5. Four - Keegan

“Why do you think I’m pretending? It’s not like we’re strangers.”

Izzy’s nostrils flared, and a muscle in his jaw jumped as he ground his teeth. He was so close to Keegan that their chests brushed with each inhale, and Keegan could pick out all the different shades of blue and gray in his eyes. “You don’t know anything ,” Izzy rasped out. Then between one breath and the next, his mouth crashed down on Keegan’s, punishingly hard.

Keegan didn’t know how to respond, and Izzy didn’t give him a chance to figure it out. He hissed as Izzy’s teeth sank into his lower lip. What the fuck? He fisted Izzy’s curls and yanked, breaking the contact—he wasn’t sure he could even call it a kiss—and dragged Izzy’s head back. “Are you drunk ?” he asked. It was the only thing that made sense in his waylaid brain.

Izzy glared, panting, his lips swollen and his cheeks flushed. Before Keegan could demand an answer, Izzy sank to his knees, his furious gaze not leaving Keegan’s face.

A jerk, followed by the slap of leather, echoed off the tiles, and it took Keegan too long to realize Izzy had yanked open his belt. Holy fuck. Had he stepped into an alternate reality? Or maybe he was the one who was drunk. Maybe this was some kind of setup. A backward version of gay chicken where he was supposed to get angry and lash out. Prove that he hated Izzy as much as Izzy hated him. While that idea was ricocheting around his brain, Izzy popped the button on his jeans and dragged down the zipper.

“What—” Keegan coughed and tried again. “What are you doing?” he managed to get out, his tone strangled. He did his best to ignore his body’s reaction to having Izzy King on his knees in front of him. He wasn’t successful. His cock throbbed and thickened, pressing up against his open zipper and threatening to burst free. He tightened his hand in Izzy’s hair and applied steady pressure until Izzy was forced to arch his neck and bare his throat. “Answer me.”

Izzy shivered and his pupils blew wide. Keegan didn’t know if it was from pain or the demand. “Fuck you,” Izzy snapped, color deepening as his blush spilled down his throat.

Keegan gave another sharp tug and got a bitten-off moan in response. Damn, that was a pretty sound. But it didn’t tell him what he needed to know. Was Izzy serious, or was he just trying to push Keegan to his breaking point. Or was it both? “Answer my question,” he repeated. “Now, Isaac.” Keegan slid his thumb across the fullness of Izzy’s lower lip, still gripping soft blond curls in the other hand. His reward was a glint in Izzy’s eyes before sharp teeth sank into his flesh.

Keegan jerked his hand back with a grunt. “Brat.”

Izzy bared his teeth in a grin that made him look like a wild thing. Then, without warning, he jerked Keegan’s pants halfway down his thighs, reached through the slit in his boxer briefs, and closed his hand around Keegan’s cock, drawing it out.

Keegan was shocked to stillness. Was this actually happening? And, more importantly, was Keegan going to let it continue? Before he could decide, Izzy leaned in and swallowed him to the root. Holy fuck . Tight. Hot. Perfect . Keegan tightened his grip and thrust forward, chasing the pleasure.

Izzy gagged but didn’t resist. In fact, he took it beautifully. When Keegan cursed and drew back, Izzy’s hands slid to his ass and sharp nails dug into his cheeks, causing pinpricks of pain through the thin cotton.

Keegan hissed. Fine. Izzy wanted it rough? Keegan could take a hint.

When he adjusted his grip and thrust forward again, Izzy let out a muffled groan, pressed his nose to the curls at the base of Keegan’s cock, and swallowed around him repeatedly. Izzy looked up, his cheeks red, eyes wet, and lashes clumped but still fiercely determined. Keegan still didn’t know what he was trying to accomplish with this little show, but at the moment—with his heart pounding in his ears and sparks of pleasure tightening his balls—he honestly didn’t care.

He accepted the challenge and stopped fighting his instincts. Nothing had ever felt better than forcing his cock down Izzy’s throat over and over, his hands locked in Izzy’s hair while Izzy clung to his thighs and took it like an expert.

