Fingerprints and Muddy Feet Read online

  “Why? He’s been doing perfectly fine without the old sonofabitch for years. Do you honestly think anything Nate can say or do will change Gilloume’s opinion of him?” Rio argued. “All that’ll come of it is Nate going back to Wyoming feeling worse than he did before.”

  Ryan reached for Rio’s hand. “I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but it’s not our fight. You and I have already fought our ghosts, but we chose to do it alone. Nate wants us at his side for strength and compassion, but that’s it. We can’t interfere.”

  Rio squeezed Ryan’s hand, wishing they were back home and free to show their love. There was nothing he hated more than seeing either of his partners in pain, but it was worse because it was Nate. Although he knew he’d catch hell from Nate if he vocalized his feelings, Rio felt incredibly protective when it came to him. “What about Buddy?”

  Ryan pulled his phone from his suit jacket pocket and turned it on. “Guess we’ll see.”

  * * * *

  A warm set of lips kissed Nate awake. He opened his eyes and smiled up at Rio. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

  “You’ve had a long day,” Rio replied, kissing Nate again. “Ryan’s inside getting us a room for the night.”

  Nate sat up and looked around. “We’re in Philadelphia already?”

  “Already?” Rio chuckled. “We hit traffic on ninety-five. You’ve been drooling on my shoulder for over two hours.”

  Nate glanced at the shoulder of Rio’s damp dress shirt, which was pressed to his bronzed skin. He reached up and tried to wipe the moisture away. “Sorry.”

  Rio shrugged. “If I’d minded, I’d have pushed you over onto Ryan.”

  Nate reached over Rio and wiped his hand across the fogged passenger window. Staring up at the hotel, he asked, “Did we go broke while I was asleep? This place looks like a dump.”

  “This place is fine,” Rio grumbled. “Ryan almost stroked out when he saw the bill for the one you picked out last night.”

  “I didn’t hear you complaining when you were stretched out on the world’s best mattress with your head resting on the finest down pillows known to man,” Nate argued.

  Ryan stepped out onto the sidewalk and waved them inside.

  “Yeah, well, tonight you’re sleeping on the best mattress and pillow seventy-nine dollars a night can buy.” Rio opened his door before climbing out.

  Nate followed, grabbing his cell phone off the charger before getting out. He went to stand next to the trunk as Rio lifted two heavy suitcases from the back. “Will we have time to shower and change before our meeting?” he asked as they headed to the lobby.

  Rio didn’t answer, and Nate wasn’t sure if his partner had heard him. “Rio?” he asked again. “Our meeting’s still on, right?”

  “Let’s get to our room,” Rio said, passing Nate’s suitcase over to Ryan.

  “What’s going on?” Nate demanded to know.

  Ryan bypassed the elevator and led the way down the first floor hallway.

  Nate studied the garish green carpeting. Although it definitely showed signs of age, it was stain-free. He took it as a good sign. Despite what his partners thought, he wasn’t a total diva. Cheap and old was fine as long as the place was clean. As he waited for Ryan to unlock the door, he glanced up at Rio. The set jaw on Rio’s handsome face wasn’t a good sign. “They won’t let me see him, will they?”

  Ryan held the door open for Nate. He waited until all three of them were inside before speaking. “Mrs Valentine’s starting to have second thoughts about allowing you access to Buddy.”

  “Why?” Nate didn’t understand what had changed between Ryan’s phone call with Buddy’s guardian before they’d left Baltimore and the drive to Philadelphia.

  “She’s worried that your father will find out and cut off funding for Netherfield House.” Ryan pulled off his dress cowboy boots and stretched out on the bed. “I don’t know what to tell her because I can see the Senator doing just that.”

  “Yeah, I can, too.” Nate unlaced his shoes and carefully slid them into the flannel bag he stored them in before joining Ryan on the mattress. He rested his cheek on Ryan’s chest and waited for his partner’s strong arms to surround him. “How much do you think it costs to run a place like Netherfield?”

  “I don’t know. We already know your father pays Mrs Valentine two thousand a week, but I’m not sure if that’s for Buddy’s care only or the whole place.” Ryan pulled at Nate’s dress shirt until it became untucked from his pants. He brushed Nate’s lower back with his fingertips as he continued. “I know what you’re gonna say, but I don’t think we can swing eight thousand a month and still support the Second Chance Ranch.”

