Chapter 35 

Over the past several weeks, Maggie's friend, Flip Titwell, the notorious San Antonio landscape artist, had drawn up several designs for the landscaping of the area behind the house where the old bunkhouse and bathhouse had once stood. The woodshed that had been partially destroyed by the tornado had been relocated out of sight behind the horse barn.

Flip had earlier suggested planting a few trees and laying decorative brick paths that would meander through hedges and among the trees. The plans that he was now showing Michael and Karl impressed them as really quite lovely. Even the design of a small gazebo on one edge of the area was attractive. But Michael was puzzled as to what the odd shaped figure was on the other side of the area.

Flip looked at both Michael and Karl coyly and said with a smile, "Oh, you two. I can see there's love in the air!"

Michael and Karl looked at each other as Karl said, "Right. But what's this little thing you've scribbled here on the paper?"

"Well!" squealed Flip as he primped his orange and green spiked hair. "This is my little surprise. I'm going to have you two love birds carved in stone and made into a fountain that we'll place right here in the middle of a lovely little pond with lily pads floating in it. It's going to be absolutely adorable. Actually it won't be done in stone. I'll have it done in stucco. Much more economical. You'll like that."

"Now, wait a minute," Michael interrupted. "Are we going to just be standing there in the water? Where will the fountain be? I mean, where will the water come from?"

"You're not just going to be standing there, silly," said Flip as he swung his arms around himself. "You'll be in an embrace, gracefully collapsed in each other's arms."

"What!?" growled Michael.

"Yes," said Flip excitedly, "and you'll both be very erect and aroused. Isn't that exciting! This sculpture will capture the very essence of your sexual passion for each other. It's going to be just precious."

"Hey, wait a minute," said Karl pointing his finger at the scribble on the paper which was supposed to represent the fountain. "You mean you want to put up a statue of Michael and me having sex where everybody can see it? You must be out of your little perverted gay mind."

Flip sat back in his chair and looked at Maggie with a disgusted look on his face, and sighed, "What is this man saying, Maggie? Who am I; chopped liver?" Then turning back to face Karl, "I'm a professional, Mr. whatever your name is. I put my heart and soul into my work. It's not perverted." Then running his little finger over his eyebrow, he added, "It may be a little gay, but it's not perverted!"

"Listen, Flip whatever your name is," said Karl with a smile, suddenly recalling the New York barmaid who had been known as "Flip-tits. "We like your overall plan, and we can probably go with it, but the fountain is out. The pond with a fountain is an okay idea, even though to my taste, it's a bit too ostentatious and showy to have something like that in a barnyard."

Flip threw his hands in the air and said, "Oh, don't be so low class. We're trying NOT to make it look like a barnyard. I do not decorate barnyards!"

"Okay, Flip," said Michael. "We'll probably go along with everything you have there on your design, except you will have to redesign the fountain to something more artful and less suggestive. Okay?"

Karl spoke up, "Oh, speaking of decorating the barnyard, our going away party for Maggie is next weekend. Do you think you could come up with some neat decorations for the yard and the verandah?"

"Well," said Flip with a little huffiness in his voice, "I don't ordinarily decorate barnyards. And I would need to be paid, you know."

Hearing this, Karl reached down between his legs and started massaging his crotch until he was able to work up a fairly good sized bulge. "Of course, you would need to be paid, Flip. What did you have in mind?"

As Karl continued to massage his bulge, Flip's eyes became glued to the spot. He swallowed hard several times. "Uh . . . what did I have in mind? Oh, yes . . . Oooooooo yes . . . Let me see now."

Karl looked over at Michael with a questioning look, and Michael nodded. "Well, Flip maybe you and Michael and I should go back to my room and discuss payment. I'm sure we can come to some agreement satisfactory to the three of us."

With a nervous giggle, Flip said, "Oh yes, I'm sure we can."

As the three entered Michael and Karl's room, Karl said, "Flip, why don't you just sit there on the side of the bed, and we'll talk about this."

Karl stepped very close to Flip and began undoing his belt buckle. "Flip, I always like to get comfortable when I'm negotiating deals, don't you Michael?"

"Oh, absolutely," said Michael as he also stepped close and undid his belt.

Fumbling with his zipper, Karl said, "Oh, Flip. I'm having such difficulty with this fucking zipper. Could you see what you can do?"

As Flip tentatively reached for the tab on Karl's zipper, Karl said, "That's right, Flip, see if you can get that zipper down. Oh, and before you do, would you consider what I have in there as payment enough for the decorating work you could do for us next weekend?"

Without unfastening his eyes from Karl's ample bulge, Flip squealed, "Oh yes! We'll call this payment in advance!"

Easily unzipping Karl's pants, Flip reached for Michael's zipper, saying, "I suppose your zipper is stuck, too. Let me undo it for you."

As both Michael and Karl let their jeans fall down around their boots, revealing that they were wearing no underwear, their two throbbing penises popped out and bobbed around like large tree branches in a strong wind. Silvery strings of pre-cum dangled from each of them.

"Oh, my God, this is too much!" screamed Flip. "Can I have them both? Oh, such beautiful penises. I'm a penis worshipper, you know."

Sticking out his tongue, Flip gently allowed Karl's string of semen to drip onto it. Then over to Michael, he took his pre-cum into his mouth, also..

"You know, Flip, one way we both would like to pay you," said Michael, "is to have you enjoy licking and sucking our balls before you actually take the gold."

