Chapter 2
Maybe Jack didn’t go to the diner for lunch but he rarely failed to show up for morning coffee like most everyone else in town. Glen’s Diner, an Apishipa Creek landmark for over forty years, held what could nearly be considered as town meetings every day. It was always packed and the gossip flew.
Not that Jack involved himself in it. He didn’t like “telling tales out of school” but he was an elected official and it was good to keep a close tie to the people who reelected him time and time again. Besides, he always kept his ear out for trouble whether it was happening right then or could be in the future.
As he walked in that Monday, three days after he had stopped the arrogant biker, everyone greeted him warmly and loudly. He took handshakes from many and gave friendly nods to the rest before taking his usual seat at the center table with his closest buddies. Carl Quintana, Lonnie Lane, and Harvey Jones. Deb Buchanan, the waitress who covered the center tables, came right over with his cup to pour his coffee.
“How you doin’ Sheriff?” She asked while she poured and Jack gave his public smile, flashing all his straight white teeth.
“Fine, fine. How are these animals treating you?” Deb smiled and looked out over the crowd exhaling loudly.
“Sheriff they are good people but damned if I understand while they like this motor oil Glenn considers coffee.”
Deb was a sweet girl who never spoke ill of anyone and Jack and everyone liked her immensely. Her life hadn’t been easy with two divorces before she was twenty but she never let on about her personal hardships. A pretty thing too, but na?ve, the town had silently vowed to look after her and anyone coming on to her had to pass rigid scrutiny.
Jack chuckled and took a sip of the strong coffee before nodding. “You are right Deb. This is terrible.”
She shrugged, walked off and his tablemates went back to their former conversation trying to pull Jack in.
“The way to do it would be to send people out on four wheelers. Those trails cover most of the valley and you can see a lot of houses up and down the hills,” Carl said while smacking the table with his fist.
Jack took another sip and grimaced before he asked, “What’s the topic of the day?”
Lonnie seemed sheepish when he answered, “Well sheriff, nothing against you at all. You are a good lawman and all but being so spread out as the homes are and all we are just worried about our families. That’s all.”
Jack’s brows creased together and he chuckled. “All right, I appreciate the vote of confidence but you still haven’t said what you guys are talking about.”
Still not looking him in the eye Lonnie stuttered out, “We are thinking of getting a crime watch going. St. Martin’s getting so much more crime and all…and…and the city people coming through more and more and all…well…well sheriff we just need a few more eyes out there is all.”
Lonnie was the youngest of the men who Jack sat with and Jack’s shadow, following Jack around when he could and always stopping in the station to visit. Jack had a good idea he wanted his uncle’s spot as deputy when Dennis retired but was just too shy to ask. He was young and foolish at times about things but being Jack’s best friend’s nephew had given Jack the opportunity to watch the kid blossom into a man. At only 23 he had a lot of maturing to do but as far as looks went he was fully matured and beautiful with the long black hair and tanned skin of his Native American descent, Everyone wished he would finally ask Deb out but he was too shy. Jack gave him a reassuring smile and said, “I think it’s a great idea. Dennis and I can’t be everywhere.”
Looking like Jack had just told him he was the King of England Lonnie smiled wide. “That’s what we thought!”
Harvey laughed. “Lonnie about shit his pants!” After they all laughed and Lonnie turned bright red Harvey sobered and continued, “Yeah Jack with some new people coming in and that ski resort in the next county expanding some people are afraid we might catch some of that crime. It may even be time for the town council to let you hire another deputy or two.”
Jack wasn’t really worried. The town may have homes spread throughout the hills, some as far out as ten miles into the mountains, but they all knew how to look out for their own and not one of the homes were without a gun or two for hunting and home protection. “If that’s what they want to do I will be more than happy to have another deputy or two but I can’t say I want to push them about it. I’d rather the money go to the clinic. You boys will be a good backup for us though.”
“Well we are having a meeting tonight at LoLo’s bar. We would like you to be there if you’re free,” Carl said as he sat back jutting his ample belly out.
“Sure thing.”
Jack went to the meeting that night and listened in to countless stories heard from the news and, worse, word of mouth, about crimes in the cities and towns all around them. He could see the fear spread. As good an idea as he thought the town watch was, the meeting seemed to be doing nothing but creating a mob that would be prowling the back roads and town streets waiting for any wrongdoing. He had to put his two cents in and more than that put his foot down about some things right off.
