August

A thousand tiny life decisions had led Isaac here, putting him in the position where he currently sat—across from one of the most well-known sports reporters, being given a lesson on guarding his private life from the press. Possibly, he was here because one of MMA’s greatest fighters, Drew Alexander, believed in him enough to send Isaac here. Not everyone training with Drew got the chance to take part in Aden Dawley’s program. Maybe he was here because he’d worked for it. After all, Aden was considered the all-time best boxing trainer in the world. Isaac just wanted to fight. He didn’t care who taught him. If Drew had sent him to the ends of the Earth, Isaac would’ve gone for the chance to win. The truth of how he’d landed here was dumb luck.

Daniel Long had one of those names. Isaac saw it everywhere and dreamed the man would one day write about him. He’d never thought about the man behind the name. Isaac’s thoughts had centered more on his own fame. Now, Isaac had to reassess those fantasies, adding the image of Daniel to each. The dude was hot. Granted, it was a hipster kind of hot, and that had never really been Isaac’s thing, but damn. Staring at Daniel’s full lips and sexy light-brown eyes had Isaac digging a night of poetry readings or whatever hipsters did with their time.

“Are you dating anyone?” Daniel’s question dragged Isaac from his fantasy of what those lips could do.

“Are you asking for yourself or for a friend?”

Daniel’s mouth lifted in one corner, making his smile the wickedest Isaac had ever seen. “I’m testing you. Which questions do you answer? How much do you care if the public knows? What’s off limits? So, are you seeing anyone?”

“I see people all day,” Isaac said, biting back a smile.

“Well, I imagine training keeps you busy,” Daniel countered, as if Isaac’s dodging was all the answer he needed. “Plus, since you’re not a household name… yet,” Daniel said, adding the perfect pause for flattery. “I’m sure you also work to pay bills.”

“Yes.”

Daniel nodded and dropped his gaze to his phone as if Isaac’s banter was beginning to bore him.

Isaac couldn’t stop staring at the man’s mouth. He wanted the wicked smile back. “I’m a doorman for one of Las Vegas’s most exclusive fetish clubs.”

Daniel’s gaze slowly lifted from his phone. His eyes danced with laughter. “That’s definitely one of the things you’ll want to keep private during a real interview.”

Isaac caught himself leaning closer. “Does that mean everything said here is off the record?”

“Of course,” Daniel said, falling back into a placid demeanor. “This meeting is for educational purposes. Aden never would’ve recruited me for this if he thought I’d print these sessions.”

“I didn’t doubt your professionalism. Just clarifying the details.”

Daniel put his phone away and gave Isaac his undivided attention. “Since we’ve established I’ll keep your secrets, tell me everything.”

“That would take all night,” Isaac said, incapable of not flirting for some reason.

“It’s eleven in the morning.”

Neither of them looked away from the other. “I’m aware,” Isaac said, unconcerned.

“We should go back to my hotel room.”

Daniel’s bored-sounding tone never wavered, but Isaac didn’t misunderstand. For a moment, he was rendered speechless. He cleared his throat. “Um. Is this part of your test?”

The wicked smile was back. “No. This is a special onetime invitation.”

Isaac wouldn’t make the man ask him twice. “We should get the check.”

At his response, Daniel cast a glance around the restaurant. Obviously spotting the waitress somewhere behind Isaac, Daniel motioned the woman closer before pulling two twenties from his pocket, throwing them on the table, and coming to his feet. “Are you ready?”

Isaac was used to being the one who paid, but—at the moment—he had bigger things on his mind. “Absolutely.” They were inside Daniel’s rental and halfway to the hotel before Isaac found his voice again. “I see you everywhere. Where do you actually live?”

Daniel kept his gaze locked on the road as he answered. “Out of a suitcase, mostly. I also have an apartment in New York.” He flashed a smile Isaac’s way. “I haven’t seen it in six months.”

“It must be amazing, getting to travel and see the world.” Isaac was merely filling the silence with noise. He needed the distraction. When he’d told Daniel where he worked, he’d done so for many reasons. The most obvious one was to shock the man. It had also been a warning. Isaac was a sexual person. In truth, he was what most people would consider a kink. He might work the door at Affinity, but Isaac was also a member. There wasn’t much Isaac hadn’t tried. As long as everyone was legal and consenting, he was in. Sometimes, he could be too intense.

