“Okay,” Chauncey agreed easily.

  As Jonah pulled up behind the house and parked, a half dozen men on horseback rode toward them.

  Chauncey climbed out and watched as the men formed a half-circle around his husband. Each man then stepped forward and gave Jonah a man-hug and slap on the back before stepping back and allowing the next man to do the same.

  “Men, this is my husband, Chauncey. Chauncey, these are about half of the men who work here,” Jonah said, stepping up to his side and wrapping an arm around Chauncey’s back.

  Jonah went on to introduce each man, but other than Jaxson, a tall, well-built blond, Chauncey knew he would never remember their names. At least not today. He had always been terrible at names and knew it would take several meetings before he was able to identify Joe from Brandon from Nash. He smiled, waved, and said hello, trying not to cross his legs as his bladder let it be known once again that he needed to find a little boys’ room before he exploded.

  “Come on, we’ll go inside and you can meet Tilly while the boys unload the SUV.” Jonah turned him toward the house. “Jaxson, everything can go in the spare room upstairs until Chauncey figures out where he wants things to go.”

  Jaxson nodded and caught the keys Jonah tossed at him.

  Chauncey waited until they were in the mudroom taking off their shoes before he asked, “Are they always so friendly to you?”

  Jonah chuckled and nodded. “Yes, and once they get to know you, they’ll be hugging on you as well. Something Doc read about needing hugs to maintain proper mental health. He said we were all touch-starved and instituted hug therapy.”

  Chauncey thought about that and it rang a memory from his Introduction to Psychology class where the professor had said something similar about everyone needing hugs to survive and thrive, and one of the reasons the world was going to hell in a handbasket was that Americans were touch-deprived.

  In the kitchen, Jonah introduced him to Tilly, the housekeeper and cook. Chauncey could only gape as Tilly turned and smiled at him. Tilly was a six-foot, eight-inch, bald black man with two gold teeth where his incisors should be.

  “Welcome home, Mr. Chauncey,” the man said in a deep, deep voice with a slight Jamaican accent.

  “Thank you,” Chauncey said.

  Tilly returned to whatever he was doing as Jonah led Chauncey out the kitchen, through the dining room with a long wooden table that would seat twenty easily, and into a huge living room.

  Though he tried, Chauncey couldn’t hold his curiosity in any longer. “So, what is the trouble that’s coming? Every man out there had a weapon on his hip as well as one on his horse.”

  He knew he wasn’t going to like the answer when Jonah pulled him to a stop in the middle of the living room and turned to face him. Settling his big hands on Chauncey’s shoulders, he looked more solemn than Chauncey had ever seen him.

  Jonah took a deep breath before he said, “Marco Gomez came to the ranch yesterday looking for you. He told Jaxson he’d be back again this afternoon.”

  Chauncey frowned. “Why? Why is it so important he talk to me?”

  ****

  Jonah looked into Chauncey’s deep-brown eyes and decided it was time the man knew the truth. Then he would be able to decide whether he wanted to stay with him or return to Chicago.

  “Marco Gomez is your father, Chauncey.”

  Chauncey frowned up at him. “No, he’s not. Thomas Beckwith is my father.”

  Jonah shook his head. “Okay, how about this, Marco Gomez is your sperm donor. He got Lola pregnant before she married your father. When he found out, he agreed to leave you with them until you grew up and could take your place at his side, running his so-called empire.”

  With that life-shattering news shared, Jonah shut his mouth. He watched as Chauncey’s eyes filled with tears. “Marco Gomez is my father? Is that why he’s been wanting to talk to me since Dad’s death?”

  “Yes, babe, that’s why. Lola has fought him since you were sixteen in order to allow you to finish your education. Which is also why she was so adamant you go to college. She kept hoping Gomez would give up and move on.”

  “And that’s why we got married? To keep Gomez from making me join his organization?”

  Jonah took a deep breath as he nodded. “That’s one of the reasons, yes.”

  “And he’s chased us all the way across the country just to talk to me?” Chauncey asked, sounding like he was going into shock.

