Chapter 47
“I love you, Felix Cotter, and I will be with you always.”
And there, in the afternoon sun, half-naked and not caring a bit, Tyler and I smiled at each other, knowing that now, everything would be okay.
We pulled our pants up and walked to the house, arm in arm. I pointed to the rocking chair I used to sit in all the time before Uncle Ben died. “That’s yours now,” I said.
Tyler sat, placing his bag on the floor. I took Uncle Ben’s old chair, and we just rocked together, saying nothing for a while.
“How’ve you been?” I asked. “You’ve lost weight.”
“It was rough.” That was all he said. There was more to that story, I knew, but he’d tell me in time, if he wanted to.
“How’d you get up here?”
“Well, I got out last week, and I went over to your condo. Verified you’d moved out. So, I hitchhiked my way up here. Camped out in a couple of places, just so I could give the beast a chance to get out. It had been too long already. A potato farmer took me the rest of the way to this place in the back of his pickup truck.” I listened to the rhythm of his chair, its cadence already settling into my soul as permanent.
“I’m glad you’re here, Tyler. You don’t know how much.”
He grinned at me. “I think I have an idea.”
“Cheeky bastard,” I grumbled.
He chuckled and waved to the land around us. “Tell me what you’re doing with the land.”
“What we’redoing, you mean,” I corrected him, raising an eyebrow and daring him to disagree.
“Yes.” Good boy.
“Well, I’ve been working the land, and a crop of pumpkins is coming up. They look healthy, too. I’ve been learning as I go,” I said.
“Sounds good. Can’t wait to get started. But can I eat something first? Maybe have you fuck me into the mattress a few times and call me ‘boy’ so I know I’m home?”
“You never have to ask me twice, boy,” I replied. I stood and dragged him behind me into the house.
“You got ten seconds to get undressed and spread before I get to the bedroom.” Halfway through my sentence, Tyler had disappeared down the hall.
I shook my head and smiled. It was good to have family again. It was good that Tyler was homeEpilogue
“Tyler, where the fuck are you?” I closed the front door behind me and put my dirty gloves on the side table. A long day of harvesting was over, and a barbecue and bonfire were happening at that very moment. It was a way to thank all the people who came out to help us every year. We’d gotten a good crop of pumpkins this season, just in time for Halloween.
Tyler had fit in well with the community. No one blinked an eye at our relationship. We were accepted as hardworking, honest men, carrying on Ben Cotter’s legacy. I could only be happy about that.
When we took time away to go mountain climbing and hiking, which we both loved, some of the locals kept an eye on things for us. It was good for us to have time to ourselves to explore the world, strengthen our skills, expand our interests, and grow closer together. It didn’t hurt that we fucked like rabbits every chance we got.
“I’m in the kitchen, babe,” he called out, and I followed his voice to find him where he stood. Tyler was at the sink, drinking a glass of water. He wore my favorite jeans, the pair that showcased his round, firm ass to perfection. A checkered green and blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up clad his upper body, and failed to hide the muscles he’d honed over years of hard work.
The shirt reminded me that I’d ripped a similar one in a fit of passion one day as we’d been playing around in the bedroom. I’d gotten a little rough and torn his shirt to shreds. Neither of us really minded, but I’d bought him the one he wore now, just because I could. Of course, the memory just made me want to rip this one, too. Tyler loved it when I let the beast out like that. Drove him crazy. Me, too, for that matter.
I watched his throat move as he swallowed. After two years together, he was still the sexiest thing I’d ever seen. And he always, always smelled good to me.
“What’s taking so long, love? The party’s started, and people are asking for you.” I took the empty glass from his hands and placed it on the counter. I placed my arms on either side of him and rested my chin on his shoulder, my crotch against his ass. I was mildly aroused, but I let it simmer. We had guests, after all.