STORY EXCERPT

An hour of steady business, with Nate manning both the bar and the floor, flew by before his back up arrived.

“Sorry!” Tonya exclaimed as she rushed out to the floor to clean tables and take orders. “Clinton is sick, and I had to wait for Lane to get off work.”

She was a nice enough woman. She was a working mother who lived with her brother. Tonya’s brown hair was braided, coming to her shoulders. Like many bar waitresses, she seemed to apply her make up with a paintbrush.

“It’s okay. I told him you’d be late,” Josie said. “Nate had it handled, but it is starting to pick up, so good timing.”

“Table three, drinks up!” Nate called to the chatting women.

Tonya continued talking as she grabbed the drinks and took them to table three, never missing a beat. Soon he and Tonya fell into a rhythm that would keep them moving all night. The late-night crowd was coming in now, the band had started up, and the drinks and food were flying. Tonight was going to be a great one for tips.

By nine, the bar was slammed. Nate was fixing several drinks at a time while Josie and Tonya were both out on the floor. Pat was slinging food like the pro he was. With everything going on, people coming in and out, Nate shouldn’t have taken notice of someone walking through the door. That was Butch’s job, the bouncer who sat out front unless called in. He checked IDs and made sure the bar didn’t go over capacity. Nate didn’t really speak to him. The guy gave him the creeps with his tattooed bald head and glassy eyes. He shouldn’t have looked up when the door opened, carrying with it a delicious scent, but he did.

Standing six four and easily weighing two hundred pounds, the man captured Nate’s attention instantly. Deep coffee-brown eyes, mahogany-brown hair, and an equally dark beard gave the newcomer a rough, handsome quality. Nate drank in the man, until he saw the riding leathers. Hiding his sneer, he continued manning the bar.

Nate figured the biker was lost. He didn’t usually see them in Josie’s.

* * * *

Viktor took a seat at one of the back tables of the lively pub. The hotel manager had suggested Josie’s when he’d asked about a place to get a bite to eat and a beer. He could’ve always returned to the bar down the road, but he didn’t want to ride out of town. His bear was forcing him to stay put.

Tracking the movement of the bartender Viktor tried to get a better glimpse of the small teen. He’d noticed the blond instantly on entering the building. He just wasn’t sure why. The guy was young, too young to be working a bar.

Maybe he’s related to the owner?

No matter the reason, Viktor couldn’t stop looking at him. There was something pulling him toward the teen. His bear was definitely interested. But that couldn’t be right. Sorată wouldn’t send him to an underage mate, right?

“What’ll it be?” the younger of the two women working the floor asked, standing in front of Viktor and blocking his view of the small guy. Her curvaceous body spoke of a hardworking woman that still took some pride in her appearance.

“I’ll take a Coors draft and your house special,” he said. Viktor wasn’t even sure what the house special was. He just wanted the brunette to move so he could continue watching the small blond.

“Be right back with your beer.”

Viktor paid her no mind as he watched the bartender lean across the bar. He was so tiny. Thin and frail came to mind as Viktor watched the teen laugh at something a customer said. He had to fight down a growl as the boy smacked the man’s hand away. It didn’t seem to be anything serious, but damn if he didn’t like watching someone else trying to touch the boy.

The waitress walked up to the bar and Viktor got a clear view of his interest’s face as he turned to speak with the woman. Blond hair framed a heart-shaped, delicately featured face. Cupid-bow lips smiled as he spoke. His mercury eyes though were the true stars. They were extremely expressive and captured Viktor instantly. He’d never seen eyes such a color.

The teen waved the waitress away when the phone rang. Viktor felt his heart beat against his ribs when the young man walked toward him, a beer in hand. His bear was going nuts with each step closer the guy got.

“One Coors draft.” Even his voice was soft and gentle, like a melody whispering over a brook.

“Thanks.” Viktor reached for the drink right as the guy placed it down. Their fingers brushed and Viktor caught the teen’s scent—fey, and he was his mate.

The boy withdrew his hand like he’d been burned. Viktor stared up into horror-filled mercury depths and wondered what had happened. All he’d done was touch his fingers. That couldn’t be seen as anything too forward, right?

“A biker?” his mate growled. Viktor found the sound impressive, despite his measly size. “And a fucking bear? Fuck.”

Viktor didn’t know what to do as his mate stormed away from the table. He wasn’t pleased to find out his mate is an underage fey either, but that reaction was a bit much.

As he watched his mate return to the bar, the waitress walked over with his food. The house special appeared to be fried chicken.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Why you,” Viktor growled. Reaching up, he started tickling Nate.

