Out Of The Storm

CALENDAR BOYS APRIL: OUT OF THE STORM

…“Where do you think you need to go?” Jay asked. The determination in Nick’s face faded, and his gaze flickered past him to the cabin. “I can’t stay there. It was supposed to be for me and Austin. I look at it, and I think of him telling me he hasn’t loved me in months.” Nick looked like a drowned cat. He was already shivering, and the rain on his face could have been tears for as miserable as his eyes were. Jay sought his mind for anything comforting to say, but the fact was, he didn’t know Nick. He didn’t know Austin. All he knew was that he was half-naked, standing in the rain, holding a man who needed something besides wine and words. “Come back inside with me. Please.” “I can’t.” He shook his head to emphasize his point. “Are you sure your truck won’t make it? I’ll pay you. Whatever you want. Name your price.” “Nick, I can’t…” Nick lifted his lashes and Jay realized he had never seen anybody look so…bereft. As though Jay had just condemned him with nothing more than a thoughtless word or a casual gesture. He yanked Nick forward against his naked chest and waited for Nick to pull away. But he didn’t. He just blinked the water out of his eyes and stared at Jay expectantly. Like he

expected Jay to seriously name a price to risk his neck and his truck to get down the road. Jay moved without further thought, pressing his lips against Nick’s. His mouth was cold and warm, sweet and bitter. He cupped the back of Nick’s head, holding him in place as he moved his lips…

ALSO BY JAMIE CRAIG At The Advent Of Dusk Fortune’s Honor Keeping Time A Little Bit Bewitched Calendar Boys, Vol. I: January-March The Master Chronicles Book I: Master Of Obsidian Book II: Unveiled Book III: Mosaic Moon Book IV: Seduction In Black And White Book V: Chaos & Communion Calendar Boys January: Miami’s Perfect Weekend February: Mine March: Kiss Me April: Out Of The Storm May: Corazón June: Commencement

CALENDAR BOYS

APRIL: OUT OF THE STORM BY JAMIE CRAIG

AMBER QUILL PRESS, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com

CALENDAR BOYS APRIL: OUT OF THE STORM 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 Pepper Espinoza & Vivien Dean ISBN 978-1-60272-242-2 Cover Art © 2008 Trace Edward Zaber

Layout and Formatting provided by: Elemental Alchemy

PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

APRIL: OUT OF THE STORM

CHAPTER 1

The cold pierced his coat and worked right into his skin, enveloping his bones. Jay Archer had been a Park Ranger for fifteen years, but he had never been more miserable. The rain didn’t fall in drops. It came down in sheets and layers. The tiny poncho and his damned hat did nothing to protect him, and the mud sucked hungrily at his boots. Each sloppy step threatened injury, and he grasped with futility at the sharp branches and rough trunks, trying to keep his balance. Jay tried to comfort himself with promises of a hot shower, hot coffee laced with strong whiskey, a hot bed, and maybe, a warm body if he could find one. But his body wasn’t fooled. His flesh couldn’t be placated with empty promises, and right 1

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at that moment, he couldn’t quite believe anything warm existed anywhere. He would have just trudged back to his truck, but there was still one more cabin to evacuate before the road was closed. Two guests, according to the manifest he had been given. Of course, they had to rent the cabin furthest from the access road. He nearly ran into the door before he realized he’d even reached the cabin. Visibility was low, but he doubted the guests had a power four-wheel drive. He’d have to lead them back to his truck. Balling his hand up into a fist, he pounded on the door. Something scraped across the floor. “I don’t care if you’re on your knees!” a man called out. “Go away!” What the fuck? “I’m up to my knees in mud, sir!” Jay shouted over the rain. Now that he was paying attention, he heard the faint sound of music, a low throb that would have made the glass vibrate in the windows if the storm wasn’t doing it for them already. He waited with his head bent against the wind. It took far too long for the doorknob to finally turn. It only opened a crack. Through the opening, a pair of dark brown eyes peered up at him, framed with thick lashes. “You’re not Austin.” “No, sir. I’m Ranger Archer. There’s a flash flood warning and we’re evacuating the area.” The man’s gaze flickered over Jay’s shoulder, and he opened the door a little wider in order to see the ravaged trees 2

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surrounding the cabin. There was something familiar about him, something Jay couldn’t quite put his finger on. Smaller and more lithe than Jay, he wore a rumpled white dress shirt with an elegant monogram stitched over the breast. His black hair was cut short, sharpening his cheekbones and jaw, and it made his Eastern features even more exotic. Pretty, Jay would have called him, if he wasn’t standing in the middle of the storm of the century and the man wasn’t dragging his feet to get out of the cabin. “It’s just a little rain.” The man laughed, though there was nothing amused in the sound. “Trust me. I know about rain.” A little rain? It was easy for this guy to say that. He still stood inside his perfectly dry cabin. He didn’t have the cold water hitting him in the face and soaking his clothes. “Well, I know about what happens to dirt roads during a flash flood.” Jay didn’t bother to hide the annoyance in his voice. “Please get your coat, sir. We need to get down to my truck.” He recognized the stubborn set of his jaw before the man uttered a word. “I don’t think so. I paid for the whole weekend. This is going to break up before the morning and the roads will be fine by Monday.” Jay would have left him. What did he care if some idiot from the city got caught in a flash flood? Maybe he would get really lucky and there would be a mudslide, too. Unfortunately, the park would be liable for any idiots they left on the mountain. “The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning. We need to get down the mountain. 3

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Now.” “Those pansies panic every time we get more than an inch. This is April. It’s supposed to rain.” He started to close the door. “Thanks, but no thanks, Ranger Archer.” Jay was so surprised by the other man’s response, he didn’t think to stop the door before it slammed in his face. “Yeah, well, fuck you, too, buddy.” He’d just radio in and let them know there was still at least one person who refused to leave. Before he had the chance to grab his radio, it cackled to life. “Archer…” The static cut through. “Archer…are you there?” His fingers were so numb he could barely grasp the small radio. “I’m here.” “Road…out.” “What?” “Archer?” “I’m here! What did you say?” “Road…impassable. Can you…cabin?” “Can I what?” “Find…cabin. Hunker down. We’ll get you…as soon as we can.” Fuck. Jay wasn’t sure what he had done to deserve this, but it must have been pretty bad. Maybe he blew up a busload of nuns in a previous life. “Archer…there?” “I’m here! I heard you. I’m at a cabin now. Over and out.” With a sigh, Jay pounded on the door again. The man was quicker to answer this time, though he kept 4

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the opening narrower than before. “I already told you, I’m not going.” Jay pushed the door open without warning, forcing the other man back. He didn’t care if it was rude. He didn’t care if he was invading somebody’s privacy. He felt brittle. “No, and now neither am I. The road has already flooded.” He’d been in the cabins hundreds of times. They all had the same layout, the same cookie cutter décor. A huge stone fireplace overwhelmed the far wall, with the solid furniture littered around the single large room. A ladder led up to the loft that served as a bedroom. What made this one stand out was the boom box plugged into the wall, blasting the music he’d heard outside, and the blanket spread out in the middle of the floor. It had clearly been made up to be a makeshift bed of some sort, but it was the handcuffs and rope lying discarded off to the side that made Jay pause on the periphery of the living room. The man followed Jay’s line of sight and actually blushed. “You don’t need to stay here, do you?” He darted in front of him, trying to block Jay’s view. “There’s got to be other cabins you can take refuge in.” “No. I’m not sure where you’re from, but where I come from, that’s not a little bit of rain.” Jay took his hat off and hung it on the hook beside the door. He ran his hand through his hair, confirming that the hat hadn’t actually done anything and his head was dripping with water. “The nearest cabin is almost a mile away, and I’m not going back out there.” His host looked less than pleased, but after a moment, his 5

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shoulders sloped. “Let me pick some of this stuff up and get it out of your way then. Hang on.” Jay peeled the raincoat from his shoulders and shivered. “I just need a hot shower. And coffee.” He looked up, meeting the man’s eyes hopefully. “You wouldn’t have any whiskey or rum around here, would you?” “I have wine.” The man glanced back from where he was tossing all the accoutrements onto the middle of the blanket. “What did you say your name was again?” “Jay Archer. What about clothes?” The cabins did not come equipped with a washer and dryer, and he was not going to take a hot shower just to crawl back into his wet and cold garments. “Where’s the other guy who is supposed to be here? Maybe I can borrow something of his.” The other man turned his face away, wadding the blanket into a ball in order to scoop it up. “He’s gone. We’ll have to hang your stuff up to dry it out.” Jay frowned, thinking of a man caught out in the storm. “When did he leave?” “As soon as he feasibly could,” the man muttered. Jay wasn’t sure it was meant for his ears, especially when the man straightened and said in a clearer voice, “As soon as it started to rain. I’m sure he’s long gone by now.” “Well, that’s something, I suppose.” Jay’s feet squelched in his boots, and he wiggled his toes against his drenched socks. Now that he was starting to thaw, he was beginning to understand. Weekend getaway gone horribly wrong. Maybe he could cut this guy some slack. If he was willing to share the 6

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wine. And whatever food he might have. “What’s your name?” For a moment, the man faltered. His intelligent gaze narrowed as it regarded Jay, assessing him for several seconds before he finally replied. “Nick Lau.” “Good to meet you, Nick. Look…” He worked his boots off and left them to dry by the door. “This probably isn’t exactly what you had planned for your vacation. I get that. I’ll stay out of your way. I’m just interested in getting warm and getting dry.” “How long do you think you’ll be stuck here?” “You know so much about the storm. You tell me.” Nick’s eyes strayed to the window, but the hard set of his jaw spoke volumes. “Apparently, the only thing I’m an expert on is how to mess things up. If you want to help yourself to the shower, I’ll get you a couple towels and dig up a sheet you can wear until your clothes are dry. I’ll just leave everything on the toilet.” He didn’t look back as he dumped the blanket and its contents in the corner of the room and climbed up the ladder. Jay watched him disappear, then shrugged. He appreciated that Nick probably just wanted some time to lick his wounds. The storm outside couldn’t be worse than whatever happened in that cabin earlier that morning. But that didn’t change the fact he needed the shelter. The shower was big enough to fit two comfortably. It was next to, but apart from, the hot tub each cabin boasted. A 7

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bathroom truly designed for a romantic, weekend retreat. A part of Jay wanted to relax in the tub, but he didn’t think he should indulge himself. That would be for later. When he made it back to his own home. He didn’t know how it was possible, but he felt colder once he stripped off his wet clothes. Was it possible to get hypothermia in a rainstorm? He couldn’t remember anybody mentioning that specifically, but then, he couldn’t remember a rainstorm like this. Jay sighed as he stepped into the hot spray, his skin tingling back to life. It hurt, but it felt good, too, as the feeling returned to his hands and feet. He thought he heard the bathroom door open and close, but he ignored it and focused on scrubbing the mud away. He stepped out to a wall of steam and two fluffy navy towels sitting exactly where Nick had said they would be. The friction from the terrycloth helped his blood circulate even more, but Jay frowned when he saw the sheet that had been left as well. He wasn’t going to wear a fucking toga. The other towel did just fine, and he wrapped it around his waist, intent on getting a blanket to put around his shoulders as he sat in front of the fire. Jay walked out of the bathroom to quiet. The boom box was off, and the only evidence that he’d walked in on anything untoward at all was the wadded up pile in the corner of the room. Nick stood in front of the small stove in the area that served as a kitchen, steam rising from something in front of him. He glanced back when Jay emerged. “I’ve got some pasta I was going to have for supper if 8

