Tanner chewed the side of his nail, looking nervous and a bit angry. Henry followed the line of his gaze. There was a young guy, probably not more than twenty, getting felt up by an old man. It was obvious the guy had been hired to be there, and his benefactor expected more than company. The kid should be safe, considering they were sitting in a room filled with people, but Tanner was not happy. He was sweet. Henry’s smile grew. A chuckle escaped him.
Tanner’s gaze swung his way. “What?”
Henry motioned toward the drama. “Go. Be the hero. I know you can’t take it.”
A shy smile crossed Tanner’s face. His ears reddened. Henry sucked in a deep breath as the pressure in his chest grew. Jesus. Tanner owned his heart. “I think I’ll at least give the kid my card,” Tanner said, coming to his feet. “He needs someone to have his back.”
“Mhmm.” It was all the response Henry could muster. He imagined they would be asked to leave soon.
Tanner leaned down and brushed his lips across Henry’s. “Don’t worry. I won’t embarrass you.”
Henry grabbed his hand before he got away. He waited until he had Tanner’s attention. “You couldn’t embarrass me if you tried.”
With a wink, Tanner headed off to the rescue. Henry only watched long enough to enjoy the sight of Tanner’s ass while he crossed the room. Then, he tried focusing on the large dining hall instead to give his eyes something to do… other than lusting over Tanner. The event was meant to raise money for suicide prevention. Turquoise and blue ribbons covered the tablecloths. That was the general theme of everything. The monotonous pattern made it hard to keep his gaze from drifting back Tanner’s way. He wanted to stare at the man who owned him until his heart was content—if such a thing was possible.
“Are we still on for our meeting in the morning?”
At Gerard’s sudden appearance in the chair beside him, Henry jumped. His heart slammed against the wall of his chest. “Jesus.” He cleared his throat, trying to calm his nerves before focusing on the man Henry had once thought hung the moon. “Gerard. Of course. Ten tomorrow morning. I remember.”
Gerard’s dark blue gaze moved over Henry’s face, searching for something only he knew. As always, his salt and pepper hair was perfectly styled and his tux was pristine. Henry felt nothing. “Who’s your new friend?”
Henry fought the urge to look Tanner’s way. “He’s not new. We’ve been seeing each other close to a year now.” Minus a few months, but whatever. Fuck, Gerard. It wasn’t any of his business. “But his name is Tanner. Tanner Kodiak.”
Gerard’s eyebrows rose. “Any relation to Teddy Kodiak?”
“His father, actually,” Henry said absently, losing his battle against looking Tanner’s way. The old guy was gone, and Tanner was handing over his card. Henry couldn’t help but smile at the amount of hero worship in the young man’s stare. He got it. Tanner was amazing.
“Didn’t he go crazy or something?”
Henry’s gaze swung back Gerard’s way. Irritation ran through him. “That’s what they say.” Honestly, Henry just wanted Gerard to go away. “Not that it matters. He’s been dead a long time.”
“Huh,” Gerard grunted. “Yeah, but mental illness runs in families. You might want to keep an eye out for that.”
Henry went back to watching Tanner, because he couldn’t stop. “I’m not worried.”
As if Tanner felt Henry’s stare, his head turned Henry’s way. His gaze moved from Henry to Gerard and back again. Something dark passed over his features. Henry fought a hum. There was so much possessiveness in Tanner. Damn, it was hot. No one had ever shown an ounce of jealousy for him. He loved it. Tanner made him feel wanted and desirable. It was addictive. As he looked on, Tanner said something else to the guy he had rescued before heading back Henry’s way. Henry barely blinked as he watched Tanner cross the room. His hunger grew with every step. His gaze never wavered even as Tanner came to stand over him. Their fingers automatically linked as Tanner bent and touched his lips to the shell of Henry’s ear.
“I can’t leave you alone for a second without the vultures swooping in. You look ready to get fucked. Hard. You should let me take you home.” With each word he spoke, Tanner eased Henry toward him until he had Henry on his feet. Barely an inch separated them.
“I was ready an hour ago.”
Tanner’s tongue traced the shell of Henry’s ear. Henry’s knees nearly buckled. “Home is starting to feel really far away.”
