Ezra thought back, trying to recall the specifics of their conversation. Nettie Wells had needed three hundred dollars to save her ranch from Guy Royal, but that wasn't Ezra's problem. Yet, Vin had felt the need to make it so.

"Give her the three hundred," Vin had insisted. "I'll pay ya back in an hour," he'd promised.

But why should Ezra risk his own money? His hard earned money? It really had been an unreasonable request on Mr. Tanner's part. Still, the man had been earnest and, for some reason, Ezra had felt a twinge that caused him, against his most basic instincts, to give in.

"I'll lend it to you," Ezra'd finally said. "At ten percent interest — if you pay me back within the hour." It had been a reasonable offer — better than any bank in the territory would give — a generous offer, actually. All the more reason to cover all the angles, and so he'd added one caveat: "After that, twenty percent, per day." After all, it was his money they'd be risking, and with great risks should come great rewards. Plus, Nettie would get to keep her ranch, free and clear, so everyone would come out ahead.

"Deal?" he'd asked.

"Just get it outta yer boot and give it ta her," Vin had said, and Ezra had taken that as the man's agreement to the proffered terms.

"With pleasure." Granted, the interest would only amount to thirty dollars, but it would be thirty more dollars than he'd had when he'd awakened that morning.

And, once they'd ambushed Guy Royal, Vin had returned the money. He'd been good on his word — at least in part — though he had failed to pony up the interest.

Only now did Ezra begin to have doubts as to whether Vin had actually agreed to the specific terms. They'd failed to shake on the deal, and now Ezra was kicking himself. He should have gotten it in writing. Oh, his mother would laugh at him if she ever found out about this!

But, maybe he was judging Vin too hastily. Perhaps the man simply needed some time in order to gather the money he owed. Knowing the tracker, he probably had it buried in a pot out in the middle of a field. Yes, that must be it. Vin Tanner was an honest man. He would pay his debt.

And with that, Ezra decided: he would go see Vin straight away. He was being more than generous allowing Vin the extra hours he needed, but it was well after dark and the man must certainly have the money by now.

He checked Vin's wagon first, before proceeding to the saloon, but the tracker was not to be found. Where else could he be? Ezra decided to check the stables for Vin's horse — that would be a certain indication as to whether or not Vin was even in town.

On his way, he passed the bathhouse. It was after hours and the establishment ought to be closed, but there was a light shining behind the single, curtained window. Ezra paused. It always behooved one to be thorough, and, while Vin Tanner was known to bathe even less often than JD Dunne, Ezra decided it wouldn't hurt to take a quick look inside.

He eased open the door, but there was no one manning the front desk. Ezra quietly closed the door behind him as he stepped further inside, intent on confirming the vacantness of the establishment.

And there, in tub, in the far corner, submerged to his waist, he found Vin.

"Mr. Tanner—-" he began, but Vin's startled gasp cut him off.

"Ezra! Can't ya see I'm bathin'?"

"Why, yes, I can, and I can assure you no one is more surprised than me. However, I give you credit: I can think of no better place for you to hide."

"I ain't hidin', Ezra. I'm bathin'. Now, if you wouldn't mind leavin'...?"

"Actually, Mr. Tanner, I'm here on a matter of unfinished business and I refuse to leave you until I am satisfied." Ezra crossed his arms over his chest, but Vin only raised his eyebrows. Surely the man could not have forgotten already? "The interest, Mr. Tanner, on the money I loaned you this very afternoon."

Vin just shook his head.

"You do intend to repay me, do you not? We had an agreement."

"I didn't agree ta anythin', Ezra. And I ain't payin' ya. Ya got yer three hundred dollars back, now quit yer gripin'."

"But the interest, Mr. Tanner. I really must insist."

"Then yer gonna have ta take it outta my hide, 'cuz I haven't had that much money since I stopped bounty huntin'."

"Fine," Ezra said, setting his jaw in annoyance. If it had to come to this, well, then, so be it.

Ezra yanked off his jacket and laid it over a nearby chair before setting to work on the buttons of first his vest and then his shirt.

"What in the Hell do ya think yer doin'?"

