Texas and Tarantulas Read online

  Okay, so maybe he was the star of some of Eric’s fantasies. Now he just felt bad for the guy.

  “Eh, he’s harmless,” Trent informed Diego. “You don’t have to get too close to him.”

  “He asked me questions,” Diego whispered, turning a worried gaze his way. “Where was I from, when did I get here, was I going to stay. I didn’t want to talk to him.”

  Trent knew Diego was uncomfortable lying, and he couldn’t exactly be honest about his past with anyone other than Joe or Trent. “Then don’t talk to him. Just, say excuse me and leave. Find me or Joe. It’s great that Eric and Ruby are helping us clear this shit out, but they aren’t necessary. Insurance company can send someone instead of us having the neighbors over.”

  Before anything else was said, Sheriff Kenzie pulled down the dirt road leading from the paved road to the main house. Trent nudged Diego. “Go tell bub the sheriff’s here.”

  In the two days since she’d come and taken the report about the bone, nothing much had been done. Partly because there’d been some a bad wreck that had claimed the lives of three townsfolk, and there’d been a fire and explosion thanks to a meth lab gone wrong—or more wrong. Trent liked to take a toke now and then, but meth and hard drugs… Those were totally not in his realm of acceptable shit to do.

  “Maybe she’s going to tell us they’ve got a search planned now,” Tony said to no one but himself.

  Or so he thought. Eric stepped up to stand beside him. “She here about that bone?”

  Trent swallowed back a sarcastic reply. “I’d imagine. Ain’t done anything to get me arrested today. Now yesterday…” He trailed off and slipped into a bit of a leer.

  Eric blanched and moved away from him.

  Trent ignored him after that. The guy had no sense of humor and was too scared of being called queer to take a joke anyway.

  Sheriff Kenzie parked and Trent waved at her. She got out of her car.

  “How you doing today?” he asked her. “Come to help clear out this burnt shit so we can get a barn put up?”

  Sheriff Kenzie wasn’t much older than him, but she looked like she could be his mom. The thought caused a twinge of pain in Trent’s chest.

  “If I had time to help, I would. Been a rough few days.” She came over and stopped in front of him. “You don’t have any idea where that bone came from?”

  Trent had already been through this with her. So had Joe. And Diego. “No, ma’am. I told you. It was just on the porch.”

  “Hm.” She waved at Joe and Diego as they strode over. “Hey there. Just following up about the bone.”

  “Don’t know any more than we did when you came and got it, Sheriff,” Joe drawled.

  Sheriff Kenzie flapped a hand at him. “Cut it out, Joe. Call me Cheryl and stop being a jackass.”

  Joe smirked at her. “You know you like the title.”

  “The power,” Kenzie corrected. “Because oh my God, I am just the queen of this here county.”

  “Sarcasm from our good sheriff?” Trent asked. “Why, I’d never have thought it.”

  “Because you don’t know her like I do,” Joe informed him.

  And damned if Cheryl didn’t blush. Diego looked very uncomfortable. Trent felt bad for the guy.

  “Not cool,” Trent muttered to Joe.

  Joe’s face went ruddy and he inhaled sharply. “Oh, no, I didn’t mean—”

  Yeah, stop before you lie, bro. There’d been a time when Joe slept with women, before he’d been able to be honest about who he was. Trent wasn’t surprised to learn that Cheryl had been one of those women. He did decide to shove the awkward shit out of the way and move on.

  “About the bone?” he asked her. “That’s why you’re here, right?”

  “Right,” she agreed brightly. Too brightly. “Right. We’re going to send it off for testing, see if there’s any DNA left it in and all that technical stuff that will take months to get results back on. Maybe even more than a year, seeing as how it’s an old bone. All the current crimes get priority. I’m still getting together people to help search your property, Joe. Just wanted you to know what was going on. Maybe in another day or two, we’ll have enough people to get started.” She pushed her sunglasses up on top of her head.

  Her eyes were a pretty shade of blue, Trent noted absently, while he thought of groups of people scouring the ranch property.

  “Okay. We’ll help where we can. Insurance company’s paying for the damage here, but we’re doing some of the work to help cut costs and ‘cause we’re moving faster than the insurance company is.” Joe took a drink of his tea.

