In the Ring (BOXER Book 1)

by Rie Warren

  “That was fucking hot, baby.”

  “Love it when you call me baby.” I decided the nook of his neck was the best pillow ever invented, nuzzling as close as I could get. “Should I move?” I slurred.

  “Nope.”

  “You’ll stay?”

  “All night. Every night. With you.”

  “Good.” I went back to my resting place after kissing him slow and soft.

  Michael wiggled beneath me, chuffing out a laugh. “I’m leaking your come.”

  I curled further around him. “I like it.”

  He took my hand and dipped two of my fingers between his legs where the warm wet seed smeared my fingertips.

  “You like your hot jizz in my ass?” he murmured.

  Aaaand suddenly I was wide-awake. So was my cock. Especially when he coated his mouth in my come, and then voraciously kissed me.

  “My turn next.” Michael spanked my ass.

  #

  I nudged Michael awake in the morning, our first morning together.

  My toes touched his. I slipped my nose against his, and the warmth of his breath spread across my lips. Our morning wood battled between our stomachs.

  “Mmm. Morning, baby. You want more?” His eyes drifted open, gray and clear.

  I lay on top of him, lazily kissing his neck. “Don’t think I can move.”

  “That means I can pin you this time?”

  I snorted. “I think you did that during the night.”

  Fuck, had he ever. Waking with him clutching me from behind, I’d barely caught a breath before several well-slicked fingers thrust into me. He’d followed swiftly with his cock. Turning me to my stomach, he’d held me down by my wrists. Every slam of his naked dick had me howling so loud I’d have worried hotel management would get a report. If I could’ve thought at all.

  Then there was the four o’clock 69er. We had a lot of time to make up for, and Michael went at sex just like he did his job. Total dedication. All the damn time. I admired that about him.

  “You’re kind of grumpy in the morning, though.” His fingers drifted over my flexing muscles.

  “You’re a little too chipper, mister.”

  When I’d finally passed out with his hard body curved around me, I thought we’d slaked our sexual need. Apparently not. Ever. I was already aching for him when my stomach growled.

  Michael’s mouth skipped to my neck. “Hungry, honey?”

  “And horny,” I bleated as he moved from beneath me.

  He grabbed my hands. “Let’s take care of hungry first. Room service?”

  “I’ve got a better idea.” Captivated by his bare body—and all that ass—I pulled him with me to the bathroom.

  Heat steamed from the shower after I turned it on. Clouds of moist air enveloped us. I prodded him inside the cubicle, stepping in after him. Water streamed over his shoulders, down his chest, onto his red and ready cock.

  Wrapping his hand around my wrist, he stopped me from making contact with his prominent hard-on. “I believe we were talking about food?”

  “I have a better idea than room service.” Hot pelting water worked its way down our bodies.

  I looped my arms around his back.

  “Oh yeah?”

  “I’m gonna take you to the loudest, most packed breakfast joint in the city. I’m gonna sit next to you and hold your hand and stare at you as much as I want. Out in the open.”

  His smile grew bigger with every word I said.

  “I’m probably gonna talk dirty to you, too.”

  “More of all that,” he moaned when one of my soaped fingers worked down the center of his chest.

  Well, showers were a lot more fun when Michael was in them—longer, lustier, and so much hotter. He had his bags delivered to my room, and by the time I’d shaved, he was dressed in my favorite faded jeans and a crisp black shirt that contrasted with his skin.

  “Are you ready yet, baby?”

  I dropped the towel hanging off my hips and dug around my duffel for some briefs. “Does it look like I’m ready?”

  He gave a throaty groan in answer to my question. “It looks like you’re ready for something. I’m gonna wait outside before I have to fuck that ass again.”

  Okay, so screw the briefs, going commando today.

  I hurried through dressing and aftershave, checked my hair like a chick going on a first date, and joined Michael in the hall. We walked silently to the elevator, keeping our distance as we always had.

  Inside, through the mirrored panels, Michael watched me. In the lobby, our knuckles brushed once, twice.

