Nothing But Trouble (Wild Hearts Book 2)

by Noah Harris

  Adrian eyed him doubtfully. “Is that what you really think?”

  Michael laughed suddenly at that. “No, in all honesty, I believe my mother would have been forever in doubt of my abilities at every new challenge that came my way. Sometimes, when things are at their most difficult, I can hear her in my head. Every time something happens that stands in my way, or I do something that she wouldn’t approve of, I can hear her chiding me.”

  “And when was the last time you heard her giving you hell?” Adrian asked with a grin.

  Michael looked sideways at him, grinning. “When I brought you into my life.”

  Adrian let out a bark of laughter. “I guess that makes sense. I’m not exactly the type you bring home to meet mom.”

  “My mother had once had very strong views on the kind of partner I was supposed to have.”

  Adrian raised a brow. “And how many of the criteria do I fit?”

  Michael gave a light laugh. “Not a one.”

  Adrian tapped his chin. “Let me guess… She wanted you to have a nice, obedient beta. One who was strong enough to put up with being the partner to an alpha with a lot of sway, but not so much so that they fought you. Someone who would have stood at your side but never question what you did. Intelligent, but knew their place, basically.”

  Michael shrugged. “That’s more or less what she felt I should have been striving to find.”

  Adrian snickered. “Your mom really had it all laid out for you, didn’t she?”

  Michael looked at him, that oddly warming smile on his face. “I notice you seem to care an awful lot about what kind of person my mother wished to see me with.”

  Adrian tensed, realizing how it looked. “Maybe I just have strong opinions about how much control a parent should really have over their child’s life?”

  “Is that it then?”

  Adrian’s stomach began squirming again, knowing the truth and not wanting to admit to it. “Should it be something else?”

  Michael said nothing for the longest time. The moment passed and Adrian began to wonder if he had managed to upset the alpha. The scent that surrounded Michael when he was aroused or in command began to waft toward Adrian as they sat together. Without thinking about it, Adrian inhaled, taking the comforting scent deep into his lungs. He loved that just being around Michael, or enjoying that alluring smell, was enough to drain the tension from his shoulders, and he hated it a little at the same time.

  Michael shifted, coming closer to Adrian without saying a word. Adrian looked up at him, eyes wide. The alpha drew near, pressing his lips against Adrian’s. The force behind the kiss grew slowly as Michael pressed their mouths together. A familiar zing of pleasure shot through Adrian, and his hand tangled in Michael’s Hair.

  Michael broke the kiss, his eyes boring into Adrian’s. “Are you sure that it’s nothing more?”

  The pleasure of the kiss dissolved, and the anxiety and worry that Adrian felt when he thought too hard about how it felt to be around Michael returned. He wanted so badly to simply reach up and pull Michael down into the kiss, to make them both forget the struggle of trying to make sense of what was happening between them. How many times before had Adrian willingly turned away from the yearning of his own heart, not wanting to walk a path that only led to heartbreak.

  Adrian licked his lips nervously. “Michael…”

  Michael waited to see if Adrian would say more, nodding his head in understanding when it never came. “I see.”

  Adrian could see Michael beginning to retreat and he gripped tighter to the alpha. “Look, it’s not…”

  Frustration came to the forefront of the sea of Adrian’s emotions. He wanted to explain to Michael that he was just afraid, not of the passion that felt so right between them, but the comforting warmth that passed through him when Michael smiled at him, or spoke softly to him. Words flew through his mind, none of them quite fitting the aching within his chest as he looked up at Michael. He could see that Adrian’s lack of response was already pulling at something within Michael, wounding him, and Adrian didn’t know what to do other than to hold onto him tighter.

  Michael searched Adrian’s face. “You have something to say.”

  “I don’t know how,” Adrian said, blurting the words before he could second guess them like all the others.

  Michael sighed. “I can’t— I won’t, continue on this path without something more. I won’t pretend there isn’t more to this than simple attraction, and I have the feeling that the same is true for you.”

