Nando and Will Ch. 06

"So cold, Uncle Bart," Will chattered.

"Here you are, Will," Marguerita said solicitously. "This will warm you."

Bart helped the young man drink the hot, sweet tea and settled Will in his lap, stroking the soft, blond hair until Will's eyes lost the battle to remain open. Bart sighed and nodded to his brother.

Jack stood and poured himself a generous Scotch and at a second nod from his brother, poured another. A sherry for Marguerita completed the drinks. He handed Bart his drink and sat beside his wife.

"You want to tell me?" Jack asked. Bart had only ever spoken to Jack once before and the older man was uncertain whether his brother would even feel comfortable talking to him.

"I was such a fool," Bart said bitterly. "I've had uncaring partners in the past; it's the price ya pay sometimes. Madison couldn't handle the fact I'd ditched him." Bart gave a somewhat edited account of events from finding Madison with Will to being found by Will. "If the boy hadn'ta shown up ... well let's just say Madison would've had his way." He glanced down at the sleeping form.

Will could hear voices, but he was warm and comfortable. His Uncle was safe, so was he, and he had no inclination to move from his haven. He let the voices simply wash over him.

"Madison claimed you'd gotten rough with him. That he barely managed to get away. He thought Will was going to help you and struck out before he could be overwhelmed. I wasn't about to admit in front of the men the reason we lost the contract. Madison seemed genuinely upset and I knew you and he were... seeing each other. Emerson threatened to pass on the word for the ranch to be avoided when I argued about the deal having been agreed. I just let them walk away."

"It's all my stupid fault," Bart groaned. "He hurt me, hurt Will and could hurt the ranch."

"Excuse me, Senors," Vacho murmured deferentially. "But I heard Emerson and his man talk about needing horses and going into Costa Roja to purchase them. Don Carlos' ranch is the nearest and he has a good reputation for the quality of his horses. If you wish, Pedro and I could ride out there tomorrow. We could speak discreetly to Roberto?"

"Do it," Jack growled. "Madison owes me for you and Will," he added to Bart.

Bart attempted to rise and smiled as Will made a disgruntled noise and promptly tightened his grip. With his brother's help Bart stood, Will in his arms, and headed to the blond's bedroom. Despite Bart's best endeavours, Will resisted every attempt by the older man to get away, all without really awakening. With a soft snort of laughter, Bart conceded victory to the somnambulant young man. Letting Will use him as a human pillow, Bart pulled the covers around their clothed forms. If he was honest, holding Will helped settle his own frayed nerves. He pressed his lips to Will's head and got a sleepy murmur. He had no memory of his own eyes closing.

****

Will woke slowly, realising he was dressed and that the chest he was lying on was not that of his husband. His eyes flew open and then he calmed as he looked into his Uncle's amused orbs.

"You had no intentions of lettin' me go,' Bart said, pressing a kiss to Will's forehead.

"I kept seeing Madison," Will swallowed. "I just kept thinking that if I had hold of you I knew you were safe. "You are...?" Will asked hesitantly.

"I am fine," Bart said emphatically. "I'm just so angry with myself I could spit nails," he added in a low growl. "Because of my stupidity you were hurt."

"I'm ok, Uncle Bart," Will said adamantly, but felt his cheek colour at his Uncle's penetrating stare. "Well...my ribs ache a little," he confessed.

"You probably feel like you were kicked by a mule and when Nando sees you, he'll kick my sorry ass all over the ranch and I'll deserve it."

"He will be very angry," Will whispered. "But his anger will be directed at Madison."

Bart, however, had no doubts that the protective and possessive Rojan would indeed hold him accountable and responsible for Will being hurt. Not wanting Will to dwell on the recent events, Bart initiated a gentle tussle which he happily let Will win. Seeing the normal sparkle returning to the expressive cerulean eyes made the older man feel ten feet tall.

****

Joel had watched as Pedro and Vacho had ridden out early that morning. Now from his rooftop perch, he spotted riders heading towards the ranch and identified them as Nando and a couple of Don Carlos' men.

With a resigned sigh Bart readied himself for the angry storm he would weather. From the look on Nando's face as he entered the ranch Bart surmised the Rojan had passed, and talked to, Pedro and Vacho. He steeled himself as Nando dismounted and strode to him. Bart could see the younger man's simmering anger as he recounted his tale, but before Nando could speak a small, blond bundle flew towards them.

