Strawberry Cowboy

Author's Note: This is a nonconsent/reluctance story about incest/taboo themes featuring a transman as the main character.

*

Lyle pulled back on the reins of his roan mare. He could hear the gravel on the driveway crunching. Then, from his position at the head of the trail at the treeline, he saw a black SUV slowly making its way down the drive with a puff of dust following in its wake. Lyle smiled. Laurel was here. He gently kicked the sides of the mare to get her walking again and steered her toward the horse barn at the front of the property. It was the first time since Laurel's wedding that he had seen his sister. Two and a half years. Now, she was finally coming home for Thanksgiving with her new husband, Daniel, and his brother, Raphael. Daniel was a solid guy who Laurel had met in college, but Lyle had only met Raphael during the wedding events.

Hopping off the mare, Lyle led her to her stall where he took off her reins and saddle. He found her brush and began brushing down the whitish red coat of his horse. Lyle had decided to let his parents say hello first before he went to greet his sister. As he brushed, he hummed an old song and thought about how much things had changed and yet stayed the same.

After Laurel had left for college and moved out, Lyle had moved back. He had gotten a job near the family home and wanted to help out on the farm again. It was tough, having gone through his transition, to come home again. Still, his parents had adjusted and now he was known as their oldest son. The large sixteen acre farm used to feel like a curse for Lyle when he was growing up, but now he had grown to love the animals and the land. Checking to make sure the mare had enough water, feed, and hay, Lyle reluctantly left the stable.

He loved Laurel. He even liked Daniel. Raphael, however, was another matter. From the moment they had met, Raphael had seemed to pay too much attention to Lyle and he couldn't figure out why. The man was cordial and polite. Charming, even. For some reason, though, Raphael had stuck to Lyle's side when they had to go to the rehearsal dinner and the wedding reception. Lyle didn't know what to make of it. Now he wondered what it would be like trying to survive a week of Raphael staying in the carriage house with Lyle. Shaking his head, Lyle decided not to worry about what he couldn't control and headed over to the main barn to settle his nerves before he met up with everyone for dinner.

**

As the autumn breeze tousled his curly auburn hair, Lyle switched the position of the joint in his hand so that the rapidly burning cherry wouldn't sting his fingers. He took a puff of the acrid green smoke and puffed it out into the afternoon sky. Though he was listening to music via earbuds he still felt the creak of the old floorboard as someone's weight was pulled up into the loft.

Lyle had been sitting with his back to the hay loft with his legs dangling out of the large open hay door. He quickly snubbed the joint and tucked the roach into his pocket before turning around and finding Raphael walking toward him. Lyle muttered a curse and stood up to greet him, pulling the earphones out and pausing his music, he prepared for a verbal spar. Ever since Raphael had arrived two days ago, he had been pushing Lyle's buttons subtly and trying to get a rise out of him.

Since Laurel and Daniel were married, they got to stay in Laurel's old room. Raphael, however, had been pushed to the mother-in-law's cottage with Lyle since Lyle's old room had been converted to his parent's cramped home gym. He expected the same behavior as when Laurel got married. Whenever Lyle was in a common room, Raphael would also be there: staring. Even when Lyle would wake up in the middle of the night, Raphael would be lingering about. He would invade Lyle's personal space and do silly things like what Lyle and Laurel did as kids to annoy each other. He would blow air into Lyle's ear, poke his side, or tousle his hair. Lyle, however, was determined to ignore it.

"What were you listening to?" Raphael asked casually as he approached Lyle who shifted from foot to foot nervously.

"Lorna Shore. What are you doing here?" Lyle hoped that his voice seemed as casual as Raphael's but couldn't keep the tremor out of his voice.

"Amazing band. What else were you doing?" Raphael didn't need to ask. He'd caught Lyle red-handed.

"Nothing." Lyle lied. He regretted it as soon as he said it. Raphael didn't stop moving toward him until he was standing directly in front of Lyle.

"Nothing?" Raphael asked coyly, quickly darting out his hand to dig into Lyle's front pocket and pull out the roach. "This doesn't look-or smell-like nothing."

"Shit, okay, you got me. Listen, we're both adults. I get that I shouldn't be out here smoking, but it's not the end of the world." Lyle meekly replied, taking a step back from Raphael toward the open hay door.

"Let me guess, now comes the part where you try to convince me not to tell your parents?" Raphael chuckled. "It's like you're sixteen not twenty six."

"Twenty-seven." Lyle replied hotly. "I shouldn't have to convince you. It's none of their business, and it's none of yours."