  “Michael…” Adrian began, finding the words slipping from him as quickly as they had formed in his mind.

  Michael leaned back. “I see fear, but I don’t know its source. I can’t help you move past that fear or conquer it so long as you continue to hide it from me.”

  “I’m not trying to hide anything,” Adrian said softly.

  “No, perhaps it’s merely habit for you. I can understand that, but I still need to hear more than I have so far.”

  “I’m just confused, and a little freaked out,” Adrian said with a grimace.

  Michael leaned forward, cupping Adrian’s chin with a smile. “Then perhaps what you need is a little bit of time alone. My pushing you won’t make the answer come any easier.”

  Adrian’s eyes widened, panic setting its roots into his chest. “Wait, you don’t have to leave.”

  Michael smiled, warmth pouring from him once again. “Don’t worry, I’m not going far. I’ll be in my office. Maybe it’s better for us both if I stop trying to push you and leave you be.”

  Adrian watched, speechless still, as Michael retreated from the room. The alpha had spoken so softly and with enough understanding in his voice that it made Adrian’s chest ache. The worst part was the sorrow and regret that he had heard in Michael’s voice, and in the final glance that he gave Adrian as he turned the corner.

  “Damn it all,” he cursed, after hearing the soft click of the door to Michael’s office closing.

  Chapter 14

  His phone screen was a bright accusation as Adrian sat in the dark living room. He hadn’t moved from his spot on the couch since Michael left him there two hours before. Michael had yet to come out of his office and Adrian was sure that the man was doing his best to keep himself busy with whatever he could find. Adrian knew a few things about keeping busy to keep thoughts at bay, and he smiled sadly at the thought that he was the cause of Michael’s busywork.

  Adrian had been tempted to make a call to any one of his packmates as he sat on the couch. But it was growing late and he was still undecided as to who he should call, let alone if he should call at all. He had a feeling that he knew exactly what any one of them would say to him if he explained what was on his mind. When it came right down to it, the one person he should be talking to about the thoughts racing through his head at a frantic pace was only a handful of feet and a couple of rooms away.

  Groaning, Adrian tossed his phone onto the couch and let it lay there. It continued to blare light up at the ceiling and with a grunt, he flipped it over, so he didn’t have to look at it. The longer he sat on the couch, the worse he felt about having driven Michael away. He knew what Michael wanted him to say, or at least he had an idea. Adrian couldn’t bring himself to say those words, but he didn’t want to lose him either.

  His bounced his foot, crossing his arms over his chest as he glared at his own reflection in the dark window across from him. Adrian’s mind raced over old memories and conversations. The lovers he had cast aside without a thought, or at least with barely a moment of guilt as they fell to the wayside. There had been so many, but none of them had left him feeling as guilty and empty as he did now, knowing that he had managed to hurt Michael.

  “Oh, screw this shit,” Adrian growled into the air and threw himself up from the couch.

  Before he could second guess himself, Adrian marched through the living room and into the hallway. His hand was on the door to the office and opening it before he could think to a
nnounce himself as he entered. Michael was hunched over his desk, squinting at the screen before him. The alpha looked up, mild surprise crossing his features when he saw Adrian standing there.

  Adrian hesitated, unsure of what to say as Michael stared at him. “Uh, sorry, am I interrupting?”

  Michael leaned back in his seat, smiling a little. “No, nothing that can’t wait until later.”

  “I wanted to talk to you.”

  Michael reached out, hitting the power button his computer’s screen. “About?”

  Adrian huffed. “I think that should be obvious.”

  “Is it?” Michael asked in that same calm voice he seemed to adopt whenever he was dealing with a trying situation.

  Adrian narrowed his eyes. “We were literally just talking about it.”

  Michael hit a button on his phone, looking at the screen. “We last we spoke about two hours ago.”

  Adrian realized that Michael wanted him to just spit it out and he sighed. “What do you want me to say?”

