Chapter 21 #2
“I ate your breakfast and Jason’s. I let Coke go ahead and have biscuits, though. Jesus, haven’t you had that cast on long enough?”
“Shut up.” Bax whapped AJ’s butt, then went to discover them some food, grabbing the plates Momma handed over. He saw Coke casually ease Jason sat down, breathing a sigh of relief.
Both of them had sausage, bacon, egg and cheese biscuits, nothing that needed a fork. Orange juice because Jason hated hot drinks when folks were watching. Coffee with a lot of cream and sugar for him because Jack had made it. Bax settled in, smiling all around. “So you sold some calves, huh?”
AJ nodded, boots stretched out and crossed at the ankle. “I did. I got me some going to the Futurities, too. There’s a good crop.”
“Excellent. Jason and I were thinking we might go on back with you, clear out a bit and let Momma and Jack have some time.” He winked at Jack for Momma’s benefit, trying not to hold his breath.
“Well, sure. There’s that mother-in-law out there that you can stay in. Missy loves company.”
“No.” Momma’s voice cut across the front room. Damn it. “If you want to go, Andy, you go. Jason’s staying home.”
Oh, shit.
“Now, Brenda,” Jack said, going to grab her hand. “I think it’s a good idea.”
“Have you lost your mind?” She looked just pure shocked. “Have y’all forgotten that he can’t see?”
Jason started to stand, vibrating, and Coke grabbed one shoulder.
“Breathe, Jason.”
“Momma!” Bax popped up like a jack in the box, reaching out to Jason. “That don’t mean he’s dead. AJ’s got a good spread. Lots of space for us.”
“There’s space here. Jason knows it here. I’m here.”
“I cain’t just stay here, Momma.” Jason bit the words out.
Sighing, Bax looked to Coke, who stood up and went to Brenda, putting an arm around her shoulders. “Come on and chat a minute, Brenda. Just hear me out.”
Jack and Momma went with Coke into the kitchen, Jason standing there, jaw clenched, AJ sitting with eyes big as saucers.
“Man, Jason. You look like you need a beer.”
“No shit, AJ. I’d’ve never known if you hadn’t said.”
AJ grinned. “Well, I figured, you being fucking blind and all…”
“No beer. Not until we get to your place, AJ.” Fuck, he just wanted to eat his breakfast.
Jason and AJ stayed still for a second, then the two assholes started to laugh.
His hands clenched into fists, his jaw setting hard. “You go on and laugh, you braying jackasses. I’ll kick both your butts.”
AJ snorted. “You need to fucking lighten up, man. Blind assholes know how to laugh, right, Jase?”
One of Jason’s eyebrows went up. “I’ll have to look in the Blind Asshole Manual, man.”
“Yeah, but how will you read it?”
He was developing a tic. Right there, next to his eye. “I… I got to go outside. I’ll be back.”
AJ’s backpack was right inside the door, and Bax rooted through it until he found a pack of smokes and a lighter, so he could head out to have one. Maybe three.
He got halfway through one before the screen door opened, Jason stepping out, heading right for the stairs. All he had to do was be quiet, let Mini walk right by.
Jason sniffed, head tilting. “You got one for me, Bax?”
Or maybe not.
“Yeah. Here.” He handed one over and waited for Jason to figure out which end went in his mouth before lighting it.
“Thanks.” Jason didn’t say a word, just smoked, drawing deep, eyes closed.
Shit. Bax felt like a solid gold asshole. Jason was the one who needed some time, some kind of adjustment period.
“I’m sorry, man. I just got a little sideways.”
“No sweat, Bax. I. You know you don’t have to do this, yeah?” Jason took another pull on the cigarette. “I won’t drag your ass down, no matter what. I want you to know that, yeah?”
“I know that, Jase.” His ass had been dragging for at least a year. Maybe more. He was getting old to play the game. “I want to do this, Jase. I just don’t want to fuck anything up.”
“Yeah, well, this is us, asshole. Fucking shit up is a special skill.”
“Oh, fuck you.” He laughed, though, coughing on the smoke he pulled in instead of pushing it out.
“Not here. We need a bigger bed and stuff.”
“You know it.” Wait. Wait, did that mean…? “Was that an offer?”
“Well…” Jason tilted his head a little like a puppy hearing a whistle. “No, Bax. You offered—I sorta accepted.”
“Oh, God.” He was hard as Chinese algebra, all of a sudden. “I want that.”
“I never have, but it’s you.” Just like that made sense of it all.
“Well, yeah. I’d do the same for you.” He so would, even if the thought made things down there kind of clench.
“Then we really need a good-sized bed, sturdy.” Jason reached out, just barely brushed his hand. “‘Cause you and me could ride, Bax.”
“We could. We’re good at that, too.” He didn’t know whether to shit or go blind. Okay, that was a bad analogy.
“Yeah. So, what? We pack some shit, but don’t let no one see us pack my gear?”
