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All In

An

Erotic Gem

Story

By Brynn Paulin

Resplendence Publishing,
LLC

http://www.resplendencepublishing.com

Resplendence Publishing, LLC
2665 N Atlantic Avenue, #349
Daytona Beach, FL 32118
All In
Copyright © 2011 Brynn Paulin
Edited by Christine Allen Riley
Cover

art

by

Les

Byerley,

www.les3photo8.com

Electronic format ISBN: 978-1-60735-415-4
Warning: All rights reserved. The unauthor-
ized reproduction or distribution of this
copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copy-
right infringement, including infringement
without monetary gain, is investigated by the
FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in fed-
eral prison and a fine of $250,000.
Electronic Release: October 2011
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters,
places and occurrences are a product of the
author’s imagination. Any resemblance to
actual persons, living or dead, places or oc-
currences, is purely coincidental.

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C ~~ with love always

Chapter One

“A hundred bucks.”
At his friend Dax’s words, Erik Porter

glanced across the bar to where the subject
of their discussion sat, leaning forward on
his elbows. Erik studied his dark hair and
wide shoulders. An aquiline nose held up a
pair of dark-rimmed glasses, making him
look a bit like Clark Kent. Did Superman lurk
inside waiting to pummel a drunken ass?

Only, Erik wasn’t drunk. He pushed

away his beer. “You want me to go over there
and kiss that guy? For a hundred dollars?
Kiss him?” He shook his head, calling Dax’s
bluff. “When did I get to be the gay man in
this group?”

Dax smirked. “Since you got wood

watching True Blood. Just do it, and stop be-
ing a wuss.”

Erik scowled. He’d argued too many

times that it was the hot chick not the vam-
pire who turned him on, but Dax was adam-
ant. Why the hell had Dax been looking at
his package anyway?

“I’m not gay,” Erik muttered, thinking

maybe he should have had a few more beers
after all.

“Prove it. Kiss him, and show how

much you don’t like it.”

“Then will you shut up about it?” He

wasn’t proud that he was considering this,
but the hell with it. He’d kiss the guy, apolo-
gize and see an end to this constant
badgering.

“Two hundred,” he demanded. “And I

want to see the cash before I do it.”

“Done,” Dax said as he slammed two

hundred dollar bills on the table. “Do it.”

11/56

Shit… This wasn’t remotely close to

how Erik had thought he’d conclude spring
break. They’d been here to check out the med
school Erik would attend next year and,
while they were at it, have a helluva time in
Vegas. Tonight was a last hurrah in Sin City
before they climbed on a plane tomorrow
morning. They’d chosen a small, hole-in-the-
wall bar way off the off-the-strip area. At
least, the place was nearly empty.

“Why that guy?”
“He’s alone and, from the way he’s al-

ternately looking around and staring into his
drink, he’s lonely. Give him a thrill.”

Leave it to the psych major. Erik sup-

posed Dax would be great at his chosen ca-
reer. He was a bit of an asshole about analyz-
ing and pushing people’s buttons. Everyone
was a case study, even if he was dead wrong,
as he was about Erik. Erik wasn’t gay.
Period.

12/56

He looked over at the third man in

their party. He’d remained silent as Dax had
egged Erik into action.

“Mace?” Erik asked, pleading for him

to say one dissuading word.

Mason snorted then took a swig from

his beer. He pulled a hundred from his pock-
et and placed it on top of the other bills.
“Three hundred,” he anted. “’Cause I’m
pretty sure you don’t have the lady balls to
do it.”

Those were fighting words. Erik was

on his feet and halfway across the bar before
his brain realized he’d been had. Dax and
Mace had probably preplanned this, but he
wasn’t

backing

down.

Squaring

his

shoulders, Erik continued to his target. He
placed a hand on the bar beside the man.

“Hey,” he said, realizing his quarry

was a few years older than his twenty-two.
And even Clark Kent-ier up close. Damn,
Erik had always thought Clark Kent was

13/56

kinda dorky-cool—but not hot, because Erik
wasn’t gay.

“Hey…” the guy replied, his response

nearly a question.

Before Erik chickened out and before

his victim could deduce what was going on,
Erik drove the fingers of his free hand into
the back of the man’s hair then made a fist,
holding him still and leaning forward. His
mouth landed on lips that had parted with
shock.

