Chapter One
Nicky sang the lyrics to his favorite Bruno Mars song as he danced his way into the room in front of Marco. He’d been told he had a nice singing voice, and Marco smiled indulgently at him as Nicky swayed his hips and did a little two-step on his way over to Marco to trail his fingers over his broad, muscular chest.
Teasingly, Nicky skipped away as Marco reached for him, humming softly as he pulled off his clothes to get ready for bed. It was late and he needed sleep, but Nicky was still exhilarated and happy because the party to welcome the newcomers to the pack had been such a huge success. Nicky pulled up his shirt and ran his hands over the taut muscles of his abs, moving his other hand down inside the waistband of his jeans, knowing Marco’s eyes were on him. Nicky loved to tease Marco, making the bulge in his tight jeans even larger than it already was.
Marco moved up beside him and brushed Nicky’s hand on his abs impatiently away, replacing it with his own. The larger man pulled him tightly against his body and put his lips to the skin at Nicky’s throat, his tongue licking out causing Nicky to groan and thrust his hips out toward him. Before Nicky quite knew what was happening, Marco had taken over the job of undressing him. He left a trail of Nicky’s clothes on the floor as he walked him backward to the bed, then picked him up and tossed him on the mattress.
Grabbing both his wrists in one of his hands, Marco pulled them up over his head and held them there while his mouth moved to Nicky’s throat, his eyes, and back to his lips. He dipped his head down and took one brown nipple in his mouth, teasing and taunting the sensitive nub with his teeth and his tongue. He dropped his hands down to cup Nicky’s ass and pulled him possessively close to him. The intensity and the desperation startled Nicky. “God, I need you. I love you so much,” Marco whispered frantically in Nicky’s ear. “Love me, baby. I have to have you.”
Nicky laughed, wrapping his legs around Marco’s waist and pulling him even closer. “Then take me! I’m all yours.”
Marco moaned and pulled Nicky’s legs down long enough to reach blindly for the oil on the table next to the bed. Since his hands were trembling with need, he got more of the oil on the backs of Nicky’s thighs than on his ass, but it was enough to get the job done. When he pushed first one finger inside Nicky’s tight hole and then another, stretching him gently, Nicky squirmed in excitement and pleasure. Marco smiled down at him as he rubbed his fingers against his puckered entrance.
“It’s enough, Marco. Please, sweetheart. I need you inside me now. Don’t wait.”
Marco lowered his hips to nudge inside him, and Nicky lifted his own hips in welcome, pushing his head back on the pillows. “That’s it, baby,” Marco murmured. “You’re my sweet love. My only love.” Marco whispered the words in his ear and Nicky twisted his head to capture Marco’s mouth. As he touched his lips to Marco’s, it was as if he ignited a powder keg. Marco took his lips with another groan and surged into Nicky, burying himself to the balls and dragging his cock over Nicky’s prostate again and again. Nicky came with an intensity that surprised him. He couldn’t seem to stop, and for a moment, it reminded him of their first time together, when the knot had caused him to have those unbelievable, endless orgasms. Marco called out hoarsely and followed him seconds later, pulling Nicky to him so tightly he could barely breathe.
They both lay still for a long time afterward, like two survivors in the aftermath of a storm, clinging together, unable to move apart. Finally, Marco shuddered and got up to get a warm cloth to clean Nicky. He cared for his mate tenderly and afterward, stretched out on the bed behind him, spooning Nicky’s body and holding him close.
“Good night, sweetheart,” Marco said softly, kissing the back of Nicky’s neck. Nicky cuddled back into him and sighed, so much in love and so satisfied, he never wanted to move from where he was right that very minute.
“I love you, Marco,” he said. Marco murmured something in reply and Nicky thought idly that he’d never been so happy in his life. Happiness this perfect couldn’t last, could it? A superstitious shiver shook him, and Marco tightened his hold around Nicky’s waist, making a soft questioning sound.
Nicky cuddled back into Marco’s embrace. “Nothing, baby. Someone must have walked over my grave. Go back to sleep.” He sighed and settled into the warmth of Marco’s embrace as he drifted down to sleep.
The next morning, Nicky woke up early and stretched, turning toward Marco, who was still deeply asleep, his mouth slightly open, with soft snores coming from his throat. Nicky kissed his forehead tenderly and slipped from the bed. He pulled on a pair of sweat pants and walked into the kitchen, got a glass from the cupboard, and poured himself some orange juice.
He stood by the window looking out at the mountains as he drank his juice and thought he’d never get tired of looking at the beautiful vistas he saw from this vantage point on the second floor. From here he could see deep green ridge after ridge fading off to light blue in the distance. When he’d first come to the mountains, he thought the lodge was isolated and lonely, but not anymore. Now he couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.
Finishing his juice, he drifted over to the sofa and lay down on his back with his feet propped up on the back of the sofa. Idly, he picked up a magazine his best friend Logan had given him. He didn’t want to make any noise that would wake up Marco.