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Part of the Reunion Series
Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters. I own nothing at all, not even myself most days.
Acknowledgement: Silvia, thanks a bunch for correcting my Italian. If it's still wrong, anyone, it's because I can’t type and don’t speak Italian. And Mez, who has reassured me that the Russian (which I also don’t speak a word of) is not wholly horrible ;) Thanks to both of you for helping out someone who struggles with English, let alone another language.
Chris took a step back as his lover pressed their bodies together the minute they were inside the door. Ezra followed him, and this time the blonde was prepared for the contact and met it willingly. Lips met in a hard, hurried kiss as chests pressed together tightly. Chris felt strong arms encircle him as his lover tried to reduce the non-existence space between their bodies. Soft lips opened below his, and Chris happily took advantage to let his tongue experience wonderfully familiar territory. In eighteen months together, they’d shared innumerable kisses, had sex too many times to count, and yet if they continued to do so for the rest of his life, Chris thought, it would still not be enough.
Ezra moaned lightly as he felt Chris’ tongue push inside his mouth. He gave the ground more than willingly, twining his tongue with his lover’s in a dance of submission. He needed to be loved tonight, claimed and taken, wanted…he needed Chris to NEED him. Before Chris, no one had ever NEEDED Ezra in their lives. He might have been pleasant to have around, they might even have liked or wanted him around, but Chris needed him, which was so much better than simply wanting.
“God, I love you.” Chris muttered when they broke for air.
“ Hmmmm. Well, God is good. I was hoping for ‘Ezra, I love you’, but I guess I can be second-best to a deity without taking too much insult.”
“ You are the deity.” Chris’ words melted Ezra’s knees as much as the kiss that followed on their heels. An experienced, callused hand shifted through his hair. Its mate slid comfortably along his spine before resting in the small of his back. Ezra let his hands wander freely, touching as much as possible of his beautiful lover without breaking his mouth away from the taste of cigar, expensive whiskey and the remnant of steak sauce from dinner. One smooth appendage deftly un-tucked the black t-shirt from jeans, while the other impatiently managed to slide off his lover’s belt. Secretly, the southerner despised belts. They were consistently in the way of his hands ability to go where they wished. Which was, of course, inside Chris Larabee’s pants.
Chris heard the distinctive sound of his belt hitting the bedroom floor, and felt a soft hand gently gliding along his back. He smiled into the kiss as his own hand abandoned its post on Ezra’s back to head south for the oh-so-temptingly encased southern butt. The older man knew he had led the charge in encouraging Ezra to dress less formally, the rest of the team backing him up when he assured that no one would think any less of him simply because he did not wear suits and designer clothes all the time. And he loved the views afforded by soft jeans or low-hanging khakis, but conversely Chris almost wished that the beautiful body of his lover was still hidden beneath all the layers. He had no problem admitting he was selfish. He wanted Ezra all for himself.
Fingers grasping the now free hem of the t-shirt, Ezra broke their kiss to tug the unwelcome article up, over and off his lover. A familiar visceral thrill darted along his nerves as he began kissing and licking a well-known path from neck to nipple. Chris threaded his fingers into his hair, holding his head over the nipple he was quite happily lavishing attention on. Following the not entirely subtle direction of the hands in his hair, Ezra continued his oral ministrations all over the defined upper body. He’d wanted to do this since this afternoon, when Chris had had to peel a soaking wet shirt from his body after Buck and JD had managed to get their boss in the crossfire of their Supersoaker warfare. That it was only St. Patrick’s Day and hardly warm enough for such behavior had not deterred the two agents. But then, as per usual with the Dynamic Duo’s stunts, someone else, this time Chris, had borne the brunt of their antics.
Chris moaned lightly as he directed Ezra back to his left nipple, which was feeling slightly neglected at the moment. Other parts of his anatomy were protesting even more loudly at being ignored, however, and soon his mind bowed to their wishes. He pried the southerner from his chest, bringing their lips together for another searing kiss. He walked them forward a mere two steps, pinning his lover against the bedroom door. Ezra arched against him, their bodies brushing together with a delicious friction, even through their clothes. Which it was high-time to rid themselves of, Chris figured. Ezra did not seem to disagree. The blond brought his hands together just above the button of jeans that hung on gorgeous hips, easing Ezra’s shirt oh-so-slowly from the pants. He took his time gently un-buttoning the shirt, fingers brushing against the appearing skin. Half-way up, Chris stopped freeing buttons, and skimmed his hands underneath the fabric. He knew Ezra’s body blind, the feel of hard abs, peaked nipples, that small ticklish spot right…there, Chris smiled as Ezra squirmed mildly.
“Chris.” Ezra tried to sound put out, but didn’t quite manage it. He consoled himself by moving his hands off his lover’s body to continue what the older man had so unkindly stopped. Chris wouldn’t stand for that though, quickly sliding his hands out from under Ezra’s shirt, batting away the hands that were attempting to finish his job. Ezra whimpered when he made no move to continue where he had forced the younger man to leave off. Instead, Chris pinned his hands to the door on either of his head and slipped a leg in between his. Ezra immediately thrust lightly against that leg, leaning up to meet his lover’s kiss. He continued to arch against Chris, rubbing their pelvises together wantonly.
“ Impatient.” Chris commented, pulling back slightly. This time, Ezra’s pout was real, and Chris swooped back in to wipe it from his face. The older man let go of his hands, returning to unbuttoning Ezra’s shirt. When it was completely open, Chris pushed it to the side, freeing the majority of that beautiful chest to his gaze. His fingers ached to flutter over hardened nipples, and the leader contentedly allowed them their wish. Not to be out-done, his lips nuzzled a smooth neck, occasionally dropping open mouthed kisses along the perfect expanse of skin. When he had made his way low enough to be covered by a shirt collar, Chris allowed himself to bite hard enough to leave a mark.
Ezra let his head drop to the side, opening his neck for further attentions. He could never get over the way Chris seemed to worship every inch of his body. He’d had girlfriends who rejoiced in the attentions paid to their bodies, but few had reciprocated to a serious degree. Not that he hadn’t enjoyed the women-Ezra’s mind abruptly returned to the here-and-now when he felt a hand pop the button on his jeans and slide between the denim and silk boxers.
