A Gentleman's Bargain

A GENTLEMAN ’S BARGAIN

…Kissing had never been Seth’s favorite act. It was a prelude to the main event, an appetizer he often didn’t want, since it took precious time away from dessert. But this kiss— the one that had his toes practically curling in his socks— rocked his world. Through a haze of lust and desperate need, he became vaguely aware of how absurd that sounded. Seth prided himself on maintaining full control over every aspect of his reactions at all times. Sex was just one more task to be organized and executed perfectly to the last minor detail. But he hadn’t planned this. Nothing about this trip had gone according to his intentions. Not the messed up reservation, or finding himself staying on David’s ranch. And he certainly hadn’t expected to be propositioned over spaghetti and wine. So then why should one seriously sexy kiss surprise him? David didn’t strike him as a man who did anything by half measures. When he went after something, he poured his heart and soul into it. What had started as a flicker of heat sparking to life inside Seth’s lower belly ignited into a roaring flame that licked up his groin. His entire body shuddered at the thought of having David’s complete focus on him for the night. Hell, for the next two days. He’d wanted a vacation. What he’d gotten instead was the

promise of utter bliss. Maybe there was something to be said for going with the flow after all…

ALSO BY HUNTER R AINES Wildling

A GENTLEMAN’S BARGAIN BY HUNTER RAINES

AMBER Q UILL PRESS, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com

A GENTLEMAN 'S BARGAIN AN AMBER QUILL PRESS BOOK This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. Amber Quill Press, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review. Copyright © 2008 by Hunter Raines ISBN 978-1-60272-339-9 Cover Art © 2008 Trace Edward Zaber

Layout and Formatting provided by: Elemental Alchemy

PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

For my ever-inspiring muses, the Servants of the (greater) Muse— Who encourage me to take chances with my writing. Thanks, ladies. I would not exist without you.

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CHAPTER 1 “So, what do I wear for this?” “Socks. Anything else will only get in the way.” David Leone fixed his friend with a hard glare as his fingers went to his belt. “I don’t know how I let you talk me into this. Remind me to have my head examined when we’re done here.” Charlie Tyler’s snort filtered through the darkened room. “Which head would that be?” David scowled. The bastard was enjoying this, damn him. “Keep that up and you won’t be getting a tip.” At the sound of his friend’s low chuckle, David sucked in a deep breath and whipped off his belt. To distract himself, he 1

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allowed his gaze to skitter over the sparse furnishings in the private room. One of six identical service chambers in the Manly Man Salon and Spa, it had obviously been decorated with the intent of putting a client at ease. Soft blue walls and colorful art depicting nature scenes closed in on him from all sides. Pristine white towels draped a low bed. Above it, a giant spotlight and a mirror that magnified his eyes to the size of saucers hovered in waiting. The overhead lights were turned down low, casting a pale neon glow across sterile metal tweezers, scissors and other instruments of torture David couldn’t name. Charlie tapped a tube filled with a gooey white cream against the palm of his hand. “Whenever you’re ready.” “Can’t you put me out for this? Dentists gas their nervous patients, you know.” “Oh, for the love of God, Dave. It’s just a bit of wax.” David gaped, wondering for the millionth time whether he was insane for letting the man anywhere near his precious family jewels. Sure, they’d known each other for nine years, but friendship only went so far. “Right. Just a bit of molten wax poured over my balls.” Charlie rolled his eyes. “Wanna see my license? Maybe talk to some former clients and get firsthand testimonials? Relax. I know what I’m doing.” When David made no move to strip further, Charlie motioned toward the bed. “I don’t charge by the hour, pal. Hurry it up.” With a scowl, David shucked the rest of his clothes and tossed them in a corner, not caring where they landed. “Funny, 2

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I never pegged you for a sadist.” “That’s because you never let me fuck you. College would have been way more fun if you had.” It was David’s turn to snort. He’d moved to Lexington from New York City to attend the University of Kentucky. He could have requested a private room—God knew he could afford it—but he’d wanted to make friends. He’d lucked out in a big way when Charlie had been assigned as his roommate. They hit it off immediately, not only as two gay men straddling the line between youth and adulthood and struggling to make sense of a world that didn’t really know what to make of them, but also on a deeper, more instinctive level. Within a couple of months, they were inseparable. Charlie had become the brother David never had. Fucking Charlie would have been as taboo as crawling under the covers with his cousin Jim. To his credit, Charlie never tried anything, either. Unlike cousin Jim, who got himself a bloody nose for his efforts on a junior high camping trip. David sighed and climbed onto the bed. The towels shifted beneath his bare skin, the fabric twisting slightly to bunch under his back. “Now what?” “Feet up, close to your buttocks.” David’s nostrils flared. “I swear I’m going to get you back for this if it’s the last thing I do.” “Aw, shit, stop complaining already. You may not like the procedure, but you’ll love the results.” He couldn’t help the scowl that tugged at his lips. Ever 3

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since Charlie opened his spa, he’d been trying to convince David to book an appointment for the hottest new service, the “Boy-Zillian”. To David, the name brought to mind an image of a teenage superhero wannabe, a lanky kid in a spandex suit pretending to be as tough as Godzilla by having his short-andcurlies ripped out at the root. No thanks. Yet here he was, legs spread, cock embarrassingly semihard, heavy balls hanging low between his thighs when they should have been shriveled up in terror. His body never did know what was good for it. Charlie’s hands were clinically cool when they made contact with David’s skin, but David’s stomach still tensed under the foreign touch. The numbing cream slid over David’s pelvis, then down to his scrotum before Charlie’s fingertips dipped between his ass cheeks. “It’s official. This is the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done.” Charlie raised a dark eyebrow. His clean shaven, polishedebony face glistened in the harsh spotlight beaming down on David’s crotch, but his eyes shimmered with barely contained mirth. He tossed a thick, long dreadlock over his shoulder. “Really? Even more embarrassing than the night you got caught streaking through the fountains on campus by Mr. DeMello?” David’s cheeks flamed at the memory, but he grinned, remembering the way Scott DeMello, the applied mathematics professor, let him head back to the dorm without a reprimand. Two days later, he’d found himself in the professor’s office, 4

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re-enacting the streaking scene in a more intimate setting. “Yeah. At least Mr. DeMello wasn’t into pain.” “You’re a baby, you know that, Leone?” And with that, Charlie yanked on the strip of cloth he’d laid across the top of David’s pelvic bone. Pain shafted up David’s body, shooting bright flares through his nerve endings and into his brain. His hips jerked off the bed of their own accord. “Son of a bitch! You did that on purpose.” Charlie’s diamond-white grin blossomed in the shadowy darkness. “It worked, didn’t it?” David gritted his teeth. Momentarily distracted, he hadn’t even noticed Charlie scraping some of the hot wax from the nearby bowl and smearing it across the short hair David had trimmed before coming in. Now that he knew what to expect, every muscle in his body corded in tense anticipation. “Do it again,” Charlie prompted as he reached for another white strip of doom. “Think of something pleasant.” “Like the variety of ways I can kill you? Let’s see… I can—” “Don’t be a jackass. I’m the one with the hot wax here.” David grimaced. “You think I’m likely to forget?” Charlie’s demanding fingers nudged the strip into place so it fused to the hollow between thigh and crotch. “Seriously, pal, lie back and think of England.” David considered arguing, but what would be the point? He’d already come this far. The three Advils he’d taken an hour earlier and Charlie’s numbing cream seemed to be doing 5

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something, since the pain wasn’t quite as brutal as he’d expected. Besides, although he’d never admit it to Charlie, the man was right. David might not enjoy the process of getting smooth, but the pain was worth it. He could already imagine the look on Seth Thompson’s face when he got a glimpse of David’s bare skin. An image of Seth flared behind his eyelids. David closed them and brought the year-old memory into sharp focus. Deep green eyes the color of forest moss. Messy dark brown hair that always looked as though Seth had spent all day running his fingers through it. A chiseled jaw, sharp chin, lean nose. Smooth, freshly-shaved cheeks. A full, sensual mouth that rarely smiled. The fantasy camera in his mind pulled back, showing the rest of the man. A tailored black suit encased broad shoulders and a powerful torso that narrowed to lean hips and a flat stomach. David made the imaginary picture spin until he could zoom in on the perfect curve of Seth’s ass, which even primand-proper suit trousers couldn’t hide. Dark heat spiraled through his veins, tightening in his groin, blotting out everything but the sheer perfection of B&D Financial’s field director. David had been a mere trainee when they’d met at the New York office. As one of a thousand such peons, he’d never had much occasion to speak to Seth, much less make the never-ending fantasies swooping through his mind a reality. Now, a year later, he’d already been promoted to financial executive. And he’d done it all on merit, not based 6

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on the fact that he shared a surname with B&D Financial’s CEO. “Bring your knees in to your chest.” Charlie’s voice shot through David’s reverie, momentarily dissolving it. He cracked open an eye. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” “Hey, pal, I need to really get in there.” “Fine. Whatever.” Tucking his knees into his chest, David wrapped his arms around his calves to hold himself in place. His balls dangled, exposed, and his ass cheeks parted of their own accord. Immediately, fingertips probed his nether regions with firm, insistent movements, pressing his buttocks down into the bed. The fantasy called him back and he drifted into it, falling into Seth’s imaginary arms. Arms as strong and unyielding as steel. If not for Seth, he wouldn’t be here now. When Seth arrived in town later this afternoon, David was determined to be ready for him—in every way. He sought out Seth’s ethereal lips, found them, claimed them. He pictured the man’s stoic façade falling away as his mouth opened to let him in. He’d delve into the soft warmth with deliberate urgency, seeking and exploring, his hands flying down the front of Seth’s suit, shedding layers as he went. The daydream spun out of control around him. The lust pouring through his system compelled him to take the vision just a little bit further, and soon he stood before a naked Seth, 7

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his palm fisted around the man’s firm shaft. He looked down, examined the flushed tip and the glitter of pre-cum beading from the tiny slit. His own cock gave a hasty jerk of approval. Seth reached for him. His thumb glided along the shaft, following the trail of a fat blue vein that throbbed vividly against pale flesh. Somewhere in the back of his mind, David remained aware of Charlie’s efficient fingers, of the hot wax and the rapid yanks that tore the hair from his skin. Yet sensations that should have been sharp and striking seemed muted, dull in comparison to the blatant sexuality of the fantasy unfolding before him. A fantasy he intended to make a reality this weekend. Imaginary man or not, David could feel the hard flesh beneath his hands, the insistent thrust of Seth’s tongue against his, the strength in the grip Seth had on his own stiff rod. He gave in to it, inhaling the taste of cinnamon and coffee he’d always thought would be on Seth’s lips. The sensual flavor drugged him, driving an agonized shaft of lust deep into his balls. He gave a sharp cry, but whether because Charlie had just unceremoniously yanked a strip of waxed cloth from between his gaping ass cheeks or because his cock ached with familiar need, he couldn’t say. All reasonable, logical thoughts flew from his head. He should have remained painfully aware of Charlie’s presence, of his humiliating position, and yet none of that mattered when he thought about how close he was to making Seth his. 8

