Chapter Thirty-One

Wyatt heard the hoof beats approaching and his heart beat quickened. Not with worry. Not with fear. With excitement.

He couldn't see the horse or rider yet, the smokehouse kept them hidden from his view, but Wyatt didn't need to see with his eyes to know what his heart was telling him.

Zachariah had come home.

Throwing down the sledgehammer, Wyatt ran to the side so the smokehouse would no longer hinder his view.

If he could have cried out with joy, the sound would have echoed off the prairie grass and mesas. Zachariah's black gelding was at full gallop. Its black mane was blowing as wildly in the wind as Zachariah's long dark hair.

Zachariah showed no signs of slowing down as he neared Wyatt but Wyatt had no fear of being trampled. He saw Zachariah's arm come out and, as everyone and everything else around him faded, Wyatt wrapped his hand around that strong arm and felt himself hoisted through the air.

He was tossed behind Zachariah in the saddle and Wyatt wrapped his arms tight around the big man's waist, clinging to him with unabashed desperation. He saw his family staring with different degrees of shock and surprise but they quickly became distant figures as Zachariah rode Wyatt away across the plains.

Wyatt did not know or care where they were going. All he focused on was the feel of Zachariah's body against his as he kept his arms wrapped tight around him and buried his face in his back.

Tears soaked the back of Zachariah's dark vest but Wyatt could not fight them or keep them at bay. They were tears of pure joy and relief. He had been so sure in his mind that Zachariah was gone but his heart had been right all along.

He wasn't sure what had kept Zachariah gone for so long but that didn't matter just now. All that mattered was savoring the here and now.

Wyatt saw the tiny shack that he had once kept a tied-up Zachariah prisoner in growing closer. He smiled when he realized that Zachariah must have remembered the place as well.

The panting horse came to a stop and Zachariah slipped down before turning, putting his hands on Wyatt's hips and pulling him down as well. Their bodies were flush as Zachariah stared down at him.

Wyatt took in every line, scar and angle of that face. He took in the way the hot breeze tossed strands of hair across Zachariah's cheek. He took in the sight of every fleck of black within those dark gray eyes as they gazed down at him.

"Dammit, Wyatt, if you ain't the best damn sight I've ever seen."

Wyatt beamed up at him, unable to wipe the happy smile off his face or stop the tears that were still falling from his eyes. Zachariah's hand cupped Wyatt's face and his calloused thumbs gently wiped away the dampness. "Don't cry, Wyatt. I'm here now and I ain't never going away again."

Wyatt barely managed a nod before he quickly rose to his tip toes and pressed his mouth to Zachariah's.

Wyatt may have started the kiss but Zachariah was quick to take it over. He tilted Wyatt's head and deepened the kiss with a fervor that shocked Wyatt. His hands dripped lower, his fingertips dancing over Wyatt's bare shoulders and causing him to tremble wildly.

The summer heat was forgotten as Zachariah put his hands on Wyatt's hips and lifted him into the air. Wyatt smiled against his man's hungry mouth as he wrapped his legs around Zachariah's waist and Zachariah carried him to the door, never breaking the fiery kiss they were sharing.

Wyatt reached behind himself blindly and closed the door. He felt Zachariah carry him to the far wall and the two came down together on the rickety cot.

"I know we need to talk," Zachariah growled, pulling his mouth from Wyatt's. He nipped hungrily at Wyatt's neck and Wyatt's back arched from the bed, desperate to bring his body closer to Zachariah. "But it's gotta wait because I want you something fierce."

Wyatt swallowed hard. 'I want you too,' he somehow managed to say. His entire body was shaking and all he wanted was for Zachariah to ease the painful want that he had awakened with nothing but a hungry kiss.

With a hungry growl, Zachariah once again captured Wyatt's mouth. He nipped at his lips and Wyatt allowed him the entrance he was demanding. Their tongues warred for dominance, though Wyatt didn't battle long. He had no problem with giving Zachariah control.

