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High Heat

Late one night, Chef Colin Andrews flips his car off the road into a
stream. He is close to death when he’s saved by firefighter-medic

Quinn “Cav” Cavanaugh, an ex-coworker that could’ve been more.
As Colin is pulled from the wreckage, he knows fate is giving him

one last chance to have Cav.

Cav is back, and he’s not letting go of Colin. Yes, he walked away

two years ago to become a firefighter-medic, but he’s not about to
leave again. Cav is a Dom and always wanted Colin as his sub.

Now, all he has to do is seduce Colin to his playroom without
scaring him with the needs he has.

Colin has always longed to be a sub. Forced to dominate his

kitchen, Colin wants to let go in the bedroom. Colin knows he can
trust Cav with his body, but can he trust him with his heart too?

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), BDSM, Contemporary
Length: 32,834 words

HIGH HEAT

Tatum Throne

EROTIC ROMANCE

MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove

HIGH HEAT
Copyright © 2012 by Tatum Throne
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62241-711-7

First E-book Publication: November 2012

Cover design by Christine Kirchoff
All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including
electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without
express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance
to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers

Dear Readers,

If you have purchased this copy of High Heat by Tatum Throne from
BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank
you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy

This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or
group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing
rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this
book.

The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying
readers high-quality reading entertainment.

This is Tatum Throne’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect
Ms. Throne’s right to earn a living from her work.

Amanda Hilton, Publisher

www.SirenPublishing.com

www.BookStrand.com

DEDICATION

Dear Reader,

Thank you for buying High Heat. Colin and Quinn first appeared

in my novella One Hot Night. I knew my boys wouldn’t leave me
alone until I gave them their happily ever after. I hope you enjoy
reading High Heat as much as I enjoyed writing their story.

This book couldn’t have happened without the support of some of

my besties, Susan Laine, Melissa, Kelly, medic-firefighter TS, and
my husband, AJ. I love all of you so very much!

xxx
Tatum

HIGH HEAT

TATUM THRONE

Chapter One

Colin Andrews was about to die.
The blaring of his Audi’s alarm roused him from the daze that

held him prisoner. What happened? One second he was driving down
the road, the next he was waking up in an icy cold swamp of water.
Yellow lights blinked on and off. The world was upside down. Water
rushed through the cracked windshield and broken driver’s side
window. It swirled out through the passenger side window and
drained into a dark abyss.

His vision swam. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear it.
It hurt to breathe. It hurt to move. He tried to stay conscious, but it

was getting more and more difficult. The backs of his hands lay
limply on the roof of the car, getting cold in the water. The seat belt
kept him tethered, hanging upside down. His arms jerked, and the
backs of his hands scraped over broken glass.

He willed his body to move. It wouldn’t. He couldn’t make it.

Water flowed over his hair. The blood rushing to his head was making
his eardrums sing like a swarm of angry bees. Muddy water seeped,
swirling into his dry-cleaning bag and ruining his chef’s whites.
Forget about the car. Ruin his chef’s whites? Now that pissed him off.

A chill raced over Colin’s spine as his mind reflected on the past

few months. It wasn’t the first time he felt stalked by an invisible

High Heat

predator. There were days he felt watched. Times when things in his
house went missing or were moved out of place. Moved just enough
for him to notice and just enough for him to sense that someone had
been in there. That alone was one of the reasons he’d gotten the high-
tech security system. No security system could save him from
someone out to get him. He should’ve called the cops the first time
things felt off in the house, but no police officer would have taken his
concerns seriously.

The car that crossed the double yellow had come out of nowhere,

making it unavoidable to miss unless he ditched his car. Colin had
swerved to avoid hitting the other car. I’m such an ass. Who the fuck
ditches a car?

Stay awake, you pussy. You’re about to turn thirty. You want to

live.

Sirens sounded in the distance. Help. Hope.
Who called for help? Had it been the car’s emergency system

alerting the authorities or someone who had seen the accident?

Tears rushed to his eyes and followed gravity up over his forehead

to free dive into the water. They weren’t going to make it. His hair
was starting to get wet. He’d drown first. Through the broken
window, Colin could see smoke billowing from the car. He knew the
car was on fire before he saw the flames. How long before it caught
the interior and he burned alive? Thirty seconds? Sixty? Would he
drown first or burn?

He lifted his hand and fumbled with the seat belt, but he couldn’t

unbuckle it.

The sirens grew louder. His breathing more labored. It wouldn’t

be long before it was all over. Had he done all that he was meant to
do? He was sure he hadn’t. He thought about all those wasted days,
about all the things he should’ve said, and about the times he
should’ve leapt for the opportunity to love. It didn’t matter anymore.
It. Was. Over.

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His eyes grew heavy, but he fought to keep them open as the

water rose over his face. He panicked, trying to suck in air, but he
sucked down water.

A heavy weight pushed down on Colin’s chest like a great

settling. He knew his heart was stopping, but he was still alive. He
still had thought. He still had his senses. He wasn’t breathing. Shouts
echoed from a long tunnel around his car. It didn’t matter. He was
gone.

Colin stared through the water, seeing everything. Metal clanked

against metal, and then a whirling sound hit. The car shifted hard and
was pulled over the embankment. Someone with a knife cut through
the seat belt, and he was dragged through the broken window. Dewy
grass caressed his back.

His eyes stared upward at the starry night. Perfect. Beautiful. So

fucking bright that you could reach out and touch them. Why didn’t I
bother to ever look at them before now?

“He’s not breathing. Grab the BVM.”
Compressions hit Colin’s midsection, and water shot from his

mouth. Colin felt his shirt being cut away and two flat squares being
placed on his chest.

“He’s asystole.”
Compressions forced his heart to beat, but he no longer cared if it

did. There was nothing left for him to live for, to care for, to love.

“Where the fuck is the BVM?”
“Check the side pocket of the bag.”
“Not here. I’m going to grab another bag.”
A face appeared above him, and a mouth came down over his

face, pushing air into his lungs. Dark crystal-blue eyes stared into his,
familiar eyes. Eyes he’d dreamt about waking up next to every
morning two years ago.

“Hang on. Come on...live. You’re not dying on my watch,

motherfucker.”

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Quinn Cavanaugh...I’m dying and fate’s giving me the ultimate

fuck you.

Colin’s mind flash backed two years ago to New York. They’d

been working together in the hell known as Kalen Industries
Executive Kitchen in Manhattan.

Colin was about to do something stupid. No doubt he’d regret his

actions in the morning, but tonight he didn’t give one flying fuck
about it. Tonight was all about making a point to the man that wanted
him. He had to put a stop to Quinn’s antics in the kitchen. The sexual
tension was a distraction he couldn’t have.

The executive ballroom was filled for the end of the year party.

Music pumped out of the high-tech system, the dance floor was
crowded, and four hundred people were getting stupid with the open
bar. Sam circled the table, brushing her hand over Quinn’s shoulders.
She leaned in close as she sat down.

Colin’s heart started to race out of his chest as Samantha leaned

over Quinn’s shoulder to whisper something naughty into his ear. The
round table separated them. Whatever she said caused Quinn to lift
his gaze to connect with Colin’s. There was heat in those blue eyes.

The table cleared out as the music changed, leaving only Colin to

dodge Quinn’s eye fucks. He was tired of dodging those eyes. It was
about time they did something to put an end to it. Colin shoved back
his chair and left the table in a hurry. It was now or never in Colin’s
mind. Colin glanced over his shoulder to see Quinn following. They
moved past the dance floor and out of the executive ballroom.

There was a garden on the rooftop where they could talk

privately. It was two floors up. Colin took the stairs. Cold air slapped
him in the face as he opened the rooftop door. He went to the stone
railing and waited.

Colin heard Quinn’s footsteps behind him. He didn’t turn around

as Quinn pressed in close. Quinn placed his hands on the stone rail,
embracing Colin. The heat of Quinn’s lips skimmed the back of
Colin’s neck.

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“Turn around so I can kiss you,” Quinn said.
Colin closed his eyes. It would be so easy to give in to Quinn’s

demand. “We shouldn’t do this.”

“You want me to kiss you, chef.”
A shiver ran through Colin’s body as Quinn’s searing lips licked

their way over his ear. He leaned back against Quinn’s chest. It was
wrong to surrender.

“Turn around,” Quinn ordered.
The command was one of a Dom taking control of his lover. Colin

turned to look at Quinn over his shoulder, but not completely around.
It was just enough for Quinn to catch his jaw, bringing their lips
together. Heat flooded Colin’s body. Quinn took ownership of his
mouth, kissing him passionately. Their tongues flicked together. It
was more than Colin could handle. He couldn’t be Quinn’s boss and
his lover. He pushed away.

The past faded bringing Colin back to the present. They flirted,

tempting each other with forbidden looks. They’d even kissed one
more time on New Year’s Eve. Then it was over. Quinn made a career
move and became a firefighter-medic down south. Colin was left
picking up the pieces of his fucking heart.

“Where the fuck is my mask?” Quinn shouted.
Now, here they were. Colin was dying on a rural North Carolina

road, and Quinn didn’t even recognize him. Quinn’s lips pressed
against his one last time, blowing life into him. A mask was placed
over his mouth, forcing air into his lungs. He sensed his pants being
cut away. A searing, sharp pain hit him just below the knee in the
tibia.

As quick as the compressions started, they stopped.
“Way to go, Cav. You got him back. Here, I thought your streak

was over.”

“So did I.”
Colin was going to live when all he wanted to do was die.

High Heat

Chapter Two

Auburn hair. Green eyes. Chef’s whites. It was Colin Andrews.
Quinn felt his world crashing down around him with the rumble of

debris echoing out to his coworkers. It was getting so thick
emotionally in here that Quinn knew it wouldn’t be long before he
couldn’t function in his job. He kept himself in check as he gave
commands to his crew. They stabilized their patient with a C-collar
and moved him onto the backboard. They transferred him to the
gurney.

Going on a run for one of his own was a reoccurring nightmare

Quinn had.

He worked harder to save Colin’s life. It was not supposed to end

this way. They were in the ambulance racing to the hospital when it
hit him hard in the heart. He hooked Colin up with a blood pressure
cuff and ran an oxygen sensor off his finger. Another paramedic
hooked him up with a breathing tube and attached the BVM. He had
to let his crew know he was emotionally compromised before it went
any further.

“I know him,” Quinn said.
Rodgers looked up from the radio. He stood between the driver’s

and passenger seat with a phone stuck to his ear. He was on the line
with the hospital. “How?”

“I worked with him in New York, two years ago.”
Blood dripped down the side of Colin’s face. Instinct had Quinn

reaching for sterile bandages and ripping them open to cover the
wound on his forehead. There’d be a scar, if he was strong enough to
live through the accident. The thought of Colin dying had Quinn’s

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internal thought processes shutting down. Rodgers jumped in and
took the lead on the team. Quinn was pushed into the background so
fast his head was spinning. He was now on the sideline watching his
friend barely hang on.

Quinn was boomeranged back in time so fast that he had

whiplash. He was suddenly in New York City and feeling the heat of
the grill in Kalen Industries Executive Kitchen. He was a line cook,
and Colin an executive sous chef who hovered over every detail in the
kitchen. Quinn followed his orders like a loyal soldier in battle. Colin
was known to have a soft spot for executive chef Samantha, but he
was known for being a hard-ass to everyone else.

Only the finest cuts of meat were on the flame in front of Quinn.

He glanced through the swinging door to see the executive dining hall
filled for lunch. The leather flooring already had puncture holes from
the stilettos of the party planners that came through for events. The
kitchen was a chaotic dance as always. Bread warmers rushed to take
the bread to the tables and nearly collided with the expo reading off
tickets.

Quinn wiped the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his chef’s

whites. It was hotter than hell in the Executive Kitchen. He stiffened
as he sensed someone behind him.

He never heard Colin approach. It was always like that in the

heat of the kitchen, one second he was alone, the next Colin was over
his shoulder watching his every move. Quinn knew Colin wasn’t this
way with everyone, just him. Every muscle flexed in Quinn’s body as
he waited for Colin to speak.

Colin sighed and followed it up with a tight groan of displeasure.

“You’re overcooking the meat again, Quinn.”

Colin’s deep voice was like a lover’s spank on his ass. Quinn

gritted his teeth. He liked to be the one wielding the paddle and doing
the spanking. He was a Dom, not a sub. Quinn suspected that Colin
secretly wanted to be the sub. “Yes, chef.”

High Heat

Quinn used the tongs to remove the filet from the flame. He was

distracted by the heat. His eyes widened as Colin’s hand came around
his as he placed the meat onto the plate. Colin’s hand tightened in a
searing grip that had nothing to do with the heat of the grill. It had
everything to do with power and control.

“Look at me when I speak to you,” Colin said. “How do I know

you understand, unless you look at me?”

“Yes, chef.”
Their eyes met as Colin danced closer until their chef’s whites

were rubbing. Colin’s long length was pressed to his side. Quinn was
taller by several inches. At six foot two, Quinn was bigger, but Colin
was thickly muscled at five eleven. In his work boots, they were eye to
eye.

“I didn’t hire you because you’re pretty to look at in the kitchen.”

He paused, and Colin’s gaze seemed to look deep within his soul to
see his sins. “I didn’t hire you to daydream at the grill.”

“No, chef.”
“Are you a vegetarian, Quinn?”
He was the only one who ever called him Quinn. Everyone else

called him by the short version of his last name, Cav. There was
something darkly sexual and dangerous in Colin’s eye. Something
that Quinn had seen only a few times before when he caught Colin
looking at him. Quinn’s heart beat a little faster. A shot of sexual
desire raced to his cock as Colin’s leg brushed against him. He was
now pinned to the prep table. Their breathing pushed their bodies
closer and apart and then closer again.

“No, chef.”
“There’s an art to handling my filet, Quinn.”
Colin’s voice was deep and slightly sexual. Quinn cleared his

throat as his cock filled with heat and caught down the inside seam of
his pant leg. “Yes, chef.”

“Do you remember my three rules?” Colin asked.

Tatum Throne

Fuck. Chef had rules about everything. Quinn looked around and

saw that the chaos of the kitchen continued around them as though
they’d already gotten the room and started to make out. Quinn knew
he wasn’t the only one who was subject to quizzing when it came to
Colin’s rules of the trade. “Yes, chef.”

“Look at me when you say them. Rule one.”
“Temperature of the grill, chef.”
Colin’s eyebrows raised as he impatiently waited for the next

answer. At this rate, they’d be there all night holding each other.
Dinner service definitely wouldn’t get out on time.

“Tenderness, chef.”
“What else?”
He couldn’t remember the last. Quinn knew he was going down

on this one. “I don’t recall the third, chef.”

“Touch.”
“Yes. Touch, chef.”
Their executive chef, Samantha, took over on the grill, ignoring

everything that was going on that wasn’t related to cooking. Everyone
knew what happened in the kitchen, stayed in the kitchen.

“Do you like overcooked meat, Quinn?”
“No, chef.”
“Then why the hell are you burning an eighty-dollar filet? We

both know you can handle my meat better than that.”

His voice lowered to a seductive whisper that sent erotic chills

down Quinn’s spine. Quinn knew the question wasn’t meant to be
answered. Colin’s hand seemed to move up to the inside of his arm to
feel the racing pulse in his wrist. There was an armor of freckles
covering Colin’s body. His short, auburn hair had dark highlights. It
was so wrong, but Quinn knew that Colin was physically attracted to
him. He let his gaze go heavy and slowly let his eyes drop to his chef’s
lips. Colin’s lips were full and erotically kissable. Their rosy color
was sprinkled with dark freckles.

High Heat

Colin blushed and dropped his hand away. “Get back to work,

Quinn,” Colin growled.

Quinn smiled to himself. “Yes, chef.”
He watched Colin storm through the Executive Kitchen as though

he’d gotten burned. Samantha came in close.

“You’re messing with my chef, Cav,” Sam said.
Quinn grinned. “He wants me to mess with him.”
Their eyes met. “I want you both to be happy. Don’t hurt him,

Cav.”

“I won’t.”
Later that night, Colin cut his hand. It was then Quinn knew he

was better dealing with blood then food.

That last thought snapped Quinn out of the past and brought the

present into painfully sharp focus. He’d cut himself, and Quinn had
gotten him bandages from the supply closet.

“He’s anaphylactic to latex,” Quinn blurted.
All eyes rounded on him, and then it was back to work as they

made note of the new information. The rest of Colin’s clothing was
cut from his body. Quinn’s eyes widened as he saw the tribal tattoos
on Colin’s pectoral muscles and the nipple piercings. It wasn’t the
tattoos or the piercings that held his gaze though. It was the dark-
amber bruising that indicated internal bleeding.

“His spleen could be ruptured,” Quinn said.
Let it only be bruised. They pulled up to the emergency entrance

at a fly.

He helped unload Colin from the back of the ambulance, but he

was quickly pushed aside by Rodgers with a look of warning.

“We got this, Cav,” Rodgers said. “They’ll take good care of

him.”

Yep, Quinn knew he tap-danced on the line, but he didn’t

recognize Colin completely until he was in the ambulance.

Rain started pelting the emergency awning. Seconds later, the

downpour beat the pavement. Quinn watched his crew disappear

High Heat

Chapter Three

Voices carried from the other side of the room, rousing Colin. No,

not just voices. That incessant alarm that kept going off when the
beep, beep, beep of something changed. He tried opening his eyes, but
his eyes felt like lead. Colin took note of the damage to his body. He
felt numb inside and out. Pain meds. Had to be.

“Are you all family?” a woman asked.
“Friends. His family is out of town. It’s complicated. I doubt

they’ll come.”

Quinn Cavanaugh.
“I’ll be back in an hour to check on him.” Shuffling sounded and

Colin heard the opening of the door.

“Thanks.”
“What do you think caused the accident?”
Samantha.
“There were skid marks on the pavement in the approaching lane.

It looks like they just took the turn too fast and went into Colin’s
lane,” Quinn said.

“Did they find the driver?” Sam asked.
“Yeah, the police are getting his statement now. He was some

seventeen-year-old kid who just got his driver’s license.”

Colin felt his heart race forward and that damn beep, beep gave

him away. Heat spread over his palm when a strong hand, callused
from work, gripped his tightly. The past reached out and grabbed
Colin by the shoulders, taking him away from Quinn and drop-
kicking him into the past.

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He shouldn’t have touched Quinn. The heat of the grill was a

sauna against Colin’s aroused skin. Colin’s cock flexed hard against
his boxer briefs, causing pre-cum to slip from the tip. He looked down
at the way he was gripping Quinn’s hand. It was so wrong to cross
the line, but he had to prove a point about the way things worked in
his kitchen. Now, there was no going back from the erotic hell he was
experiencing.

Quinn had a strong personality that translated into his take

charge attitude in the kitchen. There wasn’t enough room for two
leaders in the kitchen. Quinn’s eyes grew heavy as they fucked their
way up over Colin’s face. Colin let go of Quinn as though he’d been
burned and maybe he had just a little bit.

“I don’t want any more mistakes in my kitchen tonight,” Colin

said.

“Yes, chef.”
Running from the kitchen wasn’t something that Colin ever did,

but he was now. He turned away from the chaos and headed to the
privacy of the back offices to clear his head for two minutes. Colin
slammed shut his office door. Two minutes wouldn’t bring the kitchen
to its knees, at least he hoped it wouldn’t. He ran his hand down over
his pounding prick. Colin tried to ignore the way his mind went to
Quinn’s mouth. The thought of Quinn sucking him off nearly made
him come.

