Chapter 12
TWELVE
Tad
Tad’s heart was pounding so hard he was sure the organ was going to bust past his ribs, out of his chest, and land with a mushy plop on his area rug. Dying now would ruin everything . He’d spent years, literal years , trying to get Dakota to admit he had feelings for him, imagining how it would feel when Dakota finally—if ever—kissed him or touched him.
Now it was happening, and Tad had been wrong. About everything.
For some reason, he’d thought Dakota would take control, be masterful. The ridiculous word made him snort because clearly that was due to reading his mother’s vintage historical romances.
“What’s so funny?” Dakota asked between nibbling on Tad’s lips and massaging his ass.
Tad slipped his tongue into Dakota’s mouth, enjoying the garbled groan and reflexive tightening of Dakota’s grip on his ass that he was rewarded with.
“I was wrong,” Tad whispered a few minutes later.
Dakota pulled back so he could see Tad’s face, his dark eyebrows drawn together.
“Wrong about what?”
Quickly, Tad said, “Kissing you is even better than I imagined.”
So fucking good.
His dick throbbed in agreement, wanting more. Needing more.
Now Dakota’s smile turned mischievous. “Of course it’s better. How could you possibly come close to imagining something as incredible as me”—he dragged his tongue across Tad’s lips—“kissing”—then nibbled at one corner—“you?” The last, he punctuated with a searing, claiming full-on kiss that stole Tad’s breath away.
Tad slid his hands up Dakota’s muscled back to grip his shoulders. He was going to fall down if he didn’t.
Dakota grunted, “Hold on to me.”
“As if I’m ever letting go.”
Gripping his ass, Dakota lifted Tad up, and he automatically wrapped his legs around Dakota’s hips. Tad’s cock—already harder than he’d ever experienced—rubbed against Dakota’s abdomen. The sensation nearly drove him over the edge.
“Oh, god. Kota . More.”
Next thing Tad knew, Dakota was on the couch and he was semi-sprawled across Dakota’s lap. Tad wasn’t a small guy, so he didn’t really fit, but he wasn’t moving unless he had to. Rising to his knees, Tad framed Dakota’s muscular thighs with his and began to ravage him again.
Clearly, it was Tad’s job to do the ravaging, and he was definitely okay with that.
“Can I take off your shirt?” Dakota asked.
Again, not the clothes-ripping man Tad had dreamed up, instead a conscientious lover who asked permission. Somehow, that made him even sexier.
“You can take it all off,” Tad rasped. “Please, take everything off.”
“Tad,” Dakota said in warning, his voice raspy and low, “we take our clothes off, and there are no guarantees this stops.”
“If you even think about stopping, I, I’ll—just don’t. Please don’t stop.” Tad was not above pleading. Or begging.
Stilling, Kota framed Tad’s face with his large hands and stared into Tad’s eyes deeply, as if he was trying to find a lie. There was no lie. Tad had nothing to hide and everything to gain. He didn’t squirm or look away. He just stared back—unafraid, absolutely sure, doing his best to communicate without words that he wanted this, he wanted Dakota. And always had.
If Dakota stopped everything and left tonight, Tad wasn’t sure either of they’d ever be able to get back to this point. Tad was perfectly aware Dakota thought he was damaged goods, and Tad was determined to prove him wrong. He was Dakota Green, who’d stolen Tad’s heart years ago. And Dakota was Tad’s, even if he tried to deny it.
Tad saw it in his eyes when Kota stopped struggling against himself.
“I don’t want to stop either.”
“Then don’t.”
“Is it really that simple?”
“Yeah, Kota, it is.”
“Okay, then.”
Tad wasn’t convinced Kota believed him.
With what appeared to be glacial speed to Tad, Dakota lowered his hands, grasped the edge of Tad’s shirt, and began to lift it up. Tad raised his arms to make it easier, which meant he was completely caught off guard when Dakota began sucking on one of his nipples. The absolute shock of pleasure that careened down Tad’s spine made his cock pulse again. His flailing hands landed on Kota’s head, and he tugged him close, needing more of something he’d never had a guy do before.
“I’m gonna come in my pants if you keep doing that,” Tad managed.
“Mm, we wouldn’t want that.”
For a few seconds, Kota tried to suck on Tad’s nipple and tug his track pants down at the same time.
“Erg, fuck this,” Dakota said, frustrated. “Get off me so I can get these off you.”
Slipping off Kota’s lap, Tad stepped back and dragged his pants and boxers off, flinging them to parts unknown with a flick of his foot.
Dakota seemed frozen halfway between unbuttoning his jeans.
Tad waved a hand toward Dakota’s fly. “What? Why are you stalling? Get those off.”
Blinking, Kota stripped off his shirt and kicked his own jeans and boxers off. Tad took one second to drink the sight of him in before straddling his lap again. Their cocks brushed against each other, and they both groaned.
