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Bareback

41

Chapter Five

The Boss always called the big barn dance a reward for a year’s hard work, but this was the first year that Jake even came close to agreeing with him. Usually the dance, really just a big drunken two day barbeque with music, was an event he made his way through by telling himself that it would be over in 'X' many hours, and life would return to normal. The first four years Jake was on the ranch he didn't even come out of his room for the event, convinced that there was no way in hell he'd make it through a weekend full of that many people, that much booze around, and that much noise, without drinking.

He didn't think the Boss had even noticed that he wasn't there; after all, there had to be more than a hundred people on the yard, tents everywhere, trucks parked three deep all along the lawn. But then, about a week before the party in Jake's fourth year there, the Boss had just asked him if he was going to join them this year. Jake had just shaken his head and said, "Not this year, sir. Maybe next." And the Boss had nodded and let it drop.

Over the years, and with a certain amount of trial and error, Jake had worked out what his endurance was. The first afternoon, when people started arriving and there were the sounds of happy greetings and the bands warming up, was fabulous. The early evening, when people sat around in tight circles, or moved from group to group talking to everyone they knew was fun. It wasn't until full dark, when the music was loud and the voices grew louder with too much drink that it got rough. Even that had changed over the years though. Early on, it was a dread of wanting to join them in their excess, the burning need for a bottle of his own that drove Jake to his room. Now it was just a need to be away from that many drunken people. The booze itself didn't faze him anymore; he didn't even notice the beer in the fridge of the bunkhouse unless it was in front of his apple juice. It was just the idiocy that came with it that got to him after awhile. He still found the second day a trial.

But right now it was just dusk and Jake was feeling fine. It was a big gathering this year, over a hundred and fifty people, since most started bringing their families and camping out. He was wandering around, talking to people he didn't see that often, meeting new faces, and generally just enjoying being social. He liked the sound of the band, liked the smell of the food; it was going to be a good night. The beer was just starting to flow and he figured it would be a couple of hours before he would really want to be somewhere else.

He knew that his tolerance was high this year due to actually missing the first night altogether. Spending the night on the riverbed with Ben and Jeff had been much more enjoyable than trying to make his way through the Boss's party. He was feeling relaxed and easy with himself after taking the entire day to just lay around. He even thought that his body was almost fully recovered, if not quite normal. Jake was just as glad; as much as he had enjoyed the night before, and that morning as well, he just wanted to settle back tonight, be apart from it all. And if he happened to wander into Tor, well, that would be nice, too.

42

Bareback

He was talking to a rancher from a spread south of theirs when Elias wandered up and asked to have a quick word with him.

"What's up?" Jake asked, as they walked up toward the stable.

"River. I was just feeding the horses and saw him favouring one leg. No one told me anything about it, so I just thought I'd mention it."

"Damn," Jake said. "Nothing wrong with him this morning. Anyone have him out this afternoon?"

Elias just shrugged, and said, "Don't know. Listen, I didn't even take a close look, just thought I'd tell you, seein' how you seem to favor him. I could ask around though, if you want."

"No, don't worry about it. I'll take a look; you just go have some fun. No sense getting all twisted if there isn't anything wrong with him."

Jake headed into the stable and made his way down the row of stalls, stopping at River's.

"Hey, baby, how're you doin'?" he asked the horse as he stepped in. River looked up at him very seriously and Jake laughed.

"Right then. Not talking to me. Got it. Just want to check you out, 'kay?" He moved carefully around the horse, sliding his hand gently up and down each leg. "So where do you hurt, baby? Not seeing anything…shift a bit would ya?" He coaxed the horse to move to the side and watched his hooves, not seeing anything. He moved to the other side and shifted him again, then saw the horse dance a little on his front left.

"What we got here, River? Let me see, c'mon," he examined River's leg and then guided the horse to lift it up so he could take a look at the hoof itself, and saw a nice chunk of rock wedged tight against the shoe. "Well, damn. That's gotta hurt." He stroked River's flank and moved off to the tack box to get a hoof pick, swearing under his breath.

