"Spend the night with me," Travis breathed the words between them, barely recognizing his own voice. "Come back to my house. Stay with me tonight." Travis felt as though he'd carved his own chest open, seared straight down the middle, leaving himself entirely too vulnerable.

"Your place?" Gage asked, appearing as though he were regaining control of his mental faculties.

"Yes." Travis was laying himself completely bare for this man, and he knew Gage could easily tell him to fuck off and get the hell out. At least if he did, he'd know where he stood with him. Right here, right now, Travis needed to know. He wasn't interested in a one night stand, but they'd already surpassed that milestone already, hadn't they.

"Why your place? I've got a perfectly acceptable bed here," Gage said, pointing toward the ceiling as though he were directing Travis to where his bed actually was.

"Because I want you at my house." Ok, so now Travis was about to start hyperventilating. He was praying Gage wouldn't reject him, but had a feeling that's exactly what was about to happen.

"What about Kylie?" Gage asked. "What will she think?"

As though Gage had doused him with ice water, Travis acknowledged that his lover was dancing around the subject.

His lover.

God, he'd never even referred to anyone in that context before, and... well, it felt damn good.

"We have nothing to hide from her," Travis explained, ready to bolt because he wasn't sure he could listen to any more excuses. He wanted to be with Gage, alone. The two of them establishing that bond that he and Kylie had already, the same one Gage and Kylie had built.

Putting his hand on Gage's chest, he gently pushed him back so he could step away from the wall. He turned his back on Gage, but continued, "I want to be with you. And tonight I want to be with just you." Turning to face him once more, Travis went on, "I won't lie. I want you both. I've loved her damn near all of my adult life, but what's happening between you and me is..." He paused because he didn't know how to explain it. "With her or without her, I still want you."

Gage stared at him from just a few feet away, one hand thrust in his hair as though he was having an internal battle with himself.

"Will you tell her about us?" Gage questioned.

"Yes," Travis admitted.

Hell, he'd call her right now if that would make Gage happy because Travis knew what Kylie's reaction would be. Even if she said she didn't, she understood the dynamic, knew how things happened. There'd been no questions when Travis walked in on her and Gage in her bed making love without him. The same could be said when she had made love to him in the same bed Gage was sleeping in after the three of them had been together.

"Fuck," Travis exhaled as he took a step closer. He leaned down and picked up his hat before propping it on his head once more. "Like I said, I'm not playing games here. Either you're all in or you're not. As for me, I'm all in, Gage. More than I've ever been in my entire life."

Realizing this wasn't going to go the way he hoped, Travis needed to retreat before he lost it. Hurt and anger started boiling in his gut, and he'd never been the type to handle either emotion well. As he turned on Gage once more and headed toward the front door, he fully expected to be able to escape without another word, but Gage's comment pulled him up short.

"I'm all in."

Travis stopped mid step, but he didn't turn around. Closing his eyes, he sucked in a breath, held it, and waited. Long seconds ticked by as they stood in the dimly lit room, neither of them saying a word. Travis was trying to come up with something more to say, but he felt as though he'd bled himself dry. He had shared more with Gage tonight than anyone else, and he needed some reassurance. He refused to beg.

Just when he thought there were no more words to be said, Gage spoke up once more. "I'll follow you to your house."

Like a horse at full gallop, Travis' heart kick started in his chest, and he opened his eyes releasing the breath he had been holding. Lifting his eyes skyward, Travis sent up a silent thank you before he nodded and continued to the door.

Chapter Thirty Nine.

Gage waited until the front door closed behind Travis before he breathed. His cock was a fucking steel rod behind the zipper of his jeans and his chest felt as though his heart had swelled to ten times its original size.

Had they seriously just had that conversation? Granted, the words were spoken more in the native language of men who shared remarkably little, but in those few words, Gage realized they'd practically made a commitment to one another. He was tempted to pinch himself, see if he was dreaming. He didn't though because if he was, Gage did not want to wake up.

He took the stairs two at a time, figuring if it was a dream, he was damn sure going to let it run its course. Once upstairs, he grabbed his duffel and the clean clothes Kylie had washed for him just that morning in the brand new washer and dryer provided by Lorrie and Curtis.

