STORY EXCERPT

“I need to know how the club’s finances are going. Are Monica’s costumes working with the clientele?”

“Yes, they are.” Kyle glanced up at Ray, and then took the file with all the papers about the club from the top drawer. “Simply put, we’ve been making more than we spend each month. Fortunately, the club is packed every single night.”

Ray nodded. “Have you hired anyone else since James?”

Kyle shook his head. “Duke says that there’s no need. James can fill in the gaps just fine.”

“Sanitation and paperwork?”

“Fine,” Kyle replied. These questions were a waste of time. Everyone knew that Duke wouldn’t let the club change for the worse. He put the file back into the drawer and closed it. “If you have any other questions, go to Duke.”

When he looked up, he caught Ray’s eyes on his crotch. “I’m not going to close my legs, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Ray raised a brow. “Is it that difficult to keep a good posture?”

Kyle sighed. “I only do that for certain occasions. Besides that, it’s a bother. If I want to be comfortable, I will be.”

“Does that mean that you’re comfortable around me?” Ray asked.

He turned his eyes to Ray again and noticed a grin on his lips for a split second. “No, it means that you’re not important enough for me to have a good posture,” Kyle said with a sarcastically kind smile. “If you don’t mind, I have other things to do.” He went back to his textbook.

However, Ray didn’t move. He just stood there. Kyle looked up. “What now?”

“How long have you been working here?” Ray asked, watching Kyle attentively.

Kyle sighed again and leaned back in his chair. “Since Duke opened this club four years ago. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, so you must have been rather young when you started, right?”

What were these questions all about? “Well, I started college a bit late because I wanted a job so I could pay the fees. I’m in my third year, and I’m twenty-five now, so I started working here when I was twenty-one,” he answered. Kyle slumped over when he noticed Ray’s grin. He scowled. “Did you just want to know my age?”

Ray slid his hands into his pockets. “You wouldn’t tell me if I asked directly.”

Kyle felt his cheeks heating up. He’d fallen right into this man’s trap. “Wait, why did you want to know?”

“Because you’re interesting,” Ray answered, leaving Kyle to stare at him. “Do you now understand why sometimes I wouldn’t answer whenever you greeted me? I was too busy looking at you.”

His heart jumped in his chest, but he tried his best to not move or show Raymond Richards, one of the bird shifters elders, that he had been affected by him. “Why are you telling me this now? We’ve been around with Duke and the others for years and you chose only this moment to speak with me.”

Ray shrugged. “I wanted to be really sure that I was interested in a man without…manners. Though I thought that you would show them at some point, you haven’t done so yet.”

“And I never will, especially now that you’re telling me this,” he muttered.

Wow, Ray was interested him. Kyle swallowed dryly and hoped it wasn’t noticed. The problem was that Ray was a man of rules and etiquette, something that Kyle didn’t have any time for. If they were to get together, their completely opposite points of view would clash more often than not.

“By the way, how old are you?” he asked quietly.

“I’m thirty-two,” Ray answered with a strange smile. “Do you want to know more about me?”

Kyle shook his head quickly. “I was just wondering. It’s obvious that I don’t want to know anything about you.”

“Are you sure? I’m single,” Ray said, his voice low as he leaned forward and rested his hands on the desk again. “Ask me anything.”

This was the longest Ray had ever spoken to him. And he came at him headfirst. Was he playing with him? “All right, then. I’ll ask you something,” he started. “Can you leave? I have more important things to do.” Ray snorted and laughed. Kyle stared. What a nice laugh. It sounded so good that it made him want to do the same. It was so unfair. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing. I was just amused at how feisty you are.” Ray’s laughter faded into a smile. “Do you have time tomorrow?”

Kyle shrugged. “For what?”

“Would you like to join me for dinner?” Ray asked. “I promise that I’ll bring you back here just in time for work. Or do you have to study twenty-four-seven?”

“I don’t. But that doesn’t mean that I should waste it with you,” Kyle muttered, averting his gaze. Silence fell between them, the other man’s attention locked on him.

ADULT EXCERPT

They were finally able to get inside the apartment and Ray closed the door behind them. “I’m glad that it’s Saturday and you don’t have to study. Let’s spend some time together before I take you to work,” Ray told him, and motioned Kyle after him.

He wondered what Ray had in mind. Well, it wasn’t that difficult to figure it out, but he couldn’t always assume that Ray was up to something. Kyle glanced up at Ray when the shifter opened one of the doors. Inside were a large bed, a three-door closet, another door, and a dresser with a flat-screen television on it.

“So, shall we take our clothes off now?”

Kyle sighed and shook his head. All right, he should’ve thought that Ray had been up to something. “Do you think that you can be in a relationship for two weeks and just do it? You didn’t even ask me if I was willing,” he said half seriously. Teasing Ray in return never bored him.

“If you’re not willing, just stop me,” Ray whispered as he approached Kyle. He surrounded Kyle’s waist with his strong arm and leaned in for a kiss.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want Ray to make love to him, but his pride was against him letting the shifter make him vulnerable. For now, Kyle returned the kiss. He was more curious to know what Ray would do than he was interested in stopping the man from taking things further.

As soon as Kyle parted his lips, Ray slid his tongue inside. His hot and wet muscle caressed and swirled against Kyle’s, their lips connected. Meanwhile, Ray’s big hands roamed down Kyle’s back until they cupped his ass firmly. A quiet moan came from Ray’s throat, and Kyle couldn’t help but let one out as well.

In a matter of a couple of minutes, Ray had them undressed and on his bed. Kyle gulped as Ray pressed his lips wherever he could see skin. Those soft lips pecked along Kyle’s abdomen, hip, and then the tip of his cock. Kyle shuddered and gripped the bedspread. Ray swept him away, and he could do nothing about it.

“Have you finally given in to me?” Ray asked. He held the base of Kyle’s cock. “If you say yes, I’ll suck you off.”

Kyle covered his eyes with his forearm. “I’m not going to say it,” he said firmly. “I don’t care if you stop now.”

“You just want to say it, right? Your body is a reflection of your true feelings.” With a slow stroke, Ray moved his closed hand around Kyle’s shaft, and then back to the base. “Give in, Kyle.”

“No,” Kyle uttered. His whole body shook with need. And if he hadn’t covered his eyes, Ray’s body would make him even hotter. He’d been avoiding looking at the man’s body since they had taken their clothes off, so he had no idea how big Ray was.

Out of nowhere, something hot and wet teased his entrance. Kyle looked over at Ray. Ray had his finger invading his entrance excruciatingly slowly. Next to him was a tube of lubricant with a red and fancy packaging.

“I didn’t tell you that you could do that,” Kyle told him. “Take it out or I’ll—” He let out a quiet whine of protest when Ray's finger didn't move any deeper. “Fine, I'm done playing now. Just go for it.” Kyle shuddered when Ray slid the rest of his finger inside. He froze in place as the sneaky finger began to thrust into him, as if searching for it.

Ray moved his head down and took Kyle’s cock into his mouth. His lips surrounded the head before it covered everything until close to the base. And in a split second, he bobbed his head and fucked Kyle with two of his fingers.

Kyle groaned out. He reached over and held Ray’s head, a few strands of dark hair sliding between his fingers. He bent his legs further apart and to the sides so Ray could have better access. This time, he had to give in.