STORY EXCERPT

The man slumped in his chair, eyes down on something on the table, and Dallan wished he’d look up so he could see the man’s eyes. Suddenly, he lifted his head, giving Dallan a good view of his profile. His nose was a little long, and his lips were just shy of full. Then, the young man turned his head and Dallan caught sight of sky-blue eyes that held curiosity.

The baby face was smooth with a barely noticeable scar across the right cheek. He was simply dressed in a light-blue button-down shirt and a loosely knotted red tie.

Dallan’s gaze washed over the male’s face again, carefully drinking him in once more, and that’s when their eyes collided. It was like a sucker punch to the solar plexus. His stomach tightened and his power tensed and shot up like water through a spout fountain. His heart raced and he felt like a schoolboy laying eyes on a crush.

Dallan did a mental double take because it had been a very long time since any sweet young thing had made his heart rush or his breath catch. Looking to admire, because he did love to look at beautiful and attractive men, had turned into looking to devour.

The hunger must be rolling off him in powerful waves, because the other man looked away briefly and then back again. Dallan’s gaze was drawn to the bow lips as they fell apart, and his dick twitched. His mind painted a picture for him of those lips stretched around his cock as they sucked him past them.

And then the man’s little pink tongue darted out to lightly moisten his bottom lip. The simple act sent Dallan’s body into a full hard-on.

Oh, fuck yeah.

He loved men of all shades and found something to like in all features, but Dallan had to admit this one was very appealing. And he was flirting without truly trying.

Dallan got to his feet and moved with catlike grace toward the other man’s table. He kept his eyes on the stranger, who couldn’t seem to look away now either despite the peel of feminine laughter that grated over his nerves from a nearby table. Dallan rested one hand on a vacant chair and the other he slid into his slacks pocket.

“Good afternoon.” Dallan was well aware that not every man he saw was gay, but he wasn’t afraid of taking a chance, especially since he had the magical might as well as the physical strength to defend himself from a pissed-off straight guy. “May I join you?”

“Uh—” The object of his interest looked around briefly.

“Is your girlfriend one of those ladies over there?” Dallan asked, and blue eyes jerked back to his, snapping with a bit of ire. “Or are they more your type than I am?”

The other man’s eyes lit with a bit of humor. “Not really.”

Dallan pulled out the chair and sat down without breaking eye contact. “I’ll take that as a yes then for now,” Dallan drawled. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Hansel.”

“Dallan,” he introduced smoothly. “Why isn’t your boyfriend joining you for lunch? With a pretty face like yours, I’d be hard-pressed to allow you to dine in public alone.”

Hansel’s lips curved into a smile that made his eyes spark with mischief. “You’d just keep me locked up like a prisoner?” he drawled, keeping his voice low.

Dallan leaned toward him, his lips spreading into a slow grin. “It would be a thought.”

“And leave me to eat alone?” Hansel added, those blue eyes still dancing with mirth.

“Hardly,” Dallan murmured. “I’d just be worried about you having to fend off so many men and women.”

Hansel laughed, and a swirl of darker blue turned Hansel’s eyes sodalite. The color bespoke of one of the intriguing jewel witches. Their magick was expelled in shades that matched the color of their eyes, and their eye color was a mood indicator. The darker the shade, the more amused and in good humor they were. The paler shades indicated anger or confusion.

“I get my share of attention, but I’d be the one worried.”

“About what?”

Hansel leaned forward, elbow on the table. “About you being unfaithful to me. All the hot men I’ve ever known seem to have trouble keeping it in their pants.”

His words were laced with a hint of anger, and Dallan wanted to throttle every man who’d ever hurt this ray of sunshine.

“Sounds like you’ve been played a time or two,” Dallan replied quietly.

“Once or twice, yeah,” Hansel admitted with a shrug. “But who hasn’t?”

“I’m not that guy, Hansel,” Dallan said softly. “In fact, the only playing I’d be doing is with you. I bet you’d be a feast spread out for me every night.”

Hansel looked down at the table where Dallan’s right hand lay facedown, and then back up at Dallan. “Are you one of those guys who got married to hide being gay? I mean, I don’t—you’re keeping your other hand out of sight, so I can’t tell if you’re wearing a ring, not that it means much these days.”

“I’m not married.” Dallan held his left hand up, revealing dark brown skin with copper undertones and short neat nails. “That’s not how I roll, Hansel. Those kinds of games are for little boys and bastards. If all I want is one night, I just tell a guy that up front so he can make an informed decision.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Hansel’s heart pounded in his ears. He had planned to use a bit of misdirection tonight, but he was certain whoever had been outside hadn’t been after him. The only threat stalking him was Darla and his sister’s schemes. And for now, he was safe from them.

He held Dallan’s gaze as he brushed Dallan’s lips with his own. Dallan’s lips parted, and Hansel slipped his tongue inside.

Dallan moaned softly and closed his arms around Hansel, holding him close as he took over the kiss. Dallan’s tongue stroked against his, sending shivers down his spine and making his cock jerk in excitement.

Hansel moved against him, and Dallan inserted his thigh between Hansel’s. Hansel rubbed his engorged cock on it as his blood heated. His head spun as arousal rushed through him like a sex-enhancing drug.

He tugged Dallan’s shirt from his pants, then pushed his hands beneath, eagerly seeking skin.

