Two of a Kind Read online

  “I’m not crazy!” Amelia screamed, which just made Court cry harder.

  “Here.” Ap ran to the bathroom and returned after he’d grabbed a big handful of toilet paper. “Let’s get it out of here.”

  “You get Court; I’ll take Ames?”

  “Yep.” He took the spider carcass, which even he didn’t want to touch, away. When he came back, Courtney leaped at him, wrapping her little arms around his neck. “It ran at us.”

  “Oh, you were so brave, then, baby girl.”

  “Uh-huh. I cried, but it was so big!”

  He could hear Amelia sobbing, hear Trey murmuring to her.

  “It was. Good thing Uncle Daddy has big boots.”

  “Uh-huh. You picked it up. Is that the only one?”

  “It is. They don’t share space.” And that one hadn’t had babies on it….

  “You promise?”

  “Want me to look?” He was never going to promise no spiders. This was the desert.

  “In my bed and in Ames’s bed?”

  “Yep. Under too.” He put her down next to Trey. “Just a minute.”

  Trey drew her in, and she wrapped around Amelia. “Uncle Daddy and Ap fixed it, Ames.”

  Amelia hiccupped. “I hate spiders.”

  Ap got the flashlight they kept by the door in the kids’ rooms, then knelt on the floor, peering under each bed in turn. “All clear.”

  “Stay with me?” Court said. “Sleep with me, Uncle?”

  “I’ll keep watch until you go to sleep, huh?” He winked at Trey, who had to be worn to the bone. “Go on, Uncle Daddy.”

  “In a minute.” Trey’s arms were full of sniffling nine-year-old.

  “Come on, honey. Back to bed.” He sat with Court, humming “Strawberry Roan” because he didn’t know any lullabies.

  She curled up with him, this sweet little thing. “Do you remember when I was a baby? Were you here?”

  “I was. I thought you were so pretty, but I was afraid I would break you if I held you too hard.”

  “Uncle Daddy helped me be a baby, you know? ’Cause my momma and daddy and grannies and pappies all died in a van. Uncle Daddy and you?”

  “I was with you then, yeah.” He hadn’t been around much, because money had been so damn tight and he’d just been starting out rodeoing. God, he’d scrimped and saved back then, his chaps secondhand, borrowing other guys’ rigging. “You were so tiny, and you slept on Uncle Daddy’s chest for so long.”

  Trey had been a baby himself, and Lord, he had to have been terrified, but he’d manned up. No matter what he thought of some of Trey’s methods, he had to love the guy for holding the whole family together.

  Hell, Trey had become dad and mom and rancher all in the same breath. Had Trey even known how to cook? How to change a diaper?

  He’d been so busy trying to make money and mourn the loss of his people that he’d let Trey swing a little, but inheriting five kids from ten years to six months old? Damn.

  They’d both made mistakes.

  He didn’t even realize Courtney had fallen asleep until Trey eased up off Amelia’s bed and motioned for him to come on too.

  He stood up and headed out, then closed the door behind them.

  “That was an emergency.” He grinned at Trey. “We did good.”

  “Lord. I don’t understand her panic about the spiders, I swear to God.”

  “Amelia? Sometimes fear is just irrational. Her gran was terrified of them.”

  “Yeah? You… you want a beer?”

  “I do.” The adrenaline might take a while to shut off.

  “Me too. Come on.” Trey led him to the kitchen and found them both a Dos Equis.

  “Yum.” He did love a fancy-assed beer. On the road, mostly he let the other guys buy, and they did a lot of Michelob Ultra because it was low cal and carb.

  “Yeah. I have a six-pack a month. I’m not drinking horse piss.”

  “I get it.” He did, but he’d also learned not to turn down a fan who wanted to buy you a meal or a beer.

  They sat at the table, drinking and looking at each other.

  He wasn’t sure what to say. Ap wasn’t about to apologize for their clench. In fact, he wanted to do it again.

  “I ain’t all sorry, Ap.”

  “No? Good.” He grinned. Wide. “Me either.”

  “Good.” Trey blushed, but there was this little smug smile.

  He laughed right out loud. “We can try it again, whenever you want.”

  “We’ll probably have to; otherwise I’m going to die of blue balls.”