“Let me,” Kota said, taking control now.
“It’s gonna be fast this time,” Tad warned.
Kota shifted enough so he could reach their cocks and wrapped his hand around both of them, his other hand holding Tad steady. Tad, already halfway to orgasm, his chest heaving as he tried to maintain control, watched several beads of precome pulse from his tip and then from Kota’s too. Holy fuck . Kota swiped his thumb across them, smearing the liquid around before beginning to pump.
“Holy fuck, Kota.”
Tad tried to watch. He wanted to watch, but his body had other ideas. His eyes slammed shut and his back arched as Kota kept pumping and their erections slid against each other, a sort of biofeedback loop that only increased the pressure in Tad’s balls.
“I want to make this last,” Kota growled, his voice even deeper than usual, “but not sure that’s gonna happen.”
Those words made Tad happy. Kota was just as worked up as he was. Good .
That was his last thought before his rock-hard balls exploded and his orgasm coursed through his body.
Spent and sensitive, his come covering Kota’s hand and abs, Tad raised his head. He hadn’t realized he’d rested it against Kota’s shoulder.
He took in Dakota’s expression. This moment felt crucial. The future—their future together—was in the balance.
So of course Tad said something goofy to hide his fear that Dakota would leave and possibly never come back or try and pretend what just happened had never happened.
“There’s more where that came from,” he blurted, adding an eyebrow waggle for effect.
Dakota grinned back at him and rolled his eyes. Tad’s heart hurt with how much he loved Dakota’s rare smiles. “Of course there is. Shove off already so I can clean us up.”
“You’re not going to make me have a big conversation now, are you?” Tad gave up on his attempt to ignore the elephant in the room.
Pushing Tad to one side, Dakota stood up from the couch. Which was nice, it gave Tad a very good view of him.
“Don’t you think we should?”
“No, I do not.” Tad felt himself frown. “I want to go to bed—with you—and plan our Christmas Tree Attack.”
“Christmas Tree Attack?” Dakota disappeared down the hall to the bathroom and reappeared carrying a damp washcloth.
“Yes, Christmas Tree Attack. There are at least three lots I want to stop at.”
“ Three? Don’t you usually go to the U-Cut?” There was a panicked tinge to Dakota’s voice.
“My parents do, but I want to start a new tradition, and honestly, getting my hands all covered with sap has never been my idea of fun. That stuff takes ages to clean off.”
Tad liked the U-Cut on the other side of the valley, but he did want his own traditions, and why not start with the tree? The past couple of years, he’d decorated a cactus. One year in college, a pineapple. This year, he wanted a real tree. And he wanted Dakota to help him pick it out. Their first tree together .
Even if, he reminded himself, Kota was only staying with him temporarily.
Kneeling down in front of him, Dakota gently cleaned Tad up, wiping the evidence of the evening away.
“Okay, no talking tonight. But we will have to at some point.”
Tad wasn’t sure if he was relieved or not.
His eyes opened. He’d been asleep and he was now awake. Wide awake. What had happened with Dakota last night came flooding back. In alarm, Tad flung one arm out and it smacked against a hard chest.
“What the fuck?” Dakota growled, his voice raspy from sleep.
“Um, sorry?” Tad winced, bringing his arm back to his side. “Just checking, er, that you were there.”
“Did you think I’d sneak out in the night? Go sleep at the station?” There was a rustling and Kota’s voice was directly next to his ear. “I could’ve, you know. You sleep like the dead. Snoring, the whole nine yards.”
“I do not,” Tad said hotly.
He didn’t snore, did he? Surely he would wake himself up if he did?
“Nah, you didn’t last night anyway. But, hey, I do have to get to the station, I’m gonna make some coffee before I go.”
Tad sat up and swung his legs off the bed. “Go take a shower and I’ll make us coffee. I even have a go-cup you can use.”
Standing up, Dakota shot him a suspicious glance. “What does it say?”
Tad refused to let himself be sidetracked by the absolute gorgeousness that was a naked Dakota. “Cups don’t talk, silly.” He rummaged around in his dresser and found a pair of sweatpants that would do for now.
I am not going to freak out, I am not going to freak out.
“You know exactly what I mean,” Dakota countered, still standing there and making it difficult for Tad to want to make him coffee or let him go to work.
I can freak out later, after Dakota is gone.
“I guess you’ll find out once you’re out of the shower, hint hint.”
“Fine,” Dakota said with a grumpy huff as he headed toward the bathroom.
Pulling on a hoodie he’d been saving for the perfect time, Tad forced himself from the bedroom. The sweatshirt had a silhouette of a sexy cowboy riding a bucking horse with Poke Me written across the bottom. Dakota would be horrified. Tad was often amazed at what a prude the love of his life could be, but it made it easy to tease him with seemingly harmless t-shirts and mugs.
