Honky Tonk: Honky Tonk, #1

By Rain Carrington

Meet Ethan...he's a self-proclaimed slut hitchhiking across country from New York on his way to San Francisco. He stops in a small town in New Mexico and gets a job at a tavern called Honky Tonk without really wanting it. The owner of the tavern is a hulking man named Hunter Westmore and Ethan does everything he can to get the man's attention and once he does his dirtiest dreams come true.  

 

Hunter is a cowboy and owns a ranch as well as the tavern. When he meets the city kid who came into the tavern he didn't know what hit him. He'd never felt the way Ethan made him feel and he tried to ignore the younger man but no one could ignore Ethan. Once he finally gives in they start a discovery of what makes them both tick, and what they both love is when Hunter takes a strong hand to Ethan and gives him his collar. Can their darkly seductive love last or will their kinks tear them apart? 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rain Carrington
• Release date: Dec 12, 2013
• ISBN: 9781393130581

Rain Carrington

I love writing, it's been my dream for many years, and in October of 2013, when my first book went live on Amazon, that dream came true. Writing love stories that are centered on flawed but lovable characters is my passion. Finding love between people isn't easy, nor should it be. Even in a book, there have to be obstacles for the story to feel real. I am a mother of three amazing people, and three adorable fur babies. I live in Colorado but love many other places besides my home. One state in particular is New Mexico, the state where I was born has always held a place in my heart. People and places make my stories what they are. Each character I've written is a part of me in some way. Each place I write is as well. Adventures come in many ways, and each of my stories has taken me on an adventure that I treasure. Come with me on my adventures and fall in love with my characters, as I have. I promise, you will love the ride. www.raincarrington.com https://twitter.com/RainCarrington https://www.facebook.com/rain.carrington https://www.facebook.com/Rain-Carringtons-Bear-Lake-Chronicles-104627634658342 https://www.instagram.com/raincarrington/ https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rain-carrington https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/rain-carrington/ https://mewe.com/i/raincarrington https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7082503.Rain_Carrington https://www.raincarrington.com/newsletter

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Honky Tonk

By

Rain Carrington

Copyright © Rain Carrington 2013

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

without the express written permission of the publisher

except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2013

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 1

The big truck hit a bump and woke the man in the bed of the sleeper. He roused and stretched to peek out of the curtain, seeing the trucker he had caught the ride with two states back pulling into a truck stop. A yawn caught him and he let the curtain fall as he lay back against the wall of the sleeper.

End of the line. Ethan Kerr whispered to himself, the sound of the loud motor drowning the words from his own ears. On the floor of the tiny closet sat the bag with his worldly possessions. He slid off the bed, grabbed it and pushed through the curtain to take the passenger seat for the final few feet of the latest part of his journey.

Sorry I can’t take you further, kid.

Archie, the trucker, had picked him up in Missouri not two days before. Archie hadn’t been a bad companion and had only asked for a couple of blowjobs for the ride.

That’s cool, man.

Archie wasn’t a bad guy at all and wasn’t even horrible to look at but he did have a wife in the next town and he didn’t think she would appreciate it if he showed up with a pretty boy like Ethan for his two precious days home. He handed Ethan twenty dollars and held his hand for a long minute.

Nah, Arch, you don’t have to I told you I have a little money.

"Just take it and take care of yourself, huh?"

Ethan looked through his blond bangs and smiled at the man. Sure thing. You too.

Ethan got out of the truck and headed fast to the gas pumps which were covered with awning while keeping his eyes securely on the asphalt. He had a big problem with open spaces. If there wasn’t a roof of some sort over his head and he looked up at all, he got a debilitating case of vertigo. Once there, he looked forward and took a couple deep breaths while scanning the parking lot. It was early evening and there were quite a few people walking around, getting ready to settle in for a night’s sleep in their trucks. Ethan thought about looking for someone to give him a ride a little farther down the road, but he was tired of being in a truck. The steady hum of the tires may put some people right to sleep, but it took hours for him to find the little rest he’d had in Archie’s old Peterbuilt.

What he’d really like was a night of fun. Ethan had enough for a meal and a motel and he thought most of all he could use a drink. He sincerely doubted he could find a gay bar in the Podunk town, somewhere in central New Mexico, but there was always a closeted guy lurking in a bar no matter how small or out of the way the place was. He had offered his ass to Archie, but the man, while not a mountain of virtue, said a blowjob was one thing but a straight out fuck would be cheating on his wife. Frankly, Ethan didn’t see the difference as far as fidelity was concerned, but who was he to judge? He’d had married, single, straight and gay alike in his few years of being sexually active. One cock was as good as another as long as the bearer of it was decent to look at, had a fair bit of meat between his legs and knew how to use it.

