Happy April, everyone!
Well, I’m totally stoked today because I’ve got a new release out! Do you remember Flying High from here? Well, it’s been revamped a bit, with a little mystery and scare added in…and now we’ve got The Scared Stiff Collection: Flying High. You can go here to find it…
Blurb:
Sometimes mate bonds can be damned inconvenient. And sometimes they can be the lifesaving when a murderer sets his sights on one of the pair.
As if life isn’t tough enough for a half Butterfly-half Fae shifter, Tate is thrown for a loop when his mate turns out to be a reclusive Lynx shifter.
Cain is focused on tracking his brother’s killer, so stumbling across his mate at the same time he finds the murderer isn’t in his plans.
Sparks fly between the two men but neither wants to cave too soon to a fated-mate bond. When a serial murderer who targets shifters comes after Cain, the halfling must call up powers he rarely uses to save them both.
And of course Lee Brazil has his new release, Mark’s Opening Gambit, coming out on Friday…you can hop over to our Story Orgy blog to find out all about it! You can go here…
So, now on to the prompt of the week: “One thing I have to say.” And of course the delicious bit of man-candy that Jade dug up for us!
BRANDT’S CHOICE, pt 12
Shit, the kid had given him a scare. He’d thought for minute Mike was going to turn around and walk right out the door. Or curse them out.
But Mike hadn’t.
And now here they stood, each waiting for someone else to make the first move.
“One thing I have to say.” Brandt shifted his gaze between the two men, daring them to interrupt. He had to get this off his chest. Mike cocked his head but kept silent. Kaden looked like he was going to chew his lip to pieces, but he didn’t interject either. Brandt cleared his throat. “I don’t know what exactly Ms. Riley said but I have a feeling I got the gist. And I’m saying she’s wrong. But I know I have to prove it to you.”
Mike’s face flushed, his gaze flicking to find Kaden briefly before returning to meet Brandt’s stare. Brandt admired him for that. Hell, there were rough riders who couldn’t hold another man’s gaze for more than a second before wanting to escape the accountability.
“Will you tell us what she said,” Kaden asked.
“She said to wait and see, Brandt would be leaving with the spring.” Mike shuffled in place, his shoulders slumping as he crammed his hands deeper into his pockets.
“And you said?” Kaden crossed his arms and Brandt could make out the tense muscles bunched under his shirt. Brandt understood what Kaden was feeling, what he was thinking. Mike’s answer, how he responded to outsiders casting their own beliefs on what really wasn’t even a relationship- not yet, anyway -would say a lot about how they could move forward.
“I told her you were retired.”
Brandt had to know. “But what do you really think?”
“I think your track record isn’t great.” Mike pulled his hands out of his jeans, shaking them out at his sides. “But I think I didn’t know the whole story.”
Kaden took slow, measured steps to stand beside Mike. He kept his voice low, like Brandt had heard him before with startled colts. “The story didn’t start until now.”
Nodding, Brandt followed Kaden’s lead to stand on Mike’s opposite side, stopping close enough that Brandt could feel Mike’s body vibrating with the need to do something. What that turned out to be was yet to be seen. Brandt knew what he hoped it would be. “We’ll get to know each other’s history. And I sure as hell can’t wait to learn you.”
A small moan slipped past Mike’s lips and Brandt was satisfied that he had caught the intentional wording. The added bonus was the hitch in Kaden’s breathing at the soft sound. They were all tuned up tight. And Brandt thought it was past time to release some pressure. He leaned forward slightly, barely brushing Mike’s ear with the tip of his nose, to whisper, “Do you want to get to know me? Will you give me a chance?”
Mike swayed toward Brandt, his eyes drifting closed as he took a deep breath. “I don’t love you.”
“I don’t love you either. Not yet.” Brandt smiled, heat pooling in his belly at how this night would end. “But I love Kaden and he loves both of us. So much it’s tearing him up.” He had Mike’s attention now. Kaden’s too. Two sets of eyes, one green and one blue, were fastened on him, searching his own gaze. Brandt hoped he hadn’t overstepped himself and given too much away. “You’ve been here, Mike, when I haven’t. I can’t tell you what that means to me, to know he was in such good hands. Someone who wouldn’t take advantage, even on those drunk nights.”
Mike’s eyes widened and his lips parted slightly. “How-”
Kaden stroked a hand over Mike’s cheek, turning his face to see him. “I can still remember parts of those nights, Mike. And I never went anywhere else but to you.”
