Charlie Richards Kontra's Menagerie 01 Mutegi's Sweet One

Mutegi Atieno is shocked to discover the man
stranded on the side of the road in a broken down
truck is his mate. When his first assumption is
proved incorrect and he learns the woman and
baby with Ben Moore are not his wife and
daughter, Mutegi realizes he actually has a shot at
claiming the human. But first Mutegi and his
friends need to save the trio from Ben’s sister’s
sadistic ex-husband. It was a difficult task. The
man had already chased Ben and Cassie across
three states in an attempt to steal his daughter
back, ignoring the court’s ruling that had deemed
him unfit. If Mutegi manages to find a way to save
the siblings from the madman, can he also figure
out how to tell his human mate that he’s a shifter?

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Mutegi’s Sweet One

ISBN: 978-1-77111-132-4

Cover art by Martine Jardin

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Mutegi

’s Sweet One

Kontra

’s Menagerie: Book One

Charlie Richards

To Jaime, my horse trainer, for your

willingness to give your honest opinion on the

pros and cons of my potential jump mounts.

Chapter One

utegi Atieno roared down the freeway, his
hog rumbling between his thighs as he led his

alpha’s gang along the winding road. He thought
back to the breakfast party they’d just left. His
friend, Brad Nadeau, had found his mate and
chosen to stay with the man’s pack. Mutegi would
miss him. They’d been part of the same biker gang
for over twenty years, ever since he’d joined them
after getting banished by his family for being gay
and found himself stranded in the United States.

He glanced in his rearview mirrors at all the

men surrounding him and smiled. Mutegi and his
friends had proved other shifters prevalent ideas
wrong. Many bigots thought it was impossible for
shifters to be gay, but everyone in their gang was
gay, all thirteen of them. Another ridiculous
notion was that inter-species groups didn’t mix,
but none of them in the gang were the same breed
of shifter. They were all welcomed by Kontra,
their de-facto alpha, and they all worked together

Charlie Richards

just fine.

Riding point that morning, he spotted a truck

broken down on the side of the road several bends
ahead. The hill they’d just crested gave him a good
opportunity to study the stranded vehicle. He
hadn’t seen any other traffic on the winding
mountain roads, so the raised hood of the beat up
‘56 classic pick-up made a forlorn contrast to the
pristine, towering trees on either side of them.

“Kontra, there is a vehicle pulled off at the

bottom of the hill. It appears to be disabled. The
hood is up and I see two adults standing nearby.
Would you like to stop and see if we can help
them?” he asked into his helmet mike.

After a pause, Kontra’s deep voice replied,

“Sure, Mutegi. I’ll send Adam and Yuma up to
you. The rest of us will stop fifty feet back. No
sense scaring them by descending en-mass.”

The massive grizzly bear shifter’s heart of gold

never ceased to amaze Mutegi. The man tried to
hide it behind his tattoos, goatee, and fierce
appearance, and the man could be fierce, scary
fierce. He was a grizzly after all. But from the
occasional haunted look in the man’s eyes, Mutegi
knew there was some heavy shit in the shifter’s
past. Kontra Belikov always stopped to help
whenever he could, and more than once, Mutegi
wondered if Kontra viewed it as doing penance.

Reaching the bottom of the hill, Mutegi slowed

Mutegi’s Sweet One

his bike and eased it to a stop ten feet behind the
truck. As he swung his leg over and pulled off his
helmet, he knew he had the human’s attention.
The two people exchanged a look, and then the
man walked slowly, warily toward him. Mutegi
knew many people found bikers intimidating.

He lifted the corners of his lips in a smile,

hoping to relieve some of their nerves. “Hello,
there,” he greeted, keeping his tone even and
welcoming. “Run out of gas?” If it was something
simple like that, they could help easily enough.
Each biker carried a two-gallon gas tank in one
saddlebag. It’d be a bitch in an accident, but the
practice had saved them from being stranded
more than once.

“No. It overheated coming over that hill, so we

pulled off to let it cool. The truck started again, but
then began blowing smoke, so we stopped,” the
man admitted reluctantly.

Mutegi nodded, hearing his fellow shifter’s

bikes shut down behind him. “My friend Adam is
a mechanic. Would you like him to take a look?”

Still the human hesitated, so he stepped

forward, closing the last five feet and holding out
a hand. “My name is Mutegi Atieno. We will not
charge you. There is not a town for thirty miles in
either direction and traffic is light on this road.”
He grinned. “We may be a rough looking biker
gang, but we only would like to help.”

Charlie Richards

Finally, the man smiled and took the last step

separating them. He settled his hand in Mutegi’s.
“Yeah, sorry. It’s just been a bad day. I guess I
shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, huh? I’m
Ben. Ben Moore.”

The words made no sense to Mutegi. His brain

had shut down as soon as the human’s calloused
hand settled in his, and the human’s scent slipped
into his nostrils. Mate! His animal screamed its
desire to claim the man. Mutegi struggled to
control his warthog, admonishing it. He couldn’t
just jump the human. It’d surely freak the man
out. Besides, there was a woman standing near the
hood of the car and if the sound of crying was any
indication, a baby lay in a car seat strapped in the
middle of the small truck’s bench seat, probably
his wife and child. Shit! Just my luck!

Evidently, he’d been staring too long, because

the man was discreetly tugging his hand. Coming
back to himself, Mutegi released it and nodded.
“Right.” He turned and looked at Adam and
Yuma, who both had interested looks on their
faces. “Adam, he says it overheated. After they let
it cool, it ran for a few minutes, but then it started
smoking.”

“Well, fuck me. That sounds like a cracked

head,” Adam muttered gruffly. “I’ll take a look.”

Adam headed up to the hood, which brought

the woman around toward them. She rested a

Mutegi’s Sweet One

hand on Ben’s arm, catching the guy’s attention.
Ben turned toward her. Mutegi tried not to growl
his jealousy, but he knew he didn’t quite succeed
when Yuma’s brows rose.

He stared into the trees, unwilling to meet the

small shifter’s questioning gaze. Yuma turned to
Ben and grinned. “Where are you headed?”

“Minneapolis, Minnesota. My parents live up

there,” he said, the wary look returning to his
eyes.

“Oh, that’s a beautiful area. I love it in the

winter, all the snow and ice. So pretty.” Yuma
grinned, his gaze taking in the woman’s slender
frame. “I bet your wife would look great in a pink
and green snow suit, clinging to you on the back
of a snowmobile. Absolutely stunning picture.”

The woman’s eyes widened and she looked at

Ben. Ben glared at the small shifter. “What the hell
is that supposed to mean?”

Yuma’s brows lifted in surprise, and he covered

his mouth with his hand. “Oh, I’m sorry. My
friends are always telling me I need to censor my
words. I seem to have no brain-to-mouth filter.”
Then he giggled. “I’m gay, so don’t think I’m
hitting on your wife. I’m not.” He winked at the
woman. “No offense, sweetie, but I wouldn’t
know what to do with you!”

That had the woman laughing right along with

Yuma. “I can see how that would be a problem,”

Charlie Richards

she replied. “I’m Cassie,” she added, holding out
her hand. “Cassie Moore.”

Instead of shaking her hand, Yuma folded it

into his elbow and headed them toward the
truck’s cab. “I see you have a little cub in the
truck. How old is she?”

“She’s eight months…”
The rest of the conversation was lost to Mutegi,

because Ben took that opportunity to move closer
to him. “Huh. You’d think they were long lost best
friends,” he said, cocking his head and watching
Cassie interact with Yuma.

Mutegi smirked. “Yuma has that effect on

people.”

“And you don’t have a problem with him

being…” Ben waved his hand vaguely, but Mutegi
knew what the man asked.

“No. Yuma is a good man,” Mutegi insisted.

Well, didn’t that just suck? Not only was he
married with a kid, Ben was a homophobe. He
resisted the urge to sigh. Not only had his family
screwed him, leaving him alone and without
funds in the United States, and no way to return to
his home in Africa, but Fate had screwed him, too.
He glanced over his shoulder. At least he still had
his shifter pack.

Adam saved him from having to figure out

how to make small talk. “Well, I’ve got good news
and bad news.”

Mutegi’s Sweet One

“Better hit me with the bad news first,” Ben

muttered, his shoulders drooping.

Mutegi resisted the urge to wrap an arm

around the man and comfort him, knowing the
contact wouldn’t be welcome. Adam wiped his
hands on a rag he’d pulled from his back pocket
and replied, “You fucked up a head when the
truck overheated. You’re pouring antifreeze into
your gas supply, which is what caused the pretty
smoke display. You’ll need a tow truck.”

Ben’s face paled. “Then what’s the good news?”
Grinning, Adam said, “Once we get it to a

town, I can fix it for just the cost of the part. It
won’t even take that long. Maybe a day or so.”

“Why would you do that?” Ben asked, eyes

narrowing. “You don’t even know me!”

“Awe, a pretty girl like this needs a tender

touch,” Adam quipped, looking at the truck. “I’d
love to get under her hood,” he added with a
wink.

“You want to hit on Cassie?” Ben snapped,

clearly shocked.

Mutegi stifled a laugh, which earned him a

glare from Ben. Adam completely ignored the
comment, instead running a hand over the rusted
body of the classic old truck. “No,” Mutegi finally
managed to get out. “Adam wants to get his hands
on your truck, not your wife.” Realizing what he’d
said, his mirth faded.

Charlie Richards

Ben opened his mouth, obviously to say

something, but Mutegi’s helmet speaker crackled,
drawing his attention. “Hold that thought,” he
said, heading back to his hog. He picked up his
helmet and pulled it on. “Yes, Kontra?”

“How’s it going down there?”
“Got a shitload of problems, but I cannot

explain it all now,” he said.

That earned him a pregnant pause. “And the

stranded humans?”

“Are in the middle of them.”
“What’s Adam doing?”
Mutegi looked back toward the truck and

smirked. “Drooling over the truck.”

That had Kontra laughing. “Well, that doesn’t

surprise me. Are we taking them to the next
town?”

“Yes. Adam offered to fix the truck. He said it

would take a day or so.” He hesitated, then added,
“Is that acceptable?”

“You know it is,” Kontra replied. “Although it

means we’ll need to split up. The rest of us are
coming down. We’ll see you in a minute.”

Kontra’s words reminded Mutegi of why

they’d left Brad in such a hurry that morning.
Their fellow shifter, Gallo Ricci had left the gang
so he could visit his sister for a few days. Now he
was missing. They’d learned from his sister that
he never made it to Amarillo. They needed to find

Mutegi’s Sweet One

him and make certain he was all right.

Mutegi walked back to the group while

buckling his helmet. “Get what you need for the
next several days. We will take you to the next
town and help find a tow truck.” He forced a grin.
“It looks like you get your wish, Adam. Kontra is
willing to send a few others ahead. You get to play
with the new toy,” he added dryly.

“Oh, hell, yeah!” Adam grinned like a kid

who’d just received the best present ever. “Get
your shit together.” Both he and Mutegi eyed the
cub for a second before exchanging a glance. “One
of you will have to carry the cu…cute kid. Do you
have one of those chest basket do-hickies?”

Cassie laughed. “What?”
Yuma rolled his eyes. “Adam means a chest

carrier. Heart of gold, but not the most eloquent.”
Then he grinned evilly. “Great with his hands
though,” he teased, sidling closer to the big tiger
shifter.

Adam laughed and smacked Yuma’s ass. “You

know it, twinkie.”

Watching Ben’s eyes widen would have been

funny, if it hadn’t been for the fact that this was
his mate who seemed so shocked at seeing two
men openly expressing themselves. At least his
scent didn’t give off any disgust.

Roaring engines heralded the arrival of Kontra

and the rest of the gang. Mutegi introduced their

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leader and Lamar, who rode a flashy gold and
green, top of the line 2012 Goldwing.

Adam grinned and crossed to the lean shifter

astride the big bike. “He may not look like much,
but he’s an excellent driver, and he has a comfy
bitch seat. I recommend whoever carries the babe
should hop behind him.”

Kontra gave a subtle nod, agreeing with the

tiger and giving permission at the same time.
Lamar smiled thinly. “I’d be happy to assist you.”

Cassie turned to Ben and said, “Can you take

Tessa? I want to ride with Yuma!” When Ben
opened his mouth, probably to protest, she
quickly added, “Please!”

“All right,” he replied and sighed. They walked

to the truck and fitted a carrier to Ben’s chest.
While adjusting straps, he murmured, “We need
to hurry. We don’t know how far behind us
Stanley is and I’m worried we’ve lost whatever
lead we had.”

If he weren’t a shifter, Mutegi never would

have heard Ben’s whispered words. Worry
slammed through him, and he fought the desire to
ask Ben exactly what the hell he was talking about.

Who is Stanley? Why are they running from him? Are
they in danger? Wanted by the law? So many
possibilities crowded his mind that when next he
focused, Adam was helping Ben and Tessa up
behind Lamar.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

He snarled at the hands Adam had on his mate

and without thought, took an angry step toward
them. A hand on his shoulder stopped him, and
he turned to glare at whoever held him. His fury
faded when he saw Kontra’s concerned gaze.
“Mutegi? What’s wrong?”

Sighing, he released as much tension as he

could. “Ben is my mate,” he muttered under his
breath, praying his words didn’t carry to the
others. He wasn’t yet ready to share the
information that his mate was a married straight
human.

“I see,” Kontra murmured. “We’ll keep an eye

on them for a few days and see if he feels the
connection, too.”

Mutegi grimaced. “Even if he does, he is

married and straight. There is no way I will break
up a family.”