“ Bed?”
“ Minute.” Chris replied, nosing the shirt out of the way so he could continue to kiss along a broad shoulder.
“ Please. Now.” Ezra wasn’t too sure how much longer his knees were going to last as Chris expertly stroked his now fully awakened arousal through the silk. Chris pulled away, grinning. The southerner groaned as that meant his hand left his throbbing erection. The blond man’s smile widened, as he backed across the room to sit on the bed. Ezra still leaned against the door, regaining his proverbial sea legs. When he started walking towards his lover, Chris shook his head in denial.
“ Strip.”
“ Chris-”
“ Want to watch you, Baby. Need to see those clothes slide off, see your body revealed. Want you to pretend its my hands sliding on your body, worshiping as I slip your clothes off.” Ezra’s knees nearly betrayed him again. Chris had spurts of verbosity in bed, and while they were not entirely common, they were more than welcome. “Ezra, clothes.”
Back to incomplete sentences. More like usual. The southerner complied, deciding to make Chris wish it WAS his hands touching him. Slowly, he let his own hands slide up his bare abs, up to his chest to play with his nipples for a long moment. He groaned, pinching tightly like Chris delighted in doing. Slowly, Ezra’s hands eased up to his shoulders, pushing minutely at his shirt. He took short trips every inch, to return to his nipples or just to slide across his body lightly, teasingly. It must have taken at least five minutes for Ezra’s shirt to finally drop from his shoulders to the floor. There was no belt to remove, and they’d both left their shoes at the door. Ezra wondered briefly if there was a sexy way to remove socks from your own feet. Deciding to attempt it either way, he slowly slipped to the floor, utilizing his natural flexibility to look like a dancer easing into stretches. Going with that idea, he rested on his knees, slowly easing his shoulders back until he was nearly laying on his calves and feet beneath him. He surreptitiously let his hands slide back along his calves, pushing his socks from his ankles to slide off his feet. He slowly slid back up, his pelvis thrusting slightly into the air in a perfect four-count beat. He registered Chris’s now much heavier breathing, but he was enjoying his little show now. Chris always said he liked to see Ezra perform. Putting his hands out in front of him, the southerner slid gracefully out, his hands slowly reaching towards the bed as they eased along the floor until he lay almost prostrate. He thrust experimentally against the floor, gasping as the friction further excited his cock. Focusing his eyes on Chris, he continued to move against the rug they had spread over the sometimes cold wood floor. Although he couldn’t see from here, he knew without a doubt that his lover’s eyes had gone black with arousal. His hands slithered quickly beneath his body, never stopping the gentle thrusts, to unzip his jeans and pull them open. He was still a good body length away from the bed, and the southerner slowly began sliding forward, his hands and the friction with the somewhat coarse rug keeping his jeans stationary as his body slid from the denim. When the jeans had slipped beyond his ass, Ezra rolled over, his hands pushing them farther as he arched off the floor to the same imaginary beat he’d been thrusting to. He got them past his knees, where they followed gravity down his calves to pool at his feet. Rolling back the way he had come, Ezra slipped his feet from the denim and kicked them farther away. He drug his cock against the rug, still inside the confining silk, the opposing textures feeling incredible. Forgetting for a moment his performance, the southerner allowed himself to continue to enjoy the sensations.
Chris growled as he watched his firecracker hump the floor. He’d asked for a show, and a show he’d gotten. He’d known Ezra was flexible, and that the man had a background in dancing from some adventure of Maude’s long ago, but never before had Ezra performed so…hotly. Another reason his love could make a living as a stripper. Chris was about to come in his pants, but refused to follow his body’s wish to simply use the friction of the denim for release. There were far more enjoyable ways to come.
“ Ezra.” There was no response from the man on the floor. Not even a flicker that would show he’d heard it. “Ezra. EZRA.” His southerner’s eyes shot up to meet his, the thrusts against the rug slowing to a halt.
“ Love?”
“ Come here, Baby.”
“ But I’m not-” Ezra rose to his knees, hand slipping to the waist of his boxers.
“ Close enough. Come here before I come in my pants just from watching you.”
Ezra grinned in triumph, and Chris couldn’t help but smile back. The younger man crawled towards the bed, the sway of his silk-covered ass not really helping Chris’ situation any. As soon as the other man was within arm’s reach, Chris grabbed him by the shoulders and hauled him up for an intense kiss. Ezra was soon draped across him, and Chris used it to his advantage, hands slipping beneath the other man’s boxers to slid them down to his thighs. Ezra wiggled, and pushed off Chris’ body just long enough let them drop to the floor. Then the southerner placed a knee on both sides of his lover’s lap and rubbed himself against the denim still encasing the older man’s lower body.
“ Ah, shit.” Chris forced his body not to thrust up against the tantalizing feel of Ezra’s erection sliding along his upper thigh. His hands slid from their spot on Ezra’s back, around the front to caress cock and balls. Ezra had eventually allowed his pubic hair to grow back in after their case in December, and occasionally Chris missed the smooth feel of the shaved region. Ezra wasn’t really very hairy as it was, and Chris let his fingers slide lightly through the coarse hairs.
“ Mmmmmm. Chris. You’re teasing.” Ezra complained, as those hands did not return to his cock, but rather wandered freely around the base, down to his inner thighs and up to dart for a quick brush behind his balls, ignoring the now leaking erection.
“ What would you call that show you put on?” Chris returned good-naturedly.
“ You wanted me to strip.” Ezra defended, “Speaking of, you, Mr. Larabee, still have clothes on. I’m disappointed.”
“ Really?”
