Page 16

L uke had let himself into Richard’s fancy hotel room at the resort and immediately hated that the necromancer had tidied it. Although it was rude to be nosy, Luke walked around and tried to learn anything he could about Richard. But everything was as neat as a pin. His cosmetics were in a case that coordinated with his zipped suitcase, and a quick peek into the closet revealed Richard had taken the time to hang up his clothing.

Snooping was proving fruitless, and it’d done nothing to calm his racing heart. Had he lost his mind? What was he doing in his boss’s hotel suite? A hot rush of desire had his dick firming in his trousers. There was no way he’d ever pass up an opportunity to be with Richard. Which made it ironic that he’d nearly missed his chance.

But in Luke’s defense, he’d hadn’t expected an invitation. When Richard had walked over and bumbled through offering his key, Luke had been bewildered. The second Luke had put the pieces together, there was no question how he’d answer. Luke had snatched that key with no hesitation, and he’d have no remorse either.

Luke had been attracted to Richard since the day they met. At that point, he’d known only how attractive Richard was, but things were different now. They were friendly enough for Luke to appreciate his quick wit, confidence, and good heart. Whenever Richard walked into a space, Luke swore everything grew brighter. Richard’s presence was electrifying.

Luke sat on the king-sized bed and wondered how long he’d have to wait to find out if Richard tasted as fruity as he smelled. It was wild that hours ago he’d been mourning his relationship with Foxe deteriorating and now he was in a room awaiting the literal man of his dreams.

Setting aside any thought of Foxe since that hurt was raw and fresh, Luke rubbed his palms on his pants and wondered what to do. Was it weird if he took off his shoes? They weren’t meeting for cookies and coffee, Luke reminded himself. He decided to lose the jacket and tie. After slinging them over a nearby chair, Luke removed his footwear but kept on his socks.

The air conditioner roared to life, and Luke jumped. It was too damn quiet. He plucked the remote off the nightstand where Richard had left a paperback. Immediately interested in Richard’s choice of literature, he read the blurb and grinned. Richard was reading a book about two dragon shifters who spent at least part of their story hiding their feelings from one another. The back of the book tantalized its readers with the promise of the two main characters being mates and overcoming obstacles to be together.

Was Richard a quiet romantic despite his insistence that he’d never marry? Luke supposed marriage was more of a public ceremony anyway. Necromancers had soulmates, and that had nothing to do with marriage. It was decided by destiny, according to Gabriel.

Luke carefully set the book back on the nightstand and couldn’t help but wonder what role destiny would play in his own life. Richard had invited him up to his room to explore the chemistry between them. Until tonight, Luke hadn’t been sure his feelings were reciprocated.

But now that he was standing in Richard’s hotel suite, he had to wonder what other forces were at play. Would Luke find out what Gabriel had meant by seeing two souls merge? It was probably a foolish idea to think about it. But the idea had already been planted. And if he had a choice, Luke would’ve immediately signed up to be with Richard.

What kind of heartbreak was Luke setting himself up for? Icy dread squeezed his heart, and he wondered if he was up to discovering the truth. If nothing happened, Luke would have to chalk his evening up to a one-night stand with his boss.

Was he making a monumental mistake by being in Richard’s room? Instead of allowing his hormones to make his decisions, Luke should’ve thought through the possible ending scenarios. Luke needed his job. He liked it, and it paid his bills.

Plus, Luke had no one else now.

There was no way he was returning to the vagabond lifestyle he’d shared with Foxe. Not that his necromancer was speaking to him or would welcome Luke at his side. Was Luke prepared to walk into the office on Monday and act as if he hadn’t been intimate with Richard?

Luke abandoned the idea of turning on the television and returned the remote to its spot next to Richard’s book. Terror consumed him, and he closed his eyes. He sucked in a shaky breath and forced himself to think clearly.

There were two choices. The first was to stay put and wait for Richard to show up. They’d have sex. Luke was under no illusion about why he’d been awkwardly but adorably invited upstairs. They’d either discover they were soulmates or walk away from each other with nothing but memories of what was hopefully an incredible night.

The second option was to run out of the room—to leave the key for Richard to find and drive home. There wouldn’t be another invitation. Richard might not even forgive him for it. Luke had agreed, and it was cowardly to change his mind without an explanation. But if Luke stuck around to have a chat about why he was rejecting Richard, it’d make things worse.

And Luke would have to live with not ever knowing what it felt like to press Richard’s body close. He’d forever be plagued by the question of how Richard would look with pleasure blooming on his stunning face. If destiny had made them soulmates, Luke would be alone for however many years he had left.

Lifting his head toward the ceiling, Luke opened his eyes and smiled. He took another deep breath and allowed his silly fears to wash away. There was no choice. Luke wanted Richard. And there was no way he’d pass up an opportunity to discover if destiny intended more for them than a single night together.

???

It took Richard longer than he’d wanted to get upstairs, and Maribeth and her waggling eyebrows were driving him up the wall. The elevator dinged, and Richard stepped into the hallway. His heart was pounding erratically, his palms were sweaty, and as he treaded slowly to his door, his pants tightened thanks to his hardening cock.

Whether it was right or wrong, Richard intended to have sex with Lucas. If there were regrets, he’d deal with them later. Richard swiped the card over the lock and swung the door open. The television was on, and Lucas had made himself at home.