Ezra looked up, meeting Vin's eyes while he pulled his vest and shirt off, then he turned slightly to lay them on the chair, breaking the stare, before reaching for the buttons of his trousers. "What I am doing should be perfectly obvious. It was, after all, your suggestion, Mr. Tanner, as a means of settling the debt you owe me."

Vin frowned. "W-what?"

Ezra sighed, shaking his head. Had the man not just voiced the solution? Had he not just said it himself? Or was this a habit of the tracker, one that Ezra had failed to notice before today: saying something one minute and then completely forgetting it the next?

Ezra kicked off his boots and stepped out of his trousers before moving closer to the tub. "We made an agreement this afternoon, Mr. Tanner. I held up my end of the deal." Ezra stripped out of his drawers before continuing. "I will have satisfaction from you, one way or another."

He stepped over the rim and into the warm, soapy water.

"Ezra! Get the Hell outta this tub! Right now!" Vin insisted, but Ezra merely sat down. The tub was only built for one, so Ezra was forced to cover Vin's legs with his own, essentially trapping him in the water. "Don't make me shoot you!" Vin warned.

"And don't make me take you to court. I assure you, this solution is the preferable one, the more ... pleasurable one." Ezra smiled widely.

Vin's eyes went large and he scooted as far back in the tub as he could, which wasn't far. "Y-you're not suggestin'...?"

"No, Mr. Tanner. You, however, did. 'Take it out of my hide,' you said. And that's exactly what I intend to do." Ezra reached forward, his hand beneath the water, and grasped Vin's penis.

He was surprised to find the shaft so hard already. Could this be precisely what Vin had had in mind all along? That thought appealed to Ezra, especially here, now that Vin was, for once, clean. He stroked over the firm length, grinning as Vin physically struggled to hide the pleasure that was infusing his features.

"Ezra, please...." The words could have been taken as protest, but Ezra consciously chose to interpret them as encouragement.

As Ezra continued to work over Vin's flesh, he felt him shudder beneath the water. He slipped his other hand forward, caressing Vin's testicles with his fingertips.

"Ezra..." Vin breathed, drawing the last syllable of the name out into a low, slow moan.

Ezra didn't know if Vin had ever before allowed a man to touch him like this. Out here in the territories, it wasn't as uncommon as the so-called 'respectable' people would have one believe. The simple fact was there weren't enough women to go around. And men have needs — needs they can't always satisfy themselves. Ezra had a need tonight, but he hadn't realized it until he'd seen Vin, naked in this tub.

Ezra's erection was growing more painful by the moment. He wanted Vin to touch him, to stroke him, but the tracker still seemed a bit dazed, maybe even a little apprehensive, like he couldn't quite believe this was happening, like he couldn't quite believe he was allowing it to happen.

But Ezra couldn't wait any longer. He intended to be repaid, without any more delay. He grabbed Vin by the arms and pulled him up until they were both standing. He watched as rivulets of water ran down Vin's lean form. God! He was so beautiful. More beautiful than any man or woman Ezra had ever had the pleasure of laying eyes upon. The sight, unexpectedly, took his breath away.

But he forced his mind back to the matter at hand, before Vin could think of some excuse to discontinue their transaction. He grabbed Vin's shoulders firmly and turned him around, then pressed down until Vin was again in the water — kneeling this time. Then Ezra bent down behind him and fished around in the water for the bar of soap he'd seen Vin using.

Vin began to search as well. As his fingers tightened around the bar, Ezra felt Vin's hand cover his own and together they lifted the soap from the water. Their eyes met for a moment over Vin's shoulder and Ezra saw Vin swallow hard before he suddenly looked away. Ezra pressed his body against Vin's back, allowing his hands to gently wrap around the other man's chest before whispering in his ear.

"Mr. Tanner," he breathed. "Vin.... You are consenting to this? All of this?" To Ezra, the phrase 'take it out of my hide' could mean only one thing, so he had to know Vin's mind on the matter. A moment later, after too many heartbeats of waiting, Ezra felt Vin's head nod.

Satisfied with the response, Ezra sat back on his heels and began to lather up his aching length before applying the bar of soap directly to Vin's backside. He slid the bar all the way down to Vin's balls and back up again, pressing firmly between his cheeks. Then Ezra worked up a lather in his hands before discarding the soap into the water. He moved his fingers against Vin's flesh, working them between the tight muscles of his buttocks, searching for and quickly finding the pucker of skin.

