Chapter 6

Jared carried the last armload of cans into the pantry and stacked them on the shelves, eyeing the small room with satisfaction. It was so full there was barely room to walk, the shelves covered with canned goods, the floor beneath them piled with burlap sacks. They had enough groceries to last through the winter and Ethan had gotten everything on his list, including the baking items that the indifferent cook had never bothered to purchase before. A few hunting trips to supplement their meat supply and they would be set for the winter, no matter how much it snowed.

Walking out into the chill sunshine, he stretched, glad that the job was finally done. He would rather have spent a long lazy morning in bed, snuggling and making love, but Ethan had insisted that the work be done first. He made a wry face at the thought. Immediately after breakfast, the obstinate rancher had hitched up the team, driven the wagon up to the door, and they had unloaded everything that went into the cabin. After stacking the sacks and wooden crates in the middle of the floor, Ethan had taken the wagon back to the barn to unload the feed and other items that would be stored out there while Jared labored on the household supplies. Grabbing the last of the crates, Jared piled them neatly beside the wood pile to be turned into kindling, then went out to the barn.

"I'm done, Ethan," he announced. "Can we take a break now?"

"There are still a few more things to put away," Ethan told him. "Then we will."

Jared made a face, but followed Ethan out of the barn without comment. He was tired of working, but he didn't want to ruin the rest of the day. He had plans for the afternoon if he could ever get Ethan to stop working long enough to relax and enjoy them, and they didn't include an argument.

"But I put everything away in here," he couldn't help protesting as Ethan led him into the cabin, in spite of his determination to keep Ethan in a good mood.

"You didn't get those things behind the chair."

Jared looked at the pile of brown paper packages lying on the floor behind the big chair, wondering how they had managed to get back there. "I'm sorry, Ethan. I didn't see them. I put away everything I saw."

"Well, open these and put them away, and then we'll take the afternoon off."

Jared sighed, wondering why he got stuck opening them while Ethan lounged against the wall watching him. He ripped open the first package, then stared at the contents in bewilderment.

"For me?" he asked disbelievingly, holding up a pair of pants that were obviously too small for Ethan.

"For you," Ethan confirmed with a smile. "Open the next one."

Soon, Jared sat on the hearth rug, surrounded by piles of clothing and brown paper. A sheepskin-lined coat identical to Ethan's was draped around his shoulders and a brown stetson sat proudly on his head, while he reverently stroked a McGuffey Reader.

"This..." he gestured to the clothing and books, "it's... Nobody's ever..." He paused, unable to continue without breaking down.

"I love you, little boy," Ethan said, kneeling and wrapping his arms around the young man. "Now try some of them on, and let's see how they fit. I couldn't get any riding boots in your size," he continued as he lounged on the rug, watching Jared strip and start to pull on the new longjohns. "I got you the only boots they had and ordered a pair for you. We can pick them up next time we go to town. You won't be doing much heavy riding over the winter anyway."

"When 'we' go to town?" Jared questioned hopefully, pausing with the long johns in his hand and one foot in the air. "I can go with you next time?"

"I told you that you could," Ethan replied as he admired the view. "And if I leave you home next time, Estelle will make me come back and get you."

"Estelle? You saw her?" Jared asked eagerly. "Is she all right? Did she ask about me? And just what were you doing at Estelle's?" he added suspiciously.

"Whoa," Ethan held one hand up laughingly. "I went there to talk to her about you, and I didn't see anyone else. Although Claire does have a mighty nice..."

The rest of the sentence was lost as Jared tackled him and the two rolled about on the floor, wrestling playfully. The battle ended with Ethan flat on his back, Jared straddling his midriff.

"Now," the young man said with a gleam of satisfaction, as he pinned the older man's arms above his head. "You're my prisoner."

"What are you going to do with me?" Ethan asked in mock fear, even as he managed to toe off his boots without disturbing the young man's balance.

"Well, I could hold you for ransom." Jared pretended to give it some thought.

"I have a bag of candy I was going to give you later," Ethan offered wickedly, knowing that his partner had a real sweet tooth.

Jared barely hesitated over that temptation. "Nope. I can get that from you later. Right now, I have all the candy I want right here." He patted the growing bulge in the front of Ethan's pants.

He unfastened the pants and raised up on his knees, and soon the obliging prisoner was as bare as his captor. That taken care of, Jared looked around impatiently. The oil they used for a lubricant was over by the bed and he didn't want to release his captive to go get it. Spying the mink oil Ethan had brought in to use on the new boots, he leaned over far enough to grab it.

Smiling as he looked down and saw the desire in his lover's eyes, he poured a small amount of oil into the palm of his left hand and placed the bottle back on the floor out of the way. Then, rubbing his hands together briefly to warm the slick oil, he smiled again and reached down to generously coat Ethan's cock, stroking the length of it sensuously.

