Author's Note: This story is the fifth story in the 'Chances' series and follows immediately after the events in Taking Chances, Love Lesson , Coming Clean and Nothing More than Feelings. This series is normally B/C/E, but this particular story features Buck and Ezra alone. Warning: contains graphic M/M sexual content.
At the sound of the doorbell, Buck gladly abandoned the monthly expense calculations he had been working on. Opening the front door, he was more than a little surprised to find Ezra on the other side. His friend and sometime-lover didn't usually pay a visit to the ranch midweek, and it definitely wasn't like him to show up without calling first. Not that Buck or Chris minded, but making certain of one's welcome before arrival was a social propriety that Ezra had never been able to overcome. Not until today.One look at the other man's tense features and agitated body-language told Buck that this was not a purely social visit. "Ezra? You okay?"
"Are you busy? Am I interrupting anything?" he asked, shifting his weight back and forth as if he was uncertain whether to come inside or just turn around and leave again.
"Naw, just trying to figure out some paperwork before Chris gets back tomorrow. For that, you can disturb me as long as you want," Buck said with a smile, taking Ezra's elbow and urging him forward. "Come on in."
Ezra blinked. "Tomorrow? Oh, yes, I'd forgotten. He went to the horse auction in Colorado Springs, didn't he?" Glancing back at the door Buck had just closed behind him, he nervously licked his lips. "Perhaps I should go."
Not about to let him get away, Buck tugged Ezra farther into the room. Placing both hands on the smaller man's shoulders, he looked him straight in the eye. "Tell me what's wrong."
"I . . . it's nothing," he tried, then scrubbed a hand over his face and started over again. "Truly, it's nothing. I shouldn't have come. I know that I must be disturbing you. It's just, I've had a truly horrible day at work today and I wanted . . . I needed . . ." He sighed deeply, frustrated with the inability to articulate his thoughts.
Buck reached to gently grip Ezra's jaw, stroking his cheek with a thumb. "What?"
"I don't know. I just . . . well, class ended and I gathered my things to go home, and . . . suddenly I just couldn't bear the thought of being alone. I turned the car around and came straight over." Looking rather horrified, he added, "It didn't even occur to me to call first."
"Don't worry about that, I'm just glad you followed your gut. When me and Chris invited you to become a part of our relationship, we didn't mean it to be just on the good days. We're always here if you need us," Buck reassured, draping an arm around him and kissing him on one temple as he led Ezra to sit on the sofa. "Talk to me."
"I'm not sure that I should. I already feel foolish for rushing over here to cry on your shoulder just because I've had a bad day."
Buck smiled. "I got broad enough shoulders to handle it. Besides, you never worried about anyone hearing you complain when we worked together."
Ezra laughed slightly. "That was different. I was just blowing off steam and you were under no obligation to listen to me. Whereas now . . ."
"You're afraid I'm only listening because I feel obliged?"
Ezra shrugged.
Kissing him lightly, Buck said, "Don't work that way. When you love somebody, you're glad to listen and be there for them in whatever way you can. You think Chris and I don't have us a good bitch-fest every now and again? And what about you? Would you roll your eyes and walk away if I said I had a problem I wanted to hash over with you?"
"Of course not," Ezra scoffed. Then he nodded as the point was made. "All right. Well, to start off with I woke up late and was 20 minutes late leaving the house, which meant I had no time to stop for coffee on the way in. That might not sound like a problem, except that the swill served in our break-room is bad enough to make me long for the good old days of Vin Tanner's patented rust removal blend."
Buck chuckled. "You, craving 'ulcer in a cup'? Now that's hard to believe."
"By the time I reached campus, I had made up a little time but it served no purpose as I discovered that some underhanded cretin had usurped my designated parking spot. This meant that I had to seek out a space in the overcrowded visitor's lot and walk halfway across campus to reach my first class of the day."
"You ever find out who took your spot?"
He shook his head. "I never had a chance to check. If it happens again tomorrow, I'm calling campus security and have the vehicle towed. This is the third time this month!"
"Some people got no upbringing."
