STORY EXCERPT

Cal tucked his phone in his pocket. There was no avoiding it. Cal had to stay here for the night. He could drive out, but staying in another sleazy motel with flea-covered bed sheets and moldy wallpaper didn’t seem all that appealing to him.

“I need a drink.” Cal headed outside, got inside his car.

He could finish all the beer he’d bought, but drinking alone in his car, outside his dead father’s house, seemed lonely. Cal started the engine, recalled seeing that motorcycle bar on his way to the cemetery.

What was it called again?

Cal opened his phone GPS app. Right. The Dirty Devils. Cal drove to the location, parked a street away, and walked the rest of the way. The bikers lounging outside the bar gave him odd looks.

Cal rolled his eyes. He refused to be intimidated.

Ignoring them, he pushed open the door and entered. Rock music played from the speakers. The place looked worn-in, smelled of peanuts and beer. A football game played from a mounted TV next to the bar.

He looked at his watch. Eight in the evening and the place was in full swing. More bikers in leather vests and jackets. Hard-eyed guys who gave him the same suspicious squint the men outside had. One creepy guy even licked his lips. Must be his imagination.

Not his typical crowd but whatever. Cal needed to lighten up. Obtain more liquid courage to forget his woes. This entire day felt like one nightmare that wouldn’t end. He found an empty seat on the bar. He ordered a beer.

“Let me guess,” said the bartender, setting a cold one in front of him.. “Tourist?”

“Nope. I used to live here,” he said, lifting the bottle to his lips. Why would he even be offended by that word? Tourist. Outsider. Those might be the right words. After all, Cal had left this place and never looked back. Until now.

Cal sighed as the cool amber liquid hit his tongue. Perfect. He downed it in one gulp. “One more, bartender.”

The guy set another one in front of him. “You know, we usually don’t get your kind here.”

“My kind? Should I be offended?”

“Humans. No, just giving you a warning. Some of our regulars don’t play nice with humans.”

At that word, Cal lowered his bottle and glanced around the bar. Now that the bartender mentioned it, he noticed the details he hadn’t before. Yellow eyes. The flash of sharp teeth. The way most of the customers moved with unsettling speed. He finally looked at the bartender, blinked.

A big guy. Handsome but there was something familiar about that grin and dark red hair.

“Daxton?” he asked.

Back in the day, Daxton Daniels, Duke’s younger brother, had been a heartbreaker. Unlike Duke and Dawson whom everyone was terrified of, Daxton was charming, approachable. Every girl in school had a crush on him, although Cal heard Daxton also played for his team.

“Yep.”

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“Me? My brothers and I own this bar.”

Cal suddenly felt lightheaded. “Duke’s here?” he asked in a whisper.

“He’s in the back, checking the storeroom. He’ll be back soon.”

“Uh-huh. Another bottle please.”

“Don’t you think you ought to slow down? Humans don’t have the same alcohol tolerance as shifters. Am I wrong?” Nonetheless, Daxton placed another beer in front of him.

“Need this.” Cal knew he might drink a can or two after a long photoshoot, but he didn’t have drinking problem. Or so he thought anyway. The door next to Daxton opened. He sat up on stool, spine ram-rod straight.

God. Duke had aged better than he imagined. Certainly trumped the Duke in his fantasies, the Duke he always masturbated to during his lonely nights in his apartment back at the city. Duke must be what, thirty, thirty-one right now?

Well, Duke was beyond fine, although most wouldn’t call him typically handsome like Daxton. Duke still wore his dark red hair short, had packed on a lot of mass, all of it hard muscle. If Daxton was huge, then Duke was a behemoth. The werewolf of his dreams looked good, wearing faded jeans, a plain white shirt, and work boots.

The urge to reach out, touch the rough lines of that unshaven face, that same broken nose, arose. Cal drank his beer instead. Duke narrowed his gaze at him. His heart leapt in his throat. Duke’s irises had a wild shade of gold to them. Not hard to imagine Duke easily pinning him down, having his way with him. No one would bat a single eye. He wouldn’t even tell Duke to stop.

God. This was what Duke did to him. One look and already, he imagined all the filthy things Duke could do to him. Why did he want to avoid Duke again? Maybe this was fate. Destiny. How could Cal explain walking right into his bar and bumping into Duke?

“What the fuck’s he doing here?” Duke demanded to Daxton.

Whatever hope Cal held on to deflated. What did he expect, some kind of happy reunion? He was the one who’d left, who’d made promises he hadn’t kept.

Daxton shrugged. “I can’t control who walks in here. What? You want me to throw him out?”

“Do whatever you want.” Duke didn’t even spare him another look. The werewolf walked stomped out of the bar, leaving Cal feeling miserable and guilty all over again.

ADULT EXCERPT

Cal remained where he was, curled on his side, and kept his eyes shut as he felt the brush of Duke’s hand on his side. Duke only picked up the blanket, placed it over his body.

“What the hell am I going to do with you?”