If there was a word to use for Ethan, it would be slut. He knew it and didn’t care who else did. He liked getting fucked, pure and simple. Had since the first time he’d felt a nice hard cock sliding up his ass, taking over his insides. He sometimes called himself a sex addict, but regardless of the wording he just liked cock.

He smiled to himself as he went into the truck stop to piss and wash up a bit. He carried his toiletries in the front pocket of his duffle for quick access and he needed to brush Archie’s cum out of his teeth. He wasn’t all that upset Archie hadn’t wanted to fuck, the man didn’t have a lot going on down there, but that made for an easy, long suck. He liked sucking cock only slightly less than fucking, although the big ones tended to hurt his jaw something fierce.

As he brushed his teeth, he checked over his clothes. Not too wrinkled and his black T-shirt was just tight enough to show his small but well-defined muscles. His brown eyes held a twinge of green the way they normally did until he was severely aroused when they turned almost completely emerald. He had no pimples on his 19 year old face, and what a face it was. A face he was proud of, pretty, but unmistakably masculine.

After he was clean and pleased with the reflection he made in the dirty mirror, he left the restroom, looking for the bulletin board to scan over the business cards pinned there. He had learned early on in his travels since leaving New York City that businesses loved truckers. Especially bars. The men threw down a lot of money so the local businesses liked to tempt them into coming in to patronize. There wasn’t much, a couple of diners and a Laundromat, but at the bottom, almost hidden behind an ad for new driver opportunities, was a yellowing card for a local bar called Honky Tonk.

He smirked and said sarcastically to no one, That’s original.

Committing the address to memory, he walked through the store and grabbed a candy bar before heading to the cashier.

Hi! The pretty girl behind the counter said. She was a little on the short side, barely seeing over the cash register, but he put on his most flirty smile.

Hello, pretty thing. Can I ask you something?

Her dark eyelashes fluttered, and she stammered, Y-yeah, anything.

Where is there a good place to lay my head for the night and maybe get a bite to eat that isn’t this truck stop stuff?

Flashing those straight white teeth behind his bow shaped pink lips never failed to get men and women alike to fall under his spell. He passed her the candy bar to scan and she passed it right back without even looking at it. It was only $1.79 but money was money and he was starting to run a little low.

Uh, yeah, sure, there is a motel down the road, The Cliffs, and Gene’s Diner is close by. They serve really good chili.

With a wink, he took his candy and headed toward the door, already steeling himself to walk out in the open parking lot. He took out his phone, the one thing he refused to give up in his life as a nomad, and checked the GPS for the bar and motel. The motel was only three blocks down from the bar, which was convenient for him if he happened to hook up.

Okay Ethan, let’s do this.

He kept his eyes on his phone as he walked through the parking lot towards the narrow, pot filled road that led to the small town of Mesa Rojo. As long as he could concentrate on the phone he would be okay, but a quick flick of his eyes showed that the battery was not going to hold out long. He had to get the charger on it and soon.

Come on, just a little farther and I promise I will charge you all night. He thought about it for a second and corrected himself. Well at least all night after we hit the bar and pick up some dick, okay?

He really didn’t expect it to answer him but in its way it did as the charge didn’t move any further into the red. Talking to himself had become commonplace to him. He was on his own and many times had no one else to talk to so he didn’t feel there was anything nuts about it.

Finally, he was in front of the motel, an old style two story with metal stairs leading up to the rickety looking walkway for the second floor rooms. Fake flowers in the barrel planters and flowerbeds made of old semi tires lined the path, and he rushed inside the lobby door. Once inside he let out another breath he’d been holding. He stuffed his phone in his pocket and hoped for a woman or gay man to be behind the counter. No such luck, a fat greasy looking guy in an X-files T-shirt and comb-over hairdo grudgingly stood up from where he sat reading a Playboy once the copper bell sounded above the door.

Help you?

Figuring there was no use trying to charm this one, Ethan fished out his wallet. How much for a week?

We do weekly rates for truckers and you don’t look like no trucker.

In his head, he was laughing and crying at once. What an idiot. Why would you have weekly rates only for the people who are the least likely to use them?

The idiot really was no idiot. "So we can advertise them but don’t haveta use em much. You want a room or no?"

Ethan did a quick calculation in his head and nodded, more out of not having much choice than want. Give me a single. Two nights then.

The man took the money the blond, pretty boy with the east coast accent pushed across the counter and slid a registry card at him. Fill this out.

