CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“He’s gonna stop, girl. He’s really gonna stop.”
Katie shuffled over and licked Cal’s face. He laughed and pushed her away as he changed lanes and followed Beck onto the road that led to the overlook. They drove all the way up the steep hill. Beck parked close enough to the cliff edge to see the bridge, and Cal stopped just behind him. He leaped out of his truck and reached Beck as he opened his door.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Beck yelled.
Katie barked and circled Beck’s truck, but both men ignored her as they stared at each other.
“You’re acting like a maniac. You could’ve caused a wreck!”
Cal realized how insane his actions must’ve looked to other drivers, but with adrenaline coursing through him, he didn’t give a fuck.
He was breathing as hard as if he’d run after Beck instead of driving. Say something.
“You can’t leave.” There. He’d managed a few words.
“What the hell is going on?” Beck demanded, but as Cal tried to find the right words, Beck’s expression went from angry to concerned. “Is everything okay? Is someone hurt?”
Cal dragged in a few more ragged breaths and then said, “No. I just need you to hear me out.”
“Fine.” Beck looked wary, but at least he hadn’t told Cal to go to hell.
Cal circled around the truck, opened the door, and sat in the passenger seat. If he was in the truck, Beck wouldn’t drive off.
Beck shifted in his seat and studied Cal. “Are you sure you’re okay? You didn’t hit your head or something? You’re acting insane.”
“I’m fine. Physically, at least.” He dropped his head against the back of the seat and looked down toward the bridge as he took a long, slow breath. “I’ve been talking to Elsie and Irene.”
“Oh. I’ve nearly lost my mind talking to them too.”
Cal chuckled. “Yeah, they can do that, but…” Cal sat up and met Beck’s gaze. “Irene called and said you were leaving this morning. I was afraid I’d be too late.”
Beck glanced out his window, like Irene might be hiding in the trees. For all Cal knew, she was.
“Has she been spying on me?”
Cal shook his head. “Lucy saw you at the filling station, and then she saw Irene, and she told her, and—”
“Good God, this town is a lunatic asylum.”
“Maybe, but I’m thankful for it today because I got to you before you left town, and you’re still here, and—”
“Cal, what exactly are you saying?”
“I want you to stay. I want you to be my business partner, but I also want you to be my partner in other things—in everything. And I don’t want to hide what you are to me. No matter what happens with the farm, it won’t be as bad as you leaving.”
For just a second, Cal saw hope in Beck’s eyes. “Are you serious?”
“Yes. Very. Is there a chance you still love me?”
Beck turned away and looked down at the river and the bridge. The sound of the water seemed amplified as Cal waited, hope dwindling with each second ticking by.
Then Beck looked back at him. He reached up and brushed his fingers over Cal’s cheek. Cal didn’t dare breathe.
“I’ve loved you since the first time you kissed me. No, since you stood there, calm as could be, holding a squealing piglet. And I’ve never stopped.”
“But you were going to drive away?”
“Until a maniac nearly ran me down.”
Cal swallowed against the lump in his throat. “I know it was crazy, but I had to stop you. I had to tell you how I felt.”
Beck nodded. “I wouldn’t have stopped for anything less insane, because even though I love you, I couldn’t reconcile with the idea of keeping what we have secret forever.”
Cal’s pulse whooshed in his ears. He’d come so close to losing Beck. He still might lose him. Stay calm and just talk. “I actually thought about putting the farm up for sale so I could follow you to Charlotte.”
Beck’s eyes widened. “You what?”
“I couldn’t do it, though.”
“And you shouldn’t. You love your land. I would never ask you to do that.”
Cal nodded. “I know, but I was asking you to do something that made you uncomfortable.”
“I agreed to it, just not for the long term.”
Cal’s heart was beating so fast, he thought he might pass out. “I can’t hide forever. I know that now. And I can’t ask you to. We fucking deserve to have our cake and eat it too.”
Beck grinned. “What exactly is the ‘cake’ in this analogy?”
Cal let his gaze slide down Beck’s body before slowly returning to his eyes. “Anything you want it to be.”
Beck’s tongue flicked out to moisten his lips. “Good.”
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes. I signed a contract with the school. I’m going to have to talk to them, but if there’s a chance for us, that’s the most important thing to me.”
“I don’t want to screw up your chances to get another job, but I want you here with me, every single day.”
“Worst case, I might have to start the school year while they find someone else or—”
“Marry me.” The words jumped out of Cal’s mouth before he could stop them.
“W-what?”
Cal looked down at the bridge. There were two people standing on it, holding hands as they watched the river. “You see that couple?”
