Maxwell's Fall

by Tielle St Clare

  Matching groans echoed from both his lovers as he pressed forward, heat searing his dick, making him harder as he pushed deep—

  “Max, stay with me.” Gideon’s voice zapped the Max back to reality. He snapped his head back and looked up. Gideon hung on the wall, fingers and arms straining, the rope dangling between his legs. A sure sign that Max hadn’t been paying attention.

  His muscles contracted as he went up the next level. The guy was strong and lean and hot and the realty of fucking him would probably blow Max’s fantasies away.

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  Not that he was ever going to find out.

  At least if you fucked Gideon, he wouldn’t be mistaking you for Jackson.

  Max slapped the annoying voice in his head pulled the rope back taut. “Sorry, man.” Thank God Gideon hadn’t fallen while Max had taken his little trip to fantasyland. He nodded to Gideon, giving him the go-ahead to finish the climb, refusing the temptation to imagine what it would feel like to have that tight ass pressed against his hips. He’d never found other males attractive before—or not so attractive that he actually considered fucking them—but something about Gideon fascinated him.

  And his wolf. The horny creature practically panted in Max’s ear.

  He shook his head, forcing his mind to concentrate on belaying for Gideon. He shouted out encouragement as Gideon strained in a particularly difficult section.

  “Come on, man. You can do it. To your left. Reach out, babe, you’ve got it.”

  The pet name slipped out but Gideon didn’t seem to notice. He reached the top—

  his smile sparkling as he tapped the bell. Max cheered and then gripped the rope, applying pressure as Gideon rappelled down. His feet hit the ground and Max dropped the rope. He walked over as Gideon undid his harness.

  “Sorry about that, man,” he apologized. “I wouldn’t have let you fall.”

  “No stress. But you phased out on me. You okay? What’s going on?”

  “You don’t want to know.”

  A shrewd look filled Gideon’s eyes. “I think maybe I do.” He flicked his hair out of his face and stared into Max’s gaze. “It’s only fair, don’t you think?”

  Max considered the other man for a few moments. Aw, fuck it. Why not?

  “Fine. I keep thinking about fucking.”

  “What guy doesn’t?”

  “Not like this.”

  The corner of Gideon’s mouth pulled up.

  “Fucking who?”

  “Depends on the moment.”

  He stepped closer, the spicy scent Max had come to associate with him growing stronger, the smell of sweat just making it more enticing. He invaded the “friend” body space and moved nearer.

  “Mandy?”

  “Yes.”

  Gideon didn’t physically come any closer but it was like Max could feel him reaching out. The wolf in his head went crazy, wanting free, wanting this male. It was the human who wasn’t quite ready to accept it.

  “What about me? Do I ever get a starring role?” Gideon asked, the teasing tone pushing Max’s buttons.

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  “Yes.” Max stared at Gideon. The faint smirk on Gideon’s face helped Max make the decision about how much more to reveal. “And just to make it fun, the both of you.”

  He bent his head down to ensure that no one could hear. “You had your face between Mandy’s legs and I was behind you, fucking you hard and fast.”

  Gideon closed his eyes and groaned.

  Good. At least someone else could try to function with a raging hard-on.

  Gideon tipped his head to the side as if considering the idea. Finally he sighed.

  “Sounds like fun but Mandy doesn’t quite seem like the type.”

  Max felt his mouth pull wide into a smile, remembering the butt plug and Mandy’s confession of two guys.

  “Don’t know. She’s a lot more adventurous than she appears.”

  “Interesting.”

  Max’s body agreed, his dick getting hard, the exertion of his climb not quite tiring him out. That was the downside to the werewolf metabolism.

  “Let’s go. We’re supposed to be climbing.”

  Gideon stared at Max for a long moment and then finally nodded.

  “You realize you never should have confessed that to me.”

  He sighed. “Yeah. I’m pretty sure of that.”

  Gideon laughed and headed back to the wall. Max hooked in and reached for the low markers on the wall. He needed to work his muscles, needed to make it so his body was so exhausted that he couldn’t get hard.