Kontra nodded, but didn’t say anything. They

watched Cassie leap onto the Triumph
Thunderbird Storm behind Yuma, a borrowed
helmet on her head and a grin on her face.

Adam walked over and slapped him on the

back. “All set here. Let’s rock.”

“Why did you offer to fix their truck for cost?”

Mutegi asked as they walked to their bikes. “That
is very generous for you.”

Grinning, Adam pulled his helmet over his pale

blond locks and leaned toward him. Keeping his

Charlie Richards

voice low he said, “Awe, I could fix that head in a
couple of hours, but this way, you get a chance to
claim your mate.”

Mutegi stood in stunned silence as Adam

winked and brought his Harley to life. Feeling
better than he had since realizing Ben was his
mate, he chuckled and settled on his bike. Revving
his hog, he sped forward, again taking point and
leading the group down the road.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

Chapter Two

en folded the blanket over his niece’s head.
Holding her tight to his chest, he hunched

over and leaned close to the man in front of him to
block the wind. He saw his sister’s arms wound
tightly around Yuma’s body, chattering away to
the man. He didn’t understand how she could be
so relaxed after everything she’d been through. He
was wrapped tighter than a spring and looking
forward to hiding out at his parent’s for a while.
He spotted Mutegi in the distance ahead and his
pulse sped up. His strong attraction to the exotic
African didn’t help.

He’d been shocked to see the big biker’s ease

with his friend’s homosexuality, but there was no
way Mutegi would want a plain, gawky guy with
no work prospects and family problems crushing
on him. The guy exuded masculinity. Fortunately,
the bikers thought he and his sister were married.
If they looked too closely, they’d see the family

Charlie Richards

resemblance, but he couldn’t imagine them caring
enough to do so. They were just being kind to
strangers, which went against everything he’d
ever heard about bikers. Of course, he’d never
really hung around them, so what did he know,
right?

“Are you all right back there?”
“Yeah. Thanks for letting us hitch a ride,” he

replied, grateful they’d had a helmet that fit him.
The intercoms between them were really cool. “Do
you know how far to the next city?”

“I just spotted a sign for La Junta in twenty

miles.” Mutegi’s accented voice came over the
intercom, sending Ben’s heart tripping into double
time. “How is your babe holding up? We know
this is not the best mode of transportation for her.”

The man’s strict pronunciation and the way he

didn’t use contractions told Ben English wasn’t his
first language. He thought it sounded sexy as hell.
With a mental shake of his head, he forced himself
to reply. “She’s fine. We appreciate your help.
Who knows how long we’d have sat there, if you
hadn’t come.”

Adam’s voice piped through the system next.

“How long ago did you and the little woman get
hitched?”

Before he could come up with a lie, Cassie did

the unthinkable. She corrected them. “Oh, we’re
not married,” she laughed. “Ben’s my brother.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

Tessa is my daughter.”

Mutegi’s bike swerved, eliciting a gasp from

Ben. A deep, gravelly voice he recognized as
Kontra sounded through the system. “You okay
up there?”

“Yes. Rock in the road,” came Mutegi’s clipped

reply.

Ben immediately tensed. He’d only been on a

motorcycle once before, and these roads were
narrow and winding. “Oh!” he murmured, fear
filling him as he pulled the blanket hiding Tessa
from the wind tighter around her.

“Don’t worry,” Lamar assured. “I’ll be careful.”
“You had better be.”
Ben wondered at the growled comment. The

accent was pretty thick. It sounded like Mutegi,
but why did he sound so possessive
and…worried?

Lamar glanced over his shoulder at him, his

eyes narrowed in a look of curious interest.
Evidently, he wasn’t the only one who was
surprised by Mutegi’s tone.

They lapsed into silence. A while later, an eager

tenor he didn’t recognize came over the intercom
system. “We got a tail, boss. Want me to check it
out?”

“How do you know it’s a tail?” Kontra asked.
A man in full body leathers and shielded

helmet zipped up, weaving between the other

Charlie Richards

bikers, chuckling manically. “Well, they’ve been
following us for the last ten minutes, always
keeping the same distance. We’re moving pretty
slowly, for obvious reasons.” He paused next to
Lamar’s bike and lifted one hand in salute to Ben.
“They could easily have passed us.”

“Okay, Payson, go check them out,” Kontra

ordered.

To his surprise, the man shot forward on his

bullet bike. Once he was in front of the others, he
slammed on his breaks, put down a foot, and
swung the back end of the bike around in a one
eighty. Then he gunned the engine and shot back
in the other direction.

“Holy shit!” he whispered before he could

censor his words.

Adam laughed. “Yeah, Payson’s a bit out there,

but if those guys are really a tail, he’ll confirm it.”

“Really? How?”
Even Ben’s stuffy driver chuckled. “Turn

around and watch. Just be careful.”

After checking the blanket was still firmly in

place, Ben tightened his hold on his niece and
carefully twisted around. He watched the speed
demon on the bullet bike zip back down the road
and disappear around a bend. Every once in a
while, when the road straightened enough or the
trees broke just right, he could see the dark SUV
about a hundred yards behind them.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

Once Payson passed the truck, he did another

screeching one eighty, then sped toward the SUV.
He rode up beside the driver’s side door and
wrapped on the window. When that didn’t get a
response, he slowed down, swung around to the
other side and repeated the action on the
passenger window. The truck suddenly swerved
toward him. Somehow, the man avoided going
into the ditch. The guy must have reflexes like a cat!

The man gave a barking laugh.
Okay, not a cat. Something else. Before he could

decide what Payson’s laughter reminded him of,
Ben saw Payson shoot back after the truck. The
man again approached the driver’s side door. His
barking laughter came through the helmet’s
speaker.

Knocking once more, he flipped up his visor

and taunted, “Is that the best you can do?”

To Ben’s shock, the window of the truck rolled

down and out leaned a head he knew very well.
“Peter,” he hissed.

“You know this jackass?” Payson asked, leering

at the driver.

“Yes.” He squeaked when he saw the gun Peter

stuck out the window at Payson.

“Is this better?”
The voice was faint and distorted, but Ben

could still hear the sneer in the man’s tone.

“Tell your buddies to pull the fuck over. I want

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her.”

“Ass!” Yuma snarled. “As if I’d let them take

you.”

“It’s not me he wants,” Cassie whispered into

her mike. “It’s my daughter.”

A coldness crept into Payson’s voice, giving it a

manic edge. “I don’t think that’s going to be
happening today.” In a maneuver almost too swift
to follow, Payson sat up on his bullet bike,
grabbed the gun from the driver’s hand, and
pointed it right at the guy’s face.

“Easy, Payson,” Kontra growled.
“Very well.” He swung the gun and took out

the rear tire followed swiftly by the front tire. The
truck swerved, screeching to a halt on the side of
the road. Payson laughed again and gunned his
engine.

Ben’s jaw dropped. The man had actually

sounded put out. Would he really have shot the
driver? Naw…that can’t be right. He must have been
trying to scare him.

“That’ll keep them busy!” Payson quipped,

catching up with the rest of the group.

“Thank you,” Cassie whispered.
“Sure thing, sweet cheeks,” Yuma replied
A sigh came over the intercom. “Why do I get

the feeling you’ve pulled my gang into something
dangerous?” Kontra said.

“Hey!” Ben growled. “We didn’t ask you to

Mutegi’s Sweet One

stop!”

“Easy, Ben,” Kontra growled back. “We just

want to know what we’ve gotten involved in,
that’s all.”

“Sorry,” he muttered, falling silent. His

thoughts jumbled together, thinking about how
Stanley’s men had found them so easily. He and
Cassie had taken back roads, used cash, and
hadn’t told anyone where they were going.

“Do not worry, Ben,” Mutegi soothed. “You are

safe with us.”

He pronounced his name Been, which shouldn’t

have aroused him, but it did. He couldn’t think of
anything to say, so he focused on Tessa, who’d
begun to squirm. “Easy, Tessa,” he murmured,
rubbing her back and trying to calm her.

“Is she okay?” Cassie asked.
“Yeah. She’s just getting cranky. Riding like this

doesn’t have quite the same calming effect as a
car.”

“We will be there soon,” Mutegi said.
Five minutes later, a couple of houses appeared,

followed by a couple more. They slowed and
pulled to a stop in front of a small garage. Adam
parked his bike and held up a hand. “Give me
your keys, dude. I’ll have your truck towed. You
oughta get that cub inside.”

Ben raised a brow but handed over his keys.

These guys said some of the oddest things, but

Charlie Richards

what was even odder was that he found himself
trusting them. After lifting a hand in a mock salute
at Kontra, Adam disappeared into the building.
Kontra led the way to a small café. They all piled
inside, filling three tables. Ben found himself
seated between Mutegi and Cassie. How the hell did

that happen?

Just being near the African made his dick

harden and his pulse speed up. He smelled the
man, male musk, clean sweat, and an earthy
undertone. From the road dust? It shouldn’t have
turned him on so much. But it did, and Ben had to
fight the urge to adjust his dick into a more
comfortable position.

Ben relinquished Tessa to his sister and stood,

stretching his back. The move placed his semi-
erect cock right in front of Mutegi’s face. The
man’s eyes zeroed in on the bulge, which of
course, made Ben’s dick grow right in front of the
guy’s eyes. Heat bloomed over Ben’s cheeks and
neck, and he quickly sat back down. For a brief
second, Mutegi’s gaze settled on him, and Ben
thought he saw heat. Then the moment was gone,
and he focused on the menu, trying not to make
things worse, or embarrass himself any further.

After they’d placed their orders, Kontra said,

“Why don’t you tell us what you’ve gotten me and
my men into? I’m certain we haven’t seen the last
of your friends.”

Mutegi’s Sweet One

He exchanged a look with his sister and let out

a ragged breath. “It’s my fault. Everything is my
fault.” He glanced around at the curious looks. “I
used to work with this guy. Stanley Parker. He
seemed like a really nice guy. I introduced him to
Cassie.” He buried his face in his hands. “God,
what a mistake.”

To his surprise, he felt a hand on his lower

back, rubbing softly. He tensed for a second, then
relaxed into Mutegi’s touch. It gave him the
courage to continue. “He married her, but when I
brought my date to the wedding, he flipped out.”

“Why?” Kontra asked.
The moment of truth. “I thought he knew I was

gay. My date was a guy.”

The hand on his back froze, and Ben’s tension

returned. To his surprise, Mutegi slid his hand up
Ben’s back to his neck, massaging gently. The man
shocked the hell out of him even further when he
leaned close and kissed his temple. “There is never
any way of knowing how someone will react,”
Mutegi murmured. “All we can do is hope that the
people we care about will accept us for who we
are, for better or worse.”

For some reason, Ben had the distinct

impression the African’s words were from
experience, an experience that hadn’t turn out so
well. Mutegi still had a grip on his neck, and it
suddenly hit Ben, the man had kissed his temple.

Charlie Richards

Could this hot biker actually be gay, too?

He lifted his head from his hands and turned to

look at Mutegi. “Yeah. The problem is that we
didn’t know Stanley had flipped until after the
honeymoon. He tried to keep my sister away from
me. He started abusing her to control her. She
nearly lost the baby.”

A low growl sounded across the table, and Ben

snapped his head around to stare at Kontra. Rage
blazed behind the huge man’s brown eyes, and he
trembled in his chair. Ben was sure he’d piss
himself if that anger was ever directed at him.

“Easy, Ben,” Mutegi crooned. “We will protect

you. You said the name Peter. Who was that?”

Cassie was the one who answered. “Stanley has

lots of friends who feel the same way he does.
And there are others who don’t really care but are
more than happy to beat someone for money.” She
curled her lip for a second before resting a hand
on Ben’s arm. “And none of this was your fault.
You’re not the only one he duped.” She flushed.
“I’d say I’m sorry I ever met him, but then I
wouldn’t have Tessa,” she added, kissing the top
of her daughter’s head.

“How can you say that?” Ben asked, surprised

by his sister’s admission. “He broke your arm!
Your life is in upheaval because of him!”

She shrugged. “So I had to get a restraining

order and move in with mom and dad for a while.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

It’s no big deal. At least I found out sooner rather
than later. I’ll land on my feet.”

“Are you really going to Minneapolis?” Yuma

asked slyly.

Ben flushed, embarrassed at being caught. “No.

Our parents live in Leoti. It’s a small town just
across the border into Kansas. We would have
been there tomorrow if we hadn’t broken down.”

“Well, I for one am glad your truck broke

down,” Kontra growled. “It gives us the
opportunity to teach those bastards a lesson.”

“It’s nice of you to bring us here and offer to fix

the truck, but why would you help us at all?” Ben
asked, confused about what these guys actually
wanted. “This isn’t your problem.”

Kontra’s dark eyes narrowed. “This may come

as a shock to you, Ben, but all of us are gay. It
pisses me off that someone would try to destroy
your lives because of something beyond your
control.”

“Figures,” Cassie muttered, rolling her eyes.

“Are you sure none of you sexy studs swings my
way?”

“Sorry,” Mutegi replied, chuckling.
Ben gasped in shock, glancing around at

everyone. Some of them, yeah, he could definitely
tell their orientation, like Yuma with the frosted-
tipped black hair, artfully messy do, eye liner, and
lip gloss. His gaze finally rested on Mutegi, and

Charlie Richards

the man winked. He couldn’t stop his whispered,
“Wow!”

Kontra’s grin appeared feral and showed a

surprising amount of pointed teeth, which had to
be a trick of Ben’s imagination. “I’m making it my
problem,” the big biker vowed.

