"No, you're not. Lift the poncho. Get under and see if you can fit your head through the opening with mine. It's pretty big, and wool. It'll keep you warm."
Alec did as instructed and found that his head slipped through easily. But now he was locked in
so close that he would have to lay his head on the man's back to make it comfortable for the both of them.
"That's good. Everything situated?"
That was an odd question, Alec thought. But it was an odd situation… and it feltstrangeand oddly comforting being so close beneath the poncho, his crotch and inner thighs snuggly spooning the man's ass.
And now less one layer of clothing between us.
"I think so," said Alec.
"Hold tight. We've got a little ways to go. It'll be a little bumpy."
Alec wrapped his arms around the man.
"Tighter. I can't have you falling off."
He squeezed the man around the stomach, and pressed his face into him, breathing in the scent of
musk and cedar. The man clucked his tongue and the horse responded with a snort, darting forward.
Alec groped at the massive man even tighter, feeling the muscled flesh beneath his clothing. He
turned his head to the side and let it rest between the man's shoulder blades.
"That's good. You're doing fine. Don't go to sleep though. We'll be there before you know it."
"OK," Alec said, trying his best to sound at ease when he was anything but… also concentrating hard to suppress any unwanted lower hormonal action. He had no choice but to give in to the comfort though—how could he not? Inescapable proximity coupled with the welcome warmth the man
radiated, made it impossible to consider otherwise.
As the horse began climbing up the snow-covered road, Alec was lulled into the rhythmic
swaying of its strides. He was far from sleepy, but his thoughts were in a dream-like state.
How in the hell did I get here?
Days ago he was living his life with Mac and Demarco in Dupont Circle. And now he was
ascending the mountains of remote Montana… in the middle of the night… on a horse… with a total
stranger. He was both apprehensive and exhilarated as if he were disembodied and watching the
scene play out in a movie. Never would he have imagined himself here.
And to his surprise, he found that he liked it.
7
"Almost there," said the man.
Alec shook the slumbering effects of the ride from his head. He had almost fallen asleep, just
like the man had told him not to. His arms were locked around the man's waist, but his mind had
drifted… away from the cold… away from his embarrassing mishap… while he nestled cozily in the