Once Ethan saw the room, he threw his bag on the bed and sighed. There were no shades on the lamps, the bedspread was straight out of some 1970’s nightmare, and the sink dripped. Loudly. But it was home for two days and it seemed to be clean. At least it wasn’t on the second floor. There was no cover over the walkway there.

He tried his hardest not to think about what the fuck he was going to do after the two days were up. He’d been pretty fortunate so far, only sleeping outside a couple times and luckily finding a bridge or trees to keep his body sheltered and his agoraphobia appeased, but he didn’t know how long his luck would hold out. He knew one thing he could do to get some money, but he hadn’t had to take that step yet and didn’t want to think he ever would. He didn’t mind being a slut, took pride in it in fact, but a whore was a whole different ball of wax.

After getting his phone plugged in and charging, he heaved a long breath and said to himself, Well let’s get showered.

The bathroom was old with broken tiles and rust stains on the tub and toilet but it looked clean and that was commendable. He’d seen worse. Instead of being bothered by it, he opted for a positive outlook. It was an adventure and things were always new. That was what counted in life right? Never getting bored. As much as open spaces and his deeper phobia, needles, bothered him there was no worse thing in life than boredom.

He showered quickly, enjoying the steady stream of hot water, washed his hair, and grazed his cock with his fingers. The thought of pulling off a quick one was tempting, and it wasn’t as if he didn’t do it often enough, but lately the fantasies he had when he did it were getting more and more extreme and it made the sex he actually had pale so he would rather hunt down the real thing and try to keep himself satisfied with that.

Once he got out, he chose what clothes to wear. The white t-shirt was just tight enough to show off his nicely raised pecs and perfect flat stomach while not looking too slutty and the Levi’s displayed his round, tight ass. Bottomed with his Chucks and set off with his favorite necklace, a choker threaded with tiny tiger’s eye beads. He brushed his bangs down so they looked carefree, the sides of his hair back a bit. He was ready but not happy about the short walk with no trees and few buildings for cover, setting out of the motel room and around the building. His phone had a bit of a charge so when he got to the bar he would power it down to save it for the walk home in case he had to slink back to the room alone. That was doubtful. He never had much trouble finding someone to share a bed with, but it had happened.

As he got there, he was about to hurry inside the door but on the other side was a man flipping the closed sign to open. Ethan sighed in relief he had not gone earlier, his heart was racing after the walk. He gathered his wits and put on his most charming smile for the older man behind the door. Whoever-he-was opened it, swinging his arm.

Come on in.

He was in his fifties if Ethan knew age at all, and he did. As he passed, he looked inside, held back the impulse to roll his eyes at the overdone cowboy motif and said to the man, Thanks.

Ethan went straight to the bar and didn’t notice the skeptical look on the man’s face until he rounded the bar, spread his arms out, planting them firmly on the surface in front of Ethan. Let me guess, you would like a drink?

The narrowed grey eyes which matched his salt and pepper hair made him a sweet sight. Not Ethan’s type but those into daddies would drool. He was clean-shaven and wore a flannel shirt, sleeves rolled up over thick biceps.

Using his smooth voice and trying to stiffen up some, he replied, That is what people go to bars for, isn’t it?

Uh yeah, people over 21. You have an ID telling me that you are and I will get you whatever you like.

It wasn’t the first time he had been carded, not by a long shot, but he could usually get past the rules with some charm and some well-placed flirting. This one, however, did not seem to have a gay bone in his testosterone dripping body. Not that that had stopped him much either.

I uh, got mugged sweetie and it got stolen, but I promise I am old enough for drinks...and other things. Ethan reached over to the bartender’s hand that was flat on the bar supporting him as he leaned and ran his finger over the weathered knuckles.

Chuckling the bartender said, Listen, to each his own I always say, but you may want to watch that kind of thing. This is a pretty laid-back town for being so close to Texas but there are a few who would take offense to that. Just a warning. Now, I can let you have a coke and a place to sit. Take it or leave it.

After Ethan withdrew his hand, he frowned. Sure. Thanks.

So no alcohol and keep the flirting on the down low. The evening was not turning out to his expectations and it had just begun. The bartender put the Coke down in front of him and as Ethan reached to get the money from his jeans he was stopped with a wave. No charge, it’s just Coke. Never could figure why bars charged five bucks for a fifty cent pop anyway.

