ALL  IS  GRAY by C.V. Puerro

Ezra watched Vin head off to the store before nudging his horse back to a walk. He didn't have much energy to do more. The double patrol and no breakfast were wearing on him. As he rode toward the saloon, he wondered if it was worth incurring Mr. Larabee's wrath to stop inside for a small and, he had to add, well-deserved respite.

But just as he reached the hitching post, Inez stepped onto the boardwalk. " Señor Standish," she greeted him with a wide smile. "How is your patrol?"

"Most uneventful, I am happy to say," he said, nodding and returning her greeting with a tired, half-smile of his own.

"I thought you might be hungry, so I have fixed you something for the trail." The woman handed him a bundle tied up in a kerchief and he immediately unknotted it to inspect the contents.

He pulled out a rolled up tortilla that fit just nicely in his hand — it was even still warm. There were two more in the bandana, along with an apple.

"They are burritos, pollo con rajas," she said, answering the puzzled look on his face. "Chicken with peppers. I think you will like them, señor."

"I can't thank you enough, Señorita Recillos." He was so hungry he really didn't care if she'd stuffed the tortillas with cactus stems. He eagerly bit into the burrito in his hand, immediately relishing the feel of the food in his mouth. "Heaven," he began to say, but was quickly interrupted by a burning sensation on his tongue.

Inez suppressed a small laugh as she handed Ezra the mug of milk she held in her other hand. He frowned at the offering.

"Take it. Drink," she insisted, and so he did.

The milk had an immediate cooling affect, leaving only the lingering flavor of the peppers and meat. He took another bit of burrito and then another mouthful of the milk.

"Very thoughtful of you," he said, toasting her with the now half-empty mug.

"I did not know if the peppers would be too much for you. But, you like the taste?"

Ezra had to admit that he did. "I am not sure about the accompanying burning sensation, but the flavors are quite wonderful." He finished the last swallow of milk before handing the empty mug back to her. "You, my dear woman, are an amazing cook."

"Gracias, señor. I think you will find the other two burritos not so hot to your tongue, but hopefully still to your liking."

"I'm sure I will," he said, tucking the half-eaten burrito back into the bandana before tying it up and hooking it over the horn of his saddle.

"Is there, ah, anything else I can get for you, señor, before you ride out again?" she asked, still smiling pleasantly.

He frowned again. The woman — always gracious and polite — wasn't usually this nice to him, to anyone, for that matter, and he was naturally suspicious. He looked around, suddenly wondering if maybe Buck was playing some sort of trick on him, but he didn't see the man anywhere.

"No, thank you, señorita, I am quite satisfied. Good day to you, and thank you for the meal." Ezra actually removed his hat, tipping it in Inez's direction, then headed off down the street. A ride up the nearest hill would give him an excellent view of the town while he finished up his lunch, hoping Inez was right about the other two burritos not being as hot.

After a short while, Tiny came into the barn, carrying a bundle of alfalfa for the horses. He didn't see Buck at first and nearly tripped over the man who was still lying curled up in the hay.

"Buck, y'alright?" Tiny dropped his burden and rushed to help Buck, not even realizing Peso was instantly nose-deep in the aromatic alfalfa.

Buck just groaned as he struggled to his feet. What in the hell had he been thinking? Not just in kissing Vin — "Oh, my Lord, I kissed Vin!" his mind screamed — but in doing it in such a public place. If Tiny had walk in any sooner— But there Buck's mind stopped and began backpedaling. If Tiny had just come in the back door, then who had opened the front before that? Who had seen him with his hands tangled in Vin's hair, kissing the man like ... aw, hell, like he'd meant it?

This was bad, Buck knew. Very bad. Who'd have thought he would be the one to get them all tarred and feathered before being run out of town? Even Ezra, if he knew, probably never would have laid odds on him.

"Buck?" Tiny was still speaking, though the gunman had failed to notice.

Finally, he nodded. "Yeah, fine. Just, ah, just slipped, I reckon," he said, suddenly realizing his back was covered in fairly fresh manure, which he began to brush off.

"Lemme help ya," Tiny piped in and began running his hands sharply down Buck's backside, brushing away the clumps of horse waste.

"Whoa, that's okay there, Tiny. I got it. No need, no need." As if that was just what he wanted, another man's hands on him — no. No, sir. "Reckon I'll just go get changed."

"Ya sure ya're okay? Ya didn't bump yar head or somet'ing?" the man asked him as he made his way hastily to the front door.

"Nope. I'm fine. Just fine," he assured the man.

"Ya wann me ta put yar tack away far ya?" he offered.

