by Lynn Hagen
“Just don’t give me anything that tastes like the first drink you gave me,” he teased and wondered why he was flirting with Keaton. Until he had a job and a place of his own, Kade needed to stay away. He should not be flirting, and he should definitely not be enjoying the man’s company.
“I call this Suicidal. Don’t let the name fool you. I only call it that because so many fruits are blended in.” He handed him another cup. Kade took it, careful not to make contact with the man’s skin.
He sniffed the drink, wondering if it really was suicidal to drink it.
“You’re not wussing out on me, are you?” Keaton actually looked disappointed. Kade didn’t like that look on the man’s face. He wanted to wipe it away, erase it and see that innocent smile once more.
Blowing out a breath, Kade swallowed a mouthful. He shuddered and coughed. “Way too much kiwi.”
Pearly-white teeth appeared, dazzling and straight. “I take it you don’t like kiwi.”
“Not a real big fan of it.” Kade set the cup on the counter, tired of reaching over the case. He also knew there was a small part of him that wanted to get closer to Keaton. Although they had a counter between them, it wasn’t as high as the display case.
“Okay, dude. I’ll give your taste buds a rest. Have you eaten breakfast?”
Before Kade could answer, Keaton was walking over to a steel refrigerator that Kade hadn’t seen behind the counter. He watched as Keaton pulled something out, and then opened the microwave, tossing it in. “I’m making you an egg white wrap with spinach and goat cheese.”
The man was killing him. Didn’t this place have any meat? What Kade wouldn’t give for some bacon or maple sausage. He had run out of the house this morning without breakfast. What Keaton was making him did not sound appetizing at all.
“How did you get such a buff body, dude? Are you one of those guys that was born with it or do you spend most of your day in the gym?” Keaton opened the microwave and pulled out a small white wrapper. “Okay, let me know if you like this. If you don’t, I’ll make you something else.”
Kade scratched at his chin, wondering if Keaton always subject jumped. The man hadn’t even waited for Kade’s first answer before asking another question. When Keaton set the sandwich on the counter, he turned and walked away, Kade still not giving him any kind of an answer to either question.
Leaning over the counter, Kade glanced to see that Keaton was washing the containers he had used to make the drinks.
Okay, then. Keaton was a little strange. It was almost as if he couldn’t stay in one place, like had to move around. It was exhausting watching him.
Kade took the offered food and grabbed a seat at one of the small tables inside the shop. He could hear Keaton whistling as he worked. Chuckling to himself, Kade unwrapped the paper and took a bite.
Damn, this was pretty good. Who knew he would like egg whites, spinach, and goat cheese combined? Although Kade had never tasted goat cheese in his life, he found that he liked it.
Customers traveled in and out of the juice hut for the better half of the morning, He sat there slowly eating his food as he watched Keaton work.
Chapter Two
Keaton was a nervous wreck. He was surprised he was able to talk at all. He usually clammed up around drop-dead gorgeous men. He knew he had been babbling, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself.
He hated that he didn’t have the ability to be smooth when it came to talking to hot guys. He had lacked that skill his entire life. Shrugging to himself, Keaton scrubbed out the utensils he had used. The pulp from the oranges was already trying to stick to the sides of the plastic.
He really was trying to come up with some new flavors. That hadn’t been a come-on line…although he liked the fact that Kade had agreed to hang around.
“That was pretty good.”
Keaton smiled to himself as he dried his hands off on the towel. He turned to see Kade leaning against the counter. The man’s eyes were a cross between blue and green. Keaton had never seen anyone with those color eyes before. They were a gorgeous teal.
“Dude, you look too buff not to eat healthy. How is it you’ve never tried half the stuff on the menu?”
“How do you know I haven’t tried half the stuff?” Keaton knew he was blowing it when he heard the irritation in Kade’s voice. He hadn’t meant to offend the man. What he said was true. Kade looked like he worshiped the gym. Most guys like that survived off of protein drinks and lived in places like the one Keaton owned.
