STORY EXCERPT

“Oh, snap.” He threw his back into his best friend’s chest when Recker went after Leigh. Spencer dug his heels into the floor, trying to stop the rhino from killing the stupid human.

But it wasn’t working. Spencer was sliding across the floor as Recker advanced toward Leigh. It was like a fly trying to slow down a locomotive. When they reached the counter, Spencer threw his feet up and braced them on the edge.

“What’s going on?” Priest shouted as he came through the side door, his eyes going straight to Spencer and Recker.

“Oh, nothing. Leigh is just being a jerk!” Spencer snapped as his legs began to hurt from holding Recker at bay. He knew that if he didn’t calm his best friend down soon, Spencer was going to fold like a pretzel.

“Get outside before Recker kills you,” Priest bellowed at Leigh and then turned to Spencer. “What did he do now?”

“The usual. He was picking on Recker about his colorblindness.” Spencer could see the customers all gazing his way. He was not trying to give them a show. Priest was going to kill him for this. One woman looked as if she wanted to bolt from the place, but the rest of the gawkers just looked amused as they watched the scene unfold.

When Spencer’s legs nearly collapsed from the pressure, he did the only thing that worked when Recker got this unfocused and murderous. He dropped his legs, spun around, and rapped his knuckles against the guy’s forehead. “Earth to Recker.”

Recker blinked his light-blue eyes a few times, glancing from the side door down to Spencer…and then glanced back at the side door…and then down at Spencer.

“Don’t even think about going after him. I want you to go have a seat at a table and I’ll bring you some lunch.” Spencer pointed toward the dining area, unmoving until his best friend turned and headed toward the tables.

Spencer was going to kill Leigh. He wasn’t sure if the guy was dimwitted or suicidal. The man knew that Recker had a short fuse.

“Spencer—”

“It wasn’t Recker’s fault,” Spencer said to his boss. He moved closer to the man, leaning in so only Priest could hear him. “He’s a short-tempered rhino. Leigh did that on purpose.”

Priest exhaled a tiresome breath on a long sigh. “I’ll have a talk with Leigh about his stupidity. Get your friend something to eat and get back to work.”

“Thanks.” Spencer grabbed a plate and piled it high with all the things he knew Recker liked to eat—which was pretty much everything. Next he grabbed a large plastic cup and filled it with ice water before taking Recker his lunch. He set the plate and drink down on the table and then took a seat across from his best friend. “You can’t let what people say bother you.”

“I don’t like mean-spirited people.” Recker picked up a rib bone and annihilated it.

“Leigh isn’t mean-spirited. He’s just an idiot with the IQ of a bedbug. You have to learn to ignore him, Recker. What have we talked about?”

Recker dropped the bone on his plate and went for another one, his fingers thick with barbecue sauce. Spencer slapped his friend’s arm. The man was as stubborn as the day was long. This was why they were best friends and only best friends. If fate had mated them, Spencer would probably be in jail right now. With Recker’s short temper, Spencer knew that he would be in plenty of fights to defend the rhino—if they had been mates.

He lived in a house with nothing but predatory men. The testosterone level on most days choked the hell out of him.

Spencer prayed like hell that whoever his mate was, that he wasn’t some big, beefy, testosterone-filled lug head. He had enough of that to last him a lifetime.

“Answer me, Recker.”

His best friend reminded Spencer of a pouting child. He wouldn’t look at Spencer as he grabbed his cup of ice water. Spencer waited patiently. Sometimes Recker had to mull things over in his head before he opened his mouth.

“Do not let what people say bother me.” Recker looked so forlorn that Spencer got up and gave his friend a hug.

“If it makes you feel any better, I’ll give Leigh a ticket-worthy smackdown.” Spencer patted Recker on the shoulder. His friend gave a low chuckle. “What? You don’t think I can?” They both knew he couldn’t, but it eased the tension.

Spencer was glad to see the smile back on Recker’s face. “I’m good. Just keep that irritating human away for me.”

That was kind of hard to do when Recker was sitting in The Pit, a place where Leigh worked. But he didn’t point that fact out.

“All right, I have to get back to work. Enjoy lunch and stay out of trouble.” Spencer headed toward the counter when he spotted Leigh peeking into the dining area from the side door. If the man started in on Recker again, Spencer wasn’t going to stop his best friend this time. They would both be sitting in jail because Spencer would help Recker beat the bonehead up.

Stopping behind the counter, Spencer made a small plate of food to take into the office with him. He had spent his lunch hour with Johnny. The tea had been great, but now he was starving.

He felt like Recker at the moment, wanting to eat everything in front of him. But instead of making a pig of himself, Spencer grabbed some fish and a small cup of coleslaw. He wasn’t that big of a meat eater. He enjoyed it once in a blue moon, but not all the time. His eating habits swayed more toward natural foods and soy products.

“Can I get a rib dinner?”

Spencer’s hand froze midair as he heard a deep, melodic voice behind him. He was afraid to turn around as his breath became caught in his lungs. Who in the hell owned that wickedly sexy voice? Spencer’s hand began to tremble so he set the plate down before he dropped it.