  There was also the matter of the policy not being the greatest and them not getting enough money out of it to have the barn built like they wanted it. Neither Joe nor Trent was going to admit to that outside of themselves and Diego.

  “We might need some DNA from one of you, both of you,” Cheryl finally said after an uncomfortable moment of silence. “Just in case.”

  Joe got a stubborn tilt to his jaw. “That ain’t our mom.”

  “Probably not, but I’m still going to have to ask you to make arrangements with the clinic for samples,” Cheryl returned calmly. “I looked at your mom’s file, Joe. I had to, so don’t go getting all pissy. She went missing on the night of September third, nineteen eighty-eight. Your dad filed the report all proper, but since she’d taken some of her things—purse, wallet, jewelry except for her wedding rings—and there was nothing suspicious about her disappearance, there wasn’t much that could be done. It was written up as her leaving of her own will. Y’all don’t recall any fighting between your folks—?”

  “What are you implying?” Trent asked with a calmness he wasn’t really feeling.

  “Yeah, what?” Joe snapped, clearly not intimidated by the fact that he was losing his temper with the sheriff.

  “Now, calm down,” she told them both. “She could have left because they argued. That’s all.”

  “Except then why would her bones be on the ranch?” Trent wanted to cross his arms over his chest so bad, but he didn’t. “Seems like you’re trying to put the blame on Dad.”

  Cheryl frowned. “You two are pricklier than a pair of bickering porcupines. I’m just trying to do my job, and that means asking questions. Do either of you know if your mom is still alive? Ever hear from her after she left?”

  Trent didn’t wait for Joe to answer. “No. No we didn’t. I Googled her and paid for background checks. Never got a single hit. But I know Dad didn’t kill her.”

  “Anyone work on the ranch back then?” Cheryl asked. “There’s nothing in the report about that.”

  Trent tried to remember.

  Joe answered instead. “Couple of guys. Morris and Christ… I can see if there’s any of their employment records left here. Dad let ’em go not long after Mom left. I don’t recall if he kept paperwork on them or what. I was only about twelve, I reckon. Wasn’t into shit like that. Still hate it.”

  “If you could check, that’d be great.” Cheryl lowered her glasses back down. “Stop getting your hackles up, too. I’m just doing my job. Oh, and there’s a guy in Uvalde asking about y’all. Some scientist or zoologist guy wanting to know about the wolf, really. I expect he’ll show up out here today.”

  “Great,” Joe muttered. “Fuckin’ great. Thanks for the head’s up.”

  “Sure.” Cheryl took a step back. “I’ll call with the clinic info.”

  Joe and Trent both grunted.

  Neither of them brought up the bone again.

  * * * *

  Two hours later, Trent glanced up when he heard another vehicle coming to the house. He spotted a small, ugly green car bouncing down the road. “Gotta be the scientist-zoologist dude,” he said, whacking Joe’s shoulder. “No one with a lick of sense would drive a car like that on a road like ours.”

  “Definitely a brainiac,” Joe agreed. “Got more than your four years of college.”

  “They can have it, too. Four years away was enough for
me.” Trent noticed Diego slipping into the shadows by the porch. “Glad Eric and Ruby left. It’s been too crowded here today.”

  Joe took out a bandana and wiped the sweat off his face. “No shit. It’s great to have helpful neighbors, but Eric’s jumpy as a long-tailed cat in a crowded roller skating rink. What’s the deal with that? He think you’re gonna jump him just ‘cause you two messed around ages ago?”

  Trent couldn’t hide his surprise. “You knew about that?”

  “Saw y’all once, out past the Uncle Mike’s place, it was, back then. Couldn’t believe it, but I figured it was boys being boys. Didn’t think it necessarily meant anything,” Joe added.

  “Me either,” Trent said. “I know some of the football players talked about jerking off around each other. Eric needs to get over it, and you ought to go check on Diego before he has a mental breakdown.”

  The conversation ended when the driver of the ugly car parked it. He got out—a man who looked to be all knees and elbows and lack of grace. He stumbled on his first step, but he had a big smile with a kind of nervous tic at the right side of his mouth.

