Seeking Kokopelli

by Shelley Munro

  “I can’t help you.” Justin moved back two steps.

  “You don’t want to help me.” Her voice rose with each successive word.

  Justin noted the interest and speculation on the part of the other petitioners. “Next, please.”

  “He won’t help me. Kokopelli won’t help me.” The girl’s face held challenge.

  The minx knew exactly how to play the scene. And she accused him of blackmail. He couldn’t buckle. He’d lose face, and people would start to talk even more than they were now. There were times lately when he found himself envying Adam. At least his brother lived life as he chose—even if he was a queer.

  Banking his anger, Justin took her right hand, clasping it between his. “Good fortune to you,” he said, uttering the traditional Kokopelli words.

  She gasped, her face paling before her chin jerked up in determination. She yanked her hand from his grip. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure I pay on the way out.” Pure feminine sarcasm laced her tone.

  Uneasily, Justin watched her stalk across the floor, the other petitioners parting like the Red Sea. Despite her temper, her hips rolled in a feminine sway. Pure sex on two legs. The boys or men she set her sights on wouldn’t stand a chance.

  Justin worked his way through the rest of the petitioners, wondering why he cared. The elders wanted to replace him with his younger brother, pushing him aside like unwanted garbage and discounting everything he’d done during the past years. He’d worked hard, dammit. He deserved the kudos that came with the Kokopelli office since he’d devoted his life to the job.

  He went through a mental checklist of what he needed to do to maintain the status quo. The reporter idea might work, but that would mean someone else who could cause problems for him in the future. He rejected his earlier idea. Unmarried, he couldn’t produce a child of his own, someone to inherit the magic, or at least not in a hurry. The only alternative was to make Adam disappear. He couldn’t take the chance that Adam would actually agree to return. Although he’d heard the harsh words spoken between his father and brother, he knew his father wanted to reconcile with his youngest son. Older now, their father had mellowed.

  What he forgot was that Justin had held the office, stepped in to help because it was his destiny too. They considered him a replacement. He was tired of the way they treated him as second best.

  “Justin, that was the last one,” Lara said.

  “Thank you.” He wiped the beads of sweat off his forehead with his white handkerchief. “It’s been a trying day.”

  “Let me serve you,” Lara said. “I will give you a massage.”

  A wave of love for the woman who had stood at his side engulfed him. Despite the lack of marriage, she believed in him. “I want you to order a special dinner from the chef,” Justin said, skimming his fingers across her jaw. “Tell him we’ll dine at eight.”

  “Is it a special occasion?”

  It was time. Justin felt it in his gut, and knew this was the right thing to do. It would be a time of celebration amongst the people. They would rejoice, and he would start working on that heir. “Yes, Lara, it is a special occasion. You will dine with me. Wear something nice,” he said. “I’ll see you this evening. I have several things to take care of this afternoon.” Smiling at her, he pressed a swift kiss to her lips and strode from the conference room, through the sumptuous rooms with their paintings and valuable rugs most collectors would hang on their walls, until he reached the privacy of his office. He hurried inside and locked the door, before sitting behind the immense wooden desk and reaching for his phone.

  Justin pulled a slip of paper from his wallet and dialed the number written on it. The phone rang for a long time, interrupted by several clicks as it rerouted through the telephone system.

  “Wyatt,” a metallic voice droned.

  Justin’s hand trembled, and he swallowed, but his voice sounded firm when he read the seven-digit number off the paper.

  “Repeat,” the voice demanded.

  Justin repeated the number and hung up without speaking another word. The hit was in motion. This time Adam would die because he’d hired a professional with a hundred percent success rate. A tear streaked down his face and regret ached in his throat as he wished, for an instant, that things could have been different.

  Chapter Six

  Nate watched the show from the background, the music, the appreciative shouts and singing of the crowd pulsing around him in bursts of excitement. An electric atmosphere ruled tonight, and he felt himself drawn along for the ride. Part of it was Adam, of course. The rest was the music. It was magical. There was no other word for it.

