STORY EXCERPT

“Oh crap.” Tido ducked down behind his couch as soon as he spotted Alan’s car pulling into his driveway. Tido must’ve been brain dead when he agreed to go out with his ex-boyfriend again.

An ex was an ex for a reason, and Tido had forgotten that golden rule. It was amazing what some people would do or agree to when they were lonely. For fuck’s sake, Alan had been waiting for his mother to die so he could inherit the house.

Not a characteristic Tido looked for in a guy.

He peeked over the couch and then dropped to the floor when Alan rang his doorbell. Ugh. He should have never called the guy three weeks ago. Worse, one of Tido’s best friends had seen Alan leaving.

Tido didn’t want his friends to know he’d been so lonely that he’d called Alan and invited the guy over. Nothing had happened, even though Alan had made it clear he wanted to fool around. The thing was, as soon as the guy had hit Tido’s porch, Tido had regretted calling him.

And now Alan just wouldn’t leave him alone.

Also, Tido hated it when someone—other than one of his best friends—dropped by unannounced. That was just plain rude in his opinion. What if he’d been in the shower or jerking off? Or what if he didn’t want visitors?

His eyes widened when Alan tried the door handle, jiggling it like he would walk right in if it was unlocked. Tido had a mind to grab his fire poker, whip the door open, and bash Alan over the head with it. Alan trying to simply walk into his house set Tido’s teeth to grinding.

Finally, he heard Alan walk down the steps. Tido eased himself from behind the couch and, staying in a crouched position, slinked his way over to the window. Alan was in his car, and when he looked back at the porch, Tido quickly ducked down.

When he peeked out the window again, he was relieved to see Alan pulling from his driveway. But that wasn’t what caught Tido’s attention.

It was the sexy stud across the street who was coming out of his house. Tido shuddered as he watched the guy put a bag of trash in the can on the side of the house, and then he walked back toward his front door.

Only, the guy stopped and looked around, as if he knew someone was watching him. Tido couldn’t help it. Ever since his new neighbor moved in, he’d had the hots for him.

He just hadn’t been brave enough to go over there and introduce himself. It was the neighborly thing to do, and the perfect excuse to learn Stud Muffin’s name, but every time he made a decision to waltz over there, he lost his nerve.

His neighbor was the sexiest man he’d ever seen. Tall, muscular, with high cheekbones, pretty brown skin, and fuck, Tido could just imagine himself spread out over the guy’s table while his neighbor fulfilled every damn fantasy Tido had ever had. To hell with borrowing a cup of sugar. Tido wanted to borrow the guy’s body.

He gasped and ducked down when his neighbor looked right at him. That was all he needed, for the guy to think Tido was some kind of creep.

Unfortunately, Tido heard another car pull into his driveway. He assumed it was his driveway because he heard a door slam, and the sound was close. Counting to ten, Tido looked back out the window and saw his friend Drake approaching his porch.

Tido’s gaze slid across the street, and he ducked back down when he saw the guy was still looking his way.

Doing the only thing he could think of, Tido crawled to his door, unlocked it, and yelled for Drake to come in when his friend rang the bell. When Drake entered, he stared down at Tido.

“What’re you doing down there?”

“Just close the door. Hurry.”

As soon as Drake closed the door, Tido stood and locked it like Alan would return and bust in. Or his sexy neighbor would.

“You mind telling me what’s going on?” Drake asked, one brow raised. “Were you expecting someone else?” He winked. “You being down there makes me think I’m not the guy you were hoping for.”

“Oh shut up.” Tido eased back toward his living room window and quickly pulled the blinds down.

“You’re acting even more squirrelly than usual.” Drake glanced toward the window. “Is this about your new neighbor?”

“No,” Tido said a little too quickly. “It’s about Alan showing up unannounced.”

Drake’s brows squished together. “But I thought you two were dating again.”

“Hardly.” Tido walked to his kitchen, Drake following. “I got lonely one day and invited him over. The day you saw him leaving. We didn’t do anything.” Tido stopped and turned to face Drake. “So no judging me. We both know I have terrible taste in men.”

Drake’s words came out with a chuckle. “I won’t argue with that.”

Tido huffed. “So, where’s your boo?”

“At the café.” Drake took a seat at the table. “I have the day off and thought we could hang out. Elijah and Gage are at work, and if I stick around the café any longer, I’ll gain twenty pounds.”

The Bluebird Café. Tido had been there a few times, and Ajax made the best treats. He also made some amazing coffee.

“Hang out with me and I’ll tell you who that is across the street,” Drake said.

“You don’t know.” Tido narrowed his eyes. “You’re just fucking with me.”

ADULT EXCERPT

“Wouldn’t…” Tido licked his suddenly dry lips. “Wouldn’t want to destroy your clothes.” He lifted his hand, unsure what he was doing with it and then rested it back in his lap. “Uh, go ahead and do your thing.”

