by Susan Laine
“Also, most prisons aren’t rat-infested hellholes anymore,” Paul cut in with a chuckle.
Cain took Riley’s hand in his and smiled. “Long story short, the case is closed. Now you’re going to focus on nothing but getting better, you hear?” He glanced around. “Visiting time’s over, guys.”
Ian nodded and squeezed Riley’s uninjured shoulder gently. “Yes, it’s late. I’m staying at your place for now, if that’s okay.” Riley nodded, liking the idea of his dad spending time in the one place Riley had spruced up in his own image. “I’ll see you tomorrow, son.”
“Good night, Dad. Love you.”
Ian smiled and tousled Riley’s long hair. “Love you too, Riley. Rest now.” Then he looked at Cain. “Nice to meet you too. Take care of my boy.”
“I will.” Cain’s solemn vow sent frissons of pleasure coursing through Riley’s veins, and he buzzed with hope. Could that offhanded statement mean that Cain had long-term designs on Riley? They had talked about going on a real date…. But that had been before Riley had lied again and almost got them both killed. Had that not affected Cain’s decision to start a relationship?
Paul Hall waved a quick goodbye from the door, stepping out alongside Ian.
Sheridan snickered as she shifted on the bed to face the other side. “I’m sharing this room with you, doofus, so I’m staying. Night.”
Riley and Cain laughed.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“I’M feeling a little exposed here,” Riley whispered out of the corner of his mouth.
Cain growled. “You are? What about me?”
Riley glanced down at him and snickered, his dimples showcased to perfection. “I love that you wore this for me. Besides, darling, it makes for easier access.” Sitting in a classy private booth at a restaurant, Riley slid his hand up Cain’s exposed knee and tickled beneath the black-and-orange kilt Cain wore, despite his claim never to agree to wear one.
“Stop it, will you?” Cain hissed and shoved Riley’s invading digits farther away from his crown jewels. He was too hot in his skin already. “We’re in public.”
Riley sighed and leaned back, his gaze flicking across the packed room. “Believe me, I’m well aware.”
Though no one was staring at them, Cain had a sneaky suspicion that even in Los Angeles it was less than conventional to see a red-haired man in a wife-beater and a kilt on a late-night date with a lovely young man in a swanky woman’s dress.
As if struck by lightning, Cain realized he didn’t care if someone had a problem with them. He’d promised Riley a real date where Riley could dress up as a boy or a girl, whichever one he so chose. Now he’d delivered.
And Riley looked lovelier than ever. Wearing a dark blue body-hugging silk-and-lace old-fashioned evening gown, he radiated old-world style. His long black hair rested on his shoulders in slick curls, and his strong-without-being-flashy makeup mirrored the flair of the garb. In short, Riley was glamorous and dolled up to perfection.
Cain watched in awe. His lust grew. He wanted Riley alone in bed right the fuck now.
“You’re so beautiful, Riley. You take my damn breath away.”
Riley’s green eyes widened. His long black lashes fluttered. Then his dark pink lips melted into a relieved and joyous smile. “Thank you, kind sir. You say you’re not a gentleman, but I know the truth.”
“You wouldn’t say that if you knew what I was thinking about you right now.”
Riley giggled. “Oh? Do tell.”
Cain quirked an eyebrow, a devilish impulse pushing him to say, “Every guy’s seen you before somewhere. The trick is to find you.” He leaned over the table, cleared in preparation for the dessert. “I have. And you’re mine.”
Riley’s jaw dropped. “You…. That’s from The Blue Dahlia.”
Cain smirked. “I know.” He gave Riley a long, leisurely once-over.
Riley’s eyes shone like green gems. Then they turned sort of glassy. “I love you, Cain.” He blinked then, and his smile flickered. He clearly hadn’t meant to say that out loud, or else he wasn’t sure of the reception.
Cain took his hand across the table, felt it shake, and squeezed gently. “Don’t worry, Riley. I love you too.”
To Cain’s surprise, Riley blinked back tears, not a smile in sight. “I’m so sorry for lying to you and deceiving you time and again—”
“Firstly,” Cain interjected firmly, “I know you didn’t do it out of malice or greed or some fundamental character flaw. You did it to keep both Sherry and the key safe.”
If anything, Riley looked more miserable, his eyes shiny with moisture. “Yes, but by doing so I put the one man I’ve come to care for in danger. I’m sorry.” He swallowed hard and searched for words. Cain let him take his time. “Like Sherry, I found the key inside the Rodin statuette. But unlike her, I didn’t dare leave it there for simply anyone to find or—”
“Riley, babe? I know all that. I promise you, I’m not mad at you.” He narrowed his eyes as he studied his crestfallen companion. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I take it that men—at least those before me—have treated you… shall we say, poorly. And that’s made it a lot harder for you to trust people, even ones you hired to get at the truth.”
Riley closed his eyes, and his jaw quivered. A black tear, half mascara, glided down his cheek. Cain swiped it off with his thumb.