“ Horribly.” Ezra confirmed, dropping in for another hot kiss that had their tongues dueling wonderfully for dominance. While Chris’ hands continued to smooth along his inner thighs, Ezra’s slipped down to unbutton and, somewhat awkwardly considering the angle, unzip the jeans that were so much in the way of what he wanted to do. Ezra was only mildly surprised to find Chris without boxers. The man had a startling propensity to ‘go commando’ on weekends. Not that the southerner minded the easier access…
“ Watch…zipper.” Chris instructed around their kisses, as Ezra pulled his erection out of the jeans. The teeth of the zipper drug lightly across the sensitized shaft, and Chris groaned loudly into his lover’s mouth. He slid backwards, further onto the bed, before pushing his firecracker over to lie on the bed. Ezra went easily, lying on his back, looking up into eyes gone black with need of him. The blonde shimmied from his jeans, tossing them off the bed in the general direction of the clothes hamper. Done with the necessity, Chris happily dove down to press his lips against the kiss-bruised ones of his lover. Bare bodies pressed together erotically, their height difference meaning their erections did not quite rub against each other. Chris could feel Ezra’s hardness pressing into his lower stomach, and he thrust his own cock along the smooth thigh below. Suddenly, Ezra was pushing against his chest, as if trying to get Chris to back off. He did, surprise and concern etched into his face.
“ Ezra? What’s wrong, Baby?”
“ Need you inside me.” Ezra revealed, and Chris sighed in relief. Ever since his lapse just before New Years, the blond had lived in dread of ever doing anything to remind his beautiful and precious lover of the ‘man who was not named’. Fucking asshole did not deserve a name.
“ Think I can manage that.” Chris replied, taking advantage of slightly parted lips to initiate another kiss. His left hand fumbled in the bedside table, quickly coming up with the lubricant needed. He swiftly slicked his fingers, taking his time to open up his lover carefully. Ezra thrust back onto his finger immediately, as impatient as the other man for their complete union.
“ Chris.” He moaned in frustration. “ More. You. Now.”
“ Soon.” Chris placated, sliding another finger inside and scissoring the tight bud to loosen it. Ezra continued to thrust back onto his fingers, and the older man soon had three fingers spreading his lover open for him.
“ Now. Take me now, Chris. Please. Need you now. Need to feel you inside me, filling me. Need-”
“ You’re babbling.” Chris teased lightly, running his hands over Ezra’s body soothingly as he positioned himself between his lover’s legs and slicked his cock with the lube. He quickly had his legs over his shoulders, and was sliding forward into the tight body beneath him. He halted when he was fully inside, more out of fear that he would come with the slightest movement than to let Ezra adjust. His firebrand was not hearing of a delay, however, and began moving as much as he could.
“Ah, shit, Ezra. So damn good. You feel…so good.”
“ I’m gonna-CHRIS!” Ezra shouted, as his lover brushed across his prostate. One more brush and the southerner was going to lose it whether he wanted to make it last or not.
“ Shit. Oh, God, Ezra, I’m not gonna last.”
“ Me either.” Ezra arched into Chris hurried, uncontrolled thrusts, screaming incoherently as the blond hit his prostate and sent him spiraling into spasms of pleasure. Chris’ own orgasm smashed into him when he felt the contractions of his lover’s body around him, and the entirety of the ATF could have burst into his bedroom at that moment and neither man would have noticed or cared.
It wasn’t the entirety of the ATF, it wasn’t even the entirety of the Denver branch of the ATF, that witnessed their love-making. Thankfully, no one actually walked in on them, but five men had heard well enough. JD had the unfortunate luck of staying, as per usual, in the top bunk of Adam’s old room. Not bad really, except that he shared a wall with the master bedroom. He’d not even gotten to sleep before knowing exactly what was going on next door.
Nathan and Josiah were somewhat more fortunate. They were in the fourth bedroom, which was just beyond JD’s. Both men had nearly been asleep when they were awoken by their boss loudly saying Ezra’s name. That the voices down the hall had not gotten much quieter kept them up, grinning knowingly at each other. Buck, ensconced as always in the ‘guest bedroom’ had woken to Chris’ voice as well. He’d waggled his eyebrows at the door, then promptly returned to sleep until Ezra’s scream. Once he’d made sure it was a good scream, and his adrenaline had slowed, the son of a saint had easily drifted off once more.
Vin had been the most fortunate, despite being a light sleeper. Since Ezra’s move into the master bedroom, the Texan had taken over the room off the kitchen that had been Ezra’s. It was far enough away from the other bedrooms, that he didn’t hear anything to give away the activity in the master bedroom until he’d heard Ezra scream ‘Chris’ rather loudly, followed by something vaguely sounding like ‘yeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeah’. Vin, being the friend he was, smiled to himself, already thinking of new ways to tease a bright blush out of Ezra in the morning. They deserved as much, if they couldn’t at least be quiet about it when they had a house full of people. Then again, they were never quiet when the other guys were over. And it was always great fun to tease the shit out of Ezra the next day.
Chris awoke the next morning to the usual ray of sunlight across his face. Sarah had been a great morning person, and had insisted on windows that faced the east in the master bedroom. It did make getting up in the mornings easier, he admitted. Not that it worked with Ezra, but if the southerner ever became a morning person, Chris would wonder about the truth of those ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ ideas. The blond slipped from the bed, easing the southerner onto the pillow instead of his chest. Ezra still cracked open an eye, looking blearily up at him.
“ Bed’s cold.”
“ It is not. I just got up. Go back to sleep.”
“ Hmph.” Ezra snorted, snuggling into the pillow that smelled like Chris. “‘Lectric blanket doesn’t get up.”
“ Nope. Your electric blanket doesn’t do a lot of things I do.” Chris smiled down at his lover, petting chestnut hair fondly. “Things I think you might miss if you replace me with another electric blanket.”
“ Mm hmm.” The southerner was quickly falling back to sleep, able to completely ignore somehow that it might as well be the middle of a summer afternoon as light as the room was. Chris continued running his fingers lightly through silken hair, waiting contentedly for his lover to be completely asleep once more. Ezra’s nightmares came most often when Chris wasn’t there, and sometimes it helped if Chris was there at least when he fell asleep.
The leader dressed quickly, silently padding down the hall to start some coffee. Hopefully Vin hadn’t made it yet, or no one would drink it.
“ Mornin’, ol’ dog.” Buck was already at the table, waffles covered in syrup and the paper spread before him. The Judge had given the entire team a week off, which Buck and JD had taken to calling ‘Spring Break’.
“ Chris. Waffles?” Nathan had cooked, a blessing since neither Buck, JD, or Vin could cook for a damn. What they made was occasionally edible, especially if it was grilled, but outside that they were hopeless.
“ Sure. Where’s the others?”