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you’re hungry,” he said. “Rotini and peas in a garlic olive oil with feta cheese on top. If you’re interested.” Jay would have been happy with a steak. Or, barring that, a thick sandwich. But the pasta sounded good, too. Even if he wasn’t sure he liked feta cheese. “Thanks. I’m starving.” He snagged a blanket from the couch and settled on the chair closest to the fire. The silence was thick between them, and Jay shifted uncomfortably. “So. Can you believe this weather?” Nick snorted. “No. I can’t. I’m never going to hear the end of it on Monday.” “Are you supposed to control the rain?” “No. I’m supposed to predict it.” He glanced back, his fine brows drawn into a line. “You don’t know who I am?” Jay’s forehead furrowed, and he studied Nick’s features. “You look a little familiar to me. You’re on channel four, right? I don’t watch a lot of television.” “Yeah, channel four.” Nick crossed to the small refrigerator and took out a covered container. “I do the weather. Do you like Italian sausage?” Jay perked up at the mention of meat. “Yeah. I do. So I guess I shouldn’t feel too bad that this storm caught me flatfooted, too, huh?” Opening the microwave, Nick set the sausages inside and set the timer. “Nobody predicted this storm. Which apparently is my fault, too.” As soon as the words slipped out of his mouth, he glanced back, guilt darkening his face. “Sorry. It’s just been a really bad day.” 9

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Jay looked out the window. He didn’t think it should be possible, but he was certain it was raining harder. Forget flooded, would there even be a road left when the storm finally passed through? The thought made him uneasy, like the storm was threatening to do more than wipe out the road. Would there be any sign of man left on the mountain at all? “I guess today isn’t going like anybody expected. Maybe booze could do you some good, too.” “Oh, you said you wanted some. Right.” He bustled around, gathering wineglasses, pulling a corkscrew out of a small basket Jay hadn’t noticed. It probably made him feel better to keep busy, Jay thought. But hell, he wasn’t going to argue if the man wanted to be hospitable. Nick brought him a glass of red wine, then went back to the kitchen to dish out food. In spite of his uncertainty about whether or not he was going to like it, the pasta did smell good, the scent of garlic making his mouth water by the time Nick brought him a plate. “I’ve got some ice cream for dessert,” he said. “Except, I guess you want to stay away from the cold food, huh?” “I probably should. But I’ve never been the sort to turn down free ice cream. Speaking of ice, I hope the rain doesn’t turn to snow at this elevation. If it gets cold enough, your pipes will freeze.” “Well, you’re a half-empty kind of guy, aren’t you?” Nick didn’t wait for a response as he curled up with his wine in front of the fireplace. “I’d say it won’t get that cold, but I’ve been wrong about everything else today, so better not press 10

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my luck.” The wine warmed the back of his throat and sent heat through his limbs. It felt good. Good enough to know that he probably wasn’t going to stop drinking until the bottle was empty. Or bottles. “It’s hard not to be a half-empty kind of guy after the morning I had. About thirty square miles full of campers, weekend warriors, and hikers. And every single one of them thought they knew better than me about what was safe.” “Including me.” Sighing, Nick downed the rest of his glass and reached for the bottle. “Since you’re stuck with me now, who’s going to get the rest of them out?” “They’re all safe now. I started at the bottom and worked my way up to the top.” Jay looked around. “But there are definitely worse places to be stuck during a storm. Places that don’t have good wine. Or company.” The corner of Nick’s mouth lifted in a small smile, and he stared into his glass, watching the patterns left when he swirled its contents. “I’m not very good company and we both know it. I’m just trying to make up for it by feeding you and getting you drunk. Maybe you won’t remember all my mopey behavior in the morning, then.” Jay returned his smile. “Do you plan on being mopey for the rest of the night?” “Oh, no. I plan on being drunk, too.” “So like I said.” Jay raised his glass in a small salute. He was curious about what happened to Nick, but he didn’t want to pry into the man’s life. It wasn’t any of his business. “Good 11

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company. Besides, is there anything else to do around here other than get drunk?” He caught the flicker of Nick’s eyes in the direction of the cuffs and rope he’d hidden in the corner. “Nope,” Nick said, popping the final sound. The second glass disappeared, and he rose to his feet, weaving only slightly as he headed for the kitchen. “Which makes it a very good thing I have lots of wine.” “Good. I was hoping you had more than one bottle floating around here.” Jay licked his lips. He wanted to keep the conversation rolling, even if it was superficial and not much more than small talk. They were going to be stuck with each other for at least the night. “You been up here before?” “No, first time. It was supposed to be a special treat. A time for me and Austin to reconnect.” Nick snorted. “But I guess you can see how that turned out.” “Yeah,” Jay said softly. “I guess I can.” It seemed like this was as good a place as any to connect with somebody, or reconnect. No distractions. Nothing but solitude, privacy, and each other. He felt a twinge in his chest, but it wasn’t for Nick’s lost chance. It was lonely on the mountain, too. “For what it’s worth, I think you’ve done a good job.” His low tone drew Nick’s attention, drew his feet back to the fire, though this time when he curled up in front of the hearth, he faced Jay rather than the flames. “You probably see a lot of that kind of thing up here,” he said, pouring wine into his glass from the fresh bottle he’d brought with him. “Couples, I mean. Not blowouts like me and Austin.” 12

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“Oh, yeah. These cabins are popular spots for couples. You’d probably be amazed at some of the things I’ve seen up here.” “Like what?” “If I had a dime for every time I’ve found somebody locked outside their cabin, butt-naked and shivering, I’d be rich. And if I had a dollar for every time we got an emergency call at the station for medical help because somebody has a vicious case of poison oak in their unmentionable areas, I could retire comfortably.” For the first time since he’d opened the door, Nick smiled. It completely changed his face, and in that moment, Jay could see exactly why he was in front of the camera. He really was an attractive guy. It wasn’t his fault he’d been dumped earlier that day. “The kind of job you do for the love of it, huh?” “I am here for the love of it. My parents used to bring me up here every summer. It always seemed like a second home to me. I always wanted to have an excuse to make it my first home. Dealing with people is a necessary evil, unfortunately.” “No, people are evil. Especially ex-boyfriends.” Jay refilled his glass. “You don’t believe that, do you?” “I do,” Nick said vehemently. “Austin knew I was planning something special for us this weekend. We’ve been looking forward to it for months, because we haven’t had any time for just the two of us since before Christmas. And he waited until we were already here, and I had everything unpacked before he said a word about breaking up.” He 13

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gestured helplessly toward the boom box. “I even brought that awful music he loves so much. Just for him. But did he care? No.” He downed the rest of his wine, smacking his lips a little when it was gone. “Because he’s an asshole.” Jay remained motionless through Nick’s diatribe. He was sorry for the other man, but he kind of liked it, too. He liked the way his eyes lit up and his face reddened and he looked like he was something other than empty. “Okay. I’d agree that your ex-boyfriend is probably evil. But I don’t think that applies to all people.” “Oh, yes, it does. Look at me. I slammed the door on your face when you were just doing your job. Evil.” “Nah, that’s not evil. Now, if you had shot me or thrown a knife at my head instead of just slamming the door, that would be evil. I say what you did was understandable.” Lowering his lashes, Nick fixated on his empty glass. Looking down like that made his already delicate features even prettier. “I usually let everybody walk all over me. Like Austin. Like my boss. I’m sorry I tried to assert my independence with you.” “You did a good job of standing up for yourself. I wish you had picked a different time, but you can consider it practice. Next time somebody tries to walk all over you, just remember today.” Jay leaned forward. “Besides, you did me a favor.” Nick looked up. “How? You’re stuck here with me now.” “Because I am stuck here with you. Instead of stuck outside in a flood with no road to follow.” 14

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His eyes looked huge, almost luminous as he stared at Jay. He ran his tongue nervously over his lower lip, and the odd vulnerability relaxed Jay even further. “Is somebody going to be worried about you?” Nick asked. “No. Everybody at the station knows I was near a cabin, and there’s nobody else who’d care.” Jay sipped at his wine and realized he was now at least two glasses behind Nick. “I’ll have to be sure to check in on the radio again soon, though.” “I’d give you my cell, but there’s no reception out here.” Sighing, Nick reached for the wine bottle. “Something else Austin was complaining about. God, I just want to forget this entire day happened.” Jay watched him pour, watched him drink, watched him pour again. Getting completely shit-faced with Nick during what amounted to a natural disaster would be a bad decision. He sipped at his own glass and resolved not to refill it. “It looks like you’re well on your way. I’ve been known to forget whole weeks after consuming a bottle or two of wine.” “I never do this. I can’t. Too public.” Nick laughed. “Not to mention Austin would have a fit. ‘Think of your career, Nick.’ Or my personal favorite, ‘Do you know how much alcohol ages your skin?’” He held out his hands, turning them over to look at both the backs and the palms. “I think he’s full of shit.” “I think you’re probably right.” Jay adjusted the blanket over his shoulders, pulling it tighter. “Fuck that guy. He sounds like a twat. This is your weekend away from the world. Take advantage of it any way you like.” 15

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“Twat.” Nick grew thoughtful, repeating the word several times as if trying it on for size. “I like that. That’s exactly what he is. A very pretty, well-hung twat, but a twat, nonetheless.” “Sounds like it. I mean, I have nothing against pretty and well-hung guys, but that can only go so far. You’re better off without him.” “I am. We should toast to that.” Jay nodded and held up his glass. “To a better life without that twat.” “Without any twat.” Nick giggled before knocking back the remainder of his wine. “Sometimes, I think my life would be much simpler if I didn’t love cock so much. At least women will talk about their feelings, right?” “Um…yeah. Usually women like to talk about their feelings quite a bit. But look, not all guys are…” Jay stopped himself from using Nick’s new favorite epithet. “Not all guys are like your ex. And women bring a whole new mess of problems to a relationship. Trust me.” “Is that why you’re alone?” Turning doe eyes to Jay, Nick scooted along the floor until he sat at Jay’s feet. “Take my word for it, though. You won’t be for long. This whole mountain man look you have really works for you.” Jay made sure his towel was still down over his knees. Not out of a sense of false modesty or because Nick’s compliment made him uncomfortable. He just didn’t want the drunk man to forget his better judgment. “Well, thanks. But not too many people, male or female, are willing to share me with the mountain.” 16

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“Their loss, then. Because it’s a fabulous mountain. Even when it’s pouring rain.” Nick surprised him by setting his glass down and rising to his feet. He weaved a little as he crossed to the window, then leaned his forehead against it as he stared out into the storm. “Stupid storm,” he muttered. “It’s all the rain’s fault.” Jay hesitated for a moment, then stood and joined Nick at the window. He didn’t touch him. He tried not to invade his personal space at all, though he stood close enough to watch the water flow down the glass. “What did the rain do?” “I think it was the straw. The one that finally broke Austin and me. Maybe if it hadn’t rained…” Jay found he was scraping the bottom of comforting things to say to drunk strangers. He felt sorry for Nick. He knew what it was like to be on the wrong end of a break-up. But he had encouraged drinking. He had encouraged swearing. He had even made a toast. But then, people in Nick’s condition were rarely rational. “Maybe if it hadn’t rained…you’d be fucking him right now and the rain would come next weekend.” “Maybe.” He drew a tiny heart with a myriad of holes puncturing it in the condensation his breath created on the glass. His fingers were long and slim, his nails polished and immaculate. Jay got the impression he probably was like that all over. His type always was. “You know, it doesn’t really look that bad out there.” 17

