STORY EXCERPT

“Elijah, I wonder if we could get a moment of your time.”

Elijah James glanced up from the papers on his desk to see Quaid and Matthew Blaecleah standing in his doorway. He smiled in greeting as he stood up and walked around his desk to shake both men’s hands.

“Of course,” Elijah replied. “I always have time for one of the Blaecleahs. What can I do for you gentlemen today?” Elijah glanced beyond the two men to see the sun setting beyond the mountains. “This evening, I mean.”

“Burning the midnight oil again?” Quaid chuckled.

Elijah shrugged as he glanced back at the papers on his desk. He didn’t have anything better to do. “There never really seems to be an end to the paperwork.” He smiled ruefully as he looked back at the two men. “Unlike in the movies, lawyers actually spend more time doing paperwork than in court.”

“Then I’m afraid we’re just going to add to your workload.” Quaid held up the large manila envelope in his hand. “We need you to look over some papers and make sure everything is on the up and up before Ma and Da sign them.”

“Of course.” Elijah took the envelope and opened it, pulling the papers out as he walked around his desk and sat back down. “Please, have a seat.”

It took Elijah a few minutes to go over the paperwork but everything seemed relatively straightforward. Donnell and Alani Blaecleah wanted to purchase ten acres of land on the west side of their ranch. The price had been agreed upon by both the seller and buyer. Except for the signatures of everyone involved, everything was aboveboard.

“Hey, Elijah,” Matty said, “I really appreciate you staying late to do this. We needed these papers taken care of as soon as possible.”

Elijah smiled as he looked up from the papers he was working on and across his desk at Matty. “It’s no problem, Matty. I’m happy to help.” He quickly looked back down at the papers. It was always so hard to look at Matty. The man looked so much like his younger brother, Ruben.

Elijah sighed and tried to get the mental image of Ruben Blaecleah out of his head. Matty had married Quaid, and the Blaecheah family had adopted his brother Ruben. He knew it wouldn’t do him much good to think of Ruben. It seemed he had been thinking about the man for as long as he knew him. Still, he needed to concentrate on his job. Then maybe he could go find the nearest bottle. It worked in the past, and he prayed it continued to numb him.

“Everything seems to be in order,” Elijah said. “If you’ll have your folks come in tomorrow, we can get these signed and notarized. Once the papers are filed with the courthouse, the sale should be final within thirty days.”

“Yes!” Matty pumped his fist into the air.

“Well, you certainly seem excited.” Elijah grinned when Matty practically bounded in his seat. The man’s excitement was contagious. Elijah just didn’t understand it. It was a simple purchase of some land next to the Blaecleah ranch.

“I am.”

Quaid Blaecleah chuckled from beside his partner. He reached over and patted Matty’s leg. “I think we’re all a little excited.”

Elijah frowned. He pulled his glasses off and set them on the desk as he stared at the two lovers in confusion. “Over the purchase of ten acres of land?”

“No,” Matty said as he smiled happily. “Ruben is coming home.”

Elijah swallowed hard. “Ru—Ruben is coming home?” He could barely get the words past his lips. Ruben was coming home. Elijah didn’t know whether to be excited or freaked out. Both were a very real possibility.

Ruben was coming home.

Damn.

“That’s what the ten acres are for,” Quaid said. “Ma and Da wanted to give him some land to build a house on.”

Elijah frowned as he glanced down at the paperwork again. “This land is quite a ways from the main ranch,” he said as he looked up at the two men one more time. “Don’t all of you boys build your houses right next to each other?”

“Usually, yes,” Quaid replied right before his eyes cut to Matty. They stared at each other for a moment before Matty nodded. Elijah’s heart began to thunder in his chest when Quaid looked back at him. “Ruben needs a bit more room than the rest of us. He’s bringing his family home with him.”

ADULT EXCERPT

“Come here, Eli,” Ruben said as he waved a hand toward the bed. He couldn’t take the silence, or the fear that Elijah was going to reject him like he had three years ago. He wanted to put a stop to any doubts Elijah had before they surfaced and ruined any plans Ruben had for them.

Elijah took a hesitant step forward, and then another, slowly making his way back toward the bed. His eyes were locked onto Ruben’s hard cock as he swallowed. “How—What are you doing here?”

Ruben reached out and pulled at Elijah’s hand, making the man stumble forward as he dropped down on the bed.

“I’m here for you,” Ruben confessed to the older man as he tugged on Elijah’s hand, watching as Elijah crawled further onto the bed. His eyes held hesitation, but his boxers were tented, giving Ruben the perfect view. The only thing that would have made this more perfect was if Elijah removed the underwear. Ruben was dying to get his first glimpse at the man’s cock.