Keaton had never stepped into a gym in his life, but he liked eating healthy. He believed his body was his temple and he was very careful what he put in it. “I didn’t mean anything by that. No offense.”
Grabbing some fresh fruit from the basket that was sitting on the counter, Keaton began to slice mangoes. The hut always became crowded at lunch. He would need to get things ready. Besides, it looked like he had blown his chance with Kade.
“You didn’t offend me,” Kade said. Keaton turned to see that Kade was still leaning by the counter. He would have thought the man would be gone by now. He set the knife down and then turned the sink on, rinsing his fingers off.
“Are you ready to try another concoction?” Keaton had gotten in some flaxseed and was trying to figure out how to infuse it with the drinks without anyone really tasting the seeds. Since Kade was his guinea pig, he would try some drinks on the man.
The corner of Kade’s mouth tilted up, the earlier irritation gone. “Bring it on.”
Keaton really liked Kade. The man seemed a little intense, somewhat mysterious and reserved, but the guy wasn’t afraid of a challenge. Maybe he could try his more exotic flavors on Kade.
“So where do you work?” Keaton grabbed the basket and gathered some mangoes, slices of pineapples, a few shaved carrots, and some all-natural guava juice. He glanced up when Kade didn’t answer him.
The scowl was back.
“I really should be heading out,” Kade said. “Thanks for the breakfast and the juice. Go easy on the kiwi.”
Keaton watched as Kade turned and began to head toward the door. “Kade,” he called out. When Kade turned to stare at him, Keaton was at a loss of what to say. He didn’t want the man to go. The reaction surprised Keaton.
“Yes?”
Chewing on his bottom lip, Keaton tucked his hands under his armpits. “I’m sorry, man. Sometimes I get a little too nosy. I have this illness where I was born without the buffer that connects brain to mouth.”
Keaton began to study the bowl on the counter, hating that he had run the guy off with his stupid questions. He got a fluttery feeling in his stomach and his chest felt a little tight when he saw that Kade was walking back toward him.
“Your questions are perfectly legit, Keaton.” Kade stopped just short of the counter. “You didn’t say or do anything wrong.”
Keaton licked his lips and dipped his head. “So will you stay so I can torture you?”
Kade’s laughter was deep, making Keaton’s groin tighten. “I never thought I would say yes to a question like that.”
The laughter was infectious, making Keaton grin widely. He pulled the sliced fruit from the counter and carried it over to the blender. He told himself not to ask any more personal questions. Kade was apparently a very private man.
“I forgot to ask you. You’re not allergic to any exotic fruits, are you?” Keaton tossed slices of mango into the blender.
“Not that I’m aware of. But since I have no idea how exotic you’re talking, I guess we’ll find out.” Keaton swallowed when Kade said exotic. He had put a heavy emphasis on that word. Having Kade as a friend would be cool. He liked the guy, even his oh-so-mysterious façade. However, having Kade as a lover was a reality he knew wouldn’t be coming true.
But damn if he didn’t want to hear that sultry voice talking to him during sex. The image alone had Keaton fumbling with the fruit, dropping slices of pineapple on the floor. His body was reacting to the guy’s voice in ways Keat
on had never experienced before. Not that he never had sex, but his cock usually didn’t get hard hearing someone talk.
“Isn’t your boss going to say something about me hanging around here?” Kade asked.
Keaton turned, winking at the man, hoping he wasn’t coming on too strong. “I’m pretty sure he doesn’t mind at all.”
Kade held up his hands. “Okay, but I’m only giving you until lunch. I have things I have to take care of.”
Once again Keaton’s stomach dropped at the thought of Kade leaving. He shook his head and wondered if maybe he wasn’t coming down with something. He was feeling a little off, sweaty, and his heart kept giving an extra beat.
Maybe he should make an appointment to go see a doctor. “That will give me plenty of time to try a few more drinks out on you.” Keaton measured out the guava juice, adding it through the small hole at the center of the lid. Scooping an eighth cup of flaxseed from its bag, Keaton dropped that in as well.