Dallan’s hands glided down to cup Hansel’s ass. His fingers caressed the seam. The act was a gasoline to flame, further igniting Hansel’s passion. He whimpered and ground against the hard thigh wedged between his.

“Oh fuck.” Hansel breathed out roughly. “I want you.” His heart thundered, and he felt the air kissing over his nape.

Dallan’s response was to reach up and tug free the pins holding the knot Hansel had made of his ponytail. Then, he removed the band hidden by the hair and tossed them aside to thread his fingers into the fine locks.

“How?” Dallan asked.

“Like this.” Hansel stepped back, grasped Dallan’s tie, and led him to his bedroom, where Hansel turned on the light.

He faced Dallan, worked the tie free, and used it to pull Dallan to him. “And like this.” Hansel brushed his lips along the corner of Dallan’s mouth before trailing kisses to his throat. Dallan sighed, hands going to Hansel’s hips.

Hansel swirled his tongue in the hollow at the base of Dallan’s throat. Dallan groaned as he worked the buttons of Hansel’s shirt free before pushing his hands beneath the T-shirt.

Hansel shuddered and lifted his head to steal a quick kiss as he brushed Dallan’s shirt open to reveal a white undershirt.

“I want this off,” Hansel said. “I need to taste you, touch you.”

“Take yours off, too,” Dallan ordered and immediately began to shrug out of his own shirt and tee.

Hansel did the same as his eyes devoured Dallan’s brown skin, the defined muscles of his arms, the chest lightly sprinkled with curling black hair and the ripped stomach, a plane of pure definition.

He gaze lingered on the runic script running down the outer edge of Dallan’s pec down his side.

Pushing the curiosity aside, Hansel toed off his shoes and kicked them aside, then tossed his garments onto the chair before he closed the distance between them. “Are you clean?” He ran his fingers down Dallan’s chest, barely containing his eagerness to taste him.

“Yes. You?” Dallan toed off his shoes, as well.

“Yes.” Hansel nodded and dipped his head to press a kiss to Dallan’s shoulder. He ran his tongue along the collarbone and down to Dallan’s chest.

Hansel lightly bit and kissed his way to an erect nipple. He curled his tongue around it and sucked before turning his attention to the twin. He grazed it with his teeth, then laved it while he worked Dallan’s belt free.

Dallan’s hands were on him, stroking his back in silent encouragement. Hansel released the button of Dallan’s pants and sucked Dallan’s nipple as he dragged the zipper down its track and pushed his hand inside.

He smoothed his hand over the warm flesh, closing his hand around the thick cock. He ran his thumb along the head, which drew a harsh intake of breath from Dallan.

Hansel’s eyes widened, and he passed his pad over the flesh again, feeling cool metal.

“Cock ring,” Dallan told him. “It’s clean and new.”

“Oh.” His stomach fluttered with excitement. He’d always wondered about men brave enough to get their dicks pierced. “Damn, it had to hurt.”

Dallan chuckled. “A little bit.”

“You’re crazy.” Hansel nuzzled Dallan’s nipple before pushing Dallan back onto the chair. Then Hansel sank to his knees and pressed kisses along Dallan’s lower belly.

Hansel looked up at Dallan as he lowered his head to lick away the bead of precum on the tip of Dallan’s dick. Dallan’s eyes darkened, the brown almost black, and the arousal in that stare almost took Hansel’s breath away.

“I want you like this.” Hansel drew his tongue over the mushroom head and teased the slit before taking it into his mouth.

“Fuck.” Dallan hissed. His eyes drifted closed for a second and then opened again, meeting Hansel’s. The desire in them made Hansel hotter.

Hansel fisted Dallan’s cock as he sank his mouth lower, eager to taste as much of Dallan as he could. He bobbed his head slowly, savoring the earthy taste of the man who was about to become his lover.

Dallan threaded his fingers into Hansel’s hair, groaning as he thrust his hips forward, pushing his cock deeper into Hansel’s hot mouth. Hansel pumped the flesh in his mouth as he lifted his head, swirling his tongue around the crown and licking down the hard ridge.

“Shit, your mouth is scorching.” Dallan groaned and fisted his hands in Hansel’s hair.

Hansel stroked his tongue over one tight orb and then the other as he pumped Dallan’s cock. Dallan shuddered and Hansel smiled, glad he could bring Dallan so much pleasure.

He dragged his tongue back up the hard shaft, but let his thumb play over the tip as he pumped. Then he shifted his hand so his palm grazed the flesh. Dallan hissed.

“Baby, don’t fucking tease me. Suck my cock,” he ordered, pushing Hansel’s head down.

Hansel chuckled and closed his lips over the thick erection. Dallan held his head still while he thrust up into his mouth, fucking it with slow, easy strokes as he moaned.

“Oh, yeah,” Dallan said raggedly. “That’s good.” He pushed his cock down Hansel’s throat and Hansel swallowed, drawing a soft cry from Dallan. “Damn, it’s so good.”

Dallan pulled Hansel’s head back and urged Hansel to him. He claimed his mouth, tugging Hansel onto his lap. Hansel wrapped his arm around Dallan’s neck as Dallan plundered his mouth, the kiss rough and sweet at once.

“Mmm.” Hansel moaned and ground his erection against Dallan’s. “I want you now.”

Dallan stood with him in his arms and carried him to the bed. He dumped him on it, released Hansel’s belt, and tore open the button so he could drag the pants and briefs down Hansel’s slim thighs.