Betrayals

Heath lay on his bunk, trying to ignore the throbbing of his shoulder. So far, Nick or Mrs. Barkley hadn’t come looking for him and the ranch foreman didn’t question his appearance back in the bunkhouse, he only told him to follow doctor’s orders and stay put and rest. Heath squirmed uncomfortably. He hated being idle, having worked to support him and his mama for as long as he could remember. And nothing to occupy his hands meant nothing to occupy his mind, leaving his thoughts to wander down whatever dark road they chose. Heath shuddered, pushing away thoughts of his Uncle Matt, only to have those memories be replaced by ones of the guards at Carterson leering evilly at him, avid to have a boy like Heath under their power. The blond sat up abruptly at the recollections of the atrocities he’d experienced at the nefarious Confederate prison, but that abrupt movement caused his ribs to scream in pain.

“Now, young man, that isn’t what I intended when I recommended you rest.”

Heath gritted his teeth, waiting for the pain to subside. He looked at the greying man who was pulling up a chair next to his bunk.

“I feel fine, doc,” Heath tried to protest, but Dr. Merar looked at him with a sternly paternal expression.

“Right,” the doctor said noncommittally. “Unbutton your shirt, please.”

Heath thought about ignoring the request but got the feeling the doctor wasn’t about to leave without performing his examination. Reluctantly, Heath unbuttoned his shirt.

Dr. Merar listened to Heath’s breathing and inspected his shoulder. He had him follow a finger with just his eyes and looked carefully at Heath’s pupils.

“You’ll be fine as long as you don’t overdo it,” the doctor pronounced. “I want you to rest for a few more days and then light duties for a while. I’ll let Duke know.”

“Can I get up and do something, doc? Anything? I’m gonna go crazy if I have to lie here much longer.” Heath willed himself to keep any sign of pleading out of his voice.

The doctor shook his head with a faint smile. “I’ll tell the foreman you can do anything that involves sitting down and not using your left arm,” he told the cowboy. “That’s the best I can do if you want those ribs and that shoulder to heal properly.

Heath sighed, but knew that was the most of a concession he was going to get. “Thanks, doc.”

A week later, the injured cowboy was heartily tired of being stuck behind the table in the small office that served the foreman as a desk, tallying up head counts of the Barkley cattle from the last few months. Heath was good at sums, but longed to be outside in the wind and sunshine and even more wished he was riding his beloved Gal. Coming to the last set of numbers, Heath tossed down the pencil and sighed with relief. He glanced out the window and noted from the sun’s position that it wasn’t quite dinnertime yet and Heath had a sudden desire to be free. He wasn’t sure if the doctor wanted him riding yet, but surely he could go out to the paddock and spend some time with his treasured horse. Feeling the wicked pleasure of a boy ditching school, he snuck outside, mentally defying anyone to catch and chastise him.

As he approached the fence, the little black mare noticed him and her ears pricked up, her gait eager as she walked over, picking up her hooves daintily like the lady she was. Heath rubbed her forehead and scratched behind her ears and Gal leaned into him, giving a sigh of pleasure.

“I missed you too, little Gal,” Heath crooned, grabbing her mane and pulling her head forward to touch his. “We’ll head out soon, I promise. They treating you right out here?”

“Course we’re treating her right,” a voice boomed from behind, making Heath flinch. “She’s a smart little cowpony, that one.”

Heath turned warily to face the tall rancher who was leaning against the fence. Nick Barkley pushed back his hat and gave Heath a rakish grin.

“You two been together long?”

Heath nodded, his expression guarded. “Yep.”

“Where’d you come across her?”

Obviously, Nick had never heard of the code, that you never ask a man too many questions. Heath had already figured that the quickest way to get his boss to leave him alone was by answering, but he was determined to give the most basic answers possible.

“My mama got her for me.” Heath thought of the pride on his mama’s face when she presented him with the horse not long after he’d returned home from the war. He rubbed her neck, the soft feel of her coat soothing him, knowing he had one friend who would never let him down.

“Is that a fact?” Nick leaned over the fence, giving the black an appreciative look. “Your mama knows good horseflesh, that’s for certain.”

There was a long pause and Heath continued stroking Gal, hoping Nick would go find someone else to bother. But Nick had other ideas.

“Hey, Heath, I was going to check out a couple of the closer line shacks, make sure they’re in good repair and stocked right,” the dark rancher said. “An easy couple hours ride. How about joining me?”

Heath looked at Nick, cautious of the other man’s motives. But there was nothing overtly threatening in those hazel eyes, a suspicious glint perhaps, but nothing more. Heath knew he should turn him down, but the prospect of riding and getting out of that room, even though his shoulder and ribs were still tender and even though he was going to be in the sole company of Nick, was more than Heath could resist.

“Reckon I could go along,” he replied slowly, pushing away any misgivings he had.

“Great!” Nick said, clapping him on his good shoulder. Heath tensed at the contact. “If you can get that mare to the barn, I’ll help you get her saddled. You gotta take it easy on that arm of yours, doc’s orders, right?”

Nick gave him a boost once the horses were saddled and the two men rode out at an easy lope.

Gal’s gait was smooth and the mare’s motion hardly made his ribs and shoulder any more sore than they were before. They weren’t quite flying like the wind, but it was fast enough to give Heath the sense of freedom he so desperately needed. He hated being cooped up indoors; out here, riding his beloved horse, that was where Heath knew he truly belonged.

On the way down the bank of a small wash, a section of gravel came loose under Gal’s hooves. The mare tried valiantly to regain her footing, but stumbled, sending her to the ground and her rider head over heels. Nick immediately reined his dark chestnut around and galloped back to the fallen pair. He vaulted out of the saddle, kneeling beside the downed man who was struggling to sit up.