"At any rate, by the time I finally made it to class, nearly ten minutes late, my students were restless and not at all in the mood to settle down and work. Which proved to be just as well since it was only then that I realized I had left my briefcase at home with all of my planned lecture notes inside. I've been forced to wing it all day. The only positive aspect of that was that I also could not produce the graded papers from the test I gave on Monday in my afternoon 'History of Western Economics' course."
"Not doin' so good?"
Ezra pulled away and stood, too agitated to sit still any longer. "It was abominable, Buck. It wasn't that difficult a test, but these were the worst scores I've seen all year. And yet, they were only marginally worse than the last group!" One slender hand rose and then fell back to his side in a futile gesture. "This has to be in some way my fault. Surely not every student can have failed to study! Am I somehow failing to explain the subject properly? Simply boring them all into a vegetative state for an hour each week? What?"
Buck considered the question seriously. Ezra loved his new occupation every bit as devotedly as he once had his career as an undercover field agent. He found it deeply fulfilling to help direct young minds toward a bright future, so Buck knew how frustrating a perceived failure like this would be to him.
"Maybe you just need to approach your subject in a different way. Do you remember that time the brass decided that every ATF officer in active service needed to attend a series of classes on understanding the criminal mind?"
Ezra snorted. "I remember that Juarez from Team 3 interrupted the second lecture by snoring louder than an active landslide right over the instructor's voice."
Chuckling, Buck nodded. "Yeah, that was great. The point is, the gal who was teaching those classes was just skating through and paraphrasing everything straight from the book. Nobody was paying attention to any part of the course until the day she called in sick."
"More like in-sane," Ezra interrupted wryly.
"And Travis made you and Josiah take over for the afternoon," Buck continued, ignoring the aside. "Getting inside people's heads is what you both did every day. You knew how to get our attention, make the class interesting by making us all a part of it. That's what you need to do here, maybe. Find some way to make Economic History seem interesting to the kids."
"Do you have any ideas?" he asked, retaking his seat and looking genuinely intrigued.
A bit surprised that Ezra was taking his suggestion seriously, Buck stood, pacing as he thought it over.
"For starters, forget about the textbooks. Prep your information from the books and tell them what pages they can use for reference, but otherwise put everything into terms they can sink their teeth into. This is a history class, right? How about showing 'em that old movie "Wall Street" and comparing it with the current market? Or maybe you can borrow that little menu Nathan keeps from the restaurant his grandma used to own back in the '40s. Compare it with a menu from some place today and do an inflation analysis." He grinned. "How about you spin a tale or two about all the gray hair you used to give to Chris trying to charge Armani suits and professional manicures to the office expense budget? That was history in the making!"
Ezra was staring at him as if the words spitting randomly from his brain were solid gold coins. "Anything else?"
He laughed. "Hell, I don't know. Play Jeopardy and give out prizes to the students who get the most answers right, for all I care. Just, whatever you do, make it fun. If you enjoy it, they'll enjoy it."
Ezra stood and wrapped his arms around Buck's neck in a grateful hug. "I knew there was a reason I came over here. You are . . . entirely brilliant, Mr. Wilmington. Have I ever told you that?"
Buck grinned. "Aw, hell, and I thought you just loved me for my pretty face." He wrapped both arms around the southerner's body and held him close. "Been awhile since you called me Mr. Wilmington."
"It's been awhile since I've had the opportunity to witness that cunning brain in action. It's very sexy!" He held on a little bit tighter. "Thank you for listening, Buck, and for your wonderful advice. I had lost sight of the forest amidst all of the trees."
"No trouble at all. Sounds like you just had a crappy day and that happens to the best of us, but maybe now you can let it go and hope for a better day tomorrow."
Ezra leaned back in his arms, offering a genuine smile. "Sound advice again." Glancing reluctantly in the direction of Buck's office, he said, "And now, I suppose I should let you get back to what you were doing before I interrupted you."
"Nah, it was just some paperwork. I really should wait until Chris gets home to finish it anyway."
"Will you tell him that I'm sorry I missed him?"
