Without Reservations (3 page)

“I knew you’d have blue eyes.” The man stopped smiling, his face becoming very serious. “We’re here. Are you ready to go in?” He didn’t wait for a response, instead he got out of the truck. He stayed away for about a minute then came back and opened the back door. “Okay, this is how we’re going to do this. You’re going to try and be very still and I’m going to be very careful and try not to jostle you around a lot.” He unbuckled the seat belt and slid his hand underneath Keaton’s side. Pulling him out gently, the man picked Keaton up and kicked the door shut. Thank God, his head and foot ached so much he didn’t even want to attempt walking. The man carried Keaton to a nice little ranch-style house. The door was open, so Keaton supposed that’s where the man had disappeared to after he got out of the truck. He walked right in and laid Keaton, still wrapped in the blanket, on the floor then shut the front door.

Keaton lay there for a minute taking everything in, or trying to, he couldn’t seem to get his eyes off the man. Tall and wide shouldered…and what a great ass. Keaton’s cock twitched. The man’s hair was a little longer than shoulder-length. It probably would have looked girly on another man, but with his obvious Native American features, it fit. It was sexy as hell.

The man turned, catching Keaton staring, and smiled. “Yeah, kinda weird, huh? You feel it too, right?”

What?
Keaton cocked his head to the side automatically, and wished he hadn’t. He had a headache from hell. But how did the man know how Keaton felt? Wait, if he felt it too, then it wasn’t just the trauma of being shot. What did that mean? Keaton glanced down the man’s body.
Oh,
he had a hard-on too. Keaton’s heart began to pound at the sight.

“Why don’t you go ahead and change so we can talk.”

Keaton’s gaze shot back to his face. He nodded, feeling a little embarrassed at getting caught checking the man out.
Yeah, change…good idea.
It’d probably stop his head from hurting too. But how in the heck was he going to hide his erection from this gorgeous man?

Keaton shifted, managing to keep his bottom half covered by the blanket. Fully human again, he sat up, prick still hard as stone, stomach still in knots and heart still pounding. He looked up at the man and suddenly it hit him. “Ohmigod. You’re my mate.”

* * *

My God, was right. Little Bit was absolutely the prettiest man Chay had ever seen. Although to call him a man might have been stretching it a bit. He looked legal, but barely. And it wasn’t only his slim build that gave the impression of youth. His features were lovely. His nose was narrow and straight, slightly upturned at the end. Chay had never understood what the term peaches–and-cream complexion meant, until now. Little Bit had flawless skin. His short platinum locks lay in waves where it wasn’t matted with blood.

Chay squatted next to his mate and pulled the gauze away from the sunny-colored hair, knocking a hank of it down to obscure huge sky blue eyes. The wound had healed completely, not even a scar on the pale skin.

He peered up at Chay in astonishment and pushed the hair back with a slim, elegant hand. “What’s your name?”

Chay grinned at the thick southern accent. “Chay…Chayton Winston. What’s yours, Little Bit?”

A light brown eyebrow arched. “I assure you it
isn’t
Little Bit.”

Oh ho.
Little Bit had teeth.

Chay raised a brow of his own.

Bit blushed and cleared his throat. “Sorry. I just get tired of all the cracks about my age and size. I guess I’m a little sensitive about it. My name is Keaton.” He held out his hand. When Chay shook it, he added, “Dr. Keaton Reynolds.”

Chay’s mouth dropped open. “How old are you?”

Keaton sighed. “Twenty-five. And before you ask, I’ve a PhD in history.”

Wow.
Very impressive. Apparently his mate was a really smart man and much older than he looked. Chay grinned and sat on the floor. “You obviously aren’t from here. What brings you to New Mexico?”

“Work. I teach Ancient Civ. at NMSU.” Keaton smiled and slid on the wood floor to get closer. “What about you? What do you do?”

“I’m a vet.”

“Yeah? Thanks for rescuing me Dr. Winston.”

“I didn’t. The game warden did. Shot you with a tranquilizer dart and brought you to my clinic. I only cleaned your wound.”

Keaton moved, practically scooting into Chay’s lap. “Thank you,” he whispered.

Chay stared, hypnotized by the smattering of freckles he’d just noticed across the bridge of Little Bit’s nose. “You’re very welcome.”

Keaton’s breath fanned over his face but Chay didn’t move back.
Who would have thought freckles could be sexy?