  When we stepped outside, I grabbed his hand. His warm palm slid against mine. Our fingers linked together. Towing him against my side, I leaned over to kiss the corner of his lips. Michael’s surprised gasp and huge grin made me feel like the biggest man on earth.

  We didn’t have any bodyguards. We forewent the blacked-out SUVs. I didn’t wear my Cincinnati Red’s cap or hide behind a pair of sunglasses. In fact, I slipped my hand into Michael’s back pocket and walked hip-to-hip with him.

  We acted like a couple in love because that was exactly what we were.

  The restaurant I chose was jam-packed, noisy, and bursting at the seams.

  Perfect.

  We got a booth at the back, sat on the same side. Betty the waitress had poofy hair, a garrulous laugh, and a gum-smacking habit.

  “So cuuuute. What’ll you have?” She tapped her pencil on her pad and blew a big strawberry pink bubble.

  We placed our orders. I grumbled and stuck to my rodent diet. Michael chuckled and ordered the works. It was a good goddamn thing I loved him.

  Before Betty swished away, she pinched one of my cheeks and one of Michael’s. “I could just smush on the two of you.”

  “She’s handsy,” Michael mentioned.

  “Not as handsy as you.” I grinned as he stroked the side of my neck.

  It didn’t take long for word to travel. Betty must’ve recognized me, or maybe the paparazzi tailed us. Didn’t matter, because I didn’t care. People surrounded our booth, but this time instead of going solo, I made sure Michael was in the picture.

  As the last gawker walked away, Michael muttered, “Maybe we should’ve kept it under wraps.”

  “Nah. We’re a done deal. In it together. Out together.”

  He smiled down at the plate Betty delivered—the one full of carbs and pancakes and sausage links. “I like the sound of that.”

  “I hate the looks of this.” I unrolled my silverware from my napkin, thinking I’d be better off with a chainsaw for the unbuttered toast triangles and the rubbery eggs spreading across my plate.

  “Sorry to interrupt.” A teenage boy stood beside our table with a backpack slung over his shoulder.

  He was all legs and arms and blushing hard. “Can I get your autograph or something? A napkin. Just put it on a napkin, that would be so cool.”

  “Sure. No prob. Who’s this for?” I swiped the pen from his hand.

  “Justin. But . . . uh . . . I meant Michael? He’s so badass.”

  Handing the pen over to Mikey, I said, “Yes, he is.”

  As soon as he signed the napkin and the kid walked away, Michael laughed. “What the hell was that?”

  “Groupies. You probably have a whole gay fandom already.”

  “Don’t worry, dear, I’m sure you do, too.”

  I snorted. “You are not gonna start calling me dear.”

  “Not working for you?”

  “Stick to baby, or sexy beast. Stud muffin works sometimes. Or your sexy cock-slut.” I munched my prehistoric toast.

  Michael choked on his coffee.

  Betty imparted words of wisdom as she hip-rolled past, “Cock-slut, always a winner.”

  As soon as Michael recovered, he looked around then whispered, “When does the real dirty talking start?”

  I placed my hand on his thigh. “Well, I could tell you how much I want to feel you up right now, because I bet I just made you har
d.”

  He leaned his head back, his lips parted.

  Scooting closer, I nuzzled his neck—warm, a little salty and very, very strong. “Or how I’d like to unbutton your jeans, take your cock out, and sink my mouth over you right now.”

  Beneath my hand Michael’s thigh tensed. His hips rolled. The tip of his ear turned pink, and I kissed it.

  “You definitely don’t need training in dirty talk.” His voice was ragged.

  “But I won’t stroke you or suck you here because some things are private, meant for us alone. Because I love you alone, and no one else.”

  He dragged his eyes open. “Romantic.”

  “In love.”

  “When do we go home?”

  “New York City, my apartment ‘home’?”

  “Yes, baby.”

  “This afternoon.” I kissed his lips, tasting the sweet maple syrup and groaning since I’d stuck to dried toast, egg white omelet, and fake bacon just for him. “Sean is gonna eat this shit up. Not to mention Anya.” I pulled back and peered at him. “Where’s your stuff by the way? I watched it get all boxed up and carted away.”

