Beautiful boy (40 page)

“You… you….” He blinked at the empty desk I’d put in next to mine for his computer. I’d taken out the shelf I’d had there for some of my chess sets, which sat out in the living room now.

“You have the three monitors too, right?” I asked and he nodded. “I thought so. This should hold them. I’ve got the router on the corner of the desk there, so whether it’s wired or wireless, you’ll be set.”

“Mas—Mal—I—”

“You don’t have to say anything yet. I’ve got more. Come on.” I waited for him to step out of the office, then turned off the light and shut the door. I headed for the stairs and was glad to see him right behind me. This part made me a bit more nervous, though I didn’t know why. I shook the thought off and stepped into what I’d long since started thinking of as our bedroom. I walked over to the dresser and pulled out the top drawer on the left. “All three drawers are empty.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but I held my hand up and moved over to the closet door. I pushed it open, hit the light, and stepped aside for Kyle to pass. With a glance at me, he went in, then turned back in shock.

Half the closet was empty. I’d done some shuffling, gone through clothes I didn’t wear anymore, and put some I wanted but didn’t wear now into another closet. There was plenty of room on the shelf above the bars, and even empty shoe cubbies for his things. I’d seen his closet. He
did
used to be rich, so he had quite a bit. I figured we could build a cedar closet somewhere or something if we needed to.

“Mal,” he whispered, blinking at me.

“One more thing, baby. Well, two. But… come on.” I turned around and crossed the room to the bathroom door. I pushed it open and waited for him to catch up. I really only used the one sink, and as such, I only had one shelf—above that sink. I’d added another and emptied the little cabinet next to it of my extra toiletries. Then I pointed to the empty space on the shelf in the shower that hadn’t been there before.

“You…. Mal, you did all this for me?” He shook his head like he couldn’t believe it.

I figured he didn’t. “Move in with me, Kyle. Be my partner. I want Kyle to be Mal’s partner as well as Master’s beautiful boy.” I held out my right hand, with the copy of the house key I’d had made lying on my palm.

He swallowed so hard I saw his Adam’s apple move. The look in his eyes—the hope, the want—took my breath away. He took a deep breath, his gaze locked to mine, and he reached out to pick up the key. “Yes.”

I yanked him into my arms. “Oh thank God,” I whispered before kissing him so hard we nearly broke teeth. His arms slid around me and he poured himself into the kiss, showing me what this meant to him.

When we broke apart, I studied his still stunned but very happy face for a long moment. “Welcome home, Kyle, my beautiful boy.”

He beamed at me. “Thank you, Master. And thank you,
Mal
. It’s good to be home.”

Patrick has taken his acting talents from high school all the way to a role in a major television show. But as the show progresses, his life of absolute certainties crumbles when he finds himself reacting to the kisses of his male costar. He refuses to accept it, reminding himself he’s married and a father—and thus, straight.

One night he goes to drink his worries away, meets Chance Dillon, and can’t take his eyes off the man. After having a little too much alcohol, he spills his problem to Chance, who helps him realize there’s something other than gay and straight. Patrick’s new understanding of his bisexual identity helps him sleep better—until the next day, when he discovers Chance is a sound technician on the same set.

As their friendship grows and Patrick’s marriage ends, he recognizes a possibility for much more with Chance. But Patrick isn’t ready to be out the way Chance has been for so long, and when the matter is taken out of Patrick’s hands, he pushes Chance away to spare him the mess Patrick’s life has become. By the time he realizes his mistake, it may be too late.

Years ago, Ian Kelly accepted Kane would never return his love, since he knows Kane believes he’s incapable of it. Ian is willing to settle for what he can get—a best friend, sometimes casual lover, and occasional submissive. He’s learned he can’t live without Kane, but he can’t let Kane know. Because when, not if, Kane confirms that Ian’s love will never be returned, Ian won’t be able to take it. But when Kane loses his job and asks Ian to step up their play to help him deal, Ian’s ability to hide his feelings falters. Then Kane starts his own computer security firm and asks Ian to join him, and Ian struggles further.

It’s not until they visit the exclusive BDSM club the Iron Door that things come to a head. Kane screws up big time, and he’s afraid he can’t fix it. He’s sure he’ll lose his best friend, his Dom, his everything… forever.

Forbes Mates: Book One

Finley Cooper is tired of waiting for his destined mate to be ready to claim him. In deference to human laws, he’s already agreed to wait until he’s eighteen. But now his birthday has come and gone—and his mate has a new set of excuses. Finley doesn’t understand it any more than his wolf does, and he’s beginning to wonder if fate made a mistake.

Tanner Pearce wants nothing more than to claim his mate, but he worries that Finley is too young. Tanner will never forget what happened when his best friend mated at Finley’s age, only to have that mate end up feeling trapped and breaking their bond. While rare, it can happen, and the fallout Tanner witnessed as his best friend tried to deal with the break has haunted him for years.

When Finley finally has enough, he threatens to find someone who will claim him if Tanner doesn’t, and Tanner realizes he needs to come to terms with his fears or risk losing his mate forever.

Born and raised a gypsy in the late eleventh century, Teman values freedom over everything. He and his best friend, Jasim, are thieves for hire—until one night they’re caught and their precious freedom is revoked. Given the choice between the dungeons or palace pleasure slavery, they become slaves, but Teman vows to escape someday.

Bathasar doesn’t want the throne. He supports his brother instead, which suits their sadistic father, Mukesh. When Teman, the handsome slave Bathasar has secretly been watching, saves his life, Bathasar requests a slave for the first time. Before long, Bathasar and Teman fall in love. But all is not well. One day Mukesh brutalizes Teman before the court, angering the empress of a neighboring nation. To appease her, he then offers her Jasim as a gift, and Teman decides to stay with Bathasar for now—despite the abuse he may suffer.

The peace doesn’t last. Mukesh plans to invade Jasim’s new country, and Bathasar must find a way to stop the destruction. But if he succeeds, he’ll ascend to the throne and have the power to grant Teman his liberty. Then Teman will surely leave him. What other choice could a gypsy make?

Golden Collar: Book 1.5

Sequel to
Choices

When a country crowns a new ruler, the people rejoice. For most, it’s a time to put away old fears and look to a future of peace and prosperity. But for Teman, a pleasure slave in the land of Neyem, the coronation of his love and master Bathasar fills him with new fears.

Assassination rumors roll through the country—and Bathasar is the target. And Teman knows a malik has many duties. Bathasar may not have room in his life for devotion to a slave—a lover he can’t publicly claim. The love they have might shine brighter than the crown’s jewels, but only if they can keep it alive against all odds.

Golden Collar: Book Two

A Spin-off of
Choices

Cyrus and Nadir first met as hungry orphans on Behekam’s streets at twelve years old. They became friends, then partners in the thievery that enabled them to survive, and as they passed their days together, they fell in love. When they are both taken as pleasure slaves in the opulent palace of the Malik of Neyem, love becomes more complicated.

Rumors of an attempt on Malik Bathasar’s life put Cyrus and Nadir’s relationship to the test—they must pose convincingly as intimate slaves to the young malik as part of a plan to lure the assassin into the open. Teman—Malik Bathasar’s real personal pleasure slave and true lover—was once trained by Cyrus for the same duties, and the attraction and care Cyrus developed for him then still remains. The Malik of Neyem proves an easy man to love and Nadir’s feelings for him grow while they’re pretending to love each other.