"Nando! Nando!"

Bart stepped back as the bigger man caught his smaller Spouse and the two men hugged tightly.

"Will, my love." Nando inhaled the familiar, sweet scent of his mate, nuzzling him affectionately. Then he held Will at arm's length to inspect the bruised visage.

"I had to help Uncle Bart," Will said, tilting his chin to the well-known stubborn angle that made Bart smile.

"Indeed you did, angel," Nando conceded. "But..." Nando's words were stopped by a single finger to his lips.

"I've missed you and I need you," Will said quietly. "Please don't be angry, Nando. Please?"

The bigger man gave a mental sigh. He really did want to be angry with Bart, but the older man had clearly suffered and anger would only distress his young Spouse even more. He pulled Will to his chest, his dark eyes meeting Bart's.

"I'll leave you boys," Bart said, knowing at some point Nando would catch him alone. However, it was clear Nando had more urgent matters to attend to. He watched as, keeping a tight arm around Will's waist, Nando steered them to the hacienda.

As the two men entered their bedroom, Will melted into Nando's embrace. As safe as the blond felt with his Uncle, there was nowhere he felt safer than in Nando's loving arms.

"I missed you so much," he murmured against his Husband's throat, before darting out his tongue to taste the dark skin. The beloved, clean, male scent soothed Will further. He nuzzled closer, barely noticing that Nando had unfastened his shirt. Will admired the expanse of muscle and smooth skin. He licked slowly from Nando's jaw to a dark cinnamon nub and suckled slowly, relishing the feel of the flesh hardening in his mouth. He heard Nando groan as his mouth left one nub bereft of moist heat so he could sample its twin.

"Your Uncle should have taken better care of you," Nando husked. As Will's anxious eyes rose to meet his, the older man smiled. "But you were brave and resourceful and I am very proud of you." He swept Will into a kiss, trying not to press hard on the injured lip. His tongue thrust inside Will's warm, wet cavern as his mate's mouth opened eagerly to accept the slick, welcome invader. As his tongue ravished Will's mouth, Nando's hands were busy removing their shirts.

His hands moved gently over Will's flanks, knowing there were more bruises from landing hard on unforgiving desert as well as Madison's kick. He could hear the soft whimpers of need spilling from Will's lips, but forced himself to move slowly and carefully so he did not cause more pain to his mate.

"Make love with me? Please?' Will begged. He needed the union with his Husband.

"I will always make love with you, mi amor," Nando husked. He stood back a little to view the marks. He kept his face neutral as he denuded his lover, kissing each scrape or bruise as he traversed the pale, smooth skin and they were revealed. By the time Will was fully naked, the blond was shaking and panting with need, his slender shaft hard, red and dripping. Nando laid the younger man on their bed and enveloped the begging flesh from root to tip, burying his nose in platinum curls.

A touch to his sac, full with unspent need, tipped Will over the edge. Lights shimmered behind his closed lids as his essence pulsed freely in response to the massaging motion of his Husband's throat. He moaned softly as Nando sucked, ensuring not a drop of his seed was missed. Finally his spent flesh was released and Nando blanketed his body, sharing a Will-flavoured kiss with him.

"I love you," Will panted, as they parted to breathe.

"And I you," Nando smiled. He stood up to remove the last of his clothes and swiftly returned to his boneless lover. He had no intentions of rushing the union with his Spouse. He wanted to relish every moment they spent together. His smiled widened as Will moulded to his bigger body, a soft tongue bathing every piece of his skin the blond could reach. With a groan of pleasure Nando moved to lie on his back and let Will worship his body with his tongue.

Nando moaned appreciatively as Will's gentle caresses inflamed his ardour into a furnace of desire. His throbbing flesh was adored with tiny kitten licks from the continually dripping slit to the thickly-furred root. His eyes devoured the sight of his pale-skinned lover kneeling between his outspread legs, the blond head bobbing gently as Will loved him with undisguised devotion. Nando dug his heels into the mattress and canted his hips in silent invitation.

Will knew exactly what his lover wanted. His tongue laved Nando's sac and travelled lower. He licked his way along the sensitive perineum as Nando groaned, arching his hips up higher. Will moved lower again, letting his tongue circle tightly-furled flesh. Slowly, appreciatively, he licked at his lover's tightness until granted entry. The tip of his tongue slipped inside and Will probed again and again until his tongue thrust deeply inside his big mate, Nando's groans and involuntary cries of passion ringing in his ears.

