Chapter 8 #3
Sure enough, his Cajun was climbing up, balancing on Jilly, testing her gait in an extreme way. Crazy motherfucker.
She didn’t buck none, though. She settled into a sweet canter, just like a circus horse.
“Are you seeing this shit, Adam?”
He nodded. “He’s got magic in him, Bri. What can I say?”
“He’s going to get himself killed.” Still, that was pure admiration in Bri’s voice. Horse work was the one thing Bri could really relate to, admire.
“I sure hope not.” Adam glanced at Brian sideways. “You think this is a bad idea, don’t you? Me and him?”
“I think he’s young and hot and worth a fling, but there’s no future in him. He’s a little boy with a fifth grade education. Eventually you’ll get bored.” Brian shrugged. “There’s no harm in that, you having a bit of fun with him, showing him a better world.”
“Right.” Adam’s shoulders hunched up around his ears. That was how he’d thought of Landon to begin with, but now he knew different. It just took getting to know the man to see how good he was.
“Hey, no offense. He’s a good kid.”
Landon eased back into the saddle, leaning forward to murmur at Jilly, stretched out along her neck.
“I know.” He watched Landon, wondering where this was going. Where could it go? Adam fucking ruined every relationship he ever had. He wasn’t worried about Landon. He was worried about him.
“Don’t stress it, huh?” Bri bumped his shoulder. “Let it ride.”
That was the motto of their lives. He grinned some. “You know it.” He let himself relax, let himself watch Landon whoop and wave his hat.
It was fascinating, to know someone who was more at home on horseback than he and his brothers were. If he didn’t admire the kid’s skill so, he might be jealous. Oh, who was he kidding? He was jealous, a little.
Landon brought Jilly up to the fence, all twinkling dark eyes and bright grin. “She’s looking good, hmm?”
“She looks amazing. We thought she’d never take to anyone.” No, they’d thought she would stomp them.
“Oh, she jus’ needed a friend.”
“A friend?” Bri’s eyebrow arched, his expression skeptical.
“Yes, sir. They ain’t stupid.”
Brian frowned. “Never said they were. Horses tend to like horses better than people, though. This one has been…trying.”
“I ain’t people. I’m a Cajun.” Landon winked, obviously playing.
“Well, Cajuns always got a way with horses and dogs,” Bri agreed.
“Don’t forget the ’gators.”
“Oh, God.” Brian cackled, the sound loud and happy. “I been gator hunting with Cajuns.”
“Fun, ain’t it? Y’all all should come out to the house.”
“We could do that.” Adam wondered if he would live to regret that statement. He’d heard Cotton and Packer talk about Landon’s property and all the trouble they’d gotten into out there.
“I’d love that. So would Sister.”
“We’ll have to come, then. We’ll bring the meat and have a barbecue.” Brian was trying, Adam had to give him that.
Landon grinned, tanned face all lit up. “It’s a deal. You want me to run her around again?”
“Nah. Let’s give her a break.” The filly was stamping, tossing her head a bit, impatient with the talk of men.
Landon slipped off, patting Jilly’s rump. “Thanks for playing, lady girl.”
Jilly nibbled at Landon’s collar. It made Adam snort with laughter.
“Lawd, now. Don’ eat my shirt.” Landon dug a carrot from some pocket, breaking a bit off to feed her.
She nibbled it right from his hand, which was something she’d never done with any of them. Not without trying to take her pound of flesh.
Adam rolled his eyes, impressed as hell, maybe a touch annoyed. Taggarts knew horses, but Landon was something else. “You want to tell her I’m a good guy, honey?”
“I can do that.” Landon leaned right in, jabbering at her a million miles an hour in a patois that he couldn’t follow.
“It’s not going to work, Adam.” Brian shook his head. “The kid isn’t really magic or nothing. He can’t really talk to them.”
“You don’t think so. Yet.” Adam knew better. He knew Landon was like no one he’d ever met before. “You hear them sometimes.”
“Just feelings. That’s not magic, that’s intuition.”
“Call it whatever you want, Bri. If it’s there, Landon has it.” Landon had all sorts of things Adam wanted.
Now he just had to figure out what the heck to do with the kid.
Lord, the moon was full.
Landon wandered from room to room in Adam’s house, following the beams of light through the windows. If he didn’t get tired soon, he’d head to the barns, talk to the horses, work himself sleepy.
Adam said his house was little, and compared to the main house and even his and Sister’s place, it was, but it was nice.
Solid. Clean as anything. Landon loved it, loved exploring the books in the bookshelves, the odds and ends in random drawers.