  Nate started unbuttoning Ryan’s shirt as Rio disappeared into the bathroom. Once he’d uncovered the inked skin of Ryan’s chest, Nate idly lapped at Ryan’s nipple as he tried to come up with a plan. How many times had he cursed himself for signing the nondisclosure agreement that went along with the payoff from his father? “Fuck!” Nate sat up and stared down at Ryan. “I’m not allowed to talk to the press about my sexuality and the familial tie with my father, but that fucking piece of paper I signed said nothing about Buddy.”

  Ryan reached out and pulled Nate back into his arms. “I know you want to see your brother, but what happens to Buddy if you go to the press? Can you imagine all the reporters who would descend on Netherfield?” He shook his head. “That’s not the way, babe.”

  “I don’t plan to go to the press. I would never do anything to hurt Buddy.” Although he hadn’t yet met his brother, Nate already felt protective of the man who had been shunned by his parents as an infant. “But my father doesn’t know that.”

  Nate broke away from Ryan enough to reach into his pocket. He withdrew his cell phone and turned it on. The screen indicated he had three voicemails. He put the phone to his ear and listened to the first message.

  “Hey, it’s Carol. I got a call today from Laura’s lawyer. He said he needed to speak with you regarding your sister-in-law’s will. I hope you don’t mind, but I went ahead and gave him your number. Other than that, everything’s fine here. Trick’s been feeding the horses and Lucy drew you a sympathy card. It’s supposed to be you on a horse, but it looks like you’re riding a cat. Don’t tell Lucy that, of course, but I thought you might want a heads-up for when she gives it to you. Take care and let me know if you need anything.”

  Nate grinned. He’d fallen completely in love with Carol’s daughter. He deleted the message and moved to the next.

  “Mr Gills, this is Ron Cummings, from Struper, Cummings and Halt. I need to speak with you as soon as possible regarding Laura Gilloume’s last will and testament, particularly the guardianship of your niece and nephew. Please call me at five five five, two six four nine.”

  The third message was a reiteration of the previous voicemail with an alternate private number given.

  Rio walked out of the bathroom naked, holding his suit.

  “Hand me that pad of paper and a pen from the desk,” Nate told Rio.

  Rio set his suit on a chair and retrieved the requested objects. “What’s going on?”

  Reciting the number repeatedly in his head, Nate didn’t answer until he finished scribbling the private number on the paper. “That was Laura’s attorney. He needs to speak with me regarding Laura’s will and the children.”

  “Shit.” Rio sat on the edge of the bed. “That’s a good sign, right?”

  “Yeah, I hope so.” Nate’s hands started to shake as he stared at the phone number. “What if she named me as their guardian?”

  Ryan and Rio made eye contact for several moments before Ryan finally spoke. “Then we’ll have to start cooking more at home instead of going out all the time.”

  Nate rubbed at the knots forming in his stomach. “Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. The lawyer could be calling to tell me my parents were named as guardians.”

  “If that was the case, I doubt he’d be trying to reach you,” Rio
pointed out. He nudged the phone on the bed towards Nate. “Make the call.”

  * * * *

  Ryan hung up the phone before setting it on the desk. He strode to the bathroom where Nate had taken up residence and leaned against the doorjamb. Rio was cradling Nate on his lap as Nate continued to dry-heave into the toilet. “Can I get you anything? More Sprite?”

  Nate pointed to the tub. “Make it hot.”

  Ryan slid behind Rio and turned on the shower. Nate’s reaction to the news that he’d been named guardian of two kids and executor of Robby and Laura’s estate was understandable. Although they’d previously discussed adopting, they’d all agreed it wouldn’t be fair to bring a child into their controversial family. Now it seemed they wouldn’t be getting one child but two. Shit. Ryan wondered whether any of them were ready to be fathers. “I told Mrs Valentine what was happening, and that we’d need a day or two to figure out what to do next.”

  Nate grabbed the washcloth out of Rio’s hand and wiped his mouth. “I’ve been thinking, and if you guys would rather I stay in Baltimore with Hannah and Will, I’ll understand.”

