Maybe this time, maybe this man, wouldn’t care about his face.
*
Leon’s heart thudded as the man he’d spotted across the room approached. He knew immediately what he was dressed as—a lion tamer. Hell, no, it couldn’t be that fucking easy. Did this guy think this was joke?
Maybe no one told him not to poke a stick at a dangerous animal.
The room was dark, but not so dark Leon couldn’t make out details, like the bulge in the man’s pants, the fake smile, and matching fake scars on his face. What was he trying pull? Was he trying to piss Leon off? Make him look like a fool?
Leon growled low in his throat and controlled his instinct to attack as the man came to a stop in front of him. What the hell? He smelled like a … sniff … a … lion. Leon took a step closer and inhaled deeper, taking in the scent, registering it in his mind. His cock filled and his balls ached.
Up close, Leon saw details: the man’s slicked-back hair was red, strawberry blond really, bright blue eyes lined in black, and full pink lips. Leon’s growl deepened, and his body tensed as a primal urge swept through him.
Fight? Flee? Fuck? Oh, fuck.
“Uh, hi.” The guy held out the card. “Did you send me this?”
He didn’t look dangerous, he looked hopeful. Confused. Delicious.
Leon swallowed. “No. I have one too.” He pulled out his card and held it up.
The man put his half next to Leon’s. “Hey, they match!” He chuckled. “Do you know who sent them?”
“No.” Leon stared at the man for a moment, until even he knew it had become awkward.
The man frowned, then put the card back in his pocket. “Oh, okay. My name’s David. David Reese.” He stuck out his hand.
Leon’s gaze shifted from face to hand. He wanted to knock his hand out of the way, push him against the wall, and just inhale. Breathe him in. Lick him.
“Leon Manx.” He shook hands. Warmth, a strong grip, and skin-on-skin contact just heightened the urge. “I don’t know who sent it either.” He let his hand fall away.
“Well, whoever it was, he or she must know us.” David rubbed his cheek, the one with the fake scars, but they didn’t smear off.
“Why?”
“Because, look at us. You’re a big game hunter and I’m a lion tamer? Sort of the same thing, isn’t it? You’d have to know us to guess we’d wear similar costumes.”
“I guess.” Leon couldn’t figure this out. His mind reeled between what he thought and what he felt and what he wanted. David wasn’t a threat. So what was he?
“I think someone is matchmaking.” David shrugged.
“Matchmaking?”
“Do you always repeat what people say? Are you trying to buy time? Trying to…” David exhaled. “Look, let’s get this straight right now. I’m gay. I’m single. And yes, the scars are real. They don’t wash off. So if it’s a problem, let’s just say goodbye.” An aching bitterness tinged his words. He waited for Leon to answer, brow furrowed, and hope no longer in his eyes.
David stepped back to turn away, Leon grabbed his wrist. “I’m gay. Single. Don’t care about the scars.” He tightened his grip, unwilling to let this man go, but completely baffled as to why.
David stared at him, mouth open, and head tilted to the side. “Okay.”
“Okay.”
They stared at each other for a long moment. Leon could feel David’s heartbeat on the inside of his wrist, pounding fast and hard. He glanced down at the noticeable bulge in David’s pants. Wanted to stroke…
“So Leon, what do you do?” David swallowed.
“I’m in private security.”
“That must be very interesting.”
“It has its moments. You?”
“Nowhere near as exciting. I’m a college professor at Tulane and work part time at the Audubon Zoo.”
Leon pushed David’s hand away as if touching him burned. “The zoo?” Warning bells pealed and Leon stepped back. Hatred of the cages, the iron and steel bars, the cramped quarters, warred with his desire for this delicious stranger.
David frowned. “Yeah. I help out with the big cats. Lions. Tigers. Jaguars and panthers. I’m a zoologist. Is that a problem?”
Leon didn’t know what to say; he’d been thrown off kilter by this entire meeting.
So that’s why he smelled so good. He worked with cats. That was good. But he worked at the zoo. That was bad.
