TASTE TEASER OF ALWAYS HOPE (WIP) - PREVIOUSLY FREEDOM

Padding down the stairs, Ash wandered into the kitchen, not entirely sure whether he was looking for food, drink, or Kaleb.  Not that Kaleb was anywhere to be seen and the house was eerily quiet.  The back door was open so he stepped out on the porch.  In the moonlight he could see the gate at the end of the stretch of grass was ajar and, with a frown, he jumped down onto the grass and walked toward it.  The night was sticky and just walking across the yard had his wife beater firmly stuck to his back; he could feel sweat running in rivulets down his skin.  He frowned as what sounded like splashing drifted to his ears on the barely there breeze.  Thankful for the full moon, Ash walked down the well worn path through the copse of trees that backed onto the yard.  Not that he had any idea what the hell he was going to find at the end of it.

Ash gasped as he pushed a low hanging branch out of his way and found himself by the edge of a large pool of water, surrounded by rocks and fallen trees.  The sound of the cicadas in the brush around him was almost hypnotic and he didn’t think he’d ever seen anything more beautiful in his life.  The way the moonlight glinted off the water and the shadows it cast with its beautiful light, had his breath catching in his throat.  Scratch that he thought quickly stepping back into the bushes and out of sight.  The most beautiful thing he had ever seen had just climbed up onto the large rock at the end of the pool. 

Practically choking on the tongue that had stuck to the roof of his mouth, which appeared to have suddenly turned into the Sahara, Ash swallowed as Kaleb shook droplets of water from his hair. In the moonlight, the man was silhouetted in the shadows, but there was enough light for Ash’s gaze to wander hungrily over the taut planes of Kaleb’s muscled chest.  Fully clothed Kaleb was a devastatingly attractive man—naked he was utterly breath-taking. The cowboy’s skin glistened as the moonlight caught the droplets of water running down his skin, and Ash involuntarily palmed his own cock as his gaze traveled the acres of smooth tanned flesh.  He gasped aloud as Kaleb dived cleanly into the water, sending ripples across the pool.  When he broke the surface, he swam a few strokes before floating lazily on his back. 

Ash slipped his hand inside his pants and curled his fingers around his rock hard shaft.  Swallowing the whimper that crept up his throat, his gaze traced the length of Kaleb’s impressive cock where it lay against the man’s thigh, alternately in and out of the water as it lapped against him.  He shook his head and yanked his hand out of his pants in frustration, fully intending to turn and make his way back to the house… honestly… but then his legs refused to move when Kaleb slid a hand down his stomach and began to stroke himself in long steady pulls. 

“Jesus,” Ash hissed between his teeth, his hand creeping back into his pants and running his thumb around the head of his cock.  He was on fire… sparks shot through his belly and lit up every nerve-ending.  His gaze locked onto the movement of Kaleb’s hand as it moved up and down his length, the man’s cock lengthening and thickening with each pass.  He was hypnotized by the way Kaleb ran his thumb around the thick mushroom-ridged head of his cock on the upstroke, and Ash flicked his tongue out to moisten his lips, pulling the lower one between his teeth.  He watched as Kaleb’s movements sped up and he matched them with his own, moving his hand up to fist the head of his cock, twisting his wrist and moaning harshly low in his throat.

Ash felt the curl of orgasm tingling in his spine, the whimpers falling from Kaleb’s lips driving him to the edge.  He didn’t think he had heard anything so erotic in his entire life, sure that he could come from those sounds alone.  Ash bit back his groan as Kaleb began to chant, “Yes… yes… yes,” and he pumped faster, his toes curling in his sneakers as his orgasm hit him like a freight train when Kaleb emitted a guttural howl of completion, and hot ropes of white spilled over his fingers and onto the ground.

Reaching out a hand to the tree beside him, Ash felt the bark scratch against his palm and it was as though a bucket of cold water had been thrown in his face.  What the fuck am I doing?  Cheeks flushing and embarrassment flooding through him, Ash wrenched his sweatpants back up around his waist and grimaced at the wetness of against his skin.  He turned and stumbled back through the undergrowth and then ran up the beaten track and into the house as though the very devil himself were on his tail.  Pounding up the stairs, Ash kicked off his sneakers and grabbed a clean pair of pants from the drawer.  He quickly shoved the soiled ones into the hamper in the bathroom and washed his hands.  The reflection staring back at him in the mirror above the sink had a gasp falling from his lips.  Was that him? That wild-eyed, flush-faced man?  Chest heaving, lips swollen from biting at them and the heavy-lidded look of satiation?  

He stared at himself, part-mortified and part… he had no idea… but he couldn’t seem to stop his lips from twitching, or the bubble of laughter in his throat.  He’d spied on Kaleb like a teenager standing in the rose garden outside the next door neighbor’s window, and jerked off.  What the fuck was this man doing to him?  What the fuck would this man do to him?  If he let him… and right now, Ash had a feeling he might let that gorgeous cowboy do whatever-the-fuck he wanted.  “Pull yourself together, Watts,” he mumbled at his reflection and took a few steadying breaths, starting when he heard the slam of the back door and Kaleb’s voice drift up the stairs.

“Come on, City-boy, coffee’s on!”

TASTE TEASE OF THIRST - 21 JANUARY 2012

"You make it sound like you're discussing the weather," Max shook his head slowly, a frown creasing his smooth forehead, his tone incredulous. "How can you be so casual about it? You're talking about taking a life. It's like you don't even think of them as human, like you have no feelings at all."

"I have great respect for the sanctity of life, Max," Carter replied. "My life. And you're right. I don't think about them. When I feed the only one I'm thinking about is me. Quenching my thirst, my desire, my needs—whether it be for their bodies or for their blood. I'll admit, usually it's both. I like to make their last moment enjoyable," He raised a sardonic eyebrow. "It's better to go out with a bang than a whimper."

Max sat and watched this man with the face of an angel talk about murdering people as if it were inconsequential; and he felt his blood start to boil. "How can you make jokes about it?" He stood up and began to pace, his fingers carding nervously through his hair.

Carter's gaze narrowed as he watched Max walk back and forth. "I should go," he said, standing and making a move toward the door. Max grabbed his arm, halting the vampire in mid-step, wanting to understand how Carter could dismiss his actions so easily.  He knew he should heed the clear warning in Carter’s gaze, but he didn’t. "Max, let go," Carter ground out, his tone low but menacing and Max ploughed on.

"I just don't understand how you can't feel anything. How someone's life has no worth for you. I just don't understand…" Max's words tumbled over one another and he could feel  the anger  rising in the vampire. Every clanging warning bell in his head told him he should, but he couldn't. "Haven't you ever felt anything for anyone?"

"Max," Carter's tone was hard and cold. "You came to me remember. You asked for my help."

"Well maybe I shouldn't have!" Max's voice rose with each word. "How can you help me save lives, when you can't even feel? You are a monster."

Max felt the breath rush from his body when his back hit the wall. He hadn't even seen Carter move. It was too fast. He felt cool fingers close around his throat and soft lips a whisper away from his, the vampire's lean body pressed against him so closely that he could barely take a breath.

"That's right, boy. I'm a monster. You knew that. Yet you still came. Why? What do you really want from me? Is it this?" Carter bent his head to lick a stripe up the tanned column of Max's throat, and Max gasped as Carter used his fingers to turn his head and expose more of his neck. "Don't… Carter… no," Max whimpered low in his throat. "Stop. This is not why I asked you here."

"Liar," Carter hissed, pulling back to look at Max's mouth, his hand holding him firmly in place with barely any effort. "I can smell it on you. How much you want this. Want me. I make no excuse, or apology, for what I am, Max. I'm a vampire. It's my nature to rip and tear and drink. Who are you to tell me that my nature is wrong? Who are you to tell me that I don't feel? You have no idea what I do and do not feel. You have no right to judge me. You don't know me. But you want to know me, don't you, Max?"

His gaze bored into Max’s, fingers tightening on  his skin. Carter’s rage was palpable and Max knew he’d pushed the vampire too far, and in that single moment he was more afraid of him than he’d ever been.  Carter could snap his neck like a twig, drain him of his life-giving blood and dispose of him without so much as a backward glance.  At least that’s what rational academy trained Max told himself.  The not so rational Max could hear the rushing of his blood in his ears, feel the pounding of his heart in his chest at the other man's touch—and didn’t want it to stop.

Carter wanted to hurt and to punish, to snap this irritating human's neck like a twig and put an end to the misery he found himself swamped in. But the scent of the man filled his nostrils, pervaded every pore, and he couldn't prevent his gaze from dropping to the soft mouth so close to his. Before he could form a rational thought, he growled like an animal and brought their lips together.

There was nothing soft about the hard crashing of lips and teeth and Carter felt Max’s futile attempt to shove him away.  Not that Max would have been able to move him unless Carter wanted to be moved and, right now, moving was the last thing on his mind.  He wasn’t expecting, however, Max to curl his fingers into the back of his neck and dig blunt nails into his flesh, tearing at the skin.

Taking a step back, Carter stared into Max’s dark eyes as the human tried to haul more air into his lungs, his warm puffs of breath fanning out across Carter’s face.  What the hell am I doing? Carter shook his head, whether it was at Max or himself he wasn’t sure, but he knew he had to get out—now.  Then Max’s gaze dropped to his mouth and Carter could have sworn his heart skipped a beat at the desire and need in that single glance.   He couldn't prevent the gasp that left his lips when Max’s  hands lifted and grabbed onto Carter's hair, catching him off guard and bringing their mouths back together.

Carter moaned into Max's parted lips, his tongue licking rough and hungry into the moist cavern of Max's mouth. Swallowing the whimper that vibrated in the other man's throat, he curled his fingers into the neck of Max's T-shirt and ripped it open, his cool hands moving feverishly over the hot flesh he exposed. He threw his head back when he felt Max push aside the collar of his shirt and latched warm lips to the hollow of his throat. "Fuck, Max," he moaned at the feel of that gloriously sinful mouth sucking on his skin and grabbed a handful of wavy hair. His fingers tangled in the soft curls and yanked Max's head up and away from his throat, slanting their mouths together again.

Carter's tongue fucked into Max's mouth feverishly, every thrust into moist heat echoed by Max's as they both fought to control the kiss. As he pressed even closer, he could feel Max's arousal thick and hard against his thigh, and the way Max's hips ground against him had his own cock straining against the denim of his jeans. The kisses they exchanged were not gentle or loving, but hot, ferocious, and punishing, as if neither man could get enough of the taste of the other; pressed so close that not even a breath could come between them, as though they each wanted to climb inside the other's skin.

Carter's hands moved down the muscled torso and he tore his mouth away, whispering an apology at the hiss that escaped Max's lips when his fingers ghosted over the reminders of the assault the other man had suffered. As his desire had ignited and taken hold, he had almost forgotten that Max was still in a lot of pain. Glancing up into lust blown eyes, he bent and slid his tongue gently over the bruised flesh, wetting the skin thoroughly, tracing every inch of the injured flesh. His own name echoing in his ears as it fell from Max's lips.

Max whimpered over and over as Carter laved at at his skin and Carter couldn’t help his own whimper of satisfaction, knowing that his tongue, although he meant it to soothe, was obviously  driving Max crazy. Long fingers scrabbled at Carter's shirt and he was hauled back up to Max’s mouth, his lips being devoured as though Max could not get enough of his taste. He loved the way Max bit-kissed at his lips, pulling the full lower one between his own and drawing it into his mouth, then swiping his tongue the soft flesh.

Moaning into Max's mouth, Carter scraped his teeth over the soft lips. That's when he tasted it. He froze immediately, tearing his mouth away.

Max stared dazedly at Carter, his eyes heavy-lidded with desire as he reached for him again, but Carter moved farther back, his tongue snaking out to collect a single spot of blood from his lower lip. Max’s blood. Eyes widening as already dilated pupils almost blew completely, and not just from desire, Carter lifted  his hand, mesmerized, and touched his finger to Max’s lips and then pulled it away. Staring down at his skin, and the smear of red, his fangs descended immediately. He must have bitten Max a little too hard in their frenzy to get closer to each other and he hadn't even noticed.  The scent of that single bead of sticky red hit Carter like a freight train. His nostrils were filled with the rich, coppery sweetness of Max’s essence and his mouth filled with saliva at the thought of biting, drinking, taking.

Carter stepped toward Max, his gaze centered on the bead of red on that lower lip, now knowing the other man's true taste. His instincts urging him  to taste more,  to taste everything.

Just take him, it's what you want, it's what you need, his inner voice whispered insistently in his ear. Even he wants it, you can feel it rolling off him, he wants you to take it, wants you to bite down, wants you to—

Clenching his hands into fists, trying to shut out that voice, he let out a guttural, animalistic cry and turned on his heel, fleeing from the house and slamming the door behind him.

Taste Teaser - No Strings Attached

Here's a little taste teaser from my re-released short story from Dreamspinner Press - No Strings Attached.

Let me set the scene...

Lucas has ventured out to an underground gay club in the heart of the city.  He has no idea what he's doing there until he catches the beautiful green gaze of the most beautiful man he has ever seen.....

"No names, no strings," he whispered, leaning in close, so close that Lucas could feel Green Eyes' breath on his lips. "Come on," Green Eyes urged, pulling on the belt loop. "Let's dance."

Lucas put his empty bottle down on the bar and allowed Green Eyes to lead him through the crowd and to a space on the dance floor. The space was big enough to fit them in if their bodies were pressed up tight against each other. Which they were. Lucas took the time to study the man in front of him, looping his arms around Green Eyes' waist. Green Eyes' open thighs were on either side of Lucas' leg as he ground his hips against Lucas in time to the music.

Lucas swallowed past the sudden dryness of his mouth as he moved with Green Eyes, and the other man's obvious arousal slid up and down Lucas' muscular thigh. Green Eyes was only slightly shorter than Lucas, maybe three inches, with short, spiked light brown hair gelled to look like he'd just got out of bed. Lucas moved his hands up Green Eyes' back, his fingers flexing over the hard muscles that moved beneath Green Eyes' skin and Lucas felt himself get harder.

The music pounded through them and Green Eyes looked up into Lucas' eyes in the strobe lighting that flickered overhead in time to the beat. Lucas watched as Green Eyes' tongue snaked out to moisten his lips, lips that were meant to be kissed and licked and fucked. Green Eyes smirked and moved his hand down Lucas' arm to grasp his fingers. Turning, Green Eyes pulled Lucas through the crowd and toward the fire exit, which was lit by a green neon sign. Green Eyes glanced around them, then pushed on the bar and dragged Lucas out into the night air.

Lucas looked around them, noting that they appeared to be in a secluded alley at the back of the club. Empty kegs and pallets were strewn around on the ground and Lucas briefly thought that this must be where the deliveries were taken into the bar.

Green Eyes wasted no time. He grabbed fistfuls of Lucas' T-shirt and forced him up against the wall, slanting his lips over Lucas’.  Tongues collided, their warm breath swirling around them like a gentle mist when it hit the cold air as they tongue-fucked each other's mouths. Hands roamed feverishly over hard muscles and even harder cocks as they licked, kissed, bit, and sucked over every piece of skin they exposed. Lucas didn't notice the cold, too caught up in the moment. The heat they were creating between them was all he needed. Green Eyes pulled his lips away from Lucas', sliding his mouth across Lucas' cheek towards his ear.  The man’s breath was hot on the sensitive skin of his throat and Lucas shuddered under his touch.

"I've wanted to do that ever since I saw you in the line," Green Eyes murmured.

The raw desire dripping from Green Eyes' voice made Lucas' knees buckle and he spread his legs a little as he tried to get a better purchase on the wall behind him. Green Eyes seemed to take that as an open invitation; he moved even closer and ground his arousal into Lucas'.

"God," Lucas groaned as he tried to suck in more of the air that Green Eyes was intent on stealing from his lungs. Lucas' heart pounded against his ribs as he felt hard ridge of Green Eyes' cock pressing against his. When Lucas had made the decision to come out tonight, he hadn't known what he wanted. Instinctively, Lucas now knew it was this: this gorgeous man pressed hard against his body.

TASTE TEASER - LAUREL HEIGHTS

Good morning world!!!!

Because of my lack of gorgeous bods yesterday, I thought I'd make it up to you wonderful people with a little taste teaser of my current WIP.