  He also set off Trent’s gaydar. Maybe this won’t be such a waste of time after all. He stepped forward and held out his right hand. “I’m Trent Jacek. What can I do for you?”

  “I— Oh, I’m Bill Moss,” the man said, shaking his hand.

  Not a firm grip, but Trent let that go. Lots of people didn’t know how to shake properly. “Nice to meet you, Bill. What can I do for you?”

  Bill had nice eyes, kind of a muddy brown color, and hair a shade darker than that. Trent wasn’t overly attracted to the guy, so if Bill wasn’t interested in messing around later, Trent would survive the rejection—once he’d made a pass. First they needed to get the wolf business out of the way.

  Bill shifted from foot to foot. “Um. I’m a wildlife biologist, and I specialize in wolves. They are so fascinating, simply amazing creatures. Anyway. A friend of mine saw an online news story about a wolf being shot here. Oh, I wish that hadn’t have happened.”

  “It was the wolf or my brother,” Trent got out with hardly no anger at all. “I’m figuring someone caught the poor thing somewhere and kept it chained, thought they could make it a pet. It was vicious.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Bill murmured. “It really is a shame. Are you…? You haven’t seen any other wolves?”

  Trent had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing. If Bill only knew the truth. “No, sir. Never hear howling, either. I’d show you the body but it’s been dumped in the silo and burned. Can’t have rotting flesh around here.” Fortunately, they’d hauled a lot of the barn’s rubbish to the cement silo set in-ground, and torched it, after the sheriff had mentioned this particular visitor.

  Bill chewed on his bottom lip for a few seconds before releasing it. “I don’t suppose anyone took pictures?”

  “No, I’m afraid not. It was a wolf, though. Reddish looking one.” He figured sticking to the truth as much as he could, minus the shifter part, was the best way to go. “Sure surprised us.”

  Bill’s crestfallen expression only lasted a moment. He smiled again, and his nervousness showed in the way he fidgeted, fluttering his hands, not able to stand still.

  Trent raised a brow at him. “You look like a man who could use a glass of tea. Interested?”

  Bill’s Adam’s apple was pretty prominent, and it bobbed as he gulped. “Just…just tea?”

  Trent let his grin spread slowly. “If that’s all you want. Or, you can come back to my place, and we can suck each other off.”

  Bill turned red but nodded so fast it was a miracle his head didn’t go flying off.

  Trent pointed to his truck. “Get in. Your car might fall to pieces if you take it.” He waited until Bill started for the vehicle then Trent turned and gave his brother a thumb’s up. Looked like Trent wouldn’t have to wait until he could get to San Antonio or Austin before he got laid.

  Chapter Three

  Waking up with a naked man in is bed was something that hadn’t happened to Trent since his college days. Even then, he usually didn’t spend the night with anyone. Bill had promptly crashed hard after they’d sucked each other off the night before, though. He hadn’t even wanted to wake up for dinner. Then once he had, they’d eaten, jacked each other off, and Bill had fallen asleep again.

  Trent was ready for him to leave—or almost ready. He decided it wouldn’t hurt to get them both off again. He’d suck Bill to hardness then fuck him until they were both happy.

  And Bill would probably pass out. Again. Trent gave a mental shrug. If that happened, oh well. Trent still had a lot of work to do, and he wasn’t going to babysit Bill.

  He was going to fuck him, though.

  Trent shoved the sheet down and scooted himself along after it. He got his feet on the pillows and his face in Bill’s crotch. The man had a decent dick—nothing to write odes to, but decent and that was good enough.

  Trent slid his hand around the plump balls, and with his other hand, held Bill’s cock steady. He licked over the tip of it, nibbled lightly along the rim.

  Bill finally moaned, and in an instant, he had Trent’s cock stuffed in his mouth.

  Trent gave the man points for eagerness. He sealed his lips tight and sucked. It felt good just being with another guy, even if there wasn’t the kind of connection Trent wanted. He had what he had, and that was another chance to get off with Bill.

  Bill tongued his cock, cupped his balls, sucked so hard Trent had to thrust.