  “Storage. Do you think there’s room for it?”

  “As long as I can keep the top shelf for A Game of Thrones.”

  “About that,” Mikey said just as Betty the waitress set the bill down with a snap of her gum. “I started reading it.”

  “And?”

  “Hated it.”

  Dragging Michael to me with an arm around his shoulders, I growled, “Philistine.”

  He dived in for a kiss. One that was deep and long as he swept his tongue around my mouth before drawing mine into his to suck and tease.

  Releasing me with a last slow swipe of his tongue, he smirked. “And you are my Bonny Bruiser.”

  “Always.”

  No one could stop our love.

  On the way back to the hotel, in broad daylight and in the middle of a Vegas sidewalk, I dipped Michael’s head between my two hands and sank my lips to his.

  Licking his lips, he cupped both hands over my ass. “Mmm. It’s like that, is it, champ?”

  “Fuck yeah.” I joined our fingers together and tugged him after me.

  Fight to win. Fight with honor.

  Fight for love.

  It hadn’t been easy, but that was okay.

  Michael was worth everything to me.

  Also By Rie Warren

  Bad Boys of X-Ops

  Four novels, spring/summer 2016

  Walker, Book One

  Justice, Book Two

  Storm, Book Three

  Bane, Book Four

  Bad Boys of Retribution MC

  Complete series—Carolina Bad Boys spinoff

  Hunter, Book One

  Kinkaid, Book Two

  Bo, Book Three

  Coletrane, Book Four

  Carolina Bad Boys—the original Bad Boys

  Ongoing series

  Stone, Book One

  Ride, the novella from within Stone, Book 1.5

  Love, Book Two

  Steele, Book Three

  Chrome, Book Four

  Rush, Book Five

  Lowcountry Heat

  Sugar Daddy, Book One

  Don’t Tell Series

  Complete series

  In His Command, Book One

  On Her Watch, Book Two

  Under His Guard, Book Three

  In His Sights, novella, Standalone

  Freebies

  Jingle Bell Rock, Free download

  Heart Beats, Download for free

  In His Heart, Free download

  Connect with Rie

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  Street Team of Awesome

  Acknowledgments

  Well, where to start? I wrote In the Ring over two years ago. Yup. Truth. Liam and Michael have been inside my heart that long, but I just didn’t have time publish their gorgeous love story even though many folks who were in the know about the project kept asking. And a lot of readers of my Don’t Tell series begged from more M/M.

  Coming back to my men is awesome, and I hope y’all enjoyed it as much as me!

  I’m giving all my thanks to my editor, Gillian Littlehale, my PA, Joelle Mendes, and my beta readers—Chris Cox, April Gasaway, Lisa Pinney, and HK Savage.

  Another massive shout-out goes to one of the most fantastic supporters of gay fiction—Saritza Hernandez. She had a profound impact on this novel and has always encouraged my writing. Love you, hon!

  Many loves to my street team, the bloggers, you readers and reviewers who inspire me to keep writing.

  This is the last book . . . for 2016. Did I get you? Hahaha! The first for 2017 will take you by surprise, I promise you that.

  Stay tuned for more, more, more, and don’t forget to spread the love for all the Indie authors you adore.

  XOXO~

  About Rie

  Rie is the badass, sassafras author of Sugar Daddy and the Don’t Tell series–a breakthrough trilogy that crosses traditional publishing boundaries beginning with In His Command. Her latest endeavors include the Carolina Bad Boys, a fun, hot, and southern-sexy series.

  A Yankee transplant who has traveled the world, Rie started out a writer—causing her college professor to blush over her erotic poetry without one ounce of shame. Not much has changed. She swapped pen for paintbrushes and followed her other love during her twenties. From art school to marriage to children and many a wild and wonderful journey in between, Rie has come home to her calling. Her work has been called edgy, daring, and some of the sexiest smut around.

  You can connect with Rie via the social media hangouts listed on her website http://www.riewarren.com.