Ben shivered, the man’s words reaffirming

what he’d already decided. He never wanted to be
on Kontra’s shit list.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

Chapter Three

ray of hope wormed its way into Mutegi’s
heart. His mate wasn’t married. Ben was gay.

But was he single? He’d mentioned a date to his
sister’s wedding. Where was this man? He’d never
been great at small talk, so Mutegi decided to take
the direct approach.

Resting his arm across the back of Ben’s chair,

he leaned close, until his face was only inches
from Ben’s. His nostrils filled with Ben’s scent,
and his voice dropped to a purr, “I do not mind
telling you, Ben, you are a sexy man. I do not like
poaching, so please tell me you are single.”

Ben’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

Mutegi struggled to be patient and waited for Ben
to make a move. As his mate stared straight at
him, he watched the human’s eyes dilate. Ben’s
tongue slipped out and slid across his lips.
Mutegi’s gaze locked onto that pink tongue, and
pleasure flooded him, knowing he’d affected this

Charlie Richards

man so strongly.

Mutegi watched Ben’s Adam’s apple bob for a

second before he whispered, “Yeah, I’m single.”

“Excellent,” Mutegi crooned. Heedless of those

who could be watching, he gave in to his desire to
taste the man Fate had made for him. He moved
slowly, staring at Ben’s light brown eyes as he
closed the distance between them, giving the man
plenty of time to move away. He didn’t. Mutegi
pressed his lips to Ben’s in a gentle caress. Flicking
out his tongue, he slid it briefly over Ben’s bottom
lip. His mate tasted heavenly, a mixture of honey
and cinnamon.

Before he could do something stupid, like give

in to his cock’s desire to lift the human onto the
table and fuck them both stupid, he broke the kiss
and settled back on his chair. Ben stared at him,
and Mutegi read the confusion simmering in those
brown depths.

He wondered what Ben was thinking, and it

only took a few seconds before Ben whispered,
“You kissed me.” Ben brought his fingers to his
lips, as if trying to confirm what had just
happened.

Mutegi grinned. “Yes, I did.”
“In front of all these people.”
Cocking his head, Mutegi’s brow creased in

concern. “Most of these people are with us, Ben.
Do you have a problem with public displays of

Mutegi’s Sweet One

affection?” Best to know that kind of information
right up front. Please say no.

“N-no.”
“Then what is the problem?”
“Even in San Francisco, couples aren’t usually

that open, unless they know the place they’re in,”
Ben told him.

Ah, now he understood. What kind of assholes

had Ben been dating? Or even been friends with!
Mutegi shrugged. “All these men would have
your back if someone hassled you, Ben, just like I
would have theirs. Perhaps, in time, you will come
to trust them.” Gods, he hoped so.

Ben’s brows shot up, and he glanced around, a

look of wonder slowly flooding his face. “Wow.
You’re lucky.”

At that, Mutegi smirked and leaned close to

Ben’s ear. “Not yet,” he whispered. “But I hope to
be later.”

Ben’s eyes got big again, but he didn’t reply. A

moment later, their server appeared with their
food. She gave Mutegi an odd look, but didn’t say
anything, for which Mutegi was grateful. Just
because he knew the gang would back him didn’t
mean he wanted to cause trouble.

Yuma and Cassie chatted like long lost friends

while they ate. Conversation between the others
fell to a minimum as they tucked into their food.
Mutegi watched Ben out of the corner of his eye.

Charlie Richards

He knew he was rushing the human, but time just
didn’t seem to be something they had an
abundance of. His dick remained rock hard after
just that brief kiss, and his warthog really wanted
to claim the man.

He wondered how Ben would react to finding

out that not only did shifters exist, but that he was
the mate of one. Finishing his two turkey club
sandwiches and double fries, he glanced at Ben
before looking across the table at his alpha.

Kontra took a sip of his soda and said, “Why

don’t you and Ben look for lodging. Ask the
waitress. There’s gotta be something around
here.”

Mutegi nodded, knowing his leader was trying

to give him a little alone time with his mate. “How
many rooms?”

“Four, if they have it. If not we’ll make do with

the floor or couches. Including our new friends,
there will be eight adults,” Kontra told him.

Rising from the table, he looked at Ben. “Are

you ready?”

“Ah…” Ben glanced at his sister and the baby,

before sweeping his gaze over the other three men
at the table.

Kontra smirked. “Don’t worry, Ben. Cassie and

Tessa are safe with us.”

Ben’s flush made Mutegi wonder how far down

that blush went. His dick pressed harder against

Mutegi’s Sweet One

the fly of his leathers. He struggled to control his
thoughts, knowing that even if he managed to get
Ben in his bed that night, he wouldn’t be able to
claim him. He wondered how his buddy Brad had
managed to control himself.

“Oh, go on,” Cassie encouraged, waving her

hand in a shooing gesture. “I’ll be fine.”

“Okay. Yeah, I’ll go with you,” Ben replied,

rising from the table.

Mutegi stopped the waitress on the way out,

asking if there was lodging nearby. She pointed
them down a side street where a small bed and
breakfast could be found. Mutegi settled his own
helmet on Ben’s head, swung up onto his hog, and
patted the seat behind him.

Ben obeyed the unspoken command, but his

lips tightened in concern. “Don’t you need a
helmet?”

It pleased him that his mate worried for him. “I

will be fine for this short trip,” he assured. He
couldn’t very well tell the man that as a shifter he
really didn’t need one. He’d have to be going over
one hundred miles an hour and get in an accident
for it to do any serious damage to his head. He
only wore a helmet because the law required it.

After rolling the bike backward out of the

parking spot, he brought it to life. He grinned
when Ben instantly grabbed his waist. Turning his
head, he called over his shoulder, “Hold on.”

Charlie Richards

He kept the speed low, only doing about

twenty-five as they made their way down the
street their waitress had indicated. He hid his
disappointment when they didn’t have any
trouble finding the place and Ben let go of him.
After dismounting and removing his helmet,
Mutegi settled a possessive hand on Ben’s back
and guided him up the walk. Ben tensed slightly
under his hand, then the young human relaxed.
Mutegi suppressed his pleased grin. Pleasure
pulsed through his veins at finally being able to
touch his mate, and Mutegi fervently wished he
could remove the barrier of Ben’s jacket and t-
shirt.

A woman in her early fifties answered the door.

As she took in Mutegi’s biker leathers and their
dusty appearance, a concerned crinkle formed
between her brows. “May I help you?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Mutegi responded politely. “Our

waitress recommended you to us. I need several
rooms for the night. Do you have any available?”

She swept her gaze over them again, and

Mutegi hoped his politeness would outweigh their
disheveled appearance. Mutegi knew he and his
buddies were good guys, but bikers were often
judged by their appearance instead.

“Please, ma’am,” Ben piped up softly, his

chocolate eyes beseeching the woman. “My sister
and my baby niece really need a place to stay

Mutegi’s Sweet One

while our truck is being fixed. Mutegi and his
friends have been very kind to help us when we
were stranded on the road.”

The woman’s face softened as she took in Ben’s

earnest expression. “I keep three rooms available.
How long will you and your sister be staying?”

Ben glanced Mutegi’s way, and he smiled

encouragingly. Since the woman seemed to
respond so much better to his mate, he was fine
with leaving the negotiations with him. Ben’s eyes
widened, but he quickly recovered and returned
his focus to the woman.

“One night for sure, maybe two, and are all

three rooms available? My friends need to stay,
too,” he said. At the lady’s renewed concerned
expression, Ben hurried on, motioning toward
him. “Mutegi’s friend is fixing the truck for me, so
there’s a few of them.” He nibbled his lip for a few
seconds, and Mutegi had to fight back a groan,
wishing he were the one doing that to Ben’s
plump bottom lip. “If we paid a deposit, could we
maybe rent all your rooms?”

He hated seeing his man beg, and so he finally

piped up. “My friends and I may look rough, but
we will respect your home,” he told the woman.
“We will only be a couple days, and we are good
for it.” Yuma and Eli had taught all of them how
to trade in stocks. Even Payson had learned, so
money wasn’t an issue for any of them.

Charlie Richards

After agreeing to and paying a sizable safety

deposit, plus the cost of three rooms for two
nights, up front, Mutegi grabbed his bag from his
bike and took it into a room. Only one of the
rooms had two beds, and they put that room in
Ben and Cassie’s name. Mutegi figured it was best
to keep from arousing the woman’s suspicions
that they’d be doing anything more than sleeping
under her roof, although Mutegi hoped for much
more. Mutegi headed into the smaller of the single
rooms and dropped his bag on a chair.

Mutegi glanced around at the décor, admitting

the nautical theme in sea greens and sky blues was
nice. Pictures of lighthouses and sailing ships
decorated the walls, an impressive ship-in-a-bottle
stood on top of the armoire, and a large conch
shell rested on the dresser. Each room had a small
en-suite. The place was quite a bit nicer than most
of the hotels they’d stayed at.

“You could have at least let me pay for one of

these rooms,” Ben said once they were alone
behind a closed door.

Mutegi turned toward Ben, taking in his

crossed arms and frown. Three strides of his long
legs had him in Ben’s space. He rested his
forearms on the door, one on either side of Ben’s
head. The position allowed him to lean in close
and breathe in his mate’s pleasant scent. “I am
certain this will come as a surprise, but I find that I

Mutegi’s Sweet One

like taking care of your needs,” he whispered.

The smaller man’s brows creased, even as his

pupils dilated. Mutegi smelled the man’s arousal.
The heady scent nearly made his eyes cross and he
almost missed Ben’s breathless question. “Why?”

How can I answer that without sending my mate

running for the hills? He ducked his head and
nuzzled Ben’s neck. His sweet one’s scent made
his brain sluggish, and he blurted out, “Do you
believe in love at first sight?”

This close, he could hear Ben’s throat muscles

work as he swallowed hard. “N-No,” he
whispered.

“Too bad. I do,” Mutegi replied softly, nipping

the other man’s neck. His gums tingled where his
canines wanted to drop, so he could claim the
man. “How about lust at first sight?”

“L-lust at first sight?” Ben repeated

breathlessly. “Never heard of it.”

“What a pity,” Mutegi said. “I would like to get

a chance to show you. Come to me tonight.”
Before Ben could refuse his request, he turned his
head and captured his mouth in a hard, possessive
kiss. His man’s surprised gasp gave Mutegi access
to Ben’s mouth, and he swept his tongue inside
the warm recesses, coaxing it wider. He tasted of
sweet melon and coffee, and Mutegi loved it.

It took everything he had, but Mutegi pulled

back before he gave in to his desire to pick the

Charlie Richards

man up, toss him on the bed a few steps behind
him, and have his way with the tentative human.
He nibbled Ben’s plump lower lip, thinking of
how the piece of flesh would look wrapped
around his cock. Sighing, he rested his forehead
against Ben’s and waited for the other guy’s eyes
to open, loving the glazed expression when they
did.

“We need to go, sweet one,” he whispered.

“Come to me later, and we will continue this.”

Easing away from the man, he watched Ben’s

body sway toward him for a second before he
caught himself. Mutegi suppressed a pleased grin.
His delicious human was just as affected by him it
seemed. Turning away, he locked himself in the
bathroom, needing to get hold of himself just as
much as giving Ben a moment to do the same. He
splashed water on his face and waited impatiently
for his erection to ease enough for him to take a
leak. It took longer than if he’d just given in to his
urge and jerked off, but he didn’t want Ben to
discover him doing that. He wanted to spill in his
mate.

He shook his head and focused on unsexy

thoughts, like a leopard taking down a warthog.
He shuddered. That did the trick. After relieving
himself, he returned to the bedroom and waited
for Ben to take his turn in the bathroom before
they left in search of the rest of their group.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

Chapter Four

en sat on the edge of the bed watching his
sister feed Tessa from a bottle. “So, are you

going to go to him?” Cassie asked.

He didn’t even try to pretend he didn’t know

what she was talking about. “I don’t know. We
just met. Would that make me easy?”

Cassie turned and grinned at him. “Yup, but

who the hell cares? I saw Adam working on the
truck today, and the man is good. Efficient,” she
added. “I think the only reason he didn’t have it
finished today is because he spent more time
talking to the shop owner than actually working
on the truck.”

“What does that have to do with me?” Ben

asked, frowning.

“He’s giving you and Mutegi time to get it on,”

she said with a waggle of her brows.

Ben groaned, flopped back on the bed, and

pulled a pillow over his face. “I can’t believe you

Charlie Richards

just said that,” he said, his voice muffled by fabric.

“Awe, come on, Ben!” Cassie said. The bed

dipped and the next thing he knew, the pillow
was yanked from his hands. “The guy is good
looking, and really likes you. God, the heat in that
man’s eyes when he looks at you could start a
bonfire!”

“Which I totally don’t get,” Ben said. “I’m not

much to look at.”

Cassie glared. “What is that supposed to

mean?”

Ben rolled his eyes. “Let’s be realistic. I’m okay,

but nothing that would draw the attention of a
guy like that! He’s ripped, has those sexy broad
shoulders and amazing eyes.” He couldn’t believe
how his prick turned rock hard any time he even
thought about the man. He had to sit up to hide
the growing bulge in his flannels. “While I’m thin
and have plain old brown hair and eyes.”

“You’re muscular, toned, and your eyes are a

nice shade of chocolate and your hair just needs to
be cut,” Cassie countered. “Besides, what does it
matter? He wants you. Go have fun!” she urged.
“You could use a night of wild monkey sex.”

