STORY EXCERPT

“Hey, hey there. Welcome back,” a male voice said.

James frowned. His hand rose to his head.

What had happened? Why was he on the ground? Where was Sophia? The thought of her had him sitting up so fast that his head spun.

“Whoa.” Gentle hands pushed him back. “I think you should take it easy. Your horse is fine. I’ve tied her to the tree over there.”

Was—was this man talking to him? No, that couldn’t be possible, because that would mean…

James blinked at the man, the sun catching behind him like an angel. He was roughly James’s own age, maybe a few years older but maximum twenty-five. His jet-black hair shone in the sun, and his dark eyes flickered with concern. James cleared his throat but found he couldn’t speak.

No, no, this couldn’t be happening. This man was his mate.

James ground his teeth and sat up, his vision blurry.

“Good job you were wearing your helmet.” The man continued talking, even though James hadn’t said anything to him yet. “Otherwise, this could have been really nasty. But you may still have a concussion.”

James cast his gaze around the grounds. Well, thank fuck this man was alone. Otherwise, there would be an entirely different conversation going on right now, about how this stranger was the only one who could see him.

James inhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Are you a doctor or something?” he asked.

The man cleared his throat. “Well, no, but it doesn’t take a medical degree to figure that you may have a concussion.”

“I’m fine,” James bit out and stood up.

Mercifully, apart from a sore head, he did seem to be fine. Mostly. The fact that his mate was in front of him upset him more than the fall.

Their gazes caught and held. Oh God, why was he being so rude? It wasn’t this man’s fault.

“Thank you,” James said quietly. “But I have to get back. And get Sophia back to the stables.”

The man swallowed and held out his hand. “Speaking of names, mine is Grant.”

James took his hand in a brief handshake. “James. Pleased to meet you.”

James turned to Sophia before pausing and turning back to Grant.

“What are you doing on my land?” James hadn’t meant for it to come out with a bite to it, but it did. This was private land. Grant shouldn’t be on it.

Grant ran a hand through his hair. “Oh shit, this is your land? I’m sorry.” He made a sweeping gesture to the manor. “I’m looking for a place to stay, and I thought perhaps this was a hotel.”

James shook his head, the helmet moving from side to side. Well, that hurt. Painkillers were calling his name. He pulled off his helmet and winced.

Grant winced right along with him, as if he was also feeling the pain.

“Why don’t I help you back?” Grant offered. “I’m not entirely confident you’ll make it there in one piece.”

James studied him for a moment. He wanted to refuse, but there was something in his bones, his marrow, that wanted Grant, that wanted to be near him. This must be the mysterious mate bond.

“Yes, thank you,” he said.

They walked in silence, picking up Sophia along the way and returning her to the stables.

Grant smiled and touched Sophia’s mane.

“She likes you,” James said, a smile curving his lips. And it was true. Sophia wasn’t one for people, including his own brothers. She’d headbutted Oscar the first time he petted her and attempted to bite Henry.

“I like her. She’s a beautiful horse.”

James chuckled. “Careful, don’t go giving her too big a head. She’s enough of a princess as it is.”

They continued their walk to the manor, their feet crunching on the gravel drive. James found himself glad to have Grant by his side. The manor looked a little blurry around the edges. Maybe he did have a concussion. Wonderful.

He walked a little closer to Grant.

“Lean on me if you need to,” he told him. Grant whistled low, taking in the manor. “This is beautiful.”

James murmured his thanks to both statements.

“So, is everything okay?”

James’s gaze flew to Grant. “What?”

“Well, you looked a little reckless there…”

James ground his teeth together. “And what makes you say that?”

Grant sighed. “Look, it’s none of my business, but it was almost like you were looking for an accident for something. The way you were riding out there…” He paused, running a hand through his hair. “Well, it didn’t seem like the way a happy person would ride. Did you receive some bad news or something?”

