Tanned

By BA Tortuga

"I am going to tan your hide, boy."
Danny looked across the fence post, to the hard-faced

cowboy stringing a line next to him, wire in one gloved
hand, and his lips twitched. "I'd love to see you try,
asshole."

It was a hundred and six degrees, there wasn't a

fucking cloud in the sky, and it wasn't his fucking fault
they'd pulled fence duty. Hell, they could be roofing the
horse barn. Or trenching.

Just because he was the new guy. Just because he was

city.

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Christ, a guy went to Austin for college and came

home after graduation to help Gramps get things back in
the black...

If one more old fuck called him city-slicker...
"You think I can't do it, city-slicker?"
Okay, that was it. The fact that it came from Cary

Carpenter's beautiful fucking mouth made it all the
worse. Cary wasn't old, and he wasn't someone Danny
could ignore. In fact, he was someone Danny fantasized
about. Which made him see red once those words
dropped between them like a turd in the punchbowl.

His body still believed it belonged to an eighteen

year-old football player and he tackled the sorry, smug
son of a bitch, taking the motherfucker down into the
hard-packed dirt.

"Ooph." Cary might be five or ten years older than

him, but the man was built like a rock. A lean, mean
rock. There was no give there. Not even in the fist that
cracked against his chin.

Fuck, that hurt. It was maddening.
He had the upper hand, though, driving one fist into

Cary's bread basket.

"Ngh." The man curled around his hand before

kicking away, rolling out from under him.

He scrambled to his feet, hoping to hell his hat didn't

blow too far away, fists still balled up. "What is y'all's
fucking issue with me, man?"

"What do you think? You're not one of us. You're

fucking soft and you let your grandpa get in a bad way!"

That was so not how it had worked. Gramps had

worked hard to put Danny through school so he could
help with business end of things.

"Let my... Oh, Jesus fuck! You asshats! I came home

as soon as I graduated. I worked on this ranch my whole
life and all but one fucking summer..."

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"Bullshit. I been here three years, I ain't never met

you before this year." That lantern jaw could set like
iron, and Danny was glad he'd gone for Cary's belly
when he'd thrown his punch.

His fingers creaked, curling into fists again. "Are you

calling me a liar?"

He'd spent his freshman year working with the

cutting horses, his sophomore year driving Granny back
and forth to fucking Houston for chemo, and his junior
year designing the fucking irrigation system for the
ranch.

He wasn't a fucking slacker.
"I'm just saying I been working my ass off, and I ain't

seen you until now."

"And do all the supposed new guys get the same shit

from you asshats? Christ, no wonder Gramps has a
problem keeping hands." He went for his hat, growling
under his breath. He had a shit load more fence to fix
and no patience for assholes.

"No, sir. Just the ones like you."
"Like me, huh?" Christ, it always came down to

name-calling. He pursed his lips, cursing the day that his
fucking cousin, Matt, had caught him in the barn with
Issac West. Gramps and Granny didn't give a shit that he
was queer, but some days Danny thought they were the
only two folks in east Texas that didn't. "Matt's been
running his mouth again, huh?"

That hit a sore spot, he could tell. Cary shrugged,

looking a little hang dog. "You sayin' it ain't true?"

"Nope. I ain't denying a thing." He wasn't going to

flaunt it, but he sure as shit wasn't going to lie. "It don't
mean I can't work and it don't mean I can't run fence."

"Well, I got no quarrel with how you been working

today." Cary dusted off and clapped his hat back on his
head. The man looked like something out of a Western

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movie, all dirty jeans and flashing blue eyes. Fucking
hot bastard. "We'll agree to disagree on the rest."

"That's fine. I ain't here to make friends." One day

this ranch would be his, Gramps had been clear on it.
He'd be damned if he didn't give it the work it deserved,
what it needed to keep it going. He wasn't about to lose
this land.

"Well, then, put some of that ice on your jaw and let's

get back to work."

"Yeah." He headed for his gloves and the wire,

ignoring the ice. His fucking jaw would be fine. Hell,
Matt kept talking to the other hands about Danny's love
life, bruised would be a way of life.

