Hot bath, good food and enough money for decent whiskey. Just the thing after a long ride from Four Corners. Albuquerque wasn't a bad town, and the prisoner exchange had been made without any trouble. Vin had been able to steer clear of the local lawmen without making himself look suspicous in the process. If it wasn't for that irritating son of a bitch Larabee, Vin's mood would have been pretty good.
Vin had been taking care of himself a long time, and had done an okay job of it before Chris came along. He sure as hell didn't need to be told what he could risk and what he couldn't. If Chris had had concerns about Vin being the one to come with him, he shouldn't have asked him. One thing Vin wasn't about to put up with, from anyone, was that damned mollycoddling.
Vin shook his head and poured himself another drink, fully aware of Chris' heated stare from across the saloon. Let him sit over there and simmer a while, Vin decided, and made a point not to make eye contact with the other man. Instead, he picked up his hand of cards and directed more attention to the rancher at his table.
Cooper was definitely going to have to work on his poker face, Vin thought to himself with a slight smile. Nice fella, but the type Ezra would wipe out in between one breath and the next. Vin hadn't missed the subtle wince on Cooper's face when he'd picked up his cards.
"Good thing I'm better with horses than I am at cards," the man muttered once he'd lost his third hand in a row.
Vin chuckled as he swiped up the coins in the middle of the table. "Ain't likely to lose your ranch with these stakes."
"You're right about that. Losing a little more pride is the worst of it. I reckon I got enough of that to spare."
Vin smiled again as he tipped back his glass for another swallow of his whiskey. At first, playing cards with this Cooper fella was just something to keep him occupied from being so agitated at Chris. But now Vin was genuinely enjoying the man's company. "So how'd you get into ranching anyway?"
Cooper shifted forward in his seat, relaxing a little and leaning in as he set about telling Vin about himself. He was a big man, obviously a lot of muscle, but had a gentle look about him. "Did okay as a blacksmith for a while. Found out I have a way of spotting good breeding and conformation. Saved my money--"
"By not gambling it away for one thing," Vin interrupted to tease a little, earning a grin that revealed laugh lines on his companion's face.
"Yeah, that's for sure. And anyway, I finally had enough to buy my own spread and get a small start on my breeding stock."
Vin nodded, and began to relax more himself. As the level of golden brown in his whiskey bottle slowly creeped downward, he found himself feeling more at ease than he had in days.
A glance outside showed Vin the lengthening shadows of the waning afternoon. He wasn't drunk, but he was on his way, a warm and pleasant buzz humming through his veins. But, he and Chris needed to head out early, so he decided it was time to head off in search of a bed for the night.
He and Cooper stood, saying their goodbyes in the heavier crowd of the saloon.
Vin reached the boardwalk outside, and glanced up the street toward the livery. Rooming house was right next to it, but Chris was staying there, and Vin thought maybe just a little more space would do them both good. So instead of heading that way, Vin turned and went the opposite, toward the hotel.
He got about four feet before a hard hand clamped down on his arm. He spun and stared into the steely gaze Larabee used for scaring people. Except Vin wasn't scared. He was annoyed that Chris was beginning to ruin the peaceful mood he'd found. "Not now, Larabee."
"Not now? You don't get to say 'not now', Vin. We're leaving."
Chris turned Vin, his hand firmly planted on Vin's shoulder, and steered him toward the livery. Vin was just about to slip out of Chris' grasp and pop the man in the face, when he heard Chris grumbling to him.
"Your boyfriend gonna be disappointed? Wouldn't that just be a shame."
Aw, hell. Chris thought he was aiming to meet up with Cooper at the hotel? All that time Vin was sitting there having a friendly conversation, Chris was watching him, thinking he was working up to giving his ass to that big rancher?
Vin's anger dissolved into a calculated scheme. If this worked out like it usually did, he could have some fun with this, he decided. "Maybe it ain't my boyfriend who's disappointed, Chris. Maybe it's me, wondering what you're making me miss."
They turned into the livery, and Chris shoved Vin, hard. "Just get your scrawny ass on your horse."
If Vin had been further down that road to being drunk, he might have felt his anger come back at that. Vin wasn't usually one to let anybody get physical with him-- not in that way. But Vin knew that when Chris felt taunted, he wasn't one to restrain himself, and sure as anything, Vin was purposely taunting him now. This was a new variation of the game they sometimes played, but it was still the same game.