  Ryan reached down and pulled Nate to his feet. He wanted to yell at Nate for believing he and Rio could be so callous, but he knew he’d probably say something similar if he was in the same position. “Wherever we decide to live, we’ll do it together. Of course, Rio and I would rather live in Cattle Valley, but we know you have to do what’s best for those kids.”

  “What if they hate me?” Nate asked as Ryan ushered him under the spray of the shower. “Who knows what Robby told them about me.”

  “Laura had to have named you their guardian for a reason,” Rio said, stepping in behind Nate.

  “But she doesn’t even know me,” Nate argued.

  Realising the shower wasn’t big enough for all three of them, Ryan leaned against the wall and held the curtain open enough for him to watch his two men. “It’s kinda sad if you think about it. Laura had to have been desperate if she believed Will and Hannah would be better off with a stranger over their own grandparents.” He unwrapped a bar of soap and handed it to Rio.

  Nate placed his palms against the back wall of the shower while Rio began to run soapy hands over his body.

  Ryan could see the fear in Nate’s gaze as the two of them stared at each other. “I guess we’ll have to give up kitchen sex,” Ryan said, leaning in to give Nate a deep kiss.

  Nate moaned into the kiss, making Ryan’s dick hard. Christ, he longed for the oversized shower at home. Ryan ran a hand down Nate’s side to land on his ass. He felt the coarse hair of Rio’s groin against the back of his hand and knew Nate was about to feel Rio’s cock slide into his hole. Jealousy wasn’t an emotion he experienced often, but at that moment, Ryan wanted to push Rio away and slide his own cock deep inside Nate. He kissed Nate once more before closing the curtain.

  Ryan searched the small plastic tray and finally found a sample of lotion. After releasing his cock, he poured a large amount of lotion onto his palm and started doing what he hadn’t done in months. With two men around to satisfy him, it wasn’t often that Ryan had to take matters into his own hands, but with deep groans coming from behind the curtain, he knew he couldn’t wait.

  Ryan cupped his balls with one hand as he stroked his cock from base to tip with the other. How could he have forgotten how good it felt to jack off? As much as he loved fucking around with Rio and Nate, there was something comforting about pleasuring himself. “Fuck,” he groaned.

  The shower curtain was pushed aside and Nate’s handsome face appeared in the opening. Nate’s eyebrows shot up as his gaze landed on Ryan’s cock. “Having fun?”

  Ryan grabbed several towels and tossed them to the floor to catch any water that might escape the opening. He stood next to the bathtub with his hands on his hips and his cock hard as stone. “I’m about to blow,” he said, knowing Nate wouldn’t pass up the chance to swallow a warm load.

  True to form, Nate immediately wrapped his lips around Ryan’s cock. He quickly pulled off and grimaced. “Oh my God, what’d you use?” Nate wiped at his tongue with his wet hand. “Is that perfume?”

  “Lotion,” Ryan replied apologetically. He reached over and grabbed a washcloth off the shelf. “Here, use this.”

  It only took a few moments for Nate to thoroughly clean Ryan’s cock and balls and have it back in his mouth.

  Ryan held onto Nate’s head as he fucked in and out of Nate’s mouth. He wondered how much their sex life would change with children in the house. He hadn’t been joking when he’d said they’d probably seen the last of their kitchen sessions. “Mmmm,” he moaned. The sensation of Nate’s throat squeezing his dick combined with the memories of naked cooking pushed Ryan over the edge. He shot the first strand before he had a chance to give Nate a warning, but his partner didn’t seem to mind as he drank every drop greedily.

  Weak-kneed, Ryan stumbled back to sit on the toilet seat as soon as Nate released him. “Damn,” he panted.

  Nate made a production of licking his lips as the sound of slapping skin filled the air.

  Ryan didn’t need to see Rio’s face to know his long-time love was biting his bottom lip in an attempt to hold on until he was certain Nate had been satisfied. It was always a losing battle. Nate had the balls of an eighteen-year-old and could come two or three times in the span of an hour.

  When Nate’s mouth opened in a silent cry, and Rio soon followed with a deep grunt, Ryan chuckled. Round one was complete.

