Chapter Seventeen

Sunlight woke Turner from his dreams of Will and he was pleased to find that reality was even better than his dream as he looked at the man’s peacefully dreaming face.

His heart beat quickened when he remembered the way Will had been the one to insist he sleep on the bed and hold him tight. It meant everything to Turner to know that Will wanted him close and trusted him. It gave Turner hope that he hadn’t ruined any chance he had with Will by being so angry, confused and stuck in the past.

Turner loved the feeling of Will’s lean body pressed against his. He could feel every nerve ending in his body awakening and coming alive with a want and a need for this man and everything he could give him.

But Will was sleeping peacefully, not the fidgeting, writhing, unsettled sleeps that he’d had while that fever had been wreaking havoc on his body. Just now he was quiet and content and Turner was going to let him stay that way. Will needed to recover from the sickness that had nearly taken his life.

Turner had things to do anyway. He didn’t have the choice of lying in bed all day, no matter how badly he might want to.

Rising from the bed, Turner stretched out his aching muscles. He had spent three full days remaining by Will’s bedside, only leaving when chores demanded. He’d taken to sleeping in that kitchen chair and his body was not happy with him about that.

Turner felt as if he needed some rest too and decided that he would do what must be done quickly and then find his way right back to that bed and Will’s side.

Grudgingly he donned his boots, coat, gloves and hat and led Beaux out into the snow. Never had Turner accomplished all his chores as quickly as he did that morning. He stepped back into the cabin to find Will awake and sitting up in the bed.

Will smiled brightly, “Good morning.”

“Good morning, Will,” Turner replied, returning the smile. He deposited the wood he held under his arm into the wood box, built up the fire a bit and then pulled off his coat and gloves.

Will threw his legs over the bed and tried to stand. Turner saw him wobble and knew he was going to fall. He dashed forward and caught Will just in time to save him a good amount of pain, “What are you doing?” Turner demanded.

“I gotta get to the outhouse,” Will mumbled. “Unless you wanna clean the sheets again.”

Turner chuckled and sat Will back down, “Let me help you then.”

He grabbed Will’s boots and coat from beside the door and walked back to the bed, “I can do it,” Will insisted when Turner dropped to one knee in front of him and grabbed his foot.

“I know you can.”

“But you won’t let me?”

“Shut up and let me take care of you,” Turner grumbled. He had always been the type to spoil the man he…. Loved. Yes loved. Turner loved Will and if any part of him hadn’t been sure it had become sure when he’d nearly watched the man die right in front of his eyes. That kind of thing had a way of forcing a man to make his mind up about his feelings real fast.

“Well okay then,” Will smiled down at him and Turner couldn’t stop himself. He rose up slightly and pressed the softest of kisses against Will’s unsuspecting lips before lowering himself once again and sliding Will’s feet into his boots.

When he finished putting Will’s boots on his feet, he looked up at the man and saw him staring down at him with wide eyes, “Are you okay?” Turner asked.

“You.. You kissed me…”

“Yes, I did,” Turner agreed. He smiled, “I’d like to do it again.”

Will simply nodded and Turner rose up once again and pressed his lips to Will’s. The contact was brief, sweet and tender. Turner allowed his lips to linger there a moment, simply enjoying Will’s taste and breathing in his scent, then he pulled away, stood straight and held out his hand, “Come on now, Will. I’ll help you outside.”

Turner helped Will into his coat and the two men went out the back door with Beaux bounding out ahead of them, “It’s cold,” Will complained as he snuggled up closer to Turner.

Turner was grateful for the cold and more than happy to wrap his arm tighter around Will to ward off the chill. The longer it was cold, the longer it would be before anyone came snooping up here on the mountain and the more Will would need him to keep him warm.

“It’s almost January, Will. These mountains tend to be cold this time of year.”

“Yeah, well I’m ready to move south,” Will mumbled.

Turner shook his head and led Will to the outhouse. He waited outside the door and then helped Will back into the house. He pulled off Will’s boots despite the other man’s protests and went about starting breakfast.

“Breakfast in bed?” Will grinned when Turner came to the bed carrying a platter of food on one arm and two cups of milk in his free hand.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never had breakfast in bed?” Turner teased as he made himself comfortable beside Will and handed the man a fork.