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Desire nudged his thoughts down a darker tunnel, making his imaginary lover drop to his knees before him. Seth’s mouth hovered only a breath away from David’s needy cock. David’s stomach trembled slightly, rippling with anticipation and desperate craving. When the man’s mouth made contact with the head of his shaft, raw lust shot through him. The agony of frenzied desire flaring in his body short-circuited his brain, combining quick jolts of anguish with warm suction, causing him to revel in the contradictory sensations of pain and pure bliss. The dazzling impressions turned to flame, licking down the length of his body. The blaze concentrated in his groin, where every nerve ending lit and came to life beneath unending ministrations. But it was gazing into the green depths of Seth’s eyes and seeing him stare back as his mouth struggled with the girth of the cock between his lips that sent David tumbling over the edge. For a brief, startlingly clear moment, he hovered at the brink of a precipice, bitterly aware of his surroundings. The sharp illusion of Seth’s emerald orbs faded into the backdrop of the shadowy room, only to be replaced by Charlie’s dark, all-too-knowing gaze. He gasped, struggling to hold back the furious lust that pulsed like a ball of molten lava in his sac. Awareness flickered in Charlie’s gaze, but instead of pity or even compassion, David saw only amusement in those impossibly black eyes. 9

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“Hang tight.” David had no time to ask what Charlie meant. An uncomfortable pinch blossomed into a sharp sting, only to shift toward agony as it encased his scrotum. Pain warred with pleasure, exploding into raw lust that made itself known through a jet of creamy liquid shooting from David’s cock. Cum splattered his belly and dripped into every crevice of David’s newly-smooth crotch. He trembled as his cock jerked and released another long stream. Hot globs sprayed his fevered flesh. To his horror, a few drops landed on Charlie’s hand. Seeing the dew-bright droplets set off by Charlie’s dusky skin brought sanity crashing back. “Oh, shit.” He launched himself into a sitting position and grabbed for one of the towels beneath him. Charlie laughed and turned around. A moment later, he returned with a warm, damp towel of his own, which he gently placed across David’s lap. “Relax. It happens more often than you’d think in here.” David groaned. He lay back and threw an arm across his eyes in a feeble effort to shield his humiliation. “We have a winner,” he grumbled under his breath. “What?” David could still hear the hint of a chuckle in Charlie’s voice. It should have horrified him, but absurdly, it made an unexpected laugh catch in the back of his throat. “This is definitely the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done.” 10

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CHAPTER 2 Seth Thompson needed a shower, a sandwich, and a good fuck. Not necessarily in that order. He exited the airplane walkway tunnel, one hand clutching his laptop bag—which had practically become an extension of his arm—the other tugging at the damp strands of hair clinging to his forehead. The crowd jostled him forward. A kid who couldn’t have been older than nineteen slammed into him from behind and murmured a, “Sorry, man,” before giving him a once-over. Seth didn’t miss the spark of interest in the kid’s eyes. It was his job to make sure he didn’t miss much of anything, no matter how jet-lagged he was. He offered a polite nod and 11

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pressed past the guy, though what he really wanted to do was reach out and turn the kid’s baseball cap so it faced the right way. He blew out a deep breath as he headed for the luggage claim, suddenly feeling every one of his thirty-six years. When had he become so old? Too much work. Too little play. That combination had definitely made Seth a dull boy, and whether he liked it or not, his life wasn’t about to change anytime soon. He’d poured his heart and soul into his job, and he wouldn’t stop until he climbed right to the top of the career ladder. He wanted to be the youngest Director to make Vice President, and he had three more years in which to do it. Then…well, then he could slow down a little. Maybe do some traveling that didn’t involve seeing the inside of one boardroom after another for twelve hours a day. Maybe even settle down with someone. But that meant finding someone to settle down with, and no way that would happen while Seth was married to B&D Financial. Just as well. Relationships had never been his forte. The noise ratcheted up a notch as he entered the baggage claim area. The direct flight from Hong Kong had been impossibly long, but he wouldn’t know it to look at the faces around him. Everywhere he glanced, travelers beamed barelycontained excitement. He guessed seeing loved ones did that to a person. He wouldn’t know. With a grunt, he hauled his sleek black luggage case from the revolving belt and headed for Blue Grass airport’s domeshaped arrivals area. 12

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Beside the revolving doors leading to the taxi strip, a uniformed man holding a crisp white placard caught Seth’s eye. Immediately, he recognized his name typed in bold letters and the B&D Financial logo. He slowed his steps, trying to remember whether he’d told anyone aside from his secretary about changing his flight plans and heading straight to Lexington instead of spending the weekend at his apartment in New York. He didn’t think so. And Anna knew he preferred the anonymity of a cab to the fuss of a company car, so he couldn’t blame her for the personal escort. For a brief moment, he considered walking past the driver and taking a taxi anyway, but quickly dismissed the thought. What difference did it make who drove him to the hotel, as long as he could count on a hot shower and a nap when he got there? “I’m Seth Thompson.” The driver, a short, squat man in his late fifties, gave a sharp nod. “Right this way, sir.” Sultry summer air smacked into Seth’s chest as he followed the company driver through the revolving glass doors. The odor of hot pavement and exhaust clogged his nostrils, but beneath it, he could smell freshly mowed grass and the strong, sweet scent of orchids. He inhaled deeply and reminded himself this was why he’d come. Spending the weekend alone in his corporate apartment on the thirty-fourth floor of a Manhattan skyscraper held little appeal. Monday’s company meeting, which would be held at 13

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the Lexington office, provided the perfect excuse for a working vacation. With any luck, he’d find a couple of hours to enjoy the unique ambiance that only the horse capital of the world had to offer. “Here we are, sir.” The driver opened the back door of a black Lincoln Town Car with tinted windows and gestured inside. “I understand you’ll be staying at the Hyatt Regency hotel. Would you care to make any other stops before your final destination?” “No, thank you. Straight to the hotel will be fine.” “Very good.” The driver tipped his hat with one hand and grabbed Seth’s luggage with the other. “I’m Roger. Let me know if you need anything else.” “Thanks, Roger.” Exhaustion crept around the edges of Seth’s vision, blurring the scarlet leaves of a red maple tree swaying nearby. “If I fall asleep, wake me when we get there.” A smile played around the corners of Roger’s thin lips. For a brief, unsettling moment, Seth wondered if the man was laughing at him. As quickly as it appeared, however, the hint of mirth was gone and Roger slammed the trunk closed. “As you wish, sir.” With a sigh of relief, Seth folded his frame into the back seat and welcomed the embrace of soft black leather against his sore muscles. His eyelids closed even before he finished slamming the car door shut. “Rough flight?” Seth’s eyes popped open as his pulse kicked up a notch. A tremor rippled the muscles of his back. 14

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God, he recognized that voice. Turning his wary head to glance beside him, he briefly wondered whether fatigue and jet lag could cause a person to hallucinate. “David.” Seth’s voice held no inflection, though every nerve ending in his body hummed to life at the sight of the man sitting an arm’s length away. Blood roared in his ears. In an instant, exhaustion drained like water poured in desert sand, leaving a sizzling erotic energy drifting through his veins in its wake. David looked just as incredible as Seth remembered. No, better, he corrected himself. Tall and lean, with deep blue eyes and a shock of blond hair that fell over his broad forehead, David Leone could have walked straight from the pages of GQ magazine. In a flash, Seth pictured David wearing nothing but tight briefs, legs splayed in invitation as he posed for a sultry underwear ad. He scrubbed a hand over his face to hide his embarrassment. David was a financial executive, for God’s sake, not an underwear model. And although the man might have been clad in skimpy briefs beneath the business attire, Seth didn’t have X-ray vision. Still, David’s charcoal gray tailored suit encased a strong, firm body and did little to hide the bulging muscles straining against the fabric. “Seth.” Damn. Just the way David said his name made Seth’s cock stiffen against the narrow zipper pressed to his groin. “What are you doing here?” The words came out gruff and accusing. He didn’t see a reason to apologize. 15

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David lifted a broad shoulder in a casual shrug. “I heard you’d be in town for the weekend. I thought you could use some company.” Seth’s brows furrowed. Pain flared in his temples along with his temper. “Did Barney send you to keep an eye on me?” A shadow fell across David’s blue eyes, darkening his gaze. The easy, charming smile disappeared. “Barney has no idea I’m here.” Seth grunted in disbelief. Barney Leone, CEO of B&D Financial, had a well-earned reputation as a control freak. He kept a close eye on his employees—especially those who’d been brought to his attention as possible candidates for Vice President status. Seth had felt the man’s scrutiny boring holes in the back of his suit jacket for the last couple of months, but he’d taken that as a positive sign. If Barney had noticed him, a promotion wasn’t far off. Still, it irked him that Leone would send his nephew to babysit. Seth didn’t need a twenty-seven year old cover model to watch over his every move and report his actions in blowby-blow detail. That unfortunate turn of phrase summoned another mental image, this one of David on his knees, lips wrapped around Seth’s stiff cock, blue eyes glistening with lust and needy desperation. God. Barney Leone had to be the devil himself. He’d probably placed David in Seth’s path knowingly, intending to tempt him in the most excruciating way. He glanced out the window, achingly aware of David’s 16

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gaze on him. He forced himself to focus on the gently rolling hills zooming by the side of the highway, and on the jagged edges of tall buildings reaching up into the azure sky in the distance. It had been over a year since he’d last seen David, yet the man’s luscious features had never strayed far from Seth’s fantasies. He’d found himself comparing every man he met to the young financial executive. Inevitably, they all fell short of the effortless perfection David exhibited. Even the way he held himself, as though the cares of the world glided off his wide shoulders, enthralled Seth. How could anyone who worked for B&D Financial remain so stress-free? Didn’t the endless hours get to him? The impossible deadlines? The pressure to deliver the next big client right into Barney Leone’s greedy hands? “I hear congratulations are in order,” Seth said when the silence that had settled between them thickened to uncomfortable levels. “Promoted twice in the last six months. That’s no easy feat.” At this rate, you’ll make VP before I do. David’s long legs stretched out before him. He crossed his ankles and burrowed deeper into the plush leather. “Just lucky, I guess.” Seth nearly bit his tongue in an effort to staunch the unkind words wanting to spew forth. Why was it that despite everyone’s insistence that promotions in B&D Financial were given on merit, nepotism still got you a lot further than work ethic and proven results? He rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed, realizing he 17

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wasn’t being fair. He didn’t know David. Besides, he’d always prided himself on giving everyone the benefit of the doubt. No matter how gorgeous, young and well-connected they were. Seth nearly groaned with gratitude when the driver pulled the Town Car into the hotel’s circular entrance. He didn’t wait for Roger to come around. Instead, he unlatched his seat belt and shoved the door open himself. He had one foot on the pavement by the time he turned to David. “Listen, I appreciate the lift. See you Monday?” David grinned, showing perfect white teeth and twin dimples. Figures. He has dimples. “My pleasure.” Seth gave a curt nod and got out of the car. On the other side, David did the same, barely avoiding having the door ripped off the vehicle as a cab zoomed by. Unsure what key piece of information he’d missed during that last brief exchange, Seth grabbed his luggage, tipped Roger generously, and headed for the lobby. David fell into step beside him. Well, he’d be damned if he’d give the man the satisfaction of asking what the hell he was doing. So Seth ignored him and strode up to the reception area. “Seth Thompson. I have a reservation.” He dug out his wallet and handed over the credit card his secretary always used to book rooms. “Mr. Thompson.” The redhead behind the counter beamed a practiced smile his way. “Welcome to the Hyatt Regency.” Seth forced a polite lift of the lips. Beside him, David leaned back on his elbows. His solid frame dwarfed the potted 18

