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STORY EXCERPT

Cole Roman had never heard a more pitiful scream. He shot to his feet, grabbed his flashlight, flicked it on, and pointed the beam into the churning rapids of the Rough River. The moon was full, casting strong light, but he still couldn’t quite see what struggled in the white-capped water. But the cries were of a beast that would soon die without his help.

Cole tore off his boots and his hat and plunged into the mighty river. Spring runoff meant the water was beyond frigid. If he couldn’t reach the creature and get him out in under five minutes, they were both likely to die from hypothermia. Adrenaline surged when he recognized a dog clinging to a boulder. When it saw him, the look of surprise and hope was almost heartbreaking.

Pushing himself hard against the pounding water, Cole feared his strength was abandoning him, but still he wouldn’t give up. He wasn’t going to leave the poor beast to die. A great undercurrent grasped Cole’s leg, twisting him around, pulling him below. The shock of the cold crushed around his chest like a vise, blasting the air from his lungs. Determined to reach the surface, he kicked as hard as he could. Gasping for air, he turned this way and that, horrified to find that the poor beast was gone.

A faint whimper penetrated the sound of churning water. Cole couldn’t see, but he swore the beast was behind a boulder, protected by an eddy. The only way to know for sure was to let go and float down. Cole wasn’t a man who had faith in any religion, but he did believe in God. After tossing up a prayer, he let go and allowed the current to carry him down.

He snagged his hand into a crack in the rock and tried to swing himself around to the calmer water behind, but where the water sheared off the face of the rock was powerfully strong. Each second he strained ripped more of his strength away. If he didn’t hurry, he wouldn’t have the energy left to save himself, let alone the beast.

Another prayer passed his lips, falling upon the pounding water, drowning out his fear. With one last pull, he swung himself behind the boulder, and there was the creature. Cole’s eyes widened when he realized he’d practically killed himself to save a coyote. His boss wasn’t going to be happy about that, but right now Cole didn’t care. He approached cautiously, afraid the wild animal might attack, but it seemed to realize Cole was there to help.

Tucking the creature over his back, holding his paws upon his shoulders, almost like he was wearing him as a backpack, Cole left the safety of the eddy. Rather than fight his way across the current, he let it carry him down as he made slow progress across.

When he reached the shore, he lay gasping. His strength was gone, but at least he and the beast were free of the water. Cole looked up river and saw his campfire. It looked so small and terribly far away. If he had any hope of avoiding hypothermia, he had to get back there. Determined to save himself and his new pet, Cole rolled to his side and climbed to his feet.

The poor beast was on his side, panting heavily. He lifted his head, but it just as quickly fell back to the ground. Cole bent over and picked the creature up. It was then he realized what he had in his arms wasn’t an ordinary coyote. In the harsh environment of the high desert, most coyotes never grew above forty pounds, but the one he held had to be at least seventy-five pounds. Moreover, his fur was a strange silvery color in the moonlight, but something about it told Cole it wasn’t the standard gray or even the dusty brown he’d seen on some coyotes. By all he could tell, it was blond hair. How strange. He imagined this animal would look quite amazing in the sunlight. Cole was even more determined that the creature would survive just so he could see him in his full glory.

“What are you, friend? Half coyote and half dog?” Such couplings were not uncommon. The resulting creature was known as a coydog. “Well, Marshal won’t be quite so upset with me that I saved you. Just be sure not to eat any of his cattle.”

Talking helped him to keep walking toward his fire even though his feet felt filled with pins and needles from the cold. Curiously, it seemed to him the mutt understood, so he kept on talking.

“I’m Cole Roman. I’m a wrangler and a hydrologist. Now if you know anything about cattle, you know that wrangler is just another name for cowboy. Funny that, the name I mean, in that I’m twenty-five and long since done being a boy. I suppose that’s why I like wrangler over cowboy.” Given his miserable childhood, Cole didn’t think he’d really ever been a kid. It seemed to him he’d been born old. But he didn’t want to dwell on those memories. “Now a hydrologist studies water. Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that, but one of the things I do is keep an eye on the water resources of the ranch. That’s why I’m gone from the main homestead so much. I have to go to all the places the water goes. Can’t have cattle if you don’t have water.”

The creature licked his face, making him laugh.

“Ah, you’re welcome. I’m glad I saved you, too. It gets lonely out here. I could do with a good dog. Will you be a good dog?”

To his ever-loving surprise, the creature nodded.

“Well, it appears the cold has gotten right into my head and done something funny to my brain, because I swear you understand every word I’m saying.”

