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

[MaineWriter]

More from Chapter 76:

“Ennis...” Ellery said, the word a broken cry.

“I’m here darlin, shhh it’s okay,” he whispered.

“Don’t let me go...” he wept, his head turning as a sob broke from his throat.

“I won’t... let me take this off now....” Ennis eased the now shivering body back down onto the bed and began to unbutton his shirt, Ellery now offering no resistance. Ennis undressed him slowly, his own heart thudding in his chest as his thought over the night of watching Rudy and Ellery’s former lover engaged in the slow dance of seduction at the bar, their furtive exit to Rudy’s apartment. He could have stopped them.... he should have stopped them.

He unzipped his denims and slid them down his thighs, and rolled him over, rubbing his hands up the narrow spine, and felt as much as heard the sobs turning to soft sighs. “You just relax now, I’m gonna take care a ya.”

He picked up the massage oil and warmed a small pool of it in his hands, working them up his back to the tense, rigid shoulders, leaning down and whispering softly. “It’s gonna be all right, darlin.... I won’t let ya go.” He straddled his hips, all sensuality, all lust that had passed between them now distilled into an act of pure tenderness as his fingers pressed down into the rigid muscles of Ellery’s overwrought body.

They fell silent, the only sound the soft slip of Ennis’s hands, and Ellery’s sighing breaths as he unwound. He’s in shock, Ennis thought. He probably don’t even know what’s goin on right now, what he said. He reached over a little at a time, and flicked the phone cord out of the telephone, just in case Beagle had an idea about calling back. He wasn’t sure if he could calm him again, if that happened, and he had to make sure that it didn’t happen before they talked it through. Ennis felt his own anxiety grow as Ellery calmed down, because beyond the immediate need to restrain him from violence, he would awaken, and then they would have to deal with the aftermath of what had happened tonight. He rubbed Ellery’s back for a long time, working down to his upper thighs and out to his arms, finally moving him onto his back and settling down next to him, and he saw his lashes flutter and his eyes open, cloudy with recent tears.

“Ennis,” he whispered.

“Yeah.”

“There’s somethin wrong with me.”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t let me near that boy, Ennis. I might do somethin real foolish.”

“I understand. I think you better stay home tomorrow. I’ll stay with ya.”

Ellery nodded, closing his eyes. “Don’t leave me.”

“I won’t.” He put his arm around the flare of his shoulders. “I’m here darlin.”

“Thank you, Ennis.” When Ellery’s eyes closed, fresh tears dripped onto his pillow.

Ennis lay awake for a long time, watching Ellery's face as he slept, before he too, fell asleep.

L

[MaineWriter]

Chapter 77, some folks found this part controversial while others of us just found it...hot...

Ennis nodded, finding that holding the buttplug was another new, erotic experience. He lubed it as Ellery watched, glancing at him until he saw him nod, then positioned himself once more behind him, sliding the tapered end in, holding his breath slightly as the plug wedged his sphincter open. Ellery shuddered and moaned softly beneath him.

“This okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, feels good,” he responded, voice soft.

Ennis continued to push the plug in, his body tensing up as the wide base forced him open, and then clenched over the indentation that held the plug inside him.

“What if ya… you know, got ta go?” he asked.

“Then I bend over an you pull it out, but I won’t need ta go.” Ellery rolled over onto his side, Ennis watching the end of the plug as he moved.

“No?”

"I wanted ya ta do this last night but we got carried away. I know you think I’ve gone nuts or something, Ennis, I just need… I just need my man. I’ll be okay.”

“This…” he gestured toward the plug. “This helps ya get over bein jealous?”

“Reminds me a who was just givin me the ride a my life.”

“Okay.”

Ellery raised a hand and brushed his fingers against Ennis’s cheek. “That’d be you. I only love you, Ennis. An the only man whose cock I want in me, is yers.”

“Good thing, cause I’m real possessive.”

“An the man who put that plug in my ass is the one who gets ta fuck me tonight too.”

Ennis smiled. “I understand. I think.”



