Time to take the bull by the horns.

And, as if reading his mind, Troy reached down between him and Chris to grasp James’ cock, skillfully flicking the slit with his thumb before James said, “I think we need to take this on dry land before we all drown.”

Chris and Troy both laughed as James turned and swam back to shore.

Arriving first gave James the opportunity to watch Troy and Chris as they followed his lead. He admired their bodies as they emerged from the water and stepped onto dry land. Both of them looked nothing less than spectacular, like creatures not of this earth. And knowing Troy’s nature, this comparison seemed more than appropriate.

James’ gaze automatically went to the puckered skin delineating past wounds on Troy’s otherwise smooth torso. Like Chris’ bruises, he wondered how Troy had gotten the scars. They were more than likely bullet and arrow wounds, but he didn’t want to agitate the fragile balance and peace the three of them had found out here in the wilderness together by opening healed wounds and asking outright. James released the breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding as the two men neared, lake water glistening on their naked skin.

Silently, James picked up his clothes, turned, and headed into the forest. He went far enough in that they wouldn’t have to worry too much about prying eyes, but not so far that they couldn’t keep an eye on their horses. Although with the way James felt, he didn’t think he’d be able to keep his mind on anything outside of the two men following him past the tree line.

Chris and Troy followed James’ lead and left their clothes folded on the ground before they advanced to where James leaned against the trunk of a tall, sturdy aspen.

Troy reached James first, hesitating once he got a couple of feet away as if waiting for permission to move forward.

James gave his tacit agreement, putting out his hand and firmly grasping the hand that Troy placed in his. He pulled Troy forward until the other man fell into his arms.

Breathless, Troy asked, “Now what?”

“What do you want?”

“I–I…”

“Let me help you.” James grasped Troy by the shoulders and turned him around so that Troy’s back rested against his chest. They proved so evenly matched in height that Troy’s cleft perfectly cushioned the head of James’ hard cock without James having to crouch, stand on his toes, or otherwise make an adjustment. James rubbed himself up and down the crack between Troy’s butt cheeks and closed his eyes at the groan that escaped Troy’s lips. His arms automatically went around Troy, imprisoning him as he hugged Troy tight. “Lord, you feel so good! I can’t wait to get inside you.”

“I can’t wait to feel you inside me.” Troy reached back and grasped James’ shaft, drawing it closer to his hole.

James about shot off at the feel of Troy’s fingers gripping him, at the promised warmth of Troy’s anus surrounding his cock.

Rather than ram himself forward the way he wanted, James took a deep breath and slid one hand down to Troy’s ass. He eased a finger inside, pushing past the first ring of muscles and feeling Troy clamp down on the digit right firm. Lord, he was tight!

“You need to relax.”

“I’m trying, but…I’ve never…I’ve…”

James bent his head to nibble Troy’s earlobe, heart clenching in his chest at what he thought Troy tried to say. He proved tight enough to be a virgin, but…“You’ve never had a man inside you before?”

Troy silently shook his head, then leaned it back to cradle against James’ shoulder and worked his jaw muscles.

James reached up his free hand to cup Troy’s cheek. His palm rasped against the other man’s light stubble. He felt Troy’s shudder all the way through his own body. He ached to have this powerful, unusual man under him, to bury himself deep inside Troy and ride him until they both exploded like nitro.

His gaze shifted to find Chris standing in front of Troy with an indulgent expression on his face. He’d almost forgotten the boy was there with them and smiled at Chris’ look. He seemed so old, much older than his years. There proved so much pain and wisdom in that gaze, too.

As much as either he or Troy had seen, James decided.

“We’ll help you through it,” he murmured to Troy and watched Chris nod his agreement.

Yep, right old and wise beyond his years.

“I know it’ll be painful, but I want this. I’m ready to—”

“Don’t have to be no such thing, at least not awfully so.” James bent his head and placed his lips on Troy’s throat. He caught a small piece of flesh between his teeth and nipped before licking and sucking the sore spot to take Troy’s mind off of the coming invasion. He’d have to soften him up right and proper to make sure this experience proved as painless and pleasurable as possible. He wanted Troy to enjoy himself, not fear what James would do to him.

Troy squirmed in his grasp, and James let his imagination run wild without letting his hand do the same. Slowly, he added another finger, pushing past the second ring of muscles inside Troy’s anus until his fingers disappeared to the third knuckle.

Troy opened himself up then, pushing back against James’ hand and riding it.

“Take it slow, Troy. We’ve got time,” James whispered in Troy’s ear. Not as much time as he would have liked. He wanted to savor being with Troy the same way he had been with Chris. He wanted to experience having both of them in a place they all called home.

Lord, he was jumping ahead of himself!

Focusing, James held Troy close with one arm as Chris went down on his knees in front of Troy—a full frontal and rear assault.

James smiled at the thought.

He wiggled his fingers inside Troy, stimulating the delicate nerve endings and making Troy’s muscles spasmodically clench right before he slid his fingers out. James grasped himself and used his pre-ejaculate as a lubricant, coating his shaft and mixing it with the water that still covered him. Extra moisture would have helped, and he wished he had come more prepared. However, he hadn’t had much forewarning before this jaunt. Certainly not enough that he could have brought along what he considered the essentials for this situation.

Oh, the things he had learned from the Chinese and the Greeks, the knowledge he had acquired to make sex more gratifying! Thanks to his own powerful curiosity and that rancher teaching him to read, he had picked up all sorts of information that could help him please another man. And he was eager to use it.

James synchronized his first thrust with Chris’ first stroke, watching as the young’un swallowed Troy almost to the hilt. Troy stiffened, then bucked his pelvis, and James put his hands on his shoulders to hold him still. He breached Troy’s anus with a decisive plunge, effectively pinning him between a rock and hard place as Chris’ lips reached the base of Troy’s cock.

Troy quaked as Chris sucked him, and James pushed farther until he rested balls-deep and his pelvis smacked flush against Troy’s ass cheeks. He felt Troy barely holding off coming. He barely held off himself, focusing before he began to circle his hips in a gentle but firm rhythm. The head of his cock just teased the spongy organ inside that James knew would make Troy go off like a rocket once James really stroked it.