by JC Holly
Beyond the gate was a small field, mostly overgrown apart from a thin track that went straight along a short fence, then ducked right into the tree line. Beyond there, things got even more peaceful. Nothing but tree cover, smooth ground, and the occasional deer.
“Friend of a friend used to come here all the time,” Luke said. “I come up here when I want a peaceful run. You never see a soul.”
“Sounds great to me.” He braced his arms on the top of the gate then hopped over. “Race you to, uh, the first gate we find.”
Luke laughed. “That would be five minutes from here. Sure you’re up to it?”
“Just you wait.”
He winked at Brandon, then locked the car and climbed over the gate. “I’m quicker than I look, you know.”
“Hmm.” Brandon scratched his head. “Guess I’d better cheat then.”
As soon as he had finished speaking, Brandon bolted off down the track. Luke laughed and shouted after him, then started running. He soon caught up, but let the man take the lead for the time being. The track was narrow, after all. Plus, if he stayed behind, Luke could watch the guy’s ass.
“We haven’t decided on what the winner gets,” he shouted. “I’m thinking a blowjob.”
“That’s all you think about.” Brandon laughed and glanced back for a moment. Realizing Luke was close, he sped further.
“What can I say?” Luke closed the gap again with little effort. “Once you’ve been blown by the king of blowjobs, you can’t think of much else.”
Brandon laughed and pushed harder, again taking a lead over Luke. Luke let him stay ahead for a while this time, before slowly closing the gap.
In actual fact Luke wasn’t even really trying. His shifter blood meant he could easily outpace an Olympic athlete without even changing form, and after a five minute rest he could do it all over again. That tended to raise eyebrows amongst the uninformed, though.
Delilah had brought up something similar when she had visited that morning. After learning that Brandon had spent the night, she brought up the shifter thing in hushed tones so they wouldn’t be overheard. Luke had told her that it was too soon to tell where the relationship was going, but if things went well he’d tell the guy sooner rather than later. Leaving it late only made any issues worse, as he’d found out with Johnny and several men before him.
Relationship. The word didn’t suit his and Brandon’s time together yet. They had only had one date and one run that wasn’t even over yet. All the signs were good, he had to admit, but until they spent more time together Luke was determined to reserve judgment. Rushing into a relationship just after a breakup wasn’t always the smartest thing to do. He had to make sure it was right first.
He glanced ahead and realized that Brandon had increased his lead during Luke’s musings and had already turned off into the trees. With a muttered curse Luke pushed hard and increased his speed once more. It was no good, though. As he rounded the corner he spotted Brandon ahead, leaning against the small gate that led to the real forest trail, a grin on his face.
“Looks like I win,” he said between breaths as Luke neared.
Luke grinned right back and slowed to a jog, then stopped beside the man. “I guess so. Drop ’em.”
The man frowned. “Huh?”
Luke grabbed the man’s shorts and yanked them down. “Didn’t I mention? I meant that the blowjob would be delivered immediately.”
Brandon glanced around. “What if someone comes?”
“Oh, you’ll come.” Luke pulled the man’s boxers down, revealing his cock. “I don’t give head often, but I’m told I’m pretty damn good at it.”
The man laughed. “I meant what if someone comes past?”
“Don’t worry about it.” Luke gripped Brandon’s stiffening cock. “Nobody comes this way. Especially not on a weekday.”
Brandon finally relaxed and leant against the gate. “In that case, blow me, loser.”
Luke laughed. “Yes’m.”
He began to stroke Brandon’s thick shaft slowly, pulling the foreskin back and revealing his cockhead. The man gasped as he flicked his tongue over the warm flesh, then groaned as he took the first couple of inches into his mouth.
“Mmm,” Brandon muttered. “That’s good.”
Luke started to bob, taking in a little more while he worked the shaft with his hand. With his other hand, he reached around and squeezed Brandon’s ass, before sliding a finger closer to his asshole, circling the ring of muscle.
