Chapter 11
They set up camp right on the ridge overlooking the pasture.
The night was clear, and a mild breeze blew through the overgrown grass.
Tall trees swayed in the distance. The two of them lay spread out on a blanket.
A roaring fire flickered just a few feet away, keeping them and the food warm as a mild cool front pushed through the area from the north.
Dinner was excellent. They ate small, bite-size pieces of food Austin had cooked himself.
“Here, taste this last bite for me. It’s hot like you like it.
It’s a shrimp, jalapeno bacon something.
I found the recipe online.” Austin ran the bite over the peppered jelly before lifting it to Kitt’s mouth.
Kitt relaxed on the blanket, his body sprawled out with his head close to Austin’s knee.
His standard Bud Light was close by while Austin opted for wine.
“I’m gettin' full,” Kitt said, but still opened for the bite. No way would he refuse anything from Austin, especially something he cooked with his own two hands. Kitt chewed and swallowed as Austin leaned in.
“I got some jelly on the side of your lip,” Austin murmured, leaning farther in to swipe the sweet and spicy mix from the corner of Kitt’s mouth. “Mmm…you taste delicious.”
“That’s your food you’re tastin’,” Kitt said, and leaned up on an elbow to reach for another shrimp.
“It tastes better on you.” Austin chuckled at the roll of Kitt’s eyes.
“Whatever! Open up, have you tried it? They’re delicious.” Kitt rose more to give Austin the bite he just picked out. Austin sucked Kitt’s fingers in, licked them as he pulled them out.
“Mmmm…you’re delicious. I think you need to be on the menu.” Austin waggled his eyebrows as the perfect follow up on the cheesy line.
“You’re a mess, Austin,” Kitt said, as he reached over to grab another bite. He popped it in his mouth before he lay back down on the blanket, looking at the stars. “I’m glad no storms came with the front. I like us bein’ out here together.”
“Me, too.” Austin brought another piece of shrimp up for Kitt who ate it easily.
“We eat too well. You’re gonna get me fat.” Kitt swallowed and lifted to take a drink of his beer.
“Yeah, I don’t think there’s any fear of that. You work way too hard. But you know, it might not be such a bad idea for you to gain a hundred or so pounds. Maybe it’d help my insecure heart not worry about Fisker, or any others coming to steal you away from me,” Austin said absently.
Kitt cut his eyes directly to Austin. There was a lot of meaning in the words just spoken.
He laughed. “If I gain a hundred pounds, I’m not sure you’ll wanna keep your eye on me, but give me another bite!
We can try it and see which theory proves true.
” Kitt swiped the shrimp through the jelly before popping it in his mouth.
Austin just laughed at him. He’d slowly put things away as they were finishing.
He moved the shrimp now, keeping it close to Kitt, but making room for himself to lie beside him.
Austin propped his head in his hand. He was at the right angle for Kitt to move in and kiss him softly. “Thank you for dinner.”
“So this is your favorite place on the planet?” Austin asked.
“Mm-hmm.” Kitt looked out over the darkened pasture.
“My dad and I came here when I was a little boy, before things got so messed up between us. And, my oldest sister sometimes came out here with me when I’d come home to visit.
I imagined if I ever got married it would be right here.
I would have to plan it perfectly with the wind blowing gently, like this, but in the daylight.
” Kitt loved this part of his land. It was in the very back of the property, right along the property line, and he’d spent so much time here throughout his life it felt like his personal sanctuary.
Tonight was no different. As he lay there looking out over the pasture, he watched the night.
It took him a minute to realize what he’d just said, and he felt the heat creeping into his cheeks.
He tried to cover it as he pushed to his feet to stoke the fire.
“I think I was just ensuring I’d never marry. What person in their right mind would agree to have a wedding out here?” Kitt chuckled. He tried to make light of the thought, adding logs to the fire. As he worked, Austin unrolled their sleeping bag.
“You know, we might be an absolute mess in the morning. I’m not sure it was one of our brightest ideas to try and feed each other in the dark,” Kitt said, over his shoulder, looking at Austin who stood, stretching his long body before he began to undress.
Kitt turned back to the fire, tossing a couple more logs on it.
