Conquer the Flames (Langs Down) (29 page)

“No, he doesn’t,” Sam agreed. “That only makes me more aware of it. I guess it’s the accountant in me. I’m going to get some food.”

“You can come back and sit with us if you want, since Jeremy isn’t here,” Thorne offered.

“Thanks,” Sam said, “but I promised Dani I’d sit with them. You’d think she’d get enough of Uncle Sam, as much time as I spend with Neil and Molly, but it’s never enough as far as she’s concerned.”

Sam headed to join Neil and his family, and Thorne turned to Ian. Before he could figure out how to phrase his question, though, Caine walked to the front of the room and drew everyone’s attention.

“Merry Christmas, everyone,” he said when all the jackaroos had settled down.

“Happy Christmas!” everyone chorused back.

“Fine, happy Christmas,” Caine said with a smile. “Those of you who’ve been around a few years know I try to take this opportunity every year to thank you all for being here, whether it’s for a summer or a lifetime. For those of you who’ve been around before, some of this will be familiar, but it bears repeating and remembering. When Uncle Michael founded Lang Downs, he did so on a wish and a prayer, believing he could turn this valley into a prosperous sheep station while still treating the people who worked for him with basic decency and common courtesy. He didn’t tolerate prejudice and he always stood up for what was right, even when it made him unpopular with his neighbors. I d-didn’t get to meet him while he was alive, but I knew him through the letters we exchanged and now through the stories I’ve heard from all of you who did get the honor of meeting him.

“My journey to Lang Downs st-started seven years ago today, when my mother told us Uncle Michael had died. She and my father send their regrets again this year. My f-f-f-father’s health d-doesn’t permit them to tr-travel from Ohio to be here with us all, but they wanted me to extend their w-w-wishes for a prosperous and happy new year to all of you since they couldn’t say it in person. Anyway, my journey started seven years ago today, and I hope it won’t end for many, many more years. Those of you who were here then—Kami, Neil, Ian, Kyle, Patrick, Carley, and of course Macklin, among others—welcomed me despite my ignorance and taught me what I needed to know. We’ve followed Uncle M-Michael’s tradition and opened our d-doors to new faces since then, and especially this year, so an extra welcome to the newest members of our family, Linda and Thorne. I hope your t-t-tenure on Lang Downs will be as b-b-blessed as mine has been.

“The rest of the day is yours to do with as you please. I can’t do away with all work on Christmas, but I’ve always tried to keep it to a minimum. Enjoy your day with your friends, with your family if they’re here with you, and thank you all for making Lang Downs home.”

Everyone applauded as Caine sat back down next to Macklin, who promptly put his arm around Caine’s shoulders, and Thorne couldn’t help but notice a few people wiping their eyes surreptitiously. Only years of training at masking his emotions allowed him to keep his own feelings in check. He’d been a wanderer for so long, going where he was sent and fighting when he was told. He still wasn’t sure what to do with the possibility of having a home again, but he knew one thing for certain: he wasn’t giving it up without a fight. He belonged here now. Caine had said so himself. Dani called him Uncle Thorne. Jesse invited him for drinks as naturally as he’d invited Ian. Sam said he fit right in.

He turned to look at Ian, who wasn’t even trying to hide how deeply Caine’s speech had touched him. He smiled at Thorne and reached for his hand, there on the table, in plain sight of anyone who happened to be looking, but nobody cared. Or rather, nobody minded, because Thorne was quite sure a number of people cared that Ian and Thorne were together, and if that wasn’t a reason to stay come hell or high water, Thorne didn’t know what was. He had a chance at a life here, with an amazing man in a community that would accept them. He’d spent twenty years fighting for his country. He planned to spend the rest of his time fighting for this new life.

“Finish eating,” Ian said softly. “I haven’t given you your Christmas present yet.”

Twenty-One

T
HORNE
shoveled his food as fast as he could without making himself sick. As it was, he felt bad for not taking the time to appreciate Sarah and Kami’s cooking the way it deserved, but he didn’t want to wait any longer to give Ian his present and to see what Ian had got—or made—for him.

