Slowly but surely I was getting through to Ezra. I was peeling away those prickly layers, one by one and showing him how much fun making love could be. We hadn't gone much further since the day at Swan's pond. He was still a little unsure and I wouldn't hurry for fear of hurting him. I had the feeling that he expected pain and I wanted to show him different.

We'd been busy with rustlers and a supposed Commanchero uprising but luckily it wasn't. Ezra and I were on opposite shifts and had been for almost two weeks while the good weather made way for a cold, wet autumn. No more skinny dipping for us this year. I worked days while he worked nights so a few hurried kisses and soft caresses were the sum total of our loving.

I was fraying at the seams and he was real quiet with a kind of haunted look in his eyes. We both needed more and all-seeing-Chris was the one who got it for us. Judge Travis asked someone to bring one of the rustlers to Santa Fe and the territorial court there. Chris chose Ezra and me to take Jeb Hanger on the train from Sarney to the big city. Ezra perked right up and started packing.

Chris and Vin rode in with us so they could take the wagon back with Mrs. Potter's supplies. My old friend told me quietly to take a couple of extra days once we'd dropped off the prisoner and just enjoy the bright lights. I thanked him from the bottom of my heart. It was just what Ezra and I needed, some time alone among strangers. The only bright light I planned on seeing was the love-light in a pair of green eyes.

We shared the mail car with a talkative porter who had a hundred stories. I kept watch up front while Ezra took the rear entrance of the car. Jeb stayed manacled and we turned him over to Sheriff Holliday and his deputy at the train station. Judge Travis met the train, too and told us we had reservations at the Grand Hotel. Ezra nodded with satisfaction and I breathed a sigh of relief.

It sounded like a nice place. He apologized that they only had a single room because of some political convention that was taking place. That made it even better and Ezra put up a perfunctory complaint before graciously accepting the accommodations. I could see the excitement in his gaze and I could sure feel it myself. I needed him bad.

We shared the carriage with Judge Travis who invited us to dinner at the hotel at eight. He hinted that the poker game in the back rooms of the Grand could be quite exciting. Ezra dimpled and said that it had been a while since he'd had a good game. The Judge looked very satisfied at that statement and I had the feeling that he had something planned.

It looked like we'd be playing poker tonight and if that was the case, I was definitely going to get in some lucky lovemaking before we left the room. We signed in at the front desk and got our key to the top floor room. A porter carried up our bags and Ezra approved the adjoining bathroom with a heartfelt smile. I tipped the boy and sent him on his way, locking the door and prowling over to the man I loved.

His coat was already off and hung up in the armoire when I slid my arms around him. He hummed and turned into me, raising his face to mine for our second kiss of the day. This one was definitely worth waiting for, long and lush with plenty of tongue back and forth. I could feel us hardening at a quick rate and I slid my hands up and down his back, wishing for skin instead of linen.

"Buck, I believe that a bath would help to wash away the travel stains. Would you care to join me?" He dimpled up at me and I chuckled at his seemingly innocent look.

"That would be nice, Ezra, it would save water, wouldn't it?" I could be just as innocent.

"Indeed, yes, that would be the prudent thing to do." His fingers slowly but surely slid my buttons out of their holes until my chest was bared to his stroking touch.

I wasn't far behind in getting him out of his clothes but he insisted on hanging everything up before I could entice him into the tiled room with the big porcelain tub. I started the water and marveled at the almost instant hot water that steamed out of the faucet. A hand with some soap came around me and I felt Ezra's heat all along my back.

"I think we'll need this, Buck." He licked that spot under my right shoulder blade that made me shiver. "Are you cold, love?"

That innocent question made me turn to gather him into my arms. "Hot, darlin', I'm feeling a little hot. You think the bath will cool me down?"

He gently kissed the nipple over my heart. "I'm feeling a little warm also. Perhaps we can help each other out."

I chuckled and turned back in time to keep the water from getting too deep. The tub was big and wide, holding the pair of us quite nicely. I got in first and Ezra slid in on top of me, lying on my chest while I scooped up water to cover his back. We slowly kissed while our hands smoothed soap everywhere. I tickled his crease and his legs fell to either side of my hips, giving me permission to continue.