Beck’s gaze followed to where he pointed. “Yeah.”
“I want that for us. That day-to-day pleasure of enjoying something beautiful together. I know we don’t have to get married to have that, but it would be a good reason to change your mind about a job. Maybe the school would understand then.”
Beck smiled. “Maybe, but Cal, we’ve only been seeing each other for like a month and a half.”
“Yeah, I know, but I’ve wanted you since I knew what that meant. No one has ever made me feel the way you do. You’re it for me.”
“I…” Beck’s expression brightened. “Fuck, I feel exactly the same way.”
“So…? Are we…?”
Beck studied him for a few seconds. “You’re actually serious about this?”
“We could have a long engagement or whatever, or you can tell me I’m insane and we can just date, or—”
“I think I may have lost my mind, but I want to be your husband, Cal McMurtry.”
“Yeah?”
Beck nodded. “Yeah.”
“Trish predicted this, you know?”
“Us getting married?”
“Not exactly,” Cal admitted, “but she said she ‘had a feeling’ that ‘something big’ would make you want to stay.”
Beck laughed at his imitation of Trish’s voice. “Pax hinted that he thought I’d stay too.”
“Maybe they should set up a fortune-teller booth.”
“Maybe so.”
Cal reached for Beck’s hand and squeezed it. “So you want to move in with me?”
“Married couples usually do live together.”
“I mean now.”
“N-now?” Beck sputtered.
Cal nodded. “Yeah.”
Beck ran a hand through his hair and tilted his head like he was thinking. “If I do, we could rent out Grandma’s house as a guest cottage.”
“That’s perfect. Visitors are always asking about places to stay, and even with the new inns, there are far too few options. But are you sure you’ll be okay with strangers staying there? I know the house means a lot to you.”
“It’s not like I’d planned to live in it. I was ultimately going to rent or sell. As a guesthouse, it will still be mine. Ours.”
Cal smiled. “Ours. That sounds so good.”
Katie gave a sharp bark and started running circles around the truck.
“Do you think she knows what’s going on?” Beck asked.
“Maybe. She’s going to love having you at the farm every day, and so am I.”
Cal reached for Beck then, tugging at his hips until Beck managed to straddle him. He had to wriggle around to find space for his legs in the cramped cab. Cal grabbed his ass and pulled him in close. “Mmm, yes, just like that.”
“Don’t tell me you think we’re gonna fuck in the front seat of a truck in the middle of the day.”
Cal grinned. “I want to eat my cake right now.”
Beck’s laughter changed to a strangled sound when Cal thrust up, pushing their cocks together. Cal’s jeans suddenly felt very thin. “Fuck.”
“Mmmhmm.”
“Cal.” He heard the warning in Beck’s tone.
There was no way they could move well enough to fuck in the seat, but they’d manage something.
“Kiss me,” Cal demanded.
Beck didn’t hesitate, and when their lips met, Cal kissed him back, trying to pour all his love and need and everything else he felt into the kiss.
A few moments later, Beck pulled back and drew in a ragged breath. “Good?”
Cal nodded vigorously. “I could do that all day.”
Beck worked his hips, making Cal groan. “Are you sure? Just that?”
“You said fucking out here was a bad idea.”
“That was before you kissed me like you wanted to devour me.”
Cal grinned. “I do.”
“We’d have to be contortionists to fuck like this, but”—Beck unfastened Cal’s jeans and pulled out his cock—“a handjob should work.”
Cal’s heart pounded. He’d never thought of himself as an exhibitionist, but sitting there in the sunshine, with the door still open, was hot as fuck.
Beck followed his gaze to the door, then reached out to shut it. “You know anybody could come along and see us.”
“Mmm. Maybe. But hardly anyone uses this overlook and no one can see us from the bridge, not with the sun in their eyes.” Cal tried to undo Beck’s jeans, but he was too fucking buzzed from the high of Beck accepting his proposal to manipulate the zipper.
“Cal, seriously.”
He looked up. “Let’s take the risk.”
Beck hesitated, then brushed Cal’s hand away and shifted around until he was able to give him the access he needed.
Cal licked his palm, and Beck’s eyes widened as he watched him. Then Cal wrapped his hand around both of them and pumped it up and down. Beck thrust against him, adding more friction.
“So good. Can we do this every day now?” Beck asked.
“Fuck yes. Every morning, every evening.” Cal tightened his grip, making Beck hiss.
Beck squirmed and put his hand over Cal’s, trying to make him move faster, but Cal resisted, keeping the strokes slow and deliberate.
