Chapter Eleven

Joe had been nervous, entering Doc’s inner sanctum as he did. Any time he’d been there before, working on a case, Doc had scowled at him as though he’d shit in the man’s dinner plate and treated him like crap. He’d do his job, usually questioning someone, with Doc glaring all the while and then Joe would leave, his heart splitting in two every single time he walked away.

Doc’s smile helped ease his tension, and his hot kisses, as though Doc had missed him too, turned that tension into something far more palpable – pure, intense need. Joe still wasn’t sexually confident. One night of passion didn’t make him an expert, but he was a quick learner, and this was a scene he’d dreamed of a hundred times. Sliding his hands down, he slipped them under Doc’s long white coat, eager to feel his mate’s body underneath.

“Don’t rip it,” Doc warned as he pulled back from their kiss. “Strip off.”

Joe cast a worried look at the door.

“It’s got a lock, use it and then get out of those clothes.” Doc was busy undoing his coat. Joe hurriedly went over and locked the door, pulling his shirt over his head as he came back. Boots slipped off easily, but his jeans were a bit more awkward. Why did I have to wear my tightest pair? Oh yeah, because I wanted my mate to be proud to be seen with me. But not even the strongest of denim was safe under his fingers, and Joe dumped his jeans on top of his boots and looked up, quickly swallowing the drool that pooled in his mouth at the sight of Doc naked and waiting for him.

“I’ll never get used to seeing you like this,” Joe whispered as he moved forward, his arms outstretched. “I’ve dreamed of seeing you in this office, exactly like this, too many times to count.”

“Were you pulling yourself when you had those dreams?” Doc’s hands on his cock were heaven.

“Every single time.” Joe knew his face was red, but the glaring white scar on Doc’s neck reassured him – reminded him they were mates and Doc wouldn’t turn him away again. “I’ve always wanted to do so much with you even when I didn’t know what I was doing.”

“Did you imagine this for example?” Doc sank gracefully to his knees. “Or maybe this?” He licked across the head of Joe’s cock.

“Never that.” Joe tensed his legs, so he wouldn’t fall. “Even in my dreams I could never imagine you on your knees in front of me. In my head it was always the other way around.”

“I’ll kneel for you any day of the week.” Doc bent forward, and Joe instinctively locked his hips, so he wouldn’t thrust. The suction, Doc’s hands cradled around the rest of his exposed shaft. It was all too much and not enough. Looking down, Joe could see Doc’s own cock, bright red on the tip and leaking like a sieve. He had to have a taste before he exploded. Pushing Doc away, although he cursed himself for being a madman for doing it, he bent down, lifting his mate under the armpits and setting him on the bed.

“I’ve never done this before,” was all Joe had time to say before his tongue was searching out Doc’s unique juices. Licking wasn’t going to cut it, he was desperate for his first taste of cock – his mate’s cock and as Joe stretched his lips around Doc’s mushroomed head, his heart sang. He was so glad he waited because he knew no one could ever taste as good as his mate.

Doc leaned back, the gray skin of his abs rippling as he tensed and relaxed. Joe didn’t have a clue what he was doing. All he knew was that suction felt amazing around his cock and teeth were a mood killer. He bobbed down, feeling his gag reflex kick in, but that was one of the many things he’d researched. He slurped back up, then bobbed down again, breathing through his nose. This time he was prepared for the gag feeling and breathed through it, pushing Doc’s cock in his mouth that little bit further.

The moans falling from Doc’s mouth, along with the gentle hand on his head was all the encouragement Joe needed. His head bobbed up and down in a soothing rhythm and it was easy to ignore the ache in his jaw. Doc’s breathing got faster, and Joe could feel it – that electric moment that proceeded climax. Sucking faster, Joe was determined to pull every speck of spunk from his mate.

“Damn, mate,” Doc said, and Joe didn’t imagine the fondness in his voice. But as his mouth filled with his mate’s release Joe savored the musky, bitter and definitely salty essence, feeling a beam of pride. He’d done that, reduced his mate to a hushed whisper and trembling limbs.

“Oh, babe, that was incredible.” Doc pulled him up for another harsh kiss, but his flushed features were Joe’s reward. Or so Joe thought. “I’m wearing a plug, if you want inside me,” Doc whispered. “I was rather hoping we could have a midday fuck.”

“You…?” Joe pulled back, he couldn’t believe his ears. But Doc pulled his legs up to his chest, exposing his hole and Joe groaned. He knew what a butt plug was of course, but seeing the black silicone forcing Doc’s hole open, laying flush against his pale skin brought a warmth to Joe’s cheeks of an entirely different sort.

“How do I, can I just…?” Joe’s fingers traced where silicone and skin met. He’d never seen anything so erotic in his life.

“This was in my coat pocket.” Doc held out a single use sachet of lube. “You put that on you, then gently ease that plug out. It’s not the biggest one I’ve got but it flares wide inside. I wanted to be ready for you and knew we could be short of time during the day.”

