STORY EXCERPT

"Take whatever you want, just don’t hurt me and Charlie." Silver backed away, Charlie growling behind him. She had her head stuck between his legs, and Silver loved that she was trying to protect him, but she was all growl and no bite.

Too bad she wasn’t fully grown yet.

"I'm not here to rob you." Declan shook his head and squeezed his eyes closed. "You're human."

That wasn’t a normal thing to say. Silver looked around for a weapon, but the closest thing to him was a stack of newspapers. He doubted he could fight Declan off with the business section.

"What does that even mean?" Silver asked. "Everyone is human."

The lie slipped easily from his lips.

Declan sniffed the air for the hundredth time, then moved closer.

"Okay, your sniffing is weirding me out. Can you just tell me why you bit me and invaded my home so I can give you whatever you came here for and you can leave?" Silver tucked strands of his hair behind his ear. "Did you want to buy some eggs?"

When Declan shook his head again, Silver skirted around him and made a beeline for the door. He squawked when a strong arm wrapped around him and lifted him off his feet.

"You smell…different." Declan shoved his nose into Silver's neck, inhaling deeply. "Not…wholly human."

"I don’t know what you're talking about." Silver squirmed in the man's grip. "Just put me down before I sic Charlie on you."

A deep rumbled of laughter vibrated Declan's chest. "While I'm pretty sure she'll grow into a fierce dog, the only thing she'll do right now is beg to be petted."

To prove his point, Declan reached down, made a kissing noise, and Charlie came right to him, wagging her tail.

"Traitor," Silver grumbled as he crossed his arms. "You're supposed to defend me, not lick the enemy's hand."

"I'm not the enemy." Declan set Silver on his feet but kept close to the door, as though guarding it from Silver taking off. That wasn't going to stop Silver. He would get away, then go to the cops. No way was he gonna be held hostage. And not in his very own home.

"Okay, the joke’s over." Silver wiped at his forehead and noticed just how much he was sweating. "You can leave and tell your buddies how badly you scared me. I won't even care if you even tell them I wet myself. I just want you to go."

Silver had been living by himself for three months, and having someone standing in his living room felt weird and made him extremely nervous. People came to buy eggs, and some fresh vegetables, but they'd always stayed on the porch. It didn't help the guy was massive, with broad shoulders, a muscled body, and, Silver admitted to himself, the most beautiful hazel eyes he'd ever seen.

But the guy was built for battle whereas Silver was built for running away.

"Tell me, Silver." Declan looked at him through heavy-lidded eyes and wearing a provocative smile. "What are you?"

From the look in Declan's eyes, the question was a challenge. But he needed to go. Silver wanted him out of his house. Maybe. As terrified as he was of Declan, Silver was so damn lonely. Having someone to talk to—even if the conversation was about trying to make Declan leave—was nice.

"I'm getting ticked off." Silver stomped his foot and crossed his arms, glaring daggers at the man. "I want you to leave my home…and take a few dozen eggs with you."

A guy had to make a living, even in the face of danger.

"I'll buy your eggs." Declan took a step closer. "I'll buy all your chickens." He rubbed the pad of his finger over Silver's bottom lip. "I'll even buy those pigs I saw out back if you'll give me a kiss."

"I'm-I'm not trying to sell the animals." They were his livelihood. Sure, some fast cash would be nice, but after that was gone, then what? Silver held up his hand. When Declan moved even closer, his firm, rigid chest pressed against Silver's palm.

Declan gave a throaty growl. "I just want to taste those pretty lips."

He tucked his finger under Silver's chin, lifting his face so they could stare into each other's eyes. Silver licked his lips but turned his head. "I don’t kiss men who are holding me hostage."

"I'm not holding you hostage," Declan said. "You can leave anytime you want."

Silver crinkled his nose. "I'm not leaving my own home. You're the one who's leaving."

To his surprise, Declan sat on the couch. He patted his thigh. "Come give me a kiss."

Silver looked down at Charlie. "I think he has a brain injury. What do you think?"

Charlie wagged her tail and padded over to Declan. Silver harrumphed. "So now you're stealing my dog?"

Declan laid his head on the back of the couch and stared at the ceiling as he sighed. "I'm not stealing anything."

"Then stop trying to kiss me and tell me what's going on." Silver wasn’t going to admit how badly he did want to kiss Declan. The guy was super-hot and men like that didn't just drop into Silver's life. Like ever. Silver would think he was dreaming all of this, but his dreams were never this good or this real.

"So I see you're immune to flirting." Declan pushed from the couch.

Silver was far from immune. Truth be told, he'd wanted to jump onto Declan's lap as soon as the guy had taken a seat. He was still tempted to climb up Declan's mountainous body and lap at those delectable lips.

"I just want to know what's going on."

"Fine, don’t tell me what you are," Declan groused. "But I'll find out…eventually.

ADULT EXCERPT

"Tell me you have lube." Declan slid his tongue over Silver's Adam's apple, nipping his tender flesh. How was Silver supposed to think when Declan's mouth was so talented?

