Chase the Storm (18 page)

A
FEW
hours later I woke up in the same position, Chase’s arm around me and my head on his chest. There was no tension on his face in his sleep, only parted lips and long lashes resting on his cheeks. His hair was messyfromour lovemakingand inneed ofa cut, but I liked that the longer length gave me something to run my fingers through. He was uncovered except for a sheet tangled around his calves, and I could see the firm contours of his abdomen, hips, and legs. Years of working the farm had givenhima bodymost paid a lot ofmoneyto get. Myeyes were drawnto his limp cock nestled in a bed ofwiry blond hair, the foreskin covering the head I was always eager to taste.

Sighing, I looked back at his contented face. For once, he’d opened up to me, telling me about Owen and their relationship. I now knew his Sunday rides onAdmiralto the grave were to keep the tradition alive, but since we’d started sleepingtogether, he hadn’t made his weeklytrip. Even though it was the middle of the night, my mind raced with worry. Would he regret not visiting Owen? Was I merely a willing ass for himto fuck, a warm body in his bed, or did he feel anything for me like I felt for him? Sometimes he would look at me and I was certain he felt something, but then I saw the emotion in his eyes when he spoke of Owen, and it was nothinglike how he looked at me.

I returned my head to his chest and closed my eyes. When his arm unconsciouslytightened around me, I smiled and joined himinsleep.
Chapter 9

 

“W
HAT
’
S
first?”I asked himonour wayto the ticket booth.

I’d woken up with my head on his chest, his morning erection aimed toward my mouth. Deciding there was no better way to wake up, I licked the head of his cock until I felt his hands in my hair pushing me lower. Lazily, he lay there and let me suck him off, moaning encouragement and fillingmymouthwithhis come before pullingme into the shower, where he wrapped an arm around me and took my cock into his fist, pumping me until my load jetted onto the shower wall and was rinsed away with the soap down the drain. I wanted to stay in the shower longer, having lost interest in leaving with his lathered body against mine, but he insisted we get out so we wouldn’t be late.

After grudgingly drying off, I snagged a T-shirt, but he stopped me and handed me one ofhis button-downshirts.

 

“Wear this,”he instructed.

It was going to be as hot as the day before, but there was no way I was going to pass up the chance to have his scent on me all day. After dressing, we headed to the truck. Chase was just about to unlock his door when he swore and ran back inside while I stood next to his truck and waited. Chase reappeared carrying something tiny and silver in his hand. He stopped short infront ofthe truck.

“You’re so fucking beautiful, want to skip the auction and fuck all day?”His suggestionmirrored the one I had made inthe shower.

Embarrassed, I turned away. I couldn’t respond verbally when he said things like that. He saw the pink staining my cheeks. He knew what I was thinking. Stepping forward, he pressed me to the truck, and, not caring if others were around, kissed me possessively, his tongue claiming all that was already his. Breaking the kiss and leaving me gasping, he put his lips at myear and ground his hips against me.

“I’mgoing to fuck that blush right off your face tonight,” he crooned seductively, his breathhot and moist and sendinga shudder throughme.

Before my blush could deepen, he released me and walked around the truck. With my cock straining against my jeans, I climbed into the cab and buckled up, refusing to look at him because I knew if I did, I would beghimto make his threat a reality.

Chase’s elbow bumped mine when he unfolded the program as we reached the gate. “Horses first, equipment later.”

“Anything good?” I asked. Chase had studied the program at breakfast, circling some that interested him, though I couldn’t understand anyofthe abbreviations listed.

“Yeah, a few.” He folded up the program and stuffed it in his back pocket when he went for his wallet to pay for the tickets. I already had mycashout and stepped infront ofhimat the booth.

“Two tickets with reserved seating,” I told the girl behind the window. She took mymoneyand slipped the tickets to me.

 

“Thanks, but if we’re here for the farm, I should have paid,” Chase grumbled as I handed himhis ticket.

 

“Lunch is on you, then,” I compromised and walked through the turnstile.

With my boots, hat, and Chase’s shirt, I blended with the crowd making their way to the main arena. Chase led me up to the top and sat down. As he looked out over the ring with narrowed eyes hidden under his low-sitting hat, I caught a glimpse of his grief return. At first I assumed our talk the night before was still haunting him, but then I realized the real reasonand spoke before I could stop myself.

“You met himhere, didn’t you? This auction?” I asked, looking over the crowds filling the stands and thinking we were probably sitting in the same seats he and Owen had. Keeping his eyes on the ring, he gave me a curt nod. I’d thought getting away from the farm would be good for him, and asking about Owen when he wasn’t faced with pictures of himwould have beeneasier. I’d beenwrong. “Sorry.”

