Branding Dylan, by BK Wright

INTRO:
A summer at the family ranch had been carefully planned for Brandon by his father, to impress upon him the kind of life he should not want. Old man Ashcot had not anticipated Brandon’s love of the land, nor did he anticipate Brandon’s love for a ranch hand. Brandon discovers much more than love while on the family ranch. Brandon discovers family secrets which his father has worked a lifetime to keep hidden from him.

EXCERPT:
This past year on the ranch and away from the family business was a welcome change from the mundane life of prep school. Brandon had never felt so free. He lived among the ranch hands, many nights sleeping outside under a star studded clear blue sky. Unlike his life back east, he had plenty of free time to experience new adventures and meet new people, people who were happy with their lives on the ranch, the simple way of life, people to whom prestige and money were not required to validate their existence. It was during this year that he had met Dylan.
******
While Dylan made certain the fire was completely out, Brandon sat on the bed and began to take his shirt off. After he had undressed except for his shorts, he sat on the edge of the bed drawing back the covers. Moving toward the small part of the room that contained the bed, Dylan was once again taken aback by the youthful skin of his young friend. He must have been watching Brandon for quite some time before he realized it, because when he finally snapped out of his trance he looked up to see Brandon looking back at him. Still fearing that Dylan was upset with him and just didn’t know how to confront him, Brandon said nothing and waited for Dylan to get into bed. Undressing as fast as he could, intimidated by the youthfulness of his friend’s body, Dylan silently slipped into the opposite side of the bed as Brandon. As Dylan was drifting off to sleep, he could feel Brandon thrashing about obviously not able to sleep.
******
Dylan knew how demanding Preston Ashcot was with his employees, yet had no idea he placed the same demands on his sons, withholding approval and love until his definition of perfection had been realized which was impossible for any human being to achieve. He hated old man Ashcot though he never let it be known either by deeds or words for fear of losing the beloved ranch he had come to regard as his own. This new insight into old man Ashcot’s true self served only to heighten Dylan’s hatred of him. He had stripped his own son, the man that Dylan now loved, of his very soul. Dylan would do whatever he could to make Brandon feel loved, and he would try as best he could to restore his self-esteem. He also planned to do everything within his power to keep his young friend from having to deal with his father.
******
Dylan looked over at him lovingly, saw that he had stretched out across the entire bed, and asked somewhat jokingly, “Well, where am I supposed to sleep?” Brandon teased back, “Guess the only place is here on top of me.” As he said this he leaned up and pulled Dylan down on top of him. They wanted each other so much tonight in this Montana setting. They wanted each other forever. It was Brandon taking the lead, and Dylan let him, he would let Brandon do whatever he wanted with him. Brandon’s shirt was almost all the way off now and he rolled Dylan over so that now he was lying on top of him and began to unbutton his shirt. He undid each button slowly, and after each button he took Dylan’s head in his hands and kissed him. With the first button he kissed him on the forehead, with the second button on the nose, with the third button on Dylan’s upper lip lingering for a moment feeling Dylan’s mouth trying to meet his. Brandon slowly pulled back which made Dylan want him even more as he unbuttoned another button, then another, until finally all were unbuttoned.