***

Zachariah could not get enough of tasting Wyatt's kiss. There had been a time, not too long ago, when he hadn't thought he would ever even see his man again. Now here he was, holding the man close and tasting his mouth—breathing the same air.

Zachariah ran his hand up Wyatt's lean side, happy that no shirt stood between his fingertips and Wyatt's soft skin. He had never before had a chance to caress Wyatt's lithe muscles and so he took his time do that now.

Every dip and bend became burned into Zachariah's memory. Soon his mouth was following the path of his fingertips.

Wyatt's skin was tangy beneath his tongue. Zachariah smiled and took note of the way Wyatt's back arched and his eyes closed with ecstasy when Zachariah swirled his tongue around his dark nipple.

"You like that?" Zachariah growled. Wyatt nodded. Zachariah winked up at him. "Then you're gonna love this."

Zachariah straddled Wyatt's knees and swiftly undid his gun belt and pants. Wyatt's hardness sprang free and Zachariah saw the way Wyatt shifted uncomfortably and appeared suddenly bashful.

"I've wanted to taste you for a long time," Zachariah admitted.

Wyatt still appeared unsure and even a bit afraid. It reminded Zachariah of his innocence and felt awe and pride alike fill him. To know that his body would be the only body lucky enough to know Wyatt's was awe inspiring.

Zachariah lowered his head and licked at one of the hard muscles low on Wyatt's belly. Wyatt's hips shot up and his hands were suddenly on Zachariah's head, urging him lower.

Without hesitation, Zachariah sank lower and gave the man exactly what he was asking for.

Zachariah didn't have much more experience than Wyatt had and he'd been out of practice for a long while but he called on every instinct and bit of knowledge he had locked away as he pleasured Wyatt. He wanted to give only the best to his man.

Wyatt's grip on his hair was painful but it only served to deepen the want that Zachariah could feel tightening within him. It didn't take long before he felt Wyatt begin to squirm and stiffen beneath him.

Zachariah glanced up the length of Wyatt's body and saw the hunger and the want in his eyes. He saw the tightening of his jaw.

Zachariah growled against Wyatt and that proved to be the last bit the other man could take. Zachariah was sure that he lost a few hairs as Wyatt's grip grew even tighter.

Wyatt's lean hips thrust upward and Zachariah growled with hunger as Warmth filled his mouth and he drank it down with greed.

With Wyatt trembling and riding out the final waves of pleasure coursing through him, Zachariah finished removing the outlaw's boots and pants. Then he stretched out beside the other man and pulled him into his chest.

"You okay?" he asked with a chuckle.

The smile that lit up Wyatt's face took Zachariah's breath. 'I love you.'

Zachariah's heart slammed to a sudden stop. His jaw dropped as he stared dumfounded at Wyatt.

Love?

Zachariah had known he loved Wyatt and had been reasonably sure that Wyatt loved him as well. But to hear it out loud... or to see it come from Wyatt's mouth... Zachariah had never imagined he'd ever be loved by anyone.

Wyatt's brown eyes filled with disappointment and pain. He tried hard to pull himself from Zachariah's arms but the man held tight. "I love you too. Damn, Wyatt, I love you so damned much it hurts."

Wyatt's face beamed with happiness once again. He rose to his knees, straddling Zachariah who had flipped onto his back.

"You're gonna start something," Zachariah warned.

Wyatt grinned and Zachariah would be damned if that grin didn't seem almost wicked. 'You already started it.'

Zachariah found himself laughing. "Yeah, I reckon I did."

Wyatt's hands were shaking as he began to undo the buttons of Zachariah's shirt. His lips tentatively tasted every inch of skin as it was revealed to him and Zachariah found himself gripping the rough sheets for all he was worth.

Wyatt's lips paused when his eyes found the red puckered scar on Zachariah's right side, just at the bottom of his ribs. Zachariah met Wyatt's gaze as the man looked up at him. 'That's new.' Wyatt's gaze was accusing. 'It's too red to be old.'

Zachariah nodded, pushing his hips up against Wyatt. "Yeah, I got it a few months back."