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To Jay’s eyes, it looked worse. He wondered what Nick was seeing. He was a weatherman, after all. Wasn’t he supposed to be smarter than this? “No, actually, it looks pretty bad. We’re lucky we’ve got this nice cabin and we’re not stuck out there in the middle of it.” “Because we’d get a little wet?” Nick scoffed and stepped away from the window. “You’re the mountain man. You’re supposed to be made of stronger stuff than that. I’ll bet I could even drive home in this, no problems.” “I’m sure you’re an excellent driver.” Jay didn’t like the way Nick’s eyes kept darting to the door. He obviously was not thinking clearly. “But you’re going to need a four-wheel drive and a road to get off this mountain. You have neither of those things.” “Four-wheel drives are for pansies. Pansies and twats.” He grabbed the doorknob and yanked it open. A gust of wind knocked over his wineglass near the hearth. “I’m neither one nor the other, ergo I shall be perfectly safe.” On his final declaration, Nick marched out into the storm, not bothering to shut the door behind him. He may not have been a pansy or a twat, but Jay was beginning to suspect he was a fool. He hesitated for a second, a part of him expecting Nick to spin on his heel and come back as soon as the cold rain rolled down his neck. But Nick just kept marching forward, like he didn’t even feel it. When he got caught in the rushing river that used to be the road, however, he would definitely feel it. 18

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Jay knew he didn’t have a choice. He didn’t even bother with his boots. He rushed out the open door, chasing after Nick. It was hard to make out details in the darkness. The driving rain kept blinding him, forcing Jay to wipe continually at his eyes. Only the fact that he knew this mountain better than a lover kept his feet steady. He raced forward, focused on Nick’s slight form. The man’s shirt was plastered to his back, his trousers molded over his tight ass, but not even that seemed enough to deter him. He barely hesitated when he broke free of the faint illumination spilling through the open front door. He only stopped when Jay grabbed his arm and yanked him to a halt. “What’re you doing?” Nick struggled against his grip, but he was no match for Jay’s strength. “If you’re worried about my car, we’ll just take yours. You’ve got a truck, right?” “Why are you in such a hurry?” Jay resisted the urge to shake the other man. “Where do you think you need to go?” The determination in his face faded, and his gaze flickered past him to the cabin. “I can’t stay there. It was supposed to be for me and Austin. I look at it, and I think of him telling me he hasn’t loved me in months.” Nick looked like a drowned cat. He was already shivering, and the rain on his face could have been tears for as miserable as his eyes were. Jay sought his mind for anything comforting to say, but the fact was, he didn’t know Nick. He didn’t know Austin. All he knew was that he was half-naked, standing in 19

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the rain, holding a man who needed something besides wine and words. “Come back inside with me. Please.” “I can’t.” He shook his head to emphasize his point. “Are you sure your truck won’t make it? I’ll pay you. Whatever you want. Name your price.” “Nick, I can’t…” Nick lifted his lashes and Jay realized he had never seen anybody look so…bereft. As though Jay had just condemned him with nothing more than a thoughtless word or a casual gesture. He yanked Nick forward against his naked chest and waited for Nick to pull away. But he didn’t. He just blinked the water out of his eyes and stared at Jay expectantly. Like he expected Jay to seriously name a price to risk his neck and his truck to get down the road. Jay moved without further thought, pressing his lips against Nick’s. His mouth was cold and warm, sweet and bitter. He cupped the back of Nick’s head, holding him in place as he moved his lips.

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CHAPTER 2

Nick was warm. Cozily so. Like curled up on the couch in his favorite comforter with the lights down and The Gunfighter flickering on his widescreen warm. A few moments after he realized how warm he was, the first pain stabbed through his left eyeball. “Oh, God,” he groaned. He didn’t need to try very hard to know what caused the agony. Nick remembered all too well opening the bottles of wine, and what led to drinking in the first place. He remembered the rain hitting the windows, how it sounded as it pounded into the roof. He remembered staring out into the 21

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darkness, wishing he was anywhere but in the cabin, and there was no way he would ever forget running out to find his car. It had been freezing, and he’d felt like he had been dipped into an ice bath that glued his clothes to his body. He would have kept on walking if… Something moved beneath his cheek. Nick’s eyes snapped open. He was in bed. In the loft. Naked. The vibration from below rumbled through his body again. With it came the tickle of chest hair against his nose. And he was lying on top of Ranger Archer. Nick scrambled off, rolling to the side to try and get as far from the other man as possible, taking most of the blankets with him. He wasn’t the only one who was naked. The ranger was, too, his heavy erection thick where it rested on his flat stomach. Fresh pain lanced through Nick’s head at the sudden movement, but that was secondary to the horrible realization of where he’d been sleeping. And the fact that all he remembered after the ranger stopping him was kissing him senseless. Archer might have missed the warm pressure of Nick’s body, because he opened his eyes as soon as Nick moved. He reached for the blanket Nick had kicked away and pulled it over his hips, covering his erection. “What’s going on?” Nick blinked. Damn. Even that hurt. “You tell me.” Archer narrowed his eyes, studying Nick’s face. “You don’t look so good. You should sit down before you fall 22

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down.” He didn’t want to sit. The bed took up most of the space in the loft, and he’d have to get back on it in order to comply with Archer’s suggestion. But his stomach was revolting against his abrupt shift in position, not to mention the room rolling around his head. Gripping the edge of the mattress, Nick used it to guide himself to the foot of the bed, trying to hide his nudity. “What happened last night?” he asked, sitting on the smallest corner he could. He tucked the edge of the blanket over his groin. “And why are you in my bed?” “Because by the time I got you up the damned ladder last night, I wasn’t going to sleep on the couch. It was warmer up here, too. As for what happened…” Archer shrugged. “You got drunk. You ran out into the rain. I dragged you back inside, and here we are.” Nick wracked his memory. Drunk. Check. Rain. Check. Dragged back inside. Not a check. In fact, there was a big check he was starting to wonder if he’d hallucinated that happened before getting dragged back inside. “Why do I remember you kissing me, then?” “Because I did kiss you. And you seemed to like it quite a bit. Enough to kiss me back.” Archer swung his legs over the side of the bed and reached for the towel on the floor. Nick remembered him wearing it the night before. “You were much more willing to come back inside with me after that, too.” “But you’re straight.” He stood and knotted the towel low on his hips. It tented in 23

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front him, evidence that his morning erection wasn’t quite gone yet. “I’m not. I am hungry, though. Do you think you can keep anything down?” Nick was still trying to process that this bear of a man wasn’t straight when the offer filtered through. “You don’t have to make me breakfast,” he started to say, but as he struggled to his feet, the room swayed around him, and he fell heavily back against the bed. He looked up to see Archer’s hazel eyes boring into him, his longish dark blond hair disheveled against his brow. “Gay? Really?” “I’m going to make you breakfast, and I’m going to scare up some painkillers and some coffee, too. You’ll feel better for it. Just lay down and try not to puke.” He crossed the loft to the ladder and began to descend, but paused before his head disappeared. “Yes, gay. Well, I guess technically bi. But mostly gay.” Nick stared at the space Archer left behind. Okay, so he hadn’t dreamed the part where he’d talked about women having their own problems. And it explained why he’d kissed Nick. It didn’t, however, tell Nick whether or not anything else had happened after they’d come back inside. He squinted down the length of the bed. The sheets looked dry. Crawling to the headboard, he fingered the soft cotton before touching the pillow. Everything was dry. After the fuss the ranger had made the night before, he sincerely doubted he would have slept in wet sheets, which meant they’d both been naked before getting into bed. He knew why Archer was, but the question remained whether or not Nick had stripped down 24

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so that they could have sex or for purely pragmatic reasons. Lying down in the warm spot, Nick pulled the blankets up around his ears as he tried to focus on the points of his body that weren’t screaming in agony. He didn’t feel like he’d been fucked. With a cock like Archer sported, Nick was sure he would feel it if he had. So maybe he’d just passed out. He liked that thought. It was a lot more comforting than thinking he was a big enough slut to throw himself at the only available man in a twenty-mile radius. Nick was dozing when the ladder creaked. He opened his eyes in time to see Archer’s head appear, followed by his powerful body. Archer had gotten dressed, though his clothes were rumpled, and he balanced a tray in his hand with coffee steaming on its surface. “I don’t remember your first name,” Nick confessed guiltily. “Jay.” He perched on the edge of the bed with the tray balanced beside him. “Take these.” Two white pills were followed by the cup of coffee, and Jay watched with careful eyes as Nick obediently swallowed the painkillers. Jay had the sort of eyes that didn’t miss anything. “I’m assuming you like eggs, since I found a dozen in the fridge.” “Yeah, I was going to do breakfast in bed all weekend.” The coffee soothed his ragged throat, and he gulped down the rest, aware of the shift in the mattress as Jay sat down on the edge of the bed. Jay pushed the plate of scrambled eggs and toast to Nick’s side of the tray. The scent made his stomach rumble. 25

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“I owe you an apology for my behavior yesterday.” Nick speared a large bite and practically inhaled the eggs. “I’m not usually so pathetic. You have no idea how embarrassed I am you saw any of that.” “Don’t worry about it. You probably don’t remember most of it, and I’ll be happy to forget it happened if you are. Besides, I’ve been known to go on a few benders myself after an ugly break-up.” “I remember enough to know I was an idiot.” He slowed down his chewing on the second bite, the steady drone of rain hitting the roof filling the room. “Thank you for…not letting me make things even worse.” “Do you mean for not letting you drown in a flash flood?” Jay shrugged. “Despite the strangeness of our situation, it’s still my job to keep people safe. Even if I’m just saving them from themselves. But you’re welcome anyway.” He watched Nick take another bite before adding, “I owe you an apology, too.” His cheeks flamed. Here it came. He’d thrown himself at the rugged ranger and Jay had been polite to turn him down. “For what?” he managed to say. “For kissing you. I shouldn’t have done that and I don’t even have a good excuse. That was probably the last thing you needed, anyway.” The fact that he was apologizing for something as innocuous as kissing had to mean nothing else had happened. Relief flooded through Nick, and he sagged against the headboard. 26

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“Hey, it got me back inside,” he said with a crooked grin. “I think that’s as good an excuse as any.” “You thought something else happened, didn’t you?” There was no point denying it. Jay was too astute, and Nick was a lousy liar. “Well…yeah.” He gestured vaguely toward the bed. “I mean, I don’t usually end up lying naked in bed with a guy without something else happening.” He realized how that sounded a split second too late. “Not that I end up naked in bed with guys very often. Or ever. Unless it’s on purpose, but…” Nick sighed. The hole he was digging was only getting bigger. “Nothing happened. I got you out of your wet clothes but you passed out before I could get you into anything dry.” Jay offered a small smile. “As to how you ended up sleeping on top of me…well, I guess you were cold.” “Yeah, I kind of, um…snuggle if there’s somebody in bed with me.” “Good to know for future reference.” At Nick’s startled glance, Jay gestured at the window. “I radioed the station while I was downstairs. Road is still out, and the storm will probably continue until tomorrow morning. So it looks like we’re stuck with each other for a bit longer.” Nick nodded. There were worse options. He still wasn’t keen on being stuck in the cabin he’d intended to share with Austin, but when it came to potential roommates, he doubted he’d find any as courteous or fair as Jay. “We don’t have a lot of choices on how to kill the time. I 27

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brought a few DVDs, but that’s about it.” “I would suggest we just finish the wine, but I have a feeling you won’t be touching the stuff again any time soon.” He winced and shook his head. “God, no. You’re welcome to it.” “I’ll think I’ll abstain as well.” Jay stood and nodded at the tray. “I’ll give you some privacy so you can finish your breakfast and get dressed. If you need anything…well, you’re probably not going to shout.” As grateful as he was for the reprieve, the notion of being alone didn’t fill Nick with joy. Especially if he was alone in a big bed all by himself. “I’ll be down soon. I don’t suppose you like Westerns, do you?” “I like them a lot. It’s been a long time since I actually had the chance to watch a DVD. At this point, I’d probably appreciate anything you had to offer.” “So at least you’ve gotten a mini-vacation being stuck with me.” He waved toward the ladder. “Everything I brought is in the black case next to the TV. Pick out whatever you want. I’ll be right down.” “I think it’s more fair to say that you’re stuck with me,” Jay said, before disappearing down the ladder again. Though his head still felt like somebody had taken a sledge hammer to it, Nick dressed as quickly as he could, finding a comfortable pair of sweats and a sweater in the bottom of his overnight bag. He fumbled a little bit with the tray as he climbed down to the lower level, but Jay was right there at the 28