"Scrawny ass looked good enough for Cooper, I reckon," Vin said casually as he pulled the latch to his horse's stall. Vin didn't have to turn around. He could feel Chris' hard glare burning a hole in his back. This was definitely going to be a hell of a lot of fun.
The ride out of Albuquerque had started with a furious little kick of dust, but they'd settled soon enough into a more reasonable pace for the horses. While that gave Vin plenty of opportunities to throw a few smug glances Chris' way, it had also had the effect of settling his insides a bit. Sunset on the horizon meant they'd be stopping to make camp soon, and Vin felt the tingles of anticipation flurry back to life in his belly again.
Sure enough, it wasn't half an hour later and they had themselves a nice, secluded little spot under a knotted tree and next to a lazy creek. Vin tossed his saddle a couple feet from the fire Chris was building and settled down against it, onto his blanket.
"What are you lookin so satisfied about? You're the one who lost out on a cheap, free fuck," Chris said as he stabbed at the thick branches just beginning to burn.
Vin snorted into a short laugh. "Ain't my first free fuck, and I reckon it won't be my last. Hell, we push a little bit, we'll make Milan by sundown tomorrow. Plenty of warm bodies there." Vin smiled at Chris and tipped his canteen for long drink.
Chris was on him in a flash, canteen tossed aside and spilling freely, and Vin's arms pinned to his sides. "You want a warm body so bad, you'll have this one."
Vin's heart thumped hard against his chest and his blood raced through his veins. Hell yeah, he wanted Chris, hot and solid against him, but the man was gonna have to work harder for it than that. He wrenched his arms free and took a handful of Chris' duster, at the collar. "I decide which warm body fucks me, Larabee, not you."
Chris growled at him, and next thing Vin knew, they were tumbling in the dirt, Vin's dick was throbbing in his britches, and Chris had pinned him again. "Don't play coy with me, Tanner. You're begging for a good, hard fuck and you know it."
Vin lunged upward, but couldn't get Chris off of him. "Beggin, hell! Get off me, dammit!"
"Only place I'm gettin, is in you," Chris whispered in that soft, low voice that still managed to sing of danger. Vin shivered, hard, from his shoulders down through his legs. Fuck yeah, Chris was giving him exactly what he needed. Just a little more goading, and he'd have it all.
He had to swallow a couple times to get past the lump in his throat before he could answer him, though. "Can't get it in, if ya can't get it up. You sure you ain't too old for this, Larabee? You must have a good ten years on my friend Cooper."
Chris ground Vin's shoulders into the dirt and bit down on Vin's neck, none too gently, then raked his teeth up to Vin's ear. "You'll get all ten years so far up your ass, you'll feel me in the back of your throat."
Every nerve in Vin's body begged him to scream at Chris to just do it already. Couldn't say it, though, and decided he didn't need to. He shoved his hips upward as hard as he could with the little room he had, felt the hardness in Chris' britches rub against his own.
Chris sat up then, straddling Vin's waist, and shoved away the flaps of Vin's coat. He yanked Vin's shirt out of his pants, then gave it a vicious tug, and sent buttons and Vin's pulse flying. Vin clenched his hands into Chris' thighs and stared at the wild gleam in Chris' eyes. Damn, this was gonna be good.
Vin kicked his boots off as Chris made short work of his pants, pulling them off of Vin's long legs and leaving Vin in nothing but his own skin from the waist down, with just his bunched up blanket beneath him. Chris stared down at his groin, and Vin felt himself twitch at the rapt attention.
Chris jerked to his feet and began pulling of his duster and shirt. Vin sat up and slid his own coat and shirt off as he watched. When Chris was naked to his waist, he raked his gaze up Vin's body until their eyes met. "Roll over, Tanner."
With a smug grin, Vin complied, and reached for his saddle bag while he was at it. He flipped his flask of saddle oil over his shoulder, in Chris' general direction, smiling broadly as he heard the slap of it hitting Chris' palm.
He tucked his elbows under his chest and slowly spread his legs, knowing Chris was watching his every move. Faster than he could blink, Chris was draped over his back, one hand fisted in his hair, the other roughly kneading his ass cheeks. Damn, Chris still had his britches on, too. They chafed against the inside of Vin's thighs as Chris used his knees to spread him even further.
