“Rueben? This is Lamar.”
Fuck, what horrible timing. “H-hey,” he gritted out.
Evidently, his attempt to sound normal fell flat.
“Are you all right? Is something wrong?” Lamar quickly asked.
Sucking in a breath as he rolled onto his back, Rueben tried to ignore the throbs that rolled steadily through his foot and up his leg with every beat of his heart. “God damn it,” he growled. “I’m sorry, Lamar. I—shit!” His head swam. He had to pull the phone away and focus on breathing for several seconds. Spots once more danced across his vision. He wished the fucking marionettes would stop using his brain as a stage.
“Rueben? Rueben!”
Lamar’s voice sounded louder than it should. Suddenly, his door banged open. He craned his neck to see who was entering—How the hell?—but even that small movement caused his head to spin.
Instead, Rueben rolled onto his side and curled into a fetal position, careful to keep his bad ankle off the ground. He knew if he just stayed still for a few minutes, the spikes would stop stabbing into his leg.
“Hey,” Lamar crooned.
Rueben didn’t know how the man had gotten inside, but he sure liked the way Lamar slid his hands over his shoulder, chest, neck, and back. The man’s touch soothed Rueben unlike anything he’d experienced in a long, long time.
His breathing slowed.
Turning his head, Rueben smiled up at him. “Hey,” he murmured. “Not that I’m not grateful, but…how’d you get in here?”
Lamar shrugged. “Motel doors aren’t really made to withstand brute force. Sam, uh, well, he’s a big guy. Come on. Let’s get you off this cold, wet floor,” Lamar urged, changing the subject.
Rueben let him, too surprised with how easily Lamar handled his weight. “Damn,” he grunted. “For such a slender guy, you’re strong.” He’d cringe at how inane that comment sounded, later, even though what he said was true. Rueben had no idea how this slender whip-of-a-man could handle his two hundred fifty pound bulk.
“Smaller men are often under estimated,” Lamar stated, his fingers digging into Rueben’s side as he helped him out of the bathroom, into the bedroom, and onto the bed.
Unable to resist, Rueben wrapped his arms around the hot blond’s torso, then tugged and rolled the man. Lamar squeaked indignantly, but didn’t fight him, which Rueben really, really liked. Within seconds, he laid half on top of Lamar. His hands swept under the man’s shirt, rubbing the smooth firm skin with calloused fingers. He pressed his face against Lamar’s neck, licking and nipping the prominent tendon running up its length.
Lamar shivered under his ministrations and tilted his head, giving Rueben more access.
“Yeah,” Rueben growled. “So fucking sexy.” His shaft thickened, pressing insistently against Lamar’s jean-clad hip. The soft, well-worn fabric felt amazing to his sensitive erection. He couldn’t remember a time when he’d become this aroused this fast. Something about this man seemed to flip all his switches.
“Wait,” Lamar gasped.
“Don’t wanna,” Rueben moaned, working his lips up Lamar’s neck to his ear. He sucked the soft lobe into his mouth and tugged lightly.
Lamar groaned. “Gotta, ugh, shit,” he hissed. “Your leg.”
“Feels fantastic,” Rueben crooned. “Nothin’ like endorphins to drive away pain.”
Unable to wait another second to once more taste the man he was quickly becoming obsessed with, Rueben cupped Lamar’s skull and captured his mouth. Nipping his soon-to-be lover’s lips, he slid his tongue into Lamar, tangling their appendages together. He then drew Lamar’s tongue into his mouth and sucked, mimicking what he wanted to do to the man’s dick.
Rueben’s hands roved over Lamar’s chest under his shirt and plucked his nipples. Lamar moaned, his body bowing, pushing into the contact. The man’s responses inflamed his blood, and he could think of nothing but getting Lamar naked as quickly as possible.
Chapter Four
Lamar’s blood pounded through his veins. His body arched into Rueben’s exquisite touch. I should put a stop to this. The door is open. Anyone could come in. Rueben tweaked his nipple and his thoughts scattered as delicious sparks shot from the bud his mate tortured straight to his cock.
Wrapping his free leg around Rueben’s thigh, Lamar rocked up. The increased pressure on his dick, combined with the heady scent of Rueben and how his mate held and touched him, felt so good, so right.
Nothing mattered except pleasing his mate, caressing the hard, thick muscles of his back and shoulders. In the bathroom, he’d noted that the big, pale redhead was practically hairless except for the thin patch of curls at his groin. Lamar cupped his mate’s jaw, not surprised to find not even a hint of a five o’clock shadow.