After Carl was done speaking Jack got up and stood on the tiny stage that usually held local bands and placed his hand on the podium someone had drug over from the church. He looked around at all of the scared but trusting faces and suddenly Martin was there with him.
“Calm them down babe. They will end up murdering someone. Fucking guns.” Martin was a deep seeded liberal and hated guns.
Jack didn’t look at him but swallowed and gave an almost undistinguishable nod, glad for his lover’s presence even if it wasn’t real. “Hey folks, now I know you all are scared and we don’t want the problems of the city coming to our town but we can’t get too crazy. If we have folks running all over the hills with guns someone is gonna get hurt, maybe even killed, and I won’t have that in this town. I am sworn to protect and that goes for everyone. I am all for keeping an eye out on our neighbors. That is the best idea you all have had in a long while but…and I will not be talked out of this…there will be no guns. You keep them at home until it’s time to go get your buck during hunting season. Absolutely no weapons are going to be out there while on patrol.”
There were loud murmured voices among the crowd and Jack held his hands up. “I don’t care if you don’t like it, but that is my call. If I see one gun I arrest the man or woman with it. Other than that be safe while you are out there and call me if you see something going on. There will be no vigilantes around here, gun or no. You call me or Dennis and we will handle it.”
One woman stood up and called out, “What if you ain’t around?”
Next to him Martin laughed sardonically. “You are always around.”
Jack smiled as well and reassured her, “I am always around Mrs. Clennon.”
oooOooo
Autumn came with memories for Jack. It was autumn when he and Martin had first met and autumn when they first made love a year later. Two years after that was when, spurned by Martin’s ever present longing to try new things, they had learned what they both needed in the bedroom.
For as long as Jack could remember he had always liked men to give up control to him sexually. He really never knew it had a name or a following of any kind, just that he liked it best when he was in charge. Martin had been one of these men and from the first he gave himself up to whatever Jack wanted. Not that he wouldn’t make suggestions of things to try or initiate the love making; Martin was every bit as sexual as Jack and loved their long evenings, mornings and nights in bed, instigating their lovemaking as much as Jack.
On one autumn evening they were fooling around outside on the lawn. It was cool but not yet cold even for the mountains, a sweet Indian summer breeze blowing through the trees. What had started as sitting outside catching that breeze with beer and kettle corn in hand escalated into a heated make-out session that was becoming more passionate by the minute. Jack got up and grabbed his lover’s hand to lead him into the house but Martin pulled him, stopping Jack in his tracks.
“Come on, I want to fuck you silly.”
Martin laughed and drew himself close to Jack before he responded, “I would love that too but I was wondering if you wanted to try something different.”
Never turning down new things Jack cocked his head and licked over his lips. “You know I’m game for anything.”
There was a twinkle in Martin’s eyes that had Jack so curious he waited, almost holding his breath while they walked in and Martin took him over to the couch. Jack watched him while he struggled to find the words to tell him what he wanted.
“I’ve never seen you shy about sex Mart so just spill it. It can’t be that bad.”
Martin smiled and fidgeted but finally looked down at his hands and said, “I want you to tie me up.”
The words came out so fast it took a second for Jack to get the meaning but when he did he shrugged and said, “Okay. I’ve heard of that, it’s not so weird or anything.”
Martin was looking at him, fully in the eye and the shyness was pushed aside as he found his courage. “Not just that even though that is a part of it. What I want is for you to just tie me up and well do whatever you want.”
Still not getting the full gist of what Martin was saying Jack said, “I already do…well mostly. You like it when we do what I want.”
He could tell his lover was getting frustrated but he had no idea where Martin was going with the conversation so he sat patiently and stared over the body he was so crazy in love with. Martin leaned over his knees and Jack looked at his back. All Martin had on was a thin t-shirt, the first thing he put on when he came home from work each day, and it showed the muscles he tried so hard to keep up. The lines of him and the strong shoulders, thick neck and soft hair, it was all an aphrodisiac to Jack.
He wished Martin would just get out what he was trying to ask because if he waited much longer he would burst in his pants.
“Okay well you’ve heard of tying a guy up and stuff but there is a whole lot more to it. I have been looking on the internet…“
Jack rolled his eyes and grumbled, stopping Martin from his train of thought. There was nothing about computers or the damn internet that Jack wanted anything to do with but Martin used it for his work, was on it a lot when he got home and Jack just didn’t see the point of it.
