Page 2

EZRA PENDLE STARED up at the huge guy who’d appeared behind him, a mixture of unease and arousal swirling in his gut. The man was, in a word, huge. He towered over Ezra’s six-foot-one by a good three inches, but it was the breadth of the man that truly made him feel dwarfed.

The stranger had wide shoulders that stretched his navy green t-shirt to capacity. He had tattoos of vines and birds down his left bicep. His right forearm sported a weave of barbed wire.

The guy would probably look right at home on the back of a big Harley.

While Ezra knew that was probably stereotyping, considering the lightly bronzed skin of his bald head and thick, bushy black beard, he just couldn’t help himself.

And why do I find him so hot?

Tatted-up biker types were so not Ezra’s jam.

“Who the fuck are you?”

Gary demanded, sneering at the new arrival. Then, curling his lip, he waved his empty hand and growled, “Never mind. Both of you, get the hell out of my way. We’re leaving.”

“Well, you’re half right,”

the big man countered, his voice deep and gruff. With narrowed brown eyes, he flicked his gaze toward where Gary tightly gripped Amelia’s arm. “You are leaving.”

He pointed a thick, tanned digit at Gary, then shifted to Amelia. “Amelia, however, isn’t going anywhere with you.”

He took a menacing step forward. “Let her go, Gary.”

Obviously, the stranger knew who Amelia was, even though Ezra’s neighbor was staring at the newcomer as if she’d never seen him before.

When Gary still didn’t obey, the guy took another step forward. He struck out with one hand wickedly fast, but he didn’t punch Amelia’s father. Instead, he grabbed Gary’s pinky and ring fingers and yanked backward, the opposite direction of their usual bend, forcing him to release Amelia or have his fingers broken.

As it was, Gary still cried out and twisted away from the man as he released his daughter.

The stranger immediately let go of Gary. He used his thickly muscled arm to push Amelia backward as he pivoted, moving her behind him protectively. Then, to Ezra’s surprise, he grabbed Ezra’s upper arm in a surprisingly light grip and did the same to him.

“Get out, Gary,”

the guy ordered once more. “And take your hateful slurs with you.”

Gary rubbed his obviously hurting hand with his other as he stared at him with a hate-filled gaze. “This isn’t over,”

he declared, but at least he went.

The stranger followed Gary to the door, perhaps making certain he truly left. Then he closed and locked the door before turning to face them.

“Are you both okay?”

he asked, glancing between them.

Ezra felt his face heat just a little when the man’s attention lingered over him, sweeping up and down his lanky frame.

“Y-Yes, thank you,”

Amelia replied softly. Cocking her head, she asked, “Um, not that I’m not grateful, but...who are you?”

The man’s bearded lips curved up into a wide smile. The move transformed his features from formidable to friendly...and downright devastatingly handsome. Even his brown eyes appeared to fill with warmth.

“Rigel called me, and I was in the area,”

the man revealed. Moving toward them, he held out his big paw of a hand. “I’m Link Rawlins. I work with Rigel.”

“Oh, you do?”

Amelia’s entire body seemed to relax as she took his hand. “Are you a—”

She hesitated, glancing toward Ezra before refocusing on Link. “Um, I mean—”

Chuckling, Link nodded as he released her hand. “Yeah. I’m in security, too.”

Then, if Ezra wasn’t mistaken, the guy’s cheeks took on a hint of pink behind his thick beard. “Cyber-security, though. Different area but still...”

Link shrugged one massive shoulder.

“Oh, so, like, you work with computers and stuff?”

Amelia asked, sounding just as surprised as Ezra was feeling.

“Yeah.”

Link glanced discreetly at Ezra before adding, “With computers and stuff.”

No way. This huge man’s a computer nerd?

“Well, cool, and thank you for coming.”

Amelia sighed deeply as she rubbed her right upper arm. “I never should have opened the door.”

“Probably not,”

Link confirmed.

Amelia turned to Ezra and smiled at him. “And thank you so much for stopping my father, Ezra.”

Her cheeks darkened in an embarrassed or frustrated blush. “He was ready to drag me home as if we were in the Victorian Era or something.”

Lowering her voice, Amelia grumbled, “Or I’m a recalcitrant teenager in need of a spanking.”

Ezra held his hands up, palms out. “Hey, I didn’t stop him. He did.”

He used a thumb to point at Link. With a grin, Ezra added, “I just delayed him a little until the true hero arrived.”