  Right.

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  Chapter Eight

  Eight hours later he was confident he’d succeeded. He was whipped. His mind as well as his body. His thoughts bouncing from one random idea to the next.

  “You okay, man?”

  Max nodded, grateful Gideon was with him. Gideon had kept pace the whole day, through the climbing gym then for the five-hour hike through the Chugach National Forest. It had been beautiful, the Alaska scenery stunning, but Max had pushed through it, needing to wear out his body.

  Gideon was done after that but Max needed more. His werewolf metabolism gave him the extra surge of strength and he needed to burn through it. They’d stopped by Gideon’s house. While Gideon had showered, Max had gone for a run, pushing his body hard, fighting the wolf every step. The animal wanted out, wanted to run on four legs instead of the inefficient two that Max had.

  Either that or the wolf wanted to fuck. Gideon. Mandy. The animal wasn’t picky. As long as it was one of those two. He expressed no interest in any of the hikers they’d passed. Even the gorgeous redhead with huge tits and legs that would look perfect around Max’s hips. Max the human had looked. The wolf wasn’t interested. Until Gideon bumped into him then his dick got hard.

  That final run seemed to be enough. Jacking off in Gideon’s shower hadn’t hurt. It hadn’t fixed the problem but it helped. He’d dressed in clean clothes and trudged out to Gideon’s living room. Gideon gave him no chance to sit. He loaded them into the car, stopped by the grocery store to pick up food for dinner and started back to Jax’s house.

  Max’s mind came awake for a moment as they turned down Jax’s street. He looked at the bags piled in the backseat.

  “What did you buy again? Because I can’t cook.”

  “I can.”

  “You’re cooking me dinner?” He blinked thinking his exhaustion had slowed his thoughts a bit too much.

  “That was the plan.” The edge of Gideon’s mouth kinked up in a smile.

  “Okay, but this isn’t a date.”

  Gideon laughed. “I never thought it was. I like my men a little more awake. I’ll just feed you and tuck you into bed.”

  And fuck if Max’s cock didn’t respond, coming alive when every other organ in his body barely functioned. His groan turned into a whimper and he was damn glad when his phone rang. It gave him something to think about besides Gideon. Because after two hours in the rock gym, Max knew precisely how strong and toned and powerful 77

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  Gideon’s body was. How good it would look bent over the end of his bed, those tight ass muscles straining as Max fucked him.

  Screw trying to exhaust the thoughts of sex out of his mind—he needed to fuck. Or get the hell away from Gideon. And Mandy.

  Without looking at the screen, Max flipped the phone open. “This is Max,” he growled.

  “And don’t you sound cheery.”

  Max rolled his eyes and tried not to snarl. Just what he needed—a cocky son of a bitch Cat shapeshifter calling to irritate him.

  “Reign, what do you want?”

  “So polite. Does your mama know how you answer phone?”

  “Leave my mama out of this. Now I’m busy.” He said it more to piss off the Cat than anything else. “What do you want?”

  Reign scoffed, the sound
resonating down the phone line. “I have no idea what Dani sees in you.”

  “A better fuck than you’ll ever be.”

  “In your dreams, wolf-boy.”

  “Listen, Cat, is there a reason you’re calling me? Or did you just want to jack off to the sound of my voice?”

  Reign growled and Max smiled. He’d won that round. He actually liked the Cat, except for, well, he was a Cat so you couldn’t trust him. Cats were notoriously self-centered. How this one had ended up as a cop was anyone’s guess.

  Gideon pulled into the driveway and Max got out, his body coming alive as his mind was forced to wake up.

  “Bite me.”

  Max smiled. He’d reduced Reign to childish comebacks. He loved that.

  “And risk turning you into one of mine? Not a chance.”

  “Asshole.”

  “You know it.”