Buck dropped a kiss upon his lips. "Sure thing and I know he'll be sorry he missed you, too." He smiled, his blue eyes warm and inviting. "But there's no need to rush off. Isn't there anything else I can help you with tonight?"
Ezra grinned when the large hands slid down to give his backside a squeeze. "Well," he demurred, stretching up to offer a long, tender kiss. "Now that you mention it . . ."
"Yes?" Buck encouraged, dropping his head to nibble at Ezra's neck.
"I haven't eaten all day," Ezra whispered, kissing his ear.
Buck pulled back and stared at him. "Huh?"
"Food," Ezra clarified. "Edibles, sustenance . . . feed me, Buck. Some of your wonderful chicken and pasta with garlic sauce, perhaps."
He grinned. "Well, if I'm going to go to all that effort I should get something back." His hands tugged Ezra's shirt free of his waistband and slid underneath, gliding sensuously over the warm skin of his back. "Got anything to barter with, oh, mighty Econ professor?"
"Drat, I didn't bring any goods," Ezra teased. Lowering a hand, he rubbed his palm slowly over the bulge in Buck's jeans. "Perhaps you might accept services instead."
"I think I'm gonna like this deal. What'd you have in mind?"
Licking his lips suggestively, Ezra smirked. "First I'll sample the cuisine," he murmured, kissing Buck again as his fingers squeezed the stiffening bulge, "and then for dessert, perhaps I'll have the chef."
Buck growled, swooping down to capture those teasing lips in a crushing kiss. Ezra responded with equal ardor, tongue pushing between his lips to tease and explore, the hard pressure of his groin proving to Buck that he was not the only one looking forward to this. "Sure you want to have dinner first?"
"Mm-hm," Ezra agreed inside of another kiss. "Once we start making proper use of your bed, we may never get around to visiting the kitchen. And I am starving."
Buck laughed, licking and nibbling at Ezra's ear as his deft fingers quickly worked all of his buttons, buckles and zippers open. Ezra's half-hearted protest faded into a breathless exclamation of encouragement as Buck began fondling him through the silk of his boxers.
"Feeling pretty hungry myself, now that you mention it; and who says we need the bed? Chef Wilmington is on the job."
Dropping his shirt to the floor, Ezra's arms retook their firm hold around Buck's neck, wrapping his legs around the other man's lean hips to help distribute his weight as the hands under his ass lifted; carrying him into the kitchen.
Buck's busy hands stripped away Ezra's pants and boxers, tugging his socks and shoes off along with the rest as he stepped onto the stone footrest of the breakfast bar and lifted his lover up to a seat on the cool tiles.
Ezra watched Buck drop back and strip away his own clothing, tossing everything into a handy kitchen drawer. "Don't forget those are in there. I'm going to need something to wear home in the morning." Running a hand over his chest as he glanced down at his eagerly responding body, he asked, "Are you quite sure this is sanitary?"
"Probably not if we were having a dinner party or something, but for just you and me? Why not?" Buck asked, tying a protective apron over his exposed genitals and turning on the oven.
Ezra watched him move efficiently about the kitchen, setting a pan of water on to boil, measuring out the pasta, microwave thawing and slicing up two chicken breasts and mixing his special garlic cream sauce; a small smile upon his face.
"What are you looking so amused about?" Buck asked as he washed his hands at the sink.
"I've seen a number of cooking shows in the past," Ezra replied, gesturing to the naked posterior framed so attractively by Buck's dangling apron strings, "but I've never enjoyed watching one more."
Buck grinned and sketched a bow, then turned his back and took another, deeper bow, making Ezra laugh. Putting the pasta on to boil, he approached his audience of one and placed his hands on Ezra's legs. Kissing him again, he said, "You might be ready for dinner, but I could use a little appetizer first."
Ezra pulled his foot up to rest on the sturdy bar, setting his forearm upon his knee. The other leg dangled free, splaying his thighs suggestively. With his left hand, Ezra made an open, sweeping gesture. "Anything on the menu is yours to enjoy, sir."
"These look mighty sweet," he replied, nibbling his way up the inside of a thigh, "but I think I'd prefer something with a little more meat on it."