Cal’s heart hammered. To his disappointment, Duke left him. He heard a door slam, followed by the sound of running water. Duke must be taking a shower. Cal could slip in, peel off his shirt, ask Duke coyly if he needed company.

Yeah right. Cal blushed, just thinking about it. He’d never been brave or bold when it came to relationships. Then again, he’d never really tried. Cal couldn’t even remember the faces and names of his exes, because he never took the plunge. He always left just when things started to heat up or get good. Cal never let anyone close, save one person.

Duke still hated him. That thought depressed him. The door opened later on. Duke turned the lights off, probably retreated to his own bedroom. Did Duke have to wake up early? Cal didn’t know, but running a bar must be tiring. Duke might have his brothers helping him out, but Cal could tell by the wear and tear of the place that it could use a fresh coat of paint.

Cal tossed and turned, tried to sleep, but he couldn’t. What if he woke up the next morning and Duke continued to treat him all civilized and unlike him? Cal was responsible for putting a wall between them.

They couldn’t just pretend everything was back to normal, like he’d never left. Cal pulled the blanket off him. It was late. Cal didn’t need a watch to tell him that, but he needed to tell Duke the truth. To explain himself.

Cal padded out of the living room and made his way into Duke’s room. He halted at the door, heard Duke snoring. Cal took a deep breath, debated knocking, but Duke might wake up grumpy. He slid deeper into the room. Moonlight slipped through the drapes, highlighting hints of muscle, old scars. Duke had a warrior’s body, no surprise there.

Cal climbed into bed, feeling devious and a little apprehensive all at once. He was about to reach out, touch Duke’s shoulder. Amber eyes suddenly opened. Duke grabbed his shoulder, reversed their positions before Cal could draw a breath.

Duke closed his hand around his neck. He breathed hard, heart hammering. Duke didn’t squeeze his throat, only held it, like a warning.

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to wake a sleeping wolf?” Duke demanded. Duke let out a soft growl which raised the hairs on his arms.

Fear replaced his initial feeling of braveness. What was Cal thinking, brazenly waltzing into Duke’s room? Duke was a predator in human skin. Cal had nearly forgotten that but not anymore. Not when Duke trained his feral gaze on him, looked at Cal like he was meat, something good to eat.

“That’s better. You should be afraid,” Duke said, voice barely human. “You have no idea how much it took out of me, trying to control my beast.”

“I wish you didn’t,” Cal dared to answer back.

Duke curved his lips upwards, the devil in his smile. “You don’t know what you’re asking for. If you run now, I’ll leave you intact. Perfect.”

God. It should be wrong how turned on he was right now. Duke wore what most shifters did to bed. Nothing. Cal moved his gaze lower, sucking in a breath at the sight of Duke’s monster cock. It hung, long, thick, and meaty between Duke’s legs. Cal moaned when Duke rested his dick on his stomach.

Cal found his voice again. “I’m far from perfect and we both know you were playing a role. Stop acting like a gentleman around me, Duke. I know you. I want you. The real you.”

“You want me?” Duke let out a laugh. “Once I have you, I won’t let you go again. I’m possessive that way.”

His pulse leapt at those words. “And what if I want you to keep me?”

Duke lowered his mouth to his and took his mouth, plundered it. Duke had seemed to be holding back earlier, but not anymore. The werewolf grabbed his wrists, pinned them over his head, restraining him. Duke thrust his tongue down his throat. Electricity sparked, surged down his body, and went right to his erect dick.

So good. Cal wanted, no, needed more. He could get lost in Duke, but that was all right. Maybe fate had led him back here for a reason, not just to take care of father’s affairs but to reunite with Duke. After all, Duke was it for him. Had always been the one. The one that got away.

A cool breeze came from the slit in the open window, but Duke burned hot enough for both of them. Duke pulled his mouth away. He groaned when Duke grabbed a fistful of his shirt and tore it to shreds, unveiling skin.

“Yes,” he whispered.

Duke released his hands and began kissing his way down his body. Cal gasped when Duke closed his mouth over one flat nipple, left a bite there. Duke reached for his prick, began playing with it as he left more bites, kisses down the length of his body.

Cal hardened under Duke’s expert touch. Duke swiped at his cock, gathered the pre-cum there, and used it to lube up the rest of his shaft. Cal groaned, balls tightening against his body.

Duke lifted his head. “Don’t come yet. I want to rut you first.”

“Rut.” That word sounded so primitive to his ears.

Duke clarified it for him. “I’ll fuck you until you can barely walk in the morning.”

“Yes, please.”

Duke chuckled. “So polite. Floor. I’ll take you on all fours.”

The command, the confidence in Duke’s voice, made him comply. He got off the bed and on the rug. Cal got on his hands and knees, practically pushed his ass at Duke.

“Look at you, so needy, so ready for me,” Duke murmured, making him blush. The werewolf ran his hand possessively down the length of his spine, his ass, even fingered his hole. Cal shivered in anticipation. “Wait here. I’m getting lube.”

Cal didn’t plan on going anywhere. He’d been waiting for this moment for a long time, had imagined it playing out a hundred different ways in his head.