Lucas looked divine. His sleeves were rolled up, his shirt unbuttoned at the throat, and he was relaxed against a pile of pillows. Their eyes met, and Richard swore electricity arced between them. He wasn’t sure who moved first, but a heartbeat later, he was pressed to a firm male body.

Their lips met, and Richard moaned. Lucas’s tongue swept into his mouth, and Richard clung to the inspirit as he was thoroughly devoured. There was no hesitation in Lucas’s kiss. He tasted divine. Lust consumed Richard. His dick surged painfully into his zipper, but Richard did nothing to ease the situation.

Instead, he twined his arms around Lucas’s neck. A groan escaped him as Lucas cupped his ass in firm hands. It was the most intense, erotic experience of his life. Whatever the future held, at least Richard now understood passion.

“You taste sweeter than you smell,” Lucas murmured as he nibbled Richard’s jaw.

Richard lacked the brain cells to contribute to the conversation. All he cared about was the desire brewing inside him. His fingers crept into the shaggy layers of Lucas’s wavy hair, and he delighted in the rigid cock poking his middle.

Whatever was happening between them, Richard wasn’t alone in his desire. Lucas tugged at Richard’s shirt, and he offered no help—or resistance—as Lucas pulled it off. Taking advantage of the few inches separating them, Richard attacked the buttons on Lucas’s top.

But it was difficult to find his coordination since Lucas was undoing his belt. His knuckles bumped Richard’s length, and he nearly emptied his balls. A squeak escaped him as Lucas tugged his zipper down.

Apparently, Lucas was done with Richard’s fumbling attempts to undress him because the inspirit took over the task of tugging off his shirt. It hit the floor, and Richard stood there concentrating on getting oxygen into his lungs as Lucas furiously undid his own trousers. They fell to his ankles, and he stepped out of them. Richard had seriously underestimated how sexy boxers could be on the right man.

Instead of delighting Richard by removing the plaid undies, Lucas reached for the necromancer’s pants again. Richard helped him and wiggled out of them.

“I wasn’t expecting this,” Lucas said, his eyes so dilated Richard could barely make out the pretty gray irises he’d admired for the past three months.

“Huh?”

Lucas looped his fingers in the waistband of Richard’s underwear. “I like your thong.”

“They prevent lines from showing,” Richard babbled as Lucas carefully tugged the black cloth off the necromancer’s straining cock.

“At least I was right about you being beautiful everywhere.”

In a rare moment of shyness, Richard quickly stepped out of his thong and dove onto the bed. He’d barely rolled to face Lucas when the inspirit came down on top of him. As their tongues tangled again, their bodies met, and Richard moaned. Lucas had lost his boxers.

Some instinct had Richard sliding his thighs apart to make room for Lucas as they surged against one another. Their six-inch height difference made it a little tricky to rub their lengths together, but Lucas’s ripped abdominal muscles gave Richard plenty of friction. He pumped his hips, and together they achieved a rhythm that pleased them both.

It was frantic, delightful, and overwhelming. Richard loved every fucking minute of it. Lucas’s musky scent filled his senses. Cupping Lucas’s face in his hands, he allowed the inspirit to take firm control of their kisses. Lucas tasted him fervently, and it brought Richard teetering close to the edge.

His balls heavy, Richard couldn’t fight the tingles along his spine. But to his shock, he didn’t come immediately. Bright white sparks filled his mind. They coalesced into a solid form, and something deep inside Richard reached for that radiance.

It was his soul. Black touched white. Destiny had found them. They were soulmates. The realization had barely formed when a scream caught in Richard’s throat. His muscles locked, his back arched, and he clung to Lucas as he spilled his seed between them.

Lucas’s arms banded tightly around Richard, and his name fell from the inspirit’s lips as he shuddered in Richard’s embrace. Richard tilted his head and pressed his face into Lucas’s throat. All he could do was focus on breathing as realization crept in.

“Richard?” Lucas asked.

Refusing to be a coward, Richard moved so their eyes met. The first thing he noticed was how the flush of Lucas’s chest and cheeks suited him and made him sexier than ever. Lucas’s gray gaze was wide with shock. Richard understood how he felt and wanted to reassure him, but he was too surprised to form words.

“Was that what I think it was?”

Richard wasn’t up to words yet, so he nodded.

“Okay, just checking.”

Lucas relaxed against him, and they lay there in the cooling room gathering their wits. Although Richard was struggling to figure out how to react or cope, it was nice to be held by Lucas. Which was the answer to everything, really.

No, Richard hadn’t planned to go to bed with Lucas when he’d woken up that morning. Nor had he intended to have a soulmate. But destiny had intervened. Or Lucas had charmed destiny into upending every one of Richard’s strict rules.

Whatever the case may have been, Richard refused to deny the future intended for them. More importantly, he refused to push Lucas away. Their souls were a perfect match. Now they had to figure out how to make every aspect of their relationship work.

Richard gave in to the divine impulse to drag his palms up the smooth skin of Lucas’s firm ass and back.

“We should talk,” Richard said as he tangled his fingers in Lucas’s hair.

Lucas kissed Richard softly and turned his insides to goo. “Can I get a cloth to clean us up first?”

“Or I could go.”

“Don’t move, I’ve got it,” Lucas insisted with a flash of that grin Richard had admired since the day they met. As Lucas untangled their limbs and strode naked to the bathroom, Richard smiled. The man was gorgeous. And according to destiny, he belonged to Richard.

How the hell had he gotten so lucky?