Pretend it’s a girl, his reasoning

screamed. But his body knew. Stran si knew.
ge excitement speared through him at the
firm lips. His pulse throbbed through his
temples, his heart pounding in his chest. In-
stinctively, he stabbed his tongue into the
man’s waiting mouth.

The guy made a sound halfway

between protest and groan. His hands went
to Erik’s shoulders, but when Erik thought
he’d be shoved away, fingers curled into his

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shirt. He leaned into the kiss, controlling it,
exploring the beer-flavored recesses of the
man’s mouth. His grip loosened, and he
cupped the stranger’s head, his mouth still
drinking of his dare’s warm lips.

God, he needed to feel that warm

body against his cock. Realizing his thoughts,
Erik panicked. He released the guy and
stepped back so fast the world spun dizzily.
Wide-eyed, he stared at the man’s bemused
face.

“Jesus,” the stranger gasped.
“Thanks,” Erik muttered. “Uh…I’m

sorry.”

Turning, he rushed to the table. He

held out his hand, his look daring either of
his friends to say a word. “Pay up.”

Silently, Dax piled the bills into his

palm. Erik shoved the cash into his pocket,
took a last swig of beer to wash away the
startling taste of the man he’d kissed then
headed outside—going where, he didn’t

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know. Dax had the keys and the bar was
nowhere close to their hotel. But he needed
fresh air more than he needed to be with his
friends.

“Hey, Asshole!”
Erik turned, already at the far end of

the parking lot. A fist to his face took him by
surprise, and he landed hard on the pave-
ment. He stared up at the hurt face of the
man he’d kissed.

The guy shook his head, the hurt turn-

ing to distain. “Jerk,” he growled then turned
away.

Erik crawled to the grass a few feet

from him and collapsed onto his back to wait
for Dax and Mace. He’d have a black eye
tomorrow.

And he was, indeed, an ass of epic

proportions.

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Chapter Two

Alone in solitude was not to be Erik’s

lot. As he laid there, staring at the moon, a
dark form loomed over him. The shape was
too Clark Kent-like to be either Mace or Dax.
It was the stranger, back for more. Way to
end a vacation, Porter. Bar fight ass-
kicking…

“I said I was sorry,” he tried, not really

wanting to fight the man.

“You’re not sorry. I saw your

face…after.” The stranger held out his arm.
“Give me your hand,” he ordered when Erik
didn’t move.

Well, that seemed like a horribly bad

idea so, of course, Erik did exactly as asked.
He’d already proven he wasn’t too bright to-
night. In moments, he was pulled to his feet.

“Now,” the stranger murmured. “This

is how it goes.”

He grabbed Erik and pulled him hard

to his body. An iron-like arm wrapped
around Erik’s waist. Before he could react,
lips covered his and a tongue darted between
them. Erik couldn’t complain—even if his
mouth wasn’t otherwise occupied. The
starry, electric feeling that had taken him in-
side the bar fell over him once more, and he
found himself leaning into the kiss. His cock
sprang to attention. It was impossible to be
unaffected by the powerful man holding him
tightly, a musky woodsy scent enveloping
them both.

Unsure what to do, he pushed against

the tongue with his own and was rewarded
with a groan. The arms holding him
tightened.

Erik hooked an arm around the

stranger’s neck while he fisted his other hand
in the slightly taller man’s shirtfront. With

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his eyes closed, he focused on the mouth tak-
ing his in no holds barred possession.

In addition to the purely masculine

scent that taunted Erik’s senses, kissing this
man was completely different from what he’d
shared with women. The lips were firmer,
the hold of the arms so much tighter. They
were commanding. Unrelenting. Though he
stood only an inch or so taller than Erik,
there was no doubt who had control here and
who wasn’t giving it up—the unnamed man
taking what he wanted from a stupid frat
boy.

As a slight scrape of stubble abraded

his skin, Erik did think he’d been pretty stu-
pid, dumber than any pre-med student
should ever be. And the height of it
was…how on earth had he not known this?
How had Dax known? Erik never wanted this
embrace to stop. As if deemed by his
thought, the man released him and stepped
back.