Warmth worked its way up his neck to his

cheeks at the thoughts those words conjured, and
Ben just knew he was blushing. “Cassie!” he
admonished, while trying to control the racing of
his heart and get his boner under control.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

“Damn it, Ben, he invited you to his room! He’s

waiting for you! Go!”

“But a one night stand?” Ben wasn’t really that

kind of guy.

Cassie shrugged. “Maybe it’ll turn into

something more. You never know.”

A spark of hope flared at her words, and he

ruthlessly tried to squash it. The man was a biker,
always on the move, and even though that life
sounded exciting, it wasn’t likely the guy would
want him tagging along and cramping his style—
even if it meant convenient sex.

He rose and crossed to the dresser and stared at

himself in the mirror. Chocolate eyes? Was his
sister serious? She was right about needing a
haircut, though. Cassie appeared behind him,
Tessa on her hip, and she held out a shirt to him.
“Put this on. It shows off your chest and your
arms. Put your jeans back on, then go to the guy.”

He took the shirt from her. It was an old faded,

red and black 49ers t-shirt. He called it his lucky
shirt because it was the one he’d worn when he
went to their game and they’d won. He thought it
was too tight now, but he kept it anyway.

Stepping into the bathroom, he stripped off the

white t-shirt and flannel pants he’d put on after
his shower and pulled on jeans and the old t-shirt.
Looking at himself in the mirror again, he had to
admit, it did show off his fairly muscular chest,

Charlie Richards

flat stomach, and…shit.

“My rings show through this shirt, Cassie.

What if that turns him off?” he asked worriedly.
He’d never been concerned about what other guys
thought about them before, but for some reason he
couldn’t stand the thought that Mutegi wouldn’t
like them.

Cassie smirked. “A biker who doesn’t like

piercings? Not likely. Go get him, stud,” she
teased, a grin splitting her face. She must have
noticed his glance down at his bare feet, then him
looking for his shoes because she grabbed his arm
and steered him toward the door. Damn, she
could be forceful when she wanted. “You won’t
need socks and shoes for what you’re about to
do,” she teased.

Growling in frustration, Ben wrenched his arm

from her grip and glared. “Fine,” he retorted. “But
leave the door open just in case I need a speedy
exit.”

She sighed and shook her head, obviously

exasperated. “Fine. I’ll leave the door unlocked,”
she promised.

Relieved he’d have an escape route if needed,

Ben left his room, crossed the small sitting area,
and stopped in front of the room he knew Mutegi
had claimed. He swallowed twice as a case of
nerves hit him. Finally, he lifted his fist and
knocked softly.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

A moment later, a bare chested Mutegi opened

the door. Ben’s mouth filled with saliva at the
sight of all that firm, dark flesh. Mutegi’s gaze
turned predatory as his deep brown eyes swept
over Ben from head to toe. He smiled, and Ben
thought he recognized lust in the big man’s eyes.
A shudder tore through his body and he
swallowed.

“Hello, Ben.” Mutegi swung the door wide and

stepped back. “Please come in.”

He obeyed, his feet moving forward on

autopilot, and it took everything in him not to rub
against Mutegi’s big frame like a cat in heat. He
kept his hands firmly fisted at his sides to keep
from touching without permission. Three steps
into the room, he stopped. He hadn’t realized
Mutegi probably wouldn’t be alone, but he should
have, especially with eight adults trying to fit into
three rooms. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t
think…”

Both Yuma and Adam rose from where Adam

was holding the smaller man while lounging in a
chair and watching TV. “Not a problem, man,”
Adam said with a grin. “We’ll see you in the
morning.”

Ben watched as silent messages passed between

the three men, suddenly jealous of their
relationship with Mutegi but not understanding
why. He ignored the odd feeling and after Mutegi

Charlie Richards

closed the door, asked, “Are they a couple?”

“Not really,” Mutegi replied. “Sometimes

Yuma needs…reassurance,” he finished. Mutegi
turned to face him fully. “Enough about them,” he
said, his voice dropping to a deep growl. “I am
very pleased you came.”

Ben found himself backing away, instinct

telling him, the second this man touched him, he’d
lose all rational thought. “I-I don’t normally do
this,” he whispered.

“Do what?” Mutegi asked, still advancing, his

eyes full of sensual promise.

The back of the bed hit Ben’s thighs and he

gasped. Losing his balance, he sprawled on the
comforter. “This…” he managed, waving a hand
between them. “One night stands.”

Mutegi snarled low in his throat, and the big

man stilled for a heartbeat. Ben wasn’t certain
what he’d said to upset him, but then Mutegi was
standing over him. Mutegi leaned down and
settled his hands on Ben’s waist. His thumbs
rubbed gently over his bottom ribs, sending a
shudder he couldn’t stop through his body. “I do
not consider this a one night stand, Ben,” Mutegi
said.

Ben’s eyes widened. “You don’t? But—”
“We will talk about that later,” he interrupted.

“Right now, I want to see these.” He skimmed his
hands up Ben’s ribcage and tweaked a nipple with

Mutegi’s Sweet One

each thumb.

“Oh!” Ben gasped. The small bite of pain from

his nipple rings sent delicious sparks down to his
balls.

“What a surprise, my sweet one,” Mutegi

growled. “Let me see them.”

Only too happy to comply, Ben gripped the

bottom of his shirt and quickly pulled it over his
head. Mutegi lifted his hands from his body just
long enough to accommodate the move, then
settled them on Ben’s warm skin, and flicked the
tiny silver hoops in his nipples again. Ben gasped
and arched into the delicious torture. “Yeah,” he
groaned.

“Very, very nice, Ben,” Mutegi grunted. “Any

other piercings I should know about?”

Trying to collect his thoughts, it took Ben a

second to shake his head. “No. Just these.” He let
out a hiss when Mutegi gripped one ring and
tugged gently. “Arg! That’s good.” His cock jerked
in his jeans and a bead of pre-cum oozed from his
slit. Feeling like he’d end up with permanent
marks on his dick, he dropped a hand to his waist
and popped the first button.

“Mmm, that is right, my sweet. Open those up

so I can see how much my touch affects you.”

The low growled words sent another wave of

pleasure sparking along his spine, and Ben
scrambled to obey, suddenly pleased he’d

Charlie Richards

neglected underwear. Yanking open the button fly
jeans with a practiced twist of his wrist, he let out
a sigh of relief when his cock sprang free. When he
lifted his hips Mutegi helped shove his jeans down
and he kicked them off.

“Yours off,” he gasped as Mutegi gripped Ben’s

cock in one calloused hand.

Mutegi grinned and stepped away. Ben wanted

to complain at the sudden loss of stimulation, but
then the big man ran one hand down his dark
skinned, broad chest, flicking a nipple in the
process. His gaze was riveted to where Mutegi’s
hands rested on the top of his jeans. Slowly, he
slipped the button through the hole and lowered
the zipper. The jean flaps spread open from the
force of the thick erection encased in navy blue
cotton boxer briefs.

Ben’s mouth watered when he saw the size of

the cock in front of him and he desperately
wanted a taste. Sitting up, he reached toward
Mutegi, but hesitated and glanced up at him. He
gasped at the sizzling look on the man’s face.

“Touch me, Ben.” Mutegi’s growl sounded

almost like begging.

He didn’t have to be asked twice. Ben gripped

the edges of the man’s underwear and slipped it
gently down Mutegi’s hips. He couldn’t hold back
the moan at the beautiful sight. “You’re
gorgeous,” he whispered, taking in the thick, nine

Mutegi’s Sweet One

inch uncut cock. He caressed the skin of the shaft,
feeling the silkiness of the engorged flesh. The
dark head had a red hue and the foreskin had
pulled away from the crown, revealing a large
pearl of moisture.

His own cock jerked between his legs in

response to the magnificent sight. Ben leaned
forward and scooped up the bead with his tongue.
Mutegi shuddered, a low moan escaping his
throat. Emboldened and amazed that this sexy
guy seemed to want him so much, Ben wrapped
his hand around the dick, squeezed firmly,
opened his mouth and sucked in the head.

Mutegi’s shaft was big, and his jaws stretched

to accommodate it. Ben never thought of himself
as a size queen, but just the idea of having this
man’s dick in him had his ass clenching in
anticipation. He worked the biker’s foreskin, then
the vein, stroking it with his tongue as he slowly
moved down Mutegi’s dick, fitting more into his
mouth.

Hearing the grunting of the man above him

filled Ben with pride. Mutegi’s hands settled on
his shoulders and clenched convulsively. He could
tell from the tension in the thighs under his hands
that Mutegi desperately wanted to move. He
cupped the man’s balls, rolling the tightening orbs
in his palm, receiving a groan for his efforts.

He released the head, still stroking the spit-

Charlie Richards

slicked shaft firmly with his hand. “I can’t wait to
have you fill me with this,” he whispered.

“Fuck, yes,” Mutegi growled. Grabbing Ben’s

shoulders, he lifted him and tossed him fully onto
the bed.

Ben was impressed by the biker’s strength, but

some innate instinct told him Mutegi would never
use it to hurt him. Mutegi kicked off his jeans and
crawled on the bed over him, straddling his
thighs. He leaned down and rubbed his cheek
against Ben’s, humming softly. The move from the
big man surprised him so much, Ben could only
lay there.

Mutegi lifted his head and smiled. “You do not

really know how sexy you are, do you?”

His brows creased and he shook his head.

“You’re sexy. I’m just me,” he said, uncertain what
the guy saw in him. Surely he wasn’t Mutegi’s
usual type.

“I will just have to prove how sexy I find you,”

Mutegi stated matter-of-factly.

Ben suddenly felt like he was missing

something, but then Mutegi wrapped a hand
around his cock and all coherent thought fled with
the first stroke. His eyes closed as pleasure zinged
through his system. Mutegi’s knee nudged
between his thighs and he instantly spread his
legs, eager to feel that thick cock slide inside him.
“Want you,” he groaned.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

“You got me,” Mutegi murmured against his

lips before taking his mouth in a deep kiss.

Mutegi’s tongue glided against his own as the

biker mapped his mouth. The contact intensified
the tingles racing through his body and his balls
tightened. Mutegi scraped his thumb over Ben’s
cock’s head, spreading the pre-cum across the
sensitive flesh, before pressing his nail into his slit.
He gasped into Mutegi’s mouth and his cock
pulsed as an unexpected orgasm rolled through
his system, spraying cum over Mutegi’s hand and
Ben’s stomach.

Panting, he cracked his eye lids open and

watched an immensely pleased-looking Mutegi
lick the cum from his fingers. Ben’s cock started to
fill again at the erotic sight, and Mutegi’s smile
turned feral. Once done cleaning his fingers, he
pulled a tube of lube and a condom from under
the pillow.

Ben’s face grew warm. “Confident much?”
“Hopeful,” Mutegi countered.
Popping the top, he spread a good amount of

the slick cream onto his fingers and rubbed them
together to warm it. Ben’s breathing sped up as he
gripped the backs of his thighs and pulled his legs
up in invitation. The gleam of lust and something
else in Mutegi’s eyes had Ben eagerly anticipating
the man’s touch.

Mutegi didn’t tease. His face revealed his own

Charlie Richards

tension almost as much as the massive erection
jutting from his groin. He slid a finger into Ben’s
ass and Ben moaned. “Yeah. More,” he whispered,
rocking against the invading digit.

The biker took him at his word and slid a

second finger in. Ben rode through the so-good
burn, loving every sensation Mutegi gave him as
he gently nudged his prostate over and over. The
third thick finger stretched him so full, so
wonderfully full.

“Now.” Ben grabbed the condom from where

Mutegi had set it on the bed and handed it to the
man. “I’ll put it on you next time,” he promised.
“Hurry.”

Taking the condom, Mutegi grunted and rolled

the latex on his dick. He slicked up his cock and
poised at Ben’s entrance. “Ready for me, sweet
one?”

“Yes,” Ben whispered, rolling his hips up in

invitation. “I need you, now.”

“Good.”
Mutegi pushed, the head of his cock popping

past Ben’s guardian muscle. He expected the man
to pause, let him adjust, but instead he kept
moving until he was buried balls deep in Ben’s
ass. His body stretched to accommodate the thick
shaft spearing into him. Ben gripped Mutegi’s
shoulders, needing the contact to ground him as
he forced deep breaths into his body. Goose

Mutegi’s Sweet One

bumps broke out over his skin as Mutegi’s huge
flared cockhead brushed across his sweet spot. A
bead of sweat dripped down his temple, and he
rocked his hips, taking that thick cock just a bit
deeper. A low groan escaped him at the delicious
feeling of fullness invading every pore of his body.

“Wow,” he panted, unable to think of anything

more coherent to say.

Mutegi hovered over him, his dark gaze pinned

on Ben’s face. “Your ass was made for my cock,”
he murmured. “Please tell me I can move.”

Ben nodded. “Please move.”
Groaning, Mutegi pulled partially out and

thrust back in. Intense pleasure radiated from
Ben’s ass, beating out the burn, as Mutegi rubbed
over his prostate repeatedly with his bulbous
cockhead. His eyes slid shut and Mutegi growled.
“Keep your eyes on me,” he snapped, and Ben’s
eyes immediately reopened. The intensely
possessive look filling the biker’s eyes shocked
Ben and pleased him, even as it filled him with
confusion. “Know who is filling your ass, Ben,”
Mutegi grunted, speeding up his strokes.