“ Josiah’s on the ‘puter, research on some religious ceremony or something. The boys’re out in the barn, taking care of the stock.” Buck answered around a mouth full of waffles.
“ Buck.” Nathan chastised without any real strength to his voice. The man was completely uncultured, except when Ezra had him on a case. Then he was fine.
“ Thanks, Nate.” Chris took the plate, and added a healthy dose of syrup to his own stack. “Coffee?”
“ Still brewing. Had to throw out Junior’s batch.” Buck still didn’t look up from his perusal of the paper.
“ Do I have any juice left?” It was a pertinent question. Whenever all seven were at the ranch, food supplies sometimes ran low suddenly.
“ Plenty.” Nathan answered, looking in the fridge. “Apple, orange, grapefruit, even…pineapple?”
“ Ezra’s. Don’t ask. Orange.”
“ Do I look like wait staff?” Nathan retorted but poured the glass anyway. He set it, soundly, on the table in front of his boss.
“ Hey, its my house, my food. Least I can do is get service with a smile.”
“ You’ve been around Ezra too long.” Nathan groused, without any real feeling behind the words.
“ Good time last night?” Buck asked, and Chris just managed to swallow the swig of orange juice he’d just taken. Barely. “Boy’s pretty loud there.”
Buck had taken to calling Ezra ‘Boy’. No one knew why. He just did, like he called Vin ‘Junior’ and JD ‘Kid’, Chris ‘Ol’ Dog’ or ‘War dog’, Nathan ‘Doc’ and Josiah ‘Preacher’. It was just Buck.
“ Yeah. Sorry.” Chris wasn’t really repentant. It was his house, and if they didn’t like what was going on, they didn’t have to camp out there. The phone rang, and Nathan picked up, being the closest to the kitchen extension.
“ Larabee Residence.”
*Mr. Larabee?*
“ No, ma’am, just one moment. Chris.” Nathan handed the phone over.
“ Who is it?” The black man merely shrugged, not recognizing the voice, but somehow thinking he should. “ This is Chris Larabee.”
*Where’s my son?*
“ Who?” Chris was thrown for a loop, before sudden realization sent his adrenaline soaring. “ He’s sleeping.”
*I want to speak with him.*
“ He’s sleeping.” Chris reiterated, garnering looks from both men in the room.
*Wake him.*
“No. Whatever you want, it’s waited this long, it’ll wait a few hours. Call back later.”
*Fine. Tell him I called, and I’ll see him soon.*
“ Yeah.”
*Good-bye, Mr. Larabee.*
“ Yeah.” Chris hung up, turning to face curious looks. Buck only had to take one look at his old friend’s face.
“ Maude.”
“ On one.” Chris sat back down, but suddenly breakfast held no appeal. Ezra hadn’t had word from Maude in over a year, and his lover was worried that the southerner wouldn’t handle her reappearance well. Maude was a force unto herself, and if her absence was hard on her son, her presence was usually worse. The blonde picked half-heartedly at the waffles. For months he’d hoped Maude would call, and now that she had, he wished she hadn’t. As much as he’d love to never again see that flash of pain in emerald eyes whenever his Mom called, Chris wasn’t sure actually speaking to Maude would improve the situation.
“ ‘Ey, ol’ dog, this might be good.”
“ Yeah. Maybe.” It wasn’t even a half-hearted attempt at hopeful.
“ Ezra’s been hurting bad since Maude’s cut him off.” Nathan observed, “ This could mean she’s willing to accept this finally.”
“ It could mean she just wants to tear into him again, or needs something. Hell, I’d prefer the first option. I swear to God if she’s only calling because she needs him for some con-”
“ Maybe a year not speaking to her only son made her realize something.”
“ Maude?” Josiah asked, coming into the kitchen. “Was that her on the phone?”
“ Yeah. I told her to call back when Ezra’s up.”
“ He might’ve wanted you to wake him up.”
“ For once, she should have to work around him.” Chris insisted.
“ I think, we need to let the boy and his Momma work it out, whatever it is. They’ve managed for nearly thirty years.” Buck’s suggestion was not very popular with Ezra’s lover.
“ I wish they hadn’t. He deserves so much better than whatever attention she deigns to allow him.”
“ Chris?” Ezra’s sleepy voice brought all four men’s stares around to the doorway. “Who was on the phone?”
“ I thought you wanted to sleep in?”
“ Bed’s cold without you. Who was on the phone?” Ezra looked at four reluctant faces, and registered Chris’ comment as he had entered the room. “Mother?”
“ Ezra-” Chris’ heart nearly broke at the pure hope in his lover’s voice. It was always there when Ezra called his mother, only to morph into depression and self-criticism when Maude tore his hope to pieces yet again.
“ It was her. Did she leave a number?”
“ She said to tell you she called, and that she’d see you soon.”
“ Oh, Lord. I have to go to the townhouse.” Ezra picked up the keys to the Jag from the counter, only to find Chris’ hand covering his. “She’s in Denver. It’s the only time she says she’ll SEE me soon. I have to go-”
“ Ezra. She called here. HERE. If she’s really in Denver, she knows where to look for you.” Chris reassured.
“ I…I can’t believe she’s here. I’d better go shower, and get dressed.” Ezra all but darted down the hall, leaving Chris watching with a pained look on his face.
“ He seems…hopeful.” Josiah noted, trying to sound optimistic.
“ Every time he thinks Maude might call, or just pop into our lives, he does this. His birthday last year, her birthday, Christmas, New Year. If she doesn’t show again, he’ll be so hurt…God, sometimes I want to strangle her myself.” Chris’ knuckles went white, clenched into tight fists.
“ Wouldn’t solve anything.” Nathan made his typical response to any of his teammates’ threats of physical violence against someone.
“ Oh, yes it will.” Chris argued, glad for a release, even a tiny one, for his anger, worry, and general all around nerves, “ I’ll strangle her, and she’ll be dead and I’ll be happy.”
“ And Ezra’d lose his mother. You remember how it feels to lose a loved one, right?”
“ That’s low, Buck.” Chris’ head dropped, as he unclenched his fists. “I’ve learned all about losing, we all have.”
“ Boy don’t need any more pain. You’re his touchstone, Chris. That’s gonna be your job through whatever Maude pulls. His ‘port in the storm’ if you will.”