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He wiped his bottom lip with his

thumb as he narrowed his eyes at Erik.
“That, friend, is a kiss. Next time you decide
to take a bet, do it right.”

A finger pushed his glasses up his

nose then, once more, he turned to walk
away.

“No,” Erik denied, suddenly feeling

the aches in his body from hitting the ground
moments ago and the throb in his jaw where
the fist had landed. He took a few steps be-
fore he realized he was chasing the guy like a
lovelorn girl. This was a bet for God’s sake.
He had to let it go and pretend as if nothing
had happened.

Tomorrow, he’d climb on a plane,

leave Vegas behind and find one of the soror-
ity girls who always came onto him back
home—maybe two or three of them. A bevy
of breasts would do the trick. No one would
insinuate he was gay anymore.

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He’d forget all about how one un-

known man had made him feel things no one
else ever had.

ight="0" width="48">For a second time,

the guy stopped and came back. Erik braced
himself. What now?

He wanted another kiss. At the same

time, he definitely didn’t.

He felt…shaky. Hot. Rattled to the

core of everything he knew. Wasn’t college
experimentation for girls? Hell, he was al-
most out of college—part of it anyway.

The stranger lightly drew his knuckles

along Erik’s jaw. “Sorry, I hit you.”

Erik shrugged. “I deserved it. I knew

better.”

“Hell, I wasn’t mad you kissed me. I

wasn’t even ticked it was for a bet. I was
pissed you walked away.”

“It was because I’m not… I mean, be-

cause it was just…” Erik shoved his fingers

21/56

through his hair. Shit. “I don’t know what’s
going on with me,” he said truthfully.

Warm fingers grasped Erik’s, and he

was tugged in the direction the stranger had
twice headed. “Come with me,” the man
coaxed.

That didn’t seem particularly bright,

but Erik’s track record predicted he’d do ex-
actly what he shouldn’t—which he did, fol-
lowing along behind a man he didn’t know.

“Do you have a name?” Erik asked.
“Joel. Joel Belo. You?”
“Erik Porter.”
“From Michigan?”
“What—” How did Joel know that?

Now, alarms went off in Erik’s head.

Joel’s fingers tightened, and he pulled

Erik closer. “Relax. I’m not a crazy stalker.
It’s your accent. People from Michigan flat-
ten their vowels and drop off their word
endings.”

22/56

“Oh.” Did he do that? “So you’re a

linguist?”

“No. A bounty hunter.” Joel looped

his arms loosely around Erik’s waist and
bumped his groin into him. “And now I’ve
got my eye on a man of interest.”

This was so over the top. He’d walked

into

the

bar

a

straight

man—he’d

thought—and now he was contemplating go-
ing God knew where with a man he didn’t
know and doing God knew what. And the
more he considered just going with it, the
more aroused he became.

There was no hiding that he was

interested.

Right then, he consciously decided to

see what this was, to get it out of his system
and add a little exploring to his otherwise
unexciting personal résumé. This man did
excite him, and not for the danger of going
off with a stranger.

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“Judging from the bar, you’re a bettin’

man, right?” Joel said as they walked down a
well-lit street that led through a surprisingly
suburban tract of homes. In the shroud of
evening, Erik couldn’t get a clear picture of
their colors, but every one of them looked
identical.

“Today? Yes, but not always. Where

are we?” he asked.

“Desert Line Road. I live over there,”

Joel replied, pointing down the street. “I
didn’t intend to get drunk tonight, but I’ll
never have a drink and drive. My brother
was killed that way.” He bumped Erik’s
shoulder. “Sorry. More than you probably
needed to know.”

“It’s okay,” Erik said, unsure what to

say. But he was glad it had been shared. It
gave him some insight into this guy to whom
he intended to give himself, and the insight
into Joel showed Erik some of the man’s

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integrity. The brief peek calmed his lingering
apprehensions.

But, damn… Give himself seemed so

weird. So weird, but strangely…right and
okay.

“Erik?
“Yeah?”
“Back to the bet … You need to decide.

Are you in or out on this? I need to know be-
fore anything else happens.”

Erik looked up at him. He was Super-

man in disguise.