Izzy moaned his encouragement when he wasn’t gagging. Within minutes, he was a red-faced mess, sweat and tears mixing with the saliva dripping down his chin. Debauched, Keegan thought as he slowed down, tempted to draw things out. He knew he’d never get this opportunity again.

Despite wanting it to last, Keegan was too close. He pulled out and wrapped his free hand around his cock, stroking with intention.

Izzy’s eyelids fluttered and he made an unhappy sound as he tried to get Keegan back in his mouth, but Keegan didn’t let him. He slapped his cock against Izzy’s cheek and gripped his curls again. “Be a good boy, and I might let you have a taste,” he said, voice strained as he approached the finish line.

Izzy’s laugh was one of breathless disbelief. “When have you ever known me to be good?” he asked, his voice gravelly from Keegan’s abuse.

Keegan gave Izzy’s hair a jerk and got a wanton moan in response. Izzy’s eyes went half lidded as he stopped fighting, opened his mouth, and stuck out his tongue.

The sight swept Keegan straight over the edge, and pleasure pulsed through him. He managed to catch most of his release in his palm to avoid making a mess, but he was also a man of his word. Angling Izzy’s head just right, he smeared the wet tip of his cock across Izzy’s lips, an extra shiver of pleasure washing over him when Izzy chased after the taste with his tongue.

Slowly, he released Izzy’s hair and took a moment to smooth his curls back into place as he caught his breath. Wow. That was…something. He blinked a few times, half expecting the younger man to disappear from in front of him like an alcohol-induced mirage. Except, Keegan had only had two beers, and as he tucked himself away, careful of the mess in his palm, Izzy remained solid and real.

Solid, real, and furious once again.

Izzy stumbled as he lurched to his feet, and Keegan grabbed his bicep to steady him. Izzy stared at the hand for a moment, then jerked away.

Keegan frowned. “Izzy, what—”

The bathroom door opened, hitting Keegan and forcing him forward a few steps. Music and voices poured in from the rest of the bar, popping the strange bubble he had found himself in with Izzy.

Izzy turned abruptly and bent over the sink, splashing water on his face.

The men who had interrupted them were laughing as they pushed into the bathroom. “This is the only bathroom, man,” one of them said, giving Keegan’s shoulder a playful slap. “At least take a stall so the rest of us can piss.” He walked an unsteady path to the row of urinals.

Keegan opened his mouth to say…something, when the second man spoke up.

“Dr. Reid!” he announced, his tone jovial and a little slurred.

Keegan winced. Fantastic. A patient’s owner.

Izzy straightened from the sink, and the movement caught the man’s attention. “And Izzy King.” He looked between them, his surprise replaced by a sly grin. “Niiice,” he said, offering Keegan his hand for a fist bump. “Our Izzy’s always a good time.” He made a crude gesture in Izzy’s direction, then laughed again.

Keegan managed not to punch the guy, who was clearly just as drunk as his friend, but he couldn’t hide the way his lip curled with disgust. He hoped Izzy wasn’t—

“Dr. Reid wishes he could have a piece of this,” Izzy drawled, then slapped his ass for emphasis. “But I’ve got—” he paused “— bigger plans tonight.” He grinned as the man and his friend burst into drunken laughter, elbowing each other like middle schoolers.

Keegan sighed. Apparently, Izzy was fine. Keegan rolled his eyes at the innuendo. He had no reason to be ashamed, as Izzy had just learned.

Izzy continued to joke with the two drunks, firmly ignoring Keegan. Had this been a game after all? A way to ruffle Keegan’s feathers? Or was this just who Izzy was? A fuckboy who did what he wanted and left any consequences for his future self to deal with.

Keegan was just as confused now as he had been when Izzy kissed him.

Izzy looped an arm around the neck of one of the men and let the other grope his ass as he led them from the bathroom without giving Keegan another glance.