Thanks. That’s a break at least. Ethan took a sip and looked around again at the inside of the bar. It wasn’t huge, but there was a small stage and dance floor, tables set up in front of them, then the flow moved into the dart and pool area. On the walls were horse shoes, samples of barbed wire and cowboy gear like hats, boots and chaps. The floors were classic barn wood with sawdust and peanut shells scattered and behind the bar besides the rows of top and bottom shelf bottles of liquor there were Denver Bronco pennants, a cowboy statue with paper leis around its neck, several printed announcements and jokes like no credit, we ain’t that good of friends and leave the horse in the barn, ride a cowboy.

The latter sign made Ethan’s mind wander. He’d never had a cowboy before and thought the idea was spectacular. Another notch in his bedpost and what a notch it would be. Visions of Brokeback Mountain danced in his head.

So what’s your name, kid?

The man’s voice was gruff, like he’d spent too many years smoking, but it was a friendly voice and Ethan already liked him.

I’m Ethan.

The man took the proffered hand and said, I’m Carter, I bartend here among other things. We just lost the cook so I guess I’m hoping no one gets hungry tonight for more than pretzels and peanuts.

Ethan nodded with a big, genuine smile spreading on his face. I’ll keep that in mind.

So where do you come from?

One eyebrow raised waiting for the looks of derision he had gotten used to when he said, New York.

City boy.

Yeah, well, not for a while. I’ve been on the road a couple of months now. Hit just about every state from there to here so far.

Nodding Carter said, Drifting.

Ethan shrugged. I guess so, but with a destination in mind. Want to eventually end up in San Fran.

A group of four came through the door then, two couples by the way they acted, and took a seat at one of the tables.

Excuse me a second.

Sure.

Ethan sipped on his Coke some more and watched Carter take their orders then return to the bar.

And it begins. They want a basket of fries.

Nearly choking on his Coke, Ethan laughed and asked, You can’t even do fries?

Carter turned to him midway of pouring a beer and smirked. And you can?

Well yeah, it’s not rocket science.

"You’re hired. Get in the back and I’ll be there to show you around once I get these yeehaws liquored up."

But- Before he could protest further Carter was taking the drinks to the table and Ethan watched after him. Oh, what the hell?

He got up and walked to the hall behind the bar where there were the restrooms to the left and two doors to the right, one that was a swinging door labeled Employees Only and another farther down labeled Office, No Admittance. Through the swinging door, he found the kitchen. If anyone would dare call it that. It was little more than a long, wide closet with a grill, hot plate and fryer on one side, and prep table, sinks and steel fridge on the other, the walk-in hot and cold storages took up the far wall. Ethan looked down at his clothes and quickly scanned for an apron which he found hanging next to the sink, got it on and tied, then got the precut potatoes into the fryer.

How you doin?

Ethan about jumped out of his skin when Carter’s face appeared behind the small service window he hadn’t noticed, since it was covered in papers and old kitchen equipment.

"You so owe me a whiskey sour for this, Carter!"

How about settling for a night’s pay?

Ethan’s mouth gaped. You want me to do this all night?

Carter’s grin spread wide and he nodded once, curtly. Not just tonight. Welcome to Honky Tonk.

Chapter 2

Just like riding a bike all the things Ethan had learned about being a short order cook came back to him and soon he was in a rhythm and nearly enjoying himself. However, his chances of getting laid were pretty much nil. The big drawback of cooking the stuff meant tending to smell like it too. There was a reason Armani didn’t make a fragrance called hamburgers. Still though, he was earning some much needed money, which was always good and he was beginning to like Carter more and more.

For as hard as he was working, Carter was working twice as hard. He had no waitress or bar help at all. From the sounds and the tiny glimpses he got of the barroom, it was packed to capacity.

The place only had a few items on the menu, so he got through it easy enough. When the final order had come in and he sent the food out, he leaned forward on the sink as he started cleaning up and sighed, tired to his bones.

Hey kid, you were really something, Carter said, entering the kitchen with a grin and rubbing his hands together. Any leftovers?

It just so happened Ethan had made the two of them a burger and fry basket each and had them waiting on the prep table. Ethan pointed at them and cocked his head to the side. Why in the world don’t you have help? You should loosen the purse strings and hire some wait staff.

Carter handed him the other basket and led him out to one of the tables. It was much cooler for them to eat in the far corner of the bar by the stage.

I would but it’s hard to keep ‘em. We’ve had a bit of a drought and people have been moving more to the cities. Had two gals leave not long ago.

Looking around at the mess, he shook his head in awe. Well how you just did that is incredible. This bar was full.

Carter shrugged as he bit into his burger and chugged a beer. After he swallowed he said, They all know me, and know I don’t go out to the tables when the bar gets full so it works out. It’s not like I’m making all of them whiskey sours. He said this with a smirk and Ethan interrupted him.

