by Cooper Davis
“Yeah, you were,” Hayden agreed softly. “But you were shaking all over, too. I want to take that edge off for you, baby. I want to make you see those constellations and stars.”
Josh flushed at hearing his earlier confession repeated, and realized that, indeed, he was shaking all over. “It’s not fear,” he admitted, staring at the linoleum floor. Slowly he looked up, finding Hayden’s beautiful eyes wide and fixed on him. “It’s need.”
His mate nodded, then returned to opening the bottle of wine. “You’re not afraid at all?” Hayden asked quietly. “Of me or…being touched by me?”
Josh closed the fridge and leaned back against it, resolved. There was something he had to get Hayden to understand, make him realize—at least if they had any future together as lovers. He drew in a deep breath and forced himself to look at his mate as he spoke. “Hayden, listen,” he said quietly, his bone-deep shaking intensifying. “You need to know something. I won’t be reliving what they did to me when you and I make love. You’ve got to understand, that’s not how it’s gonna be. It was you I gave my virginity to on that night, not them.”
Hayden nodded, twisting the cork on the bottle, then paused. “Maybe we should switch things around this time,” he said. “I mean, to begin with, not like last time.”
Josh shook his head. “That’s not what I want,” he said, determined to press ahead. He had to say it all or Hayden might always worry about the rape, let it get between them. Josh drew in a strong breath and said, “I spent five years remembering the feel of your hands on me, not reliving how Keener and Rawlings violated me. You are what I’ve memorized. Your body, your love, your touch…the hardness of you in me, around me, on top of me,” he confessed in a heated rush. “And in a few minutes? When you take me under you and make love to me again—finally—I’m going to be giving you myself all over again. Not thinking about those bastards who tried to take you from me.”
Hayden turned then, arms spread wide and just stood that way, eyes filled with tears. “I’ll tell you what I said a long time ago, Joshua. Do you remember?”
Josh smiled a little. “You said a lot of things.”
Hayden walked toward him, arms still open. “I’m going to make this sweet for you, baby. It won’t be like any woman you’ve ever had.”
Josh’s smile grew much wider as Hayden captured him in a strong embrace. “No kidding, you sexy moron,” Josh murmured against his lover’s chest. “It’s gonna be you.”
Josh led Hayden down the hallway, past both his room and Kira’s, until they reached the living room. Well, he made one quick stop—in the bathroom, grabbing a small tube that he’d had in the drawer for longer than he cared to admit, always hoping for this moment. After grabbing that lube, he kept moving, practically dragging Hayden by the hand toward the end of the hall.
Something told him it was a pretty good idea to steer clear of his own bedroom, even though he’d switched rooms with Kira when she’d moved in. Still, the bed was the same, and with his mate already worrying about him, a fresh start was in order.
Hayden walked into the living room, his gaze moving from the fireplace to the roomy leather sofa. “Seems you have a plan in mind,” he said, folding arms across his chest. The gesture did nothing to hide the significant bulge that formed in the front of the man’s jeans, either—especially when he rocked back on his heels. “Very cozy setup you got here, Joshua.”
“I kinda thought you’d like this room,” Josh admitted, moving to turn on the gas logs. Outside the large uncovered windows, there was a beautiful view of firs and lazily falling snow, and inside, with the fire roaring to life, was the perfect location for making love all afternoon long.
“I’m not looking at the room.” Hayden’s gaze was laser-locked right on Josh, his blue eyes dark with desire.
Josh slowly turned, putting his back to the fire. “So what we gonna do, Garrett? Count off and jump each other?” Josh felt a kick of nervous adrenaline at just making the suggestion.
His mate answered by slowly moving toward the sofa. “Come sit down, Joshua, and I’ll show you what I have in mind.”
Josh felt his feet moving almost of their own volition and he complied, sitting down on the leather couch. As soon as he did, Hayden knelt down right in front of him, sliding both large palms onto his thighs. Their gazes locked for a breathless, expectant moment.
Yeah, Josh knew exactly what Hayden intended, wanted.