The door swung shut, cutting off the din of the bar and leaving Keegan alone, his belt still loose and ejaculate drying in his palm. What a fucking night.

What Izzy King needed was a goddamn spanking.

He’d disappeared from the bar by the time Keegan left the bathroom, and when Keegan mentioned it, he’d gotten a strange look from his friends. Which, fair enough, Keegan didn’t usually keep tabs on Izzy. But what they’d done had been intense, and he still wasn’t clear on Izzy’s mind-set—before, during, or after—so he’d wanted to check in.

Instead, he’d arrived at Split Rock Ranch this morning to a pissy, visibly hungover ranch hand who wanted nothing to do with him. In fact, the most he’d gotten from Izzy were grunts and one-word replies. Eventually, he gave up, and they spent the next half hour of their Saturday morning caring for the rescues in silence.

During the week, Keegan worked three mornings out of the clinic attached to his house and spent the rest of his time on the road. He didn’t technically work on weekends, but as the main vet for the area, he kept his phone on him for emergencies. He had an answering service that knew which calls to send through and which to redirect to the twenty-four-hour clinic forty minutes away. It gave Keegan freedom he hadn’t had the first few years after opening his practice.

Today, he was heading up to his cabin. It would be a short trip since he’d put off leaving until after his morning visit to the ranch. He’d swing by again on his way home tomorrow. Keegan already had the truck packed and the dogs loaded. In an hour, he’d be relaxing in front of the woodstove with a book and a cup of coffee while the dogs played outside and enjoyed the extra freedom that came with being miles from the nearest neighbor.

Chance had been especially eager this morning. He was too smart for his own good, like most of his breed, and knew where they were going before Keegan even rolled out of bed. The roads had been too icy the last few weekends to make the drive, even with snow tires, and the big guy was sick of being cooped up.

Normally, Keegan wouldn’t bring the dogs to work, but the fire road that led to the cabin bordered the ranch, and Alice liked seeing “her puppies.” She’d keep them company while Keegan worked so they didn’t destroy his truck with doggy impatience.

As he worked on wrapping the pony, he made one last-ditch effort to get Izzy to talk. “Why Sunny?” he asked. Even stoned on sedatives, the pony didn’t look like a Sunny. More like a Stormy with her gray coat and her perpetually pinned ears.

Izzy was quiet long enough that Keegan didn’t think he’d answer. Finally, he admitted, “It’s from a book series. Violet, Klaus, and their little sister, Sunny.” Keegan couldn’t be sure, but he thought he detected the hint of a blush. “She bites.”

That sounded familiar. “What’s it called?”

“A Series of Unfortunate Events,” Izzy said. He stared down the aisle, as if he couldn’t bear to look in Keegan’s direction.

“Fitting.”

Izzy grunted.

Fuck it. “What’s your problem, exactly?”

Izzy’s shoulders stiffened, and his knuckles went white around the lead rope. “Nothing,” he spat out after a slight hesitation.

Keegan shut his eyes and blew out a frustrated breath, then stood.

Izzy tensed further, which only annoyed Keegan more.

“Clearly, you regret what happened last night,” he stated, keeping his voice as even as he could. “But what I’m not sure of is why, because from where I’m standing, all of it was on your terms. Unless I fucked up and you were too drunk to consent.” He waited. Izzy hadn’t looked or acted drunk, despite Keegan’s thoughts in the moment. But maybe Keegan didn’t know him well enough to be able to tell.

For a few long seconds, he didn’t think Izzy was going to answer him, but he did. “I wasn’t drunk,” he admitted grudgingly.

“Well, that’s a relief,” Keegan said, tone more sarcastic than he intended. “So, what’s the problem?” He took a step closer, lowering his voice, just in case someone happened by. The rest of the ranch didn’t need to hear this. “I thought you were the wild one who fucked around with no regrets. If you’re pissed that it was one-sided, that’s on you for leaving. I would have happily returned the favor.”