  “Apparently. Question is, do you want to talk to him, or shall I deal with him?”

  Chauncy looked out the front window as a long black car pulled to a stop. “I’ll talk to him, but would you stay with me?”

  “Absolutely,” Jonah said simply.

  Just then, Tilly entered the living room and crossed to a wide doorway. A moment later, the big man walked in. “Marco Gomez to see Mr. Chauncey, boss.”

  Jonah tensed and moved to step in front of Chauncey. “Thank you, Tilly.”

  Tilly stepped aside and allowed the man to enter the room. At the same time, Chauncey stepped around him and took up a position in front of him, just as he had done back in his apartment when they had faced down Gomez’s errand boys.

  “Chauncey Beckwith, you are a hard man to get hold of,” Gomez said as he stepped into the room and looked around with obvious distaste.

  The man in his black suit, silk tie, and dust-covered dress shoes looked as out of place in the ranch house as Chauncey would in his world.

  “Maybe that’s because you have nothing I wish to hear,” Chauncey said, sounding brave, though Jonah could feel him tremble.

  “There are things you need to know,” Gomez went on as if Chauncey had not spoken.

  “That you raped my mother and now you think I should come to work for you? Yeah, not happening,” Chauncey responded in a snarky tone Jonah knew well from when the boy had been younger.

  Gomez looked flustered for a moment, then took a breath and settled once again. Jonah had a feeling few people ever got away with saying no to this man and lived to tell the tale.

  “Your mother and I had an agreement. She would raise you, and once you finished college, you would come work with me.”

  Though he was tempted to step in and bodily throw the interloper out of his home, Jonah remained silent. Chauncey seemed to have everything under control.

  “Yeah, I didn’t know about that agreement,” Chauncey said, “and got married instead. I’m sorry you wasted a trip, but I’m staying here with my husband. Goodbye.”

  Jonah stiffened as Marco tensed and looked like he wanted to argue. Just then, Tilly stepped in and laid a plate-sized hand on the man’s shoulder. “Time for you to go back to Chicago,” the big man said softly.

  Jonah slipped his arms around Chauncey and held him close as they watched the man storm out of the house and climb into his car. He didn’t speak until the car was well out of sight.

  “So, you’re staying?” he asked as he dropped his head and brushed a kiss against Chauncey’s neck.

  Chauncey turned in his embrace and snaked his arms around Jonah’s middle. “Yes, I’m staying. I love you, Jonah, though I don’t know anything about being a cowboy. I’m a furniture designer. I might have been a reluctant groom, but I’m completely happy being married to you.”

  Jonah’s cock expanded painfully fast as he looked into a pair of happy, chocolate-brown eyes. “I love you, too, husband of mine. And I’m overjoyed you’re going to stay with me. Let me show you the master bedroom,” Jonah said as he bent his knees and lifted Chauncey, then began to quickly head to the main staircase. As they passed Tilly, who had just closed the front door, he said, “We’ll be down for dinner, Tilly. Don’t bother us unless there’s death or fire.”

  “Yes, boss.” Tilly snickered as he headed back to the kitchen. “No bothering the newlyweds until dinnertime.”

  The End

  Find more books by Cooper McKenzie

  MAKING IT REAL

  Marie Medina

  Copyright © 2021

  Chapter One

  Marcus rolled over and reached toward the other side of the bed. His eyes snapped open when he found it empty and cold, but he calmed when he heard sounds in the bathroom. He sat up and rubbed his eyes just in time to see Alex coming back into the bedroom, already partially dressed. Marcus smiled. “Good morning.”

  “Morning,” Alex said without enthusiasm, pushing his blond hair out of his face. He sat on the bed and picked up his shoes.

  Marcus reached over and touched his hand. “Come back to bed. It’s Sunday.”

  “I have things I need to do,” Alex said without looking at him.

  Marcus slid over closer. “If that was your first one-night stand, don’t worry about it. There’s no need to run off. I plan on this lasting more than one night.” He slid his arm around Alex’s waist and drew him into a kiss.

