Riding and Regrets (20 page)

“Get it out,” Jody ordered as he stood up. “Get it out and come here.” He unbuckled his belt and got his pants open, his dick freed by the time he was ready to hop up on the counter. Jody spit in his hand and palmed his shaft.

Noel slid between Jody’s legs. They were a perfect fit with Jody on the counter. Noel’s cock lined up to his. Noel circled both of their cocks with his hands, and Jody linked his arms around Noel’s neck to pull him in for a kiss.

He licked Noel’s lips while Noel began a slow stroke over their shafts. Jody shivered as he tilted his head to the left for a better angle. Noel parted his lips and Jody slipped his tongue inside, easy as could be, tasting his lover.

Noel moaned and nipped. Jody moved one hand up to cup the back of Noel’s head. Holding him still, Jody went after him, kissing, nibbling, biting even as Noel sped up his hand movements, sending sparks of bliss up from Jody’s groin all the way to his chest.

He wanted to devour Noel, to take in his taste and scent, the sounds and feel of him so that Jody was never without them. Jody curled his fingers in Noel’s hair and kissed him harder, humping desperately as his cock rubbed tightly against Noel’s.

When their glans caught just right, rim to top especially, Jody’s head would just about come off under the enormous swell of pleasure that tore through him. He finally had to turn his head aside and moan, mouth slack, body throbbing with his impending release.

“Yeah, baby,” Noel said, then he jacked them faster and twisted his hand around their crowns.

Jody couldn’t hold out. He bucked and shouted, cum pumping from his balls to his cock. The sticky spunk splattered on his shirt and who knew where else.

“Fuck!” Noel shouted leaning into Jody. Jody went backwards as far as he could, holding onto Noel while he came.

When they could both breathe normally again, Jody groaned and looked down at the mess they’d made together. “Gonna have to clean up and get back to work.”

“I wish we could spend the rest of the day together making love,” Noel said as he stepped back.

“God, me too.” Jody got down and leaned against Noel. “We need to plan that, a whole day of just me and you, naked, in bed, doing everything we want to do to each other.”

“Yes we do.”

Jody patted Noel’s chest. “I’ll talk to Carlos and see if him and his fellas want to babysit Prissy. Will’s been asking when we’re going out on a date, so I think they’ll be up to doing it.”

“Okay. If not, there’s Jen and Rocky.”

“Or most of the people here at the Mossy Glenn.” Jody loved the place and the people, he really did.

* * * *

The rest of his workday passed by surprisingly quickly. After he and Noel had dropped Prissy off with Will and the guys, they headed out for Gertie’s.

“She said Mom and Dad were due to arrive at six.” Noel checked the time. “So any minute now.”

“I reckon Gertie will be able to handle any of their crap, don’t you?” Jody asked.

Noel didn’t answer right away. Jody waited for him to think it over.

“Yeah, I think so. When she lived with us, she didn’t argue with them much. Didn’t have to, though. Most of the time, Mom and Dad weren’t there. Gertie had her run of the house and parenting style. She’s not the lay back and take it kind of person. She’ll be fine, but I’d still rather not leave her alone with them for too long. I don’t have much in savings if I need to bail her out.”

“I’d pitch in,” Jody offered. “I love Gertie. She’s genuine. You know what you’re getting with her.”

“Yeah, you do. I want to be like her.”

Jody patted Noel’s arm. “You are. I don’t think you have a fake bit to you.”

Noel leaned over and kissed him. “Thanks. You too.” He sat back in his seat. “I’m glad we’re in the truck. You wanted to bring it just because my parents are who and what they are, didn’t you?”

“Childish, I know.” Jody hadn’t been able to suppress the desire. “I’m not ashamed of being a poor cowboy. I’m rich where it counts.” He knew that all the way down in his soul. “Money will never be as important to me as my family is. You, Prissy, just about everyone at the Mossy Glenn.” Jody took a deep breath and let go with the question that had been preying on his mind for a while now. It wasn’t the most romantic time or place, but it was an honest one. “Noel, will you marry me?”

A simply phrased question, but it carried complexities that made them what they were as a couple.

“I can ask you again, if you want. Do the bended knee bit—”

“No,” Noel said. “No, and yes. I’ll marry you. Pull over so I can kiss you properly now.”

Jody eased the truck over to the shoulder of the road. It wasn’t a busy one, since it only led to the ranch. “How about an improper kiss?”