***

Cary felt a little like a heel. Maybe a lot.
Danny could work like a dog, and he felt like a sorry

sort of cowboy for judging the man based on Matt's
saying Danny was worthless.

Shit, Cary also felt a little bruised in the midsection.

That little shit could pack a punch. Danny was shorter
than his six-two by maybe four inches, and he

was almost

downright skinny, but there was something about the
way the kid held himself... Something about that out and
out defiance. Made Cary want to kiss the feller silly,
then maybe spank Danny until he howled.

Cary scooped up some more beans with his tortilla,

listening to the ebb and flow of conversation, the boys in
fine form tonight.

"How'd the fence work go, man?" Allan leaned back,

stretched. "Saw that the little city boy came back with a
pretty bruise on his jaw."

"Well, I ain't gonna show you my bruises." Cary

grinned a little. "He did good. Worked his ass off, truth

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be told."

"Good to know. He'll be riding fence a lot. Hell, no

reason we can't send him to do it on his own, if he's not
stupid."

Alone? Shit, that was hot, miserable work with two.

On your own it was a fucking nightmare. It got his back
up some on Danny's behalf, surprising him.

"Have y'all ever worked with him before? Anyone?"

He was just curious to see if anyone had experience with
what-all Matt had said about the man.

Greg's nose wrinkled. "Fuck, no. I ain't working with

the pansy-assed little fuck. He wants to run this place
into the ground, he'll have to do it on his own."

Cary riled up a little more, his shoulders going up

around his ears. There was something real ugly going on
"Well, I got to say, he didn't seem lazy at all."

"His type aren't meant for ranch work. Why the hell

he didn't just stay in Austin is anyone's guess."

Allan shrugged. "Matt says it's the money. The

missus likes him."

Greg grunted. "Well, I don't, and I don't see how it

can be money unless he plans to sell to some investor
when the old man goes."

"What have you got against him, really? Seems you

ought to judge a man on his work." Hell if he knew why
he was sticking his neck out for Danny, who had as
much as admitted he was everything Matt had said he
was, but something just didn't seem right about the
whole thing. Cary just didn't like the tone of the
conversation.

"Man, he's a fudgepacker."
Cary blinked. Then shook his head like his ears were

all clogged up. "What?"

Allan nodded. "It ain't right, him coming here and

taking work from normal folks."

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"Normal." He sounded like a fucking parrot.

Squawking. He stood, his hands balling into fists. Matt
had told him a totally different tale of woe. "This is
about the boy being queer?"

"Well, sure." They were all looking at him like he

was out of his fucking mind, which maybe he was. God
knew he didn't need to draw attention to who he liked to
have sex with.

About that time the front door opened, Danny

walking in with mail and a tray that smelled like heaven
and cinnamon. "Granny made y'all dessert and here's the
mail."

Everyone sat there with their teeth in their mouth, so

Cary stood and took the tray. Lord, he felt like an idiot.
"Thank you. Thank your granny, too. Smells like apple
pie."

"I guess. She's feeling good enough to cook, and

that's cool. Y'all have a good night."

Danny nodded to the guys, and headed out, not even

flinching when one of the hands muttered, "fucking
fag".

Shit.
Shit, this wasn't cool. This wasn't him. Not even a

little.

"No. Hold on." He put dessert aside and caught up to

Danny out on the tiny porch. "I owe you an apology."

"Look, I'm not going to say shit about this to Gramps.

He knows the drill. You're not the first guy to do it; you
won't be the last. I can handle it. I'll ride fence by myself
tomorrow."

"I don't care if you tell your grandpa, man. If he fires

me, I'll take my licks. I mean I owe you an apology for
being a dumbass. I was thinking the boys were on your
ass because you were a slacking city boy who just
wanted the land when it was all said and done."

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Cary would never mistreat a feller for who he liked to

sleep with. Never. That would be like the glass house
guy tossing stones.

"Gramps will do with it what he wants to. I'm here

because this is home."

