STORY EXCERPT

Paris Wisehart was beginning to question his decision to move to Midnight Falls. He and his best friend were supposed to be lying low, but Alister was being… well, Alister. Paris had never imagined that a small red panda shifter could be so blind when it came to dating the wrong guy.

It had been only two weeks since they’d arrived in town, and already Paris’s bestie was threatening to castrate his boyfriend.

“You’re fucking insane, Al!” Negan shouted at Alister while they stood on the street in what was pathetically referred to as downtown.

Before they’d uprooted their lives, Paris had lived in a bustling city. Now he was jonesing for a salted caramel cream cold brew. He highly doubted this backwater town had anything close to it.

“Don’t you dare call me Al,” Alister shouted just as loudly, causing the locals to turn and look. “You know damn well I hate that nickname. Do I look like Al Bundy?”

“How am I supposed to know you hate that nickname since we met four days ago?” Negan countered. “I can’t believe you’re acting extra over paying for lunch. I told you I forgot my wallet.”

“And proceeded to order a shit-ton of things on the menu!” Alister jabbed a finger at Negan. “I want my thirty bucks back, you parasite.”

Negan unleashed a barrage of derogatory insults at Alister.

Alister gasped, his fingertips pressing against his chest, and then he lunged at Negan with a snarl. Paris yanked Alister back, preventing him from being charged with assault or possibly killing the human with his shifter strength.

Paris groaned when a police car pulled up next to them. Fuck my life.

“Shut up and calm down, you lunatic,” Paris hissed at Alister. “The cops are here.”

“Good. They can make this grimy loser give me back my money,” Alister argued.

Negan delivered a harsh slap to Alister’s face.

His temper exploding, Paris struck back with an equally hard slap, leaving a bright red mark on the asshole’s cheek. “If you ever lay a hand on him again, I’ll rip your heart out!”

The cop quickly exited his vehicle and charged toward the sidewalk. In one swift motion, he grabbed Paris and shoved him face-down onto the hood of his car. Then Deputy Dickhead pulled Paris’s arms behind him, pinning him in place. “That was pretty stupid assaulting a guy right in front of me.”

“Negan started it!” Alister’s pale blue eyes widened as he waved his arms around like he was trying to soar into the sky. “Don’t you dare hurt him!”

“You,” the deputy said in a commanding tone as he pointed at Negan. “Get your ass over here and don’t move while I call for backup.”

“Why are you detaining me?” Negan bellowed. “It was these two clowns acting like fools.”

“I’m not blind,” the deputy argued. “I saw you slap the other guy a second ago.”

Paris turned his head to the side just as Negan darted down the street and disappeared around a corner. The deputy let out a curse and starting talking police jargon. Paris assumed he was calling dispatch on his radio, relaying information about Negan, including his full name, as he maintained his grip on Paris’s wrists.

This was the last thing he wanted. A group of people gathering around them. “Mind your own business, Nosy Nellies,” Paris yelled at them. “Go bake some pies and drink some moonshine.”

“Shut it,” Deputy Dickhead barked at Paris. “You’re already in enough trouble.”

“How much to let him go?” Alister asked from behind them.

“Are you trying to bribe me?” The deputy’s voice was filled with indignation.

Paris wished Alister would just be quiet. He was only making matters worse. So much for keeping a low profile. Now Paris had to worry about their names entering the system. All this over thirty damn dollars.

“I mean, how much will his bail be?” Alister quickly amended. “I can pay it right now. You don’t have to book him.”

“That’s not how it works.” The deputy snapped handcuffs onto Paris’s wrists then pulled him from the hood. He was spun around and forced to rest his butt against the car.

When the cop arrived, he’d rushed toward them so fast it prevented Paris from getting a good look at him. Now that he stared up into caramel-colored eyes, holy hell. The nametag on his uniform shirt read “Deputy Lowery.” He was at least six-four, with bulging muscles that strained against the fabric of his shirt.

Yummy beefcake in a uniform.

Paris caught a faint scent that caused his nose to twitch. He discreetly breathed in and realized the guy was a lion shifter. The cop’s muscular build and commanding voice only confirmed it.

But there was more to his scent. Paris inhaled a little deeper as a hint of warm summer fire mingled with the rich aroma of bourbon filled his lungs.

Thankfully, Deputy Lowery was too preoccupied with the arrival of another police cruiser to notice Paris sniffing him. However, Alister had noticed and started sniffing, too. He looked up at the cop with his mouth slightly open and silently mouthed, “He’s a lion.”

“How long am I going to sit in jail?” Paris demanded, his skin chafing against the cuffs.

Deputy Lowery turned his caramel eyes on Paris. “You should have considered the consequences before you assaulted Negan.”