Once he tossed what he needed inside, he zipped it and slung it over his shoulder before returning the way he came. In the living room, he retrieved his dead cell phone before he snatched his keys off of the decorative ledge that separated the room from the dining room. With another deep breath, he was heading out the door.

Fifteen minutes later, Gage pulled up to Travis' house, parking his truck beside the big Chevy with the dented front end and staring at the house, the structure looming in the shadowy twilight slowly descending across the horizon. The outside of the house was just as Gage had seen many times before. Because all of the brothers lived in separate structures on the ranch, Gage had passed them a time or twenty on his way to and from Kaleb's over the years. He'd never been inside of Travis' house though. Never expected to be invited either.

Was it normal for him to be this calm? Maybe this was a dream because Gage expected to be overcome with nerves, but he wasn't. His only concern was whether Travis had had time to change his mind between Gage's house and here. His stomach clenched, and his chest tightened, but he was more anxious than nervous. Excitement dripped in his veins.

Gage forced himself out of his truck. Once he made it up the steps, he rapped his knuckles on the door, figuring it was now or never. Either he'd walk inside, or he'd wake up.

Please don't let this be a dream. Please don't let this be a...

The door opened and Gage could've sworn there was relief in Travis' eyes when their gazes met, but the emotion disappeared. He expected cold indifference, but that wasn't there either. A simple head nod was the only invitation he received, so Gage moved forward.

"Want something to drink?" Travis asked as he headed through the small entry way and into what appeared to be the kitchen off to the right.

"Beer if you've got it," he answered, noticing how his voice echoed in the rather open space.

Gage followed slowly, mentally documenting his surroundings, taking in the minimal decor and the lack of anything personal. Not on the walls, not on the counters. Hell, a furniture store had more personality than this place. Stepping into the bright white kitchen with its stainless steel appliances and gray and white granite countertops, Gage wondered whether Travis actually lived here or if he just slept here from time to time.

It seemed so... sterile.

The temperature in the room was comfortable, yet the space seemed entirely cold. The countertops were free of any clutter. Not a single cooking utensil or jar suggesting the man had ever cooked there. By the looks of it, the stove was brand new, and Gage knew for a fact that Travis had lived in the house for many years.

"You live here, right?"

Travis frowned at him as he flipped off the bottle cap with a bottle opener that doubled as a magnet. Well, if nothing else, the refrigerator was being used.

"When I'm here I do," Travis answered, opening his own beer and then handing one over to Gage.

"Do you ever use the kitchen?" Gage asked as he brought the beer to his lips, staring down the amber bottle at Travis.

"Rarely. But feel free to cook anything you want. As long as you make enough for both of us." There was a mischievous smile that tipped Travis' lips before he turned and left the kitchen.

"Come on," Travis nodded his head toward the other room and Gage found himself following at a leisurely pace. With Travis, it was quite possible that they were going to get right down to business, and Gage wasn't sure he was ready for that just yet.

Then again, watching Travis' powerful form move with such masculine agility and animalistic ease was a turn on if there ever was one. Six-foot-five-inches of sexy, potent male, padded with vigorous muscle and virile competence wasn't easy to resist, no matter who you were.

Travis ended up moving to the single leather couch sitting in the center of the living room, facing an enormous flat panel television mounted on the wall. Gage eyed the thing as he lowered himself to the couch beside Travis.

"Man, how fucking old are you?" Gage asked as he tried not to snort beer out through his nose. There on the screen was the QVC channel and he couldn't even attempt to identify what "As Seen on TV" product the two older ladies were boasting about.

"Shut the hell up," Travis laughed. "I just turned the damn thing on when you knocked on the door."

"Right. Is this what I have to look forward to? Finding you on the couch in the middle of the night watching the shopping network? Are we gonna get on a first name basis with the UPS guy?"

Shit! Shit. Fuck. Damn.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Gage realized exactly what he had insinuated.

"Put the beer down," Travis demanded, his face a stony mask, his blue eyes glittering by the light of the television.

