What Matters Most (29 page)

By the time he realised Chance was calling his and Nick’s name, Josh was ready to drag Nick out of there and have his way with the man. He probably would have, too, if Chance hadn’t snapped his name in a commanding tone that had Josh’s spine going as stiff as his dick. Nick growled but Josh patted his chest softly. “Don’t, he wasn’t being an ass, and I think I know what he has to say. Give him a…chance.”

Nick snorted and Chance rolled his eyes which sent Josh into a fit of giggles. Several groans hit the air and someone threw a pillow at Josh, smacking him on his arm.

“All right already,” Nick said, “Let’s hear what Chance has to say.”

Everyone quieted down. Josh could see Annabelle fidgeting, which was just odd. Evan and Justin must have thought so, too, because each man took one of her hands in his and brought it to their mouths for a kiss.

WHAT MATTERS MOST

Bailey Bradford

175

“We have a problem here,” Chance began, “In that Annabelle’s partners live an hour away, and it’s difficult for the three of them with her living and working here. She’s been able to cut back some, and we’ve looked…and looked for a suitable replacement, and you’d think with the job market in the shitter that would be easy to do, but no. We need someone with experience, someone we could trust, who would care about the success of this ranch like Rory, Max, Annabelle, Bo and myself do. So, Rory and I were thinking, if you were interested, Nick, and if Josh wouldn’t mind giving up his place, that you might consider working here at our ranch. You two could either live here with us or in the bunkhouse with Max and Bo, at least temporarily if it doesn’t suit y’all long term. Eventually we could build a nice place just for y’all if you want. We were planning to do that for Max and Bo, too.”

Josh knew Nick wanted it as soon as Chance offered, and the hope that lit Rory’s face, and Annabelle’s, and Justin and Evan’s—well, everyone’s, really—was just icing on the cake.

He would have been fine with Nick agreeing, but wasn’t surprised by Nick’s reply.

“Can I let you know in a few days? Josh and I need to talk it over, alone, and I don’t want him to feel obligated to agree just to make everyone happy.”

Josh smiled when Nick looked at him then nearly melted into a puddle of mushy love goo when Nick stroked his cheek tenderly and said, “You’re all I need to make me happy, so don’t think saying no is going to make me unhappy. It won’t.”

Josh nodded, his vision blurring as his eyes began to sting. He refused to cry in front of all these people no matter how much he cared about them, so he dug out a dash of humour. “If we do end up here, do I get to handle the decorating?”

Max and Bo agreed quickly, claiming neither of them was any good with such stuff, and Chance and Rory didn’t have a problem with it either. Annabelle, Justin, Evan and Nick, however laughed until Josh was almost offended. The other four guys just looked confused until Annabelle pointed at them one by one as she spoke.

“Guys, y’all have no
idea
what y’all just agreed to. I hope to God y’all like hot pink everything and penguins, lots and lots of penguins!”

WHAT MATTERS MOST

Bailey Bradford

176

Josh smoothed his hand down his ass, grinning at the thought of what the skin tight hot pink leather pants would do to Nick. Josh had only worn them once before, and then, well, he’d moved back here when he finished college. He hadn’t wanted to wear them to the Xxchange, knowing they definitely gave him a ‘bend me over and fuck me nownow
now
!”

look. That wasn’t what Josh had wanted from anyone at the Xxchance until he met Nick, but since they’d got off to a crappy start Josh hadn’t ever got the chance to wear the leather for Nick.

But he had the chance now, and topped with the even tighter white T-shirt with

‘Magically Gaylicious’ on the front of it in, of course, bright glittery pink, Josh knew he’d have Nick eating from the palm of his hand. Or, more likely and way better, from a part that he and Nick both enjoyed filling Nick’s mouth with.

Josh tousled his hair until he got just the right look then slipped on a black pair of ankle boots that had a square two inch heel. One last look and Josh was ready to go. He’d asked Nick to meet him at the Xxchange since Nick had spent the day with his siblings and Chance, visiting and going over what Chance and Rory expected from him once he started working at the ranch—and making arrangements for them to move into the bunkhouse this weekend. Josh couldn’t
wait
to decorate that place.

Josh locked up the apartment and practically sprinted to his car. It was dark outside, and while he knew he looked good, he didn’t particularly want to run into anyone else. He knew the neighbourhood he lived in was in the more crime riddled section of town and the last thing he wanted was some thug seeing him and deciding it would be fun to engage in a bout of gay bashing. That was just one of the reasons he was looking forward to moving.

