STORY EXCERPT

“You need something to drink or are you hungry?”

Kade’s eyes drifted down from the menu to stare at a man with eyes the color of sapphires. They were dark and so blue that they almost looked like they held a mixture of purple as well. Kade’s leopard was going nuts as he took a step back. “I’m just looking right now.”

The man gave a nod of his head, his shoulder-length blond hair swaying slightly forward. He was smiling at Kade, totally unaware that he was looking at his mate. Kade moved over when another customer walked up to the counter, but his eyes never left the handsome face that he was drinking in.

Kade wanted to tell the guy who he was and that fate had decided to pair them together. He had scented human. Therefore his mate was clueless. Kade wanted to keep him that way. What did he have to offer anyone? Kade did not have a place of his own or a way to support the man who had the sweetest, most innocent eyes that he had ever seen.

As his mate gathered some fruit out of the display case, Kade took that opportunity to check out the slim lines and light contours of the man’s body. He was thin and—his mate locked eyes with him, peering through the glass.

Kade didn’t smile, didn’t nod, or do anything but stare. The guy gave him a generous grin before closing the sliding glass door and turning, giving Kade his back. He heard a whirling sound and assumed a smoothie was being made.

Taking a step forward, Kade peered through the glass to check out his mate’s backside. He should leave.

He really should.

Lingering around was only torture, but Kade couldn’t seem to turn around and walk out. As badly as he wanted to forget that he found his mate and had no way to take care of him, he couldn’t seem to move.

“Have you decided yet?” his mate asked as he handed the drink to the customer and then turned toward him, still wearing that boyish grin.

Kade cleared his throat. “I’ll have a strawberry banana smoothie.”

His mate gave a light laugh, the sound flowing through Kade like silken ribbons. “Dude, you are way too buff to drink something that fattening. Our smoothies have a lot of cream in them.”

The corner of Kade’s mouth twitched. He liked the fact that his mate had complimented his body. “Then what do you recommend?” Kade moved closer, although he knew he shouldn’t.

“I’ve been trying some new blends. How about I surprise you?” The sapphire sparkled, his smile never wavering. “I promise not to poison you.”

Kade gave a light chuckle. “You’re on.”

This seemed to please the guy as he grabbed a small basket and began to fill it with fruit from the case. In all honesty, he hadn’t a clue what the guy grabbed. Kade was too busy appreciating his mate’s good looks.

The guy was what some would refer to as a surfer dude. He had a bunch of bands around both wrists, some plastic, some made of thin leather. There was also a necklace around his slim neck, also made of thin leather, but there were a few beads decorating the front. In the tone of his mate’s voice, Kade could hear the inflection of someone who didn’t take life all that seriously.

If only he could be that carefree. He envied his mate that.

“Okay, try this. Now be totally honest, dude. I need to know if I’m blending correctly.” A small cup was passed over the case, Kade’s fingers grazing the blond man’s. The contact ignited Kade’s blood. His snow leopard yowled loudly, damn near making Kade purr.

Sapphire-blue eyes watched him as he took a drink. Kade’s hand flew to his mouth as he stuck his tongue out and shook his head back and forth. He couldn’t stop the reaction. Whatever this was, it was disgusting.

His mate laughed once again, but Kade was too busy trying to brush the taste off of his tongue to appreciate the musical tone. “Okay, okay. I take it I put too much whey in there.” His mate turned around and the machine began whirling again.

What the hell was whey?

When another cup was handed to him, Kade was almost too terrified to take a drink. His left eyebrow slid up as he looked across the case. “Are you sure you’re not trying to poison me?”

His mate twisted the side of his mouth and cocked his head to the side. “Just try it.”

Sending up a prayer, Kade tossed the drink back as if he were taking a shot of alcohol. He was ready to ask for a chaser but the fruity taste wasn’t half bad. “A little too much strawberry.” He handed the cup back.

“Would you like to be my guinea pig? I’ll give you a free lunch for letting me torture you.” His mate grabbed the cup out of Kade’s hand.

Why on earth was he sticking around? Finding a job should be his first priority, but the thought of leaving felt like a weight had settled in his stomach. “You have a deal.”

“All right!” His mate practically bounced as his smile grew wider. “By the way, my name is Keaton,” he said as he held his fist over the top of the display case. Kade reached up and tapped it with his own.

“Kade.”

“Get ready to be tortured, Kade.”

His skin tightened when Keaton said his name. Kade picked up an accent. It was barely detectable, but he caught the way his mate pronounced the A as if it were an I. It sounded like he was saying Kide.

“I’m going to give you something I’ve been working on. Now remember, Kade, you have to be honest about how it tastes.” Keaton began to gather more fruit. Kade groaned when he saw kiwi being tossed into the basket. He really didn’t care for that fruit, but hoped that the taste would be disguised with the others fruits it was being blended with.

“Just don’t give me anything that tastes like the first drink you gave me,” he teased and wondered why he was flirting with Keaton. Until he had a job and a place of his own, Kade needed to stay away. He should not be flirting, and he should definitely not be enjoying the man’s company.