Gage set the beer on the coffee table, and the moment it was resting firmly, he was flat on his back, and Travis was on top of him. Travis announced his intention with a familiar growl and Gage accepted his weight as he pushed him deeper into the cushion, the ridge of his erection pressing against his thigh. Without hesitation, Gage slid his hands into silky, dark hair, holding Travis back slightly so that their mouths hovered close together but didn't quite touch.

He was tempted to control how fast or how slow they would take this, but the look in Travis' eyes told him he didn't stand a chance. Gage was going to give in, he was going to enjoy the hell out of it, and the glorious part of it all, he couldn't fucking wait.

With their eyes locked, Gage lifted his head until their noses brushed, his tongue slipping between the smooth contours of Travis' lips ever so slowly. He tasted of beer and lust and power, a heady mix that went straight to Gage's head. Pulling him closer, Gage made sure their bodies touched from chest to knee although neither of them was entirely on the couch, their bodies much too large.

The kiss was a blast of urgency and passion that had been locked behind steel doors for much too long. The flex of Travis' powerful frame sent shards of electricity humming beneath his skin everywhere they touched. They were separated by too many clothes, but Gage wasn't in a hurry. He was banking on memorizing every detail of this encounter to last him.

When Travis' hand slid down the front of his chest, pulling his t-shirt from the waistband of his jeans, Gage sucked in a sharp breath, ready to feel the warmth of Travis' fingers against his bare skin. Despite his need to take things slowly, patience was scarce in their desire to be closer to one another, hands roaming, working diligently to free them of their shirts. As soon as they were both bare chested, their bodies realigning, Gage was moaning into Travis' mouth, desperate to get even closer.

Their tongues dueled as Travis angled Gage's head so that he could explore deeper. The temperature in the room soared as their body heat generated a combustible energy between them.

"Fuck," Travis groaned as he pulled back. The intensity in his eyes sent a rush of lust straight to Gage's groin and he shifted, grinding his hips upward against the solid column of Travis' thigh.

Gage sucked in air. "Too. Many. Clothes."

A wicked sexy grin tipped the edges of Travis' kiss-swollen lips and Gage answered with one of his own.

"Come on," Travis rasped, pushing himself up off of the couch and waiting for Gage to stand. "Not enough room for us here."

That was an understatement. Gage wasn't sure there'd be enough room in the whole damn house for what he wanted from Travis. Rather than hash out ideas in his head, Gage fell into step behind him as they moved through the living room and down a short, dark hallway.

Travis' bedroom wasn't anything like what Gage expected, although how he had any preconceived notions he had no idea. The room was just as barren as the rest of the house, but the bed was big enough to hold at least four people comfortably. He thought of Kylie and imagined her spread eagle on the bed, naked and gorgeous, ready for them both.

An electrical current of desire snaked through him making his cock throb. As much as he wished she were there, Gage wasn't willing to let this be about anyone other than the two of them. He needed Travis. Needed to give in to this palpable energy that sparked between them.

He observed the room some more but ended up once again taking in the bed, topped with a bulky, black, microfiber comforter and black silk covered pillows. This was where Travis got down to business. Definitely no problems holding the two of them.

"I've never brought anyone to my bed," Travis whispered the words, answering as though he'd read Gage's mind.

The thought of no one else having ever been with Travis here had an extremely satisfying effect on Gage's ego. And that strange possessive instinct he'd been battling lately.

"No one. Until you." Travis said the words, but he said more with his eyes than anything. Gage understood the meaning. This hadn't happened before, and if Gage was lucky, he'd be the only male ever to be in this bed with Travis.

"Clothes off," Travis stated firmly with all of that powerful energy now focused solely on Gage.

Rather than removing his own, Gage moved forward, reaching for Travis' belt buckle and making quick work of releasing the solid metal and moving on to the button and zipper of his jeans. Within seconds, he had Travis' cock freed, his hand stroking slowly over the smooth, heavily veined length.

Travis groaned and dropped his head back on his shoulders, his hips thrusting forward, his cock spearing against Gage's palm. "I've waited to feel your hands on me again. God, yes."

In his haste, Gage somehow managed to maneuver them toward the bed, stopping only when the back of Travis' knees hit the mattress. He didn't stop stroking him, but he slowed his pace, not willing to let this go too far too fast. "Lie down." His words were clipped and laced with a frenzied craving, belying his need to go slow.