“I’m in. I’m all in.” Though for some

strange reason, he hoped that it would be
Joel who was in. Erik took a deep breath at
the idea. Why had he never wanted a man
before now? Why Joel? Why should he be
the one with whom Erik wanted to experi-
ence this?

Joel squeezed Erik’s fingers. “Stop

thinking so much.”

25/56

Erik shot him a sideways glance. “Just

be gentle with me. I have a long plane ride
tomorrow.”

26/56

Chapter Three

Joel’s full-bodied laugh warmed Erik.

He pulled Erik into his arms and leaned for-
ward so their foreheads were together.

“I don’t do gentle,” he growled. “But I

promise you’ll like it.”

Turning, he walked away and headed

for the front door of his house. He left Erik to
follow, and Erik supposed that would be so
he came of his own accord. Joel probably
wanted to be assured that Erik really was all
in and that he hadn’t changed his mind.n aed
his

There was no backing out now, not as

far as Erik was concerned. He wanted this,
and he’d see it to the end. He wasn’t as shaky
now as he’d been earlier, but heat continued
racing through him while his cock throbbed.

Guessing what to do, he pressed

against Joel’s back and fitted his erection
against the curve of the man’s ass. Joel
groaned. “Playing with fire,” he warned.

Erik liked that. Thinking of what he’d

enjoy if he were in Joel’s position, he ran his
hands over Joel’s hips then up his chest.

The front door banged open then Joel

dragged Erik inside, tossed the keys in the
direction of a side table and kicked shut the
door in one smooth series of actions. He
yanked Erik against his chest and pressed
him to the wall as his mouth ravaged Erik’s.
Grabbing Erik’s wrists, he held them firmly
to the surface to either side of the man’s
head. His groin rotated into Erik’s until Erik
thought he might come from the friction.

“Oh God,” Erik moaned as Joel mo-

mentarily lifted his lips away.

Joel growled then covered Erik’s

mouth once more, his tongue darting inside.
Erik found that he quite liked the possessive,

28/56

wild sound and was strangely comfortable
with the control Joel exhibited over their
encounter.

His fingers flexed. He wanted to touch

Joel all over and explore the male planes that
had been foreign to him, save for his own.
Touching a woman had always been some-
what rudimentary, but the idea of Joel’s skin
beneath his palms sent fire through him. But
Joel’s grip on Erik’s wrists was like iron and
tightened as Erik moved his hands. While
Erik was quite sure he could escape the hold
if he wanted, it was the last thing he desired.
It surprised him that he liked being
restrained.

Wasn’t this an evening of revelations?
Erik would never be the same!
When Joel hauled him through the

darkened house, Erik went willingly. His in-
sides flipped when they stopped in the bed-
room, and Joel switched on the light. It was
an excited feeling, eager to see where things

29/56

went, but a little apprehensive of the un-
known. Still, he had no desire to stop.

Watching his lover, he pulled off his

polo shirt and dropped it to the floor. His
grin feral, Joel followed suit with the tee he’d
worn. Erik swallowed at the sight of the hard
rippling muscle that had been hidden be-
neath. He had a good build, and was no little
whiffet, but Joel made him look like he
should spend more time in the gym. Joel’s
broad shoulders topped a triangular torso
that ended in narrow hips. Defined rounded
muscles covered his arms—Damn! Erik must
have had on beer goggles to have believe this
man wouldn’t pummel him back at the bar.

Joel reached for the button of his

jeans. His hands paused as he glanced at
Erik. “You okay?”

“Yeah, you’re just—God, you’re hot.”

Erik shook his headh="ook his. “That seems
weird to say.”

30/56

“You can say anything you want to

me. You’re looking pretty damn hot to me,
too.” Joel stepped forward and traced his
thumb along Erik’s nipple. A shiver went
through Erik, though Joel’s palm was hot on
his pec. He hadn’t felt this close to coming in
his jeans since he was a teenager.

Apparently, Joel sensed it. Perhaps, it

was the tremble that worked through Erik.

“You’re gonna come,” Joel said. There

was no question, just stark observation. Be-
fore Erik could answer, Joel had Erik’s pants
open and his hand around the straining cock
inside. Unable to do anything else, Erik
closed his eyes at the warm, callused flesh
around his dick. With precise, expert action,
Joel jerked his hand up and down the shaft.
Erik breathed heavily as pressure built in his
balls. His eyes opened to slits as he watched
Joel jack him, then he glanced up at Joel’s
face. One look, one glimpse of the hard male

31/56

jaw, covered with the dark evening shadow
and Erik lost it.