L

[MaineWriter]

Chapter 78:

Ennis waded in to his thighs, avoiding wetting his cutoffs, and splashed a little water up his arms. “Nice an relaxin. How are you feelin now? Still thinking about that boy?”

Ellery made a face, moving closer to where Ennis was standing. “A bit. I guess I ought ta be grateful he didn’t give me the blow by blow a stickin it in an comin an all.”

“He lost out when he left you all that long ago. Yer mine now.”

Ellery smiled. “I like bein yers, ya know that?”

“That makes two of us. C’mere.” Ellery walked slowly through the water, careful not to splash Ennis, and Ennis slipped an arm around him. “All alone, just the two of us.” He slid a hand down the back of Ellery’s tank top and into the waistband of his cutoffs, and Ellery went still, his big hand sliding down until it touched the base of the plug wedged inside him, and he pressed lightly against it. Ellery uttered a small moan. “Ya know I keep thinkin about this thing.” He pressed against it again and Ellery leaned into him, his crotch grinding against his hip, moaning again.

“Yeah,” his voice dropped, and he sighed. “Me too. That’s what it’s for.”

Ennis looked around them into the quiet surround of the riverbank, and then pulled Ellery against him, kissing him suddenly and roughly, his right hand still pressed against the plug, embracing him tightly.

Ellery’s heart was racing as they kissed, standing in the warm current of the river, more delighted than aroused, aching from their vigorous lovemaking and the lovebites on his ass. Ennis let him go, suddenly self conscious, sliding his hand out of his cutoffs, and they stood together, looking at each other, panting slightly. “Don’t seem to be an end to wantin you, boy,” Ennis said, his voice soft, rasping, as it did when he was overcome with lust.

“No, seems like just touchin gets us riled.”

“I just feel like lyin down with you on the riverbank an just kissin an makin out till the sun sets.”

Ellery smiled. “Maybe we can do a little kissin an makin out an a little eatin. Which reminds me we ain’t had no breakfast.”

“Oh yeah. We can do that. Let’s eat then.”

L

[MaineWriter]

Chapter 78, continued:

“Look, Ellery, I am gonna tell you somethin an I want you ta think about it. Now you listen.”

“What?”

“Last time I saw Jack alive he said he wanted ta go down ta Mexico, an it got me thinking… oh he wants ta go ta Mexico, he’s probably been down there, lookin fer boys. Maybe he only got as far as Austin…” he stopped, rubbing his eyes with his fingers, and then forged on. “But I’ll tell you what, I saw red just then. An I was mad, because I knew while I was muckin out heifers he was down in Mexico getting his cock sucked by some boy. Maybe he was thinking a me an maybe he wasn’t, but it made me see red all the same because it wasn’t me. Now you tell me it didn’t make you mad thinkin about Beagle leavin you all that long time ago, leavin you alone, an then he merrily pops up an sees Rudy in the bar an drags him off ta fuck just ta make a point?”

“I think you know I was mad, Ennis. It doesn’t mean I want ta fuck em.”

“No but there was a time ya did. I ain’t putting you on the spot. There was a time ya did, an you can’t ever get that time back, an you don’t want him rubbin yer nose in it that he is poking somebody an it ain’t you.”

“Fuck Ennis when did you become a queer psychologist?”

Ennis smiled faintly. “You told me something like this not too long ago. Maybe you just don’t recall.”

“Yeah I was mad, an yeah I sure as hell did not want him tellin me about his new queer life. And I sure as shit did not want ta know it was Rudy in the apartment over my bar where he was fuckin em. That is way too much information for me.”

“Okay darlin, okay. But thing of it is… are you gonna get over it?”

“Maybe.” Ellery took a swig of his beer. “Probably.”

Ennis opened another beer. “A little more beer, a piece a cake… a little more nuzzlin an kissin…”

“Sounds great.”

L

[MaineWriter]

Chapter 79, a shared vow, for the first time:

“Oh darlin,” he sighed happily, and Ellery let his knees down gradually, forcing Ennis out, shivering with the aftershocks of pleasure.

“Was I right?” Ellery asked, his voice a whisper.

