STORY EXCERPT

Frustrated, Adam slipped into his aging Altima, which needed work, and drove away, wishing he didn’t have such a long drive ahead of him. He lived an hour away from his mom, and he simply wanted to get home.

He was going to spend the rest of his Sunday doing laundry and tending to his vegetable garden. There was just something about sticking his hands in soil that soothed him. Something about nature that calmed him. He needed that after spending time with his family.

Adam passed rolling fields of corn, wheat, and soy as the day’s sun beamed brightly between fat clouds that reminded him of cotton balls. If his radio hadn’t been busted, he would’ve listened to some music to break up the quietness. Adam didn’t like a lot of silence because it gave him too much time in his own headspace.

Finally, he made it home. He rented a small house in town, his neighbors close enough that he could see into Mr. Sachio’s window. Not that Adam was trying to pry. He wasn’t one of those nosey neighbors, but from his living room window, he could see inside Mr. Sachio’s house.

He couldn’t count how many times he’d seen the elderly man walking around in his underwear. It was as if the guy wanted the neighborhood to see his tightie whities, which sagged off his droopy bottom.

Adam made sure his blinds were pulled so he didn’t catch a glimpse and started a load of laundry. He was about to go out back to his garden when he heard a loud bang. Curious, Adam peeked out his front window and saw a moving truck parked in the driveway on the other side of him. The house had been vacant when Adam had moved into his rental, a for sale sign out front. Why hadn’t he noticed the sign was gone? When had it been taken down?

He stepped onto his porch the same time Mr. Sachio came outside.

“Looks like we’re getting a new neighbor,” Mr. Sachio said. “’Bout time. I was worried teenagers were going to break into the vacant house and make it their party place.”

Adam didn’t point out how ridiculous that was. No teenager would make a house in town, with neighbors so close, their party place. They preferred to hang out in barns far from town where they could have privacy. He should know. Adam used to be one of those teenagers, though not in Willow Point. Adam had grown up in the neighboring town, but it was the same in any rural area. Bored teenagers looking for a place to drink and smoke where no one would find them.

That had been a decade ago for him. Now it was all about work and life as an adult. Sometimes he really missed the carefree days of his youth.

The driver’s door to the moving truck opened, and Adam had to stop his jaw from going slack. Was this guy his new neighbor or someone moving the new person’s things? He wasn’t sure, but damn, had he ever seen a more gorgeous male specimen?

The stranger was lean with bulging biceps and a handsome face. He had a mop of dark hair, and damn if Adam didn’t want to run over there and introduce himself. How he stopped his feet from moving was anyone’s guess.

“I hope he’s a nice guy,” Mr. Sachio said. “Be a shame if someone rude moved in. Parties all the time, women coming and going, drinking until sunup. Worst kind are the ones who have no respect for anyone’s sleep.”

Adam frowned as he looked at Mr. Sachio. Although he agreed, why did his elderly neighbor always worry about partying? Adam prayed the new guy didn’t wake at the crack of dawn and work on something noisy. Or worse yet, the guy could be a total douchebag.

He watched muscles flex as the stranger opened the back of the truck. Damn, but he had one fine ass. Adam wasn’t sure who was worse, Mr. Sachio for worrying about the guy being a dick or himself for being pervy.

“I think we should leave him to his business,” Adam said. “He’s got his work cut out for him, especially if he’s doing this alone.”

“Why don’t you offer to help?” Mr. Sachio said from his own front porch where he stood in a pair of baggy shorts and nothing else. His chest was so thin that it looked concaved. “Hey, new guy,” he called out. “Need any help?”

The stranger finally looked their way. Adam wanted a hole to open up and swallow him. “Why did you yell that?” he said in a loud whisper. “We need to mind our own business.”

Adam watched in excitement and horror as Mr. Gorgeous headed his way. Even his walk was sexy as sin. He climbed Adam’s porch steps and stuck out his hand. Adam thought it a bit rude to invite himself over but shook the man’s hand anyway.

It was as if sparks shot up his arm. Adam quickly pulled his hand away.

“I’m Marshall,” the man said.

Goddamn he smelled good. Now that they were close, Adam saw that Marshall’s eyes were a pretty light brown.

“Adam.” He pointed over his shoulder. “And the nosey one over there is Mr. Sachio. He’s seventy-two and likes to show off his underwear in his window.”

Why on earth had Adam said that?

Marshall’s smile was nothing but straight white teeth. “I hope while he’s wearing them and not just holding them up while nude.”

That made Adam chuckle. “You might go blind if you see him. It’s bad enough he so white he looks like a ghost.”

Adam just needed to keep his lips sealed. He kept saying the rudest things about his elderly neighbor and didn’t know why. Aside from showing off his underwear, Mr. Sachio was the nicest guy.

“Was that offer to help serious?” Marshall tilted his head to the side, studying Adam a little too closely. Did he have something stuck in his teeth? Was there something on his face that attracted Marshall’s attention?

“Um, sure.” Adam inwardly cursed. He did not want to spend his day off helping someone move their things. He was a neighborly guy, but this was his only day off until next weekend, and Adam had wanted to enjoy it relaxing.

“Then follow me.” Marshall waved at Mr. Sachio, who was still standing there watching them with a pleased look on his face.

With a deep sigh, Adam followed Marshall to his truck.