Despite his refusal to accept a hand out from his brother, Josh had really wanted to move away from this dump. Being afraid for his safety wasn’t something that he got a kick from, and at the ranch, he wouldn’t have to worry about it if he wanted to run around in pink leather pants or full out drag. Josh snickered over that; it’d be hilarious to see the guys’

reactions if he did that.

WHAT MATTERS MOST

Bailey Bradford

177

The thought entertained him the whole drive to the Xxchange, helping to divert his focus from the need coiling in his belly. He parked the car and hurried across the parking lot, ignoring a few cat calls along the way. By the time he reached the doors he could feel the music as well as hear it. The handle of the door was vibrating as was the ground under his feet. Josh smirked. Conversation would definitely be out tonight, at least as long as they were here. Although, he was very good at letting his body do the talking—

Josh gave his eyes a moment to adjust, which also gave some grabby hands enough

time to maul him. Slapping at a hand clasping his butt cheek, Josh turned and glared at a cute little dark haired guy. The guy merely winked and blew him a kiss before walking off in the direction of the dance floor. Josh made it another three steps inside before he was grabbed from behind and jerked against a broad chest that he knew so well. Pinned in place by two strong arms over his middle, Josh smiled and let his head fall back to rest on Nick’s shoulder. He closed his eyes and drank in the sensation of being held, the scent of sweat and musk that turned him on, and the low rumble of Nick’s voice. Josh couldn’t make out words, but he could definitely feel those lovely lips brushing over his skin, up the side of his neck, the sharp teeth nipping at his ear lobe. Josh reached back and grasped Nick’s hips, grinding his ass against Nick’s thick erection.

Nick trailed a hand down Josh’s stomach, pausing at the button at his waist, then lower still. Shock and lust roiled through Josh as Nick cupped his dick, squeezing with the perfect mix of pain and pleasure. He hadn’t thought Nick would do, well, anything out in public, but the hand on his dick and the rhythmic thrusting of Nick’s hips, the grinding of that long, fat cock against Josh’s butt, proved he didn’t know as much about Nick’s kinks as he’d thought. This could be very interesting.

The throbbing music stopped as someone in the band shouted out a call for requests.

Josh felt Nick’s tongue slick over the shell of his ear then delve inside. The warm, wet stroke had him dangerously on edge, ready to come in his leather pants, which, no matter how good it would feel, Josh really didn’t want to happen. He loved those pants. Of course, he loved Nick, too, and feeling Nick shudder and pump his erection against Josh’s ass was quickly destroying all Josh’s synapses.

“You want to stay here?” Nick asked, his voice thick and strained. “’Cause I gotta tell you, if you do, I’m gonna end up fucking you in front of whoever wants to watch. And then I’m gonna have to kick their asses for looking at you.”

WHAT MATTERS MOST

Bailey Bradford

178

Now it was Josh’s turn to shudder. The idea of getting fucked with and audience

around had never appealed before, but— “No, not here.” This time, anyway. “Let’s just go.”

“We’ll take my truck, come back tomorrow for your car. I want you to suck me while I drive us home.”

“Fuck.” Josh closed his eyes and took a shaky breath, struggling for a modicum of control. “Okay, yeah, but you have to stop doing that,” Josh said as Nick gave his leather clad dick a hard rub. “I can’t think when—oh!” Nick cupped his balls, pushing them up and scrubbing his palm against the tightening sac. “Nick, stop, I can’t—”

Nick licked a spot low down on Josh’s neck then bit, and Josh yelped as cum flooded his pants. Ecstasy exploded in his body, his balls burning with it, his ass clenching as heat spread from his groin to his thighs and up to his chest.

“Open your eyes, baby, look what you’ve done.”

Josh pried his lids open at the quiet command and immediately went as pink as his pants. Several men stood watching, their mouths open as they panted or called out for more.

Some were touching themselves, some were touching others, but all of them were watching him hungrily. It actually kind of scared Josh a little, enough that the orgasm bliss fled as his body tensed as if readying for an attack. He felt like dinner for a pride of starving lions.

“Relax, I won’t let anyone touch you.” Nick licked the spot he’d bitten then spun Josh around, pressing Josh’s face to his shoulder as he held Josh tightly. “Mine,” Nick growled.