He was working at the rock, talking quietly to River when he heard footsteps approaching. He didn't really think anything of it, there were people everywhere and if Elias had mentioned River to anyone, someone would have come up to lend a hand or at least see what was up.

"S'okay, baby, I got you. Gonna get rid of this for you and make you feel much better.

That's it, you'll be fine in no time, River. I'm right here, baby…"

"You talk to your women that way, Jake? Must work just fine."

Jake glanced up at Missy and smiled politely. "Not often, no."

Bareback

43

She smiled at him and held out her beer can. "Drink?"

"No, thanks." He dropped his head and went back to River's hoof, wondering how long he could drag it out before River had enough and kicked him out of the stall. Jake really didn't want to be anywhere with Missy, and hiding behind a horse was fine with him.

"You got nice words, Jake. Would work just fine on me."

Jake could hardly miss the offer and winced. Boss's daughter, half his age, half drunk, coming on to him. Yeah, this was good. He didn't say anything; if he opened his mouth the only thing that would have come out of it was the truth, and he didn't think she'd take well to being told that he thought that anything would work just fine on her.

"Women like to hear those pretty words, you know. Trust me. Talk like that to a girl and she'll be all over you."

Jake did glance up this time, and saw her flattening the front of her dress to her belly, showing off her breasts to him. She took another drink from the beer can and smiled at him.

"Your momma know you're drinking?"

She laughed. "Lord, no. Last time was more than enough for her—all right for anyone else, but not her precious little girl.” Missy rolled her eyes. “Said that if I got drunk again this summer she’d have my hide—and she didn’t say what she’d do with it.”

Jake nodded and looked back down at River’s hoof. “So that’s why you’re up here?

Hidin’ from your parents?”

“Started that way,” Missy said lightly. “Now I’m thinking the company is better here than at the dance.”

Jake didn’t know quite how to reply to that. “So, what happens if someone sees you drinkin’ up here and decides to tell your momma or your daddy?” he asked, wanting to change the subject to something that didn’t involve him.

He looked up in time to see Missy shrug. “I’ll just say it’s yours, no big deal. Not like I ain’t been yelled at before, anyway.”

Jake smiled then, a huge happy grin. "You do that, Missy." If there was one man and the planet who wouldn't believe that, it was her daddy, and he was pretty sure her mother wouldn’t buy it either. She’d be in more trouble for the lie than the beer, he figured.

"So, you going to ask me to dance later, Jake?"

Laughter came from behind her and she spun around, almost falling over.

44

Bareback

"Taggart? Dancing? Not likely, Missy," Tor grinned at her. "Taggart's good on horses, but the man has two left feet. Barely makes it from the kitchen to his room each night."

Tor glanced at Jake over the top of Missy's head and Jake grinned at him, making a mental note to thank him later.

Missy leaned into Tor and Jake's grin grew.

"So, how 'bout you, then, Tor? Dance with me, hold me in your arms?"

Jake almost lost it, seeing the look on Tor's face – sort of confused and terrified at the same time.

"Ah, no, I don't think so. I'm too old for you, Missy. Why don't you go and find some nice young fella to have your fun with?" Tor tried to back away from her, but she followed him. Jake was still grinning, and Tor was trying to kill him with his eyes.

"You're not as old as Jake," she pointed out.

"Taggart's too old for you, too. Look, just take your beer and go find some hard stud to see to you, okay?"

She stiffened and stepped back from Tor. "It's not my beer. It's Jake's. And if you tell my folks any different–"

Tor's face went hard and he stood a little taller. "I'll not lie for you, little girl. You want to drink, that's fine, but you don't lie to me about it, you don't lie about Taggart about it, and you don't threaten me. Stop this shit now, or not only does your daddy find out about the beer, but he also hears about you catting after the hands, two at a time."

She paled. "He won't believe you."

"He'll believe me." Jake's voice was quiet, but she heard the truth in it and stared at him, her eyes wide.

"Why would you do that?"