"Nope. I'll be back in a bit. Just leave it there. I'll be back." And with that he was out the door. Hopefully Tiny would be gone when he got back and he wouldn't have to face him again.

"Stupid!" he finally chastised himself as he headed around the corner to his room for a change of clothing. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" He'd called Vin a son of a bitch and then he'd kissed him. Maybe he had hit his head after all.

"I kissed Vin. I kissed him. Right on the mouth. Grabbed his hair and kissed him. What possessed me?" He shook his head as he walked into the boarding house. He headed up the stairs and straight to his room for new cloths, but when he got there, he caught a look at himself in the mirror. There wasn't just manure on his clothes, it was in his hair as well. That last tumble must have landed him right in a fresh pile. He sighed, wondering how much worse this day could get.

Not fifteen minutes later, he was in the bathhouse, slipping into a steaming tub of water. With a brush, he scrubbed the residue off his back, before attacking his hair. Then he took the washcloth and started on his face, but the moment he touched his lips, he thought of Vin again.

It wasn't right — what any of them were doing, feeling — so why was his cock suddenly growing hard at the thought of the lithe, young tracker? He closed his eyes then and forced his thoughts to something else. To the feisty Inez, to the lusty Blossom, but all that did was deflate the tension in his loins. How could he not be attracted to those ladies anymore? How had confessing his long-suppressed feelings to Chris changed everything so profoundly?

Buck sighed. He'd gone and destroyed that man's chances with Vin, gotten his hopes up, and then didn't follow through. It was no wonder Chris was so angry that morning. Standing there at the bar, fuming into his beer, those green eyes boring into him.

Suddenly Buck's cock began to grow hard again and he didn't think to stop his hand from slipping into the water to gently stroke it. He purposely thought about Chris now, about how his hair looked in the mornings before he'd had his coffee and thought to put his hat on for the day, about his eyes and how the green seemed so brilliant when he was angry over something, about his steady hand as he drew his gun, about the lean figure the man cut in those black clothes he'd worn since Sarah and Adam died.

Buck's fingers were wrapped firmly around his thick cock, stroking it up and down, his breathing becoming ragged with the growing sensations of need and want. His other hand slipped beneath the water and began to knead his balls, gently cradling the sacs, stroking them, squeezing.

Was it wrong for him to be doing this, with thoughts of Chris filling his head? It wasn't the first time, though usually it was late at night, as sleep was easing him away, where thoughts and images would come unbidden and be accepted without a care, knowing they would be forgotten by morning.

But this was different. He'd called to mind the thoughts of Chris, to take his mind off Vin. Vin, whom he'd kissed, whom he'd forced. That wasn't him. Yet, he had done it without thought. But he thought about it now. The soft, thin lips, the stubble around them.... They were like nothing compared to Chris's lips — water after sweet honeyed-wine.

He'd have to figure out a way to apologize to Vin without getting laid low by another right hook, he decided as he climbed from the tub, reaching for his towel.

He'd looked all over town for JD, but the kid was nowhere to be found. Vin had only been inside Mrs. Potter's store for a few minutes — how far could he get in that short span of time? Vin didn't know, but evidently far enough.

Finally, he'd just given up. Back at his wagon, he grabbed a fresh shirt and pair of pants out of the back, and then headed up to JD's room to change out of the clothes that had gotten mucked up in the barn.

Then he waited for JD to return, knowing the kid couldn't stay away forever.

He lounged on the bed, his boots empty on the floor. In his mind, he played over the events of the last few days, starting with Buck. If only JD hadn't seen them, but, then, it hadn't been him kissing Buck. Nope, far from it. The man had caught him completely off-guard. Some ladies' man, Vin thought to himself.

It didn't make any sense. Why would Buck of all people want to kiss him? And if he hadn't objected, how far would Buck have taken things? No, he couldn't believe it of the man. Not Buck, who had bedded nearly every eligible — and some of the not so eligible — females in the territory. Then again, the man had been acting mighty strange since catching him with JD. Could it be that he'd been pondering what he'd seen — an act that had at first repulsed him — for so long that he'd begun to get curious?

A man like Buck, he'd probably never thought about being with another man. "I don't want JD like you do," he'd said in the barn. If that was true — and Vin really believed it was — and he had become curious, then it was natural Buck might turn an eye on him.

"Man was just curious. Don't make him a bad person," Vin reasoned. "Prob'ly never even occurred ta him 'til it happened." He nodded solemnly to himself. "Must be it. And all that gruff and holler, name callin' me and JD—" but that made Vin stop and think again.

Why would the man say such things, condemning them when they weren't hurting another living soul doing what they were doing? It was him who'd busted in on their privacy. Not like they busted in on him, forced him to watch.