"Is that so?" Raphael reached out and stroked Lyle's pallid freckled cheek. Confusion clouded Lyle's mind and he took a moment to push away Raphael's hand.

"Yes. Now please let me go back to enjoying my music." Lyle said sourly.

"I don't know. I think your parents may want to know that you're out here smoking weed in their barn." Raphael tsked and moved closer to Lyle.

"Come on, Raph. This doesn't have anything to do with them." Lyle pleaded.

"You'll have to convince me." Raphael grinned at the shorter man. Lyle was about five foot and nine inches tall whereas Raphael was a good four to five inches taller. Hazel eyes flashing gold with anger, Lyle folded his arms across his chest and inspected the older man. Raphael had deeply tanned skin with near-black hair and a beard that was graying in some spots. He was an attractive man with his high cheekbones and strong browline.

"Alright, what do you want?" Lyle sighed, exasperated. He just wanted to find a new place where he could be alone for a while.

"Oh, I don't know. What's a secret we could share that's just a sensational as you being a pot head?" Raphael teased as he grinned at Lyle. He was laying a trap and Lyle knew it.

"Do you want some?" Lyle asked, confused. "I don't get where you're going with this." He lied.

"Kiss me." Raphael said. "If you give me a kiss, we can pretend like none of this ever happened."

"Seriously?" Lyle asked and recoiled at the thought. They were practically family, after all.

"What? Can't do it?" Raphael teased. "Guess you are still a kid."

"I can do it!" Lyle spoke without thinking and then bit the inside of his cheek in contemplation. "Fine, whatever."

Lyle leaned forward and lifted his face to meet Raphael's before closing his eyes and giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek. Not satisfied, Raphael cupped Lyle's chin in his hand and turned his face so that their lips brushed against one another. Lyle froze and felt confused. Was Raphael teasing him or was there something else to this kiss? Before he could finish the thought, Raphael's mouth closed over Lyle's in a searing kiss. Still holding him in place, Raphael's other arm snaked around Lyle's waist and pulled him against Raphael's hard body. Lyle was soft against him, having more pudge than he despite still being physically fit. Without warning, Raphael let him go and Lyle swayed slightly.

"There. Now we have our own secret." Raphael said then flicked the roach out the window into the wild shrubbery below.

"That's littering." Lyle muttered, his hand now over his mouth. Raphael laughed in response.

"Is that all you can say? If you're not thinking about me yet, I'll have to kiss you again." Pulling him back into his arms, Raphael's lips pressed against Lyle's in a gentle yet deepening kiss. Lyle pressed his hands against Raphael's chest, attempting to push him away halfheartedly.

"Raph!" Lyle exclaimed, finally managing to push the taller man away. "What are you doing?"

"I thought it was obvious. I was kissing you." Raphael chuckled as Lyle sputtered for something to say, his brow furrowing.

"I wasn't asking literally what you were doing, I wanted to know why you're doing it!" Lyle said, frustrated as he took a step back before noticing he was cornered. His back was to the wall and the hay door was to his right, Raphael to his left.

"I was kissing you because I wanted to. Do I need more reason?" Raphael reached out and then paused when Lyle didn't move toward him. "I'd like it if you kissed me back."

"You're Daniel's brother. I don't know you and we're practically family." Lyle reasoned while holding himself out of reach of Raphael.

"Daniel is just your brother-in-law. We're barely family by marriage." Raphael shot back, reaching toward Lyle again, this time succeeding in grabbing his wrist and pulling him toward Raphael. "None of that should matter. Don't you find me attractive?"

"That's got nothing to do with it." Lyle said uneasily, trying uselessly to free his arm from Raphael's grasp. "Why are you being so forceful? I'm not interested."

"That's a lie. I see how I get under your skin." Raphael's other hand found its way to Lyle's hip and slid beneath his shirt to grip his hip.

Lyle scoffed. "You've been acting like an eight year old. It's irritating, not endearing."

"Aren't you the sassy one?" Raphael bowed his head and pressed his lips to Lyle's ear where he whispered. "If you didn't react so strongly, I wouldn't be tempted."

In trying to pull away, Lyle found himself once again bound in Raphael's arms. Lyle swallowed nervously. "Raph, this isn't a game."

"Isn't it?" Raphael's chuckle was dark and Lyle felt his stomach drop even as his body reacted. Lyle quivered as Raphael began to kiss down his neck, large hands moving beneath Lyle's shirt.

Lyle pushed against Raphael, but Raphael pushed him against the wall of the barn and pressed his thigh between Lyle's legs. Panic shot through the younger man. He didn't know if Raphael had clocked him as trans yet. He'd certainly realized Lyle is attracted to men, but there were more secrets to be revealed. Lyle was packing today with a soft packer, but he knew Raphael could feel the difference.

