STORY EXCERPT

Grant rolled his gray eyes, drumming his fingers on the counter. “Whatever, man. But check this out. Rowan got a line on some premium shit. You wanna party with us tonight?”

“Drugs are for losers.” Jamie fought to keep the tears from falling. He was never going to escape Grant, not as long as his brother lived there rent-free. Jamie desperately wanted to kick him out, but Grant was bigger, stronger, with a prison-built body that could pound Jamie into dust.

Grant went very still, staring at Jamie like he was calculating which torture method would hurt most. “Loser?”

Oh no! He hadn’t meant for that slip out, but Grant wouldn’t accept any excuse or apology. Being disrespected publicly wasn’t something he’d just forgive. Jamie really, really wished he could rewind time and clamp a hand over his past self’s mouth.

The look in Grant’s eyes made it clear he wasn’t going to forget this.

“Is there a reason you cabrones are holding up the line?”

Jamie’s head whipped to the right, his breath hitching, as everything else faded to background noise.

It was him. The customer who showed up every Sunday like clockwork, cart loaded to the brim, face breathtakingly gorgeous.

Oh crackers! Jamie stopped himself from checking his breath. Now he wanted one of Grant’s stolen Altoids.

It was the stranger who made Jamie’s tummy flutter every single week. The most he’d ever said was “thanks” to Jamie, but someday the guy would notice him. He was sure of it. Jamie would spread himself across that conveyor belt naked if the guy asked. Drop to his knees right here. Bend over with his pants around his ankles.

Jamie crossed his arms, then let them fall, then propped one on the counter and one on the register like he was posing for Cashier Monthly. Did that kind of magazine exist? Maybe Cashier Quarterly?

Grant’s jaw ticked with annoyance.

“Don’t,” Jamie whispered harshly, refusing to meet Mr. Made-for-Wet-Dreams’ incredible tropical-blue eyes. “You’re gonna get me fired.” Plus his brother’s voice was ruining Jamie’s whole fantasy.

“The fuck you call me?” Grant angled toward Beefcake, completely ignoring Jamie’s plea.

His lust muffin might’ve been packing a ridiculous amount of hard, rippling muscles, but… Jamie blinked, losing his train of thought completely. Sweet buttered toast. Sexy Body’s T-shirt was stretched so tight it probably needed physical therapy. Jamie would be happy to remove the offending fabric. With his teeth.

Staring was rude, but he couldn’t rip his eyes away. For months he’d looked forward to Sunday afternoons, knowing his honey bunny would appear.

Heck, he’d switched shifts just to work Sundays if he wasn’t scheduled for them. He was crushing on his boo so hard he should’ve reduced the poor guy to rubble.

Pathetic? Absolutely. Regrets? Zero.

Those tropical-blue eyes locked with Grant’s menacing gray ones. If these two started swinging, the whole store would become a war zone. While his brother was clearly ticked off, Jamie’s jellybean looked like he was calculating every pressure point on Grant’s body, planning maximum damage.

Then his dreamboat shooed at them like they were misbehaving toddlers. “My ice cream’s melting, ladies.”

A laugh escaped before Jamie could stop it. He pressed his lips together, totally captivated by his pookie’s deep, sexy voice. It was the first time he’d heard him say more than a single word, and Jamie wanted to beg him to keep talking. Dirty talk would be more than welcome.

Red alert! His inked god glanced at him. He’s looking at me! Play it cool. Don’t do anything to embarrass yourself. Jamie grinned and gave a little wave, nearly fainting when his cupcake winked at him.

He tried to return the wink but ended up scrunching his whole face like he was having a stroke.

The guy chuckled, an actual dreamy sound, but Grant clearly didn’t find it funny. He reached across the bagging area and whapped Jamie upside his head, making him cry out at the sudden smack.

Jamie jerked back with a yelp as the stranger slammed Grant chest-first against the conveyor belt, one muscled arm pinning Grant’s back while the other fist tangled in his hair.

Rowan stepped forward like he was planning a sneak attack. “Behind you!” Jamie shouted, pointing directly at the creep.