But what could have driven him to say such things, especially about the kid? "He cares about JD," Vin said to himself, of that he was certain, even if he hadn't been showing it lately. "Each like the brother the other never had. All the more reason for the man to be understanding, tolerant. Not go off half-cocked, calling names he's got no right to think, let alone say," Vin fumed, sure that he would deck the man again if he walked through the door right that instant.

But it was JD who walked in a moment later.

The kid took one look at Vin — lying on his bed, hands behind his head, bare feet crossed one over the other — then turned to leave.

"Kid— JD! Wait. Please?" he asked as he sat up. But when the kid looked like he was going to leave anyway, Vin added, "I brought ya somethin'."

JD hesitated with his hand on the doorknob. Vin could tell he wanted to go hide out wherever he'd been hiding for the past few hours, but he could also see by the set of his shoulders that curiosity about the gift was beginning to set in. It wasn't a big gift, but he hoped it would be enough to at least get JD to stay long enough so they could talk.

The kid's hand toyed with the knob, turning it a little bit one way then back the other. The tip of his shoe tapped softly on the ground. Vin could hear his breath coming in small, soft huffs.

Finally, JD turned, and then came to stand beside the bed.

"Ya hafta sit down first," Vin told him, but the kid just crossed his arms and stood his ground. "Oh, aw'right. But, just don't run off again. I wanna talk to you." He looked at JD, but all he saw was impatience in the narrowed brown eyes.

Vin relented and handed JD the candy-filled paper cone off the nightstand.

"I ain't yer ornery horse," the kid declared, refusing to take the offering. "Ya can't bribe me with peppermints."

"Ain't a bribe. It's a peace offerin'. And it ain't peppermints," Vin said, knowing a bit about what the kid liked and what he didn't. He pulled the cone of paper close, unrolled the top, and then sniffed at the contents. The smell was delicious and he made a point of letting it show on his face. "But, if ya don't want 'em...." Vin pulled one light-brown confection from the bag and brought it up to his nose to smell before popping it into his mouth.

JD made a small groan and furrowed his eyes as he saw Vin eating the candy. Finally, he sat down on the bed. Vin then handed him the paper sack.

JD smiled, but then obviously remembered he was mad at Vin so he frowned again and turned slightly away before inspecting the contents of the bag. "They are!" he suddenly exclaimed. "Maple sugar drops! I haven't had any since I came west. How'd you know I liked 'em?"

Vin just smiled to himself. The kid had obviously forgotten the story he'd shared, about his mother buying these candies for him at Christmas time.

JD eagerly dug into the bag to retrieve a piece, then he popped it into his mouth and just let it sit on his tongue, melting.

Vin seized the opportunity to finally talk to the kid. "JD, I'm sorry. Truly. I shouldn'ta taken my anger out on ya this mornin', not when it was somethin' had nothin' ta do with ya."

"Mwht bib yi haffa bo wif?" he mumbled with the candy still filling his mouth.

"Chris. Can't explain it, 'cuz I don't understand it myself. Reckon I'm just gonna have ta talk ta him about it ta get it all figgered out," Vin hung his head, knowing this wasn't much of an apology.

"Mmd wyu" — JD began, but then stopped and swallowed — "fuck him?"

Vin just nodded.

JD nodded back, as he set the bag of maple candies down on the bed next to Vin. He got up then and Vin was suddenly afraid the kid was going to walk out on him forever. But, JD didn't head toward the door. Instead, he crossed to the dresser and pulled open the top drawer.

When he turned around again, he held the feather duster in his hand. "Here," he said, offering it to Vin. "Reckon you got better uses for this."

But Vin shook his head and was on his feet in an instant. "No, I don't, JD. It wasn't like that 'tween us. I didn't go to him lookin' fer it."

"He forced you?" the kid asked and Vin had to truthfully shake his head, no.

"I didn't force him neither. It just ... I don't know. Reckon I still got feelin's fer him. Reckon ... I got feelin's fer ya both. Different, but in some ways the same."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?"

"Hell no. Don't make me feel any better; don't know why it would make you feel better. It's just that I can't promise it won't happen again. But, I need ya ta know that it don't change how I feel about ya."

"It changed this mornin'. You treated me like horse shit on the bottom of your boot."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I was angry at Chris — fer how he acted toward y'all this mornin', fer how he acted toward me the night b'fore. It bothered me all the way down to my gut and I just couldn't sort it out with ya askin' all them questions I couldn't answer. I'm sorry," Vin said, taking another step closer to JD.

The kid edged a little closer as well, but did not reach out to him. "What about Buck?"

