Fic: Western Lovers:Cowboys & Archaeologists 21/30

[sassywitch.livejournal.com]

Title: Western Lovers: Cowboys and Archaeologists 21/30
Author: sassywitch
Pairing: BB/DM with a smattering of VM/LT and DW/OB
Rating: NC-17, to be on the safe side.
Summary: Billy is a man to be reckoned with. Can Dom heal his wounded soul and his own into the bargain. Could Billy make him forget the bitter lessons of the past?
Feedback: Feedback is my writers crack, which is not to be confused at all with plumbers crack.
Disclaimer: Not at all true in reality. These men whilst adorable and perfectly happy to slash themselves, their actual relationship is something that they only know. This story is adapted from a series of books that I adored when I was younger written by Elizabeth Lowell.
Word Count: 3575
Header Art: Courtesy of the incredibly talented loki_girl
Previous Chapters: can be found Here
A/N: A huge thank you to dylan_dufresne for the inspiration, the prodding and the beta. My grammar sucks really, really badly so she had to suffer it so nobody else would. Yes, yes i know, Next Chapter on Friday.

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Dom moved slowly down the loose, sandstone path towards the waterhole that he and Billy had discovered. With his towel thrown carelessly over his bare shoulder, Dom strolled towards his bath time leisurely. He hadn't seen Billy return from the Kiva yet, so Dom had time to relax in the sun warmed water before he returned to camp and started preparing their evening meal.

Fingers tracing the light smattering of hair on his chest, Dom stopped dead in his tracks as he heard water splashing. Unconsciously spreading his towel over his shoulder to cover more of his bare chest, Dom pressed himself against the canyon wall beside him. Taking a deep breath, he peered around the edge of the wall, trying to see who was in their waterhole. What he saw took his breath away.

Billy stood in the shallows of the waterhole, his pale skin contrasting with the deep golden walls of sandstone behind him, the crystal clear water reflecting the fading rays of sunlight filtering across the top of the ravine as water sluiced off his naked body. Dom's teeth worried his bottom lip as he watched the rivulets of water trickle down Billy's firmly muscled back. Heat began to pool, low in Dom's belly as he watched his lover bathing. Wanting nothing more than to take the place of the washcloth that Billy swiped clinically over his body, Dom closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, his feet slowly moving him forward. Dropping the towel he carried along his path to the water, uncaring of where it fell, or the fact that he still wore the cut off shorts he had changed into when he had returned to camp, Dom walked right into the water.

Billy had turned as he heard Dom's footsteps, a slow smile creasing his face as he watched Dom approaching, and his eyes filled with emerald fire as he realized Dom's intentions. Without moving his gaze from Dom's face, Billy lifted his washcloth and threw it towards the bank. Opening his arms to Dom, Billy stepped back into deeper water as Dom reached him and wrapped his long arms around Billy tightly. Lips meeting Billy's in an open mouthed kiss, their lips slid across each others wetly as the water rushed up to meet them.

The force of Dom's impact with Billy pushed them backwards and they fell into the water, neither of them willing to give up his hold on the other as they sank through the crystal clear, sun warmed liquid, Dom's legs tangled with Billy's. Small, strong hands roamed the length of Dom's back and thighs while Dom's hands cupped Billy's face as they kissed, sharing their breath and their overwhelming need for the other until their lungs burned with the need for air. Pressing one hand to the rocky floor of the pond beneath him, Billy pushed them back towards the surface.

As they broke the surface of the water, their lips broke apart, and gasping for breath, Billy floated calmly on his back. Cradling Dom against him, Billy's feet moved through the water, one hand stroking the water gently, keeping them both afloat as they inhaled deeply. Dom's fingers toyed with Billy's nipples as he leaned into the floating embrace, basking in their easy companionship.

"Keep that up and we won't be floating for long," Billy sighed unable and unwilling to hide the effect Dom's caresses were having on his body.

