STORY EXCERPT

Casper finally put his book away and headed downstairs. If he read one more page he swore he’d throw the damn book out the flipping window. Images of the stranger kept him from studying and he just had to give up. After reading the same page fifty times he thought it was time for  a break.

It was nearing six and his stomach started to growl on instinct. The Carsten house ran like clockwork and dinner was served every night at six thirty.

Just as he reached the bottom step a smell tickled under his nose. He stopped and sniffed the air. The smell was sweet and alluring but Casper couldn’t place the exact scent. It made him hungry but not for food.

Casper started walking letting his nose lead the way. He walked through the living room but the scent went faint so he turned around and headed in the opposite direction. His bare feet slid over the hardwood floor as his nose pulled him along. No matter how ridiculous he must have looked he couldn’t deny the aroma. Even more so he couldn’t deny the effect it was having on his cock. He had been almost certain the damn thing didn’t work. After all the years under Tobias’s roof no one could fault him from not wanting to have sex, but now, now he thought he’d come undone if he didn’t have it soon.

“Cass, whatcha doing?” Jake, his brother’s mate, stepped in his path.

“Huh?” Casper came to a stop and shook his head. “Not sure.” He answered honestly because he had nothing to hide. “Do you smell that?” He sniffed the air again and the smell had gotten stronger.

“You’re probably smelling the blueberry muffins your brother made.” Jake eyed him wearily. “You should go try one out.” Casper could hear his brother-in-law talking but he wasn’t paying attention. “Dude, are you feeling okay?”

“Yeah, I’m great.” Casper started down another hallway. “Call me when dinner is ready,” he hollered over his shoulder.

Casper rounded the corner and had just passed Devon’s office when the door swung open. The sweet aroma hit him from behind and Casper spun on his heels. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Sensations crawled over his skin like a wave of electricity. Warmth infused his body and he felt at peace.

“Casper.”

At the sound of his name being called he opened his eyes. Aiden, Devon, and the stranger he spotted a few hours ago stood in the hallway facing him.

The man’s blue eyes stared at him and Casper found himself captivated in their light blue depths. They reminded him of the summer sky in June.

At the close proximity he got a better look at the man’s face. Light traces of wrinkles were in the corners of his eyes and laugh lines were on the edges of his mouth. Casper’s eyes trailed over his face and he stopped at a scar that ran from the temple on the left side of his face down to his chin. It looked old and left only a faint mark on his golden skin. Casper wondered what had happened to this man.

“Yo, Cass, snap out of it.” Devon’s booming voice knocked him from his musing.

“Sorry.” His voice cracked when he spoke.

“Are you feeling all right?” Aiden came to his side and put a hand over his forehead. “You don’t feel warm.”

He took a step back from Aiden and his eyes moved back to stare at the other man. “I’m fine.” His cheeks heated with his embarrassment. He didn’t want to be treated like a child in this man’s presence.

“Good.” Aiden lightly grabbed him under the elbow and escorted him forward, closer to the man he couldn’t take his eyes off of. “I’d like to introduce you to my dad, Phillip.”

“Dad?” He looked between the two. The resemblance was there but it made having a crush on Phillip seem a little awkward knowing he was Aiden’s dad.

“Yeah.” Aiden smiled at him. “He’s been out of town but he’s back now.”

Dad. Casper couldn’t wrap his brain around that. The man didn’t look old enough to have a grown son.

“Nice to meet you, Casper.” Phillip held out his hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you and your brother, Carl.”

Casper stared down at the offered hand. He desperately wanted to shake it but couldn’t make his arm move. Phillip’s hand started to waver and Casper looked from the man’s face then to his hand.

Shake it you moron. Aren’t you dying to know what his touch feels like? Casper, with a trembling hand, reached out to clasp Phillip’s. The man’s large hand engulfed his and Casper felt a shiver run down his spine. Phillip’s touch spoke to his body and soul and Casper wanted to wrap himself up in that feeling.

“Uh,” Phillip said as he looked from Casper’s face down to where their hands were still connected.

“Shoot!” Casper snatched his hand back. He tried to calm his breathing. He had held onto the man’s hand for longer than was customary. “Nice to meet you too, Phillip. Hope they didn’t bore you with too much about my brother and I.” Casper silently prayed they had left out the fact that he had been abused for the better part of three years. For some reason he cared what this man thought of him.

But why?

“No, not at all.” Casper’s heart did a somersault when Phillip aimed a bright smile at him. He could have sworn the heavens opened and he heard angels singing hallelujah. “Devon and Aiden only had nice things to say about you.”

Casper hoped that was all they’d said.

A few seconds passed and neither of them said a word. Casper rocked back and forth on his heels searching for something to say. Phillip held his gaze with such intent that Casper had to look away.