Flip immediately went down on his knees and raised his face up into Michael's crotch, taking each of Michael's moist sweaty balls into his mouth, one at a time. Breathing in the strong odor of Michael's crotch sent Flip into a state of total ecstasy. As he sucked, he fondled Karl's balls with his hand. Soon, Flip sucked in the full length of Michael's hard penis. Karl moved closer and motioned for Flip to take them both at once.

As Flip easily took the full length of Michael and Karl's penises, Karl leaned close to Michael. Kissing him gently on the lips, Karl whispered, "I love the feel of my penis pressed against yours while it's being sucked. But, you know, I'd like to fuck this little queen's skinny ass."

Michael whispered back, "I'll go ahead and cum now, and then you can fuck him, Okay?"

As Michael closed his eyes and sunk into his orgasmic state and shot his hot sperm into Flip's sucking mouth, Karl could feel Michael's penis throbbing violently against his. He had to fight from coming. Flip was rapidly and audibly gulping as Michael's sperm shot down his throat.

As Flip pulled off, he said, "Oh, my God, such sweet, adorable penises. If only you'd let me have these gorgeous rods sculpted for posterity. And your cum is so sweet and hot and thick. I'd be very willing to take some of my fee for the landscaping work in the form of some more of that heavenly hot and creamy nectar"

"Well, Flip, I'm going to give you some more of my penis juice, but this time up your boney little ass," said Karl. "Get out of your clothes and onto the bed."

Flip squealed with joy and, quickly stripping down, threw himself on his back on the bed. Karl did a slow strip as Flip looked on hungrily. Karl enjoyed seeing Flip drool as he stared at his emerging nakedness. As Karl, slowly removed his shirt, Flip could not resist rolling to the side of the bed and running his tongue over the light layer of hair on Karl's thigh, and then bringing it up to lightly tickle the bottom of Karl's low hanging ball sack. With this, Karl felt his penis jump wildly in reaction.

Crouching over Flip, who had without being told, quickly brought his legs up, pressing his skinny thighs against his chest, Karl slathered hand cream on and into Flip's asshole.

Flip looked up at Karl's face and said, "Just rape me, Karl. Just rape the shit out of me. Ram it into me hard. I want to get raped by that gorgeous cock of yours!"

Karl did as he was told and rammed his hard penis into Flip's waiting asshole in one swift thrust, causing Flip to scream out, "Harder! Fuck this old queen harder than she's ever been fucked!"

Flip's asshole was like a gaping hole. Karl thought to himself, "This asshole's been fucked so many times, you could drive a truck into it!" He looked down at Flip and said, "Clench up your asshole a little, won't you. I gotta be able to feel your asshole on my penis in order to come." Flip then obliged and Karl could feel his penis being gripped like it was in a vice.

As Flip continued to yell, "Pound the shit out of me, Karl, pound it hard," Karl could feel his orgasm building. Suddenly he came with four or five very powerful cramps as his sperm shot into Flip's rectum. Just then, Flip's long, thin penis began to throb as his own sperm shot out in several long streams onto his chest.

Karl soon rolled off and lay next to Flip until he was able to catch his breath. Sitting up, he looked at Flip and said, "Well, you now have a load of Michael's cum in your stomach, and a load of my sperm up your ass. I think we could probably consider that payment-in-kind for the decorations that you will put up next weekend. Right?

As Flip scooped up some of his own cum and sucked on his fingers, he said, "Your money's good with me, you beautiful male specimens, even in its liquid form. It's so gorgeously yummy. I'm expecting that we might strike another deal about payment of some of what you owe me for the landscaping.

After bidding each other goodbye, Flip passed through the kitchen on his way out the backdoor to his car. Maggie caught his arm and said, "Well, queen, I suppose you took a couple of loads off of them."

"Well, Maggie," giggled Flip, "What could I do? They begged me!"

"Oh, sure! Listen queen, you're nothing but a cheap whore, and everyone knows it, especially Michael and Karl. You flash your cunt around for anyone who'll take it."

"I sure do, girl!" said Flip with a toss of her head. "And if you had a cunt worth fucking, you'd flash it around, too! I'll see you next weekend. Ta-ta!"

The following Saturday . . . the day of Maggie's going away party . . . finally arrived. Flip Titwell had decorated the back verandah and the surrounding yard to look like an overdone Japanese garden, without the garden. Japanese lanterns hung everywhere, all along the eaves off the roof over the verandah, on the tops of poles Flip had installed in the yard, and in the trees that circled it. The railing around the veranda was decorated with a series of large open Japanese fans of various colors and shapes. Everywhere one looked, it was a virtual hurricane of color.

In the late afternoon, Josh Lucas and his lover, Peter, arrived from Lucas's Café with the food and drink. Michael and Karl had planned to have a cocktail hour before dinner, and Josh and Peter had brought with them several varieties of hot hors d'oeuvres. Mark and Corky had arrived early, and with Jake, were busying themselves with setting up in the living room the makeshift dinner table that had been used during the previous Thanksgiving.

Dinner was planned to be a sit-down affair, unlike so many of the wild Verandah parties that had been given in the past at the Walker Ranch. The long table was set for eighteen people. Maggie had asked to be the one who would set the table and make the seating assignments, which she did once the table had been set up. She also wrote and placed around the name cards. None of the ranch hands were invited to the party, since most of them had expressed their desire to go into town for their usual Saturday night whoring. As a gesture of good will, as well as one that would help to insure the health of the workers, Michael and Karl provided several varieties of free condoms for them. The French Tickler variety was the most popular.