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tree at the counter’s edge. The hotel receptionist’s perfectly manicured fingers flew across the keyboard. Frown lines appeared on her smooth forehead. “I’m sorry, Mr. Thompson, but your reservation isn’t until Monday.” He tapped his foot. “I had my secretary call to change it. She assured me it would be taken care of.” The woman—Melanie Frost, according to her nametag— shook her head. “That’s impossible.” “I assure you, it’s quite possible.” The remnants of his patience had begun to fray. He couldn’t take much more of this. “In any case, just give me the first room you have available. I don’t need a suite if there’s been some mix-up.” David snorted, but had the decency to cover it up with a cough when Seth glared at him. “That won’t be possible either, Mr. Thompson. We’re booked solid.” “And so is every other hotel in the city.” David crossed his arms over his broad chest and tilted his head, obviously enjoying Seth’s stunned look way too much. “It’s the weekend of the Bluegrass Festival. You won’t find a room in Lexington until Monday.” “Shit.” The expletive escaped Seth’s lips before he could stop it. He glared from David to Melanie. “You’re joking, right?” “’Fraid not.” Melanie, at least, had the sense to look apologetic. She handed him the credit card back. “We’d be happy to honor your reservation on Monday.” 19

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Monday. What the fuck was he supposed to do until then? Scowling, he grabbed his suitcase and laptop bag and hurried toward the hotel exit. There had to be a flight heading back to New York tonight. He only hoped Anna would still be at the office when he got there. She had some serious explaining to do. David reached his side before the doors glided open. “You knew,” Seth accused. “That’s why you came in there with me. Fine. Gloat.” “I can do better than that.” On the sidewalk, he hooked his thumbs in the front pockets of his pants and rocked forward. “I can give you a place to stay.” Seth would have told him exactly what he could do with his offer if he hadn’t been momentarily distracted by the sleek, solid line of David’s erection outlined by the strained charcoal material. Long and thick, just as he’d always pictured it. And ready for him. God, he couldn’t look away. David smirked and clapped him on the shoulder. “It’s settled then. You’ll stay with me.”

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CHAPTER 3 Night fell slowly, painting the patio window that took up an entire wall of David’s kitchen in shades of gray. Two pot lights shone directly over the stove, while a few feet away, a peach-colored rice-paper hanging lantern blazed above a round mahogany dining table and matching chairs. The entire room smelled like homemade marinara sauce. And it should. David had been slaving over it for an hour. He’d set the table, too, bringing out the nicest dishes he owned—a selection of rust-colored bowls and matching plates that had been a housewarming gift from his mother. He’d gone all out to impress his house guest, an effort that would no doubt be more effective if said house guest would 21

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actually leave his room. David sighed into the sauce and whirled a spoon around the edges of the pan for good measure. It bubbled nicely, and the scent of tomatoes and herbs made his mouth water. On the countertop, spaghetti—perfectly cooked to al dente firmness— waited in a bowl. The sound of the shower being turned on echoed through the pipes from the second floor. A mental image of Seth, naked beneath streaming jets of hot water, danced across David’s field of vision. He gritted his teeth. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a husky voice he barely recognized as his own urged him to forget dinner and join Seth in the guest bathroom. It took all his self-control to ignore his impulse to do just that. He’d probably only succeed in pissing off the man and sending him running for the first flight back to New York. No, he had to be patient. He’d waited a year. He could wait another five minutes. *

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Thirty minutes later, the sauce had gone cold. David sat at the dining room table swirling pasta onto a fork and trying desperately not to palm his aching cock. When the water pipes turned silent, he gave a sigh of relief. Over the past half an hour, his benign fantasy had turned downright savage. He’d pictured taking the man beneath the pulsing jets in every possible way. With Seth pressed up against the shower stall, his firm ass thrust high up in the air. 22

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Or bent on all fours on the slick tile. Or even standing face-toface, Seth’s leg lifted so that it wrapped around David’s waist, while David’s cock plunged deep into his back passage and ravaged the man’s tight entrance. Clearly, inviting Seth to stay had either been the best idea David had ever had, or the absolute worst. He wasn’t sure how B&D Financial’s field director would react to his advances. He only knew that if he didn’t at least try to find out, he’d regret it for the rest of his life. He was debating whether he dared risk going up there while sporting a raging hard-on to let Seth know about dinner when he heard the snick of a door opening and closing. The sound of heavy footfalls on wooden stairs followed a few seconds later. David thought he’d been prepared for the sight of Seth after a shower. He’d expected damp hair matted to the man’s broad forehead, maybe the scent of fresh aftershave, a clean Tshirt. He’d had no idea what he was in for. Seth Thompson looked like an executive’s wet dream. David had been right about the damp hair. It stuck out wildly in different directions, though Seth had obviously tried to tame it by running his fingers through it. He hadn’t bothered to shave, and sported a faint five o’clock shadow that gave him a rugged look completely at odds with his business attire. Absurdly, he still wore a suit—or rather, most of one. Pressed black pants encased his lean legs and muscular thighs. He’d slung a leather belt low on his hips and tucked the hem 23

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of a crisp white shirt into his waistband. He hadn’t bothered with a tie. To David’s fascination, Seth had left the top two buttons of his shirt undone. A tuft of dark chest hair peeked through the opening. He’d obviously dressed before toweling off completely, as the fabric of the shirt stuck to his skin in damp patches, highlighting strips of a muscular torso, sinewy arms and a flat, toned belly. “I packed for a business trip, not a vacation,” Seth said as he stepped into the kitchen. There was no trace of apology or justification in his tone. Rather, his voice held a hint of arrogance, as if he dared David to make a big deal about his clothes. David forced a nonchalant shrug. He reached for the bottle of wine he’d opened earlier and filled both their glasses halfway. “Doesn’t matter to me. You could be naked for all I care.” As soon as the words escaped his lips, David knew he’d made a mistake. Seth’s eyes widened. “Is that so?” David swore inwardly. So much for going slow. His cock twitched against the seam of his jeans as Seth’s gaze raked over him. For a brief, heart-stopping moment, he thought Seth would press him on that thinly veiled innuendo, or make a comment of his own. But when the man turned and sniffed the air, the moment passed as quickly as it had arisen. “Smells good in here. You cook?” 24

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Still shaken from the surge of lust pounding through his body, David lifted a hand and indicated the chair across from him. “When the occasion calls for it.” “I’m flattered.” Seth dropped into the offered seat. Without waiting for further invitation, he dug his fork into the lukewarm pasta. “I’m also famished.” “It was warm…half an hour ago.” “Sorry.” He took a big bite, and rewarded David with a low groan that had his balls tightening against the base of his shaft. “This is great. Anyway, I figured you’d prefer a clean guest to a grumpy, dirty one.” David smirked and delved into his own meal. “The shower washed away the grumpiness, too?” Seth leaned back in his chair and dabbed his lips with a napkin, then reached for his glass of wine. “Somewhat. Listen, about earlier… I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I appreciate the lift from the airport, and the trouble you’re going to—” “No trouble at all.” A flare of excitement pulsed through David’s veins. He had to take a chance sooner or later. Why not now? “Besides, my motives aren’t exactly altruistic.” Seth arched a dark eyebrow above the rim of his glass, curiosity clear in his expression. “I’m not sure I understand. What could I possibly do for you? If you’re hoping for some sort of recommendation, I don’t think I could give you anything Barney couldn’t.” A sharp laugh escaped David’s lips before he could stop it. There were so many things Seth could do for him Barney couldn’t…and none of them had anything to do with B&D 25

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Financial. He savored that thought for a moment too long, lingering over the possibilities. Seth’s eyes narrowed into suspicion. “What?” he demanded, the easygoing demeanor vanishing in the span of a heartbeat. Although he’d only finished half his meal, David pushed the plate away and stood. “You didn’t think my spare room came for free, did you?” Seth rose to his full height, towering over David by at least half a foot. “Stupid me. I did.” David grinned, refusing to be intimidated. He took another step forward, closing the distance between them. Their chests touched. David’s erection pressed into Seth’s groin, and had to be unmistakable. To his surprise, the rigid line of Seth’s shaft also made itself known as it grazed the flat plane of David’s lower stomach. A flicker of heat licked through his body. Perhaps this wasn’t going to be as difficult as he’d feared. “The deal’s simple enough. You get my room…” He let his words trail off and allowed the tip of his tongue to moisten his lips. Seth’s gaze followed the movement. Heat practically sizzled in the depths of his green eyes. He lowered his head until their lips hovered a mere breath apart. “And you? What do you get?” David grinned. “I get you.” Seth’s lips flattened into a thin line. “If you think you can 26

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walk into the office on Monday and tell Barney that his main contender for the VP position sleeps his way to the top, you can forget it. I won’t—” “Oh, for the love of Pete.” David grabbed a fistful of white shirt and yanked Seth even closer. “This has nothing to do with B&D Financial. Don’t you think word of our affair would hurt my reputation just as much as it would hurt yours?” That seemed to get through to the man. The anger practically drained from his shoulders. A sudden movement of his hips brought his cock into solid contact with David’s shaft. “Affair? Is that what this would be?” The intimacy in their stance sent desire swirling low in David’s groin. He wanted to shed the barriers of clothing between them and explore every inch of Seth’s delicious physique. He wanted to bare his own body, his newly waxed groin, for Seth’s in-depth inspection. And, God, how he craved the feeling of being filled by Seth’s thick rod. “We can shake on it if it would make you feel better. One weekend. You and me. No one has to know.” He could practically see the wheels turning in Seth’s brilliant mind. At last, the man gave a quick nod. “A gentleman’s bargain. If you break it, David, I swear I won’t rest until you’ve toppled from the career ladder and landed in the mud right beside me. I don’t care who has your back. I worked too hard to let my future be destroyed by…by…” “A fling?” David released the bunched up material he’d gathered in his fist and splayed his hand across the muscles of 27

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Seth’s warm chest. The man’s heart beat rapidly beneath his palm. “Right.” “Understood.” David’s fingers crept up along the back of Seth’s neck, twining around the still-damp hair at the man’s nape. “Are we done talking?” Seth answered by grunting a husky affirmation and lowering his head the remainder of the way. Relief and desire mingled in David’s chest as their mouths touched. The pent-up frustration that had been coiling like a spring in his lower body wound itself even tighter. Seth’s lips were hot, hard, and demanding. He took what David willingly offered, delving between his lips and stroking David’s tongue with his own. Dark heat flared in every nerve ending throughout his body. It engulfed him as the taste of wine and marinara sauce drifted through his senses, pulling him deeper. Seth’s arms came around his waist. David had expected hesitation, or a flicker of doubt, but there wasn’t any. Seth kissed with the certainty of a man sure of his sexual prowess and confident in the reaction he’d provoke in his lover. The insistent thrust of Seth’s tongue weakened David’s knees. He clung to the man as he found a rhythm of his own and met each stroke boldly, delving inside the tantalizing secrets of Seth’s mouth, demanding more. He speared his fingers into Seth’s hair and tilted his head slightly so he could deepen the kiss. Seth groaned. He shifted his stance, his erection rubbing 28

