by Lynn Hagen
“Come on, let me help you inside.” Devil placed his hand on Ryan’s lower back and coaxed him to his door. The touch slapped Ryan out of his stupor. He blinked and snatched his keys back.
“I just need some rest.”
He refused to open his door with Devil there. Ryan didn’t want to invite him into his apartment. He didn’t. He did. He didn’t. No, Ryan definitely didn’t. While his mind battled it out, Ryan crossed his arms. “What’s up with you?”
“I don’t get what you’re asking.” Devil leaned an arm on the wall next to Ryan’s door. Ryan’s gaze instantly went to Devil’s armpit. He loved male armpits. There was just something about the way they smelled—all musky, dark, earthy—and he bet Devil’s smelled divine.
I bet his cock smells good, too.
Ryan needed to get this guy out of there before he made a fool of himself. He really liked Devil—found him sexy, as well. But since last night, Ryan was really digging him.
But he didn’t chase straights. That still wasn’t his kink. Unfortunately, Devil’s eyes drew Ryan in and wrapped around him like seductive blue flames, burning him up from the inside out.
“Aren’t you gonna clarify what you just asked?” Devil smiled again and Ryan turned into a drooling idiot as one of Devil’s dirty-blond brows gave a sexy lift.
“About?” For the life of Ryan, he couldn’t remember what he’d asked.
Devil chuckled and Ryan’s body rippled with the sound. “Open your door so we can stop standing out here. You seriously look like you’re about to fall over.”
Ryan’s neighbor—no, not Mr. Rogers—stepped into the hallway with his wiener dog on a leash. Ryan would put Mr. Haskell at around seventy, but he still had a spring in his step, and still flirted with every guy in the building.
“Come along, Wiener,” Mr. Haskell said.
Yes, his dog’s name was actually Wiener. That was what happened when a seventy-something gay man owned a dachshund.
Wiener struggled against his leash, trying to get at Ryan. The dog did that whenever he saw him. The one time Ryan had tried to pet him, Wiener had used his leg as a hydrant. Ryan kept his distance now.
“Ryan.” Mr. Haskell smiled at him. It was just a smile. It didn’t ignite flames inside Ryan like Devil’s smile did. In fact, Mr. Haskell’s smile was a bit disturbing. Ryan couldn’t help but think of a windowless van and free candy whenever Mr. Haskell turned his full attention on him.
“Hi.” Ryan spun and fumbled with his keys. He wanted out of the hallway. If he didn’t hurry and get inside, his neighbor would want to talk. Ryan normally loved the elderly, loved spending time with them. He even went down to the local retirement home on some weekends and helped out.
But Mr. Haskell might have duct tape and rope in his apartment.
Ryan completely forgot about Devil, who followed him inside. He closed the door behind him with a frown. The guy even had a sexy frown. Save me. “Why’re you running from your neighbor?”
“I’m allergic to dogs,” he lied.
Ryan racked his brain for an excuse to get Devil to leave, without flat-out telling him to go away. He didn’t seem to listen very well. From the way he carried himself, Devil was a guy who was used to giving orders instead of taking them.
And that was a fucking turn-on.
Devil looked him over, then crinkled his nose. “You might want to take a shower. You smell…ripe.”
Poor Seth.
“I’m gonna take one.” Ryan gave Devil his meanest glare, but he didn’t meet Devil’s eyes. If Ryan did, he might’ve fallen into them again. “Don’t touch anything and stay put in the living room.”
Unable to resist for long, Ryan looked up and gazed at Devil’s handsome face.
Devil’s soft grin made warmth spread through Ryan’s body. The guy was an enigma, a complete stranger, yet Ryan’s attraction to him kept growing. It was like a switch had been flicked on inside him and Ryan was seeing Devil for the first time. Really seeing him.
“Go do what you gotta do. I promise not to rob you blind while you’re in the other room.”
That wasn’t Ryan’s worry. His worry was that Devil would invite himself into Ryan’s bedroom for purely platonic reasons, simply to check on Ryan. But Ryan’s intentions wouldn’t be innocent. “If you’re gonna rob me, steal my aunt’s ugly dishes that she left me.”
Devil’s phone rang. He pulled it from his back pocket and Ryan glimpsed the name on the screen.
