Chapter 4
As the days passed, Nick continued to do everything in his power to keep away from Greg. He worked late into the evening and tried to give Greg so many chores involving hard labor and brute strength that the younger man would be too physically exhausted to even think about seducing Nick. And Nick remembered to lock the bathroom door whenever he used the tub.
It was early afternoon, two weeks after Greg's arrival.
Greg was out in the stable, mucking out the stalls, sweat pouring down his face, dampening his shirt around the collar, chest, and underarms.
He paused in his work, wiping his face on his equally sweaty arm. Nick had left early to check the herd up in the south pasture, and Greg knew he would stay out until it became too dark to work.
A horse whickering brought Greg's head around toward the stable's main doors.
Copper trotted into the stable, reins trailing along the ground, saddle empty, eyes rolling with fear.
Careful to move calmly – as Nick had shown him – so he wouldn't further spook the frightened animal, Greg approached.
Snorting and stamping a front hoof, Copper eyed Greg warily before whickering again.
"Easy, boy," Greg spoke soothingly.
Finally getting hold of the reins, Greg patted the horse's sweaty neck.
The horse returning to the ranch without Nick meant something must have happened.
Fearing Nick was injured, Greg debated mounting Copper, but the state the horse was in and Greg's limited experience made that a bad idea.
Tying Copper up to deal with later, Greg moved quickly to Missy's stall. Knowing there were corners that just couldn't be cut, he cleaned her hooves and quickly brushed her before saddling her.
Climbing into the saddle, he urged her to a canter, then a gallop in the direction he'd watched Nick ride that morning.
The fact that Copper was sweaty when he returned to the stable told Greg the horse had run quite a distance, so he kept Missy at a steady gallop until she began to sweat, then he slowed her to a walk and began calling Nick's name.
He really had no idea how long it was until he found Nick.
Scrambling down from the saddle, dropping the reins, Greg rushed to Nick's side.
Nick was sitting on the side of the trail, one hand held to a nasty lump on his head.
"Nick! Are you okay?" Greg asked, skidding to his knees in front of the other man.
Looking up at Greg, Nick said, "Is Copper okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah. He's fine. He's back at the stable. Are you okay?" Worry clouded Greg's eyes.
Nick's gaze seemed a little out of focus. Greg laid his hand on the other man's cheek, trying to make Nick focus on him. For once, Nick didn't pull away. Greg wasn't sure, but he thought Nick might have even leaned into his touch a little.
"Head hurts like a son of a bitch!" Nick finally said.
"Do you know if you lost consciousness?" Greg asked worriedly, gently pulling Nick's hand away from his head to look at the lump.
"No, I didn't. Ow!" was Nick's response.
"Sorry," Greg apologized, as he tenderly explored the area with his fingertips.
Nick hissed in a breath, and reached up. He grabbed Greg's hand, pulling it away from the lump. He examined Greg's fingers for a moment before saying, "You have nice hands, G!"
Blushing furiously, Greg said, "Okay, I think it's official. You have a concussion, Nicky!" Rising to his feet, he pulled Nick up with him. "Let's get you back to the house."
"You only brought Missy?" Nick asked.
Shuffling his feet in the dirt, Greg said, "Uh, yeah. I was worried about you. Can she carry both of us?"
Nick's brow furrowed as he thought. "It'll be a bit of a strain for her, but as long as we don't rush her and let her pick her own way, it shouldn't be a problem."
The stirrups were adjusted for Greg's slightly longer legs, so he had to sit in the saddle. After mounting, Greg gave Nick a hand and soon Nick was perched behind Greg, his arms around Greg's waist.
A shiver went down Greg's spine when Nick murmured into his back, "I've dreamed about this." He pulled himself as close to Greg as the saddle would allow, resting his chin on Greg's shoulder.
When one of Nick's hands roamed down from Greg's waist to the bulge in his jeans, Greg pressed his back into Nick's chest.
"Nicky!" his voice was low and rough, barely recognizable to him.
"Hmm..." Nick replied.
"Nicky, I think you hit your head a bit harder than I thought." Greg held the reins in one hand. Grabbing Nick's wandering hand with his other, he brought it back up to his waist.
A disappointed sound issued from Nick's throat.
"You're not thinking straight," Greg said, then regretted his choice of words.
Nick didn't seem to notice, though. His hand was wandering again.
"Look, Nick. Mmm..." Greg grabbed Nick's hand again. "At least wait till we get back to the house, please!"
The ride back to the house seemed to last forever. It did take longer than the ride out had, since Missy walked all the way back.
Leaving Missy tied in the stable next to Copper, Greg promised them he'd be out to take care of them as soon as he'd made sure Nick would be okay.
Pulling Nick's arm over his shoulder, Greg helped Nick into the house and up the stairs to his room.