Jeff, Paul, Adriano, Charlie, Josiah, and Brian soon arrived from Austin in Paul's new SUV. In addition to them, Mark and Corky, Michael and Karl would be joined at the table by Jake and Enrique, Tony and Clayton, and of course, the guest of honor, Maggie. Flip Titwell and Josh Lucas and his lover, Peter were also invited to join them.

Although it was a chilly evening, the cocktail hour was held on the Verandah. Along with beer and wine, Scotch, Bourbon, Gin and Rum, a table was laden with trays of chicken livers wrapped in bacon, chicken wings, baby meat balls, miniature pie shells filled with quiche Lorraine or crab meat, and a half dozen other tempting goodies. The entrée at dinner was a very rare prime rib with a Caesar salad and twice baked potato. Wine was liberally provided during the dinner. Desert was Baked Alaska, which was done in the Walker kitchen ovens at the last minute. The whole affair until this point had been quite civilized. Maggie sat in the very middle of one side of the table. Next to, and just slightly behind her, was a small table piled with various gifts that she would be asked to open following desert.

All of the gifts were various items of clothing and accessories, except one. Maggie was told to hold off opening that one gift until the end. Michael and Karl had a friend in San Antonio who ran a brass foundry. He was requested to fashion a very special gift for Maggie . . . something that would always remind her of her days at the Walker Ranch.

As she opened the box, Maggie's mouth dropped open and she let out a scream. Everyone began to laugh. What slowly emerged from the box was a solid brass pendulum clock. The case replicated the Walker Ranch house with its steep gabled roof. On the front was a glass door, behind which was the pendulum made to look exactly like a very long, low-slung scrotum. And very clear in the scrotum were two luscious looking balls. On the front of one of the balls was painted the likeness of Michael's face, and on the other was a picture of Karl's face, both grinning impishly.

Maggie set the clock on the table and, with her finger flicked the scrotum, causing the pendulum to begin swinging. Amid great laughter, Maggie exclaimed, "Oh, my God! It looks exactly like Michael's balls as he walks every morning from his bedroom to the bathroom. He's always got this nice stiff hard-on that sticks straight up so I can always get a good view of his balls as they swing. And they swing as he walks just like these two brass balls swinging in the clock."

Paul leaned over to Jeff and quietly said, "That's a really tacky looking gift."

"I know," said Jeff. "No one would dare give a gift like that thing to anyone but Maggie. I'm sure she'll treat it like a real work of art."

Adriano and Charlie had given Maggie a large, thick pink feather boa, about twelve feet long, with the idea she could use it with one of her drag outfits. "We thought you could use this as an accessory sometime when you're in drag," said Adriano.

"Accessory, shit!" squealed Maggie. "I could wear this boa with nothing else on and still be covered up. Remember Sally Rand? Well, of course you don't," purred Maggie as she patted Josiah's head. "You're too young. She used to come out with nothing on except some fans in her two hands, and she never revealed a thing. I could wear just this boa with nothing else on and tease the shit out of you horny bastards."

Jake slammed his hand the table, making the dishes jump and the wine slop out of the glasses. "Listen here, ya ol' queen. Yer jist achin' to do yer dance, ain't ya? So go on and git out of them fuckin' clothes so ya can wiggle yer fuckin' ass under that fuzzy thing ya got there."

Everyone else noisily joined in and urged Maggie to put on a show. With a shy, coy smile, Maggie rose and went into the next room to strip down and prepare herself. Presently, she rushed into view with all the theatrical panache she could muster from her days as a drag queen at Sonya's Strip Club in San Antonio. She stood in the doorway striking a pose to the accompaniment of whistles and cat calls from the other guests. Batting her eyes in as seductive a way as she could, Maggie slithered into the room. She had arranged the boa in such a way to assure that nothing was exposed except her legs and just a hint of chest hair. As she placed a varicose veined leg upon a chair, she moved her hips slightly, but due to her arthritis, it was anything but sensual. She moved about the floor slowly, while all eyes in the room were fastened on the part of the boa behind which was Maggie's hidden treasure.

Corky shouted, "I think I can see one ball!"

"No you can't!" squealed Maggie as she quickly shifted the position of the boa. As she turned around, the crack of her ass was fully visible, framed in a swirl of feathers.

"I'm gonna fuck that fat ass before the nights over!" shouted Jake "I know jist about every fucker here's had his fuckin' cock up her ass 'cept me."

Charlie said, "I ain't had my cock up her ass. Maybe you and me can take turns."

Maggie continued to expertly wield the boa in such a way as to reveal nothing, except an occasional glimpse of pubic hair. As she sidled closer to the table, Charlie reached out for the boa, hoping to pull it away, revealing the hidden package. But it was no use. Maggie slithered away just in time. But as she did so, the boa got caught on the back of Jake's chair and slipped from her grip, exposing her entire nakedness. At that moment, Jake got up and threw an arm around her middle and pulled her to him. Holding her fast with one strong arm, he undid his genes with the other and let them fall to the floor around his boots. Jake's enormous penis was in full flower, and spinning Maggie around abruptly, he took a handful of butter from the butter dish and pressed it into Maggie's crack. With one mighty thrust, Jake's hard rod entered Maggie's asshole.

