by Jools Louise
The boys slid to a stop a few feet away, laughing uproariously. They exchanged sheepish looks, waving hello to Thomas, who was enjoying his friend’s dry delivery, preempting all the usual questions the boys came up with whenever the opportunity arose.
“How do you know we weren’t just going to congratulate you on your recent coming-out party in the middle of the street in downtown Sage?” Chaz said with a big grin, light brown hair pulled back into a stumpy ponytail, blue eyes sparkling with amusement.
Cody groaned at the comeback, trying to prevent the blush he knew was pinkening his cheeks. “Who told you?” he asked, wrinkling his nose.
“You warned John to say nothing, but forgot about his husband and children,” Kieran answered, giggling. “The second you left town, Cameron was calling us, telling us the good news.”
“Is it possible for a man to blush so hard and not self-combust?” Kieran’s twin, Kevin, asked, giggling as well and then leaping out of the way when Cody lunged at him, trying for a headlock and noogie.
“If you boys don’t quit teasing Cody, he’ll forget to call you when the apartment complex has been completed,” Thomas told them and waggled his eyebrows, his white teeth gleaming brightly against his mahogany skin. “I’m sure we can find you a park bench or something to sleep on…once the park gets finished.”
“But, seriously,” Alfie asked timidly, “when will the apartments be finished?” The others burst out laughing at his question, Cody and Thomas joining in.
Taking pity, Cody unfolded his arms and smiled more gently at the small-boned, fragile-looking young leopard shifter, dressed in a pink chiffon blouse and extremely wide-legged indigo jeans that looked like culottes, fitted at the waist and hips, flaring out from mid-thigh. On his feet he wore flip-flops with sparkling diamanté decorations on the cross-over strap. The kid was exploring his dress sense, mixing different styles. Cody thought the look suited him.
Cody gave them the answer they wanted. “Just as soon as you like, boys, you can come down and take a look at the apartment that will accommodate you all. The contractors got done at the beginning of the week, I finished my final walk-through yesterday. It’s just a matter of you looking over the apartment and putting whatever personal effects you want in there—the rest is done.”
A loud cheer went up, the boys going crazy, bouncing around hugging each other, excited as little kids at a Chuck E. Cheese and ball-pool party.
“That went well,” Thomas said with a grin, and Cody smiled as well.
“The inn and bakery are just about done. There is a bar with a restaurant going up as well, which is a week away from completion—I lied about that, and the new owners are hiring soon—you already know them. It’s Jack and Jamie and Mick. They decided to give the place an overhaul and do something different. If you boys haul ass into town tomorrow, I’ll show you the list of places that need staff. If you know anyone else who fancies jobs, let me know, and we’ll get some interviews set up with the business owners.”
David raced over, giving Cody a big hug. “Thank you,” he said feelingly. “I love living at the ranch, but we just want to spread our wings now. Living in town should be a lot of fun.”
Cody hugged him back, feeling the kid’s wiry strength, the broad chest, and sinewy ropes of muscles. When he’d first met the boy, David had been scrawny, malnourished to the point of emaciation, and sporting a lot of scars, both physical and mental. The past few months in particular had seen a change come over the boy once the cult had been dealt with. He had matured, graduated college as a mechanical engineer, and was a pretty fair mechanic, wanting to open his own auto shop. Joe, his adopted dad, was eager for him to set up the shop, since most people had vehicles now and the work was at present being carried out at the ranch with minimal tools. Joe was putting up half the cash for a workshop, and David was going to run it, having donated some of his inheritance from his father’s estate.
Mason strolled over from one of the stables, his long, muscular frame moving with the grace of his feline heritage. His moss-green eyes were fixed intently on one of the young men, and Cody bit back a grin at the yearning he saw in the man’s gaze. Mason was so far gone, he was toast. Cody could hear the wedding bells chiming already. Another man stood by the open stable door, not following but watching Mason move toward the group. Cody watched with interest as Jason Hastings looked at Mason with the hungry look of someone eyeing up a potential bed mate. It was an interesting development. Cody had thought Mason and Alfie were a twosome in the making. Then he saw Alfie send a shy, interested glance at Jason, and a more confused look to Mason, flushing a little.