The dark-skinned man reached to tug gently on Will's hair as the blond applied himself diligently to bestowing pleasure on his Husband. Slowly Will crawled up Nando's body, stretching cat-like over the broader frame, their wiry curls at each man's groin merging as their shafts aligned and their sacs pressed intimately together. Nando's hands curled possessively over each pale, creamy mound and pulled Will impossibly closer. They kissed slowly and deeply, their tongues mating and parting again and again. Finally breaking apart, Nando urged Will to lie on his stomach.

"Want you, Nando," Will moaned. "Please, want you so much."

"Soon, my beautiful boy," Nando promised.

The older man parted the satin globes, kneeling between spread thighs. He gazed possessively at the tiny, pink portal that granted him entry to the haven of Will's body and pressed a kiss to the tightly closed rosebud. He nipped gently at the mounds, smiling as Will whimpered needily, trying to push himself closer to the tongue that now circled, without touching, furled flesh.

"Gently, my love," Nando soothed as he licked a stripe over the exposed pucker and then blew over it, watching avidly as it pulsed a silent welcome. He repeated the action again...and a third time before pulling Will as wide open as possible and thrusting his tongue deep into tight, satin heat. Will's wail was muted by the pillow as Nando thrust inside over and over, his tongue flicking inside, caressing the inner walls of his mate's body. Snatching up their oil, Nando alternated between stretching his lover with his fingers and plunging his tongue in deeper and deeper as Will's body opened to him. Finally satisfied Will was stretched enough, and needing to be buried in his mate's sheath, Nando moved to lie on his back.

"Oil me, mi amor," he husked. "Use me for your pleasure."

Will hastened to anoint Nando's purple-headed shaft before kneeling astride the solid body. He lowered himself carefully, Nando's strong hands at his hips, helping him. He threw back his head as the hard, thick flesh pressed inexorably inside him, piercing him to his very core. He finally sat flush at Nando's groin, panting softly as his body slowly grew accustomed to his Husband's length and girth. Locking his smouldering sapphire orbs with Nando's of scorching sienna, the slender man began a gentle rise and fall, his slick sheath surrounding and grasping greedily at his lover's shaft.

Nando smiled as Will rose and fell. In this position his mate could control the lovemaking and there was no pressure on the still-sore body of the lithe blond. Nando also enjoyed the sight of Will, head back, riding him with abandon. The low groan told Nando his mate was rubbing his sweet spot and the big man began to snap his hips upwards, stimulating it further. He took hold of the elegant erection that bobbed gracefully with Will's movements and he began a firm stroking of the hard, damp flesh.

It was all Will needed. He froze in place crying Nando's name, his face a picture of passion and ecstasy as his seed arced over his Husband's body, the pearlescent silver contrasting vividly with the Rojan's mahogany skin. Will's inner muscles tightened further, milking the older man of his own release and Will moaned wantonly as he was filled with liquid heat.

Nando's climax hit him with all the heat and ferocity of a Rojan desert storm. His hips pumped frantically as he sought to ensure his seed was buried as deeply in Will's molten depths as was possible. His flesh continued to twitch inside Will's sheath even when Nando was certain he had nothing left to give and a feeling of sated sanguinity spread throughout his body.

Nando controlled Will's collapse as the younger man slumped spent and guided him to lie on his chest. He stoked the sweat-dampened skin of Will's back, murmuring words of love and devotion as they came down slowly from their shared heights of pleasure. Nando silently mourned the loss of their connection as his softening flesh slipped from Will's harbour. He spread his legs to let Will's be cradled between them, keeping Will's upper body draped languorously over his chest.

"Love you, Nando," Will whispered in satiated tones across his lover's throat as his head lay heavily on his mate's strong shoulder.

"Te amo, mi amor." Nando said, love and warmth colouring his voice. "Sleep in my arms as I keep you safe, Will," the older man encouraged. He smiled as snuffling sounds were Will's only reply. As his young lover slept, Nando kept vigil and his mind found way after way of repaying Madison.

****

Family and ranch hands alike were pleased to see Will and Nando looking happy and relaxed as they wandered around together. However, all noticed that the Rojan never allowed his Spouse to move beyond an arm's length away from him. The couple glanced up at Samuel as the experienced sentry shouted of approaching riders. They turned their attention to three riders heading to the ranch at a punishing speed.