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bottom to take it off his hands. “So what did you pick?” Nick asked as Jay carried the dishes to the kitchen. He tried hard not to stare at the man’s body. Working as a mountain ranger seemed to be better for building muscle than hours at a gym. “Once Upon a Time in the West. It’s a classic, plus it’ll kill nearly three hours. It seemed like a win-win situation to me.” Jay frowned. “Though it doesn’t seem like the sort of movie you’d watch on a romantic weekend away.” Folding himself into the corner of the couch, Nick picked up the remote and waited for Jay to come back. “It’s not. It’s the sort of movie I watch when Austin would kick me out of bed when he got too hot.” At Jay’s curious frown, he shrugged. “Normally, I don’t sleep in very late. And you’ve already seen how I snuggle. It always annoyed Austin when he was trying to sleep.” Jay shook his head. “I don’t get that. I thought it was pretty nice.” “Really?” His eager tone embarrassed even him, and he looked down at the remote, pretending to study its buttons. “We can flip for who gets the couch tonight. I’d suggest we wrestle for it, but that would be such a short match, it wouldn’t even be funny.” “You think that’s necessary?” Jay settled on the other end of the couch. “I don’t mind sharing the bed again if it doesn’t make you uncomfortable.” Uncomfortable was the last word Nick would use to describe how it made him feel. He’d woken up warm and 29

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cosseted, with a thick cock nudging against him and the best kind of pillow in existence beneath his cheek. Another night on top of Jay would likely fuel his fantasies for months to come, especially since it looked like he was going to be alone for them. And if Jay wasn’t bothered, Nick wouldn’t argue. “Only if you’re sure.” He hit play on the remote. “Just be warned, I was serious about the snuggling.” “I was serious about thinking it was pretty nice. Besides, now I can say I’ve shared a bed with a celebrity.” As the haunting Morricone score drifted from the speakers, Nick smiled. As far as ways to spend a weekend trying to forget Austin’s cutting last words, he wasn’t sure there was anything better than this was turning out to be. Just maybe he’d make it through to Monday without giving Austin any more power than he already had. *

*

*

He made it all the way to dinnertime without thinking of Austin again. It was only when he went to the refrigerator to tell Jay what sort of food he’d brought that it struck him. Container after container stacked neatly inside the fridge stared back at Nick, and the ease he’d acquired in Jay’s presence vanished. He’d done a lot of prep for this weekend. Planned every meal. Picked all of Austin’s favorites. None of it mattered now, because Austin wasn’t here to appreciate it. Hell, if he was being honest with himself, Austin really hadn’t appreciated it back in the city. He took it for granted that Nick would cook whatever he wanted when they ate in. Not once 30

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did he say thank you. Nick was grateful when Jay chose something simple. He took the potatoes he’d brought for the latkes Austin loved, and shredded them to fry up for hash browns to go with the Porterhouses. The baby carrots he’d brought to coat in the citrus honey glaze he’d made at home got steamed with the broccoli he had to make cream of broccoli soup on Sunday afternoon. At least he didn’t have to worry about dessert. Austin never ate dessert. The ice cream was Nick’s indulgence. Jay devoured every bite. In fact, Nick didn’t know if he’d ever seen anybody eat his food as enthusiastically as Jay did. He even asked for seconds. Austin never did that. “Why are you always trying to fatten me up?” Austin always complained. “I don’t have your metabolism. Some of us actually have to pay attention to what goes into our mouths.” When Jay offered to clean up, Nick refused to let him do it on his own. He didn’t want to be stuck on the couch, stewing in his memories. “Where did you learn how to cook like this, anyway?” Jay asked as he filled the sink with hot water. “I started dabbling in the kitchen in junior high when my mom went back to working full-time.” He picked up a dish towel and leaned against the counter, trying not to watch the way Jay’s forearms flexed as he placed dishes in the sink. They were very nice forearms. Nick especially liked how the hair curled slightly as it reached the back of his hand. “By the 31

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time I went off to college, I was the only one doing the cooking in the house. And when you’re the only one who can cook in a whole dorm…” “It seems to me if you ever get tired of the meteorological scene, you can get along just fine on your culinary talents.” Jay cast a sideways glance at him. “You feeling better?” He wasn’t sure how Jay meant, so he decided to play it safe. “Eating some solid food helped.” He smiled. “But I don’t think I’ll risk my stomach with the wine again.” Jay nodded. “What do you think? Are you ever going to take another vacation up here again? It’s not always this ugly up here.” Nick picked up a wet plate and began to dry it off. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I guess I’m afraid I’ll think of Austin every time I do.” “You’ll just have to make some new memories, that’s all. Besides, the park has a lot more to offer than these cabins. Between you and me, they’re my least favorite part of the mountain. I think if people are going to stay up here, they should camp out properly.” Jay grinned. “Of course, if you came up here in a tent instead of renting a cabin, we really would have been fucked this weekend.” He chuckled. “Austin in a tent? That’s a laugh. It took me forever to convince him to even try the cabin.” “What about you? Would you be willing to stay in a tent?” “Sure.” As he put the plate away, Nick looked at him out of the corner of his eye. “I don’t suppose part of your job is helping the tourists get set up, is it?” 32

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Jay laughed. “No. I mostly find lost tourists and make sure the rest of them don’t get eaten by a bear. But I can take the time to help friends get set up.” “Do you ever actually get to enjoy it up here? I mean, you obviously love this place. It doesn’t seem fair if you’re spending all your time saving people from their own stupidity.” “I enjoy every second. Most people up here know what to expect, and they genuinely want to experience the nature and the wilderness. It helps that every time I save somebody from his own stupidity, I automatically become their hero.” “So is that what you are? My hero?” “You tell me.” He shouldn’t be flirting with the hunky ranger. He knew that. But it felt good, and Jay wasn’t discouraging him, and hell, he was a healthy adult and nobody said it had to go anywhere anyway. “Well, you let me snuggle, you compliment my cooking, and you save me from washing away with the rain.” Nick smiled before turning to open the silverware drawer. “I’d say that makes you the closest thing to a hero I’ve had since my favorite geology professor at Stanford.” “In that case, I hope this storm lets up before you discover I’m a mere mortal.” “Oh, I don’t think that’ll be a problem. I woke up on top of you. I know exactly how mortal you are.” Jay submerged a pan in the soapy water. “Now I’m worried. I’m not too mortal, am I?” 33

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Nick snorted. “Not from where I was sleeping.” “I was concerned that you’d think I was trying to take advantage of you, but now I’m wondering if it’s the other way around.” “It’s your own fault if I did.” “My fault? I didn’t pull you on top of me.” “No, but you’ve gotta own a mirror. Like I ever stood a chance of resisting you.” “But you were passed out last night. The real question is, do you stand a chance of resisting me now?” Nick paused where he crouched down to put the broiler pan back into the oven. Jay wasn’t even looking at him, but there was no denying the teasing tone of his voice. Nick had two choices here. He could joke it away and keep their flirting light, or he could answer the question truthfully and find a way to forget about getting dumped for a few more hours. “Absolutely not.” He shut the door and straightened. “I’ve been wondering off and on all day if you really do kiss as great as I remember.” Jay reached for a dishcloth and dried his hands and forearms. As the silence stretched between them, Nick wondered if he had said the wrong thing. Jay could have been perfectly happy to flirt with him, but that didn’t mean he’d want to take things anywhere else. He turned around, tossing the towel aside and meeting Nick’s gaze. “I kiss better than you remember. I wasn’t working with the best of conditions last night.” His groin tightened, but he focused on keeping it casual. 34

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“It was raining. And I was drunk.” “Exactly my point. I don’t mind a bit of water, but I prefer it to be much warmer.” Nick glanced at the loft. “Heat rises.” “So you don’t want to flip to see who is stuck on the couch?” “I never really did.” He grinned. “I just thought it might be better to hold on to a shred of my dignity in case you were just feeling sorry for me.” Jay pushed away from the sink and crossed the small kitchen. He seemed much taller and much broader, now that he was only an inch away. “I might feel a lot of things, but I can honestly say I don’t feel sorry for you.” “Always good to hear.” It came out far more breathy than he would have liked, but something about the size of the man had been getting to him all damn day. Nick reached out and touched the lapel of his shirt, skimming up and over the buttons until he reached the hair visible at the neck opening. “I’m starting to think screwing up the weather forecast this weekend wasn’t such a bad thing, after all.” “I’m starting to think you took this storm way too personally.” Jay put his hand on the small of Nick’s back and pulled him closer. “What can I do to make you forget about that?” Nick didn’t want to waste any more words. Curling his fingers into Jay’s shirt, he tilted his head back while he tugged the other man down to meet his hungry mouth. 35

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CHAPTER 3

The first thing Jay had become aware of earlier that morning was how warm Nick’s body was pressed against his. The second thing was the ache in his groin. He couldn’t remember the last time he woke up next to somebody so unsatisfied. The worst part was, Nick probably would have let Jay fuck him if he had tried. But Jay had a little more selfrespect than to force himself onto a heartbroken, drunk, confused, needy stranger. With that in mind, he did his level best to keep his distance from Nick throughout the day. Even so, it was one of the best days Jay had spent in recent memory. Well, one of the best days he’d spent indoors, with another person. He liked 36

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watching movies with Nick. He loved eating dinner with Nick. And as their flirtation intensified, he remembered the way he had felt that morning. Hard. Throbbing. Hungry for more contact. Cold everywhere Nick wasn’t touching him, and scorched everywhere they had contact. Now that Nick was sober, he didn’t mind kissing him until they were both winded, and Nick’s arousal pressed against his thigh. He pulled Nick toward the loft, and when the other man didn’t resist at all, his mouth ran dry. But when they reached the top of the ladder, Jay hesitated. He didn’t know if Nick wanted to be in charge, or if Jay should take the upper-hand. And it seemed very important that Nick get exactly what he wanted—and what he needed—out of their time together. “What’s wrong?” The fingers they had entwined loosened slightly, and Nick’s dark eyes were solemn where they tilted up at him. “If you’re changing your mind…” “I’m not changing my mind. I just…” Jay studied Nick’s face in the shadows. They hadn’t bothered turning on the light, and the rain made the evening artificially dark. He didn’t think there was any point in explaining himself, or asking for help. Instead of speaking, he took him by the shoulders and slammed his mouth against Nick’s, kissing him with more force than he had used before. Nick whimpered, but rather than pull away, his arms locked around Jay’s back. His tongue answered every assault, and he invited even more by biting at Jay’s lips. Everything about him was deceptive. In spite of his slighter frame, there was a wiry strength in his body as he latched onto Jay, 37

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kneading the muscles in his back, grinding against his thigh. “Thank God,” he breathed when Jay finally let his mouth go. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about how good you felt this morning.” “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you, either.” Jay pushed him back to the bed, and wished he had more hands. Besides his own sharp desire, he remembered how smooth Nick’s skin was, how it had warmed him. He remembered how well Nick’s body fit against his. But if he wanted to feel Nick’s skin, Jay would have to release him, and he wasn’t ready for that. “I didn’t even want to let you out of bed this morning.” “So let’s get back in it.” Nick leaned back, redistributing his weight so that they toppled onto the blankets. Jay grunted as he landed atop him, but Nick’s attack at the sinew of his neck, biting and licking at the tense muscles, erased any sense of worry. Moaning, he tilted his head to give Nick more room to explore, his eyes drifting shut as sparks shot down his spine. Nick wasn’t the sort of person Jay typically found attractive. He liked larger guys. Guys who didn’t look like they were carefully groomed and prepared to be on television every night. But as Nick used his teeth and fingernails on his skin, finding sensitive spots to agitate and soothe, Jay realized he was never going to look at potential partners the same way again. Because there wasn’t anything about Nick that didn’t feel amazing. Nick finally slid his hands between their bodies and started 38