“Will you just listen please?”
There was nothing in the world he could deny his lover so he conceded, “Sorry. Go ahead.”
“Thank you.” He took a deep breath and continued, “So there are different ways to do it and there are names for it. From what I’ve read you are a natural dominant and I, on the other hand, am submissive.”
Right off the bat Jack scoffed, chuckled and moved in behind Martin putting a leg on each side of him then pulling his lover back to lie on him. “You are not submissive babe. You are a confident, head strong man and I would never want you bowing and scraping around like a whipped puppy.”
Martin took Jack’s arms and wrapped them tighter around his body. “I’m not a submissive in that way but you have to admit when we are in bed you are always the top, you are always the one who chooses the positions and even where we have sex.”
That hit home and Jack was quick to say, “I don’t have to, I mean I’m really sorry if I come off as an asshole!”
Martin laid his head back on Jack’s shoulder as Jack kissed his hair. “You don’t understand I like that you do that stuff. I love it. That seems, by what I’ve read, to make me submissive. I love making you happy in bed. That’s what gets me off! If you are getting what you want and how you want it then it turns me on so much sometimes I can barely stand it.”
Jack knew this, he’d seen it. He hadn’t known that his arousal itself was what drove Martin so crazy but he was glad to not feel like a totally selfish dick any longer. In that moment, even if it was just from the reassurance, he was open to hearing everything Martin had to say.
So Martin told him about bondage and discipline, at least what he’d read on it which wasn’t much to start with but he pulled out the computer and showed Jack a site explaining some things. Jack listen and found himself getting so turned on he wanted to rip the clothes off of them both and fuck Martin straight through the couch but he held out long enough to listened to him.
Just talking about it was enough for that first time to make them both crazed with desire. With the picture of a masked Dom flogging his sub on the computer screen Jack pushed Martin down to the couch and practically tore off his clothes taking a pause only long enough to look over Martin’s body once it was naked and waiting.
Jack knew the definition of drooling over a man the minute he’d seen Martin for the first time and it hadn’t stopped in all their years together. The sight of his lover’s nude body was enough to fill his mouth with saliva every single time. No one had ever done that before or since…until that stupid cocky fucker on the bike.
Thinking about the first time they had discussed becoming Dom and sub had Jack’s hand gripping his cock hard, slowly stroking while he let the memories of their intense lovemaking take him on a trip far away from his lonely bed. He now slept in but having Rebel Marino sneak in the middle made Jack take his hand from his cock and stare up at ceiling. When Rebel Marino invaded the memory, Jack took his hand from his cock and stared up at the ceiling.
A face drifted above him, another damned apparition like Martin. He couldn’t take two fucking ghosts haunting him especially since one above him wasn’t dead.
“Then go back to thinking about me.”
Jack turned his head and instead of the smiling Martin he saw the lover who made his blood run like rivers of boiling lava. His light eyes went dark with lust and his lips were wet from his tongue sliding across them. How well he knew that face and how it made him yearn. His hand found his cock once again and the slow stroking grew faster.
“Remember how you loved it that first time you tied me up and I spread my legs to invite you inside of me?”
Growling Jack said, “I didn’t need a fucking invitation. You were mine.”
It was a week after they had discussed it before either could stop their raging arousals long enough to actually try some things. Their bed had a four post solid pine frame and Martin had enough neckties to open his own tie store so he had picked some that he no longer wore then handed them to Jack before lying on the bed and spreading his arms out towards the posts. Jack looked down at him. His submissive. He crawled onto the bed, securing each tie around one of the posts then to Martin’s wrists. Martin pulled on each and Jack hurried to ask, “They aren’t too tight are they?”
Shaking his head from side to side, Martin smiled shyly and said, “Just right.”
Shivers went up Jack’s spine, He nearly forgot what to do with a man’s body. Martin was so open and waiting for him. His mind could barely reason past the image of his lover’s thick muscles and the patch of angelic blonde hair on his chest. He ran his fingers over it and his touch made Martin moan. Hearing Martin’s keening urged him on so Jack straddled his hips and took Martin’s light colored nipples between strong fingertips, rolling each slowly, tightening a little at a time until he was pinching them hard. Having his nipples played with was always something Martin liked but Jack had never been rough with them. Something about Martin tied and unable to escape made him want to push boundaries. Martin was trying to rise off the mattress, but with his hands bound and Jack on him, he couldn’t move.