Again Vin had to shake his head. "We got in a fight—"

"A fight? I don't call what I saw a fight!" JD tossed the duster back into the drawer and stalked toward the door. "I ain't never seen you fight nobody like that before, Vin," he accused.

"I think he's still angry over what he saw us doin' that night he walked in on us. He ... he said somethin' that got my dander up and I took a swing at him."

The kid looked at Vin like he didn't believe him.

"Okay, I took a couple dozen swings at him. Then, all of a sudden, he grabs my hair and starts kissin' me. It was the damnedest thing. I still can't believe it of him. Of all the men in this town...."

"He kissed you? Buck?" JD shook his head, still not believing it.

"Yeah, Buck. I got no reason to be kissin' him, JD, that's for sure. Got enough things clutterin' up my head 'tween you and Chris — I don't need ta add him ta the pot!"

"Clutterin'? That's what you think of me? I'm just another piece of junk ta toss in the back of yer wagon. This day.... Ain't never had a day as crappy as this one. Ya got anything else ya wanna tell me? Like, I don't know: gettin' me in bed was just a game ta you, fuckin' me didn't mean anything, ya thought ya loved me but don't? Huh? Any of that? Anything else?"

Vin hung his head. He couldn't believe the words coming out of the kid's mouth. He couldn't believe that JD would think those things of him. But when JD turned and started to open the door, something inside Vin snapped. He lunged at the kid, slamming hard into him, pinning him while holding the door shut.

"Get offa me," JD growled, suddenly shoving all his weight into Vin, throwing him back, onto the floor. JD then turned again to leave.

"JD, wait," Vin pleaded and, for some reason, the kid did. "Don't know why I can't say the right words ta ya today. Don't know why everything just keeps gettin' fouled up. I don't mean it to. Wish I could have it all back, 'cuz I'd do every minute of it different...."

He finally stood and walked over to JD. He reached out to the kid, placing a gentle hand on his arm, and then leaned in and softly pressed his lips against JD's.

"...'Cept this one," he finally added. "I love ya, JD. Plain as that."

"I love you, too, Vin," JD said as he wrapped his hands around the man's waist, kissing him again. Then he smiled. "You taste like maple."

"So do you," Vin said, pulling the kid back to the bed. He reached into the paper cone and pulled out another candy, holding it up to JD. When the kid reached for it, he pulled it away, popping it into his own mouth — but not all the way. He smiled to show JD he was only holding it between his teeth. Then he reached out to JD, encouraging him to come near, to sample the maple he held.

JD kissed him, but Vin did not give up the confection. JD then ran his tongue over Vin's lips, over the maple candy, and then kissed him again, managing to nibble off an edge of the sugary drop.

As Buck rode toward the shack, he saw Chris outside, pumping water from the well into a bucket, but the man gave no indication he'd seen Buck. Buck, however, wasn't deceived; Chris hadn't lived by the gun this long not to know he was there.

He dismounted when he got to the porch, slinging his reins over the hitching rail. Then he slowly approached Chris, who was now at the corral, hooking the bucket's handle over a nail for his horse. The man turned then and stared at him for a moment, but said nothing.

The pair waited in silence, Buck trying to think of something to say and wondering, if he waited long enough, if Chris would actually say something first.

Finally, Chris started to head toward the shack, but as he brushed passed Buck, Buck suddenly blurted out, "I kissed Vin."

Chris froze before turning an icy stare on him. Buck was ready to duck, anticipating some furious blow to his body, but none came. Chris simply turned away again, keeping on toward the cabin.

Buck stood in the yard for a long time, not knowing what to do. And cursing himself for having said anything at all about the tracker. Eventually, he followed Chris inside.

The man was seated at the small table beside the window, drinking from a cup that looked like it held coffee. He made no move to offer any to Buck, who inched his way in, not entirely sure what to expect.

Buck stopped for a moment in the middle of the room, but then took a few anxious steps toward the back wall before turning to face Chris. The man was concentrating pretty hard on his coffee, so Buck retraced his steps toward the door, and then turned again. Now Chris was staring out the small window as he sipped from his cup.

Buck resumed his pacing, reaching the far wall again before finally forcing himself to speak. "Chris, I, ah—"

But before he could find the words to finish, Chris found them for him, "Fucked him, too?"

The tin cup came smashing down onto the table, splattering droplets of dark liquid everywhere. "That God-damned man is a fucking rabbit! I'm surprised he hasn't had everyone in the territory! Practically as bad as you, Buck! You have fun with ... what's her name? Rosebud?" But Chris didn't wait for an answer. He was out the door before Buck could stop him, even though Buck was right on his heels.

"Blossom! Her name is Blossom! And howdaya know about that?"

Chris turned and glared at Buck, but did not answer.

