STORY EXCERPT

Daniel finished for the day and headed for the kitchen. With so many residents in the house that needed different diets, Betts would be spending his days there to help with all the food. So when he left his office he could instantly smell the delicious aromas of the man’s cooking. Jake had tried to offer the friendly man the aid of one of his men for the kitchen, but the chef had growled at him and started to appear rather less friendly, and very territorial. My kitchen the look on his slender face had said as he picked up a wooden spoon and waved it threateningly, brown eyes glaring daggers. Jake had backed off before he had been smacked across the knuckles with the spoon. Betts apparently ran the kitchens in his restaurants like very well organised military units, Everyone knew their jobs and did them to the best of their abilities or feared his wrath. If he was loud and shouting, everything was probably okay but when he got quiet whoever was working with him should start to worry that they had really messed up, and maybe go pack their bag before he got really mad.

“Hey,” he said to Betts, just as his stomach growled loudly. The other man grinned at him and pivoted, his shiny black ponytail swinging with him, and in short order held a large plate of lasagne under his nose. Daniel moaned in bliss as he dug in. God, I’m staaaaarving!

“Should have stopped for lunch!” Betts smirked again, this time looking past him. Daniel would have responded, but was too busy filling his mouth with the tasty lasagne.

Jake cleared his throat as he slid into the seat next to him. After several minutes of dedicated eating both men slowed enough to talk.

“So,” Jake started, “where are you on tracking the homes, covens, and other stuff of everyone?”

Daniel took a moment to swallow his food and take a gulp of the water from the yellow mug that rested next to his half-empty plate on the marble countertop.

“I don’t have much so far, can’t contact any covens until after sundown, so the vamps are on hold for now.” He checked his watch. “Won’t be long now. I have sent out a lot of messages, but most of my connections will take at least a day to get back to me. Today has mostly been about collating information from various sources and reaching out to contacts.” Daniel had prepared a progress report for Jake, which he had emailed to both him and Perry, but Jake liked to receive the information in person as well.

As they talked, Daniel felt very aware of the man next to him. It was nothing new, but it was bothering him more than usual. Jake's hair was still as ruffled as it had been when he had been asleep, as if he had run his hands through it many times. It was something Daniel knew Jake did when he had a lot on his mind. He could almost feel Jake breathing, feel the air being pulled into Jake's lungs, making his chest rise and fall underneath the dark-grey sweater. He tried not to look over, not wanting to be caught staring, but failed miserably. The man still had not shaved, and his fingers itched to feel the rasp of the stubble on Jake's jaw as he moved in for the kiss that he had fantasized about for ten years.

Daniel suddenly became aware that Jake had stopped talking, and his gaze flew up. Jake was looking at him oddly.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, sorry! Miles away!” His cheeks heated slightly, and he prayed Jake did not notice. God, how embarrassing! Please don’t ask what I was thinking about! Please!

“So.” Jake cleared his throat again. “I have to go check on how our vamps are doing. You will keep me informed of any progress?”

“Of course.” He watched Jake get up and dump his plate beside the sink before leaving the room.

“Oh god!” He was alone in the kitchen, and after pushing his plate aside, he collapsed across the countertop, burying his face in his arms. He groaned with mortification at being caught staring by Jake. “Shoot me now,” he told the marble underneath his head, lightly banging his forehead against it a couple of times.

“You know…” Daniel jumped upright and spun around. Betts was smirking at him from the pantry doorway. “You might have everyone here fooled, but not me! Nope! Not for a New York minute.” His smirk widened until he was grinning lazily at Daniel. His long dark hair was tied up in a sleek ponytail, the tip of which fell to between his shoulder blades.

“I…”

“Why don’t you tell him how you feel?”

“Jesus, you can’t say anything!” Daniel panicked.

“Not Jesus, just Betts.”

“Haha. No, please! You can’t say anything to Jake!”

“Oh I wouldn’t dream of it. But why don’t you?”

“Long story, look, I have to go…” Daniel trailed off and fidgeted for an extremely long moment, before turning and hurriedly leaving the kitchen.

ADULT EXCERPT

Daniel edged behind him into the doorway of the house, tugging at the back of his shirt. Jake looked back and caught his smirk. Daniel jerked his head further into the house and widened his eyes in a meaningful look. Jake instantly understood and grinned at him, turning and starting into the house.

“Where are you two going then?”

Daniel went bright red and Jake’s cock twitched to life. Yum. he looks so hot like that.