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tugging at the buttons. A few popped right off his shirt, but Jay barely noticed. Nick could have torn the garment apart for all Jay cared, especially when he ducked his head and closed his teeth around an exposed nipple. The flesh instantly hardened against Nick’s warm lips. He didn’t stop there. Nick bit a path straight to the other nipple, finding new patches of skin to shiver along the way. When he latched on, he flicked his tongue across the tip, and though it softened the sharp stabs that went straight to Jay’s cock, it was enough to make Jay groan out loud. “Should’ve known you’d like it a little rough.” Nick lifted shining eyes to meet Jay’s, a playful smile curving his mouth. “Anything else I need to know about you, Ranger Archer?” “Yes.” Jay thrust against Nick, the fresh pressure on his cock reminding him that he needed to get out of his pants. “I like it more than a little rough.” The dilation of Nick’s pupils was palpable. His nostrils flared. “And it’s not even my birthday.” He curled a leg around the back of Jay’s to strengthen the grind. “Lucky me.” No, lucky me. Jay sat up, straddling Nick’s thighs. The new position freed his hands, and he shrugged his shirt off and dropped it to the floor. Then he clawed at Nick’s shirt, forcing it over his head to reveal his smooth chest. Jay had seen him naked the night before, but this was different. Now he could look without feeling guilty about it. Nick’s hands were light and quick, and he pulled Jay’s zipper down, relieving the pressure against his erection. Jay sighed in gratitude, and the sigh turned into a low moan as 39

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Nick wrapped his fingers around his shaft. “So when we say rough…” Nick eased a hand through the fly to cup the sac. “Does that mean I can do this?” His eyes flashed as he scraped his nails across the sensitive skin, curling his fingers to squeeze and pull Jay’s balls. Jay hissed. “Yes. God…yes, you can do that.” “What about this?” Using the hold he had on Jay’s cock and balls, Nick pulled until Jay rose up onto his knees. He then slid down the bed, between Jay’s legs until he was level with his groin, and proceeded to run the edge of his teeth along the throbbing length of Jay’s shaft. “Yes. Definitely that.” Each scrape of Nick’s teeth was followed by a soothing swipe of his tongue. The contrast between sharp and soft made Jay’s head spin. It was almost unbearable, but the pain spread heat through his groin and down his thighs. Despite that heat, chills rolled up his spine, making him shiver. Nick didn’t stop pulling on Jay’s balls, not even when his mouth closed over the head of his cock. He clamped both lips and teeth at the ridge of the crown, holding Jay steady as his tongue dug into the slit. If Jay forced it, he was certain Nick would graze those perfect weatherman teeth all the way down his length. That wasn’t necessarily a deterrent not to do it. Jay spread his fingers through Nick’s hair and palmed the top of his head. He flexed his hand, massaging Nick’s scalp with more and more pressure as Nick’s tongue worked over 40

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his cock. The pressure from his teeth created an exquisite sort of agony, and Jay’s hand tightened, forcing Nick to be immobile as he pushed more of his length past Nick’s lips. Nick responded by squeezing his balls hard enough to send flares of pleasure and pain through his abdomen, tightening the muscles all the way up to his throat. He didn’t push too far. After only a couple inches, Jay eased back, though he kept his grip on Nick’s head firm. He couldn’t look away from the way Nick’s lips dragged along his shaft, like they were desperate to cling to it no matter what the cost. The promise of his teeth didn’t waver. They scratched all the way along the vein, over the ridge, against the smooth tip, but before Jay succumbed to the pleasure of knowing what they would feel like at the slit, he pushed back inside. He wanted Nick to take it all. From the way Nick moaned around his cock, he wanted the same thing. Jay kept his strokes shallow, wondering if it was possible to make himself raw on the pleasure. But he didn’t have an iron self-control, and he needed more. He cupped Nick’s face with both hands, caressing his cheeks with his thumbs. He realized distantly that Nick had beautiful eyes. It wasn’t the sort of thing he normally noticed, or even cared about, but now he couldn’t stop noticing. Especially when Nick looked up through long, dark lashes, waiting expectantly for Jay to fill his mouth and throat. When he moved forward this time, he pressed a little harder, feeling the resistance before he stopped. Nick 41

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whimpered. It vibrated through Jay, hot and heavy, coaxing him to give more. He didn’t. Something held him back. The lust filling the air, maybe, or the sense that something else was coming. Nick made another sound in his throat, edging on frustration. His free hand slid up Jay’s covered ass and found the back of his waistband, yanking it down to expose his skin. He probed between the cheeks until he found the clenching hole. At the same moment he scratched hard over the opening, he twisted Jay’s sac. Jay shouted and slammed forward, completely burying his cock in Nick’s mouth. His head moved past the back of Nick’s throat, and Nick swallowed, constricting around Jay’s sensitive flesh. Jay tried to ease back, but when he moved, Nick tugged on Jay’s balls again, forcing him to return. Hot breath tickled through the hair at the base of his cock, but it was nothing compared to the heat of Nick’s mouth. Jay dug his fingertips into the back of Nick’s scalp, fighting the tremor in his muscles. The suction was incredible. Toss in the way Nick clawed at his hole, and Jay felt ready to shake right out of his skin. Nick’s body trembled beneath him. Even as he moved his mouth and tongue over Jay’s cock, it still felt like he was holding something back, like he didn’t quite dare unleash himself yet. Jay wanted to see what, exactly, Nick was hiding. He wanted to see Nick without boundaries, without restraint. The thought increased Jay’s hunger, and he felt his own selfcontrol slipping away. 42

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When he saw the need rise in Nick’s eyes, Jay eased back, groaning at the loss of suction around his shaft. He wanted it back. More than anything. But there were other priorities he wouldn’t ignore, and he stopped with the tip of his cock resting on Nick’s lower lip, shivering as the man gulped for breath. “Fuck my face,” Nick rasped. His tongue lapped at the precome dripping from the slit. “You’re not the only one who likes it more than a little rough.” Jay studied Nick’s face, and didn’t see anything there except hunger that mirrored Jay’s. He pushed forward, sliding his cock against Nick’s tongue, then rocked back. He moved slowly at first, never looking away from Nick’s wide, naked gaze. But he couldn’t keep himself at a languid pace for long. Not with Nick’s words echoing in his ears. Fuck my face. Jay held Nick still and began pistoning his hips. The moans started almost immediately. Nick’s lashes fluttered on every other stroke, like he couldn’t quite take the pleasure, and his hands dug into Jay’s body. Twists of his balls made Jay pump harder. When Nick sank a finger deep inside his ass, the scratch of his nail against the inner walls forced hoarse grunts from Jay’s throat. Fire crawled over every inch of him, driving him faster, deeper, never allowing Nick to do anything but lay there and take it. Jay didn’t know how long he could last before he exploded, but Nick made the question moot. His finger moved deeper into Jay’s body as he relaxed his throat and jaw. Jay’s grip dug into Nick’s face with more and more pressure as his 43

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pleasure built. He felt a sharp tingle at the base of his spine, and just as he braced himself for his climax, Nick found his prostate. The combination felt like a punch to the chest, and he drove his cock into Nick’s throat one final time with a winded shout. The convulsion of Nick’s rapid swallowing milked his orgasm longer than any he remembered. Each one was followed by a satisfied moan, sharp gasps that testified more to Nick’s hunger than anything else he’d done. He devoured Jay’s cock like it was the best thing he’d ever tasted, but when his hand left Jay’s balls, Jay almost grabbed his wrist to force it back. He would have, too. If Nick hadn’t lifted it in order to tangle his fingers in Jay’s chest hair and twist his nipple. Jay wasn’t surprised when his cock twitched again, and it definitely didn’t shock him to realize he was still hard for Nick. In fact, he was still completely wired. He didn’t feel the lethargy that usually crept over him after a good blow job. He eased away from Nick’s mouth, sighing as Nick chased him, then slid down the other man’s body. As soon as their lips were level, Jay smashed their mouths together. Nick wound around him, thrusting his tongue past Jay’s lips in order to share the taste of his come. Both men groaned at the contact. Pawing, clawing, grabbing onto any spare inch of skin available, they clutched at each other even after Jay rolled onto his back, leaving Nick sprawled along his length. Jay grabbed Nick’s ass, satisfied when Nick broke away from the kiss with a surprised cry. Gazing down at Jay, he ran 44

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his tongue over his swollen lips, panting heavily. “That was unbelievable. Most guys hold back on me when I ask for that.” Jay smiled. “Why would I hold back on somebody who wanted it as much as you clearly did?” “I don’t know. I’ve never been able to figure out why the guys I see think I’m going to break.” He answered Jay’s grin with his own. “Just goes to show you’re smarter than the rest of them combined.” Jay rubbed the red mark he left on Nick’s cheek, trying to soothe it away. “I think you’re definitely not breakable. And everybody else is a fool for not realizing how amazing you are.” A shadow flickered behind Nick’s eyes, but it was gone before it became tangible. “Let’s get the rest of these clothes off.” He nipped lightly at Jay’s lower lip before he started to sit up. “I’m ready to feel even more of you.” Jay didn’t want to, but he allowed Nick to push himself to his feet. He watched, unmoving, as Nick stripped off his pants, exposing his long, thin cock. It jutted up against his stomach, with a visible vein from the base to the head. Jay wanted to follow it with his tongue. Nick gripped and stroked it once, and Jay’s ass clenched. It had been a long time since he’d been fucked. He was beginning to think it had been too long. “So…does that mean those toys I saw yesterday were more for your benefit?” Nick’s hand stilled. “The cuffs were. That was as far as I could get Austin to go most of the time.” His gaze raked over 45

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Jay’s body, lingering on his still half-covered legs. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t share the others.” Jay pushed his pants down to his feet and kicked them off. “Would you share a few with me?” “Gladly. Wait here.” He bounded down the ladder before Jay’s pants hit the floor. Jay scooted up the bed as he listened to Nick move around, and he lay there, kneading his balls, when Nick reappeared. He carried the blanket from the night before like a hobo satchel over his shoulder. With an almost shy smile, he dropped it next to the bed, unfolding it to reveal its contents. “There’s cuffs, a couple gags, a cock cage.” When he glanced up at Jay through his lashes, his dark eyes shone. “And I’ve got a paddle and some clamps. Whatever you might want.” Jay remembered the sparks that worked through him the first time Nick bit his nipples. “The clamps, definitely. What do you want to do?” Nick swallowed. “Would you…let me use the paddle? I’d love to taste your ass when it’s gone all hot from it.” Jay’s groin tightened and he rolled onto his stomach without taking his gaze from Nick’s face. “I was hoping you’d say that.” With a quirk of his mouth, Nick looked back down to the toys he’d brought up. He straightened with a black leather paddle in hand and a set of silver clamps, the chain dangling between his fingers. Walking around the end of the bed, he 46

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crawled on between Jay’s legs and dropped them to the mattress. “Up,” he said, grasping Jay’s hips. Jay obeyed automatically, rising to his hands and knees. Nick released him, and Jay looked down through his legs in time to see Nick flop to his back, scooting up the blankets beneath him until he was even with Jay’s chest. “I love your body,” Nick murmured, running his palm over Jay’s lightly furred pec. Lifting his head, he flicked his tongue across the nipple, leaving it wet. Before it had a chance to dry, Nick snapped the metal clamp over the tip. Jay gasped, the cold metal shocking his skin. The pain was bright and immediate, but settled into a throbbing ache that made his fingers curl and his skin tight. He barely had the chance to adjust before Nick licked the other nipple and attached the second clamp. He bit back his moan until Nick gave a light tug on the thin chain, prompting a sharp yelp from Jay’s throat. “Are you loud?” Nick tilted his head back in order to meet Jay’s eyes. “I always scream when I wear these and jerk myself off. Almost as loud as I do when I get fucked.” Jay moaned at the visual Nick provided. He wasn’t sure how or when, but he desperately wanted to watch Nick do just that—tugging at the chain with one hand, stroking himself with the other, his wiry body writhing against the bed, his head back, his eyes closed. “I have a feeling I’ll be loud tonight.” Jay lowered his head to tease Nick’s mouth with his lips. “And I want a 47

