STORY EXCERPT

“Don’t do it,” Connor warned, as if he read Alex’s mind.

“I already evaluated the potential for success and determined that it was unlikely. Now, can we please do something so I can get rid of the most hideous case of boredom I’ve ever experienced?”

“You know you’re not as safe in town as you are out on the ranch. Why do you fight it so much?”

Alex had been living on Colt Redford’s ranch since all this bullshit had begun. It was a beautiful, luxurious home, with some of the most spectacular views surrounding it. There was a game room, a huge pool, an outdoor kitchen, and stables his horse-loving self could die a happy man in, but it had become a prison. It didn’t help that there were an unknown number of guards there. Colt had always made a point of protecting his family, but the protection had increased. For the most part, the guards were almost invisible. Most worked in various positions around the ranch. Alex didn’t know if he was looking at a cowboy or a man who could take down a threat in the blink of an eye.

“Tell me you’re happy being there all the time,” Alex shot back, his temper rising. He knew it wasn’t Connor’s fault, but he couldn’t find it in him to care at the moment. “I need to do something, anything. Can’t we spend the night in town?” He looked around, but didn’t see the people he knew were guarding them from a distance.

“No.”

“Jerk.”

“Feel better?” There was no emotion on Connor’s handsome face as he stared down at Alex. Yep, it sucked to be so short. “Now, let’s get the stuff that was ordered. After that, we can go get lunch.”

Alex clutched his chest. “Oh, wow, I don’t think I can take the excitement!”

Connor snorted. “Now who’s being a jerk?”

“That wasn’t nice. Are you allowed to call me a jerk?”

“I’m not paid to be nice. I’m paid to keep you safe.”

“Well, you’re doing a bang-up job. Keep up the good work. You also excel at being boring as hell.”

Connor didn’t reply to that as he followed Alex into the hardware store. It was one of his favorite places in town, because there was a bygone feel to the place. Other than stock, he doubted there was much new about the store. There were wood shelves, cubbyholes, and drawers, all filled with everything imaginable. He knew that the larger home improvement store had a lot more to offer, but it was the ambiance and personal service that Alex really appreciated. Colt must, too, because the store got most of the ranch’s business.

He and Connor were there to pick up nails and a few other things. The store would have delivered, but he had overheard the order being placed and had all but begged on his knees to go into town to pick it up. It sucked that he hadn’t been able to drive his own truck. Connor had told him that they would use his truck and that was that. There hadn’t been any argument.

It was only recently that they had become antagonistic toward one another. Alex was fairly certain it was because of his own attitude. He wasn’t being easy to deal with. He had to admit that in the beginning, they had gotten along just fine. Hell, he had even enjoyed hanging out with the guy. Now he supposed it was just too much familiarity.

Shaking his head, Alex wandered around the aisles, looking everything over. He tried to ignore the fact that his shadow was only about six feet away. This really can’t go on much longer, he thought, feeling the inner tension growing again. His jaw clenched. He needed to talk to Colt when he got back to the ranch. He knew the man was only trying to protect his family, but Alex was feeling so frustrated that he was at the point where he was ready to strip off his clothes and run down the street naked, screaming at the top of his lungs.

He really needed an outlet. The only possible solution was sex. His sex life had died abruptly at the same time he acquired a bodyguard. Was this what a rock star’s life was like? No, he thought, they seemed to manage to have a good time, at least once in a while.

“I want to go to the Silver Edge tonight.” The Silver Edge was a members-only sex club. He was fortunate enough to be in possession of a much-coveted membership. It didn’t hurt that his brother-in-law owned the place.

“No.”

Alex snapped. He spun on his heel and stalked to where Connor was standing, looking bored as hell. He would think the guy would want his freedom. He could take some time off before taking on another job. Not caring that the man topped him by at least a foot, he poked him in the chest.

“Listen, buddy, I’m going to the Silver Edge tonight, whether you like it or not. I’m not your prisoner. Nothing’s going to happen to me at the club, other than I might get lucky. Hell, even you might get lucky.” He growled. The sound surprised him. He kept the scowl on his face and poked Connor again, just because it felt good to do it. “So, you might as well accept that you are going with me to the club tonight. Maybe this whole farce will bother me less if I get my freak on with someone.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Alex didn’t know how long he slept, but he woke with his underwear off and Connor’s mouth sliding down his cock. It was like a dream coming true. He began panting as his hips lifted and dropped. There wasn’t a part of him that wanted to protest, although there were aches and pains reminding him that he couldn’t get too crazy.