All of the remnants of their dinner were gone, and the sleeping bag lay on the blanket for a little extra padding.
“It’s cold over here by myself,” Austin said, from inside the sleeping bag.
“We can’t have that.” Kitt grabbed a beer and a bottle of water from the small cooler. After grabbing a roll of paper towels, condoms, and lubricant, he laid everything within easy reach. He stood between Austin and the fire, undressing before he stretched out.
Austin didn’t hesitate to move into Kitt’s arms. The pillow was positioned so they could both lie on it, but Austin opted for Kitt’s chest to lay his head on. He gave Kitt a small kiss, not letting him take it deeper when he tried to do so.
“It’s colder outside, winter’s close,” Austin murmured. With Kitt’s urging, he lifted again for another kiss, but again denied him deepening the kiss. He kept it simple and sweet, which was not at all the direction Kitt had in mind.
“That’s October in Texas for you, warm days and cool nights,” Kitt said casually.
He wondered why they were talking about the weather.
Kitt took more initiative and rolled them both so they lay on their sides.
Running his nose along Austin’s jaw, Kitt wrapped him in his arms, caressing his fingertips down the bare skin of Austin’s back to his ass.
Both their cocks were good and hard. Kitt pivoted his hips, rubbing them together as he snuck his finger down to massage the tight rim of Austin’s ass.
“I was thinkin’ maybe I’d lick you right here tonight.
See if I can get you to come with just fuckin’ you with my tongue.
We haven’t done that before, but I’ve wanted to.
I used to be pretty good at it in college,” Kitt whispered in the crook of Austin’s neck.
He kissed and nipped the skin as he spoke.
Austin again leaned in for a kiss but kept it light and stopped Kitt’s hand before he was able to slide his finger inside.
That was a hard sign to get past and Kitt looked confused. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I just like spending time with you. It doesn’t always have to be just sex,” Austin said, looking him in the eyes. It threw Kitt off.
“Okay.” He pushed back to match Austin’s position. He lay with his head propped on his hand, but the confusion was clear on his face.
They spent a lot of time talking, but not about anything important or relevant to their lives, except maybe when Austin asked him questions about the ranch.
Everything else was either the past, like what happened to kids from high school, or safe topics like world events and what beer was the best on the planet.
That answer never changed for Kitt no matter how Austin tried to persuade him Bud Light wasn’t truly the king of beers.
“Stop with that look…and come closer. I didn’t mean for you to move away. Scoot closer,” Austin said.
After a minute of speculation, Kitt did move back closer to Austin, meeting him halfway.
Austin pushed Kitt back down on his back and leaned up on his elbow.
He looked down at Kitt who just watched him, trying to read his expression.
Kitt couldn’t get a vibe for what he might be thinking. Austin gave nothing away.
“I’m gonna miss you when I go back to California,” Austin said, studying Kitt’s face.
There was a pause as Kitt tried to figure out what the sentence really meant.
“You might decide you like it better there and stay. It’s a lonely kind of life around here.
Or wait, is that what you’re tryin’ to say to me now?
” Kitt asked, immediately schooling his features and forcing himself to stay casual.
The pain of his unguarded words pierced his heart and ran rapidly throughout his body.
“Absolutely not! Babe, I like it here. I know I get in the way and slow things down, but I like working my body, learning all these new ways of things. It feels right to be here.” Austin lifted his fingers to run across Kitt’s lower lip as he spoke.
“Besides, I’ve had everything but solitude since I’ve been here.
You all night, Mike and the guys all day…
I need some alone time!” Austin leaned forward for another chaste kiss on his lips.
“Remember what I told you in the truck. I want this between us, Kitt. I do.”
Kitt let it settle between them; gave his heart the minute it needed to slow, to stop the instant jerk of panic and ache. His gaze still searched Austin’s face. “How long are you gonna be gone?”
“I hope not more than a day, maybe two, max,” Austin replied, now back to just staring down at him. He ran a stray finger across Kitt’s cheek.
A day wasn’t so bad. Kitt’s heart begged his brain to listen to Austin’s words. He didn’t want to be the always too practical, negative, and analytical one, constantly dissecting everything.