“It hasn’t been that long since breakfast, has it?” Caine asked. “I like to think I don’t starve my jackaroos that badly.”

“No, it’s not that,” Thorne said, wiping his mouth. “I wanted to finish dinner so I could give Ian his present.”

Caine smiled. “That is important. Ian, thank you for the picture frames. I couldn’t have found one the right size for that photo of Uncle Michael and Donald.”

“And the hinged one is perfect for Mum’s wedding photo and the one I still have of her from when I was a kid,” Macklin added. “She’ll fuss about me putting it out, but it’s the one thing I kept when I ran away.”

“I’m glad you like them,” Ian said. “I love making furniture and things, but the sentimental gifts are always the best.”

Macklin turned to Thorne. “We haven’t run you off yet. Are you ready to sign on?”

“Caine made quite a case for staying just now,” Thorne said, “but I’ve still got a lot to learn if I’m going to make it here year-round.”

“Nothing time and experience won’t fix,” Macklin said. “We were all blowins once. We all learned. You will too.”

“You’ve already learned a lot more than I had in a month,” Caine said. “You should have seen me trying to get my feet under me. I couldn’t have been any more ignorant if I’d tried. You, at least, have all the experience from your military training.”

“I’m not sure how much good that does me on a sheep station,” Thorne replied.

“Trust me, it’s a lot more useful than ten years in a mail room was,” Caine said wryly. “We won’t keep you, so you can finish your dinner and open presents, but we meant the offer to sign on year-round. You don’t have to decide tonight. It’s open-ended.”

“No,” Thorne said. “I don’t need to think about it. I didn’t figure you’d offer so soon, but I already knew I wanted it if you did.”

“We’ll sign the contract in the morning, then,” Caine said. “It talks about a house of your own, but I don’t imagine you care that there isn’t one empty at the moment.”

“No, I’m perfectly happy with my current living arrangements,” Thorne said, shooting Ian a heated look.

“And my track record is still perfect,” Caine said with a grin. “Fifth year-rounder I’ve hired without having to build a new house.”

“Sam and Jeremy moved into a new house,” Macklin grumbled with the air of a familiar argument.

“A house we built for your mother,” Caine reminded him.

“Yes, but she never lived in it.”

“But we didn’t build it for them. By the time they were ready to move out of the bunkhouse and in together, the house was empty. We didn’t build it because they needed it.”

“That’s splitting hairs,” Macklin protested.

Thorne chuckled as they walked off, still arguing.

“So which one of them is right?” Thorne asked Ian.

“They both are,” Ian said. “They built the house for Sarah, who technically isn’t a year-rounder even though she lives here permanently, but she never lived there. They’d planned to build a house for Sam and Jeremy after they finished Sarah’s house, but she surprised everyone by announcing she was getting married and moving in with Kami instead of moving into her house, so Sam and Jeremy got it by default.”

“And that was what? Five years ago?”

“More or less,” Ian confirmed.

“And they’re still arguing over it,” Thorne said with a shake of his head.

Ian laughed. “That’s not arguing. That’s just what they do. If they ever really argue, you’ll know it. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, everyone walks around on eggshells for days.”

“That bad?” Thorne asked.

“Worse than your parents fighting,” Ian replied.

Thorne remembered that feeling, even if he hadn’t had the experience in a long time. “Then I’ll be glad they don’t argue for real very often.” He pushed his plate back. “I don’t think I can eat another bite.”

“Then don’t,” Ian said. “We’ll be eating leftovers for a week anyway.”

They left their plates in the big sink and headed back to Ian’s house. They hadn’t gone more than a few steps when Ian threaded his fingers through Thorne’s. Thorne smiled all the way home.

“I’ll be right back,” Thorne said when they got inside. “I have to get your present.”

He went into the other room and retrieved the carefully wrapped present. When he returned to the living room, Ian was waiting for him with a small box on his lap.