“Mutegi,” Ben responded around a moan, his

hands sliding down slick skin until his fingers
clutched Mutegi’s heavily-muscled arms. As the
big cock filled him again and again, he wondered
what it would feel like to have nothing between
them. He’d never allowed anyone to fuck him

Charlie Richards

bareback, but for some reason, he wanted this man
to. Too bad it could never happen.

His cock rubbed against Mutegi’s abs with each

stroke, adding to the sensations, and Ben knew
even though he’d come once, it would only be a
minute before he’d go over the edge again. He
desperately wanted Mutegi to get off first, so he
rhythmically squeezed his ass muscles every time
the guy pulled out.

Mutegi growled, his eyes wild. Ben thought he

caught a flash of pointed teeth before the man
dropped his head to Ben’s neck and nibbled the
tendons. He sucked lightly on the skin behind
Ben’s ear and he knew he was lost. Pleasurable
tingles raced to his balls, and the small orbs pulled
tight to his body. His cock leaked in anticipation
and one more rub over his prostate had Ben
groaning his release.

His ass clenched down and Mutegi growled

into his neck as he convulsed above him. He
pulled Ben tight to his body as he thrust
spastically and filled the condom. Ben smiled and
hummed as endorphins pinged through his
system. He petted the broad shoulders and strong
back as Mutegi nuzzled his cheek and neck. After
several moments, Mutegi carefully pulled out and
discarded the condom. He grabbed a washcloth
off the nightstand that Ben’s blissed out brain
hadn’t noticed before and cleaned him up, then, to

Mutegi’s Sweet One

his surprise, Mutegi pulled the comforter out from
under them and tucked him close. It had never
occurred to Ben that the man might be a snuggler,
but he was definitely pleased by the discovery.

“You are amazing, mate,” Mutegi whispered,

his face buried in the hair at the nape of his neck.

He was intrigued by the man’s words, but

Mutegi’s even breathing told Ben he’d been quick
to pass out. Giving a mental shrug, Ben settled
into Mutegi’s embrace and let sleep take him.

Charlie Richards

Chapter Five

lowly coming to wakefulness, Mutegi nuzzled
the soft hair on his mate’s neck and inhaled

Ben’s wonderful scent. The only thing that could
make him more content was if he could claim the
man. All in good time. A few minutes later, Ben’s
breathing changed.

“Good morning,” he murmured. “Sleep well?”
Ben looked over his shoulder at him and

smiled. “Yeah.”

“Me, too,” Mutegi said. “What time did our

hostess say breakfast was?”

“Eight.”
“Hmm, then we have a few minutes,” Mutegi

commented, seeing the clock on the dresser read
just after seven.

He reached around and scraped his nails gently

through Ben’s pubic hair, his knuckles brushing
his human’s morning wood. Ben looked over his
shoulder at him and grinned before rubbing his

Mutegi’s Sweet One

ass against Mutegi’s erection. “I think I like your
idea.”

“I thought you might,” he said, wrapping his

fist around Ben’s silky hard shaft.

Ben groaned and bucked into his fist before

rocking backward, rubbing his ass against
Mutegi’s shaft again. The feel of his mate’s naked
ass on his cock made him groan. He rocked
forward, sinking his dick into Ben’s crack.

They soon found a rhythm that worked, Ben

thrusting into his fist then rocking back against
Mutegi, driving his shaft between his cheeks.
Between the scent of his lover’s arousal, the taste
of his skin, and the feel of Ben’s cheeks against his
dick, Mutegi knew he wouldn’t last long. He
growled softly, the sound vibrating his chest as his
balls pulled tight.

“I am close, sweet one. Will you come for me?”

he crooned, making certain his warm breath
brushed over the sensitive skin behind his man’s
ear. He tightened the arm around Ben’s chest and
pulled him closer. Mutegi gripped the sexy silver
hoop in Ben’s nipple, twisting it, loving how Ben’s
body arched into his touch.

“Oh…oh, god, yes,” Ben cried. His body

bucked, then his cock swelled and pulsed,
spraying cum across the sheets and Mutegi’s
hand.

The smell of his mate’s cum set Mutegi off, and

Charlie Richards

he sprayed Ben’s back and ass with his own
release. He shuddered, twice more, pleasure
swamping him.

“Now it’s a good morning,” Ben teased.
Mutegi grinned into Ben’s neck before reaching

between them and spreading his cum into his
skin.

“Are you marking me?” Ben whispered,

looking at him over his shoulder.

He froze, realizing that’s exactly what he was

doing. He wanted his scent on his mate, and
knew, even after a shower, other shifters would be
able to smell it. “Uh…”

To his relief, Ben chuckled and rolled over to

give him a quick kiss. “Kinky, but I like it, but
now I need a shower.”

“Interested in company?” he asked, thinking of

the opportunity to see his man naked and wet.

“Okay,” Ben said, staring down at him for a

second with an unreadable expression.

“What is it?” Mutegi asked, worried his sweet

one was already tiring of him.

“Last night you said this wasn’t a one night

stand,” he said, crawling out of bed. “Do you line
up fuck buddies in different areas so you don’t
lack for a bed mate?”

Ben’s words had him seeing red, and he

couldn’t hold back his growl. “You are not just
some fuck buddy to me,” he snapped.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

Ben stepped back and his brows creased. He

sensed the man’s confusion. Mutegi knew he
needed to explain, but they’d only known each
other a day. He let out a sigh and rolled to his feet.
Pulling Ben into his arms, he held his lover tight.
He rubbed his back, waiting patiently for Ben’s
stiff stance to relax. It took longer than Mutegi
wished, but finally Ben sank into the embrace and
wrapped his arms around him.

Kissing the top of Ben’s head, he said, “It is

going to seem odd, but I already care about you,
Ben. I want to learn everything about you, and I
am hoping that someday you will come to care for
me.”

“Oh,” Ben whispered.
Not really the answer he was hoping for, but at

least his sexy human hadn’t laughed. “Come on.
Let us go get that shower.”

It took more self-control than Mutegi thought

he had, but he managed to keep from pouncing on
Ben in the shower. He still enjoyed the
opportunity to wash Ben’s hair and body, loving
the man’s toned flesh and the smooth texture of
his skin. After Ben returned the favor, where he
had to focus on unsexy thoughts, Mutegi pulled
on clean clothes. Ben wrapped a towel around his
waist, and they headed to Ben’s room.

As Ben pulled on clean clothes, he noted that

both beds were mussed and he scented Adam and

Charlie Richards

Yuma. It looked like this was where the two
shifters had ended up. That put the other three in
the larger single room.

They headed down the stairs to the dining

room, where they found the rest of the group
already sipping coffee or juice, seated around a
large table.

“So where did the rest of the guys head off to?”

Cassie had just asked.

Kontra took a sip of coffee before saying, “A

buddy of ours rode ahead to spend a few days
with his sister in Amarillo. We haven’t heard from
him, and his sister says he never made it, so we’re
trying to find him.”

“Oh, no! I’m so sorry we’re holding you up!”

Ben immediately said.

“Do not think twice about it,” Mutegi soothed.

“We are happy to help you both.” After getting
coffee for himself and his mate, he settled next to
the man, noting the three scoops of sugar and
dollop of milk Ben put in. Well, that explains why he

tastes so sweet!

“What are your plans after we take care of your

ex for you?” Payson asked bluntly.

Mutegi tried not to cringe. His hyena friend’s

moral compass didn’t quite point north, and they
all knew it.

“Take care of…” Cassie lifted a brow as her

voice trailed away.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

“We’ll find a way to make certain he doesn’t

bother you anymore,” Yuma said gently.

“I already have a restraining order out on him,”

Cassie said. “If the police aren’t able to do
anything, how can you?”

Yuma patted her hand. “We just need to get the

right police involved,” he said.

“Huh?” Cassie’s confusion couldn’t be clearer.
Kontra rested his arms on the table and smiled

grimly. “Small town police are quite a bit more
protective of their own. Where were you headed
again?”

“Our parent’s place is in Leoti, Kansas,” Ben

replied, instantly responding to the demand for an
answer in Kontra’s voice. “They know the sheriff
pretty well, and my father was in the military, so
we were hoping we could hide out there for that
very reason,” he admitted.

“Well, now you have an escort,” Kontra replied.
They cut off the conversation when Mrs. Pelter

walked in with a large platter. “Good morning,
gentlemen, and Cassie,” she greeted them with a
smile. “Did everyone sleep well?”

After a fantastic breakfast, starting with fruit

salad and ended with of potato and egg quiche,
the group thanked her profusely. When she asked
if they’d need their accommodations another
night, Adam piped up, “No ma’am. I’ll have the
old girl up and running later this morning and

Charlie Richards

we’ll be on our way. We have a grandbaby who
needs to meet her grandparents,” he said with a
grin.

Mrs. Pelter’s eyes twinkled as she looked

toward the babe. “And Tessa is a very sweet little
girl. Just leave your keys in the rooms and the
doors unlocked, please.”

She picked up several plates and carried them

to the kitchen.

Kontra glanced around at the group. “Adam,

you and Eli get that truck finished. Mutegi and
Yuma, make certain everything is packed up and
ready to move so we can head out as soon as
they’re done. Payson, scout around, but if you see
them don’t engage.” Payson grinned, even though
Kontra gave him a stern look. “Report it to me.”
Mutegi watched Kontra follow the woman out of
the room, knowing his leader would settle the bill.
The other three men dispersed, quick to follow the
man’s orders.

Mutegi shoved his dirty clothes into a plastic

bag and tucked them into his saddlebag. He took
his leathers into the bathroom and brushed them
off in the tub, then folded them and laid them on
top of his bag. He returned to the bathroom and
rinsed out the tub.

“That was nice of you.”
He turned to find Ben leaning against the

doorframe. Mutegi beamed. “After that delicious

Mutegi’s Sweet One

breakfast, it is the least I can do.” Then he
shrugged. “Besides, it is the decent thing to do.
We know we are rough around the edges, even
often looked down upon. That does not mean we
need to prove them right.”

“You bikers keep surprising me,” his mate

whispered.

Pulling Ben into his arms, pleased when he

didn’t resist, Mutegi settled his lips over Ben’s. He
slipped his tongue into Ben’s mouth, licking the
soft inner tissues and savoring his taste. After
pulling away, he said, “Is that a good thing, sweet
one?”

“Yeah,” Ben whispered.
“Good, I plan to make you loathe the idea of me

driving away from you.”

When Ben’s spine stiffened and creases formed

around his eyes, Mutegi could have kicked
himself. That is too much too fast! I should not have
said anything, yet. He loosened his grip around
Ben’s waist, willing to give the man a bit of space,
even though it was the last thing he wanted to do.
Ben tightened his hold on Mutegi’s arm, stopping
the move.

He saw the questions in his sweet man’s eyes

and watched him swallow hard. “Why would you
want me to miss you that much?” he whispered.

Realizing it was too late to backtrack, he

answered honestly. “Because I want you to come

Charlie Richards

with me.”

Ben opened his mouth, then closed it again. His

brows crinkled and he held Mutegi’s attention.
His gaze roved over his face, searching for
something. The truth maybe? Whatever it was, he
must have found it, because he reached up and
traced the line of Mutegi’s jaw. When Ben’s fingers
moved over his lips, Mutegi kissed the tip before
sucking it into his mouth and nipping it gently.

A smile curved Ben’s lips and a heated look

filled his eyes, replacing the tension in his body.
Mutegi’s cock jerked in his jeans, and pleasure
filled Mutegi. His mate hadn’t rejected him
outright. In fact, he seemed to like the idea, if the
way Ben melted into him and lifted his face for
another deep kiss was any indication.

A throat clearing made Mutegi lift his head and

he found Yuma smirking at him. “Eli brought the
truck over. I guess Adam had actually finished it
yesterday but didn’t say anything.”

Ben frowned and asked, “Why wouldn’t he say

anything?”

Yuma snorted and waved a hand at them. “For

obvious reasons. You two are made for each
other.” He grinned and batted his eyelashes.
“Such a cute couple.”

The heat rolling up Ben’s neck told of his

discomfort, so Mutegi pulled him closer and
growled at Yuma, although he kept it playful.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

“Leave him alone, Yuma. He is not used to our
sense of humor, yet.”

Laughing, Yuma turned and headed from the

room, tossing advice over his shoulder as he went,
“You better get used to it, Ben.”

Ben tucked his face into Mutegi’s neck, but he

could hear that his mate was grinning when he
spoke. “Why are your friends so accepting that
you want to keep me when you just met me?”

Mutegi kissed the top of Ben’s head and prayed

his openness didn’t bite him in the ass. He
whispered, “Because I love you, Ben, and every
time I look at you, all my friends can see it.”

Ben snapped his head up, his eyes opening

wide in shock.

Mutegi gently kissed him. “I do not expect you

to reciprocate right away. Please just take the time
to get to know me. Give me a chance.”

After a second, Ben smiled faintly. “I can do

that.”

Thirty minutes later, everyone strode from the

house. Mutegi would have liked to have Ben
behind him on his hog. He wanted to feel his
mate’s arms around him, but Ben needed to drive
the truck so Cassie could care for Tessa.

Eli and Adam took point, the old truck

following and the rest falling behind them. Kontra
flipped up his visor and, bypassing the helmet
mikes, called, “How’s it going with your mate?

Charlie Richards

Yuma and Adam say things are progressing well.”

Mutegi grinned. “Yes. I have asked him to join

me after we solve Cassie’s problem,” he admitted.

“Already? How’d he take it?”
He heard the concern in his alpha’s voice and

couldn’t stop the grin. “He did not say no. I think
he loves me, too, even if he is not able to admit it,
yet,” he said, knowing hope colored his tone.

