STORY EXCERPT

“I mean we’ve been friends for fifteen years. You don’t just throw something like that away. A lot of people forget they have friends when they find someone to date. That’s how things work. And his stepbrother being a lunatic? How was that Gemini’s fault? I was under a lot of pressure. I’d never been in that kind of situation before. Do you think I should call him? I should call him, right?”

“I only asked if you could hand me a straw.” The guy reached past Alonso and got one for himself. “Have a nice day, and I hope things work out for you.”

“Yeah, you have a nice one, too, and thanks for not being any help,” he said as the stranger walked out of Kent’s Café. “I need to either make new friends or call Gemini.” Alonso sat at the nearest table. This was the longest he’d gone without talking to his best friend, and it was killing him.

He still recalled Sheriff Weston asking him not to say a word about the kidnapping or the fact a wolf had killed Orion, Gemini’s stepbrother and the person who’d kidnapped them and tied them in a barn.

“Gemini did try to get Orion’s attention off of me,” he admitted. “He told the guy to kill him instead of me. Only best friends make that kind of sacrifice. I’m being totally unfair to him. Gemini was just as much a victim as I was.”

“You were a victim?”

Alonso dragged his eyes up to the guy standing not a foot away from him, adding sugar to his drink. Holy shit. Hands down the hottest guy he’d ever laid eyes on, and there were a lot of hunks in Willow Point.

“Who are you being totally unfair to?” The guy stuck the black stir straw between his lips like the thing was a toothpick, which only made him sexier. “You don’t seem like the type who would be unfair.”

“I’m sorry.” Alonso lifted one of his eyebrows. “I wasn’t aware I’d invited you into the conversation with myself.”

The man chuckled, and damn if that wasn’t the best sound. It was like a soft laugh drifting down a lazy river. “Prickly.”

“I have every right. My life has fallen apart.” Alonso ripped his gaze away from Mr. Hunk and looked down at his drink. “But I have no right to be mean to you. I’m sorry you butted into my conversation and I wasn’t pleasant about it.” His brows hiked up. “Or for the fact that you’ve invited yourself to sit across from me. Sure, go right ahead.”

“You just seem like you need a friend.” He held out his hand. “I’m Keanu Holsten. I’m in town visiting a friend.”

After studying Keanu’s hand, Alonso decided that it wouldn’t hurt to shake it. Plus, it gave him a reason to touch such strong, yet gentle fingers. “Alonso Peterson. Who’s your friend?”

“You probably don’t know him. His name is Nakoa.”

Alonso dropped Keanu’s hand so fast that it hit the table. “Yeah, I know Nakoa. He stole my best friend from me.”

God, could he sound any more like a whiny little bitch? Gemini hadn't stopped talking to him. It was the other way around. In fact, Gemini had tried to call multiple times over the past three weeks. Alonso had just ignored those calls.

And voicemails.

And texts.

“Is that who you’re being unfair to?” Keanu asked. “Nakoa?”

A very undignified snort escaped Alonso. “No, I’m being unfair to Gemini.”

Keanu pointed the stir stick at him. “I’ve met Gemini. Really nice guy. You must be the best friend he talked about.” He nodded. “I couldn’t recall the name he’d said, but now I remember.”

“Gemini mentioned me?”

“More than once.” Keanu rested his forearms on the table, and all Alonso could focus on was how the guy’s muscles flexed. God, what I would do to those muscles. Licking would be a good start.

“So, you’ve treated Gemini unfairly. What’s your next move?”

Alonso sat forward and strummed his fingers on the table. “Well, Dr. Phil, I was still debating that when you so rudely interrupted me talking to myself.”

“Dr. Phil is an outdated reference.”

“It’s the only therapist I know,” Alonso said.

“He’s not a therapist, and neither am I. I’m just a good listener.” He tossed an arm over the back of his chair, looking all sexy and cocky. The prick. “I heard you lay everything out for the guy just trying to get a straw. Try me, Alonso. I bet I have better advice than have a nice day.”