Colin needed to get back to work. Hiding in his office was not an

option. Colin strode back into the kitchen, not looking at Quinn as he
did. He went to the prep table to collect the clean knives he left out.
Distraction was the name of the game. Colin policed the knives. The
handle of the chopping knife was wet and slipped from his hand.
Colin went to grab it before it could hit the floor, but it sliced open his
hand.

“For the love of fuck!” Colin growled.

High Heat

Blood seeped from his hand, staining his chef’s whites. The back

of Colin’s knees went all tingly. He was going to pass out from the
sight of so much blood.

“I’ve got you.”
Quinn grabbed him before he could go down, sitting him on the

floor. A white towel was wrapped around his hand. It was then Colin
realized Quinn was a man worth keeping around.

If only Quinn had stayed in New York...
Lips came to his ear.
“I’m here, Colin. I’m not going anywhere. I’m not going to let

anything bad happen to you again.”

A hand brushed his hair away from his cheek, and a hot shiver ran

through Colin’s chest. He wanted to believe that Quinn would always
be there, but he couldn’t trust a friend who already walked out on him
once. He opened his eyes to see Quinn standing so close that he could
see the hairs of his five-o’clock shadow growing dark on his jaw and
in the cleft of his chin.

Liar.
Another hand slipped into his hand, but this one was soft. “I’m

here, Colin.”

He opened and shut his mouth several times before the words

would come. “Samantha?”

Sam’s dark hair was long around her shoulders. Austin was at her

side with a protective arm around her waist, pulling her in close.
Colin looked past Sam to see his business manager, Jane, holding up
the wall.

“My leg,” Colin said.
“You have an abrasion on your leg. You’ve got seven stitches in

your head, but no concussion. You were lucky,” Quinn said.

Colin tried to sit up, but all hands were on deck like he couldn’t

wipe his own ass. There was a good chance he’d probably hurt
himself if he tried.

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“Whoa, no getting out of bed just yet.” Sam put her hand on his

arm.

Strong hands pressed on his shoulders, and they weren’t Sam’s.

They were Quinn’s, and they felt so right, so wrong. His body
instantly responded, and it didn’t feel good with a tube shoved up his
dick.

“Don’t!” Colin growled. “I want to sit up.”
At one time, Colin longed to feel Quinn’s solid hands all over his

body, but not like this. Not with his ass bolted to a bed and an
audience watching his every move. He shoved Quinn away hard.
Shock stormed across his face before his jaw tightened down. Yep,
that was the same old Quinn Cavanaugh he remembered. He didn’t
take orders from anyone well. He’d have to be the dominant one in
every room. His charcoal hair was buzzed military short. There were
hard lines etched into his skin. Lines that bracketed his eyes when he
squinted into the sun. Laugh lines that curved over hard, manly lips.

“Let us help you, Colin. You’ve been through enough,” Jane said.
“Just give us a minute,” Quinn said.
There was pity in their eyes. Colin couldn’t stand to see the

uncertainty that lingered there. He looked away, but he sensed Sam
giving him a kiss on his head. Quinn circled around the bed to walk
them out.

“We just want you to be okay.” Sam crossed the room with

Quinn. “We’re heading back to the hotel. Call me, Cav.”

“I will,” Quinn said.
He listened as they all shuffled from the room. Colin was wide

awake despite the mist of pain medication pumping through his veins.
Quinn came to stand in front of him. He felt trapped with those rock-
hard blue eyes that changed with the light of the room staring through
him. At one point in time, Colin would’ve done anything for him to
look at him that way. All Colin wanted now was to get the hell out of
there and away from him. Now.

High Heat

“They’re here because they love you. Don’t push them away,”

Quinn said.

What about you, Quinn? Do you love me, too? Are you going to

push me away by running again? I wanted you. Why did you run?
“Get me the fucking nurse. I want out of here,” he snarled.

“You’ll have your walking papers soon. They were waiting for

you to wake up.”

Reasonable, strong Quinn always had the answers. He swung his

legs out of bed and stared down at his hospital gown. “How long have
I been out?”

“Four days.”
“The other car?”
“Gone. What happened?” Quinn asked.
Colin shook his head. How could he even begin to explain. It felt

as though there was someone out there, stalking him. He’d sound
crazy if he did say it out loud. Some days, even he wasn’t sure if it
was all due to his distraction of being a business owner. Stress could
do funny things to a person. He spent all of his time at work, that was
part of the problem. Colin closed his eyes.

The IV drip was a pain on the back of his arm and the cool fluid a

shock to his system. He looked out the window at the fading sunlight.
The mirror effect on the window reflected his bruised and beat-up
face. The only thing recognizable was his red hair.

“They crossed the double yellow. I had no choice but to ditch the

car, or I would’ve hit them.”

“Most don’t survive that curve when they flip their car into the

ravine. The police said someone called it in anonymously. They think
it was the other car.”

Colin gripped the IV pole and used it to stand. Quinn was right

there when he started to sway on his feet. An arm came around his
waist. Colin had forgotten how much taller Quinn was, and he wasn’t
a little guy. Colin was broad and stocky whereas Quinn was tall,
broad, and ripped with muscle. His grip was comforting and purely

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unwanted. He longed to turn his head into Quinn’s neck and lick his
way over his ear.

Colin laughed a dark, fading sound. “I suppose that makes me a

lucky bastard for you being in the right place at the right time. So you
became that firefighter?”

“I had to become a medic-firefighter. It’s state law that if you

want to be a firefighter, you have to be a paramedic, too.”

“Neat.”
“Don’t be like that,” Quinn said.
Colin felt ferocious for wanting Quinn Cavanaugh. “Why not?”
“Don’t be angry with me for not staying.”
Colin looked away. He’d always longed to hear the words. He

longed for Quinn to come back to him. He’d always hoped he would.
Well, fuck him. He was done being the lame ass waiting for his Dick
Charming to take him away and make his world right.

“I don’t need you, Quinn.”
“I know you don’t think you need me, but you do.”
“What do you know about what I need?”
Quinn eased his ass back onto the edge of the bed. He stood

before him, holding his jaw in his hands. “I know more than you think
I do. I knew I needed to let you go so you could become the man you
are today.”

They’d both been young and immature in New York. After Quinn

left, Colin sunk into a depression that took him two months to crawl
out of. It was a miracle he did. When he finally woke up, he bought a
plane ticket to France and spent a year apprenticing in a kitchen with
a chef from hell. He’d needed and craved the abuse. He liked to be
ordered around, and Quinn was no longer there to question his every
order. Their relationship in New York was unspoken but clearly
understood. Quinn was the reluctant sub, and Colin was the Dom that
would do anything to have him. It was obvious now that Quinn would
never be his sub again. That was okay with Colin, he longed for

High Heat

Quinn to be his Dom. There was no way Colin would ever tell Quinn
that.

Quinn brushed Colin’s jaw with the back of his hand tenderly.

“So, I could become the man I wanted to be.”

“Well, your decision nearly killed me.”
Shock and hurt vibrated through Quinn’s gorgeous eyes. “It made

you stronger.”

“Fuck you for saving my life, Quinn, but I no longer give one

flying fuck about you. Get the hell out of my life and stay there!”

A nurse came running in just as Colin upended a tray next to the

bed. The nurse glared at both men.

Quinn left with a quiet air of superiority and respect that the man

naturally commanded. His departure was exactly what Colin wanted.
He kept telling himself it was what he wanted, over and over, but his
heart wouldn’t listen. Stop being a pussy. As the sun sank low beyond
Grandmother Mountain, Colin knew he’d just been fucked over by
Quinn for the last time.

Tatum Throne

Chapter Four

Hell was a good twenty degrees cooler than Colin’s kitchen.

Sweat trickled down his lower back, and he loved every minute of the
heat.

Colin’s limp and leg brace got in the ever-fucking way of work.

He stared into the kitchen as though he were a wounded colonel
leading an army in battle. His executive sous chef garnished the plate
in front of him as he breathed in the heavenly scents that made up his
kitchen.

He ran his four-star restaurant the same way he now ran his life,

efficient and orderly.

Organized chaos reigned, and he lived for it.
There were five cooks working the line. Chefs moved in a blur of

frothy white as pans were moved, eel was seasoned, and plates were
garnished.

Colin nodded to his executive sous chef that the plate in front of

him was ready to cut through the pass to his expediter. His expo, as
she was known by, Jane, stood on the other side calling orders. She
looked pristine, the heat not even flushing her creamy-white cheeks.
Her blonde hair was cut short around her chin.

“Where’s my eel...where’s my fucking eel? I’ve got tables to fill,

people!” Jane yelled.

Beyond Jane, a wall of glass separated the dining room from the

kitchen. The dining room was packed. Colin was in a bad mood with
no chance of letting up and a hundred percent chance of destruction
for anyone that crossed his path. There was so much to do and not
enough mobility to do it. The pain in his hand was a searing reminder

High Heat

of the accident. He couldn’t quite make a fist to hold a knife. The
stitches in his head were out and the pain wasn’t so bad.

“What the hell is this?” Jane asked.
The waitress holding the plate flinched as Jane glared at the plate

the waitress held.

“The man at table four doesn’t care for the eel, chef. He wants the

cedar plank salmon,” the waitress said.

The waitress was looking to Colin rather than Jane. At five ten

and over six feet in heels, Jane was a force. It was why Colin liked
her. She was one badass princess.

“Cedar plank salmon isn’t on the menu,” Jane growled.
“Andrew...” Colin called.
His lead line cook turned. “Yes, chef?”
“Prepare a cedar plank salmon for table four.”
“Yes, chef.”
Jane shook her head and snatched the plate of eel, took it to the

trash, and dumped it. She went back to the pass. She ripped off
another ticket from the machine. “Ordering...I need two eels, one
lobster salad...ordering...two lobster salad...ordering...one fucking
cedar plank salmon for the idiot at table four.”

Chaos. Colin breathed in the heat of the kitchen. This was the only

thing he should be thinking about. Wrong. Quinn was on his mind
like a disease.

Dinner service went by quickly, and before he knew it, his staff

was finishing up in the kitchen. It was almost one in the morning.
Colin was doing one last sweep of the kitchen when he felt eyes on
him. He glanced over his shoulder to see Quinn standing in the
doorway. By the looks of things, he was going on duty. His navy shirt
boasted Boone County Fire & Rescue, Engine 189. Colin sucked in a
harsh breath as the blood raced south to his dick.

He looked good in his tactical pants. He looked sharp and in

control. He looked happy. That had Colin wondering if there was
someone at home making him so.

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“We need to talk,” Quinn said. “Give us a minute.”
They were his soldiers, and Quinn was ordering them around his

house. His soldiers, his rules, he commanded them. Quinn was
obviously no longer the sub that could be ordered around by Colin.
He frowned, waiting as he tested his team’s loyalty.

His soldiers knew not to obey anyone else. They froze in mid-

stride of what they were doing and looked to their chef for guidance.
Several seconds ticked by.

“Leave us. You can have the rest of the night to yourselves,”

Colin ordered his staff.

They were leaving an hour early.
“What do you want?” Colin asked.
“I wanted to see how you were doing.”
Colin’s heart was irrationally racing. He couldn’t look at Quinn as

he came into the kitchen and started looking around. Oh, but he
wanted to stare at Quinn and drink every last drop of him into his
soul. What Colin wanted was Quinn to be impressed with his
accomplishments, with his place. He’d put the last year of his life into
building The Eden, and it was everything that mattered to him. Fuck
me.

“I heard you own the place.”
“I have a silent partner. He’s more of an investor.” Quinn’s eyes

zeroed in on him, and he felt himself flush. He realized he was trying
to explain the situation to make it sound as if he’s available. “My plan
was to buy him out, but my lawyer’s having trouble getting him to
sell.”

Quinn nodded. Silence echoed. Colin felt his cock harden

painfully, and he resisted the urge to adjust. Sexual tension vibrated
between him and Quinn, raw and primal. The kind of tension that
promised rough, intense sex that came from going without for so long.
Colin always wondered who’d be on top. He’d always imagined and
wanted Quinn to do the ordering around. Now, he wasn’t so sure what
he wanted.

High Heat

“How’s the leg?” Quinn asked.
“Not bad.”
“Your cut healing okay?”
“I’ll live.”
Quinn ran a hand back and forth over his buzzed hair in

frustration. “You really won’t forgive me, will you?”

“There’s nothing else to say. You made it clear when you left.”
From the looks of things, Quinn didn’t like that. His jaw clenched

as he crossed the kitchen to stand on the other side of the prep table.
He placed his palms onto the shiny table and leaned in close.

“I didn’t know you needed me to stay. You didn’t say anything

when I told you I was leaving.”

“You left before we even had a chance,” Colin said.
“I’m here now.”
Colin shook his head slowly, holding Quinn’s gaze in an erotic

embrace that made his mouth go dry. “Not going to happen.”

“I know you still want me.”
It was a taunt as much as a truth. Colin felt himself choking in his

chef’s whites. He undid the first three buttons. “So? You’re a good-
looking guy. I’m sure you can have anyone you want.”

“I don’t want anyone else.”
“Well, you can’t have me.”
Quinn came around the prep table so fast that Colin didn’t have

time to react. Quinn grabbed his chef’s whites by the collar and
muscled him up against the pass with a sensual control that
showcased his athletic abilities. Colin felt his engorged dick bump up
against Quinn’s muscled thighs. Quinn got up into his face, their lips
just inches apart. Colin was very aware of how he longed to kiss those
luscious lips that naturally formed an erotic sneer. Colin held his
breath as he fought the urge to take what was being offered.

“Are you seeing anyone?” Quinn asked.
He hadn’t been able to see anyone since Quinn did the big walk

out. “No. You?”

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“No. I haven’t been able to move on with anyone,” Quinn said.
Colin tensed as his heart started to weep. “I don’t want to talk

about this.”

“I had to walk away for both of us to become the men we are

today. You know that’s the truth.”

Colin glared. “We both know you’re not gay.”
“You’re wrong. I am gay. When I first met you, I would’ve

considered myself bisexual. I prefer men over women. Always have. I
know that now.”

Colin’s heart beat a little faster, and his cock thudded to the wild

hammering of his heart. “Good for you. You’ve finally admitted it.
That doesn’t mean I want you.”

“You want me. I know you want me to kiss you again.”
Shock vibrated through Colin’s body, making his hardened cock

flex to the point of pain. He felt his prick clench until his pre-cum slid
down the hard ridges of his cock. Quinn reached up and caressed his
hands up Colin’s neck, making him shiver. Colin felt his eyes mist,
and he was forced to lower them before Quinn saw how emotional he
was about being in his arms again. He closed them before Quinn
could see how much Colin wanted him there.

“Fuck you, Quinn, for walking away from me.”
“I’m sorry, babe. I never meant to hurt you.”
“I missed you.”
“I know you did.”
He groaned as Quinn pushed his body closer. “I’m not yours to

fuck with again.”

“You are mine, and I’m not fucking with you. Trust me.”
“I can’t.”
“You will.”
Quinn growled and pressed his lips roughly against Colin’s. Heat

seared over Colin’s lips and through his body. Their kiss was hungry,
passionate, and filled with a wild longing. Would it always be this
way when they kissed? This kiss was about ownership, dominance,

High Heat

and raw want. Quinn’s leg slipped between his, and his tongue flicked
over his lips into his mouth. Colin felt the thick edge of Quinn’s cock
caught down the inside of his pant leg. Their tongues flexed and
rolled against each other. A moan sounded deep within Colin’s chest,
startling both of them into opening their eyes.

Their eyes closed again, and they found their rhythm within

seconds. Quinn’s hold tightened down on his chef’s whites, and they
took the kiss deeper, wetter. Quinn broke his lips away, breathing
hard.

“I’ve always loved you in these whites. It makes me want to mess

you up,” Quinn said.

High heels digging into the hardwood floor registered too late on

Colin’s sex-starved brain.

“Chef, you still need that ride?” Jane froze in the doorway. “Oh,

shit...I’m sorry. I didn’t know...I...sorry, chef.”

No, his staff didn’t know that he was gay. They didn’t know

anything about his personal life. It wouldn’t be long before the rest of
the staff knew. This would get out no matter how hard Jane tried to
keep her mouth in check. Quinn reluctantly let go of his whites, and
Colin straightened them.

“I’m taking him home,” Quinn said.
“Oh...okay. You got him the rest of the week, too?” she asked.
“Yes. He’s mine.”
Jane blushed. “Night, chef.”
The sound of her fading heels was enough to wake Colin up and

fire up the annoyance now running through his blood. “I am not
yours.”

Quinn gave him a long, hard look that dared him to challenge

otherwise. “Maybe not yet, but you will be. I’m willing to take my
time seducing you to my bed. Grab your stuff, I’ll take you home.”

Colin felt the Earth tilt off its axis as he watched Quinn walk with

a cool, confident swagger from the room. Colin ran a shaky hand
through his hair. He looked down at his injured hand. It was steady

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despite the pain throbbing through it. Quinn waited in the dining room
as Colin shut off the lights and did his final checks for the evening.
He made sure to lock everything up tight before heading out with
Quinn to his big, silver F-150. Colin looked at Quinn as he drove. The
man had size and muscle on him. His work as a firefighter had
obviously bulked him up.

“Where to?” Quinn asked.
“I’m near Grandmother Mountain, just off of Mountain Parkway.”
Colin’s lips hummed from their kiss. Colin wasn’t ready or

willing to ever take this further. One hot kiss wouldn’t be turning into
anything hot and happening now.

High Heat

Chapter Five

It was starting to rain as they turned onto Mountain Parkway. The

sound of the windshield wipers were the only thing besides the sound
of the rain hitting the cab. Colin was tense. He cleared his throat.
Shadows danced across Quinn’s face, giving him a mysterious
appearance.

“I owe you a thank-you for saving my life,” Colin said.
A grin tugged at the corners of Quinn’s lips.
“I can think of a few ways for you to repay me.”
Heat seared through Quinn’s body as he imagined all of those

ways. Having taken off his chef’s whites to be cleaned, Colin swept
his hand over his pants to adjust. “I’ll send you a Hallmark.”

A bark of laughter echoed from Quinn, and pleasure spiraled

through Colin’s body. He’d forgotten how much he loved his laugh,
and he loved making Quinn laugh.

“I didn’t know you were so thoughtful, chef.”
“I suppose I’m not the same man you once knew.”
Quinn shot him a speculative look as he pulled up in front of his

big, lonely cabin. The outdoor lights were on a timer. He’d thought
about getting a dog or a cat but couldn’t imagine leaving a pet for
hours on end the way he worked so much. He watched Quinn drink in
his place. It was a wooded and rustic cabin built with an A-frame. It
was the back of the cabin that Colin loved the most. Floor to ceiling
windows went from the second floor to the basement. The stone
gallery behind the house was a new addition that he designed. The hot
tub was good at easing the pain in his leg. His home had a state of the

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art kitchen, bar, and all the amenities he’d ever wanted. Except a lover
to share it all with me.

“Nice place.”
Rain hammered the truck. Lightning flexed across the sky,

proving it had bigger balls than the thunder. “Thanks for the ride.”

“If you want to run, realize I’m only going to chase you.”
The threat sent a shiver down Colin’s spine. He looked at Quinn’s

beautiful face and knew he was serious. “Goodnight, Quinn.”

Colin went to open the door, but Quinn engaged the locks. “What

the hell, Quinn? Unlock the door.”

“No. We’re going to come to an understanding about a few things

before I do.”

Colin’s heart was racing. Quinn stared straight through the

windshield as though he could see through the gray wash of rain.

“We can’t go back in time. It’s over,” Colin said.
“I don’t want any misunderstandings between us. You’ve been in

Boone for almost a year. I’ve had enough of waiting for you.”

Shock had Colin’s hand freezing on the door. “How did you know

I was in town?”

