Back in Mexico, he’d had the beach and his best friend to help stave off the boredom. What the hell was there to do in this town anyway? Realizing he hadn’t even left the house since he’d arrived, Asher decided that perhaps it was time to see the sights and meet the locals. They planned to go shopping the next day for a new mattress, but that didn’t mean that Asher couldn’t buy some things to fix the place up a little.
Walking through the house, he took mental pictures, thinking up different ways to add a little color and liveliness to the drab, bland décor. He didn’t want to overstep his boundaries or insult his lover, but if this was to be his home for the next however long, he should at least have some say in the decorating.
With a new plan firmly in place, Asher grabbed his wallet from the end table near the sofa and slipped it into his pocket. He called a cab, then went to sit on the front steps to wait while he browsed his phone’s search engine for local car dealerships. He didn’t mind taking cabs, but he liked the freedom of being able to go wherever and whenever he wanted.
The cab pulled up near the curb, and Asher ran out to climb into the backseat, almost giddy with the idea of his first purchase of his new life.
Now he just needed to decide what kind of car to buy. Images of something flashy and fast swirled around in his head, and Asher had to grin. That sounded perfect. He could already picture the look on Zaiden’s face when he drove up in a shiny red sports car. Maybe they could even trade in his lover’s boring sedan and get him something a little more eye-catching as well.
Compared to Asher, the man was still practically a baby, yet everything he owned looked as though he was nearing the twilight of life. Well, Asher would just have to see what he could do shake things up a little and pull his mate back into the land of the living.
* * * *
“Denise. Andrew.” Zaiden smiled brilliantly and waved a hand toward the love seat in his office. “I’m sorry that I had to reschedule at such short notice. I’m glad that you could make it. How are you today?”
“We’re good, Doctor. How are you?” Denise gave him her normal cheery smile, and Zaiden began to relax a little.
“Yes, we’re good,” Andrew mumbled. He pushed his dark brown hair back from his forehead and sighed heavily as he sat beside his wife.
Not willing to assume they’d spoken of Andrew’s questions of his sexuality, Zaiden reclined in his chair and waited. The couple always did better without prodding. They would come around to the issues they wanted to discuss in their own time.
Sure enough, it only took moments for Andrew to speak. “I talked to Denise about our discussion last week.” He wouldn’t look at anyone in the room, but at least he was talking.
“I’m sure that must have been very difficult for you.” Zaiden turned to the pretty redhead and held his hands out, palms up. “How did that make you feel, Denise?”
Folding her hands in her lap, Denise smiled sympathetically at her husband. “I’ve suspected for a while.” Then she reached over and took Andrew’s hand before turning back to Zaiden. “It is a relief to be able to understand, and to realize it wasn’t just me.”
Zaiden gave her a warm smile before his eyes cut over to Andrew. “And how about you, Andrew? How do you feel, now?”
Lifting his head, Andrew finally met his eyes and a tiny smile flickered over his lips. “I feel like I can really breathe for the first time in years. I’m nervous, of course, but Denise has been wonderful.” He placed a small peck on her cheek. “You’ll always be my best friend,” he whispered to her.
Denise giggled like a schoolgirl and blushed a very becoming shade of pink as she slapped at his shoulder. “I’m just glad that you finally told me.”
Zaiden watched them with a mix of pride and sadness. They obviously loved each other, and he hated to see their marriage end. There was no hostility between them, however. He hoped they really would remain friends after this. “Is there anything else you wanted to discuss today? Have you talked about what steps to take from here?”
“We’re just working on one day at a time,” Denise said with a smile. “I understand that Andrew has met someone that he’s rather smitten with.” She giggled at Andrew’s embarrassed groan. “It so happens, there’s someone that has caught my eye as well.”
“You’ve been seeing someone?” Zaiden kept his face impassive, the judgment from creeping into his voice. He was neutral as always.
“Oh, no, no.” Denise waved her hand in dismissal. “I would never be unfaithful to my husband. A girl can look, however. Andrew and I have decided to see other people. I have even offered to accompany him on a double date to help break the ice.”