Buck met his eyes for as long as he could, but he quickly broke under the relentless gaze. "So, I was with her. Wasn't like it was the first time—"

"Not like with Vin."

"Now hold on there. You got that wrong, Chris. All I did was kiss the man—" Those words sounded so strange to his own ears, he couldn't bring himself to say anymore.

Chris just nodded his head, pressing his lips together into a thin, bloodless line. Then he looked away. "I don't get you, Buck. You bolted at the sight of my front door last night, but today you're all over Vin? You wanna explain that to me? You wanna explain any of this to me?"

Buck hung his head, trying to catch hold of at least one of the thoughts buzzing about his brain as if it were a hive.

"Don't bother," Chris finally said as he started to walk away again, but suddenly he stopped and turned back, facing Buck once more. "Let me just hazard a guess here; you tell me if I'm even close. You, ah, you're bothered by the thought of two men together, right?"

It was true. He wasn't raised to believe anything different, and he didn't like thinking of JD on his knees, subjugating himself to another man, a man no more than his equal, if that. Buck had to nod his head yes to Chris's question.

"More over, you don't like the idea of me with Vin, 'cuz he don't love me as well as Sarah did," Chris continued.

"That's true enough. That woman, well, she was mighty special."

"So, it was only natural that you would want to break the two of us up," Chris reasoned logically.

"I can't say as I set my mind to it when I first found out, but, after seein' him bein' unfaithful ta ya, yeah, I s'pose so." Buck didn't know what Chris was driving at here, but he was getting a little tired of being on the sharp end of the man's probing stick.

"So, you gave me a reason to throw him over ... for you," Chris raised his pale eyebrows, turning the statement into a question.

"Ya don't need ta settle for someone who don't love ya as much as they can," he defended his actions.

"And once we were broke up, you couldn't actually go through with it. You couldn't bring yourself to turn your lying words into truth."

"I never lied ta ya, Chris—"

"Ya told me ya cared about me, more than Vin does, as much as Sarah did—"

"And I meant it!"

"Then why'd ya sleep with that woman last night instead of spending time with me?"

"I didn't!"

"I saw you!"

"You what?"

"I saw you!"

"How in the hell— No. No, you couldn't have. 'Cuz if you did, you'd know I couldn't get it up for her. First time in my entire damn life that I couldn't get it up for a woman. All 'cuz of you!"

Now it was Buck who turned and walked away. How dare this man treat him like this. Like he'd lied and deceived him. He ... he was just anxious, uncomfortable about all this. Wasn't like this was a normal, everyday thing that a man did, wanting to be with another man. How in the hell was he supposed to act?

As soon as Buck's fingers touched the leather of his horse's reins, he felt Chris's hand on his shoulder.

"Why'd you kiss Vin?" he asked before Buck could decide to turn around and face him. "Did ya do it so I wouldn't want you no more? So I wouldn't think about going back to him either?"

He listened as the anger in Chris's voice changed into hurt and unease.

Buck turned then to face his long-time friend. "I didn't do it for no reason. It just ... I don't know. One minute I was standin' there and the next—"

"You were kissing him. He seems to have that affect on men," Chris mumbled the last under his breath.

"No. That's not how it happened. I got ta thinkin' about him and JD together and ... the thought of that innocent kid doin' ... well, I just lost my temper. I called Vin a son of bitch and accused him of turning JD into a ... a cocksucker."

"God damn it, Buck! You can't go judging people like that. You got no right—"

"But it's wrong, Chris. No one should be on their knees doin' that! It's ... it's degradin'!"

"Buck Wilmington. Are you standing here telling me you ain't never been sucked off in your life?"

Buck shook his head. He wasn't embarrassed to admit it. Hell, he was damn proud. "Growin' up the way I did, with the kind of ladies I did, well, they told me things, things to make me a better man, to make me do right by the women in my life. Only a man that's tryin' to make himself feel superior would make someone do that to him. But there was JD, on his knees before Vin — and Vin standin' there, his hands on the kid's head, forcin' him—"

"Vin ain't the kinda man to force nobody, not in something like that. Trust me, I know."

But Buck just shook his head, the image of those two filling his mind. He couldn't believe Chris. How could he after what all those women he'd grown up around had told him?

"Buck, I don't doubt those ladies taught you a lot both about respecting and pleasing women. But you gotta remember they were working girls. And that profession don't always bring in the most considerate customers. I wouldn't doubt those ladies were forced to do a hell of a lot of things they would rather not have."

He nodded in agreement to Chris's statements. Drunks, thieves, gamblers, cowpokes. All manner of men who plunked their money down and expected to get whatever they wanted, with no thought for the woman's feelings. And most of those women could never afford the luxury of turning away business, even the undesirable kind.