“I’ve kept an eye on you through Samantha.”
Colin didn’t want to think about Quinn secretly keeping an eye on

him. The truth was it was so like Quinn. He had to know what was his
was okay. Sam was the only one Colin kept in touch with over the
years. Her guidance had helped him get established with his own
place. Sam was the one, too, that ultimately nudged them together
when she worked with them at Kalen Industries.

The rain was starting to come down harder. There was no way

Colin could get into the house without getting soaked. There was no
way he could get away from Quinn without getting hurt again.
Convincing Quinn of that was going to be impossible.

Colin scoffed. “My life is perfect. I don’t need you.”
“You’re wrong.”
“Open the door, Quinn.”

High Heat

Quinn lunged across the seat, shoving him up against the

passenger side door. There’d been no time for Colin to react, and
maybe he was a little bit tired of fighting what he felt for Quinn, too.
He’d been absolutely caught off guard, and he liked it. He was pinned
and trapped. He felt as though Quinn was a wild animal claiming him.
Colin felt the impact of all that hard muscle from thighs to pecs and,
fuck him, he wanted the man there. His cock thickened and hardened
beneath the thin cotton of his work pants. Through Quinn’s tactical
pants, Colin felt the rough edge of his hardened dick, too.

“Why? So you can run from me? I don’t think so.”
Colin’s dick jumped up like a snake but was knocked into

submission by their locked bodies. The heat of Quinn’s eyes were
trained heavily on Colin’s lips. Colin felt charmed and mesmerized by
those crystal-blue eyes. He felt naked and bare beneath the stare of
those brilliant eyes.

They were really going to do this again, and there was nothing

Colin could do to stop Quinn. Both knew that once Quinn set his
mind to something, he always got what he wanted in the end. Colin
squirmed, trying to push him away, but he knew it was useless to try
to get away from the solid wall of man holding him down. The flex of
his hips only made his hard cock jump up and down for more.

“Stop fucking with me.”
Quinn grinned. “Don’t worry. You’ll know when I’m fucking

with you, babe. You’ll be calling my name when you do get fucked
by me.”

“Stop teasing me.”
“I’m not teasing you. I’m promising you, babe.”
Colin groaned. Quinn was playing on all his weaknesses. The

simple endearment made him want to strip in the rain and have sex up
against the truck. Quinn’s lips brushed back and forth, sending shivers
over Colin’s heated and sensitive lips. Quinn licked out, wetting his
lips with the heat of his tongue, and brushed his lips back and forth
again. He knew Quinn was testing his patience, trying to provoke him

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with his erotic dance. Colin growled and nipped out, catching Quinn’s
lower lip between his teeth. He sucked Quinn’s lip into his mouth.

Quinn moaned and shoved his lips over Colin’s with a groan of

desperation that sent a shockwave through Colin’s body. Their
mouths fought for dominance, and as always, Colin was shocked by
the sweet hardness of Quinn’s lips. Quinn shuddered as their tongues
flicked and caressed. Colin felt a thrill shoot through his body as
Quinn’s hand moved down his chest to thumb his nipple.

Quinn jerked away as his thumb rolled his sensitive nipple.
He pulled away, just enough to pull Colin’s T-shirt up over his

chest. Light glinted off the twin loops pierced through his nipples.

“Oh, for the love...” Quinn groaned. “Those are different from the

ones I saw after the accident.”

Colin looked down at his chest. His pecks were manly and

defined. They tapered down into a series of muscle that was the
definition of what it meant to have an eight-pack. There was only
smooth skin all the way down to his navel. Then things changed. A
thick happy trail of strawberry-blond hair went all the way down to
his pubic area. Quinn’s thumbs worked over each nipple, making him
arch into his touch. He’d forgotten how good it felt to have a man
play with his nipples.

Quinn’s mouth dove to his chest to lick out over his hard nipple,

sucking it and the loop into his mouth. Colin heard the clank of metal
hit Quinn’s teeth as he sucked harder. Colin hissed in a harsh breath
as Quinn’s hips worked over his, causing his cock to flex out hard.
Their cocks brushed closer and closer. Quinn released his nipple only
to dive for the other one. Colin groaned as Quinn nipped his nipple
into his mouth, sucking eagerly. He releases his nipple and reached
out and pinched both with his thumb and forefinger. Quinn rolled his
nipples as his gaze held strong.

“I know you want me to take control,” Quinn said. “I’m going to

take control of you. I’m going to take care of you.”

High Heat

Colin’s cock shuddered with pent-up frustration. Pre-cum wept

from his dick with each stroke of Quinn’s penis against his. The jerk
of Quinn’s hips was too much. Sensations flowed over him in a rough
tide, and he knew he was losing control. Colin grabbed Quinn’s
wrists, trying to stop him from the impending explosion that was
about to happen in his pants. If he stopped him now...

“Tie me up,” Colin begged. “I want to be your sub. Dominate

me.”

“Pick a color as your safe word,” Quinn said.
“Red.”
Colin gasped as Quinn grabbed his wrists, forcing them up over

his head. He pinned them to the window. The strap of the seat belt
was wrapped around his hands and tightened. Colin gave it a yank as
Quinn moved down over his chest.

“I don’t want you thinking about anything. You think too much

about us. You’re my sub now. You’re going to do what I say,” Quinn
said.

Clothing rustled within the darkness, and a blindfold was tied

around Colin’s eyes. Colin’s heart was beating out of his chest as
Quinn smoothed his hands down his chest, jerking his pants down
past his ass. Colin’s cock sprang from his pants, hitting Quinn in the
face.

Wet heat licked over Colin’s cock. Colin bit his lip, trying to keep

his sauce from shooting from his prick as he groaned. The sound of a
zipper heading south had Colin’s mouth watering. Strong thighs
braced Colin’s chest as Quinn took more control. The tip of Quinn’s
cock brushed over Colin’s lips. A hand fisted into Colin’s hair.

“Suck me.”
“Oh, God.”
As Colin opened his mouth, Quinn shoved his thick cock into his

mouth. Colin melted as Quinn’s cock pumped in and out of him. His
balls slapped against his chin as he came in deep. Colin’s arms
strained for release as he fought against the seat belt.

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Quinn wasn’t a man who could be stopped, and right then, Colin

wasn’t sure he wanted to stop. Their labored breathing echoed within
the confined space. Their bodies were heated and burned with need.
Quinn’s hand reached around and stroked his cock. Colin bucked his
hips up, forcing his prick up against Quinn’s anus. Quinn pulled away
and something warm and wet stroked over Colin’s cock. Lube.

Colin tipped his hips up again and was rewarded with the tip of

his cock nudging up into Quinn’s anus. Colin pushed the head of his
cock inside, but Quinn stopped him by locking his thighs onto his
hips.

“Fuck,” Quinn growled as he stilled. “I wanted to be the one that

topped you first.”

They were both close to coming. Quinn pulled Colin’s cock out of

his ass and rubbed the tip around his anus.

“Let me have your cock again,” Colin begged.
Quinn chuckled. “We have a lot of time to make up for, don’t

we?”

Colin moaned as Quinn tipped his throbbing cock back into his

mouth. Colin sucked him wildly, bucking his hips up against Quinn’s
ass. Colin pushed his foot off the steering wheel, causing the tip of his
prick to connect with Quinn’s anus again. Quinn pulled his cock
slowly from the back of Colin’s throat.

“You want to top, don’t you?” Quinn kissed him, using his tongue

to dominate.

“Yes.”
Colin groaned as Quinn’s strong hand gripped his shaft, tipping it

up to connect with his anus and teasing the hell out of Colin.

“Let me have you,” Colin pleaded.
“You’ll have me. Inside of you.”
Colin’s pants were yanked off all the way. Cool air hit Colin’s

heated skin as Quinn hooked his legs up over his broad shoulders. The
tip of Quinn’s thick cock pushed inside Colin’s ass. Quinn held still,
but pumped Colin’s dick with his fist.

High Heat

“Beg,” Quinn ordered.
“Move.”
Colin cried out as Quinn took him fast and hard, pumping his big

cock in and out. He felt completely owned.

“Come for me,” Quinn growled. “I know you’re close.”
“Not going to happen.”
“Liar, I know you’re close. I can feel the hum of your cock in my

fist.”

Colin tried to fight the urge to come that was now taking over his

body. He wanted to so bad. His balls tightened up close to his cock.

“Say my name,” Quinn ordered.
“No.”
“Say it or I’ll stop!”
Quinn let go of his cock and pinched down hard on Colin’s

nipples, and that was all it took for him to comply with his demand.
“Quinn.”

“That’s good, babe. Now louder. I know you want me. I know you

want this.”

“I do want you, but it doesn’t mean we should be together.”
Quinn chuckled. “We are together. It’s about time you come to

terms with that.”

Quinn pinched his nipples harder as Quinn shoved his cock in and

out. His cries of pleasure echoed within the cab. Colin wanted to grab
Quinn by the waist and hold him close as Quinn’s dick pounded him
so good. The seat belt kept him from grabbing anything.

“Quinn.”
Their lips found each other in the dark. Quinn kissed him

passionately, holding nothing back. Colin felt his spunk push against
the top of his cockhead, trying to muscle its way out. There was
nothing Colin could do to keep his orgasm from flowing. White-hot
lust spiraled through his body, shooting out his cock. Quinn held his
nipples pinched tight as Colin’s orgasm clamped down on his cock.

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Hot semen erupted from the tip of Colin’s cock, spraying up over his
chest in three heavy ropes.

Quinn groaned as he bucked hard up into Colin one last time

before pulling out and shooting his spunk up over Colin’s chest. Colin
counted the searing hot lashes that struck his chest. One, two, three,
four, five...

Quinn partially collapsed onto Colin’s chest, holding him close.

Colin turned his head into Quinn’s neck, inhaling his dark, manly
scent and loving the musk of their lovemaking that permeated the air.
Quinn eased the seat belt from around his wrists and kissed his palms.
Clothing rustled, and Colin felt his pants being pulled back up over
his hips.

The blindfold was pulled off of Colin’s eyes. Colin opened his

eyes when he felt Quinn pull away. He wanted to ask Quinn in to
spend the night. Want vibrated the air between them. Quinn gripped
the steering wheel with both hands as though he were trying to come
to grips with what just happened between them.

“I lost control,” Quinn said.
“I wanted you to.”
“You better go while the rain is letting up,” Quinn said.
“Yeah, I better go.”
Confusion swam through Colin, making him doubt the interaction

that just happened between them. Is Quinn having second thoughts
about me already?

“See you around, Quinn.”
The locks on the truck flipped, and Colin reached for the door,

practically trying to dive from the truck. He was halfway out the door
when Quinn grabbed his arm.

“Austin and Sam are still in town. We’re having dinner tomorrow

night with them. I’ll be by tomorrow at seven to pick you up.”

His friendship with Sam and Austin was his one weakness. Their

guidance had helped him get his place up and running. “Fine.”

High Heat

“Don’t think this has settled anything between us. It’s just

beginning,” Quinn said.

“I think it has settled everything there is to know about us,” Colin

said.

Colin swallowed hard. He could see the hard steel of want flash

within those crystal-blue eyes that challenged every word he just
spoke. Quinn released his arm and sat back behind the wheel of the
truck.

“You’re mine, Colin. Always have been. Always will be. I’m not

walking away from you again, and you sure as hell won’t push me
away now that I’ve had you. Sweet dreams, babe.”

Colin laughed with an air of disrespect to hide the fear and panic

he was now feeling. “I’ve never been yours. Never.”

He slammed shut the truck and was proud of himself for walking

rather than running inside his house. He was even prouder when he
was able to get inside without looking back at the man in the truck
that now thought he owned him. Colin locked his door and collapsed
back against it. He hung his head and reached down to caress his
cock. He closed his eyes as the memory of Quinn’s lips came down
upon him. It’d been so long since he felt the touch of any man. He
tried once after Quinn left, but it wasn’t who he wanted. Colin’s cock
started to harden at the thought of having Quinn tying him up again.
He loved being dominated by Quinn. Loved it.

I’m so screwed. There was no way Colin could walk away from

Quinn without getting his heart stomped on again.

Tatum Throne

Chapter Six

Colin awakened with a start at the sound of the alarm clock the

next morning. He shut off the alarm and flinched as his raging hard-
on brushed the bed sheets. He’d been dreaming about taking Quinn in
that big, bad truck bed of his. He swung his legs off the bed and
looked down at the tent pole standing up in his boxer briefs. He
checked the healing gash on his leg. He no longer needed the
bandage. Progress.

His knee was another story. He’d dislocated his patella in the

accident. Limited exercise, at-home physical therapy the therapist
showed him, and the brace were on the calendar until it healed
completely.

Colin limped straight for the shower, flipping on the cold. His

muscles flexed hard against the chill as he stepped inside. Cool water
raced over his body and caressed his cock. He looked down over the
offender who wouldn’t take no for an answer. He was big, thick, and
ruddy red. The veins twisting around his cock pulsated with pent-up
frustration. The icy water wasn’t enough to put out the fire burning
through his cock or the throbbing tribal beat of need for Quinn. Colin
closed his eyes as he stroked his hand down over his erection.

Thinking about Quinn as he jacked off was a dirty high he

shouldn’t be indulging. It was so right for all the wrong reasons. He
braced his legs wide, putting more weight on the left than right, and
sucked in a harsh breath through his teeth as he stroked up to the tip.
Pre-cum slipped out over his hand, weeping for a man that he couldn’t
and shouldn’t have again. Colin stroked it up and down, fast and tight.

High Heat

All the while thinking of Quinn’s big cock. Colin imagined his lush
lips sucking him off and palming his balls as he did so.

Colin wanted to be tied up and spanked with a paddle. He wanted

Quinn’s sweet torture to take him to all the places he imagined going.
He wanted Quinn to sex him with toys. He wanted Quinn to tie him to
a bed and fuck him with butt plugs.

It was all the visual he needed. “Quinn...”
He cried out as his orgasm stole his breath away. Long white

ropes of his cum lashed out at the water, punishing it and not Quinn.
Colin was breathing hard as he pressed his hands against the tile. He
watched his spunk swirl down the drain, wishing it was in Quinn
instead. He closed his eyes. What the hell is wrong with me wanting to
be the sub when I’m dominant in all other areas of my life?

Colin washed up fast, ready to put what happened between him

and Quinn behind him forever. There wouldn’t be any more hot
situations like the truck happening again today.

The phone was ringing by the time Colin got out of the shower.

His heart did a little two-step at the thought of it being Quinn calling.
He checked the caller ID on the extension in the bath. Not Quinn. It
was his lawyer, Jack. With only a towel around his waist, he answered
by hitting the speaker button.

“This is Colin.”
“Colin, it’s Jack.”
“Hey, Jack. Any word on the buyout?”
Colin heard Jack blow out a harsh breath. “He’s not budging on

this. He said he’s not ready to sell. He wants to see how things grow.”

“Double my offer.”
“I wouldn’t advise it. If you give it some time, I think he’ll

reconsider. He just wants to see you make it.”

Colin cursed as he paced back and forth on the tile. “I want to

know who it is. I’ve put up with this bullshit for too long.”

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“Confidentiality was the only condition to the money offered, and

you signed the agreement. I’m certain your partner isn’t going to
declare himself now.”

There was nothing else left to do on the matter. “Get him to sell,

Jack. The Eden is mine.”

Colin hit the end button on the phone and stared at his reflection

in the mirror. Dark-brown freckles covered his face, shoulders, and
arms. The condensation on the glass was fading fast. The stitches in
his head were gone and the Steri-Strips now kept the last little bit
closed. Beneath the strips, a fine, pink line etched across his forehead.
That was permanent, kind of like the ache in his heart for Quinn. He
closed his eyes. What the hell was wrong with him? How could he
ever trust Quinn not to walk away from him when the next best thing
in his life came along? That was the problem, he couldn’t.

The white towel around his waist offset the black tribal tattoos

etched over his skin. He turned on the hot water and rinsed his razor,
before smoothing shaving cream over his face. At almost thirty, Colin
wasn’t ready to settle down with anyone. Quinn back in his life
wouldn’t change that. His business was getting going. He didn’t need
the distraction right now. He was the rock star of his own world.

He shaved everything but the tuft of auburn hair he now grew

beneath his lower lip. He wiped his face. He dressed quickly. He was
going to see two of his best friends tonight. He trusted Jane to do her
job at The Eden. He just didn’t like being away even for a little while.

* * * *

At seven sharp, Colin heard the rumble of a car pulling up into his

driveway with the stereo blaring. His heart rate raced at the thought of
Quinn being outside. What the hell is wrong with me? Get it together.
He stood in front of the mirror, smoothing his hand through his red
hair nervously. He really needed a trim, but he was putting it off. No,

High Heat

he was putting it off because he suspected that Quinn liked it long.
For the love of fuck, I have it bad.

Colin limped downstairs and went fast to the front door before

Quinn could get out of the car. The sleek, black Mercedes wasn’t
Quinn’s ride. Long legs slipped out from the driver’s side. It was
Samantha. She was in jeans and a blouse with cherries on it. Her dark
hair caught in the wind, blowing across her face.

The man was rotten sending the one person he’d never push away.

He grinned as she came in close to give him a hug. He held her tight,
inhaling the scent of her lavender shampoo. She was the sister he
never had.

“I’m sorry about being an ass in the hospital,” Colin said.
“No worries. How are you feeling?” she asked.
“Not bad. Just tired. I’ll live.”
They headed to the car where Sam slipped behind the wheel. Her

dark hair was longer and her hips a little fuller than the last time he
saw her. The last time they talked she mentioned that they were
having trouble conceiving. She confessed that she was done trying,
too. They were now going to adopt.

“How’s your paperwork going with the agency?” Colin asked.
“Great. We’ve completed the home visit. They’re matching us

now.”

Her excitement was contagious. “You look happy. Is Austin?”
“He’s excited! You wouldn’t believe all the baby stuff he’s been

buying. He’s even having my girlfriends throw a baby shower for
me.”

Colin chuckled. “Austin has totally lost his man card.”
She laughed, too. “He’s not the same person. He’s changed. He’s

happier now that we’ve gotten married.”

Light from the sunshine whipping between the trees chose that

moment to flick the two-carat diamond on her engagement ring. The
thick wedding band was Tiffany with Roman numerals on it that said

Tatum Throne

their wedding date. Their wedding was a private beachfront affair in
Hawaii.

She paused thoughtfully, worrying the corner of her lip as she

drove. “Colin...I want happiness for you and Quinn, too.”

Whoa. The brakes were screeching in his mind, but there was

nothing he could do to stop this conversation from happening with
Sam. They had shared everything over the years. That was just the
way it was between them.

“It’s complicated right now.”
“Most things worth fighting for are. How is it complicated for

you?”

He couldn’t find the right words to explain how he was feeling.

How was he supposed to explain that he was in love but didn’t want
his heart trampled on again? How he didn’t think he’d recover from
losing Quinn again? Pain picked at the healing wound in his heart.

“I understand. You’re afraid to take the risk again,” she

whispered.

“Something like that.”
They pulled to a stop at a red light on Mountain Parkway. “Did I

ever tell you how I got those scars on my abdomen?”

Colin’s gaze zeroed in on Sam’s tense profile. “No.”
“I was shot. I dated my ex for about a year before I decided I

wanted out. He was abusive. It started out with little things at first. He
wanted to know where I was...where I was going, and who I was with.
Then the fighting started.”

“Sam.”
She shook her head as though she were trying to clear away the

bad memories to focus on what was important. “He was controlling. I
mistakenly thought that was love. I was younger than him by ten
years.” The light changed, and she started to drive again, tightening
her hands on the steering wheel. “He didn’t take me breaking up with
him well. He stalked me. Called me all the time at work. My
coworkers would lie and tell him I wasn’t there...that I quit. I was

High Heat

working at my brother’s place at the time as a chef. He’d just opened
his restaurant on Chicago’s eastside.”