With a cry, he went off in Joel’s hand,

his cum spurting in a wrenching spasm that
knotted in his groin and exploded pleasure
through his body.

“Oh my God,” he gasped.
“Just a start,” Joel said. He wiped off

his hand then reached for his jeans closure
again. He shucked the pants down his legs
and kicked them aside. His wide cock curved
up toward his belly, and Erik swallowed as
he stared. Would Joel be okay if he—

Erik wasn’t going to ask. He wasn’t

going to contemplate. Now, was the time to
act.

Dropping to his knees, he came

mouth to head with Joel’s cock. Pushing
aside what he’d always thought he was sup-
posed to think, he parted his lips and took
Joel inside. The hard slide against his tongue
was foreign and oh so good. An unbidden

32/56

hum rolled up his throat to vibrate against
Joel’s length.

“Hell, yes,” Joel moaned as his fingers

sank into Erik’s hair. He pushed his hips for-
ward in controlled thrusts while Erik sucked
and licked. It was perfect. So perfect. When
Joel’s pre-cum leaked on to Erik’s tongue,
Erik couldn’t help moaning again at the
smooth saltiness. Immediately, he knew he’d
never have enough. It was as if a door had
been thrown open and a whole new, better,
world revealed.

He moved faster, wanting more, driv-

en by the need to make Joel come.

“No,” Joel protested. “I want to fuck

you. I need to.”

He pulled free, despite Erik’s effort to

continue then pulled Erik to his feet.

“I want you to come,” Erik said.
“I will. Let’s get these pants off.”
Erik had been so caught up, he’d for-

gotten his jeans were still around his hips.

33/56

Quickly, he shovedew y, he s them off and
stood naked before his lover. Joel pulled him
to his body and a thrill ran through Erik at
the flesh-to-flesh sensation. Joel’s hard
planes and body hair reminded him that this
was a sexual encounter like none other Erik
had before experienced. Joel’s large hand
curved over Erik’s ass, his fingers slipping in-
side the crease.

Shocked, Erik stiffened.
“It’s okay. Just relax,” Joel mur-

mured. His fingers ran up and down the
seam, lulling Erik. Slowly, he probed the
small opening hidden there. He circled and
pushed slightly. “Let’s get on the bed,” he
suggested.

Erik nodded and they both crawled

onto the mattress. Their legs twined as they
kissed and Joel continued to caress him.
Reaching behind him to the table, Joel
brought out a small bottle then squirted
some of the contents on his fingers. Erik

34/56

shuddered at the cool gel-covered digits on
his ass.

Slowly, Joel pushed in a single finger-

tip. Erik sucked in a breath.

“Relax. It’ll feel good,” Joel urged.

Erik’s cock agreed. He hardened once more
as the finger worked in and out of him. Be-
fore too long, Joel inserted a second digit,
scissoring and thrusting to open Erik who
ground back against the hand.

“Yes,” he muttered, lost in sensation.

“Yes…”

Joel pressed his lips to Erik’s shoulder

as he added a third finger. “I need in you,” he
said. He pulled his hand free. “Get on your
knees. Let me have your ass.”

35/56

Chapter Four

A strange flutter pulsed through Erik

as he climbed to his knees. Joel pushed his
shoulders to the mattress. Lube squirted
onto Erik’s ass, but the shudder that rocked
him was anticipation. He wanted Joel in and
in now! But despite his claim to not do
gentle, Joel took his time probing and
stretching Erik’s hole.

Erik closed his eyes, enjoying the tor-

ture as his cock throbbed once more, bob-
bing with each drive of Joel’s fingers. The rip
of foil was a welcome relief. Then more cool
lube coated his opening. Finally, that wide
cock head pressed to him.

“Just do it. Please,” Erik begged,

needing Joel more than he ever would have
thought possible.

“You want it?” Joel taunted, pushing

slightly to tease him.

