"A judge."

"Uh huh."

"Well that's cool, I've seen you on a horse and you're good. You know what you're looking for."

"I haven't been to a rodeo in a couple years," Jack muttered. Since meeting Riley, and working at the Double D, and then all the stuff with Hayley, he just hadn't had time. Stupid really, because training the quarter horses was what he was good at and he was cutting himself off from the very market that wanted him. He was lucky that so far he had managed a good living on word of mouth but he really should be out there marketing himself.

"I've never been to a rodeo," Riley answered. He sounded wistful.

"It's a gay rodeo." There was so much emphasis on the word gay that Riley laughed and Jack just scowled at the reaction. Riley evidently couldn't resist his scowly face and he scooted closer so he could hold Jack's hand.

"Then we should feel right at home," Riley said.

Jack wasn't feeling that. He had very specific ideas of what being gay meant to him. He was a cowboy and gay and goddamn proud of both. That didn't mean he had to go around proclaiming it to all and everyone. He should just go to a normal straight rodeo.

"I don't know what I'm going to say to them."

"Yes you do. You'll say yes. They're doing good work. It's not easy being a gay cowboy; hell, it's not all that easy being gay."

Jack narrowed his eyes. Riley was awfully behind this for some reason and Jack was suddenly very suspicious. "Did you know about this?"

"No," Riley answered, far too quickly. Jack stood and Riley followed just as quickly and in a few steps he had a laughing Riley pressed back against the kitchen wall.

"Tell me—"

"No." Riley laughed.

Jack could work this one of two ways. He could finesse the information he needed out of Riley over the space of two days or he could go for the kill now, using sex.

Pressing himself close he could feel Riley was already hard and Jack was enjoying this so much he wasn't far behind. Whether Riley had something to do with this or not could wait for just a little while. They kissed with all the sensual abandon of a committed couple, lust mixed with love. The embrace heated and Jack set up a rocking rhythm. He knew Hayley was in her room and could walk in on them, but he knew equally well that the kitchen door was shut and stuck like a bastard. He would hear her coming. God help anyone who came in the front door as they were likely to get an eyeful any second now. Riley was limp beneath him, held up by Jack's body and the firm hold Jack had on Riley's hands. He pulled back.

"I'm going to drop to my knees and suck your brains out of your dick," Jack said. Talking sexy never had really amounted to any more than telling Riley exactly what he wanted to do to him. Talking pretty was okay for some but Riley said he loved this about Jack so that was what Riley was going to get.

"Guh," Riley moaned. The single non-word was Riley's only reply as he thumped his head back on the wall and pushed his groin into Jack's.

"Then I'm going to drape you over this table and fuck you into tomorrow. Make love to you so damn good that you're gonna see stars—"

"Jack. Please—"

"After…" Jack deliberately trailed off in what he was saying.

"After?" Riley prompted in a husky, low voice.

"After you tell me what you know about this rodeo." Jack stepped back and Riley near stumbled. He was limp as a noodle and Jack could see the surprise in his husband's eyes.

"Blow job first?" Riley pleaded. He reached for Jack but Jack took a step away and smiled his 'no'. It was torture standing this close to six-four of muscled, excited husband when all he wanted to do was drop to his knees and show Riley a good time.

"Damn it, Jack. They called last week when you were out with the horses so I knew they were calling back. Anyways, I think it would be good marketing for the Double D."

"Okay," Jack said. That made sense. Whatever else concerned Jack, the ranch was at the forefront of everything he decided. That, and Riley, and Hayley, and his family, oh, and his friends. Okay, so it was a long-assed list.

"Okay?" Riley looked surprised that Jack was leaving it at that.

But Jack knew something Riley didn't. Jack really wanted his mouth on Riley's dick. Dropping to his knees, he scooted forward until his lips touched denim-covered hardness. He heard Riley inhale and the two of them fumbled to open buttons and to pull denim and cotton down enough to expose Riley. Jack didn't tease, or lick, or anything he might usually do. He wanted to make love to Riley the rest of the goddamned night. He closed his lips around Riley and sucked him down and Riley near whimpered above him.

"Jesus, fuck," Riley groaned. Jack knew his husband's body so well, was well versed in every single inch of Riley and the points that sent him wild. "I'm going to come too fast—Jack—Jeez…"

With Jack's hands reaching and touching and kneading Riley's ass, Riley lost it after what seemed like no time at all and Jack didn't waste any of time. Climbing Riley's body, he ravaged his husband's mouth with a kiss, sharing the taste of him. He dragged him away from the kitchen and to their bedroom where he pushed Riley down on the bed. Riley was bigger, taller, wider, but he wasn't fighting this. Jack spent a moment just staring at the length of Riley spread out over their bed. An overwhelming wave of love consumed Jack and suddenly all thoughts of just taking Riley here and now were gone. Sometimes they took and stole and lost themselves in each other. Tonight Jack wanted more. He wanted slow. He pressed down on his erection and started to undress. Riley followed suit.

Jack climbed on the bed.

"What's wrong?" Riley asked gently.

"Nothing," Jack replied. He was worrying at Riley's right nipple, kissing and gently biting. Riley arched up into the touch and Jack let him. "I love you," he whispered onto heated skin.

"I love you too," Riley said.

The heat from the day was dissipating but the room was still warm. For a second Jack rested his forehead on Riley's chest. The rodeo call was one thing but it paled next to how he felt about the news that Eli had been ill.

Eli was so alive and real, just like Riley. If Jack lost Riley now, if he had to face a future without his husband, he wasn't sure how long he could go on. He would have to, he was named as guardian for Hayley, but to live in a world without Riley? How could he even start to imagine that?