Colin felt her pain slash through his soul.
“I made the mistake of not telling anyone what was going on. I

lied to the people that loved me, thinking that I was protecting them
when they asked.”

“What happened?”
“He showed up at my work, slipping in through the back door that

led to the kitchen. It was dinner service. So, no one paid much
attention.”

They turned off of Mountain Parkway and onto Main Street that

cut through the heart of Boone, North Carolina’s shopping district.
“He had a gun. He ordered everyone in the kitchen out but me. I tried
to talk him out of hurting me...but he just became angrier. There was
nothing I could do. I was unconscious during the standoff. The police
shot him. He later died.”

Colin reached out and brushed the back of his fingers on her

cheek. “Samantha.”

She smiled, turning her cheek into his hand for a few seconds. “I

didn’t tell you to feel sorry for me. I want you to realize that you have
something really special with Quinn. Protective men like Quinn don’t
come around often. I know he loves you. You need to give him
another chance.”

“I don’t know if I can,” Colin said.
She snorted. “You’re just being difficult now.”
“I’ve always been difficult.”
She grinned. “I know. That’s one of the reasons why Quinn needs

you and you need him. Balance.”

Colin thought about his own past and couldn’t imagine telling

Quinn the truth of how he grew up. He’d never told anyone. Things in
the past were meant to stay buried where no would ever find them.

“Tell me...I know there’s something you’ve gone through.”

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“I grew up in foster care.” He practically blurted out the words

before he could stop himself. “I aged out of the system before I could
be adopted.”

“Oh, Colin. When did you go into the system?”
Pain slashed through him. “I was six. My mom was a prostitute

and couldn’t take care of me.”

“Do you have brothers or sisters?”
“Not that I know of, but who knows? She could’ve had more after

I was taken away.” Colin bounced his thumb on his knee when he was
nervous. He was now. “I was moved from home to home. I ran away.
The cops caught me and threw me into juvie for a runaway charge.
Then they dragged me back to a new home. The courts finally put me
in a group home for troubled kids because no one wanted a runaway.”

“Was it awful?”
“Yeah. We were the worst of the worst. We were products of our

shit environments.” He chuckled in a self-deprecating way. “I
managed to finish high school. There was this social worker that
made us all go to school and do our homework.”

They pulled up in front of Appalachian Pizza. Sam shut off the car

and Colin stared at the pizza joint, but he was clearly living another
time.

The patrol car pulled up in front of the two-story brick building

that was Colin’s temporary home. Colin wasn’t supposed to sit in the
front seat, but the cop made an exception for him. He was trying to
keep him from running away again. He only had a few months before
he aged out of the system. Then he was on his own for good.

“You’re a good kid, Colin.”
The cop was just trying to help, but Colin didn’t want to hear it.

“Yep.”

“You need to figure out what you want to be, you know? What’s

something that you’re interested in?”

There was a bakery on the corner of Elm and Vine he liked to go

to if he found a dollar or two. “I always wanted to be a cook.”

High Heat

“There you go. You can go to culinary school. I’ll get some

information together for you. Sound good?”

“Sure.”
Colin stared at the brick prison that was his temporary home.

Three more months and then he would be free.

“Look, it’s going to get better.”
“I know.”
“You can make good money as a chef. You just need to...stay in

school...”

His foster sibling and best friend, Ryan, was heading outside. One

of the new girls was chasing him out. Her words echoed off the brick
house across the street. Something was up. Colin liked Ryan. He was
a good guy. The cop’s words trailed off, too. The girl looked like she
was about to attack Ryan, but she changed direction and came
running for the patrol car. There was a wicked gleam in her eye that
sent a shiver down the curve of Colin’s spine.

Colin flinched as he tried to forget the memory of his friend being

arrested, tried, and convicted for rape.

“You survived, Colin. You made something great for yourself.”
He thought about the gang-like beatings where he’d be jumped by

other residents of the group home because he was gay. He shuddered
when the memory of one time hit him so hard it left him speechless.
They’d tried to rape him, but he’d fought his attacker off, breaking the
shit’s nose and jaw. He’d ended up in juvie for six months after that.
By the time the truth got sorted out, his attacker had attacked another
kid.

“I did.”
“Does Quinn know?” she asked.
“Nope and he’s not going to either.”
“Colin...you should tell him. He needs to know.”
“Why? So he can fix me? There’s no fixing the past.”

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“You’re right, but there is a chance for healing.” She reached out

and took his hand, gripping it tightly. “Think about telling him when
the time is right, okay?”

“I will.”
Through the windows, Austin and Quinn were chatting at a table.

Quinn was in his navy tactical gear that showed that he was working.
A black radio crisscrossed over his chest. He was a man who knew
that he was good-looking, but didn’t flaunt it. He stretched back in the
chair, cocking his arms behind his head. He glanced toward the
parking lot and caught sight of them.

“We should get inside,” Colin said.
“I suppose we should. Quinn only has a little while before he has

to get back to the station.”

“How long are you guys staying in town?”
“We leave tomorrow. Austin has to get back for a board meeting.”
Colin opened the door to the pizza place for Sam and then

followed her inside. Red checked cloths covered the tables. There
were lots of things Colin found appealing about Quinn. One was the
way he looked at him when he entered the room. It wasn’t a broad
grin or even a smile at all. Those hard blue eyes turned possessive and
hot as they drank every ounce of his being in. Austin stood, giving
Sam a quick kiss before holding out her chair. Colin took the open
seat next to Quinn and the window. Their knees brushed under the
table, sending an erotic shiver over Colin’s leg.

Quinn put his arm over the back of his chair and leaned in close.

“Hey, babe.”

Heat moved over his cheeks as Sam gave him an encouraging

nod. “You guys order?”

“Just drinks,” Austin said. “How’s business?”
Colin felt Quinn’s hand tighten on the chair. “We’re in the black.

Can’t complain.”

They ordered a pizza to share and chatted about life in Manhattan.

Colin didn’t miss life in NYC. He wasn’t sure when it happened, but

High Heat

Boone was now home. He leaned back in his chair, content to listen to
Quinn talk about life as a firefighter. He had a way of talking with his
body that most men didn’t have. The radio on Quinn’s shoulder came
to life.

He tilted his head to listen. “Car versus motorcycle on Route 14

south of Mountain Parkway.”

Quinn was quick to respond. “Copy central, 10-4. Unit 189 on the

way.”

Quinn stood, squeezed Colin’s shoulders and let his hand brush

the back of his neck in a forbidden caress. He gave Sam a quick kiss
on her cheek. “Have a safe trip home, guys. Thanks again for dinner.
It was fun.”

“See you, Quinn,” Austin said.
Colin watched Quinn as he hurried out the door to the white SUV

that boasted the Boone County Fire & Rescue logo on the side. Fuck
me. He looked good when he went to full-on work mode. Those blue
eyes turned dangerous. He flipped on his red lights and hit the road.
Colin knew exactly how good it felt to be on the receiving end of
Quinn’s heroic actions.

“Still hungry?” Sam asked.
There was a wicked gleam to Sam’s eye. Colin lifted a brow.

“You know I am.”

Tatum Throne

Chapter Seven

Quinn was hungry for a man who was playing hard to get. A thrill

of desire shot through his blood as he thought about coming face-to-
face with Colin. Quinn shut off his truck and stared at Colin’s rustic
home in the fading sunlight. Dark-green pine trees arched around the
cabin, mixing with the native plants of Boone, North Carolina. There
were two cars in the driveway. The thought that Colin was having
friends over and he wasn’t invited burned a little too much.

He left him twenty-four hours ago when he was called to an

accident. When he had a minute at work, he tried calling Colin. He
didn’t answer.

Quinn knew he was stalking Colin, but he didn’t care. Quinn ran a

hand over his buzzed, dark hair, wishing he’d gone home to change
before he showed up in uniform. He wanted to catch Colin off guard.

Getting Colin to accept his apology for walking away from him

was on the top of Quinn’s to-do list. The man was ignoring his phone
calls and that hurt. Guilt ebbed and flowed through his mind. He’d
left Colin in New York at a time when things were just beginning to
heat up between them. Quinn knew Colin had strong feelings for him,
but he didn’t know how deep those feelings ran until they
reconnected.

A well-loved first edition of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird

sat on the passenger seat. He wanted to give it to Colin. It was
something they’d spoken about when they worked together before. It
was a token. It was a way to show Colin how much he cared for him.

High Heat

Quinn wanted to confess that he was the one who fronted the

money for The Eden, but he couldn’t do that without risking the loss
of everything he gained.

The truth was, Colin wouldn’t have accepted his help or the

money when he needed it most. It was chance that Quinn caught wind
of the deal through Samantha anyway. That gave Quinn the opening
to step in with the money and Samantha rightly saw it as a way for
them to connect again. It was then, too, that Samantha warned him
that Colin couldn’t risk another broken heart.

The problem was, Quinn knew Colin needed time to get settled

before he stepped back into the picture. That meant he spent a year
secretly watching from the sideline. So, Quinn waited patiently as The
Eden was refurbished from the ground up, then he waited until
business was going strong, and then he waited until Colin seemed
happy again with life.

Maybe I’ve waited too long?
The secret was bound to come out of the closet. It was only a

matter of timing. That lawyer of his wouldn’t let up about buying him
out. No, Quinn wasn’t ready to let go of his stake in The Eden. Not
until he knew where they stood as a couple. Quinn grabbed the book
before getting out of his truck.

He walked up to the front door of Colin’s place as though he

belonged there. He knocked, waited. Crickets chirped noisily in the
grass around the house. Deep into the woods, bullfrogs croaked a
song from what Quinn imagined to be a nearby stream. Quinn
knocked again. The door finally opened a few seconds later.

A man in carpenter pants and a tool belt opened the door. Jealousy

spiraled through Quinn before he could check the emotion at the door.

“Colin here?” Quinn asked.
“Yep, come on in. I think he’s outside.”
The carpenter stepped back and drifted toward another room. Old

hardwood floors stretched through the house. Music rolled from an
old radio in the other room, mixing with the pounding of hammers.

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Colin’s place had only the best. It was neat, tidy, and military

orderly with modern leather furniture in chestnut. Quinn knew he was
messing up his life by stepping in now, but he knew it needed to be
done. He walked through the hallway to a huge, open kitchen. French
doors hung open from the kitchen and led to a stone gallery.

Quinn stood on the threshold to the gallery. The fading light

illuminated a pool behind the house. It was obviously a new addition
to the home. Steam billowed up from the clear, crisp water. The
backyard of the house cut into the stone hillside of the mountain.
Rocks from the mountain were used to create a fifteen foot waterfall
cascading into the pool.

Colin surfaced from the pool and leveraged himself out the other

side, taking care with his sore knee. His swim shorts came long on his
legs. Quinn sucked in a harsh breath as he watched the water cascade
over the muscles rippling in his chest.

Colin went to a chair and grabbed his towel.
Quinn studied Colin’s shadowed profile. He looked distracted, as

though something was weighing heavily on his mind. There was a
hardness, too, about Colin that wasn’t there two years ago. He knew
he hurt him by walking away, but it was time to make things right,
and it was about time things got righted.

Two years ago, Quinn didn’t understand the drive he had to

become a firefighter. He only knew it was something he was called to
do. Could he have stayed in New York for his paramedic classes and
training? Probably. The problem was he didn’t want to stay in
Manhattan. He was a country boy at heart, always had been. Bottom
line, New York wasn’t home, and that was the reason why he left the
way he had.

Not wanting to scare the man he cared deeply for, Quinn made his

footfalls heavy as he crossed the stone. Colin turned and their eyes
locked, but they didn’t stay there long. Those green, distrustful eyes
went to the book clutched in his right hand at his side. Colin rubbed
the towel over his head. Light glinted off the silver loops in Colin’s

High Heat

nipples. Lust sprinted through Quinn’s body, making his cock jerk to
attention.

“What are you doing here?” Colin asked.
“I wanted to see you.”
Colin’s gaze went over Quinn’s shoulder, to the doorway, to the

carpenter who was suddenly there.

“We’re taking off! We’ll see you next week,” the carpenter said.
“Great! Thanks, John,” Colin said and directed his gaze back to

Quinn. “I’m having some work done on my billiards room.”

“The place looks great. You’re doing well for yourself?” Quinn

asked.

“Yeah, I can’t complain.”
Quinn watched as Colin wrapped his big towel around his waist.

There was caution in the way he was acting toward him. Quinn
wanted to get past this awkwardness that wasn’t there two years ago,
before he left and everything changed.

“So, what’s up?” Colin asked.
“I wanted to apologize for not being there when you needed me.”
“It doesn’t matter now,” Colin said.
“It matters to me.”
A dark-crimson blush spread high upon Colin’s cheekbones. “I

understand why things went down the way they did, Quinn.”

“That’s a start for us.” Quinn held the book up between them.

“This is for you.”

Colin stared at the book as though it just jumped up and bitch

slapped him. “I don’t want anything from you.”

Quinn felt his heart sink. He placed the book on the patio table.

“I’ll leave it here for you. You can have it when you’re ready.”

“I said I don’t want it!”

* * * *

Tatum Throne

No, Colin didn’t want the damn book. He wanted Quinn to pull

him into his arms and make him forget about how he was taken to the
edge and almost fell off. He hated how much his body responded to
the man who broke his heart. His raging hard-on was pressed tight
against the towel around his waist to keep it down. Quinn’s blue eyes
were kind, soft, and full of erotic promises and seductive invitation.
Quinn stepped closer.

“Tell me what you want. I’ll give it all to you,” Quinn whispered.
Colin’s heart pounded out of his chest. He knew he could fall

easily, but he knew this time he wouldn’t recover from the fall. The
impact alone would leave him shattered. Quinn closed the distance
between them, trapping him up against the patio table. Quinn’s hand
smoothed up Colin’s arm, and he shivered. Colin swallowed hard as
his cock twitched, shooting pre-cum out. “You need to go.”

“Is that what you really want?”
It was all too much. Colin was a sucker for men in uniform. The

truth was, he’d always had that fireman fantasy. That dark-blue
uniform was erotic as hell. There was a heavy bulge in his navy
tactical pants that was all man. Colin closed his eyes. “No. I don’t
want you to go.”

“Good. I want to be here with you.”
Quinn’s strong hands gently tilted his lips upward, and his cock

thumped wildly, filling to the point of erotic pain. He knew if he
didn’t get release, he’d ache for weeks. Quinn’s hard body pressed
closer until there was nothing but clothing between them.

“Do you want me to kiss you?” Quinn asked.
Colin groaned as Quinn’s lips brushed against his in a teasing

way. “Yes.”

“Beg.”
Dominant men turned Colin on fast and hard. Colin dominated in

his professional life, but he wanted and longed to be the sub in the
bedroom. He wanted someone to order him around. He wanted to
crawl across the bedroom floor on all fours to suck off Quinn’s cock.

High Heat

He wanted to be tied up, spanked, and taken. Most of all, he wanted
Quinn Cavanaugh to do it all to him and more. They had a lot of time
to make up for.

“Please.”
Quinn chuckled, dark and knowingly. “You can do better than

that. Beg.”

Colin swayed against Quinn’s chest, and his hands dug into shirt

for support. Lust fired through his body. “Please kiss me.”

“Much better. I like it when you beg,” Quinn said.
Their lips brushed, and Quinn’s tongue licked out to taste. Then

their lips met and nothing else mattered to Colin. He had the man he
wanted, just the way he wanted him. Colin pulled Quinn tighter,
parting his lips for Quinn’s dominant tongue to assault his senses. He
lost all sense of time and balance as Quinn took him places he always
imagined going. Their hips rocked, and Colin felt his towel being
pulled away. Quinn’s hand locked onto his cock through his drying
swim trunks, and he nearly shot his seed into his hand. A moan of
confusion erupted through Colin as Quinn pulled away.

“Sit,” Quinn said.
Colin’s ass planted on the edge of the patio table without a word

of resistance. He watched as Quinn kneeled before him, using his
wide shoulders to edge his legs apart. His hands ran up the back of
Colin’s bare legs in a sweet caress that had his cock punching his
swim trunks.

“Easy now,” Quinn whispered.
Trapped, Colin watched as Quinn leaned forward to lick and

mouth his dick through his trunks. His cock flexed up and broke out
of his trunks. Three inches of his cock pointed north over his
waistband. Quinn attacked his rosy, red flesh by muscling it into his
hot mouth. He sucked, rippling his tongue around the ridges of his
dick. Colin’s hands went to Quinn’s head to guide.

“Fuck.”

Tatum Throne

Quinn locked his hands around Colin’s wrists leading them back

to the table where he held them there. Colin arched into Quinn’s
body, sending his dick higher and Quinn’s mouth lower. He worked
his cock with a slow, erotic speed that made him want to shoot his
spunk into Quinn’s mouth.

His cock squeezed, and pre-cum shot an arrow into Quinn’s

mouth. Colin gritted his teeth, keeping his orgasm from sending him
over the edge. He wasn’t going to come before he was damn well
ready.

Quinn licked his way off his dick as his hand pulled his swim

trunks down. Their eyes met, and Colin’s mouth watered. Everything
came into sharp resolution as he accepted what was about to happen
between them. Quinn stood, pulling his shirt over his head as he did.
It was then that Colin saw Quinn’s chest for the first time. Dark-black
hair spread over his chest and tapered down over his abs. His nipples
were dark-brown and tweaked into hard berries he wanted to suck. He
was perfect. There were no tattoos, no piercings, and no scars
marking his perfect body.

“I love it when you look at me that way,” Quinn said.
“Like what?”
“Like I’m the most important thing in your world.”
He palmed Colin’s dick and started to lead him away from the

table. Colin followed blindly, not caring where Quinn took him as
long as he lead the way.

“How’s your knee?” Quinn asked.
“It’s better.”
“Good.”
Colin was surprised when Quinn led him around the pool. He was

even more shocked when he led him into the house. Quinn slammed
shut the French doors and led him by the dick into the kitchen.

“Cook for me,” Quinn ordered.
Lust made his cock kick around in Quinn’s hand, and Quinn’s

hand tightened down in response. Quinn stroked his dick with his

High Heat

right hand while his other hand caressed his balls. Pre-cum wept out
of his cock and dripped down Quinn’s hand. “What do you want?”

“Surprise me with something sweet.”
Colin grinned. “You know the old adage about the cobbler’s son

having no shoes?”

Quinn released his cock and slid his hand around his ass to give it

a hard squeeze. “Better come up with something, babe, or I’m going
to have to punish you.”

Quinn’s teeth nipped at his lips while the heat of his abs rubbed

against Colin’s shaft. Colin could feel the silken fibers of his hair
tease his cock in the most erotic way. They kissed, and it quickly got
out of control with Quinn pinching and kneading his ass. His fingers
strummed their way up between his cheeks to rub his anus. Quinn was
the one to pull away again. There was a sexual storm brewing
between them. Colin could feel the heat of it sear all the way through
his soul as Quinn moved through his kitchen.

He was looking for something. He opened drawers, cabinets.

Quinn’s blue eyes settled on the wall over Colin’s shoulder. Colin
didn’t have to look to know what was hanging on the wall.

A chill of seductive anticipation raced through Colin’s blood as

Quinn reached for the thin, paddle-like cutting board hanging by a
brown leather strap.

“What are you doing?” Colin asked.
“Something you need me to do.”
Quinn wrapped his hand through the leather strap, pulling it tight

to test it with two swings. Colin’s cock clenched tight as Quinn came
around the island.