I shall set the scene for you....Scott and Will are undercover at Laurel Heights, sent there after the apparent murder/suicide of two of its residents.  Not a problem, they're cops, they've been undercover before...but Laurel Heights is quirkier than most small communities...all the residents are gay.  They also indulge in 'gatherings' once a month where they indulge in some partner-swapping and the like.

But there is something a little quirky about Scott and Will, too - 1. They're both gay.  2. Neither knows that the other is gay.

This scene is set in the garden on the day of their first 'gathering' when Scott decides that he has to see if the 'straight kid' can make it through a simple kiss, without freaking out - and gets more than he bargained for:-

Looking up as the back door opened and Scott approached him with a mug of coffee in each hand, Will tried to smile.

“Here,” Scott held out the cup in his left hand, his brow furrowing above his nose. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I'm good.”  Will tried to sound nonchalant as he took the cup  from Scott's fingers and sipped at the desperately needed caffeine fix. 

“Sure you are.” Scott’s voice was heavy with sarcasm.  “You're freaking out about tonight aren't you?” Scott swallowed a mouthful of his own drink, and rolled his eyes at the pained expression on Will’s face in answer.

“Okay,” Scott put his mug of steaming coffee down on the table and plucked Will’s out of his hand, standing it next to the other mug.  “Look, man.  We're two straight guys about to go to our first gay gang bang.” 

Will's eyes widened in panic when Scott nudged his knees together and sat astride his thighs.  “What are you doing?” His voice sounded like he’d been sucking on helium and he tried not to lean into Scott's fingers as they stroked his bangs from his eyes.

 “We’re no closer to getting any information to break this case.  It’s obvious these gatherings have something to do with what happened to Jon and Cory.  We ain’t getting out of tonight, Harrison, so—” Scott continued the thread his fingers through Will’s thick hair.  “We need to suck it up and get comfortable with the whole touching business, right now.”  He took a deep breath, picked up Will's hands and put them on his own hips.  “Close your eyes,” he said, his tone matter of fact as he cupped Will's cheek with the hand that wasn't buried in soft, blond locks. 

 “Scott—”

“Close your fucking eyes, Will.  I'm going to kiss you, and you're going to kiss me back, you got it?”

“Why are you yelling at me?” Will huffed, momentarily forgetting he had one hundred and eighty pounds of Weston on his lap.

“Because you're freaking out! One touch from someone tonight is going to have you running for the hills and you'll blow our cover wide open.  I am not ending my career as a beat cop. I've worked long and hard and made sacrifices to get to where I am, and I’m not going to let you ruin it.  Now fucking kiss me!”  Scott hissed out through clenched teeth.  In one swift move, Scott leaned down and captured Will's lips in his in a brief kiss.  Pulling back, their mouths parting with a soft snick, he looked into Will's eyes.  “Okay?”  Will’s nod was a mere inclination of his head, but it was there and so Scott leaned in again. 

The first thought that crossed Will’s mind was how soft Scott’s lips were.  But then he didn’t have much time to consider anything else, because Scott put more pressure behind the kiss. The tip of the other man’s tongue tentatively requested entrance to his mouth, and his lips parted of their own volition.   When Scott’s tongue slid into his mouth and gently caressed his, all thoughts were pushed from his mind other than: Feels. So. Good.

Will's fingers curled into the denim of Scott's jeans when the man’s fingers gripped tighter into his hair, making delicious heat unfurl in his belly.  He couldn't stop himself from pulling Scott in closer, and felt, rather than heard, the man's whimper as he ran his hands up the length of Scott’s back. He loved the way the muscles rippled beneath his touch and what blood there was still left in his brain, rapidly headed South.   The tongue sliding sensuously around his mouth tasted of coffee and he licked the bitter remnants away until all he could taste was Scott.  He liked it.  He wanted more of it. All of it.

Will’s hands searched beneath the hem of Scott’s T-shirt of their own volition, desperately wanting to feel the warmth of bare flesh against his skin.  Which was when Scott broke the kiss, quickly pushed himself off Will’s lap and grabbed his coffee. Will stared up at him, his breath panting through his parted lips.

 “Okay,” Scott cleared his throat and nodded at Will. “I think we can manage kissing.”