James’s mouth hung open. How had this man managed to read his emotions in the little time he had spent with him? But James didn’t want this. He didn’t want to be read. He wanted to live in a tiny bubble on his own. And right now, he wanted to lie down after taking some heavy painkillers.

“That’s really none of your business,” James murmured.

ADULT EXCERPT

“What do you want?” James breathed.

Grant swallowed. “You. Inside me. And me inside you. If that’s…”

It was James’s turn to swallow, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down.

“Yes, yes.”

Grant leaned forward, tugging down James’s boxers to reveal his long, hard dick. Grant’s heart hammered at the tiny bud of pre-cum he found there. He bent forward, licking up the salty liquid.

James gasped, his hands falling into Grant’s hair. It was time for Grant to show James what he was made of. He flipped James so that he was on his back in one swift movement before falling on James’s dick, kissing and licking and sucking until he had worked James into a writhing frenzy. Grant licked one of his fingers and slipped it into James’s tight hole, massaging it, feeling the tight muscles relax against his fingers. James whimpering at Grant’s touch almost had him coming all over again. All it took were a few more hard and deep sucks for James to spill himself into Grant’s mouth.

James looked up at him with a look of wonder. “I think you have a lot to teach me.”

Grant laughed, dropping a kiss to James’s lips. “You’re perfect. But I’d be happy to. James, have you ever…”

James shook his head. “I’ve never been taken before. But I want you to take me.”

“I’d be honored. If you’re sure…”

James’s dark gaze flashed. “So sure,” he whispered. He gestured to his bedside table. “I have some oil…” He trailed off, reaching for the bottle. “And protection.”

Grant took both from him. “That will help. And we will take it slowly.” Grant twisted James so that he was lying prone on his front, taking the time to kiss down every inch of his body, massaging him as he went, feeling the tight muscles in his back relax under his touch. Grant kissed and licked at James’s hole, holding his hips tightly, raising them slightly so that he could get a better angle, probe him deeper. James writhed as Grant inserted a finger, then two, taking it slowly and gently.

“I’m ready,” James panted. “I want you.”

Grant pulled on a condom and slicked it in oil. He wanted this to be as comfortable and pleasurable for James as possible.

“Turn back over.”

As Grant lined his prick up with James’s entrance, their gazes locked and held, a quiet moment passing between them.

“Slowly,” Grant said. “I’ll go slowly.”

James didn’t answer, just pulled him closer, a warm, satisfied smile on his face. Grant slid the first inch of his cock inside James, expecting there to be resistance, but it slid in easily, comfortably. He allowed James to adjust to the stretch, the pull, when all Grant wanted to do was push the full length of his cock inside him, to be buried so deeply. They would get there. It would just take a bit of—oh.

Grant gasped as the rest of his dick slid into James. He blinked down at him with wide eyes.

“Are you okay?” he rasped out. The urge to move, to thrust, was strong.

James smiled a slow smile of satisfaction. “Yes, more than okay.”

Grant rolled his hips gently, watching for any signs of discomfort on James’s face. But all he saw was wonder. Pleasure.

Grant continued his thrusts, not stopping now. James’s tight heat hugged him, tugging his release from him. Grant was so deep, so warm.

His balls tightened, and he gasped, pleasure rippling down his spine.

“I’m going to—"

Grant clenched and threw his head back, coming and coming. Once he got hold of himself, James’s gaze was locked onto him with longing.

“Can…can I?” James asked.

Grant knew what he meant. He pulled his prick gently out of him. James reached for the oil and coated his own prick.

“I’m ready for you,” Grant said. And he was. He ached to feel James inside him, for James to feel the same pleasure he just felt, for James’s release to be inside him.

James slid inside him with ease and shuddered.

“Grant…” he groaned.

“I know,” Grant said. “Take what you need, love, my all is yours.”

James cupped a hand to Grant’s face, and there was so much love in his eyes that it threatened to overwhelm Grant. James did as he asked, though, and that wiped any thoughts bare from Grant’s mind as James rutted into him, hard and fast, with his long, powerful prick.