Fandom:	NONE
Series:	Original stories
Rating:	NC-17
Pairing:	Jake McAllister/Jesse DeMira
Archive:	Starwinder's
Title:	Awkward Evening
Author:	Starwinder
e-mail:	starwinder2of7@gmail.com
Copyright Notice: All characters in this fiction are original and belong to the author.

Awkward Evening
By Starwinder

The moon was full up when Jake pulled into the ranch house yard and Jesse followed him in. Jake's handyman, Iron Horse came to greet them. Grinning approvingly at Jesse as the young man got out of his car.

Jake gestured toward the house, "Make yourself to home. Ain't nobody here but me and Iron Horse," he nodded toward the old Indian. "We've got to get Freddy unloaded."

Jesse gave the old Indian a smile and headed for the ranch house. By the time that Jake and Iron Horse were finished with their work he had found the kitchen and was busily putting a meal together.

As they crossed the porch Jake and Iron Horse could smell coffee brewing. They followed their noses back to the kitchen and found Jesse. He had rolled up his sleeves and was stacking dishes to be washed. The coffeepot was on the stove and the oven was on.

He looked up as they came in. "It's gonna be a while before the roast is done. I hate to start with frozen meat. Takes it forever to cook through, but waiting to thaw it then cook it takes even longer." He looked Jake over. "You might as well get a bath while we wait. Is coffee the only thing you have around here to drink?" He added the last as Jake turned to go bathe.

"Yeah," Jake replied.

"You need groceries."

"Something else I don't have money for." Jake tossed back over his shoulder. He was a little reluctant to leave Jesse and Iron Horse alone together. There was no telling what the crazy old Indian would say.

Iron Horse watched Jesse moving around the kitchen. The young man seemed to know what he was doing. He made quick work of the dishes and began to clean the rest of the kitchen, scrubbing the countertops, wiping down the stovetop and the other appliances. He opened the refrigerator and started cleaning it out.

Noticing Iron Horse watching him, he grinned and said, "He said to make myself at home!"

Iron Horse nodded. After a minute he said. "You stay."

"What?"

"Gods say, 'You come.' You stay." The old man stood up. "I sleep in bunkhouse." He started out then turned back. "Jake does not know what is good for him. You stay. He needs you. You need him." Then the old man was gone, leaving Jesse to his thoughts.

Jesse finished cleaning out the refrigerator and checked on the roast. It would be a while, quite a while. He smiled suddenly, So, the gods had told the old man he was coming. Told him that Jesse should stay. Well, maybe he should see if he could persuade Jake to that way of thinking.

He went looking for the big cowboy, poking his head in various rooms till he heard Jake splashing around behind one of the doors. He turned the knob. It wasn't locked. He poked his head in.

Jake was soaking in a huge, old, claw-footed, iron tub, leaning back with his eyes closed.

Jesse stepped into the steam filled room. "Need someone to wash your back, Big Boy?" He asked softly.

Jake jerked in the tub, opening his eyes and sitting up. "Uh, uh... no. Not really." He stammered, afraid that if he let the beautiful young man help him he wouldn't be able to fight his desires.

Jesse smiled and advanced on him. "Come on, Jake. I won't bite... unless you want me to." He came and sat on the edge of the tub. Picking up the wash rag that hung there he reached across Jake to get the soap from the soap dish. "I promise it won't hurt." He soaped up the rag and stood, leaning over the tub he began to wash Jake's back, making slow circles with the rag across Jake's shoulders, working his way down very, very slowly.

Jake wanted to protest, but it felt so good. He couldn't remember when anyone had bathed him. Neither of his wives had felt that sharing a bath was part of the marriage package.

After a few minutes of washing Jake's back Jesse let his hand glide up to tangle in Jake's damp hair, "Let me wash your hair," he murmured.

Jake hesitated then nodded.