A low growl froze Rowan mid-step, but the look he shot Jamie was pure ice.

“You did not just do that in front of me, pendejo,” Blue Eyes snarled at Grant. “Apologize, or you lose the whole fucking arm.”

The fluorescent lights must’ve hit his eyes weird because Jamie could’ve sworn they were glowing soft amber. Honestly they were the most incredible eyes he’d ever seen.

“He’s my brother,” Grant sneered, trying to sound tough despite being pinned like a bug. “He’s slow, so he didn’t even feel it.”

Jamie’s jaw dropped. His brother had just humiliated him in front of the man of his dreams. A small crowd had gathered, several people glancing his way, but Jamie was too mortified to care about them.

“I’m not slow!” he shouted, hands clenched into fists. “I have brain damage because of you!”

He spun around and dashed toward the breakroom, brushing past Jerry, who’d just emerged from his office. “Jamie, what’s wrong, buddy? Hey, you can’t go back there!”

Jerry wasn’t making sense since Jamie worked there, but he didn’t stop to ask questions. He discovered the reason soon enough.

“Stop running.”

Shoot! Jamie stumbled at the deep voice right behind him, nearly face-planting into the wall. A strong arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him back against a solid chest.

“Easy, colibri.” The voice gentled, warm and close. “Walls can be unforgiving.”

“Walls can’t forgive.” Jamie cursed, knowing what the guy meant, which only proved Grant’s point.

“Tell that to the ones I’ve run into.” He chuckled, the sound vibrating through Jamie’s back. “Been knocked unconscious more times than I care to remember.” He still hadn’t let go. “Stupid question, but are you okay?”

ADULT EXCERPT

“Now,” Cesar settled more fully between Jamie’s thighs, reveling in the way his colibri’s eyes darkened. “Let me show you how much better reality is than fantasy.”

He started with Jamie’s mouth, kissing him thoroughly until those soft lips were swollen and pink. Then he moved lower, pressing open-mouthed kisses along his jaw, down the column of his throat. Jamie’s pulse hammered beneath his tongue, rapid and excited.

“Tan dulce,” Cesar murmured against his collarbone, tasting the salt of Jamie’s skin. “Tan perfecto para mí.”

“I love when you speak Spanish,” Jamie gasped, fingers tangling in Cesar’s hair. “Even though I have no idea what you’re saying.”

“I’m saying you taste like heaven,” Cesar translated, moving lower to worship the smooth expanse of Jamie’s chest. “And that you’re perfect for me.”

A soft moan escaped Jamie’s lips as Cesar’s mouth found his nipple, tongue flicking over the sensitive bud. The sound went straight to Cesar’s cock, already hard and aching with need.

“Oh god,” Jamie arched beneath him, fingers tightening in his hair. “That’s—I can't—”

Cesar lavished attention on the peaked flesh, alternating between gentle licks and firmer suction until Jamie was writhing beneath him. Only then did he move to the other side, giving it the same treatment while his hands mapped every inch of exposed skin.

“You’re killing me, jellybean,” Jamie panted, hips bucking involuntarily.

“Good.” Cesar bit down gently on the neglected nipple, earning a sharp cry of pleasure. “Want you desperate for me.”

“Mission accomplished,” Jamie laughed breathlessly. “I've been desperate since the first time I saw you squeeze a cantaloupe.”

Cesar pulled back to look at him—hair mussed, lips swollen, eyes bright with desire and affection. His heart did something complicated in his chest, a mixture of possessiveness and tenderness that threatened to overwhelm him.

“Eres mío,” Cesar said softly, hands skimming down Jamie’s sides to hook in the waistband of his boxers. “Say it. Say you’re mine.”

“I’m yours,” Jamie replied without hesitation, lifting his hips to help as Cesar slowly peeled away the last barrier between them. “Have been since you defended me from Grant.”

The sight of Jamie completely naked and spread beneath him made Cesar’s wolf surge forward, amber bleeding into his vision. “Hermoso,” he growled, hands settling on lean thighs to spread them wider. “So fucking beautiful.”