“What’s all the fuss about?” Mason asked, dragging his gaze from Alfie to look inquiringly at Cody.
“The Young Guns are ready to roll on down the road.” Cody saw the confusion, followed by a flash of understanding and then a briefer flash of what looked like distress. Mason was definitely smitten by one particular shifter. “Don’t worry, the inn is ready, too. Perhaps you can get a ride into town with these guys, take a look around tomorrow. We need you to choose some of the interior decor now,” Cody drawled, his grin breaking loose at Mason’s palpable relief. He leaned closer. “If you want him, tread carefully,” he said, barely audible. “He’s been through a lot, so don’t blow it. You may have some competition, too.” He jerked his chin at the stable where Jason stood and bit back a grin at the flush of arousal on Mason’s face, the yearning almost tangible as he darted a look at Alfie and then back to Jason.
“I want to blow both of them, is what I want,” Mason retorted, then flushed bright red as the excited young men went silent at the same time, his words ringing out.
Alfie looked startled, then intrigued, and then a shy smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he glanced back to the stable. “Do I still have a job?” he asked. “I told you, I’m pretty handy in the kitchen—I cook a mean plate of eggs and bacon.”
Mason moved forward, cupping Alfie’s cheek gently. “You always have a place with me,” he said. “I’ll catch a ride with you all, if that’s okay. We already have guests wanting to stay at the inn once we get the all clear from the boss, here.”
Alfie stared up at him with a look of wonder, his hand coming up to cover Mason’s, curling his slender fingers around the bigger man’s. “I can’t wait to get stuck in,” he murmured softly.
Cody cleared his throat, feeling like he was intruding on the intimate moment, but needing to get going. “Er, I’ll see you guys tomorrow. Come to the town hall, and I’ll get you the keys, then we’ll head over to take a look at both places.” He turned, smiling at Thomas and strode around to the driver’s side of the truck.
Driving off quickly, he looked in the rearview mirror, smiling more widely at seeing Mason’s arm around Alfie’s waist, the little shifter snug against his side staring at Mason as though the big guy was his sun, moon, and stars, Mason looking exactly the same way. Yep! Mason was toast all right.
* * * *
Much later, when the town was quiet again and the army of workers had left for the day, Cody finished off his rounds with Pace, having delivered Thomas to their shared trailer, realizing he wouldn’t get to kiss the man properly until his work was finished for the day. Too many interruptions. The sheriff, Pace, lived in town with his husband Zack, a former soldier who Cody had served with for over a decade and was now a lawyer. Apart from curious tourists and journalists asking endless questions, they hadn’t had any trouble in town to date. Cody was not so naive as to think that would always be the case. For every person who accepted the shifter community and their presence in the world, there was always someone else with a gripe, however ridiculous. They were the types he was cautious about. They’d already dealt with a bunch of nutcases thinking they could disregard common decency, federal laws, and hurt people, destroying families in the process.
It only took a few of those bigoted morons to cause all kinds of trouble. Not in this town. Not again. Cody would kick the first ass to come her
e, wanting a fight.
He waved good-bye to Pace, who was taking the night shift, patrolling the town with Zack. Cody headed to the large, double-wide, three-bedroom trailer he shared with Thomas. Parked on an empty lot, which was earmarked to become David’s vehicle workshop once the plans were accepted, it served as Cody’s office and living quarters. He felt his breath hitch in his throat as he walked closer, seeing the lights blazing from the windows. Tonight, things would feel a little different. He’d come out to the entire town, kissed Thomas as though his life depended on it, and he knew their relationship was heading on a fast course into Pleasureville. His cock hardened as he thought of that kiss, and he had to adjust the fit of his dusty jeans to accommodate the large rock pushing against the thick fabric. He wanted far more of those sweet kisses, had been waiting all day for more.