“ Occasionally Buck, sometimes, you sound remarkably right.”
“ I have my moment.” Buck laughed, the others quickly joining him.
Chris watched as Ezra abstained from the touch football game on the lawn. Since, well since they’d started sleeping together, Ezra had slowly become more and more willing to participate in the activities the rest of the team planned. Maybe he didn’t feel the need to impress them anymore, or maybe he just felt more comfortable around them in general. Chris suspected, though, that Ezra had always been wary of touching other men. Gays were not particularly welcome among other men a lot of the times, and just because Ezra was technically ‘bisexual’ didn’t make his possible interest in men any less real than if he’d been straight on gay. Knowing his little firecracker, Ezra had been terrified that someone might take his touch the wrong way, and discover his ‘secret’. And, with one call, Maude had seemingly undone months of progress. Ezra was seated on the deck, back in designer clothes, at least not a suit, merely observing silently as the other six men played.
Ezra was listening for the doorbell, wondering if his mother would actually ring it, or merely walk in as if she owned the house. Either was equally likely. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he actually heard the doorbell. He managed a respectably slow pace inside, headed towards the door.
Chris saw Ezra rise, and without even bothering to call a halt to the game, he bounded up the steps and across the deck, following his lover inside. There was no way in hell he was letting Ezra face Maude alone, ever. Not after the wonderfully successful dinner where she’d called him defective before refusing to speak to him for fifteen months.
“ Mother.” Ezra opened the door, smiling genuinely at the sight of his mother. Maude never changed, not in his entire memory had her appearance ever altered. Someday, she might go gray, or wrinkles may gradually appear, but Ezra didn’t think so. Maude Standish would die as beautiful and ageless as he always remembered her to be.
“ Ezra, darling.” Maude stepped beyond her son, into the house. She’d never been out to Chris Larabee’s ranch before, and she had to admit she was surprised at the size. She’d expected a shack of some type, but this was actually a very nice home. Far smaller than she was accustomed to, but at least it was well-appointed from what she could see.
“ Maude.” Chris’ hard voice spun both mother and son to stare at him. Maude’s own face hardened when she saw him, and Ezra shot a somewhat pleading look towards his lover.
“ Mother, you of course remember-”
“ Of course.” Ezra had never heard his mother sound so…distasteful in his memory. As if the two short words were actually odious.
“ Why didn’t you inform me of your arrival in our fair municipality, as I could have acquired a suitable transport for yourself and your luggage-”
“ Oh, darling, I simply can’t stay. My flight out is in five hours.”
“ So soon?” Chris asked, relieved and pissed at the same time.
“ Business waits for no one, Mr. Larabee. Not even myself.”
“ How is your business doing, Mother? I had heard Edward acquired a new chain of hotels.”
“ Yes, and a delightful little coup that was too. We’re going to make a fortune on them, once we have them renovated and re-fitted of course. Its one of your old ideas, Ezra.”
“ Really? Which one is that?”
“ Its an older chain, all of the buildings were built between 1900 and 1920. We are restoring them to their original period décor, all the way to the employees uniforms and the menus available in the restaurant and room service. The bathrooms are proving to be a bit of a challenge, since of course they have to be completely modern while looking very old-fashioned. Edward has let me control all the renovations, being the wonderfully intelligent man that he is. I do have an eye for the bottom line.”
“ Not just in business.” Chris muttered, earning a venomous glare from Maude and another pleading look from his lover. Personally, he was amazed that two people who hadn’t spoken in fifteen months could just…pick up again like this. No apologies, not even a recognition of their estrangement.
“ I’m quite happy to hear you are doing as well as ever. How is life in Europe?”
“ Oh, its exquisite as always, darling. Edward knows simply everyone, and we’re all over these days. Venice, London, Marseilles, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Athens…then we come here of course to see his American interests. Its all very busy. The social engagements alone keep us occupied, but of course, I never could stand to be long out of the business-end of life. But enough about me, Ezra dear. You don’t seem to be sporting any new holes, which I must confess is quite comforting. I really wish you would at least give up this insistence on accepting the most dangerous jobs. You have so much potential for business.”
“ Mother. I like the ATF. I have no plans to leave it, or Denver.”
“ Oh, posh, Ezra. I’m not telling you to leave Denver. Although why on Earth you had to pick such a god-forsakenly cold clime, I can not fathom. I’m telling you, Ezra, that our southern blood just wasn’t made for this sort of thing. Edward has a business venture he’s looking into, right here in Denver. I’m sure once the buy is completed, he will need a competent manager of his interests, and really who better than-”
“ Mother. I am happy with my current occupation-”
“ Ezra-”
“ However.” He didn’t allow Maude to finish, “However, if I should ever change my mind about my prospects, I will be certain to inform you immediately.”
“ I suppose that’s all I can expect. I simply can’t imagine where you got this stubborn streak of yours, Ezra. Now, unless I mistake that scent, you my dear boy, are cooking your grandmother’s recipe for chicken casserole. The airline food is absolutely atrocious, and I am famished.”
“ Lunch will be ready in a few minutes, Mother. The restroom is just down that hall, on your right if you’d like to freshen up while I see to final preparations. Chris, please inform our compatriots.”
“ Sure, Baby.” Chris nodded, laying a swift kiss on Ezra’s cheek before leaving the room to do as his lover’d asked. Maude may want to pretend this visit was the same as all the rest, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to. Ezra went into the kitchen, setting out enough places for everyone, and finishing the vegetables and biscuits which would complement the casserole.
Chris had directed his teammates to clean up in the barn, since JD and Buck seemed to be wearing a good deal of his lawn, and the others were only slightly better. He swiftly changed clothes himself, stepping out of the walk-in closet as he slid a fresh shirt on.
“Shit!” He pulled up, surprised and entirely unhappy to see Maude seated on the edge of the bed. “What do you want?”
“ Honestly, I want you out of my son’s life. But, unfortunately, that does not seem to be occurring any time in the near future.”
“ You waited fifteen months just to tell me that you don’t like me and don’t want me around Ezra?”
“ No. I waited fifteen months to first accept that my son was interested in men in that manner, quite a shock I assure you considering the numbers of women I’ve seen him date.”
“ I was married.”
