Chapter Two
When Grisham had noticed Eban beckoning to someone, he’d turned to follow his focus. His breath had immediately caught in his chest, and his mouth had watered. The slender male was just as sexy as he remembered.
Cuzco Judson.
His blood firing in his veins, Grisham gave Cuzco a thorough once over. He wore faded, form-fitting blue jeans, and a pale green polo shirt. On his feet were a pair of sandals, revealing slim sexy feet.
Shit, did I just think his feet are sexy?
Grisham yanked his focus to Solomon, noticing his narrowed eyes and speculative expression. Picking up his glass of water, he cast a quick look at Eban and saw the big man’s lips were curved in a slight smirk. It was obvious they found Grisham’s situation funny.
At least they agreed to introduce me.
As Grisham downed several more gulps of water, trying to cool his spike of arousal, he caught movement in his peripheral vision. Cuzco slowly sat, occupying the fourth chair at their table. As soon as that happened, the waiter appeared.
“Are we ready to order now? Or do you need a few minutes, Cuzco?”
The blond male obviously knew Grisham’s obsession. Cuzco smiled up at the waiter—who’d introduced himself as Thane—and nodded. An uncomfortable niggle of jealousy tightened Grisham’s gut.
Damn! What is it about this guy?
“I always get the same thing anyway, but, uh...” Cuzco’s smile faded, and a tinge of red colored his cheeks as he glanced at Grisham beneath his lashes, then focused on Eban. “Am I eating?”
Eban grinned. “Probably not.” Looking at Thane, he ordered, “Come back in ten.” The waiter instantly dipped his head in a nod before slipping away. Then Eban pointed at Grisham. “This is Detective Grisham Canton. Do you remember him?”
Grisham focused on Cuzco fully. He watched as the lean, handsome male returned his regard. His big brown eyes were wide, and his lips were parted just a little. Cuzco’s nostrils flared, and Grisham recognized the lust in the depths of his eyes.
Excellent.
“Yeah,” Cuzco whispered, his voice soft and breathy. “I remember you.”
Considering the arousal simmering between them, Grisham figured there was no point in beating around the bush. “You have been in my thoughts.” Constantly, but he didn’t add that. Grisham reached out and placed his hand over Cuzco’s where it rested on the table. “I wish a meal, but only if you’re on the menu.”
Cuzco’s hand tensed beneath his own. His tongue slipped out and licked his bottom lip. He sucked in a harsh breath before swallowing hard enough to cause his Adam’s apple to bob.
“Y-You’re forward.”
“We both want the same thing.” Grisham twined their fingers and squeezed lightly. “Don’t we?”
Cuzco nodded once, then focused on Eban. “Am I relieved for the rest of my shift?”
“Is he your mate?”
Again, Cuzco nodded.
“Then you’re relieved. I’ll clear your schedule for the next few days, too,” Eban stated, and a look of relief crossed Cuzco’s face. “When explanation time comes, if you need help, let me know. There are plenty around who will give you a hand.”
Cuzco grinned as he stood. “Thanks.”
Grisham didn’t understand the exchange, but he rose, too. Getting out of the restaurant and to someplace secluded was his top priority, after all. One way or another, he needed the dreams to stop. That meant fucking Cuzco hard and getting him out of his system.
Time to get out of here.
Except, as Cuzco started away from the table, getting amused looks from several of the staff, a thought hit him.
“I hope I’m not getting you into trouble,” Grisham commented as he followed Cuzco from the restaurant. “While getting you alone is definitely top of my to do list today, I don’t want to cause you problems with your job.”
Eban had pulled Cuzco off whatever work he was doing.
Cuzco peered at him through his lashes as he led the way into the sunlight. “It won’t cause a problem. Really.” He glanced around, then began leading Grisham down a pathway. “I know you don’t understand, and I’ll explain it to you before long, but I really think we need to fuck right now.”
More than on board with that, Grisham took Cuzco at his word. He glanced around, trying to get his bearings. “Hold up. Isn’t the exit that way?” He pointed with his free hand, using their twined fingers to try to tug Cuzco to a stop. “My apartment isn’t close. Do you live around here?”
“Yeah,” Cuzco continued to head in the direction he’d chosen, practically dragging Grisham with him.
He’s a lot stronger than he looks.
