STORY EXCERPT

Pulling himself out of his reverie, he started rummaging through the cupboards. He heard wood squeaking, protesting under someone's weight, the noise growing louder. Someone was coming down the back steps. Robby paused in his search and watched as a dark shadow appeared at the other end of the kitchen.

The guy reached out and flipped a switch. The kitchen flooded with lights and Robby had to blink a few times for his eyes to adjust.

"Most robbers go for the expensive things," the guy said as he crossed his thick arms and leaned against the doorframe.

Oh, goody. He was about to make another friend. Robby mentally rolled his eyes at his inward sarcasm. "Well, I always say, if you can't carry it, leave it behind." Robby found a box of tea and pulled it from the cupboard. "I'm making some tea. Do you want some?"

A slight grin appeared on the stranger's face before he nodded. The smile didn't reach his eyes. "Sure. I'll share a cup of tea with you until the cops arrive."

"Then maybe I should put on some more water," Robby said. He rummaged around the cupboards until he found two coffee mugs. Setting them aside, Robby filled the teapot and then set it on the stove, turning the burner on high. He ran his hands down the front of his pants as he glanced around, trying to find something else to do to keep himself moving.

"What the hell," the guy said in an amused tone. "We might as well heat up the leftover biscuits while we're at it."

If Robby really was a burglar, this would've been the nicest man he ever robbed. "Do you have any jam?"

The stranger moved across the kitchen and opened a cupboard, reaching high. He pulled down a jar of boysenberry. "Only the best."

Robby snickered. "Tea and crumpets. I like that."

"Yeah. It'll go great with those silver cuffs the cops put around your wrists." The stranger's crooked smile gleamed white under the fluorescent lighting. Robby blinked a few times before he pulled his gaze away. He was mesmerized by the color of the guy's hair. It was dark and reminded Robby of the wintery night. He didn't want to get caught gawking at the guy.

The handsome stranger pulled a Ziploc bag of biscuits from the refrigerator and then placed them on a cookie sheet before turning the oven on and sliding them inside.

"You're kinda completing me right now." Robby placed a teabag in each cup. "Tea and bondage. Hmm, I think I like that better."

Robby was way out of his element. He knew nothing of bondage or even sex. He was just trying to make conversation while waiting on Isaac. There was a towel lying over the stainless steel that separated the two sinks. Robby snagged it and began to wipe down the clean counter, wondering what Kris and the others were doing right now.

The stranger moved closer and placed his beefy hand over Robby's. The warm hand was twice the size of Robby's and he could see a few scars over some of the knuckles. "You are the strangest intruder," the man said. "Seriously, why are you here?"

Pulling his hand free, Robby whispered, "I'm not really here. You're sleepwalking and I'm just a figment of your imagination." The tea kettle started whistling. He snagged a potholder and turned the burner off as he glanced at the digital clock on the back of the stove to see that it was 2:36.

Why was it taking Isaac so long to come downstairs?

He poured the hot water into each mug, watching the steam rise before setting the kettle back on the stove. "Do you have any honey?"

The stranger spun the lazy Susan and then grabbed a container, handing it to Robby. "Anything else?"

"A good ghost story if you know one." Robby squeezed a dollop of honey into his tea. "Or a racy romance, and don't leave out any of the details." He waved the honey toward the guy but the stranger shook his head. Robby set the container on the counter.

The stranger sat at the long table and took a sip of his tea before he said, "How about a story about a guy who goes to prison for breaking into people's homes?"

"Boring," Robby said in a singsong voice. "I know how those stories end and I'm not being traded for a carton of smokes. My pretty little ass would become someone's bitch. No thanks. Besides, I look terrible in orange and foam slippers."

The guy's light-grey eyes widened and if Robby wasn't mistaken, the stranger was blushing. "Graphic."

Yeah, no shit. Robby had no clue why he'd said that. It was as if his buffer had died, leaving his thoughts to tumble straight out of his mouth. He cringed and turned back toward the counter, his face, neck, and ears feeling impossibly hot.

"So what's your name?" Robby asked after clearing his throat. "Or should I just call you my victim?"

"Shott will do just fine," the guy said. "And I'm no one's victim."

From the tone of Shott's voice, he wasn't too fond of that word. Robby tucked that tidbit of info away for later reference. He wasn't trying to piss the man off. He genuinely liked Shott.

"You can call me Robby." A short burst of laughter sprang from Robby's throat. "You know, because I'm a robber." It was funny to him.

A chair scraped across the floor. "Come have a seat and tell me how you got into a life of crime."