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against David’s through the barrier of fabric between them. Impatience gnawed at David. He’d waited so long for this. He wanted to bury himself deep in Seth’s ass, to take and be taken, to feel everything the man had to offer all at once. At the same time, he wanted this slow, sensual exploration to last forever. He yearned to lose himself inside Seth’s embrace, to nibble and lick and taste his way up and down the planes and valleys of Seth’s body until they both dropped from exhaustion, only to start all over again when they awoke. They had two full days of bliss in which to do just that. So then why did panic rear itself inside him, insisting he had no time to waste? Two days. Forty-eight hours of guilt free play with the man of his dreams. That was plenty of time, wasn’t it? Sure. And then you’ll just let him go back to New York. That had been the plan all along. A long-term relationship with Seth Thompson was beyond impossible. Not only did they live in different cities, but technically, Seth outranked him. Barney frowned upon his employees fraternizing with each other outside the office, but he often chose to turn a blind eye when it happened between those who shared the same pay grade. The only thing David and Seth shared was a commitment to their careers, which was exactly why this fling couldn’t stretch into Monday. This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend long, sultry, sweaty hours worshipping the man who’d taken center stage in all his sexual daydreams for the past twelve months. 29

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Who said fantasies didn’t come true? You just had to know how to take advantage of opportunities when they came along. As long as you didn’t expect sappy happily-ever-afters, at any rate. *

*

*

Kissing had never been Seth’s favorite act. It was a prelude to the main event, an appetizer he often didn’t want, since it took precious time away from dessert. But this kiss—the one that had his toes practically curling in his socks—rocked his world. Through a haze of lust and desperate need, he became vaguely aware of how absurd that sounded. Seth prided himself on maintaining full control over every aspect of his reactions at all times. Sex was just one more task to be organized and executed perfectly to the last minor detail. But he hadn’t planned this. Nothing about this trip had gone according to his intentions. Not the messed up reservation, or finding himself staying on David’s ranch. And he certainly hadn’t expected to be propositioned over spaghetti and wine. So then why should one seriously sexy kiss surprise him? David didn’t strike him as a man who did anything by half measures. When he went after something, he poured his heart and soul into it. What had started as a flicker of heat sparking to life inside Seth’s lower belly ignited into a roaring flame that licked up his groin. His entire body shuddered at the thought of having 30

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David’s complete focus on him for the night. Hell, for the next two days. He’d wanted a vacation. What he’d gotten instead was the promise of utter bliss. Maybe there was something to be said for going with the flow after all. He broke the kiss first. David glanced up at him, blue eyes shadowed with lust. His full lips glistened wetly in the light spilling from the hanging lantern overhead. “I don’t usually…” The words trailed off, and Seth’s pulse quickened. Embarrassment flooded his face. God. This was definitely a night for new experiences. He cleared his throat and tried again. “I don’t do one night stands. This is…new for me.” David’s smile was slow and indulgent, bordering on a smirk. “And you think I do?” Seth tried to school his features into an expressionless mask. It stood to reason that a man like David didn’t lack sexual partners. With his boyish good looks and Adonis-like body, he could have his pick of any man who caught his eye. “Am I wrong?” A shrug. An amused quirk of the lip. The nonchalant, carefree mannerisms that seemed ingrained within David fascinated Seth. He had no idea what it felt like to be so relaxed, so unaffected by life’s annoyances and frustrations. David’s fingers dipped into the waistband of Seth’s pants. “The last man I fucked was a guitarist. He was six foot five, had both nipples pierced, and had tattooed his cock with the name of his band.” 31

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Seth gaped. Annoyance flared to life in his gut. He tried to squelch it down, but it only grew and grew, transforming into full-fledged jealousy in the blink of an eye. He scowled and tried to yank away from David’s grip. “I don’t see how that’s any of my business.” “It was a year ago,” David said as if Seth hadn’t spoken. “I’d just returned from New York.” His dexterous fingers moved with ease to unbuckle Seth’s belt. When he finished, the sound of the zipper being lowered filled the quiet kitchen. “We fucked outdoors, in the bed of his truck.” “Shut up.” He shoved at David’s chest, intending to push him away. “I don’t care.” The immediate explosion of anger and jealousy shook Seth to the core. The emotions were too strong, too overwhelming, too vivid. This wasn’t the way a one-night stand felt, was it? David’s features remained smooth, unperturbed. God, what did it take to rattle the man? As though nothing had happened, David reached for Seth’s waistband again and pushed it down over Seth’s hips, leaving him standing in the middle of the kitchen sporting a raging hard-on that threatened to rip the fabric of his black briefs, and a raging temper ready to erupt again. David cupped the length of Seth’s shaft in his palm. His fingers caressed Seth’s erection, and the added friction from the cotton briefs caused a frisson of sensation to chase away some of the fury roiling in his veins. “I thought of no one but you that entire night.” David’s voice was a mere whisper. It floated to Seth 32

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through the aromatic air, grazing his ear, shutting down the part of his brain he relied on to make logical, reasonable decisions. “Oh.” Seth swallowed hard. What could he say? What did one say when faced with such an admission? He couldn’t very well confess he’d had those same thoughts. Countless fantasies featuring David in a variety of sexual situations, all ending with Seth’s cock buried deep in his ass. The heat that had flooded his cheeks earlier intensified. He hoped he wasn’t blushing. He never blushed! David’s fingers drifted languidly up and down his shaft, occasionally dipping in the small slit to graze the skin of his cock directly. Seth’s heart hammered against his breastbone. He’d had sex before—countless times. So why did David’s hand on his cock feel so strikingly intimate? He had to take control of the situation before it spiraled entirely out of his grasp. Without giving the impulsive move a second thought, he gripped David’s upper arms tightly and spun him around, shoving the other man lightly until the base of his spine connected with the edge of a dark countertop. “Enough talking. You wanted to fuck? Let’s fuck.” There. That was better. This way he could get them both back onto solid ground, where the only thing that mattered was physical sensation. David’s gaze zeroed in on the bulge of Seth’s erection. “Take off your briefs.” Seth scowled. Usually, he was the one giving orders. “And you?” he asked as he yanked his briefs down his legs. “You’re 33

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overdressed.” David’s eyes never left Seth’s body. “So I am.” In a few quick moves, David shed the snug and faded denim he’d changed into sometime between getting home and cooking dinner. He wore boxers, not briefs as Seth had imagined when picturing him sprawled across the pages of a men’s magazine in an underwear ad. It didn’t matter. He looked just as striking now, backlit by the pot lights over the stove. The scene struck a surprisingly domestic chord in Seth. He could imagine David cooking breakfast in those boxers, his tantalizing ass swaying to a smooth jazz tune drifting through the massive ranch house. Fuck. He had to keep reminding himself this was a onenight stand. There would be no breakfast served beyond the weekend, no private interludes of any kind. He fought to stifle the quiver of regret that pulsed through him and used his former fury to fuel himself into action once again. With a growl that tore from his chest, Seth gripped the hem of David’s black T-shirt and yanked it hard over his head. He had it off in a second, flat. David’s broad chest glistened. Muscles heaved with the force of his breathing. Seth lowered his head and trailed his tongue from the hollow at the base of David’s throat to his left nipple. There, he paused for only a moment to lave around the stiff bud before taking it between his teeth and nipping down, hard. A short, stunned gasp filled the room. He used David’s momentary distraction to grab hold of the loose material of his boxers and yank. The elastic waistband slid down easily over 34

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David’s hips, but caught on the proudly jutting erection. Seth’s hand roamed down David’s ribs, across his flat belly, and down to his groin. His extremely smooth groin. Stunned, he pulled back, only to gaze in wonder at David’s hairless flesh as it peeked out above the waistband of his boxers. He dropped to his knees. The tile felt cold beneath him, but he didn’t care. His gaze remained riveted on David’s pale skin, on the surprisingly smooth surface of his pelvic bone. “Are you…” God, he couldn’t seem to form coherent sentences around this man. “Is all of you…” He felt David grin, but he couldn’t yank his gaze from the sight before him to verify that assumption. “Find out.” Seth didn’t need to be told twice. With extreme reverence, he pulled down the boxers the remainder of the way. Once the elastic band got past the width of the man’s hips, the fabric flowed down to pool around his ankles. Even his wildest, most erotic fantasies hadn’t conjured this seductive vision. David’s groin was bare, from the treasure trail that ended abruptly halfway down the lower part of his stomach to his balls, which dangled, naked and bold, beneath his massive shaft. He could see everything. The tight, textured skin stretched taut around David’s sac. The blue vein snaking down the length of his rod that didn’t disappear among wild curls, but vanished precisely at the thick base of the man’s cock. And, Seth was willing to bet, if he parted David’s luscious ass 35

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cheeks he’d find the small, puckered hole unimpeded by even one stray hair. A groan drifted from his throat. His arousal had skyrocketed in the span of a minute, going from sizzling to full blast ignition. His mouth watered. Without another second’s hesitation, Seth wrapped his fist around the base of David’s cock and took the tip between his lips. The musky flavor of male desire flooded his mouth and his tongue immediately started working. He took the shaft deeper while he licked at the underside, following the fat vein all the way down before sucking so hard his cheeks hollowed on the way up. David gripped his head. The man’s fingers fisted in his hair but didn’t force him to go faster. “Seth…God.” Seth grunted. His hands worked in tandem with his mouth, squeezing the stiff shaft with each upward stroke. When his lips slid back down, he relaxed his throat and allowed David’s cockhead to fill his mouth. A rough groan rewarded his efforts. David stiffened as the length of his cock disappeared inside Seth’s mouth all the way down to his balls. Normally, Seth couldn’t maintain this position for very long. Coarse curls inevitably tickled him, making him lose focus. Not this time. The tip of his nose pressed into David’s smooth groin, leaving his air passages open to work with expert sucks, licks, and swallows at David’s rod. He could feel David’s muscles tense as he continued to worship the man’s cock. David’s hips began to move, slowly 36

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at first, then faster and faster as he fucked Seth’s throat with precise gliding motions. Pleasure built in every nerve ending in Seth’s body. He didn’t need to be the one receiving an incredible blow job to enjoy the act. He took just as much pleasure in having a cock thrust down his throat. Not any cock, though. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d given himself over to the act so completely, or had been so attuned to his lover’s body. He felt every twitch, heard every slight whimper, no matter how low and well disguised. He ran his left hand along David’s thigh and reveled in the rippling shiver that ran up his lover’s muscles. Suddenly, he wanted nothing more than to know what David was feeling. He started to look up, but stopped just before his gaze could assess David’s face. He wasn’t sure he could brave what he’d find in those bottomless blue eyes. Bliss, sure, but what else? Coward. The small voice whispering at the back of his mind was right. He wanted nothing more than to share that intimate eye contact, but he couldn’t. He feared he’d never be able to look away. So he shielded his eyes by letting his lashes drift closed and returned all his attention to the job at hand. Slow pulls on the man’s cock had David teetering on the edge of release within moments. He yanked on Seth’s hair. A warning sign. One Seth didn’t give a damn about. When David’s hips stilled, Seth gave one last long suck, 37

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then let David’s cockhead rest on the flat of his tongue. There, it jerked once before giving in to the shuddering ecstasy that had to be streaming through David’s veins. Cum flooded his tongue, dripped into his mouth and trickled down his throat. He swallowed it all without a grunt of protest, savoring the flavor of his lover’s essence, drowning in the scent and taste and feel of David. Abruptly, David grasped Seth’s hair and pulled his face back. Seth licked his lips, catching a stray droplet of cum. “I’m going to fuck you now,” David said. It was a warning, a threat, and a promise all rolled into one. Seth’s lust-addled mind could barely make sense of it. He was the one who did the fucking. And besides, David was in no condition to do anything with his spent cock at the moment. “Not a chance,” he growled out between gritted teeth. He rose from the floor and shucked his briefs before unbuttoning his shirt and tossing it on the back of a chair. “My turn to do something with my cock.” But David wouldn’t be deterred. He straightened his spine. His jaw jutted out in a gesture Seth instantly recognized as determination, arrogance, and sheer male confidence. “Later.” Before Seth could utter another word of protest, David grabbed his hips, thrust him forward and pressed his body against the pane of the patio window. Beyond the kitchen, a gently sloping field took up every bit of space between the house and the black horizon. Silver light from a half-moon sprinkled the grass with ethereal gauze. 38