Pursing his lips, he unrolled the program, pretending to read it over. Sitting back, I let him have the time he needed to gather himself before putting my hand on his shoulder, gently rubbing back and forth. When he leaned into the touch, I knew he was allright.

The announcer went over the rules of the auction, and the first horse entered the ring. The big black horse wasn’t one Chase was interested in, but he studied the proceedings, his eyes dartingto a few different men.

“Why are you watching them?” I asked, more curious than ever about how Chase worked.

 

“Just sizing up the competition, see who has money and what they’re spendingit on,”he answered coolly.

I watched the horses as they paraded in one after the other, and I was in awe of the auctioneer. No matter how closely I listened, I had no idea how mucha horse was untilhe banged a gaveland said “Sold!”

“How do youunderstand him?”
“Practice,”Chase answered witha shrug.

Ahandler led a bay filly into the ring, and I knew it was one Chase was intrigued by. The changes in his body were slight:his shoulders pulled back and straightened, he lifted his head so he could eye the horse without beingnoticed, and his face turned evenmore serious thanit had been. The auctioneer beganrattlingofffacts about the horse before divinginto words too fast for me to distinguish. I heard the number two before I noticed Chase hold up his hand, and a man standing in the ring in front of the bleachers nodded at him and then held up a five at the auctioneer, who then upped the price to $2,500. Chase’s eyes skimmed the crowd, pausing on a few other men. Watching them, I noticed they made subtle movements like Chase and suddenly the price was up another thousand. The guy standing in front of us looked directly at Chase and Chase shook his head, lettingthe others battle it out. The horse sold for almost $4,000.

“Not worth it, not with that choppy stride,” he said to me. “Two thousand maybe, but no more than that. We’ll try again.” The next horse was led in and Chase commented on the chestnut’s physique. “He’s got great propulsion from the back, but he’s a bit too small on the front end. He’s too compact.”

It was a few horses later before Chase moved again, resuming his previous position when he spotted a large bay colt. Prancing energetically around the ring, he looked massive next to the handler. Chase caught the worker’s eye and nodded, entering himself into the bidding. Chase’s eyes never left the horse or the worker. He never once glanced at those bidding against him; he already knew his competition. He was resolute, slightlynoddinghis head everyso oftento enter a bid.

I listened for the gavel of the auctioneer, though I had no idea how much the price had risen, but Chase didn’t back down. I looked around and found two others bidding against him, both men, one in a suit and another dressed similar to us. The price hit two thousand, but Chase continued to nod at the worker in front of our section. The horse pawed at the ground, snorted, and looked at the crowd as if to challenge someone to take himon. Chase was just that person.

When the price hit almost three thousand, I thought Chase would drop out, but he remained. A hundred dollars later, it was down to him and the man in the suit. Chase’s expression never changed; the only movement was a slight nod of his head to raise his bid. When the gavel banged and a discreet smile crossed his face, I knew he was the new owner ofthe bigbaycolt.

“Let’s go pay,”he said, releasinga sighand standing.

 

I followed him to the bottom where he took a paper from the man he’d beennoddingto.

 

“Good colt, McKenzie,”he drawled.

 

“Thanks.” Chase took the paper and went to a desk at the opposite side ofthe oval-shaped ringwithtwo menbehind it. Bothdressed injeans and button-downshirts and cowboyhats, theylooked almost identical. “Chase McKenzie,” one of them said. “Haven’t seen you in years. How are things?”

 

“Very well, thanks,” Chase answered and handed him the paper. “How ’bout yourself, Henry?”

 

“Can’t complain,” the older man replied. He glanced at the paper and the totalof$2,900. “Cashor check?”

 

“Check,”Chase replied, pullingout his wallet.

 

While Chase wrote the check, the man spoke to him. “Got a good buyonthis one,”he commented.

 

“I think so.”Chase finished and handed the check to Henry.

“Here’s the vet check paper. Everything’s up to date and certified.” Henry handed Chase an envelope that Chase opened to scan the papers inside.

“Looks good. Can he stay here until I’mfinished tomorrow? We’re leavingearly,”he said, puttingthe papers away.

 

“Sure thing, I’llmake note.”

 

“Thanks. Appreciate it.” Chase shook his hand and then took my elbow. “Let’s go see him.”

He guided me out of the arena and through a metal gate into the livestock holdingarea. The horse was in a temporary stall, his ears flicking at all the action around him. Without any fear of the horse’s size, Chase approached and reached out to pat the velvet face. The bay immediately pushed against Chase’s hand, already frustrated he wasn’t with the rest of the horses, but a few calm words from Chase and the bay was nuzzling Chase’s chest.