“Easy, Heath,” Nick said, putting an arm around the blond, “I’ve got you. You hurt?”

Heath took an experimental deep breath and started to shake his head ‘no’, when a searing pain shot through his temple. He reached his hand up and it came away wet with blood.

“Here, let me see,” Nick ordered but Heath pushed his hand away.

“Gotta check on Gal,” he mumbled and struggled to his feet, Nick supporting him.

“All right, Heath.” Nick didn’t question Heath’s priorities; after all, responsibility for one’s mount had been ingrained in all the Barkleys from childhood.

Gal was on her side, neck strained as though she was trying to get up, but both men saw her front leg and both men knew what the awkward angle meant.

“Oh, Gal, no,” Heath sobbed harshly, falling to his knees and cradling his beloved horse’s head. “Oh, my sweet Gal.” The mare looked at him with trusting brown eyes and Heath rubbed the tears from his face before giving his Gal one more scratch behind her ears. Then he staggered to his feet and unholstered his pistol. He gripped the gun tightly, his hands shaking as he tried to aim through tear-blurred eyes, blood starting to drip into his vision.

“I can…”

Heath violently pushed away the hand that touched his.

“No! “ he snarled. “She’s my Gal, she’s my responsibility! Sorry, Gal,” he whispered and pulled the trigger. Suddenly, his legs couldn’t support him any more and Heath dropped again to his knees, mourning the loss of his trusted mare who’d been the only friend he could count on the last few years. He sensed more than felt the cloth pressed to his head, the hands grabbing him and hoisting him into the saddle. Heath shuddered as an arm snaked around his waist, holding him firmly and he struggled weakly but soon gave up.

“Hold on, boy,” Nick’s deep voice murmured in his ear. “You need to lie down for a bit before we try and make it home. Just a few minutes and we’ll be at one of those line shacks. I won’t let you fall, I promise.”

Nick letting him fall wasn’t what Heath was worried about, but he was feeling too much shock and too much pain to care any more. He didn’t protest when Nick pulled him off the horse, half-dragging him into the building. He didn’t object when Nick washed the cut on his head and bandaged it carefully. He didn’t struggle or complain when Nick wrapped his arms around his cold trembling body and when Nick started caressing his back, pressing his lips to Heath’s neck, Heath surrendered, losing all will to fight.

*
Nick helped Heath off Coco and into the building, sitting the younger man down on the bed in the corner. He went outside to the pump and quickly returned with a pan of cold water, using a clean towel to wipe away the dried blood from Heath’s head.

“Let’s get this bandaged up, okay, boy?’ he said to the unresponsive blond. He retrieved a roll of bandage from the medical supplies that were stocked in every line shack and efficiently bound the gash that had finally stopped bleeding. Nick noticed Heath start to tremble uncontrollably and enfolded the other man in his arms, trying to warm him up as well as let him know he wasn’t alone. Along with the expected desire holding the object of his lust engendered, Nick experienced an outpouring of compassion and caring for the aloof young man, Heath’s hurt causing an ache in Nick’s heart as well.

“It’ll be okay,” he said reassuringly, rubbing Heath’s back, trying to bring some sense of comfort. “I know nothing can bring your Gal back, but it’ll be okay.” Nick leaned closer, inhaling the intoxicating scent of horse, sweat and leather. He rubbed Heath’s back gently and lightly kissed the other man’s neck. When Heath didn’t protest, Nick grew bolder, unbuttoning the blue shirt and running his hands across the still-bandaged chest, sliding them down to play with the trail of hair on Heath’s navel. He slowly slipped the shirt off Heath’s shoulders, kissing and nipping at them.

“Let me love you, Heath,” he murmured as his hand moved further down to rest on Heath’s groin, Heath gasping slightly, “let me be here for you.” Nick rubbed at the front of Heath’s pants and was gratified when he felt their contents start to swell. Mindful of Heath’s injuries, Nick slowly lowered the blond down to the bed and unbuttoned the other man’s pants, sliding them off along with the tan boots before quickly divesting himself of his own clothing, pulling up a blanket to cover them as he slipped into the bed to spoon behind Heath.

Nick reached around and grabbed Heath’s half-filled erection, stroking it with a firm hand as he gathered the moisture from the tip of his own dripping cock. He coated his fingers and slipped one into the crease of Heath’s ass, working it through the tight opening. Heath flinched and tensed, but didn’t pull away and Nick pushed slowly, working his finger until he found the hard nub secreted inside. He stroked it in time to the rhythm of his hand on Heath’s penis and was pleased to hear a moan and feel the other’s member grow even harder. Nick added a second finger, moving them apart to stretch Heath’s opening. His own arousal throbbed for attention and soon Nick removed his fingers to grasp himself and guide it the portal he’d been dreaming about, the tip already slippery with its own lubrication.

“I’ve wanted you since the first time I saw you,” Nick moaned as he pushed into the blond’s delicious heat. Heath uttered a low noise and Nick worked his hand faster as his partner’s breathing became more ragged. “Oh god, you feel better than I ever imagined.” Nick started thrusting, making sure to hit Heath’s prostate with each push. He gradually increased the tempo of his thrusts and suddenly felt Heath tense, his penis pulsing as a hot stream shot over Nick’s hand.

“Oh, yeah, Heath,” Nick groaned, wrapping his arm tightly around the blond’s hips and pumping into him faster, harder, until Nick’s own release came in an explosion of ecstasy, his seed spurting into Heath’s hot core.

Nick held Heath close as his member softened and slipped out of Heath’s warmth. He kissed the back of his neck and snuggled close, feeling closer to Heath than he’d ever felt to anyone before. “You’re amazing,” he whispered and drifted off to sleep, never once realizing that through the whole encounter, Heath hadn’t said a word.