In his quietly methodical and almost clinical way, Doc had hidden depths. Joe hadn’t even thought about having sex during the day with his mate, because he was worried about…too many things that weren’t his mate. But as he coated his ready cock with lube and gently eased the black plug from his mate’s ass, Joe vowed he’d do better. He’d learn all the things that Doc enjoyed and be a lot more thoughtful.

Sinking into Doc’s willing hole was a fresh reminder of their claiming the night before. Unhooking Doc’s legs from his hands, Joe wrapped them around his hips and leaned forward. Doc hurriedly grabbed a thin sheet and draped it over his abs. “Thank you,” Joe said simply as he started to gently thrust. He wanted this to last – to savor being in the moment. “Thank you for thinking of things I didn’t even know I needed. Thank you for caring and thinking about my comfort and thank you, thank you, thank you,” he peppered the last thank yous with kisses, “For finally putting me out of misery.”

“I freely admit I’ve been an old fool,” Doc chuckled. “Now fuck me, stud, we only have an hour for lunch and I haven’t eaten yet.”

Considering Joe didn’t think he’d last a minute with the heat of his mate’s rectum squeezing on his cock just firm enough to drive him wild, he felt he made a good showing in lasting just under five minutes. As far as savoring the moment went, it was glorious. But as his balls ached and his body trembled all over with the force of his orgasm, Joe flicked a casual look at the plug laying near Doc’s head.

“Swallow me down again, and I’ll put that plug back in, so you’ll know your seed is inside me all afternoon,” Doc whispered, and Joe groaned before covering his mate’s face with more kisses. It was easier than trying to say thank you with words. He didn’t know if the caveman feelings he had rising in his chest and stirring his loin were from his animal or his human side, but the whole idea of his sperm being held inside his mate which any sensitive nose could smell made him want to beat his chest and howl to the moon. And no, it wasn’t typical buffalo behavior but that didn’t stop him easing his cock out of its tight home and bending his head to his mate’s newly hardened erection.

/~/~/~/~/

Six o’clock couldn’t come soon enough, and Doc had never been happier to hit the lock on his door. It didn’t take long for word to spread around town that Joe was spending time in the office with his new mate. Doc saw more patients in that one afternoon, than he’d seen in the whole of the previous week.

“I didn’t realize you were always so busy,” Joe said as Doc escorted him upstairs. “I wouldn’t have thought there’d be too much for a doctor to do in a shifter town.”

“Normally, there isn’t a lot to do. Most shifters take care of themselves and I don’t see them unless something is extremely painful or septic. Pregnancies are the bulk of my business, but not today,” Doc grumped. “I’ve never seen so many trumped up injuries in my life than I did this afternoon. I mean did you see Liam’s so-called wound? It was a damn splinter, for goodness sake.”

“Liam was probably checking to make sure I was okay. He was the only one I told about you,” Joe confessed. “I promise, it was none of that crying and true confessions stuff. He just guessed one day, and I couldn’t lie but I told him not to say a word to anyone else.”

“Water under the bridge, my mate.” Doc kissed Joe’s cheek. “Well, what do you think? It’s not much, but I call it home.” He hurried through to the kitchen to pull out another one of Mrs. Hooper’s meals, leaving Joe to wander around. She’d been one of the afternoon visitors, increasing his ready-meal stockpile now he had someone else to look after. It was her way of saying congratulations and while Doc didn’t think he’d escaped the lecture he could see brewing in her eyes, she’d left off verbally stripping him of his balls while Joe was around.

His apartment took up the entire top story of what was a huge house. Originally, it’d been configured into a number of small bedrooms, but when Doc bought the place, he knocked a lot of the walls out, creating wide open living spaces and an extra-large master suite for himself.

“This is amazing.” Joe came to stand at the kitchen counter and looking out of the window. “You can see half the town from here.”

“That’s not always a good thing when Cam turfs out his drinkers at some ungodly hour.” Doc put another bowl in the microwave. It smelled like a lamb dish of some sort. “But there was never any point in my having a house outside of town when I could get called in any time. Being here means anyone can knock on my door and know they’ll get me.”

“It will be sad giving up my little house.” Joe leaned on the counter and Doc really shouldn’t have noticed the way that pose showcased Joe’s ass, but he couldn’t help it. “But it would be pointless for us to have two houses, wouldn’t it?”

Get your head out of his ass. Joe is looking for guidance here. “I don’t see why you should get rid of it.” Doc found the plates and cutlery needed and put them on the counter. Joe immediately picked them up and placed them on the table. “We could use it as a weekend home, sometimes, or when you have a few nights off. I can make up a sign for the door here, letting people know to call me if there’s an emergency. It’s not as though you live miles and miles out of town.”

“You wouldn’t mind?” Joe’s face brightened. “I know it’s not much, but it was the first place I could genuinely call my own. I don’t owe anything on it, and I can easily pay the rates and taxes and still contribute here.”