Jeff.
Horniness sufficiently killed.
Devil shooed him with his hand, as though Ryan was in his apartment and Devil needed privacy. His arrogance pissed Ryan off and turned him on. Mostly turned him on. Ryan still didn’t understand why Devil was paying him attention. Since last night, Devil had been acting like Ryan’s buddy. Something strange was definitely going on, but Ryan’s head was killing him and he didn’t want to wrap his brain around Devil’s weird behavior right now.
With a roll of his eyes, Ryan went into his bedroom and shut the door. Then he pressed his ear to it, but Devil talked so low that Ryan couldn’t make out what he was saying. He just prayed Devil didn’t tell Jeff where he was.
Did Ryan still love Jeff? His emotions weren’t faucets. He couldn’t turn them on and shut them off at will. A tiny pang squeezed Ryan’s chest. Jeff used to make him feel special, like Ryan had been the only person in the world for him.
Ryan missed belonging to someone. Being single sucked. He had Henry to talk to, but it wasn’t the same as having a lover who made his heart fly. Ryan’s eyes stung with tears. He still couldn’t understand why Jeff had dumped him. He thought they’d gotten along fine. His ex hadn’t shown any signs of unhappiness. Not that Ryan could remember. But apparently Jeff had thought otherwise.
He looked at his bed and thought about the nights they’d made love in it. How they’d cuddled and how happy Ryan had been.
Until Terry entered his mind. That little twink fucker.
Now Ryan wanted to burn the mattress. Instead of hunting down matches and lighter fluid, he got in the shower and washed away his lousy life.
* * * *
Keeping his hands off Ryan wasn’t easy. Devil was used to picking a guy up, taking him to bed, then parting ways.
But Ryan was his mate, and Devil had to ease him into this relationship. The human wasn’t a quick fuck—although Devil wouldn’t mind fucking his brains out right now. Ryan thought Devil had just become interested in him last night, and he could tell Ryan was beyond confused by the crazy look of doubt and hesitation in his eyes.
Ryan could keep pushing him away, but Devil wasn’t going anywhere. He’d wear his mate down, make Ryan trust him, show him that Devil was dead serious about his intentions.
He heard the shower cut on and images shot through Devil’s head—the water cascading down Ryan’s slim body, the soap clinging to him, his fingers sliding over—Devil seriously needed to stop torturing himself.
“Did you hear me?”
Shit, Jeff was still on the phone. Ryan had Devil’s wolf all twisted up. “What?”
“I said, I need to borrow a couple hundred.”
Devil ground his teeth. He was really starting to regret letting Jeff think he’d saved Devil’s life. His wolf wanted to end the insufferable twit. “For what?”
“Does it matter, bro?”
Devil wasn’t about to hand over his hard-earned cash. His gut told him Jeff wouldn’t pay him back. “Yes, it fucking matters.”
“Terry’s birthday is coming up and I’m short on cash.” He said it like he was pissed he had to explain his reason. Devil curled his hand tighter around his phone. If he didn’t ease up, he’d crack it.
“So you want me to foot the bill for your new boyfriend’s birthday?” Some people were too stupid to live. Jeff was one of them. He was arrogant, self-serving, a narcissist, and a general pain in the ass. Devil didn’t know how Ryan had ever fallen for him.
“I don’t have it. Money is tight right now.�
�� The lie slipped easily from his lips.
“I guess saving your life doesn’t mean anything to you.”
Devil had honor. He really did. He lived by a code. He was fair, but didn’t take shit from anyone. Jeff was pushing his limits, and Devil just might let Joque kill him if he kept this shit up.
“I have to go.” He hung up before Jeff said something Devil would make him regret. He was disturbed at how that thought made him smile.
The shower was still going, so Devil went into Ryan’s bedroom and looked around. It was nicely furnished with a little clutter. Devil’s gaze shifted to the bed. He was horny and wicked thoughts entertained his mind. He rubbed his hand down his chest as his gaze shot to the bathroom. The shower had cut off, and steam came from under the crack of the door. He heard the curtain sliding aside.