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If Seth turned his head slightly to the right, he could just make out the long row of stables that stood silhouetted against the dark sky. On the way here, David had told him he owned a hundred acres of land. That in itself didn’t sound so bad—even if it seemed worlds removed from Seth’s one-bedroom Manhattan apartment—but then he’d said something Seth hadn’t expected. He’d confessed he planned to raise horses some day. For now, the stables stood empty. Eventually, David hoped they’d house two dozen horses. Horses, for God’s sake. What did David know about horses? By all accounts, he was a financial whiz. He had an MBA. He belonged behind a desk, not in a stable shoveling shit. And yet, when an image of David in full cowboy attire blossomed in Seth’s mind, it, too, looked right. The David he knew, dressed in impeccable tailored suits and sporting twohundred dollar haircuts in the latest style appeared to all the world like the poster boy for the corporate lifestyle. Yet clad in tight jeans, tall boots, and a wide-brimmed hat perched on blond tresses that hadn’t seen the sharp end of scissors in months, he’d fit the part of hunky riding instructor to perfection. Except the only thing Seth was interested in riding was David’s perfect ass. And he didn’t need lessons to do that. What he needed was to be allowed to move. David pressed the side of his forearm into Seth’s shoulder blades, holding him flat against the window pane. 39

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If he struggled hard enough, Seth knew he could dislodge the man’s hold. But to his horror, the feeling of powerlessness that careened through him only jolted his erection, making it throb against the cool glass. “I’ll go get some lube if you promise me you won’t move.” David’s breath warmed Seth’s ear. The words sent a shudder down his spine. “No.” His own voice was husky, barely recognizable. “No lube. Fuck me just like this. Hard. Rough. Now!” Heady euphoria filled Seth’s brain. All the blood from his head must have drained straight into his cock, because the commands he’d just given voiced needs he never thought he’d have. He didn’t enjoy pain. There seemed no point in it. Yet now, with David’s hard cock shoved between the crease of his ass and the man pinning him to the window, he couldn’t think of anything he wanted more than the rough friction of a lubeless fuck. “Seth…” David’s tone held a note of warning. “Do it!” To emphasize, Seth wiggled his ass, rubbing it against David’s hard-on. David pulled back just enough to allow his cock to stretch out straight from his body. The tip of the shaft remained trapped against the entrance to Seth’s ass. Seth heard him spit, then felt the cool slide of saliva against one buttock. Once again, David apparently had no intention of listening to him. But it wasn’t lube…and even in his less-than40

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reasonable state, Seth had to admit some glide was probably a really good idea. David wrapped a hand around Seth’s waist, holding him in place. “You like being in control, don’t you?” Seth grunted something unintelligible. Control? Yes. Normally. Not now, though. Not when David’s cockhead pressed against his needy and waiting hole. Not when all he wanted was to be filled to the brim with David’s thick rod and pounded into until he screamed. “Well, tonight, you’re mine.” David’s voice seemed to wrap around Seth’s cock and squeeze. His balls tightened in his sac, drew up against the base of his shaft—and the man hadn’t even penetrated him yet! At the first thrust, Seth closed his eyes and blocked out the rest of the world. He didn’t want to see David fucking him reflected in the glass pane and superimposed across the field. That vivid image might be forever imprinted on his brain, and then where would he be? Imagining himself on a horse ranch in the arms of a man nine years his junior when he was conducting meetings in Manhattan? No. Better to steel himself against sentimentalizing this encounter. It was a one-weekend thing. Nothing more. They’d made a deal. David pushed his cock inside Seth’s ass, inch by excruciating inch. Pain mingled with raw ecstasy, jolting Seth with myriad sensations he’d never before experienced and couldn’t have guessed existed. 41

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Another inch slid inside his body. The lack of slickness made Seth’s eyes water. David gave another sharp thrust and Seth gasped. David’s fingers wrapped around his shaft and squeezed. “You okay?” “More,” Seth whispered. David nodded and ground deeper. Seth’s inner muscles clenched, gripping and pulling him in. By the time David’s cock slid in to the hilt, Seth was panting. His wet eyelashes stuck together and he’d bitten his lower lip hard enough to draw blood to keep from crying out. But, God, it felt so good! “Fuck me,” he demanded. Then, when David made no move to obey, he whispered, “Please.” David started moving with excruciating patience. He pulled out halfway, then sheathed himself inside Seth’s ass again. Seth’s entire body shook with barely controlled need. His cock pulsed in David’s hand. With each new lash of pleasure and pain, Seth’s shaft trembled and his balls ached with the desperate craving for release. He tilted his head. His forehead hit the cold pane, bringing a much-needed chill to contrast with the sweat dripping down his temples. When David’s mouth found his, he groaned into it. His tongue swept out, met David’s. A gasp of emotion-filled relief escaped the boundaries of the kiss. David fucked him harder. His tongue set the same rhythm of sharp thrusts and languid withdraws, licking Seth’s lips on the way out, then plundering his mouth again and again. 42

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He couldn’t resist any of it. Not the cock ravaging his ass, claiming him with every stroke. Not the tongue in his mouth, trusting boldly, sweeping mercilessly against his own. And then, when David nipped at his lower lip while slamming into him one final time, all the ecstasy that had been building deep in his core exploded in a potent rush. Hot jets of cum shot from his cock and coated the window, his belly, his thighs, David’s fingers. At the same time, he felt David’s body go rigid. He grunted into Seth’s mouth and a moment later, the spasm of release twitched David’s rod against Seth’s tight channel. Wetness followed, slicking the passage that had until now been all but frictionless. David held him tight as they both came, and the kiss went on. Somewhere along the way, Seth forgot to keep his eyes closed. He realized his mistake the moment he made contact with those bottomless blue orbs. There, in the sharp, intelligent sparkle, desire mingled with something else—something more potent, more powerful, more ancient than mere lust. Worse yet, Seth feared the same love-stricken look had to be glazing his own eyes. He pulled away sharply and hit the side of his head against the glass. Pain splintered through his temples, but he ignored it. He tried to push away from the pane, but didn’t manage it before catching a glimpse of David’s reflection superimposed on the field stretching out from the back of the house. David still gripped Seth’s spent shaft. His cock remained embedded 43

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deep in Seth’s ass. And just as Seth feared, the sight of them in that field etched itself on the most hidden, private part of his psyche in that one instant. Logic slammed hard into his brain. He tried again to free himself from the hard barriers of David’s firm physique and the window. This time, he succeeded. Tremors still shook his body. Confusion cluttered his thoughts. He turned toward the door. That way lay safety. He could lock himself in his guest room and spend the next two days getting intimately acquainted with his laptop. He’d taken one step toward the door when David’s husky voice stopped him in mid-stride. “Don’t run. Please.”

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CHAPTER 4 Seth’s spine stiffened. “I’m not running,” he said without turning around. The hall was just five steps from where he stood. He could still make a break for it. He’d be up the stairs and safely behind the guest bedroom door in less than ten seconds. And he’d feel so incredibly stupid, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself. Besides, could he really spend his entire weekend locked away up there? He’d need to eat eventually. While the idea of sneaking out the second-floor window held some entertainment value, he knew he was being a cowardly fool. With a sigh, he pivoted on his heel. “I was going to get 45

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cleaned up. That’s all.” David’s expression was bland, but Seth could see a hint of amusement in the slight curve of his lips. The man didn’t believe him. Damn. And he’d always thought of himself as an accomplished liar. How could he have gained all those new clients for B&D Financial otherwise? “No need.” David crossed the distance to the sink, grabbed a clean washcloth from a drawer, and moistened it under a thin stream of running water. “Let me.” Before Seth could protest, David was on his knees, dabbing the washcloth over Seth’s thigh, into the crevice where leg met groin, over his balls, around his rapidlystiffening cock. He wiped away the drying streaks of cum with gentle, almost tentative strokes, yet each accidental graze of his knuckles against Seth’s skin caused nerve endings he’d forgotten he possessed to come to life. David reached farther between Seth’s legs. His fingers snaked up the curve of Seth’s ass, delving into the crease between his buttocks. Seth sucked in a breath, willing his hammering heart to slow. He’d come not five minutes ago, and already his rod was hard as steel. As David leaned forward to reach around him, the man’s cheek made contact with his cockhead. David lifted his head. Their gazes clashed. The air between them buzzed with electricity. An ethereal thread seemed to connect them, making it impossible to glance away. When David’s tongue snaked out and touched the tip of his cock, Seth’s pulse skittered into his throat. He leapt backward as 46

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though burned by that one sensual lick. Although he was pretty sure his cock would survive, the way his heart hammered against his ribcage, he wasn’t certain that pertinent organ would fare just as well. He had to get out of here. Put some distance between them…make his thoughts come together in an orderly manner. Then he could think about this logically, and realize the only thing he felt was intense lust. He could deal with lust. “That’s enough.” His voice sounded gruff, unpleasant to his own ears. God, what had gotten into him? He never treated his lovers this way. After sex, he either rolled over and fell asleep, or gathered his things and… Ran. He swallowed the curse that settled on the tip of his tongue and forced a lightness he didn’t feel onto his features. “It’s getting late. You’ve probably been up since early morning, and that flight from Hong Kong just about did me in.” David rose to his full height. The sight of him, unabashedly naked, standing in the middle of a kitchen that still held the scents of his home cooking, ignited a flare of heat inside Seth all over again. He had only to reach out and skim his fingertips across the sleek, hairless skin of the man’s groin and David would be his again. Even as the idea surfaced, he struggled to dismiss it. When they’d made their silly agreement, they’d decided on spending the entire weekend together. Now, that seemed like a terrible idea. 47

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He should have gone back to New York after all. Then he could have spent the weekend working. He was good at that. Work was safe. Comfortable. Spreadsheets and numbers, presentations and endless meetings…those tasks he could handle with ease and confidence. This…thing that had developed between him and David rocked him to the core. David quickly cleaned himself off with the same washcloth. He gave no indication he’d heard Seth’s suggestion. A shiver of apprehension snaked down Seth’s spine as he finally understood what had been bothering him about this encounter. It wasn’t only the fact that with David, Seth wasn’t always the one in control. No, it was more than that. What bothered him most was not knowing, from one minute to the other, what would happen next. David constantly surprised him, kept him on his toes. From the time David had picked him up at the airport in the company car to the exact instant he’d pinned him to the patio window, Seth couldn’t have even begun to guess what David would do next. That scared the hell out of him. And, if he was to be honest, excited him beyond belief as well. After he finished cleaning up, David tossed the washcloth on top of his discarded jeans. He moved with a strength and self-assurance Seth envied. Around David, he felt awkward and unsure, like an untried youth instead of the Vice President-to-be of a nationally-traded financial firm. When David began to pour more red wine into their half48