Jack thought about asking if he was hurting Martin but he didn’t. He let his eyes do the asking and as he looked at Martin’s erection, not only harder than he ever remembered it but twitching up with each twist, he knew Martin was just fine with what he was doing. They had talked about safe words when they read the do’s and don’ts of BDSM and they had agreed on the standard; yellow to slow and red to stop. Martin didn’t look like he was close to using either.
It felt like the most natural thing in the world as he finally stopped squeezing of Martin’s nipples and reached for his own cock, stroking it while he stared into Martin’s…his sub’s…eyes. “You like this don’t you? Wondering if I am going to fuck you or just let you suffer?”
Giving a squeak instead of an answer Martin started to shake under Jack’s solid thighs. Jack smiled while biting the side of his bottom lip, stroking over his cock as Martin looked at it. He dipped it down to let the leaking precum paint a line over Martin’s flat stomach and Martin jumped, writhed and, if Jack wasn’t mistaken, nearly came. He wasn’t mistaken.
“Come on Jack, fuck me! I’m going to come if you don’t!”
Jack chuckled and then commented, “You’ll come either way so I think I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.”
Thrashing his head from side to side, Martin groaned and pulled hard at the ties, the bed shook in his struggle. Letting him have it wandered through Jack’s mind a few times but the way Martin was almost insane with pent-up desire made him feel like a king and he just didn’t want that feeling to stop. That was the moment he realized it didn’t have to stop. As he pulled his load out from the very depths of him, spraying his come over a weeping Martin, Jack realized that they could do this anytime he wanted. That he could have this feeling, of being on top of the world as well as on top of his submissive lover for as long as he wanted.
“Ah! Oh fuck Jack make me come!”
He took pity on the man finally and jerked him off and then lay over him to kiss him harder than he thought he was going to. Bruising kisses until Martin laughed and asked, “Can you untie me now?”
oooOooo
Jack finished himself off in a toe curling orgasm that left him shouting out into the empty bedroom. Thinking of Martin always did that, well thinking of fucking Martin did that. There could never be another man that could make him feel the way Martin had, so in control and so needed.
Reality brought him back to the present. The phone he kept for work went off and he got up, using the hand that wasn’t full of his own cum and he answered, “Sheriff Colton.”
“Sheriff this is Lonnie. We saw a light at Miz Perry’s house and we’re going up there to check it out.”
Jack growled in frustration and he said, “No you are not! I told you to call me and I would handle it. There could be men with guns there and you all better not be some of them. I’ll get Dennis and be there in ten minutes so you all stay put.”
“Yes sir.”
Fuck did Lonnie have to say that? He hung the phone up and looked at Martin who was now dressed in his Saturday night pajamas even though it wasn’t Saturday night.
“You know you loved being called sir and these were your favorite pajamas.”
He had to concede that point but instead of admitting it aloud he rolled out of bed and went down the short hall to wash up before he got his uniform on and headed for his cruiser.
Candace Perry, a sweet but opinionated lady the entire town missed terribly, lived only ten minutes away. She had owned the house for as long as most could remember. When she wasn’t painting or sculpting or doing any number of other artsy things she was at her shop in town, a small notion and bead store that the tourists adored. Jack pulled into the unpaved driveway with his lights off and he saw what the men were talking about. The whole house was lit up.
“That can’t be a burglar,” Martin commented, “Or if he or she is, they are really bad at it.” Jack turned his head and threw the apparition a dirty look before he grinned.
“Yeah but no one thinks anyone can see the lights all the way up here with the trees and all.” As he finished telling Martin’s ghost this there were sounds behind him. He got out of the car with his gun drawn.
“Sheriff, don’t shoot us!” It was Lonnie. He and Carl were running over to him. Jack put his gun away as he let out his held breath. “We thought we would come to help you.” Carl was doubled over, obviously not used to running and Jack worried he would have a heart attack to deal with as well as a burglar.
“Great,” his words dripped with sarcasm. For an instant, he had a pang of guilt about it, not wanting to hurt Lonnie’s feelings, but then he remembered, Lonnie didn’t understand sarcasm and Carl wouldn’t care. “Just stay back here or I swear I will arrest you both!”