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demonstration of just how loud you get.” “Ask and ye shall receive.” He was smiling as he pulled back, an impish glint in his eye. “Eventually.” Nick slithered down, the end of the chain firmly in his hand. He knelt behind Jay, smoothing a hand over his raised ass, and his ragged breathing was a living entity in the room. It scored over Jay’s already sensitized skin, reminding him of what it had felt like buried in his groin, and he lowered his head, angling his body anew, when his arms began to tremble in anticipation. “I’ll stop as soon as you tell me to,” Nick said, his voice rough with desire. Jay nodded. “Don’t worry about hurting me, though. I can take it.” “Yeah.” The hand disappeared. “I can tell you can.” The wet tip of Nick’s cock dragged over the back of Jay’s thigh as Nick straddled his leg. Jay held his breath, excitement humming in his veins. When he felt a touch again on his ass, it was the smooth tips of Nick’s fingers, caressing the closest cheek. It lulled him for a moment, then the oblong paddle head smacked against the other, followed immediately by a second. Jay rocked forward on the bed, but immediately shifted back, eager for more. He knew this wasn’t a position he should put himself in with a virtual stranger, but he trusted Nick. He trusted Nick to know how much was too much, and he trusted Nick to find the right spots, with the right pressure. Nick seemed too careful, too thoughtful, to miscalculate, or cause any serious pain. In fact, the sensations he caused were 48

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just right, heat shooting through his veins as his blood flowed south again. Jay started with soft moans from the back of his throat, each one a low sound of encouragement. Nick took the encouragement and the paddle came down in steady beat. Each time Nick paused, he pulled on the chain. Jay thought he would break apart. “You should see your ass.” Nick sounded as worked up as he felt. “It’s all hot and pink and I can feel the heat on my wrist every time I paddle you.” As if to prove his point, he brought the paddle down on a fresh spot, one he hadn’t hit in a few strokes, this time with a little more force. “Oh, fuck.” Jay reached for his cock, not surprised to find it was leaking with pre-come. Apparently, when it came to Nick, once was most assuredly not enough. “Fuck…Nick…” His body shook with the force of his harsh breathing, and he exhaled the same words with every breath. The paddle came down again, another new place, then again, lower still. The third landed across the top of Jay’s thighs, and the edge came in direct contact with the back of Jay’s balls. “God…do that again.” The paddle came down in the exact same place, and Jay twisted, almost rising up on his knees. He felt unbearably hot, and when Nick hit him again, he knew he wasn’t going to be able to stand it for much longer. But he didn’t want to tell Nick to stop either. 49

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“Promise I get the same thing.” “Yes. Absolutely. I promise.” Nick sighed at the same time the fourth blow landed. Jay shouted as the fire licked along his cock, only to have the sound choke in his throat when he felt something warm and wet glide over his balls. Nick moaned as he sucked the sac past his lips. His tongue caressed the ribbons of flame the paddle had left behind, while the vibrations soothed some of the knots wending through Jay’s body. “You’re so damn hot,” Nick murmured when he finally let his balls go. “I’m ready for you to fuck me, too.” Jay barely had the words out before Nick brought the paddle down again. He dropped his forehead to the bed, his ass clenching, his balls pulling up tight against his body. “God, Nick.” There was a soft thud as the paddle landed on the bed beside him. Nick’s weight disappeared from his leg, but Jay didn’t have the control to look over his shoulder yet to see what was going on. He waited and felt the smooth glide of fingertips over his ass, stroking the burn before tracing the crease. “You’re not, you know,” Nick said. “Ready, I mean.” His hands splayed over each cheek, spreading them to expose Jay’s twitching hole. “You haven’t been stretched, or lubed, or anything.” At that point, Jay didn’t even care. He just wanted to feel Nick’s cock splitting him apart as he pounded against his 50

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tender skin. “I don’t know if I can wait for all of that.” “You think I’m going to miss the lubing part? Think again.” Digging his fingertips into the seared flesh, Nick licked across the opening once, twice, a third time before sinking his tongue deep inside the passage. Jay kept his hand tight around his own shaft, but his other hand curled into the bedspread. It wasn’t Nick’s cock, but it was almost as good. Especially when Nick moved his tongue in and out of Jay’s hole. Jay thought he could probably come from this. It wasn’t just Nick’s probing, hot tongue that sent the room spiraling around him. It was also the truly heady realization that Nick really wanted this, really wanted him. That Nick probably had entire reservoirs of untapped desire. How long Nick kept at it, Jay didn’t know. Time blurred into nothingness. It lost meaning as Nick let his teeth scrape across the tender skin whenever he got deep enough, and when he’d pull out to suck his balls past his lips for sharp seconds, Jay fought not to beg more, more. He cried out in dismay when Nick pulled away, but the murmured, “If I don’t fuck you now, my cock’s going to explode,” was enough to allay his fears. Nick jumped off the bed to rustle around in the items he’d brought up to the loft, and the sound of foil ripping filled the air. “Still ready?” he asked as he knelt between Jay’s legs again. Jay couldn’t resist looking over his shoulder to watch as Nick rolled the condom down his length. He took the time to 51

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lick his hand and rub it over his tip, smearing the condom’s lubricant. Jay’s mouth was dry, his throat tight with anticipation, but he managed to say, “Yes. Very.” Grasping his cock at the root, Nick ran the head between the cheeks. Jay groaned when he skimmed right over the hole, then yelped a little when Nick pushed between his thighs to drag along the length of his shaft. It made him shudder, especially when Nick deliberately pushed his knuckles into Jay’s aching balls. “When was the last time you were fucked?” Nick asked the question as he shifted back again, finally resting the blunt tip against his opening. It took his silence for Jay to realize he was waiting for an answer, and he clutched the blanket a little tighter to keep from impaling himself on Nick’s length. “I’m not…I’m not entirely sure. It’s been about a year since my last serious relationship, so probably at least that long.” “Well, it’s been that long since I’ve had the chance to fuck somebody.” He pressed forward, slowly, surely, as carefully as he’d used the paddle. When he spoke again, his voice was already going breathy. “So this is going to be great for both of us then.” Jay wanted to say that it was already great, but the words stalled in his throat. The pressure of Nick’s cock pushing into his passage stole his breath. Now he wondered if it had been longer than a year. It almost felt like he still wasn’t prepared for Nick’s cock, but he still pushed back, still moved until he felt Nick’s balls brush against his. 52

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Nick’s fingers trembled where they dug into Jay’s hips. He didn’t otherwise move, except to gulp for air, and Jay knew he wasn’t alone in believing how good this was. He squeezed around the length, hoping to prompt Nick to start sliding out, but what followed was even better than he imagined. Nick fell forward, molding over Jay’s back in order to reach beneath and grab the silver chain. He gave a single hard tug to the clamps and sank his teeth in Jay’s shoulder, only then beginning a rough rhythm to drive in and out of his passage. Jay wasn’t surprised by the hurried, pounding rhythm. Nick clearly had the energy to spare, and maybe he had some other, stronger emotions fueling his body. Jay didn’t mind. He hoped Nick could work out some of his frustration and hurt. He wanted Nick to feel better, to collapse on top of him in satisfied exhaustion instead of a haze of alcohol. Before long, Jay forgot about Nick’s possible motives. He forgot about everything that wasn’t Nick’s cock, and Nick’s mouth, and the harsh tug of Nick’s hand, sending slices of pleasure down his spine and through his body. Sweat greased the friction between his back and Nick’s taut stomach, coating Nick’s thighs as well so that it added a slight sting to each slap of their bodies. When he slipped once, Nick readjusted the position of his knees, and the new angle drove his long cock right along Jay’s prostate. “Yes…like that…fuck…like that…” Nick must have listened to his gasped pleas, because he slammed into the same spot again and again, with enough 53

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force to make stars erupt behind Jay’s eyes. Each bright flash of color brought him closer to his peak, and his wrist moved faster and faster. Raking his teeth over Jay’s nape, Nick wound the chain around his hand, pulling more roughly on the clamps. “Going to…fuck…” he panted. Driving hard into Jay’s ass, his entire body went rigid, arms stiffening, jaw clamping into tense sinew. A shout ripped from his throat, reverberating through Jay, as Nick’s cock jerked inside him, blasting again and again, his orgasm locking his muscles. Jay’s eyes screwed shut as Nick gave one more tug on the clamps. He shouted Nick’s name, his body trembling as he came for the second time in the hour. He shot on his hand and against his stomach, the muscles in his thighs quivering. He felt slick with sweat, and distantly, he heard the steady drumming of the rain against the roof and windows. The bite at his nape turned into a kiss, firm lips mouthing the marks until shivers went down his spine. Nick let go of the chain to start caressing his chest, soothing over the sore nipples with gentle fingertips. “I don’t think I can move,” he confessed softly. Jay chuckled quietly. “I don’t think I can support both of us.” “So much for being a big, strong guy.” But Nick’s teasing came with a careful disengaging, a peeling of skin from skin that left Jay feeling uncomfortably cold. Nick rolled onto his back, pulling the condom off his cock with a wince, and he tied off the end and dropped it onto 54

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the blanket next to the bed. Jay settled on his side, facing Nick, and carefully removed the clamps from his nipples. “I am a big, strong guy. But not after somebody fucks my brains out.” Nick turned his head to gaze at him. His eyes were soft and dark, his skin dewy from their exertions. There was even a small smile curving his wide mouth. It was the most relaxed Jay had ever seen him, and he decided then and there that he liked it. “It was pretty good, wasn’t it?” “I’d say it was at least pretty good.” Jay moved closer and draped his arm over Nick’s stomach. “You should get some rest so we can do that again.” With the smallest of stretches, Nick tilted his head and brushed a kiss across Jay’s mouth. “Just remember it’s my turn for the paddle.” Jay cupped the back of his head. “I won’t forget,” he promised, before letting his lips linger on Nick’s in a slow, sleepy caress.

