The Tin Star (12 page)

It was easy to see where Jamie, John and Julia had gotten their looks. With their black hair and blue eyes, they all bore a strong resemblance to their father. Strangely enough, of the three children, Jamie was the one who looked most like the old man. Looking at Jacob, Ethan could easily imagine what Jamie would look like in forty years. They both had the same lean build and the light blue eyes, and their facial features were almost identical. However, Jacob was a couple of inches taller than his son and, of course, age had added wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and to his face, and his hair was liberally streaked with gray. His eyes also didn’t have his youngest child’s clarity or openness. Still, he looked relatively young for a man in his sixties. If a person didn’t know what an ass he could be, they might consider Jacob very handsome.

Jacob thrust his hand out at him. “Ethan, glad you could meet with me. Come on in.”

They shook hands and Ethan removed his hat before he walked inside. Under the circumstances, he hadn’t expected the polite greeting, but he wasn’t going to be rude. As long as Killian played nice, then so would he. “John didn’t know what you wanted to meet about, but he passed the word along.”

Killian shook his head and chuckled. “I bet he had an idea or two why I wanted to speak to you, and I’m damned sure he didn’t have a problem telling you his thoughts.”

So the old man was going to try and pretend everything was as it should be. That they continued to be merely friend and father, respectively, to John, acquaintances, business partners. Ethan grinned. He’d go along with it ... for now.

“You’re right, he did. But that’s neither here nor there. You mind telling why I’m here?”

“Not at all. You know me well enough to know that I don’t mince words and never have. I don’t have a problem telling people what I think. Let’s go on back to the office.” Ethan followed Killian and took a seat in the leather chair in front of the desk as Jacob took his seat behind it.

“You and John have been friends a long time, and I appreciate the lengths you’ll go to for him, but it isn’t necessary.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Meaning?”

“Hiring Jamie. You didn’t have to do that. And to be honest, I’d have preferred it if you hadn’t. I think it would be better to just let him go his way. That boy never did belong here. He’s been a mistake since birth.”

His jaw almost hit the floor. “Pardon me?”

“He should never have been born.”

Ethan started to twist his hat in his hands before he caught himself and stopped. Really, this shouldn’t have surprised him, yet it did. How could anyone look at Jamie and not love him? Jamie was one of the most caring and giving people he knew. “How can you say that? He’s your son.”

“Yes, he is, unfortunately. With his looks, I can’t rightly deny that.” The older man looked as if he wished he could have denied it. He got up and paced behind his desk, his gaze on the floor.

“Hell, you’d never know it from the way she doted on him, but James isn’t Blanche’s son.” He sighed and looked up at Ethan. “It’s a long story and you don’t need to know the particulars, but I had an affair, one I’ve regretted ever since it happened.”

“That’s not his fault!”

Jacob blinked. “Excuse me?”

Ethan reined in his anger. Showing one’s hand was not a good bet in tight situations. And this certainly qualified as a tense moment. It would not do to let Jacob see how emotionally involved he was with Jamie. “You are blaming him for something that isn’t his fault ... and not very big of you, quite frankly. He didn’t ask to be born.”

“You don’t know what it’s been like to have a constant reminder of a lapse in judgment! You don’t even have a wife or kids. And how I treat my children ain’t none of your goddamned business.”

Ethan stood up and put his hat on. “You’re right; I wouldn’t know what it’s like to have an affair when I already have a wife, much less end up with a son by another woman. And it sure as hell is my business. It became my business when I hired Jamie, and when you got me here and brought up the damned subject. So let me get right to the point and out of your way. I’m not firing him.”

“He’s a goddamned cock sucker!”

And damned good at it, too!
He mentally counted to ten and took a deep breath. Losing his temper wasn’t going to help matters. “What he is, is a helluva fine cowboy and a loyal friend. He’s welcome on the Tin Star for as long as he wants to stay. This is not open for debate. I needed another hand and I got a damn good one. Your loss is my gain. So if you’ll excuse me, I’ll show myself out.” He turned to leave, but Killian’s voice stopped him.

“So that’s how it is? You’re going to take the little faggot under your wing. Play the hero. Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Folks are gonna take exception to you harboring his kind.”

“Then that will be their problem, not mine.” He tipped his hat with a rough jerk. “Good day.”