Which you still owe me!

Carter continued as if the younger man hadn’t spoken a word, "It’s mostly a beer and shot crowd so it’s not rocket science either."

Ethan took the chafing and said, Well, still.

Broaching the subject lightly, Carter said, I owe you some pay.

His eyes flickering up then back at his basket Ethan said, Yeah, I guess.

Sure could use someone steady.

Shrugging, Ethan agreed, That’s no lie.

Finally, Carter sat his beer down hard on the table. Do you want the goddamned job or not?

He had thought it over since Carter had made the proposal earlier, well if anyone could call that a proposal. He needed the money and it was going to take quite a bit to make it once he got to California so he nodded and agreed, Okay. For a while until you can find someone else.

After Carter’s victorious smile, they finished their food in silence and Ethan took the opportunity to look around some more at the décor. In the stage and dance area there were posters of bands who’d played there, a couple Ethan had actually heard of, and there were pictures as well he assumed of the patrons on various celebrations or holidays. One of the pictures made him nearly choke on a good gulp of Coke.

In the picture was a man like Ethan had never seen and he thought he had seen them all. He had his arm around Carter’s shoulders in one of the pictures and even though Carter was close to six feet, this man was taller by at least half a head. Broad shouldered and obviously muscled even covered in the cheesy red western shirt. He had the most intense (were they black!?) eyes Ethan had ever seen, like they were slicing through the picture and looking right at him.

Who the hell is that?

Carter smirked and swallowed the rest of his beer. That’s your new boss.

Ethan coughed out a laugh and turned to Carter wide eyed. You mean you don’t own this place?

Carter shook his head, clearly enjoying this. Nope. That’s Hunter Westmore. He bought the place a few years ago to try to make some money when the cattle market dipped. When people are in the black, they drink to celebrate, and in the red, to drown their sorrows so he’s always guaranteed a good showin’ in his books for the year even when his ranch does a less than decent show of it.

Ethan was staring at the picture as he asked, So he’s like an actual, real cowboy then?

Yep, sure is. Good man, Hunter.

The things Ethan were thinking in his head made his body break out in a light sheen of sweat. The man was fucking gorgeous. He had that rugged outdoorsy thing down to a science and that body, just the little he could see from the picture was made for him to climb and conquer.

A thought occurred then however, that tainted his view of the man a bit. Why doesn’t he come in and help you out?

He does when I need him to but he stays mostly on the ranch. He comes in to deal with the books and orders and whatnot every night for a couple of hours. If it gets busy, he helps out then he gets back to the ranch. He’s in Amarillo right now at an auction.

Appeased some at his initial impression of the man’s character, Ethan felt all right about continuing with his lustful stares at the man’s body.

Now I’m not one to tell a man how to act, but I would tread softly with him. You come on too strong with him and he will not hesitate to put you back in your place.

His eye twinkling with mischief, Ethan said, I’ve come up on some pretty sure heteros that resisted my charms at first but gave in. I have a way with people.

Carter smirked again, that smirk Ethan was getting used to with the older man’s chin dimpling a bit, as only one side of his mouth rose. He’s not regular people and I don’t care about gay or not, it’s your own business, but what he is has no label.

I’ll be sure to keep that in mind.

More than happy that Carter offered him a ride back to the motel after he helped to clean the place, he relaxed and felt his body start to give over to exhaustion. Carter pulled up in front and the face he made at the motel was classic contempt.

This is the biggest embarrassment around. The only good part of it is Gene’s Café there in the back, but the way Pete runs the motel is terrible.

Well not much choice unless you have another motel that’s cheaper and nicer.

When are you paid up until?

Ethan opened the door and looked over to his room. Day after tomorrow.

I’ll be by to get you in the morning. I’m up early so don’t make me knock for an hour.

A smile spread on his pink lips. For what?

Carter shifted a bit and said, Well, I got a room. My son moved to Denver after he graduated. I could let you have it while you are here and working at the bar. Save you some money.

Ethan swallowed before he closed his eyes. Here he thought that Carter was an actual good guy and didn’t want that kind of friendship but he shrugged and said sadly, Sure.

Carter caught his arm and pulled him back in before he could escape. It’s a room for rent...for money...not anything weird, ya stupid ass. I’m very straight. You got that? In fact if you ever do come on to me I’ll knock your ass out.

He blinked once, then twice and laughed. It’s a deal.

He got into his room and collapsed face down on the bed after closing the door. All he could smell was onions and grease but he didn’t have the energy to shower.