  His cheeks heated until they felt fiery, but Ap wasn’t a virgin. He just hummed happily. “Maybe not until we know they’re gonna sleep.”

  “Yeah. And Cole comes home. I hope he’s having a good time.”

  “Me too.” Ap looked at the clock on the microwave. Cole wasn’t late. It just seemed like it should be after midnight.

  It wasn’t. It was ten thirty. He had a couple of hours to imagine touching Trey, loving on the man for the first time in years.

  He took a deep breath. Calm down, fool. Soon.

  “Did you mean it?”

  “What? That I want to have you? Yeah.” He wasn’t sure what else Trey might be talking about.

  “That you thought about it, before.”

  “Oh, Trey.” He got up and moved to stand in front of Trey. “I wake up sweating and shaking because of you.”

  Trey hummed softly and leaned forward, one hand on his hip. “You’re so fine.”

  “Yeah? Not too skinny?” He heard that sometimes from a few buddies.

  “You hear the kids. You’re the pretty one. I’m a big old boy.”

  “You’re like a mountain. A feast.” Ap reached out to touch Trey’s chest. “You held me like I weighed nothing. You know how hot that is?”

  Trey ducked his head, cheeks pink, but that smile was something else. Like dawn breaking.

  He didn’t get how Trey didn’t know how fucking hot he was. Ap thought he was beautiful. So damn perfect.

  Lord, listen to him. One kiss in six years and he was smitten again.

  He’d never really given up, he reckoned. Just pushed it all aside.

  Just told himself it was all about work and money and the kids and not Trey.

  He stroked Trey’s shoulder, then upper arm. All that skin. “Were you all muscled like this when we were together?”

  Trey shook his head. “Nah. I was a skinny kid.”

  “Yeah, not anymore.”

  “No. Not anymore. I grew into my shoulders.”

  “You so did.” Feeling daring as hell, Ap slipped down to straddle Trey’s lap.

  “Oh, you…. You feel good to me.”

  “Mmm. Hot as fire.” He kissed that mouth, knowing he was tempting fate, but Ap just couldn’t care.

  He felt that heavy cock filling, making promises that he needed Trey to keep. Ap wasn’t sure he could take another interruption. He pushed into Trey’s shorts, grabbing hold. “Jesus, man. You are a handful and a half.”

  “I’m big all over?” Trey laughed, the sound so young and free.

  “You are. Big and strong and right here.” Ap bent to nibble just below Trey’s ear. He remembered that Trey was sensitive there.

  “Uhn.” Trey rocked them in the chair, panting.

  So, right there, just like he remembered. God, it had been so long, but it seemed like yesterday, shining in his memory.

  He bit a little, letting it sting enough that Trey flailed and grabbed for him.

  “I got you, honey,” he murmured. “You’re just fine.”

  “That burned so good.”

  “Did it? Can try it again.” He grinned, slow and easy, just ready to try all the things.

  “Please.” Trey lifted his chin.

  So Ap bit down, worrying that spot with his teeth. He never spent time playing, experimenting. Marking. This was a damn fun way to spend an evening.

  He dragged his fingers over Trey’s fuzzy chest
, tugging a little.

  “Mmm.” Trey leaned closer, willing and able to take anything he had to give. Damn, all this need just waiting for him.

  Ap kissed Trey on the mouth again, his hand still moving between them.

  “We need to… I want to be naked with you, Ap.”

  “Then we need to go close that bedroom door.” That way no one would interrupt, like Cole coming home.

  “Yes. Is now okay with you?”

  “We’ve waited for six years, Trey.”

  “Is that a yes?” Trey looked uncertain, so Ap jumped up, then yanked Trey to his feet.

  Trey chuckled and let him muscle him into the bedroom, where he markedly locked the door behind them.

  “They can knock,” Trey said when he raised his eyebrows.

  “They can.” He looked at Trey. “Get naked.”

  Trey shucked his shorts in one movement. “Ta-da.”

  “Jesus, I will ride you like a prized pony.” He stripped out of the pajama pants before moving toward Trey, stalking him.

  “I want you, huh? Bad.” That was obvious from the fat cock curving over Trey’s belly.