While the rest of the party stood up for a better view and cheered him on, Jake pushed and pounded Maggie's ass unmercifully. He gasped, "I've heard about this fuckin' mine shaft ya got in yer ass, and now I'm gonna be the one to git it fucked!"

With both of his strong arms grasping Maggie around her middle, Jake lifted her right off the floor so she was dangling in a jackknife in front of him. "Oh, my God," squealed Maggie. "I wondered when you were going to get around to this. And now you wait until I'm about to leave. And now I know what all you other guys have been enjoying all these years!"

Corky hollered out, "Shit! He's never fucked me!"

"Me, neither," shouted the others.

As Jake continued to work hard at pounding Maggie's ass, he yelled out, "Hey, I'll fuck any of you fuckers that want to git fucked. Ya jist gotta let me know!"

Enrique was the only one who kept his seat and looked a little glum. Michael leaned over to him and said, "Enrique, it's okay. That's just Jake. He likes to fuck. That's all. It doesn't mean he doesn't like you. You're still number one. Okay?"

Enrique said, "I know. But I don't know if he'll have any left for me tonight. He told me earlier that it was going to be such a cold night, he couldn't wait to get in bed later and snuggle up to me."

"He's going to do that, Enrique. We all know Jake. He just likes to fuck. But he loves only you. That's for sure. Now come on. Cheer up."

Enrique leaned over and with a smile, kissed Michael on the cheek.

With the roar of a wounded lion, Jake entered his orgasm and began pumping his sperm into Maggie's rectum. At the same time, Maggie's penis, which she had been stroking, began to spurt long streams of cum onto the floor.

"Shit, that was good," growled Jake as he pulled his gorged, butter-covered penis out of Maggie's hole. That huge member was beginning to wilt, but cum was still dripping from it as Jake wiped it off with his finger and sucked it dry. "Now while I got her in position, any of you other fuckers want to dick this cunt?"

There were no takers. As Jake, still holding onto Maggie up in the air, carried her to her room, the others sat back down and laughed and commented about the scene they had just witnessed. Josh got up and fetched the wine decanter and went around the table filling everyone's glass as they talked.

Tony and Clayton, who had been seated together, had both enjoyed the performance and had laughed heartily. They now sat quietly. Tony reached over and slowly put his hand on Clayton's hand. He could feel Clayton arm jerk and tense up.

"Please, Clay, don't draw your hand away," said Tony quietly. "Please."

Clayton sat very still and looked down at their hands. He then glanced up at Tony with a look of longing in his eyes. But Tony could see that they were beginning to fill with tears. "Oh, Clay, please. Would you come out and sit on the verandah with me? Please. For just a little while."

Clayton just looked down again without saying anything. Michael had seen this. He came over and sat down on the chair that Jake had vacated next to Clayton. He put his hand on Clayton's arm and, gently taking hold of his chin, he turned Clayton's head toward him.

"Clayton. Do you know how much you mean to me? Do you really know?"

"Yes."

"I know through a misunderstanding that I hurt you. I didn't mean to. You're my son, Clayton. I would never intentionally hurt you. I hope you know that now."

"Yes."

"I want you to trust me, Clayton."

"I do."

"I would never deceive you. I would never lie to you. If I ever saw or knew of anyone hurting you, I would throw him off the ranch. And I would probably do worse than that. Clayton. Tony is a friend. He would never hurt anyone. And I've never known him to lie to anyone. He can be the best friend anyone could have. Please, Clayton, I know that you want to feel close to Tony."

Clayton looked up sharply at Michael.

"No, don't, Clayton," said Michael. "I've seen the look in your eyes. I can read the longing in your face. Please, Clayton. Give Tony a chance. He hurts, too, you know. Surely you can see that. He's suffered a lot of hurt in his own life. But he still has a great deal of love to give. Trust me, Clayton, and trust Tony. Please. He wants to be with you alone. Please go with him and talk to him out there on the verandah. Earlier we turned on the electric heaters out there, and it should be warm enough. Please."

Tony began to rise, and Clayton rose also. They walked together out the door to the verandah. They sat next to each other on the glider. Neither spoke for a long time.

Finally, Clayton said, "I'm sorry, Tony. I just don't know if you understand."

"Maybe I don't, Clay. Please tell me," said Tony. Tears began welling up in his eyes. "I've poured my heart out to you. I think about you all the time. When I close my eyes I see your face. I lie in bed at night with tears in my eyes, silently crying out for you to come to me. Oh, Clayton, tell me, please. What is it?"

Clayton began to lean over toward Tony until his cheek was pressing against Tony's. Then throwing their arms around each other, they both wept. Tony fell backwards onto the glider, pulling Clayton with him. They both held on to each other for a long time, saying nothing.

When the party was over, everyone went out to their cars saying goodbye and wishing Maggie bon voyage, all in a happy mood. As they passed out over the verandah, it was not hard to miss Tony and Clayton lying sound asleep in each other's arms on the glider. Josiah and Brian stayed inside. They were going to stay over for two more nights before they headed back to Austin.

When everyone had gone, Michael and Karl went out to wake Tony and Clayton.

Karl looked down at them. "Michael, I hate to wake them. I know that Clayton stays in the bunkhouse. But just for tonight, why don't we not wake them and just carry them into Tony's room where they'll be a lot more comfortable."