“Turn around.”
Colin swallowed hard as he turned, placing his hands on the

countertop. The tip of his penis brushed against the cool steel of the
cabinet.

“Eyes forward.”
Colin glanced defiantly over his shoulder. “And if I don’t obey?”

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Quinn started to set the paddle onto the counter and turn. “I guess

I’ll have to get going.”

“No! Stay.”
Colin’s head whipped back around, his heart raced, and his cock

pounded like a bass drum against the cabinet door as he stared straight
ahead. The sweet anticipation of getting paddled had his knuckles
gripping the counter tight.

He closed his eyes as he heard Quinn move. The back of Quinn’s

fingers brushed against the nape of his neck. Colin groaned as Quinn
stroked his fingers down his spine. Quinn’s thumb played over his
tailbone, causing Colin to arch back into his touch. Quinn’s thumb
slipped down over his anus to stroke it up and down.

Colin moaned. “Oh, Quinn.”
“I’m here for you, babe. I know what you need.”
Quinn’s thumb pressed against his anus as the first strike of the

paddle hit his ass. The sting spread over his cheeks, warming his ass.
The first strike nearly made him come. Colin groaned as another
spank came in hard. Pleasure mixed with sensual pain as Quinn kept
him balanced on the edge of coming. Another whack hit him on the
ass, sending his balls bouncing and his cock hitting up against the
steel cabinet. Pre-cum dripped on the steel. The paddle hit Colin
again. Heat spread through his ass, and his anus tingled with pent up
pleasure. Colin bit his lip as Quinn paddled him until he was ready to
explode. He was shaking as he tried to keep his spunk inside his hard
cock.

Colin heard the sound of wood hitting granite. Quinn came up

behind him to kiss the back of his neck. Quinn’s hand came around
fisting Colin’s cock to give it several strokes.

“Find something sweet for me,” Quinn ordered.
Colin only had a few sweet things in the house. He went to the

stainless steel refrigerator and got out a six-ounce bottle of pure
raspberry syrup. At twenty-five dollars an ounce, it was the most

High Heat

expensive bottle he’d ever bought for himself. He finally felt like he
was at a point in his life where he could splurge on something special.

He held up the bottle with the hand-painted label and watched as

Quinn’s eyes dilated. Every muscle in Quinn’s body was flexed hard,
and those long, powerful legs of his were spread wide as he stroked
his hand over his cock to adjust it. Quinn looked like he owned the
place. He looked as though he owned Colin, too. Those possessive,
hot, blue eyes went from the bottle in his hand to Colin’s cock.

“Bring it to me,” he ordered.
A thrill shivered through Colin’s body as he obeyed. Quinn gently

removed the lid and swirled his finger over the lip to taste the syrup.
He took care to lick every drop off his finger as his heavy-lidded gaze
rested on Colin. Then he set the bottle on the marble countertop along
with the cap. He stepped back to unzip his tactical pants, peeling back
the corners to reveal that he was without boxers or briefs. Dark hair
wrapped around the base of Quinn’s dick. His cock sprang out from
the corner of his pants where he’d been keeping the muscle bound and
in check. Quinn’s penis was thick, and his balls hung heavy between
his thighs.

“No touching,” Quinn warned.
Colin’s eyes went wide as Quinn’s hand reached for the raspberry

syrup and tipped the bottle toward his penis. He drizzled the syrup
around his cock and stroked it into his shaft. Quinn arched back as he
rubbed the syrup up over his cockhead and back down over his shaft,
rubbing it around his balls. Colin went weak-kneed as he watched
Quinn pleasure himself.

Quinn sat up on the island, spreading his legs wide. “Come here.”
Colin obeyed, standing between his legs. Quinn braced his legs

wide on the counter across from him as he stroked his cock.

“Suck me,” Quinn ordered.
With a groan, Colin leaned down and took Quinn’s sex into his

mouth. The sweet taste of raspberries smoothed over his tongue. He
palmed him, circling his penis with his hand. He was so thick. The

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thickness went from the base to the head, not tapering at all. He was
thick where Colin was long. The differences in their shape and size
were completely erotic to Colin’s senses. Fingers dove into his hair to
control the tempo of their loving. Colin feasted on Quinn’s sex as
though he were a starved man who didn’t know when his next meal
would be. He licked and sucked at the very tip of him until Quinn was
growling his name.

Colin wanted more but knew he couldn’t risk too much too soon

with a man that walked out on him without looking back once. He
stroked and kissed his way over Quinn’s dick until he was clean and
throbbing hard. Quinn’s fingers tightened in his hair, stilling him from
moving, but that didn’t stop Colin’s tongue from swirling his lover’s
engorged flesh. Quinn groaned, jumping down from the counter.

“Turn around,” Quinn ordered.
Colin turned toward the island. He could feel the heavy beat of his

heart in the base of his balls. The flip of the lube cap echoed within
the kitchen. Quinn’s hands gripped his hips, and Colin arched his ass
out. The tip of Quinn’s cockhead pushed against the rim of his anus.
Colin groaned as Quinn muscled his way inside with one intense
stroke. Then he started to move, dominating him with short, powerful
thrusts.

Quinn reached around, stroking his throbbing cock. It was too

much for Colin. He was too close to coming.

“I’m close,” Colin warned.
Quinn released his cock and pulled out. “Turn around and kneel

before me.”

Colin turned in time to see Quinn polishing off the excess lube

from his dick with the dishtowel. He kneeled down in front of Quinn,
grabbing his cock as though he owned him and always would. He
sucked Quinn’s cock, taking all of him fast and hard. Colin strummed
his balls, gripping them tight. Quinn took control, pushing his dick in
and out of Colin’s mouth. Colin moaned as Quinn’s fingers tightened
into his hair.

High Heat

“Oh, fuck,” Quinn groaned.
Quinn’s cock tightened and jerked within Colin’s mouth.
It was so over. Colin reached between his legs and fisted his dick

into his hand, stroking himself off. Colin felt his throbbing cock
tighten at the base, and his orgasm shot through his body. Colin
couldn’t control the throbbing beat of his own cock as he emptied
himself on the island.

Colin squeezed Quinn’s cock, and a hot stream of his cum

rocketed out of his prick. Colin released his mouth in time to see
Quinn’s semen pump up over Quinn’s chest. Colin stroked him until
he was empty and there were four bold lines of white mixed in with
his black chest hair.

Quinn pulled him up off the floor and held him close. He kissed

him with a quiet control of ownership that made Colin feel loved.
Fear spiraled through his body. He knew then that there wasn’t
anything he could do to keep the man he loved from walking away
from him again. Quinn pulled away and stroked his jaw.

“You okay?” Quinn asked.
“Yeah. You?”
“I’m perfect. Everything is perfect,” Quinn said.
Quinn zipped up. “Are you working tomorrow night?” Quinn

asked.

“I work every night.”
“You’re taking the night off. I’ll pick you up here at seven.”
Colin blushed. He didn’t like to be ordered around in his

professional life. “Can’t.”

He saw Quinn stiffen and those possessive eyes seemed to be

measuring how he was going to handle his defiance. Quinn crossed
the room to stand in front of him. He backed him up against the
counter, bracing his hands on either side.

“You will, chef.” His voice dropped to an erotic whisper. “You

will, chef, or I’ll come looking for you.”

Tatum Throne

Chapter Eight

Colin didn’t take nights off ever. It was just his life as a chef. So,

the next night, he was where he should’ve been, in the heat of the
kitchen. When Colin worked, he was hyperfocused on every detail of
the kitchen. Everything else in the world faded away. That kept him
from thinking about Quinn all the time. Seven o’clock came and went
without much thought to Colin. It wasn’t until they were mid-service
that he realized it was almost nine, and he’d stood Quinn up without
calling. He meant to call a half hour prior to their date, but he’d
forgotten.

Date? What the hell? Was it a date? Before Colin realized what he

was doing, he was heading for the phone on the wall. He took a
second to look up the non-emergency number for the Boone County
Fire Department then dialed. With the phone pressed to his ear, he
stared into the chaos of the kitchen. It was a well-oiled, noisy
machine.

Bussers worked overtime to keep up with the demand of a

Saturday night dinner rush. They scooted through with a load of dirty
dishes to the sinks in the back. A dishwasher danced around a busser
with a stack of clean salad bowls balanced as high as his chin. Colin
held his breath for a second as the near miss was avoided. The pastry
chef was half covered in flour as she worked to pull berry tarts from
the oven before they burned, dodging the bread warmer in the
process. The drone of the phone still buzzed in his ear.

“What the fuck?” Jane screeched.
Colin’s gaze zeroed in on his new waiter standing before Jane

with a plate. What. The. Fuck. Was right.

High Heat

“Station 189, this is Lieutenant Rodgers.”
The voice brought him out of the kitchen. “Is Cavanaugh in?”

Colin asked.

“No Captain Cavanaugh is off tonight.”
Captain. Colin had no idea he was at the top of the ranks. “Okay,

thanks. I’ll try back another time.”

Colin hung up the phone and was across the room before the

waiter was able to get his words out of his mouth.

“Table twelve doesn’t care for the Caesar salad.”
Jane’s glower could’ve broken the plate and shot through the glass

that separated the kitchen from the dining area. Instead, it made his
young server flinch and take a step back. “He fucking ate the entire
thing except two fucking pieces. How the fuck can he not care for it?”

“He wants the raspberry lobster salad.”
“Get it for him,” Colin said.
There were the ones who tried for a free meal every service. He

knew how to play this. He’d been played before. Jane went back to
the pass to check plates.

She was all controlled business as she snapped a ticket from the

machine on the counter across from her. She cleared her throat.
“Ordering...two lobster...one cedar plank salmon...ordering one truffle
burger...ordering one fucking raspberry lobster salad for the fucking
idiot at table twelve.”

Her voice was an eerie calm that had all his cooks on the line

casting her a funny look. This was the first time Colin had ever seen
her this way. He went over to the pass to check tickets. Table twelve
was a party of four. He stood next to her garnishing plates.

“You okay?” Colin asked without looking at her.
“Fine,” Jane snapped. “Fucking fairy-tale perfect. That’s what it’s

all about, the fairy tale.”

It was clear that she wasn’t okay, but she wasn’t giving any

indication of what was wrong. If there was one thing Colin didn’t

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understand well, it was women. He knew empathy though. “I’m here
if you want to talk.”

“I know, chef.”
Colin made sure to check the raspberry lobster salad before

sending it out. It was expertly arranged. It was one of their most
expensive and best salads they had. He nodded to the waiter.

Pans clanked. Flames erupted in a pan his executive line cook was

setting aflame with a torch. Heat spiraled up from the steaming pan
when the flames went out from the controlled burn. Colin personally
hired everyone for his kitchen. He knew their strengths, and he put
them where they could succeed.

He went to check the cooks on the grill. It bothered him that there

were no problems to tend to. He wanted distractions. He needed them
to help him forget about what happened between him and Quinn last
night. He couldn’t eat another raspberry or syrup without thinking of
Quinn “Cav” Cavanaugh stretched out half naked next to his marble
island. Why didn’t he call Quinn? He should’ve. He deserved better
than that.

“For the love of fuck!” Jane slammed the entire plate into the

garbage.

Colin rolled his eyes and went over to the pass and leaned in to

talk with his waiter. “What’s up?”

The waiter looked pained. “The man says he’s had better food at

Denny’s.”

Now that pissed Colin off. “What’s he want?”
“The truffle burger comped.”
That burger was an eighty-dollar plate. He was now in the hole

with this guy for nearly one fifty. Colin rounded on his executive line
cook. His chef’s whites were spotted with sauce. “Andrew.”

“Yes, chef.”
“Step aside for a moment.”
Colin took over on Andrew’s section of the grill. He put a

seasoned half-pound of angus beef on the grill. He turned to the prep

High Heat

counter and grabbed a fresh heirloom tomato. He flexed his right hand
over the knife and felt a shot of pain run through the nerves in his
wrist. He ignored the pain and sliced yellow and red heirloom
tomatoes for the burger. He toasted the bun next. He pulled a wedge
of aged cheese from the refrigerator below the counter. He sliced a
perfect quarter inch slice of Amish Colby.

He turned to the grill and flipped the beef. He went back to the

prep table and pulled a plate. “Andrew.”

“Yes, chef?”
“Drop a basket of sweet potato fries.”
“Yes, chef.”
Colin checked the beef by tapping his spatula on top. Blood

seeped from the top. It was medium-rare. He put the cheese on top
and watched it melt. He placed a slice of thick onion on the grill. It
was then that he sensed the hushed quiet around him. His staff was
watching him closely. It was then that Colin realized that this was the
first time he ever bumped an executive cook off the line. It had
nothing to do with Andrew’s ability. It was the primal need to prove
something to the fucker in the dining room.

Thirty seconds later, he pulled the beef from the grill and put it on

the bun. He worked at building the burger with the locally grown
romaine, tomatoes, and grill-seasoned onion.

Next were the French black truffles. “Andrew.”
“Yes, chef?”
Colin expertly shaved the rare mushroom on top of the burger. Its

exterior was firm and black with a brownish tint. White veins became
exposed as he shaved the mushroom. “Tell me the common name of
the French black truffles.”

“Périgord, chef.”
“Yes, the Périgord isn’t often called by its technical name of

Tuber melanosporum. Tell me how they are harvested.”

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“Yes, chef. The French black truffle grows naturally in the wild,

underground. Mushroom hunters often use trained dogs to weed out
their scent.”

“What type of scent does the French truffle have?”
“Intense with a fruity aromatic quality, chef.”
Colin topped the burger with the bun and moved the sweet potato

fries to the plate. Andrew went to reach for the plate to send it through
the pass when Colin stopped him. “I will be taking this plate out
personally.”

Andrew’s mouth fell open, but it quickly snapped shut. “Yes,

chef.”

Colin wiped his hands and picked up the plate. His waitstaff was

shocked to see him out of the kitchen and crossing the full dining
room to table twelve. The Eden was decorated with intimacy in mind.
The tables were far enough apart to give a sense of privacy and were
covered with white linen. A simple, long-stemmed candle sat in the
middle of the tables with the crystal.

Colin’s heart went overtime as recognized the one man he didn’t

want to see right now. He sat at the table with three of his coworkers
from the firehouse.

Quinn was lifting his wineglass to his lips when he caught sight of

Colin crossing the room. Their gazes locked. The space before Quinn
was empty. It was obvious now who’d been giving his kitchen a hard
time.

“Who ordered the truffle burger?” Colin asked.
Quinn set his wineglass down. His gaze was heavy-lidded as he

stroked his way up over Colin’s body. It took everything Colin had to
stand there and take the eye fuck without getting a raging hard-on.

“I did,” Quinn said.
Colin had to circle the table to put the plate in front of Quinn. He

didn’t like his team being fucked with. He leaned in close to Quinn’s
ear, even going so far as to place his hand on the back of Quinn’s
chair. “Don’t fuck with my staff. I’m not in the mood.”

High Heat

Colin turned, and Quinn’s hand reached out, grabbing his arm

before he could fully move away.

“You’ll learn obedience. I promise you that,” Quinn said.
Colin pulled away and limped back to the kitchen without looking

back. A thrill shot through his blood at the idea of Quinn putting him
in his place for disobeying his demand for a date. He didn’t want to
admit how much he liked the idea of serving Quinn more than the
dinner he just made for him.

* * * *

Quinn had melted into his chair when he caught sight of Colin in

his chef’s whites striding with that damn limp across the dining room.
The man was rugged and rough in a way that made the crisp clean of
his chef’s whites look dirty. There was a dangerous, lethal quality to
his green eyes that would’ve scared any normal person away. Quinn
wasn’t easily frightened. Not when he knew he had the salve to ease
his aching heart.

Colin was probably fuming over the Denny’s comment. The

corner of Quinn’s mouth lifted. He had purposely provoked Colin into
leaving the comfort of his perch in the kitchen, and he played right
into his hands.

“You going to eat that?” Rodgers asked Quinn.
“Yes, I am.”
A half hour later, his three guys left to go back to the station.

Quinn stayed through to the end of dinner service and paid the bill in
full, leaving a generous tip. He went outside into the cool night and
waited in his truck for Colin to leave for the evening. A while later,
Colin limped out with Jane at his side. He was still in his black chef’s
pants but now wore just a plain, gray T-shirt. They were heading to
her car when Colin caught sight of Quinn’s truck. He said something
to Jane and crossed the lot to his truck, getting into the passenger side

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without a word. Quinn started his truck and hit Mountain Parkway,
heading toward Colin’s home.

“Take me to your place,” Colin said.
Light from the passing cars illuminated Colin’s face but gave

nothing away as to what the man was feeling. His apartment was the
last place Quinn wanted to take Colin. He didn’t want to scare him
with his playroom. Quinn’s hands tightened down on the steering
wheel. Colin wasn’t ready to know everything about his sexual needs.
He didn’t want Colin to think he was a freak.

“It’s late,” Quinn said.
“I know, but I still want to go to your place tonight. I want to

know what you’re hiding from me.”

“You’re not going to take my no for an answer, are you?”
“Nope. I want to see your place.”
“Okay, we’ll go to my apartment.”
His place it was. Ten minutes later, he pulled up outside his

apartment. It wasn’t the nicest part of town, but it wasn’t the cheapest
either. They got out of the truck, and Quinn led the way through the
gate to the outside stairwell that led to the top, third floor. He opened
the door and was greeted by his black cat, Pancetta.

Quinn watched as Colin looked around his little apartment with

mismatched furniture. Weight equipment sat in the corner by the patio
doors. The place was clean but not tidy. His black work bag was
dropped by the front door. Quinn glanced down the hallway
nervously. He didn’t want Colin to see his playroom and get scared.

Colin sat down on the sofa and kicked his feet up on the coffee

table, crossing them at the ankles. He put his arms wide on the back
of the couch, stretching the cotton until the loops of his nipple
piercings were visible beneath the fabric. Colin’s full, sensuous lips
showed a hint of a smile.

“You got me. Now what are you going to do with me?” Colin

asked.

High Heat

A shot of pure, raw, animal lust rocketed through Quinn’s body so

fast that his cock jerked to attention. Quinn didn’t like the feeling of
having his prick collared while his sub yanked him around by the
leash. His sub thought he was the one in control. It was clear that
Quinn needed to teach Colin about being an obedient lover.

“It’s been a long night. You need to hit the shower,” Quinn said.
“Nah, I’m good right here.”
His defiance was like a caress to his hard dick. Quinn knew Colin

was purposely challenging him for the way he treated him during
dinner service. “Stand up,” Quinn said.

Colin took his time getting up from the couch and while he did,

Quinn removed his shoes. He crossed the small entryway and stood
before Colin. Quinn smoothed his hands over Colin’s jaw and kissed
him in a slow possessive way. Colin moaned, opening his mouth to
the flick of Quinn’s tongue. Quinn pulled away before he lost control.
Colin’s green eyes were full of caution.

“Trust me, Colin. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I know you won’t.”
“How’s your leg?” Quinn asked.
“It’s been bothering me tonight.”
Quinn brushed his hand through Colin’s auburn hair. “Let me

draw you a bath, okay?”

“Thanks.”
The black-and-white checkered tile was a flashback to the thirties.

The tub was big enough for one and gray ceramic. Quinn drew the
bath and got fresh towels out of the closet for Colin. He added
lavender to the water to soothe Colin’s aching muscles. Bubbles
started frothing up from beneath the faucet. Colin stood in the hallway
waiting with a look of uncertainty on his face. Quinn gave him a
gentle kiss.

“I’m going to take care of you, babe. I won’t leave you again. I

promise. Nothing will come between us.”