  The current song drifted to a close, the last note fading. A cheer rang out. A pair of white lace panties flew through the air to join the others littering the stage like a field of flowers. Applause filled the pub. People sprang to their feet, whistling and stomping in appreciation.

  Adam grinned, a flash of white teeth and sparkling eyes, and Nate caught his breath on seeing him. He was beautiful, although Adam would argue if Nate ever told him to his face. Nate smirked. He’d accept sexy. His humor faded as he thought about Adam’s kisses and the way they’d touched each other. Uneasy with the burst of pleasure, he shoved the thought away to pull out later. Adam held the audience in the palm of his hand, ruling them with his extraordinary talent. A scowl formed as Nate tried to make sense of the way he felt when he spent time with Adam.

  An oath slipped past his lips.

  On the small stage, Adam held up his hand, and the crowd, taking his cue, grew silent.

  “Last night, someone broke into the motel where the band is staying,” Adam said. “They stole Cade’s guitar. They stole mine and they also stole the sax I’ve had for the last ten years.” He turned away to pick up the saxophone Nate knew he’d borrowed from the pub owner’s young daughter. “I borrowed this one from a girl called Maria, so this next song is for Maria. I’d also like to dedicate this song to the special someone in my life.” Adam grinned. “You know who you are.”

  Nate caught the surprise on Cade’s face and groaned. Damn the man. Everyone else would suspect Adam was talking about a woman. He knew better. He hoped none of the band suspected. Damn, he’d kill Adam when he got his hands on him.

  “Are you gonna spill about this special someone in your life?” Morgan demanded once they’d finished the last bracket of songs and completed an encore.

  J.T. packed away his guitar and straightened. “Yeah, who is it? I haven’t seen you with anyone recently.”

  Adam regretted saying anything. Nate would be pissed, but hell, he knew what he wanted. He’d thought about it a lot recently. Despite his worries the previous night and this morning, he’d come to a decision. This thing with Nate wasn’t a whim on his part. He was a click of fingers away from toppling into love, if he wasn’t there already, and he wasn’t afraid to admit it. Taking a deep breath, he strove for damage control. “Can’t get anything past you guys. I thought if I said there was someone special, the fans might stop throwing themselves at me or trying to sneak into my room like those ones a few months ago. You know what the boss said about staying single. She said it’s better for business.”

  “Who wants to settle down?” Morgan asked. “We have our music and chicks on tap. It’s heaven.”

  Adam shook his head, smirking as Morgan had obviously intended him to. “Don’t you get lonely sometimes?”

  “How could any of you get lonely?” Nate asked, appearing without warning. “You’re the tightest-knit group of guys I’ve ever worked with. How were the borrowed instruments?”

  “Not too bad,” Cade said. “At least we have a few days before the next show. I might be able to find a guitar I like.”

  A knock sounded on the door. Susan, their manager, arrived in a cloud of perfume that reminded Adam of wildflowers.

  She shot him a hard look, and he had to stop himself from shifting from foot to foot. He grinned because he knew it would annoy her.

  “
Who is this special someone?” she demanded.

  Adam sauntered across the room, dodging J.T. and Cade to reach her. He slid an arm around Susan’s plump shoulders and planted a kiss on her forehead. “It’s you, sweetheart. No one else will have me.”

  “I’m not surprised, if you use that smarmy charm,” she countered tartly. “And I notice they didn’t let up on the panties. The stage was littered with them when I left.”

  “You’re going to have to arrange for a barricade,” Morgan said. “A pair almost got caught in the strings of my guitar tonight.”

  Susan’s eyes glittered with humor. “It might start a new trend if every second note is muffled by panties. I’ve arranged a meeting with a couple of guys from the record label tomorrow at the Winston Hotel. Lunch. I want you to turn up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. No hangovers. Take it easy tonight and make sure you get plenty of sleep.” She paused to eye Cade. “Behave tonight,” she admonished. “The meeting is important. I want to make a good impression. Understood?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Adam said. “We won’t let you down.” They wouldn’t, either, since they all respected Susan and what she’d done for them. While they partied hard, all of them were serious about their music.