  “I love that.” He meant the wanting and the hard dick. He reached out to touch, feeling the head with his fingers. Trey moaned for him, and that sound was enough to blister him, to make him whimper in response.

  He slid his hand down the shaft, then tugged. “Bed.”

  “Uh-huh.” Trey stepped forward, bringing them together.

  They turned as one man, sort of stumbling to the bed so they could stretch out and face each other.

  “This is real,” Trey whispered.

  “Real as anything ever has been, honey.” He leaned close for a kiss. Trey wrapped one arm around him and drew him in, cradling him against that sweet, fine body. God, all that muscle was inspiring, and Ap wanted to touch more of it.

  He felt surrounded, like Trey was everywhere, anywhere he touched. The sheets smelled like him, but Ap was happy to let their scents mingle, to mix that up and sleep on it.

  “What do you want, Ap? My mouth, my hand?” The words were breathed against his lips.

  “Oh God. I—” He wanted everything. For now, he wanted to see Trey’s face when they came, to prove this was no fantasy. He dragged Trey’s hand down to join his.

  “Mmm….” Trey grabbed their cocks together, jacking them with hard, firm strokes.

  His eyes rolled right back in his head, so Ap had to work to see like he’d wanted to. He just needed this so much, loved how heated Trey was, how easy in his skin.

  He dove into the kisses, feeding Trey little cries every time that huge hand caught a nerve on his shaft. Trey was right there with him, hard as a rock and twice as hot.

  Ap grunted as Trey squeezed, his ass going tight at the touch. He arched, pushing into Trey’s fingers, letting that stroke and pull drive him to new heights. He started muttering, rough, low, filthy words that made Trey growl.

  “Please. Come on, Trey. My balls hurt. Make us come. Now.”

  “Uh-huh.” Trey rolled his palm over the tips of their cocks, the buzz and burn of nerves just right.

  “There!” He almost sent them rolling off the bed when he lunged, unable to keep his balance.

  Trey did it again, then again, then once more.

  Ap groaned, his whole body convulsing when he shot. His balls pulled up so tight he had to grit his teeth, and he cried Trey’s name. Trey kissed him, thrusting restlessly against him, over and over.

  He got his fingers working, got to stroking Trey, who fucked his hand.

  “Yes. Yes. Please.”

  So damn pretty.

  “I’m watching you, Trey. I see you.” He squeezed down hard.

  Wet heat coated his fingers, Trey’s cry trapped against his skin. He’d never seen anything as amazing as Trey’s face when he came, and he’d been afraid he’d never see it again.

  Ap rubbed the come into their skin, so damn happy he could bust.

  “Damn,” Trey whispered. “Really.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  The knock at the door made them both groan softly, but Braden called out, “Are you okay? I heard noises.”

  “Just fine, bud. We were changing the sheets.”

  “Oh, okay. Can I get a small ice cream cone?”

  “Sure. No problem.” Trey looked at him, and he had to fight his laughter.

  Changing the sheets? Seriously? All that grunting and sweating….

  “Thank you!” They heard Braden thunder off down the hall.

  “Changing the….”

  “It requires pulling and stuff, right?”

  “Uh-huh. How long will he believe that?” Ap asked.

  “Until he tells Cole tomorrow. Cole will tell him it was bullshit.” Trey gave him a wry smile.

  “Damn.” He grinned over. He wasn’t ashamed. They were family, right? “They know, right? That you’re gay?” That would be a rotten thing to hide from the kids.

  “Cole knows, so I can assume Braden and Bella know. I don’t know about the babies.”

  “Cool.” He thought so, at least. He wasn’t going to hide how much Trey made him feel.

  “Cole knew about us. Not that we had a thing, but that we were gay, before Tammy and Dan died.”

  “Then it won’t be a big deal.” He didn’t want to cause drama or trauma.

  “No. They’re good kids. They want people to be happy.”

  “Good deal.” He took one more kiss. “You want to watch TV for a bit? Just hang?” That sounded so good.

  “Yes. I want. We’ll have to put shorts on. Cole will want to talk.”

  “You got it.” He rolled free before rising to get a warm, wet washcloth and two pairs of shorts in turn.