“We’re going to disagree a lot, you know,” Beck said.
“Yeah, but then we can have angry sex.”
“Mmm. I hope you have some spare furniture.”
Cal laughed. “We’ll make do.”
“It’ll be worth it.”
“Fuck yeah.” Cal increased the pace of his strokes.
“Because I—”
Cal pressed a hand to Beck’s lower back, holding him in place as he worked them faster.
“Want to—” Beck moaned as Cal teased his slit.
“Yes?” Before he could answer, Cal brushed his palm over the heads of their cocks.
“Bastard.”
Cal chuckled. “You love it.”
“I want to spend every day with you.”
“Me too,” Cal said as he spread the precome from the tips of their cocks down Beck’s length.
“Quit fucking teasing me,” Beck demanded.
“You’ve not even seen teasing yet.”
“This isn’t the time to drag things out. Anybody could come up and see us.”
“I don’t fucking care.”
Beck’s huff of frustration was cut off by Cal wrapping his hand back around both their cocks and resuming tight, fast strokes.
Beck was right; this was dangerous, but Cal felt reckless and fearless, able to do anything right then. He stroked faster, faster, holding Beck’s ass tightly with his other hand.
“Close. So close,” Beck murmured.
“Come for me.”
With a shout, he did. Cal growled as Beck’s hot come shot between them. Then as soon as his climax receded, Beck slithered down into the seat well and took Cal’s cock in his mouth.
“Fuck!” Cal gasped. The heat. Beck’s tongue. So incredible. “Don’t stop. Please, don’t stop.”
Beck sucked and licked and soon—too soon—Cal was spilling down his throat.
When Beck looked up at him, Cal literally felt like he would melt. “I love you.”
Beck smiled, his mouth wet with Cal’s seed. “I love you too.”
Ruff!
They both laughed. Apparently Katie approved. Cal loved that she’d decided she belonged to Beck even before Cal had.
“Damn dog whisperer.”
“What?”
“Nothing. Come here.”
Beck tried to move back into Cal’s lap, but he ended up falling into the gear shift and then grabbed the door handle and nearly ended up in the dirt.
They were both laughing hysterically by the time he was once again straddling Cal.
When he managed to calm down, Cal said, “I haven’t been this happy in a very long time.”
Beck snorted. “It’s not even been two weeks since we broke the table.”
Cal cupped his face. “Not satisfied. Happy. I wasn’t happy then because I thought I couldn’t have you. When we were apart, everything hurt, and I finally realized I needed you more than anything, even the farm. You make me happy. Here.” He put his hand over his heart. Then he let it slip lower. “You make my dick happy too.”
Beck smirked. “You’re such a slut for me.”
“Damn right I am. But laughing with you, being around you, just feels right. I’m sorry I’ve been such an ass.”
Beck put a finger on Cal’s lips. “I forgive you. For all of it.”
“We’re okay now, right?” Please say yes.
“Right. You’re not getting rid of me now.”
“Hell no. I’m marrying you.”
“And together we’re going to make the McMurtry farm the best damn small farm/venue/vacation spot the world has ever seen.”
Cal kissed him then, the sweetest, softest kiss he’d ever given a man. It felt like coming home.
Ruff.
“We’d better let Katie know we’re all right.”
They wiggled around until they’d tucked themselves back in and zipped up. Then they spilled from the truck, and Katie did her best to cover them in excited kisses.
“Down, girl,” Cal demanded. “Katie, get down.”
Beck laughed. “I think she knows.”
“Yeah, I do too.”
Beck looked at his overflowing truck and sighed. “All that loading for nothing.”
Cal snorted. “Hardly. It’s all ready for you to drive it home.”
Beck gaped at him. “You want me to move in today?”
“Hell yes. Why wouldn’t I?”
Katie jumped into the cab as if she understood.
“I think that dog may be a genius.”
Beck laughed. “Me too. But are you sure about this?”
“Absolutely.”
“Okay, then. Let’s go.” He got back in the driver’s seat, and Cal sighed, wishing he didn’t have to leave him, even though they’d be back at the farm in minutes.
“Follow me home,” he said.
“Home. I like the sound of that.”
Katie hung her head out the window of Beck’s truck, the picture of happiness.
As they headed down the road, dust rose up, obscuring what was behind them, which was fitting because none of it mattered anymore. As Cal turned onto the main road, he caught one more glimpse of the bridge, and he knew he’d always remember it as the place where he finally found love. He looked out at the sun-dappled green hills where he and Beck would make their future together. Then he glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Beck smiling at him, and knew he was the happiest man on earth.