“Well, fuck me,” he muttered. This wasn’t what he’d thought would happen tonight.
“If you want, but I prefer to bottom.” David smiled, slow and a bit shy and incredibly sexy. “I can use this whip, you know.”
Leon growled.
“Okay, no whip.” David chuckled. “Hey, do you know you’re growling?” He stepped forward and put his hand on Leon’s chest, over his heart. “I can hear it beneath the music, like the bass drum in a band.”
“Yeah. I do that. Habit.” Leon knew what habit he’d like to form, the one where he was fucking David and taking him over and over.
David bit his bottom lip. “Sexy. Do you purr too?”
“Yeah.” Leon put his hand over David’s, trapping it against him. He gazed into David’s eyes and saw a spark of hope rekindled. He liked it. He licked his lips, watched as David’s gaze tracked the path of his tongue, and liked the hunger showing in the man’s eyes.
“Yeah.”
“Turns you on?” Leon leaned in, putting his face near David’s cheek.
“God, yes.” David pressed against him, rubbing their cheeks together. The feel of stubble against stubble got Leon harder.
Leon slid his hands around David’s back and pulled them deeper into the shadows of the room. David moaned as Leon massaged David’s firm ass and pressed his hard cock against David’s. He spun them around and shoved David against the wall, where he’d wanted the man since the first moment he’d seen him.
He stared into David’s eyes, searching for answers to questions he hadn’t even formed yet. They were of the same height, but David was more muscled.
David whispered, “Here?”
“Now.” Leon pressed his lips to David’s and the man opened for him without being asked. Their tongues tangled, fought, and David relented, his body slumping fully against the wall as Leon rubbed against him. David’s soft moan and total surrender hit Leon hard, like the most potent aphrodisiac.
He wanted nothing more than to kiss David, touch him, mouth his cock, make him feel pleasure over and over.
Leon slipped his leg between David’s thighs, making their contact more compete. He pushed his cock against David’s and got a groan for it. He liked the way it sounded, deep in David’s chest, a bit desperate, a little surprised, and all sexy.
He rutted against the other man, seeking pleasure and something more, trying to connect on a deeper level, something he’d not wanted in a long time. Not since he was younger and foolish. Before he’d learned about deception and betrayal and about keeping his secrets, even from his lovers. Especially from his lovers.
David broke their kiss. “Not here.”
“Your place.” No way would Leon bring this man to his place. He might want to fuck him, but he had to keep his head about letting David get too close. “How far?”
“Fifteen minutes.” David leaned his head back, a silent encouragement for Leon to nip along his throat. Leon obliged, working the tender skin on David’s throat with the rough of his tongue.
“Close enough.” Leon gave him a final nip, pulling a surprised “ow” from David.
“Did you drive?”
“Yes. We’ll take my car.” Leon wanted to be in control of this situation.
“Sure. You can drop me back at my car in the morn—after.” David looked at him. Leon read the vulnerability in his eyes.
“In the morning.” Leon didn’t know why he said it, but he knew David needed to hear it, and Leon wanted to make David feel … safe? Wanted? He gave David a smile, the first time he’d truly felt like it al
l evening.
Leon took David’s hand and dragged him through the room to the front door. They stood to the side as it opened and more people, laughing and in costumes, entered. Almost midnight and the party was in full swing.
He’d come here tonight ready to fight for his life, if needed. Instead, he had a terrifying feeling the words on his invitation might have been true.
*
David matched Leon step-for-step as they went down the stairs to the walkway, and then down the block to his car. Leon opened the passenger door, David got in, and watched as Leon trotted around to the driver’s side.
The overhead light stayed on while Leon put his key in the ignition.
Leon hadn’t seen David in full light, hadn’t really seen the scars. He turned to Leon and let him take a long look. David could see the color of his eyes, not the brown he’d thought in the dark room, but a curious mix of amber and green.
David bit his lip. “You sure you want to do this?”
“Yes. Nothing’s changed.”
“I just thought, the way you looked at me…” He shrugged.
“I looked at you, because you’re even sexier in the light.”