Why on earth was Alonso charmed by this Nosy Nelson? He didn’t know, but Keanu had the prettiest light blue eyes he’d ever seen, and they were staring right at him, waiting for an answer.

“I do have an uncle named Phil. Maybe I’ll lay my problems on him.” Not a chance. Uncle Phil was a walking disaster. He was Alonso’s mom’s half-brother, but Phil didn’t possess Adele’s sweet disposition. The guy was rotten to the core, yet Adele still treated Phil like he was the best person on the planet. Sometimes Alonso wondered about his mom.

“As I previously stated, Dr. Phil isn’t a therapist.”

“You’re annoying.”

“You’re cute.” Keanu laughed. “This is fun. And here I thought Mayberry was going to be boring. I’m glad I ran into you, Alonso.”

A noise rumbled from the big man.

Alonso wrinkled his nose. “Did you just purr like a cat?”

Keanu leaned even closer, damn near pressing his chest into the table. “Maybe I find you so interesting that you’re bringing out the beast in me.”

This was fun, but hell if Alonso was admitting that. He liked the catty banter too much. He couldn't recall that last time anyone had interested him this deeply. Sure, he’d had boyfriends, but none had engaged him in this way. He smirked. “I could see if they have bowls of cream for sale.”

Keanu winked. “Cream isn’t very good for cats. It messes up their stomachs. I wouldn’t mind letting you pet me, though.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Keanu opened his eyes and felt a weight at his back. Alonso’s scent filled him, putting Keanu at ease. He lay there thinking about last night, about how he’d come into the kitchen to find Raven pinning Alonso to the floor, how Alonso had struggled to get away.

Even now Keanu’s teeth gnashed as he thought of how Nakoa had let Raven go. That wouldn’t have been Keanu’s choice. If he hadn't been in pain and fighting not to shift so he could heal, he would have torn the bastard’s throat out.

Raven had said that Dracon was sending someone else. His cousin would keep sending men until he had Keanu in front of him.

If it was meeting Dracon wanted, Keanu would give it to him. But no one was dragging Keanu to his cousin. He was going on his own, the element of surprise on his side so Dracon couldn’t surround his sorry ass with a team of men.

One man had been bad enough.

Tonight, after the sun set, Keanu was going to pay his cousin a visit.

“You’re awake.” Alonso turned over in the bed and pushed to one elbow. Keanu brushed aside locks of his mate’s hair. “How do you feel?”

“Better now that I see your handsome face.” Keanu had been attracted to Alonso from the moment he’d laid eyes on the human. It had been the pull, that unseen force that had drawn Keanu to him. But the more he’d gotten to know his mate—and fuck, how crazy, sexy Alonso had been defending him last night—the more he realized he was losing his heart to the guy.

Some might think that was too soon, because they’d only known each other a few days, but…well, it was what it was. Keanu wasn’t going to fight against his growing feelings.

“Is Nakoa still here?”

“He and Gemini took the guest bedroom,” Alonso said, “the one downstairs so he could hear any noise from the front and back of the house. Are you sure you’re okay?” Alonso yanked back the blanket and examined Keanu’s side. “Wow, not even a scar.”

Keanu’s dick flexed with Alonso’s eyes on his nude body. An involuntary reaction, but he wasn't going to apologize for wanting his mate. Not when Alonso’s hand glided over his skin, the touch light, innocent. Alonso was only examining him, but Keanu’s cheetah couldn’t tell the difference. It purred in delight as Alonso’s fingers caressed his skin.

His mate looked uncertain as he lifted his hand and trailed his fingers over Keanu’s side. The touch sent rioting shivers through Keanu as a rumbling purr escaped. His gaze locked onto the tip of Alonso’s pink tongue as it glided over his bottom lip, leaving a wet trail behind.

The exploration had turned into something else.

Keanu groaned but didn’t make a move. He was allowing his mate to explore at his leisure, but the man’s breathing grew faster. Keanu wanted to see how far Alonso would go before backing down.

If he backed down.

He lay very still as Alonso’s hand dropped to Keanu’s waist. His fingers were warm as they slid up to Keanu’s pecs, his palm ghosting over his skin.