“You’re like a horse whisperer,”I mused, and he smiled. “I just know what theylike to hear.”
I patted the sleek, muscular neck. “He’s gorgeous.”

“Sure is. Let’s hope I can do something with him,” he said, resigned to allthe work ahead ofhim.

“Youwill.”
“Come on, let’s go back. There are two more I want to check out.”

We returned to our seats in the grandstands for the remainder of the auction. During an intermission, we ate burgers and onion rings from a vendor, laughing as we tried to balance the food and eat while standing. Back at our seats, Chase pulled the camera he’d retrieved fromthe hotel and gave me a smile. He’d said it was to take pictures ofthe horses, but I hadn’t seen himtake one yet. Instead, he held it high above us and tipped his head toward me. Moving my hat back, I tilted my head until our temples were touching as he pressed the button and took the picture. After, he flipped the camera over to see the result, the smile still on his face.

The auction started again and Chase bid on a few more horses, a chestnut filly and an older black gelding, but didn’t end up purchasing either of them. I loved watching him bid, how calm he seemed on the outside, but I knew his mind was racing as fast as the auctioneer was talking. He dropped out of both auctions when they went over two thousand. When he wasn’t bidding, he would answer my incessant questions about the horses and the process. The auction ended, and we made our wayback to his new horse.

He was rubbingthe horse’s ears, and he seemed to thoroughlyenjoy it. “He needs a name. He’s onlylisted as JST-250 onthe program. That’s a mouthful.”

I put a foot on the bottomrailing of the temporary stall, hooking one elbow over the top ofit. “How do youname a horse?”

“Sometimes they come with them, other times you wait to see their personality. Like Jet got his name because he’s so fast, Keno came from anauctioninKeno, and Admiral, wellhe just looks commanding.”