Jacob’s face turned red. Ethan could swear he was about to start foaming at the mouth.

“It will be your problem, too! You can count me out of the steakhouse! I’ll be damned if I do business with some liberal, tree-hugging, gay activist!”

Ethan couldn’t help but laugh. He’d known it was coming. Heck, he was actually kind of tickled about it. He’d never been accused of being a liberal before. He nodded. “I figured as much.” He turned and walked out the door, closing it firmly behind him.
A liberal? Me?
He was still chuckling when he got in his truck. Being gay was about as liberal as he got.

Chapter Nine

Ethan’s humor lasted all of five minutes; he got in his truck and headed home and the anger took over again. How in the hell could a person blame their own child for
their
mistake? Which was essentially what Jacob was doing.
What an ass!
This went way beyond Jamie being gay. Apparently, Jamie coming out was just the icing on the cake.

How did such an unfeeling man end up raising three generous, caring children? Of course, Ethan knew the answer to that ... Blanche. Blanche Killian had been a very loving and nurturing individual, and she’d raised three very fine children. How the hell she’d ended up with Jacob as her husband was anyone’s guess.

Ethan had always been a little put off by Jacob Killian, but he’d overlooked a lot because Killian had always done right by John. It wasn’t until he and John were in their twenties that Ethan realized the fondness he showed John was not offered to his other two children. Looking back, the indifference had always been there in plain sight, but like most young people, if something hadn’t affected him directly, Ethan hadn’t looked too closely. And, as John’s best friend, Ethan always had been afforded a position in Jacob Killian’s esteem.

He was actually glad old man Killian was backing out of their business venture. Ethan could barely stand the thought of the man being his neighbor, let alone his business partner. Hell, the only reason he’d invited Killian into the deal was because John had asked him to. John had wanted in on the deal on behalf of the Quad J, so Ethan had included Jacob.

Ethan barely remembered the rest of the quick drive home. He charged inside as soon as he got inside the house. Swiftly making his way to his office, he slammed his fist down on his oak desk as he sat in his chair, then pulled his hat off. He ran a hand through his hair and tossed his hat on to the leather couch that was cattycornered to his desk. How in the hell was he going to tell Jamie the circumstances of his birth? He was pretty certain that Aunt Margaret had hit the nail on the head; with his wife gone, Jacob wasn’t going remain silent much longer. It would come out sooner or later, and it was better if Jamie heard it from him first.

“Damn it!” He pounded his desk again, making his keyboard jump. He slumped into his chair, then leaned back and put his hands over his face. How did you tell someone that the parent who’d always been there for him wasn’t his natural parent?

Ethan tried to imagine suddenly finding out that his father hadn’t really been his father. Rationally he knew that it wouldn’t have mattered, that he’d have gotten over it, because his dad had loved him. But it still would have felt like a loss in a way. Like a betrayal by his father.

He dropped his hands and sighed. Propping his booted feet on the desk he closed his eyes. Jamie was a very optimistic person, always had been. Nothing got him down for long, which was probably how he’d survived living with Jacob Killian for twenty-one years. Well, his nature, and John, Jules, and Blanche’s love easing his way. Even so, Ethan was willing to bet the news would upset Jamie. He remembered how Jamie had appeared at Blanche’s funeral, then again the day Jamie had arrived at the Tin Star. Ethan hated that look and never wanted to see it again on his face.

He was fantasizing about beating the shit out of Jacob Killian when two strong hands settled on his shoulders and began kneading. He opened his eyes and Jamie’s pale ones smiled down at him from under a gray cowboy hat. He suddenly felt much better and grinned. “Hey, Blue Eyes.”

“Hey. How’d the meeting go? He back out of the deal?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry, Ethan.”

Ethan shook his head and closed his eyes again. Jamie’s hands felt good, and his nearness was lifting more than just Ethan’s spirits. “It’s fine. I’m actually glad.”

The younger man apparently sensed his tension leave, because he asked, “Does that mean you’re in a good mood?”

The hesitance in Jamie’s voice and the slight pause in the shoulder massage made Ethan open his eyes again. “Why?”

Jamie sighed. “You know that sorrel mare you bought last spring?”

“Yeah?” He asked reluctantly.