Spring was on its way, the scent of frost on the air, since spring around these parts still held the threat of new snow. He breathed in the cool night air, shivering a little. He was grateful to reach the trailer, smelling the delicious aroma of steak and onions frying. Opening the door, he stepped up, seeing Thomas at the small stove, clad in black jeans and a vest that stretched across his big, muscular chest and back like a glove, displaying his pecs to perfection. He had one crutch under his left arm, balancing easily as he moved about. In one big hand he held on to a cast-iron skillet containing two giant steaks, mushrooms, and onions sizzling merrily. Salad and some home fries sat to one side, inviting Cody to pinch one thick fry, laughing when Thomas swatted at his hand.
“Wash up. Then I’ll serve,” Thomas suggested, then swatted Cody’s ass as the big shifter headed off to go rinse off the dust in the shower.
“Testy, testy,” Cody teased.
“You bet I am, young man,” Thomas retorted, smirking as he flipped a steak efficiently.
“How’s the leg?” Cody asked, turning serious.
There was a pause, then a sigh. “Sore,” Thomas replied. “I’m frustrated that it’s taking so long to heal. I thought I’d be fit as a flea by now.”
Cody peeped his head out of the bathroom, concerned at the weariness in his friend’s usually robust voice. “It’ll heal,” he said. “You’ll see. I have friends who are amputees from serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and sometimes the most frustrating thing is waiting for your own body to get over the trauma.” He met Thomas’s eyes, trying to convey his confidence in Thomas’s recovery. “It’s only been a few months. You need to be patient, that’s all.”
Thomas snorted, then laughed. “When was I ever patient, about anything?” he asked drolly.
Cody winked. “I don’t remember either of us being gifted in that department.” He laughed. “But you will heal. Once Martin gets here, you’ll see what the best technology can do. You’ll be running marathons before you know it.”
He ducked back into the bathroom, grinning at Thomas’s shout. “I never ran marathons before, baby. I prefer full-contact sports to distance running.” The flow of warm water drowned out anything else, and Cody quickly washed up, enjoying the soothing heat on his tired muscles.
“So, then, you can take up a new hobby,” Cody said, continuing the conversation as he stepped out of the bathroom, a towel around his waist. Stripping the thing off without thinking he began to dry off, stepping into a clean pair of sweats, sans underwear, leaving his thick chest bare, droplets of water clinging to the light smattering of hair.
“I can think of a hobby I could start right now,” Thomas replied huskily. Cody looked at him, startled by the gritty edge of lust, meeting dark eyes that swam with all kinds of sexy innuendo. “You filled out, bud,” Thomas added.
Cody’s gaze drifted to his friend’s groin, seeing the tented material covering the man’s cock. His dick began to react, and Cody licked his lips, breathing heavily at the sudden surge of lust arching between them. An imp of mischief had Cody pushing at the waistband of his sweats, until the plum-colored head of his cock was bared to Thomas’s avid gaze. The temperature rose in the confines of the trailer, aided and abetted by Cody fingering his tiny patch of pubes teasingly. “You see something you like?” he asked gruffly.
Thomas flicked off the stove, one eye on the task of dishing up their meal, the other watching Cody’s sexual teasing. “Baby, I hope you’re planning to put out after dinner,” he said with a sexy smile. “I’d like to check out that big beauty in a little while, to see how you taste.” Cody moaned low in his throat, closing his eyes against the jolt of pure desire that thickened his cock even more.
“I think I’m going to need that steak,” he replied, dragging on a fleecy shirt, but leaving it unbuttoned as he dragged up his pants and covered his dick. “I have the feeling when we get together, all hell is going to break loose.” He passed Thomas, feeling a light touch on his butt as he went, and he nearly blew his load. “Quit that, Tommy, I’m spoken for,” Cody said, grinning as he began to sit down at the small dining table.
A hand came around him, dragging him back and whirling him around to face Thomas. He yelped in surprise, then groaned long and low as Thomas delivered a hard, hot smooch on his lips, then slapped his ass before letting go. “Baby,” Thomas said, giving Cody’s thick cock a squeeze. “You belong to me, now.” He shoved Cody away, and slapped his ass smartly, grinning at his friend, then turning to finish plating up.