The look on Wyatt's face made it clear that he was ready and willing to get up and go after the people responsible. Zachariah reached up and too Wyatt's face gently in his hands. "Don't worry," he said, pressing a tender kiss to his man's lips. "The other man looks a lot worse."

'You sure?' Wyatt asked persistently.

"I'm sure," Zachariah promised. "Now, why don't we get back to what I started?"

He kissed Wyatt with a bit more determination and it made the other man seem to forget his thoughts of vengeance. Wyatt's hands went to his gun belt and slipped it from his hips.

Zachariah waited, very impatiently, as Wyatt removed his boots and slid off his pants. Without warning, Wyatt's tongue flicked against the tip of Zachariah's aching cock.

"Holy hell!" he bellowed as his hips rocked and the cot moaned in protest.

Wyatt seemed even more emboldened by Zachariah's response and soon eh was pleasuring Zachariah's cock like it never had been before. Zachariah thought about stopping him. He had hoped to make love to Wyatt today and hadn't planned on finding release in the other man's mouth.

But Wyatt's mouth felt so damn good wrapped around him that Zachariah forgot all his good intentions. Zachariah felt that band of pleasure growing tighter and tighter until suddenly, it snapped.

White light blinded all else from sight as Zachariah called out Wyatt's name and lost himself. Wyatt drank him down without hesitation.

Zachariah lay there trembling and jerking with his eyes closed, enjoying the aftershocks of pleasure. Wyatt lay down on top of him, curling up against his chest and propping his head in his hand.

"I wanted to make love to you, Wyatt. I hope you aren't disappointed."

Wyatt smiled up at him, appearing to be every bit a satisfied man. 'I'm not disappointed. And there will be time for that later.' Wyatt's dark eyes narrowed. 'You're not leaving again, are you?'

Zachariah shook his head and traced Wyatt's shoulder with his fingertips. "Never again," he vowed. "Did I miss a lot?"

Wyatt's eyes lit up and he nodded as he took a deep breath. Zachariah saw the signs of a long ramble so he readied himself and focused all his attention on that mouth.

'Pete and Jane have a baby boy. He's almost nine months old and they named him Willie. Preston, that's Jeb and Gill's boy, if you forgot, has decided he wants to train ponies to do tricks for carnivals so Jeb went and ordered a few of them and has us building a corral. Craig still drinks too much sometimes but I think he's coming around. Eleanor is doing really good. She seems to get along with Preston and has been living with Gill and Jeb. I offered to build her her own cabin but she refused. Oh, and she adopted a pig, named it Bacon and refused to let Gill slaughter it....'

Zachariah held up his hand and Wyatt's mouth slammed shut. Resignation filled his dark eyes. Zachariah quirked up a brow. "She named the damn pig Bacon?"

Wyatt's face lit up. 'Yep. And Preston helped her make 'Save the Pig' signs to convince Gill not to slaughter it.'

Zachariah laughed, feeling completely carefree for the first time in his life. 'I'm surprised,' Wyatt announced suddenly.

"By what?" Zachariah asked, holding him tighter.

'You understood me. No one ever understands me when I ramble.'

"Well now you have someone who does."

Wyatt kissed him softly and Zachariah growled with annoyance when hoof beats sounded outside. "Better put our clothes on. It sounds like someone has come to check on you."

The men had just finished fastening their gun belts when a knock sounded on the door. Zachariah opened it to find Gill and Jeb standing on the other side. "We were a little busy," he grumbled.

Jeb nodded. "That's why we gave you a little time," he agreed. "But now it's time to come back to the house and explain a thing or two."

"About what?" Zachariah demanded as Wyatt came to stand beside him.

Jeb held up a newspaper and, while Zachariah's reading skills were lacking, he recognized the article. Gill nodded and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You look awfully good for a dead man," he stated, earning himself a sharp glance from Jeb.

Wyatt frowned and tapped Zachariah's shoulder to get his attention. 'Why'd he call you a dead man?'

Zachariah shrugged and shoved a lock of his long dark hair from his face. "Because I am."

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