Boot Twine

Claimer: I DO own this story, and all of the characters. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is completely coincidental or just plain weird.

Summary: Bronson Lewis, with the help of sheriff Colton Moss must hunt down the murderer Penny Boulevard, and go through a gang of bandits to do so. M/M slash

Genre: Western, Erotica, Romance, Action/Adventure

Warning: Explicit sexual content, some strong graphic violence, language and some drug use. If you're not old enough, can't handle it, or simply don't like it – please leave now.

Other: Comments & criticisms are more than welcomed. Being a jerk isn't. If you're going to review my stories (or anyone's stories) be an adult about it.

Author's Note: My first western story, possibly ever. I just decided to have fun with it. The slang is hard and heavy throughout, but it should be generally understandable. And also, everything I knew about the Wild West is based off TV (haha). But seriously! I tried to do some research so I knew at least a little about cowboys, but it was like picking teeth. (They wouldn't give me any information on cowboy's underwear, food, and forget cowboy cuss words…)

So I put in a lot of slang and I've checked out some cowboy fiction out from my local library for some research. At least the western fiction was helpful. It gave me more information then my research did. Maybe I was looking in the wrong places, but whatever – this is my first western story. (Possibly ever.) Please forgive me for mistakes and I hope you enjoy it.

First Shot

I drained my cup and placed it down on the counter with a sigh. I motioned for the bar tender. Billie gave me a heavy look. He finished with another customer before coming over to me.

"Fetch me another, Billie," I said.

Billie gave me a disapproving look.

"Fetch me another," I said.

"You shouldn't go home on another bender," Billie said, though he took my glass and started filling it up. "You know your uncle will clean your plow if you come home drunk again."

"I don't care a continental," I muttered. And I didn't. I was a grown ass man, for gosh sakes. I could have a few drinks if I wanted to. Besides, uncle was off on business.

Billie gave me my beer and I started drinking again.

"Since when did you become such a deadbeat anyway? You used to always be busy doing something, but lately you've just been sitting here drinking like you'd just lost your parents again."

"There just hasn't been any work for me," I said.

I was a bounty hunter and a damn good one too. I was an excellent tracker, a great shot, and I always caught who I was searching for. I was called out of town and out of state even. I couldn't tell this to anyone, but my father was half Indian, and he taught me everything I knew.

Unlike all the people here, I had a great respect for the Indian people. They weren't savages – they were resourceful, and very smart. It was by their talents that I became as good as I was.

To honest, though, there was work for me to do. I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

That's why I was here, trying to get full as a tick. Because when I was all drunk and stumbling I could hardly remember that bad things trapped in my mind. I gulped down the rest of my beer.

"Another," I said.

Billie looked so doubtful. He was probably afraid my uncle was gonna get mad at him for helping me get drunk every night. But with a demanding glare for me he sighed and took my empty glass.

I stumbled out of the saloon just as it was starting to get loud and rowdy, which was good, cause when I was this drunk even a woman that's been rode hard and put away wet looked like a pretty lady to me. I barely remembered my hat when I'd left the saloon.

Now I was fitting it on over my auburn color hair. I stepped down onto the dirt and stumbled as the ground seemed to sway beneath me.

"Hold still," I murmured as I starting going towards the left. My horse was waiting for me on the right. My uncle lived right on the outskirts of town. It was well in walking distance, but when I was stumbling around it took me all night to make it back.

I found my horse, Santa Fe, and grabbed his reins. He neighed softly and it sounded so funny I giggled.

"When I asked where I could find Bronson, they told me Bronson would be in the saloon, drinking like he was trying to make a mash."

I looked up from the saddle but didn't see anyone. I glanced around but the movement made me dizzy. Or maybe I was moving my head too fast?

"I find it hard to believe. The great bounty hunter Bronson Lewis, now nothing more than a drunken deadbeat? Nonsense. Not the Bronson I know."

It kept going. The silky voice with a soft twang that tickled me the way no other voice could. I finally located the man. He stood behind me with his hat in his hand. His black hair was combed and looked perfect on his head. He had a handsome face, like no other man in the town. He was always so clean, too, like he bathed every day.

I often noticed that his clothes were really tight on him. His dark gray pants hugged every curve of his muscular legs, the fabric stretched over his decent sized rump. He didn't wear a vest and his shirt was unbuttoned nearly to his belly button. He had the lightest touch of chest hair, and his stomach showed his toned muscles from working on the ranch.

"Sheriff Colton Moss," I mumbled. "What brings you round?" We were friends. We worked together sometimes, and we'd have a few mugs together on a slow day.

"This ain't a social call," Colton said, "But seeing as you don't have nothing under your hair but hair it'll have to wait."

"Is that… right, sher…?" I said, and started laughing. Nothing under my hat but hair! I wasn't stupid, but that was funny. "You got… some business for me, sher?"

Colton gritted his teeth. "Sheriff. And yes, I do."

"Well, I do… not wanna…" I said. I tugged on Santa Fe's reins and the horse obediently followed. Colton gave a sigh.

"Hold on, Bronson," he called.

"Nah," I muttered. I stumbled a little be kept on walking.

"I need your help, though," Colton said. "It's real important."

I stopped my horse, remembering I should get on and ride. It would go a lot faster, and I could probably get away from sher big mouth. I put my foot in one of the stirrups and reached up to the saddle to get a grip on something.

"I messed up big, and only you can help me fix it, Bronson. I… I really need you here."

I pushed up, slid on the saddle, and went falling over the other side. I landed on my back and it took a moment for the world to stop spinning around. I closed my eyes a moment. When I opened them again Colton was standing over me.

"You ok?" he asked.

"I think my ass is broken," I laughed.

Colton sighed. "You're roostered. Let me help you home."

"I… I got it, sher, go on…" I said.

"I insist," Colton said.

"I don't…" I muttered.

He reached out. "Come on, take my hand."

I sighed, reaching out for his hand. He helped me get up to my feet. His hand was still on mine as he made sure I was going to stay steady. All I could think about was his hand on mine. I looked down at his fingers, wrapped around mine.

I jerked my hand away and started to fall over.

He reached out, his arms wrapping around my body, and he pulled me against him. I felt his strong body for the first time. It looked amazing. It felt even better.

To be continued…