"But that don't mean some of those things can't be pleasurable. Now you know JD, better than most of us. You know ain't no one gonna make him do something he doesn't want to do."

He knew first hand how stubborn and single-minded the kid could be — hell, they'd all tried and failed at one time or another. Maybe the kid had wanted to be exactly where he was, giving Vin pleasure. A man can put up with a lot of things, willingly, to please someone he cares about. He knew he had; he knew Chris had, too.

Buck met Chris's eyes then, nodding again. "Maybe I was wrong 'bout the kid ... reckon I owe him an apology. Vin, too."

"So, how did you end up kissing him?"

Buck laughed a little now. "I said those things to Vin — about him, about JD — and he walloped me a good one." Buck rubbed his still sore jaw at the memory. "Guess I deserved it."

"That explains the bruise on your jaw, but what about the other ones on your face?" Chris asked, reaching out a gentle finger, but pulling back before he made contact.

"Well, I riled him pretty good. He came at me like a tornado — just kept hittin' and hittin' me. Reckon I got more bruises than you can see. That one's got a hell of a swing when his dander's up."

Chris just smiled and nodded knowingly.

"So, we tumbled around in the hay, him hittin', me tryin' to fend him off, and ... I don't know what came over me. Reckon all those thoughts I hadn't been able to reconcile — the fear, the curiosity — guess they just all came to a head. Before I knew it, I'd grabbed him and kissed him."

Chris nodded, not meeting Buck's eyes anymore. After a few moments, he asked, "So, how was it?"

"Brief. And not worth the kick in the balls I got for it."

"He kicked you?" Chris scoffed in disbelief.

"Kneed me, actually. Guess he ain't as randy as you accuse him of bein'."

"Maybe not," Chris agreed, though Buck noticed something odd in the man's eyes, a flicker of something he couldn't quite put his finger on. But suddenly it was gone as Chris asked, "So, you didn't do it with Blossom. Kissin' Vin didn't mean anything. What about me?"

Buck thought for a minute, determined to get his words right this time. "I meant what I said, Chris. Since we first met, I've had feelin's for you that I've never had for another soul. But I've pushed 'em from my mind for so long that I don't know what to do with 'em now. I'm — aw, hell. They're scarin' the shit outta me, Chris. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say, how to act...."

Chris smiled again, a wry grin that eased up just a little higher on the left side of his mouth than on the right.

"What would you do if I were a woman?" Chris asked, and Buck was surprised at the seriousness in his voice. "Well?"

"Um, well, I, ah, I reckon I'd tell you how pretty your eyes are."

"Okay, tell me."

Now it was Buck's turn to laugh, though it was filled with nervousness and embarrassment.

"Don't you think my eyes are pretty?"

"Chris—" This just seemed silly. You didn't go around telling a man anything about him was pretty unless you wanted to get your ass kicked. But, he had to admit he did think them so. "They're as pretty as ... prettier than cabbage to a hungry man."

"Anything else?"

"Well," Buck thought, taking a good look up and down his lean form, pausing just briefly at the gun holstered at his waist. "Ya promise not to shoot me?" he had to ask, and Chris nodded with an indulgent smile. "I, ah, think ya fill out them trousers of yours right nice."

"Now, was that so hard?" Chris asked and Buck had to say that it was. "Reckon we're just gonna have to go slow then, ease you into this. But you're going to have to tell me if something bothers you — don't make me guess."

"I will surely try," Buck agreed.

"All right then. You wanna come back inside?" Chris asked, but Buck hesitated, ready to ask if they could take things a lot slower than that, but before he could, Chris laughed again. "There's some stew warming on the stove. You hungry for some supper?"

Buck grinned wide, relieved as he chastised his over-reactive mind. "Supper sounds mighty appealing right about now."

As Ezra entered town, he pointed his horse straight toward the sheriff's office where he hoped his relief would be awaiting him. He was dirty, sweaty, tired, and saddle-sore. At that moment — hell, for the last thousand or so moments — he wanted nothing more than a hot bath, a hot meal, and a bottle of whiskey to end his day of punishment courtesy of Mr. Christopher Larabee.

He was quite thankful to see Nathan standing on the boardwalk as he approached. "All is serene, Mr. Jackson: nary a wayward soul or stray thought in sight. And, on that note, I wish you a most uneventful perambulation about our fair town."

"Can't you just say, there hasn't been any trouble and have a good night?" Nathan asked the southerner, but all Ezra did was tip his hat and smile warmly as he nudged his horse back toward the livery.

Inside he found Tiny, whom he paid to groom his horse for him. He spoke with the man to make a few other necessary arrangements, then headed straight for the saloon.