Adam didn’t have a lot of knick-knacks, but he had some strange odds and ends.
A broke horseshoe. A carved piece of soap shaped like Texas.
A lanyard made out of plastic string, like it had been made by a school kid.
The best part was Adam’s buckle collection. He had one from mutton bustin’ way back, all the way up to Mr. Strait’s roping classic last year.
Damn, his cowboy was amazing. Way better at rodeoing than him.
Better at pretty much everything than him, really.
He jumped when his phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it, heading out to the backyard, knowing it was Sister. “Hey, ma soeur.”
“You’re restless, chou.” Her voice soothed him. He missed her fierce. Had so many things to tell her.
“I am. I miss your face. I’m gon’ bring Adam and the others to meet you. I need you to know them.”
“Well, bring them on then, oui?”
“I will. Soon. Tell me how you is? Tell me ’bout the world?” He sat on the front step, lit a cigarette, and rubbed his forehead. “Tell me about home?”
She laughed, which sounded like a curious bird. “Old Man Lefew got the ague. Shena Baptiste lost her a toe to a ’gator.”
“Was she skinny dipping?” That girl was a disaster hunting for a place to land.
“No, sir. She was sunning in the boat. Dangling her feet, ’cause you know how big they is.”
“Lawd, lawd. I bet her momma done set up a wail. They come to you for doctoring?” Sister was a traiteur, one of the very best. Maw-Maw always said Laurel had a direct line to God.
“They did. Her brother about to come home from the Army.”
“That’s a blessing.” Anytime someone came home from war alive was a gift. Bayou people wasn’t afraid to serve.
“Right?” She laughed again, and his bones settled under his skin. “You happy there?”
“It’s a lovely place, Sister, with a big old main house and so many barns.”
“The horses talk happy talk?” Laurel said you could tell a lot about a man by how their horses felt. How well they were treated.
“Hell, yeah. Oh, Sister, these hommes are so good to them. These babies are happy.”
“Well, then, good. I wouldn’t want you to be where horses were bad.”
“I wouldn’t. Adam wouldn’t. Or the rest. Horses is in them, bone deep.” He believed that, he knew it. The Taggarts were good men, all of them.
“I miss you.”
“Oh, Sister. I’ll be home soon, I swear to God, and I’ll bring comp’ny.” Guilt flooded him. He needed to see Laurel, hug her, ask her to make etoufée. She made deep, rich sauce and cooked the crawdads up good.
“I’ll be here.” He heard her snort. “Where else ’m I gonna be?”
“One day I’ll bring you with me, Sister.” He made the promise all time, and she always scoffed, just like now. It’d take a force greater than him to move her from Louisiana. From their house.
Sometimes he worried that house would just fall down around her. ’Course he needed to go home soon, shore up the beams, maybe fix that one sink that just held water…
“I’ll see you soon, chou.” She always knew when his heart wandered her way. Always. That was the best thing about having a twin.
“I’ll call, Sister. Sleep well.”
“Bon nutty.” The little joke made him chuckle and he put his phone down, so he could finish his cigarette.
The soft sound of bare feet padding on wood came to him, and Adam was there, arms sliding around him. “You all right, honey?”
“Mmm. Hey, cher. Couldn’t sleep, and Sister called.” Lord, Adam was warm, solid. It made him smile.
“How’s she doing?” Adam nuzzled in where his neck met his shoulder, lips soft and warm. He hoped the smoke didn’t bother Adam none. He tried not to smoke too much.
“She’s good. Excited to meet all y’all…” Oh. Oh, his body sure enough loved that.
“I’m looking forward to seeing her.” Adam stroked Landon’s belly, touch feather-light.
“Uh-huh.” He arched a bit, body rippling. “Right.”
“I am. She’s your twin. I get that.”
Was he supposed to concentrate with Adam kissing and touching on him?
He turned, pushed into Adam’s arms, hips rolling and driving his cock against one thigh, nice and easy.
“Mmm.” Adam hummed for him, hands sliding down to push up under his ass.
Oh, he wanted. He wanted his cowboy, his cher. He wrapped his arms around Adam’s neck, lifting up on his toes to get more, to kiss that hot mouth. Adam gave him the kiss he needed, tongue pushing between his lips and melting him, deep down.
Moaning, he rocked against Adam’s long body, trying to get more, and Adam chuckled, lifting him closer. Sexy man.
“You should wake me up next time you can’t sleep, Landon. I’ll wear your ass out.”
Landon didn’t doubt that one bit. He leaned harder. “I just needed to wander, cher.”