"Yeah." His cheeks heated, but he didn't look away.

"The boys were talking trash in there, and I think you
ought to know I don't care one way or the other. About
what they was saying."

Danny looked at him, that jaw black and just swollen

as shit. "They can talk all they fucking want. I cowboy
up, and just to be perfectly fucking clear, I was queer
when I left for college and my people know. They knew
when I was in high school. There ain't secrets between
us, and they aren't ashamed of my fairy ass."

Those pretty brown eyes flashed fire, the gold flecks

standing out. Danny had high cheekbones, and a nice
strong chin, which Cary knew was hard as a rock.

"Good for them." He grinned now, wryly. "My folks

kicked my ass out of a whole state, let alone their
house."

"I..." Danny's eyebrows went up, then down in a

frown. "What for?"

"When I told 'em I thought I liked guys." None of the

other hands dared to interrupt, and Cary knew full well it
was impossible to eavesdrop through that old oak door.

"Oh." Those eyebrows went up again, Danny's mouth

falling open a little. Pretty lips, too. "I won't... I wouldn't
say anything."

"Well, I do have to live in there." He jerked a thumb

over his shoulder, thinking how he'd have to sleep with a
kitchen knife under his pillow.

"Yeah. You'd best go in; they'll rag your ass for

hanging with me."

"They will one way or the other." He grinned,

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clapping Danny on the shoulder. "You holler at me if
you need help stringing fence." He wasn't about to let
the kid do that job all by himself.

"You got it." Danny waved at him and headed off.

There was no way on God's green earth that the kid
would ask for help; he knew it.

He'd just have to make sure he was on fence duty for

the next couple of weeks. Just in case.

***

"I'm gonna tan your hide, boy."
Danny looked over at Cary, the cut on his cheek just

starting to sting like fire. It wasn't fair how good the man
looked on horseback, like a blond George Strait at the
end of the Houston rodeo. "What do you want?"

Ow, that fucking thing had hurt, the wire slapping his

cheek like an outraged girl on prom night.

"You're working on this fence every damned day, and

you're gonna lose something important you break
another wire like that." Cary stepped down from the bay
mare he'd rode in on and handed Danny a bottle of
water. "You lose something important, and I will tan
your hide."

He drank deep, then grabbed his handkerchief out of

his pocket, staunching the blood. "What are you doing
out here?"

And why the hell was Cary always fucking

everywhere Danny needed to be? Being tall and hot.
Getting right up next to him and making him want
things he shouldn't, even if he knew Cary was family
that way.

"I came out to help. Got done with the feeding." The

man was standing way too close. He smelled like hay
and sweat.

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"Oh. Thanks. I got it." Which wasn't exactly true. He

was going to be doing this until he was fifty at the rate
he was going.

"You telling me you don't want me around?"
He rolled his eyes, grinned. "No. No, man. I mean

you're here. I'm here. The wire's here."

"That's the truth." Their hips bumped together when

Cary moved in to help him.

Jesus, he wished Cary'd never once told him about

being queer, too. Cary'd been something else when
looking was off limits. Now? Fuck.

"Shit!" Cary yanked him out of the way when the

wire snapped, the barbs narrowly missing his face again.
"What the hell are you woolgathering on?"

"Jesus! Nothing!" Your ass. Your long assed legs.

You. Asshole. He knew he'd wound that wire too tight,
but it was like he was fucking obsessed. Three weeks
since Cary had come out to him, and all he could think
about was that fine ass, those big hands.

"Well, pay attention." Cary turned him, hands on his

shoulders, and shook him a little. Okay, maybe hard
enough his teeth rattled.

"Hey!" He pushed back, his hands landing on the

man's chest with a smack.

"You little..." Cary smacked right back, the heel of

one callused hand landing right over Danny's left pec.

His nipple went rock hard and he growled, stepping

forward to put all his weight into it. "Ain't little."

"No?" Cary might look lean, but he was solid as a

rock, not even rocking back. In fact, Cary took a step
forward until they pressed together from chest to belt
buckle. Oh, fuck, that just wasn't fair.