"Good," Dom murmured, his fingers tangling in the soft curls on Billy's chest and belly.

"You're incredible, Honey," Billy murmured, pressing a kiss against the top of Dom's damp head, his hand propelling them back towards shallow water. As they bumped against the smooth lip of submerged sandstone, Billy rolled towards Dom, his hands framing Dom's head, keeping him above the shallow water as their lips met in a long, deep kiss. "Let's go back to camp, Hon," Billy whispered into Dom's mouth, his pelvis pushing slowly against Dom's sharply delineated hipbone.

"No," Dom murmured, rolling Billy onto his back in the water, sliding off their rock ledge and back into the silent depths again. This kiss less urgent, less frantic, Dom's fingers found Billy's growing arousal and caressed it slowly as they sank deeper under the water. Wrapped in their own, sun-tinged cocoon of warm water, Dom opened his eyes, watching Billy's face as they kissed slowly, tongues tangling hungrily before he pressed his foot against the floor of the pond and pushed them back towards the surface.

"Here, Bills," Dom gasped as he caught his breath. "In the pond, right now."

"Dammit, Honey. You know I can't say no to you," Billy murmured as his feet found the ledge beneath them and he let his hands caress his lover. Moving quickly down his smooth, flat belly to the button fly that covered the hard ridge of Dom's arousal, Billy's fingers lingering over the fabric suggestively.

"Billy, don't tease. Please?" Dom tipped his head back, his hands on Billy's shoulders, hair brushing the surface of the water as he thrust his hips tighter against his lover.

"Dommie." Billy pulled Dom back to him and trailed kisses up the wet column of his neck, licking the droplets of water from his skin. "You should've thought about that before you came in here clothed."

"You should've said that already, Billy," Dom whimpered, one hand tangling in Billy's hair and pressing his mouth closer to Billy's skin before he pulled away. Both of Billy's strong hands gripped Dom's waistband and pulled hard on the fabric.

A wide, lazy grin split Billy's face as he watched several buttons sink to the bottom of the pond, quickly forgotten and left to become ancient relics for a future generation. The heavy fabric was pushed down Dom's legs by his long, impatient fingers as his mouth swooped in to take Billy's hungrily.

Shorts forgotten as they tangled at his feet, Dom let the water take his weight and wrapped his legs around Billy's hips, the discarded article of clothing falling to the floor of the pond. As his heels caressed the backs of Billy's thighs, Dom's hips thrust in a lazy rhythm while his tongue thrust into Billy's mouth slowly, fingers twisting in his hair, pulling him closer.

"C'mon, Billy," Dom murmured against Billy's skin, the tip of his long tongue trailing the length of Billy's face. "Need you."

"Slow down, Honey," Billy hissed as his fingers trailed across Dom's buttocks, sliding across his entrance slowly. "Don't want to hurt you."

"Won't." Dom shook his head, spraying water across Billy and the rippling surface of the water around them, his hand sliding between their bodies to close around Billy's arousal. "C'mon, Billy."

Aquiescing to his lover's request, Billy's finger pushed slowly into Dom's entrance, his body arching against Billy, almost toppling them in the water. Dom's blissful cries echoed along the walls of sandstone that surrounded them, and his fingers tightened around Billy's throbbing erection so desperately that a similar cry bubbled from Billy's lips. As Dom relaxed against him, Billy pushed a second finger into his tight body, scissoring them carefully as he let his teeth close on Dom's shoulder, sucking and licking the cool, smooth skin there.

"Nuff," Dom ground out against Billy's temple, one arm wrapped around Billy's neck, the other trapped between their bodies as he stroked Billy's cock firmly, his hips pushing harder and faster against Billy, grinding his arousal against Billy's furry belly. "Now," he whispered into Billy's ear as he nipped at the fleshy lobe.

Billy pulled back far enough to grip the side of Dom's face with one trembling hand and looked deep into Dom's passion glazed eyes.

"Are you sure, Dommie?" Billy murmured tenderly.