“ I am quite aware of every bit of your life, from your birth in a rather small town of little consequence called Springer Creek in Indiana, through your time in the Navy and right up to this day, Mr. Larabee.”
“ You actually looked into my life.”
“ Of course. Everyone who’s ever been involved with my son suffers the same scrutiny. But, also I waited to make sure that you were serious about my son, and he about you. And, while I have accepted my son’s…preferences in gender, I still struggle to fathom his choice in specific lover. You are universally decried as temperamental, harsh, uncouth, and thoroughly difficult to get along with.”
“ Look, Maude, I don’t need you to tell me I’m a stubborn, blunt and occasionally mean son of a bitch. I’ve been that way a long time, and I’m damn good at it.”
“ Yes, and precisely not the sort of relationship I desire for my son. I had hoped…I hope that Ezra is able to find someone like his father was for me.”
“ Maybe he has.”
“ No, he hasn’t. He does, however, seem to be entirely serious in his…feelings for you. As such, let me assure you that if you ever harm him in any way, either directly or indirectly, if he comes to any harm while in Denver at all, I will hold it against you personally for the rest of your existence. And trust me, Mr. Larabee, when I say that I can and will make your life far more difficult than you can even imagine.”
“ Ezra’s a grown man-”
“ You had a son, Mr. Larabee. He was unfortunately never able to grow to adulthood, and for that you have my deepest condolences. I want you to carefully consider what you would think if it was Adam who stood in Ezra’s shoes. I may not be the most conventional of mothers, and I am certainly not the most attentive or demonstrative, but Ezra IS my son.”
“ I understand that.”
“ Good. Because Ezra is all I have left of his father, and the life I once dreamed of having. And if hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, let me assure you that the Old Testament God himself has no fury as a mother who’s child has been hurt. You take care of my son, Mr. Larabee, and we won’t have a problem. Am I clear?”
“ Crystal.”
“ Chris?” Ezra popped his head in the room. “Mother? What are you doing in here?”
“ We were getting to know one another, darling. After all, if you’re insistent on living with him, I had best let him know how things are, hadn’t I?”
“ Mother, I am not a child-”
“ Now, is lunch ready? Because I truly am famished.”
“ Of course.” Ezra didn’t seem the least bit fazed at the diversion, and Chris reminded himself that it was probably because Maude was where his firecracker had learned all about changing the subject conveniently and quickly.
Ezra had managed, with some effort, to keep the conversation over the course of the afternoon steered well away from sensitive areas. The men quickly caught on, and kept from mentioning work, injuries, Ezra and Chris’ relationship, or Maude’s fifteen month silent treatment of her son. All six of them wondered at Ezra’s ease at accepting this complete disregard of her absence as ever existing. But, mother and son seemed oddly comfortable around each other, and Chris had nearly stopped his continuous glare at Maude when he heard her laugh for the first time he could recall. Ezra’s face had lit up like a child’s at Christmas, and for that brief second, Chris perhaps thought that Maude’s presence wasn’t so bad. Then he remembered every time over the last year and a half that he’d comforted his lover when the woman had caused Ezra to cry, simply because it took her fifteen months to decide what had taken Chris’ mother one night. That being in her son’s life was more important than necessarily approving of his life choices.
It was nearly time for Maude to leave, she was flying on to San Francisco and from there, God only knew. Ezra smiled warmly, as his mother accepted the coat he handed back to her. She’d come back, as she always did. No matter how mad she was at him, how horribly disruptive to her plans he’d managed to be, she always came back for him eventually. She might forget everyone else she’d ever known, but Ezra was reassured in his childhood faith that his mother was eternal.
“ Now, Ezra darling, you remember that I do not wish to have to plan any funerals. I always hated the dreadful things, and the next one I attend had better be my own, understood?”
“Of course, Mother. You know I am exceedingly careful in my work.”
“ I’d prefer it if you chose other work.”
“ Mother.”
“ Oh, yes, I know. I really am at a loss as to where you got this noble streak. Its not as if I raised you to be some Good Samaritan to society.”
“ Its not just the work, Mother. I find myself enjoying my compatriots company-”
“ Of course, dear. I do understand. Just…be careful, please? I don’t ever want to see you hurt again. After that mess in college…”
“ Mother, I will be fine. After all, didn’t you yourself teach me to look out for my best interests?”
“ Hmph. You always ignored my lessons, Ezra. We both know that. Lord knows I tried to teach you, but some children just never learn.” Chris was ready to strangle her once more, and might have if both Maude and Ezra hadn’t been smiling widely.
“ Its lucky for me he never did.” The blond slipped his arms around his love’s waist, pulling the southerner back to lean into his body.
“ I suppose so. Perhaps someday all of you will see reason and leave your dreadful government jobs and take up something more sensible. Why, turning this into a full ranch would be quite enough to keep you busy, Mr. Larabee, as well as ensuring less potentially fatal incidents would occur.”
“ I get great health benefits with the Agency.” Maude sniffed, but everyone could see she was trying not to smile.
“ Ezra dear, I expect to see you at the opening of our new London hotel this summer. It’s the first of our period buildings to be opened.”
“ We’ll be there, Mother, assuming I’m not on a case.”
“ Wherever did you learn to be such a workaholic?”
“ I had the best teacher in the world Mother.”
“ I did always say to get the best. One of the few pieces of advice you actually listened to.”
“ I have the best of everything, Mother.” Ezra reassured, knowing instinctively where Maude’s concerns truly lay.
“ So you say.” Maude leaned in to kiss her son’s cheek, as the horn of the taxi blew outside. “I’m afraid I really must dash, dear. After all, business waits for no one.”
“ Of course, Mother.”
“ Goodbye, son. Take care of yourself.”
“ I trust you will do the same.” Ezra smiled, feeling himself tear up slightly as he saw his mother’s eyes do the same. They never could quite say it, but both saw it there in each other’s eyes. No one else in the world would ever understand, but after spending two decades as the only constant in each other’s lives, both mother and son did. Maude just nodded, looked pointedly for a second at Chris, who tightened his arms around Ezra, and then she disappeared down the walk and into the taxi. In and out, as quickly as the whirlwind Josiah had once likened her to.