He'd taken two fingers so far and enjoyed the heat that flushed through his body. I teased him with a too light touch and he wiggled all over, our cocks dueling for space between us. We were both hard by the time we finished rinsing off and we took our time toweling each other dry before heading back into the bedroom and the nice big bed that was waiting for us.

The sheets were cool against my skin but soon heated up while we rolled back and forth in mock grappling. I ended up with him on top of me, kissing my throat down to the hollow that always turned him to fire but just felt nice to me. Before heading into the bathroom, I'd put the bottle of liniment on the side table. So now, all I had to do was reach a long arm for it.

Ezra paused when he saw what I had in my hand. He looked a little unsure but when I pouted, he smiled and took it from me. Warming some in his hands, he watched me roll over and come up on all fours. "You're sure, Buck?"

Looking over my shoulder, I saw him hesitate. "I'm real sure, Ezra. I want all of you inside of me before we go to dinner. Make me the luckiest man in the world."

He dimpled a little at that statement. "Then relax for me, Buck."

I took two fingers easily, those long elegant fingers of his stretching me slowly but surely. His other hand was sketching too light touches to my rock hard cock and I was already demanding more when I felt him add a third finger. That burned a little but I didn't care, encouraging him with a panting moan for more. He chuckled but made sure that I'd relaxed completely before pulling out his fingers.

Risking another look back over my shoulder, I saw him smoothing liniment over himself. "Ezra, I need you now. Right now, please."

Nodding, he guided that beautiful cock of his to my entrance and I turned my head away so I could concentrate on how it felt. His crown pushed gently against my hole and I felt it spasm a little at having to take in something so big. But he kept pushing, his hands tight on my hips and suddenly he was in me. Pausing, he gave me time to get used to that warm solid bulk.

He was definitely thicker than I was and my eyes watered a little at the burning that radiated into my lower back. When the pain subsided a bit, I flexed around him and heard his exclamation of surprise. Grinning, I looked over my shoulder again. "Move, Ezra, I want to feel you so deep inside of me that I'll have trouble sitting down at the poker table."

His sexy smile bloomed and he thrust in with more confidence than he'd shown before. "That's a rather nice picture, Buck." His balls hit my ass and it felt like his cock was going to come out of my stomach. "While I'm dealing cards, I'll picture you just like this." He pulled almost all the way out before pushing back in and hitting that gland that felt so good. "Ah, I see my aim is on target."

"Any more on target and I'll come right now. More, Ezra." I was panting a little at the fire that spread slowly thorough out my body. "Maybe one of these days, we can play a game of strip poker."

"Indeed," he quickened his pace and the sound of his little moan when he was deep inside of me echoed with mine. "Perhaps we could have a side bet for tonight's game? Say the winner of the most hands gets to suck the other off?"

"Good idea ... oh there, love ... right there." I was going out of my tiny little mind. "How about a blow job under the table while the next game is going on?"

He jerked inside of me and came hard. The gush of blood-hot liquid seemed to rush all the way up to my heart and I began to spurt onto the sheets in reaction. Ezra's little sigh and the weight of his body against my back told me that he'd maybe passed out again. He'd done that once before when I'd sucked him after a very long session of teasing. It was a compliment and I took it as such even though my arms were beginning to tremble.

But he was already stirring and I felt him kiss that hot spot again on my back. "Beloved Buck, I have never felt anything like your heat. And how very naughty that suggestion was, you exhibitionist. Are you all right?"

I hated that note of diffidence that crept in now and then. "Any more all right, love, and I'd be face down and passed out. Your aim was perfect and I want you to stay inside of me as long as you can."

He chuckled. "You were right about this. It does feel wonderful and now I want you to show me how it feels from the other side."

I gingerly slid down to give my arms a rest and he followed me down but rolled us to our sides so I could breathe. I pulled his arms tighter around me and brought his right hand up to my lips. "We have all the time in the world, Ezra. Before we leave here, I'll do my best to return the favor."