David couldn’t suppress a smile. “Smooth talker, huh?”
“When I need to be.” The light went off and Leon started the car.
David chuckled. “Right. I’ll bet you don’t have to use that talent often.” He gave what he hoped Leon would think was a sexy leer.
Leon snorted. “I don’t use it at all.”
What was that supposed to mean?
“Wow. Now I really feel special.” David looked out the window.
Leon glanced over at him. “Shit.” He pulled over and threw the car into park. “Look.” He took David’s chin in his hand and turned him to look him in the eye. “What I meant was I usually don’t do this.”
“Pick up guys? I don’t think I believe that.” David jerked his chin away. “Maybe you should take me back to the party.”
“Fuck.” Leon slid his hand around the back of David’s neck and pulled him over, despite David’s resistance. “Look at me.” He put his forehead against David’s. “Man, I don’t get involved. Ever. I don’t go home with anyone. Ever.”
David sighed, brushed his lips over Leon’s mouth. “So you’re saying you’re breaking your rules with me.”
“Something like that.” Leon kissed him, sliding his tongue deep into David’s mouth. They traded kisses and then parted. Leon put the car into gear. “Where to?”
David knew he meant back to the party or to David’s place. “My place.”
“Good.”
David gave him directions as Leon drove.
David’s House
David opened the door with Leon breathing down his back. The man hadn’t taken his hands off David since they’d gotten out of the car. It turned David on that Leon was turned on by him.
Leon pushed him inside, kicked the door closed, and buried his hands in David’s shirt. He dragged David to him, taking his mouth like a man possessed, eating at him, and licking the inside of David’s mouth with his oddly raspy tongue.
David groaned. At this rate, they might not even make the bedroom. Leon yanked the whip off David’s shoulder and over his head, tossing it away from them with a growl.
Then they humped at each other, desperation oozing out of their pores like too much garlic. David gasped when Leon finally released his mouth.
“Fuck. You taste good.” Leon growled again as he rubbed his face against David’s neck.
David chuckled. “I’m like catnip, huh?”
Leon jerked away. “What? Why did you say that?”
“No reason. Just a cat reference. I make a lot of them. You know, zoologist. Big cat lover.” David shrugged.
“Oh, right.” Leon looked relieved.
Perhaps he’d hit close to home … no, it couldn’t be. That was just nuts.
“Bedroom?” David wiggled his eyebrows.
“Hell, yeah.”
David led the way down the hall toward the back of the house.
“You got stuff?” Leon followed on his heels.
“Lube? Condoms? Sure. What gay man doesn’t keep a supply for just such an occasion?” Even if David hadn’t used them in months. Okay, six months, but who was counting? Shit, were they still good?
Leon grunted. David guessed it was his way of laughing. The man was sort of a tight ass. Wonder if he has a tight ass? David laughed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Leon grabbed him. “Something funny?” There was that growl again. Leon acted almost like an animal, maybe a big cat, sleek and powerful. And his tongue, that soft rasp. David had never felt anything like it, not on a man, anyway.
David turned. Leon looked pissed. “Yeah. You.”
“What?” Leon’s voice lowered, and his eyebrows shot up, telling David not many people joked around with this man.
“You’re kind of a tight ass, you know. I give you some of my best quips and all you do is grunt and growl. Where’s your sense of humor?”
Leon opened his mouth to say something, but closed it with a snap.
David stepped up to him. “Look. I like to joke around. Laugh. Tease. It’s just who I am. Sort of a defense mechanism.”
“Oh. I guess I don’t laugh much.” Leon looked down at his feet.
“You’re really intense. I get that with your line of work. But seriously, dude, you need to lighten up.” And with that David grabbed Leon’s crotch and gave his balls a little squeeze.
Leon’s eyes widened. Then he closed them and moaned. “Okay. Got it. Laugh at your jokes.”
David ran his hand down Leon’s arm. “Good. Now, let’s get naked and get busy.”
David had no idea what made him so bold, but Leon made him feel secure, sexy, and safe enough to be himself.