  Chapter Three

  Nate strolled down the aisle of the toy store, bewildered. “I have no idea what eight-year-old boys are into these days.”

  “Hopefully not eight-year-old g—”

  Ryan cut Rio off with a sharp elbow to the ribs. “You’re in a toy store, for Christ’s sake. Watch your mouth.”

  Rio scowled and rubbed his ribs as he walked off. “That hurt.”

  “It was meant to,” Ryan replied to Rio’s retreating back.

  “Ooh, look at these. They’re little balls that you throw and they turn into monsters.” Nate picked up a package before putting it down and reaching for a large box. “A battle pack. Cool.”

  Ryan grabbed it out of Nate’s hand before he could put it in the shopping cart. “Do you really want to get something with a battle pack for a boy who just lost his parents?”

  “But look at the picture. It’s not like I’m getting him a gun. They’re cards and the little ball things,” Nate argued, pulling it out of Ryan’s hands. “I’m getting it.”

  “Hey, look what I found.” Rio held up a large box. “Barbie’s into horses now.”

  Nate looked at the blonde bombshell astride a palomino horse and shook his head. “I think Hannah’s too old for that.”

  Rio sighed and set the box on the shelf, but Nate noticed Rio continued to play with the horse’s mane.

  “Do you want that for you? If so, put it in the cart,” Nate said.

  Rio jerked his hand away. “It’s a Barbie. Dudes don’t play with dolls.”

  Nate continued down the aisle but caught Rio looking back at the Barbie and her horse. Embarrassed or not, he knew exactly what he was getting Rio for Christmas.

  “Why don’t you call Carol? Maybe she knows what girls like,” Ryan suggested.

  “Good idea.” Nate pulled out his phone and called Carol’s cell. He’d already talked to her about Laura’s will and the kids.

  “Hello?” Carol answered.

  “If you were gonna get a gift for a twelve-year-old girl, what would it be?” Nate asked.

  Carol hummed as she thought. “That’s a tough one. It depends on the girl. Some that age are into fashion magazines and practicing with makeup, while others still play video games.”

  “Makeup? At twelve!” Nate couldn’t imagine a girl with Hannah’s natural beauty covering her face with that shit. “Over my dead body.”

  Carol laughed. “Oh, this is going to be fun.”

  “Shut up.” Nate looked down at the co
ntents of his cart. He had a few things for Will, but nothing yet for Hannah. It wasn’t that he was trying to buy his way into their lives, but he had a lot of birthdays and Christmases to make up for.

  “Let me give you a bit of advice. It’s important for girls to feel good about themselves, otherwise they’re easy prey for any man who flatters them,” Carol said.

  “You speakin’ from experience?” Nate asked.

  “Of course. Self-confidence breeds strong women. You’d do best to remember that.”

  “So you’re telling me that if I don’t let a twelve-year-old wear makeup I’m setting her up to get used by men?” Nate wasn’t ready for that kind of pressure.

  “You don’t have to let her out of the house all painted up, for God’s sake. Just let her experiment at home. It’s what girls do, Nate. If I know you, you probably had a subscription to GQ shortly after you reached puberty.”

  “Yeah, but that was for the underwear ads,” Nate shot back. “My incredible fashion sense didn’t blossom until well into my teens.” He grinned, seeing Carol’s point. They said girls matured faster than boys, maybe there was something to it. “I’m going to need help, aren’t I?”

  Carol laughed. “Let’s just say you’ll be glad you already have me on speed dial.”

  * * * *

  Rio stilled Nate’s bouncing leg as they waited in Ron Cummings’ office. “This is ridiculous,” he huffed. William and Collette Gilloume had refused Laura’s lawyer entrance to their home, claiming they would fight the will in court if they had to.

  “My father’s bluffing. All Ron needs to do is threaten to call the police,” Nate said, getting to his feet. He began to pace the small office.

  Rio glanced at Ryan. The two of them had known the Senator wouldn’t simply hand over the children without a fight. More than likely, Nate’s mother and father had already spoilt the kids against them. “If you get the police involved it’ll likely be even more traumatic for Will and Hannah.”