“That’s very generous of you, Denise. Andrew, are you comfortable with this arrangement?”
Andrew bobbed his head. “We are filing for divorce tomorrow. This is the best thing for us both.”
“Agreed.” Denise nodded her head in finality. “I will always be there for you, though,” she whispered to Andrew.
“Wonderful!” Zaiden clasped his hands together. “We still have a few minutes left. Did either of you have anything else you wanted to get out in the open?”
They each shook their heads and rose from the love seat. “As we are no long technically a couple, this will be our last visit, Dr. Reed.” Denise held her hand out for him to shake.
Zaiden clasped her hand briefly, then the one Andrew offered him. “I understand, Denise. I hope that you will still call me if you ever need someone to talk to, though.”
“Thank you.” Andrew began edging toward the door.
“That is a lovely shirt, Dr. Reed. The color is quite striking on you.”
Andrew frowned at his wife, then at Zaiden, eyeing his shirt as though it had morally offended him. Then he disappeared through the doors. Denise just rolled her eyes, gave Zaiden a small wave, and slipped out behind her husband.
Zaiden fingered the buttons on his shirt as he strolled back toward his desk. Why were so many people taking such an interest in his clothing all of the sudden? And what exactly had upset Andrew so much before he left?
* * * *
Zaiden pulled up in his driveway and gaped at the shiny red Ford Mustang GT parked beside him. His mouth hung open, and he actually drooled just a little. Climbing out of his boring sedan, he walked around the automotive masterpiece and whistled. He hoped he could persuade his little mate to let him drive the beauty at least once.
Hurrying up the walkway, he hurdled the steps and burst through the door, eager to see his mate and congratulate him on the new car. He froze just inside the doorway, then turned and walked back out, looking up at the numbers above the door to make sure he had the right house.
“Four-seven-nine,” he mumbled under his breath then turned and walked back into the house.
He barely recognized any of it. Gone were his squashy brown sofa and love seat, the chipped and faded coffee table, and his sturdy, squat-looking lamps. Big, suede, burgundy sofas now adorned his living room. A gorgeous cherry oak coffee table, matching end tables, and sleek floor lamps accompanied the sofas. New paintings hung on the walls, burgundy drapes covered the windows, and a thick, plush area rug finished off the room.
“I kept all of the old stuff in case you didn’t like this,” Asher said from the kitchen doorway. “I guess I should have asked first, but I wanted to surprise you.” He rocked from foot to foot, fidgeting as he looked at Zaiden. “Do you like it?”
Though he wanted to tease his lover, Zaiden couldn’t find it in himself to do it when the man looked so nervous. “I think it looks amazing. We can trash the old stuff.” He crooked a finger for Asher to come to him.
Without missing a beat, Asher bounded across the room to stand directly in front of him. Pulling his mate into his arms, Zaiden placed a soft kiss on his temple. “It’s always just been me, and I never needed much. You can change anything you like.”
“Thank you,” Asher whispered against his neck, sending faint shivers along Zaiden’s s
pine. “I didn’t buy anything for the bedroom. I wanted us to do that together.”
“I like that. Thank you.” Zaiden kissed Asher’s temple again and stepped away. “Did you happen to get any food on this little shopping spree of yours?”
“Not exactly.” Asher grinned mischievously as he began stripping out of his clothes while he traveled backward toward the hallway. “I did pick up some chocolate sauce, though.”
Zaiden gulped audibly, and heat spread throughout his body. He prowled forward, stalking his mate as a low, rumbling growl began in his chest. “What do you intend to do with this chocolate sauce, baby?”
Asher paused in the act of pushing his jeans down his hips and frowned. “Why do you do that?”
Zaiden stopped as well, tilting his head to the side in confusion. “Do what?”
“You only call me baby when you’re horny. Why?”
Try as he may, he didn’t have a good answer. “I don’t know. I don’t really think about it,” Zaiden answered honestly. “Guys say dumb shit when they’re thinking with the wrong head.”