As he trudged up to the bar, he saw Inez behind it, cleaning shot glasses. She smiled brightly — and genuinely, Ezra thought — as he approached. "Whiskey, if you please, dear woman," he requested and she filled a glass for him.

"How did you find your burritos, señor?" she asked, referring to the lunch she had packed him.

"Quite delicious. I, ah ... thank you. I most certainly appreciate the kind gesture." Ezra wasn't usually one for thank yous, not truly sincere ones — words usually failed him during those few occasions when someone happened to do something altruistic for him — but perhaps that was another affect this town, these people, were having on him. His mother would be appalled.

Inez refilled his empty glass, and then frowned at him. "Would you like some dinner to go with that? I was just about to have some myself. There are still beans warming on the stove, as well as chicken..." she offered.

Ezra swallowed the strong liquid in one gulp before replying, "No, I have other plans this evening, but" — he glanced around the room to double check that none of his associates were present — "if you are not otherwise engaged ... I would find a meal on Saturday evening most enjoyable."

"What would you like me to cook?" she asked, and Ezra had to smile at her ingenuousness.

"Forgive me, my dear lady, but you mistake my intentions. I know of a lovely restaurant just across the avenue that is reputed to serve the finest steaks in the territory. It would be my great privilege to escort you for an evening's repast — for dinner."

"Dinner? At the restaurante?" Inez seemed both surprised and delighted by the prospect, Ezra noted. "Sí. Saturday." She smiled, and then filled Ezra's glass once more.

He drained the whiskey in two sips. "Until Saturday, then," he said as he turned and left the saloon, gratefully finding Tiny waiting outside in the street with the buckboard he'd rented for the night.

Ezra had a deed burning a hole in his pocket and while he could not wait a moment longer, he also could not bear another minute in the saddle to make the journey. As he urged the horse on, he realized with much disappointment that he wouldn't have very much light left by the time he reached his newly acquired property. He'd have to return another day — perhaps tomorrow — to give the land a thorough inspection, but he hoped he'd get a good enough look tonight to satisfy his curiosity.

"I sincerely hope the former owner was just a poor loser," he said to himself, remembering the words of the small man as he'd stormed out of the saloon. He truly hoped this property would be worth something.

The sun was just beginning to ease into a brilliant yellow and orange sunset as the gambler reached the first wooden marker indicating the edge of his property. It was a homesteader's plot of land and, despite possessing the deed, that meant Ezra would need to check with the bank to make certain there weren't any outstanding loans or government homesteading agreements somehow binding the former owner and preventing him from keeping the property.

From the seat in the buckboard, Ezra glanced over the expanse of land and could find nothing wanting. Though mostly flat, in the distance there were a few tree-covered hills and some rocky outcroppings. It seemed the idyllic homesteading stake. He still couldn't figure out why the little man had been so eager to part with it.

As the sun sank a little further, Ezra was pleased to find a full, bright moon rising in the east. It would afford him some light, hopefully enough to do a little more looking around before he headed back to town for a much-longed-for bath.

Before Ezra even reached the second wooden marker, fixing the far border of the property, he came upon a small stream, which bisected the road. A small, well-crafted bridge would be a nice amenity, Ezra noted to himself, should the land prove retainable.

Instead of crossing the shallow waters, though, Ezra pulled the wagon to a stop and climbed down. He bent down next to the stream and, cupping his hands, scooped up some water. But, before the liquid even reached his mouth, he could smell its foul odor and he dumped it onto the ground without even tasting it.

He suddenly realized why the small man had been so eager to rid himself of this land. No doubt all the water was similarly tainted. "Fool!" he spat into the wind.

A few well-planned minutes apart, Vin and JD each checked in with Nathan, the designated town watchman for the evening, before they saddled their horses and headed out of town.

"Don't think we're gonna catch many fish this late," JD remarked as the sun sank further below the western horizon. "They won't even be able to see the lures."

But Vin nodded toward the east. "Moon's coming up and it's near full. Should be plenty of light ta suit our needs," he reasoned.

"Wish we hadn't quarreled this mornin' — we coulda had a real nice day out here like we'd planned."

"Wish we hadn't quarreled either, but it's done. We're just gonna have ta have a real nice evenin' out here instead." Vin took off his hat for a moment and brushed a few drops of perspiration from his brow. "Reckon it's not gonna cool off much tonight either. We might get a swim out of this."

"Yeah, we could go swimmin', 'specially if we don't catch any fish!" JD agreed, perking up a bit.

Soon the pair was dismounting where the section of river wended into a deep curve. It was the ideal place for swimming, though they'd have to head up stream a bit further, where the waters ran a bit faster, if they were to have any hope of catching some fish. But Vin wasn't really thinking much about fishing.