“Oh, fuck yeah!” Alex cried as Connor’s tongue swirled around the head of his cock, the tip of it teasing the sensitive bundle of nerves beneath. Reaching for the other man, his fingers slid into the short hair. What was it with these former military men keeping such short hair? He wanted something to hold onto, something he could try to rip out when he got his rocks off. “Suck harder!”

The vibration from Connor’s amused chuckle went straight to his balls. They tightened, warning Alex that this wouldn’t last very long. He didn’t care. He would beg for another blow job, if he had to. He wasn’t above begging. Begging could be good.

Connor sucked harder. Alex watched as the dark head bobbed. Connor glanced up at him and his balls tightened more at the simple eroticism of the moment.

Alex’s fingers curled around handfuls of the sheet as he came. His hips bucked and he moaned as he tried to keep from jerking around too much. He wanted to experience more pleasure than pain, not something that would make him cringe by just contemplating another orgasm.

The strong finger sliding into his ass was the deciding factor. The muscles of his asshole clenched around it as his balls emptied into Connor’s hot mouth. The man sucked him dry, swallowing every last drop Alex had to give.

Alex was now all about making donations.

He lay there panting for long, delirious moments, staring at the ceiling and thinking about how life had suddenly taken a turn toward the better . He sighed as his softening dick slipped from between Connor’s lips. He felt a twinge of regret, but it didn’t last long as Connor moved to stretch out beside him on the bed. Turning his head on the pillow, Alex looked at the other man. “That was one fantastic dream I was having.”

Connor smiled. “I’m glad I could help it along. You didn’t hurt anything, did you?”

“Nothing I care about.”

“Good.” Warm, blow-job-reddened lips kissed the tip of his nose. “I’m sorry, but when I saw you sleeping in here in your sexy underwear, I couldn’t resist. Besides, it was time you woke up. You’ve slept the day away.”

Alex’s stared in surprise at Connor. He turned his head to look at the window. Sure enough, the light had changed, the sun sinking behind the house. His bedroom was at the front and didn’t get any direct sunlight in the late afternoon and evening.

“I’m just getting ready to make supper. Is there anything in particular that you wanted tonight?”

Connor took such good care of him. If he didn’t know better, Alex would think the man liked to spoil him. He could get used to it, but he didn’t want to take advantage of the man’s good nature.

He frowned, thinking about all the groceries Connor was restocking his pantry with. “Didn’t you get the fixings for tacos?” His stomach grumbled.

“I did.” Connor nodded, dropped a kiss on his lips, and rolled so he was sitting on the edge of the bed. “If you want to put your underwear back on, you can come out and keep me company while I make supper. Or you could just strip off.” He winked. “I wouldn’t mind seeing you walk around here naked.”

Laughing, Alex shook his head. “Why don’t we give that another week? The bruises will be gone by then and my ribs won’t be wrapped.”

Would he still be here in a week? Hell, he could probably go back to his own apartment now. The thought sucked. He was discovering that he didn’t want his time with Connor to come to an end. He had given in to the weakness he felt whenever he was around the man, agreeing to stay with Connor as he recovered. His feelings for Connor were growing quickly. He believed they were real and not brought on simply by living with the man and depending upon him, if only temporarily.

Connor’s big body slumped. He pouted, which was both adorable and slightly ridiculous on the face of a man who oozed toughness from every pore. Alex laughed and began to work his way to the edge of the bed. He looked around for his underwear. Both he and Connor were tighty-whities kind of guys. Did they have anything else in common, other than their style of underwear and a mutual attraction? Could they find enough of whatever it was that made relationships special to make it last a lifetime?

“You know how to stomp on a guy’s hopes.” Connor headed toward the door, laughing as he did so. “But next week, you’ll be running around the house naked. We’ll close the curtains and lock the doors.”

The idea of parading around the house naked in front of Connor had his dick trying to get hard again. Alex got out of bed and reached for the underwear tangled in the sheet Connor had pushed out of his way. He stared at them for a moment and then tossed them aside.

“Oh, what the hell.” It took a bit of effort, but Alex soon had the T-shirt off. It joined his underwear. “It’s not like he hasn’t already seen all the bruises.”

When he walked naked into the kitchen, he was relieved nothing was in the pan that Connor dropped. It hit the floor with a loud clunk as Connor stared.

“Hot damn, baby! Warn a guy.”

Alex laughed. “Now, what fun would that be?”

“None at all.”