“I don’t understand,” Elijah said as he pulled himself all the way onto the bed. To say he was nervous was an understatement. Ruben had had sex only once, and that was with Mahra. He’d never experienced sex with a man, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to let his inexperience stop him. He knew what he wanted, and what he wanted was staring up at him, the blue eyes swimming with uncertainty.

Ruben rolled, pinning Elijah underneath him. He ground their cocks together as he felt Elijah’s skin rubbing up against his.

“Ruben, wait.”

Ruben stilled, gazing down at Elijah. “What am I waiting for?”

Elijah shook his head, but made no efforts to squirm away. As a matter of fact, Elijah was trying to push into Ruben. The moves were subtle, as if Elijah didn’t want Ruben to know he was doing it.

“I—” Elijah glanced down, biting his bottom lip. “I’m not out and proud like you are.”

Ruben leaned forward, kissing Elijah’s eyelids. “Then we’ll work on that,” Ruben said as he reached down between them and pushed his hand past Elijah’s waistband of his boxers. He groaned when he felt the hot, hard cock press into the palm of his hand.

Elijah’s hips jerked as his head tilted sideways. Ruben pressed his lips against Elijah’s soft skin as he stroked his soon-to-be lover’s cock. He knew the mechanics and had done his research on gay sex. Ruben had the knowledge. He just lacked the experience. He hoped he didn’t hurt Elijah.

“Lube?”

Elijah nodded toward the nightstand. Ruben stretched over Elijah as he opened the small drawer. He wasn’t sure he should be glad to see condoms in there as well. Did Elijah use them often? He grinned when he saw the box was brand-new. Ruben grabbed the lube and the box, tossing them on the bed beside them.

“Take your boxers off,” he said as he leaned back, giving Elijah the room he needed. Ruben’s mouth watered as he watched Elijah, gazing at the flesh that was bared to him. He couldn’t resist. Ruben reached out and smacked Elijah’s ass.

“Hey!” Elijah said as he looked back at Ruben. “There will be none of that.”

“Too bad,” Ruben teased. He liked seeing his own handprint on Elijah’s ass. It was sexy. He pushed Elijah to his stomach, straddling his thighs as he lubed his fingers and then tossed the bottle aside.

Ruben slowly pushed one finger in to the first knuckle. He stilled, waiting to make sure he wasn’t hurting Elijah. When the man looked over at Ruben like he was crazy, he smiled and pushed his finger the rest of the way in. It felt better than his imagination had conjured up. With just his finger inside Elijah, Ruben was about to orgasm. He had dreamt of this moment for years.

Ruben slid his hand back and then slid another finger in beside the first one. He watched in wonder as his fingers sank deep. He wanted to see his cock do the same. But he wasn’t going to rush this. It was their first time together, Ruben’s first time with a man, and he wanted it to last.

He pushed a third finger in, watching Elijah’s body stretch for him. Ruben had to bite his bottom lip. The sight was amazing. Elijah pushed back, groaning. Ruben felt ten feet tall. He was the one making Elijah feel pleasure.

He removed his fingers, grinning when Elijah let out a noise of protest. He smacked his lover’s ass again. Elijah shot a glare over his shoulder, making Ruben chuckle. “But my handprint is so pretty on your ass.”

Elijah grunted, but didn’t say a word.

“Roll over,” Ruben commanded as he reached for the unopened box of condoms. Elijah watched him as Ruben tore the wrapper apart and then rolled the latex down his hard cock. He scooted close to Elijah, grabbed him under his knees, and then pushed his legs back. Ruben stopped for a moment to gaze down at Elijah’s puckered hole. He couldn’t believe that after all this time he was finally going to sink balls deep inside the man.

“What?” Elijah asked, a veil falling over his eyes.

Ruben couldn’t have that. He lined his cock up and thrust deeply.

“Fuck!” Elijah shouted as Ruben stilled.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked as he ran a hand over Elijah’s smooth stomach. His body was begging Ruben to move, but he had to make sure Elijah wasn’t in any pain.

“No,” Elijah said as he wiggled his ass. “But now would be a good time for you to move.”

Ruben grinned as he pulled back and then slammed forward. Elijah shouted, but Ruben knew it was a shout of pleasure. His fingers dug into Elijah’s knees as he looked down between their bodies and saw his cock thrusting in and out of his lover’s tight ass. It was an amazing sight, one Ruben wanted to see over and over again.

He pushed Elijah’s legs around his waist as he dropped to his arms, staring his lover in his baby-blue eyes. Elijah tried to look away, but Ruben caught his chin and brought it back around. He leaned forward and kissed Elijah like his life depended on it. Elijah groaned into his mouth as Ruben snapped his hips, feeling Elijah’s body welcoming him.

“Make me come, Ru,” Elijah begged into Ruben’s mouth.