“This one is sure eager to get out and explore,” I commented when one ofhis huge hooves pawed the ground.
Chase tipped his head back so I could see his eyes peekingout from under the brimofhis hat. “How about Holden?”
Tippingmyownhat back, I grinned at him. “I think it’s perfect.”
Chase patted Holden’s shoulder. “Then Holden it is. Come on, let’s get a drink before the equipment auction.”
We got two bottled waters, and I insisted on sharing fried dough with him. He complained, but had no problem when I stuffed it into his mouth. Then he licked the cinnamon offhis lips and my cock swelled. The smile he gave me was beautiful and grief-free as he tugged on my shirt, and we returned to the arena. As we sat down, he took out his program again, but frowned whenhe looked it over.
“What’s wrong?”
“No wayI’mgoingto be able to afford anythingonhere. Might have to keep mine another year. These are all pretty new. Probably end up beingbeyond myprice range.”He motioned to a mansittinginthe front. It was the guy in the suit. “That’s Jack Stevens. He’s got a huge cattle ranch, can afford to buy these things new but comes to these and outbids the little farmers. Sometimes he gets the bids high, then drops out just to piss people off.”
“But youbeat himfor the colt?”
“He doesn’t have any need for a green horse. He buys themalready trained. He was just trying to get under my skin. He and my father had it out a few times about his biddingpractices.”
I glared at the guy in the suit. As ifhe’d heard us, Stevens glanced in our direction, giving Chase a wave and obnoxious wink. Chase returned it, and througha fake smile, muttered, “Asshole.”
Laughing, I said, “I have to admit, I like this part of you. It’s very sexy.”
Archinganeyebrow, he looked at me questioningly. “It is?”
“Definitely.”I confirmed witha hand onhis thigh. “Just like inbed.”
A tremor went through him, and he looked away. Neither of us needed to get worked up in a crowd of cowboys and their families. The auctioneer began, listing the specifics of the first piece of equipment when it was driven into the arena. The announcer said it was a hay baler, but it didn’t look like Chase’s. Before I could ask, he told me it was a round baler used for baling hay for herds of cattle. Watching equipment circle the ring wasn’t nearly as exciting as watching the horses, but Chase seemed interested. I sat against the railing behind us and looked around. My eyes skimmed the crowd, but always came back to the man next to me. No one there compared to him. Chase could seduce me with one glance. It would take nothing more than that to get me on my knees in front of him, and he was well aware of the effect he had on me. Hell, he could pullpleasure fromme withjust a few measured flicks ofhis wrist.
Keeping his eyes on the tractor in the ring, he said with a hint of his crooked smile, “Stop staring.”
“I can’t help it,”I said witha shrug.
“Tryharder.”
Rollingmyeyes under myhat, I returned myattentionto the tractors, and not Chase or the heat or the way his hair curled up fromdampness at the nape of his neck. He sat back when a square hay baler was brought in, but he didn’t enter the bidding.
After it sold, he turned to me. “Started too high.”
We sat through a few more things, and he suggested we get somethingto eat before the rodeo that night. Sittingdownona benchnear a grassy spot, we ate barbeque chicken and drank lemonade. Everything he did, even something as simple as wiping his mouth or slanting his head to see me better, made my heart stutter. I tried not to let it show, but I was sure he saw it because his eyes would sparkle before he looked away. When we finished dinner, we made our way back to the bleachers, sitting in the same spot as before. For the next few hours, we watched bronc and bull riding. Chase teased me when he caught me staring at the ass ofone ofthe cowboys.
“See somethingyoulike?”he asked withsmirk.
“I like his chaps,”I lied, poorly, and Chase laughed.
Night fell, the lights came on, and we watched the skill of the riders. Once the champion was declared, we stopped by Holden’s stall to say good night.
In the cab of the truck, I willed Chase to drive faster because I couldn’t wait to get him back to the hotel. I was already running up the stairs by the time he’d left the truck. At our room, he took his damned time getting the key out and unlocking the door. I shoved it open and barged in, waiting for him to close it before throwing myself at him, slashingmymouthover his.
The kiss was frantic and full of suppressed need from sitting by his side all day, watching himso in control of everything he did while I sat on the brink. Urgent hands ripped at shirts and shoved leather belts through loops. Our mouths never left each other as I backed up to the bed, bringing himwith me. By the time we fell onto it, our shirts and jeans had been shed. Leaving my lips, he moved his mouth down the skin of my throat, biting along the way while he ground his hips into mine, enticing my alreadyengorged cock to throb harder.
Hissing, I pressed my head into the mattress, arching my back when he feasted on my nipple. His hands were everywhere: my hair, my sides, my hips. I tunneled mine through his hair to keep his mouth fused to me as his tongue flickered, lapped, and swirled around the brown pebbled skin. One ofhis hands left me as he worked the last article ofhis clothingoffhis body.
“Please, baby,”I encouraged impatiently, “need more ofyou.”
I wanted everything at once. Obeying my need, he lazily descended my body, leaving open-mouthed kisses on my seared flesh. The tip of his tongue dipped into mybellybuttonand the lines ofmyabdomenbefore he tugged on the elastic of my briefs, pulling them down and freeing my erection.
When I spread my legs, he returned to my hip, his teeth nipping the bone as he skimmed across my pelvis. I squirmed under his tongue, my hand on the back of his head, holding him there before encouraging him lower with a chorus of
please
s, but before he could take me into his mouth to suck my cock, something caught his attention, and he lifted his head. Frustrated, I bucked my hips toward him, but he ignored my request.
“I almost forgot,” he said, jumping out of bed and holding out his hand.
Having no idea what he was talking about, I took his hand and let him pull me off the bed. Once I was standing next to him, he stretched around me and snatched the sheet. Then he walked to the French doors and opened them. Stepping out onto the balcony, he waited for me, and I tentatively joined him. I didn’t mind subtle displays of public affection, but standing naked on a balcony was something I hadn’t planned on. Trusting him, I melted into his embrace. He stood, securing my back against his chest, before wrapping his arms and the sheet around me, covering us completely.
