STORY EXCERPT

Abner noticed a tray of free samples sitting on the counter. He wedged his way over there and snagged two paper cups, heading back to Robbie to hand him one.

“What’s this?” Robbie asked.

“I have no idea.” It was chocolate, and looked good, so Abner popped the small treat into his mouth. The taste exploded on his tongue. The brownie was heavenly.

“It smells like dog poo.” Robbie sniffed at the cup and crinkled his nose.

With a roll of his eyes, Abner snatched the cup from Robbie and ate his treat. As he chewed, he looked around the shop. They hadn’t come to town to buy anything. Not really. They both lived and worked on the Lakeland Ranch, and the pay was decent, but Robbie and Abner were saving up so they could move off the ranch and get a place of their own.

Money was very tight, but Abner still wanted to get his lover a gift.

His mom thought he was moving way too fast with this relationship, but Abner didn’t think so. It had been love at first sight, and he knew Robbie was it for him.

Then again, Abner had a bad habit of falling in love way too easily. It was some kind of flaw in him. In college, Abner had thought his roommate was it for him, until he’d found Chase sucking another guy’s dick. Then he thought Ted had been the one, but Ted had dumped him for some guy who worked at the candy store.

But he knew this time it was real. It had to be. He’d felt a deep connection to Robbie as soon as their eyes had met.

“Can we get out of here?” Robbie rubbed his arms, glancing at the people around them. “I’m breaking out in hives from all this holiday cheer.”

Letting go of a deep sigh, Abner took Robbie’s hand and led him outside. He couldn’t complain about Robbie wanting to leave. Crowds bothered him, as well. But he had to find something to do that would put a smile on Robbie’s face.

Abner just couldn’t figure out what would make the guy happy—besides skipping Christmas.

He thought about taking Robbie to the coffeehouse, but the place would be just as packed as the bakery. It seemed every resident of Brac Village was in town today.

With Robbie’s hand in his, they stopped at the corner and waited for the light to change. A big truck moved past them, hitting a pothole filled with icy water. Robbie and Abner were drenched from head to toe.

“You butthead!” Abner held his arms out, disbelieving that anyone would be such a bastard. He turned his head and saw that Robbie looked like a drowned rat, too.

They needed to get back to the ranch and out of their wet clothes before they caught pneumonia. The problem was, Chauncey Lakeland and his boyfriend, Curtis, had given them a ride to town. He had no clue where the two were right now.

Robbie began to shiver. When he spoke, his teeth chattered. “T-this is why w-we should’ve stayed indoors t-today.”

The large truck backed up, then stopped. The freezing cold started to seep into Abner’s bones. He shivered as he grabbed Robbie’s frigid hand, ready to tell the driver off.

The guy came from around his truck and gaped at them. Abner recognized the man. He’d been at the ranch yesterday, talking with Pa Lakeland out by the barn. Malachi. That was what Pa had said his name was.

Malachi was tall, with a low-cut beard. He had thick, dark hair and sensual lips that looked as though they were made for kissing.

Abner secretly admitted the man was smoking hot. But at the moment, he was too pissed to care how gorgeous Malachi was. “Why the hell were you driving that fast?” Abner snapped.

“Why were you standing that close to the street?” Malachi countered. “Just…get in my truck so you guys don’t freeze to death.”

“Do we look like complete idiots to you?” Abner retorted. “I’d rather turn into an icicle than get into a stranger’s truck.”

“I’m f-freezing.” Robbie gripped Abner’s hand tighter. The guy was shaking like crazy.

“We can go into one of the shops.” Abner tugged Robbie to the candy store, but before they even went inside, he saw through the window how packed it was.

Crap.

He pulled Robbie down the street, hurrying to the diner. They went inside and stood under the blast of heat at the door. Abner wished he had a change of clothes, but the heat felt fantastic.

The door opened behind them. A gust of wind robbed what little warmth Abner had found. He turned to see who was behind him, then narrowed his eyes when he saw it was Malachi. “Haven’t you done enough already? Now you want to stalk us?”

“I’m trying to apologize,” Malachi said. “And see what I can do to make this up to both of you.”

“You can bugger off,” Abner replied. He felt Robbie stiffen next to him just as Malachi cocked his head to the side. The two stared at each other in an odd way.

Then Malachi turned his greenish-gray eyes on Abner. There was a weird look in them as he moved closer, sniffing at Abner as Abner shrank back. “Now you’re just getting creepy.”

When Abner looked at Robbie, he saw his boyfriend had gone pale. What the flip was going on? “Robbie, what’s wrong?”

Robbie squeaked and took off toward the bathrooms. Abner stood there utterly confused, then Malachi took off, too, chasing after Robbie.

“Don’t you dare touch him!” Abner hurried after Malachi as the customers in the diner turned to look at him. Abner rushed into the bathroom to find Robbie backed into the wall by the sinks, Malachi standing a foot away from him.

