Zeke’s cock pulsed, good and strong, and Cal tipped his head down to swallow the pulse of hot white, swallowing and tasting and absorbing Zeke into his very soul.
There would never be another night like this one. There never needed to be. This one was perfect. Perfect as he gentled Zeke’s skin with light kisses, those trembling thighs with his hand, slow pets and long across his hip bones as Cal eased himself up to curl in Zeke’s embrace.
“God,” said Zeke. He cupped Cal’s head and kissed the top of it and sighed a deep breath. “I had no idea it could be that good.”
“You didn’t?” asked Cal softly as he nuzzled beneath Zeke’s strong jaw.
“Betty Lou,” said Zeke. He waved his hand in the darkness above them as if to demonstrate that he had no idea what he meant to say. “She was my fiancée until I busted my leg. A good woman, truly, but very single-minded. Sure. But until now I had no idea she hated giving blow jobs.”
“Hated?” asked Cal. “I’m sure she didn’t hate them. I’m sure she loved you.”
“She did,” said Zeke. Cal heard him lick his lips. “We were close, but in comparison to this?—”
“You can’t compare two people like that,” said Cal, in a rush, feeling rather wise. “It’s different is all.”
“Different?” asked Zeke with a huff of a laugh. “Like night and day. You sent me to the stars, Cal.”
Cal smiled, burying his face in Zeke’s neck, his arms going around Zeke’s middle as Zeke turned off the flashlight. Now they were in darkness, pure and deep and still, with only the sounds of the light rain and their breath to lace them together until morning.
“What about you?” asked Zeke. “What about Preston? I read about him in your file. You two were close? Are you close still?”
“I don’t want to talk about that now.”
Cal didn’t like cutting the conversation short, but there was no way he was going to spoil it by confessing everything about Preston and what Cal had done to get away from him. There would be time enough for that later.
“Later, then,” said Zeke. “And now you. It’s your turn.”
“Whatever you want to do,” said Cal. He reached to adjust his hardness in his briefs, and his body felt tense, like it was anticipating some kind of shock.
But that was before, with Preston. Now, with Zeke, he didn’t have to prepare for pain, or even the slightest discomfort. Zeke would be gentle with him as he always had been and always would be.
Feeling like he needed to keep on being the brave one, he took Zeke’s hand and guided it to his middle, and then led those fingers to curl around his hard cock, a layer of thin cotton between him and Zeke’s hand.
“Start with that, maybe,” said Cal, just about coming right then and there as Zeke’s fingers tightened around him, as if questioning where everything was, and wondering at how bold Cal was. “Just go slow. Do what feels good.”
“All of it does,” said Zeke, as if half to himself. “I’ll try my best, and you’ll let me know what you like, yes?”
“Yes.” Of course, yes. Anything Zeke might want to do to him was okay by Cal. Zeke’s touch on his cock was firm and steady, but never rough.
Cal imagined that Zeke was reaching beneath the waistband of Cal’s briefs as if starting on a journey of what he might like done to him. Which was a firm steady stroke, straightforward, as was Zeke himself.
Cal sank beneath Zeke’s ministrations and liked it just fine. As the sleeping bag flopped open, and Zeke’s hands became firm and confident, he gave into all of it, gave himself unto Zeke.
Over and over, Zeke petted and stroked him, kissing Cal’s ear, kissing his neck, the sensations steady, building, swallowing him up until the stars burst in his head and his spine crackled with pleasure.
As Zeke let him go, shifting to lie next to Cal once more, he kissed Cal, and Cal kissed him back and thought he might pass out from pleasure.
This was a memory he’d hold forever. Every minute of it was precious to him.
It might not happen again once they were away from the valley, far away from everywhere. But he had this, this moment right now. A place to rest his head on Zeke’s strong shoulder, and Zeke’s warm, solid arms coming around him, protecting him from all his fears, even the ones he’d not encountered yet.
Chapter 24
Zeke
Zeke woke up with an armful of Cal, their bodies entwined, the heat their bodies made together comfortable against the rainy damp outside the tent. He’d neglected to close the flap all the way, so there was a thin silver puddle beneath the zipper as he reached to pull it all the way up to the top and looked out.
The valley was shrouded with gray and silver. The horses were dark-streaked with rain, and the roar of the river was louder now.