“Why are we out here?” I asked, reclining against him, my head on his shoulder.
“You’llsee,”he said, kissing my temple. About a minute later, a lone firework lit up the sky over the fairgrounds. “Happy Fourth of July, Elijah,”he murmured inmyear.
Bursts of bright colored light decorated the night sky, followed by large booms and whistles. Chase rocked us back and forth, leaving feathery kisses on my shoulder and neck as we watched. The fireworks were beautiful, but it was hard to focus on them when his naked, hard body was pressed to mine, his cock rubbing along the top of my ass. Together, we watched the show, oohing at the big ones and smiling at the finale. When it was over, we stayed where we were, not even moving when his cock pressed into the base of my spine or he lowered the sheet that surrounded our embrace.
“Let me rimyou,”he suggested withno hint ofa questioningtone.
There was no time to be self-conscious about being nude in public. While we were somewhat hidden by the location of the balcony and the darkness, there was certainly a chance we could be discovered. He continued planting light kisses down each vertebra, tracing a path with his tongue down the final fragments. His fingers released mine when he lowered to his knees and moved to my ass, parting the cheeks and rubbingthe pad ofhis thumb against me.
“Do youknow what I get to eat?”he asked.
Since he wasn’t expecting a reply outside of a strangled cry, I gave him what he wanted. He dipped his tongue in, applying pressure before burying his nose and devouring, giving up his teasing pretense. His hand left myass, to be replaced withhis teeth, sinkinginto the fleshand sucking before soothing with his warm tongue. He rubbed my perineum with his strong fingertip on his way to my ball sac, pulling it back, his tongue following, and he sucked theminto his mouth, soakingthem.
“All I could think about today was how good your ass tastes,” he mumbled against me.
I gripped the balcony with my hands, trying not to push back on his face but having difficulty remaining still. A particularly violent shudder popped my balls from his mouth. His tongue slid back into my hole, probingand penetratingwithallthe strengthinthe muscle. I took his hand, and he stood, turning me into his embrace, his tongue entering my mouth to share my taste and the closeness it symbolized. My trembling had everythingto do withthe mannear me and not the coolsummer night.
He skimmed the length of my back, never pausing on his course to grope myass. Breakingthe kiss, he placed his forehead to mine, a twinkle in his dark, lusty eyes as he turned me in his arms. He expertly found my entrance with his fingers. I spread my legs, giving him all the access he needed. Putting my palms on the railing, I hung my head and licked my lips.
“Please,”I begged whenhis fingers didn’t enter me immediately.
An insistent finger entered me, soon followed by a second. As they stretched and explored, I ground against him, encouraging more. Whimpering, I shoved myass onto his fingers, pulling themdeeper untilhe was teasingme withconstant grazes.
“Please,”I repeated inanevenmore desperate tone.
“Please what?”
“Fuck me.”
“Out here?”
“Yeah, out here, now,”I pleaded.
I could hear cars driving by and people walking just a few stories below us, laughing and chattering. Suddenly, the thought of being on display, eveniftheydidn’t know we were there, excited me endlessly.
Swiftly, he sat on the lounge chair, pulling me down to straddle him. His hand moved against my back as he coated his dick with lube before he guided me with strong hands until the flared head of his cock penetrated my hole and he looked as though he was fighting the urge to slamme downonto him. Whenhe was completelysheathed inmyass, my head lolled back and I circled my hips mercilessly, evoking throaty murmurs fromhim.
Taking control, he spanned my hips with his hands as he began to lift and lower me onto himina steadyrhythm. I reached for mycock withmy right hand while I held the railing for leverage with my left. With knifing thrusts, Chase smashed into me, taking exactly what he needed fromme, exactly what I was so willing to give him. Voices got closer and then farther away, but nothingoverpowered the breathless timbre ofour moans and the sound of our skin slapping together again and again. Between his cock buried inside me and my furious stroking, my orgasmripped through me without warning. Spasms ravaged me, my cock shooting onto the chair and cement ofthe balcony.
“Fuck,”Chase groaned whenmyass clenched his cock.
I went loose and fell back against him. Draping one arm around my chest, he kept me to him and plunged a few more times before he followed me into bliss. His cock emptied inside me, flooding me, the overflow leakingfromme onto him.
Sated, he reclined in the chair, taking me with him. Ragged breaths skittered across myfleshas he came downfromhis climax.
“Do youthink anyone heard us?”I asked as we caught our breath.
“Did youwant themto?”
Laying my head on his shoulder, I turned and kissed his neck. “I want everyone to know what we have.”
Smiling, he kissed me before gently lifting me off him, his come still dribbling down my thigh. “As turned on as the thought makes you, I don’t think youwant to wake up out here inthe daylight ofmorning.”
He was right. I wasn’t quite ready for that. “C’mon,” I said, extendingmyhand to him.
Smiling, he took it and bent over for the sheet we’d dropped. Inside the room, I lay on the bed and pulled himon top of me, watching him, the look of contentment on his face. It wasn’t the same as when he spoke about Owen, but it was enough. His eyes followed the path of his hands roaming up and down the sides of my body, coming to rest on his chest over mine. He was satisfied in the way that only being with another could do. I could see it ineverymuscle, and it made me curious.
“What did you do before me?” I asked, and he knitted his brows warily, so I clarified. “For sex.”
“I didn’t,”he answered simply. “You’re it.”
Lacing our fingers together, I lifted his hand to my mouth and kissed it. Instead of saying anything, I gave him a smile, one he returned effortlessly.
“I’m
it
?” I teased lightly, wondering if he would get my double meaning.
Growling, he flipped us over. Slinging a leg over one of mine, he smirked as he dipped his head and lapped me. “Tag, you’re it,” he murmured against myskin.
We spent the night wrapped around each other, sleeping briefly to regainstrengthbefore once againreachingout for eachother.