“It is,” Daniel said, pulling Isaac’s thoughts back on topic. “But I don’t think you care. I think you’re making conversation for the sake of conversation.”

Daniel had him there. “Saying I don’t care might be taking it a bit far, but—since you’re driving—I didn’t think you’d want me doing this,” Isaac said, running his hand up Daniel’s thigh.

Daniel covered Isaac’s hand with his and held it in place. “I think you’re closer to being in your element now instead of making awkward small talk.”

“Maybe I just want to watch the way your sexy lips move.”

The naughty smile Isaac craved was back in place. He couldn’t look away. “I get the feeling you’re so much better when you’re bad.”

Isaac skimmed Daniel’s cock with the side of his hand. “I guess we’ll find out.”

A dimple appeared in Daniel’s cheek, but he didn’t respond. The hotel came into sight. Isaac took a deep breath and put his work face on. He was rarely real with anyone. A one-night stand was the perfect example. They rode the elevator up in silence. That didn’t stop Isaac from staring at Daniel. He let the heat between them rise. Daniel’s gaze slid his way. It didn’t budge. Isaac’s lips curled into a knowing smile. This man—he would be amazing. Daniel wasn’t shy or wilting. He wanted what he wanted and didn’t hide it. Hunger tightened Isaac’s groin.

While Daniel swiped his keycard, Isaac eyed Daniel’s body. The man wasn’t tall. He was perhaps only an inch shorter than Isaac. At five-eleven, it wasn’t unusual for Isaac to date taller men. Although Daniel was basically the same height as Isaac, he wasn’t as large. Instead, he had the tight body of a runner with sleek muscles and an ass only squats could achieve. It took all of Isaac’s willpower not to mold his body against Daniel’s as he crossed the threshold of his room. Instead, Isaac chose to stalk him. His gaze ate the man alive as he closed the door behind him. It was obvious Daniel made way more money than Isaac. Isaac had a basic room, paid for by Drew. Daniel had a suite with a huge bed and full kitchen—not that Isaac bothered checking out the place. His focus was held captive by the way Daniel moved. Isaac let his hunger grow.

“This is a nice room.”

“It is,” Daniel said, pulling out a chair from the table. He sat. His gaze followed Isaac’s every move. “Take your clothes off.”

It seemed Daniel didn’t mess around. That was fine. Isaac was tired of pretending his dick didn’t throb with anticipation. He tugged his shirt up and over his head without argument. As he slid his workout pants down his hips, Daniel’s gaze hooded and he relaxed deeper in his seat. He swiped his hand over his erection, drawing Isaac’s gaze to the way it strained against the man’s expensive dress pants. Isaac’s cock sprang free, and he shoved his pants the rest of the way down. He’d been training and fighting for the MMA circuit for years. Isaac knew how he looked. He spent more hours at the gym every day than most people slept. His body was a weapon. Right now, he wanted to use it against the sexy journalist who sat watching his every move.

The instant he was completely bare, Daniel motioned him closer. “Come here.” Daniel’s chin tilted up as Isaac came to stand over him. The man’s gorgeous eyes flashed with so much desire, it weakened Isaac’s knees. “I wonder what your deepest, darkest fantasies are?”

“Fantasies are for people who are starved of what they really want. I’m well fed.” Even to his ears, Isaac sounded aroused. The erection tapping his navel was the second clue.

Daniel’s gaze swept Isaac’s body. Heat singed each place his stare touched. He took off his glasses and set them aside. The man’s light- brown eyes were even more gorgeous when the light hit them. Daniel sat forward. “You might be well fed, but I’m starved.” Without warning, Daniel fisted Isaac’s cock and took him to the back of his throat.

Isaac’s fingers were in the man’s hair, holding on for dear life before he knew what happened. His knees were weak. All he could do was watch and feel. Daniel didn’t hold back. Isaac wasn’t small by any stretch of the imagination and Daniel swallowed him with ease. Isaac fought to breathe. His balls were already tight. Daniel massaged them before urging Isaac’s thighs apart. Isaac complied. Daniel toyed with his asshole, teasing him. Isaac stared down his body, battling against his heavy eyelids. They wanted to fall closed and savor the sensations. Isaac needed to watch.