“I sure as hell ain’t no hero,”

Link muttered, looking away from them both.

That time, Ezra was absolutely certain Link was blushing.

How cute.

Not that Ezra would ever tell the big man that. He liked his features the way they were, thank you very much.

“Well, you’re both heroes to me,”

Amelia insisted with another smile. Focusing on Link, she asked, “When you talked to Rigel, did he say if they were coming?”

Link nodded. “Yeah. Should be here in twenty-five.”

Amelia moved toward the kitchen, saying over her shoulder, “Well, if you need to go, I’m sure I’ll be fine until they get here.”

She smiled Ezra’s way, too. “You, too, Ez. Thank you again for stopping.”

Even before Amelia had finished speaking, Link began shaking his head. “Nope. Told Rigel I’d stay until they got here.”

Amelia smiled gratefully, appearing relieved. “Thanks.”

She opened her freezer and pulled out an ice-cube tray. “I’ll definitely be keeping the door locked and chained until my brother gets here.”

“You hurtin’?”

Link asked, moving toward her. As he passed Ezra, he glanced at him, and Ezra was sure the guy was checking him out.

Then Link’s question to Amelia registered, and Ezra snapped his attention to his next-door neighbor. She was wrapping several pieces of ice in a hand towel.

Damn. Shoulda thought of that.

Her father’s hold had looked awfully tight, after all.

“Just a little,”

Amelia admitted, grimacing ruefully. “Gonna bruise from his grip.”

“Your arm’s red,”

Link pointed out. “Let me get a picture.”

He pulled out his phone. “And have Rigel or Tucker take more pictures if it does bruise.”

Even as Amelia asked, “Why?”

she still allowed Link to lift her arm and position it just so. Then the man took several pictures of her arm.

After that, Link picked up the modified ice pack and slid it onto her arm. “Because we’re gonna need these to get a restraining order against your father,”

he explained, his black brows furrowing as he eyed her. “Especially if he does come after your baby.”

Amelia sighed deeply, worry creasing her features. “I don’t even know how he found out I’m pregnant.”

Shaking her head, she muttered, “I sure didn’t tell him.”

“You’re pregnant?”

Ezra couldn’t hold in his question, moving toward the pair. He glanced between them, and even as his stomach tightened, he focused on Link and blurted, “Are you the father?”

Link’s black brows shot up, his deep brown eyes rounding.

Shock, right there.

Amelia barked a laugh even as she shook her head. “Nope.”

Waggling her brows in Link’s direction, she patted the big man’s chest, clearly amused. “Never met Link before, remember?”

“Oh, right.”

Ezra nodded, feeling his cheeks heat. He definitely was not feeling a bit of jealousy ease from his gut. No way. Clearing his throat, he rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, I guess I’ll get out of your hair.”

“Not before this,”

Link muttered, striding toward him.

Seeing the big man reach for him, Ezra took a step backward on instinct.

“Relax, handsome,”

Link murmured, his voice low and soothing. “Never would hurt ya.”

Then, to Ezra’s surprise, Link wrapped his big hand around the nape of his neck. He placed his other hand on his waist, holding him in place.

Ezra stared wide-eyed as Link dipped his head. The feel of the large man’s lips against his own sent a bolt of shock through him. Gasping, Ezra felt his brain spin.

Link seemed to take that as an invitation, and Ezra immediately found himself with a mouthful of the other man’s tongue. He almost pulled away on principle. Except, then Link’s flavor burst across his taste buds—masculine, earthy, and with a hint of something else...something sweet, which was totally unexpected.

It shouldn’t have worked, but it did.

Oh damn, he tastes amazing.

As the hairs on Ezra’s nape stood on end, his blood fired through his veins. He couldn’t resist grabbing onto Link’s shirt, tipping his head to the side, and kissing the man back. Ezra met him lick for lick, their tongues tangling and exploring each other. His blood flowed south, and he grunted as his dick filled faster than he’d ever before experienced. The desire to press closer, to find pressure for his aching erection, surged through him.

The sound of a soft snicker broke through the unexpected flash-fire of his lust.

While Ezra would’ve jerked away—he’d never been one for public displays—Link’s tight grip on his nape wouldn’t let him. The big man slowly eased the kiss to an end, the soft hairs of his beard teasing at Ezra’s chin and lips.

Huh. That feels interesting.