“Most of the people who work here live in a complex on site,” Cuzco told him. “It’s this way.” He glanced around, his brows furrowing before admitting, “As fun as it’d be to relieve the ache in my prick in one of the alleyways, it’s too risky.” Cuzco turned and smiled at him, his cheeks pinking as heat filled his brown eyes. “If we got caught by a guest, then I really would get into trouble.”
“Your apartment it is.”
Grisham thought that would be perfect. He could fuck the hot man, maybe a few times, then leave and get on with his life. Liking that idea, Grisham released Cuzco’s hand.
When Cuzco gave him a questioning look, Grisham smiled and wrapped his arm around his waist. For some reason, he really wanted to touch. While he wasn’t in the closet by any means, he’d never been into public displays before. He didn’t understand the need.
Cuzco certainly didn’t seem to mind, however. While the leaner man was only an inch shorter than Grisham’s five-foot-ten height, he still snuggled closer against him. Grisham thought Cuzco felt fantastic pressed against his side.
Damn. I hope a few fucks will be enough to get him out of my system.
Grisham had never had a boyfriend before. His life as a detective, the odd hours and oftentimes dangerous work, didn’t lend his life to forming meaningful relationships.
Huh. If Cuzco is as good as I think he’ll be, maybe he wouldn’t mind being a fuck buddy.
* * * *
Cuzco couldn’t believe it. Grisham had come to him! While Cuzco had thought the detective was hot, he hadn’t been close enough to scent him. He hadn’t realized the human was his mate, so he hadn’t become obsessed with seeing him again.
Evidently, Fate had other plans.
Now I gotta figure out how to make him understand what we are to each other.
Although Cuzco had wanted to find his mate for over a hundred years, he still had no idea how to explain shifters to him. He hoped Grisham ended up open-minded. With the fingers of the hand around his mate’s waist, Cuzco twisted them into Grisham’s belt loop.
“So, um, this way.” Cuzco pointed to the left. “I’m sorry we have to walk. If I’d—” He snapped his mouth shut, realizing he couldn’t start explanations, yet.
“So if we do this again and you know I’m coming, you would tell me another way to your place?”
Cuzco nodded. “Yeah, if you don’t turn into the park’s lot and keep going on the road, there’s another driveway.” He felt his stomach flutter at the idea of Grisham already planning to see him again. That boded well for the future, right? “You take that one. It winds around a bluff, then opens up into a really nice condominium set up.”
“The park is quite a ways north of the city,” Grisham commented. “I’d always wondered what the people who worked here did for housing.”
“The Roush brothers thought of that.” Cuzco smiled as he thought of Alpha Kaiser and Beta William. Without them, he would probably still have been living mostly as an octopus. “They’re really quite brilliant.”
Grisham glanced his way, lifting a brow in interest. “I met Kaiser at the station. They seem very hands on for owners of such a huge company.”
“They want what’s best for us,” Cuzco told him. “They take care of us.”
“Take care of you?” Grisham sounded confused. “What do you mean?”
“We’re a family, of a sort,” Cuzco said, trying to explain without... explaining. “Many of us here, well”—he hesitated an instant, trying to think when most of his blood was in his little head—”we don’t have other family.”
Cuzco knew that land-based shifters normally lived in packs or prides or whatever. Marine shifters were different, more solitary. Before William had stumbled upon Cuzco while swimming off the coast of Washington state, he’d never heard of marine life banding together.
He sure loved it though.
“So what do you do here?”
Sighing, Cuzco tried to figure out a way to answer without outright lying to his mate. “I work in one of the exhibits,” he started slowly. Seeing the bend ahead, he pointed, “Just after this turn there’s an amazing view.”
Grisham lifted a brow, but he didn’t comment on Cuzco’s not-so-subtle subject change. Leering at him, the detective tipped his head close and murmured, “The only view I need right now is your ass in the air, ready and stretched for my cock.”
The hairs on Cuzco’s nape stood on end, and goose bumps rose on his arm. A shudder of anticipation worked through him. Meeting Grisham’s gaze, he admired the handsome, dark-haired detective. Cuzco raked a hungry gaze over him, taking in his wiry, well-muscled frame and nape-length, shaggy black hair. He could hardly wait to thread his fingers through those strands.
“Yes, please.”
Grisham turned Cuzco in his hold, wrapping his other arm around him. Holding him close, he grinned at him. “I like the way you look at me.” Grisham didn’t wait for a response. Instead, he dipped his head and captured Cuzco’s lips.
Cuzco moaned, opening instantly. Welcoming Grisham’s tongue, he teased his own appendage against it. He groaned again, relishing his mate’s taste, so deep and masculine.
Delicious.
Grisham broke the kiss far too soon. His expression was full of heat and need. He rocked his pelvis against Cuzco’s, showing off a wonderfully hard cock.
“We’d better get to your place quick, or I’m gonna take you behind one of these rocks.”
Cuzco moaned, and he felt his erection twitch. As much as he loved the idea, he wanted their first time to be in a bed even more. Panting hard, he nodded and stepped away.
“Come on.” Cuzco began power walking up the paved pathway. “We’re close.”
Grisham chuckled while falling into step with him.
For the first time that Cuzco could remember, he didn’t pause to admire the epic view. He hurried past the hill on the right and led the way toward the sprawling, several story apartment-style complex. Every building had three stories, plus there were wide open spaces covered in lush grass. Beyond the buildings was even a pond that disappeared around another hill. While Cuzco didn’t use them, he knew hiking paths disappeared both uphill and down, leading to a parking area and the beach.
“Damn,” Grisham murmured, his steps slowing a little, so Cuzco matched his pace. “This place is impressive.”
Cuzco nodded as he grabbed Grisham’s hand and got him moving faster again. “Yep. I’ll show you around later.” He grinned at his human and waggled his brows. Gods, yes. Mine! Finally. “Right now, I need your cock in my ass in the worst way.”
“Hell, yeah,” Grisham growled, speeding up his steps.
Cuzco knew that he’d have to discuss his need to top Grisham at some point. Otherwise, he couldn’t claim his mate, but that could wait. Fucking with his human in any way was more important than talking, especially since he didn’t think he could speak coherently right then, anyway.
Grabbing Grisham’s hand again, Cuzco started toward the nearest building. “I’m in this one.”
Grisham came with him easily.
The closer to his building Cuzco drew, the more his nerves spiked. It had been a long time since he’d taken anyone to his bed. Other than a few mutual jackoffs with strangers at clubs, Cuzco took care of his own needs.
“I can hear the wheels in your head turning, and I see the steam coming out your ears.” Grisham nipped Cuzco’s ear before reaching out and grabbing the door and hauling it open. “Stop thinking so hard,” he encouraged, tugging him inside. “Or I could make your brain shut down with the pleasure I give you.”
“Sorry,” Cuzco immediately replied as he took the lead and started toward the bank of elevators. “Been a while.”
Grisham’s eyes narrowed, his disbelief more than evident, but he didn’t comment until Cuzco led him into the elevator box and the door closed. Wrapping his arms around Cuzco, he pulled him close. “How is that possible?” Grisham asked softly, rubbing a hand up and down his spine. “A sexy man like you?”
Cuzco rested his palms on Grisham’s chest, sliding them under his jacket. “If you haven’t noticed, yet, I’m a little awkward.” He traced along the leather of the shoulder holster, skating around the weapon, then lower to tease along his side. “I say the wrong thing sometimes.”
“Good thing what we’ll be doing doesn’t require talking,” Grisham commented. Then he warned, “And don’t ever touch my gun.”
“I won’t,” Cuzco assured. He didn’t bother telling Grisham that they kind of freaked him out. A bullet to his small octopus body could do a lot of damage.
The elevator door opened, and Grisham released him.
Cuzco led the way out of the box and down the hall to the last door on the left. Each floor had four sprawling two-bedroom apartments. They all offered wonderful views and a good-sized balcony.
Cuzco loved to sit on his and smell the ocean as he drank his morning coffee. As he led Grisham inside, he wondered if his mate would enjoy the same thing.
Gotta explain everything first.
Then Cuzco heard the door behind him close, pulling him out of his thoughts. Grisham’s strong arms wrapped around him, and his mate plastered himself to his back. Nibbling at Cuzco’s neck, Grisham rubbed his cock against his ass.
“Are you with me?” Grisham rumbled huskily.
Sinking into Grisham’s embrace, Cuzco hummed. “Oh, yeah.” He pushed his rear back, offering his mate more friction. His own dick ached behind his fly. “Definitely with you.”
Grisham nipped at his earlobe while sliding one hand down to cup his groin. “Good.”
Cuzco groaned and bucked his hips, pushing into Grisham’s hold. His mate rubbed him through his jeans, causing his erection to throb and leak.
“Show me to your bedroom, lover.”
More than happy to follow that order, Cuzco obeyed.