Page 55 of Sight Unseen

“What time is it?” Nate asked.

I looked down at my watch. “It’s eight-thirty. Time to get something to eat, and I feel like a beer. Then maybe we can sit down and talk about the first thing that comes up?”

Nate rolled his eyes at the silly old joke. “Right. Food. Your stomach. Of course.”

He moved away, navigating his studio like a pro in the dim light of the fading day, which, unfortunately, he couldn’t see—the sky was a bright pink. He found his cane where he always left it, behind the door, and cocked his head like a bird.

“Ready? Let’s go feed you. I have linguini, sauce and some mussels. We can make a seafood pasta.”

He moved toward the door and I glanced over to the corner where the thing beneath the covers lay and tried once more to find out what it was. It was a rite of passage on leaving the studio and no doubt he’d be expecting it.

“Nate, please tell me—”

“Nope.” The smile on his face lit the room up, and although I grumbled at being left out of the secret, the grin warmed my heart.

“Fine, you secretive bastard. I’ll have you know I will find out.”

“You’ll find out when I choose to show you. And no peeking and breaking and entering when I’m sleeping either.”

I followed Nate out of the room. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” I hoped I sounded convincing but I couldn’t deny the whole clandestine break-in scenario had occurred to me a few times.

Nate snorted as he closed and locked the door. “I know you. You probably had Scooby-Doo scope the place out so you can both come down here later and sneak in.”

“Hey, enough with the Shaggy references.” I pushed his shoulder hard, causing him to overbalance and stumble. Panicked, I caught hold of him and pulled him back against my front. He smelled like home, his spicy aftershave so familiar, his scent of warm man, clay and sweat an aphrodisiac. The needy thing in my pants grew and pressed against Nate’s ass.

His hand snaked around the back of my head and he pulled me in for another kiss. Quick this time and fleeting. “I’m guessing that’s not going away by itself? We’ll be taking care of that later?”

I bit his earlobe sharply, palming his groin, loving the hiss of pain that escaped his throat. From the feel of his front, he liked it too.

“Oh yeah. Tonight I’m burying myself in that tight, perfect ass and we’re getting as close to nature as two naked, sweaty, horny men can get.”

I stuck my tongue in his ear.

Nate squirmed and spoke huskily, “God, stop it. We need to eat first and cooking with a hard-on, and the thought of you in me later is damn distracting.” He moved away and continued up the path, muttering to himself. His cane clicked softly against the stone.

I grinned. So far, everything was better than perfect.

Chapter 11

Nate

Being in a relationship with Cody was both intoxicating and unnerving.

Christ, he could be a dominant and bossy bastard when he wanted. People underestimated him, seeing only the laissez-faire attitude, the surfer-dude look and a constant, winsome smile.

I knew better.

Beneath that façade of the golden boy next door was a man with nerves of steel evidenced by the chances he took when out in the waves. Cody was a tough businessman, having built a local gallery into a worldwide and buzzing enterprise.

And in the bedroom, all those years ago, he’d taken charge and blown my mind along with my cock.

Hell, I loved it when he took charge. I wasn’t into anything strenuous or painful, but being told what to do, being dominated, was a fucking turn-on.

When we were seventeen and had spent hot, sweat- and spunk-filled days in the balmy confines of a beach house on the Keys, Cody and I had explored each other’s bodies and experimented. That’s when I learned I enjoyed being controlled.

I’d discovered I was happy to switch between bottom and top, as had Cody. However, he’d seemed to have taken special pleasure in trying to drive me through the bed, and I’d been happy to let him.

I was looking forward to tonight, to reconnecting with Cody emotionally and physically. And while our romp in the studio had been amazing, I wanted more.