He immediately began to strip out of his clothes as JD fiddled with the supplies they had brought. Soon, Vin was standing naked on the shore, staring across at the moon, large and yellow as it rose slowly over the far hills.

"Hey! I thought we were here to fish," JD said, finally noticing Vin's state of undress.

The tracker just shrugged. "Got all night. Reckon there's a lotta things we can do, if we want." He then stepped toward the water.

"Wait for me!" JD yelled as he began yanking off his own clothes.

Vin slowly walked into the water. From the shape of this section of river, Vin guessed it was the start of an oxbow lake. The bank JD was still standing on bulged out quite a ways from where the stream both entered this stretch and exited. At some point, the course of the river probably changed enough so this jog was bypassed, leaving relatively calm waters here and the faster waters of the main river on the far side of the small, center island. The water there would be just a little bit cooler than where Vin now stood, knee deep, and those waters would bring sediment which would eventually accumulate, filling in the depths between the island and the shore, like a slow beaver building a dam, thus creating the lake. He stretched a bit as he lazily wondered at the nature all around him.

From behind, he heard footsteps as JD ran across the sand toward the river. He turned his head, expecting the kid to leap into the river, splashing him in the process, so he was completely caught off-guard when JD tackled him around the waist, sending them both crashing into the water.

Vin resurfaced first, shaking the hair out of his face. JD came up a moment later, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. He shook his dark hair, pelting Vin with droplets of water, then grinned wide.

"Thought ya wanted ta fish. Prob'ly scared 'em all away now," Vin said, using his hand to squeeze some water out of his long hair, but JD just shrugged before disappearing below the surface of the water again.

Vin then felt hands on his hips, and something enveloping his cock, which immediately began to harden. He leaned his head back and enjoyed the unexpected but highly pleasurable sensations.

A minute later, Vin was released and the kid resurfaced, gasping for air. Vin smiled at him, moving right up next to him, pressing his wet body against JD's. His own hands now found the kid's hips and he allowed his fingers to wander over the firm, pale flesh, slipping back to caress a cheek, slipping forward to stroke his firm cock.

JD looked up at Vin and instantly their lips were pressed together. JD wrapped his arms around the slightly older man, pulling him even closer as their tongues danced between their mouths.

When JD began to grind his hips against him, Vin shivered, the rough hairs on JD's stomach exciting the sensitive skin of his eager cock. He grabbed both of the kid's cheeks firmly, squeezing the mounds of flesh, kneading them even as he encouraged the kid to continue moving his hips.

The tracker's knees quickly grew weak, so he pulled JD down into the water, but it was too deep where they were standing. He took the kid's hand then and led him closer to the shore where they could lay down in the water without being completely submerged.

As Vin eased himself down, JD followed, asking, "What's it like to kiss Chris?"

Vin stared at him for a moment, wondering what had prompted the question. Finally, he just shrugged.

"Reckon he likes to kiss you as much as I do. Wonder if Buck does now, too," the kid said, dropping his gaze to the water.

"It don't work like that, kid. It's not the one person that matters; it's the pair. Whatever Chris, or Buck for that matter, thinks of me" — and Vin imagined neither had been thinking very highly of him lately — "it's got nothin' ta do with what you think of me, or what I think of you."

After a moment of silence, of further contemplation of the water's surface, JD asked, "Did ya like ... kissin' Buck?"

Vin frowned at the kid. He didn't like where this line of questioning seemed to be heading. "Buck kissed me. I had very little to do with it," he said, then ran the tip of his tongue over the still-tender split the larger man's exuberance had reopened.

"But, I saw—"

"What ya saw was Buck takin' his frustration and curiosity out on me. It was two seconds of contact, JD. No tongues, barely any lips, certainly no feelin's. It just happened, like when ya bang yer elbow on the table — don't plan it, don't see it comin', and it's over 'fore ya realized it even happened, but the pain just keeps lingerin'."

"So, ya didn't like it?"

"It was somethin' I didn't want, JD — somethin' I still don't want. I just don't think of Buck like that." Vin saw JD nod, but could tell from his furrowed expression that that wasn't quite the answer the kid had been fishing for. "But," Vin decided to continue, "I reckon his mustache did tickle some."

At this JD smiled and almost laughed. "Yeah, I always wondered what all them women he's kissed think of that bushy thing hangin' over his lip!"

"S'pose I could grow one, iffn yer really curious," Vin offered with a smile, crinkling up the corners of his eyes. JD pulled back and stared at him for a moment before answering.

"Nope. I think I like you fine, just as you are."

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