Taking Chances, by E. L. Van Hine and L.H. Nicoll

[MaineWriter]

Wowza! Wowza! Wowza!  9000 posts! Whoopee!!

And to think, it all started with a single post....LOL

L

[MaineWriter]

Since mention of a certain item of jewelry always turns Marie and me into a puddle of goo, I thought I'd share a current hot photo of Heath Ledger's hand (that's Michelle's hand on the left)...




You can see all of Heath here:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2004580002-2007030651,00.html

L

[mariez]

Since mention of a certain item of jewelry always turns Marie and me into a puddle of goo, I thought I'd share a current hot photo of Heath Ledger's hand (that's Michelle's hand on the left)...

L

"Puddle of goo" - love it!  And you know what makes me even "gooier?"  Look - Heath's pushing a baby stroller!  LOL!!!

Thanks, Leslie!

Marie

[MaineWriter]

"Puddle of goo" - love it!  And you know what makes me even "gooier?"  Look - Heath's pushing a baby stroller!  LOL!!!

Thanks, Leslie!

Marie

Some days, I really think I am loosing my marbles, when I can stare at a picture of a (certain) man's hand and think it's really really hot....

L

[mariez]

Some days, I really think I am loosing my marbles, when I can stare at a picture of a (certain) man's hand and think it's really really hot....

L

Ha, ha, ha!  Hey, I've always thought that a man's hand can be very, very sexy - especially when contemplating the hand in, .....er, action!   


Phew - oh, yeah - love that famous encounter in Chapter 65!   

Jumping back to Chapter 64 at the picnic:

Edna brought a platter of hotdogs and hamburgers to the table. “That girl a yers gonna show up for dinner or should we go ahead, Ennis?” she asked as Ennis sat down.

“Oh she’s a good girl, she’ll be along.”

“All right then, Ben, don’t touch just yet,” she cautioned as Ben reached out to fork a hamburger onto his plate.

“There she is!” Jess said excitedly as Nellie cantered into the yard, Junior wearing a broad smile, her hair now loose and streaming behind her.

Junior reined in at the open gate of the paddock and slid out of the saddle as Jess jumped up and trotted over to take off Nellie’s tack. “Good ride? Ain’t she a great horse?”

“Oh yeah!” Junior said, breathless, and slipped her bridle off, giving her nose a rub. Nellie nodded, nickering softly. „Just leave er in the paddock Daddy?“

“Yep that’s right,” Ennis said, standing up. “Ain’t she a darlin?”

Wes grinned. “I swear, that Ennis loves his horses.”

Jess took off Nellie’s saddle and reached for the bridle as Junior handed it to him. “Thank you so much fer helpin, I do know how ta saddle a horse ya know,” she said softly.

“Just... helpin out, yer a guest an all. We do that for everybody who comes to the ranch.” He glanced away shyly, cheeks slightly blushing.

“You work with my Daddy?” she asked, as Jess put the saddle up on the fence and closed the paddock gate.

“Oh yeah, he is a really good horse man,” he nodded, and Junior looked at him sidelong.

“He sure is. Come on, I’m sure they’re waitin,” she urged, and led the way back to the picnic table, where Ben Tooey was already reaching for the hamburgers once more behind Edna’s back.

“Come on an sit down... Alma is it? “

“You can call me Junior, that’s what Daddy calls me,” she said. “I really love Nellie.”

“She didn’t give you a hard time or nothin? She was a wild one ta break.”

“Hell no Daddy, I ain’t shy a young ones, you know that.”

“Sure enough,” Ennis beamed.

I love seeing Ennis as the proud daddy beaming at his little girl.  And it was so much fun reading the LJ comments on these chapters - the speculation about Junior and Dupree - LOL!!  - and then the speculation about Junior and Jess.  I had forgotten about that!  I wonder if anything more will come of that now that Junior is moving to town!  More to ponder!

Thanks for the quotes, Leslie!

Marie

[MaineWriter]

Good morning, re-readers....today, chapters 66-70

http://louisev.livejournal.com/67826.html

“You back from yer walk? Feelin okay?” Ennis said, waving her over.

“Yeah, thanks Daddy.” She sat down between the two of them, giving each man a careful look. “You sure you don’t mind me stayin tonight?”

“Course not, Junior, it’s settled,” Ennis replied quickly. “You want some coffee?”

“Oh no, I’d be up all night, thank you. You sure... I ain’t... underfoot or nothin...?” she asked cautiously, and Ennis’s face brightened red with sudden realization.

“No you ain’t underfoot. An... you came up on the patio didn’t you?” he said, his cheeks blazing.