  Alex kissed him back but pulled away all too quickly. “I have to go.” He stood up and finished buttoning his shirt.

  “Okay. I understand. But you have to leave me your phone number.”

  Alex glanced at him. “That’s probably not a great idea.”

  Marcus got out of bed, not caring he was still naked. “What’s wrong? You couldn’t get enough of me last night.”

  Alex’s gaze wandered over him, the lust in his bright blue eyes blatant. “It won’t last. There’s no point.”

  “Why not? Because I’m older than you?”

  “I have to go,” Alex said again.

  Marcus didn’t like having his question ignored. He pulled Alex back against him and then turned him around, pushing him to the wall and holding him there. “At least tell me why. We didn’t just hook up after a single dance or a two-minute conversation. We sat in that booth talking until last call, and when I moved in for a kiss, you practically wrapped yourself around me. I want more than the cold shoulder and you running out of here. I want to spend the rest of the day with you. If you have work or already had plans, I understand, but I have to see you again.”

  Alex pulled away. “I had a great time last night, but I didn’t realize who you were. Not until I got up last night to go to the bathroom.”

  “Who I am? What does it matter?”

  “You’re Marcus Stone.”

  “Yes, I am. That’s never counted against me before. You care to explain?”

  “I wasn’t snooping.”

  Marcus crossed his arms. “I don’t think I accused you of snooping. I asked you why it matters who I am. We’ve never met before.”

  Alex sat on the bed. “No, we haven’t, but I thought you looked familiar. When I got up last night, I saw the nameplate on your toiletry bag. M. Stone. Finally clicked where I’d seen you. I almost left right then, but I remembered you setting the alarm. I didn’t want to have to deal with that.”

  “You could’ve left without setting it off, though a chime would’ve gone off up here.” Marcus pulled on a pair of boxers and sat down beside him. “You still haven’t gotten to the part about why it matters.”

  “My full name’s Alexander … Zane. As in Zane Marketing and Communications.”

  “So Thomas is your father? And Louis is your brother?”

  “Yes.”

  “You think they’ll disapprove? Our negotiations have been civil.”

  Alex frowned at him. “You’re taking their company away from them.”

  “Their company is failing. I’m acquiring it. They’re taking demotions, yes, but they’re keeping their jobs. Even keeping the name on the building. It’s going to be much closer to a partnership than you’re thinking. I’ll be the boss, but I’m not cutting them out in any way.”

  Alex stood up. “You swooped in awful fast.”

  “I found out about their troubles from one of my newest clients. When I asked him why he was looking to bring his PR work to us, he said standards had fallen at Zane. He said other clients were leaving as well.” He studied Alex, still not understanding his attitude. “And it wasn’t that fast. We’ve been talking for a couple of months. Negotiations have only become serious the last two weeks. I’d hardly call that swooping in.”

  Alex drew out his cell phone. “I don’t want to see you again. I’m gonna get an Uber.”

  Marcus took the cell phone away from Alex. “Now that I know who you are, I also know you’re even younger than I thought, but could you try to have an adult conversation here? I’m sorry if you resent me, but I’m not the bad guy here. And I still want to see you again. If your family thinks I’m too old for you, that’s their problem.”

  “Please give me my phone.”

  “Stay for breakfast. I want to talk about this. You obviously only know the barest details about this deal. I’m going to help your family, not hurt them. They seem to like me. If your father or big brother get protective, I’ll deal with it.”

  Alex reached for his phone, and Marcus put it behind his back. “Please respond to something I’ve said. Anything. Yell at me if you want to. Just say something,” Marcus said.

  When Alex stayed silent and tried to grab his phone again, Marcus tossed it onto the comforter, which they’d kicked onto the floor last night. He rolled Alex beneath him and pinned him to the mattress.

  Alex’s breathing had quickened, yet he didn’t struggle. “Let me up,” he said softly.

  Marcus pressed against him. “Why? So I won’t feel how hard you’re getting? So I won’t hear your heart pounding?”