Leon nodded. “Don’t have to ask me twice.” He unbuttoned his jacket, shrugged out of it and dropped it on the floor. His look dared David to match him.
David undid the holster and it fell to the floor. Unwrapped the sash and dropped it. Then he pulled the shirt over his head and stood bare-chested in front of Leon.
Leon grinned. “Damn, you’re fine. Want to fuck you so bad.”
“Want you bad too.” David turned and jerked his head toward the bedroom. “In my bed.”
David walked down the hall, unbuttoning his pants. Behind him, the sound of Leon’s zipper going down made David’s cock fill in anticipation.
He turned on the light. “Bed sweet bed.” He waved his hand at his queen-sized bed. Thank God he’d made it this morning. He wanted to make a good impression on Leon and he had a suspicion Leon would look down on a slob. And what Leon thought of him was important, which was really odd, since they’d met less than two hours ago.
All of this was odd, but he was going with it.
Leon sat and pulled off his boots. David sat in the wing chair across from him and tugged his boots off also. Then he stood and took his pants off.
“You wore a jockstrap?” Leon leered at him.
David looked down. “Yeah. No lines.”
“Fuck that’s hot.” Leon got out of his pants, and naked, stalked over to David. He wrapped a finger under the strap and jerked it down, exposing David’s eager cock.
“That’s even hotter.” Leon looked into David’s face.
“Look who’s talking. You’re … God, you make me hard.” David groaned as Leon pulled down the strap to cup David’s balls.
“Bed?”
“Bed.”
David climbed on and stretched toward the side table. He opened the drawer and got out the lube and condoms. “I haven’t done this in a while, so be gentle with me.” He batted his eyelashes and waited for Leon’s reaction.
Leon laughed. “Oh, baby, I’m going to treat you so fine.”
David winked. “See, your ass isn’t so tight after all.”
“Not as tight as your ass, I hope.”
David rolled over, got on his knees, and looked over his shoulder. “Find out.” He slapped his butt cheek in an open invitation.
Leon knelt on the bed behind him, ripped open a condom, and rolled it over his stiff, beautiful dick. David licked his lips, eager for that first press of cockhead to his hole. The touch of heat. The pressure growing until his muscles gave way to the slick slide of cock inside him.
His lover squirted lube onto his hand and slicked up his cock. He added more to his fingers and painted David’s hole. David moaned and leaned back, ready to be breached. “Forget the foreplay. I’m ready. Fuck me.”
“Easy, baby.” Leon petted David’s ass. “Want to take this slow and easy. You said be gentle, remember?”
Damn the man, did he have to choose now to show David he could joke?
“I lied. Hard and fast. What I meant was—”
Leon grabbed David’s hips and pressed in. David’s backdoor collapsed, and Leon’s cock entered him, cutting off David’s ability to speak.
“Oh, fuck, you’re so tight. So hot.” Leon closed his eyes and threw his head back as his body shuddered. His fingers dug into David’s skin.
“You feel good, Leon. So hard and thick. Fuck me good.” David loved the way Leon stretched him. Leon leaned over him, pressing his chest against David’s back, locking his arms around David’s chest, capturing him.
Leon buried his head against the back of David’s neck, licking him, as he fucked David at his leisure. The sensations drove David wild, the slow in and out, Leon’s breath hot on his neck, his voice whispering soft words in David’s ear.
Leon’s words gave him away, allowed the vague suspicions in David’s head to slide into place and finally make sense.
*
Leon swallowed in an attempt to keep his feelings for this man, this stranger, deep inside him. Instead, they bubbled to the surface, along with words he thought he’d never say.
“Mine,” he whispered as he fucked David. God, his dick fit inside David perfectly, as if they’d been meant to pleasure each other. “Mine.” As if he’d lost control of his mouth, the words came out like punctuations to his thrusts.
David groaned, taking Leon’s thrusts, and asked for more as he pushed back. Leon let go of David’s waist and grabbed his hand. They joined fingers as their bodies locked together, slick and hot.
Love in the Cards Page 9