Asher pulled his jeans back up his hips, and Zaiden wanted to smack himself in the forehead. “I didn’t mean it like that, Ash.” He took a step toward his mate, but Asher halted him with a raised hand. “Ash, c’mon, you know I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Just don’t.” Asher shook his head as he glared at Zaiden. “I’ll see you in the morning,” he said flatly, then turned on his heels and marched down the hall.
Zaiden winced when he heard the door to the guest bedroom slam shut hard enough to reverberate through the house. Looking over his shoulder, he eyed the sofa and sighed. At least it looked more comfortable than his old one.
Chapter Nine
Groaning and panting, Asher rolled from side to side on the mattress, soaking the sheets beneath him with his sweat. His stomach cramped, his skin crawled, and his heart raced inside his chest. His cock throbbed, jerking and dribbling pre-cum between his legs.
Reaching down his shuddering body, Asher hissed in pain as he wrapped his fingers around his heated shaft. His balls pulled so tight to his body, he just knew they were trying to crawl up inside of him.
His muscles tightened, and electricity raced through him, cranking him up and leaving him jittery and anxious. He gave one slow stroke to his demanding cock and cried out as his back bowed up off the bed. Nothing had ever felt so painful. It was as though someone had kicked him in the dick, then set it on fire for good measure.
Still angry over Zaiden’s careless words, Asher didn’t revel in the thought of being intimate with the asshole. Unfortunately, he didn’t have any other options. The heat spreading through him, taking over him, would be enough to drive him to insanity soon. He didn’t know people could sustain such temperatures and still live. Hell, he could practically feel his brain sizzling inside his skull.
He struggled to his side, gasping as he tried to roll out of bed. Before he could make it off the mattress, though, the bedroom door banged open, bouncing off the wall with a loud crack. Zaiden stood in the doorway, his eyes wide, his nostrils flared, and his chest heaving. His pale skin glistened in the moonlight filtering through the windows, slick and drenched in sweat. His long blond hair lay damp and limp over his shoulders, and his hands fisted and relaxed as he stared at Asher.
Without thought, Asher rolled to his back as though his body had been trained to do so at the sight of his lover. He opened his arms and wiggled his fingers, beckoning his mate to him. Zaiden didn’t even hesitate. He took two steps and launched himself onto the bed, covering Asher’s body with his own.
“I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to say those stupid things.” Zaiden’s hands were everywhere, and he spoke between desperate kisses along Asher’s neck and shoulders. “I’ll call you baby every day. That’s all I’ll call you. I’m so fucking sorry. Don’t be mad. Please, stop being mad at me.”
Asher moaned and writhed as his arms wound around Zaiden’s neck and pulled him closer, crushing their mouths together as they each battled for dominance. At this point, he couldn’t even remember why he’d been upset with the sprite. His phoenix cried out, a beautiful song that filled his heart and soul, rejoicing in the closeness of their mate.
As Zaiden licked inside his mouth and nibbled at his lips, Asher decided he’d just be mad later and enjoy the pleasure of the moment. Zaiden’s touch soothed the burn, even as it stoked the flames of his desire to a raging wildfire. Maybe it was because of the elders’ trick, but Asher couldn’t get enough of his mate.
A little voice in his head called him a dirty liar. Even when he wasn’t in the throes of his mating heat, he still desired the big man. He dared anyone who looked at his lover to not want him. Damn, the man was gorgeous.
“Need you, Zaid.”
“Need you, too, baby. I’m sorry I was an idiot.” Zaiden stretched over him to reach for the lube on the nightstand. “Tell me what you want, Ash. Anything you want.”
“I want to handcuff you to the bed and lick chocolate sauce off every inch of your skin. Then I want to bury myself in your tight ass and fuck you until you pass out.” Asher smirked as Zaiden moaned and his body jerked. “But for now, I just want to ride you.”
Zaiden growled, rolling over quickly to pull Asher on top of him. The motioned sent them falling over the side of the mattress to land on the floor with a hard thump. Yeah, they really needed to get a new bed.
Asher couldn’t help but laugh as he pushed up on his hands and stared down at his dazed lover. “Slick move, Zaid.”