Cody shook the cloud of lust from his brain, then turned and fell heavily onto the bench seat, legs splayed to ease the ache in his groin. He glanced down and saw that his cock had breached its boundaries again, the moist head peeping at him. He tucked it back into place, trying to calm his libido.
The tension in the trailer was at fever pitch as they both began to tuck into the large meal, but their conversation was light and skirted around the double bed at the far end of the trailer, with its fresh bedding and clean, newly laundered scent. Thomas had been busy since he was signed off for a few days to rest his leg.
“What kind of shifter are you?” Thomas asked curiously. “I’d never been introduced to anyone who’s a shifter before I came here…at least not anyone who would admit to it.”
“I’m a jaguar shifter,” Cody replied, seeing the genuine interest in his friend.
“How does it work, the whole shifter thing? Would you shift for me?” Thomas leaned forward eagerly, and Cody inhaled sharply, savoring the musky aroma of the man’s polished ebony skin, noting the ripple of pecs and biceps that just begged to be explored further. Thomas was a beast of a man, but Cody knew he had no shifter DNA. Jace had already told him that much. Just a sexy, beautiful hunk of male. Cody’s mouth watered at the thought of tasting all that luscious, glossy male flesh. The man was stunning.
“I have to get naked to shift, or I end up shredding what I’m wearing—a costly business,” Cody replied softly, his hand reaching for Thomas over discarded plates. He brushed his thumbs across the top of Thomas’s large hand, feeling the shiver go through his friend. His nostrils quivered, the pungent odor of arousal punching through the air. “I think of my cat, call him, and then I change shape. It used to be painful, but now I’m so used to doing it, I don’t notice. It only takes a couple of seconds. How about we wash up, then I’ll show you.”
Thomas nodded, looking aroused and helpless at the same time, as though his brain was as clouded as Cody’s. Sliding from the seat, Cody released his friend’s hand, missing the touch immediately as he began to gather plates and take them to the sink.
He filled the bowl with suds, swirled the hot water around, then grabbed the dish brush and tried to concentrate on the mundane task, but all he could think about was the touch of Thomas’s smooth skin under his fingers.
He felt a pair of big hands move to his shoulders, the heat of a big body against his back. He let out a low, guttural groan, tilting his neck to the side. Immediately warm lips descended, placing feathery kisses along his neck, dipping below the collar of his shirt. The garment was tugged down his arms but not off, baring his shoulders for further exploratio
n by those warm, soft lips.
“Baby, I dreamed of this,” Thomas murmured, his tongue trailing over Cody’s damp skin. “Your body is perfection, hard and honed. I had no idea you were bisexual, until that kiss all those years ago, and by then it was too late…you needed to go and find yourself and get over what Marissa did to you. I didn’t think that you could possibly be interested in me like this, after all this time,” he said, no judgment in his tone, simply curiosity.
“I don’t think I am bisexual—I’m pretty sure I’m gay,” Cody confessed breathlessly, his fingers clutched tightly around a pan lid beneath the soapy water. “My family never discussed things like that, and school was full of so many fuckwits. I was already bullied just for being small—they’d have killed me for being gay.” He turned slowly in Thomas’s arms, dripping hands encircling the man’s big frame, holding him lightly. Their cocks brushed against each other, and he shivered at the contact. “I never was attracted to girls, and was too afraid to look too hard at guys, but I knew I felt something there. Then when I met Marissa, our parents were so excited at our dating I just kind of went along with it. I thought I loved her, but maybe I just wanted to hide behind the illusion of heterosexuality, pretend to be something I wasn’t. There was something about her I wanted to protect, but I don’t think it ever went deeper than that.”
He leaned his head against Thomas’s shoulder, relaxing into his friend’s arms. “It was like being on a roller coaster, knowing I wanted to get off but afraid of being the big wuss that does it. Marissa and I clicked I suppose, but she liked to party, and I was training to be a firefighter. I did my best to fit her lifestyle, but we were never suited.” He ducked his head, brow crinkling as he remembered that last time and her harsh words.