"You been teasin my cock, Tanner," Chris whispered gruffly against Vin's ear before sticking his tongue in it.
"What are you gonna do about it?" Vin croaked.
"Gonna give it to ya," Chris said, as the tip of his finger nudged against Vin's tight hole.
Vin's only answer was a groan and slight roll of his hips. Chris bit down onto the back of Vin's neck, but released his hold on Vin's hair. He then moved off of Vin's back, and from the corner of his eye, Vin saw him grab the oil.
Vin heard the pop of the buttons on Chris' britches, and a second later felt drizzles of oil sliding into the crack of his ass. Vin shoved his ass upward, using his elbows and knees for leverage. "Do it, Chris."
The thick head of Chris' cock pressed against him, and Vin sucked in a gasp as a sharp sting radiated from his hole to his bowels, Chris shoving in with one strong push. This was it; the burn of Chris, hard and deep inside him that he'd craved. When Chris' hands grasped Vin's hips, the feeling of holding Chris' strength within him was complete.
Chris began to pump in and out of him, Vin rocking with Chris' powerful thrusts. The harder Chris fucked him, the stronger Vin felt, the more alive he felt, until every nerve sizzled and every one of his senses sang.
Chris slid a hand to Vin's balls, fondling him with gruff fingers, then swept his hand up the length of Vin's dick, swiping a fingertip over the moist head. Vin quivered all over, but didn't break their rhythm. His eyes squeezed shut and he moaned softly in cadence with Chris' panting as Chris jerked him with a tight grip.
Urgency pooled in his belly, then flowed to his balls, humming with the primal need to burst free. Chris sped up, fucking him with long, deep strokes, faster and faster, yet still squeezing Vin's dick in a pre-cum slicked palm. Vin's climax erupted, forceful jets of ejaculate splashing his chin and the blanket beneath him.
Vin was barely catching his breath when he heard Chris' final grunt, and Chris collapsed onto him, his sweaty chest hard against Vin's back. Slowly, he lowerd himself to the blanket, ignoring the lumps they'd made of it in their frenzy.
Vin cracked an eye open, long moments later, and saw the last of the sunset sinking into the hilly range beyond. He shifted just enough to be able to get a glimpse at Chris over his shoulder. His temperamental lover had rolled off of him just enough to not be completely plastered to his back.
Vin tried to bite back a chuckle, but it came out as a slight snort. Chris' dick was still hanging out of the fly of his britches.
"You keep snickering like that, I'm gonna have find a better way to keep you in line." Chris' eyes were still closed, but Vin knew he was wide awake.
"Big talk, cowboy."
Chris did open his eyes at that, and Vin saw nothing but a smile in them. "I know. There ain't no such thing as keeping Vin Tanner in line."
"You'd be bored senseless if there was," Vin said and turned around the rest of the way to face Chris.
"Probably. But damn, Vin. You coulda warned me you were gonna throw a new twist into this little game of ours." Chris did look a bit agitated, then.
"Me? You're the one who decided to start playing Big Bad Larabee out in the street." Vin raised and eyebrow as he waited for Chris to counter that.
Chris just gave him a sharp, but obviously confused look. "That's 'cause you were goading me with going to the hotel with Cooper."
Vin shook his head, at his wits end. Chris still didn't get it. "I was going to the hotel to get a room-- of my own. I hate to break it to ya, pard, but that was about gettin some sleep, and that's it. I thought you'd figured that out long before now."
Chris let out a long sigh and flopped to his back. "Hell."
Vin also rolled onto his back, shoulder to shoulder with Chris, but turned to look at him, unable to stop a smile from curling his lips. Chris was so arrogant sometimes, Vin couldn't help but be amused. "Don't go wallowing in guilt now, Chris. You and me both know that it don't matter if my knees are in the dirt or up in the air. When it comes down to it, I'm the one saying how it goes."
"That so?" Chris asked, a smirk on his stubbled face.
"Yep," Vin answered with a yawn and stood, gathering his clothes. "And for now, I'm saying it's getting kinda chilly out here. You best be tuckin' your dick back in your drawers, if it's gonna be any good to me later."
Chris scowled a little, but put himself away. "Keep pushin, Tanner."
Vin stepped into his buckskins, his eyes wandering Chris' body in the firelight. "Oh, I plan on it."
The End