“Yes. In. All in,” Erick begged.
Slowly, Joel worked the head in,

stretching Erik more than the idtre than-
fingers had. Erik gasped at the pinch of pain,
but he wouldn’t stop now.

“More,” he groaned.
Joel’s hands dug into Erik’s hips and

Erik was suddenly struck with what the two
of them looked like, him with his ass up on
the bed and Joel kneeling behind him with
his cock entering Erik’s hole. The mental
visual arced a new level of arousal over him .

“Fuck me,” he begged. Joel grunted

and thrust his hips. The lube helped with his
inward momentum, but Erik’s passage was
resistant as his lover surged into him.
Without pausing, Joel pulled back then
drove forward once more. Sparks shot
through Erik as Joel’s cock scraped across
his prostate. He jerked, his teeth sinking into

37/56

the pillow. Sensing that he’d hit exactly the
right spot, Joel quickly pegged the sensitive
area, over and over until Erik dug his fingers
into the sheet and cried out as he came.

Still, Joel continued. “Fuck, yeah,

baby,” he grunted while Erik’s ass squeezed
him. He bent over the man beneath him, his
chest pressed to Erik’s back, covering him,
surrounding him, dominating him. His brain
fuzzy from his releases, Erik floated in
sensation.

The driving cock…
The clenching fingers…
Hot flesh to flesh…
Gasping breath on his neck, then

teeth on his shoulder…

Erik’s muscles convulsed once more

in a deep rolling response so foreign he
couldn’t comprehend it. He couldn’t compre-
hend any of this. Except the pleasure. So
much torrid pleasure…

38/56

Then suddenly, Joel shoved forward

in one hard drive and let out a deep, breathy
moan as his orgasm took him, and hot cum
erupted into Erik. The release was trapped
inside a condom, but more jarring and life-
changing than Erik could ever have
imagined.

Joel’s arms closed around him, and

they turned to their sides, a cock still deep
inside Erik. In that moment, Erik knew he
always wanted to have these strong manly
arms around him. He’d walked into a new
world, and there was no turning back.

39/56

Chapter Five

Erik hadn’t been the same in a month

and a half. That night, the last night of spring
break had changed him. He wasn’t interested
in chasing man after man, but his old life
held no allure, either.

He turned over his final exam and

stared into space as he waited for the class to
be dismissed. mes dismisHe couldn’t get that
evening out of his head. Joel had held him all
night, except for when he’d rolled Erik be-
neath him and taken him once more. Erik
hadn’t even known that position was pos-
sible. Joel had been surprisingly tender dur-
ing the second encounter. He’d taken his
time while they’d touched each other all
over, Erik more hesitantly than Joel.

Everything had been so new. Even now, he
hardly believed it had happened.

But it had, and the next morning, he’d

snuck out while Joel had slept, found a cab
and headed back to his hotel. Mace and Dax
had pressed to know where he’d been since
he hadn’t returned to the room the night be-
fore. He’d lied and told them he’d been at
one of the casinos. He just couldn’t tell them
what had transpired after he’d stormed out
of the bar. He wasn’t comfortable sharing,
and frankly, it wasn’t any of their business,
but he was pretty sure, Dax suspected. He’d
caught a few sideways concerned looks. His
friend never pushed, though.

Erik couldn’t shake the plaguing sen-

sation of guilt that had dogged him since
leaving Joel’s. He didn’t feel guilty for leav-
ing, just for sneaking away. Not that he’d had
a choice. He’d barely returned to the room
when they’d had to rush to the airport to
catch their flight.

41/56

And that was that. What had

happened in Vegas, had stayed in Vegas.
But… He was returning there in a couple
months. What would happen if he tracked
down Joel?

Erik shook his head at his silent

thoughts. Wouldn’t happen. Joel would be
pissed, and rightly so, and Erik didn’t need
the drama.

The professor came around, inter-

rupting Erik’s thoughts, and picked up his
exam. Gathering his things, Erik left the aud-
itorium and headed for his car. He’d just
reached the vehicle when he found himself
slammed into the side. His arms were caught
and pulled behind him.

“Erik Porter,” the man said as a metal

cuff snapped around Erik’s wrist. “I’m here
to take you in for an outstanding bounty.”