Travis tilted his head slightly to the side before lowering himself to the bed, as though accepting for now that Gage was the one in control. Gage squeezed his hand around Travis' cock until the man was fully prone, bronze skin glowing against the deep ebony beneath it, his body vibrating as he continued to pump his hips. Once he was laid out before him, Gage allowed Travis to toe off his boots awkwardly before he rid him of his jeans, exposing even more hard planes and angles.

Once Travis was naked and sprawled on the bed, Gage took his time admiring the man's perfect body. Gripping Travis' erection firmly, Gage toed off his own boots, refusing to relinquish his hold on Travis because the smooth, steely length of him felt too good.

"Fuck," Travis groaned. "Don't ever fucking stop."

Gage grinned, working to free himself of his jeans at the same time he stroked the velvet length of Travis' beautiful cock, watching him writhe and moan before him. He was a sight to see, his chest heaving, his washboard abs tightening, the corded muscles in his neck straining as he fought the pleasure. Without warning, Gage leaned forward, slowly licking the thick vein on the underside of Travis' cock with the flat of his tongue, reveling in the way his strong body came up off the bed.

Rough hands latched onto his hair, pulling him in closer as Gage sucked the swollen head between his lips.

"Sonuva...," Travis moaned. "Mother fucking hell. Goddamn, it feels so good."

Travis' vulgar words spurred Gage on. As he sucked Travis fully into his mouth, he watched him up the length of his impressive chest, gripping his thighs as he stood beside the bed, slowly lowering his mouth over him, taking him as deep as he could until Travis was panting. Holding him firmly, Gage didn't allow Travis to thrust upward, and his neck muscles screamed as he fought the pull of Travis' hands in his hair.

He was not relinquishing control just yet.

"Goddammit!" Travis cried out. "Not yet. Fuck. Not until I'm inside you. Shit."

Travis jack knifed up on the bed, forcing Gage to release him from his mouth at the same time he was being pulled down on top of him. A tangle of arms and legs, their bodies melded together and the heat intensified as flesh met flesh. Taut, sweaty skin slid over him as Travis flipped them so that he was hovering above him.

"Don't make me wait. You're fucking killing me," Travis groaned.

Gage echoed Travis' sentiment exactly.

No more waiting.

When Gage had his lips wrapped around Travis' cock, it took everything in him not to force his cock deeper, press the engorged head against the back of his throat, to hold Gage to him as he controlled the pace until his orgasm was ripped from him. How he managed to hold off, was beyond him.

Gage was a temptation Travis found he couldn't resist. His touch, his taste, hell his fucking scent was driving him mad, and he needed to be inside of him. Right fucking now. With Gage beneath him, Travis brushed his thumb over Gage's lower lip as their gazes collided, locked. When Gage sucked his thumb into his mouth and bit down hard enough to have him jerking above him, Travis knew he couldn't wait any longer.

Whatever patience he'd managed to scrounge up over the last few days flew right out the window. Best of all, he wasn't sad to see them leave.

Pulling away, he crawled to the edge of the bed, retrieving a box of condoms from his drawer and a bottle of lube. The damn condoms were testing his patience as he fought to retrieve one of the foil packets. Wasting precious time tearing the box wide open, he managed to get his hands to steady, taking one out and tossing the rest on the floor.

When he turned back to Gage, the man was smiling.

"A little impatient, are you?" Gage asked in that gritty tone that told Travis he was barely restraining his own need.

"You have no idea," Travis mumbled, ripping the foil open with his teeth.

Before he could roll the condom over his hypersensitive cock, Gage grabbed the latex from his hands and proceeded to do the honors. Travis was pretty sure he'd need dental work when this was over for as much as he was grinding his teeth together. The warmth of Gage's callused fingers against his skin was going to make his head explode. And he got the feeling Gage knew exactly what he was doing.

Once he was sheathed, Travis flipped open the bottle of lube, coating his cock as he stroked with a firm, almost painful grip. It was that or come right there in his fucking hand.

Gage shifted, getting ready to turn over, but Travis stopped him. "No," he demanded. "I want you looking at me. That way you know exactly who is taking you."