Jesse smiled, "Back in a sec." He rose and trotted out, returning moments later with a small pot from the kitchen. He dipped up water from the tub and instructing Jake to lean back his head, poured it over Jake's hair. Sitting the pot down on the floor, he got the shampoo and began to wash Jake's hair.

He gently massaged the scalp as he washed, using the pads of his fingers, rubbing hard enough to stimulate the scalp but not too hard.

Jake couldn't believe how good it felt. He tried to remember when the last time someone else had washed his hair for him had been... it seemed like it had been when he was still a kid and his mother had done it. She hadn't been nearly as gentle, had scrubbed with her nails making him wince and try to pull away. After a minute he relaxed into the pure luxury of the scalp massage, finding himself feeling disappointed, when Jesse once again dipped the pot into the water and began to rinse his hair. It was a pleasant surprise when the younger man poured more shampoo into his hand and began to lather Jake's hair a second time.

After the second rinsing, Jesse looked around, then pouted slightly, "Too bad you don't have conditioner." His voice was softly intimate... and faintly disappointed. Then he smiled. "We'll have to get you some."

Jake wanted to ask what made him think he'd be there long enough to buy conditioner but he didn't want to break the mood. He was docile now, letting Jesse do as he pleased and finding that what Jesse pleased, was very pleasant for him.

Jesse poured more shampoo into his hands and rubbing them together, began to shampoo the thick hair on Jake's chest. Running his hands up and over Jake's shoulders he lathered the slightly thinner covering of hair across his upper back. Then let his hands glide down Jake's arms and under them, teasingly tugging at the longish hair in the armpits.

Jake couldn't help the soft moan of pleasure that the careful and very through bathing elicited from him.

Jesse grinned. "We haven't gotten to the good part yet," he whispered. Leaning in to nip at Jake's earlobe he added, "Just wait until I shampoo your balls."

Jake's eyes popped open. "I... I don't know if I can handle that."

"Okay. You can take care of the bottom half yourself." Jesse smiled, wistfully. "But you don't know what you're missing." There would be time. Better to take it slow; let the older man's feelings drive him to initiate more intimate contact.

When he finished washing everything above the waist he handed Jake the wash cloth. "The rest is yours. I'll be in the kitchen."

Jake watched him go with a more than a little disappointment. He knew that he'd said that he didn't want Jesse to wash *that* for him but he'd half hoped that the younger man might push it, that he might try anyhow. As much as he tried to deny it, he did want Jesse's hands on him, on his naked skin, touching, caressing doing the things that he'd always been taught were a sin. He wanted it badly. He just couldn't bring himself to ask for it, at least not yet. His hand drifted downward, closed around his cock, which was fully erect. Good thing the tub was deep or Jesse would have known just how badly Jake wanted him to continue. It didn't take many strokes for him to explode, moaning Jesse's name.

Jesse wasn't in the kitchen when he finished and went looking for the younger man. He stood a minute looking around. The kitchen was virtually spotless, except for the floor. It was still in desperate need of a moping. He wasn't much of a housekeeper, only did what had to be done and then only when he couldn't put it off any longer. After a moment he realized that he heard water running and went across to the laundry room that adjoined one side of the kitchen.

Jesse was sorting clothes from the piles on the floor while the washing machine filled with water.

Jake grimaced. The man must think him an awful slob. "You don't have to do that."

"Oh, yes I do." He gave Jake a self-depreciating grin and a shrug. "Nerves. I know, I act all confident but inside I'm probably more nervous than you are. Be glad. By the time I get calm enough to sleep the place will be spotless."

Suddenly he was babbling. "You said I could stay tonight, but really you could use some help here. It won't hurt anything for me to stay a while. I'm not expected anywhere. I can cook. I'm a really good cook. Don't judge my cooking by the roast tonight. That's just a throw together thing. Not that it won't be good. It's just not representative of what I can do, really. I can keep house, too. Wash clothes." He gestured at the piles of dirty clothes that almost completely covered the laundry room floor.