Laughing and squirming on the couch, Nate tried to get away from his mate’s nimble fingers. They pressed into all his delicate spots, sending jolts and tingles through him. “I give! I give! Mercy!”

Viktor laughed as he looked down at him. Nate hadn’t realized that during their play, he’d ended up beneath Viktor on the couch. Swallowing around the lump in his throat, he tried not to show how the position was affecting him. His cock was already rising to attention as he looked at those bulging muscles keeping Viktor just off of him.

Leaning in, Viktor ghosted his lips across Nate’s. “We don’t have to. I’ll stop if you tell me to.”

Again Nate swallowed. Viktor had accepted his explanation for why he’d been an ass to him when they first met. That was worth something, right?

He reached up and ran his fingers through Viktor’s beard. “I’m fine.”

With nothing else said between them, Viktor claimed Nate’s lips, and the world faded away.

* * * *

Viktor nearly roared when Nate gave the okay to continue. Now that he knew of his mate’s fears, he wasn’t going to push him, but if he wanted this too then Viktor wasn’t going to deny himself either.

Sliding his tongue along his mate’s lips, Viktor sought entrance. His small fairy released a breathy sigh as he parted his lips. Viktor slid his tongue in, twining it around Nate’s and urging him to join in the kiss. He was taking this slower than earlier. He wanted Nate to make it clear whether or not he wanted this. When he did join in, Viktor groaned. The feel of Nate’s tongue sliding along his own had his cock filling to capacity in seconds.

Tracing Nate’s body through his clothes, Viktor tried to get the smaller man to relax. It would do neither of them any good if he was tense. Viktor wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if Nate got hurt because he’d been unable to keep him relaxed. Massaging his legs, he worked the tension out as he continued to kiss his mate into distraction. It was working. He could feel Nate’s muscles uncoiling beneath his fingers.

Moving up from Nate’s legs, Viktor rubbed his arms, stomach, and chest. He wanted Nate to just feel how good it was to be loved by a bear. Leaving those temping, succulent lips, Viktor kissed his way down to Nate’s throat.

“Oh.”

His mate’s moans had his cock twitching in its confines.

“Viktor.”

“Right here,” Viktor assured him before biting down on his pulse point. He didn’t break skin—not yet at least.

He quickly removed Nate’s shirt and latched onto one of the tan nipples revealed to him. A sharp moan left Nate before he delved his fingers into Viktor’s hair, tangling them in the mass and holding him against his chest. Viktor was in no rush to leave this new spot. He laved the small nub with his tongue, flicking it every now and then before biting down. Nate cried out with each act, arching up against Viktor. He loved how responsive his mate was.

Breaking free, Viktor repeated his attentions on the other nipple. All the while, he undid Nate’s pants and slid them down his smooth legs. Viktor had to admit that Nate, having next to no body hair, was certainly different. It wasn’t bad, though. He liked the feel of his mate’s silky skin beneath his rough fingers.

If Nate’s reactions were anything to go by, he enjoyed it too.

Pulling away entirely, earning him a whine from his fairy, Viktor stripped out of his own shirt. Nate surprised him by reaching up and twining his fingers through his chest hair once he tossed the material aside. He sat perfectly still, allowing Nate his exploration as well as taking in the breath taking sight of his mate sprawled out beneath him.

Nate’s body was a work of art. Perfectly proportioned and beautifully colored. His creamy skin was flushed with a delicate pink blush. So lost in his admiring of his mate’s body, Viktor was unprepared for the feel of Nate’s fingers squeezing him through his jeans.

“Will it hurt?” Nate asked, his silver-blond lashes covering his mercury eyes as he gazed up at Viktor. No doubt he was worried about Viktor’s size.

“No,” Viktor promised. He hoped to keep that promise too. He picked Nate up in his arms and kissed him as he moved them to the bed.

Nate wrapped his legs around his waist and ground his cute little cock against Viktor’s stomach. “Want,” Nate whined as Viktor’s hands massaged the globes of his ass.

Viktor shushed him. “I know.” He slipped a finger into Nate’s crease and teased his entrance. After lying his mate down, Viktor reached for the bottle of lube he’d stashed under the pillow earlier when he’d been putting his things away.

“Expecting something?” Nate asked, arching one fine brow at him.

“Hoping,” Viktor corrected as he popped the cap and applied a generous amount to his fingers. “Breathe,” he warned before pressing the first digit passed Nate’s tight muscles.