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A tear slipped from the corner of Colin’s eye and down over his

cheek. Quinn wiped it away, feeling his heart break as he did. He
hugged Colin close. “Thanks, Quinn.”

“I’ll be in the bedroom waiting for you, okay? Take your time.”
“Wait.”
Quinn felt his heart hammering at the way Colin looked at him

like he could give him the world. “I’d like you to stay.”

“Take a few minutes for yourself, and I’ll be right in, babe.”
Quinn went into his bedroom and undressed. He put on a pair of

pajama pants. He went back into the bath to see Colin soaking deep
into the tub, bubbles were now up over his chest. He looked content
and relaxed. Steam billowed up from the water. Colin’s eyes were
closed, but Quinn was certain he wasn’t sleeping yet. He kneeled
down by the edge of the tub and reached for the soap. He wet the soap
and worked it into his hands. Colin’s eyes fluttered open, and he
smiled tentatively. Quinn knew he was going to have to work hard to
gain his full trust again.

Light flashed over those silver hoops on Colin’s nipples as Quinn

moved around. His brown nipples were pebbled hard. Quinn
smoothed his hands over Colin’s chest, caressing his black tribal
tattoos.

“I didn’t know you had so much ink,” Quinn said.
“I didn’t two years ago.”
A twinge of pain flashed through Colin’s eyes before he locked it

away. Quinn’s hands worked over Colin’s arms. “Lift your arm for
me.”

Colin obeyed, and Quinn smoothed his hands down his arm.

Those black tribal tattoos snaked down Colin’s arm. Just above his
elbow, Quinn saw his name branded on his skin. Quinn froze, and his
gaze flew to Colin’s. There was raw pain in Colin’s.

“I needed you,” Colin explained.
“I’m sorry, babe. Let me make it up to you. Let me love you.”

High Heat

Quinn worked his hands lower beneath the water. He circled his

hand around Colin’s hard cock, giving it a tugging stroke. Colin thrust
his hips up, making his hard-on surface for air before plunging back
under. Colin’s response was everything he wanted and more. Quinn
tugged again and was rewarded with another powerful thrust that had
him groaning for more. Another tugging motion brought Colin’s dick
out of the water. This time, Quinn was ready to give it a quick tongue
lashing before it sunk below the surface again. Quinn licked out and
swirled his tongue around the ridges of his cock, flicking it over the
top. He sunk it again, pulling it out of Quinn’s mouth.

Quinn moaned and gave it another stroke to bring it to the surface.

“Give it to me, Colin.”

The tip of his cock broke the surface of the hot water with a splash

that sent water over the edge of the tub. Quinn stroked him down to
the base with a tight grip. He caressed his left hand over Colin’s balls
and rubbed a finger over his anus. Colin’s hands gripped the edge of
the tub as his hips bucked up out of the water. Quinn sucked in the
head of Colin’s dick and groaned deep within the back of his throat.
Colin’s cries of pleasure echoed off the tiles.

Quinn felt Colin’s hand slip beneath his pants and grip him,

stroking him softly. The gentle strokes had him spasm hard for more.
Quinn rutted up against his hand, sending sparks of friction over his
shaft.

Quinn held Colin’s shaft fisted tight as his finger played over his

anus. Quinn’s tongue flexed and rolled, working overtime at the tip of
Colin’s sex. Colin’s hard flesh tightened to steel, making the head of
his cock swell even more.

Colin’s dick jerked in his fist, shooting pre-cum to the surface. He

knew Colin was balanced on the edge. Their eyes met as he worked
him fast and hard. Water sloshed onto the floor, over Quinn’s chest
and pajama pants. He knew Colin was close. He could feel Colin’s
balls tightening. His penis was rock-hard and hot. Colin stiffened and
bowed out of the water, locking his hand down tight on Quinn’s

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penis. It was more than Quinn could take. His cock swelled, and he
shot molten lava all over Colin’s hand.

Quinn released Colin’s cock and stroked it tight. His finger

stroked his anus. Quinn pushed his way in as thick, white arrows shot
over Colin’s chest. Quinn leaned down and gave Colin a sweet,
seductive kiss as he washed his chest. Colin’s green eyes were full of
uncertainty as he pulled away.

“What are we doing?” Colin asked.
Quinn smiled easily. “We’re lovers.”
Colin reached out and let the water drain from the tub. There was

something about the way that Colin was pulling away from him
physically that bothered him. He handed Colin a towel. “You’re
staying the night.”

“I don’t have a car. I can’t walk home.”
Quinn grinned. “Nope. You can’t. I wouldn’t let you either.”
Colin was heading to his bedroom and started to reach for the

light switch on the wall. Quinn grabbed his hand. He wasn’t ready for
Colin to see the truth of how he lived.

“No lights,” Quinn said.
“No lights it is.”
Quinn waited until Colin was in bed before he went back to the

bath. He switched on the shower and washed quickly. He was wearing
only a towel around his waist as he came into his bedroom. Colin was
asleep under the covers. Quinn slipped on a fresh pair of pajama pants
and slipped under the covers with Quinn. He wrapped his arms
around him and held him close. He heard Colin sigh in his sleep and
ease back closer to his chest. Quinn had everything he wanted in life
right in his arms. He couldn’t worry about tomorrow when the lights
filtered through the curtains and the truth was revealed to the man he
loved.

Life was absolutely perfect. He didn’t want to think about Colin

walking away from him now. The thought hurt a little too much.

Tatum Throne

Chapter Nine

Bacon grease scented the air, waking Colin from a deep, satisfied

sleep. He stretched and took note of his cock flexing out to give the
sheet a good morning one-two punch. He rolled over in the empty
bed, realizing it was the first time in years he slept so hard that he
slept late. Geez, he felt good. He felt alive and ready. He felt happy. A
smile broke out across his face, but he tried to temper it down before
Quinn saw it. He wasn’t ready or willing to show Quinn how much he
felt for him. He was still too wounded and feeling a bit vulnerable.

Colin rubbed his hands down his face. What the hell was he doing

opening his heart to Quinn? It didn’t matter the why of it. He’d enjoy
the ride, but when he got off the coaster, he’d get off without the
intention of getting back on again.

Reflex had Colin tightening his right hand into a fist and releasing

it. His physical therapist recommended that he start pencil drawing to
regain some of the fine dexterity he’d lost due to the accident. He
bought the sketch pad and a nice set of pencils at the art store. Now, it
was only a matter of taking that plunge. He’d start today.

Midnight-black walls. Black satin sheets. Colin sat up and looked

around. This was no ordinary bedroom. This was a Dom’s dungeon.
A shiver of sexual anticipation fluttered through his blood. This was a
room made for sex. Last night, Quinn had insisted that the lights stay
off. Now Colin understood why he wanted them to stay off. The room
looked almost like a medieval torture chamber with chains hanging
from the ceiling near the wall.

Colin got out of bed to see his clothes from the night before

washed and neatly folded on the top of Quinn’s dresser. Colin looked

High Heat

around Quinn’s bedroom. It was the only room in the apartment that
reflected Quinn’s true dominant personality.

There were books stacked from the library on the shelf below his

nightstand. Colin leaned down and thumbed through the spines,
taking note of the thrillers Quinn liked to read. Light shifting through
the blinds had Colin’s gaze going to the closet. It was one of those
accordion wood slatted things. Colin edged open the closet. Dress
shirts were hung neatly and arranged by color. Next were pants, navy,
khaki, and dark-brown, and then the jeans. It wasn’t the clothing that
caught his eye. It was the equipment hanging in the corner that had
him stiffening. His heart raced at the possibility of Quinn dominating
him again. Colin looked back at the bed as his hand smoothed over
the leather restraints. He so wanted to go there.

There were two leather riding crops hanging from a hook, a dozen

different kinds of handcuffs, all-weather rope, and black tape. Colin
felt his dick jump to attention at the thought of Quinn wielding those
whips on his ass while he took him from behind. There were leather
riding chaps, too, cowboy boots on the floor, and a Stetson sitting on
the shelf, all of it looked brand-new. Some of it even had the price
tags on the packages. A thin silver chain with two loops caught
Colin’s eye. He brushed his hand over the beads that circled a small
loop. What the heck was this used for?

“Shut the door.”
A shiver ran down Colin’s spine as the command spun across the

room to slap him in the ass. He slowly slid the doors to the closet
shut. Colin had officially been caught with his ass in the closet. Their
eyes met. There was something dangerous in the way Quinn was
looking at him.

Disappointment spiraled through Colin when he saw that Quinn

was dressed for work in his uniform of navy tactical pants and navy
T-shirt. His hair was still damp from a shower. He crossed the room
in four quick strides and pressed up close from behind. He closed his

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eyes and inhaled the sweet scent of Quinn’s clean skin. Quinn pressed
his hands up against the closet, blocking him in.

“Don’t. Speak,” Quinn warned. “Don’t move.”
Colin’s heart raced as Quinn’s lips danced on the back of his neck,

licking, nipping, and scraping his teeth over his erogenous zone. Colin
held perfectly still as Quinn’s hand caressed up his abdomen and dove
under his T-shirt to play with his nipple piercing and pinch his nipple.
His cock primed, flexing up to be petted.

Colin cleared his throat. “I didn’t know you were into the kinky

stuff.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, babe.”
“Why do you have all this stuff?” Colin asked.
“It’s something I want to do with you.”
“Tell me what to do. I need it from you.”
“I don’t want to scare you,” Quinn whispered.
“I can handle giving you what you need.”
Colin groaned as Quinn’s hand smoothed down over his prick.

“Undress.”

Quinn’s deep voice whispering over Colin’s ear was a seductive

demand he couldn’t ignore. The borrowed pajama pants hung low on
Colin’s hips. He turned to face Quinn as he let them fall to the floor.

“Stand facing the wall. Don’t move.”
Big metal loops jutted from the wall. Colin reached up and

grabbed them with both hands. How had he missed those hooks last
night? A shiver of anticipation vibrated through Colin’s dick as he
waited for Quinn’s next move. He heard Quinn move around the
room but didn’t dare turn around. The sound of metal sliding on metal
had the room turning to black. The curtains were being drawn closed.

Quinn pressed his lips over Colin’s ear, licking the curve of his

ear. “Your obedience turns me on, babe.”

Several minutes ticked by where Colin heard the sound of

clothing being removed. Cold leather came around Quinn’s neck and
was tightened to his skin. Colin’s dick jerked when he realized he was

High Heat

being collared. Another leather restraint was put around his right
wrist. Quinn locked the chain to the loop, restraining him to the wall.
A second leather restraint was put around his left wrist.

A chain clinked like icicles knocking together on a pine tree.

Colin bit his lip as he felt the thin chain slid up the shaft of his cock,
looping the hilt. Quinn pulled a second chain strung with beads down
around his balls. Quinn wrapped the chain around his waist, pulling it
tight. The loops around Colin’s shaft and balls tightened seductively,
making pre-cum weep from the tip of his aroused cock. Colin gripped
the steel loops tightly as he watched the drip of his pre-cum hit the
aged hardwood floors. The chain around his waist was locked at his
tailbone. A slap of cold chain licked him on the crack of his ass as
Quinn let go of it.

Colin’s muscles were flexed tight with sexual anticipation. Sweat

glistened on his heated skin. The quiet room felt suddenly hot from
Quinn’s movements.

A buzzing noise had Colin’s prick swaying from the heavy heat of

arousal. Quinn reached beneath his outstretched arm, placing a nipple
clamp on the loop of his piercing. Vibrations aroused his sensitive
nipple, causing him to moan his approval. A silver chain hung from
the clamp and was connected to another clamp. Quinn placed the
clamp on the top loop of his cock chain.

“Oh, fuck,” Colin groaned.
“You do not have my permission to come,” Quinn warned.
Quinn rubbed his ass. Sweat peppered Colin’s forehead as he

worked to keep his spunk locked down tight. Vibrations carried
around the chain and down his cock ring. He bit his lower lip, trying
to keep control. His arms shook from the exertion of holding his body
locked down. Just when he thought he couldn’t keep his orgasm from
making his spunk fly, Quinn released the clamp from his cock ring.
He lifted it up, clamping it to his other piercing.

Colin gasped for breath as he awaited the next sweet torture to

arrive. A leather riding crop slid up the inside of his legs to brush

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against his balls. Colin groaned as Quinn slid the crop back to rub his
perineum and then up over his anus. Quinn rubbed his cheek once
with his strong hand and then let go. Colin released the breath he was
holding, knowing Quinn wouldn’t whip him until his muscles were
relaxed.

The leather crop snapped across his ass. He groaned as the sweet

and sensual heat spread over his cheeks. Colin waited for the next
strike, knowing it would be even better than the first. One, two, three,
four, five.

Colin’s dick tightened up as pre-cum dripped from the tip of his

cockhead. Quinn caressed his balls.

“I didn’t give you permission to come.”
Colin turned his head into his arm as Quinn reached around

stroking his sweat laden dick. Quinn pressed his naked body up
against his backside, making his prick jerk within Quinn’s strong
hand. The heavy weight of Quinn’s dick slid between his ass cheeks.
Colin wasn’t sure how much more he could take before he lost control
and his spunk struck the wall. Colin took a deep, even breath as Quinn
let go of his dick. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what Quinn had
in mind again.

The sound of a match striking against a box had Colin lifting his

head. Light glowed within the darkened room as a candle on the
nightstand was lit. Quinn’s hard body glowed golden. It was then that
Colin discovered the leather chaps he was wearing. Quinn looked
over his shoulder, flaunting the tight curve of his ass. Their eyes held
as Quinn leaned over, picking up the disk shaped metal candle.

Quinn rubbed his fingers through the oil to test the consistency.

“Eyes forward.”

Colin swallowed hard as he imagined all the things Quinn could

do with that hot oil.

“Arch your ass toward me.”
The first drips of waxy oil slid down from the top of Colin’s

spine. The searing heat made Colin’s muscles quiver. Quinn blew on

High Heat

his back, extinguishing the candle. Strong hands worked the oil into
Colin’s back muscles. Quinn’s thumb rubbed over his anus, but
quickly moved on to do something else. Colin groaned when Quinn
gripped the chain, tightening his fingers into it. The cock ring
tightened, making Colin’s prick kick out hard against the binds that
held it in captivity.

“You don’t have my permission to come.”
For the love of all that was righteous, he wanted to come. He

groaned through the orgasm that threatened to bust his nuts. His arms
shook as he gripped the anchors in the wall. Slowly, Quinn released
the pressure on his dick, but then tightened it up again.

“Oh, fuck! Quinn...”
“You can end it now...just say the word.”
“No! Please, don’t stop!”
Just before he thought he couldn’t take anymore, Quinn released

the cock chain, and his cock snapped low again. Colin was gasping
for air as he heard the restraints that held his wrists being released.
Quinn slipped two fingers beneath his collar and led him gently to the
bed.

“On the bed. All fours.”
Colin was panting so hard his muscles were quivering. The bed

dipped as Quinn kneeled onto it, too. The tip of Quinn’s cock pressed
in tight on the rim of his anus. One of Quinn’s hands gripped the
collar while the other gripped the back of the chain. Colin moaned as
Quinn stroked his big cock deep inside. The chain tightened around
Colin’s dick. He knew it wouldn’t be long before his prick shot out
across Quinn’s black sheets.

“Quinn?”
“I know you’re close, babe.”
Quinn stroked him with quick powerful thrusts that made Colin’s

balls bounce. Quinn pushed in tight, letting go of his collar to reach
around and stroke his dick.

“Come,” Quinn ordered.

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Colin reached between Quinn’s legs and stroked his balls. Colin

cried out as his cock stiffened. Quinn’s hand tightened down on
Colin’s shaft. Hot spunk shot from Colin’s dick, staining the black
sheets with four long strips.

They both were breathing hard as they came down from the long

ride. Quinn pulled out, releasing the cock chain that bound Colin. He
worked the collar off of Colin’s neck and then pulled him down close
to cuddle. Colin didn’t know what to say about one of the most
powerful sexual moments of his life. It was amazing. Colin turned his
lips into Quinn’s neck and kissed him gently.

“I’m in love with you,” Colin admitted before he could stop the

words from happening.

Quinn found his lips and kissed him possessively. “I know you

are, babe.”

Colin turned around in Quinn’s arms. “Tell me about you. I want

to know everything.”

“Okay, let me give you the highlights. I’m the product of divorce.

I spent summers with my grandmother on her South Carolina peach
farm. I have a big family, and my sister wants to meet you.”

Colin stiffened. He never imagined that Quinn had a big family

that loved him. “Do they know you’re gay?”

Quinn’s gaze turned serious. “Yes, and I want to introduce you to

them. I want you. I’ll do everything and anything to make you mine.”

Want poured through Colin’s body. He pulled Quinn closer. Their

lips found each other, and they kissed with a slow, lazy seduction.
Colin tipped his tongue out and groaned when Quinn reciprocated.
Their tongues played tag, and Colin made sure to let Quinn win the
game. They were both breathing hard when they pulled away.

“Working today?” Colin asked.
“Yeah, I have to go in soon. How’d you sleep?” Quinn asked.
“Not bad.”
“I made you breakfast. Come on. Let’s shower and eat. It’s getting

cold, babe.”

High Heat

Colin followed Quinn into the shower. They got into the shower

together where Quinn took his time washing Colin. They dressed
together.

The microwave was beeping as Colin came into the kitchen. A

plate was put in front of Colin before he could ask. An omelet with a
side of freshly cut strawberries and blueberries. “Thanks.” Colin
picked up his fork. “You’re not eating?”

“Coffee. That’s all I do before noon. I’m forty hours a week, but I

do forty-eight on and twenty-four off.”

“You work through Tuesday?” Colin asked.
“Yep. I should have time for dinner if you want to meet me at the

station tomorrow night.”

“I may be able to swing by for a few.”
“Great.” Quinn leaned across the island and gave him a quick kiss

on the lips. “I’m glad you stayed the night.”

“Me, too.”
Everything was exactly where it should’ve been in Colin’s life.

Things were as close to perfection as they could get.

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Chapter Ten

When the last of his workers left for the night, Colin flipped up

two glasses from behind the bar and set them up with a thunk. Jane
was across the dining room, poring over the books. He twirled a knife
in his left hand and sliced an orange into wedges. A twinge of pain
shot through his right when he held the orange, but he ignored it. He
tossed ice into both glasses with the slices of orange. He flipped the
bottle of Absolut Raspberri vodka from behind the bar into the air and
caught it with his left hand.

“Show off!” Jane yelled.
He chuckled as he poured two shots of the red-hued vodka into

the glasses and then cut it with tonic. “I can’t help it. I’m good.”

He added raspberries to the top and garnished it with a sprig of

mint.

Jane paged through the books she used to track all the finances.

He put her glass on top of the open book in front of her.

“Well?” he asked.
She sighed, sitting back and taking the glass as she went. One of

her blonde brows went up as the drink went to her painted lips. “It’s
better than I thought. Does that make you feel good?”

Colin sat down across from her. He picked up his own glass and

sunk low into the chair. “How bad?”

“Well, if you want to buy him out, it’s going to take all of your

savings. That’s going to leave your personal account drained and the
business account pinched for three months. It’s risky financially for
you right now.”

High Heat

There was a lot going on, too. He had those damn renovations he

started. Colin ran a hand through his hair. He could see the caution in
her eyes, and he appreciated her concern. “What do you think I should
do?”

“I’d wait a year. Save up some more money.”
A year. That meant he’d have to deal with the collar and leash for

another three hundred and sixty-five fucking days. “Fuck.”

Jane leaned forward, making her white blouse spill open. A white,

lace bra arched over her breasts. He felt like a cad for looking, so he
looked away. He’d always been fascinated with tits despite his love
for men.

“Why the push to buy him out now? He’s been silent. That means

he’s happy.”