  “And no more talk of a special someone. Record sales will be better if you’re single.”

  Adam forced himself not to react. He didn’t think a female partner would hurt, and there would come a time when one or more of them ignored Susan’s stricture. Coming out as a gay, though? Nope, he could see how that might hurt future record sales. People liked to talk about embracing others for who they were, but when it came down to it, they didn’t truly believe the words they spouted. He’d learned that the hard way. His parents swore they loved him, yet they’d rejected him quick enough.

  “The van’s ready and parked out the back,” Nate said. “Do you want me and Keith to start loading up now?”

  “Please,” Cade said.

  Adam nodded, grateful for the interruption. When Susan was out of earshot, he said to Cade, “Are you going to stay the night with your girl?”

  “Yeah, she’s in town again because of her job, so I thought I would. Are you going to be okay on your own?”

  “Nate thought it might be better to stay at the new hotel for tonight because the security is better,” Adam said.

  “Good,” Cade said. “Nate won’t let anyone get close to you. It was a good day when he signed on with us. I like him.”

  Adam stared at Nate and watched the play of muscles under his shirt when he lifted an amplifier. “Yeah, he’s a good friend. He really saved our butts the other night.”

  “Did you say something to Susan?”

  “Nah, she knows about the thefts. I didn’t want to worry her about the other.”

  Cade nodded. “Yeah, that was my thought. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

  “How about we meet at the motel tomorrow and go to the lunch meeting together?” Adam asked.

  “I’ll be there at half past eleven,” Cade said. “I’ll head off from here tonight.”

  Adam winked. “Have a good night. I’ll let the others know.”

  Cade walked off to help pack up, and Adam did the same. An hour later, Nate and Adam entered their hotel room and shut the door on the rest of the world.

  The second the door closed, Adam’s heart started to race. His hand trembled when he set his wallet and the van keys on the coffee table.

  “You feel like a drink?” Nate asked. “I still have a partial bottle of whiskey.”

  “Sounds…” Adam paused to clear his throat. “Sounds good.” He watched Nate stroll over to his pack and his jeans pull tight across his ass when he bent to retrieve the whiskey. Damn, he was toast. The man pushed every one of his buttons, and the small taste he’d had so far only fueled the simmering lust inside him.

  Nate poured whiskey into two glasses and handed one to Adam. He caught Adam’s gaze and held it. “Who is the someone special?”

  “You have to ask?”

  “Yes.”

  “There’s no one in my life apart from you.” Adam watched the tide of color crawl across Nate’s cheeks, fascinated by the moment of uneasiness and embarrassment. “I’m not interested in anyone else.”

  “Jesus,” Nate muttered. “You had to say something. Why couldn’t you keep your mouth shut?”

  Adam noticed he didn’t deny there was something between them. That was more than he’d hoped for. “I didn’t mention names.”

  “But now everyone is wondering. They’ll be watching.”

  “So we’ll save the misbehaving for when we’re in private.” Adam hoped Nate would feel like misbehaving tonight. He couldn’t wait to get his hands on the other man. His gaze swept down Nate’s body and slowly returned to his face.

  Nate set his glass aside and prowled toward him. Adam felt his eyes widen. He started to set his glass down, but Nate grabbed his shoulders and slammed their mouths together before he could complete the move. The glass toppled to the thick carpet, spilling cold whiskey on his T-shirt on the way to the floor. Adam didn’t care because Nate had his arms around him. Their lips moved together. When he groaned, Nate slipped his tongue into his mouth. Damn, that felt good. Adam hadn’t thought it would be this easy. He’d been ready to start over, to seduce Nate again, if that was what it took.

  This worked much better.

  The kiss gentled, sending messages of lust to his groin. He groaned, trembling with his need, wanting Nate’s hands and mouth on his skin in the worst way. He craved it. The demand tickled the tip of his tongue, while a touch of fear tempered impetuous pleas. Vulnerability. Along with loving Nate came susceptibility. He left himself open to a possible world of pain.