"Your best will be wonderful, I know." He said between licks to my neck that made me shiver. "Perhaps we will win a sizable nest egg for our future tonight and you can bring me back here so we can celebrate our winnings."

"Sounds good, Ez'. What would we do with a big jackpot?" I could feel him beginning to slide from me and I hoped to distract him in case there was any blood. It had been a very long time for me since I usually fucked rather than got fucked.

"Relax, Buck, so I don't hurt you now." Ezra saw right through me and I clenched around him in vain. I felt his hand catch the trickles with the edge of the sheet.

"I'm fine, Ezra." I reassured him and turned to catch his nod. "But this bed needs new sheets."

He leaned in and kissed me gently before pulling away to look at me. "I love you, Buck. I never thought to say that to anybody. I've already won the biggest jackpot of my life."

I had to blink back tears at that simple statement. Nobody had ever compared me to riches and for thrifty Ezra to say that meant the world to me. I drew him back down for another kiss, this time with more passion to try and show him how much that meant to me. He uses words while I use my body to say the really important things. Somehow we manage to understand each other.

Finally we broke apart to clean each other up. Getting dressed took some time since we 'helped' each other with kisses and caresses that almost sent us back to bed. But we both wanted to explore the town a little and Ezra wanted to walk to a bookstore he'd seen on the ride in. So we headed out to see Santa Fe. Every aching step reminded me that Ezra had been deep inside of me and I could feel myself strutting a little with pride.

Ezra noticed of course, he always does and his satisfied smile made me want to kiss him right there in the middle of the busy boardwalk. But we were at the bookstore and I followed his trim figure into the narrow shop that was filled with books both old and new. The bookseller was a little old man with a big smile who welcomed us with a cheery greeting.

"Gentlemen, welcome to Treasures. Are you looking for something in particular or would you just like to browse?"

"Do you have any books with Shakespeare's sonnets?" My lover asked him and they were off down the narrow aisle to a section that I could see held really thick books.

I wandered around a little, kind of out of my depth. I felt like Vin must feel when confronted with something with a lot of words and no pictures to give you an idea what they say. I could read and write, my mother had made sure of that but when I had some spare time, I preferred to whittle or carve.

"What a lovely edition of Donne's works." Ezra's voice drew me back towards the poetry section. He was holding a leather bound volume all in crimson with gold edges to the pages. It was real rich looking like a Bible that I saw once in a big church in Philadelphia. But even more beautiful were Ezra's hands caressing the soft leather.

He had long elegant fingers without the calluses that the rest of us had. They were pale with trimmed nails that always looked polished as if he didn't do any real work. But he did and I loved rubbing them after he'd done something strenuous, kneading the sore muscles until they were relaxed and limp. They were just a part of the beautiful man but one of my favorites none the less.

"Our two souls therefore, which are one,
Though I must go, endure not yet
A breach, but an expansion like gold to airy thinness beat.
If they be two, they are two so
As stiff twin compasses are two,
Thy soul the fixed foot makes no show
To move, but doth if the other do."

He took another breath and looked up at me with those green eyes that mesmerize me.

"And thought it in the center sit,
Yet when the other far doth roam,
It leans and harkens after it,
And grows erect as that comes home.
Such wilt thou be to me, who must
Like the other foot, obliquely run.
Thy firmness makes my circle just,
And makes me end where I begun."

His soft voice filled the shop with the rich language and I fell in love all over again even though I wasn't quite sure of all the words. The meaning was clear as day. Whoever this Donne was, he'd been in love, deeply in love with the most wonderful person in his world. Just like I loved Ezra and just like he loved me in return.

He handed the book back to the bookseller with a request to hold it for him until the next day. I knew what he was thinking. If we won enough to splurge a little, he'd come back and buy it. And I'd be right there with him. Maybe there were a few more poems like that one that he could read to me.

I was looking forward to the poker game now, even more than before. Some hard cash would be nice but even better would be the celebration we had afterwards. I was betting that he knew more of that poetry and maybe I could coax him to recite some for me before we went back to bed. That would make this perfect day even better.

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The end for now