ADULT EXCERPT

He tossed Paris onto the bed, following him down with a playful growl. His mate laughed and swatted at him, the fire that Cannon adored so much burning in Paris’s eyes.

Cannon reclaimed his mate’s lips as his hands began exploring the man’s body, pulling his shirt up and caressing his soft abs. In response, Paris’s grip tightened around Cannon’s neck, dragging him down for a deeper kiss.

Their bodies pressed together, hot and eager, like two halves coming together as one whole. Cannon could feel the want and need growing inside him, building until it was almost unbearable.

He pulled back from the kiss with a groan and looked into Paris’s stunning gems. “Are you sure you’re ready?”

“Yes,” Paris whispered back between ragged breaths. The fire in his eyes had turned into an inferno. It was time to fan the flames.

Cannon’s fingers moved to the buttons of Paris’s shirt, slowly undoing them one by one, revealing the smooth, toned chest beneath. He trailed his lips down his mate’s neck, nipping and sucking at the sensitive skin as he went.

Paris arched his back, moaning as Cannon mapped the guy’s body with his hands. Paris ran his fingers through Cannon’s hair, pulling him closer, clearly wanting to feel their bare skin against each other.

“Get out of your uniform, Deputy Delicious.” Paris shoved him backward as he slid from the bed, shimmying out of his skinny jeans.

Cannon stood there and watched, his dick so hard it hurt, as his mate bent over, putting his rounded ass on display as he yanked his jeans the rest of the way off.

Mesmerized by the stunning sight before him, Cannon moved in behind his mate and cupped his globes, giving the soft skin a squeeze.

“I can’t wait to climb the mountain and stake my claim,” Paris said breathlessly.

Cannon’s cock pulsed. He stepped back and yanked the rest of his clothes off as Paris tossed aside his boxers and peeled away his socks. He turned, his body so fucking exquisite that Cannon had to grip the base of his dick to stop from coming. Paris’s cock jutted from a nest of neatly trimmed auburn hair, his balls already tight to his body.

“Fair warning, I’m not going to last,” Paris said. “Give me a minute afterward, and I’ll be ready to go again.” He poked Cannon in his bare chest. “Don’t you dare hold my quick trigger against me.”

“The only thing I’ll hold against you is me.” Cannon curled his hand around Paris’s finger, yanking his mate closer. He guided Paris across the room so he could grab the bottle of lube from a dresser drawer, their gazes locked the entire time.

Then it was Paris who gripped Cannon’s hand and led him back to the bed. “I’m going to ride you like a bucking bronco.” He smirked.

Cannon was completely lost to the guy. At that moment, he would go wherever his little fox led him.

“I can’t wait.” He lifted his mate up, dropping him onto his back on the bed. “But first I have to knock the edge off for you.”

 Cannon’s lips crashed onto Paris’s in a searing kiss, their tongues battling for dominance as they tasted each other. He trailed his lips down Paris’s neck, nipping and sucking as he went. His mate arched his back with a gasp when Cannon reached his nipples, flicking his tongue over the hardened peaks before biting down gently.

“Goddamn!” Paris cried out.

Cannon moved lower, gliding his hands down Paris’s flawless body as he went. He parted the guy’s legs, settling between them.

His mate moaned when Cannon blew a soft breath over his cock, making it twitch in anticipation. He licked the tip, savoring the taste of pre-cum before taking Paris deep into his mouth.

Paris threaded his fingers through Cannon’s hair, guiding him as he fucked Cannon’s mouth. “Yes, just like that,” he panted, hips lifting off the bed with each thrust. “Oh my god!”

The guy was very vocal, and Cannon loved every sound Paris made. He lubed his fingers then worked one past the tight ring of muscles. What he hadn’t expected was for Paris to drive his ass downward, impaling himself.

“Give me another,” Paris begged. “The stretch burns like hell, but I really don’t care.”

Grinning around his mate’s cock, Cannon slid the flat of his tongue upward until he reached the head and then suckled it as he added another finger. He spread them as he twisted his wrist, grazing his mate’s prostate.

“Jesus!” Paris’s hips shot upward so fast that he drove his shaft down Cannon’s throat.

There was nothing sweeter than a lover who let you know how good you made them feel. It was a caress to Cannon’s ego, but more importantly, Paris was drowning in pleasure.

Moving his free hand down to cup Paris’s balls, Cannon gently massaged them as he continued to work his fingers in and out of his mate’s tight hole. He could feel the muscles starting to relax, and Paris was meeting each of his thrusts with eager ones of his own.

Cannon loved the way Paris was losing control. He twisted his fingers again, earning another shout from the man below him. Then he worked a third finger inside, driving them in and out of Paris’s ass like they were his cock.