As much as he’d have rather won the race so that the roles were reversed, Luke couldn’t say he was having a bad time. Just because he liked to be in control in the bedroom didn’t mean he didn’t like making his partner happy. On the contrary, he enjoyed giving head and handjobs. Really, it was another form of control. After all he was in charge of when Brandon came, through speed and pressure. If he wanted to he could stop at any time, too.
He deepened his movements and took Brandon deep enough into his mouth that the man’s cockhead pushed against the back of his throat. At the same time he pushed with his index finger and slipped inside Brandon’s ass. The man could only groan in response as Luke pushed further, sliding his finger further inside him, seeking. As he found the right area and pushed against Brandon’s prostate, Brandon cried out.
“Fuck!” His muscles tightened for a moment, then relaxed. “That’s… Whoa.”
Luke allowed himself a moment of satisfaction as he worked. He kept massaging the spot and it wasn’t long before Brandon’s breathing was ragged, his chest heaving as he tried to hold on. Luke sped his actions and lengthened his strokes, taking in as much of Brandon’s cock as he could before pulling back all the way to the tip. After no time at all, Brandon let out another gasp.
“I’m coming!”
Luke pulled back until only the tip of Brandon’s cock was in his mouth, then jerked the shaft fast and hard. He was rewarded moments later as Brandon cried out, then came. Hot and salty ropes of cum hit Luke’s tongue and the back of his throat as he continued to work the shaft, freeing every drop of Brandon’s load. He took it all, then pulled away, letting Brandon’s cock spring from his mouth. He swallowed the cum then stood and kissed Brandon, letting him taste the few drops that were left in his mouth. When they broke the kiss both were grinning.
“You weren’t kidding about being pretty damn good,” Brandon said. “That was the best I’ve ever had.”
Luke winked at him. “I have to keep my sexual partners happy.”
“Well I’m definitely happy.” Brandon laughed. “Though I think I’ll need a rest before we continue the run.”
* * * *
Once Brandon had his breath back from the surprise oral sex, he decided he’d let Luke take the lead for the next section of the run. As they set off, though, it quickly became apparent that he couldn’t have overtaken the man even if he wanted to.
“You let me win, didn’t you?” he shouted after the man.
Luke only glanced back and grinned, then continued onward. The man was a machine. Brandon was no slouch when it came to running, and could generally outpace anyone, but every time he caught up, Luke would speed up again and leave Brandon in the dust.
Looks like he’s good at everything. There was the bedroom last night, the animal expertise with Spike, the blowjob, the running… When Luke finally came to a sudden halt by some bushes, Brandon was so short of breath from his attempt to keep pace that it took him several attempts before he could talk.
“Not surprised you’re burnt out,” he said, thumping Luke on the arm. “Machine.”
Luke put a finger to his lips, then ducked low. Brandon frowned for a moment, then did the same.
“What is it?” he whispered.
As soon as he spoke, he heard a rustling coming from the trees to the right, then thumping feet from something four-legged running. There was a flash of color slightly ahead of them and Brandon fell back on his ass and began to scrabble back as he realized what was stood in their pat
h.
A large wolf.
“Luke,” he muttered. “We need to get away. Now.”
Luke only held up a hand, then glanced back to Brandon. “Keep still.”
The man turned back to the wolf, which let out a low rumble of a growl, and Brandon nearly yelped in fright. This is it. This is how I die.
If Luke was at all concerned, his body language didn’t show it. Instead of backing away, he stood tall, all of his attention on the wolf. The two shared a long stare, and after a moment the wolf’s growl dissipated. Luke took in a long breath.
“Go. Away,” he said, loud and slow.
Just as Brandon thought he should start praying to whoever upstairs was currently listening, the wolf took a step backward, then turned and padded back into the trees, its head as low as its tail. Luke turned to the trees and watched the wolf’s retreat, then turned back to Brandon and held out his hand.