  Alex turned his head away. “It’s more complicated than you think. It’s a terrible idea.”

  “Why?”

  Alex squirmed. “Let me go. Please.”

  Marcus leaned in and kissed Alex’s neck. He’d discovered a very sensitive spot the night before, and Alex sighed at the contact. Marcus sucked on the tender flesh there and then raked his teeth over it. “I love the way you taste,” Marcus said, pressing his erection against Alex’s. “I want more than one night, baby.” He opened the top two buttons of Alex’s shirt and let his lips trail downward.

  “Bastard,” Alex said before turning his head and bringing their lips together.

  Marcus moaned as Alex kissed him hungrily, and he eased his grip when the younger man relaxed in his arms. They ground against each other, and Alex slid his hands down the back of Marcus’s boxers, cupping his ass and digging his nails in. Marcus drew back and flipped him over, pulling him up onto his hands and knees. Alex trembled as Marcus yanked his pants down and fingered him. Marcus shook with need as well as he applied a little lube and then slid a condom on. He ran the head of his cock over Alex’s hole.

  Alex lifted his ass more as he began stroking himself. “What are you waiting for?”

  Marcus fingered Alex’s hole again, making sure he was ready. “Giving you a chance to say no. You did just call me a bastard.”

  Alex rolled and kicked his shoes off and then slid his pants down the rest of the way. Once he’d fumbled out of them, he pulled Marcus down and pushed him to his back. The sudden aggression sent a new surge of lust through Marcus, and he enjoyed the show as Alex took over. Alex straddled Marcus’s stomach and stroked himself, and then he reached back and guided Marcus’s cock into him. They both made unintelligible sounds as they came together again.

  The slow, intense ride was even better than anything they’d done the night before, and seeing Alex ride him in the bright sunlight made Marcus ache. He wanted to remember this moment forever, and he wanted Alex to be at his side each time he did. The thought floored him and made him thrust up to meet Alex’s cute little ass as it bounced against him. Alex climaxed, crying out as his cum shot all over Marcus’s stomach.

  Marcus held Alex’s hips and ground into him, coming seconds later. Alex eased up enough for Marcus to slide out of him, and the younger man collapsed on Marcus’s chest. Alex clung to him, and Marcus decided not to push just yet. He’d sensed a desperate, searching hunger in Alex the night before, and he wanted to be the one to meet that need over and over again. Whatever Alex might be looking for, Marcus was going to try to be it. He stroked Alex’s hair and kissed his forehead, sighing when this made Alex cling to him even more.

  When Marcus awoke again an hour later, he was alone. He got to the window quickly enough to see Alex getting into a car outside. Alex didn’t look back up at the house, and Marcus watched the car disappear down the street. As he rubbed his eyes, he realized the chime from his alarm system must’ve woken him. He looked around, half hoping Alex had left something. He would find Alex no matter what, but he’d be able to feel more hopeful if Alex had at least left his number. He found a note in the bathroom, folded under the soap dish.

  You’re right. I could deal with the business part. I was trying to put you off by mentioning that. I know you’re giving my family a second chance, and I appreciate it. I’m sorry if I insulted you. The truth is my family has no idea I’m gay. I can’t be with someone they’ll be working so closely with. I’ll come out once I get my master’s degree next year, but for now, I have to be careful. I want to be a teacher, even though Dad wants me to follow in his footsteps. In his eyes, he’s already indulging me. If he finds out I’m gay, he may cut me off. I have an internship lined up, and if I cut back my hours or quit school, I’ll lose it. Please understand. If you’re still single May of next year, come to graduation. I’ll kiss you in front of all of them. But until then, please don’t try to contact me.

  Marcus stared at the note a long time. “May of next year? I don’t think so, baby.”

  ****

  Alex came in the back door and headed to his room. He was halfway up the stairs when Louis came dashing up after him.

  “You need to come to Dad’s office. Now,” Louis said, taking his arm and drawing him back down the stairs.