ADULT EXCERPT

He closed his eyes as the memoires of that one kiss flashed behind his eyelids. The softness of Phillip’s lips, the moist heat that fanned across his face as Phillip took his mouth in a hungry kiss.

Casper reached down to adjust his growing cock. Now that Phillip had woken up that part of Casper’s body the damn thing had a mind of its own.

Not thinking twice about it, Casper rolled over and straddled Phillip’s lap. The man gasped in shock and Casper brought up his hands on either side of Phillip’s face. Phillip’s strong fingers reached out and gripped him low around the waist, his fingertips pressing into his hips. Before he lost his courage Casper leaned down and took Phillip’s lips in a passionate kiss. Instincts took over as he nipped and licked his way inside. Phillip’s lips were pliable under his touch. 

He could feel Phillip’s fingers as they worked their way up under his shirt. A shiver rolled over his body and he shuttered. Casper let go of Phillip’s face and let his fingers roam downward to caress over the tan nipples he had been admiring.

Casper pinched the little nub between his fingertips and rolled the sensitive flesh. Phillip groaned into the kiss and pulled Casper closer. A hard bulge pressed up against his ass and for the first time ever Casper didn’t flinch away in fear. Phillip wasn’t like those other men. They were mates no matter how hard Phillip might want to deny it. Casper could feel the pull in his chest telling him Phillip was his and only his.

The kiss grew deeper and even the need for air couldn’t pull them apart. Casper kept fondling one nipple and let his other hand travel down toward the dusting of hair that would lead him to Phillip’s cock. He wedged his hand under the blanket and his fingertips brushed the swollen head.

Phillip pulled back from the kiss and grabbed his hand, stopping Casper from getting a good hold on the thick hot length. “We need to stop this.” Phillip’s voice sounded rough and his hand shook as he held himself back.

“But I don’t want to.” Casper tried to lean closer to kiss his mate but Phillip stopped him.

“We’re moving too fast.” Phillip took a deep breath. “After everything you’ve been through—”

“Enough!” Casper snapped. He could handle everyone else treating him with kid gloves but not his mate. “Don’t you get it?” Casper stared into Phillip’s eyes silently pleading for the man to understand. “It’s because of everything I went through that I need this. Need you.”

“I don’t understand.” Phillip’s hold loosened and Casper leant forward bracing himself on his hands, hovering over Phillip.

“All I have are bad memories. I need good ones like this to replace those. I want to feel what it’s like to be touched in a loving way.” He placed a light kiss on Phillip’s lips. “I want to feel you touch me.”

Phillip stared wide-eyed at him as if searching for something. “I don’t know, Casper.”

“Please, Phillip. Help me forget.”

Something seemed to flash across Phillip’s face, understanding or need, Casper wasn’t sure. With gentle force Phillip pulled him down until they lay chest to chest. Casper’s lips found his and they dove right back in where they left off. Tongues dueling for entrance and control, hands grabbing and stroking. Phillip lifted Casper’s shirt up his chest and Casper sat back on his heels to tug it off.

With the shirt gone he sat staring down at his mate. Phillip’s eyes glowed in the darkness as if a fire smoldered inside them. In a fast movement he never saw coming, Phillip rolled them over with Casper trapped beneath him. Casper reached down pushing the heavy comforter out of the way until it lay crumpled at the foot of the bed.

He gasped as Phillip’s warm hands shoved his pants down. Phillip used his foot to kick the pants out of the way. The feel of Phillip’s body on top of his didn’t cause him to panic. The pressure and heat coming off of Phillip left Casper quivering for more. 

Casper spread his thighs and Phillip slid in closer not leaving an inch of them not touching. His cock throbbed and ached for release. Pre-cum leaked out the tip, smearing across his stomach as Phillip gently thrust his hips forward causing their cocks to rub against each other.

“I want you so badly.” Casper panted.

“I’m right here.” Phillip kissed down his neck until he reached Casper’s shoulder and bit down gently.

Casper’s hips bucked up as he felt Phillip’s teeth graze over his skin. He could feel his balls growing heavy and his orgasm right at the cusp waiting to send him over into oblivion.

Phillip sat up just enough to wrap his big hand around his and Casper’s shafts. His hand moved in a fast pace keeping in time with the movement of their hips.

Casper threw his head back and opened his mouth to scream as his release ripped through his body, splashing warmth over his chest. Phillip covered his mouth with his hand silencing Casper’s shouts of pleasure. Just as he was coming down from his orgasmic high Phillip’s body stilled over his. Phillip rested his forehead against Casper’s and his face scrunched up as if in pain then another flood of warm gooeyness covered his chest, mixing with his own. Casper closed his eyes, loving the feel of being marked in his mate’s scent.

Once the tremors stopped racking through Phillip’s body, he fell forward crushing Casper. Casper wrapped his arms around Phillip holding him tight, never wanting to be separated from him. Being with Phillip made him feel safe and loved.