Panicked, Erik tried to twist away, but

before he could move, the other cuff was
clipped around the opposite wrist. His arms

42/56

were trapped behind his back. “I haven’t
done anything,” he protested.

“That’s not for me to decide,” the man

replied matter-of-factly. “It’s just my job to
turn you over to the authorities who hold
your bond.”

Bond?

“Why would I have a bond?” Erik ex-

claimed as the man dragged him to a non-
descript brown car and opened the back
door. Erik was none-too-gently coerced in-
side as he fought to stay outside the vehicle.
In minutes, he was bruised for his efforts
and slumped sideways on the seat. He’d seen
the bounty hunter’s badge on his belt as the
man had rounded the car and Erik hoped to
God that the credentials were legit. Since he
didn’t have so much as an unpaid parking
ticket on his record, he was sure the police
would straighten this out as soon as he was
delivered into their hands.

43/56

But terror ran through him when in-

stead of the police station, they pulled into a
rustic-looking motel.

“What are you doing?” Erik deman-

ded as the man made to haul him from the
car. Erik braced his feet on the frame, refus-
ing to leave the vehicle easily. Obviously, the
man was a fraud.

He kicked out, slamming the guy in

the gut. There was no way he’d go easily. The
second he stepped into the motel room, he
was as good as dead. He didn’t watch CSI
and Criminal Minds for nothing.

“Damn it! You’re a pain in the ass,”

the man grunted. He socked Erik in the jaw,
stunning him, then heaved him to the pave-
ment. Hauling him upright, he dragged Erik
to the door. They were inside before Erik’s
head cleared enough to scream and call for
help.

“He’s all yours now,” the man

groused, transferring Erik to another pair of

44/56

hands. He slammed out the door, leaving
Erik and his captor in semi-darkness. Erik
tried to look over his shoulder, but a palm
held his head forward while the other set of
fingers grasped Erik’s upper arm. He was co-
erced to the bed and pushed face down.

Shit! What the hell!

A knee went to the middle of his back

while a cuff was undone. Before Erik could
fight, the metal clinked to the headboard and
he was secured.

“I’m here to collect a bounty for an es-

capee,” his captor said.

Erik’s eyes widened, and he looked

over his shoulder at Joel.

“I should be so pissed at you!” he ex-

claimed. “You scared the hell outta me!”

“I saw that. You’re quite a fighter.”

Joel moved his knee from Erik and turned
him to his back. “You didn’t think I’d let you
just get away.”

45/56

“You coulda called me.” Erik was torn

between relief and worry about what would
happen now that they were in one room once
more. How angry was Joel? He seemed
rather…laidback.

Joel shrugged. “I had a friend who

owed me a favor, and you deserved it after
kissing me for a bet. And then…you walked
out on me.”

“So he kidnapped me for you? He

punched me—”

“Want me to kiss it better?”
At that, Erik leaned up on his elbow as

best he could with one arm fastened to the
headboard above his head. “Do you really
think you can do this and I’ll be okay with
it?”

Joel looked abashed, and frankly, Erik

found it adorable.

“Because you can,” he continued.

“This time. I know it was only one night, but
God, I’ve missed you.”

46/56

His lover grinned. “I couldn’t just let

you go. It took some doing to track you
down, then I waited until your classes were
done. Pre-med, huh?” he said, revealing just
how much he’d learned about Erik. “Where
are you going after this?Pre after ”

“Come a little closer, and I’ll tell you.”
“How close?” Joel asked, straddling

his hips. His arms rested on either side of
Erik’s shoulders. Groaning, Erik rubbed his
groin against Joel’s.

“Closer,” he murmured.
Joel leaned in and they kissed, their

tongues mating wildly as they strove to get as
much of each other as they could. The taste
of coffee and mint infiltrated Erik’s senses as
Joel cupped his head and tilted him for a
deeper kiss.

“That night shocked me,” Joel admit-

ted against his lips, before biting the lower
one and quickly drawing it into his mouth. “I
haven’t been able to forget you.”

47/56

“It’s the same with me,” Erik told him.

“Everything changed that night.”

Joel nodded. His gaze captured Erik’s.

“I know you have med school in God knows
where, but I want to…I don’t know… Is it
crazy to say that I want to see where we can
go? To maybe…see each other when we can?”

