have started firing.”
As much as he didn’t want to agree, he saw that Caleb was right.
“I said that we were on the same footing because I guess I was hoping I’d believe it, but I didn’t. I don’t.” Caleb winced. “You’re a gentryman, and I’m a slammer. There’s no question that there’s lust between us, but do we really have what it takes to be together for the long haul? Sadly, I didn’t think so, especially when the world started falling apart. I suddenly realized that if you scratched your itch with me enough you’d eventually move on. But you just aren’t that kind of man, and I couldn’t settle for half measures.”
“You thought all I wanted was to fuck you?” McBride had never been so surprised in his life.
“Maybe.” Caleb lifted his hand, cutting McBride off before he could defend himself. “If you would have bloodbonded to me, I think you would have regretted it.”
Never had he ever thought Caleb left under some misguided notion he was protecting him. McBride thought he was going for his own selfish reasons. “I never would have regretting claiming you.”
“Don’t you think I know that now? You wanted to know how I felt then. Here it is. I wanted—I want what’s best for you. I thought it was me, and then I didn’t.”
“And now?”
Caleb looked out the window but didn’t seem to be seeing what was there. He appeared to be looking at the past and projecting that onto the murky future. “I don’t know if I’m right for you, but I know Quintus isn’t.”
What astonished McBride was that he agreed wholeheartedly with Caleb. McBride thought they’d spent all their time at cross purposes when the fact was they’d been very much in sync. He’d loved Caleb enough to let him go, but he felt too trapped by his own lies to claim him now. It was a mess. McBride saw no way to get out of it without completely losing face in front of his men.
“If you love him, or think that you really can love him, I won’t ever come between the two of you.” Caleb moved across the floor until he was standing a breath away from McBride. With him so close, McBride could smell that scent that always seemed to cling to him. Spice and soap and a light sheen of sweat. It was all things masculine and powerful. McBride wanted to find the source of that essence on Caleb and spend hours licking the spot. “Just tell me that you honestly want him.”
Determined to end their relentless back-and-forth, McBride told Caleb the one thing that would shatter any hope he still clung to. “I fell in love with him the moment I claimed him.”
The look of devastation on Caleb’s face confirmed his blow had landed and utterly destroyed any chance for a future reconciliation.
Chapter 11
Renner woke with the scent of Quintus on his bedding and body, but the man himself was gone. He’d stayed as long as he dared last night, but he didn’t think the way for McBride to find out about them was to discover his potential mate in another man’s bed. So Quintus had dressed and left after a dozen passionate kisses.
Even with him across the yard in the big house, Renner felt him. Such was the nature of a strong bloodbond. Renner shivered and pulled the covers up to his neck. The remembrance of his love’s blood made him smile and grow erect in a simultaneous flush of excitement. Renner couldn’t remember how many times he’d pictured the moment when he would claim his mate with his mouth, but the taste of Quintus put all his daydreams to shame.
“He was luscious.”
Rather than attend to his arousal with his hand, Renner got out of bed and ignored his erection. He’d much rather wait for Quintus. It seemed a shame to let any of his lust go to waste now that he had someone he could share everything with.
Well, not quite.
He hadn’t yet come clean to his master, so he couldn’t really share everything with Quintus. If that really were the case, then his mate would still be in his bed. Although, if he
As much as he didn’t want to agree, he saw that Caleb was right.
“I said that we were on the same footing because I guess I was hoping I’d believe it, but I didn’t. I don’t.” Caleb winced. “You’re a gentryman, and I’m a slammer. There’s no question that there’s lust between us, but do we really have what it takes to be together for the long haul? Sadly, I didn’t think so, especially when the world started falling apart. I suddenly realized that if you scratched your itch with me enough you’d eventually move on. But you just aren’t that kind of man, and I couldn’t settle for half measures.”
“You thought all I wanted was to fuck you?” McBride had never been so surprised in his life.
“Maybe.” Caleb lifted his hand, cutting McBride off before he could defend himself. “If you would have bloodbonded to me, I think you would have regretted it.”
Never had he ever thought Caleb left under some misguided notion he was protecting him. McBride thought he was going for his own selfish reasons. “I never would have regretting claiming you.”
“Don’t you think I know that now? You wanted to know how I felt then. Here it is. I wanted—I want what’s best for you. I thought it was me, and then I didn’t.”
“And now?”
Caleb looked out the window but didn’t seem to be seeing what was there. He appeared to be looking at the past and projecting that onto the murky future. “I don’t know if I’m right for you, but I know Quintus isn’t.”
What astonished McBride was that he agreed wholeheartedly with Caleb. McBride thought they’d spent all their time at cross purposes when the fact was they’d been very much in sync. He’d loved Caleb enough to let him go, but he felt too trapped by his own lies to claim him now. It was a mess. McBride saw no way to get out of it without completely losing face in front of his men.
“If you love him, or think that you really can love him, I won’t ever come between the two of you.” Caleb moved across the floor until he was standing a breath away from McBride. With him so close, McBride could smell that scent that always seemed to cling to him. Spice and soap and a light sheen of sweat. It was all things masculine and powerful. McBride wanted to find the source of that essence on Caleb and spend hours licking the spot. “Just tell me that you honestly want him.”
Determined to end their relentless back-and-forth, McBride told Caleb the one thing that would shatter any hope he still clung to. “I fell in love with him the moment I claimed him.”
The look of devastation on Caleb’s face confirmed his blow had landed and utterly destroyed any chance for a future reconciliation.
Chapter 11
Renner woke with the scent of Quintus on his bedding and body, but the man himself was gone. He’d stayed as long as he dared last night, but he didn’t think the way for McBride to find out about them was to discover his potential mate in another man’s bed. So Quintus had dressed and left after a dozen passionate kisses.
Even with him across the yard in the big house, Renner felt him. Such was the nature of a strong bloodbond. Renner shivered and pulled the covers up to his neck. The remembrance of his love’s blood made him smile and grow erect in a simultaneous flush of excitement. Renner couldn’t remember how many times he’d pictured the moment when he would claim his mate with his mouth, but the taste of Quintus put all his daydreams to shame.
“He was luscious.”
Rather than attend to his arousal with his hand, Renner got out of bed and ignored his erection. He’d much rather wait for Quintus. It seemed a shame to let any of his lust go to waste now that he had someone he could share everything with.
Well, not quite.
He hadn’t yet come clean to his master, so he couldn’t really share everything with Quintus. If that really were the case, then his mate would still be in his bed. Although, if he
Similar Books
