STORY EXCERPT

The warm, clean smell that was Jarrett wafted to him just seconds before Clark, the associate, spoke. However, Ryder refused to look up until Jarrett was a step from them. His eyes were cat green with rage and fixed on the mailman.

“Jarrett,” Ryder cried, but he wasn’t fast enough to stop Jarrett from grabbing the mailman by the collar of his pale blue shirt and jerking him off his feet.

The tang of fear was rancid in the air and Clark cursed.

“Jarrett!” Ryder snapped. He put a hand on his arm. “Put him down, please.”

“Why, hmm? I see this pathetic whelp making eyes at you, and I just want to eat him whole.”

Ryder’s stomach dropped to his feet and the killer look in his mate’s eyes didn’t help. Jarrett threw the mailman across the room and advanced on him.

“Shit. I’ll call security. Dalton will kill you if your man eat—beats that mailman up in here and gets the carpet all bloody.”

The mailman got off a punch and Jarrett thwacked him across the jaw before jerking him into a sitting position.

“Stay away from him,” he snarled. “I know you can’t, but if I catch you so much as looking long at him, I will eat you alive.” He shoved the mailman back and stalked a few steps away before turning around as the mailman got to his feet.

“Bastard. If he was your man, he wouldn’t be coming on to me. You obviously can’t keep him satisfied.”

Oh no he didn’t!

Ryder jerked around to glare at the dumb shit. He had no idea he was about to actually be turned into human kibble.

Jarrett started toward him and Ryder got in his path. “Jarrett, baby, stop,” he pleaded in a tone only Jarrett could hear. “He’s goading you.”

“How many times have you gone out with him?” Jarrett demanded. “I’m going to hit him that many times before I rip his throat open.”

“No!” Clark exclaimed. “No blood. Hit him as many times as you want, just don’t spill blood.”

“Clark, shut up,” Ryder ordered without taking his gaze from Jarrett. “Get out of here, you jackass, before I let him go.” He threw the mailman a warning look.

The man sneered at him. “You’re not worth fighting over. You’re just a piece of ass anyway.”

Jarrett breezed past Ryder and landed a single punch that knocked the mailman on his ass, rendering him unconscious.

“Jarrett,” Ryder muttered, rolling his eyes. “He’ll probably file charges against you for assault.”

“Let him,” Jarrett said tightly. “I don’t want to discuss this again, do you understand?” He pulled Ryder sharply into his arms, making him gasp. “Mine,” he said on a low growl.

Ryder let out a startled sound and then tightened his lips. “Jarrett. You Neanderthal.” He rested his hands on Jarrett’s chest. “I’ve never gone out with him. We just flirted.”

“Don’t do it again,” Jarrett commanded, and kissed him.

Ryder sank into his mate, winding his arm around his neck. He sighed, letting the hunger and need to be in Jarrett’s arms overtake him for long moments as their tongues slowly dueled.

“Aw hell,” a feminine voice muttered. “We better get him up.”

Jarrett broke the kiss and gave the two guards a curious look. “I’ve never seen security here.”

Ryder shrugged. “I’ll be in my office.” He led Jarrett to his office. “No one knows they’re here,” Ryder said. “Dalton wanted them to blend in.” He perched on the edge of his desk. “Why are you here?”

“I missed you,” he said. “And I wanted to see you.” Jarrett shook his head. “I was having a meeting with Lachlan about Jana, and I wondered what you’d think about me bribing a judge.”

Ryder frowned. “Huh? Why would you do that?”

“To ensure I get custody if the child is mine, but I started wondering if you’d even want to raise someone else’s child.” Ryder saw a tentative question in Jarrett’s gaze.

Ryder cupped Jarrett’s jaw. “Jarrett, you have to decide what you want and need and then consider this child.”

Jarrett sighed. “I know and—” He broke off as his phone vibrated in his jacket pocket. He lifted it free and glanced at the display. “Damn it. Jana is in labor. I need to call Lachlan. I need a blood and DNA test that is real and untainted.”

“Why don’t you go? I’ll handle things with the mailman.”

“I’ll call you later,” he said.

“You need to hold the child and look at it before you do anything like bribing a judge. Your heart will tell you what to do, Jarrett. Don’t block those instincts. They’re as natural as your animal’s instincts.” He kissed Jarrett’s cheek. “Call me when she’s given birth.”

He watched Jarrett go and then wrapped his arms around himself as a chill ran through his entire body. He was going to lose him.