“Y-yes.” Riley’s voice trembled. Cain felt for him. How could he not? He loved Riley more than he’d thought possible. “I’ve been… betrayed, embarrassed, and humiliated by many men I thought I could trust and actually openly be with.” He opened his eyes and pleaded with Cain. “But you’re not like those others.”
Sighing, Cain grew weary of this discussion. He didn’t want Riley to apologize ever again. “I sure hope so. ’Cause when without missing a beat you gave Camille the key off your anklet when I asked you to, I knew I could trust you. So… I forgive you.”
Riley sniffled but seemed to be visibly regrouping. “Thank you, Cain. And I trust you too. I wouldn’t have given you the key otherwise.”
Cain nodded. “Indeed. And Riley? We’re done with this topic forever.” He interlaced their fingers. “All we’ve got is that you love me and I love you.”
Riley frowned but grinned shakily too. “That’s not the right line from The Maltese Falcon. I recall some maybes being in there.”
“Maybe. But not in our case.” Cain glared at his lover. “Understood?”
Finally Riley relaxed completely and his easy smile warmed Cain’s heart. “Yes.”
“Good.” Cain leaned back and unwound as well. “Please tell me you’re wearing that black chemise under that dress, the one you teased me with, the one that both reveals and hides everything as you suggested.”
Riley feigned innocence, eyes wide with wonderment. “Whatever do you mean?” But his playful pretense broke when he couldn’t keep the giggles in.
A waiter in an impeccable white uniform brought their triple-chocolate fudge cake slices to the table and then promptly disappeared, like a genie granting wishes.
Riley scrunched his nose cutely. “If you eat that whole thing, you’ll end up comatose from sugar.” He ate a bite, savoring it with a display of humming that should be outlawed in public as an act of pure and unadulterated lewdness.
Cain shrugged, snacked on a delectable morsel, and swallowed. Sugar rushed through his veins. His mild headache was a thing of the past. “This actually makes me feel better, you know, less irritable. Also, I plan to enjoy your sweets later on, so I’m conserving energy.”
“Will you move in with me?” Riley blurted out. Immediately he groaned, buried his face in his hands, and muttered, “Forget I said that. It’s too soon. I didn’t mean to—”
“Yes.” Cain observed with modest amusement that this seemed the day for interrupting his boyfriend, lover, and housemate-to-be. “To be honest, if you hadn’t suggested it, I would have. Not tonight but tomorrow, once I’d fucked your brains out and you’d be unable
to deny me in a state of bliss.” He chewed a forkful, the candied taste of chocolate exploding on his taste buds. “I had to be patient till you’re better. It’s been two weeks since you got shot. Figured you’d be more amenable to the idea now.”
Chuckling, Riley inched on the bench seat till they sat touching, thighs pressed together. “I can’t wait. Waking up every morning with you… ah, it’ll be a dream come true.”
Cain grunted. “You’ll grow to hate me. I’m a gloomy bastard during the day; I’m a cranky, grumpy, ornery asshole you’ll want to ax murder in the morning.”
Riley laughed and snuggled closer, tucked himself under Cain’s arm, and hugged his waist. “Good thing you’re a private investigator, sweetie. You’d be able to solve your own murder—even as a ghost.”
“Nah. I couldn’t hurt you, not even as a vengeful specter. I’d let you off the hook.”
“Aww, really? Lucky me.” Riley bussed Cain’s cheek, leaving a pink, lips-shaped mark. “Is that because I’m an homme fatale?”
“No.” Cain tipped Riley’s face up and kissed him on the lips, a deep and thorough kiss that left both men breathless with want. “It’s ’cause I fucking love you, angel.”
He lifted his fork against Riley’s lips, loving the sight of all that chocolate sugary goodness disappearing into the mouth of his beloved, where he’d soon be able to taste it himself.
“Check!” they called out in unison, then laughed their butts off.
“I’D prefer to live at your place, babe,” Cain informed Riley as he knelt in front of him at the foot of the bed, taking in the view of a covered crotch he longed to get his hands and tongue on. “Yours is a lot nicer than my shoebox. That good with you?”
“Uh-huh.” Riley sounded out of breath already, and his body shivered under Cain’s hands on his hips. Cain approved. Riley tapped Cain’s forehead with a smile. “Um, you know, the buttons are in the back.”
Nodding absentmindedly, Cain gripped the thin hem, made of electric-blue silk and lace, and slowly lifted it, exposing Riley’s silk stockings. “All in good time, gorgeous.”
Swiveling around too fast for Cain to stop, Riley chuckled. “Off. Too hot. In every sense.”
Obediently, for now anyway, Cain stood, unbuttoned the black mother-of-pearl buttons at the back, and disrobed his lover’s slender splendor till all Riley wore were his obscene blue panties, silk stockings, and midnight-blue high heels. The latter two Cain removed with great care, adoring the look of them on Riley. The expanse of soft, creamy skin had Cain hard as nails in two seconds flat.