  For a moment he thought Michael was going to continue to be difficult, until the smile fell away. “I won’t lie to you Adrian, I’m not sure myself. I do know that I enjoy your company. I’ve enjoyed the time you and I have spent together more than I’ve enjoyed it with anyone else before. I like that you challenge me and you aren’t afraid to speak your mind. And yes, I am attracted to you physically, and the sex was quite enjoyable, to say the least. But there’s more to it than that for me, and I want to be sure that there is more to it for you as well.”

  “I’m not really the type to commit to anything,” Adrian said, sagging against the doorframe, feeling small and petty.

  Michael chuckled. “I want to know if there’s more to this than just sex, not for you to marry me tomorrow, Adrian.”

  Adrian rolled his eyes. “Well I know that. But even that is more than— Well, it’s more than I’ve been willing to give someone in a long time.”

  “Is this because of what you do?” Michael asked softly.

  Adrian shrugged. “It’s that and, well, I don’t exactly have the best track record. Once upon a time, I tried to be something more with someone and it ended in nothing but blood and pain.”

  Michael looked like he wanted to ask but instead gave a sad smile. “I see. So you don’t want to commit to anything because of what you’ve been through and because of what you are.”

  “You keep saying that, but I know what I am, that doesn’t mean I’m coming down on myself for it,” Adrian said stubbornly.

  Michael leaned back, eyeing Adrian carefully. “No? Then why do you feel the need to remind me of what you are every time I say something good about you, or something intimate happens between us?”

  Adrian opened his mouth, then closed it when he realized that he was going to protest with almost the exact words he had just been chided for. Never had he thought he was deserving of something more. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in love. He did,but sometimes he wasn’t so sure that love returned the favor. The idea of liking Michael was terrifying, but the thought that something more could come of it had him nearly panicked.

  “I do like you,” Adrian admitted.

  “You don’t have to say anything you’re not comfortable with,” Michael said softly.

  Adrian waved a hand to prevent him from continuing. “No, you were right before. I needed to say this stuff but I didn’t. The truth is, I do like you. I do want to spend time with you. I respect the hell out of you and I find that being around you is just fun for the sake of being around you. I want to have more of you, but the idea of having more scares the living shit out of me, okay?”

  Michael watched him, eyes flitting over Adrian’s face. “Fear. Not because you don’t wish to be tied down.”

  Adrian stared at him. “You thought I was avoiding liking you because you thought I just hated commitment?”

  Michael grimaced at that. “I’ll admit, I have been able to figure out some things about you, but that doesn’t mean I have everything figured out, Adrian. There is much about you that I don’t know and I’m not always sure what motivates you. There were times I believed that you wanted more from me than just sex, and other times I wasn’t so sure. I’m operating in the dark here too.”

  Adrian fidgeted, seeing the indecision and worry on Michael’s face. He knew what he wanted to do, but he knew what it would mean if he were to obey his own desires. To cross the room and comfort Michael as he struggled with his own thoughts would be as good as telling the alpha that Adrian intended to be much more than bed partners. Half of him wanted to turn, to flee from the house and the hurt he could see written all over Michael’s features.

  Before he could stop himself, Adrian crossed the room in a few, intent strides. Rounding the desk as Michael turned his chair to him, Adrian bent forward and kissed the alpha soundly. A low growl issued from Michael’s throat, rumbling between them and vibrating Adrian’s lips. A strong hand gripped the back of Adrian’s head and pulled him tighter into the kiss, drawing a moan from the omega. The heat that had drawn Adrian in flared in his chest, spreading throughout him as Michael tugged him close, their bodies pressed against each other in a sudden surge of need and desire.

  Adrian gripped Michael hard, wanting to get as close as he possibly could. For all his fears, all his worries, Adrian couldn’t deny the draw to the other man when their bodies were so tightly wound around each other. Michael’s grasp on his body was intoxicating and his kiss was overwhelming pleasure. He wanted so much more than just a kiss and a bit of oral fun on the deck. He needed the alpha to hold him tight. Adrian craved Michael’s touch, his power, his solid presence and strength.

