STORY EXCERPT

Elias turned down the music on his computer when he heard a lawn mower starting up. That reminded him that he needed to purchase one for his own yard. When he’d signed the lease, it had stated that Elias was responsible for the lawn care and snow removal.

That hadn’t bothered him. Elias liked the idea of puttering around the yard on a lazy Saturday afternoon. A lot of things about renting a house appealed to him. He no longer heard every little noise from his neighbors in the apartment building he’d lived in. He didn’t have to climb the four flights of stairs because the elevator had always been on the fritz. Elias no longer had to listen to the dog who lived across the hall yapping.

Not that Elias didn’t love animals. He just didn’t like hearing barking all day. Worse, Troy used to go across the hall and bang on the door, yelling for the occupant to shut the mutt up. It had been totally embarrassing. Yes, Elias had wanted the dog to stop barking, but Troy had made himself and Elias look like complete douchebags, considering a little old lady owned the dog.

Over the last three days since he’d kicked Troy out, Elias had gotten to know his neighbors on his left. They were a very sweet couple, Muriel bragging that she and her husband had been married fifty-five years this fall.

Elias’s parents had been married thirty-five.

God, how he wanted that kind of love and commitment. His dad still took his mom out on dates, held the door for her, put himself between his wife and any kind of danger, like teenagers who had no respect for their elders. He still bought his wife flowers to show how much he cared, too.

They lived in Brac Village, which wasn’t that far, and Elias visited his parents every Saturday to check on them.

If he could find someone decent who had a job, his own place, and treated Elias like he was the guy’s entire world, he would be the happiest person on the planet.

Instead, Elias kept finding men who never seemed to have their life together. It wasn’t that Elias wouldn’t mind helping someone reach their goals. It was the fact that the guys he’d dated had no goals. Not that he dated a lot. He’d had three boyfriends over the past seven years.

Three.

Hell, the last time he and Troy had slept together was over a month ago, and that had been a disaster since Troy hadn’t been able to get it up.

Curious, Elias got up from his desk and wandered to the door that led to the screened-in sunroom. If his elderly neighbors were out in the heat cutting their grass, Elias would jump in and finish it for them. He refused to let a seventy-five-year-old guy push a lawn mower in the blazing sun.

That just wasn’t right.

“Fuck.” Elias sucked in a breath when he spotted who was cutting grass. Lord Almighty. His cop neighbor was in his backyard, pushing a mower with a bag attached. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, sweat glistening off those delicious muscles. The view had Elias’s dick twitching. He’d never seen a body so honed. The guy’s muscles rippled and flexed as he pulled the lawn mower backward and went to the next row to cut.

Elias bit into his bottom lip as he whimpered. How could anyone that freaking sexy exist? The guy wasn’t overly muscled like people who lived in the gym. His body was sinewy, with just the right amount of form. His biceps and pecs bulged, but his abdomen was a work of art. Elias had images of walking over there and licking the man all over.

And that V that was on either side of his stomach? Elias just might faint.

Watching the shirtless god was sweet, sweet torture because Elias knew he didn’t stand a chance. Hell, the guy probably was straight, which was tragic. Even if he was gay, he was way out of Elias’s league.

He’d probably laugh his ass off if Elias flirted with him.

But damn, Elias was getting a huge sweet tooth just ogling the sexy beast. He also felt terrible for the dirty thoughts he was having. The sexy cop would make such good fantasies as Elias jacked off in bed.

“Shit, go back to work and stop being a perv,” he muttered to himself. “That guy is way out of your reach.”

Troy wasn’t half as good looking as Elias’s neighbor, and his ex could barely stand to touch him intimately. Elias had fooled himself into thinking that if Troy got to know him better, things would improve between them. He’d encouraged Troy to get a job, to help out around the apartment, to stop playing so many video games and drinking so much.

None of his gentle nudges had worked. In fact, Troy had become more and more belligerent with Elias whenever he brought up finding a job.

With a sigh, Elias had started to turn away, knowing damn well his neighbor was out of reach, when the guy turned and looked directly at him.

Oh fuck! Busted! He felt his face catch fire as the guy cut the motor and walked into Elias’s backyard. He had the sexiest gait Elias had ever seen. His hips moved just enough to be provocative but still masculine.

Feeling as if he was walking in quicksand, Elias stepped into his sunroom and headed for the screen door. Jesus, the guy was even better looking up close. He had the most amazing hazel eyes Elias had ever seen, surrounded by thick lashes that any woman would envy.

His body was sweaty, and his musky fragrance wafted toward Elias. It was obvious the guy had been working hard getting his grass cut, and Elias secretly inhaled the masculine scent. He didn’t care that the man smelled like sweat. To Elias, that was such a turn-on.

“Hey.” The guy’s smile was breathtaking. “I meant to introduce myself the other day, but you seemed preoccupied.”

With kicking Troy out. Now Elias’s face heated even more. “That’s okay. We’re meeting now.”

God, could he sound like a bigger dork?

“I’m Deputy Mitchell Lennox, but you can call me Mitch.”

Elias stepped out of the sunroom, holding out his hand. “I’m Elias Hatch. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

When their hands touched, Elias forced himself not to react to the electrical current that shot through him. He’d never touched a gorgeous man before. That was probably why he’d felt that jolt. It was as if he was shaking hands with a model.

ADULT EXCERPT

It took Elias less than ten seconds to get naked. He self-consciously held his arms around his waist as he walked toward the bed. Mitch took his arm, stopping his forward progress. “Look at me, Elias.”