  Gideon reached into the backseat and grabbed the shopping bags and damn his butt looked good as his jeans slid across his skin. Two quick steps and Max could be there, his cock pressed against that slim line that split his ass cheeks, he could be buried in that space. A few swipes of his claws and Gideon could be naked, hot flesh against him. Skin on skin.

  The wolf growled its approval and Max licked his lips. Gideon started to straighten and Max realized he’d been heading toward his friend, ready to complete the little fantasy his mind had created.

  Jerking his gaze upward, Max retreated instead and held out a hand offering to take one. Gideon shook his head and locked the car.

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  “So what do you want, Reign? I have a friend here,” Max said.

  “I got word the bastard’s back in town. There’s a party tomorrow night. It’s all set.

  Invitation only. I’ll take Dani and you station yourself—”

  “Can’t do it.”

  “I know it’s not your first choice but you can’t walk into a Clowder.” A Clowder?

  No way. Protective instincts roared to the front of his brain. Dani wasn’t walking into a glorified Cat orgy. Not without Max in tow. It didn’t matter that she was fucking some other guy. It wasn’t safe. He tried to interrupt but Reign kept talking. “You’ll be ripped to shreds. I’ll position you close. You’ll have Dani within hearing at all times. Let’s meet tomorrow—”

  “I’m not in town.” He spoke over Reign.

  “What? Where are you?”

  Max tipped his head to the side and trapped the phone to his shoulder as he dug out his keys. “I’m in Alaska, visiting my brother.” Or that was the intent. “Sort of. Either way, I’m not there. It can’t happen. You have to wait until the next time he comes through.”

  There was a pause and some quiet swearing. Max liked to tease the Cat but he knew how much catching this killer meant to him and if he’d been in town, they’d be there.

  All over it.

  Reign sighed. “I’ll just take Dani myself.”

  “Alone?”

  “No. Charlie would act as backup.”

  “A human? No fucking way. Dani is not going to one of your Cat orgies without someone who can actually protect her.”

  “I think that’s her decision, don’t you? She knows I’ll take good care of her.”

  “You stay the fuck away from her.” It didn’t matter if they were broken up or not.

  He still cared about Dani, enough to want to protect her.

  Gideon nudged him with his elbow and Max realized he’d forgotten what he was doing and went back to opening the door.

  “Again, that’s her decision,” Reign drawled.

  “I’ll be back in town in a few days.” He pushed the door open and stepped into the entryway, moving forward to give Gideon room to follow him. “You stay the hell—”

  He walked into the living room. The breath left his lungs. His feet froze to the floor and he jerked to a stop.

  Gideon bumped into him and grunted. Max ignored that. He ignored everything, unconsciously closing his phone and silencing Reign’s voice.

  His entire focus centered on the vision before him.

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  Mandy, standing in the middle of Jax’s living room, wearing nothing but a red lace bra and panties. And four-inch heels that made her ass high and round, perfect for his hands.

  All traces of exhaustion evaporated from his body and Max straightened, his cock straightened. Hell his whole body went on alert, preparing to rip the pretty bits of lace off her and bury his face between her legs. God, he could smell her arousal from here.

  Her eyes were lowered, staring at the ground as if she was shy. Shy woman in fire engine red underwear that barely covered her tits. Damn, could anything be more sexual?

  “Damn,” Gideon whispered and Mandy must have heard the awed sound.

  Her head snapped up. Her eyes widened and she squeaked. Panic flooded her eyes and her arms flopped at her sides as if she didn’t know what to do, which body part to cover first. She looked around and for a second Max thought she’d make a run for it.

  Instead, she grabbed a tiny pillow off the couch and held it over her crotch. That left her breasts still visible. Round and firm. Max had good memories of her breasts, the tight nipples in his mouth.

  An appreciative moan echoed from beside him. He glanced at Gideon.

  “Stop staring at her tits,” Max snarled.

  “Yeah, right.”

  Max jabbed his elbow back, drawing another grunt from Gideon.

  Mandy’s blush grew brighter and spread down her neck.