  When Bill didn’t protest that, Trent pushed in again and again. At the same time, he bobbed his head, taking Bill’s dick almost into his throat then back again. He moved the hand from Bill’s cock to his ass and gave one lean ass cheek a squeeze. He dipped his fingers in the crease, just barely ghosted them over Bill’s hole.

  Bill moaned, rocked in deep, and came.

  Trent wasn’t prepared for it. He sputtered and a mess ensued. Bill didn’t stop rutting or sucking. Trent quit worrying about what he spat where and forgot about wanting to fuck Bill. The blow job was enough. He let Bill’s cock slip from his lips and gave himself up to the pleasure being handed to him.

  “God,” he drawled, jutting his hips, his balls sending pulses of cum out of his dick. “Fuck, don’t stop.”

  Bill didn’t. He kept drinking down Trent’s load until his orgasm ended.

  Trent panted and tried to catch his breath. He exaggerated it a little, too, wanting Bill to think it was the best blow job ever, even though it wasn’t. Trent believed in building people up, not tearing them down.

  Unless they were obnoxious fuckers. Then all bets were off. He flopped onto his back. “Was gonna fuck you,” he said, more for something to say.

  Bill sat up and frowned at him. “Oh no, that’s—I only do that with my boyfriend.”

  Trent sat up so fast his head spun. Or maybe it was the anger that caused that particular sensation. “The fuck you talking about? You have a boyfriend?”

  “Of course I do. I’m a catch. I’m smart and—”

  “Get the fuck out of my trailer,” Trent snapped, feeling dirty and used and furious. “Get your clothes on and get out before I throw you out.”

  “It’s not cheating if there’s no anal,” Bill intoned snootily. “That’s our agreement.”

  Trent got up and grabbed his shorts. “Well, guess what, asshole? That isn’t my agreement. I don’t fuck around with other men’s guys.”

  “But I told you—”

  “Out!” Trent yelled, pointing at the door. “You have your agreement, and I have mine, and I sure as shit wouldn’t have violated my morals if you’d have told me the goddamned truth!”

  Bill stood up. “I didn’t lie!”

  Trent growled. “You fucking did too, even if it was a lie by omission. You should have told me you were with someone and let me decide if I wanted to mess with that whole…mess. Now I mean it, Bill. Get your clothes on. If you give me five minutes, I’ll shower
and get dressed, then I’ll give you a ride back to your car. Meanwhile, don’t talk to me.”

  He worked hard to cool his temper down in the shower and while brushing his teeth. By the time he was dressed, Trent had a handle on it all. He still wanted to throttle Bill, but he wouldn’t. Some people had different morals than he did, and while he really didn’t appreciate not being filled in on Bill’s ‘agreement’ with his boyfriend, Trent could admit that Bill might not have had the brain cells to do the decent thing and inform him ahead of time.

  And he might have let it all go had Bill not harped on it during the drive.

  “It’s my right to have some fun if I want to,” Bill said, turning his nose right up in the air like some snob out of a cartoon show. “It’s my body.”

  “Look, dumbass, my body was involved too,” Trent pointed out. “Get that through your head.”

  “But you don’t have a boyfriend, so what difference did it make? I’m the one with the boyfriend and the freedom to mess around some,” Bill argued.

  Trent had enough. “For the last time… Your morals aren’t mine. I would never be okay with the kind of agreement you and your guy have and for that reason, I should have been filled in on your relationship status.”

  “No, I don’t believe so.”

  Trent wasn’t going to listen to anything else the idiot had to say. Bill had passed into the realm of being an obnoxious fucker back in the trailer. “I don’t give a flying fuck what you believe. Get that through your head. You sure as shit aren’t good enough in bed to deal with any guilt I might feel either. You need to work on your technique.”

  Bill sputtered and Trent ignored him, speeding up a little so the truck bounced down the road and Bill had to scramble to grab the ‘oh shit’ bar. It kept Bill from yammering.

  Trent braked harder than he needed to, and the truck did a one-eighty about ten yards from where Bill had parked. “Get the fuck out. Have a nice life.” Trent leaned across Bill and opened his door. “Out.”