Ethan groaned and arched under his lover's skillful hands, "Little boy" he threatened, "if you don't stop playing..."

Jared laughed and stilled his hands, "But Ethan, I just want to have some fun. What's the point of having a prisoner if you can't have a little fun with him?" Rising up on his knees once more, he positioned himself over the well lubricated cock. "Ready?" he asked softly.

Ethan nodded wordlessly, placing his hand on Jared's hip to help steady the younger man as he slowly lowered himself.

Pausing for a moment to allow his body to adjust to the welcome, if large and deeply penetrating, intruder, Jared tightened his muscles letting Ethan know that he was ready.

"Are you all right, Jared?" Ethan asked, always a little worried that he would hurt his smaller partner.

Jared gave a contented smile and, with half closed eyes that spoke of pure bliss, said, "Yes - perfect." His left hand, still slick with oil, gently stroked his own erection as he moved slightly on his knees, sliding up and down.

"Here, little boy, let me help with that." Jared felt his own hand pushed away and a much larger, heavier hand took its place, stroking him to full arousal.

Jared placed his hand over Ethan's, wordlessly encouraging him. Adding slow circular movements to his up and down motion, Jared rode Ethan. Soon the big man was thrusting up to meet him, and the young man felt the familiar sensation that meant Ethan was close to climaxing. Urging the hand beneath his into a faster pace, his breath quickened as his own climax approached and they came moments apart.

Ethan caught his breath first and gave a satisfied laugh, running a loving hand over the bare leg of his partner. "Next time we won't be in such hurry."

Jared grinned as he rose up, feeling Ethan slip from him, leaving the usual momentary empty feeling. He lay down and curled up against the older man, sated and sleepy. "Give me a few minutes and we can try again."

"A few minutes, little boy?" Ethan chuckled. "Right now, you don't look like you have the energy to get off the floor, let alone try again." He pulled the young man closer and they lay on the hearth rug together,

Jared rested his head on Ethan's chest, listening to the rapid beat of the older man's heart. "So what did Estelle say?" he asked much later, his mind finally returning to the original topic of conversation.

"She said they were worried about you and she's glad to hear you're safe. She gave me something for you. Sit up for a minute." Ethan reached for his pants and got the small package Estelle had given him out of one pocket, handing it to Jared to open.

"Ma's locket." Jared stared down at it in disbelief. "I didn't think I'd ever see it again. Where did she get it from? Ma never took it off."

"One of the men on the posse took it," Ethan said gently. "He gave it to Estelle."

Jared opened the golden case and gently stroked the entwined locks of hair with one finger. "That's my pa's hair. That's all I know about him. The color of his hair and his initials. I don't even know his name. Ma never talked about him, at least not to me. But she never took the locket off, not for as long as I can remember."

Ethan sat up and wrapped his arms around the young man, offering wordless comfort.

"What about your family, Ethan?" Jared asked, seeking a diversion. "Why don't you ever talk about them?"

"What do you want to know?"

"Do you have one? Where are you from? Do you have brothers and sisters? Why did you leave?"

"I'm from Virginia. My family settled there before the Revolutionary War, and I grew up with the proverbial silver spoon in my mouth. I have two brothers, one older and one younger, and an older sister. My mother died when I was 15. My father, as far as I know, is still alive."

"Why did you leave?"

Ethan lay back on the rug and pulled the younger man into his arms, covering them both with a quilt.

"My father and I didn't get along well. He had his own ideas about what his children were going to do with their lives. My older brother, Aaron, would inherit the estate, my sister Eleanor would make a good marriage. I would go into law, and my younger brother Stephen would go into the clergy.

"I didn't want to be a lawyer, I hated the idea of being cooped up in an office all day. My family bred and raised fine thoroughbreds, and I loved them. I begged him to let me manage the estate, or at least the horse farm, but he was adamant. The estate was for the eldest son, including the horses. I would be a lawyer, and I would marry the woman he picked out for me." He wrapped his arms around Jared a little more firmly, reluctantly immersed in the memories.

"I hated the woman he chose for me. She was a close friend of my sister's and her family had social status, as well as land that my father coveted, but she was cold. The only things she was interested in were clothes, society, and being better than all her friends. I attended our engagement party - a grand social affair - with her, and then spent the rest of the night with a close friend of my own. A male friend."

There was a long pause as he lay lost in the past, and Jared stroked him consolingly. "Then what happened?" the younger man asked softly.

"I was young and stupid. I really thought I could do it his way. I studied law during the day, I took her to parties in the evening, and I spent every minute I could call my own in the stables. I didn't focus on the breeding and sale of horses as my father and grandfather had. I worked with the difficult horses, the ones that they would have sold or shot. The neighbors started showing an interest and bringing me their horses to retrain. I developed a reputation for our stables, and innocently thought that my father would be proud of me for it. I thought he would see that there was room for both Aaron and me."