“It’ll take the edge off for real,” Hayden advised, eyes growing even darker with lust and need. Very slowly he pressed against Josh’s thighs, opening them wider. Much wider. And he leaned into the V with his whole body, dragging Josh’s mouth down for a staggering kiss while working at Josh’s fly with his free hand.
In response, Josh’s erection strained even harder in the tight confines of his pants, and he reached down, eager to help Hayden with the job. But his lover halted the motion, stilling Josh’s hand with his own. “That’s my job,” Hayden murmured, barely breaking their kiss and Josh felt the zipper tug downward, cool air meeting his already heated skin.
Leaning back into the sofa, Josh let his eyes slide closed, felt his mate tugging the pants low until his cock sprang free. With a groan, he relished the rough warmth of Hayden’s hand closing about his length—and was shocked when that sensation was replaced by warm wetness. His eyes popped open and he looked down to find Hayden’s head lowered, an utterly gorgeous expression on his face as he drew Josh’s thick length deep into his mouth.
“Oh, God,” Josh whispered. Somehow he’d not expected this intimacy. Maybe because they’d bypassed it the first time, or maybe because they’d spent so much time talking about making love. His hips rose up off the sofa, his whole body reacting with a hot shiver of pleasure. Hayden gave Josh’s pants a stern yank, and they fell, pooling low about his ankles. Then, rising up slightly, Hayden re-angled his whole body and Josh surged much deeper into his mouth, right as his lover began a strong suctioning and swirling sensation that just about had Josh losing it already.
He moaned, riding up off the couch once again, and sank fingertips into Hayden’s hair. Barely, he managed to bark, “Slower! Garrett…slow down.” Shit, he wanted to experience this in real time, not rocket launch into Hayden’s mouth before they’d even gotten going.
Hayden slowly slid his tongue to the very tip, swirling it in an erotic, tantalizing sweep that caused Josh to grip the wolf’s shoulders with both hands. He dug fingers into the fleece that covered such hard, delicious flesh just beneath. Why hadn’t he ordered Hayden around a little bit, too? Why hadn’t he forced his mate out of his clothes before they got started?
“I need you…naked.” Josh tried tugging on the fleece, but as before, Hayden stilled his hand.
With a breathless gasp, Hayden slid Josh’s erection from within his mouth, still holding the hard cock firmly in hand. “I’m taking care of you right now,” Hayden explained, dragging in a breath. “In every way, Joshua. Just let me love you.”
Their eyes met for a moment and Josh finally whispered. “Could you at least take that fleece off? I need to feel your skin against me.”
Hayden nodded and with a fast, ripping gesture, was suddenly bare-chested right between Josh’s thighs. The eyeful would have been enough to send Josh to the edge as it was, but the view of those rippling, gorgeous shoulder muscles and biceps, combined with the slick warmth of being dragged into the man’s mouth again, well, he felt his balls draw tight and high in automatic reaction.
His hands began roaming all across Hayden’s smooth shoulders and back, his hips thrusting up and down, all of it as if his body were in control—not his own will. In response, Hayden gripped his hips tightly in both palms, working Josh’s rhythmic motion, controlling it, speeding it even as Hayden’s mouth quickened across the hard flesh. With a fevered cry, Josh surged upward and felt a quaking spasm of release. Hayden took hold of Josh’s buttocks right then, drawing him higher and deeper and holding him fast. Riding out the waves, dr
inking Josh dry until with one final surging moan, Josh’s hips sank down. His cock grew soft and Hayden released it with a sweet kiss, lapping at the tip with his tongue. Josh collapsed, his buttocks resting in Hayden’s open grasp against the sofa.
Josh sucked at air, tried to breathe at all, lolling his head against the couch cushions. There between his legs, Hayden made a low growling sound of pleasure and buried his forehead against Josh’s abdomen, softly rubbing it back and forth. “You’re so beautiful,” Hayden murmured, then he finally rested his cheek against Josh’s muscular thigh.
Hayden stared up at him, and the only thing Josh could think as he looked back was the very thing he blurted. “You look absolutely fuckable right now. The look on your face…never seen anything like it.”