He hadn’t forgotten his own vow, though.
With deliberate movements, he tore off Riley’s silky panties and dropped them on the floor in tatters.
Riley laughed. “Again? You fiend.”
“I’ll buy you new ones. In fact, I’ll take you to a lingerie shop myself, just for the pleasure of seeing you blushing and perhaps even testing a few select items.”
While Riley was busy giggling and quivering as a result, Cain grinned at a successful little distraction. With Riley’s bare buttocks in front of him, Cain palmed the round, firm curves, fondled and squeezed—and then slapped hard enough to send those luscious mounds jiggling briefly.
Riley gasped in shock and glanced at him over his shoulder, eyes wide and mouth gaping. “What the…?”
Cain grinned. “I promised you a spanking once this was over, sweet thing. You might be wearing blue tonight, but your ass will be red before the night is out.”
At first Riley blinked. Then his shoulders shimmied as he started to laugh. “Good thing I look absolutely divine in purple.”
Cain plopped down on the bed, grabbed Riley by the arms, and flipped him over his knees. Riley squirmed, as if he were resisting, but his mad giggling gave him away. Cain smacked Riley’s beautiful butt a couple of times till he saw red imprints of his palm and fingers splayed over the ivory skin.
“Nice,” Cain purred, delighted at having marked his lover, even temporarily. Of course he had suctioning lips, biting teeth, and raking nails left to try later on.
Riley trembled and all but sobbed, his fingers digging into Cain’s calves. “Cain, please… make love to me.”
Cain damn near swallowed his tongue. Those misty-green eyes begging him, that soft pale skin, that nubile little body, those luscious lips…. Riley’s passionate plea irrevocably stirred Cain’s soul. Riley was Cain’s—and Cain was Riley’s. There was no denying those facts. Love had marked Cain, and he didn’t want to escape.
They ended up in bed, tangled in the sheets, Riley on his back and Cain braced above him, slowly easing into a tight, lubed-up channel of flesh. Once Cain was fully seated, there was no need for words or holding back. Cain gathered Riley securely in his arms, conquered his mouth with his own—tasting sweet chocolate was a bonus—and then vanquished Riley’s body.
His cock and his heart might have had something to do with it too.
At Riley’s insistence, Cain still wore the kilt, though—and nothing else.
SUSAN LAINE, a Finn through and through, was raised by the best mother in the world. She told her daughter time and again that she could be whatever she wanted to be. It still took Susan discovering the gay erotic romance genre before she dared to take the leap into the publishing world.
Her formal education revolves around anthropology, but her hope is to be a full-time writer. Susan enjoys hanging out with her sister and friends in movie theaters and bookstores. Her other pastimes include walking, swimming, and fantasizing about sizzling hot manlove. Some of her likes are pop music, chocolate, and doing the dishes, and a few dislikes are sweating hot summer days, tobacco smoke, and purposeful prejudice.
Visit Susan’s website at www.susan-laine-author.fi/ or write her an email at [email protected]
Coming in December 2018
Dreamspun Desires #71
Romancing the Undercover Millionaire by Clare London
Romancing The...
Can poverty and privilege find a loving compromise?
Alexandre Bonfils, a rich and spoiled second son, is tired of being ignored and decides to help when the family’s exclusive wine business is in trouble. Going undercover in the warehouse, he loves the adventure—and the chance to be close to the sassy and sexy manager, Tate Somerton.
Tate is hardworking and financially struggling, bringing up his siblings on his own. A suspected saboteur at work is his latest challenge, but now he also has a clueless, though very attractive, new intern. There’s an immediate spark between the ill-matched couple, until a shocking accident cuts short Alex’s amateur sleuthing.
While recovering in the generous care of Tate and his family, will Alex realize what belonging really means? Passion and pride come together to fight for the company they’re both committed to preserving, but can a personal bond remain when the dust settles?
Dreamspun Desires #72
The CEO's Christmas Manny by Angela McCallister
Anything but business as usual.
Billionaire CEO Nic Price lives for his job. With sales down and grumbling from the board of directors—including Nic’s permanently dissatisfied father—the last thing Nic needs is distraction from the new manny, whose freewheeling approach to childcare is outlandish... and who makes Nic feel things he’s never allowed himself to feel.
Ex-teacher Sasha Lindsey is all about fun—that’s the reason people love him, so he has to be. After a bad break-up leaves him jobless and homeless, the live-in manny job with Mr. Price seems like a windfall. But his chemistry with Nic is off the charts, and he can’t afford another workplace romance disaster.
Can Nic leave his dominance in the bedroom and open his heart to the best thing that’s ever happened to him? Or will Sasha’s leap of faith backfire and ruin his chances at the family happily ever after he’s always dreamed of?
Coming Soon to
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Published by
DREAMSPINNER PRESS
5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Femme Faux Fatale
© 2018 Susan Laine.
Cover Art
© 2018 Alexandria Corza.
http://www.seeingstatic.com/
Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or www.dreamspinnerpress.com.
