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or another wanting a quick fuck while we was out riding fence
or herding cattle. They never meant nothing to me. I never
meant nothing to them either, I reckon.
"But you and me, we're different. What we got is different,
Bear. Only knew you a couple three days, but already my
stomach gets tied up in knots whenever I think about
leaving."
Bear was silent for a minute, a long minute that seemed to
stretch and stretch for Pride. He bit the inside of his cheek,
his nerves fraying more and more as that long-drawn-out
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In Bear Country
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minute went on. Say something, Bear. I want you, Pride. I
hate you, Pride. Fuck you, Pride, you dimwitted jackass.
Anything, Bear, just please, for the love of all that's holy, say
something.
"Good."
"Pardon?"
"Good. Good that you'll be staying," Bear said finally, his
voice gruff. He cleared his throat then sat up, looking down at
Pride. "I think I got some feelings for you, too, Pride. I just
ain't sorted them out yet. You're my friend, but ... maybe you
might be more than that, too. Maybe not. I just don't know."
"I understand, Bear," Pride said, smiling. "Well, we both
got some cleaning up to do," he continued, picking at the
sticky wet patch at the crotch of his long johns. "How about I
heat us up some water and we get washed up?"
Bear nodded, looking embarrassed. "Yeah. Any of that
sourdough left? I'm powerful hungry all of a sudden like.
Bread and honey would slide down real easy 'bout now."
Pride laughed. "I swear, Bear, you must've been born with
a hollow leg. I ain't never seen a man that could put away
more vittles than you, and not have a single ounce go to fat."
"I always had a big appetite. My Pa and brothers did, too.
We was all big. Used to eat so much that my Ma would
threaten to put a trough in the kitchen 'stead of a table."
Pride laughed. "Yeah, we still got half a loaf left over from
supper. How about I fry us up some bacon to go with it?"
"Sounds good. Pride?"
"Yes, Bear?"
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In Bear Country
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"How long you think it'll be until we can have that next
time you was talking about?"
Pride laughed, leaned up to kiss Bear on his scruffy jaw,
and then set about putting water on the fire to warm.
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In Bear Country
by Kiernan Kelly
Chapter Seven
Bear had washed out their long johns and hung them near
the fire to dry, and they'd both gone to bed naked.
No more sleeping on the floor in front of the fire for Pride.
Bear had insisted that he share Bear's bed. After all, they
weren't exactly strangers anymore, and there didn't seem any
reason to keep a distance from one another. It was a large
bed, wide and deep, and stuffed high with goose feathers.
Still, with Bear being as big as he was, Pride had spent most
of the night spooned up next to him, Bear's hot flesh pressing
against his backside.
That next time had come quicker either of them had
anticipated 'round about in the middle of night, to be exact.
Bear's hard length nestled snug against his ass and the rest
of Bear's warm body curled around Pride had sparked all
kinds of decadent dreams. Pride's cock had woken him out of
a dead sleep, fully erect and leaking with need. All Pride had
had to do was roll over and he found himself locked in Bear's
arms, his soft lips hungrily devouring his own.
Bear wasn't even fully awake. His eyes were half-lidded,
sleepy and moony. Pride smiled against his lips, knowing that
Bear was still dreaming and that, judging from the length of
steel that was poking him in the belly and the fingers that
reached around to cup his ass, he was dreaming of Pride and
what they'd done together. Were doing together.
The second time wasn't any slower than the first. Seems
they were both too hard for one another, even with Bear still
half-asleep. For his part, it was the knowing that he and Bear
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In Bear Country
by Kiernan Kelly
could sleep in the same bed and make love whenever and
wherever they wanted that had Pride's shotgun cocked and
fired in record time. It was the freedom of it that got him up
and over the edge.
A few minutes of gentle rubbing, foreskin to foreskin, and
it was over again. Bear resumed snoring almost without even
realizing that he'd come, and totally unconcerned with the
mess. Pride chuckled, cleaned them off as best he could with
a corner of the quilt then snuggled back down into Bear's
arms to pass the remainder of the night.
* * * *
It was mid-morning by the time they woke up, both taking
a care not to look at the other while they dressed, like
newlyweds too shy to admit that they'd been sliding skin-to-
skin the night before. Both nursed a headache from the
whiskey they'd drunk, and Bear found himself nursing a
sudden case of guilt as well as a hang-over.
"Coffee will be ready in short order," Bear said, setting the
pot to boil on the stovetop. He looked over at Pride, who was
peeking out the front door. "Has it stopped snowing yet? How
deep is it?"
"'Bout another foot, I'd say," Pride answered, closing the
door. "She's all blue skies and sunshine, for now anyway."
"Good. Got more traps I wanna check today. Want to come
along? Might be the last time we can get out until spring."
"Might as well. Think we should cut more firewood while
we're at it?"
"Couldn't hurt none."
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In Bear Country
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They fell silent as Pride shuffled to the table and sat down.
He folded his hands on the table, staring down at his
calloused knuckles, while Bear looked everywhere but at
Pride.
Both of them seemed fixed on not mentioning the night
before. Even though they were talking, it was as though there
was an invisible wall between them, and it was making Bear
uncomfortable.
"Bear, I should've told you last night that you were
wonder..."
Bear's back stiffened, his attention suddenly riveted by the
coffee pot. "Don't say it, Pride. I can't think on what we done
in broad daylight."
Bear's growl cut Pride's words off as if he'd slapped him in
the face. Moments ticked by until he spoke again. "You're
sorry we done it." Pride's voice was soft, thick with hurt, and
edged with anger.
"I didn't say that! Don't be putting words into my mouth,
Pride." Bear banged the skillet down onto the cast iron stove
with a loud clang.
Silence filled the room, the tension growing so thick
between them that Bear felt the weight of it pressing down on
his shoulders, making it difficult to breathe. It was too much.
Everything he'd been feeling for the past couple of days, the
need and the want, the happiness, had clashed headfirst with
the guilt that had been simmering in his gut since he'd
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