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emptied glasses, Seth knew this had gone on far enough. “Listen, I—” “Come with me.” David thrust one of the glasses toward him. Seth gaped at him. Had the man not heard a word he’d said? He was tired. He wanted to sleep. Damn it, he wanted to run. And yet, despite every last shred of reason that still floated around his lust-addled mind, he reached for the glass. As soon as his fingers wrapped around the stem, David rewarded him with a lopsided grin ripe with sweet seduction. “This is a really bad idea,” Seth murmured under his breath. “Probably,” David said with a cheerful tilt of his head and a smile that would melt even the most resilient male heart. “But if we’re making a mistake, at least we’re making it together.” Seth gave a sudden snort. That was supposed to make him feel better? He followed David into the earth-tone decorated living room. Earlier this afternoon, he hadn’t paid much attention to the décor. Now, however, he could see David’s personality reflected in the olive brown pillows, the sage-colored sofa, the massive painting depicting four black stallions running across a field. David handed him the second glass. “Hold this for a second.” Seth knew it would do him no good to argue. So he 49

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grabbed the offered glass, and waited while David picked up two throw blankets from the back of the couch. He unfolded one and draped it around Seth’s shoulders before taking his glass back. Offering another mischievous grin that stood out like a bright slash of happiness against his tanned face, David headed for the front door. “Wait! We’re naked.” Seth practically hissed the last word. David laughed and saluted him with his wine glass as he stepped onto the wrap-around porch. “So we are.” Seth could only groan and follow. He’d been doing a lot of that tonight. Following. It wasn’t something he enjoyed, yet he couldn’t bring himself to mind when David boldly took the lead. Outside, the warm summer air held a hint of a breeze. The scent of fresh grass and night-blooming flowers drifted on the wind. A pebbled road snaked out from the front porch in a gently-sloping curve, disappearing into a ribbon of darkness a few feet away. There were no lights out here. Not even a solitary bulb dangling over the front door. Only about a million stars and the moon, fat and silver, cast a mythical glow over the sprawling landscape. “It’s beautiful,” Seth murmured before he could stop himself. David beamed at him. He took his glass and placed it on a small wooden table set between two rocking chairs. “I know. I come out here just about every night after work. It’s incredible 50

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to know nature doesn’t give a damn about B&D Financial’s latest acquisition, or the newest earnings report.” Seth shook his head. He sat in the chair farthest from the door. It was old, judging by the scars and notches carved in its wooden armrests, but it felt sturdy and surprisingly comfortable. “Not always naked, I hope.” For a moment, David only gaped at him, clearly not understanding he’d made a joke. Feeble effort at best, but Seth still had to give himself credit for trying. When David finally laughed, Seth’s heart did another summersault that slammed it against his breast-bone. “No, not always.” He winked again. “Most of the time, though. With the nearest neighbor eight miles away, I really don’t have to worry about someone walking in on me unexpected.” Seth took a sip of his wine. The cool, sweet tang of alcohol soothed his dry throat. “I bet this makes a hell of an impression on your boyfriends.” David’s smile disappeared. “I told you. I haven’t been with anyone for a year…and even then it was a one-time thing. I bought this place eleven months ago.” He looked out over the sloping valley that stretched out before him. “There’s more to life than Barney would have you think.” Ah. So that’s what this was all about. A lurch of uncertainty made Seth’s stomach fold in on itself. Another test. Barney probably asked David to figure out where Seth’s loyalties lay. “No, there isn’t,” he said flatly. “B&D Financial gives me 51

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everything I need.” David sighed. He swirled his wine around in his glass and finally set it down again without tasting it. “All right. But there’s so much more outside those conference room walls. There’s nature, and adventure, and excitement, and…life. You remember life, don’t you, Seth? It’s what gets away from you between trips to Hong Kong and company meetings.” Seth bristled. He had a job most men would kill for. An apartment with a view of Manhattan’s skyline, a uniformed security guard, and a rooftop pool. What more did he need? “I have a life, thanks. I’m here, aren’t I?” “Only because I practically dragged you kicking and screaming.” Damn the man for having a point. “And what’s your solution? Solitary evenings in the rocking chair? I thought that was something eighty-year-old men did when they couldn’t do anything else.” A brief vision of him and David, sitting in these same chairs as old men, fluttered across the inside of Seth’s eyelids when he blinked. A rush of warmth accompanied the image, feeling much too good. Much too right. He dissipated it with another swig of the wine, draining his glass. David turned his head and fixed him with a piercing stare. The moon cast long shadows over his face, giving him a dangerous aura. “I’ve never believed in giving something up to get something else. I really do think I can have it all. A career with B&D Financial. A horse ranch.” He leaned forward across the armrest of his rocking chair, his startling 52

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gaze never leaving Seth’s. “You.” Was that possessiveness he glimpsed in David’s eyes? Impossible. Hunger, maybe. Carnal awareness. Nothing more. Seth swallowed past the lump of uncertainty in his throat. “We had an agreement.” David reached out and covered Seth’s hand with his. His touch was warm, poignant, intimate. The sensual weight of his palm across Seth knuckles promised things David couldn’t possibly deliver. “And I don’t intend to break it. Not unless you ask me to.” “Won’t happen.” Seth spoke too fast. The words came out jumbled, cracked, uncertain. He cleared his throat and fought against the sensations tightening his chest. “Not in this lifetime.” A flash of something that looked disturbingly like pain crossed David’s shadowed eyes. Surely, that wasn’t right. The moonlight played tricks with his imagination, nothing more. “Ah. Well, then.” David withdrew his hand. “Maybe in the next lifetime.” Seth looked away. In the distance, a bird cooed a mating call. A star winked to life in the eastern sky. Without another word, Seth stood and headed inside. This time, David didn’t stop him. By the time he slammed the guest room door shut, Seth had managed to convince himself that the marinara sauce was to blame for the gnawing ache in the pit of his stomach.

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CHAPTER 5 “Life is all about risk. Identifying it, managing it, and then tackling it with everything you’ve got.” Seth reached for another toasted canapé. All around him, waiters dressed in identical tuxedos glided through the assembled crowd, offering snacks and drinks to three hundred B&D Financial employees. “Routine is your enemy. It’s exhausting, draining, and a real time waster. You want to accomplish things that will keep you moving forward? Your career, like your life, thrives on the unknown, on the unexpected. All you need to do is break free of the structures you’ve created and embrace change.” Fuck. The canapé stuck in Seth’s throat. 54

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Thirty feet away, David stood behind a large wooden podium, addressing the crowd. He looked as comfortable now, in his expensive suit, with the eyes of every employee upon him, as he had rocking naked in his antique chair with Seth as his only audience. “Challenge what you’re told you should want. Don’t follow the same path everyone else is trudging. Break free of others’ expectations, and watch your career soar. Your potential is limitless. The only thing holding you back is yourself.” God, the man could give Anthony Robbins a run for his motivational speaking money. He’d been at this for the last twenty minutes, going on and on about embracing change and letting go of fear. It wouldn’t have irked Seth nearly as much if he didn’t think David had written that speech just for him. Not that the man would ever admit it, of course. As he spoke, he scanned the audience, focusing on random employees in turn. When his gaze had briefly collided with Seth’s, he hadn’t even given the slightest flicker of acknowledgement before rapidly moving on. Not that Seth didn’t deserve that…and more. The last two and a half days kept replaying in his mind like a dream he couldn’t shed upon waking. Saturday morning, he’d done his best to ignore the clatter in the kitchen after waking up and showering, but the scent of sizzling bacon and hot coffee had made it impossible to resist. David had acted as though nothing strange had happened 55

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between them the night before. They’d behaved like lovers, stealing kisses over toast, sharing the newspaper, spreading some of the whipped cream that topped their pancakes over each other’s cocks before devouring dessert. They hadn’t left the ranch all weekend. David had given Seth a tour of the property, and they’d made love in the empty stables, in the middle of a bluegrass patch and, Sunday night, they’d shared a rocking chair just as Seth had hoped. There’d been no more talk of breaking their gentleman’s agreement. But neither had they spoken of what would happen on Monday. Seth had gotten so used to avoiding the subject that when daylight broke over the horizon that morning, he’d packed his stuff and left the ranch before David woke. It took twenty minutes to reach the main road on foot. Once there, he used his cell phone to call a cab. And now here he was, three hours later, trying his damnedest to pretend the last three days hadn’t been the best of his entire life. All he had to do was get through this company meeting. B&D Financial turned twenty years old this week, and Barney had planned a mix of motivational activities and entertainment to celebrate. He’d reserved the rooftop of the Lexington Financial Center for the occasion. B&D Financial used the top three of the building’s thirty-two floors as office space, so it seemed appropriate that they’d commandeer the roof for the day. Earlier that morning, their exalted leader had flown in to oversee the celebration. Barney planned on returning home on 56

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the company jet at 3:00 PM, while Seth would be flying coach again as soon as the meeting was over. They both needed to be in New York tonight, since a similar party would take place at the Manhattan office tomorrow. Seth yanked on the knot of his tie, which felt like a tightening noose around his throat. Sweat rolled down his temples and made his shirt stick to his back beneath his heavy suit jacket. Apparently, Barney hadn’t consulted a meteorologist before planning this event. Kentucky summers were typically hot and humid, but this June day promised temperatures close to a hundred degrees. Sunlight glinted off the windows of Main Street’s office buildings and reflected back at the blue-tinted glass of the Lexington Financial Center. Despite the booming financial industry and the vast number of similar institutions that housed successful business here, Lexington’s downtown didn’t hold a candle to Manhattan’s soaring skyscrapers and bustling city streets. Thinking of home should have cheered Seth up. Oddly enough, it only made him long for bluegrass fields and rocking chairs. Scowling, he pushed his way through the crowd in an effort to get closer to the podium. As soon as David finished his speech, Seth would pull him aside, apologize for leaving abruptly, and say goodbye. Maybe he’d even offer David a place to stay if he ever came to New York. “Remember that you have full control over your destiny, 57

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but you don’t have to make major sweeping changes at once. Instead, change your way of thinking. Replace ‘I have to’ with ‘I want to’ and see what a difference that makes in your overall achievements.” I want to get the hell out of here. Nope, Seth thought as he downed a tall glass of lemonade that did little to bring his body temperature closer to normal levels. It wasn’t working. Wishing for something and actually having it happen were two different things. It took another excruciating half an hour for David to finish his speech. Despite the extreme heat, B&D Financial’s employees whooped and hollered when David urged them all to “Follow your dreams!” Seth rolled his eyes. They were probably just as happy to see David get off the stage as he was. He elbowed his way through accountants and investors, auditors and controllers, tax analysts and loan officers. As he neared the exit leading to the corporate offices, it struck him as tremendously funny that he’d be chasing after the lone cowboy in the crowd. A cowboy in executive’s clothing, at that. He was still chuckling when he opened the heavy metal door into the stairway. A blessed waft of conditioned air hit his face. He inhaled deeply, savoring the chill breeze on his overheated skin. David had disappeared through this door just moments earlier. Seth could still hear the man’s heavy footfalls on the stairs, and he hurried to catch up to him. 58