Kontra nodded. “That’s real good, Mutegi. Real

good.”

Mutegi’s grin remained as he flipped his visor

back into place. Now he just needed to figure out
how to explain to the human that he was a shifter
and that Ben was his mate.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

Chapter Six

e and his sister spoke of their parents, the
scenery, and how last night in Cassie’s room,

Adam had pulled Yuma out of a nightmare. From
the sly looks, Ben knew what topic of conversation
Cassie really wanted to talk about though. It took
two hours, but finally her curiosity got the better
of her.

“So, you and Mutegi are getting along well,”

Cassie said with a smirk. “Is it serious?”

Ben took a deep breath then grinned. “Yeah. It

is.” His smile faded and he cast a worried look
toward his sister. “Do you believe in love at first
sight?”

“Oh, my god! Are you in love with him?” She

gasped. “Was he that good in bed?”

“Just answer the question,” he growled.
She sobered and stared at him with concern in

her eyes. “I don’t know, Ben. I really don’t. Before
all this happened? Maybe. Now?” She shrugged.

Charlie Richards

Well that wasn’t the answer he was hoping for,

but at least it was honest.

She reached over the car seat and gave his arm

a squeeze. “If he makes you happy, give it a
chance. Don’t let what happened to me cloud your
judgment.”

Her words brought the memory of being held

tight in Mutegi’s arms to the forefront, the way the
big man played his body like an instrument, as if
he knew exactly how to please him and enjoyed
doing it. His smile returned, and he blurted out,
“He said he loves me.”

“Holy shit! Are you serious?”
He cringed at his sister’s screech, which woke a

napping Tessa and set the baby to crying. He
rolled his eyes, then glared at her. “Was that
completely necessary?”

“You can’t say stuff like that and not expect me

to react.” Cassie searched for a clean binky. “What
are you going to do? Where does he call home?
What’s he do for a living?”

Well, she had him there, Ben thought. His sister

had always been pretty reactive. He thought about
her questions and realized he didn’t know the
answer to any of them. “You know, I have
absolutely no idea,” he admitted. “We kinda
didn’t talk about that stuff.”

After a few moments of Tessa crying, Cassie

wrinkled her nose. “I think we need to find a spot

Mutegi’s Sweet One

to pull over. Tessa needs changing.”

Ben glanced at the squalling child. Her face was

scrunched up in frustration as tears leaked from
her eyes, snot dripped from her nose, and loud
wails echoed through the cab of the truck. “Okay.
I saw a sign for a rest stop in two miles. We’ll stop
there.”

When he saw the upcoming turn, he honked to

get the attention of the guys riding in front of
them. He slowed and turned, watching in the
rearview mirror as the four bikers behind him
followed his truck into the rest stop. His heart rate
sped up, knowing he’d see Mutegi in seconds and
thinking about the kiss he wanted to give the man.
Turning off the truck, he realized he must have it
bad if not touching for two hours made him feel
this excited.

“Everything all right?” Mutegi asked, causing

him to jump.

He looked at the open driver’s door, not even

sure if he’d opened it or if his lover had. “Yeah.
Fine. The baby just needed changing. I figured this
would be better than on the side of the road. Plus
it’ll give us a chance to stretch our legs,” he added.

Mutegi nodded, reached into the cab, and

unbuckled his seatbelt. Settling his hands on Ben’s
legs, he turned him to face him and insinuated
himself between Ben’s thighs before capturing his
lips in a heated kiss. With Ben sitting in the truck,

Charlie Richards

it put them close in height. Perfect for making out.
Ben welcomed Mutegi’s tongue with all the
enthusiasm of welcoming a long lost love, stroking
it with his own as Mutegi stroked the insides of
his mouth.

His cock immediately took interest, and Ben

rocked forward. He found an answering length
behind Mutegi’s leathers and whimpered as the
hard ridge pressed against his suddenly hard and
needy shaft. He didn’t know why the man affected
him so much. It was scary and thrilling all at the
same time.

Mutegi separated their lips just enough to

whisper, “We should take a walk and stretch our
legs,” before he captured Ben’s lips again and
caressed Ben’s tongue with his own. He sucked
Ben’s tongue strongly, and his cock jerked in his
jeans. Ben wondered what that suction would feel
like on the head of his prick.

“Yeah,” he panted. “Let’s take a walk. You can

tell me where your home is,” he added, trying to
get his brain to work.

Mutegi rested his forehead on Ben’s and

nodded. “Sure.”

When he stepped back to let him out, Ben had

to bite back a mewl of distress at the move that
put distance between them. Slipping from the
truck, he shut the door and followed. Mutegi
waved at the other guys, and Ben noted the other

Mutegi’s Sweet One

two men had joined them. All five were hanging
around a picnic table talking with Cassie who was
cleaning up a now babbling, happy child.

They slipped into the forest and once

surrounded by trees, Ben found his back pressed
against a tree trunk and Mutegi plastered to his
front. He sighed happily, realizing this was exactly
where he wanted to stay—in Mutegi’s arms. How
he’d fallen in love so fast, Ben didn’t know, but he
realized this warm, joyous feeling could be
nothing else.

He twined his arms over Mutegi’s shoulders

and kissed him back with everything in him,
putting into the kiss what he wasn’t certain he
could form in words. Mutegi settled his hands on
Ben’s ass and squeezed. Ben groaned in pleasure
and wrapped his legs around Mutegi’s waist,
trusting the man to hold his weight as he pressed
him against the tree.

Slowly, Mutegi gentled the kiss, nibbling his

lips sensuously before moving along his jaw and
up to his ear. “You asked where I live. I have no
home, Ben,” he whispered the admission. “My
friends and I travel the country, never staying in
one place for very long.”

“Oh,” Ben replied, trying to focus on the man’s

words as Mutegi sucked gently on the sensitive
skin under his ear. He pressed his head against the
tree and turned his head, giving Mutegi more

Charlie Richards

room, wanting him to create more delicious
sensations on his skin. The tingles traveling down
his spine felt wonderful. Pre-cum oozed from his
dick, soaking his boxers. “What do you do for a
job?” he murmured, thinking what a lonely
existence that would be for these men.

“We all trade in stocks,” Mutegi replied softly.

“Lamar and Eli taught us, but we all have our
hobbies, like Adam is a mechanic.”

Mutegi slid a hand from Ben’s ass to the button

of his jeans. He straightened and leaned back
slightly to give himself room. With a twist of his
wrist, all four slipped from their holes. Mutegi
rubbed a thumb over the damp fabric covering the
head of his dick, and Ben moaned at the erotic
sight and sensations.

“Wh-what’s your hobby?” He panted, while

Mutegi slid Ben’s shaft through the opening of his
boxers. “Ugh!” Ben grunted, trying not to be too
loud as the pressure of Mutegi’s fist wrapped
around his dick.

Mutegi grinned, his dark eyes glittering with

pleasure at Ben’s predicament. “I enjoy wood-
carving,” he replied softly while stroking Ben’s
shaft slowly and firmly.

Ben’s brain shut down and his eye lids drifted

to half-mast as he watched Mutegi stroke his dick.
His hands clenched Mutegi’s shoulders and soft
mewls of pleasure, that he had no hope of

Mutegi’s Sweet One

stopping, escaped his lips. “That’s…oh, god.”

“Pull your shirt up a bit, sweet one,” Mutegi

crooned. “No need to mess this one.”

It took several seconds for Ben to manage to

uncurl his fingers from his death grip on the
man’s shirt. He pushed the fabric up off his
stomach, pleased the move showed off the muscle
definition of his abs. Then Mutegi massaged the
soft skin of his glans and he groaned. His balls
pulled tight, and he knew he wasn’t going to last
much longer.

Mutegi swiped his thumb over the head of his

leaking cock, spreading the pre-cum across his
sensitive head and Ben’s breathing hitched. When
Mutegi scraped his nail across his slit, Ben was
lost. He opened his mouth in a silent scream as
cum burst from his cock and his orgasm washed
through him in waves of pleasure. Cum splattered
across his stomach in streams as his body jerked
and twitched in Mutegi’s arms.

A low growl escaped from his lover, and

seconds later, he found himself being settled on
still wobbly legs and turned to face the tree.
Mutegi swiped cum from his chest, and shoved
down his jeans. “Need you, mate,” Mutegi
growled into his ear, as he slipped one cum
covered finger into Ben’s ass.

Realizing what the man wanted sent a thrill

through Ben. His big lover needed him so badly,

Charlie Richards

he couldn’t wait to find a flat surface, and that was
just fine with Ben. He spread his legs as far as the
jeans around his knees would let him and shoved
his ass back, impaling himself on two fingers that
time.

The slight burn sent a shudder through him

and his cock took renewed interest. “Give it to me,
Mutegi,” he murmured, resting his head on his
forearms.

The head of Mutegi’s cock nudged his hole, and

the reminder of how huge that dick was flashed
through his mind. He opened his mouth to ask for
more prep, but Mutegi pushed and that massive
length was buried inside him. He hissed sharply,
and for a moment, Ben thought he was going to
die of the pain.

Mutegi pressed against his back and nibbled

the tendons on the back of his neck. The big man’s
hips froze. “I’m so sorry, sweet one. I should have
realized you weren’t ready yet. I didn’t mean to
hurt you.”

Ben heard the self-disgust in Mutegi’s tone, and

he didn’t want that. “I know. Just give me a
minute, big guy. I’ll be fine,” he whispered,
turning his head and catching Mutegi’s lips in an
awkward kiss.

Mutegi reached around with both arms and

fondled Ben’s pierced nipples. Pleasure blossomed
in his chest as Mutegi twisted and tugged the little

Mutegi’s Sweet One

silver hoops. The pain in his rectum faded to
nothing, eclipsed by the wonderful sensations the
big man created, and Ben whimpered. “Please.”

The one word must have been enough to

convey his need, because Mutegi moved, pulling
his thick cock out and pushing back in. The flared
head scraped across his prostate and Ben bit his
lip to keep from crying out his pleasure. One of
Mutegi’s arms wrapped tightly around Ben’s
chest, holding him steady as he pounded into him.
The other hand continued to work his nipples.

Ben’s cock waved and twitched in front of him,

once more hard and needy, oozing pre-cum. He
didn’t know what it was about the man that did it
for him, but he suddenly never wanted to be apart
and had every intention of telling Mutegi he
planned to accept his invitation to travel with him.
At least, he would once he found his voice.

Mutegi’s calloused fingers wrapped around his

shaft and an orgasm he didn’t know had been
building rocked through his system, sending him
flying high. His body convulsed, his ass clenching
tight around Mutegi’s invading dick.

Mutegi had no such hang-ups about keeping

silent and roared his release. Hot cum splashed
Ben’s rectum as his lover filled him with his seed.
It suddenly occurred to Ben, Mutegi hadn’t used a
condom. Mutegi continued to shudder for several
seconds, his face tucked into the crook of Ben’s

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neck, and his arms wrapped tightly around Ben,
holding him close.

“Gods, Ben, what you do to me,” Mutegi

whispered. “I do not want to live without you.”

Ben swallowed, overwhelmed by the depth of

emotion he could hear in Mutegi’s voice. He
turned his head and kissed Mutegi’s temple
gently. “Then don’t,” he whispered. “After we
drop off my sister, I’ll go with you.”

Mutegi’s head snapped up, hope bright in his

dark eyes. “You mean that?”

He smiled, even as Mutegi’s cock slipped from

his ass and cum oozed down his thighs, raising a
whole new set of problems in Ben’s head. He
nodded. “Yeah. I mean that. You’ll just have to
teach me how to do stocks, too,” he said, trying to
lighten the moment.

Mutegi spun him around and pulled him tight

to his chest before claiming his mouth in a deep
kiss. When he lifted his head for air, Mutegi
grinned down at him. “I am a rich hobo, Ben. You
will not have to work if you do not want to.”

Ben chuckled and lifted a hand to Mutegi’s face,

tracing the man’s angular jaw with a finger. “I’d
still like to learn.” Then he cringed as he felt
another drip.

Mutegi frowned. “What is wrong?”
He grimaced before nibbling his bottom lip. Ben

lowered his gaze before bringing his head back up

Mutegi’s Sweet One

and meeting Mutegi’s eyes. If they were going to
do this, they had to be honest, right? “Um, you
didn’t use a condom, and I’ve never barebacked
before, and it’s dripping down my legs, and,
um…” His face grew warm.

“Oh, shit. I am sorry, Ben,” Mutegi said,

whipping his shirt from his body and dropping to
his knees. Ben’s face flamed hotter, heating his
skin as Mutegi cleaned him. He looked up as he
worked, and worry filled those expressive eyes. “I
should have asked. I got carried away. I am clean.
I cannot…” Mutegi frowned, apparently unsure as
he rocked back on his heels. “There are things I
need to tell you,” he whispered.

It was Ben’s turn to be confused. He took

Mutegi’s shirt and finished cleaning up before
righting his clothes. “What is it?”

“I—”
Cassie’s scream interrupted any further

conversation. Ben dropped the shirt, but only
managed one step before Mutegi’s strong arm
wrapped around him from behind. “Stop. There
are others at the rest stop.”

He frowned. “How could you know that?”
“I can smell them.” He grabbed Ben’s hand and

drew him forward. “Come with me.”

Ben followed, trying to remain as quiet as

possible. The question of how Mutegi could smell
strangers echoed through his head. The thought

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disappeared when he spotted what was
happening at the rest stop. Four men with guns
were grouped around the bikers, who had circled
Cassie in a protective ring. His sister held Tessa
tight to her chest. A fifth man stood off to the side,
smirking cruelly at them. Ben recognized Stanley.