“I don’t like the idea of owing someone or someone owning me,”

he said.

Jane tipped up her glass and took a sip. She dipped her finger into

the drink, fishing out a raspberry. “That’s what investors are for. They
find a project they believe in and hand over the money. I know you
don’t have a time table on this.”

“It’s complicated.”
Jane swirled her drink, fishing out the orange slice. “Complicated

how? Is your lawyer giving you trouble?”

“His lawyer is. He won’t fucking sell. I’ve been over the contract

a hundred times. There’s no way for me to buy him out unless he
agrees.”

Jane leaned up, stretching, but Colin’s gaze went fuzzy on the

drink in front of him. Things just felt off tonight. He couldn’t put his
finger on it, nor could he shake the sensation that something was
going to go wrong. “It’s going to be okay. These things tend to work
themselves out with time.”

“I hope so.”
“Is Captain Cavanaugh picking you up tonight?”
Colin’s gaze snapped to Jane. “You know him?”

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“I know of him,” she said.
The muscles in Colin’s jaw locked in a funny way. “How?”
Jane frowned and shook her head. “You really don’t watch the

local news, do you?”

She leaned forward when he merely raised his brows and drained

his glass. Despite her teasing, he really wanted to hear what she had to
say. Of course, Jane was taking her good old time getting around to it.
She grinned as she flipped the ledgers closed.

“Jane...” he warned.
She shrugged seductively. “He has a reputation for being in the

right place at the right time.”

The corner of Colin’s mouth ticked upward before he could stop

it. “Oh, yeah? How do you know all this?”

“My brother works with him, Lt. Mike Rodgers. Rumor has it that

no one dies when he goes on a run. He’s just really good at saving
lives.”

You’re not dying on my watch, motherfucker. “I’m sure he can be

persuasive.”

“He was there the night of your accident, wasn’t he?” Jane asked.
“He saved my life.”
Jane reached out her hand and gripped his hand tightly. She was a

close a friend. “You need a ride tonight?”

“Nope. I went ahead and bought a new car.”
“What’d you get?”
He smiled. “A used Jeep Wrangler.”
Jane rolled her eyes. “You really won’t buy new cars?”
He shook his head. “The Audi was as new as it got, being ten

years old.”

“How old is the Jeep?”
His grin was fast. “You don’t want to know.”
She picked up the books. “I’ll see you tomorrow night, chef.”
“Night, Jane.”

High Heat

Colin sat there for a long while listening to the quiet hum that

came with the sound of an empty restaurant. He closed his eyes. He
didn’t want to think about how happy he was in his personal life right
now. Business could be better. Bottom line, he didn’t like the idea of
being owned by someone. Colin collected the glasses. He put the
empties in the bin behind the bar and put the vodka bottle back on the
rack.

A flash of something caught the corner of Colin’s eye as he

glanced toward the door that opened to the kitchen. Smoke seeped
beneath the door, snaking upward. Fire.

Panic raced through Colin’s body. He should make the call. His

cell phone was out and against his ear before he reached for the fire
extinguisher behind the bar. He yanked the pin from the handle just as
the operator was coming online.

“9-1-1. What is your emergency?”
“I’d like to report a fire. 478 Poppy Lane. I’m the owner of The

Eden.”

“Is anyone in the building?”
“Just me.”
Colin tried to shove open the door, but thick, black smoke

punched him in the face. He started coughing as he stumbled
backward.

“Fire and Rescue is on the way. Sir, I’d recommend that you leave

the building now and wait for fire department outside.”

Half the kitchen was up in flames. The sprinkler system kicked

on, but it was not enough to fight the fire. He pointed and shot the fire
extinguisher into the flames sprinting up the wall, losing his cell
phone in the process. He heard it smack against the tile and skid
across the floor. The fire extinguisher ran dry, and he tossed it aside.
There was another at the other end of the bar. Colin grabbed it just as
he saw the lights of a police cruiser flash across the parking lot. The
door was locked. Fuck me.

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He raced across the dining room and unlocked the door. He turned

and ran back to the fire. He had to stop the flames before he lost
everything. He couldn’t lose everything when he was about to have it
all. An explosion in the kitchen knocked Colin off his feet. He slid
across the floor, knocking his head into the brass footer. Bells rang in
Colin’s head as he struggled to get back on his feet. He knocked over
the barstool he was pulling on as he tried to stand. He went back
down with the stool landing on top of him. Air rushed from his lungs
in a great swoosh.

Colin forced his legs up, but they gave out beneath him. The

dining room was filling with smoke. He shook his head back and
forth, struggling to keep the black from knocking him out. Or was it
the bump on the head doing him in? Blood dripped down the side of
his forehead. Colin pulled himself up using the edge of the bar.
Firefighters stormed through the dining room in full gear. Smoke
clouded his vision. He coughed, unable to catch his breath or move
his feet forward.

Colin fell to the floor.

High Heat

Chapter Eleven

Something cold pressed against Colin’s face. He was flat on his

back and staring up at the night sky. I’ve been here before.

Fresh air blew through the mask and forced its way up into his

nose. Shouts echoed around him. Blue and red lights flashed off the
building. He looked up into the face that hovered above him. Quinn?

It wasn’t Quinn. It was another firefighter. Dark soot covered his

face. Colin reached for the mask on his face. Where was Quinn? He
was working tonight.

“Easy now.”
Colin sat up, holding the mask to his face. The fire was out, but

steam billowed up from the back of The Eden. Colin sat on a
stretcher. He pulled the mask away. A blood pressure cuff was on his
arm and an oxygen sensor on his finger. A group of firefighters came
from inside the restaurant. The big one in the middle was the one he
recognized. Quinn ripped his helmet and mask off his face as he sat
down to unload his oxygen tank. Sweat dripped from his dark hair
down his face. Anguish vibrated through his blue eyes as they locked
onto Colin’s.

“I’m fine,” Colin said.
“Take your time. I get paid to hang with you.”
Colin ripped off the blood pressure cuff and the tab on his finger.

He was so done with the medical poking. “I’m good.”

The paramedic didn’t look like he believed him. Colin wanted to

run for Quinn and throw himself into his arms, but he resisted the
urge by clamping down his back teeth hard. Everything I’ve worked
so hard for is gone. Just gone. It would take weeks to renovate. He

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didn’t have money for renovations and a buyout of his silent partner.
Oh, fuck me hard. All of his staff would be without paid jobs for
weeks. He’d lose some of the best. That was just the way the world
worked.

Police officers went to talk with Quinn. They took a long time

talking and looking at the building now smoking with black embers.
A police officer and Quinn finally made their way over a few minutes
later. Colin stood up off the stretcher, feeling a little unbalanced.

Quinn ripped off his coat, dropping it to the ground, and next

came gloves. The back of his hand was raw and burnt. A paramedic
was already at his side attending the wound.

“Looks like second degree,” Quinn said.
“You want to go in?” the paramedic asked.
“Nope. Bandage me up. I’ll be okay.”
“What the hell started it?” Colin asked.
“I don’t know. Investigators are in there now,” Quinn said. “Were

you the only one in the building when you smelled smoke?”

“Jane left a half hour before. I noticed the fire in the kitchen when

I cleaned up a few things behind the bar.”

Quinn frowned. “It was probably accidental. A cook probably left

something on.”

Colin turned away and ran a hand through his hair. There were

cops around his Jeep. What the fuck were they staring at? One of
them whistled.

“Yo, Pope! Come give this a look.”
The cop by Quinn’s side went to his car and Colin followed. He

sensed that Quinn was a step behind. Someone had gone to work on
his Jeep with a baseball bat.

He turned away. He was going to be sick. He threw up in the

ditch, tossing what little was in his stomach. When he came up for air,
Quinn was there with a blue cloth. Colin took it.

“Talk,” Quinn said.
“Someone’s been stalking me for the last two months.”

High Heat

There was a fierce, protective fire to Quinn’s eye that made Colin

feel oddly comforted. He didn’t want to pay attention to the feeling
for very long.

“Who?”
“I don’t fucking know.” Colin watched as the firefighters checked

for hot spots. He couldn’t stand to watch The Eden burn. “I need to
get out of here.”

“I’ll send a police officer to your house to get your statement,”

Quinn said.

It was the last thing he wanted to do, but he knew it was past time

having it done. A shiver of fear spiraled through his body. My house.
Quinn read his mind and the fear on his face. It was all coming
together in Quinn’s mind now. He went to talk with the police officer,
who was on the radio within seconds. Colin got into his Jeep and hit
Mountain Parkway at a fly.

* * * *

White light from the security lighting glowed around Colin’s

house. Relief poured through his body as he drove up to the front.
There were two police officers walking from around the corner of the
house to the driveway. One clicked off the flashlight in his hand. The
female officer’s gaze cut to the house while she said something on her
radio. The male officer’s gaze went to the hood of Colin’s Jeep. His
eyes widened a little before they settled on Colin.

Colin shut off the Jeep and got out. The male officer took the lead.
“I’m Officer Row. This is Steele,” Row said. “We’re here to get

your statement.”

He wanted and longed to have Quinn at his side as he spoke with

the police officers, but he knew it wouldn’t be happening anytime
soon with all that was still going on at The Eden. “We can do this
inside.”

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Colin unlocked the front door and disengaged the alarm and

internal motion sensors. He led them into the kitchen where Colin
went to the freezer to get a bag of frozen peas from the fridge. He
pressed it against his forehead and sat down at the table.

Steele stood with her hands on her belt. “Start at the beginning.”
“A few months ago, I noticed things were out of place in my

house. Like being moved and put in another spot,” he said.

“Did you have a security system then?” Row asked.
He blushed. “I got one a few days later when I noticed some of

my boxers missing from the laundry basket.”

“Ex-girlfriend?” Steele asked.
“Nope. I’m gay. So you’d have to ask me about boyfriends. My

last one was three years ago. We’re not friends, and we’re not
enemies. He lives in Manhattan.”

Row seemed to roll his eyes by looking at Steele like Yeah, right.

Colin was so not dealing with this homophobic shit tonight.

“Just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I sleep around.”
“Are you seeing anyone now?” Row asked.
Colin stiffened. He wasn’t sure if Quinn was out. He suspected

that he wasn’t to everyone. Quinn never hid the fact that he was gay,
but he didn’t advertise it either.

“I’m dating someone.”
“Give us his name,” Row said.
“I’d rather not.”
Colin heard the front door open and close with the beep-beep of

the alarm. He glanced and saw Quinn striding through the hallway.
He was still on duty, but he was here. That meant everything to him.
He came over to Colin and ran a possessive hand over his shoulder
before releasing it.

“By not giving us his name, you’re compromising our police

investigation. We’re investigating an arson here,” Steele said.

“Captain Cavanaugh? They want to know who my lover is,” Colin

said.

High Heat

“I’d tell them,” Quinn said.
“His name is Quinn Cavanaugh.”
Row’s gaze went between the two men before he settled it back

on Colin. “Okay, is there anyone else?” He cleared his throat. “I mean
business enemies?”

“I’ve been in Boone a little over a year. I haven’t had any

problems with anyone I’ve spoken to.”

“What about someone from your past?” Row asked.
“There isn’t anyone. Family or friends. No one that I feel I’ve

wronged or they’ve wronged me.”

“Do you have any video cameras set up here?” Row asked.
“Not yet.”
“I’d think about putting some up around your house,” Steele said.

“Do you have any firearms in the house for protection?”

“No.”
Next, they’d be asking him to get a bodyguard. It was clear that

this conversation was over. Steele passed her business card across the
table. “Call us if anything else happens. Your problems seem to be
escalating. You need to be careful.”

“I understand.”
“We can let ourselves out,” Row said.
Quinn followed them to the door, but Colin couldn’t hear what

they were saying from where he was. Colin tossed the bag of peas
back into the freezer and pressed his hands against the counter,
closing his eyes. He needed balance in his life. He heard Quinn come
back through the hallway.

Quinn reached out, wrapping his arms around Colin’s waist from

behind. Tears misted Colin’s eyes. He almost lost The Eden tonight.
He didn’t want to think about what could’ve happened had he not
called the fire department. Colin felt Quinn’s gentle kisses on the
back of his neck.

“You okay?” Quinn asked.

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Colin turned so that their heads touched. “I will be. Do they know

what caused the fire?”

“The bread warmer was left on.”
“Fuck.”
“It’s going to be okay, babe. Trust me. We’ll get through this

together.”

“I know.”
“I want you to keep the alarm on while you’re home, okay? All

the time, and don’t open the door for anyone.”

“Do you have to go back to work tonight?” Colin asked.
“Yeah, babe. I do. I’ll stop by tomorrow morning when I get off.

We can talk then.”

Colin wrapped his arms around Quinn’s waist. They kissed in a

sweet brushing of lips that was as passionate as it was erotic. Colin
pulled away.

“Thanks for being here for me.”
Quinn nipped at Colin’s lips and ran his hand over his jaw. “I

wouldn’t be anywhere else. Sleep well tonight. We’ll get The Eden
back up and running in no time.”

High Heat

Chapter Twelve

Morning sunlight cut through the pines, illuminating Colin’s

house like a beacon. Quinn shut off his truck and looked around. He
didn’t like how isolated Colin’s house was. He made a mental note to
check on the security system while he was inside. On his way over, he
stopped by the store and bought a set of seven cameras for the house.
He was going to install them today. While he was at it, he swung
through the grocery store, too. He knew Colin wouldn’t have anything
in the house to eat.

After things settled down this morning, he called Samantha to let

her know what Colin was dealing with now. She made some
comments about talking with Colin about some things that happened
to him in his past. Quinn didn’t like not knowing everything about his
lover. Most of all, he wanted to know who damaged him so badly that
he no longer trusted anyone.

Before things went further in their relationship, Quinn needed to

figure out how he could get Colin to trust him. That meant he had to
find a way to get his lover to talk. He rang the doorbell, holding the
bags in his arms as he waited. Colin opened the door, shirtless and
obviously fresh from a swim. He reached out and grabbed the bags.

Quinn swallowed hard, trying not to get distracted by those erotic

piercings in his nipples. “Groceries and an update to your home
security.”

Colin leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “Thanks.”
Progress. Their eyes locked. Finally, he wasn’t running from what

they had together. Colin moved back from the door and headed down
the hallway, not waiting. Distracted, Quinn let his gaze move from his

Tatum Throne

bare feet, up over his swim trunks, and over the few tattoos on his
back. There was a tribal tattoo right above his ass that made Quinn’s
dick flex out and punch his tactical pants.

They put the groceries away.
“How’d you sleep?” Quinn asked.
Colin flipped open the plastic box of strawberries and rinsed them

before dropping them into a bowl. “I was restless. It took me a while
to fall asleep.”

They went through the kitchen and out onto the gallery. Colin

placed the bowl of red, ripe strawberries onto the patio table. The
newspaper was spread out over the table. Front page news was the fire
at The Eden. They were calling it accidental. Colin wasn’t sure what
he believed. Quinn sat down at the table across from Colin.

“I talked with the detective this morning. He mentioned that there

have been some problems,” Quinn began.

“Some odd things have been happening,” Colin said. “They

started a month before my car accident.”

Quinn felt his blood pressure start to rise, but he kept it in check

by listening and by snagging one of the strawberries from the bowl.
“What things?”

“I started noticing odd things in the house. Things that were

moved around or knocked over. That’s why I got the security
system.”

An ex-lover, had to be. Who else would have such a personal

vendetta against Colin? “Who do you think is doing it?”

Colin ran a hand over the back of his neck. “I don’t know.”
“Ex-lover?”
He glared. “Nope.”
“I’m just trying to help, babe. Let me in.”
“I know. It’s just frustrating,” Colin said. “It’s not easy for me to

get close with people. I don’t know who it could be.”

Quinn reached out his hand and held Colin’s, leaning forward.

“Then it’s someone from your past.”

High Heat

Every muscle in Colin’s forearm flexed taut. Bingo. There was

something in his past that he was running from. Now, if he could get
his lover to trust him.

“I don’t know,” Colin said.
“I’m going to move in with you until this thing is settled. I don’t

like the idea of you being alone out here.”

“You can’t be with me all the time, Quinn. We both have jobs.”
“I have vacation time I need to take here soon. I want to help you

oversee the renovations on The Eden, too, once things are cleared
with the insurance.”

Colin cursed, shaking his head. “This makes the buyout of my

silent partner impossible.”

“There’s something you need to know,” Quinn began. “I’m your

silent partner.”

“What the fuck? How?” Colin asked.
“Samantha. She mentioned you were looking for investors. I told

her I wanted in. I knew you wouldn’t take the money if you knew it
came from me, so I didn’t want you to know.”

“You don’t have that type of money,” Colin said.
“I had some saved. I sold my collection of knives to get the rest.”
“I wish you would’ve told me.”
Quinn tightened his hold on Colin’s hand. “Why? So you could’ve

said no? We’re partners in The Eden, and it’s going to stay that way,
at least for now.”

His heart was hammering. There was still a chance Colin could

push him away. “Say something.”

“I wish you would’ve told me.”
“I’m telling you now,” Quinn said. “Don’t be angry with me.”
Emotions played through Colin’s green eyes. Up close, Quinn

could see that there were black, heart-shaped flecks on the irises of his
eyes. It wasn’t surprising when he pulled away. They’d been virtually
fighting through his lawyer for months. Colin paced the tile by the

High Heat

Chapter Thirteen

All the air left Colin in a whoosh. He thought he was going to pass

out and wake up on the floor. He paced back and forth, taking deep
breaths. The tingling sensation started to make his head buzz. All
those bizarre conditions in the contract he signed, like The Eden had
to stay East Coast. Now it all made sense.

“Say something, Colin.”
Colin ran his hands through his hair. “I don’t know what to say. I

had no idea. I’m just sort of stunned.”

“It’s going to be okay. We’ll get The Eden up and running.”
We’ll. His stomach had knots in it. Their business partnership was

too much like a marriage. Colin felt like he was played right into
Quinn’s arms. All this time, he had no idea. Quinn circled around the
patio table, closing the distance between them. He came in close. So
close that the loops of his nipple piercings flipped up against Quinn’s
work shirt. Quinn slid his hands up his neck to caress his jaw.

Quinn nipped, giving him a kiss. “Babe. Don’t shut me out. I

know there’s more. I can see it in your eyes. Trust me. Let me take
care of you.”

Colin felt unsteady and yet balanced when he was being held by

Quinn. He held on tight to his waist. “Did Sam tell you?”

“Sam doesn’t share secrets, babe. Trust me.”
Their eyes were locked. “I grew up in foster care. I spent three

years in a group home for boys getting the shit beat out of me.”

“I’m sorry.”
Colin could hear the dangerous tone of his voice. “Don’t feel

sorry for me. I made it out. I made something of myself.”

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Relief moved through Quinn’s gaze. His hands caressed, drawing

him closer. “Your mother and father?”

“My mother was a prostitute. I never knew my father. He was

probably one of her johns.”

Quinn’s hands tightened possessively on Colin’s jaw. “You’re

mine, Colin. I’ll never let anything bad happen to you again. I
promise.”

Their lips brushed, teasingly. Quinn licked his way into his mouth,

dominating and giving. Colin reluctantly pulled away. He wanted to
stand here all day kissing the man he loved. Whoa. Loved. He never
expected the love of his life to return to his arms.

“Let’s get these cameras up,” Quinn said.
There were seven cameras Quinn wanted to put up. They wired

two to the front of the house. Two were put at angles off the roof to
catch the sides of the house, and the last two were going up behind the
house.

“Do you have electricity running outside to power the waterfall?”

Quinn asked.