“I’m thinking, yeah. We’ll make it nice and easy.” His brain was in his dick right now, but they’d figure it.
“Good.” Jason scooted closer. “I can smell you, Bax.”
“Yeah? I’m needing. Real bad.” His zipper pressed hard against his cock, and he wanted to reach for Jason, do more than just touch his hand.
“I hear you.” Jason leaned back, cigarette shaking a little bit. Bax knew it had to do with wanting, not fear.
He’d forgotten his own smoke, and it was damned good he’d been reminded, because the butt was about to burn his hand. Bax stubbed it out on the planter by the steps. “Too damned many people.”
“Yeah. I need to get out of here, get some space.” Jason was rock-hard—he could see it, just waiting for him.
Bax wanted to touch. Lick. Suck. Anything. “Jason…” He was moving without even thinking on it, right up into Jason’s space.
“Uh-huh. There’s folks everywhere.” Jason moaned, breathing in deeply.
“There’s the barn.” He wasn’t above dragging Jason off. Even if they needed to go eat.
“There’s my bedroom…”
“Hey guys, there any smokes left?”
He was going to kill AJ, and Bax couldn’t quite bring himself to look at Aje until he cooled down, so he took another smoke for himself before handing them over.
“Your woman don’t mind if we come?” Jason was fucking vibrating.
“Nah. Missy’s ready. She’s looking forward to having adults around who ain’t me.”
Yeah. Like AJ was an adult.
“She’s a good one.” Missy was weird as hell—earth-mothery and crunchy granola, but she put up with tons of cowboys and kids and dogs and the woman could cook like nobody’s business.
Bax sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, the thought of all those kids deflating him some. “Well, we’re gonna have to get packed and all. I guess we ought to eat. Has Jack calmed down the natives?”
“Coke’s talking hard.” AJ stared down at Jason. “You really gonna get up on a bull?”
Jason nodded. “I’m gonna try.”
“Has Jason ever not done what he says he’s gonna do?” Bax snorted, grinning finally.
“Well, not yet. Not yet. Man, you got balls.” AJ nodded. “We’ll make it happen.”
“We will.” They’d have to. No way was Bax letting Jason down. They’d make this work if it killed them.
“Well then, I guess I have to get some clothes in a bag.” Jason stood up, AJ stepping out of the way.
Bax moved over, let Jason take his arm, just needing to touch a little. Something that no one would think on. “Some clothes, your new razor—”
“I’m not shaving yet, Bax.”
“That don’t mean you won’t.” He liked Jason with the stubble, but he wanted to help do the shaving, too.
“Yeah. Okay.” They headed back and ran smack dab into Momma, who was all teary and red-faced and mad. “Jason. We need to talk.”
“We do, Momma. I’m going. I need to. Period.”
“But Jason, what do you think you’re going to accomplish?” She was mad enough to use the big words, which always meant bad things.
“I’m going to work out how to piss standing up. I’m going to learn how to shave, how to eat, how to fucking function, Momma. I can’t do that here.”
“Why not? Who the hell taught you the first time?”
“Momma.” Bax stepped in, frowning. “This is different. He doesn’t need mothering. He needs a kick in the ass.”
“He needs someone to take care of him, Bax. Until he gets back on his feet.” She looked right into his eyes. “Bax. Please.”
“I’ll take care of him, Momma. I will. Hell, you know I’ll call every other day.” He did that anyway.
“Momma. I love you, God knows I do, but I have to go. I have to.”
Jack appeared out of nowhere, weathered like the best pair of chaps, and he wrapped his gnarled roper’s hand around Momma’s arm. “Brenda. Honey, let the boys pack.”
She backed up, her face screwing up a little when she started to cry again, but she nodded, arms crossing over her chest.
“I’m sorry, Momma.” Jason sighed and headed down the hallway, face more than a little hangdog.
Momma just watched him go, and Bax sighed, too, reaching out to hug her hard. “He loves you fierce, you know. He just don’t want you to know how scairt he is.”
“I know. I know, Andy. I’d ask you to promise to take care of him, but I know you will.”
“I will.” He kissed her sunburned cheek and smiled before nodding to Jack and Coke. “Y’all make another pot of coffee, and I’ll help him pack and then we’ll all feel human.”
“Okay. Okay, Andy. I love you, son.” She hugged him tight, Jack shaking his head and watching them.
“You, too, Momma.” Bax gave AJ a look when the man would have followed him, grumbling a little. He could do this by himself.
Jason was standing in the middle of his room, a shirt in his hand, looking just about gobsmacked.
“Mini?” He didn’t want to startle, but he figured he needed to help. “What can I do?”
“Bax. I… I can’t even pack myself. How…? How do people do this? How do people fucking live like this?” Shit.
“Well, they do, and they have for a lot of years, so I guess we can figure it.” Closing the door, Bax went right over and wrapped his arms around Jason, squeezing.
Jason didn’t say a word, just held on a second. “Come on. I need out of here.”