“You didn’t really think I’d just let you get

away with my child, did you?” Stanley mocked.

“You have no rights to Tessa,” Cassie replied.

“The court said—”

“I don’t give a shit what the court said,” Stanley

cut in angrily. “I won’t have my daughter raised
around your deviant brother!”

Ben paled, uncertain what to do against so

many men with guns. He turned to Mutegi, and
the look of pure rage on his lover’s face sent a
shiver down his spine. Mutegi looked at him and
forced a grim smile. “Whatever you see, know that
I love you, and I would never hurt you.”

Before he could question that enigmatic

statement, Mutegi kicked off his boots and jeans.
Ben’s jaw dropped in the face of all that smooth,
black skin. Then Mutegi dropped to his knees, and
his body shuddered. Ben reached for Mutegi,
ready to ask what was wrong. Just as quickly, he
covered his mouth and stumbled back a step.

His lover was changing. His skin thickened,

turning a dark gray and growing sparse hair. His
limbs shortened, became slender, and his hands

Mutegi’s Sweet One

and feet disappeared, hardening into cloven
hooves. His head reshaped and elongated, long,
lethal-looking tusks sprouting from his gums. A
massive warthog climbed to its feet. It turned its
head to look at Ben.

He gasped. The eyes were the same. The animal

looked at Ben with Mutegi’s soft brown intelligent
eyes.

Then the warthog turned and trotted through

the trees.

Charlie Richards

Chapter Seven

utegi hadn’t figured out how he was going to
tell his mate he was a shifter, but he never

imagined it would be like this. The shock was to
be expected, and he tried to hearten himself that
there hadn’t been revulsion in Ben’s eyes.

Focusing on what needed to be done, Mutegi

circled the group. Once he felt he was as close as
he could get without being seen, he charged the
nearest gunman, letting out a loud high-pitched
squeal. Confusion ensued, just as he’d hoped. A
gun went off. Roars filled the air, and Mutegi
recognized the sounds of both Kontra’s grizzly
and Adam’s white tiger.

He reached his target and slammed his three

hundred pound body into the man, burying his
foot-and-a-half long tusks in the man’s thighs.
Mutegi yanked his tusks out, and blood gushed
from the massive wounds. The guy dropped.
Normally not a killing blow, it was possible the

Mutegi’s Sweet One

man would bleed out if he didn’t get help.
Looking around, Mutegi didn’t think the guy
would get it.

Kontra’s grizzly stood over a bloody, mangled

body, as did Adam’s tiger, and Payson’s hyena.
Eli’s python was wrapped securely around a
quickly suffocating final man. Yuma, still in
human form, was trying desperately to soothe a
panicking Cassie.

Mutegi turned back to the howling man he’d

gored and huffed, uncertain what to do. They
couldn’t really leave him alive to spread a tale of
men turning into animals and butchering his
friends, and when the guy grabbed for the gun
he’d dropped, Mutegi leaped. A tusk through the
man’s heart gave him a quick death.

He heard Kontra’s voice and focused on his

leader as he said, “Take a deep breath, Cassie.
Everything will be all right. No one is going to
hurt you.”

“You—you—there was a bear! A big huge bear!

Where did it go?” she asked, looking around
frantically.

Mutegi spotted Ben and watched his mate run

to his sister. Hurt pierced him that Ben would run
to Cassie instead of him, even though Mutegi
knew it was an irrational feeling. He moved
slowly toward them, and Cassie gasped. “That’s—
that’s—” She stopped sputtering and just pointed.

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“That’s Mutegi,” Ben whispered. “I think,” he

added.

“You’re right,” Yuma murmured. “That’s

Mutegi. He’d never hurt you. He just wanted to
protect you and your baby, Cassie.” Although he
spoke to Cassie, the small shifter swept his gaze
over Ben as well, as if trying to convince them
both.

“Is it safe to touch it?” Ben asked, eyeing him

warily.

“It is safe to touch him,” Kontra replied firmly.

“Mutegi is perfectly cognizant in this form, just as
we all are when we turn into our animal.”

“Can I touch the tiger?” Cassie asked suddenly,

staring at the black and white animal’s fur.

Yuma snorted. “Sure. Come here, Adam. She

wants to play with your fur.”

The big animal stopped grooming and lifted his

head. Intelligent blue eyes stared at them before
Adam chuffed in the equivalent of him laughing
while in feline form. He rose with feline grace that
Mutegi secretly envied and crossed to the group.

Mutegi spotted Ben moving toward him. He

refocused on his mate, worried what the human
would say. Would he find this form grotesque? He
knew the warthog wasn’t really an attractive
animal, just an interesting one.

Ben slowly knelt a few feet from him and just

stared for a moment. The others faded a few steps

Mutegi’s Sweet One

away, knowing how important this first contact
would be for Mutegi, knowing Ben needed to
accept his animal. “Are you in there, Mutegi?” Ben
finally whispered.

Not able to verbally respond, Mutegi slowly

lowered himself to the ground and ducked his
head. He shuffled forward, much like a dog would
inch along on his belly. He felt certain it looked
ridiculous, but he needed to get closer to his mate.
He stopped when he saw Ben tense and waited,
praying to the gods that Ben would close the
remaining couple of feet.

Finally, after a tense moment that filled Mutegi

with fear, Ben reached out and touched his head.
Mutegi had to stop the shudder of pleasure at his
mate’s touch. Ben gently brushed his fingers along
his forehead, then up through the tufts of hair
making up his mane.

“I don’t understand how this is possible,” he

said. “Can you understand me?”

Needing to explain to Ben, Mutegi initiated his

shift. Concern filled him when Ben yanked his
hand away as soon as his skin began to change. As
soon as he was able, Mutegi lifted his head, looked
his human in the eye, and murmured, “It is still
me while in that form. I can understand you. I am
still the same.”

“But you’re not,” Ben denied. “You’re

different.” He glanced around at the others.

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“You’re all different,” he whispered, watching his
sister pet a very boisterous hyena. A dressed Eli
had crossed to the bikes and was pulling out new
clothes for everyone else. As a python, he was one
of the few shifters who didn’t shred his clothes
when he shifted. He simply slithered out of them.

Mutegi sighed. “We are shifters, Ben. Just

because we can turn into an animal, it does not
mean I care about you any less.” He needed to
stress his devotion for the man, and prayed he
wouldn’t be rejected. “I love you. You are my
mate.”

That brought Ben’s attention back to him, and

Ben frowned. “I don’t know what that means.”

Heartened that he was at least willing to talk

about it, Mutegi replied, “Fate grants each shifter
with a true mate.” Seeing Ben’s confused frown,
he struggled for words. “What you might call a
soul mate, someone who completes you.”

“Love at first sight,” Ben whispered.
He nodded. “Yes. Right. When a shifter meets

that person, they know. Both their human half and
their animal half sense it. They will claim their
mate and bind their souls together. You are that
person for me. You complete my soul, Ben, and I
do not want to be without you.” His last words
came out a whisper, and he knew he was pleading
for his mate to stay with him, but he didn’t care if
that made him look weak. Where his mate was

Mutegi’s Sweet One

concerned, he was weak. Only Ben’s answer
mattered.

Ben swallowed hard. Mutegi could actually see

his Adam’s apple bob, and he had to squelch a
surge of desire to lick his man’s sexy neck.

“What do you mean by claim?”
Mutegi let out a slow breath, and while shifting

closer, replied, “One shifter, normally the
dominant one, will claim the other by…well…by
biting them during sex.” He really couldn’t think
of any other way to say it. Ben’s jaw dropped, so
he quickly added, “I have been told that it is
extremely pleasurable for both parties.”

“So you’ve never done it?” Ben whispered.
He shook his head. “No. A shifter will only bite

to claim their mate. No one else.”

Ben nodded slowly, his gaze dropping to the

ground. “Where?”

Mutegi frowned, not understanding. “Where

what?”

“Where do you bite them?”
“Oh,” Mutegi smiled a bit. “On the neck,” he

answered, lightly touching where Ben’s neck met
his shoulder, the place where he longed to sink his
canines.

Ben nodded again. He raised his eyes to

Mutegi. “I need time to think about this,” he
whispered.

It took Mutegi a couple of swallows to wet his

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suddenly parched throat. Finally, he nodded. “I
understand.” He rose to his knees and saw his
mate’s gaze rivet to his naked cock, reminding
him that he still needed to dress. He caught the
scent of Ben’s arousal and pleasure filled him that
his mate still found him attractive after everything
that had happened. “I will need your answer by
the time we get to your parents,” he told Ben
before leaning in and giving him a soft kiss. “I
love you, my mate,” he couldn’t help but add
before rising and heading into the woods in search
of his jeans.

Leaving his confused mate sitting on the

ground was the hardest thing Mutegi had ever
done in his life.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

Chapter Eight

en shivered in the suddenly chilly afternoon
air. He glanced over his shoulder just in time

to see Mutegi disappear amongst the trees. If there
weren’t five dead men lying nearby, he wouldn’t
have believed what had just happened, or how the
man still aroused him. It didn’t make sense.

He rose slowly and headed toward his truck. A

glance around told him Cassie was talking
animatedly with Adam and Yuma while still
scratching the hyena’s head. He envied her
seemingly easy acceptance of the situation. Then
again, one of those men didn’t want to take her
with him and keep her as a mate. Now Mutegi’s
occasional use of the word made sense.

“We need to get moving.”
With only one arm in his jacket, he swung

around at the sound of the gravelly voice. He
swallowed as he stared up at Kontra. No wonder
the man was huge. He turned into a damn grizzly

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bear. As he glanced around, a thought struck him.
“Is Yuma a shifter, too?”

Kontra smirked. “Yes, but that wasn’t really the

question I would have expected from you,” he
said, crossing his arms over the barrel of muscle
he called a chest.

“My thoughts are all over the place,” he

admitted. “I don’t really know what to ask.”

Nodding, Kontra eyed him thoughtfully. Ben

tried not to cringe under the scrutiny. “Mutegi is a
good man,” Kontra finally said simply.

“I know,” Ben replied immediately. That had

never been in question.

“Good. Now let’s go.” He turned and yelled.

“Payson, shift and dress. We’re leaving in two
minutes.”

“What about the bodies?” He couldn’t stop the

shudder that worked through him. “You just
killed five men,” he whispered.

Kontra turned back to him and lifted a brow. “It

was us or them. Besides, did you want us to let
Stanley take your niece?” He scowled. “The world
won’t miss this group of law-breaking bigots.”

Ben’s jaw dropped at Kontra’s cold words. “Do

you really see so little value in human life?”

“It may not seem like it, but I see value in all

life, Ben.” His hard brown eyes pinned Ben with a
glacial stare. “But if I have to choose between my
brethren and another, I’ll choose my brethren

Mutegi’s Sweet One

every time. If you choose to stay with Mutegi,
you’ll get the same loyalty.”

Ben watched the massive man stalk with animal

grace to his Harley and pull his helmet over his
head. A light touch on his arm nearly gave him a
heart attack. Cassie’s smile held concern. “Are you
okay to drive?”

“What? Why wouldn’t I be?” he answered

absently.

Cassie sighed and lifted the second arm of his

forgotten jacket. “You seem a bit distracted,” she
said, helping him into it.

“Can you blame me?” he grumbled, climbing

behind the wheel of his vehicle. “I just found out
my lover can turn into a pig.”

Cassie giggled, and he arched a brow before

helping her fasten Tessa into her car seat. “Would
you prefer he turn into the snake?” she teased.

That had him snorting out a laugh. “Whatever.”
“And Payson is a hoot! He loves to be scratched

while in animal form,” she went on animatedly.
“The other guys think that’s kind of weird. I can
tell.”

He pulled the truck onto the road, gaining

speed and trying to gather his thoughts. He
glanced her way and lifted a brow. “How can you
just accept this so easily?”

Sobering, she shrugged. “There are some things

you just have to accept and not think too much

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about. Like the fact that my ex-husband is now
lying dead at a rest stop, and there’s no telling
who will find him or what will happen when he is
found. Maybe animals, real animals, will drag his
body into the woods and no one will ever know
what happened there today.”

Glancing over, he saw how pale Cassie had

become. “Are you okay?”

“No,” she squeaked, putting a hand over her

mouth. “Pull over. I’m gonna be sick.”

Ben whipped the truck to the side of the road

and stopped. Cassie was out in a flash. She ran
several steps to a tree and emptied her stomach
contents onto the ground. When Ben reached her,
he rubbed her back and murmured, “It’ll be fine.
We’re safe. Tessa’s safe. Everything will be fine.”

As he said the words, he realized how true they

were. And as the motorcycles pulled up around
them, Ben knew it was all because of these men.
They’d helped when they didn’t have to. They’d
shared their secret, a secret that could get the
shifters killed just because they existed. And one
of them loved him. And Ben loved him back.

Still rubbing his sister’s back, he turned his

head to seek out Mutegi’s concerned gaze. He
gave the sexy man a reassuring smile.

“Is she okay?” Yuma asked softly.
Ben nodded. “Yeah. The excitement caught up

with her. Will you grab a soda from the cooler in

Mutegi’s Sweet One

the bed of the truck? The bubbles will help calm
her stomach.”

Yuma nodded and hurried to obey, returning

quickly with a can of Sprite. Ben took it, opened it,
and gave it to Cassie. “Here. Rinse your mouth
out and then drink some.”