ADULT EXCERPT

Ryder glared at him and unknotted the scarf. “Baby, come let me jerk you off,” he crooned. “I want your dick so bad, and if I can’t have it, at least let me feel you coming in my hand.”

Jarrett stepped into the bathroom. He stroked his fingers along Ryder’s jaw, now understanding why Ashcroft was unavailable at times. His cunning little panther had him cornered. And Ash was right: Jarrett was willing to do anything right now to please Ryder. That look in his eyes was a come-on he couldn’t refuse and the scent of him all hot and sweet orange had him too weak to let this go.

His cat growled in approval. His breathing increased, shoulders rising and falling fast. Jarrett opened the vanity drawer and removed a tube of lube along with a small box. He set the box on the counter before perching next to it.

“You want to play?”

Ryder’s eyes darkened with renewed lust. “Yes.”

“If you get louder than I want you to, then you’ll take five licks with my belt.”

Ryder nodded. “Okay. Just let me please you, Jarrett.”

“I will, but I want you to release the scarf and the button of your pants first.”

Ryder did as he was asked. He draped his scarf around his neck and Jarrett smiled.

“You look so cute with that scarf around your neck.”

Ryder wiggled his brows. “Now can I touch you?”

“Now,” Jarrett agreed.

Ryder glided his hands up Jarrett’s arms to his shoulders and then trailed one finger down to his belt buckle. He opened it and then unbuttoned his pants as he leaned forward to press a kiss to the corner of Jarrett’s mouth. He kissed a path to his ear. He nipped Jarrett’s earlobe as he pushed his hand down inside his pants. He tugged his erection free.

“I love the feel of your dick. It’s heavy and thick.” Ryder leaned back so their eyes met and reached for the lube.

“Do you like sucking my dick?”

“I could cum from sucking your dick, baby,” he murmured. He squeezed lube into his hand and worked it in before closing his hand around Jarrett’s full cock. “Let’s see if you can make me feel as good with your hand as you do with your mouth.”

Ryder glided his hand down Jarrett’s shaft and back up, letting his palm slide over the tip. Jarrett moaned. “I’m making a good start,” Ryder said softly.

“Keep it up,” Jarrett ordered as he reached for the box.

Ryder moved his hand in a slow rhythm up and down, giving Jarrett’s cock firm pulls. Jarrett groaned as the heat built in his blood making his shirt too hot. “Baby, that’s so nice.” He purred and rolled the silicone finger vibe onto his finger and added lube. He groaned as Ryder’s fingers tightened, thumb kissing over the head of his cock. “Fuck yeah.” He thrust up into his hold.

“Fuck my hand,” Ryder encouraged. He snagged his mate’s lips for a slow kiss.

It was a slow kiss with orange sweetness filling Jarrett’s mouth in a heated rush. He moaned into the kiss, wanting more of that sensual taste. He knew logically that taste had to be rich in hormones that seduced him, but he couldn’t pull back. Ryder was nothing less than a drug.

As their tongues dueled, Jarrett pulled Ryder closer and pushed his hand down his pants. He traced the silicone tip of his finger around the pucker of Ryder’s ass. His mate groaned into his mouth and Jarrett pushed his finger past the ring of muscle and into the hot depths of Ryder’s ass.

Ryder’s fingers stroked the veins of his cock and Jarrett purred. He thrust his finger in and out of Ryder’s ass slow and easy, wanting to build that heat until his lover begged to come.

Ryder broke the kiss. “Jarrett,” he said in a pleading tone, meeting his gaze with eyes drunk with lust.

“Tell me what it feels like, Ryder.” He’d pulled on the vibe with a heart pattern. He knew how good the vibes felt because he’d used them on himself to make sure his partner wouldn’t be hurt.

“It feels like you’re massaging my ass inside,” he said in a ragged tone. “Jarrett, god, don’t stop.” He allowed his nails to just graze the shaft of Jarrett’s cock before working him with harder, firmer strokes that sent pleasure rippling through Jarrett.

“Damn, that’s good.” He thrust into Ryder’s grip and matched his own thrusts into Ryder’s ass in time with Ryder’s on his cock.

Ryder’s face was filled with bliss, eyes heavy-lidded. He thrust back against Jarrett’s finger, the sounds of his pleasure getting louder.

“Oh fuck. Oh fuck!” Ryder screamed as his cum hit the floor. He groaned, his jaw slack and his head thrown back. Ryder’s fingers jerked on Jarrett’s cock.