Henry bit back a whimper. Tanner made him hot faster than anyone alive. “Agreed.”
“The windows on that SUV of yours are pretty darkly tinted.”
Goosebumps covered every inch of Henry’s body. He wouldn’t make it home. “They are.”
A sexy chuckle rumbled against his ear. “Good. Let’s find the closest empty parking lot.”
Henry held tight to Tanner’s arm and let him lead the way. He was fully aware he hadn’t said goodbye to Gerard. Henry didn’t care. He could afford to be rude. Henry couldn’t afford to waste a minute of his time on anyone but Tanner.
Pleasure rippled through Tanner. His breath caught in the back of his throat. No matter how hard he tried, his heavy eyelids wouldn’t lift. Sleep held him tightly in its grasp. The hot, wet tugging on his cock had Tanner writhing. His hips rolled, seeking more. He gasped for air as the suction strengthened. Soft light finally sneaked in as he fought against the deep sleep that holding Henry all night brought. He tilted his chin at an angle and stared down the line of his body, watching as Henry sucked his dick. It was a beautiful sight.
Sweat coated Henry’s skin. It was obvious he had already been for his morning run. As always, Tanner had slept through Henry slipping away from the bed they shared to get his workout in before Tanner had time to miss him. Tanner hadn’t realized life could be so wonderful until Henry showed him. Every day he woke to some version of heaven. Henry was amazing. Damn, he put his heart into blowing Tanner—like he loved it. Tanner buried his hands beneath his pillow, found the edge of the headboard, and held on. That was all he could do while Henry’s mouth owned him. Sparks of pleasure danced on his cock, drawing his balls up tight. Tanner dug his heels into the bed and openly fucked Henry’s throat. Sounds he couldn’t control left Tanner’s lips. Nothing mattered but reaching the orgasm Henry promised with every hollow of his cheeks. Pressure built, pounding at his crown. Tanner held his breath. His body tensed. Henry sucked—hard. Tanner’s vision narrowed. The room went silent. An explosion of pleasure and light rocked Tanner to his core. His body shook as Henry kept up the pace, drawing every last twitch of ecstasy from Tanner. While Tanner stared at the ceiling, gasping, Henry kissed his hipbone.
“Good morning, sexy.”
“Damn.” That one word was all that Tanner’s blown mind could muster.
Henry tugged the comforter up and hid Tanner’s nudity. “I need a shower. Gray will be in here any second with your breakfast.”
Tanner sucked air, incapable of moving. “Fuck.”
A sexy sounding chuckle followed Henry to the bathroom. Tanner knew he should chase Henry down and ensure his man was every bit as satisfied. His body refused to obey. Even as Gray silently made his way inside and quietly arranged Tanner’s breakfast on the table beside the French doors, the way he always did, Tanner could only stare at the ceiling. Like everyone who worked for Henry, Gray never intruded, yet seemed to always know when it was safe to do his job. At first, it had been odd as hell having people moving about the house who pretended they weren’t there. Tanner had gotten used to it after a few weeks. Now, almost two months in, and several excuses to Toby as to why he hadn’t returned, Tanner sort of had a grasp on how the massive estate ran. Efficiently and without his help. The sweet smell of cinnamon wafted over Tanner. He tilted his chin and eyed the table. Gray was gone and Tanner was free to leave the bed. Tanner sat up, somewhat surprised his body still worked after Henry’s attention. Of course, he had no real clue how long he had lain there, incapable of shaking Henry’
s spell.
Tanner leaned over the edge of the bed and found the pajama pants he had discarded last night. He pulled them on and padded across the room to eye his breakfast. Cinnamon rolls, orange juice, and coffee sat waiting. The ocean view through the French doors made the vision complete. He sat. This place felt more like home than anywhere Tanner had ever been. He knew he would have to get back to Texas and his brothers soon. It was harder than he ever dreamed, thinking about leaving Henry. Tanner drank half his juice, hoping to wash the bitter taste away that always rose at the thought of not falling asleep with Henry every night.
The bathroom door opened, and Henry strolled out, a towel wrapped around his waist and water still rolling down his sleek body. He flashed Tanner a smile. “You’re up.”