  “Uhm, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I’ll just—” She started to back away but her heel caught on the rug and she wobbled, dropping the pillow and plopping down on the couch. Her knees separated revealing the damp panel between her legs. Max felt his own knees tremble.

  Mandy moaned and rolled over, curling up into a ball no doubt intending to hide her body. It only served to show her ass and rounded thighs.

  Max went to the edge of the couch and knelt beside her, trying to get her to lift her face out of the couch cushion.

  “Honey, it’s okay.”

  “Go away.”

  “Never.”

  “Please?”

  The tone of her plea actually gave him hope. She was embarrassed but her natural humor was coming though.

  “Not happening.”

  She lifted her face enough to whisper. “I can’t believe Gideon saw me naked.”

  “You’re not naked.” But it would only take me a few seconds to get you that way. This close the scent of her pussy was almost too much to resist. Only the thought of Gideon 80

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  standing behind them kept him from spreading her legs and ripping her panties off with his teeth.

  She lifted her head and looked at him. Her cheeks were bright red and her eyes had the sparkle of unshed tears.

  “I’m sorry. I thought I’d surprise you. I didn’t—”

  Unable to stop himself, wanting to dispel the insecurity and embarrassment from her eyes, he leaned forward and kissed her. He didn’t allow himself to deepen the kiss, contenting himself with a warm brush to her lips.

  “Never apologize for taking off your clothes for me,” he said with a smile and was relieved to see her smile back. “In fact, anytime you want to walk around in your underwear or even naked for that matter, I encourage it.”

  She laughed—that feminine kind of chuckle that said “only a man would say that.”

  “I should probably get dressed though.” She glanced over his shoulder toward Gideon and immediately her cheeks returned to bright red. “You guys obviously had plans.”

  “It was nothing. Dinner.”

  “Still, I should…” She pushed herself upright and allowed Max to help her to her feet. “I’ll be right back.” Still a little unstable on the shoes, she hurried toward the stairs, obviously not realizing her miniscule panties made much of her ass visible and damn tempting.

  G
ideon walked forward, his gaze latched onto her backside, his tongue peeking out of his mouth.

  “Stop looking at her ass.” Max punched his arm. “Wait, I thought you were gay.”

  Gideon smiled and his eyes twinkled. “Not necessarily.”

  “Excuse me? You frenched me last night and tonight you’re staring at Mandy’s ass?”

  Gideon shrugged.

  “I like fucking men. I like doing women. I enjoy sex—in all its many forms and flavors.” He stared in the direction that Mandy had disappeared. “And that is one interesting form. I can understand why you fucked your brother’s girlfriend. Take off those ugly clothes she wears and damn, she’s got an extremely fuckable body.”

  Max found himself nodding. Extremely fuckable. And sweet and tasty and damn, he was hard again.

  “And that fantasy you mentioned earlier about you and me and Mandy…I am so into that now.”

  * * * * *

  Mandy fought not to cry as she grabbed her clothes. She hated crying. She turned blotchy and her nose ran. And being embarrassed wouldn’t kill her, right?

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  God, what had she been thinking? Tracy’s stupid idea. Be waiting for Jackson to come home, naked, and he’d forget all about his apology. Damn, she’d never imagined he’d bring someone home with him. Her cheeks burned.

  After Tracy’s nagging all afternoon, Mandy had finally succumbed to the stupid, insane plan. She groaned. Naked wasn’t a comfortable thing for her so she’d gone with the hot lingerie that Tracy had helped her buy. Mandy knew she could never pull off

  “sexy”. Efficient, capable. Those were words her previous boyfriends had used to describe her. She was too practical to be sexy.

  But something about the way Jackson had looked at her last night had given her the courage. He’d thought she was sexy.

  She didn’t know what he thought now. He hadn’t minded seeing her naked but that hadn’t covered his surprise. Probably from seeing her breasts squeezed and lifted. The tiny red bra made them look bigger than they already were. And the panties hadn’t quite hid her not-so-flat stomach.