Due to non-Ezslash content, the first story of the series, From Afar can be read here - http://www.wyndewalker.com/Stories/fromafar.htm

Ezra sighed as he covertly watched JD standing at the bar teasing Buck about his latest failure with Inez. It had been nearly four months since the night of that damnable bet, since the night he'd been forced to truly acknowledge that JD had grown into a young man. A desirable young man at that.

He suspected that JD had feelings for him, it was almost impossible to miss the way he'd taken to spending more time with him, but the emotions of the young were fickle. What was love today could turn swiftly to hate, or at least strong dislike, tomorrow. The last thing he wanted to do was trust his heart to a young man who barely needed to shave. Even if he was as desirable as JD with his silky black hair and dark expressive eyes. No, it was best not to go down that road.

"A wise man knows when to listen to his heart and when to ignore what his head is saying."

"Pardon?" Ezra looked up to find Josiah standing next to him. He was slipping if the large man had so easily caught him unaware.

Josiah smiled as he sat down, his gaze drifting to Buck and JD then back to Ezra. "You need to listen to your heart and not your head."

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," Ezra replied quietly, keeping his gaze on the cards before him.

"Yes, you do. The only one who doesn't know about your feelings is JD and vice versa. It's time you put the both of you out of your misery."

Ezra shook his head. "Things are never that simple or that easy."

"Yes, they are. We just like to make them more complicated." Josiah shook his head at the stubborn look. "Deal the cards, son. It's time you win some of my wages off me."

Nothing more was said on the subject and the night passed quickly with the other peacekeepers soon joining them.

Ezra stared across the fire at the young man sitting opposite him. He still couldn't believe this was happening. He and JD were being sent to Cedar Ridge, a day and a half ride from Four Corners, to retrieve a packet the Judge needed for a trial when he arrived in a week.

The errand in and of itself wasn't so out of the ordinary. Not that the Judge regularly asked them to retrieve packages for him. No, the unbelievable part was that it was JD and himself on this errand. It was a minor miracle that Buck hadn't either taken his place or insisted he go along with them. Buck took his 'big brother' responsibilities very seriously. Ezra half-wondered if they hadn't been set up. Only none of his comrades were that devious. Well, maybe Vin, but to deliberately set him up with JD? Not in this lifetime.

He was so engrossed in his musings he didn't notice JD rise to his feet and cross the distance between them until he sat down again next to him.

"Ezra?"

He looked up, startled to find the center of his thoughts so close at hand. "Yes?"

"We need to talk."

"We do?" Ezra asked, pulling out his deck of cards, praying it wasn't what he thought it was. "What about?"

"Yes, we do, and you know what about. We need to talk about that kiss."

Ezra couldn't help staring at him in some shock. He'd expected JD to dance around the subject a bit, all blushes and stammering. He certainly hadn't expected to be confronted by this forthright, confident young man. Not that it mattered to his libido one whit. If anything it made JD all the more attractive. "Uhm, yes, well, about that."

He couldn't believe it. He was the one all blushes and stammering. He was almost 10 years older than JD's 18 years. When had their roles become so reversed?

JD sighed. "Buck says sometimes you've gotta just take the bull by the horns. Well, that's what I'm gonna do." JD reached out and gripped his chin, turning his face to meet his gaze. "Ezra, that night that kiss woke feelings in me. I thought that they were just a passing thing, that they'd go away after awhile. They didn't. They just got stronger and deeper. I love you, Ezra P. Standish. I want to be with you. I want to make love with you and wake up beside you."

Ezra sucked in a ragged breath. He searched the expressive brown eyes, trying to find some tell, some give away that would belie the love and desire and acceptance he saw there. Finally, "Are you sure, JD? I mean, are you well and truly sure? This isn't some game. If we continue it can't be undone. Things can't go back to the way they were before."

"I'm sure, Ezra. I'm as sure of this as I've ever been of anything in my whole life. I want this. I want you. I love you."

"Lord, help me but I love you too, JD Dunne," Ezra said, his voice little more than a reverent whisper. Then JD was leaning in and their lips touched. It was all that their first kiss had been and more. It was warm and passionate, fiery and loving. The next thing Ezra knew he was lying on his back with JD straddling him, working at the buttons of his shirt. "Wait. Stop, JD. Wait!"

"What? Is something wrong, Ezra? Did I hurt you?" JD asked sitting back on his heels.

"No, I'm fine, JD. It's just... Don't you think this is going a bit fast?"

"I don't see how? I love you. You love me. What else is there? Unless..."

"Don't even start down that path, Mr. Dunne," Ezra admonished, a hand lifting to caress JD's face. "JD, I do love you but I do not want the first time we make love to be on the hard ground. I want to be in my room with you on my feather bed, with dozens of candles illuminating the room. I want to watch the way their light dances and plays across your skin, turning it to molten honey." One hand caressed the length of JD's back, while the other slipped down to cup and knead the firm cloth-covered backside, making JD gasp and rub his groin down against Ezra's. "I want to worship at the altar of your body, tasting every last bit of it, until you can't form one coherent thought. Not even your own name. I want to watch you moaning and writhing beneath me in pleasure, your hands tightly gripping the sheets or the bed frame needing something, anything to hold onto for fear of flying off in a hundred different directions from the pleasure. I want it to be slow and sweet, then hard and fast. When you come it will feel as if you've died and gone to heaven and you'll never want to come back down to earth. That is what I want our first time to be like. Not a hurried tumble on the hard unforgiving ground." Ezra brought his hands to JD's hips holding him still.

JD stared down at him for several long moments. Long enough that Ezra began to wonder what the younger man was thinking, to wonder if he should have simply gone with JD's youthful enthusiasm, but then JD spoke.

"God, Ezra, you really want to do that with me? I mean, I know I ain't the best looking..."

"JD, you are quite possibly one of the handsomest men I have ever known. Your beauty is more than just your outward appearance, it is what's in here," Ezra placed his hand over JD's heart, "it's what's in your heart. You are caring, loyal, honest, intelligent, courageous, and you still have some measure of innocence. These are why I fell in love with you."

JD smiled and lay back down on top of Ezra, his head tucked beneath Ezra's chin. "I love you too, Ezra. And you're even more caring and loyal and smarter and braver than I am. I want us to be together for always."

"Always," Ezra repeated, his gaze sad with the knowledge that it was highly unlikely they would have an always together. Such was the life they led. Forcing a cheerful note into his voice, Ezra said, "Now, Mr. Dunne, as much as I enjoy our current position I think it would be infinitely more comfortable if we were to perhaps remove our gunbelts?"

"Sorry about that, Ez," JD said as he sat up.

"No need to apologize," Ezra assured him as he too sat up long enough to take off his own gunbelt and put it close at hand. He then grabbed his saddle settling it behind himself to make a headrest, grabbed his blanket and lay back down. JD removed his gunbelt and also put it close at hand then settled back down so he was lying half-on, half-off of Ezra without impeding his gun arm. Ezra brought the blanket up over the both of them wrapping his arms around JD, happy to have him in his arms at last. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of JD's head before drifting off to sleep.

~Fini~