"But he didn't?"

"No, he didn't," Ethan confirmed. "He called me into his study one morning. Aaron was there with him, and Father was in a rage. How dare I continue working with the horses after he had told me they weren't for me? He didn't care at all about the success I was having, or the good name I was building for the family, or that the stables were making a real profit for the first time in years. All he could see was that I was hurting Aaron's pride. The stablehands were coming to me for instructions instead of him. People were starting to ask for me when they wanted to do business. I was embarrassing Aaron, undermining his authority and taking away from his prestige. My father ordered me to stay away from the stables, to stay away from the horses. I was to spend my time studying law and escorting Caroline to her endless social affairs, and nothing else. If I ever strayed from the path he had laid out again, he would disown me."

"But you disobeyed him."

"I had to," Ethan said simply. "The horses were all that kept me sane. I packed my most prized possessions, stored them with one of my friends, and wrote a letter of resignation to the law firm I was studying with. All of that made me late for my dearly beloved's latest party." His voice dripped with sarcasm at the endearment. "She started to publicly berate me for being late, and I'd had enough. I told her - equally publicly - that she was a cold-hearted bitch, then turned around and told my father that if he thought she was so wonderful he could marry her because I sure as hell wasn't going to, and I left."

"I wish I'd been there to see it," Jared said wistfully, trying to imagine the scene.

"If you'd been there, I wouldn't have been engaged to her in the first place," Ethan told him, dropping a light kiss on his hair.

"Do you ever regret it?" Jared asked. "Do you ever wish you were back there with all your family and friends?"

"No," Ethan replied honestly. "There are certain people I'd like to see again, but I wouldn't want to go back there to live. I have everything I need right here. Including a partner who has had more than the few minutes he asked for."

He rolled over and blanketed the young man's body with his own. "Are you ready to try again?"

The wanton glide of Jared's body against his was more than enough answer.

Later, as they lay once more on the rug, sated and relaxed, Jared's stomach growled.

"We didn't have lunch," he complained absently, idly playing with Ethan's fingers.

Ethan twisted around to look at the clock on the mantel. "It's way past time for lunch, little boy. I'll go do the chores and you make us an early supper."

Jared thought longingly of the elaborate dinner he had planned from his new supplies, but settled for a quick meal of ham and eggs. He was just taking a pan of golden biscuits from the oven when Ethan came in and placed a long thin package next to the door.

Hanging up his hat and coat, the big rancher washed up and sat down at the table. As they ate, he debated whether to tell Jared what Dash had said or not. He finally decided that he had to. He didn't want to alarm the young man or bring up bad memories, but Jared needed to know, to be prepared for the possibility.

"I talked to Sheriff Dashman while I was in town. He's a little worried about you," he began without preamble.

"I wasn't part of the gang, Ethan. I didn't do anything, I swear." Jared half-rose from his chair in agitation.

"Relax, little boy. He knows that." Ethan reached out and took his hand. "And if he didn't before, Estelle set him straight about it."

Jared half-smiled. "She has never had any problem telling people exactly what's on her mind."

"I sure wouldn't want her mad at me," Ethan said wryly.

"No," Jared chuckled. "She throws things when she's mad. And she has good aim. What's he worried about then?" he returned to the earlier topic.

"He said there's a rumor that Dutton had a hoard stashed away somewhere."

"I don't know anything about it," Jared said immediately and defensively.

"I didn't think you did," Ethan said patiently, "and neither does he. But he's afraid that some people will, and he's a little worried about what they might do, trying to get the information."

Getting up, he retrieved the packaged and handed it to Jared. "I was going to give this to you for Christmas, but I want you to have it now."

Jared opened it and looked at the new rifle, then back at Ethan. "You think there's that much danger?"

"I don't know, but I don't want to take any chances. You keep that with you anytime you leave the cabin, you hear? Even if you're just going out to do chores. And I don't want you wandering off alone. You stay close to the cabin unless I'm with you."

"But, Ethan..." Jared began to protest at the thought of having his freedom so sharply curtailed.

"No buts, little boy. I'm putting my foot down on this."

/When don't you put your foot down?/ The remark almost slipped out, but Jared caught it in time. There was no point in fighting about it. He didn't want to go anywhere tonight, after all, and he was sure that he could change Ethan's mind about it if he tried. And if he couldn't, well, what Ethan didn't know couldn't hurt him, right?

"I mean it, Jared. If I catch you away from this cabin alone, or without that rifle, I'll blister your butt till you can't sit for a week. You understand?"

"Yes, Ethan," he replied obediently. "I won't let you catch me away from the cabin without it."