ADULT EXCERPT

“Relax. I want to please you. I want to make this good for you.” Damn. He wished he was more poetically inclined. He could recognize the beauty in others but didn’t seem to possess the ability himself. “I want to take you beyond the physical.”

“I’m there.” Lucky smiled at Cole as Cole kissed his belly button.

“I want you writhing in need.”

“I’m there, too.” Lucky’s grin widened as he wriggled in the blankets.

“I want to taste you.”

At that, Lucky’s eyes widened, but before he realized what Cole meant, Cole descended, taking Lucky’s cock into his mouth. His taste was wickedly delicious. Lucky arched up as he drew in a great breath. He reached down and cupped Cole’s hair, twining his delicate fingers in the dark strands, twisting them as Cole worked his mouth over his cock.

Lucky made nonsensical noises that pleased the hunter in Cole’s soul. Each time he rose up, he managed to part Lucky’s legs a little more. Eventually, he was able to slide his body between them. When he settled himself, Cole kissed his way down Lucky’s shaft to his sac and then lower.

“Ah, Cole!” Lucky gasped as he let go of Cole’s hair.

Cole teased his tongue deep into his cleft, loving the way his mate moaned and lifted himself up on his powerful legs. His buns were tight, too tight to let Cole have access to his target, so Cole shoved a mound of blankets under his buttocks and forced him to lie down.

“Please, take off your shirt so I can feel your skin against mine.”

Cole wrenched his shirt off and tossed it aside. “Lift up your legs.”

Obediently, Lucky lifted them and placed them on Cole’s shoulders. Now Lucky’s sweet pink pucker was fully exposed to Cole’s tongue. When he swirled around the sensitive skin, Lucky clutched the back of his knees and pulled himself open wide. Cole lost himself in the task of preparing his mate. Using his tongue, he teased and stroked over the tight ring of flesh until he was able to work his finger inside. The sound Lucky made was music to his ears. It was surrender and need. It was a promise for more between them than either of them could conceive. Each pass around made Cole’s prick ache, but he wanted this to be good for his mate. He needed this to be more than sex. It would be an epic joining, a fusing of their bodies and souls.

“My Cole. My mate. Please. I can’t hold back.”

Cole darted his gaze up and saw that Lucky’s balls were high and tight. Rather than try to relieve his need to climax, Cole decided to push him over the edge. Rising up, Cole wrapped his lips around his mate’s cock and sucked him deep while sliding his finger in and out of his bottom. Right as he peaked, Cole slipped another finger beside the first.

“Ah! Cole!”

Lucky climaxed, gushing his pleasure into Cole’s mouth. His taste was simply the purest bliss Cole had ever known. While Cole waited for him to finish, he opened the bottle of lube, pushed down his sweats, then eased them off. Slowly, he coated his cock. Even his own hand upon his shaft brought him terribly close to the edge. But he held back. He wanted Lucky’s climax to be complete.

Bleary-eyed and sated, Lucky looked down at Cole and smiled. “You are too kind.”

“I wanted to make sure you were ready.”

“I am. I am ready for you.” Lucky rolled to his side and then climbed up on his hands and knees. “Please, Cole. Now.”

Slipping his lube-slick hand between Lucky’s tight cheeks, Cole toyed with his tender hole, loving how he lowered his head and lifted his bottom submissively. His tanned buttocks were high, tight, and so perfect Cole couldn’t help himself. He leaned forward and bit his right cheek. Not hard, but a nip that caused Lucky to shiver and then whimper plaintively.

Planting himself between his knees, Cole steadied his prick by settling it in the crevice of Lucky’s backside. Gently, he sawed his prick back and forth, rubbing it up and down the split of Lucky’s bottom. Each time he pushed a little harder and went a little deeper. Madness seemed to fill his soul. A need to be inside him, to complete their joining, left Cole growling as he tried to hold himself back.

“Please. Oh, Cole, please. I must have you. I must know you.”

With his strong hands on either side of his buttocks, Cole pried them apart and eased the head of his prick against Lucky’s tiny hole. Just pressing against him caused Cole’s entire body to shake with the need to finish, to join them. Slowly, he pushed forward. Lucky caught his breath and held very still as Cole’s cock filled him. As he looked down, Cole thought his prick was far too big. Lucky was so tiny compared to him. So small and sweet. Yet as he tried to pull away, the very thing that concerned him aroused him. Madness. Lucky’s tight hole both pushed him forward and yet begged him to back off. Cole knew he couldn’t do both. Lost in the confusion of his needs and his fears, he found that his mate refused to let him linger.