Whistling under his breath, he made his way to the kitchen and found the mug he’d bought for Dakota. While the coffee maker chugged away, Tad located his cell phone and logged on to check his email.
His mom wanted to know his schedule for the week, Boone forwarded an obvious scam email for car insurance, and Honey Sweeting wanted to meet with him. Considering his response to that last one carefully, Tad replied that he had time that afternoon and hit Send.
Dakota emerged a few minutes later fully dressed, but his short hair was still damp and all of him smelled like Tad’s shower gel.
“Hey there, you clean up nice,” Tad joked, setting his phone aside, face-down. “I’m going to get used to you being here in the morning over the next couple of weeks.”
“Hmph.”
That response was about what Tad expected. Dakota had never been a morning person—or a person-person—which was why, when he’d seen this particular go-cup, he’d had to buy it for him. Truthfully, Tad understood that Dakota was something of a person-person, or he wouldn’t have decided to become a deputy. He’d just had the bad luck to experience the wrong kind of persons first thing in his life. Until he’d met Tad, of course.
The words on the mug read: There are two kinds of people in this world. Avoid both.
“Here’s your coffee.” He held it out to Dakota with a big grin. “Let’s do the tree thing today instead. Wanna meet back here tonight, or at Jake’s?”
“You have a shift today?” Dakota accepted the cup and read the saying without comment. But Tad thought he spotted a smile hiding behind Kota’s morning grump.
“Yeah, short one. Lunch shift, only a few hours.”
“Let’s meet here after. Sorry, but I’ve got to get going. Ben texted, sounds like we’ve got a busy day already.” Kota started toward the door, then paused and lifted the cup. “Thanks for the coffee,” he said and then he was gone, door closed behind him.
Quickly, Tad snatched his phone back up. He didn’t want Dakota to know—yet—that he was digging into Peter Kline’s background, and he needed to talk to Curtis before he found out what Honey wanted.
“The damn nurses won’t leave me alone. How’s a person supposed to heal if they’re in here waking me up at three o’clock in the morning?” Curtis complained.
Settling his messenger bag across his lap, Tad tried to make himself comfortable on the hard plastic visitor’s chair. Curtis had a point, but Tad figured the care staff had their reasons.
“Other than tired, how do you feel?” There was a stack of books sitting on the rolling table. “Looks like someone dropped off reading material.”
Curtis glanced at the pile. “Dean was by with his new man. And I’m pissed off.”
Tad smirked. “At least you’re alive to complain about it.”
“I suppose,” Curtis grumbled. “What’s going on? Have you found out anything more about that piece of excrement, Peter Kline?”
Opening his bag, Tad pulled out his laptop, and a minute later, he was looking at the notes he’d compiled for Curtis. And the photo he’d taken of Kline and Sweeting together at the tree lighting. Curtis’s business partner possibly had bad taste in men, but could she somehow be involved in the land grab and re-zoning too? Absolutely yes. But, he reminded himself, innocent until proven guilty.
Quickly, he went through the notes, which didn’t seem like much now that he had Curtis as an audience.
“But,” Tad added, “a college friend of mine lives in Cheyenne and works for the state zoning commission. He was surprised to learn about a proposed project. Dan did some digging around, and he wasn’t able to find any approved new construction projects for the plateau. He also couldn’t find a record of the LLC that Kline supposedly formed and wondered if we had his name right. Upon further research, he found a different LLC, DreamDwell, that names P. Kline as a managing member. As far as Dan could tell, there were no others named, so it’s possible that DreamDwell is just a shell protecting a bigger company.”
“Bugger. I don’t like this. Why did this have to happen now?” Curtis growled, scowling at his bandaged leg that was presumably pinned back together with surgical staples and whatnot. “Why couldn’t it have been a regular break and not something that required surgery?”
Ignoring the complaint, Tad said, “It sure seems like Kline is pulling a fast one. He doesn’t have all the environmental okays, so what’s the point of announcing a development?”
“Maybe it’s a bluff,” Curtis said after a second. “Maybe he’s hoping that people aren’t paying attention? Once the damage is done, it’s done.”
“But, say, he does start construction. There’s still the issue of water rights. That’s enough to start a good old-fashioned gun battle right there.”
Curtis looked thoughtful, then said, “Maybe check and see what county records say. Has that land actually changed hands? Didn’t you mention that Waylon and Penny thought it was still in probate?”
“They did. Do. I’ll stop by the county recorder’s office as soon as I can.” Tad packed his laptop back up and stood to go. “I have a lunch shift today at Jake’s, so I need to take off.”
“Ah, what I wouldn’t do for a Jake’s burger and fries right now,” Curtis muttered.
“I’ll see what I can do.”