With each carrying one of them, Michael and Karl laid them both next to each other on Tony's bed and, without undressing them, put a large heavy quilt over them to keep them warm, and then tip-toed out.

When morning came, Tony awoke early and realized that Michael and Karl must have carried them into his room the night before. He looked at Clayton's sleeping face for a few minutes and then jumped up. He changed his shirt and went down the hall to wash his face. He was running late and rushed into the kitchen, where Maggie was waiting for him to help with the workers' breakfast. It would be the last meal Maggie would prepare. She was all packed and her old car was loaded with her belongings.

"I'm sorry, Maggie. I overslept," Tony said as he rubbed his eyes.

"I understand, Tony. Now let's get this breakfast going. Everyone else in the house is still asleep. I'm just going to leave this big pot of oatmeal simmering on the stove and they can help themselves when they get up."

Soon, Clayton appeared and plopped himself down at the kitchen table. "I'm sorry, Tony, I should have gone back to my own room last night."

Tony just waved his hand and said nothing. Under his breath, just loud enough for Maggie to hear, he said, "Oh, what's the use."

Maggie looked at him and said between clenched teeth, "Tony, I'll be leaving this afternoon. But before I go, you and I are going to have a little talk. And it's going to be just as pleasant or unpleasant as you want to make it. Now carry these biscuits over to the dining hall."

The time for Maggie's departure finally arrived. Everyone was gathered around her car to say goodbye. Her car was packed and gassed up and ready to go. But before she got in, she said, "Before I go, I want to have a word with Tony and Clayton." She motioned to both of them to follow her into the kitchen.

"Now I want you both to sit down here at the table." Sitting down with them, she continued. "My time here with the Walkers has been the most beautiful time of my life. I love everyone here. And I think I've done my job well and have been of the best service I could. I've watched wonderful things happen. I've seen relationships blossom and mature. You know . . . Michael and Karl, Jeff and Paul, our dear Josiah and Brian, Corky and Mark. But now that I'm leaving, there is something still unfinished that I am very anxious about. I know how you two feel about each other."

"Aw, Maggie," Tony sighed.

Maggie took hold of Tony's arm and said, "Old Maggie has been around the block a few times. And she knows what she sees. Clayton. I don't know how else to say this, but you need to get a grip on yourself. I understand the unhappy life you've had and the disappointments you've suffered. I've been no stranger to that in my life. But it's time you got past it. It's time you opened your eyes and opened your heart. You've got to get over that idea that no one can be trusted. You said yesterday that you trusted Michael. We all know around here how the two of you feel about each other. Tony wants to give it a chance. And now I want you to give it a chance, Clayton. And I'll lay odds on it being the best thing that ever happened to either one of you.

Looking into their eyes, Maggie said, "Okay now. Are you going to do this for old Maggie? Huh?"

Tony and Clayton looked up and, smiling faintly, nodded.

"Now, after I get back from this cruise, I'll be back here to visit, and I'll be checking up on you."

They all stood and went into a three-way hug. As Maggie broke away, Tony and Clayton kept their arms around each other's waist. When Maggie left, they both sat down again.

Clayton said, "I'm going to miss Maggie."

"Yeah. I've got to start dinner now. Do you want to stay and talk?"

"I don't think so, Tony. I think I'll go out and walk around a little."

Clayton walked into the equipment shed and found Josiah working.

"Hi, Clayton," said Josiah, looking up. "I just thought I'd help Jake a little while I'm here. The fender on this tractor started coming loose, and I told him that I'd re-bolt it. It's so darn rusted that I have to drill some new holes before I can attach it."

"Where's Brian?"

"Oh, Jake went into town to get some supplies and asked us to come along. I told Brian to go ahead while I stayed here and fixed this thing for Jake. I owe him a lot, you know."

"I know."

"He keeps saying I saved his life. You know I came along just when he was about to kill himself. And then that time I took a bullet from old Joseph that was meant for Jake. But, really, he's the one who saved my life.

"How's that?"

"Well, when I stopped him from shooting himself, he wanted to take me to the ranch. But I really was scared of that. I just wanted to get to El Paso and get away from everybody. I had no use for anybody . . . never trusted anybody. But he just kept insisting, and here I am. And it was all because of Jake."

Clayton said, "I don't know how you could have trusted him. That old man you'd never seen before."

"Well, I didn't really trust him at first. But I kept thinking I never had anything else in my life. I had nothing to look forward to. So I thought, what the Hell. I'll go with him. Nothing could be as bad as it had been for me. And, Clayton, Jake turned out to be the first person I ever really loved . . . or ever loved, period, until that time."

Clayton sat down on a box and just stared out of the open shed door.

Josiah walked over and sat down near him. "Hey, Clayton, I know it's none of my business, but what's with you and Tony?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's common knowledge around here that Tony really likes you, but you haven't been very nice to him. You know, you could do a lot worse."

"I know."

"Tony's one of us, Clayton. I mean . . . there's four of us. Me and you and Brian and Tony. This ranch has saved our lives. None of the four us had any kind of a life before we came here. Both Brian and I lived in miserable foster homes all our lives . . . with people who hated us. Tony had a lonely life as an orphan and grew up in New York knowing nothing but rejection and disappointment. And you, Clayton. Having to live with a mother and her boyfriends who never even recognized that you were alive. And then on top of that a father who . . ."