Izzy’s breathing sped up as he flushed red to the tips of his ears. His mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Keegan resisted the urge to slide a thumb across his skin and feel the heat of his blush. Instead, he removed the lead rope from Izzy’s hand and led Sunny back to her stall.

When he returned, Izzy was gone.

Time at his cabin was exactly what Keegan needed after a stressful week. The snow on the ground turned the forest into a muted winter wonderland. He spent a portion of the day hiking, with Lucky and Chance roaming in the woods nearby and returning every few minutes to check in with Riley and Keegan. Being deaf, Riley preferred to stay in sight of Keegan, though occasionally she’d do a loop with Lucky. Chance was more of a loner, typical of his mixed breeding. Keegan was just glad he was protective of their pack and didn’t go as far as he could have.

All three dogs wore bright-orange harnesses and had trackers in their collars. Keegan’s land wasn’t large as far as mountain properties went, only twenty acres, and it was surrounded on three sides by the national park. This time of year, it was deserted, apart from a few more determined hikers. Hunting wasn’t allowed at any time in the park, but Keegan knew three big animals bounding out of the woods could be frightening, and he didn’t want anyone to get hurt.

Two days of hiking in winter solitude and a peaceful evening in his cabin with a crackling fire and a good book recharged Keegan. He would have liked to stay longer, but he had another full week coming up, and he wanted to check on the rescues before he headed home. Besides, Micah would fuss at him if he missed Sunday dinner at the ranch.

Hopefully, Izzy would be back to his normal, bratty self. Keegan preferred their sniping to the tension-filled silent treatment from Saturday morning.

Mass destruction would have ensued if he left Chance in the car long enough to eat dinner, so he drove home first to drop off the dogs, then swung by the store for the local beer he and Ryan enjoyed.

Sunday dinner was more crowded in the winter months. It was the only part of the year where they were forced inside. Even in the fall and early spring, they took advantage of the beautiful outdoor space and view of the mountains. A few strategically placed heat lamps keep things comfortable all the way into October. Snow, however, meant gathering at the long table off the kitchen.

Things had gotten tighter with the addition of Finn and Xavier, bringing the total to ten—sometimes eleven when Micah’s dad joined them, twelve with Finn’s grandfather. Ryan joked about building a bigger table if anyone else brought home a significant other.

The detour home meant Keegan was the last to arrive at the ranch. Inside, he greeted everyone before claiming the open seat at the table. Usually he sat at one end, with Maggie at the head of the table, Alice next to him, and Finn and Xavier across from him. But tonight, Alice had taken his usual seat, and Archer had taken Izzy’s, leaving Izzy and Keegan trapped between them. Keegan narrowed his eyes. It wasn’t unheard of for the twins to split up, but this seemed a little too convenient. So did Alice’s overly normal greeting. She didn’t have a subtle bone in her body, and the fact that she didn’t overexplain the new seating arrangement was a dead giveaway that someone—either her brother or Micah—had coached her.

Keegan let it go. He wasn’t the one who had a problem. Izzy could deal with them being too close for comfort for an hour or so. Though Keegan did question what the twins were thinking. Had Izzy told his friends what happened the other night? Or was this just an inconveniently timed attempt at forced proximity?

The space was tight, and the passing of plates made it even tighter. Keegan was hyperaware of Izzy next to him, close enough to feel his body heat but with an invisible, impenetrable boundary between them. The one time their arms brushed, Izzy startled so hard he nearly dropped the potatoes. Keegan had to steady them as the spoon rattled.

Izzy didn’t acknowledge the help, his eyes trained on the food, but Keegan caught the shiver that went through him. He tried not to wonder. For all that Izzy proclaimed his hatred, he’d been doing a piss-poor job of showing it.

Finally, everyone was served. Keegan took a bite of Maggie’s famous pot roast and made an appreciative sound as the slow-cooked beef melted in his mouth, the flavors exploding across his tongue. Damn, that was good. Better than any restaurant, that was for sure.