“You might regret that,” Erik laughed.
“I doubt it.”
“University of Nevada.”
Joel blinked. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. Do you still want to see

each other as often as we can?”

A hard, exuberant kiss followed.

“Hell, yeah. How soon?”

Erik shrugged. “I can’t move into my

place for a few…weeks…” He trailed off as
Joel started unbuttoning him and pressing
kisses to his chest as he moved lower. In mo-
ments, Erik’s pants were open.

“I think I can think of a place you’ll

like,” Joel said just before his tongue lashed

48/56

across the head of Erik’s cock. “You’ve
already tested the bed.”

“Joel…” Erik gasped as the man took

him deep. “Yes…I’m in.” He closed his eyes
as he thought of all the things they’d do the
next few weeks and who knew how long
after. “I’m all in.”

49/56

About the Author

When it comes to books and movies, Brynn
has one rule: there must be a happy ending.
After that one requirement, anything goes.
And it just might in her books.
She lives in Michigan with her husband and
two children, who love her despite her occa-
sional threats to smite them. They humor her
and let her think she's a goddess...as long as
she provides homemade chocolate chip
cookies on a regular basis. Brynn has con-
ducted wora gonductekshops at several
writers’ conferences around the country and
enjoys mentoring and meeting new people.
According to Brynn, her writing success can
be attributed to an eclectic collection of mu-
sic, her local road construction crews, a
trusty notebook, and of course, her husband,
Mr. Inspiration, who puts up with a lot in the
name of research.

Brynn loves to talk to her readers and can be
found at www.brynnpaulin.com.

51/56

Additional Brynn Paulin

titles now available at

Resplendence Publishing

Belonging to Them

On the run from her past, Rayna Halliday is
devastated when her old car breaks down in
the middle of nowhere. She soon finds that
her ex has managed to block her credit cards,
her accounts and even her cell phones in an
attempt to exert his control over her. Giving
in to him is something she refuses to do.
When the owners of O’Keefe’s Gas and Re-
pair come to her rescue, they make her an of-
fer that tantalizes the forbidden desires with-
in her—she can find a way to pay for the car
repairs, or she can belong to them for two
weeks and they’ll see to her repairs for free.
At the sexual mercy of four gorgeous men for
two weeks… Why not? She can have fun and
get things straightened out, all at once. But

there are two problems heading her way: an
ex on a rampage and her heart that’s in for
more than just fun.

Orgasmatron

When Prysm Matthews’ Orgasmatron sex
bot arrives, she never expected him to take
over and show her exactly who’s the boss in
the machine/human relationship. It’s perfect
sex, but strangely, she finds herself wanting
something more—something that’s already
afoot. She just doesn’t know it.

Dick Does Jane

See Jane Run…When realtor Jane Harper
dated Dick months ago, something was miss-
ing. Even now, she knows he was holding
back, but what, she has no idea. It doesn’t
matter. He’s in her past, and she’s looking
for what she truly wants—a Dom.
See Dick… Afraid to scare Jane with his real
nature, Dr. Dick Anderson hid his dominant

53/56

side, hoping to ease her into his lifestyle.
Little did he know that what she really
wanted was the very thing he’d needed most
to give her.
Jane has been a bad, bad girl… And now,
Dick is ready to take care of that problem.
Carefully, he maneuvers her to his home, un-
der the guise of wanting to sell it. Jane soon
discovers his BDSM playroom hidden behind
a lock and key. Before she knows it, Dick has
her over his knee and she’s headed down a
road toward pleasure she never imagined,
with a man she never expected to deliver.

Harvest’s Pride

Hanna Herst joins rock band Harvest’s tour
under the guise of doing an interview on the
lead men, Kaz and Myan Ruslan, but in real-
ity, she’s searching for her sister who disap-
peared from their crew. Little does she know,
the disappearance and the interview are only

54/56

a cover to get Hanna within Kaz and Myan’s
circle.
Kaz and Myan know Hanna is their mate.
They’ve spent the last year maneaz st yearuv-
ering her into their camp and she’s arrived
just in time for the Harvest moon, the time
when shifters in their pride must claim their
mates. Now, all that remains is to convince
her that she’s theirs—now and forever.

55/56

www.ResplendencePub-

lishing.com