Clouds and Rain

an excuse to visit the neighboring ranch, and Grant was usually with him. It started out with the two of them visiting the growing colts, but they‟d invariably end up talking business, and eventually it went so far that Hunter included Gable in his mass purchases of extra hay and oats so that Gable could benefit from the better prices Hunter could negotiate because of the sheer quantity he bought.
    For Gable it was nice to have a friend again. It wasn‟t until Hunter and Grant ended up staying for dinner one night that he realized how much he‟d missed just spending time with friends.
    “This was fun,” Flynn said while they were clearing up the living room after the other two guys had left. “You‟re okay with Grant now, aren‟t you?”
    Gable smiled pensively. “You know, I think I like him better now than when he still lived here. Back then we sort of tolerated each other, but now—”
    “There‟s no need to apologize, Gabe. I can see it‟s just friendship.”
    Gable raised an eyebrow. “I‟m not apologizing. I just now realized I actually like Grant, but he‟s not the same Grant I used to know.”
    “He‟s changed that much?” Flynn sat on the couch and pulled Gable down next to him, which forced Gable to put down the last plate he wanted to take to the kitchen.
    “I lusted after him, but I didn‟t love him.”
    “You told me that before.”

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    Clouds and Rain

    “I didn‟t even like him, Flynn.”
    “But you needed him then?”
    Gable nodded regretfully. “I‟m afraid so.”
    “We all did things for the wrong reasons, I‟m sure,” Flynn said philosophically. “I didn‟t fall in love with you at first glance either, you know.”
    “You didn‟t?” Gable quipped. “You mean my irresistible charm didn‟t win you over within the first week?” Flynn smiled lopsidedly. “No, the fact you were a challenge was a much stronger attraction. I guess it‟s true, I like the chase.” Gable put his arm around Flynn‟s shoulders and pulled him until their lips were close enough together to kiss. He lingered, though, not bridging the final half-inch. “I‟m glad you were persistent enough, because if it were up to me, I‟d have let you go after six weeks and then we wouldn‟t have had this.”
    “You like this then?” Flynn asked teasingly as he let his lips ghost over Gable‟s.
    Gable rested his forehead against Flynn‟s. “I can‟t imagine life without you anymore.”
    “Good, because I have no intention of living without you either.” Flynn snuggled closer and pulled his knees up so he could rest his legs over Gable‟s.
    “You think Hunter and Grant have this?” Gable asked.
    “You mean the cuddling and the lovey-dovey stuff?” Flynn chuckled.
    “Grant doesn‟t seem the type.”
    “Neither does Hunter, if you ask me,” Flynn agreed.
    “Maybe that‟s changed about Grant too?”
    “I‟m sure they have a lot of crazy monkey sex,” Flynn said matter-of-factly.
    Gable almost choked. “Crazy monkey…?”
    “You know. Fucking. Hard and frantic. In and out. Quick and dirty. They like exotic places too, like your hayloft.” 211

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    “That‟s out of necessity, I‟m sure. I bet they have this too,” Gable said, caressing the sparse hair growth on Flynn‟s chin before tenderly kissing his lover.
    “Mmmh, I bet they do. In the privacy of their own room. I bet it‟s hard to have crazy monkey sex with a bunch of sisters in the room next door and a mother down the hall.”
    “I bet it is,” Gable agreed, kissing Flynn some more. By then he had his hand underneath Flynn‟s sweater and was caressing Flynn‟s tight stomach.
    “They deserve a house of their own. I bet Hunter‟s a real screamer when he‟s being thoroughly fucked and you can only really let it out when there‟s nobody listening.” Gable pulled back to look Flynn in the eye. “You have some wild imagination, kid.”
    “Don‟t tell me you‟ve never wondered about what those two would look like together?”
    “I try not to think about that,” Gable admitted.
    “I do. Ever since I caught them in your hayloft.”
    “Our loft,” Gable amended.
    Flynn just smiled. “So we‟re going to help them build their house?”
    “It‟s the least we can do,” Gable agreed. “Thanks to Hunter I didn‟t go bankrupt, and he does seem to have a good influence on Grant.”
    “Admit you like Grant.”
    Gable eyed Flynn suspiciously.
    “You know I don‟t mind.”
    Letting out a big