The younger man blinked. He had eyelashes any woman would kill for, long and curled at the ends. Up close, his beauty became more apparent. Keaton leaned in, pressing his lips against Chay’s.

Chay pressed back without thought.

Bit’s lips felt warm, right. His tongue teased Chay’s lips, seeking entrance. Kissing him didn’t feel any different than kissing a woman. Chay pulled back. “Uh, I’m not gay.”

Keaton looked like someone slapped him. He blinked several times and turned away, sinking back onto his heels. “I’m sorry. I thought… Never mind.” He gathered the blanket around his waist as he stood. “Do you have some clothes I can borrow? And a phone? I’ll call someone to come get me. I’ll, uh, get out of your hair.” He sounded unsure of himself, embarrassed.

Chay felt like a real ass. “Look, I’m the one who’s sorry. You don’t have to go, but I’ll find you something to wear, okay?” He got up and went to his room.

Keaton followed him. “Listen, Chay. I think it’s probably best if I just go. I can call a taxi to come get me.”

Chay snagged a pair of black sweatpants off a hanger and pulled out a T-shirt. When he turned, Keaton was standing in the middle of the bedroom with the blanket clutched around him, seeming for all the world like a kicked dog. Chay felt about two-inches tall. He sighed, walked over to Bit and gave him the clothes. “Here you go. The bathroom is right behind you. Go ahead and take a shower and we’ll talk. There are towels in the cabinet above the toilet.”

Keaton took the clothes and strode into the bathroom without a glance at him.

Chay leaned against the wall. What was he going to do? He should just let Keaton go and then they could get on with their lives. This could be a good thing. He could pick his own mate and Keaton could pick his own mate.

He squelched down panic. His chest felt tight at the thought of not seeing Keaton again. No, they’d have to work something out. Letting Bit go didn’t feel right. Chay’d wanted a mate for as long as he could remember, and he’d be damned if the fact his mate wasn’t a woman kept him from claiming his mate. He tapped on the door. “Hey? Are you hungry?”

“No.” The curt answer bordered on hostile and the sound of the water being turned on followed.

Chay squeezed his eyes shut. Bit had to be hungry. He’d spent all night in that ravine. Chay shoved himself off the wall and went to the kitchen. He didn’t know what Bit liked, but hell, he was a wolf, he’d probably eat any kind of meat. He gathered stuff to fix two bologna sandwiches and got two sodas.

When Bit came to the kitchen doorway, Chay’d just opened a bag of chips. Bit stopped in the doorway, his hair damp and a frown on his face. “I said I wasn’t hungry. I need to be leaving.”

Chay grinned. His clothes were way too big. They made Keaton appear even younger. The petulant frown on those full lips wasn’t helping matters any. “Come on, Keaton, give me a break. I’m sorry I hurt your feelings. We need to figure this out. Come sit down and eat. I know damned well you’ve got to be hungry.”

Bit stood there for several seconds before the set of his shoulders relaxed. “All right. I’m not sure what you think it is we’re going to work out, but I’m listening.” He sat at the small round table across from Chay and took a bite of the sandwich. “Umm. Thank you. You’re right. I’m starved. I got shot before I could hunt and after that I couldn’t seem to focus.”

The tightness in Chay’s chest eased a little at the sight of Bit eating. He ate some of his own sandwich and washed it down with a swig of soda. “So, you’re gay?”

“Yeah, you got a problem with that?” Keaton set his sandwich down and got up. “Look this is stupid and an obvious waste of time. Thank you for patching me up. I’ll get your clothes back to you tomorrow.” He turned and walked out of the kitchen.

Chay sat there in stunned silence until he heard the front door open and close. “Shit.” What the hell had he said this time? He’d only asked the man if he was gay. Damn, Bit was sensitive.

Chay ran into the living room and threw the door open. Keaton stood in the front yard with a hand on his chin and his bottom lip between his teeth. He looked left and right. When he caught sight of Chay he waved and started walking down the street.

Good lord the man was stubborn. It became obvious Keaton had no clue where he was. And to top it off he had no shoes. Chay sighed and jogged into the house to get his keys. By the time he got in his truck and caught up with the man, he’d made it to the end of the street. Chay drove up beside him. “Get in and I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”

“No thanks.”

Chay gritted his teeth to keep from yelling, but wasn’t entirely successful. “Get in the
damn
truck.”

