STORY EXCERPT

Border patrol Agent Nick Marshal froze in his tracks. He glanced over his shoulder at the mud slinger, Clint, as the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. “Try saying that to my fucking face.”

“You’re a pussy,” Clint said.

Nick shoved Clint up against the filing cabinets, shaking the potted plants on top. One plant knocked over, sending dirt and fertilizer all over the papers on top of the cabinet. He lowered his voice to a whisper that only Clint would be able to hear. “Don’t pick a fight you can’t win.”

“You’re too much of a pussy to fight me,” Clint said. “We both know that.”

Right now, Nick wanted to smash the smug satisfaction off of Clint’s face. “Try me.”

Clint’s auburn hair was buzzed short. There was a bad attitude stamped in his eyes as he stared Nick down. Nick was well aware that he didn’t have any friends within the department. Clint liked to point that fact out every chance he got. Nick was a loner. He just didn’t make friends the way a normal person did. Nick was an introvert. Most probably took that as arrogant. He did his job and went home. Of course, home was where his demons started to play tag in his mind. He did not want this fight today. Clint stared at him, egging him on.

“What the fuck is going on with you, Clint?” Nick asked.

When silence echoed back, Nick shoved Clint up against the file cabinets again, denting them this time.

“I’d watch your step,” Clint said.

Nick knew he was crossing the line, but he didn’t care. He was tired of the rumors swirling around the department about his sexual orientation. Yeah, he could have deflected them by coming out, but he wasn’t about to do that to satisfy someone’s else’s perverted urges to crucify him. Nick was so far into the closet that he wasn’t about to step out in front of this firing squad Clint was organizing. He was positive they didn’t know a damn thing about his past. That was long ago buried. Or was it? Had someone gotten ahold of his personnel file? Had someone in the department leaked his private hell?

Nick let go of Clint with a shove. “Leave me the fuck alone. Stay out of my way and we won’t have any more problems.”

Nick strode to the doorway that led to the main hall. He had to get away from Clint before he did something epically stupid.

“You’re still a pussy.”

There was going to be a nasty fight. Nick froze midstride. Clint was going to keep pushing until he got one. Nick fisted both of his hands, wishing for clarity. It wasn’t happening. He clenched and unclenched his fists. He always did when he was so fucking pissed off that he couldn’t think straight. He tried to see past this moment, but Clint was making it really difficult.

“Say that to my face.”

“You’re a pussy.”

It was on.

Nick rushed up into Clint’s face, but didn’t touch him. He blocked him in between the cabinet and the corner desk. “Hit me.”

Clint grinned. “Not going to happen, pussy.”

Nick crossed his arms and leaned in close, lowering his voice. He knew if he didn’t cross them he’d be reaching out to strangle Clint. “By the time this is over, you’re going to be munching my cunt if you keep calling me a pussy.”

Nick turned away, heading out of the room. He had to get control of his emotions running wild through his body. Clint’s laughter slapped the back of Nick’s head with the force of a bowling ball.

“Fucking pussy.”

Before Nick could process the move, he was across the room and grabbing hold of Clint by the front of his tactical shirt. This time he wasn’t going to let go. This time he was going to make a statement to everyone in the department to leave him the fuck alone. The window was open. Nick wanted to chuck Clint out of it, but Nick put a stop on that temptation. Nick swung Clint by the shirt, tossing him across the room.

Papers went flying as Clint slid across his desk. A cup of pens and pencils hit the wall and rolled across the floor. Clint fell off the desk and onto his ass, knocking his desk chair back with a bang against more filing cabinets. Clint sprang to his feet, spinning a binder at Nick’s head. Despite ducking, the rough corner of the binder hit Nick’s temple. This fight was a long time coming. Things weren’t the same with Clint since Nick got the promotion and Clint was bypassed. Heat dripped down the side of Nick’s face. He knew he was bleeding.

“Leave me the fuck alone,” Nick said. “I don’t want any more problems with you.”

He rounded and came face to face with his director, Sam Peters. This was not good. Sam took a look around at the destruction in the office. His hands were cocked on his hips. One hand was on the butt of his Glock while the other fingered the holder of his cuffs. Yeah, it was clear that he was thinking about shooting first and asking questions later. Sam would probably bury them both in the desert and then go to lunch. Sam’s hard edge had hard edges that Nick didn’t care to understand. The man looked absolutely dangerous in the light of day. It probably had a lot to do with the scars on his right arm that he never talked about.

“Both of you, in my office now,” Sam said. “Now!”

Sam turned and headed into the hallway. Clint glared at Nick, waiting until Sam was out of earshot.

“Ladies first,” Clint said.

ADULT EXCERPT

Thunder rumbled off in the distance. Rain misted, creating a fog around Ben’s farm. Ben got out of his truck just as Nick was pulling up in front of the stable. He got out of his Jeep and came straight for Ben, grabbing his jaw and kissing him hard.