“Happy Christmas,” Thorne said, handing Ian the box.

“Happy Christmas to you too.”

“You go first,” Thorne said. He knew his gift wouldn’t measure up to whatever Ian had given him, but at least it was something Ian needed.

Ian unwrapped the paper as carefully as Thorne had applied it and opened the box. His eyes lit up when he saw the new hat. “Thank you! I needed a new hat. The one I have now has had it.”

“Try it on,” Thorne said. “Make sure it fits. It’s the same size as the one you have now, but that’s about as useful as saying two pairs of shoes are the same size.”

Ian fitted the hat on his head. “It’s perfect. Exactly what I would have chosen for myself when I finally made it into town to buy a new one.” He leaned forward and kissed Thorne gently. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Thorne said. “I’m glad you like it.”

“I do. Here, this is for you. Open it, and then I have to explain what it is.”

That puzzled Thorne somewhat, but he opened the package and drew out a careful series of drawings.

“I didn’t have the right wood,” Ian said in a rush as Thorne studied the drawings, “and even if I did, it would take longer to make than I had before Christmas, but I couldn’t give you nothing, so I thought the plans would be a start. That way too, if you don’t like it, I can change it before I start building.”

Thorne looked at the drawings a little more closely and the sketches suddenly resolved into something recognizable. “This is… this is for my collection.”

“It’s a curio cabinet,” Ian agreed. “The middle and bottom sections are open so you can arrange things as you want and change it up as you get new pieces, if you get any, but the top section is custom designed for your mask. It deserves to have a place of prominence. The wood should be ready to pick up next week, and then I can get started on it. I’m sorry I didn’t have it finished for Christmas.”

“God, Ian, don’t apologize,” Thorne said. “No one has ever given me such a thoughtful gift. I can see how much time you spent on the plans alone. The cabinet itself will be magnificent.”

“You really like it?” Ian asked. “I can change anything you don’t like about it.”

“I really like it.” Thorne set the plans carefully aside and pulled Ian into his lap. He set Ian’s new hat on top of the plans and then set about proving to Ian just how touched he was by the gift.

Ian’s lips parted as sweetly as Thorne could have wished for as they kissed. Thorne let the moment stretch. Being with Ian had certainly taught Thorne to appreciate kissing again. He’d got jaded, seeing kisses as either a means to an end or as something too personal to be shared with a random hookup from a bar. Not with Ian, though. With Ian, kisses were an end unto themselves, and they’d spent hours in much this same position, sitting side by side or Ian sitting on Thorne’s lap as they kissed. Sometimes Thorne ended up shirtless, but not always. Sometimes Ian was bold enough to caress him as they kissed, and sometimes he even allowed Thorne to touch him in return, but the thread that ran through their encounters was the delicious press of lips.

Tonight seemed to be one of the bold nights, because Ian shifted on Thorne’s lap so he was straddling Thorne’s legs, a much more intimate position than they usually adopted, even to sleep. Thorne closed his hands around Ian’s waist to steady him, but the way Ian tensed beneath his hands changed his mind, and he moved them back to the safety of Ian’s shoulders.

Ian pressed him back against the couch, and Thorne gave him the upper hand willingly. He’d already learned things progressed far more easily between them when he ceded control to Ian, and he could hardly complain when it felt so good to let Ian touch him. He sometimes felt a little selfish, but trying to reciprocate almost always resulted in Ian pulling back, so he did his best to accept it.

Ian made quick work of Thorne’s buttons and stripped his shirt off. Thorne shifted as needed to facilitate his disrobing. He touched the top button of Ian’s shirt and waited for permission. When Ian gave it, Thorne undid the buttons and pushed the fabric out of the way. He froze for a moment when he realized Ian had foregone his usual undershirt.

“Are you sure?”

“No,” Ian admitted in a shaky voice, “but I want it. It’s like there’s this war going on inside me between my fear and what I want with you. I can’t keep letting my fear win.”