“We were just watching,” someone said behind Josh, “He is beautiful, more so when he comes.” The owner of that voice sounded wistful, not angry at all, which helped Josh to relax just a bit. “I don’t blame you for not sharing. I sure wouldn’t. Come on, guys.”

Josh kept his face hidden even as Nick shifted him to Nick’s side and led them back out of the club.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you, I just couldn’t stop touching you.”

Josh peered up and saw the regret in Nick’s dark eyes and felt an answering pang of regret himself. He stopped and cupped Nick’s face when the man did the same.

“You didn’t embarrass me,” Josh told him, willing Nick to believe him. “It turned me on. The only reason I was trying not to come was because I wanted to avoid the dry cleaning bill for these, but trust me, it was worth it.”

Nick didn’t look convinced, a frown pulling down the lips Josh wanted to taste. “You sure seemed embarrassed in there when you saw the men watching.”

WHAT MATTERS MOST

Bailey Bradford

179

Josh nodded once. No use lying. “I was, but God, Nick you have no idea how horny it made me, too. Feel.” Josh grabbed Nick’s hand and shoved it between them, pressing it against his shaft. “I was embarrassed, scared even, and it made me so hard it’s like I haven’t come in days.”

“Oh,” Nick rasped, on eyebrow winging up his forehead. “So you were embarrassed

and scared and it…it turned you on?”

“Like a damned spotlight, lit me right up,” Josh confessed. “I was thinking before that I didn’t know all your kinks, but apparently I don’t know all mine, either.”

Nick’s grin was slow and sexy and set a fire burning low in Josh’s belly. “Ah, got it.

This is something we definitely need to explore.”

Josh bobbed his head in agreement. “Yeah, but not tonight. Tonight I want it hard and fast, so deep I can taste you, so hard I can feel you for days. And,” Josh added when Nick’s moan ended, “I want you to fuck me bare. Got our results back this afternoon.”

“Goddamn, let’s go.”

Josh started to turn only to be jerked back and pressed chest to chest with Nick. His lover crushed his mouth down on Josh’s, plundering, bruising, demanding. By the time the kiss ended, Josh was ready to forget his plans for waiting until they got home. He was ready to lay down right there in the parking lot, or maybe bend over the tail gate of Nick’s truck—

“Home,” Nick gritted out. “Get to the truck.” He slapped Josh’s ass hard enough to sting then turned him back towards the parking lot. “And hurry, baby.”

Nick was trying and succeeding, barely, to keep from fucking Josh then and there. He unlocked the truck and practically tossed Josh inside then unfastened his jeans and shoved his own jeans and underwear down, not giving a damn if anyone saw his ass. It made getting in the truck hard, but the anticipation sparking in Josh’s eyes, the way his younger lover licked his lips as if hungering to taste Nick’s cock, made the difficult clamber into the truck worth it. Nick barely managed to get the truck started before Josh shoved his face under Nick’s arm. The first stroke of that hot little tongue over the slit of Nick’s cock nearly made his eyes cross. Nick took one hand off the steering wheel and buried his fingers in Josh’s silky hair as Josh flicked his tongue over the slit again.

WHAT MATTERS MOST

Bailey Bradford

180

“Come on, baby, don’t tease, suck it.” Then Nick couldn’t talk any more, could hardly even breath as Josh swallowed Nick’s cock down, the head edging into Josh’s throat. The squeeze of muscles contracting around his crown was driving Nick insane, and he knew this was going to be over quick. Josh managed to get a hand between them, tickling fingers over Nick’s balls, which felt good, yeah, but when Josh pulled at the sparse hair covering his sac, Nick had to stop the truck. He pulled into a convenience store parking lot and shouted as Josh’s throat muscles clenched, as his nimble fingers plucked and pulled. Josh backed off as Nick’s shaft spouted out the first volley of spunk, catching it on his tongue. He proceeded to lick and suck until Nick was a quivering mass of satiated, mindless goo then continued to suck more, bringing Nick back to full hardness in a matter of minutes.

Then very nearly sending him right back over the edge. “Stop, stop,” Nick gasped, tugging at Josh’s hair. “I wanna come inside your tight little ass next time.”

Josh hummed around his mouthful of dick but finally let off with a lewd, wet slurp.