“Yeah. But that was over too quick.... damn, boy.” He rolled over and settled onto the pillow next to Ellery, fingers pushing back the loose strands of black hair.

“There’s always next time,” Ellery replied, winking.

“We got ta try that plug thing again,” Ennis said.

“Yeah.”

“That make you feel better?”

“Sure did.”

“You still pissed about that boy?”

“Not so much. Fuck em, he ain’t my problem no more.”

“Damn right,” Ennis nodded.

“We need a drink.”

“An a smoke. You stay there.”

Ennis padded out to the front room, returning with the cigars and the bottle of Glenfiddich and a single glass.

“One glass?”

“We’re celebratin,” Ennis said.

“What are we celebratin?”

“You an me, boy. Ennis an Ellery.” He lighted the cigar, puffed on it, and leaned over, offering it to Ellery, who took it between his lips. Then he poured a shot of scotch and lifted it. “To us. You belongin ta me, an me belongin ta you.” He took a sip, and handed it to Ellery, who took a sip from it as he handed the cigar back.

“To me belongin ta you, an you belongin ta me,” he repeated, gulping down the fiery liquid, handing the cigar back to Ennis, who took a puff on it.

“Can’t drink too much, got ta go down to the bar an act like Rudy’s boss.”

“You got ta promise me somethin, Ennis.”

“Whassat?”

“You’ll tell me everythin you say when you get home. I want ta hear it all.”

Ennis laughed. “Sure enough.”

L

[MaineWriter]

Chapter 79, continued:

Ennis leaned over the bed and touched his cheek softly. “I never would a thought last night we would have such a beautiful day together. Let’s have another one.”

“Okay.”

“I love you Ellery.”

“Thank you. I love you too.”

“Be back soon as I can.”

Ellery’s eyes filled with tears as he heard the door close, and he sat quietly, the tears slipping down his face as he thought about the day, and the fierce emotions he felt when he had woken up. They had fled in the gentle hours of the afternoon, leaving behind a wistful sense of mourning, and a feeling of gratitude that he was no longer alone, and no longer grieving for a love that he never really had.

L

[mariez]

Hi all,

I posted the following appreciation of Ennis in another place in response to yet another post putting Ennis down as a no hoper with no future. Louise suggested I re-post it here and here it is.

Ennis has a deep reticence and shyness that hides something precious: a loving heart, steadfast loyalty and a capacity for deep devotion. Once someone to sees this hidden beauty, as Jack did, they can never break away from him. Once you have aroused this man’s deep sexual passion, he can never break away from you.

This is a man made to love and receive love in return. He is in desperate need of love and withers without it. He has learnt bitter lessons from a terrible loss; his hard inner shell has been cracked open and his emotions are much nearer the surface now. He cries easily. He has paid a dreadful penalty for past mistakes and the pain he knows he has inflicted. He will not, cannot inflict that hurt on a person he loves again. He is filled with remorse and guilt.

You would need to woo this man and take bold action to capture him. Once captured you would need to nurse him through the miseries of guilt and aching loss and know you will never take the place of a man he will always love. But this is a man made to love and receive love in return. Ennis is a hidden treasure waiting to be found. He is well worth it.

Wow, Jo ...... those have to be the most beautifully astute observations of Ennis that I have ever read! May I print them out to place in my copy of the book? Thank you so very much for sharing.  And thank you, Louise, for suggesting it.

Marie

Okay - on to the re-read!

[MaineWriter]

Chapter 80:

Ennis stepped out of the bar, tilted his hat back, and made his way straight down the alley toward the man, who was leaning against a utility pole, facing half toward him. “Well,” he said, slowing to a stop. “If it ain’t Mr. Mai Tai.” Dupree was two paces behind him, and stopped approaching as Ennis spoke.

“Evenin,” he replied with a faint smile.

“Mind if I ask what yer doin standin around outside the bar this time a night?” Ennis said, voice wary.

“Waitin for somebody.”

“Anybody in particular?”

“Just... somebody.”

“You wouldn’t be waitin fer Ellery Cantrell would ya?”

The man’s head came up rapidly. “You know Ellery?”