Shock had Ben opening his mouth up in surprise. Nick’s tongue flicked inside, taking ownership of his mouth. Ben groaned, dropping his hands to Nick’s hips. Nick backed him up against the side of his truck. Nick’s thick thigh pressed between his legs, rubbing along the inside of his thigh. One of Nick’s free hands slid down his side, grabbing his ass. The tips of Nick’s fingers brushed along his rim. Ben groaned as Nick’s fingers pushed in and out against his rim.

They were both breathing roughly by the time Nick broke his lips away. “Busy tonight?”

Ben bit his lower lip, remembering how sweet Nick tasted on his tongue. “No.”

“Good. There’s something we need to talk about before we go any further.”

“There’s nothing to explain. I understand what you want,” Ben said. “I get what you want and what this is.”

“I don’t think you do, Ben.”

Ben moaned as Nick reached down, stroking his cock through his jeans. The pad of his thumb rubbed over the tip of his cockhead. “Nick…”

“I’m a Dom, Ben. I only take subs on.”

“Oh, fuck.”

“I like to spank. I like to rope my lover up and ride them hard,” Nick said.

“Oh shit…”

“I love to whip. I love to paddle. I love making my lovers beg for more.” Nick tugged on Ben’s jeans, pulling him in close. The backs of his fingers brushed against his cockhead. “Are you interested in having me?”

“Yes. I am.”

“That’s good.” Nick pulled away. “Let’s get inside. We’re going to talk about the first step of submissiveness.”

Ben’s hands were shaking as he unlocked the front door. He left the lights off as he headed into the foyer. Nick shut the door behind him. Ben hadn’t ever had a lover take control before.

“Tonight you’re going to learn about obedience.”

Tension vibrated through Ben’s body as Nick’s deep voice dropped low to the floor. Ben felt completely out of control as Nick looked around.

“This is how things are going to go. I’ll give the orders and you take them. Do you have a problem with that?”

Ben swallowed hard. “No problem.”

“Good. Undress. We’re doing a body inspection.”

Ben hadn’t every heard of a body inspection before. A slow grin broke out across his lips as Nick narrowed his eyes dangerously. Ben started to laugh. His nerves were driving this out of control car.

 “A what?”

Ben’s chuckled died off as Nick frowned hard. He came in close. “This isn’t a fucking game or playtime for me. Undress.”

Nick came forward when Ben hesitated, grabbing him by his big belt buckle. He undid his belt fast, whipping the leather across the floor. A thrill of excitement coursed through Ben’s blood. Nick stepped back.

“I asked you nicely to undress.”

Ben pulled his T-shirt over his head. He pulled his cowboy boots off and set them aside. All the while, Nick never stopped watching him closely. He unbuttoned his fly and dropped his boxers and jeans slowly to the ground. A spinning sensation started within his body as Nick looked him over, head to toe.

“Hunch down on the balls of your feet, spreading your thighs wide.”

Ben smoothed his hand over his cock as he hunched down as ordered. His balls hung low between his thighs, dangling by his ankles. His heavy cock pointed up. Goosebumps pebbled on his skin as Nick circled around. The end of Ben’s black leather belt dragged on the floor as Nick moved.

“Now palms on the floor. Arch your ass out.”

Ben put his hot palms on the cool marble tile. He spread his ass wide and arched his backside.

A shiver of heat spun through his cock, contracting it hard. Pre-cum dripped from his tip and landed with a one-two punch on the tile. Nick stopped in front of him, leaning down. Nick gave Ben’s cock a firm stroke, twisting his palm up from base to tip.

“You need to pick a safe word that you will use if things get too intense for you to handle. You use that word, I’ll stop what I’m doing immediately.”

Ben couldn’t think. He was so caught up with how Nick was making him feel. “Whoa.”

“Whoa?”

“Yeah. It’s something that I’ll remember to use.”

Ben felt Nick’s fingers run through his hair and it felt so wonderful to be touched.

“I like it. It tells me a lot about your personality.”

Sweat broke out on Ben’s brow as Nick walked around him again. This time he stopped at Ben’s ass. The pad of Nick’s thumb slid down over Ben’s rim, rubbing him roughly. Ben’s entire body began to shake from holding the position for so long. He didn’t care. He would hold it forever if it meant he’d find out what Nick would do next to him. Ben felt the cool slide of leather across his backside. It made his mouth water.

All of a sudden a whoosh of air simmered across his skin as the leather smacked his ass. The slap of leather against his ass was so shocking that it sent his balls bouncing and his cock striking against his abdomen. A smear of pre-cum was left just above his navel. Ben bit his lip and groaned with pleasure as Nick hit him four more times across the ass. Each hit sent his balls knocking together and his prick flying against his abdomen. The sensations were so unexpected that all Ben could think about was coming hard. Ben was whimpering with need by the time Nick finished whipping him with his leather belt.