traveled all over my ass and back and into my hair as I moved in and out of him. With every thrust, he let out a small whimper, which was probably why I felt like I wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer.

I reached for his cock but noticed my hand was shaking. I felt out of control and wrecked. My orgasm was being held at bay by the barest whisper of a silent plea.

“Tully,” I begged. “Need you to come.”

His hand closed around mine and squeezed. Our combined grip shuttled over his cock at the speed and pressure he chose while I leaned my forehead against his shoulder and watched. The rhythm of my hips began to slip as my release roared toward me like an arrow shot from a bow.

It was too late to hold back, but thankfully, Tully cried out, and just as I felt the giddy relief of my orgasm, I also sensed the warmth of his on my hand.

As I thrust once more into him, his legs came around my back and held me close, locking us together. His chest heaved with deep breaths, and his tongue came out to lick his lips.

“Fuck,” he breathed. “Fuck.”

I shifted to the side a little so I wouldn’t crush him as I lay down. My arms were no longer capable of supporting my weight. My entire body felt like a bowl of overcooked noodles, and my brain was happily absent, frolicking in a field of daisies somewhere out of sight and mind.

“Worth the wait,” I murmured against the skin of his chest.

A puff of air hit my hair as he laughed. “That was a hell of a wait.”

“Too long,” I admitted.

“Way too long,” he murmured. His fingers moved into my hair, toying with the strands. Between his gentle caresses and the orgasm, I could have fallen asleep right there, but I knew better than to fall asleep covered in jizz.

“Stay here,” I said, shoving away from him. I felt like I weighed a thousand pounds.

I cleaned us both up and nudged him over to one side of the bed before sliding in beside him and pulling the blankets over us. Tully moved toward me and threw a leg over mine before settling his head on my bicep. “This was all part of my elaborate scheme to get a good night’s sleep in a decent bed.”

I wrapped my arm around his back. “Devious but vastly overplayed. You could have offered to show me your dick in exchange for swapping beds, and I would have done it in a heartbeat.”

He barked out a laugh that made me smile. “Slut.”

“Mmhm.”

We lay together in comfortable silence for a while. I assumed we’d drift off to sleep eventually, so I was surprised when I felt Tully’s body stiffen in my arms.

“I forgot to tell you something,” he said.

It was clear I wasn’t going to like what came next.