“I do.” Ennis jerked a thumb in the direction of the bar. “That bar back there belongs ta him.”

The man straightened up from leaning against the pole. “No shit.”

“An I take it yer this Bruce Eagleton guy.”

“Yeah I am.”

“Ellery told ya last night on the phone not ta call em anymore, an tonight I’m tellin ya not ta come in his bar anymore.”

“Why not?”

“You should know by now why not boy. So why don’t you go back home ta Jackson an find somethin better ta do, cause you ain’t wanted here.”

“You can’t kick me out a here,” he said, taking a step toward Ennis.

“Sure I can. I’m the bouncer here. An up to the end a this block is private property. So git.”

“I haven’t done anythin ta be kicked out.”

“That’s where yer wrong. An don’t ya be comin around here or callin, cause you ain’t welcome.”

“I don’t know who you are, mister...”

“My name,” Ennis said, gritting his teeth, “is Ennis Del Mar. An I am Ellery’s man, an I’m sayin leave em alone an stay out a his bar. Now I’m goin inside, an when Dupree here pokes his head out you better be gone, boy.” Then he turned, and walked deliberately back to the bar, and Dupree retreated inside the door. Ennis glanced over his shoulder as he stepped back in, and Bruce Eagleton, Jr. was still standing by the utility pole, staring after him.

L

[MaineWriter]

And just to remind us when Ennis and Wayne could have a civil conversation...chapter 80:

Just then, Wayne got up from his table and made his way toward Ennis. “Hey there, Ennis, Lauren said you wanted ta talk ta me about some stuff.”

Ennis shook his head. “No Wayne, I don’t ever want ta talk ta you about stuff.”

He looked disappointed. “Aww, but he said you was askin about spankin an bondage an stuff.”

“He did, huh?” Ennis rolled his eyes.

“Well did ya want ta know about it or not?”

Ennis shook his head. “I’m having a private conversation, Wayne, why don’t you go comb yer hair?”

Dupree chuckled. “Or Ennis might want ta give ya a spank.”

“Huh,” Wayne put a hand on his hip. “Maybe I might like it.”

“Oh yeah?” Ennis stood up suddenly and took a step toward him, and Wayne backed away rapidly.

“No way, I already felt yer hand, Ennis, you stay away.”

Ennis sat down, and Lauren brought Dupree’s beer. “Glad we got that straightened out, Wayne.”



L

[mariez]

Mornin' everyone! 

Thank you, as always, Leslie - you've been very busy this morning with these great quotes.  I was about to say that these were some of my favorite chapters . . . and then I realized I say that about all the chapters!  LOL!

There certainly was some rough going in these chapters - as I re-read I thought - "Thank God Ellery has Ennis now," - it scares me to think of what Ellery would have done if Ennis hadn't been there to stop him! 

I like this part from the beginning of Chapter 77 - can't get too many Wes/Ellery conversations:

“What’s a matter with you, boy?” Wes grumbled. “Ennis called me an he is worried sick.”

“Nothin, just got woke up a few hours ago by that crazy Eagleton telling me he fucked my bartender an I should be proud.”

“He what? He escape from the nuthouse or something?” Wes’s voice rose.

“Not in so many words. Ennis was at the bar an Rudy left two hours before closing with somebody, an after he gets home I get a call sayin Bruce had found a queer bar an picked up a guy an … we put two an two together.”

“Yeah an are you gonna get over this or do I have ta come over there an screw yer head back on?”

“Ennis might be right. Maybe I need ta stay home. I didn’t drink but I am sure hung over.”

“Then get outta town. Have em drive you up ta Fort Laramie or something an take a walk, blow off some steam. Have a tender moment. The ranch can wait, an nobody is due in court.”

“Thanks, Wes. If that… Eagleton calls…”

“If Eagleton calls I’m gonna read em the riot act an tell him his contact with you an this department should be limited to Wyomin vs. Steele an his primary point a contact is the District Attorney, not the Sheriff.”

“Right. Thanks Wes. I can’t… talk to em. I can’t.”

“You look after yerself, gimme a call tonight

Thank God for Ennis - and for Wes!

Marie