Buck Wilmington was not a stupid man. He might not have the education of some, and he was nowhere near as educated as Josiah or Ezra, but he knew when it was time to leave two lovers alone, and that instinct was screaming at him now. If nothing else, Ezra deserved to adjust to this latest twist without them hanging around his home.
“ Hey, kid, don’t you have a date with Casey tonight?”
“ Huh?” JD was confused. Why would he have a date with Casey on a school night? But one look at his roommate’s face told him they would be leaving, and it was always best to do so somewhat gracefully. “Oh, hell. I almost forgot. Ez, you don’t mind if I take a rain check on dinner, do you?”
“ I don’t recall saying anything about making dinner, so I couldn’t possibly give a rain check on a meal I did not plan to prepare.”
“ Uh-huh.” Chris chuckled, dropping a kiss on a smooth neck. “Go on, JD. I’m sure I can convince Ezra to cook again another night.”
“ You’ll have to be very persuasive-” Ezra began, only to be drop off when Chris nuzzled the spot behind his ear before discreetly licking at it. “Hmmmm. I…might consider…”
“ Yeah. Thanks, Chris. Come on, Buck. I need a ride and since you badgered me into not bringing my bike its your job.”
“ I want a rain check then too.”
“ Believe it or not, I am NOT your private chef, gentlemen, I…oh.” Ezra tilted his head to the side, allowing Chris to nibble lightly at his neck.
“ I think that’s my cue to find out what Rain is doing tonight.” Nathan chuckled, shaking his head as Chris continued on as if his entire team wasn’t in the room with them. When they first got together, the two men had tried to be discreet in front of their friends. It hadn’t lasted long, mainly because they were rather like highly active rabbits.
“ Ya ever wonder how they manage at work?” JD asked, watching Ezra turn in Chris embrace and the two men began kissing easily.
“ Who said we do?” Chris asked, bringing a pleasant blush to Ezra’s face.
“ Aw, hell. I ain’t gonna be able to look at your office the same ever again, Cowboy.”
“ We’ve never actually…at work, if it makes you feel any better, Vin.”
“ Not really.” Vin laughed, considering the vast amount of possibilities that still left open. Actually, he didn’t really want to consider them. At least, not very closely.
“ Hey, kid, you’re gonna be late if we don’t get outta here.”
“ Yeah, sure. Did you grab the water guns?”
“ Leave ‘em, kid. We’ll be back.” Buck grabbed his young roommate before JD could head down the hall to retrieve their toys, and directed him out the front door.
“ See you guys tomorrow!” JD called behind them.
“ Hell, if Ezra’s cooking tomorrow, I’ll be here too.” Vin commented, grabbing his coat from the back of a chair. “Some meatloaf sounds good.”
“ Just for that, I’ll make split pea soup.”
“ Aw, hell, Ez, that shit just ain’t a natural color. It looks like something Nate cooked up in the science lab or something.”
“ Green is a perfectly natural color for food, Vin.” Nathan reminded wearily. “ You’d know that if you ever ate anything that color. And green M&Ms and the marshmallows in Lucky Charms don’t count.”
“ Hey, I eat green sweet tarts too. And them Jolly ranchers things. They’re natural flavored.”
“ How do you stay healthy?”
“ Ez cooks.” Vin replied smartly.
“ Yes, and I hide the vegetables amongst his necessary meat and potatoes.” Ezra commented, his eyes never leaving Chris’.
“ So, does that mean you’re cooking tomorrow?” Vin’s voice was hopeful, and Ezra rolled his eyes.
“ I shouldn’t.” Anything further he might have said was cut off by his lover.
“ If I can get Ezra to cook, will you boys follow on Buck’s good idea and leave?”
“ Thanks, Cowboy.” Vin shrugged on his jacket, ducking out the door to head for Purgatorio.
“ Hmph. Thank him. I’m the one who has to cook. I never should have allowed anyone to know I am capable of preparing edible repasts-”
“ Baby?”
“ Yes, love?”
“ Shut up.” Chris smiled, following his request with a kiss that the southerner deepened, tongue lapping hungrily at his lips until the blond opened and allowed his lover entrance to his mouth.
“ Definitely going to see if Rain wants to get together tonight.” Nathan laughed again, and Josiah nodded.
“ ‘Night boys.” Chris managed between kisses, as both the profiler and the medic slipped out the door as well. He returned to the honeyed mouth below his, pulling Ezra tightly against his chest.
“ You all right with today?” The older man asked, as they broke for breath.
“ Mother was just as I expected. If she was still upset with me, she wouldn’t have come at all.”
“ She had no right to be upset in the first place. Its not like you got involved with me just to piss her off.”
“ No, but that is a nice side benefit. Between Mother and you, I think we had a rather impressive glaring contest undertaken today.”
“ After fifteen months, I can’t believe she just shows up. No apologies, nothing.”
“ Mother doesn’t apologize. Not directly. She did so indirectly, by coming to see me. She could have waited for me to call again, and spoken to me then. Understand?”
“ No. But as long as you’re okay, I don’t have to hunt her down.”
“ I’m always okay as long you stay right here with me.” Ezra ducked his head, pressing into Chris’ shoulder. “Oh, Lord that was horribly cliché. I sound like a tacky romance novel.”
“ Hm. Does that make me the prince that was mean at the beginning but ends up a really nice guy?”
“ My teddy bear in shining armor.” Ezra replied, laughing as he pressed another kiss to Chris’ lips.
“ I’ll give you teddy bear. Come here.” Chris plundered the perfectly willing mouth below his. Ezra moaned, as he sucked on the marauding invader. Chris left his baby’s mouth only when it was absolutely necessary that they breathe. He began laying open-mouthed kisses along the jaw, up to the spot behind the ear he’d teased earlier. He felt Ezra go all-but limp in his arms, and he played at that spot for a few moments. By the time he left it, his southerner was squirming in his arms, rubbing a growing erection against his thigh.
“Bedroom. Now.” Chris announced, leading his firecracker down the hall. He shut the door behind them, turning to find a crazy grin on Ezra’s face. “What?”
“ Didn’t we just do this last night?”
“ Should I take that to mean you don’t want to try for a repeat performance?”
“ Not at all. Just noting that as JD would say, we go at like rabbits.”