"No." He wasn't tall or built, but he wasn't a kid. His

hips pressed forward, his cock not wanting to fight this.

"You're somethin'..." Those bright blue eyes had gone

9

dark, hot. Maybe someone else had been thinking about
what two queer cowboys could get up to. Hell, maybe
that was why Cary was always around.

"I... I'm thinking I oughtta..." His fucking belly ached

with it, with wanting to just slam up against all that
tanned heat and hump.

"Oughtta what?" Cary's mouth was maybe two inches

from his, and Danny could smell cinnamon.

His words about how he should get back to work

dried up and he groaned, palms sweating in their gloves.
"Cary."

"Uh-huh. I know this is a bad idea, Danny. Don't

care."

Then Cary just kissed him silly, mouth slamming

down on his.

His fingers curled in Cary's shirt, the seams creaking

as he opened up, tongue pushing right in to taste. Jesus.
Jesus, this wasn't like the guys at school, the slinky little
boys in downtown Austin looking for an eight second
ride.

This was a full-grown cowboy who wanted to eat him

alive.

Cary grabbed Danny's ass hard, pulling him right up

against that long body. That hard chest and flat belly
molded to Danny's, making him pant.

Fuck, yes. He dug into the dirt with his heels, hips

rocking like they were galloping, entire body begging
for it.

"Oh, God." Cary broke for air, then dove in again,

kissing him until his ears rang, those hips smacking his
like they were already fucking.

His balls ached, and his cock battered at his zipper,

needing contact.

Cary panted, resting against him for a moment, cheek

next to his. "Tell me you brought your truck."

10

"I brought my truck with the trailer. I had to carry the

supplies and water." All the shit wouldn't fit anywhere
else. He pointed up over the rise, where he was parked
in the shade.

"Good man." Keeping a hold of him with one hand,

Cary grabbed the mare's reins and led them both to the
shade, watering the horse like a good cowboy before
yanking him into the bed of the truck and pushing him
down, their hats flying as Cary straddled him. The man
pushed down against him, almost dominating him.

Damn, that felt good. Better than good.
He'd yanked his gloves off and now he could touch,

tug at Cary's belt, the man's shirt buttons. He wanted
skin. Now.

He got a quicksilver grin, Cary helping him, stripping

down. The lean chest and long throat were nut-brown,
the hair sparse and blond. Danny reached out, tugged
those curls, hard enough for Cary to feel.

"Fuck!" Cary bucked like a fractious horse before

attacking Danny's clothes.

He was darker, the only hair on him his little trail to

glory, so he knew Cary'd have a hell of a time getting
him back.

Thing was, Cary didn't even try. The man got him

naked and started touching, starting with his nipples, one
of which had a lurid bruise rising up right above it.

"Fuck, you carry a bruise like a fucking champ. The

things I could do to you."

Yes. Please. Danny chuckled, and if the sound was

husky as all fuck, wasn't no one saying so.

Cary bent to lick at the dark spot, mouth hot and wet

on Danny's skin. Then Cary went after his nipple,
nipping it with those blunt teeth, making it sting.

"Oh." His hips bucked, and Cary's body pushed him

down, kept him there as his whole self went zing.

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"Uh-huh. Hot as hell, man." Lifting up, Cary skinned

out of his jeans, then pushed back down, keeping him as
close to immobile as possible.

"Your ass is gonna burn." He licked his lips, hungry

for a taste, for something. For Cary. It was pretty
specific, this want.

"Not as bad as yours if you don't start paying

attention when you work fence." Now, that was a purely
evil look.

He flipped Cary off. "Wasn't my butt that the wire

got."

"It's what I'll get." Cary pulled him up, one arm under

his shoulder blades, the other hand coming down to
smack his ass. Hard.

The sting made his heart still for a second, made his

balls draw up tight and he moaned. "Fucker."

Cary did it again, then again, making him squirm and

try to get away, but that arm was like a band of iron.
"Soon. I mean, not now. We got no slick. No rubbers."