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He wasn’t sure at which floor David had stopped, but when he noticed the door to the thirtieth hadn’t been firmly latched in place, Seth decided that was as good a guess as any. The hallway was deserted. A cherry-colored carpet and creamy-white walls guided him toward the corporate boardrooms. On either side of the narrow corridor, office doors stood ajar, their polished interiors as vacant as the rest of the floor. He’d have walked past the main boardroom, too, if he hadn’t caught a glimpse of movement through the massive frosted-glass window that took up an entire wall. He opened the door slowly, peered inside— —and in a moment, the world shifted. It was a subtle shift, one he wouldn’t have noticed before. He became instantly aware of the smell of Ivory soap, the same soap that had been in the guest bathroom at David’s ranch. David’s presence filled the large room. Even with his back turned as he stared out the far window at the downtown skyline, David was impossible to miss. Tension bunched the line of his broad shoulders. His forehead rested against the window pane. Seth’s pulse galloped. He forced his laden feet to walk into the boardroom. The door snicked closed behind him, but David didn’t turn around. “Hey.” Seth cleared his throat. “Good speech.” No answer. Not even a half-turn or a shrug. No hint of acknowledgement whatsoever. Despite every ounce of logic that told him he should have 59

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expected the cold shoulder, David’s dismissal rankled. “Look, I’m sorry about this morning. I had to… It’s just that…” He sighed. Why was this so damn hard? “You left.” David’s words were brusque, matter-of-fact. “So leave already.” Seth sucked in a breath. He closed the distance between them, stopping just behind David. The urge to put his hands on his lover’s shoulders, to press his body against the other man’s, to assure him he wasn’t going anywhere, made Seth’s gut clench. “I wanted to say goodbye.” He didn’t have to see David face to know he was scowling. “You said it.” “If things were different…” David whirled around and gripped Seth’s upper arms. “Don’t patronize me. You’re going back to your life in New York, which is exactly where you want to be. I’m staying here. With my ranch, and my horses, and my dreams.” His voice dropped to a husky whisper that made Seth’s heart skip a beat. “My dreams of you.” Seth’s breath halted in his throat. He froze, transfixed by the raw honesty in David’s voice. A deep-seated longing in his chest mirrored the anguished desire he saw in David’s blue eyes. Through a haze of guilt and lust and frustration, he leaned forward. His lips hovered a fraction of an inch away from David’s as his self-control frayed and unraveled. “Forgive me.” 60

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David turned his head away. “Get out. I have a meeting.” Confusion turned to agony inside Seth. He could stay in Lexington, maybe, just for a few more days. Or he could return the following weekend. But the job…oh, God, the career he’d worked so hard to build. David would never understand. He had it all handed to him on a silver platter. He didn’t have to impress anyone. His uncle saw to it that he glided to the top of the corporate ladder instead of wrenching himself up step by arduous step. One kiss. One kiss wouldn’t kill him. His hands trembled as he reached for the back of David’s head and feathered his fingers at the nape. David’s lips pressed together into a tight line. His eyes narrowed, but he looked past Seth, somewhere across the room. Agony lurched through Seth’s bloodstream. Ever-present need swirled in his cock, tightening his groin. No, one kiss wouldn’t kill him. But not having it might. He brushed his lips across David’s jaw. “You want me to beg?” David swallowed hard. So much tension hovered between them. So many words left unsaid. “I want you to ask me to break our bargain.” Not in this lifetime. The words Seth had spoken with such conviction just three nights earlier now rang like heavy, guilt-laden bells in his ear. He grimaced as shame and anguish ripped through him. He tried again. “It’s just a kiss, David.” The intensity in David’s eyes rocked him to the core. 61

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“Ask. Me.” “Please.” His voice came out thick. Husky. “Forget about the stupid bargain. Kiss me, right here, right now.” He’d expected a victorious, easy grin. Instead, he got a resigned nod. “Fine. But then you’re leaving.” What could he say? He grunted a brief acknowledgement. Their gentleman’s agreement had really come to an end, and nothing he could say or do would restore it. The last three days had been sheer bliss, but they were a once-in-a-lifetime experience. An experience that was now well and truly behind him. Or it would be. In a minute. He moistened his dry lips with the tip of his tongue. David’s gaze followed the motion, and heat flared in the depths of his sapphire eyes. David closed the remaining distance between them. His lips pressed against Seth’s with warm, insistent pressure. A frisson of sensation snaked down Seth’s spine at the contact. His sigh caught on a trembling gasp, and he opened eagerly, wantonly, needing to devour every last instant he had with this man. What began as a soft, poignant kiss soon turned hungry and desperate. Seth’s hands roamed across the back of David’s suit jacket. He gripped his lover’s ass and pulled him closer, until their erections ground against each other. Every nudge sent a jolt of heat fizzing through his veins. Tongues met, caressed, dueled. They explored each other’s mouths with a hunger born of reckless melancholy. Every 62

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swipe held a trace of squandered promise, a hint of dashed dreams, a remnant of destroyed possibilities. Seth didn’t hear the door open, but he heard the handle smack against the frosted glass with a clang that shook the window in its pane. He jumped and practically flew out of his lover’s arms. His heart slammed against his chest, then tried to pound its way out. When he turned, it was to stare into the steely eyes of Barney Leone. But Barney wasn’t looking at him. Fury had turned his round, plump face a deep shade of crimson. If a gaze could strike someone dead, Seth knew without a shadow of a doubt that David wouldn’t live to take another breath. As though in slow motion, Seth’s focus shifted to his lover’s face. A myriad of emotions stood out as though starkly etched in the man’s handsome features. Despair. Agony. Resignation. He ran a hand through his blond hair, leaving it disheveled. When he met Barney’s gaze, it was with a strength and resilience Seth hadn’t expected. “Dad. You’re early.” *

*

*

Barney stormed toward David with the lumbering walk of a man who’d indulged in one too many glasses of the cheap champagne the waiters had been offering alongside lemonade and sparkling water. Obviously, Barney Leone still thought he could handle his liquor. 63

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God, nothing ever changed. Although David hadn’t lived under the same roof as the man in almost a decade, he remembered what a few glasses of wine or a couple of bottles of beer could do to his otherwise level-headed father. His mother knew all too well, too. That’s why she moved out of their family home a few months after David left for college. Barney stopped a few feet away from David. He swayed slightly and steadied himself by latching on to the back of a leather chair. His gaze swung from David to Seth, who stood on the other side of the conference room table from Barney. Although, judging by the way the color had drained from his face when David had called Barney “dad” instead of “uncle,” David wasn’t sure Seth would be standing much longer. He looked both horrified and shock-stricken, akin to the way David imagined someone would look after getting caught screwing on top of an occupied casket in the middle of a wake. “I knew you had no qualms about scraping the bottom of the barrel, boy, but I never figured you for an ass-munching queer.” Bile rose in the back of David’s throat. He fought to keep his face a bland mask. “We’ve discussed this, Dad. I came out to you and Mom when I was seventeen. You know I’m gay.” Barney snarled. It wasn’t a pretty sight. “I was talking to Seth.” Seth’s skin took on a decidedly greenish hue. “Sir, I—I…I don’t know what to say. I had no idea he was your son. If I’d known, I—” 64

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“This isn’t Seth’s fault.” The sight of his lover facing his greatest fear nearly undid David. As much as he wanted to hurt Seth for choosing the job over him, he couldn’t let him go down for a relationship—God, was that what this was?—he’d initiated. “I…seduced him.” “You can’t get an erection from a stone, kid.” Barney grinned, showing oversized gums. Then the grin transformed into a chuckle, and a moment later, into a full-fledged laugh. Clearly, in his inebriated state, Barney thought he was hilarious. David caught Seth’s eye and gave a quick jerk of his head toward the door. Seth seemed to understand. He began to shuffle toward the hallway slowly, as though afraid to make any sudden movements that might bring Barney’s attention back to him. David nearly sighed. With any luck, Seth would get out of here before Barney noticed. By tomorrow, Barney would forget this encounter even took place, and everyone’s lives could go back to normal. Except his, of course. Sharing his sprawling ranch with Seth had felt so incredibly good. So right. He dreaded going back to an empty house even more than losing his job. More than losing his father’s respect. More than anything. David felt ridiculous. He wasn’t sure what he’d hoped to accomplish this weekend. He supposed he thought a couple of days with the man he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about for a year would cure him of whatever infatuation had plagued 65

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him since his New York days. Unfortunately, being with Seth had the opposite effect. It embedded in him a deep-seated fire of need and unbearable longing he wasn’t sure any other man could ever douse. “You asked to get a job in the mail room when you graduated. I gave you a job. You wouldn’t take the executive position I’d had planned for you. You wanted to do it on your own.” Barney’s eyes glazed over, as if his mind had wandered down memory lane without him. David grimaced. “I still do.” “Yeah? By fucking your way up the totem pole?” Another jerky laugh transformed into a guffaw. David didn’t even try to figure out what on earth was so funny. By the time Barney got his wheezing breath back to normal, Seth had almost reached the door. “So this is how you’ve done it, huh, kid?” Barney went on, relentless now that he’d grabbed on to an idea that fired his imagination. “You screwed your way into promotion after promotion. And here I thought you had a natural talent for finance. Smarts inherited from your old man. Ha!” David bit down on his lower lip. He’d worked so hard to ensure no one knew Barney was his father. He didn’t want any special treatment. He’d earned his title, damn it, the same way everyone else had. “Well, it stops here. No more promotions for you, boy. You’re lucky I let you keep your job after the spectacle I witnessed.” David gave a hasty nod, but his gaze remained fixed on 66

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Seth. He didn’t give a damn about Barney’s threats. By tomorrow, he doubted Barney would remember a word of this conversation. And if he did, it wouldn’t be difficult to convince him he hadn’t really seen what he thought he saw. “Now you stay here and think about what you’ve done.” At that, Barney doubled over and smacked his open palms on his knees. Laughter bubbled up from somewhere deep in his gut and spewed forth in great big gurgling guffaws. David’s heart skipped a beat. This was Seth’s chance to get out of the boardroom unnoticed. Only, for some reason David couldn’t begin to fathom, Seth had stopped moving. He straightened his spine and thrust his shoulders back. A line of tension seemed to run all the way down his body, as if the man hovered on the brink of decisive action. David’s eyes widened. When Seth stepped forward, David’s entire body froze, except for his heart, which pummeled wildly in his chest. “Listen here, you drunken fool.” Seth rolled up his sleeves as he stormed toward Barney. When he came within arm’s reach, he grabbed the CEO’s lapel and turned him so they stood face-to-face. “David is as committed to this company as I am. He works as hard as the rest of us. He’s gotten to be where he is because he deserves it, not because he slept with me.” Barney squinted. He tilted his head back to get a better look at Seth. “You and every other executive in the place.” Seth’s jaw went rigid. His gaze met David’s. 67

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“Seth…” David shook his head. “It’s not worth it. Don’t jeopardize your career for me. I can take care of myself.” Seth’s mouth twitched with fury. “There were no others,” he said as though David hadn’t spoken. Scorching desire blazed a path through David’s veins. Seth had believed him when he’d said he’d been celibate for a year. Something akin to giddiness fluttered into his chest. “That’s what you think,” Barney shot back. “That’s what I know. And what you should know is that you’ve raised a son who takes his duty to your company as seriously as you do. Now, take my advice and get in the company car. Have Roger drive you to your hotel. Sleep it off.” “Sleep it off?” Barney shook himself out of Seth’s grip. He glared with righteous indignation. “Why you sonofa—“ His fist flew toward Seth’s face. Seth blocked it easily, and ducked a second blow by dodging underneath Barney’s outthrust arm. When Barney attempted a similar move a third time, Seth sighed and swung a fist of his own. His blow connected with Barney’s jaw. A cry rang out, then Barney fell backward onto the floor. His significant rump cushioned the impact and he sat there, dazed, nursing his jaw. “Damn. He’ll remember that tomorrow.” David peered at his father to assure himself Barney would be all right. The man glared up at him. He looked confused, and he’d be sporting a bruise come morning, but appeared otherwise uninjured. 68