Teeth white against his deep, pink, kiss-swollen lips, his eyes heavy lidded, Dom returned Billy's level gaze with a breathy nod. "Please," Dom whimpered as he nuzzled his cheek onto Billy's hand, hips grinding down onto Billy's probing fingers. "Need."

Fingers brushing across the tight little bundle of nerves his fingers sought, Billy held Dom tightly as Dom’s whimpers of desperation caught against Billy's neck.

Pulling Dom's face to his with one strong hand, Billy met his lips in a wet, nipping kiss while his arousal nudged against Dom's entrance, and Billy held his breath tightly as he struggled to maintain control, Dom's arms holding him close.

Dom's hips began to undulate against Billy, his lips nipping at the tender skin of Billy's neck while Billy struggled to keep them upright as Dom ground into Billy, desperately seeking completion. Fingers finding Dom's buttocks, Billy's nails left crescent shapes in his soft skin as he pushed deeper and harder, every thrust pushing him against Dom's prostate, drawing incoherent moans from Dom's lips.

Feeling Dom's rippling body go taut against his own, a powerful climax bubbles under the surface of his superheated skin, causing Billy to give in to his own desires. Billy's mouth found Dom's slickly, sealing their lips together, hips grinding furiously against each other as Billy's hand found Dom's throbbing arousal. Stroking Dom feverishly, Billy let himself fall against Dom, both of them sinking under the surface of the water.

In their own moist cocoon, they had no hope of holding their control. Senses overwhelming him, Dom found his release in Billy's hand, their bodies completely submerged. As they sank through the water and Dom's body clenched around him, Billy thrust frantically, his feet pushing them off from the floor of the pond, his body desperately finding release as they burst out of the water, gasping raggedly for breath.

"You're going to kill me," Billy finally spoke, his lips sliding tenderly against Dom's skin, tongue catching the droplets of water that trickled across Dom's glistening chest.

"What a way to go," Dom replied sleepily, sinking into Billy's embrace, his lips curving into a grin against the warm pale skin as his breathing began to slow again.

"I could think of worse ways," Billy chuckled, pressing his lips against Dom's wet hair.

After a few moments, Dom disentangled himself from Billy's arms. "Definitely," he said before leaning in to kiss Billy gently. "I love you." He breathed against Billy's lips before pressing forward for a second kiss, this one deeper and more passionate.

Billy never spoke, just simply pulled Dom tight to his body, fingers trailing across still trembling muscles as he gently caressed.

Releasing Dom, Billy pressed a short, hard kiss against Dom's swollen lips before diving into the depths of the water. Surfacing mere moments later, he held Dom's dripping cargo shorts above his head.

"Missing anything?" he quirked an eyebrow.

"Getting back into them is going to be interesting," Dom, sighed taking them from Billy's hand as he pressed his mouth to Billy's, his tongue dipping between Billy's lips as they parted under his.

"Don't bother," Billy murmured, trailing his lips down Dom's lithe body to the water level and below, swirling his tongue in and around his navel before rising to kiss Dom's lips again.

"I'm sure we can work something out."

"I can't go back naked, Billy." Dom's eyes widened as he slipped back into the water. "What if….?"

"No what if's, Honey, and I wasn't suggesting naked." Billy's warm hands wrapped around Dom's shoulders as he spoke gently.

"I'm sorry," Dom murmured, sinking into Billy's embrace.

"Don't be sorry," Billy soothed him. "It's a natural reaction, Honey." He murmured. "A month ago, you would have had the same reaction if I had suggested making love in a waterhole, but what just happened was all you, Honey." Pausing, Billy took a breath. "Do you know how proud I am of you? You're slowing learning to let go of the fears that have kept the real you hidden for so long."

"How am I supposed to remember anything when I see you like that?" Dom murmured. "You are so beautiful, Billy. So hard and masculine, but so soft at the same time. Seeing you here took my breath away. I couldn't think of anything else, I just had to touch you, had to feel you. I wanted you so badly." Tilting his head to one side, Dom kissed Billy slowly and deeply. "So badly."