Clayton buried his face in his hands and while choking back tears, said, "Yeah, we're the four musketeers, the four fearless horsemen, aren't we? Oh, God. How pathetic!"

Josiah put his hand on Clayton's arm. "Clayton. I'm sorry. I didn't mean . . ."

Taking Clayton's hand in his, Josiah said, "I'm not pathetic, Clayton. Not anymore. And Brian isn't pathetic. We've gotten past that. We'll never forget. But we've gotten past it. We found people who loved us, and we took it and held on to that love. Tony's found love, too. And he desperately wants to hold on to it."

"I know," said Clayton, drying his eyes and looking up at Josiah.

Josiah smiled and said, "Do you know what? When Brian and I . . . you know . . . sort of found each other, Michael gave us his little house out there in the Cottonwoods to stay there for a few days . . . alone. That was so wonderful. Everything in our lives that we hated disappeared during those few days. There was nothing but just Brian and me. Clayton, please. Give it a chance."

"That's what Maggie said."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Looking into Clayton's eyes, Josiah said, "Would you let me talk to Michael about letting the two of you have a little time together up there in that little house in the Cottonwoods? Please, Clayton. You have to give it a chance."

Clayton smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Josiah."

Michael thought Josiah's idea was perfect. Tony was thrilled and set about stocking the little house with food and drink. To replace Tony, Michael hired a temporary cook from another ranch nearby that was large enough to employ several cooks.

Tony and Clayton set out in the jeep the following Saturday afternoon. It was a particularly mild January day with a clear sky.

After setting down their bags, Tony said, "Let's sit out on the verandah. They tell me the views of the sunsets are wonderful from here. I'll fix us both a Scotch and soda. That's Michael's favorite drink, you know. Would you like that?"

"Yes, very much."

As they sat on the verandah sipping their Scotch, Tony took out a package and said, "Would you like a cigarette? Karl gave me a pack of his really mild English cigarettes. I'm not really a smoker, but Karl lets me have one once in a while. Would you like one."

"Yes, please. I've only had two or three cigarettes in my life."
xxx
As they sat there, each vainly trying to blow smoke rings and avoid the inevitable conversation, Clayton said, "Tony, I'm really sorry about everything. I'm such a poop. I really think I want to give this a chance like Maggie and Josiah said."

"Josiah?"

"Yeah, he talked to me, too, after Maggie did." Then turning and looking straight into Tony's face, Clayton said, "You weren't aware of it, but that night that they put us both in your bed to sleep, I woke up several times in the night and looked at you. Your face faintly lit up by the yard lights coming in the window was almost more than I could bear. I wanted to kiss you so badly, run my fingers over your face and your lips. Just to feel the contour of your face under my fingers. Even in sleep, you looked so sad. I wanted to wake you then and hold you and tell you right then how much I loved you."

"Oh, Clayton. Dear Clayton." Tony could hardly speak. His breath seemed to be caught in his throat. He tried to hold back the tears, but it was no use.

"Tony, I've been torn apart so much. I've been so afraid. But I was most afraid of all that I would drive you away from me, or even that you would just walk away from me. I want to forget about all that right now. It has to be just you and me now, just like Josiah said it would be."

Tony rose from his chair and took Clayton by the hand and led him inside. "Clayton, my dear, dear beautiful guy, I want to hold you, and I long to have you hold me."

Tony and Clayton sank onto the bed, still holding onto each other and kissing each other's faces wildly. As they kissed, Tony began unbuttoning Clayton's shirt. He ran his tongue down over the smooth velvety skin on Clayton's firm hairless chest, as Clayton held firmly onto Tony's shoulders.

"Take off your shirt, too," said Clayton. "All the times I have seen you around the house and the ranch shirtless, I have screamed inside for a chance to press my face and mouth onto your skin."

Slowly, they removed each other's clothes until they lay totally naked with their bodies pressed against each other. The feel of their moist skin on each other was almost more than they could bear. As Clayton repeated over and over again, "I love you, Tony. I love you," Tony could hardly believe that this moment had actually come. He swirled his tongue across Clayton's stomach and into the heavy strip of hair that descended from his navel into his large thicket of pubic hair. With his face only an inch away from Clayton's gorged hard penis, he looked at it carefully, running the tip of his tongue over the protruding veins that encircled it and around the firm head, now dripping with semen. Then down over the ball sack, sucking each ball into his mouth, one at a time. As he ran his tongue over the soft fleshy part of Clayton's inner thighs, covered with a soft layer of hair, Clayton began to move his hips around and moan loudly.

Tony continued his tongue bath of Clayton's body, running his tongue down over Clayton's slender and sensuously shaped calves, sucking gently on the hair that covered them.

Clayton, for so long, had an overwhelming urge to kiss and run his own tongue over Tony's beautiful dark Italian skin. To his eye, it was like brown velvet. As he started his tongue bath of Tony's body, he luxuriated with the feel of Tony's soft skin on his lips and tongue. He felt a constant rush of adrenaline surging throughout his body. How could he have ever had doubts about this, he thought. How could he have delayed so long. Josiah was right. All the hurt and pain of the past had evaporated at this moment. It was now just he and Tony. Nothing else. Just he and Tony, totally absorbed in an erotic flush of love and pleasure. Only once before had he experienced such rapture, such ravishment. It was with Michael, his first sexual encounter. But that was all over now. It was now Tony, and forever Tony.