“ I can live with that.” Chris retorted, pulling his lover against him again. Ezra opened his mouth to reply, but his words were lost when he found his lover’s tongue unceremoniously residing alongside his own. His own tongue quickly tired of being pushed passively about, and dueled with the invading tongue. The southerner wrapped his arms around his lover, one keeping them pressed tightly together, the other hand began kneading Chris’ ass possessively. He felt Chris quickly unbuttoning his shirt, then callused hands were gliding wonderfully across his chest.
“ Ah!” Ezra squirmed in pleasure, mixed with only the tiniest twinge of pain when Chris’ hands pinched both his nipples at the same instant.
“ You like that.” It was both question and statement.
“ You know I do. Ah, damn. Chris.” Ezra arched again, as fingers tweaked sensitive nubs once more.
“ Again?”
“ Please. Yes. Oh, hell yes.” Ezra felt a hot tongue appear where fingers had been a moment before, Chris slowly making his way between the two nipples. Ezra threaded his fingers through blond hair, almost petting his lover as Chris laved his chest. Only a few short moments later, Chris was sliding back up for another wonderful kiss that had them both panting for breath. Ezra slid the shirt off his body, and quickly had his pants unbuttoned and unzipped as well.
“ In a hurry?” Chris asked, somewhat amused.
“ Yes. Come here.” Ezra swiftly had Chris’ shirt off as well, and was sliding jeans down to pool at the taller man’s feet. He directed his lover to step out of the pants, and then removed the socks as well, leaving his beautiful man standing completely naked to his view. Hands drifting to his waist band, he was about to slide his pants and boxers to the floor when Chris grabbed his wrists.
“ Allow me.”
“ Certainly.” Chris’ hands replaced his, and he groaned as he felt a hot tongue licking a path down the skin that was slowly being exposed as his lover slipped the remainder of his clothing off him. He obediently stepped from the pants, hands finding purchase on the broad shoulders of his lover for support.
Chris licked his way back up the beautiful legs, taking a brief sojourn to nip playfully at the sensitive spot right behind the knee, before continuing upwards. He ignored Ezra’s rapidly rising erection, opting instead to attend to the navel. His ministrations had Ezra soon moaning encouragement, thrusting against him as best he was able. He continued to suck at that indentation, easily riding out Ezra’s twists and squirms.
“ Chris.”
“ Hm?”
“ Please.”
“ Please what?”
“ Don’t…ah, Lord, don’t tease tonight. Please.”
“ Baby, I ain’t even close to teasing.”
“ Just take me now. I want to feel that gorgeous cock filling me, want you to come inside me so deep I can taste it. I want you to make me scream.” Chris crushed their mouths together, and guided them quickly towards the bed. Ezra collapsed onto the mattress, bringing his lover down on top of him. They continued kissing for a few moments, bodies rubbing sensuously against one another. Chris easily found the lube that he’d hastily returned to the drawer after last night, and soon had a finger buried inside his stunning firecracker.
Ezra felt Chris’ finger opening him, and he pushed back onto the digit, silently, well, wordlessly anyway, encouraging his lover to add another finger. Obediently, another finger entered him, scissoring him open with quick, efficient movements. A third finger, and then a fourth entered into the action, and the verbose southerner was reduced to relatively incoherent encouragement.
Chris smiled tightly as he heard Ezra begin mumbling in Italian. He had long ago gotten used to the fact that Ezra occasionally switched languages when stressed. When extremely…excited, he lapsed into Italian. If angry, he yelled in French, and sometimes Spanish, especially since he’d been around Inez. If Chris asked very nicely, Ezra would whisper all the dirty things he wanted to do to him in Russian, a language which lent itself well to such words, at least to Chris’ ear. Oh, he didn’t understand a word of it, but it sounded like sex to him now. Positioning himself carefully, the older man eased slowly into the body beneath him.
“ Shhhh, baby.” Chris soothed once he felt his balls hit Ezra’s ass. He leaned over, placing a gentle kiss on bruised lips, his hands petting lightly the sweat-shined chest and stomach. Meant to calm his lover, Chris’ touch had the opposite effect. The almost too-light caresses heightened Ezra’s arousal, and the southerner’s movements became more frenzied as he thrust back into Chris, trying to get the older man to move.
“ Ho bosigno di te adesso. Piu veloce. Piu forte. Piu...”
Chris’ Italian was getting better, at least he thought he knew what most of it meant. Probably not useful Italian if he ever went to the country, but he obediently picked up the speed. He angled to hit his firecracker’s prostate, brushing across the nub with each thrust.
“Proprio cosi, amore mio. Proprio li, oh Dio, si li. Si, si, si…Oddio non fermarti!”
Chris felt Ezra’s body go taught, and the already tight channel clutched spasmodically around him. His own release followed immediately on Ezra’s, and after he’d come back into his body and mind, the blond rolled off his lover, who immediately curled back into his body. Ezra’s arm wrapped around him, and Chris quite happily allowed their sweaty, somewhat sticky bodies to be pressed together once more.
“Ya sobirayusy oblizyvaty i potsyelovaty vas ot ukha do nyebolyshogo palytsa nogi i kogda vy nastolyko trudny, vy nye mozhyetye dumaty pryamo, ya sobnrayusy sosaty vash chlyen, poka vy nye krichitye. I tolyko kogda vy dobirayetyesy k krayu, ya ostanovlyusy. I pyeryedyelaeetye ato, i mnogo raz poka vy nye mozhyety yedva dyshaty ot udovolystviya.” Ezra whispered, his hands running down Chris’ back to squeeze and caress his ass. Chris groaned, feeling his libido kick right back in, despite his tiredness. Damn little firebrand knew it too, as the southerner grinned against Chris’ shoulder. He thrust their pelvises together, Chris’ cock valiantly beginning to rise once more.
“ Have I ever told you how much that turns me on?”
“ Mmhmm.” Ezra’s mumble nevertheless conveyed his confidence. “Now, I believe I promised you something.”
“ You did?” Ezra laughed, grinning up at Chris.
“ Yes, love. And I’m going to keep that promise.”
“ Good.”
“ You don’t even know what I promised you.”
“ I know enough. Come here.”
The End
Continues in I Don't Think I Will
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