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CHAPTER 4

Without the rain beating against the roof and windows, the cabin was quiet. Too quiet. Nick found himself making more noise than necessary, just to drive away the reminder of his solitude, banging cupboards as he put away the breakfast dishes, letting silverware drop from a few extra inches just to get that satisfying clink. It would have been easier to bear if he wasn’t alone, but when dawn had come and the silence testified to the rain’s cessation, Jay had been dressed and out of the door so fast Nick couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been looking for an excuse all along. He didn’t entertain the notion for long, not once full memory of everything they had done and said to 56

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each other in the last twenty-four hours had come roaring back, but it had stung long enough for his good-bye to be more curt than he would have liked. It’s his job. The mountain is his responsibility. He’s just going out to check on the roads and check in with his boss. It’s got nothing to do with you. Nick repeated it to himself in between recollections of how enjoyable the night had been. Well, enjoyable wasn’t the best word to describe it. Amazing. Incredible. Mind-blowing was probably the closest to get to the truth. Jay was one of the most responsive lovers he had ever had, considerate to his needs, demanding when Nick needed and yielding when he didn’t. After fucking Jay, they’d napped for a couple hours, waking only when Jay began to play with Nick’s ass. Rather than ask to fuck him, however, Jay rolled Nick off where he’d snuggled up on top of him, sitting back and sweeping a hungry gaze over his body. “I want to watch you jack off with the clamps on,” he’d said. Nick had been more than happy to comply. Especially when Jay started stroking off, too. His low voice coaxed Nick along, adding to his excitement even more than the sharp tugs of the chains. When Nick had come, Jay pulled hard on his prick, angling so that he shot all over Nick’s stomach. Then he’d proceeded to lick Nick clean. There was no bad there. And they’d fallen asleep again in each other’s arms. Nick couldn’t ask for anything more, even if a small, irrational part of him really wanted to. 57

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He began gathering his belongings, packing things away in anticipation of leaving. If Jay didn’t return by mid-afternoon, he’d head out and try the road. It would likely be clear enough to start back for the city then. He needed to be ready to go when the time came. It was almost lunch before a light knock pulled Nick from his packing. At first, Nick didn’t think it could be Jay. Why would he feel like he had to knock on the door after everything they did together? But Nick opened up to a smiling Jay, and he noticed that in the fresh sunshine, Jay’s hair was a lighter shade. “Please tell me you’ve still got some food around here for lunch.” Nick stood out of his way, giving him room to enter. “There’s plenty of food. Does this mean the road is still blocked?” “The road is an absolute mess. I didn’t make it all the way down the mountain. We’re going to have to get a crew up here to clear all the branches and garbage.” Jay paused and looked around the room. “I could probably get you down to the station, though.” He didn’t want to go to the station, but the thought of spending time alone in the cabin was even less appealing. If Jay would stay… But Jay had work to do. He wasn’t going to want to hang around just to keep Nick company. “That depends.” Going into the kitchen, Nick started pulling things out of the fridge for lunch. “How long before 58

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it’s going to be passable? If you think it’ll be done by nightfall, I’ll just head on back then. Or early morning.” “I don’t know,” Jay said, following him into the kitchen. “Could be. I just don’t want you to be trapped up here if you’ve got to get back to work or something.” “I do, but you’re going to have a lot more important work than worrying about me.” He busied himself with making sandwiches. It was a little frightening how aware he was already of what Jay was going to want on his. “If it looks like I can’t get out on my own, would you be able to get a message to my station? Though if they hear about it, they’ll probably turn it into a story.” “It’s my understanding that there are already some news trucks down there, and I think I heard a chopper. So it shouldn’t be hard to get a message out if you want me to.” Jay leaned against the sink. “I don’t have more important work than making sure you’re safe.” Nick snuck a glance at him. “You don’t have to help clear everything?” “Sure, I have to help. But I’m not going to leave you stranded up here all on your own.” Jay was going to be stubborn about this. If he’d learned anything about the ranger, it was that he was a Get It Done man, through and through. Now that Nick had conceded he needed to get back to his own job, Jay would never let it go. “Well, if it’s not going to be a problem, I can finish up my packing while you eat. We can lock up here after lunch then.” “Or you could eat lunch with me and finish packing later.” 59

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Jay crossed the room to stand behind Nick. He put his hands flat on the counter, trapping Nick against his larger frame. “They’re not going to expect to see me for awhile.” Warmth washed through him, the memories even hotter. Nick ducked his head to hide his pleased smile and said, “I think that’s doable. I have zero problem monopolizing your time.” “I hoped that would be your answer. Especially since the damned weather has thwarted my plans.” “You had plans? When were you going to tell me about them?” “Right after I cuffed you to the bed.” The top of the mayonnaise jar skittered out of Nick’s hand at the husky suggestion in Jay’s voice. Unable to focus on the sandwiches, he turned in the tight circle of Jay’s arms and leaned back against the counter in order to look up at him. It brought their bodies closer together, the distinct line of Jay’s erection nudging against Nick’s stomach. “Now how am I supposed to concentrate on getting lunch ready when you talk to me like that?” he teased. “Especially since if you had the plans, that means all I’m going to get is you talking about them.” Jay reached between them to palm Nick’s cock and smiled. “It seems like me talking about them is enough. I can’t stay all afternoon, and I’m sorry about that. But I was thinking about it this morning…would it be impossible for you to come up here for another weekend?” It was on the tip of his tongue to ask, “Really?” Because 60

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Nick wasn’t stupid. He knew one-night stands weren’t a big deal, even when the chemistry was off the charts like his and Jay’s. He didn’t expect anything more, but Jay’s asking—his confession that he’d been thinking about it all morning— meant there was a chance it could be. “Impossible? No.” He scratched lightly over Jay’s chest. The other man hitched a breath when he went over the nipple. “But I won’t do it unless it’s your weekend off. I’m not interested in sharing you with your job if I don’t have to.” “I get one full weekend off a month. Say the word, and the time is yours. I haven’t met anybody like you in a long time.” He smiled. “And I think that’s the best offer I’ve had in a long time. I have one request, though.” At Jay’s cocked brow, Nick slid his hand down to tightly cup Jay’s balls through his pants. “Our word is please.” Jay skimmed his mouth over Nick’s jaw and neck. He shifted his weight forward, pushing Nick harder into the counter, and Nick responded by tightening the hold he had on Jay’s balls. “In that case…” His breath was soft, and Nick could feel the words as Jay’s beard brushed against his skin. “Can I please take you to the loft and fuck you?” Moaning, Nick coiled his free arm around Jay’s neck as he turned to lick a path to his ear. “I was actually thinking of it in terms of begging, but this more than works for me.” He bit at the soft lobe. “I’m all yours.” “I lied. I don’t think I can make it up to the loft.” Jay fingered Nick’s zipper, his knuckles brushing against Nick’s growing erection. “I would have to stop touching you to get all 61

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the way up there and…” His teeth came down on Nick’s neck gently, and he soothed over the bite with his warm tongue. “I don’t want to do that.” Shivers wracked Nick’s body. The thought of Jay’s strong hands beneath his ass, picking him up to sit on the edge of the counter, winding his legs around Jay’s hips as Jay shuttled in and out of his ass…it drove Nick to thread his fingers through Jay’s hair and yank his head back, slamming their mouths together in a ravenous kiss. He sighed at the first contact of their tongues. Jay’s kisses were by far the best he’d ever had. Despite Jay’s declaration that he couldn’t even make it up the ladder, he kissed Nick slowly, his tongue exploring Nick’s mouth like he had all the time in the world. He moved his hands to Nick’s ass, his strong fingers curling into the flesh, pulling Nick closer. Nick felt like he couldn’t be satisfied. The more Jay kissed him, the more he wanted, until he ached. It was hard to think that he was going to have to limit contact with this man to three days a month. Sex had never been this electric before. Jay was the first partner he’d had to allow Nick free rein to attack as fiercely as he wanted, and the fact that he’d followed up by giving as good as he got just made Jay all that much more desirable. Nick let go of Jay’s balls to start working on the shirt buttons that kept their bodies separated. Jay peeled apart enough for him to have room, but he brought his hands up to cup Nick’s face, holding him still as they continued to kiss. More than once, Nick’s fingers paused. The bliss from the 62

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thorough caresses erased all thoughts of anything else, and only when the need to feel Jay grew too strong again did Nick resume his task. As soon as the shirt was gone, Jay moved his hands to Nick’s hips. He lifted Nick from the floor to the counter easily. As soon as Nick settled on the hard edge, Jay pulled down his zipper and pulled the button free. His rough fingers pushed past Nick’s boxers and wrapped around his shaft. He never moved his mouth from Nick’s as he worked, his tongue and lips still searching and hungry. Nick cried out at the first hard tug, but Jay swallowed the sound, delving deeper as his other hand slipped into the back of Nick’s waistband. His finger stroked the crease of his ass, letting his nail scratch along the skin. The tease of what was to come, what it would feel like to be split open by Jay’s thick cock, drove Nick’s hands back to Jay’s chest, entwining in the hair to pull as hard as Jay stroked his cock. Jay lifted his head. “Take off your shirt,” he rasped. Nick nodded and pulled the material over his head. As soon as he exposed his skin, Jay bent to kiss him. His whiskers felt rough now against his tender throat, and neck, and shoulder. Jay kissed and nibbled a path down Nick’s chest, detouring long enough to close his mouth around Nick’s flat nipple. He tightened his grip on Nick’s shaft as his teeth came down, tugging and biting at the same time. Nick’s shout choked in his throat when Jay slid the hand on his ass farther down. It felt like every muscle he had trembled, like the leaves outside caught in the showers that 63

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had trapped them in the cabin in the first place. He squeezed his eyes shut. The room still managed to tilt around him. “One weekend a month?” he rasped. His hands came up to rest on Jay’s shoulders, fingers digging into the hard muscle in an attempt to hold on. “How the hell am I going to last on that?” Jay traced his nipple with his tongue, licking him in slow circles before moving farther down his chest. “I suppose I could venture into the city occasionally.” He moved his teeth across Nick’s stomach, nipping at him playfully. “If you can make it worth my while.” His abs danced with each bite. “Oh, that part’s easy. I left most of my arsenal of toys at home.” Bowing his head, he licked across Jay’s temple, relishing the salty taste of his skin. “And I have a walk-in shower.” Jay smiled against his skin. “That definitely sounds like it’s worth a trip to the city. More than one.” He moved lower, his mouth tantalizingly close to Nick’s cock. He tensed, expecting to feel the soft pressure of Jay’s lips, but instead, he ran his cheek against Nick’s shaft. Only Jay’s strong hands kept Nick from jolting forward. “You are never allowed to shave,” he managed to say. A long groan issued from his mouth as Jay ran his beard down the opposite side as well. “God, I’m going to be jacking off to this for years.” Warm puffs of air blew over Nick’s cock as Jay chuckled. “If I never shave, I’d look like a bear.” His tongue slipped out to gather the pre-come at the tip before dragging the sensitive 64

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head through his whiskers. Nick thought he was going to explode from the slivers of fire shooting through his cock. “I’ll buy clippers to trim it for you…” The words got caught on his quickening breaths, shuddering as they escaped his body. “Works for me.” He alternated between the coarse hair on his chin and his lips, rubbing the tender crown, then soothing the aggravated skin. Nick jerked against his mouth, sliding on the slick counter, until Jay finally opened his mouth and sucked his cock into the warm depth. It was tighter than he’d imagined, softer than he’d expected. Fucking Jay had been incredible, but the immediacy of his mouth eclipsed that pleasure. By far. Groaning, Nick opened his eyes in order to watch. Pushing the hair off Jay’s forehead, he caught the hollowing of the other man’s cheeks as he tightened his lips around the crown. Jay wasn’t swallowing him down. He was doing much as he’d done to Nick the night before, holding still with just the tip inside. Torture. That’s what it was. Determined to drive him crazy. Jay released Nick’s shaft and cupped his balls instead, squeezing and massaging them. Despite how rough they were with each other before, Jay’s fingers were surprisingly gentle. Nick could have handled more pressure, but before he had the chance to say as much, Jay let his teeth sink into the fleshy head. Nick jerked forward, but Jay’s firm bite on his cock made it impossible to get any deeper. His fingers dug into Jay’s 65

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scalp, and he swallowed hard, trying to find his voice again through the dizzying pain/pleasure shooting through him. Jay’s tongue rasped over the marks his teeth left, rough and searing. There were so many textures against his skin, Nick could barely tolerate it. His tongue, lips, beard, teeth. Even the roof of his mouth. And vibrations rolled through him as Jay began to hum. Nick wasn’t sure how long Jay tormented him. He wasn’t even sure how long he could stand it without shaking apart. He finally lifted his head and met Nick’s half-lidded gaze. “Ready for more?” “That depends.” He ran his tongue over his lower lip, wondering why he felt so swollen when Jay’s mouth was the one that had been so busy. “Is more sucking me off? Or do I finally get to know what it feels like to have your cock in me?” Jay straightened, grabbed the back of Nick’s head, and smashed their mouths together. The kiss was all too brief. Nick barely touched Jay’s tongue before he pulled away. “Where are the condoms?” He blinked. “In my overnight bag by the couch.” Jay was gone before the last word was out. Jumping off the counter, Nick kicked off his jeans and briefs, then moved all the sandwich fixings out of the way. The very first weekend Jay had free. That was when he’d come back. Even at the rate they were going, he seriously wondered if he’d ever get enough of the ranger. As soon as Jay returned to the kitchen, he immediately 66

