STORY EXCERPT

Rudy slowly reached behind him. If he had to, he’d sacrifice his breakfast just so he could get away. Could bears climb? He hoped not since he would have to use the tree to climb to safety.

The bear moved closer.

Rudy threw the container at it.

The bear walked past the container, uncaring of its delicious contents.

Rudy backed away, hiding in his pitiful tent as though the sheet could provide protection. He sat on his ass, bent his legs, and rested his elbows on his knees as he covered his face.

If the bear was about to eat him, Rudy prayed his death was quick. He’d already suffered enough in his pitiable life. It seemed this would be a just end considering all the bullshit he’d lived through.

Rudy lowered his hands when he heard snuffling. The bear poked its head between the flaps and stared at him. Rudy was too frozen with terror to scream.

The bear was huge!

It cocked its head to the side and studied Rudy then lowered to the ground and lay there, looking up at him.

“Nice b-bear,” Rudy said. “I promise you that I’m too skinny to make a good meal.”

The bear huffed, and then it yawned. The damn thing yawned. Maybe if it fell asleep Rudy could escape. He sat there with his arms wrapped around his bent legs and waited.

The damn thing didn’t close its eyes. Rudy nearly screamed when a paw—with claws so big they looked as though they could kill him with one swipe—entered the tent. The bear laid it on the ground then scooted it closer, as if he wanted to touch Rudy.

Rudy backed away as far as he could, but he ended up smashed against the tree that supported his tent. There was nowhere else for him to go.

The bear…Rudy stared bug-eyed at the damn thing. The bear was petting his leg! What the hell?

It grunted and, still lying on the ground, moved even closer. The sheet was barely hanging on the low branch. The sides and top were resting on the bear’s large form.

Was it cold and needed someplace warm? No, that was ridiculous. It had plenty of fur on its body. It didn’t need a worn and threadbare sheet.

Maybe it was sick and that was why it was acting so strangely.

The bear scooted closer. It used its large paw to pull at Rudy. This was it. Rudy was about to be gobbled up. But the bear didn’t open its mouth. It nuzzled its big-ass head against Rudy.

Could it be a female and had mistaken Rudy as one of her cubs? He suddenly imagined himself dangling from her mouth as she carried him to some den.

“Get a grip,” he whispered to himself. “Just remain calm and maybe it’ll go away.”

With its sharp claws, it pulled Rudy away from the tree and…snuggled him? Seriously? This couldn’t be real. Rudy must’ve fallen asleep and was imagining all this. Bears didn’t snuggle people. They mauled them. With those sharp claws, it would shred Rudy to pieces.

The bear tugged at him, as if encouraging Rudy to burrow close. Ready to pee himself, Rudy hesitantly laid his head on the bear’s neck. The fur was soft and warm.

Under any other circumstance—what circumstance, Rudy hadn’t the first clue—he would’ve nestled close and used the warmth to fall asleep.

But. This. Was. A. Bear.

It was twice the size of any bear Rudy had ever seen on TV. Not that he was an expert.

His heart shot through the roof and he felt as though he couldn’t breathe when it started to rub its large head against him.

The bear lay there with its arm curled around him for the next few hours. Rudy lay there stiffly, fighting against his heavy eyelids and the warmth that surrounded him.

He blinked and realized the sun had already risen. Had he fallen asleep? Rudy jerked upright and wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth.

The bear was still there.

It rolled to its back and stretched. When it yawned, its mouth opened so wide that Rudy squeaked. The bear stood and shook itself out, pulling the sheet from the branches.

Now it rolled on the ground, trying to get the sheet off it. Rudy took that chance to grab his backpack and take off, running so fast that his knees nearly hit his chest.

When he looked over his shoulder, he saw the bear was chasing him. Rudy screamed and tried to get over the fallen tree, but his foot caught and he crashed to the ground, knocking the air right out of his lungs in a whoosh.

He did the only thing he could think of. Rudy curled into the fetal position and covered his head. He heard huffing and branches breaking, but Rudy was too terrified to see how close the bear was.

“Did you hurt yourself?”

The voice didn’t register. Not at first. Rudy thought that maybe he’d hit his head and the male voice was some kind of hallucination.

“Are you hurt?”

Slowly, Rudy lowered his arms and looked up. He sucked in a breath. There, on the other side of the tree, stood a very naked, very gorgeous man.

He’d definitely hit his head. Sexy and naked men didn’t just go wandering around in the cold woods. They definitely didn’t stop to help a homeless guy being chased by a bear.

The illusion climbed over the tree and hunched down next to Rudy. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just get excited when I see people running.” The guy felt all over Rudy’s head with his hands. “No bumps.”

Scared beyond words, Rudy scooted backward until he was up against a bush. What did this deranged man mean? He got excited when he saw people running? And why was he walking around naked in the woods?

He stuck his hand out as though he expected Rudy to take it. When he didn’t, the stranger curled his fingers in. “My name is Aiden. What’s yours?”

“Terrified.” Rudy pushed to his feet and dusted off his backside. “Where’re your clothes?”

Rudy looked around for the bear, but it was gone. Relief flooded him, and he sagged against a nearby tree. But his gaze wouldn’t stop falling to Aiden’s exposed cock.

If Rudy was knocked out cold, he hoped he didn’t wake up anytime soon.

ADULT EXCERPT

Rudy tasted as good as Aiden imagined he would. His lips were soft and warm, and Aiden saw himself kissing Rudy for hours without coming up for air.