ADULT EXCERPT

He took Robbie’s hand and rested it against his heart. “Do you like hairy chests?”

Robbie’s fingers tugged gently at the strands as he licked his lips. “Don’t know. I’ve never been with a hairy guy.”

Malachi’s cock had grown rock hard. He ground his shaft against Robbie. “I have other hairs you can play in.”

A blush stole across Robbie’s cheeks as his hand fell away. He braced himself against the table, his gaze lifting until he was staring at Malachi’s lips.

Unable to resist any longer, Malachi cupped Robbie’s face and slanted his lips, capturing his mate’s mouth as he slid his hand between Robbie’s stomach and his waistband, curling his fingers around the man’s hard erection.

Robbie moaned into his mouth and Malachi ate the sound up, though he saw from the corner of his eye that Abner had poked his head around the corner.

His human mate would be harder to reel in. Abner was still afraid of the preternatural world, was still trying to process what he’d learned. But at least he was interested. Malachi had seen how Abner had openly ogled his body, and that gave him hope that he wouldn’t have to wait long before he could claim him.

Malachi lifted Robbie off his feet and sat him on the table, pulling his shirt over his head. When their kiss was broken, Malachi nibbled his way to Robbie’s throat, then his chest, sucking in a brown nipple and biting down gently.

Robbie moaned even louder, his hands gripping the edge of the table. As Malachi sucked at the pebbled flesh, he untied Robbie’s shoes and tossed them aside.

Abner was still watching, though he hadn’t come fully into the kitchen.

Yet.

After getting Robbie’s shoes and socks off, Malachi reached for the snap of his jeans. Malachi purposely looked Abner’s way, locking eyes with the human as he slid Robbie’s pants down his thighs. His cock sprang free. Still looking at Abner, Malachi lowered to his knees and took the hard cock into his mouth, making Robbie cry out in pleasure.

Abner took a step into the kitchen, his eyes dilated, his lips parted as he watched.

Malachi crooked a finger.

Abner shook his head.

Malachi smiled around Robbie’s cock. He turned his attention back to Robbie, pressing his hand against the impala’s chest, making Robbie lay on his back. Malachi wet a finger and slid the digit inside his mate’s tight hole.

Robbie went nuts, writhing on the table as he gripped Malachi’s hair, and mewling his pleasure. He planted his feet against the wood, then started fucking Malachi’s mouth.

With a snarl, Malachi pressed an arm over Robbie’s waist, locking him in place as he took his mate’s cock all the way down his throat, using his throat muscles to squeeze Robbie’s shaft.

His steps silent, Abner drew closer.

Malachi had said he’d give the human time to adjust, and he would. If all Abner wanted to do right now was watch, that was okay with Malachi. But he would put on one hell of a show, not only bringing Robbie pleasure, but showing Abner what he was missing out on.

He left Robbie on the table, whining as Malachi crossed the kitchen and grabbed some coconut oil. He didn’t want to leave his mate too long to go get the lube from his bedroom.

When he came back to the table, Malachi oiled his fingers, then slid two inside before taking Robbie’s cock back into his mouth.

“Oh, fuck!” Robbie rocked his head back and forth, his hands slapping the table as Malachi swirled his tongue around his mate’s prick. He loved how responsive Robbie was to his touch, loved that he fell apart as Malachi sucked him off.

Robbie cried out, his hips punching upward as he came down Malachi’s throat. Malachi drank every last drop, then pulled back, but kept his fingers deep inside Robbie’s ass, adding a third as he rose to his feet, kissing his way back up Robbie’s chest.

Abner had moved close enough for Malachi to grab the man’s wrist. Abner’s eyes rounded as he tugged to get his hand free. All Malachi did was pull Abner in for a kiss, letting him taste Robbie’s cum on his tongue.

When Abner took a step back, he looked close to fainting. His face was so red that it looked as though it should have caught fire. Malachi winked at Abner before he pulled his fingers free and lined up his cock.

Robbie sucked in a deep breath, staring first at Malachi, then turned his gaze to Abner. Robbie looked at their human mate with a combination of fear and hunger.

Abner didn’t say a word as Malachi thrust deep into Robbie’s ass. God, the fucking heat was about to drive Malachi insane. He clenched his jaw as he panted for control, forcing himself not to come so quickly. But it was hard not to when Robbie’s body wrapped around his cock so perfectly.

He stopped thrusting, giving himself a moment to reel himself in as his cock throbbed heavily in Robbie’s ass. Malachi turned his head, his gaze sweeping over Abner. “Don’t you have too many clothes on?”

Abner opened his mouth, but all that came out was a weird sort of squeak.

“Abner?” Robbie looked like he could barely hold a thought together. His eyes were just as dilated as Abner’s were.

“I need some air.” Abner took off from the kitchen.

“Don’t go outside!” Malachi shouted, angry with himself for pushing Abner when the man wasn’t ready to be pushed.