"You think it's nice to have a girl throw herself at you like that? Then see her turn right in front of you and try to get into another man's pants as well? That kind of thing will get you a world of pain, Missy." He softened his voice and smiled gently at her. "Now look.

Just take your drink, go down to the party, and try to have some fun. There's lots of fellas around, and I'm sure at least three quarters of them are panting to ask you to dance. Just go have a good time, Missy and don't fret about us. We're not going to say anything."

She looked at him, her face flushed and then nodded sharply. She turned and left the stable, moving fast and not even glancing at Tor. When she was gone Jake sighed and leaned back on the wall, looking at Tor.

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45

"Did you just defend my virtue?" he asked with a grin.

"Fuck off." Tor looked hugely offended.

Jake laughed and put the hoof pick away.

"What's up with River?"

"Just a rock in his hoof." Jake smacked the horse's flank and then rubbed the spot he'd hit.

"You'll be fine, won't you, baby? Yeah, I take good care of you."

Tor made a noise that sounded like it came from deep in his chest and Jake glanced at him. Tor just looked back, with a slight smile, but Jake saw his eyes grow dark and felt himself respond. "You goin' back down to the party?" he asked.

Tor shrugged. "Not much to do there, 'cept avoid Missy and drink. Think I'm done.

You?"

Jake figured his effort at this year’s dance was as good as it was going to get, and if Tor wasn't going back to the party then there wasn't much point to him sticking around, either. "Yeah, think I'm done." He came out of the stall and headed toward the stable door. He got about four steps before Tor grabbed his arm and he found himself pressed up against the back wall of an empty stall.

Tor's mouth was hungry and hot, and Jake grinned into the kiss. "Wanna go somewhere quiet?"

Tor nodded, his tongue still trying to get down Jake's throat, and his hands cupping Jake's ass and pulling him close. Jake could hear the music from outside, the sounds of a hundred and fifty people less than thirty feet away. It was dangerous and stupid and the hottest thing he'd experienced in – well, a day at least. He was thrusting his hips into Tor's, not able to stop himself, and not wanting to. Tor was hard against him, lean body pressed tight, cock trying to rub right into his skin through the denim.

"Shit, Tor, ease off or I'm gonna come in my jeans."

Tor shifted, shoving his thigh between Jake's legs, and that was all it took for Jake to start on the way to release, humping Tor’s thigh and tasting Tor in his mouth, feeling strong hands on his ass, listening to the noises Tor was making, and the racket from outside.

Then there was another sound, far too fucking close, boots on the hard pack of the stable, and a voice calling out for him. "Jake, you in here?"

Tor whimpered into Jake's mouth and threw himself away, leaning against the stall wall, trying to disappear into darkness of the corner.

46

Bareback

Jake swore and wiped at his mouth, knowing he looked like he was just being fucked into the wall and tried to adjust himself, moving to the stall door. He looked out and saw the Boss, heading into the tack room.

Oh, fuck.

Jake moved out of the stall as fast as he could, and back into River's, draping himself over the stall door to hide his rather stubborn erection.

"Right here," he called out, and the Boss came back out of the tack room and looked around, finally spotting him.

"How's the horse?" he asked, walking up.

"He's fine, sir. I don't want him out 'til tomorrow night though. Whoever had him out today didn't check his hooves for rocks, and he's most likely a little tender." Jake shifted his weight, wishing his damned hard on would just go away.

The Boss nodded and looked closely at him. "You okay, son? You look a little flushed."

Jake looked away and then back at the man. "Fine, really. I think I'm done with the party for this year, though. Gonna go out to the fields, I think, camp out."

The Boss smiled at him. "You do that. Take Lug, if you want. And don't rush back in the morning, there's going to be a lot of hung over cranky people around." The Boss turned to leave and then glanced back at him. He paused for a second and came back. "How you doing these days, Jake? Really?"

Jake smiled. "I'm just fine, sir. Thanks for asking." It gave Jake a warm feeling in his stomach whenever the man did something like that. If Jake had family at all, it was this man.

They said good night and then the man was leaving, and Jake collapsed against the stall door, the tension in his body finally getting to him.