“I didn’t see nothin, Daddy, I just turned around...” she stammered.

“Junior --- I’m real sorry.”

“It ain’t my house... it ain’t my place,” she said stoically, her own embarrassment showing in her stiff spine and her own blush.

“We might a been more discreet though,” Ellery said, masking his own embarrassment with a tight smile, but hoping that she hadn’t walked up on them at the moment he was moaning through his orgasm or licking Ennis’s hand.

“I know,” Junior said quietly.

“We don’t want ya ta go, Junior, you just get a good night’s rest here an get a good start tomorrow.”

“Sure enough,” she replied, her voice almost hushed. A few moments of silence followed. “You... really are in love aren’t ya...” she said, looking down at the table.

“Yup,” Ennis replied, raising his coffee mug and taking a slow sip.

“I guess.... I guess it shows,” she replied. “You mind if I go ta bed early? I didn’t have a good rest last night.”

[MaineWriter]

From Chapter 68:

“Shit that reminds me, I am really not keen on hirin some new bouncer right now, an Dupree is about the only one I am trustin besides Ennis, is it possible ta maybe give Ennis a little leeway at the ranch so he can at least cover the busy hours on the nights Dupree ain’t on?”

“Well, if he wants ta, the stables are pretty empty right now it’s true, I guess if he wants ta knock off afternoons that’d be all right. He open that envelope?”

“Yeah, this mornin. He might still be starin at it. I don’t think he ever saw that much money before in his life.”

“You didn’t ever tell em how much you got in the bank did ya?”

“Hell no. He might faint.”

“Break it to em gently. What a you intend ta do regardin Ennis?”

“I am in love with the boy, Wes. I want ta make some sort a real commitment here... I told em I wanted us ta be partners... in the bar, in business, in our relationship... an his eyes fell outta his head, so I’m not pushin em.”

“Good plan. Bring it up again later after ... well you know, at a tender moment.”

“I intend to.”

“But ya might want ta not let it slip about yer real circumstances fer a while. Boys who grow up poor, they got a lot a funny ideas about money.”

“I think he’s one of em.”

“But yer doin good with em, he seemed a whole lot happier, an I think he even touched ya a couple a times in front a the boys.”

“I think yer right.”


L

[MaineWriter]

And more from Chapter 68:

“Now if our luck holds, nobody will beat on the door this time,” Ellery remarked as Ennis sank down next to him.

“Yeah,” Ennis said, nuzzling into Ellery’s neck.

“Now ya want ta tell me what got ya so riled ya had ta tie me up an paddle me today?”

Ennis shrugged, blushing. “I dunno, jealous I guess.”

“Jealous?”

“Ya know.”

“Oh, jealous a Junior lookin at my thighs.”

Ennis smirked. “Kinda silly ain’t it....”

“You are one fiercely possessive man, Ennis. I think I like it.”

“Ya do?”

Ellery put the palm of his hand on Ennis’ sweaty chest. “I ain’t never felt like this about anyone, sweetheart. I want... I want us ta be together like this, like partners. Like... a real married couple.”

“Yeah, ya mentioned....” Ennis replied, the color on his face deepening.

“What a you think about that?”

“I think.... I think I want it too.”

“I love you, Ennis, I love ya like life itself.” Ellery’s grey eyes swam with tears. Ennis leaned in and pressed his lips against his.

“I love ya too darlin. Like life itself.”

L

[MaineWriter]

Chapter 69:

“Eagleton... he brought Beagle down with em an put all sorts a pressure on me ta see em today.” Ellery’s brows creased, his eyes still fixed on Ennis’s face.

“You don’t have to, Ellery.”

“I know. But he says it’d be good for em, even if it’s... short. So he’s supposed ta come ta my office at noon.”

Ennis glanced at his watch. “You ain’t got a lot a time.”

Ellery pulled Ennis closer, mouth seeking his. “I love you Ennis.”

Ennis leaned in and their lips met, tenderly this time,and he nibbled Ellery’s mouth softly, brushing the tip of his tongue against his bottom lip and tongue. “I know, I love ya too.”

“I wanted ya ta know, before. I didn’t want ta spring this on ya later,” Ellery said, still frowning, his words anxious.

“I know, thanks for that. You gonna be okay?”

“I could use about ten more a those kisses...” Ellery yearned toward him once more, arms slipping around Ennis’s waist, and Ennis smiled at him, bringing his mouth against his lips once more, this time pushing his tongue between them, an erotic, passionate kiss, which they held for long moments, Ennis’s hands sliding down Ellery’s long back and resting on his sore ass, squeezing slightly. Ellery made a soft moan as his hands kneaded, and Ennis finally broke off.