"Make the beds. My dad taught me to make beds Army style. He was in the army, once. Motor pool. That's where he learned about engines. He taught me about engines, too. Your truck. Engine needs to be rebuilt. I can do that. I can make it better than new. Really I can."

Jake could only stare at him, wondering where the outburst had come from and how long it would last.

Jesse trailed off then started back. "I'm babbling aren't I? I'm sorry. Sometimes I get started and I just can't shut up. I'm sorry. I'll shut up now. "

"How long till the supper's done?" Jake asked.

"At least another hour and a half and that's if you don't mind it medium rare."

"Medium's fine." Jake fell silent for a long few moments then said. "I got work to do tomorrow. Can't just hang around with you. You wanna stay you'll have to take care of yourself."

"Are you saying I can stay?"

"Long as you don't get in my way."

Jesse flashed him that smile again. "You don't mind if I kinda... uh... clean up around here a little do you?"

"Help yourself. Don't throw nothing out that you don't know what is. Might be something I need."

"You need groceries. I could go shopping. Maybe day after tomorrow?"

"Not tomorrow?"

"I don't know what we need. I'll have to inventory tomorrow. How many hands do you have? I have to know how many to cook for."

"Just me'n Iron Horse... and I reckon you now."

Jesse nodded and took off on a tangent. "Is that the only bathroom? I didn't see another one. I was wondering if I could get a bath before bed."

"Other one's upstairs."

"Upstairs? I didn't see a staircase."

"In the back room. Upstairs was originally an attic. Converted it to an apartment when I got married the first time. Weren't enough money to build another house for us. It's only got a shower though. You wanna tub bath you'll have to use the downstairs bathroom." As an after thought he added. "Reckon if you're staying you can have the apartment... if you want."

Jesse shrugged. He didn't want the apartment. He wanted to sleep with Jake. "How many rooms are downstairs?"

The other man thought a minute. "There's the front room, with the fireplace... three bedrooms and the bathroom... kitchen and pantry, dining room, laundry room, Pa's old study, Ma's sewing room. 'Bout nine or ten I reckon depending on whether you count the bathroom and pantry."

"And upstairs?"

"All one room. 'cept the bath's closed off. And a big walk-in closet."

Jesse had finished sorting the clothes while they talked and had started up a load. Leaving them to wash he went to check the roast.

Jake followed him back into the kitchen.

"Still gonna be a while." He turned to look at the cowboy. "I've got time to bathe. I'll get my stuff out of the car and shower upstairs. Roast should be about ready by the time I'm finished."

When the older man nodded, Jesse left to get bathed.

When he returned some time later, he was wearing a pair of sweatpants and matching top. Jake was sitting at the kitchen table with his head resting on his folded arms.

Jesse didn't disturb him. He went ahead and fixed the rest of the meal. He peeled potatoes and put them on to boil for cream potatoes, got out some lettuce and found some tomatoes to make a simple salad. He set the table around Jake, putting his plate to the side so as not to wake him till the meal was on the table. He creamed the potatoes and made the salad, then took out the roast and carved it.

Finally after he'd filled both their plates and set them on the table he shook Jake awake.

The other man sat up and looked around blearily. After a minute he said, "Oh, supper's ready."

"Yeah, course if you're not hungry..." Jesse teased him.

Jake glared at him, "I'm starved." He growled back. Somehow it seemed perfectly natural that Jesse should be there, putting supper on his table, teasing him. It wasn't until he got good awake that the awkwardness returned.

When they finished eating and Jesse was clearing up, Jake stood up. "I reckon I better turn in. Gotta get up early. Lot to do tomorrow."

"What time do you want breakfast?"

Jake turned back to stare at him. "You ain't gotta..."

"I know that. I just want to know. If I wake up, fine I'll fix breakfast... if not, I won't. Okay?"

"Around sunup. That'll be about five in the morning."

Jesse nodded and Jake went on to bed.

The End