A tiny gasp escaped Ezra, his hand coming down to thread through thick black hair and massage the back of Buck's skull as a hot mouth closed around his cock. As Buck began to suck and stroke him, Ezra quickly swelled to full firmness. Throwing his head back, he closed his eyes, mouth working silently as he enjoyed his partner's expert technique.
"You doing okay?" Buck asked, pausing for a moment when Ezra released a small painful-sounding whine.
"I feel like I'm going to explode if I don't come soon," he replied. "God, Buck, please don't stop now. Finish me, just like this."
Buck complied willingly, taking his time and forcing Ezra's pleasure threshold to climb ever higher. At last, after nearly five minutes of exquisite torment, Buck reached up and cradled Ezra's tightly drawn testicles in his palm, fingers reaching back to tease his entrance in a way that he knew Ezra was completely helpless to resist. Almost instantly, a guttural cry met Buck's ears as Ezra leaned back on both arms and thrust hard into his welcoming mouth, making Buck smile as he swallowed down the resultant offering.
"Wow," Ezra groaned happily, dropping back onto one elbow along the wide countertop as he was released. "If that was just an appetizer, I cannot wait for the main course."
~*~*~*~*~
With a saucy wink, Buck grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator, washing the taste of Ezra's explosion from his mouth before bending near to kiss him again. "Figured you needed to relax a little before dinner. Wouldn't do to eat with your stomach still all tied up in knots from earlier."
He grinned. "Well, whatever your motivation, I certainly did enjoy it." Sitting up straight, he leaned forward in anticipation of hopping down from his perch. "Should I get dressed and set the table?"
"Nope, I kinda like you up there," Buck teased. "Shelf-ready and all."
Ezra laughed. "Well, I certainly can't stay here all evening." A calculating look flared in his pale green eyes as he watched his partner stir the pasta and check it for readiness. "How long will that dish need to bake before it's ready?"
Caught up in draining the pasta and layering his ingredients in a glass baking dish he'd pulled from the cupboard, Buck did not answer immediately. "Forty-five minutes at 350," he replied at last, bending over and giving Ezra another good look at his exposed backside as he opened the oven and settled the dish in the center of the rack.
Ezra licked his lips. "Forty-five . . . that sounds just about perfect."
Picking up on the invitation in his tone, Buck immediately perked up. "What you got in mind there, stud?"
"May I borrow your cooking oil?"
Buck handed it over, no questions asked, blue eyes eager as he waited to see what Ezra was planning to do.
"Apron," Ezra said, gesturing downward as he opened the bottle of oil and rubbed a bit between his palms.
Fingers fumbling in his haste to rid himself of the protective garment, Buck wrenched the apron off and tossed it carelessly into the sink. Even though it had been several minutes since he'd finished pleasing Ezra, his own cock was still hard and sturdy.
Ezra's eyes flared in excitement at the sight of that always-impressive erection. "Step up, please."
Buck hopped up onto the footrest, bringing himself within easy reach of Ezra's oil coated hands. He moaned softly and happily as those deft fingers closed around him, spreading lubricant liberally over the entire surface. Ezra leaned forward and kissed him deeply, tongue licking and thrusting suggestively as his agile hands continued their work.
Finally, Ezra lay back along the counter much as he had been before, spreading his legs wide and handing the bottle to Buck. "Do the honors?"
Eyes dark with anticipation, Buck generously coated his fingers in oil and gently slid them inside, taking his time and stretching Ezra deep and wide as he readied him to accommodate his larger than average size.
"That's perfect," Ezra sighed, pushing his hand away. He loved the erotic sensation of being prepared but he was ready for more now. Sitting up and scooting to the very edge of the counter, he asked in sudden concern, "Will I be too heavy this way?"
Suddenly understanding his intent, Buck swallowed down a groan of anticipation. "You ain't scrawny but you've never weighed more than a buck-seventy-five on your heaviest day. Let's do this."
Shifting forward, Ezra wrapped his arms tightly around Buck's shoulders and hopped into his arms. His lover caught him beneath his thighs, steadying him as Ezra secured his legs around Buck's body and lifted up, allowing Buck to get into position beneath his entrance.