  They got cleaned up, and Trey went to unlock the door before handing him the remote and settling beside him. He put an arm around Trey because he could. It made him feel good deep in his bones.

  Trey grinned over at him, the look almost shy. Yeah. Years could do that. They had to start all over.

  Good thing he had a little time to stick around right now and get a little bit of a push in.

  After all, he wasn’t going to disappear off the face of the earth, was he?

  Chapter Eleven

  “UNCLE Daddy, I can’t find my shoes!”

  “Uncle Daddy, Amelia pushed me.”

  “Uncle Daddy, is there more bacon?”

  Trey tried not to growl, but he felt like the kids were out to get him today. Like they knew he’d had a short sleep last night, thanks to Ap.

  Whoa, because of Ap.

  He still couldn’t believe it.

  “Uncle Daddy, can I go out and see the horses?”

  “Uncle Daddy, I spilled my orange juice.”

  “Uncle Daddy, Cole’s still in bed!”

  He closed his eyes and counted to twenty.

  “Hey, what’s going on with you guys? It’s Sunday! Aren’t you supposed to want to sleep in?” Ap poured him another cup of coffee.

  “Sleeping is silly!” Court announced. “We want to do fun things!”

  “Sleeping is fun,” he muttered. “Thanks.”

  “Why don’t we go out, then, and Uncle Daddy can have a sit?”

  “Okay! Uncle Daddy! We’re going out with Uncle Ap!”

  He stared at Court for a second, then began to chuckle. Silly girl.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Um.” She looked at Ap.

  “Jemez?” Ap looked so pleased.

  “Oh, are we going to the dam? Get your swimming suit!” Bella ran for her room.

  “Uh, Ap? It’s October. They’ll freeze.”

  Ap frowned. “We can go to the hot springs, then, right?”

  “You can. Can I come too?” He wanted to soak.

  “Hell yes.” Ap beamed. “I’ll even buy you lunch.”

  “I’ll see if Cole is coming or staying home.” He took his coffee down the hall. “Son? We’re going to Jemez. You want to come?”

  �
�No. I got homework.” The door opened, Cole grinning at him. “Nothing serious, but….”

  “But someone’s going to call and you might want to go see her, huh?”

  “Yeah. Maybe.” Cole waggled his eyebrows. “Can you believe I’m skipping Jemez for a girl?”

  “Eeeee.” He winked. “Of course I can. I’ll leave you a twenty for Abuelita’s, since you didn’t get to go the other day.”

  “Oh wow. For that I’ll dig out that trench you need.”

  “You’re a good kid, no matter what they say about you down to the jail.”

  Cole snorted. “I’m a fool in love, Uncle.”

  “You are.” He winked, then made his way to his room to get ready for the hot springs. “Don’t forget to have everyone get a towel! They don’t hand them out anymore!” he called.

  “I gotted my Moana towel!” Courtney ran right into him. “Hi, Uncle Daddy!”

  “Hi, Courtney!” She was so excited that he felt a little guilty. How long had it been since they’d just taken a Sunday to go?

  “We’re going to the springs! And you’re coming too!”

  “I am.” He hugged her with one arm. “Go get your shoes.”

  “Oh, right!” She ran off.

  “Is this okay, Uncle Daddy?” Amelia asked, modeling the past summer’s bathing suit.

  “We’ll have to get you a new one, but it’s fine, kiddo.”

  “Make sure to bring regular clothes too and put panties in your bag.”

  “Okay!” She ran back off too. Braden and Bella were already sitting in the kitchen again when he got back, bags packed. Ap was there too, sipping his coffee.

  “The little girls are getting ready. Cole’s staying home.”

  “Yeah? Is he okay?”

  Ap’s question might as well be “Is he hungover?”

  “The girlfriend is going to call.”

  Braden rolled his eyes. “Gag.”

  Bella giggled. “I think it’s kinda neat.”

  “Are you going to start dating Billy Garces?” Braden teased.

  “Shut up!”

  “Hey!” He snapped it out, making them both jump. “We’re all going to go have fun today.” Ap was staring at him, but he had no idea how mean Braden could get.

  “Yes, sir.” They spoke together, but he could see revenge in Bella’s eyes.

  He would have to make sure she didn’t cut Braden off at the knees and drown him.