“I can do that.” Noel was on him as soon as Jody had put the truck in park and got unbuckled. “You’ve given me everything, Jo. Everything a man could want.”

“Same,” was all Jody managed before Noel was kissing him. Noel touched him, too, running his hands over Jody’s cheeks, shoulders, his chest.

Noel ended the kiss with a gentle nip at Jody’s lips. “I don’t need bended knee and roses, or whatever else people do when they propose. I just need honesty, and you and Prissy.” He rubbed his cheek over Jody’s. “Love, that too, and we have plenty of it.”

“We do. You got all of that, Noel.” Jody did, too. “We’re a family, and we’re gonna be better parents than ours were because we have something ours didn’t.”

“Love,” Noel filled in when Jody paused. “We have lots of love.”

Jody smiled. “Yes, we do.”

Chapter Sixteen

“Well, that’s not pretentious at all,” Noel muttered upon seeing the expensive car parked in front of Gertie’s house. “Where in the hell did they even rent that from?”

“I don’t know if you can rent a car like that anywhere out here.” Jody peered at the insignia. “Pretty sure you can’t. Maybe they know someone rich in Montana?”

Noel looked at his phone. He hadn’t heard the text tone go off, but there were three texts from Gertie, the first telling him that his parents had just pulled up. The second informing him that Clive was with them. The third said that he’d better get there soon to help her dispose of the bodies.

“Clive’s with them.” Strangely enough, he didn’t feel scared. The nightmares had all but ceased between the joy in his life and the counselling he was still going through. He wasn’t angry, either. “I’m kind of numb.”

“I’m angry enough for both of us.” Jody growled and parked the truck. “But I promise to behave until I can’t.”

“Good enough.” Noel didn’t expect Jody to be a quiet shadow in the room. “You be you. Anyone who doesn’t like it can go to hell.”

“Might send one of them there myself.” Jody closed his eyes and inhaled slowly, then exhaled. He did it a few times before he opened his eyes and nodded. “Okay, that helped. Learned that in therapy.”

“Cool.” Noel unsnapped his seatbelt. Jody got out when he did. Noel waited for him then they walked down the cracked sidewalk together. “It was dark when I got here that first night. I was maybe a little snobby about it, at least to myself. This cracked walkway, the dead flowers… But, you know, home is more than a place. It’s the people you love. I came to appreciate the cracks and plants, the peeling paint. It’s a place that’s been lived in, and it doesn’t look pretty and perfect. That makes it beautiful to me.”

Jody took his hand and held it. “You say things that resonate in me. You teach me to look with new eyes. Thank you.”

Noel nodded and they went up the steps. The wooden door was open with only the screen door shut. Jody leaned up to whisper, “I don’t hear any voices. Did she kill them all already?”

Noel snorted out a laugh and opened the screen door. “After you, or would you rather—”

“I got this.” Jody stepped in and stopped. “Well, y’all look like a happy bunch.”

“Who are you?”

Noel recognised Clive’s deep voice. Jody, still holding Noel’s hand, tugged. Noel came in and was all but standing on Jody’s heels. Jody moved over a little. He smiled beatifically at Noel. “I’m Jody Bates, Noel’s fiancé.”

Two gasps, a curse and an eardrum-piercing shriek followed the pronouncement. Clive cursed, Noel’s parents stared at them in shock and gasped and Gertie came running out of the kitchen with the biggest grin ever on her face.

“You two! Come here!”

Rather than them going to her, Gertie kept moving their way and a three-person hug followed.

“This is bullshit,” Clive snarled. “Richard, I suggest you fix this immediately.”

Noel looked at Clive. Tall, steroid-bulked with muscle, black hair greying at the temples. His straight nose was courtesy of a well-known plastic surgeon, and so was his lack of prominent wrinkles.

“He won’t be fixing anything, since nothing’s broken,” Noel said as the hug ended. “I’m closer to thirty than not, Clive. Dad doesn’t get to dictate what I do or who I’m with.”

Clive stood and Jody bowed up beside Noel, putting his shoulders back and chest out.

“You think this
boy
is what you need?”

“Aw, fuck off, you freak,” Jody said. “Are you gonna do the ’roid rage thing and flip out in front of everyone here, or do you only do that in private?”

Richard stood up as well. “You have no business in this conversation.”

“Yes, he does. He’s my lover, my fiancé, and that’s the end of the insults any of you are going to hurl his way.” Noel freed his hand and put his arm around Jody’s tense shoulders.