Bit glared at him, his eyebrows pulling low over his eyes, and gritted his teeth right back. “No.” He snapped his head forward and kept right on walking.

“Keaton, get in the truck…please. We’ve got to talk.”

Bit threw his hands up and let them fall. He came over to Chay’s truck and leaned in the window. “I’m gay. You aren’t. What the hell is left to say? So long, have a nice life? Gee, doesn’t fate suck?” Interesting, his southern accent grew more prominent with anger. How endearing.

“Please get in the truck. Do you have any idea where you are or where you’re going?”

Bit sighed, opened the door and got in. “No, I’ve only been here a month. I live close to the Wal-Mart Supercenter, do you know where that is?”

“Yeah. I know where that is. Where are you from, anyway?”

“You mean it’s not obvious? I’m from Georgia.”

Chay nodded. “I knew it was somewhere in the Deep South, but I didn’t know where exactly.” They rode along in silence for several minutes, then Chay decided he’d better get to the important topic before Bit got all pissed off again. “We’re mates.”

Keaton’s forehead furrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest. “Look, I didn’t have anything to do with it. It’s not my fault, okay?”

Chay blinked.
What?
Out of everything Keaton could have said,
that
he hadn’t expected. “I know that. I come from a long line of wolves. I know all about how the whole mate thing works. I just never anticipated having a male mate. You know?”

“Fuck you. You aren’t exactly what I expected either.”

Chay’s mouth dropped open.
Whoa
, someone had quite a temper. Chay snapped his mouth shut. “I didn’t say I was pissed off or anything, I just… Hell, I’m surprised.”

“Yeah, I think you made your feelings on the subject quite clear. And for the record, I don’t have any kind of communicable disease. Kissing me won’t give you rabies or anything.” Sarcasm laced the deep southern drawl.

So that’s what he was all bent out of joint over…the kiss. “Hey, I just thought you should know, okay? I didn’t mean anything by that. It was a nice kiss, it was just—”

“Yeah, look, I’m sorry. I’m being an asshole.” He pointed left. “Turn here. My apartment complex is the next left. It’s the second building.”

Chay pulled in and slowed the truck. “Here?”

“Yeah, this is fine. I’ll have to go get the manager to let me in. I’m right up there. Listen, if you want to wait, I’ll run in and change and bring you your clothes back. The apartment manager lives directly across from me. Or I can wash them and bring them to you tomorrow after I get off work. It’s up to you.”

Chay smiled.
You aren’t getting away from me that easy, Bit.

Keaton got out of the truck and shut the door. “Well, do you want to wait or do you want me to bring them to you?”

“What time do you get off work tomorrow?”

“My last class is at three o’clock.”

“What time do you usually get home?”

“About four-fifteen. Why?”

“I’ll get them tomorrow when I come for dinner at six. You have a preference of pizza toppings?”

Keaton frowned. “Look, I think it’s best we part ways here and now. You don’t want me, and I’ll be damned if I—”

“Okay, then. Pepperoni it is. See you tomorrow, Bit.” Chay pulled away with a satisfied grin and glanced in the rearview at an astonished Keaton. The man would eventually figure out that Chay was every bit as stubborn as he was.

Chapter Three

Keaton pushed his glasses up on his nose, looked back at the book and read the same sentence for the third time. Who was he kidding? He slammed the book shut and pulled his glasses off, setting them on top of the textbook. The clock on the microwave read five forty-five p.m. He did not care if Chay showed up. He didn’t. The man didn’t even like him.

Keaton groaned and got up from the kitchen table.
Damn Chay anyway.
Not only did the man have the audacity to be straight, he had to be Keaton’s type. He was gorgeous, smart, and obviously a kind, considerate man. Keaton rolled his eyes. Chay had practically run from the house screaming yesterday when Keaton had kissed him, but it didn’t stop him from trying to feed Keaton’s skinny ass and making sure he got home safely. To make matters worse, even after being so soundly set down, it hadn’t stopped Keaton from imagining Chay last night when he’d jerked off. Oh, what he wanted to do to that man. He could practically feel that nicely muscled body, moving over his…

A straight man.
He could not do this again, not after Jonathon…and Jonathon wasn’t even his mate. This had the potential to be much worse. Keaton groaned and paced back into the kitchen. This entire situation seriously sucked. He had to stop this before it even started. It was better that way. Better for Chay and definitely better for him.