Before Tanner could respond, Gray reappeared. “Excuse me, Mr. Krill. Gerard is waiting downstairs.”
A deep line appeared between Tanner’s eyes. “Our appointment isn’t for at least another hour.”
Gray’s light blue eyes stayed emotionless, as always. If the man had any opinion whatsoever, he was damn good at hiding it. “Would you like me to tell him to come back in an hour?”
Henry shook his head. “No. It’s fine. I’ll be down there in a few.”
Gray disappeared and Henry’s gaze moved Tanner’s way. Tanner popped a piece of a cinnamon roll in his mouth and spoke around it. “Gerard? The same one from last night?”
Henry nodded, looking annoyed.
“Is this the same Gerard you used to date?’
Henry nodded again. “My father kept him on and kept promoting him. He runs my company. We were supposed to have our quarterly meeting today. He’s always early, but I really wanted to sit with you while you ate this morning.”
Not to mention, Tanner still hadn’t returned the favor this morning. He polished off the rest of his juice. “Come here.”
Henry immediately crossed the room. The moment he was within striking distance, Tanner stole his towel. Laughter filled the air as Tanner swept Henry off his feet before planting him solidly in the center of his plate.
“Oh my god. Am I sitting on a plate of cinnamon rolls?”
“Mhmm,” Tanner hummed, fighting back a laugh at Henry’s horrified expression. “Now, this is the breakfast I really wanted.” He pushed, tumbling Henry onto his back before going down on him. He held nothing back. When Henry left here to go spend the morning with his ex, Tanner wanted him thinking of nothing else, except the way Tanner had eaten breakfast off his ass. Tanner doubted Henry could say that about anyone else, especially the pompous twat currently waiting downstairs. Tanner was the one who loved Henry. Gerard would just have to wait.
Henry fought hard against the huge smile that owned his face. The last thing he wanted was for Gerard to think it was meant for him. It was all Tanner. Tanner owned everything, including every single thought that creeped through Henry’s mind. Sometimes, Henry wanted to walk away from everything and give his undivided attention to Tanner. His family’s company had been running just fine before him and would continue to do so long after he was gone. These meetings with Gerard were no more than a formality. Henry played no real role in anything and never had.
Gerard stood as Henry came through the door. “Good morning, Henry. I was beginning to think I should reschedule. I’ve been waiting for over an hour.”
The smile tried winning again. Henry beat it back. “This is our scheduled time, is it not?” Henry asked as he moved to sit behind his desk. “Schedules exist for a reason. I had other business this morning. If you don’t like waiting, then get here on time.” Gerard blinked. It was beyond obvious he didn’t like Henry’s answer, but he was in no position to argue. Henry tried softening his tone. He was in too good of a mood for bullshit today. “Let’s get started, so you’re not trapped here any longer than necessary. I understand you’re a busy man.”
Gerard smiled. “I’m never too busy for you. You know that.” Before Henry could respond, blowing off his claim, Gerard fell into a boring litany of numbers and projections.
A movement at the edge of Henry’s vision caught his eye. Henry turned his head. Tanner was outside at the pool. A mini pair of swim trunks barely covered his perfect round ass. Henry subtly changed positions to get a better view. As he looked on, Tanner bent over and spread a towel over a lounge chair and set something on the ground beside it. Henry’s heart rate kicked up. Tanner was so fucking beautiful. Henry never got tired of staring at him. His huge shoulders caught the sunlight as he stood. Henry’s gaze followed his every move. He loved the way Tanner’s muscles bunched and rolled. Lord, he was amazing. Tanner stretched out on his stomach and played with his phone. Henry’s mouth watered. He wanted nothing more than to go to him right now and straddle that firm ass.
His phone buzzed, pulling his gaze away. Henry fought a smile as he saw a text appear from Tanner.
Tanner: It’s hot.
Henry: I see that. You probably raised the temperature by thirty degrees just by stepping outside.
Tanner: I could make things hotter. All I need is you to pull it off.
“Is hearing about your money boring you?”