“He’s gone, but we should probably leave too.” He pulled Brandon to his feet like he weighed nothing. “You don’t look like you’re up to much more running anyway.”
Brandon just gaped at the man. What had just happened? It made no sense. People did not stare down wolves. They ran screaming, or hid indoors to stop from being torn apart.
“How the hell did you do that?”
Luke shrugged. “Like I said earlier. I’m good with animals.”
“But that was a wolf! Not a fricking horse.”
He smiled. “I had to at least try. It was that or be chased down by it.”
Brandon couldn’t argue with the logic, but it beggared belief. He shook his head and began walking back toward the car with Luke, who stayed close and occasionally glanced behind them. As always happened after weird events, Brandon soon began to rationalize.
“There’s a guy in England that I read about,” he said. “Lives with wolves. He started slow, just being around them, but over time he became one of the pack. They live on his land, I think.”
Luke nodded. “Wolves get a bad rap. We had a lot of them back home, and while they were a danger to animals they tended to avoid the humans. That said, if we’d come across more than one I think we’d have been in serious trouble.”
Brandon just nodded. He didn’t even want to think about that possibility.
Chapter Ten
By the time they had driven back to Brandon’s place, he had cheered up once more, the wolf incident rationalized away for the time being. Luke headed to the lounge while the man headed upstairs to change. Spike announced his arrival with a low meow, then hopped onto the coffee table, his tail high and curled.
“Hello again.” Luke stroked the cat’s back. “Gotta admit, I’m a little surprised you were so friendly at first. Most cats avoid me at first.”
While humans had to have it pointed out to them, all animals could tell when someone was a shifter, and it often resulted in fear or subservience. In Spike’s case, he seemed not to give a damn. Perhaps he’d had a shifter for a previous owner. Luke made a note to ask Brandon once he’d taken the plunge and revealed his nature.
Their encounter earlier probably hadn’t made that any easier, but it could have been worse if Brandon had noticed the second wolf hidden in the bushes. Even worse if he’d known that they were both shifters.
Luke pulled out his phone and noticed a missed call. He smirked as he noticed who it had been and hit the call button. Carl answered immediately.
“Boss! Shit, we’re so sorry!”
Luke chuckled. “It’s no big deal, don’t worry.”
“You sure? Your guy seemed pretty freaked.”
“Wouldn’t you be?”
“True, I—” There was a rustle and Chris came on the line. “Sorry, Luke. We got a little over excited and didn’t think to check for people, since nobody ever goes down that way.”
“Seriously, it’s fine. If anything you made me look manly.” Spike batted at Luke’s hand, stroke time apparently over. “While you’re there, heard anything about you-know-who?”
“All quiet. If he’s around, he’s avoiding the pack. I’ve got everyone on the lookout, though, so if he so much as coughs, we’ll find him.”
“Thanks. I’m hoping he’ll call, but it’s looking doubtful.”
They talked for a little while longer before Chris mentioned that a customer wanted to see Luke later that day. He agreed to come in, though grudgingly. By the time Brandon reappeared, clad in only a towel, the call was finished and Spike was being attentive once more.
“That’s how I like my men.” Luke reached over and poked at the tuck that held the towel up. “Ready to go with one tug.”
Brandon rolled his eyes. “You’re all about the sex, aren’t you?”
“Mostly.” Luke patted the seat beside him. “Though not now. I need to check in with the garage. Some guy is pissed that I didn’t fix his car before a bunch of others. Seems to think that because he’s got a fancy car he should get preferential treatment.”
“Somehow I get the feeling that doesn’t wash with you.”
“Nope.” Luke smirked. “I enjoy arguing with assholes, though, so it may be fun.”
“Well, in that case I should go get dressed and get some work done instead.” Brandon stood and walked slowly toward the door, then let his towel fall to the floor. “Oops! How careless of me.”
He bent low to pick the towel up, giving Luke a view of the man’s ass that made his cock ache. He growled softly, then shook his head.
