Low Man in the Hole by Giselle

Chris rolled to his side and sighed. He'd expected the steady pounding of the rain on the roof of the boardinghouse to lull him to sleep hours ago. But he was wide awake, restless, on edge.

Frustrated, he threw the blankets back and climbed out of bed. Despite the inclement weather he had to get out of his small room or run the risk of blowing his brains out. With any luck, the saloon would still be open. A few stiff drinks and he wouldn't need to worry about any lulling.

Outside, the rain was heavy and the night was cold. Didn't matter, Chris thought, as he saw light spilling from the saloon's batwing doors. He'd be warm and dry enough in no time.

As he neared, a shriek of laughter caught his attention. He turned and was surprised to see a wet, naked Vin Tanner running down the middle of the street. Close on his heels was an equally wet, equally naked, Buck Wilmington.

Chris stepped off the boardwalk. "What in the hell is going on?" he shouted.

Vin stopped on a dime and Buck plowed into him, both of them tumbling into the mud. Laughing all the harder as they splashed down.

Buck took Chris's outstretched hand. "Just having us some fun, Chris," he said.

"Where are your clothes?" Chris asked.

Vin got up on his own. "Inside. Played strip poker with Ezra." He looked at Buck and smiled. "We lost."

Chris arched an eyebrow. "Just the three of you?"

"Hell, no," Buck said. "Got us some female players." He slapped Vin on the back and winked. "Real good players."

Vin nodded. "Them women that came in on the stage today? Fun bunch."

"So much fun you're out here horsing around with each other?" Chris asked.

"Man's got a point," Buck said. He grabbed Chris's arm. "Come one, ya gotta meet 'em."

"In a minute," Chris murmured, his eyes trained on Vin.

As Buck took off, Chris continued to study Vin. He kind of noticed the tracker pushing his wet hair from his face, sort of took in the mud splattering his arms. Mostly, he was caught by the big droplets of rain that cascaded down Vin's smooth belly and pooled in the tangle of curls at his groin.

"Yer starin'," Vin observed.

Chris dragged his eyes up and away to meet Vin's. "Sorry."

"Thought ya weren't interested in seein' me naked no more," Vin drawled.

"Never said that."

Vin snorted. "Ya never said nothin'. But I got a feeling."

Chris laced his fingers through Vin's wet hair and pulled him close for a tender kiss. He tasted Vin, tasted the rainwater, and forgot all the reasons he had for giving Vin that impression. He grabbed Vin's cock and tugged.

"You feel that?" Chris asked.

Vin swallowed hard. "Yeah."

"You done playing poker?"

Vin smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling with delight. "Might as well be. Ain't got nothin' else to lose."

"Makes two of us," Chris said and kissed him again.

Vin didn't sleep. He'd done enough drinking, running, and loving in the past couple of hours to wear him out for a week. The lamp oil had long since burned off, plunging the room into darkness. Still, he didn't sleep.

He was warm and dry now. Chris's breath on the back of his neck was pleasant, gently reassuring. But it had been Chris's cock that had thawed him out after his late-night frolic in the cold rain with Buck. He clenched his ass cheeks, the slight soreness reminding him of the fire that had roared through him, of Chris's wild, impassioned thrusts.

Vin had warmed from the inside out, rainwater evaporating only to be replaced by beads of sweat popping out on his chest, his brow, as his lover fucked him. In a frenzy, Chris had sucked ravenously on his tongue and lower lip. Hungrily tasted his nipples.

Didn't sleep immediately, either. Tender after-caresses had given way to heavier petting and then Chris was on the move.

"Again?" Vin had chuckled in his ear.

"Again" Chris had responded.

No time for a third go-around, with Chris asleep and the room lightening. Vin realized it had finally stopped raining. He slipped from Chris's embrace, padded quietly across the room.

"Think that's a good idea? Standing by my window naked?" Chris asked in a sleep-roughened voice.

"Come here," Vin said softly.

An even worse idea but Chris obeyed. Wrapped his arms around Vin's waist, pressed a kiss to his shoulder.

"Look," Vin said and pointed. A double rainbow arched gracefully across the sky at the edge of town. "Pretty, ain't it?"

Chris's eyes swept over Vin's strong profile. Drank in the long lashes and whiskered jaw. Lips reddened and swollen still from his kisses. "Beautiful," he murmured.

THE END