Tony, of course, had infinitely more experience with male-to-male sex. But somehow this was different. With Karl, Tony always felt as though he was the aggressor in all their bedtime romps, and that Karl was always using him as merely a sexual tool. It was always a matter of running after Karl, and Karl giving in just so he could get his nuts off. But this was so different. For the first time, he felt that someone else truly loved him and wanted him and cared for him. And it was Clayton. The one person he had come to love more than anyone else in his life.

They lay there, totally unable to get enough of each other's body. But they were both soon beginning to feel that certain ache along through the middle of their bodies. The urge for orgasms were building in both of them. Tony finally stretched out in a sixty-nine position and took Clayton's burning hot penis in his mouth, running his lips all the way down into his pubic hair. Clayton had that wonderful feeling that he had also longed for . . . the feel of himself inside of another man. As Tony sucked Clayton's penis into his throat, it felt to Clayton that it was jabbing down into the very center of Tony's body. He had the feeling that he wanted to thrust himself totally into Tony's body so he could be completely encased in his lover's warmth and love.

Clayton played a little with his tongue on Tony's rock-hard penis, then sucked it in with one loud slurp. Tony pulled off for a moment and said, "Clayton, let's try to cum at the same time. It's always best when we can come at the same time." Tony felt himself getting close, but tried to hold off until he could feel Clayton's penis head begin to enlarge. They gripped each other's thighs with their hands. Soon Clayton could feel Tony's thigh muscles tighten. He knew it was time. Then as Tony could feel Clayton's muscles tighten and his penis head begin to enlarge, they both let it happen. Both of their mouths were suddenly flooded with each other's hot thick sperm as they could feel each other's rigid penises throbbing against the roofs of their mouths with each surge of sperm. Clayton pulled off slowly and let Tony's sperm drip slowly down his throat, savoring the sweet clean taste. Tony, rolled over on his back and, with Clayton's sperm still in his mouth, let it bubble up around his lips. Then pulling Clayton to him, they kissed with sperm running down both of their cheeks.

As they lay wrapped in each other's arms, Clayton said, "As I've wanted to tell you for so long, I'll tell you again. I love you, Tony, and I always will. I'm so sorry about the way I've acted. Everything is so different now."

Caressing Clayton's cheek, Tony said, "Please don't say you're sorry again. That's all over now. But while we're at it, how's that trust thing with you?"

"Oh, Tony, I trust you." Then with a smile, "But maybe I shouldn't."

"Oh, come on. Let's not talk about it."

"You brought it up."

"You know," said Tony, kissing Clayton lightly on the lips. "It's about ten o'clock, and we missed the sunset. And we didn't even wait until after we ate supper. I had a real nice supper planned, too. I worked all morning preparing it."

"Oh, I'm sorry. What were we having?"

"We're having Stauffer's frozen French Bread Pizza."

They both laughed and fell back into each other's arms.

The winter months passed relatively uneventfully at the Walker Ranch. Michael and Karl had made several trips to Dallas, Kansas City, and Chicago and were successful in negotiating a greater flow of natural gas from their ranch to the cities of the north. As a result, a number of additional gas wells were opened. In March, they made a quick trip to New York City to attend the wedding of Karl's father to his third wife. While there, Karl made the decision to see his father and introduce him to Michael, admitting to him openly about their relationship. At the same time, he used as much adroitness as he could in requesting that his father loosen up on his decision to release the money he had put in trust for Karl. His father managed to be cordial to Michael, but steadfastly refused when it came to the money.

The landscaping work at the ranch was in progress, and Flip Titwell was kept busy re-drawing proposed plans for his erotic fountain. All were rejected. Michael insisted that all sex on the Walker Ranch would rightly find its proper place in the bedroom, not out in the yard. The herd was also increasing nicely, and several additional cowboys were hired to tend the herd.

When April finally rolled around, the city of San Antonio was about to launch another of its famed celebrations, called Fiesta. Corky and Mark had agree to meet Josh and his lover, Peter, at Fiesta when they first met at Josh Lucas's café while out looking for Clayton. They agreed to share a room at the Menger Hotel, which provided two king-sized beds. It was mid-afternoon when they met at the agreed place on Alamo Plaza. From there, they walked over to the La Villita section to look through the shops and stalls and all the Mexican artwork and artifacts set up along the street.

That night would be the Flambeau, which was Fiesta's fabulous night parade. As they walked, they enjoyed looking at the crowd of people milling about. All of the local drag queens always turned out for Fiesta, and there were all the city cowboys dressed in their finest western wear. Over the last few years, however, the gay militants also turned out in force. Dressed in nothing but leather straps and visor caps, they strutted through the streets in gangs waving banners touting gay pride, and wiggling their luscious bare butt cheeks as they walked. All the ranch dudes from the surrounding ranches were not hard to spot dressed in their authentic work boots and hats.

Josh poked Peter and said, "Hey, Peter. Look at that."

"Where?" said Peter.

"Over there, that gorgeous hunk standing there looking at the Mexican pottery."

"Oh, yeah. He's not from around here. You can tell that from his clothes. How old do you think he is?"

"I'd say somewhere in his thirties. It doesn't matter, though. He could sit on my face any day."

As they walked a little further, Josh looked back and said, "Hey, look at that. He's staring right down at that big naked ass on the guy in leather straps standing in front of him."