Jamie’s cock lay hard and flushed against his belly, already leaking with arousal. Cesar wanted to taste, to worship every inch of his mate’s body until Jamie was sobbing with pleasure.

“Your turn,” Jamie demanded, tugging at the waistband of Cesar’s boxer briefs. “I want to see all of you.”

Cesar stood just long enough to strip off the last of his clothing, his cock springing free to stand thick and heavy between his legs. Jamie’s eyes widened, following the length of him from base to tip.

“Sweet buttered toast,” Jamie breathed then bit his lip. “I was right about the packing.”

“Like what you see, colibrí?” Cesar asked, settling between Jamie’s thighs.

“Sweet mercy,” Jamie breathed, eyes dark with want. “This is all mine?”

“Every last inch,” Cesar growled, capturing Jamie’s mouth in a hungry kiss.

Cesar kissed his way down Jamie’s body, pausing to lavish attention on every sensitive spot he discovered. The hollow of his throat that made him gasp. The spot just below his ribs that made him giggle and squirm. The sharp jut of his hipbone that had him arching off the bed.

“What are you—oh fudge.” Jamie’s words dissolved into a moan as Cesar’s tongue traced a path along his inner thigh. “Cesar…you…ung—”

“Patience,” Cesar murmured, breathing over Jamie’s aching cock without touching. “Want to taste every inch of you first.”

He followed through on the promise, mapping Jamie’s body with lips and tongue until his mate was trembling with need. Only then did he finally close his mouth around the head of Jamie’s cock, earning a broken cry of relief.

“Dios, you taste good.” Cesar pulled back just long enough to speak before taking him deeper, hollowing his cheeks as he worked.

Jamie’s hands flew to his hair, not pushing but holding on like an anchor. “Doce... once... diez...” The Spanish numbers tumbled from his lips in a breathless whisper.

Cesar pulled off with a wet pop, concerned. “You okay, colibrí?”

“More than okay,” Jamie panted, eyes glazed with pleasure. “Just trying not to come down your throat in the first five seconds.”

Relief and arousal flooded through Cesar. He pressed one more kiss to the head of Jamie’s cock before moving back up his body, settling between spread thighs.

“Ready for me?” he asked, positioning himself at Jamie’s entrance.

“Been ready since you winked at me in the grocery store,” Jamie replied, wrapping his legs around Cesar’s waist. “Since I first saw you, that melon squeeze… Pick a moment and it’ll be true.”

Cesar felt his body respond to his mate’s proximity, precum already beginning to flow. The clear fluid coated Jamie’s entrance, making his elegido’s muscles relax while lubing him at the same time. He pressed forward slowly, just the head of his cock breaching that tight ring of muscle.

Jamie tensed slightly, breath catching.

Cesar stayed perfectly still while his body worked its magic, feeling the natural lubricant doing its job.

Another spurt of precum, then another, and he felt Jamie’s body begin to relax around him.

“Better?” he asked, pressing soft kisses along Jamie’s jaw.

“Yeah.” Jamie’s voice was wonder-struck. “It doesn't hurt. How—?”

“Told you.” Cesar smiled against his skin. “Wolf shifter biology. Made for this.”

He pressed forward another inch, then another, feeling Jamie’s body open for him like a flower. His mate’s soft gasps and sighs filled the air between them, each sound stoking the fire in Cesar’s blood.

“Perfecto,” he murmured, finally fully seated inside Jamie’s tight heat. “Absolutamente perfecto.”

Jamie’s arms wrapped around his shoulders, holding him close. “Move,” he whispered. “Please move.”

Cesar obeyed, setting a slow, steady rhythm that had them both gasping. Each stroke lit up nerve endings, pleasure building between them like a gathering storm.

“Mine,” Cesar growled against Jamie’s throat, feeling his canines lengthen. “You’re mine, mi elegido.”

“Yours,” Jamie agreed breathlessly, body arching to meet each thrust. “All yours, pookie.”