Devil wasn’t a pervert—not unless Ryan wanted him to be—so he walked back into the living room, making sure he’d closed the bedroom door behind him. Ten minutes later Ryan walked out in a pair of gray jogging pants and a loose shirt, showing off just how slim his shoulders were. He was a twig, and Devil was so turned on he clenched his hands into fists, fighting the need to grab Ryan and toss him over the back of the couch.
Honey eyes, dark hair, slim waist, cute little toes. Ryan had the longest, thickest lashes he’d ever seen. He shook his head and told himself to keep his distance.
A blush stole over Ryan’s cheeks as he looked around. “See?” Devil teased. “I didn’t rob you blind.”
Ryan stood there, one foot crossed over the other as he folded his arms over his chest. He looked insecure, full of doubt, and Devil wanted to eat him up. “So what’s this remedy of yours?”
Devil didn’t have one. He’d been talking shit to get into Ryan’s apartment. A thought struck and Devil sat on the couch. He patted the cushion next to him. “I’ll show you.”
Ryan twisted his lips to the side. He looked at Devil like Devil was trying to con him into sex. I wish. “I promise I don’t bite.”
Not if Ryan didn’t want him to, but Devil did enjoy a bit of pain with his pleasure. Ryan didn’t look as if he could handle it, though. He was too delicate. A human. Breakable.
Fuckable.
Ryan hesitated. He looked unsure.
“Come here.” Devil put a touch of command in his voice, but not enough to scare the human.
Obediently Ryan shuffled across the room and sat next to him. “I don’t do drugs.” He looked defiantly at Devil. “So I hope that’s not what you’re offering.”
“I’m glad you don’t,” Devil said. “Because that’s not what I’m offering.”
Ryan looked quizzically at him. Those fucking honey eyes did Devil in and pierced his gut. Ryan smelled like soap and citrus, and Devil’s mouth watered. He patted his thigh. “Put your head here.”
A burst of laughter escaped Ryan’s throat. “I don’t think so.”
He wanted to. Devil saw it in his eyes. Ryan was hungry for the closeness, a touch, or anything Devil wanted to do to him. But Devil wasn’t gonna rush this. He wanted to ease Ryan into his world.
“Just a temple massage,” Devil reassured him. “I’m told I have magical fingers.”
An eruption of red spread out over Ryan’s cheeks like fireworks. His blush was so deep that heat must’ve been radiating off his skin. When Ryan still sat there, unmoving, Devil slid his hand around Ryan’s nape and slowly coaxed Ryan’s head onto his lap.
It was the same damn move he’d used to get a guy to suck his cock. Only Devil’s clothes were still on, and Ryan’s head was turned the wrong way.
Ryan was a lethal little shit, whether he knew it or not.
With a sigh, Ryan curled onto the couch. “I don’t understand any of this.”
“Nothing to understand,” Devil said. “Just let me get rid of your headache.”
He used his fingertips to massage Ryan’s temples, his thumbs to rub the back of his neck. The tension had Ryan stiff, then he started to relax, his body seeping farther into the cushions.
Magic fingers.
His tension eased while Devil’s built. “How’s my remedy working for you?”
“Perfect,” Ryan murmured. “Just perfect.”
Within seconds Ryan was fast asleep and Devil was left with a hard-on from hell.
Chapter Four
“Tell me you didn’t.” Henry’s blush said it all. He had. “Seriously, you slept with Spike?”
Why was Ryan surprised? He’d told Henry to go for it, and Henry had. But he had a weird glassy look in his eyes, like he was drunk, but Ryan knew he wasn’t.
“Jealous?” Henry chuckled. “Spike was okay.”
“Okay?” They were sitting in Ryan’s living room, just one day after Devil had shown him his magic fingers. After Ryan had woken up and found Devil was gone, he kept wondering how magical those fingers would have been on other parts of his body, and after he’d started wondering how talented Devil was, that was all Ryan thought about.
“Yes, okay.” Henry switched positions. He threw his legs over the back of the couch and let his head dangle over the edge. “I’ve had better, but he definitely knew what he was doing.”
“You’re such a slut.” Ryan got up and went into the kitchen, where he grabbed two bottles of beer from the fridge. He wished he had a story to tell, but nothing had happened between him and Devil.