The conversation flowed. Everyone at the table was family. Finn was the newest addition, but the shy young man fit right in. “Have you given any more thought to your idea?” Keegan asked Finn during a lull. They’d spoken on New Year’s. Finn was trying to decide what he wanted to do with his life. Getting together with Xavier had allowed for opportunities that he hadn’t had while working in his grandfather’s general store. Xavier had suggested volunteering with the rescue, but Finn had something bigger in mind. He wanted to help animals find their forever families and then make sure the animals got to their new homes—which were often in other parts of the country—safely.

Finn started twisting his napkin between his fingers at Keegan’s question. Without pausing his conversation, Xavier palmed the back of Finn’s neck and began rubbing small circles with his thumb. Finn’s tension melted away, even as his cheeks went pink. “Um…” he said, then paused to lick his lips. “Xavi thinks it’s a great idea. He’s going to lend his jet and help introduce me to other people who might help.” Finn had stars in his eyes as he smiled at his boyfriend and got an absent kiss to the temple in response.

They were sweet.

For the last year or two, various people had made attempts at setting Keegan up with Finn—notably Micah and Finn’s grandfather, Mac. It had been a bit of a relief when Xavier had come into the picture. Finn was a great kid, but Keegan would never be able to see him as more than shy little Corey Finnegan, Mac Finnegan’s grandson. He’d been a preteen when Keegan met him, and though he’d matured into an attractive young man, Keegan still saw the little boy. It was partly due to Finn’s demeanor—he was just so damn sweet and innocent. Keegan was much too prickly for someone who wore their heart on their sleeve like Finn did.

If Keegan somehow ended up with a partner, it would have to be someone able to push back when Keegan got in one of his “hate the world” moods. Someone who wouldn’t wilt if Keegan said the wrong thing at the wrong time. Someone who didn’t mind that Keegan could be pushy and intense in order to get what he wanted.

And as much as Izzy’s proximity to Keegan at the table was magnetic, he refused to admit that Isaac King, of all people, checked a few of those boxes. Izzy was a hot mess, and Keegan didn’t need that kind of complication in his life.

Objectively, though, it was interesting to note that he’d also met Izzy as a teenager. He’d been around thirteen when Keegan had come to Split Rock for a vet school internship and realized he didn’t want to leave. Keegan didn’t see that boy when he looked at the man. Maybe because Izzy had left during high school to live closer to his trainer and returned years later as an adult. When he turned up working at the ranch, nothing about him reminded Keegan of the boy he’d been. At the moment, he was grateful for that, considering he’d had his cock in Izzy’s mouth two nights ago.

“Do you think he’ll get nominated?” Nick was asking. “It was a strong performance.”

“It’s likely,” Xavier replied. “And as much as he’d rather the movie succeeded on its own merits, the scandal only endeared him to the public.”

“It has to suck for your work to get overshadowed like that,” Micah said. “He’s an amazing actor, and he seems like a good guy too.” He nudged Nick playfully. “Hey, maybe you can introduce us next time we’re in New York?” He waggled his eyebrows, getting an amused smirk from Nick.

They had to be talking about Remy Dalton. The famous actor was one of Xavier’s clients—which meant Nick also knew him since he had been married to Xavier once upon a time. Remy had been outed by an ex-boyfriend a few months ago, and even Keegan, who didn’t pay attention to things like celebrity gossip, had heard about it.

Next to him, Izzy’s knee was bouncing. Keegan could feel the vibration through the floorboards. Without much thought, he reached under the table and gave it a squeeze.

Izzy jumped. His fork, which had been mangling a chunk of potato, clattered to the plate. The noise caught a few people’s attention, but Izzy tossed out a sarcastic quip, and they went back to their conversations.

Keegan didn’t. Izzy seemed rooted by the touch. His body was strung tight and his chest rose and fell quickly, but he didn’t pull away. After a minute, he let out a long, slow breath and resumed eating, shooting an occasional, confused side-eye in Keegan’s direction.

Keegan didn’t know why he’d done it, or what his plan was now, but he didn’t remove his hand.