When everything was blended, he shut the machine off and poured his concoction into another cup. “Here you go.” He set the clear plastic cup on the counter.
Kade grabbed the cup and moved back when a few customers walked inside. Keaton thought it odd the way Kade moved to the other end of the counter, as if he needed more space than most.
Whatever the reason, Kade stayed down on the other end until the customers were served and had vacated the shop. “How long have you been open?” Kade asked as he sipped on the juice.
“A little over a month. A friend of mine had passed through Brac Village and heard about the loans the mayor was giving to people with less than perfect credit. The only stipulation was that the person wanting the loan had to live here.” Keaton snorted. “I had no problem moving out of the city. I was working a dead-end job, and let’s face it. Country air is a lot healthier to breathe.”
When Keaton was finished talking, he wanted to kick himself. He hadn’t meant to start babbling again. There was something about Kade that made Keaton relax. Keaton realized that he was comfortable around Kade. Keaton’s mind was a little off the beaten path and he thought differently than most. A lot of people did not like his free nature. Some thought him a little slow or dimwitted. But that wasn’t the case. Keaton just didn’t have a lot of the hang-ups that most people carried around with them.
Kade raised his cup. “Now this is good. I like it a lot better than the kiwi drink.”
“Dude, what did kiwi ever do to you?” Keaton laughed.
“My leop—I don’t like the way it tastes.” Kade set the cup on the counter. Keaton was pleased that it was empty.
“Do you want some more?” He grabbed the cup and refilled it, handing it back to Kade. Keaton stole a glance, checking out the shadow stubble on the man’s face and the short, stylish hair that was such a dark brown that it was almost black.
But it was the odd combination of color in the guy’s eyes that kept pulling Keaton’s attention. Wow, they were just so…yeah, he liked them. He liked Kade. Keaton found himself biting his tongue because he was on the verge of asking Kade out on a date.
Would Kade say yes? Was Kade gay? Keaton had found that a lot of the residents of Brac Village were, but he wasn’t going to assume that Kade was just because he hanging out with Keaton.
Keaton’s eyes snapped to the door when Oliver walked in. The Goth man was his only employee. Oliver was a great help, but he really wished it was the man’s day off. He wanted all of Kade’s time to himself.
Again, that feeling surprised him. Oliver walked behind the counter and clocked in, yawning loudly.
“Not enough sleep?” Keaton asked.
Oliver took a seat on the small wooden stool behind the counter. “I was up half the night playing with Xavier.” Placing one arm on the counter, Oliver rested his head.
Keaton had met Xavier when the mayor and his husband had come in to check the place out when Keaton first opened. The mayor’s grandson had been in a stroller. There was no way Keaton was going to tell Maverick Brac that a leather-wearing biker man so didn’t look right pushing a stroller.
Thankfully that day, Keaton’s buffer was in proper working order. He left Oliver to his snoozing as he turned back toward Kade. Keaton’s brows furrowed when he noticed the man was gone. His heart sank. Not knowing anything about the guy, Keaton was pretty sure he wouldn’t see the man again.
* * * *
As badly as Kade had wanted to stay, he needed to find work. If he hadn’t left when he did, Kade would have never left. Pausing on the street, Kade let out a frustrated breath. Who was he fooling? No one was going to hire him. Even if they looked past his record, he had no skills.
Now that he had a mate, Kade knew he had to ask Maverick for a business loan. Pride be damned. Keaton was his responsibility and Kade refused to fail the sweet and innocent man.
“Kade, wait!”
Kade pivoted to see Keaton running down the street, his blond hair flowing around his face in a mess as he hurried toward him. God, Kade wanted to open his arms and welcome his mate. Instead, he shoved his hands in his front pockets and stood there in front of the antique store.
“Why did you leave like that?” Keaton asked, panting as he brushed his hair from his face. He missed a piece of hair and Kade’s fingers were itching to reach out and clear the strands from Keaton’s neck.