“You know exactly where we are going Ant.” Jake flipped the other man off. Then he rushed at Daniel, who yelped when he was picked up and flung over Jake’s shoulder. Jake ran all the way through the house and up the stairs with Daniel laughing from his position over Jake’s shoulder. He could feel the hard ridge of Daniel’s cock against his torso, through the soft fabric of his worn jeans. Jake was not even slightly winded after carrying his mate all the way, and he kicked the door shut and tossed Daniel onto the bed. Daniel grinned up at him as he bounced to a stop on the springy mattress.

“Get naked.” Daniel was more than happy to obey and wriggled out of his trousers, pushing his electric-green boxer briefs down along with the faded-blue denim. They caught at his ankles, and he giggled while he tried to pull his trainers off, which were too tightly laced. He undid them and tossed them aside before yanking his trousers off over his feet. They ended up mostly inside out on the floor. A moment later, Daniel’s T-shirt sailed across the room. Jake watched his mate’s body as it was revealed bit by bit with his mouth open, feeling all the blood in his body head toward his cock. He palmed it through his trousers, adjusting himself, then realised he had been too busy staring to take his own clothes off. He quickly stripped, uncaring of where his clothes landed, and crawled onto the bed.

Daniel rose and knee-walked across the bed, meeting him halfway. He grabbed the sides of Jake’s face and drew them together in a passionate kiss.

Everything stilled inside Jake. This was where he was meant to be, here with his mate, with this man. Daniel’s sweet scent surrounded him, drugging his senses.

Jake settled his hands on either side of Daniel’s rib cage, holding him close while they kissed. The desperation Jake had been feeling all day, to be inside his mate again, faded. Now that Daniel’s warm, solid, and naked body was pressed up against his and rubbing against him, Jake’s feelings mellowed, and he kissed him almost lazily.

“Jake, I want you so much.”

“Want you, too.” Jake trailed his fingers across the smooth skin of Daniel’s back. “Love your skin.” Jake reached his left hand up to cup the side of Daniel’s face and tilt his head aside. He nibbled and licked up the exposed skin and over the mating mark he had left when he had claimed Daniel. Daniel shivered and then moaned. The scent of his arousal flooded the air, making Jake pant with need.

“Want you inside me, Jay.” His hand reached between them and began tugging at his own cock, squirming slightly with the strength of his desire.

Jake pressed the first two fingers of his right hand against Daniel’s lips. Daniel took them into his mouth and sucked on them eagerly, coating them with his saliva. When they were nice and wet he reached behind his mate and circled the damp digits around his mate’s hole.

“Don’t tease,” Daniel whimpered. Jake thrust both fingers into his mate, earning a throaty cry. Jake drew back from his attentions to Daniel’s neck and looked at him. Daniel’s head was still canted to one side and back slightly. His mouth was open, and short panting breaths issued from him. His eyes were shut, and the expression on his face was pure ecstasy. Jake stabbed his fingers in and out of Daniel, who bucked against them and tried to take them deeper.

“Fuck, you’re sexy.”

Daniel opened his eyes, which were heavy with lust, and looked back at him. “Kiss me.”

Jake was happy to oblige, and their mouths met in a hot, wet kiss. While their tongues duelled, Jake started scissoring his fingers to loosen Daniel up for him. After a few minutes, he went to add a third finger but Daniel clamped a hand down on his arm.

“No, Jay, just fuck me. Please. I need to feel you. Want the burn.”

Fuck. Jake's did not think it was possible for his cock to get any harder, but at his mate’s words he realised he had been wrong as more blood filled it. He pulled his fingers from Daniel and leaned over to grab the lube from where it stood on the bedside table. Daniel drew away and lay down, watching him. He licked his palm and began slowly stroking his cock. The cap made a snick noise as Jake flicked it open, and he squirted some onto his fingers.

Jake lubed his cock and moved over Daniel, who lifted his legs and gripped them behind the knees with both hands, his heated gaze heavy on Jake's skin. Jake slicked Daniel’s entrance and dick with the remainder of the lube, lingering for a moment on the hard shaft. He grabbed a pillow and used it to raise Daniel’s hips then positioned himself on his knees and lined his prick up to enter Daniel’s body.

Daniel’s needy whimper turned to a gasp, his back arching up off the bed as Jake thrust forward to the hilt with one push. He froze, the heat and tightness of his mate’s body around his cock almost more than he could take. After a few moments, the urge to come faded and he was able to move.