“He knew he was safe with you.” Brandt itched with the realization that it wouldn’t always be him that gave Kaden that warmth, but that it was Mike soothed the irritation like salve. “That’s why we need you. You’re here, in the middle, where you should be.”
Mike looked back at Brandt, rubbing his cheek on Kaden’s palm. It was a comforting movement that Brandt didn’t think Mike even knew he was doing. “I don’t get it. Why would you choose to allow me here?” Mike’s words wavered as he spoke, from lust or from fear Brandt couldn’t be certain.
A tiny smile quirked the corner of Kaden’s mouth and Kaden met Brandt’s gaze. So much love and hope shined in Kaden’s eyes that Brandt wanted more than his next breath to have this work out right. He just didn’t know what to say- or how to say it -to make that happen.
Kaden shook his head. “I think that’s a good question. Because I’m sure you both know that my choice was made when I fell in love with you both. It’s really the two of you that have to make the decision.”
“Don’t get me wrong.” Panic returned to Mike’s face and he grabbed both Kaden’s and Brandt’s arms. “I’m in. I mean, I want to see where this goes. Hopefully to the damn bedroom sooner or later, but hell, if it’s just this for now, that’s fine. I’m not gonna bail because of some blue balls…as long as you don’t.”
The last of his words were directed at Brandt.
Kaden shifted, closing the gap lingering between them as they stood almost shoulder to shoulder. Kaden’s strong fingers wound around Brandt’s wrist, branding his skin with the heat of his touch. “What’s your choice, rodeo? You staying?”
The deep pull of desire that ricocheted along Brandt’s nerves shook him and stole his breath. He could only stand, alternating his gaze between them, seeing the pure need echoing in their gazes for an honest answer.
Brandt could tell them about the plans he’d made with the circuit to open a rodeo clown training ranch. He could tell them about the way he’d set up the extra rooms in his house to accommodate Kaden and Mike’s vet practice or maybe even tell them about the California King bed that had just been delivered to his place two days ago. But right now, they only needed the simple truth. “I’m staying.”
Soft lips brushed the underside of his jaw and Brandt moaned with the hesitant touch. Mike’s cologne, crisp and fresh, teased Brandt’s senses. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath of the subtle scent, letting it wrap around him to sooth the raw edges created over the past hour. “Feels good.”
“Tastes good.” Mike punctuated his words with a nip to Brandt’s chin.
Kaden’s hand slipped upward along Brandt’s arm. “Got room for one more?”
“Thought that was my line?” Mike chuckled at his own joke.
Brandt grunted. Whether they took that as a yes for Kaden or a laugh for Mike, he didn’t care. He needed more touches. More kisses. Brandt slid one hand around Kaden’s waist to pull him closer and gripped Mike’s neck with the other. Tilting Mike’s head back, Brandt traced his lips with a lazy kiss designed to leave room for Kaden to join them.
Mike had other plans, it seemed. He climbed Brandt’s body like a tree, wrapping his legs around Brandt’s hips, grinding their cocks together through two layers of denim. Brandt tucked his hands under Mike’s legs to hold him and then ducked his head to press kisses along Mike’s neck. Tiny vibrations tingled his lips as Mike moaned and dropped his head back.
Kaden hummed under his breath and moved behind Mike to sandwich him between them. “Yeah, I think this is where we left off.”
“Oh hell.” Mike’s movements stopped and he shifted to see Kaden. “It is where we left off. And we are not ending the same way. Turn that damn phone off.”
Brandt laughed. “I’m with Kitten. Turn the thing off for a while.”
Pulling his cell from his pocket, Kaden made an exaggerated show of turning the ringer off before tossing it to the couch. “How about we move this to the bedroom?”
“And lose the clothes?” Mike shimmied down from Brandt’s arms, unzipping his jeans and shoving them down his legs.
Brandt couldn’t help the grin. Kitten was a perfect nickname for their new lover. Mike was energetic and a breath of fresh air. He and Kaden had become jaded in their friendship and had managed to become staid without ever having become a couple. They needed Mike to keep them on their toes.
<<TBC>>
Hope y’all have a great Monday and make sure you head over to the other Orgy blogs and see what they’ve done with this awesome prompt…
Lee Brazil – http://leebrazilauthor.blogspot.com/
Havan Fellows – http://havanshawthaven.blogspot.com/
Hank Edwards – http://hankedwardsbooks.com/hankerings./
JR Boyd – http://jr-boyd.blogspot.com/
Jade Baiser - http://jade-wetdreams.blogspot.com/
~Em
We have a few reminders and big ol’ yay! today.
Scared Stiff Collection! Here’s the blurb:
