RufflingThePeacocksFeathers (4 page)

“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.

Eli drawled dryly, “Sam, I thought you said Rueben was injured and needed assistance,”

Lamar snapped out of his passion-induced haze. Doing a great imitation of his peacock’s surprised chirp, Lamar jerked away from Rueben. He grabbed a pillow and slapped it over Rueben’s ass even as he wriggled out from under him.

Rueben bowed his head and sucked in several deep breathes, obviously trying to get himself under control.

Lamar turned to look at the two men. He should have known better than to let things get out of hand, but Rueben’s touch made him forget everything, including the fact that Sam had left the room to go get Eli. More embarrassed than he could ever remember being, Lamar couldn’t look either man in the eye. “I was, um, helping distract him from the pain,” he claimed, trying to tamp down the heat rising up his neck without success.

Sam snickered.

Eli smirked. “Yes, I’m sure you were doing a fantastic job of it, too.” The pack doctor, a massive python shifter, set his black satchel on the table and lifted a brow. “Would you like me to take a look? Make sure you didn’t damage anything in your little spill?”

Rueben glared over his shoulder at him. “Who the hell are you?”

Scrambling to his feet, Lamar urged Rueben to roll over into a sitting position on the edge of the mattress. “Relax,” he crooned. “This is my buddy Eli Raetz. He’s a doctor. He’ll take a look at your leg to make sure you didn’t reinjure anything.”

Nodding, Rueben let out a breath. “Right. Sorry, that’d probably be a good idea,” he said, acquiescing. Carefully, he positioned his leg on the bed.

Lamar appreciated how Rueben kept his groin hidden. Although, with his friend’s enhanced shifter senses, they couldn’t mistake the scent of arousal in the air. It didn’t take a genius to know what would have happened if they hadn’t interrupted him and Rueben. Lamar’s asshole clenched in anticipation of his mate’s thick cock filling him.

“How long ago did you injure it?” Eli asked. “And what were the doctor’s orders?”

“Broke it six weeks ago,” Rueben replied. “First month was in a cast and I’m supposed to be in the walking boot another eight weeks.”

Eli grunted in response.

Trying to focus, Lamar watched as Eli carefully removed the walking boot, then started pressing and feeling Rueben’s leg from knee to toes. Every once in a while, Rueben would grunt or hiss. Eli asked him to describe the level of pain from one to ten.

Eventually, Eli carefully placed the boot back on Rueben’s leg. “Well, you didn’t do any additional damage.” The doctor crossed to the desk and picked up the ice bucket, which he tossed to Lamar.

He caught it on reflex.

“Take it easy for the next couple days and ice it for the evening. Your healing will be back on track in no time.” Eli winked at Lamar. “Goodnight, gentlemen.”

“Glad to hear you’re okay, Rueben,” Sam commented. He smiled at Lamar. “If you need anything, holler. I’m in for the night.” He started to turn away, then paused. “Oh, I’ve told the lady at the front desk about the door, but the top safety lock will still work. You want help moving rooms?”

Lamar rose and nodded. “That’s an excellent idea, Sam.” He looked at Rueben. “While you get a new room key, I’ll help Rueben gather his things.”

“You got it.” Sam spun and strode away.

Rueben grinned. “You and your friends just kinda take over, huh?”

Lamar tilted his head and smiled, thinking of his pack’s past. “We do have that tendency, yes,” he admitted.

Grinning, Rueben tossed the pillow aside to reveal his still erect dick. “I don’t mind a little help now and again.”

Licking his lips at the sight, Lamar fought back a moan of need. His own shaft throbbed in his jeans and he couldn’t stop from pressing the heel of one hand to it.

Rueben saw the movement and grinned. “And I’d be happy to help you with that, too,” he all but purred.

Lamar forced himself to take a step backward. He shook his head, though he couldn’t seem to rip his gaze away from the long, thick shaft jutting from Rueben’s groin. “Clothes. Put on some shorts or something. Once we’re settled in your new room, then we’ll order room service. You did say you wanted to get to know me.”

Although Rueben’s scent and obvious arousal were driving Lamar nearly nuts, he refused to start the bonding process without knowing a little about the man, at least. To his relief, after several seconds of staring, Rueben nodded.

“Fair enough. Toss my duffle over here, would ya?” Rueben requested, pointing to the black bag on the floor.

Lamar did as asked, setting it on the bed. Needing a distraction, Lamar dragged his gaze away from his mate’s sexy body. It was easy to see the man worked out regularly. “So, how’d you break it?”

“Hockey accident. Me and another guy were skating toward the puck. Got my foot twisted when he checked me into the boards,” Rueben stated. He shrugged. “Bad luck is all. Knocked me out for the season.” After slipping into a pair of cut-off sweat shorts, he grinned. “Now, I’m kinda glad it happened.”

Lamar’s brows lifted. “Why?”

“Because I wouldn’t have been available to look for my brother otherwise,” he said, limping toward him. “I would have sent a private detective and missed out on meeting you.”

Swallowing hard at the feral gleam in his mate’s green eyes, Lamar backed a step. “You don’t know anything about me.”

Rueben grinned. “We’ll change that, sweet stuff,” he assured. “There’s no denying there’s something between us.”

