Chapter 5 #2
For a full minute, the world fell silent as if drawing a breath and bracing for a storm.
It was obvious Alex understood his predicament.
Other than spitting some blood on the sidewalk, he didn’t move.
Grady’s posture didn’t relax even as he turned his attention Ryker’s way.
When their eyes met, Ryker showed the first sign of life.
He shook his head. It was a small gesture—one Shayne would’ve missed if he hadn’t been watching the pair, incapable of blinking.
“Go home.”
To his surprise, Ryker dipped his chin at Grady’s demand and headed for the parking lot.
The moment he moved so did Alex. It was a mistake.
Grady snapped, becoming someone Shayne didn’t know.
In one move, he had Alex pinned to the ground, shocking Shayne to the point of paralysis.
His feet were frozen as he stared down at Grady and Alex at his feet.
In the back of his mind, Shayne knew Grady took down men twice his size all the time in his line of work, but he’d never seen it in action.
Grady didn’t even break a sweat as he rolled Alex onto his stomach and pulled his hands behind his back in one motion.
“Make another move, motherfucker,” Grady growled.
“You might not live to regret it.” Shayne didn’t doubt him.
Obviously, Alex didn’t either. He went still.
“Here’s the deal,” Grady said the moment it became apparent Alex wouldn’t fight him.
“I’m sitting on a warrant for your arrest. Being as how we’ve been down this road before, you know I’ll eventually catch up with you again, but as long as you cooperate, I’ll let you turn yourself in tomorrow when you’ve sobered up. ”
Out of the corner of his eye, Shayne saw Ryker turn away. Before he made it five steps, Lincoln interceded.
“It’s Ryker, right?” At Lincoln’s inquiry, Ryker eyed the man curiously but held still.
“Yeah.”
Lincoln smiled, becoming the capable doctor right before Shayne’s eyes. It was hot. He shot a quick glance around, checking their surroundings. “Do you mind if I walk you to your car?”
It was more than obvious Ryker didn’t know what to make of Lincoln. He motioned toward a nearby Harley. “I’m right there, but knock yourself out, doc.”
Shayne couldn’t figure out Lincoln’s game, but the moment they were out of earshot, Ryker paused, and let Lincoln shine a pen light in his eyes.
A chuckle rose in Shayne’s throat. Pride swelled in his chest. Lincoln cared about people.
He wasn’t sure if Lincoln hoped to stop Ryker from driving after drinking or making sure he hadn’t consumed whatever Alex tried slipping into his drink.
Either way, Ryker seemed to pass the test. With a final nod at Lincoln, Ryker threw one leg over the Harley, firing the bike to life.
Instead of immediately pulling away, leaving his mess behind, Ryker glanced over his shoulder.
Shayne didn’t follow the line of his gaze.
For sanity’s sake, Shayne didn’t want to know who the man’s heated stare was meant for.
If it was Alex, Shayne’s current pain level had been for nothing.
But Shayne had a bad feeling, deep in his gut, Ryker had joined a long list of the hopeless—people who craved and couldn’t have Grady.
Chances were better than not Shayne would’ve passed out from the pain if Lincoln hadn’t urged him toward his truck the moment everything died down.
Shayne would never recover at the rate he was going.
With the barroom brawl at an end and the danger averted, Lincoln wasted no time forcing Shayne into the truck.
That’s as far as Shayne allowed him to go before snagging the front of his shirt and hauling Lincoln forward.
Their lips collided and nothing else mattered.
Even for so late at night, humidity hung in the air, coating Shayne’s skin and making it harder than usual to draw a breath.
At least, that’s what Shayne told himself was causing the heavy feeling in his chest. For much longer than he cared to admit, Shayne lived for his career.
He loved the feeling of the ice beneath his skates.
The roar of the crowd inside the arena drove him and kept him complete.
With Lincoln’s tongue stroking his, Shayne conceded his life had been lacking in a few aspects.
One example of what he missed the most was the sensation of another man’s hands drawing him closer, holding him tighter, stroking his skin…
keeping him mesmerized. Jacking off to some faceless fantasy passed the time and kept a man sane.
But the way Shayne felt now with Lincoln consuming him, that was something his fantasies couldn’t mimic.
He was hyper-aware of Lincoln’s hands at all times as well as his own.
For some reason Shayne couldn’t explain, Lincoln had begun an odd pattern during their kiss.