He pressed a single digit into Vin and the man tensed immediately. Ezra listened for any word of regret or protest, but he heard none, so he brought his free hand up to Vin's back, rubbing gently while encouraging him to bend forward. He pushed another finger inside Vin, who took it easily this time, and then began to move his fingers back and forth until he felt Vin relax.

When Vin's hips began to move in time with the small thrusts, Ezra removed his fingers and edged closer, spreading Vin's knees out against the sides of the tub. With one hand on Vin's hip and the other grasping his own penis, Ezra pressed his swollen glans between the man's cheeks. Everything was so slick from all of the soap that he pushed into Vin with little resistance.

Vin groaned with the penetration, gripping the side of the tub until Ezra noticed his knuckles turning white. He stopped pushing, giving Vin a moment to catch his breath. He ran his hands over the tracker's body while he waited, appreciating how lean and well-muscled Vin was, with surprisingly few scars given his various, usually rough, occupations over the years.

Just touching Vin fanned Ezra's desire for him. He eased his hands down to Vin's waist, and then suddenly drove himself deep, grabbing tight to Vin's hips to steady them both. Vin let out a strangled cry and Ezra wished they were facing each other, so he could smother the heady sound with a kiss, but things hadn't worked out that way.

He was thrusting in and out of Vin now, the soap doing an adequate job of lubricating the hot channel. Ezra felt he wasn't going to last long, so he slipped one hand down to grasp Vin's penis. He stroked over the hard length in time with his plunges deep into the man's body. Ezra could hear Vin's moans and knew he was enjoying the attention.

In all fairness, he didn't have to do this for Vin. He could leave it to the man to provide his own release; Vin was the one who had tried to renege on their deal. But, the simple fact was, he liked the feel of Vin's hard flesh against his palm. He liked knowing that he was in control, that he would determine when Vin would come. All in all, this had been a very inspired solution to their little problem; Ezra only wished he'd been the one clever enough to think of it.

Ezra felt a shudder race across Vin's body as the man groaned, then another shudder and groan followed, and another. The sounds and sensations of the man beneath him made Ezra light-headed. He never imagined that he'd be doing this with Vin Tanner, that Vin would allow him to both give and take such pleasure.

He pumped Vin's shaft faster as he deepened his thrusts. Ezra could feel his penis growing even harder inside Vin as his balls tightened up against his body. He was so close. He shortened his strokes over Vin, working his fingertips over the glans.

Suddenly, Ezra felt Vin shove his hips back, hard against him, and then the man's shaft filled his fist as Vin's hips thrust forward. Beneath him, Vin shuddered violently as he continued to move his hips back and forth. Ezra then felt Vin's fingers covering his own, squeezing, but only for a moment, before Vin pushed his hand away. Ezra didn't mind; he moved his hand back to Vin's hip, allowing the man to milk himself dry.

He now gripped Vin even more firmly as he rammed himself deep, pushing forward, pulling back, and then shoving in again. He was the one groaning now. He was so close. God, so close! Ezra shoved forward again and felt his release fill Vin. He thrust again and again, allowing the tight muscles of Vin's hole to wring out the last of his essence, as the most intensely pleasant feelings coursed through his body.

Then, with weakened knees, Ezra pulled out and slumped down into the water. He spread his legs wide, allowing Vin to sit down between his thighs, and then he pulled him back to rest against his chest. Completely sated, Ezra slipped his arms around Vin, cradling him, caressing his wet skin with idle fingertips. "Ezra?" Vin spoke after a long while, sounding as spent as Ezra felt. "I was wonderin'...."

"Yes, Vin?" Ezra breathed against his ear.

"Ya got, ah ... another three hundred dollars I kin borrow?"

Of all the things Vin might have asked him, this was one question Ezra hadn't expected. "Whatever for?"

"Just thought I might like ta owe ya some more interest."

Ezra smiled as he nuzzled against Vin's neck. "All right, Mr. Tanner, but just remember, the interest is double if you don't pay me back within the hour. Deal?" he asked, and this time he intended to be certain Vin gave his word.