Greg hadn't been in Nick's room before. Maneuvering Nick into the room, he saw it suited Nick's personality. All the furniture was a lightly stained pine. The queen sized bed had both a headboard and a footboard, and it and all of the rest of the furniture had prominent knots in the wood, adding character.
Sitting Nick on the bed, Greg pulled his boots off, and helped him lay down.
"I'm going to go get an ice pack and some pain reliever. Stay awake!" Greg said, turning away.
Nick's hand caught his wrist, pulling him back. "Don't need either of those. Need you!" Nick rasped. Very deliberately, he made that strangled sound in his throat that drove Greg wild.
A moan escaped Greg's throat and he took a step back toward the bed.
"Nicky..." Greg trailed off, when Nick pulled his hand up to his mouth and slowly sucked his index finger in.
Now that strangled sound was issuing from Greg's throat, and he was sinking down to sit on the edge of the bed. His eyes were locked on Nick's mouth and what he was doing to Greg's finger.
Pausing, Nick growled, "God, I see why that drives you wild!"
"You have no idea!" Greg rasped, toeing his boots off.
Leaning forward, Greg murmured, "Are you absolutely sure you're not going to regret this tomorrow?" By this point, Greg was really beyond caring, as he'd take Nick once over never, but he so wanted it to be more than once. Forever would be nice!
"I'm sure!" was all it took.
Greg brushed his lips across Nick's, shivering at the near electric shock of that first touch.
Reaching up, Nick put his hand on the back of Greg's neck, pulling the younger man closer as the kiss deepened.
Groaning into Nick's mouth, Greg took a fistful of Nick's shirt and pulled it from the waistband of Nick's jeans. Pushing his hands up under the material, Greg reveled at the feeling of toned muscles and soft skin.
Breaking the kiss, Greg helped Nick gingerly pull the T-shirt off over his head, being mindful of the swollen bump.
Climbing on the bed, Greg straddled Nick's hips and leaned down to kiss him again. This time, he concentrated on Nick's taste. There's some trail dust, but most of Nick's taste is just indescribable and all Nick.
Nick's hands fumbled at the buttons of Greg's brown striped shirt, the same one Greg had removed during his strip tease.
Pushing the shirt off Greg's shoulders, Nick pulled himself to a sitting position, licking his lips at the thought of kissing and tasting Greg's chest.
As Nick's mouth went to one nipple, his hand went to the other.
Greg's moans told Nick that the nipping, pinching, licking, and rubbing he was doing were perfect.
Arching his back, Greg thrust his hips forward, rubbing his aching length against Nick's through the denim of their jeans. Leaning down to capture Nick's earlobe in his mouth, Greg murmured, "Want you so bad, Nicky!" His hands find their way to the fly of Nick's jeans.
After opening Nick's jeans, Greg pushed his hand inside, palming the straining erection.
"Ah..." Nick moaned, as he thrust towards Greg's hand.
"Like that?" Greg murmured in Nick's ear, getting an indecipherable sound in return.
Pulling Nick's face to his, Greg kissed him greedily, before pushing Nick back and kissing a searing trail down Nick's neck and chest.
Next, Greg pulled Nick's jeans and boxer briefs off, exposing his aching need.
Beginning at the base of Nick's cock, Greg ran the very tip of his tongue across the heated flesh, all the way to the slit, where he lapped up several drops of pre-cum.
"So hard... Need this so bad!" Nick mumbled, tangling his fingers in Greg's hair.
When Greg's lips encircled Nick's head, Nick bit back a scream and the urge to come right then.
Sucking in his cheeks, Greg reveled in the moan Nick let out.
Finally, Greg took in as much of Nick as he could, bringing the tip nearly to the back of his throat. He slowly began to bob up and down, wrapping his tongue around the throbbing flesh in his mouth.
Nick allowed his head to fall back against his pillow, eyes rolling in his head at the pleasure.
With a final wordless yell, Nick came in Greg's mouth. Greg swallowed it all, loving the taste of Nick.
Licking his lips, Greg moved up until he was face to face with Nick again.
Nick pulled him in for another searing kiss, entranced by his own taste in Greg's mouth.
Without breaking the kiss, nick pushed Greg over on his back and fumbled with the fly of his jeans. Greg reached down and helped him, lifting his hips to push his jeans and briefs off.
Wrapping a calloused hand around Greg's shaft, Nick began to stroke him. Greg thrust his hips forward, into Nick's hand.
Nick could tell the younger man was nearing his own release. Moving down Greg's body, Nick began to explore Greg's length with his tongue.
"Feels so good, Nicky!" Greg mumbled breathily. The next sound from Greg's mouth was a shouted, "Yes!" as Nick took Greg all the way in his mouth.
A moment later, Nick was swallowing Greg's come.
Greg left long enough to tend to the horses, then collapsed on the bed next to Nick. He vaguely remembered waking a couple of times to check on Nick that night.