“Okay. Your momma is making coffee. We should quick grab a cup, give her some kisses.” Then they could hit the road.
“Okay.” Jason nodded, walked toward the window, the path worn bare.
“Mini, come on. Help me pick out what you want. I know you hate that one scratchy shirt.” That would help, at least. Jason could help pack by feel.
“I do. I want T-shirts and the boxer-briefs and Wranglers. Nothing white.” Jase headed over, fingers sliding over the mattress.
“Okay. You want that blue shirt that looks so fine on you?” Bax liked the dark green, too.
Those lean cheeks heated under the stubbly beard. “Yeah. Yeah, and the green. I’ll need some sweats and stuff, too.”
“Uh-huh. We need to buy some condoms.” Maybe that was off subject, but he kept thinking about Jason and riding and inside. God.
“Okay. And slickery stuff.” Jason nodded, strapping on his watch, fingers trailing over the little boxes of buckles in his top drawer.
“Yeah.” Pulled over by that sad look, Bax put his arms around Jason again, kissing the back of his neck.
“Hey.” Jason didn’t whine, but those lips were so tight, Jason’s entire body just vibrating.
“Hey. Who’s got your back?”
“You do, just like always. Just like I got yours.”
“You know it. I’m with you. We’ll do it.” Jason needed to hear it. Bax needed to say it.
“Okay, Bax. We will.” That stubborn jaw set and Jason nodded, just like they were fixin‘ to ride.
He took a kiss because he couldn’t not, spinning Jason the rest of the way to face him so he could mash his lips right down.
Jesus. He needed to remember this—remember that his kisses were hot enough to melt Jase down and stop the damn fool from thinking.
Not that he could think much himself, given that he was rubbing on the finest man in creation.
They kissed hard, both of them pressing in, small sounds stifled between their lips.
Jason’s hand landed on his back, palm flat, pushing them together. Bax moaned, his hips pushing forward, his cock trying to work its way free on its own. It couldn’t, damn it, but it sure tried.
“Lock the door, Bax. We’ll be quick, huh? Real quick.”
“Uh. Shit, yes.” He made sure Jase was steady on his feet before hightailing it to the door to lock it, unzipping his jeans on the way back. “Oh, damn, that feels good.”
“Smells good. Bring it over here where it belongs, cowboy.”
Bax went right over, shoving out of his shirt, struggling with his damned jeans over the cast, then reaching for Jason’s clothes. He needed skin and air and nothing else between them.
Once Jase figured him out, the clothes went flying, Jason’s hot little body smacking right into his arms. Skinny, hairy little man. Bax moaned, tilting Jason’s head back to take a kiss, their dicks meeting and rubbing.
“Bax.” Jason’s hand was hard as a stone, landing on his neck and dragging him closer.
“More. We gotta—” His breath huffed out a moment, leaving him with an unattractive gurgle. “We gotta hurry.”
“Uh-huh. Come on.” He got another kiss, Jason’s free hand wrapping around their cocks and rubbing but good.
His whole body arched, his head falling back a little, breaking the kiss. “Jesus, Mini. Gonna kill me.”
“Uh-uh. Just gonna love on you.”
“I know. Same here.” His hands tingled, and he got one moving, pushing it between them to press around Jason’s hand. Gave them a whole load of friction.
“Uhn.” Jason went up on tiptoe, hips sawing back and forth, pushing and pushing, always driving.
It was like watching Jase ride a bull. Pure sex. God. He squeezed, Jason squeezed. Yeah.
“Gonna let you in me, Bax. Want that.”
Oh, fuck yes. Whimpering, Bax moved faster, his hips sliding as if they didn’t have arthritis, as if he was eighteen, as if he wasn’t teetering on his bad leg. “Inside. Jason. Christ.”
“Yeah. Yeah, Bax.” Jason’s lips traced his collarbone, teeth scraping, just a little.
He shivered hard, his balls drawing up. “Fuck, Mini. Do that again.”
“Huh? This?” He got another little bite, his skin buzzing.
“Yes. Oh, God.” He worked his hand faster and faster, his whole body shaking. Bax went up on tiptoe, trying to hold on long enough for Jase to be with him.
“Fuck.” Jase bit, just a little harder, hips snapping, heat pouring over his fingers. Yes. Hell, yes.
“Jason…” Bax just lost it all over. His cock throbbed and his balls emptied and that was all she wrote.
Mini breathed on his chest, panting away. Goddamn.
“Better?” Bax sure was. He was boneless and happy and ready to take on the world again. Even if his leg was aching like fire.
“Uh-huh. Good.” Jase nodded, humming a little.
“Okay. Okay, then. We should clean up and, uh, pack.” Before someone knocked on the damned door.
“Right. Packing.” Jason nodded, stroked his cock one more time. “Gotcha.”
Shuddering, Bax moaned, so sensitive it hurt. It hurt good, though. Just the right way.
They could do this. They just needed to remember that they had each other.