STORY EXCERPT

Amyas rushed into the kitchen. The table was situated next to a window that overlooked the side of the house that was fenced in by a wood privacy fence. There was a small garden there awash in color. His mother was seated looking up at Dane.

“What’s even worse is the man gets out of jail and decides to pick right back up where he left off,” Anne said softly. “I don’t want my son to go through that again.”

“He’s not alone this time,” Dane said. “He has his family.”

“And you,” she said softly. “I guess the good thing to come out of this is I’ll get to see you two together.”

“Dane? What are you doing here? Don’t you have someplace to be?” Amyas rushed toward them.

Anne turned. “Amyas.” She looked as guilty as she sounded.

“Dane, I want a word with you,” Amyas demanded.

“Amyas don’t be upset with him. Lincoln, Lydia’s brother, called Wyatt this afternoon,” Anne told him. “Wyatt was worried so he called Cam and she got Dane’s number for her.”

Lydia was his brother’s nurse and her brother and his had been friends for years.

“I don’t need you here,” Amyas said. “I don’t need the pity.”

“I’d feel safer knowing we had someone here with us,” Anne said gently.

“I can protect us,” Amyas snapped, glaring at Dane. He didn’t have a gun, but he had his pepper spray and stun guns. One of them was police grade. Once he got Carlyss down he’d be able to tie him up while his mother called the police.

“I’m not leaving tonight, so get over it, Amyas,” Dane told him insistently.

His gorgeous get-drunk-on-me eyes were hard, but everything about that look made his blood run hot instead of cold. Why when that same look from Carlyss made him want to run?

“The fundraiser isn’t nearly as important as you are.” Dane’s voice was softer and it stroked over him like the practiced hand of a lover.

His knees went weak and he knew he was on the verge of giving in. Fighting this powerful attraction to Dane had been so useless from the start, despite his fears of another failed relationship.

“Mom, excuse us for a minute.” He took Dane’s arm and led him from the room. Dane had too much muscle mass and it felt firm and warm beneath his hand. He wanted to run his hand up Dane’s arm and fondle all that hardness. “You can’t be here,” he hissed when he’d entered the family room. He released Dane quickly to avoid giving into temptation.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Dane told him, crossing his arms over his broad chest and giving him an impassive stare. “I get why you didn’t tell me what an obsessive asshole your ex was, but don’t think I pity you. From what I’ve learned, you stood up to the guy, had him prosecuted. That took strength and courage.”

“Who told you about that?”

“Ash. He found out through the guy who does background checks for his agency. He called me to see if we were still going out. He said you didn’t call him to arrange other dates.”

“So he just shared my information! What kind of agency is that? No confidentiality for clients?”

“His friend wanted to know if I wanted to get you some protection after what happened today.” Dane reached out. “Your cheek is a little bruised, and if I see this guy I’m going to kick his ass for laying a finger on you.”

Rage vibrated in Dane’s tone, and Amyas put a hand on his stomach as butterflies fluttered in it. He went hot all over and got tongue-tied.

Damn him for working his way into his heart with every interaction they had. Falling in love with him was nothing more than a foregone conclusion.

“He’ll hurt you. It’s bad enough he threatened my family.”

Dane pushed his hands into his pants pockets and looked adorable. “If your ex hadn’t come back into the picture, would you have called me tonight?”

“The flowers are beautiful. I left them at home because I didn’t want my mom asking questions.”

“That’s not what I asked, Amyas.”

“You could have called me,” he muttered, glaring.

“Why do you have to make this so hard? You want to be with me as much as I want to be with you, so let’s just do that instead of games and mixed signals. We’ll have so much more fun.”

“I don’t want anything to happen to you,” Amyas said softly.

“Me either, but you’re a chance I don’t want to let pass me by,” he whispered.

Amyas’s gaze slid past Dane to rest on the flat screen mounted on the wall across the room. “He’s as bent as ever on having me. I think he’s the one that shot my brother.” He looked at Dane again. “I told the police that. They’re already looking into any possible connection between my father’s death and my brother’s.”

“Have they found anything?”

“No.” He shook his head. “See, this is what you’ll be getting into.”

Dane shrugged. “All relationships have their problems.”

Amyas snorted. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.” He kissed Amyas on the forehead.

“Are you boys okay in there?” Anne called.

Amyas grinned. “Let’s get her fed,” he said. “I think she likes you.”

“I like her, too. She’s trying so hard.”

