Page 84 of Repentance and Absolution

“I don’t know. I can’t see the clock. From the slant of the sun, though, it must be around eight, maybe?”

Oscar hummed contentedly and wriggled against me. I circled my arms tighter around him and buried my nose in his clean hair. He made a soft noise and clasped my hand, pushing it down his body and o’er his cock that was poking up under his union suit.

“You know, Clarence could come outta that room at any moment…or Irene.”

“Sure,” he breathed. He worked two of his buttons loose, shoved my hand inside the cloth and pressed it against the burning flesh of his nubby.

“We’ll need to tend to the animals soon,” I breathed, circling it with my fingers. I kissed the lobe of his ear and licked along his throat to indicate that I was, in fact, interested in pleasing him, but I was unsure of how much time and privacy we could count on.

Oscar turned his head and pressed his nubby into my hand. He blinked up at me with a heartfelt need burning in his eyes.

“I reckon you need to attend tothisanimal first,” Oscar said in a sensuous, sleep-soft tone, pushing into my hand again.

I chuckled deep in my chest. This man was irrepressible—or, at least, his cock was.

“Don’t you think we took enough chances last night?”

“No, Jimmy, I don’t. I need you to take another chance right now. Won’t take long, I promise.”

The bedroom door opened with a creak, and I froze, as did Oscar. My eyes locked on Clarence as he stepped out of the bedroom and shut the door with care behind him. He took a step forward, then saw us.

“Sorry. Did I wake you?”

“No,” I hastened. I slid my hand out of Oscar’s long underwear, kissing him on the cheek in apology as Clarence raised a hand and turned away.

“I gotta make coffee. If you wanna continue, I can pretend not to notice.”

The heat rushed into my face, but Oscar outright laughed and pulled my hand back to his cock.

“Okay,” he said. “G’on, Jimmy,” loud enough that Clarence heard.

“I can’t. Oscar, I can’t,” I said, my wide eyes on Clarence, whose shoulders were shaking as he got the pot and pumped some water into it.

Oscar sighed and pushed my hand away, then the blankets.

“You ain’t no fun.”

He stood, all rumpled in his red long underwear that he fastened up as he gazed down at me in disgust, shaking his tousled head.

Now Clarence did laugh. “My Lord, you two sure are entertainin’. I’ll say that much.”

“Hmph,” Oscar pouted. “Iain’t feeling very entertained right now. Anyway, I need to use the privy.”

“I reckon all of us do. I want to go with you,” I said, standing up and finding my trousers and socks.

“Now you’re talkin’.”

“Not for that. I wanna make sure them wolves are gone. I’m taking my rifle and escorting you. Then you can stand outside the privy with it and guard me while I go.”

“How about we all go,” Clarence said. “I can take Irene when she wakes up.”

“All right.”

The expedition was a success, and we didn’t see or hear any wolves nearby, even though the tracks in the snow made me anxious.

“How many do you reckon were out here?” I asked Clarence.

“Too many.”