Adam kissed him, hard and sure, making him lose his breath altogether. He forgot about sleep or lack of it, forgot everything but the smell and feel and taste of Adam.
They were moving, slowly two-stepping back into the house, down the hallway, one kiss at a time. He liked the idea that this was a dance, that Adam would turn him around the floor. They were belly to belly, moaning into the kisses, shuffling toward the bed.
When they fell back on it, they landed harder than he expected, the air whooshing out of his lungs. Adam just rolled on top of him, pressing him down.
“Cher.” He wrapped around Adam, held on. “Please, love. Touch on me.”
“Anything, honey. Anything you want.” Adam licked a trail from just under his chin to his collarbone.
His whole self was on high alert, buzzing, needing. He touched Adam wherever he could, tugging at the pajama bottoms Adam had put on.
Teeth teased his nipple, rolling it, making his heart hiccup a bit. “God damn.”
“Mmm.” Adam bit a little deeper, pushing down against his cock with those lean hips.
His fingers tangled in Adam’s hair, holding him closer, entire body begging for more. He arched up, but Adam pushed him back down, holding him still.
“Cher…” Heat flooded him, surprising him and burning away any tired.
“God, I love the way you feel,” Adam said, nibbling at his skin, moustache tickling him.
Good. Good, he needed to be good for something. He lifted his chin, let Adam have at him.
Teeth scraped against his Adam’s apple, dragging on his skin. He held on, fingers digging into those wide shoulders. He spread his legs, trying to get Adam to take the offer.
Adam’s answer was a laugh, the man acting like he was going to settle in, just drive him out of his fucking mind.
Lord, that smile was pure evil in the best kind of way.
That long thigh rubbing his cock helped, though.
He felt it—every hair, every muscle, sliding on his dick, driving him crazy.
Wrapping his legs around Adam’s thigh as much as he could, Landon humped hard.
“Needy…” Adam pressed back, making him grunt, fight to move.
“Oui, cher. I got to…” He couldn’t get enough pressure to come, but he was right there on the edge. Adam made him need, made him promise and beg and mean every word.
Adam was good to him, too, kissing and biting, loving on his nipples, his belly, and finally his cock.
“Oh, mon dieu. Cher. Please.”
“I want.” Adam grinned up over his belly, hands like iron bands on his hips. Then the man licked his cock like a lollipop.
Landon’s teeth clacked together, his balls drawn up tight. He strained, trying to breathe, his body strung out on a rack.
“So fucking fine, honey.” Adam licked again, tongue dragging over his slit.
Landon cried out, his body shaking with need. “There. Yes.”
Again and again Adam worked him, leaving him crying out, sweating on the sheets. He clutched Adam’s shoulders, trying to get the man to let him come.
“Want me, honey?”
“Christ, cher. Need you. Like breathing.”
“Good” Adam stared into his eyes, nodding. “Now.”
“Now.” He dragged Adam up, wrapping his legs around the man. “Now, damn it.”
They moved together, and Adam slid between his legs, pushing against his hole.
Adam’s cock was slick enough and he was desperate to risk it, so he bore down, took Adam in.
“Oh, Jesus fuck.” Adam’s head snapped up, and those lean hips pushed forward, filling him with Adam’s cock.
They slammed together, the bedsprings singing with it. This was what he needed, to ride hard, get his restlessness worked out of his bones. Landon fucking flew, crying out Adam’s name, over and over, just calling for it, desperate to shoot.
“Come on, honey.” Adam thrust into him, pegging that sweet spot deep inside. “Come on.”
He shot, heat spreading over his belly, his balls aching. His heart raced like a hummingbird in the springtime.
“Oh, fuck yeah.” Adam rode him hard for a few more thrusts, then came deep inside him.
Oh, damn. Damn, he’d never felt that before, someone so close, so raw and naked. Riding bareback wasn’t new. Going bareback was.
He didn’t know whether he ought to say something, so he went with not. Adam wasn’t a bastard. The man wouldn’t make him sick. Sure, Adam got around, but didn’t everyone say what a gentleman he was? That he always took care?
Besides, this was his cowboy. His dream.
“You okay, honey?” Adam nuzzled along his temple, heavy on top of him.
“Uh-huh. Good.” His eyes were so heavy, so heavy. “Love.”
“Yeah.” Adam didn’t say it, but he could feel it in the way Adam touched him. He knew he could.
He nuzzled in, sleep like a fog, heavy and fuzzy around him. Adam kissed his mouth before easing to one side, arm across his belly. He could sleep now, he thought.
Soon, though, he’d have to go see Sister.
This time he’d bring Adam.