Hayden nuzzled Josh’s belly as if they were in wolf form, playing and tumbling. Josh’s cock began to fill out again, growing slightly rigid.
Hayden stared up at him in surprise. “Ready again so soon?”
Josh smiled at him, stroking his fingers through Hayden’s long dark hair. “I can be ready sooner than you think.”
“But it’s me doing the worshipping right now, remember?” Hayden slid his hands free, capturing Josh around the waist as he rose up on his knees. “And I’ve got you relaxed just like I want you. If you’re ready for me, that is.”
At that promise, Josh felt a further stirring in his groin, a kick that said he was definitely ready, as his cock became infused with blood and heat, growing rigid again.
Hayden moved atop Josh, urging him down onto his back. It was a good thing that the couch was so deep and big, he thought, as they stretched out on it. After some juggling—a misplaced knee, a tangled arm, a knotted T-shirt, some awkward giggling—they were locked tight. Hayden atop Josh, positioned right between his parted thighs, both their bodies smooth and hot and naked.
And primed. Totally and perfectly primed for what was about to happen next.
For a long moment, Hayden just stared down into those exotic, luminous eyes that had first beguiled him years before. The golden-green seemed to be darker than usual, flecked with more amber. In the hush, they just gazed at each other, wrestling for each breath. Aware of bare skin against bare skin, of hard hips pushing together.
Poised. Knowing that in a moment, union would begin, that first push of Hayden as he entered Josh. They were both slicked up, totally ready, but somehow this one moment was the breath-stealer. This heartbeat of just staring into each other’s eyes without uttering one word or sound.
Josh reached up, brushing fingertips through Hayden’s long hair that had fallen across his cheek. Eyes still locked on Hayden, he drew the lock to his nose and sniffed, giving him a meaningful look. Yes, you are still my mate, that gaze said. Now, more than ever before. And we are about to deepen that bond.
Then Josh slowly drew the lock of hair to his lips and kissed the ends. Right as the heady, seductive aroma of his mating scent began to weave about Hayden.
“You’re marking me,” Hayden finally whispered, filled with as much wonder right now as he’d been all those years before. “You’re covering me in your scent.”
His mate smiled up at him, lifted his calves higher and murmured, “Claim me back, Garrett. Take me all the way home.”
Hayden pressed hard right then, gave his hips enough force to fulfill Josh’s request, but did so with caution. It was critical that he hold himself back, at least enough to keep the moment as painless as possible. “Don’t,” Josh groaned hoarsely in his ear. “Don’t…go slow. Now. All of you. Now.”
“Joshua,” Hayden murmured, sliding his palms up under the man’s lower back, arching him for a better angle. But he made sure to continue progressing slowly, only penetrating Josh one inch at a time.
Josh grunted, tangling both arms about Hayden’s neck and locked his legs about Hayden’s torso. “Damn it, Garrett! I need you!” he cried out, seizing hold of Hayden with his entire body.
Hayden cursed low, and decided to give his mate all of himself. Fast, hard, no hesitation. With more force than he thought wise, he surged inside Josh, who barked out sharp curses, wincing and moaning all at the same time.
Hayden stilled, suspended in time, holding his breath. He was all the way in, and Josh was tense as iron beneath him, his expression frozen in that mask of pain. Until the pain faded, Josh’s features relaxing, the harsh lines about his mouth vanishing. Until very slowly his mouth turned upward, forming a smile.
And his eyes flew open, filled with the deepest, most satisfied look that Hayden had ever seen on any man’s face. “You hit the sweet spot,” he said in a husky purr. “Now keep on going, baby. You are all the way home.”
With that declaration, Josh began marking him thoroughly, from the crown of his head to the tips of his toes. That primal, claiming aroma was so intense that Hayden knew that every wolf in Jackson would know the truth the moment they met him. That Hayden Garrett had already been claimed.
He belonged fully and completely to Joshua Peterson. For life.
There were at least sixty wolves gathered in the midnight clearing, some larger, some smaller—male, female, old, young. But the main thing that struck Josh as he stared across their gathered kind was that members from both their packs mingled. Peacefully.