As beer and mint coated Shayne’s taste buds, Lincoln’s fingers massaged Shayne’s inner thigh.
Each time he found his bottom lip between Lincoln’s teeth, Lincoln moved his hand higher.
When their tongues met again, he stopped the ascent.
Shayne couldn’t figure out why the man was so hesitant to take what he wanted.
By the third pass, Lincoln was mere inches from Shayne’s weeping cock.
It was attempting to climb from inside his jeans.
Most likely a nice wet spot was growing where his dick leaked in anticipation of Lincoln’s touch.
The entire situation was beyond ridiculous.
They were out in the open, in danger of getting caught any second, and Shayne didn’t give two shits if anyone witnessed their encounter.
In his haze of lust and happiness, all Shayne cared about any longer was touching Lincoln, and having the man touch him in return.
He felt invincible. As Shayne’s bottom lip found its way between Lincoln’s teeth once more, a roar of triumph ran through his mind.
He didn’t give Lincoln time to pause again.
Shayne snagged Lincoln’s hand and held it against the bulge in his jeans.
Lincoln shaped Shayne’s erection with his fingers.
A shuttering breath left his lungs as the pressure beat at his crown.
With his fingers buried in Lincoln’s hair, he held the other man in place, deepening their kiss.
He wanted to memorize Lincoln’s taste and ensure this delicious man never forgot him either. Being with Lincoln was a power trip.
Shayne tried slowing the rapid beating of his heart.
Against his will, Shayne’s hips left the seat as he ground himself against Lincoln’s palm.
A spike of pain caused lights to pop behind his closed lids and an involuntary hiss left his lips.
At the sound, Lincoln jumped away. The other man’s hands shook as he brushed them through his hair, leaving it standing on end.
“Shit. I’m supposed to be taking care of you not molesting you in a parking lot.”
The low rumble of laughter leaving Shayne’s chest sounded beyond wicked even to his ears. “You can’t molest the willing.” Lincoln didn’t look amused.
“Where’re your meds?”
Shayne relaxed deeper into his seat, staring at Lincoln from the corner of his eye as he answered. “Back at the house.”
With a sharp nod, Lincoln straightened away, seeming completely at ease with his obvious arousal.
“Then I’ll get you there as fast as possible.
” He didn’t give Shayne time to protest, before slamming the door, circling the truck, and climbing behind the wheel.
Shayne’s low chuckle once again filled the cab the moment the truck fired to life.
“Don’t get a ticket. I might not be able to afford the next one.”
Lincoln kept his eyes locked on the road. “You’re not paying the first. I already took care of it online.”
Shayne’s mind went blank at Lincoln’s confession. “I can’t decide if I’m more pissed than turned on right now.”
Lincoln cast a quick glance Shayne’s way. “Do I get a vote?”
Shayne stared straight ahead, ignoring Lincoln’s question and the humor in his voice.
He searched his mind, trying to decide exactly why he was angry.
In the end, he decided Lincoln obviously didn’t see him as capable of handling himself.
“I might be out of work at the moment, but if I say I’ll take care of something, it’s as good as done.
So either you didn’t believe I could take care of you or you didn’t think I would.
” Shayne’s house came into view. Lincoln opened his mouth, obviously intent on arguing.
Shayne didn’t give him a chance. “You’ll park in the garage tonight.
” Lincoln didn’t scoff at Shayne’s demanding tone as he should have done.
Even Shayne hated the direction this conversation was headed—south.
Lincoln pulled into the driveway, pointing the nose of the truck in the direction of Shayne’s three-car garage.
Shayne dug his keys from his pocket and pushed a button on the fob.
The middle door slid open and Lincoln pulled in.
As the door fell closed behind them, Shayne ground his teeth, biding his time.
There was obviously a thing or two they needed to discuss.
By the tick in Lincoln’s jaw, Shayne imagined he felt the same.
Shayne wasn’t intimidated by a man who attempted to dominate him in bed, but Shayne needed Lincoln to know, unemployed or not, Shayne could still handle the rest of his life just fine.
Without giving Lincoln time to guess at his intentions, Shayne leapt from the truck before Lincoln could get his seat belt undone.
Circling around to Lincoln’s side, he threw the door open and leaned inside, crowding Lincoln’s space until he had the other man boxed in against his seat. Nose to nose, Shayne held his gaze.