“Guess it won’t do ta get ya riled up,” Ennis said, breath short as he stepped back. “We can have some more a that later."

“Yeah I better go.”

Ellery drove back to the office, glancing at his watch as it got dangerously close to noon. He parked and got out of his car, feeling fortified by Ennis’s reassurance, and as he opened the door, a tall, no-longer bony but rather heavyset, cleancut figure stood and stepped toward him, a worried, almost panicked look on his face which resolved into a hopeful smile.

“Hey Beatle,” he said. His voice was still the same, that uncertain smile, unchanged. Ellery’s heart dropped into his stomach as he reached out a trembling hand to shake.

“Hey there. Been a long time.” Ellery’s throat was dry. “Let’s get out a here.”

Ellery led the way back out of the station, his mind roaring. He stepped back over to the El Camino. “I know a nice place ta eat, we can talk a bit, okay?”

Beagle smiled uncertainly, and opened the door as Ellery unlocked it. “Sure.” Automatically, Ellery steered the El Camino to the Rose Hotel, and parked on the street. “Best steaks in Laramie,” he explained.

“Sounds good to me.”

[MaineWriter]

Chapter 70, lunch from hell...

“An... I guess... leavin you like that was a real shitty thing to do, Beatle.”

“You can call me Ellery now, I suppose I should call ya Bruce.”

“Yer still a Beatle though. How you get ta be a high mucky muck in the sheriff’s office with all that hair?”

“Pure genius an suckin a lot a sheriff cock,” Ellery said, setting his beer down. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that.”

Beagle turned beet red at the comment. “I guess I deserved that.”

“I didn’t need ta be mean,” Ellery said, his own color high. Mercifully, the waitress appeared at his elbow and slid two delicious salads in front of them, and Ellery picked up his fork.

“You musta been real upset with me.”

Ellery set down his fork. “Real upset is sort of an understatement... Bruce. Quite the understatement. But it’s all in the past now.”

Beagle was still blushing, his teeth digging into his bottom lip. “Dad says yer ... open. D.A. knows yer queer, an you even live with a guy.”

“Yeah I live with a guy. Really nice guy. An I love em ta pieces.” Ellery stabbed at a tomato slice. “Maybe we can just get down ta business here. What exactly is it I am supposed ta do or say that is supposed ta make you get on with yer life or whatever it is you need ta do? If I can help without recitin my first academic year at the U I would like ta try ta accomplish that.”

“Uh... well. um...“ Beagle picked up his own fork. “I guess... it was more... me tellin you that I didn’t mean ta hurt ya an I’m sorry for one thing.”

“Okay, well I forgive ya. What next?” Ellery found himself deeply disturbed, tense, and his appetite had fled somewhere between picking up his beer and the comment about sucking cock. I am such an ass, he thought. He is gonna tell his daddy an daddy is gonna call me up and tell me ta fuck off.

“I... I am tryin ta... get used to this thing, see. About... about bein, you know.”

“Homosexual, Bruce. The term is homosexual. That thing you never said while you were poundin my ass into the mattress in the dorms.”

Beagle turned bright red again. “Please.”

“What a ya want me ta do, use clinical terms? I’m a detective, not a doctor. Yeah. I’m a homosexual. A queer, a faggot. An as far as I’m concerned you were one too because we had a whole lot goin on between the sheets all that time.”

To Ellery’s surprise, Beagle hung his head, that forelock falling into his eyes. “I... know. I know that.” He looked up, pushing his hair out of his eyes. “Maybe you don’t want ta know this, but... I missed you. I wanted ta call you a hundred times, an didn’t.”

“Good thing ya didn’t.”

“How come?”

“Because I was recoverin from takin a handful a black beauties I bought from Sven Hanson the night after you left.”

Bruce put a hand over his mouth. “Oh my god,” he said softly.

“Yeah. So now ya know.”

“Because a me?”

Ellery looked at him, steely eyes level. “I was in love with you. You told me... there was no us. You sent me an invitation to yer weddin.”

“That was pretty bad,” he said softly.

“That was pretty bad,” Ellery nodded. “But it’s twenty years ago. Okay? I’m queer, you got married, life goes on.”

“I got married three times,” he said forlornly. “An... I don’t think life did go on, not for me.”

“That is a shame. I ain’t sorry I’m queer, but I am damn sorry I got it on with you, Bruce. I’m sorry every day that I ever got it on with you.”

L