“Oh, I have had breakfast in bed alright,” Will admitted. “But never with anyone quite so hairy.”

Turner stiffened, “Women then?”

Will laughed and stuck a piece of bacon in his mouth, “Nope, just men who knew what a razor was for.”

Turner snorted as he rubbed at his beard, “Real men have beards.”

Will frowned and rubbed at his own jaw which, despite being so long without a shave, barely had patchy stubble covering it, “Then what exactly am I?”

Turner leaned to the side and let his breath wash over Will’s neck. He felt the other man tremble and smiled, “Mine.”

“Oh,” Will squeaked and Turner laughed out loud when the man suddenly became very enthralled in the eggs and bacon he was eating. Other than the sound of chewing, the cabin became silent while both men finished their meal.

Turner took the dishes to the kitchen when they were through and felt awkward as he stood beside the table. He wasn’t sure what to do now. There were things he could get done outside but what he truly wanted to do was crawl back in bed with Will. Would Will want him in the bed?

Turner glanced that way and Will was chewing on his bottom lip as he stared at him, “What is it?” Turner asked gruffly. Damnation did that man not realize what the sight of his teeth nibbling on that thick lower lip did to him?

“Do you have a lot to do today?” Will questioned.

Turner fought the urge to leap onto the bed, “I have a few things I could get done but nothing that can’t wait. Why?”

“I don’t really want to be alone and Beaux’s not much for conversation.”

Turner smiled, “I’ve been told I’m not either.”

Will returned the smile, “You’ll do.”

Turner didn’t have to be told twice. He kicked off his boots and slid into the bed, propping himself up against the wall as Will came to him and all but crawled upon his lap and laid his head on his chest.

Turner swallowed hard. It had been a long time since he’d held a man this way. The tenderness and the intimacy were things that Turner hadn’t realized he had missed so badly until this very moment.

He grabbed the quilt and pulled it over both of them before kissing Will’s blond hair, “Are you tired?”

“Not too tired,” Will replied. “Can I ask you something?”

“You’re the talkative one.. Go for it.”

“Why do you live up here, Turner? Why are you so far away from everything?”

Turner stared at the wall a moment and swallowed hard, “I needed the quiet.”

“Why?” Will urged. He picked at the buttons of Turner’s shirt and Turner heard him take a deep breath, “Does it have something to do with him?”

Turner stiffened, “Who?”

“Him,” Will repeated. “Whoever you were talking about on Christmas Eve when you kept saying I wasn’t him.”

“That reminds me that we skipped Christmas, didn’t we?” Turner asked quickly. “I’ll have to give you a New Years to remember since I messed Christmas up for you.”

“That’s not fair, Turner. You know a lot about me and I know nothing about you.”

Turner didn’t want Will to know everything about him. His past was a dark one. He had been a thief, a liar, a cheater and a cold blooded killer. And then there was Peter.. A part of his past that he still wasn’t sure he wanted to share with anyone--even Will.

“There’s nothing much to know about me,” Turner insisted.

Will grumbled with frustration and moved away from Turner causing him to growl with displeasure, “Do you have cards?”

“What are you talking about?” Turner demanded as he reached for him, “Get back over here.”

Will shook his head and Turner could see that stubbornness in his green eyes and knew that he wasn’t going to back down from whatever it was he had in mind, “Do you have a deck of cards.”

Turner frowned, “Yeah, why?”

“I have an idea… a bet, I guess you could say.”

Turner was suspicious, “What kind of bet?”

“Poker. Stud. No draw cards No wilds. Winner of each hand gets to ask the loser any question and the loser has to answer.”

“I’ve seen you play poker, Will…” Turner replied. “What if you learn something about me that you don’t like?”

“I already don’t like most of the things about you,” Will teased. Then he winked, “And you aren’t the only one with things he’d rather not talk about. The question is, are you a betting man?”

Turner shook his head, “I’m not sure…”

Will grinned devilishly and Turner felt his body respond to the sight, “Are you scared?”

Turner shook his head and rose from the bed, “I’ll get the damn cards.”

A/N: Things are going to be warming up again soon! I feel a heat wave coming on ;) Hope you all are still enjoying the story!