Kenji placed his hands on his hips, as if he’d forgotten he was naked. His junk was right there in Tido’s face. Kenji’s cock soft, yet it was impressive. “Are you sure? You look terrified.”

Fear wasn’t an emotion Tido was dealing with right now. Lust, need, the urge to jump on Kenji. He had an impulse to drop to his knees.

The last two weren’t “feelings,” more like driven desires. If Kenji crooked his finger, Tido would be at the guy’s mercy.

“You show off your huge muscles and…and all that flawless skin, and…uh… I forgot my point.” Tido slowly stood, forcing his eyes away from Kenji’s impressive cock. “Just show me your wolf already.”

Before I beg you to fuck me, you delicious stud.

In an instant Kenji was gone, replaced by a humongous wolf. Tido hadn’t expected the wolf to be so damn huge. It stared at Tido with big brown eyes, his fur so soft looking that Tido’s hand itched to run his fingers through it.

The wolf’s fur was mostly brown with a blend of black and white. Its snout was level with Tido’s chest. Tido just bet that if the wolf stood on its hind legs, it would be taller than hiss five feet six inches.

Dropping to his knees, Tido scratched the wolf under its chin. “Aren’t you a beautiful boy.”

He should be terrified of such a large creature even existing. Not of wolves in general, not the wild ones, but the ones who started out as men. This was so freaking trippy, yet Tido wasn’t afraid.

“I’m gonna buy a dog brush. Not that I’m saying you’re a dog, but you know what I mean. I’d love to brush your fur. I can’t believe how soft it is.”

Tido was unable to tear his eyes away from the magnificent creature before him. He felt a strange sense of kinship with the beast, as if he, too, was a creature of the wild. The wolf responded to Tido’s gentle touch by nuzzling against his hand, making Tido smile.

Then Kenji returned to his human form and was on his knees, so close that Tido could feel the man’s body heat.

“I knew you’d like my wolf,” Kenji husked out, a sense of pride in his voice. He leaned in closer, his eyes locked on Tido’s.

Tido hesitated, his heart pounding with a mix of excitement and fear. He knew that what he was about to do would change his life forever. But he couldn’t resist the urge to be with this man, to embrace the wildness and the passion.

So much for keeping my distance.

Who was he kidding? He had a naked hunk in front of him. There was no way Tido was walking away from this. As Kenji’s lips gently touched his, Tido’s breath caught in his throat, the overwhelming emotions of desire and curiosity flooding him. The kiss was slow and sensual, with the scent of the wolf lingering on Kenji’s skin, a constant reminder of his wild nature.

Kenji’s hands roamed Tido’s body, as if savoring every inch of skin. He pulled Tido closer, their bodies molding together like two halves of a whole. Tido could feel the warmth of Kenji’s body pulsating against him, the perfect tempest of ferocity and passion.

Desperately trying to restrain himself, Tido ran his fingers over Kenji’s shorn hair, feeling the coarse strands against his skin. The wolf was close, ever-present in his mind, and though he didn’t fully understand it, he knew that this bond would be unbreakable.

Their kiss deepened, tongues intertwining, a perfect harmony of two souls finding each other. Tido’s heart was pounding like crazy, but Kenji’s warm embrace melted away his hesitation.

In that moment, Tido realized that he had stepped into a world where the boundaries between man and beast were blurred, and it was up to him to decide which path to take. He knew that the wildness within Kenji was both seductive and dangerous, but he also knew that he could not resist its pull.

As the kiss continued, Kenji’s breath was warm and deep, sending shivers down Tido’s spine. He felt like he was becoming one with this man, this creature of the wild. Their bodies were now intertwined, moving together like a dance between two forces of nature.

But Tido couldn’t forget the wolf that was always lurking in the background. Even now, as Kenji held him close, Tido knew that the wolf was a part of who Kenji was. It was up to him to either embrace Kenji’s world or walk away before it was too late.

For a moment, Tido couldn’t breathe. The weight of the decision lay heavily on his chest, like a burden he wasn’t sure he could bear. But then, he felt Kenji’s hand on his cheek, gently guiding his head back so that their eyes met. And in that moment, Tido knew that he couldn’t turn back.

“I want this,” Tido whispered, his voice barely audible. “I want us. I want to be with you.”

Kenji smiled, his eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and triumph. “Then let’s embrace it,” he said, pulling Tido closer.

Tido didn’t have time to second-guess his decision. Kenji slipped Tido’s shirt off, tossed it aside, and then lowered to his knees to remove Tido’s shoes and socks.

Kenji looked up at him, their gazes locked as he lowered Tido’s pants and underwear. Before they were off, Kenji leaned forward and engulfed Tido’s hard cock.