Raphael seemed undeterred as he once again found Lyle's lips and kissed him deeply, taking his breath away. Lyle pushed at Raphael's arms ineffectively as Raphael unbuttoned the soft tan flannel he wore. Raphael's hands splayed over Lyle's flat chest causing Lyle to gasp into the kiss. Raphael's hands felt hot through the thin material of Lyle's white undershirt. Taking advantage of Lyle's open mouth, Raphael pushed his tongue past Lyle's lips.

Lyle gripped the rough denim of Raphael's jacket. Despite knowing this was a bad idea, Lyle found himself yielding to Raphael's hot domineering touch. One hand pushing up his undershirt, Raphael's other hand slid down to Lyle's pants to undo the button and zipper. Lyle tore his mouth away from the burning kiss.

"Raph," Lyle was breathless. "Wait."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm getting into." Raphael winked at Lyle before once again fastening his mouth over Lyle's.

Raphael's hand slid into Lyle's boxers, delighting in the way Lyle grunted in response to his fingertips brushing over his enlarged clit. His middle and ring finger pinched and slid along Lyle's enlarged clit, stroking it like a small cock. Lyle gasped and held on to Raphael, looking down to where his hand disappeared into Lyle's pants. His thighs trembled, back against the wall, as Raphael drew little gasps and moans from Lyle's mouth as he panted against Raphael's chest.

"Raph." Lyle hissed. "Stop."

"I don't want to." Raphael kissed Lyle's hair. "I don't think you want me to, either."

"Fuck." Lyle gasped as Raphael continued to punish his clit. Lyle could feel himself nearing an orgasm. Raphael tilted his chin up and kissed him passionately, his fingers working incessantly.

Lyle's stomach tensed, hips bucked forward, and his breath hitched as he reached his climax. His thighs had clamped around Raphael's hand, trapping it. Raphael smiled as he continued to kiss Lyle who had now become yielding and supple against him. Lyle whimpered and opened his legs slightly as he felt Raphael's hand move again, this time slipping farther down to where Lyle's wet cunt was still twitching from his orgasm. At first, Raphael's probing fingers were gentle and exploratory. He felt for Lyle's readiness before slipping his middle finger deep inside of Lyle's slick channel. Lyle ground himself against the hand in his jeans. Raphael groaned in appreciation before using his other hand to rub down across Lyle's arm to find his hand and move it against his own bulging erection.

Keeping his head down, Lyle began to move his hand. Licking his lips, he undid Raphael's belt, then button, and then his zipper. Reaching into his pants, Lyle freed Raphael's bulky cock. It was long, sure, but it was especially thick. Lyle swallowed nervously as he saw it. Raphael's hips jerked, rubbing the bulbous head against Lyle's palm. The tip was slick with precum and Lyle couldn't help but lick his lips.

Raphael breathed heavily as he felt his cock slide against Lyle's palm. He began to move his finger more, curling it into Lyle's g-spot and eliciting a breathy moan. Fuck, Raphael thought, he was so wet. His ring and index fingers slid along the puffy lips of Lyle's cunt and soon his ring finger joined his middle inside of Lyle, pumping vigorously.

Lyle gripped Raphael's cock and used his thumb to spread the precum over the tip. He began to rub, hesitant at first and then more bold. Raphael lowered his head to whisper in Lyle's ear. "I knew you didn't want to stop."

"Shut up." Lyle retorted, lifting his head and silencing Raphael with his mouth. He could feel Raphael smile.

Raphael then moved his free hand to Lyle's hip and then down his leg before pulling it up to wrap around his hip. Even spread open like this, Raphael could only fit the two fingers that plunged into Lyle. He'd have to be satisfied with his hand for now.

Lyle opened his mouth and sucked on Raphael's tongue as he stroked his cock. Within a short time, both were nearing climax. Lyle panted into Raphael's mouth as his belly tensed and his cunt convulsed around Raphael's fingers. His orgasm came on rapidly. Lyle slumped against the wall as Raphael withdrew his fingers and pushed up Lyle's shirt to reveal his flat chest and top surgery scars.

"Bite." Raphael gruffly commanded as he shoved the wad of fabric into Lyle's mouth.

Leaning back, he used his slick fingers to lubricate his cock as his hand joined Lyle's. He stroked himself while staring at Lyle's body, finally cumming. He spurted his hot load on Lyle's belly. Lyle looked down at his stomach where the creamy white cum was dripping down his skin. His face was flushed.