  Michael seemed to have been thinking along similar lines as he surged up, pushing Adrian back until he was forced to sit on the edge of the desk. Michael paused long enough to sweep everything on the desk behind Adrian away with a clatter. Absently, Adrian was glad that they had decided to start on the opposite side of the computer monitor, or he was sure it, too, would have ended up in the heap on the floor in Michael’s haste. The thought was wiped away, along with any other he might have had, as Michael shoved himself between Adrian’s legs and kissed him hard.

  If their first time together had been explorative and eager, Adrian could see that this time was a mix of passion and desire that he hadn’t felt with someone else in years. Michael pressed his muscular body against Adrian to the point it felt as if he were trying to pin him to the desk. His mouth was demanding as he kissed Adrian, claiming more of him as his large hands roamed all over Adrian. Adrian’s head spun with a heady mixture of pleasure and lust, allowing himself to be overtaken by Michael’s sudden force.

  “Right here,” Michael managed between urgent kisses, slapping the desk as if to emphasize his meaning.

  “Do you happen to keep lube in your office?” Adrian gasped as Michael manhandled him.

  With a bang and a thud, Michael opened one of his drawers, then another, digging about furiously. Adrian might have laughed, but he was just as eager as for Michael to succeed in his hasty search. When Michael gave a cry of victory, a shiver of anticipation shot through Adrian. Michael’s eyes were wide as he drew out the plastic bottle, shoving the drawers shut with a careless push of his arm.

  “Do I want to know why you have that in your office?” Adrian asked with a chuckle.

  Michael paused, checking the bottle in the light of his nearby lamp. “Do these have expiration dates?”

  “Has it really been that long?” Adrian asked incredulously.

  Michael huffed. “Since I had someone in my house that I wanted so badly I pinned them on my desk? Actually, scratch that, I’ve never had anyone in my house who I wanted to fuck as much as I want you right now.”

  Adrian’s eyes were wide as Michael turned to him, finding that he was at a loss for words. That seemed to work out fine for Michael who immediately turned his attention to Adrian’s robe. Adrian leaned up to try to help, but Michael reached out, shoving his hand ont
o Adrian’s chest making sure that he stayed lying, sprawled out and on display on his desk. Adrian grunted as his shoulders bumped onto the desk, grinning in amusement as Michael worked the tie of the robe.

  “And don’t think that me screwing you on the desk means you’re getting out of getting cuddled later,” Michael warned him as he pulled the robe free of Adrian’s body.

  Adrian gave a throaty laugh. “How do you threaten me with cuddles when you’re practically ripping my clothes off?”

  Michael pushed Adrian back down again before he could rise. “Because they’re one and the same thing to me.”

  Adrian wasn’t quite sure what that was supposed to mean, but any response he might have given was stopped when he heard the crack of the bottle being opened. His anticipation spiked as he watched Michael pour some of the liquid over his fingers, coating them thoroughly. Adrian had never been much of a fan of fingers inside him, thinking that the sensation was far stranger than having someone’s dick inside. Yet he would no sooner let Michael slide into him without preparation than he would go into a conversation without several smart-ass comments ready.

  Michael bent forward, one digit pressing against the ring of muscles around Adrian’s ass for a brief, anticipatory moment before sliding forward. Adrian shifted his hips, willing his body to relax as Michael’s finger pushed into him. Michael closed his mouth over the sensitive flesh of Adrian’s inner thigh, sparks of pleasure flaring as the man’s mouth kissed and licked gently. Adrian gave a gasp as Michael opened his mouth, letting his teeth sink into the skin.

  As the pleasure-pain of Michael’s teeth radiated up Adrian’s body, a second finger joined the first inside him. As the feeling of being stretched mingled with the feel of Michael’s mouth, now working its way closer and closer to his groin, Adrian groaned heartily. Michael’s mouth closed around the leaking head of his cock, pleasure now radiating through Adrian as Michael pushed a third well-lubed finger into him. Adrian gasped as he felt himself stretch wider, the noise becoming a whimper of pleasure as Michael’s mouth slid over the length of his cock.