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pushed his pants down to his ankles and stepped free of the garment. Before he reached Nick, he had the condom foil open. Nick plucked it from his fingers and unrolled it down his shaft. Jay coated his fingers with lube and reached between Nick’s thighs, seeking out his ass. He teased the entrance with his fingernails until Nick was squirming against his hand. “I think you get off on the teasing.” As difficult as it was to do, Nick released Jay’s cock and stepped back, hopping onto the counter again. “But I can guarantee you, my ass is better.” Jay smiled. “I don’t doubt that. Considering how much time I’ve spent admiring it.” He took Nick’s legs and hooked them around his hips, then wrapped his arm around his back. Jay’s fingers found his ass again, but he didn’t tease again. He pushed two fingers into Nick’s tight muscle. Nick immediately clamped down. His lashes fluttered as he savored the sensation, but he knew it was only an appetizer. More would come. Much more, much thicker, longer, driving in and out of his body with the feral strength he knew Jay wouldn’t hold back. Digging his heels into Jay’s ass, he tilted his head and licked along Jay’s collarbone. “You’re going to have to fuck me against a wall at some point. Even before you cuff me to the bed.” Jay moaned, and Nick echoed the sound when Jay finally pulled his hand away. The tremor that ran through his large frame betrayed the force of his desire, and Nick took a deep breath, bracing himself for the first powerful thrust into him. 67

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His heart hammered in his ears at the nudge of Jay’s cock at his hole. The blunt tip felt wide, but Nick was ready for the thick penetration. Jay hooked his finger under Nick’s chin, and forced him to look up. Their mouths met in a deceptively light kiss as Jay pulled Nick toward him, impaling him on his cock. His first instinct was to scream. Nick was far from a virgin, but he’d never had a partner as thick as Jay, and his ass burned from how it tore into his muscle. The fire spread through his body, chasing through his veins, and he clung to Jay’s neck, nails digging into the skin as he gave in to the other man’s lead. His second instinct was to clench. The burn quickly shifted from pain to pleasure, and the desire to keep Jay buried inside him, to stay filled for as long as possible, made Nick moan. He caressed Jay’s mouth, their tongues teasing in the slightest of touches. The contrast between the soft and the hard made it all even better. “God, Nick…you are…so good.” His fingers dug into Nick’s hips. “And you taste…” Jay moaned and pushed his tongue deeper into Nick’s mouth. He pulled back, sliding out of Nick’s channel slowly, letting him relive every second of the slow burn of his first thrust. Though Nick’s head was reeling by the time Jay was nearly all the way out, he still expected Jay to slam back inside. Slow versus fast. Soft versus hard. Jay liked to keep him on edge, and the way he teased lent full credence to believing it. 68

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But Jay surprised him. When he started to thrust back in, he took his time, as if he wanted to feel every inch stretching around his shaft, feel every flutter of Nick’s passage as it reacted to his size and heat. Nick whimpered, not out of the need for more, but from delight. He eased his hold on Jay’s nape to stroke up and down his back, kneading the taut muscles. He doubted he’d ever get tired of touching Jay. Everything about the other man astonished him. Jay’s mouth finally left his, and he trailed hard kisses down his throat and over his shoulder. It felt like Jay wanted to taste all of him. The kisses were harder than he expected, his teeth occasionally scraping against his hot skin. He never deviated from his slow rhythm. Even when Nick began to push for more, Jay kept him at his mercy, his hands just strong enough to hold him in place for each measured stroke. He settled his mouth at Jay’s ear. “Is this your secret strategy?” he murmured. “Get me addicted to what you do so I come begging for more?” “You’re on to me.” Jay took a deep breath. “Is it working?” “No.” Nick gasped when a stroke brushed over his prostate. “It already did.” “You’re not just saying that?” Jay tightened his hold. “So I won’t stop?” He couldn’t respond right away. There were too many shocks reverberating through his body. He had to gulp several times before he found his voice again. “No games. I won’t ever tell you anything I don’t mean, 69

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Jay.” Jay lifted his head to meet Nick’s gaze. The pleasure wasn’t gone from his eyes, but his face was oddly serious. “No games.” Nick’s throat was tight. Damn it, there were moments when Jay completely undid him. He lost all coherent thought, drowned in those intense hazel eyes. He could do nothing but lean forward and touch their lips together, ghost over the heat without seeking entrance just yet. Jay let Nick’s lips brush over his without deepening it. His breath was hot and sweet against Nick’s face, and the soft, glancing pressure was enough to make his throat and chest tighten. He could barely swallow, and his pulse fluttered. Jay seemed to know the second he needed to deepen the caress, because his mouth came down hard on Nick’s, his tongue plunging into his mouth. Jay’s hand went from Nick’s hip to his shaft. He stroked him once, letting his palm gather up the clear pre-come and leaned back. Nick watched as he brought his hand up to Nick’s mouth and smeared it over his lips. Before he could lick it off, Jay tilted his head and kissed him again. This was a caress he could throw himself into. This was the kiss he used to show Jay just how serious he was about his declaration. It didn’t matter if he couldn’t say exactly what he wanted, what he knew he shouldn’t, because he could make sure Jay knew this way, or at the very least, took what both of them wanted. Kisses were good for that. Jay’s hand returned to Nick’s shaft, and he pumped his 70

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wrist in the same slow tempo. Fresh jolts of electricity shot up his spine. Nick had always craved the scrape and burn of nails, teeth, floggers, and a hard fuck. It was a source of constant frustration when Austin refused to do anything Nick’s body hungered for, craved. But he didn’t feel a hint of the same frustration at Jay’s steady rhythm, or his soft touch, or the gentle response to Nick’s kiss. Because each thrust, each caress, was fueled by an undeniable passion. You couldn’t fake passion. If Nick didn’t know that before, he sure as hell knew it now. With every sure drive into his body, Nick did everything he could to make it great for Jay. He squeezed muscles that were already scorched from the heat. He stroked the corners of his mouth as he sought out fresh spots to taste. He smoothed his hands over each available inch of skin, hungry for the rippling flesh to react to his touch. When he felt his balls begin to tighten, the familiar coils of electricity starting to collect at the base of his spine, he finally broke away from Jay’s talented lips and gasped for breath. “Close,” he panted. “I’m not going to last.” Jay grunted, his arm going around Nick’s back in a tight band. He stepped backward, and Nick’s legs tightened around his body, holding him as the counter disappeared from beneath him. Jay spun around and slammed Nick against the wall. The new angle put almost constant pressure on his prostate, and the weight of Jay’s body moving against his increased the friction on his already overheated skin. Jay pistoned his hips faster, each hard thrust sending vibrations up his spine and into the 71

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wall behind him. Nick had to struggle not to close his eyes. He didn’t want to look away from the wildness flashing in Jay’s eyes, but the attack against his flesh was almost unbearable. It had him shaking almost as soon as his back hit the wall, and he clutched at sweat-slicked shoulders flexing beneath his fingers. “God…Jay…fuck me…yeah, right there…” He came with a scream that rattled him to his bones, his cock jerking between their bodies as it blasted across their chests. His balls ached, and his skin scorched, and still, he couldn’t close his eyes. He wanted to watch Jay’s orgasm, more than he’d wanted to feel his own. He needed to see it play across his amazing face Jay’s hazel eyes darkened and his lips thinned. “Oh, Christ, Nick…” He panted each word, the tendons in his throat and neck standing out. “I can’t…” Jay didn’t finish his thought. His mouth went to Nick’s, but it wasn’t quite a kiss. It was rough and hot, and a long moan tore from his throat. He pushed into Nick’s body one last time, his cock jerking against his tight walls. Nick shuddered, his body trembling with each twitch of Jay’s shaft. They stayed like that, muscles fused, hearts furious, for seconds upon seconds. It could’ve been nightfall by the time they separated for all Nick knew. All that mattered was the feel of Jay holding him, the hot breath neither could contain tickling across their damp skin. Nick licked across Jay’s lower lip when they finally did begin the slow, torturous pull apart, 72

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and it was the lingering taste of his own pre-come, the way Jay chased after it before they could fully part, that sent the final shudder through Nick’s body. “So is there anywhere it isn’t amazing with you?” he teased softly. “I guess there’s only one way to find out.” Jay stepped back and lowered Nick to the floor. Even after they were both standing, they didn’t quite let each other go. “I wish I didn’t have to get dressed again.” “I wish I didn’t have to go back to work.” His fingertips skimmed up Jay’s arm. “You’ve made this an incredible weekend for me, you know that, right?” “And to think, I just wanted to make sure you didn’t end up drowning.” “I still have to survive the drubbing I’m going to get at work. They’re never going to let me live down missing this storm.” “Then they’re idiots.” Jay stepped back and pulled the condom from his shaft. “It was a freak storm. You know, if you come up visit me, my cabin isn’t as nice as this.” Nick leaned heavily against the wall. It was going to take a little while for his legs to start working again. “It’ll have you. That’s more than enough.” Jay nodded and pulled his pants up over his hips. “Nick…I just…I know you went through some pretty bad shit just the other day. If you realize this has been some sort of rebound thing…I’m not going to hold it against you.” He knew it was a possibility. He’d had break-ups before, 73

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though maybe not quite as shattering as Austin walking out. But Nick thought he could recognize a good man, regardless of his emotional state, and there was no way Jay didn’t fall into that category. “I can’t say it couldn’t happen,” he admitted. “But right here, right now, I know I’ve never been with anyone like you, whether in or out of a relationship. And I know I don’t want this to be a rebound thing.” Jay was close enough Nick could reach out and hook his fingers inside his waistband, pulling him gently closer. “So we just take it slow. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make this work.” “I can take things slow.” Jay smiled. “We’ll have this conversation again after I take you on your first hike at dawn. Some people handle being out in the woods better than others.” His brows shot up. “You think I can’t take it?” “I’m not saying you can’t.” He gestured at the door. “You can prove you can, though. Come with me to survey the damage west of here.” Nick was torn. He was in good enough shape for life in the city and the occasional foray into the wilderness, but Jay surpassed anything he might be able to do. Except…the mountain was as much a part of Jay as the color of his eyes. To have any chance at building something, Nick had to share that with him, in every way possible. He returned Jay’s smile, caressing his hip. “We’re going to need those sandwiches before we go out then. The way we keep going at it, we’re depleting our energy supplies faster 74

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than we can replenish them.” Jay practically beamed at him. “You get those made. I’ll load up the Jeep. And I promise to have you safely off this mud pile before the sun sets.” When he felt Jay’s muscles tense to go do what he promised, Nick tightened his grip and pulled Jay down to meet his mouth in a slow, sensual kiss. He didn’t care what time he got off the mountain. He only cared about the man who’d come in out of the storm to find him.

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JAMIE CRAIG Jamie Craig is the collaborative efforts of Pepper Espinoza and Vivien Dean. Both successful authors on their own, they began working together in early 2006. Pepper lives with her husband and cats in Utah, where she attends graduate school, and Vivien resides in northern California with her husband and two children. *

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Mason Ritter does not want to go to Puebla, Mexico, with his long-time boyfriend, Miguel. He claims he does not want to deal with the hassle of traveling from San Antonio to Puebla. He doesn’t like the way Miguel pretends Mason is just his good friend when they’re around Miguel’s father. He doesn’t want to take the time off work. But in reality, Mason has only one reason to avoid the Cinco de Mayo fiesta in Puebla—Anton Rocha. Anton Rocha is engaged to Miguel’s sister, Pedra. Anton Rocha is off-limits. Anton Rocha is also the most desirable,

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