"Not now. Later. I got some." And a private

apartment on the other side of the main house. No one
would ever have to know.

"Yeah?" Cary grinned before planting one on his

mouth, kissing him like there was all the time in the
world and no work to be done.

Cary's tongue pushed in, sliding against his and

Danny cupped Cary's ass, squeezing. God, that was tight
with muscle and perfectly shaped. They rocked together,
the bed of the truck hot on their skin, even in the shade.
Shit, they were so hot together they were gonna burn the
fences down.

They moved faster, and Cary's free hand pushed

between them, hand nudging his cock. Shit. Shit, he was
going to lose it like a fucking teenager.

"Hot. Fuck, your skin is hot." He glanced up, and

12

Cary's face was set in hard lines, jaw clenched. Someone
was just as close as he was.

"Gonna." And when Cary pinched the slit at the tip of

his cock, he came, hips rolling as spunk sprayed
between them.

"Oh, hell." That lean body bucked against his, Cary

slapping his ass one more time, which inspired him to
just a little more enthusiasm. Anything better might just
kill him. Cary's come hit his belly, and the smell of them
together made him moan.

He panted, half his brain waiting to see whether Cary

would decide to kick his ass now, or take him up on that
offer of rubbers and slick and later.

What he got was a surprisingly gentle kiss, Cary

easing them back down to a relatively horizontal
position. "Man, I been thinking about that for days."

He nodded. "It was one thing when I didn't know, but

then. Shit."

"Yeah." Stroking his hip, Cary hummed a little. "It

ain't about you being the only other queer guy on the
ranch. I just thought you should know that. That was
why I was so damned pissed when I thought all that shit
your cousin said was true. I thought you was too pretty
for that."

"Pretty?" He grinned, flexed. "Hell, I'm a stud."
Man, that cut on his cheek pulled already, the wire

having dug deep. Way worse than the bruises Cary had
left on his jaw all those weeks ago.

"Uh-huh. You just make sure you don't get too

damned studly and get caught by that wire anymore. I'll
talk to the boss about splitting up the fence duty. No one
ever works it as much as you have."

Oh, hell. Yeah, Gramps was fixin' to make heads roll

at the house. Danny'd kept his mouth shut, but the old
man wasn't stupid. "You want to finish this up? Head in

13

before everybody else starts wandering home?"

Sneak up to his apartment and fuck like jackrabbits

for ten or twelve hours?

"Hell, yes. Maybe we can check on your, uh, stash."

Lord love a cowboy who could spank your ass one
moment and get all red-faced the next.

"I got a couple of frozen pizzas and beer, for breaks."

He swooped up, took another quick, hard kiss.

Cary took it like a champ, then patted his butt and

handed him his jeans. "I'm all over that, man. Come on.
Daylight's burnin'."

"Yeah, yeah." He tugged his jeans on, his boots, his

tighty whities letting him know that Cary wasn't shy
with that big, square hand. It made his cock give a little
jerk, and he wiggled.

He chuckled, thinking of how he was lucky he hadn't

gotten anything sunburned, being bare-assed out in the
open.

"What?" Cary gave him a sideways look, fingers

buttoning up that still-starched shirt.

"Well, when you said you'd tan my hide, I sure never

thought it would be my naked self in the back of a
pickup truck."

That got him a hoot. "Well, you never know how I'll

make good on things, buddy."

Damn, it only took one good orgasm for him to move

from city slicker to buddy.

Danny couldn't fucking wait to see what Cary ended

up calling him by morning.

End

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Tanned

Copyright © 2012 by BA Tortuga

All rights reserved. No part of this eBook may be used
or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written
permission except in case of brief quotations embodied
in critical articles or reviews. For information address
Torquere Press, Inc., PO Box 2545, Round Rock, TX
78680

Printed in the United States of America.

Torquere Press, Inc.: Sips electronic edition / June 2012

Torquere Press eBooks are published by Torquere Press,
Inc., PO Box 2545, Round Rock, TX 78680

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