GENRE: Gay Western Erotic Romance
LENGTH: 2,926 words
RATING:

What does a lonely sheriff do when all his friends are no longer single?

Nicholas “Bulldog” McMurtry might prefer being footloose, but underneath it all, he longs for companionship in a way he can understand. When Russ Soames gives Bulldog a night to remember, the sheriff isn’t sure if his fancy-free notions are worth the loss of someone who could become special.

Note: This short story was originally published in the charity collection, Love Is Proud.

EXCERPT:
Note: may contain sexually explicit scenes of a homoerotic nature.

Not a minute after my shift was over, I was out the door with barely a farewell to the others as I practically ran to my truck and peeled out of the parking lot. When I made it to Russ’s apartment, the door was already open. I closed it behind me and took a deep breath before walking down the hallway to his bedroom like I hadn’t a care in the world, swagger and smirk in place as I announced my presence.

“You ready, cowboy?” I purred as I stopped at the bedroom door, heart pounding and trying to hide the effect this man seemed to have on me, without much effort. It had only been seven days, but the emotions I’d been experiencing were damn close to what I’d felt for my ex oh so long ago, and I wasn’t sure what to make of it.

Russ frowned. “What’s the matter?” he asked from where he sat on the bed, naked, propped up against the headboard with pillows behind his back and a leaky dick in his fist.

“Nothing,” I was quick to respond, quickly shucking my clothes and placing my gun holster and weapon carefully aside before leaping on the bed and straddling his lap. “Nothing you can’t fix, anyway,” I murmured and cupped his face in my hands to kiss him softly.

He let me do it for a minute or two before moving away. “What am I fixing?” he asked before quickly flipping us over so I was beneath him, his cock poking my hip and mine rapidly filling.

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, trying to pull him down into another soul-stealing kiss, but he resisted, pinning my hands to the bed.

“You use sex to hide from your feelings. I get that. Hell, I do it, too, when I have them. But if something’s bothering you, I’d like to know what it is. I want to help. We’re friends, too, you know.”

I turned my head away because I couldn’t bear Russ’s intense stare. “It’s stupid.”

“What’s stupid?” he asked softly, releasing one of my hands to grab my chin and get me to face him again. Those silvery-gray eyes of his were gentle. “Talk to me.”

“I like to sleep around, okay? I love it. No need to be pinned down to anyone, and I can do who I want, when I want. That’s been fine for years, but for some reason ... I know as soon as I say this, things will change between us, but I can’t help it. I’m drawn to you, and it reminds me of my ex many years ago and how he cheated on me over and over again. Why bother changing my ways now, right? But ...” And then I noticed Russ’s furrowed brow.

“Ah geez, I’m ruining this, aren’t I?” I pushed him off me and got up, finding my clothes and getting dressed as quickly as possible. “We’re supposed to be having fun and I’m turning into some needy chick ...” I grabbed the holster, secured my weapon, and backed out of the room. “I’m sorry, man. Thanks for a good time.”

I left, Russ’s voice saying something behind me but I was too wound up to listen. Shit, I was a fool. I was acting out of character like the sentimental dumbass I thought I’d left behind years ago. Why had seven days of really, really good sex with a hot guy suddenly turned my brain to mush?