He absently waved a hand toward the archway. "It's…it's…" Silver groaned again, pressing his hands against Declan's hard chest. "It's somewhere."

Declan's deep, erotic chuckle vibrated against Silver's neck. He worked his way to Silver's ear and teased the lobe with his teeth. "I think you should get it."

"Now?" Silver didn't want to leave Declan's lap.

"Don’t know how much longer I can hold out." When Declan slid his finger down the crease between Silver's ass cheeks, Silver squeaked.

"Yeah, now would be good." Silver tried to get up, but Declan had spread his legs, and now he was trapped.

"Let me help you." Declan gripped Silver's sides, lifted him, and placed him on his feet. Silver walked to the bathroom in a zigzag pattern, feeling drunk with lust as he tried to remember where he'd put the tube.

Now that he had a moment away from Declan's powerful presence, Silver's head started to clear and he thought about how he'd awakened in the woods. That was the only word he could think of to describe how he'd felt. Like he'd woken from a nap.

Silver would have chalked things up to sleepwalking, but he hadn't fallen asleep. He'd been feeding the pigs. He pinched his lips together and scrubbed a hand through his hair, desperately searching his mind for the lost time.

"You okay?"

Silver jumped and slammed his hand over his heart at Declan's deep voice.

Declan's brows drew together. "What's wrong?"

"You scared me."

"Why?" Declan glanced up and down the hallway. "You were just coming to get the lube."

Silver looked around the bathroom, blowing out short, quiet breaths. "I got it!" Opening the medicine cabinet, he pulled the lube free, and, smiling triumphantly, slapped the tube onto Declan's palm.

To his delight, Declan picked him up and carried him back to the kitchen. When Declan set him on the table, Silver furrowed his brows. "We can't have sex on the table. I eat here."

Declan winked at him. "And I'm about to eat, too."

Silver really hated that he blushed so much around the man. It was embarrassing, but all Declan did was smile.

And what a fantastic smile he had.

Silver lowered to his back, and Declan slid him closer, making Silver wrap his legs around the man's waist. He chuckled when Declan gave a low growl, running his hand down Silver's chest.

"Now this a dinner worth having." Declan winked. "And I don’t plan on stopping until I've eaten every inch of you."

Silver curled his fingers around the edge of the table. That was an odd thing to say, and it didn’t conjure any pleasant images. Declan was a wolf. And now all he could think about was Declan turning into that wolf and tearing him to shreds.

"Babe, now what's wrong?"

Declan gazed between Silver's legs. Silver's cock had softened as he stared at the man, remembering how beautiful he was in his animal form, but not forgetting just how lethal wolves were.

"Just don’t eat me for real."

Declan threw his head back and laughed. The deep, melodic sound echoed in the room. He laughed so hard a tear slid down his cheek. "You really are adorable."

"What?" Silver asked. "I saw what you can do." He lowered his voice as though his neighbor who lived a mile down the road would hear him. "I know what you are."

Declan dropped forward, his hands landing on either side of Silver's head. Their lips were so close that Declan’s warm breath skittering across his jaw. "And what am I?" The words came out in such a sexy growl Silver's cock thickened. He stared into Declan's hazel eyes, becoming lost in them as Declan’s thick, smoky scent invaded Silver's lungs.

"A wolf."

"I think we've already established that." He gave Silver a quick kiss. "I thought you were gonna call me an ornery bastard or something close to that."

"Why would I say such a horrible thing about you?"

"Because most of the time I am an ornery bastard." Declan moved his hips back, and his cock slid down the crease of Silver's ass. "I demand the best out of everyone. That includes you."

Silver wasn't sure what Declan meant. All he wanted to do was stay hidden and live a peaceful life. He didn’t want much out of life. His little farm made him happy, even if he was so lonely at times that he wanted to cry.

Declan yelped, which was an odd sound for him to make. "What's wrong?"

With a growl, Declan looked toward the floor. "Charlie just licked my leg."

Silver pushed to his elbows. "No, Charlie. You can't stay in here. You're too young to know about sex."

"And it would be weird for her to watch us," Declan said. "I'll be right back."

Silver watched as Declan guided Charlie from the room. A moment later, Silver heard a door close and Charlie bark. When Declan returned, he smiled triumphantly. "Got her in the bathroom. She'll be fine in there for a little while."

He groaned and forgot about the dog when Declan kissed his way down Silver's jaw. Their chests rubbed together, and Silver's mouth went dry as he tilted his head back, moaning at the way Declan's low-cut beard scraped across his skin.

"You smell like wildflowers," Declan murmured against Silver's skin. "It's driving me crazy."

Silver was ready to get fucked and Declan was taking his sweet time. If the guy didn’t do something, and soon, he was gonna get a frying pan and knock it over Declan's head.

Silver hissed and arched his back when Declan reached between them and curled his strong fingers around Silver's cock. His balls were already drawing close to his body. It wouldn’t take much for Silver to fall over the edge.