While Ezra had accepted his bisexuality while in high school, he’d never kissed a guy with a beard.

Hell, he could count on one hand the number of men he’d actually kissed. Tricks didn’t require it, and most normally didn’t expect it.

To Ezra, kissing was an intimacy reserved for...someone who would be more.

With that thought in mind, Ezra began to withdraw.

Link held him tightly for a few more heartbeats before he eased his hold. Lifting his head a few inches, he peered down at him. A wide smile curved his lips.

“Taste just as amazing as I thought you would,”

Link declared.

With his brain not firing on all cylinders after Link’s ravishing, Ezra asked the first thing that popped into it. “How did you know I wouldn’t deck you?”

“Just knew.”

Link’s lips curved at the corners, and his dark eyes danced with mirth. “Straight guys would’ve at least pushed at someone my size.”

With a wink, he added, “You participated.”

“Yeah,”

Ezra muttered, taking a step backward while rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I did.”

He glanced toward Amelia, feeling self-conscious. To his relief, she was staring at her arm, repositioning the ice-filled cloth. Clearing his throat, Ezra kept his voice low as he swept his gaze over Link assessingly. “We seem to have chemistry.”

“Yup.”

Link brazenly reached down and adjusted the big bulge behind his fly. “That we do.”

Meeting Link’s gaze, Ezra nearly swallowed his tongue upon seeing the obvious heat filling the big man’s dark eyes. “You, uh—”

He paused, licking his lips as he made a mental decision—to offer or not? “I live next door.”

Ezra indicated to the left, deciding what the hell. “After Tucker arrives, maybe stop by so we can, um, talk about it?”

Ezra sure as hell hoped that Link understood talking was a euphemism. With how hard his dick had become just from that kiss, he sure hoped there wouldn’t be any talking. Skanky, maybe, but Ezra wanted to see what Link was packing.

“Wanna bad,”

Link muttered, his thick dark brows furrowing. “But can’t.”

Man of few words. Huh.

The thought flittered through Ezra’s lust-clouded brain even as disappointment filled him. “Oh.”

Opening his mouth, he began to ask, “Why—”

“Got my nephew’s birthday cake in my truck...and groceries.”

Growling under his breath, Link muttered, “Bad timing, but I wouldn’t have been in the area otherwise.”

Ezra had the distinct impression that Link was talking more to himself than to him.

I wonder if he does that often.

“Want your number,”

Link declared, finally releasing Ezra’s jaw to reach into his back pocket. “I’ll call you tonight. Can you do lunch tomorrow? Nephew’s party’s in the evening, but I wanna see you before then.”

Okay. Maybe not a man of few words. Definitely direct, though.

Ezra could appreciate that, even if it seemed a little awkward to him. The guy obviously went after what he wanted.

And it seems he currently wants to spend time with me.

Hmmm.

Link stared at Ezra, holding his cell phone—a device that Ezra saw was top of the line. He’d priced the model when it’d come out just three months before. After seeing the chunk of change it would cost, Ezra had changed his mind. No way did he have that kind of money to splurge.

Maybe computer security pays well.

After sharing his phone number with Link, Ezra asked, “So, uh, you’re going to call me tonight?”

Nodding, Link smiled at him. “Yeah. To finalize plans. See where you wanna meet.”

Ezra nodded. “Okay. Talk to you later.”

“Just so you remember to pick up.”

Before Ezra could question that cryptic comment, Link dipped his head and took his lips again. He plundered Ezra’s mouth for several heartbeats before lifting his head, breaking the kiss. The big man’s nostrils were flared, and his dark eyes gleamed with lust.

“Get out of here,”

Link muttered, releasing his hip and taking a step backward. “Before Amelia ends up seein’ somethin’ she don’t want to.”

Ezra sucked in a sharp breath as the image of Link bending him over the back of Amelia’s couch popped into his mind. His cock throbbed behind his fly, even as an embarrassed uneasiness filled him. He definitely didn’t want that to happen.

Taking the out, Ezra turned and fled.

The hairs on his nape stood on end as Ezra exited Amelia’s apartment, and he just knew that if he looked over his shoulder, he would see Link watching...so he resisted.

As Link let himself into his own apartment, he wondered if he would have anything in common with the man.

After all, what could an outdoorsy guy like me have in common with a big bruiser of a computer nerd?

Mentally crossing his fingers, Ezra hoped for a few nights of sweaty sex, at least.