She obeyed, then looked around the group, a

red hue staining her cheeks. “Sorry, guys. I,
uh…Everything just kind of hit me at once, you
know?”

Kontra nodded. “Understandable. You both

have been through a lot.” He paused, glanced
away for a second, then refocused on them.

Ben knew what he was thinking about and

shook his head. “You don’t even need to ask. We
won’t say anything.” From the corner of his eye,
he saw Cassie nod, seconding his words.

“Thank you.” He cleared his throat and then

headed back to his bike. “Let’s get a move on. I
want to get you to your parents before dark.”

It was another three hours of steady travel to

Ben’s parents. After his father retired from the
military, they’d bought the good-sized ranch style
home on five acres. At one time, Ben had worried
his father would be disappointed with him, since
he hadn’t followed in his footsteps and joined the
Air Force. Ben just hadn’t been able to stomach the
idea of hiding his sexuality for most of his life.
Fortunately, his father had put that fear to rest

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with his easy acceptance and unconditional love
and support when he’d moved to San Francisco.

His parents stepped onto the porch, probably

drawn by the sound of six motorcycles roaring up
the road then stopping in their driveway. His
mother must have recognized them first. Ben
heard her squeal in excitement before she started
shuffling down the driveway as fast as her bad
knee would let her limp.

“You made it! I’m so happy to see you both!

Where’s my granddaughter?”

His father followed swiftly, an arm out, ready

to catch his wife if she stumbled. “Let them get out
of the truck, Edith,” he admonished kindly. “They
had a long trip.”

Cassie pulled Tessa out of her carrier, then

rolled out of the truck. Ben followed, happy to be
able to stretch his legs again. After the expected
hugs, kisses, and cooing over the baby, his father’s
gaze strayed to the bikers parked behind the truck
and on the street.

Ben motioned the men over, and they slowly

joined them. Without hesitation, he went to
Mutegi and took his hand. He could see the
surprise in the big man’s eyes, but he let himself
be manhandled as Ben maneuvered him to the
front of the group. “Dad, Mom, this is Mutegi
Atieno, my boyfriend. Mutegi, these are my
parents, Edith and Patrick Moore.”

Mutegi’s Sweet One

Mutegi’s brows shot up, but he recovered

quickly and held out a hand. “It is nice to meet
you, Mr. and Mrs. Moore.”

Patrick took Mutegi’s offered hand and shook it

firmly. “Good to meet you, son.”

“Oh, very nice to meet you, Mutegi,” Edith

quickly said, bypassing Mutegi’s hand and pulling
him into a hug. Her hands on his arms, she
beamed up from her five foot five height and said,
“You must come in for supper and tell me all
about how you met my boy.”

Ben grinned and motioned to the others. “Mom,

Dad, these are my friends, Kontra, Yuma, Adam,
Eli, and Payson. They were taking a road trip, so
they decided to escort us.”

“Well, that was nice of them,” Edith said.

“Come in everyone. I was planning to make fried
chicken.”

As everyone headed in, Mutegi gripped Ben’s

hand and held him back. His brown eyes held
questions, and Ben hoped he hadn’t overstepped
his bounds. “Your boyfriend, Ben? Does this mean
you still want to go with me?”

He realized the big man was just as uncertain as

he was. Ben reached up and cupped Mutegi’s
cheek. “If you still want me, I would follow you
anywhere,” he whispered.

The grin was instant, lighting his dark eyes,

delight in every line of his face. Mutegi enfolded

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him in his arms, lifting him in the process, as he
captured Ben’s mouth.

Responding instantly, body, mind, and soul,

Ben wrapped his arms and legs around the man
who’d been made for him. He couldn’t seem to get
close enough, and the thick erection rubbing
against his own told him exactly what Mutegi
needed, too.

“Mutegi, Ben,” Kontra’s deep voice broke

through their cloud of lust. Both men were
panting when they snapped their head toward the
sound and found Kontra shaking his head from
where he stood on the porch. “You’re in Ben’s
parents’ front yard. Save it for later.”

Heat flushed up Ben’s neck and he carefully

unwound his legs from Mutegi’s waist. His mate
set him on the ground, but even Kontra’s
interruption didn’t stop his grin. “Later,” he
promised.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

Chapter Nine

he next morning, Mutegi tucked Ben’s bag of
clothes and toiletries into his Harley’s

saddlebags. He watched Ben hug and kiss his
mother’s cheek as Patrick walked toward him.
He’d never met the parents of a lover, so he wasn’t
certain what to say to the man who’d fathered his
mate. Nodding in respect, he held out a hand. “It
was nice to meet you, sir,” he finally decided on.

“You, too, Mutegi. You take good care of my

son,” he ordered. “If I find out he’s being hurt in
any way, I’ll track you down. I may not still be in
the military, but I have contacts.”

Mutegi smiled, for some reason immensely

pleased Ben’s father would bother to threaten him.
It meant Patrick loved his son. “Ben means
everything to me, sir,” he replied honestly. “I will
do everything in my power to keep him happy.”

Patrick searched his face for several seconds,

before saying, “I believe you. Feel free to stop by

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anytime you’re in the area.”

They shook hands again, then Ben and Edith

joined them for a round of hugs. Cassie came
outside with Tessa, and another round of hugs
and kisses ensued. Finally, Kontra crossed to
them. “We need to ride, Mutegi, Ben. I received a
call from Haben. He has a lead on Gallo.”

“Right,” Mutegi said. He pulled on his helmet

and handed a second one to Ben.

Kontra turned to Ben’s parents. “It was nice

meeting you. Thank you for putting us up for the
night, as well as the wonderful home cooked
meals. It’s not often we get to enjoy such fantastic
cooking.”

“Oh,” Edith murmured. “Well, you boys just

come on back anytime. Ride safe now.”

Ben waved goodbye as they roared away.
They traveled five hours southwest, finally

meeting up with the rest of the group just outside
Sante Fe, and taking rooms at a Motel 6. Kontra
and Payson headed out with Haben for a more
concentrated search of the area.

“Did they figure out what happened to Gallo,

yet?” Ben asked.

Mutegi focused on his mate, who lay sprawled

across the room’s queen-sized bed, shirtless. The
blood in his head immediately flowed south, and
it wasn’t until Ben chuckled that he realized he
was staring. He grinned, “No, and there is

Mutegi’s Sweet One

something else I would like to talk to you about.”

“Yeah?” Ben unbuttoned his jeans. “What

would that be?”

Too caught up in watching his lover’s other

hand work the ring in his nipple, Mutegi took a
second to respond. His cock jerked in his jeans. “I
want to claim you,” he blurted.

Ben paused in his manipulations, and for a

second, Mutegi thought his mate might not be
ready. Then his human smirked. “Then you’d
better get up here.”

A low moan escaped Mutegi and he prowled to

the bed, his eyes locked on the come-hither look
on Ben’s face. Grabbing his sweet one’s leg, he
pulled him closer to the edge and yanked off his
jeans and underwear. Seconds later, Ben
shimmied up the bed away from him, grinning
like a loon.

“Where do you think you are going?” he

growled, putting a knee on the bed, intending to
follow.

“Ah, ah, ah,” Ben said, holding up a hand.

“This is a no clothes zone. You want to come up
here with me, then get naked,” he ordered.

Mutegi grinned. “Okay.” He whipped his shirt

over his head and froze. In the split second he’d
been blinded, Ben had settled in the middle of the
comforter and gripped his well-shaped seven inch
dick in one hand and started stroking. He

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groaned, licking his lips as a bead of pre-cum
leaked from Ben’s slit.

Ben swiped his thumb over the cap of his dick,

moaning softly as his hips bucked convulsively
into his fist. It spurred Mutegi on and he stripped
his jeans and socks off in a flash. Leaping forward,
he swatted Ben’s hand away from his dick,
growling, “Mine.” Ben’s chuckle morphed into a
strangled moan as Mutegi swallowed down his
mate’s dick.

Mutegi wrapped his hands around his human’s

hips, holding him down as he suckled the
wonderful smelling man’s shaft. He teased the
glans with his tongue before sinking down farther
and tracing the thick vein running its length. He
felt his mate’s heartbeat increase through the pulse
of the vein.

“Here.”
Ben’s strangled voice caught his attention and

Mutegi glanced up. Ben held out a condom and a
tube of lube in his trembling fingers. Right. I have
not talked to him about condoms yet. Planning to do
that shortly, he took both before drawing back
slightly on the man’s cock. He popped the tube’s
lid and poured a generous amount of slick on his
fingers. Wasting no time, he quickly slipped his
middle finger into his mate’s rectum, pleased how
Ben’s tight heat seemed to suck him in.

When he pushed in a second finger, he pulled

Mutegi’s Sweet One

his mouth off Ben’s dick and grinned, relishing the
wonderful, needy sounds he made. “I need to talk
to you about the condoms,” he said, making
certain his warm breath caressed the wet skin of
his lover’s shaft.

Ben groaned, rocking his hips in an attempt to

get his fingers deeper. Mutegi obliged and
crooking his fingers, brushed Ben’s gland with his
knuckle. Gasping, Ben’s eyelids dropped to half-
mast as he stared down at him. “You want to talk
about that now?”

“They are not needed,” he replied bluntly. “As

a shifter, I cannot get or pass on human diseases.”

Ben blinked several times, as if trying to process

the words Mutegi said. His mouth opened and
closed several times before he muttered. “Okay.
Fine. Just fuck me already. I’ll question you more
about it later.”

Mutegi chuckled, pleased by that response.

Adding more lube, he pushed in a third finger and
quickly finished stretching him. His dick leaked in
reaction to Ben’s tight warmth around his digits
and he desperately needed to replace them with
his cock. Gently pulling his fingers free, he lifted
his sweet one’s legs and rested them over his
arms, positioned his cock at Ben’s entrance, and
pushed.

His human’s amazing body gave way, and heat

and warmth enveloped his dick. Mutegi groaned

Charlie Richards

in pleasure, overwhelmed how every time he sank
into his mate seemed to be better than the time
before. Leaning forward, he captured Ben’s mouth
with his own while rocking his shaft deeper and
deeper into him.

Licking Ben’s lips, nibbling the plump lower

one, and dipping his tongue into Ben’s mouth
over and over, he mimicked what he planned to
do to the other man’s body in just a few seconds.
Ben’s hands tangled in his dreads, and Mutegi
liked the way he massaged his scalp. He slid his
cock partway out of his man’s trembling body and
thrust back in. Ben groaned, and he knew he’d
pegged his lover’s prostate.

He soon found a steady rhythm, bringing them

both quickly to the edge. He released his mate’s
lips and nibbled his way down Ben’s jaw. His balls
pulled tight, telling him he didn’t have much time.
“Are you ready, my sweet mate?” he whispered
nuzzling his nose against Ben’s neck.

“Yes, yes, yes,” Ben chanted, meeting him

thrust for thrust.

Mutegi grinned. His animal rose to the surface,

his canines extended. He scraped his elongated
teeth down the tendons of Ben’s neck. His body
trembled in need as his cock jerked and twitched
in the confines of Ben’s body.

“Claim me,” Ben whispered into his ear before

nipping it.

Mutegi’s Sweet One

Growling in pleasure, he sank his teeth into his

mate’s flesh. Ben’s blood flowed across his tongue
and he moaned. Underneath him, Ben bucked and
howled, his dick exploding between them,
covering their stomachs and chests with his cum.
Ben’s chute clamped down on Mutegi’s dick, and
the exquisite pleasure combined with the taste and
smell of his man sent Mutegi hurdling over the
edge.

His balls pumped his seed into Ben’s body,

completing their connection, heightening Mutegi’s
orgasm to the point where dark spots flashed
behind his eyes. When he finally regained some
semblance of control over his trembling body,
Mutegi licked the claiming mark clean. Humming
in pleasure, he gently kissed the blissed-out grin
on Ben’s face.

He carefully eased his softening cock from

Ben’s body and released his legs. Ben groaned and
stretched, and Mutegi couldn’t resist sucking one
of Ben’s sexy pierced nipples into his mouth and
giving it a light tug.

“You are amazing, my sweet one,” Mutegi

whispered.

Ben smiled. “I love you, Mutegi.”
Mutegi’s eyes widened. He’d known Ben cared,

or he never would have come with him and let
him be claimed, but to actually have his mate
express his love was more than he thought would

Charlie Richards

happen for some time. “And I love you, Ben.
Thank you for coming with me, for leaving your
life to be with me.”

“You’re my life now,” Ben replied solemnly. “I

don’t want to be apart.”

“And we won’t be,” Mutegi vowed.
Ben grinned. “Good. Now help me into the

shower, then feed me.”

Mutegi laughed and rolled from the bed. “Your

wish is my command.” Hauling his grinning man
to his feet, he pulled him close, dropped his head,
and captured Ben’s mouth, sealing his promise
with a kiss.

About the Author

Charlie lives on a mini ranchette in Utah with her
handsome, supportive husband. She started
writing fantasy when she was eight, and after
stumbling onto her first erotic romance at
nineteen, she realized her true calling. She now
focuses on writing erotic romance, often of the
paranormal variety, with heroes and heroines of
all kinds. You can often find her curled up with
her laptop and a cup of tea or glass of wine,
creating her next story, which could pair a sexy
hero with an adventurous heroine…or maybe
with another handsome hero. Charlie enjoys
horseback riding, jump lessons with Apache,
watching movies with her husband, and listening
to her muse tell her about her next project.

She

can

reached

ch.richards2010@yahoo.com

Or visit her at www.charlie-richards.com

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