Chapter Three
Going Down by the River
“I should probably grab my boxes before we go. Yummy Beans is on the way home, so it will save me some time.” They walked hand in hand. It felt nice. Too nice.
“Or I could drive you to Yummy Beans and then to your home.” It wasn’t far, but any distance without the boxes in his arms would be nice. Who knew? If he played his cards right, they might even be able to pick up where they’d left off earlier, only this time with a wee bit of privacy.
“To Yummy Beans, absolutely, but not home. It’s not really a drivable kind of homestead.” There was no way he wanted to explain to Justin why he couldn’t see Adrian’s road or cabin. He had no idea how long the illusion would hold up, but for now, it was solid.
“What do you mean?”
Crap, he was a persistent one. “It’s pretty deep in the woods.”
He opened up the passenger-side door and climbed in. The older model truck had extra-comfy leather seats, and he settled in, enjoying the comfort after those stupid counter stools.
“Wait, are you saying you are camping?” Justin continued right where he left off the second his door was open and he was climbing in. He turned to face Adrian in his seat, looking almost worried.
Crap on a cracker, he thought Adrian was nearly homeless.
“Oh no, it’s a cabin. Running water, electricity, the Internet, the whole nine yards.” Justin didn’t seem convinced, so he quickly added, “No one uses file folders in a tent.”
“But no driveway?” Now he looked less concerned and more confused. Adrian just wanted to get to the coffee and orgasms, but this guy had to be all nice and caring. Justin cupped his cheek and stared into his eyes. For a second, Adrian could have sworn he felt his bear. Darn hormones messing with his head.
“Not so much.” It wasn’t like he could admit he had a driveway the other man would not be able to see.
“Is that why you are walking with all these things?” Clearly Justin was still amused by his choice of words. Adrian wanted to ask him what he would call them, but he had yet to start the truck, which meant Adrian was still a good ten minutes away from his new afternoon goal. No way was he delaying that any longer than necessary.
“I am walking because my motorcycle broke, and I haven’t gotten it fixed yet.”
“Motorcycle. You were going to carry these on your motorcycle?” Justin’s thumb caressed his cheekbone, and he focused really hard on the question at hand instead of the really hard erection he was hoping to have Justin sporting in the near future.
“No. That would be crazy.” Justin’s thumb traveled to Adrian’s lips, and he gave it a quick nip before turning slightly. If he allowed things to continue on this path, he was going to jump him—and from the crash of the dumpster echoing in his ears, it was not the best idea. They most definitely had an audience.
“If…” His voice cracked slightly. Oh yeah, Justin knew he was turning him on. “If my motorcycle worked, I would have gotten the smaller cardboard boxes and put all the things in my backpack instead of putting my backpack in the box.”
“You are full of surprises, aren’t you? My hot biker.” The lust returned in his eyes, full throttle. At least, the conversation was going in the right direction.
“Hardly. It was cheap and mostly worked, so I bought it instead of a car.” Justin was a stranger he was about to get hot and sweaty with. There was no reason for him to overshare anything about money, yet out it came.
He didn’t want Justin thinking he was a biker when he was anything but. Justin might have eyes he wanted to get lost in and dimples that made his cock weep for joy, but he wanted Justin to want him for himself. Not that Adrian knew him.
God. I have to stop overthinking and just enjoy the afternoon distraction.
“Sticking with my original assessment. It’s hotter.”
Adrian let out a snicker. He was not normally a laugher, but there was something about this man… “Yeah, I guess it is true. Bikers are hot.”
“My truck has four-wheel drive.” And they were back to the driveway again. Mr. Persistent.
“I think it is best if I walk.” The bluntness and harshness of his words felt bad coming out, so he quickly overcompensated by plastering on a huge smile and running his hand up Justin’s arm. He was built beneath his plain gray T-shirt, and Adrian planned to see just how built. He was also dying to know just what the tattoo barely showing over the top of Justin’s collar just now was.
“Do you walk alone all the time?” Did he hear worry? They had just met.
Heck, he didn’t even know the man’s last name.
“Serial Killer Justin talking?” Maybe adding the humor would lighten things back up.
“Nah, Nice Guy Justin talking.” He believed him, too. Justin was a nice guy. A nice guy wrapped in a freakin’ hot bad-boy body.
“Yeah, I do walk alone.”
Justin’s gaze fell. He didn’t like that answer. Not one bit.
“I used to have a roommate, but she’s gone, so yeah. Don’t worry, though. I can take care of myself.”
“Oh, I know. Bear or cougar?”
Well, that one question just made things more interesting.
“You’re not a wolf—I can tell.”
So Justin knew he’d been born to shifters. No part of him questioned his safety around Justin, and it was nice to add one more layer to their connection.
“Well, it looks like I am not the only one full of surprises. I didn’t realize you were in the know. Visiting, not passing through, I see.” He had wondered why the man would be passing through. Three Rivers wasn’t en route to anywhere from a starting point of Oregon.