Did you think it would? He’s straight. That thought depressed the hell out of him. Ryan walked back into the living room and set Henry’s bottle on the coffee table. “You gonna give up details?”
“Not unless you pay me for them.” Henry grinned like an idiot. Sometimes he was. “You know I don’t kiss and tell.”
Ryan had opened his mouth to tell Henry he was full of shit when a knock sounded on his door. Henry righted himself, brushing back his fallen hair.
“Expecting someone?” Henry asked.
Ryan instantly thought of Devil, but he wouldn’t come back, not when Ryan felt better, but a guy could wish. And pray. And throw in a mental plea to the powers above. If it was Devil, he was kicking Henry out.
Ryan checked his breath with his hand, brushed his fingers through his hair, and smelled his armpits just to make sure he’d remembered to put on deodorant that morning.
Henry snickered. “You are so obvious. I don’t see why you don’t just jump Devil’s bones. What’s the worst that could happen?”
“He could knock my teeth out.” Ryan wanted Devil’s hands on his body, not pounding his face for making a move on him.
“Here’s a hint.” Henry relaxed on the couch, putting his feet up. “He owns a gay club.”
“It isn’t an official gay club,” Ryan argued. “Gays just happen to migrate there.”
“A lot of gays and lesbians.” Henry winked at him. “The word around town is that Krave is now the unofficial gay hot spot.”
“And the money is good.” Ryan placed his hand on the doorknob. “So why would Devil try to shut that shit down? I wouldn’t if I owned the club. So that isn’t a hint that he’s swinging for the same team. It just means he loves the money coming in.”
“Whatever you say,” Henry said in a singsong voice. He tucked his hands behind his head and looked smugly at Ryan, like he knew he was one hundred percent right and Ryan was a moron for not believing him.
But believing him would give Ryan hope, and he was done being naïve for men. Jeff had taught him that things could turn around in an instant, no warning signs, no flashing lights, and no bells or whistles.
Fuck being anyone’s fool again.
Though he wouldn’t mind being Devil’s sexy toy. He could live with that.
With a roll of his eyes, Ryan swung the door open. His grin fell when he saw who was on the other side. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Jeff curled his lip as he barged past Ryan. Henry shot up, his eyes wide. They looked at each other as Jeff went straight to Ryan’s bedroom.
“Forgot something,” Jeff said.
Ryan stood in the doorway and watched as Jeff riffled through the closet. He pulled down a small box that Ryan hadn’t even known was stashed up there. The top shelf of the closet was reserved for things he didn’t need, but couldn’t bring himself to throw away—like his aunt’s dishes.
“What’s that?” Ryan eyed the small box as Jeff opened it, but he couldn’t see what was inside. He had the urge to knock it out of Jeff’s hand just so he could find out.
Jeff looked him over, his eyes scathing. “Tell me you aren’t stupid enough to throw yourself at Devil.”
“You lost the right to have a say in my private life,” Ryan blurted out as he clenched his hands into fists at his sides.
Jeff moved closer, his lip once again curling. His eyes blazed as he stood over Ryan. “There’re things about him you don’t know, Ryan. Things you need to stay away from. Getting involved with him could be detrimental to your health.”
Did that pique his curiosity? Big-time. But Ryan refused to ask Jeff to stop being a secretive prick and tell him what he meant. “Get out, and stay the hell out of my life.”
He hadn’t noticed Henry in the doorway. He was gripping his bottle of beer like he was about to turn it into a weapon. He’d known Henry since they were kids, and his best friend would wild out in a heartbeat. He was a short shit, but a beast when pissed.
“Not like I wanted to come here,” Jeff said with attitude.
“Isn’t it time you picked Terry up from daycare?” Ryan stormed from the bedroom, hating the fact that his feelings were still raw where Jeff was concerned. He should hate the bastard, and he did, but there was still a spark of pain at what his ex had done to him.
“Keep the jokes up.” Jeff followed behind him, then stopped at the front door. “Terry isn’t an infant, and he’s a way better lover than you ever were.”
Ryan snatched the bottle out of Henry’s hand and threw it at Jeff’s head. Jeff ducked in time and the glass shattered against the wall by the door. He scowled at Ryan before he walked out, slamming the door behind him.