Like most houses in the area, the front door overlooked the hills, so he headed to the back door. As he approached he saw the door opening. The big man ducked to the side shooting the other men a look to tell them to get out of sight. Lonnie stood there confused but Carl at least understood and grabbed his arm, yanking him behind the dark sheriff’s car. Jack’s heart was pounding a million miles a minute and he hoped he didn’t have to shoot anyone. He’d gone 17 years without having to hurt anyone too badly and he didn’t want that record to change.
A long leg appeared from the other side of the door, a paint splash boot on the end of it and as the owner of it stepped out Jack put the gun to his back and said, “Hands up, this is the Sheriff.”
As he turned around and raised his arms the would-be burglar said, “You have got to be kidding me.”
Jack couldn’t believe his eyes and he lowered his gun to his side. “Rebel Marino what the hell are you doing? I told you to get out of town.”
The other two ran over then and Lonnie was wide eyed with excitement. “Sheriff! You got him!”
Ignoring the two watchmen Jack said to Rebel, “Well?”
Rebel lowered his hands a bit until Jack started to raise his gun again, The smart-assed man’s hands went back just above his head. Rolling his eyes Rebel said, “This is my house, officer.”
“That’s a gotdamned lie!” Carl said between puffs of breath.
Jack threw him and Lonnie a scathing look, quieting them both before asking Rebel, “What do you mean? This house belonged to Candace Perry.”
Rebel did let one hand drop some as he gestured inside of the house. “I have the paperwork inside if you’d like to see it. She was my aunt and left me the house.”
“I’d like to see that paperwork if you don’t mind,” Jack said in a low voice to Rebel but to the others he shouted, “You two go on home. I have this handled.”
Carl looked like he was about to argue but Lonnie nodded wildly, his long hair flying, and started back for their truck. Finally Carl followed Lonnie and Jack turned back to Rebel who was standing in the doorway waiting for him. He holstered his gun and followed the skinny shithead inside, the smell of the paint hitting him hard as soon as he stepped through the door. He rolled his eyes and barely kept the groan from leaving his chest. No burglar was going to take the time to paint their victim’s house.
The kitchen was empty except for plastic sheets over the table and floor, blue tape on the edges of the newly sanded cabinets. The light switch and outlet covers were off and so were the light fixtures which impressed Jack a lot. Usually, if they were lazy, people just painted around them and made a mess.
Rebel disappeared into the next room for a minute then came back in with papers in his hand. Not that Jack still needed to see them, but he took them anyway. “Candace was my Great Aunt and she left me the place. Her business too but I figured I’d work on the house first. Is this good enough for you, Officer?” he asked almost daring Jack to keep up the disbelief.
Jack didn’t bite, though and looked over the will then handed it back to Rebel with a slight nod. “Good enough for me,” he said as he looked around the kitchen again. “Listen, I didn’t know about you and your Aunt. Never seen you around here.”
Shrugging Rebel said, “Yeah I didn’t come around the last few years.”
Not able to help himself Jack asked, “Prison?”
The fire in Rebel’s eyes made Jack’s cock twinge and as the younger man snapped at him he had to hold back the smile. “Nice presumption. I may have been in trouble for a while but I’m not now and don’t you fucking worry I’m not planning on sticking around your perfect little fucking town any longer than it takes to get the place sold!”
Overcome with a sudden urge to push the man Jack stepped over to him in two long steps. Right away Rebel’s eyes lowered and he took a step back. Jack did smile then and said, “I didn’t know like I said. Welcome to Apishipa Creek. Just…don’t cause any trouble. Mrs. Perry’s nephew or not I will lock you up.”
The pictures in his head then were purely fucking erotic. Having this beautiful man, looking down submissively, nodding and locked in handcuffs, spread open for him made his cock come alive like it hadn’t for years.
Regaining some of his usual arrogance Rebel finally looked up and said, “Don’t worry officer I will be gone soon.” The twinkling of the fluorescents in his light green eyes gave Jack a taste of life that he hadn’t had since Martin’s death. Shit since Martin had gotten sick. It breathed something into him. The tall lean body twisted, obviously wanting to get away from Jack’s stern stare. But he stayed in place, waited to be dismissed which told of his true nature under all the bravado. Waiting to be dismissed in his own home showed his inner submissiveness more than if he’d knelt and called him sir.
“I won’t hold my breath.”