Alonso wasn’t the only one breathing a little faster. Keanu’s body grew feverish as his cock hardened. Everywhere Alonso touched made Keanu’s skin tingle as his heart pounded in his chest. Shudders of pleasure w\racked his body as Alonso tweaked his nipple.

Their gazes met, and Keanu had never wanted anyone so badly in his life.

“I see you like to be touched.” Alonso’s hand moved to Keanu’s neglected nipple, rolling the hard nub between his fingers.

“I love being petted.” He ran the back of his hand over Alonso’s trapped erection and smirked when his mate sucked in a quick breath.

His mate scooted closer, thrusting his hips forward as Keanu squeezed Alonso’s dick through his pants. Alonso’s cock throbbed as he squeezed again.

Alonso stood, breaking their connection, then yanked his underwear and slacks down his legs before he kicked the material free. When he sat back down, Alonso peeled his socks off and tossed them aside, but Keanu was too busy staring at his mate’s jutting cock.

Fuck. Had he ever seen a more beautiful sight? Alonso’s cock was hard, long, and blushing red as it jerked slightly under Keanu’s gaze.

It took a lot to get Keanu turned on. Maybe because sex had become boring to him. When you had sex with one stranger after another, the shit became stale after a while. There had never been any depth to his hookups. Flirt, throw out a few cheesy pickup lines, seal the deal, get his rocks off, and then make an excuse for why he had to leave.

For a very long time that had been perfect for him. No attachments because Kean’s life was too complicated. Trying to free the men and women Dracon sold was dangerous, and Keanu had never wanted attachments because he’d bever wanted any kind of leverage over his head.

Now Dracon might find out about Alonso because Nakoa had let the motherfucker go. God, why had he done that? Now the stakes were even higher.

Keanu was pulled from his thoughts as Alonso pushed the covers all the way back and straddled Keanu’s waist.

“I’ve been giving a lot of thought to what you told me. You know, about mates.” Alonso wiggled his ass on Keanu’s cock, and Keanu nearly lost it. It seemed everything Alonso did turned him on. Hell, the way Alonso’s knees pressed into Keanu’s hips made his stomach flutter.

“And what conclusion did you come to?” Keanu’s gaze slid over the bewitching man sitting atop him. Alonso’s skin was flawless.

“You’re killing me.” Keanu moaned.

“But I haven’t done anything yet.” Alonso smirked. “All I’m doing is sitting here.”

“You’re a siren out to seduce me.” Keanu moaned.

With his devilish smirk still in place, Alonso slid down Keanu’s body. Keanu’s legs tightened and his breathing quickened as he watched Alonso trace the pad of his finger over the slit in Keanu’s cock, smearing the pre-cum.

Fuck being tortured. Keanu gripped Alonso’s hips and flipped them, placing his mate on his back. Keanu positioned himself between Alonso’s legs, running his finger through the thick, dark thatch of hair. “You never answered my question.”

“What question?” Alonso asked, though he moaned the words.

Keanu got up and went to the bag he’d brought with him and grabbed the lube from the side pocket. Then he resumed his position between Alonso’s legs.

Keanu lubed his fingers before moving back in.

“Such a pretty cock.” Keanu licked the base of Alonso’s cock. Alonso led the tip of his erection to Keanu’s lips as Keanu worked his fingers into Alonso’s tight ass.

Keanu was overwhelmed by how much he wanted Alonso. Keanu couldn’t ever remember feeling this needy before, this turned on. The desire in him surged as he inched Alonso’s cock down his throat and his fingers worked at stretching his mate.

Alonso made him feel raw, wild things. Keanu didn’t want this to ever end. And it wasn’t just the sex. He wanted it all. To build a life with Alonso, to explore the world and sit on the porch in the evening and watch the sun set. To create a lifetime of memories and create traditions they could share.

Keanu pulled back, removing his fingers before he lubed his cock. He locked gazes with Alonso as he slowly entered the man. “Grab the backs of your knees and pull your legs back, sweetheart.”