Doc’s first instinct was to tell Joe he needn’t pay anything at all. His house was owned outright and while Doc didn’t make a lot of money as a doctor now, he used to when he worked in human hospitals. Canny investments meant they’d never have to work again if they didn’t want to, but Doc knew Joe was a proud man, and a fair one. “I don’t have a lot of expenses here,” he said as the microwave dinged to let him know dinner was ready. “I pay the electricity and water, of course, as well as rates and taxes. My only other expense is food, and Mrs. Hooper gets most of that money.”

“That does smell wonderful,” Joe said as Doc set the bowl on the table. “I quite like cooking though. Do you think Mrs. Hooper would be mortally offended if we didn’t have quite as many of her meals as you’re used to?”

“Knowing Mrs. Hooper, she probably already knows.” Doc laughed. “I swear that woman knows everything that goes on in town before it even happens. Once she sees you in store buying food, she’ll be pushing her recipes onto you, claiming she knows the foods I prefer.”

“Is she right?” Doc noticed Joe waited for him, before serving himself.

“Well, she makes a damn good stew,” Doc said, digging into his. “But, the problem with readymade meals is that it means I never get the chance to eat a freshly grilled steak or enjoy a roast every now and then.”

“I can cook those.” Joe grinned. “There isn’t much I won’t eat although I didn’t learn to cook until I moved into my own house and then it was all trial and error. I’m no Gordan Ramsey, but I can create a decent enough meal. It’d be nice to cook for someone else for a change.”

Reminded again of how much time Joe spent alone, Doc couldn’t help but ask. “What sorts of things do you do in your spare time? I know you’re not one for going out socializing, but you can’t work all the time, surely?”

“I renovated a lot,” Joe said around a mouthful of stew. “My house was basically a shell when I bought it, but it was all I could afford. I’ve worked nights for years, usually because no one else wanted those shifts. When my Uncle Robert was in charge, the deputies were all lazy and on the take. Working nights was a great way of avoiding the shit in the office. With Rocky it’s different. He offered me day shifts a while ago, but,” he shrugged and flashed a quick grin at Doc. “At the time no one cared when I was working, so I just stuck with those shifts while Rocky and Mal investigated the Quincys and kept on top of the paperwork. I’ll have a word to Mal about the roster tomorrow.”

“Do we really get that much trouble here?” Doc was enjoying his stew, but he loved talking to Joe more.

“No, not really. That’s why, even if I stay on the night shifts, most of the time I can be on call from home. There was more trouble when the Quincys were running the show because they never used to jail or banish anyone who were caught.” Joe looked up and grimaced. “They were mostly Quincy family members. The crime rate, such as it was for Arrowtown, dropped by more than seventy percent when they were kicked out of town.”

“The Quincys did that much damage?” Doc couldn’t believe it. The Quincys had ruled Arrowtown for decades to his knowledge and although he didn’t keep tabs on the local gossip, he’d never heard of them causing too much trouble.

“They never did anything that couldn’t be covered up or hushed up by paying out money. Vandalism, petty theft, that sort of thing. But yeah, Uncle Robert’s sons were the worst. And we can’t forget dear Uncle Myron, who might not have ever lived in town, but used this place as his base for a lot of his nefarious dealings. If I hadn’t been told differently, I would have sworn it’s Myron who actually wants this town back under the Quincy family control.”

“I’ve never heard of him.”

“You wouldn’t have.” Joe’s dark eyes met his. “Every family has a black sheep, even buffalo shifters. Myron is the Quincy black sheep. He’s run guns, drugs, and women. If there’s an illegal gambling den in town, his name is on it. He doesn’t understand the meaning of the word no. If money doesn’t buy what he wants, then he takes it anyway, with force if necessary. But, he doesn’t like to get his hands dirty which is why he’s never been caught. The only decent thing Harold ever did was keep Myron out of the town limits.”

Doc put down his knife and fork. Suddenly, the threat against Joe and the town sounded ominous. “If you’re right, and I have no reason to think you’re not, then this business with Harold and Robert is a lot more serious than them just having their nose put out of joint because they were banished. Has Rocky and Mal come up with any evidence there was money laundering or stuff being run through town that the public doesn’t know about?”

“I don’t know.” Doc watched as Joe thought about it, but his mate shook his head. “Damn it, it’s not likely they’d even know what to look for. Myron could have had his claws in this town for years and there’s no saying what Harold and Robert might have covered up.”

“Who’s investigating the city books?”

“Simon, I think, but,” Joe looked at the clock on the wall. “He’s probably still down in the jail with Hargraves.”

“We need to talk to them, now.” Doc’s animal was riding him hard and he’d learned a long time ago not to ignore him. A loud boom suddenly filled the night air, followed by the screeching of tires as a car drove off and Doc’s heart sank as Joe leapt from his seat. Or we could be too late.