“Well, I think she’s foundering. ”

“Damn it! That’s all I need, a lame horse!” He took a deep breath and calmed himself. “What makes you think she’s got laminitis?”

“Her hooves are warm and I can feel the pulse on the pastern really easily.”

Ethan arched a brow. “Okay, I know their hooves are normally cold, but what’s with the pulse?”

Jamie arched a brow right back. “You ever try to find a pulse there? Right below the fetlock?”

Ethan’s brow wrinkled in contemplation.

“You know the spot below that joint, right before the hoof?”

He rolled his eyes. “I know where the fetlock is. I’m just trying to figure out why anyone would try to find a pulse there.”

“I didn’t
try
to find it, I felt it when I picked her foot up to check her hoof. I’ve never felt a pulse there before, so I tried to find it on George, Spot, then Hayden’s horse, Gypsy. I couldn’t find it in any of them. And I remembered hearing that it can be a sign of foundering. I’m no vet, mind you, and Bill doesn’t agree with me, but he called the vet out to take a look at her anyway.”

“So when is the vet coming?”

Jamie bent down and kissed him on the lips. “Tomorrow morning. You owe me big time, by the way.”

Ethan grinned, dropped his feet off the desk and moved his chair enough to pull Jamie into his lap. His hips bucked up once instinctively as Jamie’s hip nudged his growing erection. He took off Jamie’s hat and tossed it beside his. “How come?”

Jamie wiggled his hips with a grin, rubbing against his cock. The man was definitely a tease, no two ways about it. Well, okay, as Jamie himself had pointed out, not a tease exactly; he did put out, and deliciously, too.

“Because your ornery horse bit me on the ass when I was trying to find his pulse.”

He chuckled, resting his forehead against Jamie’s.

Jamie nipped his chin. “That isn’t funny. It hurt like hell. Then the beast stole my hat. Again. Why do you keep that brat of a horse around?”

He chuckled again. “The same reason you keep George and Fred around. Besides, you have to admit, pest or not, he has character and good taste ... because apparently he must find your ass as delicious as I do.”

Jamie snorted. “What he has is an attitude problem.”

“Nah, he’s trying to play. He just doesn’t know when it’s appropriate and when he needs to be serious. I think he believes he’s a dog or something.” Ethan thought for a minute. “Wonder if I could teach him to play fetch? Maybe that would help.”

Jamie laughed. “Oh, God, a horse that plays fetch!”

He laughed with Jamie. “You have to admit, it would be kinda cute.”

Jamie nodded and wrapped his arms around Ethan’s shoulders leaning in for a kiss. “Yeah, it would.”

Oh, that mouth felt good! Ethan flicked his tongue across Jamie’s lips. He opened for him and flicked back. It wasn’t long before Jamie’s moans and sighs reached Ethan’s ears and his hands began to wander. After a couple of failed attempts to get at Ethan’s cock, which he was seated atop of, Jamie settled his hands back around Ethan’s neck.

Ethan’s hand trailed down to Jamie’s lap. He groaned into Jamie’s mouth. His Blue Eyes was hard, ready for him. He squeezed, wanting that long prick. Separating their lips so he could see what he was doing, Ethan unzipped Jamie’s jeans, then pushed the briefs out of his way, grasping the hot shaft in his fist.

Jamie whimpered and pushed up into his hand. “Oh, please.”

“Mmm. I love the way you beg. What do you want?” he whispered against Jamie’s lips as he began stroking Jamie’s cock.

“Suck me.”

Oh, man! That husky plea had Ethan’s heart pounding and his dick throbbing. He nudged Jamie out of his lap, then pushed his lover’s jeans and briefs past his hips, watching as that long, hard cock bobbed free.

Jamie whimpered and moved forward, nudging Ethan’s lips with the moist tip.

He took the head into his mouth and sucked, tasting the salty flavor of Jamie’s semen. When Jamie tried to enter further between his lips, he grabbed the slim hips, stilling them. He sucked just the head for several seconds, deliberately tormenting him. Except Jamie wasn’t the only one being tormented. Ethan’s cock was so hard, it hurt. He reached down and freed himself from his jeans, squeezing his own prick as he took Jamie’s all the way into his mouth. Clasping Jamie’s dick with his other hand, he worked it up and down in unison with his mouth.

Jamie moaned his pleasure, his cock dripping come onto Ethan’s tongue.