Elias met his eyes as a nervous tremble raced through him.

Mitch took Elias’s wrists and gently unhooked his arms from his waist. “You’re perfect from head to toe. Don’t hide yourself from me.”

The way Mitch said those words, with sincerity in his hazel eyes, made Elias want to melt. “Okay,” he whispered.

Mitch cupped his face and gave him what started out as a soft kiss, but soon it turned hungry, passionate, igniting something inside Elias. His cock wept pre-cum as he grabbed Mitch’s sides, whimpering into Mitch’s mouth.

He whimpered even louder when Mitch stepped away from him. Elias licked his lips, tasting Mitch’s essence as Mitch walked out of the room then returned with a bottle of lube in his hand.

He tossed the bottle onto the bed then cupped Elias’s face again. “I can’t seem to get enough of kissing you.”

Elias loved the sound of Mitch purring. It sounded just like a satisfied cat. Mitch tilted his head and ate at Elias’s lips as he walked them backward until they bumped into the bed.

“Don’t knock me over,” Elias said with a laugh. “I’m just as excited as you, but I don’t want to be injured.”

“I’m not going to let you fall.” Mitch slid his strong hands down Elias’s sides, sending shivers of desire all through him. “Unless you’re falling for me.”

Elias rolled his eyes at Mitch’s corny words, though he secretly loved them.

Mitch chuckled. “That was bad, wasn’t it?”

“Just a tad.” Elias grinned. “Don’t let me stop you from being poetic, though. Some people like cheesy.”

“I think I’m done.” Mitch coaxed Elias toward the bed. Elias scooted onto it then watched with bated breath as Mitch crawled onto the mattress, moving like a sleek predator. Mitch kept going, forcing Elias to his back and hovering over him.

His cock was once again hard, the head trailing along Elias’s stomach as Mitch took his lips again. The guy hadn’t been kidding. Elias had never been kissed so much in his life.

He slid his arms around Mitch’s neck, trying to pull him closer. He felt Mitch moving around, and the next thing he knew, Mitch was nudging his fingers between Elias’s ass cheeks.

He sucked in a breath when one of Mitch’s fingers sank into him. Elias bucked, groaning as he wiggled. “That feels so good,” he said against Mitch’s lips.

“You have a nice ass to play with.” Mitch sank another finger in. Elias let out a loud groan when Mitch scissored his fingers, brushing over Elias’s prostate. “I can’t wait to watch you come apart in my arms.”

“I’ve never had anyone talk dirty to me.”

Mitch nipped and teased Elias’s earlobe then whispered in a husky tone, “I love talking dirty to you. Your pupils dilate when I do. It’s such a sexy thing to watch.”

“There you go again,” Elias groaned with a slight chuckle. “Sorry I’m acting embarrassed.”

“No need to apologize.” Mitch kissed his way along Elias’s jaw as he inserted a third finger then sucked at Elias’s throat. Elias thrust downward, aching for his own release. It might not be Mitch’s dick inside of him, but it still felt damn good.

Elias hissed when Mitch attacked one of his nipples, teasing the swollen nub, using his teeth and tongue to add to Elias’s pleasure. Even if they stopped right now, this was the most thorough anyone had ever been with him, and Elias was quickly becoming addicted to Mitch’s touch.

“I like how you fuck my fingers.” Mitch moved to Elias’s neglected nipple, “but I have something a lot more fun you can bounce on.”

Mitch removed his fingers, leaned back, and lathered his cock in lube. Elias instantly spread his legs in invitation, forcing his hands away from his stomach. He wanted to hide his extra weight because Mitch was staring at him with such heat, but he didn’t want Mitch telling him not to, so he resisted.

“You’re learning.” Mitch winked, as if he knew what Elias was thinking. “There’s not a single spot on your body that turns me off, Elias.”

With words like that, how could Elias be the slightest bit embarrassed? Elias stretched his hands above his head as he watched Mitch press his cock to his tight ring of muscles. He sucked in a breath seconds before Mitch inched inside of him.

Mitch’s gaze locked with Elias’s. “Let me know if any of this makes you uncomfortable.”

Even though he’d just broken up with Troy, it had been a while for Elias. Troy hadn’t been that sexually into him. Their love life, or lack of it, was one of the many things Elias hated about their relationship.

He simply nodded as he grabbed onto Mitch’s biceps, spreading his legs even farther apart.

“Fuck,” Mitch growled. “You should see how beautiful this is. Your ass is sucking my dick right in, sweetheart.”

Elias arched his back, hissing as Mitch bottomed out. He felt his mate’s cock throbbing deep inside him, but Mitch didn’t move.

“What are you waiting for?” Elias looked at the guy.

“For you to adjust to me.” Mitch looked as if he was holding on to his control by a thread.

“I’m adjusted. God, please move.”

“Thank fuck,” Mitch groaned. He pulled back then slammed forward.

“Yes!” Elias hissed loudly.

“You like that?” One of Mitch’s brows arched before he did it again. Elias whimpered and slapped his arm. Mitch chuckled. “Okay, playtime is over.”

And he meant it. Mitch set up a rhythm that was almost jarring. He punched his hips forward, the sound of their skin slapping, as Elias dug his nails into Mitch’s biceps. Elias tried to keep pace, tried to meet Mitch’s thrusts, but the guy was like a beast unleashed.