At Gerard’s question, Henry tore his gaze away from the phone. He fought a blush. “I’m listening. If you want to sell those shares, I’m fine with that. I never felt that company would be profitable anyhow.”
Obviously mollified, Gerard went back to droning on while Henry went back to staring out the window. Tanner was in the water now. Henry tapped his foot. Damn, he wanted this meeting done. Tanner swam to the edge of the pool and snagged his phone. After a moment, Henry’s phone buzzed again.
Tanner: Tell what’s his name to fuck off and come kiss me.
Henry bit the inside of his cheek. It was getting harder and harder not to smile like an idiot. His leg bounced beneath the desk. He fought the urge to run from the meeting, screaming and tearing out his hair.
His maid, Abagail, appeared in the doorway. “Excuse me, Mr. Krill. I was asked to bring this to you.”
As she handed him a single red rose, Henry fought temptation. “Thank you, Abagail.”
Her knowing smile had his gaze sliding away. He couldn’t look at anyone. Gerard had barely paused his reading at the interruption. Henry set the rose on his desk and tried not to stare or grin like the old fool he was. His phone buzzed again. Henry’s gaze automatically slid to the window. As he looked on, Tanner pushed from the pool. His muscles flexed in the most delicious way. Water streamed down his body. His already tight shorts clung to every line, showing off his bulge. Henry snapped.
He flew to his feet. “I’m sorry. I’m certain everything else is in order. If not, please see Gray to reschedule before you leave. I have something I need to take care of that can’t wait.”
Gerard jumped to his feet, as well. “Is there a problem? If you need me, I can stay.”
Henry moved for the door without looking back. “No. It’s fine. Thank you.” He practically ran down the hallway the second he was out of sight. Henry burst through the patio door leading to the pool. He didn’t stop moving until he stood, hovering over Tanner’s lounge chair. Dark sunglasses robbed Henry from seeing if any triumph flashed in Tanner’s eyes, but his smile… goddamn. That was the devil’s smile.
“Did you just walk out on your meeting?”
“You asked it of me.”
A sexy sounding chuckle rumbled from Tanner. “I didn’t think you’d really do it.”
Confusion made Henry slow to respond. It hit him. Tanner still didn’t fully get it. He didn’t understand how much power he held over Henry. Henry hiked up his dress pants, threw one leg over Tanner, and settled in, uncaring of the water soaking him. The way Tanner laughed and squeezed his ass made the move worthwhile.
Henry wrapped his arms around Tanner’s neck and toyed with the wet ends of his hair. “I thought you understood I would do anything for you.”
“Would you?”
Henry nodded. He loved this man.
&n
bsp; Tanner’s mouth lifted in one corner, and Henry knew whatever Tanner said next would be a test. “You should marry me, then.”
“Sorry to interrupt. Gray said I would find you out here.”
Even as Gerard’s voice penetrated Henry’s cloud of shock, he couldn’t look away from Tanner. “Are you being serious?”
Tanner equally ignored Gerard. “Of course. Why would I joke about something like this?”
Henry shook his head. “It’s not that I think you’re joking. I’m just not used to anything good happening to me.”
“Even though I don’t have anything pressing to discuss, I’d still like to reschedule with you, if you have the time.”
A growl rose in Henry’s throat. “Not now, Gerard. Reschedule with Gray.”
“Oh, okay.”
Henry ignored the defeat in Gerard’s voice and didn’t watch him go. He had more important things happening at the moment. “You would have to move away from your brothers. I thought you didn’t want that.”
Tanner shrugged. “I can visit and so can they. As far as the business goes, it’s not like I’ll be accepting anymore dates. I can network here and look out for the guys if they are working here in California—like that guy I approached last night.” Tanner visibly swallowed. “You’re the most important piece of me.”
Henry realized he meant it. Tanner’s offer was one hundred percent serious. “I love you.”
Tanner didn’t smile. His serious boy was back. “This is me acknowledging that’s your first time saying that and I appreciate it, but I also love you enough for both of us, so it wasn’t necessary.”
Despite his best efforts, a laugh burst from Henry. “You’re wholly unique, you know?”
Tanner shrugged. “Actually, I’ve just had a lot of counseling.”
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