An odd thought sneaked in as Daniel curled one finger inside him. They hadn’t kissed. Isaac saw most of his action inside Affinity. He’d been blindfolded and sucked off by people whose faces he’d never even seen. Yet, this was still the most impersonal blow job he’d ever had. Not that he wasn’t enjoying it. The hot pull of Daniel’s mouth had Isaac’s nerve endings dancing. He gasped for air. His hips moved, pumping against Daniel’s sexy lips. He scraped against the roof of the man’s mouth and easily slid down his throat—over and over again at the perfect pace. His muscles tensed. He squeezed his ass cheeks together, clenching around Daniel’s fingers. His hold tightened on the man’s hair. Daniel sucked hard. The universe held its breath. Everything went silent. An explosion of ecstasy hit Isaac, rocking him on his feet. He cried out as wave after wave filled Daniel’s mouth with cum. The man didn’t slow. He sucked, drinking Isaac down and pulling more from Isaac than he’d ever given. His muscles twitched.

Daniel shot to his feet. His mouth covered Isaac’s. The flavor of his orgasm still coated Daniel’s tongue. Isaac tried sucking it away. Daniel’s kiss was rougher than Isaac imagined. He was raw and in control. It was as if Daniel had read Isaac’s user manual and knew all his kinks. Isaac liked being manhandled. Loved it, actually. In his real life, Isaac was always in charge. When he hit the sheets, he wanted something else. The way Daniel kept biting him said he knew. Isaac worked the buttons loose on the man’s shirt before pushing it down his arms.

Daniel backed away. He looked hard and unreachable. His focused gaze and swollen lips had Isaac ready to beg. Daniel tossed his shirt to the floor. His hands went for his belt. “Face down on the bed.”

At Daniel’s rough tone, Isaac bit back a whimper. He’d claimed he didn’t have any fantasies. Daniel was proving him wrong. Without argument, he did as told. He moved to the bed and immediately went face down and ass up. Isaac could hear Daniel moving around behind him. The familiar sound of a condom wrapper crinkling filled the air. Cool liquid swiped his asshole. Isaac’s dick twitched like it hadn’t just been sucked dry. Daniel massaged the globes of his ass, spreading his cheeks wide as he moved in behind him. Isaac bit his bottom lip and held his breath. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this horny. For years, he’d suffered from little more than a passing interest in anyone. He enjoyed himself, but that was about it. Daniel had him panting. On the verge of begging.

“Tell me again how you have no fantasies,” Daniel taunted as he stretched Isaac’s asshole. The whimper he’d been biting back escaped. “I disagree,” Daniel added, sounding hard. “In fact, I think you’ve been dying inside while waiting for someone like me to recognize you should be on your knees. Now beg me to fuck you.” Daniel twisted his fingers and pushed on the knot inside Isaac that would make him do anything for more.

“Please, Daniel.” He couldn’t stop panting. “I need it.”

A low, condescending chuckle filled the air behind him. “Need what?”

“Your dick inside me,” Isaac said without hesitation. “I need you to fuck me hard.” As the words fell, Daniel impaled him, giving Isaac the rough treatment he craved. Isaac’s ears rang. Nothing penetrated the noise but the sound of skin slapping skin. Isaac scratched at the sheets and his dick leaked on the bed. He fisted his begging cock, tugging and pulling—blind with lust. He craved. Ached. Most of all, Isaac saw stars. If he breathed, he couldn’t remember it. All of his focus locked on Daniel fucking him into oblivion. The man was huge. Isaac’s asshole burned from the abuse. He craved more—loved the pain. Another orgasm tore through him. A roar of pleasure ripped from his throat. His ass clamped down on Daniel’s dick, trying to pull him deeper.

Daniel’s moans filled the room. Satisfaction owned Isaac. He was the reason Daniel made those sounds. They collapsed into a heap of sweat and cum, their bodies sticking together. Daniel’s hot breath fanned out across the back of Isaac’s neck.

“Fucking amazing.”

Pride like Isaac had never felt roared through him, rocking him to his core. He’d won fights and achieved every goal he set. Nothing he’d done in his life gave him the satisfaction Daniel’s praise caused. The knowledge fucked with his head. He shouldn’t care. He wouldn’t care. This had been a onetime thing.