"Yeah, and he's got that hungry look on his face. Come on, let's go. What are we, looking at art work, or cruising?"

"I don't care. I'm going over there and see if I can strike up a conversation."

Josh approached the man whose eyes still seemed glued to the quivering ass cheeks before him.

"Hi, my name's Josh. Are you from around here?"

"Uh, no," responded the man. "I'm actually from way up there in northern New England. Just down here on a kind of vacation, I guess you'd call it. Do you live here in San Antonio?"

"No, we live down the road a bit. My partner and me run a little café We come up here occasionally where the lights are bright to see if we can get a little action."

"What kind of action?"

"Well, you know. Hey, what's your name, dude? And are you here alone?"

"My name's Steve. I'm glad to meet you. I'm just down here by my lonesome. Yep!" said Steve, vainly trying out some of the local vernacular.

"Hey, Steve, come on over here. I want you to meet my buddies. This is Peter, my partner. And these are our two asshole buddies . . . uh, I mean, you know . . . our two friends, Mark and Corky. Hey, since you're alone, why don't you walk along with us."

Both Mark and Corky could hardly keep their eyes off of this newcomer in their midst. Steve was about 5'10', slender with slightly graying hair, and with a rather boyish look about him. His blue eyes were hidden behind a pair of wire rimmed glasses.

After they had walked all through La Villita, Mark said, "Let's git off our feet for a spell. What say we ramble on over thar to the Menger bar and get ourselves a cool one." Mark was hoping to impress this northerner with his best Texas drawl.

Everyone was agreeable. The bar was packed with revelers, but Corky spotted an empty table up on the mezzanine. As the Pearl Beer was delivered, Steve said, Let me get this round."

"No, no," said Mark. "You're our guest down here. We don't want you to get the wrong impression about our fabled Texas hospitality!"

After four rounds of beer had been consumed, Corky turned to Steve and said, "You say you're on vacation? You were looking rather glum back there when we met you. It didn't look like you were having a very good time."

"Well," began Steve, "To tell you the truth, my wife and I have been having a little trouble, and we're into a kind of temporary separation. I love her dearly, but I just needed to get away from there for awhile. You know, that area up there just kind of closes in on you sometimes, and I just felt I needed to come down to a place I've never been to before . . . some wide open spaces, so to speak."

Josh said rather colorlessly, "You're married? That's nice. How old are you, by the way, Steve?"

"I'm fifty-one. I hope that doesn't make any difference having me sit around here with you young guys."

Everyone assured him it made no difference. Steve then excused himself to go to the restroom. At that moment the other four started to excuse themselves also. But Mark held up his hand and said, "Hold it! I'm going, and I'm going alone. This guy doesn't need a bunch of horny guys in there to hold his dick for him. Keep your seats! I'll handle this."

Everyone recognized the aura of absolute authority that always surrounded Mark. He was the biggest, the strongest, and besides, he used to be a law man!

Once in the restroom, Mark moved up to the urinal next to Steve. He inconspicuously glanced at Steve's penis as only an experienced private eye could get away with. "I suppose you've figured out about us."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know. We all took to liking you. Well, not just liking you . . . we . . . you know."

Steve pushed his penis back into his trousers and stepped over to the washbasin and began washing his hands. With a smile, he said, "Mark, there really wasn't anything to figure out. You guys are partners, right?"

"Well, we're partners in our businesses, yeah."

"Mark, I wasn't born yesterday. You're more than that. Just so everyone will stop beating about the bush and trying to figure me out, I'll tell you right out. Yeah, I'm married, but I'm bisexual and I'm enjoying being with you guys. I don't normally go around advertising this. We don't have all this open gay activity up there where I come from like what goes on down here. I'm not used to guys casually picking up other guys on the street like this. But I kind of like it. This town is fabulous!"

"You're a good looking guy, Steve. And I guess it's been no secret that we all kind of . . . you know . . . like you. You're kind of classy. You know what I mean? We're all a bunch of ranch jockeys at heart . . . pretty rough around the edges. I guess you've noticed that."

No, I haven't, frankly. I love the way you guys, for whatever reason, have been so nice and have taken me into your group . . . almost like I belong. None of you have hit on me, not overtly anyway, and I have this strange feeling of being at home with you guys, even after just these few hours. I think I could learn to like it a lot down here."

"Are you going to tell the rest of them . . . you know . . . about you?"

"Sure, I'll tell them. I don't know how they'll take it, though, having a bisexual in their midst."

"Take it from me, they'll love it."

"But how about you, Mark? Would you still be interested in me? I mean . . . you know . . . is there any problem with you having me around the way I am?"

Mark smiled and reached over and pulled Steve roughly to him, giving him a big wet kiss on the lips. "That's my answer. Come on, let's get back to the others."

Steve almost lost his balance and grabbed for the washbasin to steady himself. As Mark promptly left the room, Steve looked at himself in the mirror, smiled, and gently touched his lips with his fingers. "My God," he thought, "I've only been away from my wife for one day, down here in a strange land, and here I just got kissed by a big gorgeous former Texas State Trooper. My God!" He wondered, with all the suaveness and urbanity he was known for at home, how he could have so carelessly let the question, "Would you still be interested in me" slip out. "Oh well," he thought to himself. "I'm in Texas now, and it seems like everyone tells it like it is down here."
 

To be continued...