“Is she?” he asked with a frown. “Hmm.” He led the way back to the kitchen where his mother was seated waiting for them.

ADULT EXCERPT

Dane entered the bedroom on Amyas’s heels to a room dimly lit by the sun filtering in through the purple and red curtains that shielded the windows. The queen-size bed was neatly made and covered in purple with a mountain of red and purple pillows.

Amyas stood with his back to him, his posture stiff as if bracing for a blow. Dane let his gaze slowly slide down his back to his firm ass and lean legs. He wanted those pants off so he could admire the beauty of his brown skin.

Amyas turned to face him. Their gazes collided, and Amyas’s damp lips were slightly parted. His cashmere brown eyes were filled with a question. He knew this might go nowhere and he wanted more than that, but he closed the distance between them, deciding to think with his heart, not his head.

Dane stopped a few steps from Amyas and tugged his tie free before unbuttoning his shirt. “Did you want this off?” he asked, and Amyas nodded. Dane gave him a slow smile as he shrugged out of the shirt and tossed it onto a nearby chaise before shirking the snowy white T-shirt.

Amyas glided his hand over Dane’s broad chest, fingers sliding through the dark hairs. He kissed Dane’s collar bone. “Gorgeous.”

“Undress,” Dane commanded as he unbuttoned Amyas’s shirt. Beneath was a silk tank that tucked into his pants. He undid the button, his eyes on Amyas’s. He saw a hint of uncertainty, but didn’t stop. He parted the fabric revealing matching white boyshorts. Lace edged the tank, giving the garment a feminine look.

He sucked in a breath, and Amyas stepped back. “I—”

“I like it, Amyas, and even if I didn’t, you should never defend your taste in clothes to a lover. He can like it or he can leave.”

He knew it was crazy, but Dane liked a little of the feminine in his men. Lace underwear and tanks that looked like camisoles turned him on.

Amyas removed his shirt and kicked off his shoes before pushing his pants slowly down. Dane could tell he was a little self-conscious. He kicked the slacks aside and stood there in those pretty little shorts with their cute mock lace-up front.

Dane stroked his hands over Amyas’s hips, pushing his hands past the waistband of his briefs and cupping his ass. Amyas breathed out roughly, and Dane kissed him long and slow, gliding his hands beneath the tank.

He urged Amyas back to the bed so he could push him onto it when he was ready.

He lifted Amyas’s shirt up and lowered his head to flick his tongue over a flat dark nipple. His tongue tip lashed the tight peak before his teeth scraped over it. He pinched the twin as he sucked.

Amyas groaned raggedly. Dane blew over the damp peak before giving it a pinch and then drawing his tongue around the areola of the twin.

“God, yes,” Amyas said breathlessly.

Dane flicked his tongue over the tight point, then caught it between his teeth. He bit down lightly before releasing it to sink to his knees. As he did so, he trailed kisses down to Amyas’s nearly flat stomach where he found a gold belly ring.

Dane gave it a tug and Amyas groaned in pleasure.

“You’re just full of surprises,” Dane said and pushed Amyas’s briefs down. “Are you clean? Do you have condoms?”

“Yes.” He nodded. “Condoms are in the drawer along with lube. Are you clean?”

“Always, baby,” he told him and stroked his thumb over the tip of Amyas’s cock. “Can you reach them?” He swirled his tongue around the crown of Amyas’s dick and saw the pleasure erupt in his eyes before he closed his lips over the head.

“Oh God.” Amyas groaned and shuddered.

* * * *

Pleasure rippled through him. He leaned to one side and tugged the top drawer of the nightstand open and reached in to pull lube and one of the condoms scattered in the drawer next to his dildo out.

Dane licked down his shaft and over one tight orb and then the other. He sucked them and cupped them in his hand as he drew his tongue back up to sink down over Amyas’s cock.

His head bobbed up and down and he hummed as he sucked and licked.

“Oh fuck,” Amyas cried out as Dane reached for the lube, mouth still busily working his cock and heating his skin to the temperature of a wildfire.

Dane flipped the cap open and squeezed some down the seam of Amyas’s ass. His finger followed and Dane pushed the tip of his finger into his puckered nether hole. Dane’s finger slipped past the tight ring of muscle.

Amyas swallowed tightly as the finger withdrew. More lube was added and then the digit slipped back inside him. His tight muscles clenched on Dane’s finger.

“Dane.” He breathed roughly.