“Not sure if in the know is how I would explain it—and more taking care of some business than visiting.”
Working. Hmmm, he might be here for a few days.
“I actually have never been here before today. Maybe you can be my tour guide.”
“I’d be a crappy guide. I pretty much stick to myself.”
“Cougar thing?” Justin was not subtle. Adrian had left him hanging, so it was fair.
“Bear thing, but no. More of an Adrian thing.” Bears were solitary, but they didn’t act like hermits in the woods.
“You sure you want to carry this all the way home?” Justin spun his keys around in his hand. “I mean, even if my truck is not going to fit, I can walk you. You know, be the dumb muscle.”
“I seriously doubt you are dumb, but I got it.” Adrian leaned in, hoping for a kiss, but Justin put the key in the ignition before fastening his seat belt.
“We best go get that coffee so I can spend the next hour or so wooing you into letting me help you.” He backed the truck out of the spot and began their short drive.
“Wooing? Seemed like you were busy avoiding wooing just now.” Adrian wanted to kick his own ass. He sounded like a needy, hurt, wannabe-boyfriend instead of the strong young bear he was.
“What I was doing”—Justin grabbed Adrian’s hand as they halted at the stop sign and placed it in his lap. Holy crap, he was bigger than Adrian initially thought—“was avoiding our debut as exhibitionists in Burger Dan’s parking lot. I figure having the waitress watching us while on her smoke break was not the best way to go about things.”
“Oh.” Adrian had totally forgotten about their probable audience. If his bear was not in hiding, it would have warned him, but any man—shifter or no—should be aware enough to avoid situations like that.
The truck pulled into a spot in front of the coffee shop. It was more of a hangout for locals than anything else so he hoped it would be less crowded than the diner.
Sure enough, it was, and they grabbed their coffees with ease. Justin insisted on paying. For a guy with tattoos, he sure was old-fashioned. No use in arguing over the few bucks because he was sure Justin was going to bring up the trip home, yet again, if he did.
“Here, you hold the coffees, and I will grab the box.” He handed Adrian the cups, not waiting for a response. “Where to?” Adrian shook his head in amusement.
“So how long are you in town?” Maybe he could have Justin for at least a few days.
“Not really sure.” Was he evading the question or really unsure? Adrian couldn’t tell and wasn’t sure it mattered.
“Are you staying at the inn?” He pretty much had to be, but it was polite to ask. “I stayed there when I first got here. It is nice enough.”
“I hadn’t really gotten that far, either.”
Adrian took a sip of coffee, hoping Justin would continue to speak. He didn’t.
“Left here.” Adrian answered the unspoken question as they stopped at the corner.
“I actually was only in town for about fifteen minutes before I met you.”
He wished he could see Justin’s face, but with his arms full, he could barely see his forehead, which was giving nothing away. “Oh no. Am I keeping you from getting your bearings?”
“No. You are helping me find them.” His voice deepened.
Sadness? There was definitely more to this guy than a hot body and killer smile.
“Are you sure? I can help you find the inn and such.”
“I passed it on my way in, but thanks.”
“If you’re sure.” He wasn’t going to push, or so he kept telling himself.
“I am.”
They stopped at the end of the road, and Adrian pointed in the direction they needed to be heading. He was going a wee bit out of their way, and his arms would be sorry by the time he got back to the cabin, but he really wanted to show Justin his favorite place.
“I have found today much more enjoyable than I thought I would,” Justin continued.
“I hope you are here for a bit.” The confession slipped from his lips. It was true. He wanted Justin to stay. He might have dated a lot in the past, but already his connection to this man was different.
“Me, too.” Justin’s admission filled him with emotions, the strongest one, hope. He would probably spend hours tonight deciphering all that happened today, but for now, he was going to sit back and enjoy the ride.
“Turn right,” he instructed before taking another sip of coffee. He had just about gotten to the point where the coffee would no longer spill as he walked. In hindsight, he probably should have left the top sealed the way Justin had. His had not spilled one drop. “If we go on a bit, there are some nice rocks, perfect for sitting.”
“Is that Serial Killer Adrian or Biker Adrian talking?” Fair enough. He had that one coming.
“Neither, it’s Tour Guide Adrian,” he pronounced proudly in his best announcer voice.
“You weren’t kidding,” Justin gasped as they entered the clearing Adrian had fondly begun to think of as his. “It is as if Mother Nature left these rocks just for us.”
He wasn’t wrong.
“I know.” Adrian grabbed the box from him and placed it on the ground. “I love it here. It’s weird that I never run into anyone here because, in a town like this, I assumed people would be here all the time.” He handed Justin his coffee, which he opened and took a sip.
“A town like this?” He took a long drink of his coffee, his eyes never leaving Adrian’s.
“Yeah, a town with people like…you know, me.” He went over to the taller of the boulders and sat down, and Justin followed his lead. Adrian liked this spot. For one thing, he could look the other man in the eyes without having to crane his neck.
