Sentries Box Set

Chapter 1-2

Nick spent the first hour trying to get a good look at Todd and cataloging everything about him. A few inches shorter than Nick, Todd’s shoulders were broader. He had a powerful build, with a cougar’s grace. Every move he made seemed smooth, flowing, and effortless. Todd caught him looking a few times but did nothing more than smile, making his eyes twinkle. The beefy part of his shoulder bulged under his shirt, which stretched over a torso that came to a V at his slim waist. With every movement of Todd’s legs, Nick was very aware of the long, hard muscles beneath his jeans.

“You hungry?” Todd broke the silence when the sun was at its zenith. “We won’t stop until late tonight, but I’ve got—” He reached under the bench seat and pulled out a small wooden cooler. “—some provisions.” Dumping the cooler on Nick’s lap, Todd’s chin tipped at it. “Open that up for me, will you?”

Nick did so immediately, holding it at a good angle for Todd to rummage around in it with one hand. He pulled out a small bag of colorful, sugarcoated candies and held it out to Nick. Eyes widening, Nick took the package. Words came out of Todd’s mouth in a rush. “You used to write me, asking me to send you more of these, when you were little.”

When Nick sat motionless, staring at the small bag, Todd’s eyes slid toward him, his shoulders slumping slightly. “You do still like those, right? ‘Cause, dude, I brought them just for you.”

“Really?” Nick couldn’t help the smile creeping over his face.

“Yeah, really. Now crack that open and share.” Todd’s elbow nudged Nick’s arm.

As they traveled, Todd pointed out landmarks, and seemed impressed Nick knew the names of most of the area’s trees and plants. When the sun fell, he and Todd entertained themselves by pointing out stars and constellations. The more Nick talked, the happier Todd seemed to be with him.

It was close to midnight when they finally stopped to make camp. There were four wagons in all, the other three carrying two or three occupants each, and two men riding on horseback. Nick’s mind drifted back to childhood, watching Todd ride through his village a few times a year, watching him grow from a skinny boy of eleven to the powerful man he was now.

A fire was built in the center of the wagon circle, and a meal was prepared. The night air was chilled and damp, and Nick’s clothes, more suited for the southern climate, weren’t keeping him very warm. Nick wouldn’t have minded sitting near the fire to eat, even if he had to listen to John Ruger and his friends tell whatever stories they told one another. Todd, however, took his food and headed back to their wagon, so Nick followed.

He tried hard not to shiver through dinner. Everyone else had thicker coats and heavier clothes, much more prepared for the climate they were heading into than Nick. Glancing wistfully at the fire and its warmth, Nick huddled over his plate. He’d never dare ask for a coat. He was a slave. Who cared if he was cold? Slaves didn’t count in this world.

“You have any heavier clothes?”

Shaking his head, Nick mumbled, “No, Todd.”

Todd set his plate down hard on the ground and stood abruptly. Nick flinched and looked up. Todd reached into the wagon and pulled out a heavy dark-green pullover shirt. In his other hand he carried a few bottles and two glasses.

“Here, put this on. It’ll keep you warm enough for now. When we get home, you’re getting the right clothes. I’m not spending the rest of my life watching you shiver.” He set the bottles and glasses down and resettled onto the ground beside Nick before he poured dark amber liquid from one of the bottles. “You ever had whisky before?” He started to hold the small glass out to Nick, but when Nick shook his head no, Todd chuckled. “Okay, then. Not having this right now.” Grinning, Todd downed the liquid himself. Crossing his eyes, he shook his head as he swallowed. “Here, try this instead. We’ll start you off slow and work you up to the really rotgut stuff later.”

Nick laughed and took the small bottle Todd offered. He took a whiff; it didn’t smell bad. Nick took a short sip of the bottle’s contents. He pulled the bottle away and looked at it. “What is this?”

Todd had been watching him the entire time, looking almost boyish and hopeful. “Eh, you didn’t spit it back at me, so that’s good. Beer. You never had beer before?”

“No. Just water.”

“You like it?”

“Yeah, I do. It’s different. Sorta bitter at first.” He’d pulled the heavier shirt over his head. It was thick and made of a woven material that was warm and soft. Breathing in deeply, he was at once surrounded by the combined smells of gun oil, leather, and something he recognized from sitting beside Todd all day that was uniquely Todd. The beer made his throat warm, but it was the scent of Todd all around him that made warmth spread in delicate tendrils from his belly to his chest.

“Good, ‘cause I don’t do bread and water. We do what we do and keep the fine folks in the towns and villages safe at night, but they’re damn well feeding us good.”

Nick had no idea what it was Todd referred to. He’d thought since Todd and his father, and now Nick, were hunters, they’d simply track down and catch their own food if they needed to. Nick nodded, drank his beer, and finished his food. It was stew—tasty, hot, and filled with chunks of meat and vegetables in a heavy broth.

After mopping the remains of the stew from his plate with bread, Todd leaned back and grinned. “I want more. Do you want more?”

Looking up, surprised and knowing his face showed it, Nick blurted out, “I’m allowed more?”