Their slick hands and bodies made the joining a little awkward, but at last Buck found the correct angle and both men sighed in joint ecstasy as Ezra slid easily down Buck's rigid shaft.
Buck moved them over to the wall, allowing Ezra to rest his shoulders against the steadying surface and giving himself a bit more leverage as he took a firm grip on his partner's tightly clenched buttocks and began to thrust.
Ezra clutched him tightly, alternately kissing Buck like he would never get another chance and lolling his head back against the wall, gasping and moaning with such insatiable wantonness that it spurred Buck to new heights.
"Bounce me again," Ezra ordered roughly, shuddering in pleasure when Buck braced his feet and jerked upward, flexing his arms to send Ezra jouncing up and down on the thick cock.
"How's that feel?" Buck asked, grinning as he watched his lover's lids flutter.
Ezra had grown hard again quickly, but he had learned a great deal about his own body in the months since he'd first began having sexual relations with Chris and Buck, including the fact that if he concentrated on the different levels of pleasure he was experiencing, he could often delay the need to ejaculate until after he'd experienced several small orgasms. Buck had been more than happy to offer lessons on the subject, overcoming Ezra's belief that such a thing was not physically possible for men. Ezra had never been more delighted to be wrong.
"Dear God . . . it's so good," Ezra moaned, body quivering in reaction.
Nothing turned Buck Wilmington on more than watching and hearing his lovers take pleasure in his actions. He was also finding that this position allowed him to thrust deeper than most, giving him the unusual delight of having his long cock enveloped to the root without causing discomfort for Ezra. "I don't want this to end," he breathed, "but I'm too close to hold back this time."
"Don't hold back," Ezra rasped, rotating his hips to get just that tiny bit more friction from the jarring thrusts. "Oh, Lord. I can't wait to feel you come inside me, Buck. Give it to me, as hard as you can!"
Buck was helpless to resist the passionate order. Pressing Ezra against the wall, he collapsed forward, wrapping his elbows under Ezra's arms to grip the backs of his shoulders. His cock thrust upward as deeply as it could go and Buck cried out as his fluids suddenly burst forth.
Ezra let go a harsh scream of triumph as he was filled, his own cock erupting like a geyser between their bodies.
"Ho . . .ly . . . shit," Buck groaned, clutching the wall to keep his shaking legs from collapsing under their combined weight.
Panting heavily, Ezra flashed him a wide grin. "I couldn't have put it better myself."
Carefully disengaging his clenched legs as Buck slipped free, Ezra dropped to the floor and stepped over to the counter, leaning tiredly against it. "You know," he mused. "We really need to introduce Chris to this particular experience. I'm not certain he's strong enough to hold me up the way you just did, but I'll bet you could support his weight in such a fashion."
"And what will you be doing?" Buck asked, resting his forearms on the counter beside Ezra and leaning sideways to give him a peck on the lips.
"Just watching, perhaps. Now that I know what it feels like, the visual stimulation alone could probably keep me in happy dreams for a month!"
Buck chuckled. Checking his watch, the only item he was still wearing, he continued, "Still got about 20 minutes until the food's ready. I think we'd better take a shower." Noting Ezra's skeptical look, his smile became a grin. "Just a shower. Reckon I'm plenty happy for now."
"And later?" Ezra asked archly. His body was more than satisfied enough for one night, but he could not resist the teasing.
Buck kissed him again more firmly. "Chris should be calling home in a while. We'll tell him what we been up to and see if he's got any ideas."
"That seems rather cruel, with Chris all alone and miles away."
"Nah, just give him something fun to think about on the way home!"
Ezra laughed. "In that case, I will gladly accept your offer of a shower. After that, I think perhaps dinner and a good night's sleep will be fun enough for me."
"Same here. A good meal and a warm sweet body to cuddle up against sound just about perfect."
Moved to a show of affection, Ezra reached out and gave him a warm hug. "Thank you, Buck," he said seriously. "For taking what had previously been a terrible day and turning it into something wonderful."
Buck kissed him gently. "My pleasure, darlin'. My pleasure."
THE END