"It's not me, Honey." Billy pressed a hand against Dom's chest, over his strong beating heart. "It's in here, and I'm so proud to have been the one to show you."

"You didn't," Dom whispered. "You loved me. Whether you meant it or not, you loved me and keep showing me that love isn't pain at all." Dom paused, choosing his words carefully. "Whether you believe it or not, you taught me to feel the difference." Dom pulled away from Billy slowly and extended a hand to him as he stepped out of the water. Billy reached out and slid his fingers into Dom’s. "It's not me. It's you, Billy. You taught me how to be loved."

"Dom." Billy's voice held a warning tone that hadn't been there moments before.

"I know, you don't want to talk about it." Dom shrugged as he laced his fingers through Billy's. "I get that, I do, I just…." Dom sighed. "You brought it up, Billy. Not me. I was just telling you how I see what's happened." He turned away from Billy and continued speaking. "I know you don't want to love me, and that's fine, but even you can't deny that every touch you've given me, the way you so desperately ensure my comfort before you think about your own, you might not have wanted to, but you have taught me how to be loved." Dom turned back toward Billy, his eyes shining. "I'll never ever forget that, Billy. Not ever."

"Dom, I don't want to talk about this now," Billy said with a heavy sigh, his eyes suspiciously bright.

"Why not, Bills?" Dom asked, his tone unmistakably frustrated. "When are we going to talk about it? I'm not here for much longer. Or were you just going to let me drive away and watch me leave."

"Dommie," Billy growled. "Leave it alone."

"I can't, Billy. Not now," Dom said sadly. "You make love to me. Love, Billy. It's not sex, it's love. Even an idiot like me can tell the difference. And you're just going to let me walk away, and I can't understand why."

"It's not love, Dom," Billy ground out. "I won't let it be."

"You won't let it be?" Dom frowned. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"You have to go home at the end of summer. You can't stay here." Abruptly, Billy turned away.

Dom grabbed Billy's shoulder and pulled firmly, spinning him back towards him. "You're sending me away?" he asked and then paused. "After all this?" Dom couldn't help the tears that welled up in his eyes "After…after what we've had?"

Billy grabbed Dom's arms, his green eyes boring into Dom's face as he spoke. "Don't you get it yet, Dommie I don't want to, but I have to. It's how it has to be. I'm no good for saddling up. It's better that you hurt a little now, then I break you later on. I don't want to, but I have to."

"Tell me why, Bills?" Dom asked softly, seeing the desolation and pain in Billy's eyes. "Please, Bills. Don't you owe me that much?" He let his hands rest on Billy's hips.

Billy shook his head, finally breaking his visual contact with Dom. "I can't, Dom. I have secrets, too. Secrets I haven't talked about since I was younger than you. I can't talk about it, and I won't hurt you."

"for fucks sake, Billy! Don't you realize you already are?" Dom asked hoarsely.

Billy's eyes softened at Dom's words. "I'm sorry, Dom," he whispered, one hand reaching to stroke the soft damp hair from Dom's forehead. "I never meant to hurt you. Never. I'd take my own life before I'd harm a hair on your head. If I'd known you'd fall in love with me, I would never have let this start." Billy's voice trailed off, and he shrugged sadly.

"How did you think I wouldn't, Billy?" Dom asked, looking at him incredulously. "How could anyone spend any time with you and not love you?"

"I'm far from lovable, Dom," Billy eplied with a frown. "Ask any of the hands."

"I don't want to ask the hands. I don't need to ask the hands. They don't really know you." Dom stepped closer. "The people that matter love you, because of who you are. Unconditionally. The same way you love them. The same way I love you, whether you want it or not. It just happened, because of the man that you are. I can't change it. I don't want to change it."

"You should," Billy murmured. "I only lead to hurt."