Todd snorted. “Yes, Nick, you are.” He held out a hand for Nick to pull up on. Once righted, Todd released his hand, moved his hand to Nick’s neck, and patted gently a few times before he turned and went back to the fire.

The men there snidely asked why Nick was still wearing clothes and why they were wasting time eating. Todd ignored them. As he turned around to head back to their wagon, Todd’s eyes caught Nick’s. He smirked and shook his head.

They resettled behind the wagon, out of sight of the others, and finished eating in silence. Then, leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees, Todd rubbed at the back of his neck for a few minutes.

“So, uh, you ever been with a woman?”

Nick stared at a point between his feet and shook his head no.

Todd shifted a bit. Nick thought he sounded nervous. “A man?”

“No.” His voice came out barely above a whisper.

“Got any preference?”

Nick drew in a deep breath and looked up at Todd, who wore that boyish, hopeful expression again. “I like watching girls sometimes, but they’re sort of skinny, no muscle. I think I look at men more.”

Todd nodded and seemed satisfied with those answers. It wasn’t as if Nick had a choice. He’d been bound to another male since he was three years old. Whether he preferred men or women as s****l partners was never a consideration. Maybe he’d always been that way, or maybe he’d just trained himself to like men more. He didn’t know. It didn’t really matter.

When Todd reached out and curled warm, strong fingers around his neck, Nick leaned into the touch. He decided it was something Todd liked to do, touch him that way, and it appeared to Nick the gesture pleased Todd and made him relax. Nick had decided back in the village, the first time Todd had touched him that way, that he liked it. Not even twenty-four hours later and Nick was craving those tiny touches and counting the minutes between them, hoping for another one.

This time Todd leaned closer and pulled Nick toward him. As Todd’s lips brushed across Nick’s temple, he moaned soft and low. After pushing his nose through Nick’s hair for a few seconds, Todd pulled him in even tighter, nuzzling his cheek against Nick’s, breathing in deep. “You smell good.” Todd’s hand moved from his neck up into Nick’s hair, turning his head toward Todd.

Todd pressed his lips to Nick’s, gently licking his tongue along Nick’s lower lip. It startled him at first when Todd’s tongue slipped between his lips and into his mouth. Todd’s other arm wound around Nick’s waist and gently, slowly pulled Nick completely against him.

Todd’s tongue glided around his own and coaxed Nick’s tongue into his mouth. Todd sucked lightly on Nick’s tongue for a few seconds before pulling away. He looked at Nick, seemed to be memorizing every bit of Nick’s face before pulling him back in for another kiss. This time Nick mimicked Todd’s actions and sucked Todd’s tongue.

When Todd pulled away for the second time, they were both panting, and Nick was whimpering softly. Fingers raked tenderly through his hair, and Todd kissed his nose and then his cheek and murmured in his ear, “I’ve been waiting for forever to do that.”

Nick felt a flush creep over him. When Todd’s arm tightened even more around his middle, Nick leaned his head down so his face was pressed to the crook of Todd’s neck. “I don’t…I’ve never…” This was so embarrassing.

“It’s okay, Nicky. You’ll learn like I had to. You’ll be fine. Just us now. We’re in this together, don’t ever forget that.” Todd rested his chin on the top of Nick’s head and held him tightly. Nick had never in his life been held—not like this. He’d been held down and beaten a few times, but never had anyone simply held him. When he pressed closer and relaxed more against Todd, the other man drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Nick liked this, and he sensed Todd did, too.

Laughter from the direction of the fire made them both start and pull back from each other. Chuckling nervously, Todd ruffled Nick’s hair.

“We’ll save the rest for when we can be alone.” He stood, stretched, and threw the cover back on the wagon’s opening. “Just us now,” he repeated. Nick nodded, because he had the feeling he was supposed to respond somehow. “C’mon, Nicky. Get some sleep.”

Todd waited for him to get himself arranged in the back of the wagon. The bedding was soft and incredibly warm. Nick burrowed right in. Todd sat on the wagon step, gazing up at the stars. When there was another round of laughter, and this time gunshots from the vicinity of the fire, Todd reached inside the wagon and laid one hand on Nick’s ankle, his thumb moving in small circles for a few seconds.

“Don’t worry. You’re safe. I’m going to sit up for a bit more, make sure they don’t shoot each other. You go to sleep.”

When Nick awoke in the morning, Todd was pressed close beside him, warm and solid. The beefy shoulder Nick had spent so much time admiring the day before made an excellent pillow, Nick discovered. Todd was half rolled on his side, one arm slung across Nick’s shoulders, his fingers tangled in Nick’s hair.

That was the very first day in Nick’s life he woke up feeling safe, not alone, not lonely.

* * * *

Perhaps one of the most difficult things in Todd Ruger’s life was waking up that morning and not pinning Nick down and showing the boy just how much he wanted him. After spending years watching Nick grow from afar, the only thing he’d been able to think of these past months was what having Nick with him would be like. He’d waited for what seemed like forever to receive Nick. He reminded himself again that to do this right would be worth it. Todd spent years hoping he and Nick would become a family and he intended to work toward that goal. While the kid was shy and unsure, he did seem to want to please Todd. More importantly, he seemed to like Todd.