“Wait, is this a shifter town? Huh. Guess that explains all the shifters in the diner.”
Had he not known? Crap. “Kind of?” Adrian wasn’t sure how to go about answering. The town wouldn’t be happy with him sharing their secret, but fuck the town. Justin wasn’t a danger to anyone. He could feel it. This was a good man. Besides, he’d already figured out the shifter population density was high. “Isn’t that why you are here? You knew what I am.”
“I’m here because I have business to take care of, like I said. I knew what you were because I could sense your bear, but he’s not one for coming out to play, is he?” Suck. Justin didn’t miss a thing. “Usually, I know right away what kind of shifter someone is, but with you I was half guessing.”
“My bear is pretty hidden. I haven’t seen him in years.” Adrian played with the rim of his coffee cup. He didn’t like to talk about his bear. Not. At. All.
“Years?”
He needed to see Justin’s eyes to know they were showing sympathy. That was not the direction he had wanted this afternoon to go.
“Well, more like ever.” He took another sip of coffee. It was almost empty, and his prop of avoidance would be gone. “Once in a while, when I was a kid, he would pop up for maybe a minute, but for the most part he stays deep inside.”
“Huh. I thought I felt him earlier.”
That had Adrian’s head popping up and looking at Justin’s now-quizzical expression. “What?” No way he had felt Adrian’s bear. Was there?
“I thought I did, but just for a second or two.” He put his coffee on the boulder beside him.
“Really? I thought that was my imagination.” Adrian was talking more to himself than to Justin. He hadn’t given credence to his feelings earlier. Maybe his bear had come out to play for a millisecond.
That’s a start, right?
“Doesn’t it make you lonely?” Justin scooted a bit closer. “Having him there, but not.”
“Yeah. It kind of really does.” He leaned his head on Justin’s shoulder, too close to not be touching him. “How do you know about all of this? For that matter, how did you sense me?”
“I have always been able to sense what kind of shifters people are. Not sure why.” He leaned his head on Adrian’s.
He felt so comfortable in Justin’s presence.
“How do I know about shifters at all? That’s kind of a long story. A story for another time.”
“Why another time and not now?”
“Because now is for kissing.”
A plan Adrian could get behind. He turned to face Justin. “Kissing? Just kissing?”
I am such a tease.
Though it wasn’t really teasing if he meant to follow through on all the fabulous things scrolling through his head.
“I never specified where the kisses would be.”
And the day just got better.
“No. No you did not.” Adrian reached over and began to work the buttons on his jeans. “I know where I want to start.”
“I had planned on starting.” Justin leaned in and nipped his lip, causing his entire body to shiver with need.
“Oh, no, mister. You are not playing fair.” He playfully batted Justin away from his lips and continued to work the buttons. “You already shut me down once today. I’m not going to let that happen again.”
“You really don’t—”
“Seriously, are you going to do the whole you don’t have to, the recipients are the only ones who actually like a good blow job thing?” He kept working on the buttons until he got every last one open. He had never been happier to find out someone free balled it than at that very moment.
“No, I’m not,” Justin gasped as Adrian reached in and pulled out his cock. He took a moment simply to admire its beauty. It was long and hard, but that wasn’t what impressed him. No, what impressed him was its girth. It was a thing of beauty, and the precum glistening from the tip was calling to him. He had to taste this amazing man. There was no way around it.
“Very good. Because I really didn’t want to have to stop and explain how much I need to taste your cock. I want to get straight to the tasting.”
“I’m not one to get between what you and—”
He cut him off with a lick. Oh, salty goodness mixed with a hint of sweet. He was going to enjoy this almost as much as he enjoyed the heady power of knowing his one lick made Justin incapable of finishing his sentence.
One was not enough. He gave a long lick from the base to the tip before swirling his tongue around and descending back to the root. “These jeans need to go.” Adrian grabbed two of the belt loops and started to pull down. Justin was quick to help but didn’t say a word. When the pants were settled down his thighs, Adrian went back to his feast. He took him into his mouth. Adrian had been slightly worried he wouldn’t fit with that girth, but it was like Justin was made just for him. He took him all the way down and was rewarded with a groan of pleasure. He looked up as he slowly pulled his mouth up, sucking in
It was just as he thought—Justin was looking at him, his eyes half-hooded. He knew if he wanted to, he could make him come with only a few more moves, but did he want to? Part of him really did. The rest of him wanted to sit back and enjoy a long tease.
Decisions. Decisions.
He took his cock all the way down again, and this time added a swallow at the end. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Justin balling up his fist. The dear, sweet man was working so hard not to take over and fuck his mouth. Not that Adrian would have minded if he did. He actually would have loved it, but that didn’t make the sentiment less sweet. He was going to have to put the poor guy out of his misery.
Adrian made an inner bet with himself he could be swallowing Justin’s cum in less than five more trips.
He won the bet in two.