Zaiden frowned, and a sharp smack landed on Asher’s naked ass. He closed his eyes and moaned, wiggling his ass and begging for another swat. “Behave,” Zaiden admonished.
Blinking open his eyes, Asher smiled widely. “Where’s the fun in that?”
Then he gasped as Zaiden rolled them again, pressing Asher’s back to the carpet and pinning him to the floor. Without a word, two slick fingers zeroed in on his clenching hole and pushed inside. The burn, the slight bite of pain, sent Asher’s head swimming, and he arched his neck back, moaning like a slut.
“Yeah, I like you better this way,” Zaiden murmured as he pumped his fingers in and out of Asher’s body. “Just look pretty and let me take care of you.” His fingers disappeared, replaced by the blunt head of his cock. “Deep breath, baby.”
Asher did as instructed, groaning on the exhale as his mate invaded his dark depths. His head whipped back and forth on the floor as lightning bolts of pleasure zipped through his body. “Fuck, this isn’t going to take long.”
“You’re such a romantic.” Zaiden chuckled breathlessly as he seated himself inside Asher’s hungry ass.
“Just shut up and fuck me.”
“Bossy little bird.” Zaiden thrust back in hard, nailing Asher’s prostate and pulling a strangled sob from his open mouth. “Oh, you like that?” Zaiden pulled out slowly and rammed back in. “You want it rough, baby?”
“Oh, god!” Asher locked his ankles behind Zaiden’s back and tangled his fingers in his mate’s hair, jerking it sharply. “Yes! Harder!”
Taking him at his word, Zaiden slipped an arm under his hips, lifting him up as he plowed into him hard enough to rattle his bones. “You fucking love my cock, don’t you, baby? Tell me you love it.”
“Yes, oh sweet hell, I love it!”
Faster and harder, the intensity built until Asher was out of his mind with pleasure. He couldn’t think, couldn’t speak, could do nothing but accept the glorious fucking Zaiden delivered. His orgasm raced toward him like a runaway locomotive, signaling one hell of an explosion.
“Open your eyes, Ash. Look at me,” Zaiden demanded.
His eyes sprung open, widening at the beautiful mix of pain and pleasure on his lover’s face. Their eyes locked and held, and the rest of the room seemed to melt away. Asher’s fire bubbled to the surface, and little flames licked over the skin on his arms and hands. He felt it, finally understood it, and therefore was able to contro
l it.
Zaiden Reed was his fire. The man controlled him, owned him, body, soul, and flame. Staring into his mate’s emerald eyes, his phoenix called out to Zaiden, soothing Asher’s fears and doubts. He could trust Zaiden to never betray the gift.
With the knowledge firmly in place, Asher finally let himself go, falling over the edge and crying out as his climax rippled through him, sending scorching ropes of pearly seed shooting from his pulsing cock.
Zaiden dropped forward, buried his nose in Asher’s neck, and groaned as his release coated Asher’s inner walls to the point of overflowing. “Fuck, it’s always so good with you.”
“It’s supposed to be,” Asher mumbled. “You are my fire, Zaiden Reed.”
* * * *
Gasping as his flagging prick slid from Asher’s still-clenching hole, Zaiden rolled to his side and tried to regain his breath. That was the second time Asher had said that, and he still didn’t know what he meant. “Explain that.”
Asher maneuvered closer, curling up to Zaiden’s side. “You are my mate.”
“I get that, baby. It’s the other part I’m having a little trouble comprehending.”
Pushing up on his elbow, Asher beamed at him. “You called me baby.”
Zaiden rolled his eyes and wrapped an arm around his lover’s back, pulling him down to settle over his chest. “I told you I was sorry about that. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. I catch myself wanting to say it all the time, but I wasn’t sure if you’d welcome the endearment. When we’re together like this, though, I can’t think.”
“I get it now,” Asher whispered. “I don’t mind you calling me baby. It makes me feel special.”
Giving his mate a squeeze, Zaiden dropped a chaste kiss on top of his head. “Good, because you are. Now, will you please explain this fire thing to me? It’s driving me nuts.”
Evans, Gabrielle - Fire and Ash [Midnight Matings 3] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) Page 6