"Whoever told you that is a bloody fool," Dom cussed softly, his hand reaching out to brush Billy's cheek gently as he drew a deep breath. "I'm sorry I brought it up, Billy," he murmured, leaning in to press his face against Billy's shoulder. "We have so little time left, I don't want to waste it fighting."

Billy wrapped his arms around Dom's bare waist and absorbed the feel of Dom into his own being. "Neither do I, Dommie. Neither do I."

"So, how am I getting back to camp if I'm not going naked?" Dom asked, the forced humor in his question grating to both of them.

"My jeans," Billy answered simply.

"And if I'm wearing your jeans, how am I supposed to concentrate while you're naked?" Dom grinned cheekily. "You saw what happened when I got here."

"I have a towel," Billy answered as he wrapped the rectangle of material around his own body, settling the knot low on his hips.

Bending down, Billy lifted his jeans and offered them to Dom. "They should fit well enough in the short term. They might be a bit snug and too short, but they'll do until we get back to camp." Smiling, Billy paused. "Knew that one of these days I'd get you into my pants."

"About as long as it took me to get you out of them apparently," Dom answered dryly as he stepped into Billy's jeans, fastening all but the last two buttons.

"Are you planning on making it back to camp unravished?" Billy quirked an eyebrow at Dom , his gaze dropping to the half buttoned jeans.

"That would depend on if you're planning on getting back still wrapped in that towel," Dom countered. Seeing a heated sparkle in Billy's eye, Dom winked provocatively then ran, flicking Billy with the end of his own towel as he passed him. "I'll be waiting," he called over his shoulder as he ran, laughing at Billy's muttered curses as he rubbed the stinging flesh that the towel connected with.

Billy walked slowly back into their camp site, his mind awhirl with thoughts, both disturbed and strangely rewarded by Dom's honesty and candor. A few weeks ago, Dom would have nodded his head and accepted Billy's words without a whimper, no matter how much they hurt him. Now, Dom had faced off with him, Billy realized as a rueful smile creased his face, even as sharp tears stung his eyes. Dom had resolutely stood toe to toe with Billy and fought for what he wanted.

As much as Billy ached to keep his Honey with him forever and then some, he couldn't stifle the loving, devoted, adventurous man that was emerging from the stifling cocoon he had hidden his beauty within for most of his adult life. Dom deserved the opportunity to unfurl his beautiful wings and fly high and bright, not burn against the flame that released him.

Scrubbing his fingers through his damp, thinning hair, Billy shook his head, his face a mask of confusion. What exactly did Dom see in him? Dom with his innocent, youthful beauty and his fragile soul, delicate, yet with a core of hearty resilience at his centre. Dom glowed with an inner beauty that made you see past the tiny flaws in his appearance. Once you knew Dom, you saw nothing but his beauty, inside and out, and yet, that beautiful creature professed to love him. Billy had no reason to doubt Dom's sincerity as he saw it every time Dom glanced at him, every time he spoke to him. Dom's love washed over him with his every word and touch. What puzzled Billy, was why?

His hair was nowhere as thick as it used to be, his face slowly being lined by time, and there was the once flat expanse of his belly. What was once a tight, impressive six pack, was morphing itself into at least a small keg as he approached middle age. Billy snickered to himself. Approached. Who was he trying to kid? He was already there. Billy didn't know exactly what Dom saw in him, or even why for that matter, because he didn't even have the slightest measure of the inner beauty that Dom had. Shaking his head as he remembered things he had been forced to do to survive, before he had made his home on Double L, Billy told himself that he'd seen too much, done too much in the name of survival, killed too much in his fight to save innocents, to let his past taint his beautiful Dom.

Chapter 22

Comments

[sassywitch.livejournal.com]

He's not so much absorbed in his own pain as he's trying to stop Dommie from feelng that pain as well, such a shame that he can't see that he already is.

You will get to see Billy's issues, probably sooner than you think you will.

Glad you're enjoying.