ADULT EXCERPT

“What’re you making?” Adam sat at his table as his stomach growled. He’d been so busy spying on Marshall that he hadn’t eaten dinner.

“Turkey sandwich. Want one?” Marshall started making a second before Adam could answer him. He had a head of lettuce, sliced tomatoes, turkey meat, and pickles on the counter. “Sure, but no pickles.”

“Then why do you have them?” Marshall wore a teasing smile.

“I like to eat them on their own but not on a sandwich.” Adam got up and moved closer. “Weird, I know.”

“Not at all.” Marshall grabbed another plate from the cupboard. “My grandma liked ketchup and spaghetti sauce but hated tomatoes.”

“Aside from your sister and being banished, you really haven’t talked about your family.” Adam popped a bread and butter pickle into his mouth. The only reason he didn’t like them on his sandwich was because they made the bread soggy and pickle juice always dripped from it.

“Not gonna talk about them,” Marshall said with a slight snarl. “There isn’t much to say. They turned their backs on me. Period. End of story.”

Adam made a mental note not to bring them back up. All he’d been trying to do was get to know Marshall’s past a little better, get more details. Then again, Adam didn’t want to go into details about his family.

Like you didn’t spill everything about them when you two first met.

After they ate, they cleaned up. Adam was satisfied as far as his grumbling belly went, but he wasn’t ready to go back to sleep. He wanted to be kissed again, wanted to be held by the gorgeous man.

Marshall must have been a mind reader, because he closed the distance and pulled Adam from his seat. “Are you still on the fence about us?”

“I don’t know what to think except how much I want you.”

Marshall’s smile was one part sexy and one part predatory as he cupped Adam’s face. An innocent enough touch that sent a thrill all through Adam’s body. Their lips were so close that Adam could feel the warm puffs of breath from Marshall’s mouth.

Adam hauled in a deep breath before Marshall engulfed him with a kiss that set him on fire. There was no one in his life he wanted more than Marshall. There’d never been anyone Adam wanted as much as he did the guy holding him.

Those feelings were complete madness, though, since Gerard had vowed to kill Adam, but they were there, just under the surface, dying to burst free. He’d known Marshall only a few weeks, and now Adam felt as if he couldn’t live without the guy.

Marshall made him feel safe.

He made Adam feel wanted and desired.

Was it his clinginess again? Was it Adam’s fear of being alone that drove him into Marshall’s arms even though he had a madman after him?

“I want to bury myself inside you.” Marshall’s voice dragged over Adam’s skin like rich honey. He shivered and nodded, forcing all logical thoughts from his head.

Adam wanted this. Wanted Marshall.

Marshall picked him up, and Adam instinctively curled his legs around the man’s waist, holding on as Marshall walked them to Adam’s bedroom, where he’d lain not thirty minutes ago thinking of Marshall lying on the couch.

Their kiss never faltered. Marshall was guiding the kiss, driving it deeper, sending Adam’s need higher. As cliché as it sounded in his head, it felt as if the earth had moved beneath his feet.

When they reached the bed, Adam uncurled his legs, allowing Marshall to set him on his feet. That was when the kiss broke apart. He stared up into the man’s light brown eyes, falling into them, as Marshall lifted Adam’s shirt by the hem and pulled it over his head.

Adam’s breaths sawed in and out as Marshall smoothed his palms over Adam’s chest. Marshall looked reverently at him, those brown eyes growing darker with need.

The thought briefly crossed Adam’s mind that he was about to sleep with a guy who claimed they were mates and their souls could be bound forever from this one act.

But those thoughts faded to the background as Marshall lowered to his knees and slipped Adam’s underwear down his legs. Adam’s cock sprang free, hard and weeping, allowing Marshall to see just how much he wanted this.

How much Adam needed this.

Adam’s breath caught, and his eyes closed as Marshall kissed his inner thighs. His lips on Adam’s body was like entering heaven. Adam exhaled softly, murmuring words that he wasn’t really sure were words. His hands clenched and unclenched as Marshall took his time exploring, sweetly torturing Adam, his hands running up the backs of Adam’s thighs as Marshall’s nose touched his balls.

The anticipation was killing him. Adam’s legs quivered, turning into rubber bands as Marshall mouthed Adam’s balls then pulled back, sliding his tongue up Adam’s cock. An ache deeper than anything Adam had felt before enveloped him.

This situation might not be ideal as far as Gerard went, but there was no denying how much Adam wanted Marshall. There was no denying the crazy attraction, either.

There was a rightness in this that Adam couldn’t deny and didn’t want to. He gasped and nearly collapsed when Marshall’s lips wrapped around his cock. He raked his hands through Marshall’s hair, tugging the strands, scraping his fingernails over the man’s scalp.

Marshall placed a hand on Adam’s back to steady him then lifted him and dropped him onto his back on the bed. Marshall’s mouth never left Adam’s cock.

He made Adam scoot back, and Adam complied, wondering where he’d gotten the wherewithal to even move, let alone comprehend what Marshall wanted since the guy hadn’t spoken a word.

It had been six months since Adam had had sex, and even longer since he’d had a blowjob. Noel had been a very selfish lover, always wanting but hardly ever giving.

Which meant Adam was on the edge in seconds, the buildup coming quickly. Instinct made him want to close his legs, but Marshall between them made that impossible.

“Don’t hold back,” Marshall said after pulling back. “Let go, Adam.”