ADULT EXCERPT

Shott came awake and knew it wasn't time to get up. He turned and looked at his bedside clock to see that it was a little past three in the morning. He wasn't sure why he'd woken up. Turning back around, he noticed that Robby was no longer in his bear form. The guy must have healed.

He tried to gently turn Robby so he could see the man's chest, to see if the bruising was gone. Instead, Robby slowly opened his eyes and Shott became lost in the green depths.

"Is something wrong?" Robby asked.

"Nothing, sweetheart," Shott said. "I was just checking to see if you healed."

"How does it look?" Robby asked as he turned over.

Shott slid his hand down Robby's side and rested his hand on the man's naked hip. They were lying so closely together that the warmth bounced between them. "Looks damn good to me."

It felt good to. Robby's skin was silky smooth under Shott's big hand. With half-lidded eyes, Shott watched Robby lift a hand and run it over his barrel chest. He didn't move or say a word. Shott allowed Robby to touch him, to get to know him.

"It's smooth and hard at the same time," Robby said as he gazed at Shott's body in fascination. "It's like a silky brick wall."

Shott's cock thicken between his legs as Robby leaned forward and licked over one of Shott's nipples. "Salty."

The things Shott wanted Robby to do with that tongue. But he laid still and let Robby lead the way. His slim hands glided over Shott's chest and abdomen before Robby looked up at him through the fall of his messy hair. It was the most erotic thing Shott had ever seen.

"Will you kiss me again?" Robby asked.

"Every single day for the rest of your life," Shott said before he captured Robby's lips, plunging his tongue deep. He wasn't sure what had gotten into Robby, but the man's hands were everywhere. They slid over Shott's back, over his hip, and then collided up his chest. Shott cupped Robby's ass, squeezing, pulling the man closer.

Robby's mouth made Shott groaned in pleasure. He pulled away and began to nuzzle and suck at Robby's neck, the palm of his hand ghosting over Robby's nipples.

"I like that," Robby said as he arched his back. "I like when you touch me."

Shott continued to nibble at Robby's neck even though he felt the man pushing him to his back. Shott rolled and wondered what Robby was up to. He let his lover take control. He wanted to see where Robby was going with this.

He threaded his fingers through Robby's hair as the man began to kiss and nuzzle at Shott's chest. The bear shifter's tongue slid over Shott as the man began to work his way down word. Shott groaned and spread his legs wider. Robby's wet tongue traced the ridges of shots abdomen, nipping at him as if the man were hungry.

Shott hissed. "Fuck, baby."

He wasn't sure how experienced Robby was, but he was about to find out. But any way the coin fell, Shott knew he was going to enjoy this. How could he not? In his book, there was no such thing as a bad blow job.

Robby's voice was hoarse and whispered. "God, I can't stop thinking about tasting you."

Shott thought he was going to lose his mind when Robby squeezed his balls carefully, giving them a slight tug. His eyes stayed locked on what Robby was doing as the anticipation continued to build.

Don't rush him. Don't take control. Let Robby lead the way.

Pleasure washed hot across his shoulders and chest as Robby took the head of Shott's cock into his mouth. Shott gripped either side of Robby's head as he slowly fed the man his erection. "That's it, baby. Use your tongue. Take me in a little deeper."

Reining in his control was like trying to put a leash on a freight train. Shott stopped himself from driving his cock deep down Robby's throat. He flexed his arms and restrained his hips as Robby sank onto Shott's cock just a little deeper.

This was fucking torture.

He brushed his fingers against Robby's temple and then drifted to the man's jaw, all the while watching those beautiful lips. He thought about how Robby had been hurt and how it could've been so much worse. Shott sent up a thank you that Robby had been able to heal himself. The thought of anything happening to Robby made Shott feel insane.

But he soon forgot his train of thought as Robby continue to explore him, slow and unhurried, like a small lit fire pooling in Shott's stomach. Robby's teeth scraped Shott's flesh and Shott flinched. "Easy, baby. Careful of the teeth."

Pulling back, Robby let Shott's cock slip from between his lips and then nuzzled Shott's balls. Goddamn the man's mouth was magic. Shott dug his heels into the mattress as he lifted himself slightly upward. Robby took full advantage, his tongue teasing the skin beneath Shott's balls. He hissed and jerked, pleasure rioting throughout his body.

If it was going to be like this all the time, they were never going to get out of bed. Shott would make sure of it. His plan had been to take things nice and slow so as not to freak Robby out. But Robby had blown that plan out of the waters. The guy seemed to know what he wanted one after it.

Hell if that didn't turn Shott on.