"Good boy." Raphael breathed as he kissed Lyle's neck before pulling away. "Go change before you come to the main house. Dinner is almost ready."

Lyle watched as Raphael fixed his pants and climbed down out of the hayloft. Tentatively, his fingers touched the cum on his belly and he felt a jolt rush through his body straight to his clit.

**

"Hey sweetie." Lyle's mom, Alaina, called out as she heard the back door open. Everyone else was already at the main house.

"Brother!" Laurel shouted as she ran up to Lyle and gave him a big hug.

"Sister!" He responded, bringing her into his arms.

"What took you so long?" Laurel asked, pulling away and turning back to Daniel. "We got here a couple of hours ago. Dad said you were in the horse barn, but you weren't there when we went to check."

Lyle caught Raphael's mischievous smile and quickly turned away. "I was around. Anyway, what's for dinner?"

Laurel joined their mother in the kitchen and began to pull out the dishes and utensils they'd need. "Mom's making lasagna."

"Laurel told me she wanted to know the recipe, so I told her we would make it together when she came home." Alaina said happily, giving her daughter a hug as she passed by on her way to pull several dishes out of the oven.

Daniel stood and walked up to Lyle and put a hand on his back. "Good to see you again. You remember my brother, Raphael, right?"

Lyle nodded, his attention forced to the man sitting next to Lyle's father in the living room. "Yeah. I do. Good seeing y'all again."

"Lyle, help me with the salad." Alaina said as she set the lasagna down on the counter.

Rolling up the sleeves of his fresh blue sweater, Lyle began to dump the pre-chopped ingredients into the salad bowl. Despite having his back turned to Raphael, Lyle could still feel his eyes on him. He tried to focus on the little tasks he was assigned, but soon found himself sitting across the table from Raphael. Lyle tried to keep his head down as they prayed then began their meal.

"So, how long are y'all staying?" Lyle asked, turning to Laurel beside him.

"Just till Sunday. Then we're headed back south." Laurel said between bites of the heavenly lasagna.

"You get settled in, alright?" Lyle asked absent-mindedly as he took a piece of garlic bread from a basket then handed it off to the next person

"Yeah, but it's weird being in my old room. Everything feels smaller." Laurel shook her head and smiled at Daniel. "It is a tight fit."

"Oh, get a room." Raphael teased as the two lovebirds made eyes at one another.

"What about you, Raphael? How do you like the carriage house?" Alaina asked, passing the Salad bowl to Daniel.

"It's nice. I hope you don't mind, Lyle, but I went ahead and made myself at home." Raphael grinned at Lyle.

"You certainly have." Lyle murmured. Then, speaking up, he turned to his sister. "Are you still planning on visiting Meemaw and Pops on Saturday?"

"Of course! I haven't seen them since the wedding. Mom and dad are coming too. Will you join us?" Laurel said excitedly.

"I can't. I've got something to do." Lyle hedged. He loved his grandparents, but didn't feel like subjecting himself to their judgment about his supposed 'lifestyle'.

"That makes two of us." Raphael chimed in. Lyle grimaced at the thought of the two of them alone on the farm. His feelings were still mixed up and he didn't quite know what to think about Raphael yet.

"That's a shame. Lauren and Daniel would love to see you kids." Lyle's dad, Henry, said as he added a second piece of garlic bread to his plate. The table went silent for a moment. He wouldn't say it, but everyone knew Lyle had distanced himself from his maternal grandparents due to their bigoted views. Still, the disapproval weighed on Lyle.

"Why aren't they coming to Thanksgiving dinner?" Daniel asked, finally taking a break from his plate of food.

"Meemaw has to use a walker now, so she prefers if they stay close to the retirement community. We offered to come pick them up, but they don't want to be in the car for so long." Laurel said sadly.

"Oh, I see." Daniel nodded.

"Will you at least come with us Black Friday shopping?" Laurel looked between Raphael and Lyle. Both frowned.

"Nope." Lyle said.

"Not a chance." Raphael chuckled.

Laurel sighed then took a bite of her food. "You two are no fun."

"On the contrary, Lyle and I have lots of fun." Raphael smirked. Lyle tried not to choke on his bite of salad, quickly rinsing it down with his sweet tea. He glared at Raphael but no one else seemed to pick up on the double entendre.

"Sure." Laurel laughed. "So much fun being sticks in the mud."

Lyle rolled his eyes and kept eating as the conversation shifted toward new movies coming out and the book Alaina was reading for her book club. It was the usual family dinner. Lyle couldn't wait to get away. As soon as the meal was done, Lyle excused himself and hurried back to the carriage house.