“Dine in or carry out?” Parker asked in his usual I’d rather be doing something else tone.

“I’ll take it to go,” the stranger answered, his voice a siren call that held the promise of hot passion and sensual, sexual exploration. Spencer blinked, wondering where in the heck that thought had come from.

ADULT EXCERPT

Spencer had waited as long as he could. Bear had slept most of the day away and Spencer was bored out of his mind. When the clock struck three, he crawled into the bed—totally naked—and pulled the covers back.

His mate groaned and turned over, instantly reaching for Spencer. Oh no, Spencer did not get into bed to fall asleep. He had other things on his mind, wicked and naughty ideas, and sleep wasn’t one of those things.

In one flawless motion, Bear rolled, pinning Spencer underneath his large body. And here Spencer had thought the man asleep. His mate’s eyes were no longer closed, smoky-grey irises piercing as Bear stretched Spencer’s arms out above his head. He brushed a kiss back and forth across Spencer’s lips.

The man easily kept Spencer’s wrists pinned to the mattress, brushing more kisses over Spencer’s eyelids, over both cheeks, and then gave him a short one on his lips.

“What were you planning on doing?” Bear whispered as his teeth nipped at Spencer’s chin. “You’re totally naked and have fallen into my snare.”

Spencer tried to keep his breathing steady as the anticipation began to build inside of him. He had never had his hands trapped before and found the experience exciting. His heart went wild and blood rushed hot through his veins as a groan rose up in his throat, arousal catching him in a vicious grip.

Spencer melted when Bear claimed his lips in a toe-curling kiss that set his blood on fire. He hadn’t known that his mate had gone to bed naked, but now that the man was lying over him, he could feel their hard cocks rubbing against each other.

Bear’s hands roamed over Spencer’s body freely, caressing him, arousing Spencer to a fevered pitch. His mate’s hands and mouth explored Spencer leisurely, making Spencer feel as if he were being slowly drugged.

“I want to savor you, take my time.” Bear chuckled. “I’m not sure I can, but I’m going to try. Your luscious body is already driving me close to the edge.”

Spencer smiled, touched that someone so powerful could be so gentle. Bear was always gentle with him and Spencer loved the man for that quality.

“And if I don’t want to go slow?”

Bear’s mouth broke into a wide grin. On a growl, he nipped Spencer’s bottom lip. At first, they merely touched and caressed, kissing tenderly, exploring each other’s bodies. Bear was patient with him, even though the tension in his mate’s body told Spencer that Bear was racked with the need for release.

He was kind and caring, treating Spencer like a cherished lover. Even when his mate took him roughly, Bear was still gentle. It was as if he was afraid he would break Spencer. He didn’t want his mate to hold back. Spencer wanted to experience every heart-stopping moment.

“Don’t hold back on me,” Spencer said as he ran his hands over Bear’s short-cropped hair. “Give me everything that you have been keeping inside of you.”

Bear scowled deeply. “I’m almost twice your size in height and width. I hold back because I could accidentally hurt you. I couldn’t live with myself if something like that happened.”

Spencer reached up and rubbed the palm of his hand over Bear’s furrowed eyebrows. “I’m a big boy. I can handle whatever you have to give.” Spencer wasn’t sure if he was speaking the truth or not, but he didn’t like the idea of his mate treating him with kid gloves.

He might be fairly new to sex, but Spencer felt as if he were being cheated. Not that the sex wasn’t already spectacular, but he wanted everything Bear had to offer.

Spencer’s body arched into his mate’s as Bear stroked him, every inch of him hypersensitive and greedy for his touch. Spencer couldn’t get close enough, couldn’t hold Bear tight enough. He was desperate, a coil of need tightening inside of him.

“Slow down, my little impala. You must learn patience.” Bear carried Spencer’s fingers to his lips with tender care and total reverence. And when he kissed the heart of his palm, and then lavished the same soft worship on his mouth, Spencer was lost to him completely.

The kiss was hot, a savoring caress as he kissed Spencer’s breath away. His kisses grew more demanding, more savage. Spencer reveled in his passion, his breath catching as he wound his legs around Bear’s waist, his mate kissing him even deeper.

Spencer’s body began to throb with the need to have Bear deep inside of him. His blood went molten, desire hot and possessive in his veins. There was nothing more intimate than the bond they shared. There was nothing more precious than being bound to Bear for as long as they both drew breath.

“Make love to me, Bear. I can’t take this leisurely torture.” Bear’s eyes were centered on Spencer, watching him, exploring him.

And then Bear showed him no mercy. He was giving Spencer exactly what he had been begging for. The only thing was, Spencer had no idea what he had unleashed. But he didn’t try to resist as Bear drew back, panting and wild, his eyes the color of mercury.

“On your hands and knees.” The command was sharp, Bear’s voice dark and powerful as Spencer twisted around until his ass was at Bear’s groin. He wasn’t sure what his mate was going to do. The anticipation rocked through Spencer, making his arms quiver as he held his breath.

He felt something wet at his ass but Bear’s fingers didn’t enter him. One large palm lay centered on his back, and then Bear was pushing his shoulders down toward the mattress. “Don’t move.”