He groaned and then swept his tongue inside Rudy’s mouth, deepening the kiss as he encouraged him to move even closer. At first Rudy was rigid, and then he melted into Aiden’s side as he placed a palm on Aiden’s chest.

Oh yeah. This was nice. Real nice. Aiden curled an arm around him, enveloping Rudy as he slowly lowered them to the cushions. Rudy’s breath sawed in and out as he went down, folding his arms around Aiden’s neck as Aiden pressed him into the couch.

“This is a bad idea,” he whispered against Aiden’s mouth. “It’ll make things awkward between us, and I don’t want to get kicked out.”

Aiden shook his head. “That would never happen. I promise you.”

Rudy rolled his eyes. “Of course you would say that. You’re trying to get into my pants.”

Speaking of, Aiden needed to order Rudy some clothes. Although Aiden had washed Rudy’s stuff, he had one outfit that he kept recycling. Aiden wanted to buy the man a damn wardrobe, starting with a coat and some insulated boots so he could throw away the worn sneakers the guy always wore.

First thing tomorrow, Aiden would get on his laptop and do just that. He just needed to find out Rudy’s sizes. That would be easy enough. He could look at the size in Rudy’s pants and shirt since the clothes were currently in the dryer.

But right now, all Aiden could think about was making love to this slip of a man. Rudy’s baby blues were so beautiful, yet filled with mistrust, as if Aiden would go back on his word and toss him out.

“If you want, we can draw up an agreement.”

Rudy studied him then shook his head. “I trust you.”

He had no idea how much those words meant to Aiden. The only person in Aiden’s life for the past five years had been Reese. But they were just friends. It felt good to share his home with another person. Rudy being there just felt right and good, and Aiden needed to stop thinking and get into a little more action.

He pulled up and ran his hand over Rudy’s slim chest, and then he slid his hand under Rudy’s shirt, shuddering at the feel of his warm skin.

Sensual tension clung in the air between them as Aiden moved his hand lower, over Rudy’s navel then to the waistline of his pajama pants. He teased the skin, running his fingers back and forth while he listened to Rudy’s breathing become choppy.

When Rudy didn’t protest, Aiden moved his hand even lower. He curled his fist around Rudy’s hard cock and smiled when Rudy gasped and rolled his eyes to the back of his head.

Aiden moved down Rudy’s body, taking the pajama bottoms with him. Rudy’s eyes stayed glued to Aiden as Aiden licked the head, drawing the pre-cum into his mouth.

“Tell me we can’t have a bit of fun and not regret things in the morning.”

“No-no regrets.” Rudy bit his bottom lip. He was fighting for control. Aiden saw that in his blue eyes.

“Don’t hold back on me.” Aiden winked. “Don’t be afraid to let loose.”

“I’m-I’m not afraid.” It seemed arousal befuddled Rudy’s brain. Aiden found that endearing as he sucked the rest of Rudy’s cock into his mouth.

“Fuck,” Rudy groaned. He fisted the couch as he tried to spread his legs wider, but the pants prevented him for doing so. They were at his knees and prohibited movement. Aiden pulled them all the way off and threw them aside. When he did, Rudy tossed a leg over the back of the couch, opening himself up for Aiden.

Aiden pulled off Rudy’s length and kissed each inner thigh. He loved how the man smelled, musky and masculine. It was a heady scent that Aiden inhaled deep drafts of.

Rudy’s legs shook as Aiden licked his way to the man’s balls. He bathed the wrinkled sac with his tongue while wetting a finger. When Aiden took Rudy’s cock back into his mouth, he slid a finger into Rudy’s tight ass.

Aiden repositioned Rudy, putting him on his hands and knees. Rudy gripped the arm of the couch as Aiden buried his face in the man’s ass, reinserting his finger.

Rudy made the sexiest noises as he thrust backward, spreading his legs as far apart as he could without falling off the couch.

Aiden needed more room. He lifted Rudy up and carried him to his bedroom, depositing him on the bed before diving back in. Aiden swirled his tongue then delved it deep while pulling Rudy’s cheeks apart.

“Aiden,” Rudy panted.

Aiden added a second finger, using the tip of his tongue to trace the tight band of muscles at Rudy’s ass. Aiden gave then pulled back, keeping Rudy on the edge without letting him orgasm. He wanted to wait until he was buried deep inside before he let the man climax.

“Aiden,” Rudy said a little more desperately.

“Soon.” He kissed the backs of Rudy’s legs. “Real soon, hon.”

Aiden added a third finger as Rudy rocked back and forth. As much as Aiden didn’t want to rush things, he was too wired to take things slow. He needed to be buried deep in Rudy’s ass, and not with just his fingers.

He pulled them free and reached into his nightstand drawer, coming away with a well-used bottle of lube. Aiden attacked Rudy’s hole with his mouth as he lathered his cock. His hand shook, and he prayed he didn’t come as soon as he entered Rudy.

Aiden reared back and pressed the head of his cock against Rudy’s entrance. With a deep breath, he drove his cock deep, hissing at the tight heat.

Rudy’s shoulders fell to the bed, and his fingers curled into the comforter. “Holy fuck!”

Aiden stilled, giving Rudy’s body enough time to adjust. He smoothed his hand down Rudy’s spine, his cock throbbing so heavily that Aiden had to grab the base to stave off his orgasm.

Sweat broke out over his brow. “Tell me I can move,” he said between gritted teeth.

“God, please move.”