Lamar couldn’t agree more. Rueben was his mate. He was just surprised the human could already feel it so strongly as well. Instead of confirming or denying, Lamar grabbed Rueben’s bag and handed the man his crutches. He headed into the bathroom to gather his human’s kit.

Hearing Rueben grunt, Lamar shoved the shampoo into the bag and turned. He found Rueben leaning heavily on the doorframe, his already pale skin nearly white. “Damn, maybe you should sit back down,” he urged, heading toward him.

Rueben shook his head. “I’m fine.”

Lamar snorted. “You’re not fine. You—”

“Hey, guys. Got a new room all set for ya,” Sam said, shoving the broken door open and pausing behind Rueben. He took in the man’s pale face and stance. “You okay, dude?”

Clearing his throat, Rueben pushed away from the wall. “Yeah, I’m good. Lead the way,” he demanded gruffly.

It hit Lamar that his mate really didn’t like being weak. The guy worked out, seemed good at sports, and came off as a pretty active human. Having a broken bone must really frustrate him. Watching his mate limp along behind Sam, Lamar wondered how the guy would take him being a shifter. If they bonded, his lover would heal three times faster. He’d probably be out of the boot in a couple weeks.

Nibbling his lip, Lamar tried to decide on the best approach. He knew his friends would help if he asked, just as they’d helped him break into Rueben’s room—literally. When he’d heard the pain in his mate’s voice, he’d been frantic to find a way to get to the man. Sam had seen his agitation and immediately assisted.

He lost his train of thought when Rueben turned to look at him and gave him a lascivious smile. “So, you gonna take care of me for a few days?”

“Yes,” Lamar answered immediately, before catching himself. “Uh, I mean—”

Rueben chuckled. “Oh, no taking it back now, sweet thing. Come in and tell me all about yourself.” He led the way into a new motel room.

Sam actually snickered as he handed Lamar the card key. “Like that’s gonna happen,” he muttered.

Lamar rolled his eyes, then said, “I appreciate your help. Thank you.”

“Any time,” Sam replied. He rubbed his thumb up and down the scar on his cheek.

Lamar recognized the big bull shifter’s move as one of unease.

“Let us know if you, uh, you know.” Pulling his hand away from his face, he waved it toward the room and the man who’d disappeared inside. “If you need help.”

“Thanks,” Lamar said, smiling. He rested a hand on Sam’s arm and squeezed. “I know I can count on you guys, but I appreciate the reminder.”

Sam nodded and headed down the hall.

Screwing up his courage and trying to keep his dick in check, Lamar followed his mate into the room. He arrived in time to hear Rueben grunt, then heave a sigh, as he stretched out on the bed. Lamar’s gaze devoured all the man’s smooth pale skin for several seconds.

“Hmm,” Rueben hummed. “I like that look on your face, sweet. Why don’t you come over here so we can…get to know each other?” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Fighting back a snort of amusement, Lamar grabbed the ice bucket. “I’ll be right back,” he said. He picked up the motel info book and tossed it onto the bed beside his mate. “Find somewhere to order food.”

Before the man could come up with something else provocative to say, Lamar fled…to the ice machine. He rested his head against the thing as he filled the container. His blood pounded through his veins. Every minute in Rueben’s presence acted like stimulus to his body. He’d never been a particularly sexual person, and wasn’t certain how to deal—or even control—the sensations that Rueben aroused in him.

Lamar knew that once Rueben accepted he was a shifter, accepted his peacock, and they bonded, he wouldn’t have to control himself. Until then, he had to figure out how to resist the urge to find out if the man bottomed. The guy was obviously—if the way he’d pounced on Lamar was any indicator—a top. As long as they kept it that way, even if Lamar bit Rueben in the heat of the moment, and he had a funny feeling he would, they’d be just fine.

Chapter Five

Rueben waited impatiently for Lamar to return. Of course, now that he was beginning to understand the slender man, he couldn’t
show
his impatience. He’d never been good at waiting for things, but even he—a tactically challenged jock—knew he’d have to figure out some kind of strategy for getting into this skittish man’s pants.

It didn’t matter that any idiot could see Lamar wanted him. Something must have happened in this guy’s past. A bad relationship perhaps? Either way, that he’d been burned, and feared being hurt or rejected again, was apparent. He just hid it behind his uptight exterior. Rueben would have to prove that he could be an understanding guy…because he really looked forward to rumpling the man a bit.

To that end, he prepared to seduce his skittish love interest with a soothing hand. The fact that he’d never tried that before didn’t escape him. Normally, if a guy played hard to get, he’d let them go, rationalizing that there were far too many fish in the sea to worry about drama.

Except, this time, he
couldn’t
let it go. He wanted—needed, even—to see what lay between them.

Resting his back against the headboard, Rueben carefully laid his still throbbing leg on an extra pillow. He searched through his backpack for the extra strength
Ibuprofen
, grateful Lamar had left the bag within easy reach. Then, he grabbed the information book and chose a couple restaurant options.

When Lamar returned, looking nervous as hell, Rueben restricted his greeting to a welcoming smile. Watching him wrap several pieces of ice in a hand towel from the bathroom, he commented, “I appreciate you doing this. Thank you.”