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“Oh, shit.” Seth uncurled and shook out his whiteknuckled fist. “I can’t believe I did that.” “Let’s get the hell out of here.” Without waiting for a response, David cupped Seth’s elbow. The explosion of heat that rushed up his arm at the contact overwhelmed the myriad sensations swirling inside him, until only one remained. It exploded inside him in a fizzle of sensation, knocking the air from his lungs. God—could it be? Had he fallen in love with the man? Or was he just feeling absurdly, unreasonably grateful for Seth’s actions back in that boardroom? A flurry of thoughts jumbled together in David’s mind. With a gentle push, he led Seth out into the hallway. Outside one of the empty offices, where Seth had dropped off his luggage bag that morning, David made a quick phone call to arrange for someone to ensure Barney got back to his hotel safely. Suitcase safely recovered and inebriated father dealt with, the two men stood in front of the elevator doors less than five minutes later. Neither one spoke. Both stared at the bright arrow that indicated the button had already been pushed. A smile pulled at the corners of David’s mouth. He shook his head as it blossomed into a full-fledged grin. “You stood up for me.” Seth lifted his shoulders in a gesture that David figured was meant to communicate nonchalance and self-deprecation, but didn’t quite manage to achieve either. The man glanced at the floor, still avoiding David’s gaze. “Haven’t you figured it 69

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out by now? I’d do anything for you.” David’s heart knocked hard against his ribcage. Happiness overwhelmed him in a mad rush that surged through his bloodstream. He was afraid if he opened his mouth, he’d whoop with joy. He risked it anyway. “What I haven’t figured out…” He stepped in front of his lover, buried his hands in Seth’s hair, and pulled him close. “Is what took you so long.” Seth glanced up. His eyes shimmered with the same hope and fervent joy that must have been mirrored in David’s. “I’ve been a fool.” He smirked, and the sight of that carefree smile nearly made David stagger. “Maybe not as big a fool as your father, but a pretty giant fool nevertheless. Forgive me?” The elevator dinged. The doors slid open. David propelled Seth backward with a gentle shove. They tumbled against the far wall of the elevator, pressed together, mouths fused in a blistering kiss. David’s tongue swept over the seam of Seth’s lips. He gripped the back of Seth’s neck, urging him to open to the lust they ignited together. Seth didn’t need to be coaxed. His lips parted of their own accord and he met David thrust for thrust. With his free hand, David reached behind him and sought the stop button. He found it and pressed. Alarms sounded, but the noise couldn’t compete with the pounding of blood and anticipation that thrummed through his temples. He broke the kiss, dropped to his knees. His fingers worked at Seth’s belt. “Forgive you? That depends.” Seth groaned. His hands tugged at his zipper, trying to help, succeeding only in getting the fabric caught in the metal 70

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teeth. “On what?” “On whether you’ll move in with me.” The alarm bells grew louder. Or maybe the fact that David held his breath made the clamor ring in his ears with a highpitch blare he wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. Seth’s suit trousers fell around his ankles. David hurried to shove the tight briefs his lover wore down after them. His own cock stood stiff as a board, straining against the fabric of his pants. With Seth’s cock finally free of its confines, David leaned in and placed a tentative kiss across the tip. A drop of pre-cum pebbled from the tiny slit in response. Seth’s fingers snaked through David’s hair, tilting his head up. He was smiling, David realized with a jolt. “If I say yes, will you suck my cock?” He couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled from his throat. “I’ll suck your cock anyway. I figure you earned it back there, decking Barney like that.” Seth’s brow furrowed, but the smile didn’t falter. “You plan on reminding me of that judgment lapse for the rest of my life, don’t you?” For the rest of my life. The weight of those words, the promise in them, hung heavy in the conditioned air. “If you’ll let me,” David murmured. Seth took a deep breath, released it on a whoosh. David could almost see the wheels turning in his lover’s head. The commitment he was a breath away from making. 71

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David couldn’t blame him for not answering right away. Seth had spent years—decades, maybe—of his life working for B&D Financial, striving for the VP position that should have been his years ago. And now when he’d come so close to achieving his goal, he’d watched his dream disintegrate in the time it took to swing a fist at his boss’s jaw. While he waited, David swirled his tongue around the base of Seth’s cockhead. He paid particular attention to the tender skin just beneath the crown, the spot that elicited a delicious tremor from Seth every time David licked it with the flat of his tongue. “You’ll keep making me breakfast?” David’s lips wrapped around Seth’s shaft. He lowered his mouth, taking his lover’s rod deep into the back of his throat. “Uhhhhhhmmm.” It was an affirmation, or as much of one as he could give at the moment, anyway. Seth seemed to understand. He pressed his palm against the back of David’s head, urging his head forward until David’s nose was buried in the coarse curls at the man’s groin. “And this cock sucking thing…I like that. You’ll continue doing that, too?” Seth’s musky taste assaulted his senses. He bobbed his head up and down, nodding eagerly with each deep pull on his lover’s cock. Seth’s hips rocked. Slowly at first, then faster as he began to pump inside David’s mouth. “And…fuck…” The words came out between panting breaths. “I liked it when you fucked me…against the window. More?” 72

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David wrapped his fist around the base of Seth’s cock. With his free hand, he cupped the man’s heavy balls and squeezed. Harsh, ragged groans competed with the blaring alarms, but the shrill noise from the elevator barely registered in David’s ears. A grunt of pleasure escaped David’s throat. “Then yes. Oh, God! Yes!” Seth’s muscles tensed, and David increased his pace. The man was close. So close another lick along the tender underside of the helmeted tip, followed by a slow, steady pull at the head and— Ah! Heaven. Seth’s sac drew up tight against the base of his rod, caressing David’s chin with each shuddering tremble. His cock pulsed and jerked inside David’s mouth, and a moment later, hot cum flooded David’s throat. He swallowed every drop, continuing to suck as pulsing jets of cream jettisoned from his lover’s rod. He licked and laved, cleaning the length of Seth’s softening shaft with excruciating precision, despite the ache in his own balls that told him he needed to empty his sac deep in his lover’s ass. He could stand, grip Seth’s hair, and turn him around. It would be so easy to fuck him right here, in the elevator between floors. Too easy. And not quite what he had in mind. The first time had been raw, savage, excruciatingly good. The next time would be slow, sweet, tender. He wanted to 73

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show Seth what he’d signed up for. A lifetime of unpredictable, incredible sex. With a sigh, he pulled Seth’s briefs up and tucked the man’s now quiescent cock inside them. When Seth raised a questioning eyebrow, David winked. “Zip up. And let’s get out of here.” Five minutes later, they stood on the sidewalk in front of the Lexington Financial Center. Neither knew whether they’d be coming back to work tomorrow, but something told David that as soon as his father sobered up, they’d at least be able to discuss the situation like mature adults. Right now, there wasn’t anything else he could do. Still, despite the uncertainty regarding his job, he knew exactly what his future held. He reached around Seth and squeezed his shoulder. A lifetime of bliss, with the man he loved by his side. Who could ask for anything more? David lifted his hand to flag down a cab, but Seth tugged on his arm, stopping him. “Let’s walk. I haven’t seen much of the city. I figure I should learn if I’m going to be living here.” David gave a mock frown. “What do you mean, if?” Seth laughed and gave his upper arm a light punch. “All right, all right! When. I meant when.” “Good question. When?” “Tomorrow too soon for you? I’ll call Anna. She’ll make moving arrangements.” Happiness vibrated through every nerve ending of David’s body. “Tomorrow’s just fine.” 74

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They chatted as they walked. David told Seth about the city, promising to take him to every one of his favorite spots. Seth asked about the ranch, and, to David’s enormous glee, even inquired about the logistics of buying and raising horses. Half an hour later, David’s gaze fell onto a familiar sign. He halted in the middle of the sidewalk and turned to his lover, a grin splitting his face. “How are you with pain?” Seth opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again. After a long pause, he asked, “Should I be afraid?” David nudged Seth’s shoulder. “Come on. I’d like to introduce you to someone.” Beneath the glowing neon sign of the Manly Man Salon and Spa, he pulled the door open and yanked his lover inside. “Oh, and don’t mind the hot wax. Charlie won’t hurt you. Much.” He couldn’t help but chuckle at the terror-struck look on Seth’s face. Seth didn’t know it, but he’d helped David get through his first Boy-Zillian in one piece. David was about to return the favor. If there was a better way to spend a Monday afternoon, David didn’t know it. Judging by the blending of confusion and barely hidden excitement on Seth’s face, he was willing to bet Seth couldn’t think of any place he’d rather be, either. At least for the moment. Later…well, once they were both perfectly smooth, David had a few ideas. They involved whipped cream, chocolate sauce…and an awful lot of licking. Charlie came out of a private room just as David prepared to ring the little bell perched on the reception desk. “Hey, man.” Charlie gave Seth a once-over, taking in his 75

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tailored suit, the haphazard way he’d tucked his shirt into his pants. His eyes widened. “And I always thought you finance guys were so boring.” “Yeah?” David’s hand snaked down his lover’s back. He gripped Seth’s ass in his palm and squeezed. “Say that again in half an hour. I dare you.” Seth shivered, despite the fact that cool air blew from a number of overhead vents throughout the spa. “Living with you is never going to be dull, is it?” David leaned forward and placed a swift kiss on Seth’s luscious mouth. “Maybe only when we’re at the office. And even then…” He wiggled his brows and licked his upper lip in mock leer. “We can always finish what we started in that boardroom today.” Seth groaned as he followed Charlie into the same private room David had been in just three days earlier. “Are we going to need another gentleman’s agreement?” “Who’re you calling a gentleman?” David teased. As soon as the door closed behind the three of them, he began to shed his clothes. Charlie shook his head and pointed at Seth. “I thought he was the one getting waxed.” “He is,” David replied, shucking his briefs. His cock strained in a slight arc, desperate for attention. “I’m just here to help.” A smile played at the corners of Seth’s mouth. He looked happier than David had ever seen him. Even in New York, in his element, he’d never beamed with so much sheer bliss. 76

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“God help me,” Seth said as he hopped onto the bed, fully naked. “I think I love you.” “I don’t know why,” Charlie quipped as he whirled some of the molten wax around in its container. “He’s going to make me watch. The man’s sadistic, you know.” “Are you kidding?” David snorted in disbelief. “This, my friend, is called payback.” Seth’s gaze flew from David to Charlie. “Is there something I should know?” “Only that you’re supposed to lie back and think of England,” David said. He stepped closer, one hand stroking his cock. “But I want you to think about sucking me, instead.” With a groan, Seth fell back onto the towels that had been draped over the bed. Good thing, too. David had a feeling they’d need them. As Seth turned his head and sought the tip of David’s cock with his tongue, Charlie sighed. “I told you this sort of thing happens more often than you’d think in here.” David’s eyes fluttered closed. A sigh of raw ecstasy slid from his throat. “Charlie?” “Yeah?” Seth’s slow, sensual pull on his rod had David trembling. His thighs rubbed against the edge of the bed. Bliss careened through his veins. “Shut up.”

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HUNTER RAINES

Hunter Raines believes the only thing hotter than a stunning man are two gorgeous men together, and she loves to explore that premise through stories that delve into the ecstasy of male-on-male love. She’s the author of short stories, novellas and full-length novels featuring alpha males who can’t keep their hands off each other. She invites you to live the fantasy right along with her at: www.hunterraines.com

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