The lead rider was dismounting almost as he passed through the gates and strode rapidly towards the couple. As he did, Will gave a cry of delight and Nando allowed him to dash from his side. He was scooped easily into powerful arms as the tall, dark man swung him into the air to breathless laughter.

"Pequino," came the deep growl. As he set Will on the floor and hugged the slight figure, there was a muffled grunt of discomfort, but small hands clung tightly, not allowing the big man to move away. Instead he relaxed his own grip stroking the slender back of the blond holding him so tenaciously.

"We weren't expecting you, Roberto," Nando smiled as he joined them.

Will finally released the big man as Bart came over. He smiled up at the man he loved like a second father. He held still as a calloused thumb traced over his bruised cheek and the cut on his lip.

"He is a dead man," Roberto growled menacingly.

"No, Roberto," Will cried desperately. He caught Roberto's hand and one of Nando's who was nodding in agreement. "Please. I was stupid enough to get caught by him once and I *chose* to challenge him to protect Uncle Bart. Please. He's not worth it. I couldn't bear for either of you to be hurt. Promise me. Please, Nando, Roberto, promise me."

The Rojans sighed. Roberto had spoken his thought aloud unthinkingly. No one hurt one he loved as a son and who was also the Spouse of his own Husband's son. He could see his anger echoed Nando's eyes but it clearly distressed the blond and neither man would purposely hurt Will. Fortunately, Roberto had another idea, one he was sure would be acceptable to the young man looking so worriedly between him and Nando. He relaxed his body and smiled.

"I promise, little one," he said and nodded at Nando.

"As do I," Nando said reluctantly, but hope flaring as he saw the calculating light in Roberto's eyes.

"I have a suggestion," the big man said, draping an arm around Will and navigating them all towards the hacienda. However, I need to put it before Jack as well as you, Bart."

"Given all this was my fault I'd like an opportunity to put it right," Bart nodded.

Roberto's head gave an incline of acceptance to the heart-felt words. He wanted to rip Madison's spine from his still-breathing body, but not at the expense of distressing Will more. However, in his eyes, Madison was a threat to his extended family, one that needed to be addressed. He was certain Jack and Bart would be agreeable and that Will would find no reason to reject his suggestion.

****

Following the discussion with the big Rojan, Jack, Bart, Nando and Will returned with him to Rancho des Cabellos. Roberto ensured they were not seen by Emerson or Madison as he took them inside the hacienda. They sat, late into the night, discussing what had happened and how things were to be rectified. The look of fury on the face of Don Carlos only abated following his Spouse's suggestion. The older Rojan was angry that Madison had taken advantage of his hospitality after abusing both Bart and Will, both of whom were his family. However, he nodded his agreement, smiling at the simplicity of Roberto's idea.

****

The following morning, Emerson and Madison were stunned to discover Jack and Bart Brooks at the breakfast table. The two men were sitting and calmly drinking large mugs of steaming coffee. Emerson quickly recovered his composure and sat, keeping his distance from the other men. Madison eyed Bart warily, but gave an arrogant smirk as their eyes briefly met.

"I don't understand why these men are here, Don Carlos," Emerson said, as their host came in smiling broadly.

"They are here because they are family," the white-haired man said jovially. "I am sure you met Jack's wife, Marguerita?" At the nod, Don Carlos continued. "She is my oldest daughter."

Emerson and Madison glanced at each other, uncertain at the direction things were going.

"And you have not met my son, Fernando." Don Carlos swept his arm out, as Nando came through and gave the younger man a hug.

Madison eyed the newcomer through slitted eyes. One part of him was certain he could pound the pride and arrogance out of the Rojan if he could get him on his hands and knees. The part that governed self-preservation screamed against even trying. Instead the big blond schooled his features into boredom as his eyes met Nando's.

"Things are very different here in Cost Roja and we are happy and proud that they are. Here a man's Spouse is well protected and retribution for insult or injury is acceptable under Rojan law, where such assaults may go unpunished elsewhere."

Madison squirmed slightly. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable and wanted to know where the old man was leading. He could see Emerson casting the occasional glance his way, but he avoided meeting his boss' eye.

"There is one other I would have you meet," Don Carlos said, his smile still jovial. "Allow me to present you to my son's Spouse; William Green Rodriguez."