  Then Nate jerked up his T-shirt, the fumes of the spilled whiskey rising between them. He tossed it aside and stared at Adam’s chest and shoulder before dipping his head to lick across the spirals of the tattoo on Adam’s right biceps. As he worked his way up to Adam’s shoulder, Adam swallowed the knot of tension in his throat. It was an innocent touch, but it gave him such hope that they could work toward something more advanced.

  Adam’s stomach muscles tensed at the thought of fucking Nate, the tight heat of his channel clamping down on his cock. “More.” The gritty tone hinted at his enjoyment.

  Nate stopped and grinned up at him in blatant appraisal. “I’ve wanted to do that for weeks.”

  “Oh, yeah? Feel welcome to indulge yourself any time.” Hell, didn’t Nate realize he had free rein to touch him? “Anything else on your to-do list?”

  Nate lifted his head, his eyes bright as he cupped Adam’s jaw. “Now that you mention it.” He kissed him, this time slow and leisurely, tongues dancing in tormenting strokes until Adam ached with the need to fuck.

  Breathing hard, Adam pulled away, desperate to satiate the agonizing hunger he harbored for this man. Nate watched, his gaze roving over and lingering on his chest, on his shoulder tattoo. It made Adam feel good about his body, glad he kept in shape. He kicked off his boots and rapidly removed the rest of his clothes. Heat licked his skin, each breath labored and fast as if he’d pushed hard during a run.

  Adam swallowed before speaking. “You going to stand there and stare, or do you want to fool around?”

  In seconds flat, Nate stripped. They toppled to the bed, kissing, rubbing their bodies together. It was innocent stuff, but Adam enjoyed every touch, every slide of fingers and silken caress of lips. He let himself go, not bothering to hold back, and when Nate curled his big hand around his cock, pumping firmly, he came, the pleasure a roaring sound in his ears. Even though he craved more from Nate, this was good, and so much better than his imagination.

  “Damn, did you have to aim at me?” Nate complained.

  Adam laughed, not used to the humor and fun during sex. Usually when he fucked it was furtive and quick. This was much better.

  “Your fault.” He straddled Nate’s legs and grasped the other man’s cock. Different than
his, longer and not quite as broad. He stroked it, thumbing across the pearl of pre-come that beaded on the tip. He bent his head and licked away the next droplet, letting Nate’s taste fill his mouth. Salty and musky. Nate’s cock seemed to swell to larger proportions, and when Adam glanced up to study Nate’s face, he noticed the shiver that racked his lover’s body. Good. He wasn’t alone. This thing between them, whatever it was, worked both ways.

  “Damn, I’m not sure this should feel so good,” Nate said, threading his hands through Adam’s hair, his hips jerking when Adam swirled his tongue around the swollen head of his dick.

  Adam smiled around Nate’s cock and continued to suck and tease with his tongue. God, he loved the sounds Nate was making, the rumbles of enjoyment deep in his chest. He gripped Nate’s hips, holding him still and working hard to give him every bit of pleasure he was capable of giving. He could almost see the tight coil of desire releasing inside Nate. His large body shuddered, and a strangled moan escaped, louder than before.

  “Adam,” he gasped, his hips jerking upward, his grip on Adam’s head tightening.

  Semen blasted into his mouth, not exactly taking him by surprise, but making him work to swallow. Finally, Nate’s cock softened and, with a final swipe of his tongue, Adam lifted his head.

  “Thank you,” Nate said, stroking his hand over Adam’s hair.

  “I don’t expect thanks.” He wanted respect and a future with Nate, dammit. He needed to know he was important to Nate. Early days yet. It wouldn’t take much to scare Nate off.

  Nate stared at him, his sensual mouth pulling to a frown. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

  “You didn’t.”

  “I want to take things slowly,” Nate said.

  It was Adam’s turn to frown. He moved up the bed, hesitant to crawl into Nate’s arms. Before he could decide, Nate stood, pulled back the covers and climbed into the bed, brows rising while he waited for Adam to join him.

  Okay, so Nate wasn’t calling things off. “What do you mean?”