“Look at you two.” Clive came closer, an odd smile on his face. “So young and stupid. Thinking you’re in love and going to live happily ever after because of that. Stupid, naïve boys. You have no idea how life works. It’s another form of business. You give something to get something. Sex is the currency. Pain is a secondary form of payment. Obedience and—”

“Shut the fuck up already,” Jody drawled. “You are one messed up guy. You’re trying my patience, too. I’ve been curbing my mouth for months now. Being responsible and all. You tempt me to forget about that and sink to the level you’re at. Which, by the way, is somewhere about seven layers beneath the mantle of the Earth.”

“What are you babbling about?” Clive’s level tone belied the anger in his eyes as he looked at Jody. “What are you, twelve? Are you even legal?”

Jody rolled his eyes. “You are a turd, aren’t you? Yeah, I’m legal. Guess that’s not your kink, huh?”

“We both know what his kink is,” Noel said. Clive’s nostrils flared. “Hurting people who hate it. Manipulating them and making them feel dumb and obligated.”

“Noel,” Richard snapped. “That’s enough of this… This garbage.”

“Why are you even here?” Noel asked Richard. “Hi, Mom, nice to see you. I’ve been good. Thanks to you both for remembering my birthday and thinking of me on Christmas.” He regretted the juvenile outburst immediately and ignored his father’s comments and the low growl as Clive said his name. “Sorry. You know, it’s fine. I can see what you want with me.”

“I’m going to get the shovel,” Gertie muttered. “Either to dig holes or smash heads.”

“I wouldn’t,” Jody said with amusement in his voice. “Ian’s supposed to be stopping by to make sure everything’s going okay. Or at least that no one’s dead.”

“Ian?” Clive raised one eyebrow. “And who is he?”

“A friend,” Noel informed him. “And a police officer.”

“I can buy him and never miss the money.” Clive relaxed and put his attention back on Jody. “How much would it take to get you to walk away? A pony of your own? Perhaps some chaps and a new truck?”

Noel was floored. “What is your problem, Clive? Why do you want me?”

“Because I do.” Clive raked him with a disturbing gaze. “You should be mine.”

“I think I’m gonna have to hit him,” Jody said. “I do. I was trying not to.”

“I’ll break you into pieces,” Clive retorted in a dismissive tone. “Go away, boy. I’ll write you a check in a minute.”

“Oh, fuck you,” Jody rumbled. “It’s
on
!”

“No, it’s not.” Noel didn’t let go of Jody, instead wrapping both arms around him. “He’s not worth bruising your knuckles, Jo,” Noel said, gaze locked with Clive’s. “He doesn’t mean shit to me, and he doesn’t get me back. You know who has my heart.”

Jody quit struggling to get free. “You’re right. He doesn’t matter.” Jody jutted his chin at Clive. “You said we were fools for believing in love. I’m telling you, you’re the fool for not being able to love. Power ain’t shit compared to knowing someone is with you because they choose to be, because they love you and wouldn’t ever want to be anywhere else. Because they aren’t scared of you, or of losing you, but because they value you and what y’all have together. I don’t need to hurt Noel to get a reaction out of him when we’re making love. I drive him crazy when I touch him, when I—”

“Enough!” Richard bellowed. It was the first time Noel could remember hearing so much emotion from his father. “That is enough! You trashy little—”

“Don’t make me use this shovel, Richard,” Gertie said as she came back inside waving the old thing. “Marcy, you keep your butt planted right there on the couch.”

Marcy didn’t. She stood and started to walk around the coffee table.

Gertie made a sound that reminded Noel of a pissed off Chihuahua and waved the shovel at her. “I never liked you. You were a crappy mother.”

Marcy raised one shoulder in a shrug, but she quit walking. “It wasn’t anything I ever wanted to do. Children are a requirement for the public.”

“Do you even know how nuts you sound, lady?” Jody asked her. “And I thought my parents were bad. Y’all take the cake and smash it all over the place.”

“I’ve had enough of you.” Clive moved quickly, throwing a punch that was no holds barred. Jody ducked, Noel let go of him, and Jody slammed his fists against Clive’s stomach in a blur of jabs that had Clive grunting and stumbling back.

“Gym muscles,” Jody ground out, following Clive. “All about looks and nothing to do with fighting, you idiot. Come on and let me whip your ass. Stop backing up.”

“How about you calm down?” Ian said.

Noel spun on his heel. He hadn’t heard Ian come in, but that was because Ian hadn’t. He was looking in through the screen.