“You have work to get done and I have things I have to take care of.” For both of us.
“Can we…I just wanted to know…” Keaton bit his bottom lip and then the sweetest smile crossed his face, making Kade ache inside. “Can we be friends?”
Kade was stunned. After the moody way he had acted in the shop, he would have thought that Keaton would be glad he had left. “Friends?”
With fascination, Kade watched as Keaton pulled a coated rubber band from his pocket and began to wrap his hair in a strange and messy ponytail. “Yeah, you know, when two guys hang out, do dorky things together, and laugh at the stupid things we’ve done or are doing.”
How naïve was this guy? Maybe Kade had been around too many hardened criminals and had forgotten that there were still some good people in the world. He was looking right at one who was lightening his heart. If they were friends, then the pressure would be taken off of him. Kade wanted to get his life together before he claimed Keaton.
He just wasn’t at a stage in his life where he could care for the man.
“Friends sounds good.” Kade hesitated and then pulled his hand from his pocket, brushing the hair from Keaton’s neck. The guy didn’t pull away or say anything. Kade quickly moved his arm away when Keaton leaned into his hand.
“So, do you want to hang out later?”
Kade chuckled. The man was persistent. He had a feeling that Keaton was going to have a dramatic impact on his life. “Sure. I’ll come back by when I’m finished with my errands.”
Keaton started walking backward. “I’ll be in the hut.” He chucked a thumb over his shoulder. “Don’t stand me up, Kade.”
He shivered. Once again his mate had called him Kide. He had to forcefully push his feet in the opposite direction, away from his mate. Keaton wasn’t making much of an effort to leave. His steps were slow, his sapphire eyes sparkling with laughter.
With the greatest effort he had ever exerted, Kade turned and began walking toward the diner. He had no way out to the Den. He was hoping Cody would call Maverick for him. As much as things had changed in the village, some things were still the same. The diner was one of them.
Kade knew the timber wolf was still part owner. There was no way he had sold his half. Grabbing the handle, Kade walked inside, smiling when he saw that the place looked as he remembered it. Some things were new, but it was like walking into his past.
“Kade,” Cody called out from behind the counter. “Bishop told me you were home.”
Grabbing a seat at one of the stools, Kade smiled at the familiar face. “I see you still haven’t aged a day.”
Cody grinned. “Neither hav
e you.” The man set a mug in front of Kade and poured him a full cup of coffee. “How are things going for you?” he asked in a more serious tone, setting the carafe back on the burner. “Have you settled in?”
Not really. Kade felt like a stranger, and it was bizarre having his freedom after being locked up for so long. He still kept waiting to hear the sound of a cell door clanging shut or one of the guards waking him up for roll call and chow. Kade still washed up at the bathroom sink at Bishop’s instead of taking a full shower.
Kade had gone to prison for murder. He had been locked up with the most dangerous and insane men on the planet. Exposing oneself, even for a shower, had been something he refused to do. Kade knew what happened in those showers. He was stronger than humans, but when a gang of life’s worst came at a person, not even his superior strength would have helped.
He knew he had a lot of adjusting to do. After so many years of behaving a certain way for survival’s sake, Kade knew he wouldn’t change overnight. “I’m trying.” He gave a part of the truth that he was most comfortable with.
Cody leaned his arms on the counter, looking Kade square in his eyes. “Let me know if there is anything you need.”
Rubbing his hands down the front of his jeans, Kade cleared his throat. “As a matter of fact, I was wondering if Maverick was still giving out those loans.”
Cody smiled and tapped his fist on the counter. “I know for sure he would give you one. Do you want me to call him?”
Kade gave a nod, glancing over his shoulder to see who was at his back. There was an elderly couple sitting in one of the booths, but other than the two, no one was in the diner. He turned back around, feeling edgy.
Ever since he got out, Kade hadn’t let his leopard run free. It had been fifteen years since he had been able to shift. He knew he had to let it out soon or his leopard was going to make himself appear. It had been pure torture holding him in for so long.