“You’re too much,” he said with a chuckle.
He stood and moved up behind Brandon, holding him close and grinding his clothed cock against the man’s bare ass. Brandon moaned softly, then turned and kissed Luke on the lips.
“I was going to say I could wait,” Brandon said. “Now I’m not so sure.”
Luke kissed him back. “Tonight? I’ll cook.”
“You cook, too? Perfect guy.”
He laughed and slapped Brandon’s ass. “I’ll catch you later, okay? I had fun today, minus the wolf part.”
Brandon smiled. “Me too.”
The drive back to his own house was a quiet one without Brandon there. They’d only spent a night and a day together, but already Luke missed the guy when he wasn’t around. A gnawing in his stomach told him what that meant. He was already falling for the guy.
“Not a bad thing,” he muttered.
The rebound thing still bothered him, but less so. Yes, it was early to be dating after getting out of a long relationship, but that relationship had been screwed for a while. Even so the thought stayed with him while he changed clothes at the house and drove to the garage.
Carl was waiting in the parking lot when Luke arrived, and the man grinned sheepishly as Luke punched him on the arm. That was as far as discipline went in Luke’s pack. Besides, the whole thing had been accidental. It wasn’t like the two Cs intended to scare Brandon.
“That customer here yet?” Luke asked as he headed in through the back door.
“No, but he said he’d be here around now.” Carl shook his head in irritation. “Normally I’d just tell people like him to fuck off, but he was insistent that he’d speak with you. I believe his exact words were, ‘I want to talk to the organ grinder, not the monkey.’”
“Well, then. That settles how the conversation will go. Nobody talks down to my boys.”
“Except you.”
“Except me.” Luke nodded to the rest of his crew then made for the office. “Now get me a coffee, monkey.”
His office chair creaked as he sat down and thumped his feet onto the desk. A few letters and flyers sat in the small metal tray, but he left them alone. Whatever was in them—likely bills—could wait until tomorrow.
After fifteen minutes of sitting around and drinking coffee, he heard the low rumble of a powerful engine as somebody pulled into the parking lot. A door thumped closed a moment later and Luke placed his mug carefully on the table, then sat up. A man he vaguely remembered doing work for swaggered in through the office door.
“You’re Mister Clarke?” the man asked.
“Yup.”
“Well, I have a complaint.”
The man went on to describe his injustices, starting with the time it took to service his car and ending with what he deemed the appalling attitude of Luke’s staff when the man first raised the issue earlier. Luke half listened, half stared into space, until he realized the man had finally shut up.
“Well?”
Luke smiled. “Finished?”
The man glared, but if he had expected Luke to react he was sorely disappointed. “Yes.”
“Why did you call me into work for this?” He could only stare, so Luke continued. “I was having a pleasant time on my day off, and I’m called in to deal with some pretentious prick who thinks that he should get his repair faster than we’d originally quoted because, what, you think you’re better than the people who came in before you?”
The man’s mouth gaped as he struggled to reply. “I–I, you can’t talk to a customer like this!”
Luke stood and rolled his neck. “Customer, no. Asshole customer who insults my staff? That’s another matter.”
“I never—”
“Carl!”
Carl popped his head around the door. “He first called us lazy, then suggested we were in some way inferior to him because we fix cars for a living. Then as he left, he muttered that we were ‘fucking fags’ and should be arrested.”
“What?” Luke’s knuckles popped as his fist clenched.
The man’s eyes popped wide as he backed out of the office, his hands held up. “Hey, now. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“How else could you mean it?” Luke stepped after the man. “Even if I wasn’t gay myself, talk like that would make me want to throw you through your own windshield.”
The man was backpedaling fast now, moving for the rear entrance to the building, his hands still held in front of him. Luke followed him to the door, then leaned against the frame, giving the asshole looks that could kill.
“If you ever come to this garage again,” he called after the man, “I’ll fold you in half.”