Hayden paused beside him, pawing at the ground as he surveyed the wolves from behind the trees. They stood together, shoulder to shoulder, radiating their mating warmth. With a light yelp, Joshua pounced at Hayden, tumbling him to the forest floor. For a moment, they rolled together, growling and nuzzling. This union, the one they experienced as wolf-mates, was one of Josh’s favorite moments with Hayden. It was innocent, playful…infused with freedom.
After a moment, a familiar wolf appeared a few feet away, interrupting their playful tussling. Kira. She tilted her head sideways, her gentle impatience obvious, even when she was in wolf form.
It was time to greet the packs, to join the mating celebration. This full moon was the most important one their two packs had known in decades: unity had come. All because he, Joshua Peterson, had fallen in love with another Alpha. Because he’d taken the lovely, mysterious wolf beside him as lifemate.
Hayden clearly knew his thoughts, trotting to his side. They fell in step, walking proudly and together into the circle of fellow wolves. Josh lifted his head high, put his ears back and released a song toward the sky.
Right then, the huge pregnant moon appeared from behind parted clouds, bathing all of them in magnificent silver.
Joshua howled his pleasure at the beautiful image, loving the way Hayden’s coat was painted in mysterious light. Stunning. Beautiful.
Josh released another wolf’s cry, a long, heartfelt one. He is mine, Josh sang to the moon. My wolf mate is mine…and he is home. We are home together. And we are free.
About the Author
Cooper Davis is a lifelong writer and reader who fell in love with books as a child thanks to a cadre of powerful women: Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew and Betsy, Tacy and Tibb. But it was Scarlet O’Hara who truly kicked her into gear, inspiring Cooper’s first short story. Scarlet may have launched Cooper’s writerly game of casting herself as the heroine (what woman wouldn’t want to wear that red dress, even if it marked her a harlot?), but that passion continued long past the discovery of Jane Austen. Cooper writes paranormal and is an avid reader of many genres.
To learn more about Cooper Davis, please visit www.CooperDavisBooks.com. Send an e-mail to Cooper at [email protected].
Look for these titles by Cooper Davis
Now Available:
Boys of Summer
Coming Soon:
Taking You Home
Some rules are destined to be broken.
From Afar
© 2010 Ava March
Loneliness. A concept with which Raphael Laurent is very familiar. He’s lived a solitary life for thirty-six years, shunning the excesses of the local vampire clan—until he spots Lord Aleric Vane, the handsome and dis
solute third son of a duke. For three years Raphael has watched from a distance, for only when he is near Aleric does the hollow, empty ache in his chest ease.
Cut off from his family for refusing to follow his father’s dictates, Aleric’s nights are filled with vice. But after three years in London, the city has lost all appeal. Desolate and penniless, his future appears bleak. Until a mysterious man drops from the shadows to drive off a trio of murderous thieves.
When Aleric awakens, he finds himself forever changed. The itch for more that drove him to London is gone. In its place is the feeling that he’s known the beautiful Raphael all his life.
But to save Aleric, Raphael had to break the rules, giving him a chance to love the one man he never thought he could have—a chance that could be ripped away by Aleric himself…
Warning: This book contains hot m/m action with a new vampire with a ramped up sex drive, and a dash of voyeurism of the m/m, m/f, and m/m/m varieties. Definitely not your traditional Regency romance.
Enjoy the following excerpt for From Afar:
Pinching the bridge of his nose, he forced himself to recount what he had done. Aleric had not been dead before he tried to turn him. Of that he was certain. He had acted quickly enough. Every last drop of Aleric’s blood had flowed into Raphael, and then he had given Aleric his own.
Raphael stopped in his tracks. He looked to the bed. The candlelight was tricking him. Aleric was much too pale.
He hadn’t given Aleric enough. That damn thief had interrupted him.
Two strides had him at Aleric’s side. Baring his fangs, he pushed up the lace-edged cuff of his shirt and slashed his wrist for the second time that night. Cupping the back of Aleric’s skull with his other hand, he tipped back Aleric’s head and let the blood drip into his open mouth.