“I call this Suicidal. Don’t let the name fool you. I only call it that because so many fruits are blended in.” He handed him another cup. Kade took it, careful not to make contact with the man’s skin.

ADULT EXCERPT

The man didn’t say a word, his body still rigid…oh, there we go. Kade’s hips began to press into Keaton’s hands. Now they were getting somewhere. Keaton tried once more to kiss Kade. This time the man parted his lips.

It didn’t bother Keaton to be in control. He was very flexible—in more ways than one. He was going to rock Kade’s world if the leopard let him. Yes, he was that confident. For him, sex wasn’t about how well someone could bend their legs behind their head—although that was one handy trick—but how well two people connected.

And he was feeling very connected to Kade right now. When his mate didn’t protest, Keaton swept his tongue inside Kade’s mouth and moaned. He knew the guy was going to taste all hot and spicy. He also tasted like…Keaton pulled back. “Do you smoke?”

Kade looked as if his brain wasn’t quite functioning properly yet. His teal eyes were glassy as he stared at Keaton. “Do I what?” He licked his lips and Keaton felt his breath catch at the delicious action.

“Smoke?”

Straightening, Kade began to look more focused. That wasn’t what Keaton had wanted.

“I had one before you came.” When Kade tried to move away, Keaton blocked the guy. It was true that Kade was much larger than him, but he wasn’t going to be so easily dismissed. It dawned on Keaton that Kade needed someone to guide him, to take charge. Kade was a predatory creature, but he was so damn lost inside himself. Keaton had no problem helping the man find his way.

“If I catch you with another cigarette, I’ll…I’ll…give you some very strong words that you just might not like.” His threat wasn’t as imposing as he would like it to be, but Keaton wasn’t a violent man.

Kade gazed at him for a moment, and Keaton thought the man was going to argue about being treated so high-handedly. But he laughed. The freaking man laughed at him! That was not the response Keaton was looking for. He pinched Kade’s arm. “I’m serious! Do you know how deadly those things are?” Keaton pushed back into Kade, taking away the man’s personal space. “And do you know how nasty it tastes to kiss a smoker?”

Before Kade could say a word, Keaton ran his hand over the guy’s now semi-soft cock. He hadn’t meant to kill the mood, but there was no way Keaton was going to allow the man to put that crap into his body.

“I—” Kade swallowed and Keaton could see that the guy was extremely nervous. He was going to have to ease the man into this. Kade had never answered him when Keaton asked if it had been a long time for Kade. It wasn’t any of his business what had taken place before him. If Kade had sex in prison, Keaton wasn’t going to pry. But he was not about to have a quick and meaningless encounter with his mate. Keaton was going to show Kade how good it could be between them. “I thought we were going to look around the building.”

Keaton teased the man’s flourishing erection with the tips of his fingers. “I am looking at something very interesting right now. Don’t spoil this for me.”

“You’re bossy,” Kade said, but didn’t move away. He was once again pressing his groin into Keaton’s hands.

Keaton gave a low chuckle. “Not really. But I know what I want and that would be you, Mr. Kade Marshall.” He backed up his words with a swipe of his tongue over the strong corded muscles in Kade’s neck. A part of him grinned in satisfaction when Kade shuddered.

That’s more like it.

Closing his fingers over the large bulge in the front of Kade’s jeans, Keaton massaged the outline in slow, leisurely strokes. Kade’s back hit the wall and he nearly slumped as his hips continued to hitch into Keaton’s ministrations.

Keaton was fascinated to see the large man giving himself over like this. It was a powerful feeling and one he didn’t take lightly. Keaton was pretty sure the guy didn’t give himself over to anyone.

Wanting to see Kade come unraveled, Keaton lowered himself to his knees. When his fingers slid back up the imprint, he unsnapped Kade’s jeans and lowered the zipper. He watched Kade carefully, Keaton’s eyes rooted on the man as his fingers dipped below the waistband of the underwear and skimmed over the heated flesh.

Keaton smiled up at Kade, licking his lips. Kade’s eyes hooded, his jaw in a tight grip as Keaton lowered his underwear, revealing the hard erection. Gliding his fingers down the fully erect cock, he leaned forward and placed a kiss on the tip.

Kade’s hands curled into fists as he watched. Keaton wasn’t about to get him a quick suck off. That wasn’t what he wanted between them. As he played, his veins started buzzing, fever rising in his blood. He licked a hot trail along the side of Kade’s cock and then Keaton took Kade into his mouth, sucking vigorously.

Kade pumped his hips, fisting Keaton’s hair. He wanted to bring Kade off so badly, he was practically shaking with the need. But Keaton held back. Again, he didn’t want to be just another quick suck off to the guy.

“Don’t…don’t slow down,” Kade said between gritted teeth. His hand smoothed over Keaton’s hair, his teal eyes dark with desire and need. “Please”—Kade turned his head away—“don’t make me beg for it. Not from you.”