“Over on the hillside. Are you putting the last camera up there?”
Heat from the midday sun rained down on both of them. Sweat

dripped off of Quinn’s brow. He used his bare shoulder to catch it
from going into his eyes. His Mediterranean skin tone was red from
the sun’s rays. He’d taken his shirt off an hour ago. Colin watched the
muscles in Quinn’s back go to work as he wired the camera into the
electricity running through the hillside. He strategically hid the
camera within a break in the rocks. The rocks were just above the
waterfall platform. Quinn checked the angle of the camera, aiming it
at the back doors of the house.

“It’s going to get covered in the winter, but hopefully we’ll catch

this guy before that’s an issue.”

“You’re convinced my stalker is a man?” Colin asked.
Their eyes locked as Quinn dusted off his hands. “Yes, I am.”
Colin ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “It’s not an ex-lover.”

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101

“I never said it was, babe. I think it’s someone from your past.”
Colin shook his head. He wasn’t buying it. No one from his past

knew that he was down in the Carolinas now. “I don’t know.”

“It doesn’t matter who it is now. I’m sure we’ll catch whoever it is

on these cameras. I can promise you that.”

By the time they finished with the cameras, twilight was on the

horizon. The lights on timers below the surface of the pool switched
on. He watched as Quinn unlaced his work boots, pulled off his socks,
and slipped off his tactical pants. Colin swallowed hard as he saw
Quinn standing naked and proud on the edge of the cliffs. He was
beautiful. Magnificent.

There was a four-inch scar down the side of his leg he’d never

seen before. He was all lean, hard muscle that tapered into thick,
muscled thighs.

“I’m going for a swim.”
Quinn went to the edge of the cliff and flipped off of it into the

deep end of the pool. He waited until Quinn surfaced before letting
the breath he’d been holding onto go. Colin knew if he jumped into
the pool something sexual was bound to happen between them.

Colin wanted Quinn. He always had, always would.
“Join me,” Quinn said.
It was all the prompting Colin needed to jump in with his eyes

wide open. He went to the edge of the cliff and dove in. When Colin
surfaced, Quinn was there waiting for him. They were in the deep end
of the pool, near the waterfall flowing into the pool. Quinn swam him
back until they were beneath the cover of the waterfall. The rough
edge of the rock bumped up against Colin’s back. There was heat in
Quinn’s eyes that made Colin’s dick harden. Heat Colin couldn’t
ignore. Quinn looked down at the silver hoops bobbing up and down
in the water. Quinn kissed his way over his shoulder tenderly, not
rushing anything.

Colin groaned as Quinn’s fingers played with the twin loops. “Did

it hurt getting these piercings?”

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“For a few days it did. The reward is worth it though.”
Quinn thumbed both of his hardened nipples. “You like that?”
“Oh, yes.”
The heat of Quinn’s thick cock brushed up against his abdomen.

“I want you to stand perfectly still. No moving.”

Confusion played through Colin’s mind as Quinn took in a huge

breath and disappeared below the water. His swim trunks were pulled
off. He felt Quinn’s big hands slide up the back of his thighs and
around his cock.

Water cascaded off of Quinn’s face as he surfaced from the water.

He sucked in a deep breath before coming in to kiss Colin
passionately. Their tongues dueled in a lazy erotic dance. He pulled
away and Quinn lifted him up on the ledge beneath the waterfall.
Colin groaned as Quinn lowered his mouth to kiss his cock.

He shuddered as Quinn sucked him deeper. He had no control of

what happened next, and that drove him crazy. He gritted his teeth,
knowing he wouldn’t be able to hold out for very long. Quinn
wrapped his palm around his balls while teasing two fingers over his
anus. Quinn attacked his cock with fast, hard sucks. Pleasure rocketed
through his body. Quinn squeezed his dick, and he exploded. Colin
cried out as his orgasm vibrated his body and shot from his throbbing
cock.

A rumble of thunder sounded in the distance, and lightning danced

across the sky. They both were breathing hard as Quinn pulled away.

“We should go inside,” Colin said.
“I think you’re right.”
Cool nighttime air wrapped around them as they got out of the

pool. They were crossing the patio when Colin thought he saw
something move along the tree line. A ripple of fear knocked his spine
together. Quinn was on top of the rocks gathering up his clothes.
Colin searched the forest, but whatever play of fading light he saw
was no longer there.

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103

When Quinn crossed over the threshold to the kitchen, Colin

locked the door and engaged the alarm.

“Are the cameras on?” Colin asked.
Quinn was coming from the laundry room with two towels. He

had pulled back on his tactical pants, but was still shirtless. He used
one of the towels to dry off his hair. “Yeah. Why?”

“I thought I saw someone in the woods watching us.”
“Let’s check out the cameras to make sure they’re working.”
They crossed together through the living room to his home office.

Quinn sat down in the big leather office chair behind the desk. He
worked the laptop, bringing up the seven cameras on the screen.

“We can control the cameras from here. The one on the corner of

the house should catch the tree line.”

Colin leaned over Quinn’s shoulder as they studied the angles of

the camera. Nothing. Whatever he’d seen was now gone. “I know I
saw someone.”

“I’m sure you did.”
Quinn minimized the screen and pulled up the computer’s hard

drive. “It records, but only the area it’s focused on.”

He pulled up the camera that should’ve caught that section of the

forest and hit play. They watched together. “There,” Colin said. “Did
you see that?”

“Yeah, I did,” Quinn said.
He replayed the frame. The shadowy outline of the man was

blurry. “Do you recognize him?”

The hair looked familiar. Where had he seen him? “I don’t know.

He looks familiar, but I can’t say where I’ve seen him before.”

Quinn sat back, playing with the laptop as he did. “We should call

the police.”

Colin paced back and forth in his office. “Do it.”
Quinn reached for the phone. Colin moved around the office

nervously as he listened to Quinn talk to the police. He hung up a
minute later.

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“They’re sending someone out to take a look around.”
When Colin bought the house, he’d loved all the windows. Now,

he felt like an animal being watched in a cage. The hair on the back of
his neck stood on end. He ran his hands over his neck, trying to make
the feeling go away, but it didn’t. “After New York, I went to France
for a year.” He laughed. “Holy shit.”

“What?” Quinn asked.
“There was a guy that I worked with at this café in France. What

was his name? Dimitri something. He wasn’t from France, but
Poland. He was a student in culinary school. Things about him didn’t
add up, and he was fired by the owner a few weeks after I started in
the kitchen.”

Quinn grabbed a pen and paper from the printer on the desk.

“What did he look like?”

“Just under six feet, brown hair, brown eyes. He was a thin guy.”
“Did he give you a hard time?” Quinn asked.
Colin cursed, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

“Yeah, he’d say things to me in Polish. I thought it was good-natured.
Now, I’m not so sure.”

“I don’t know. It seems like a stretch with this guy,” Quinn said.
“I was thinking the same thing.”
“Are you afraid?” Quinn asked.
Colin ran a hand through his hair. “More frustrated about the

entire situation.”

“I think I should move in here with you for a while.”
Shock made Colin momentarily stunned. He swallowed hard.

“Why would you want to do that?”

“Maybe I want more with you than what we have. What do you

think about that?” Quinn asked.

“I don’t know.”
Quinn brushed his hand over Colin’s arm. “It’s going to be okay,

babe.”

“I know. Thanks for being here, Quinn.”

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105

They kissed. “I’ll talk to the cops when they get here.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ll take care of everything for you, babe. I’m not going

anywhere.”

He was playing the hero. Colin wasn’t used to depending on

anyone. It made him feel reckless and out of control. “I could get used
to this.”

“I hope you will. Go grab a shower. I’ll be up in a few minutes.”

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Chapter Fourteen

Colin undid the towel from around his waist and let it drop to the

tile floor. He flipped on the shower and cranked it up to full steam. He
was chilled to the bone with fear. Hot water soothed the kinks out of
his shoulders.

The security system was on. There was nothing to be afraid of, but

deep down he was scared. He washed quickly, wanting to get back to
Quinn to find out if the police arrived. He dried off and dressed in a
T-shirt and sweats before heading back downstairs.

“Quinn?” he called.
His voice echoed through the house. No answer.
He circled around the foyer table to his office. There were papers

scattered across the floor. “Quinn?”

Colin froze. Quinn was pushed up against the wall with a knife

held at the side of his neck. “Hello, Colin. Introduce me to your
lover?”

Cold fear sliced through Colin’s body, making him suddenly

dizzy. “Ryan, this is Quinn.”

Nothing changed about Ryan Adkin. He still looked like the lost

kid that he was when they were foster siblings in the trailer they
shared for a year. His blond hair curled around his head. Colin could
see Quinn itching to take control of the situation, but for some odd
reason he was holding back.

“What do you want, Ryan?”
“Revenge.”
“Revenge for what?” Colin asked.

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107

The knife drifted off of Quinn’s neck and redirected toward Colin.

With his free hand, Ryan pulled a folded piece of paper from his back
pocket. He threw it at Colin, and it landed on the floor between them.
“I spent six years locked up for crimes I didn’t commit. I want to
know why the fuck you told them I touched Georgia?”

With a shaky hand, Colin picked up the legal paper from the floor.

It was a polygraph report. Whatever was asked, it was clear that Ryan
had passed the exam. “I didn’t tell them that.”

“Liar! I know it was you!”
Colin took a tentative step forward. He could see the pain and

humiliation in Ryan’s eyes. “I know you didn’t touch her.”

Ryan cursed, and the knife in his hand shook. “No. I didn’t! I

couldn’t. I told them that! I told them that I wasn’t into young girls.
They didn’t believe me.” He broke down. Tears formed in his eyes
and flowed over his cheeks. “I’m not a rapist.”

“She lied. You have the proof of that,” Colin said. The knife in

Ryan’s hand shook as the truth settled into Ryan’s soul. “Georgia was
a pathological liar. She lied for sympathy, for attention. She lied to get
out of trouble all the time.”

“Then why did they believe her?” Ryan asked.
“Pathological liars can be convincing. Even they believe what

they’re saying is true.”

He lowered the knife to his side. Quinn came up and pulled it

from his hand. Ryan collapsed to the couch and cried. “All this time, I
thought it was you. I was so bent on getting revenge. Oh, God...your
Jeep. I knew I was making a mistake.”

Colin watched as Quinn bent the knife sideways. “It’s fake.” Ryan

never intended to hurt anyone. He just wanted the truth. “It’s going to
be okay, Ryan. Everything’s going to be okay.”

Ryan stabbed his fingers through his hair as he rocked back and

forth. “I can’t believe I did this to you, Colin. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I
always suspected that she lied.”

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Colin squeezed his shoulder. “We’ll make this right. I don’t know

how, but we’ll find a way to make this right for both of us.”

Lights cut across the windows. The police rolled up to the front of

the house. “I’ll go talk to them,” Quinn said.

“It’s just a misunderstanding. Tell them that everything is okay,”

Colin said.

After Quinn left the room, Colin sat down next to Ryan. “When

did you get out?”

“Two years ago. I was released after an innocence project cleared

my name. It took me a while to find you.” Ryan shook his head.
“Geez, man. I’m sorry about your Jeep.”

Ryan used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe his eyes.
Colin had to know if Ryan had anything to do with his car

accident. “When did you get into town?”

Ryan shook his head. “A week ago.”
“We had a fire at The Eden the same time you did the number on

my Jeep. Did you have anything to do with that?”

“No way, man. I saw that news report about the fire. I had nothing

to do with that fire.”

Their eyes met. Colin was a good judge of character. Ryan was

telling the truth. He had nothing to do with the bread warmer
malfunctioning. “I know you didn’t,” Colin said.

Detective Row and Steele came up to the office door. “Everything

okay in here?” Row asked.

“Yes, it is. Just a complicated situation I’m going to help my

friend Ryan out of,” Colin said.

Tears welled in Ryan’s eyes, and he hung his head. “Colin.”
“We all deserve a second chance. It’s about time you had yours,”

Colin said.

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Chapter Fifteen

Quinn was afraid Colin wasn’t going to show up at the station.

They all had a late night explaining to detectives Row and Steele
about the situation with Ryan. From what Ryan said, it sounded like
the entire case against him was mishandled by the police at the time.
Charges should’ve never been filed. Poor Ryan was walking around
with a polygraph in his back pocket trying to prove to everyone he
wasn’t a rapist.

The station’s barn doors were standing wide open. Quinn and

Rodgers were standing outside enjoying the nighttime air.

“Nice night,” Rodgers said.
The corner of Quinn’s mouth lifted. “Yes, it is. Where’s James?”
“I think I just saw him heading toward the bathroom with a sports

magazine.”

“Want me to go get the hose?” Quinn asked.
“Yeah, I would. He’s going to be screaming in a few minutes.”
Quinn worked the hose from the side of the truck, dragging it

through the garage. They set up camp outside of the bathroom doors
and waited. A shout erupted from the bathroom. The pepper spray
Quinn applied to the toilet seat was hitting home. As soon as the door
opened, Rodgers let go with the hose. Water shot from the nozzle,
hitting James in the ass.

“What the fuck?” James yelled.
“Thought you could use some water to put the fire out,” Rodgers

said.

“You better watch your asses! Game. On,” James warned.

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James sloshed away from the bathroom and back into the

dormitory. Quinn was putting away the hose when Colin pulled up in
his beat-up Jeep. Quinn went out to the driver’s side.

“Hey, babe,” Quinn said.
“Hey.”
There was distance in Colin’s gaze. Quinn knew he was getting

scared. It had nothing to do with the situation with Ryan. This was all
about the situation between the two of them. Colin nervously messed
with the stick between the seats.

“Did you meet with the contractor?” Quinn asked.
“Yeah, he’s going to get started on it next week. He said it will

probably take four weeks.”

“Four weeks. That’s not bad,” Quinn said.
“No. It’s good news. I was going to update the sprinkler system.”
“That’s a good idea. Remember that fire at Kalen?” Quinn asked.
Colin chuckled. “Sam was determined to put that fire out.”
“She was lucky Austin stopped her.”
Quinn reached into the Jeep and brushed the back of his fingers

across his freckled forearm. He didn’t want to admit the fact that he
liked seeing Colin out of his chef’s whites. “What’s bothering you,
babe?”

“I can’t get past the fact that you’ve been lying to me. Why didn’t

you tell me that you wanted in on the business partnership?”

“I didn’t want you to turn me down. I knew that if I gave you the

option, you would have.”

Colin shook his head and blew out a jagged breath. “I can’t do this

with you now. I’m sorry. I don’t think we should do this.”

“Do what?” Quinn demanded.
“Us.”
Their eyes locked. Quinn wanted to grab onto Colin and hold onto

him with everything he had, but he knew if he did, he’d lose Colin
forever. “Is this what you want?”

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111

He nodded. “It has to be this way. I can’t do this right now. I can’t

take the risk.”

“So, you’d rather not even try?”
Colin started his Jeep. “I’m sorry, Quinn. I have to go.”
Quinn backed away from Colin’s Jeep. There was nothing he

could do to keep Colin from running away from him. He watched
Colin’s Jeep until it disappeared down Mountain Parkway. His heart
was bleeding out, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Tears
misted his eyes. He would not cry about this. Not tonight.

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Chapter Sixteen

Dinner service was well underway and going strong. The

restoration of The Eden had taken a little over five weeks. Colin felt
relieved to be healthy on all fronts. His hand felt good. His leg was
less aggravated. He even had a new dishwasher working in the back.
Ryan was hands deep in the sink, loading the industrial dishwasher.
He was going to work off the cost of the repairs on the Jeep little by
little each week.

Life was as good as it was supposed to be. At least he kept telling

himself that. Every time he closed his eyes to go to bed, he dreamt of
Quinn. He woke up wanting and needing Quinn. Then there were the
news stories he scoured the television for every night. Anytime there
was a fire, Colin had to hear about every detail for that one chance to
see Quinn. Throughout the day, he found himself reaching for the
phone, and temptation had him wanting to dial him at the station. It
didn’t help that he had to drive past the station every time he drove
home.

He even slowed down to add a few minutes of torture to his

commute. You’re such a pussy. Just call him and tell him you’re
sorry.

It was hard to call the man he loved after five weeks of dead air.

Colin closed his eyes as he tried to pull himself together. He loved
Quinn, but why was it so difficult to tell him that?

Jane snapped a ticket from the machine. “Ordering...one crab

salad, two cedar plank salmon...ordering...one truffle hamburger, two
crab salads, one Caesar salad.”

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113

She looked down the line toward Ryan. She had a funny look on

her face as she regarded him closely. Ryan did a double take when he
felt the caress of her eyes on him. The snap of electricity was almost
tangible. Jane glanced nervously away.

“Where’s my fucking crab? I need crabs through my pass,

people.”

Laughter rang out from the line. Yes, it was good to be home.

Everyone was feeling the rush of it. He should have been complete
with happiness, but he wasn’t. Something was missing, and Colin
knew exactly what that one thing was. Quinn.

The phone in the kitchen rang, and a passing waiter answered. He

grabbed a pen and piece of paper and started writing furiously. He
hung up the phone and went to Jane with the note.

“What the fuck is this?” Jane snapped. “We’re not doing fucking

take out. Call them back and tell them to hit one of the chains.”

Colin rolled his eyes and decided to intervene before it spun

further out of control. “What’s up?”

Jane held up the ticket. There was mirth behind the anger in her

eyes. Something was up. “When did we start doing delivery?”

“We don’t,” Colin took the ticket and read it. “Put it on the line.”
“What?” Jane asked.
“Put it on the line. It’s for the firehouse.”
Jane stared at the ticket as though it’d caught fire. “How do you

know?”

“Only Captain Cavanaugh would do something like this.

Andrew?” Colin called to his sous chef.

“Yes, chef?”
“Find some takeout boxes for this order.”
“Yes, chef.”
“You’re really going to deliver this to them?” Jane asked.
“Yes. I am.”
There was no keeping Colin away from the edge of the line as

Andrew made up the takeout for the fire station. Colin’s heart was

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racing out of his chest as he saw the order being filled. He was going
to drive the order over personally to the station. He knew he was
playing the game Quinn started, but he didn’t care. Something other
than desire was pushing Colin to go see Quinn. It felt as though fate
lit a fire under his ass on this and wouldn’t put out the fire until he
was in Quinn’s strong arms.

When the order was pushed through the pass and bagged, Colin

collected the three big bags and headed out the back door. The whirl
of silence following in his wake had him stopping by the back door.
“Get the fuck back to work!”

Pans started clanking over the flames again as the door slid shut

behind him. Colin stowed the bags in the back of his Jeep and drove
the ten minutes to the fire station. His heart was hammering at the
thought of seeing Quinn again. He headed through the open garage
doors and knocked on the doors that led to the main rooms.

Jane’s brother Rodgers answered the door. “I have the delivery

from The Eden.”

The corner of Rodgers’s mouth ticked upward. “Come on in. You

can put it on the ping-pong table. It’s down the hallway, last room on
the right.”

There was no sign of Quinn anywhere in the living area he

stepped into. Noises echoed down the hallway. A man’s voice carried
through the hall from a workout room.

Colin hesitated by the open doorway. In the front of the room,

Quinn was shirtless. Sweat covered his body in a golden sheen.
Colin’s physical response was instantaneous with blood rushing
through his body to make his heart pound.

“Come on Cav, give us a break. It’s almost dinnertime. We’re not

going to be able to save lives if you kill us.”

“Sanders, you can stay. The rest of you can go.”
“You’ve been an ass for the last five weeks, Cav.”
He didn’t want to be caught watching the man he loved working

out.

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Loved. I do love him. The truth was that he loved Quinn, always

had and always would. Colin set the bags on the ping-pong table. The
sound of a door shutting had him looking around. Quinn was standing
there shirtless with a towel draped around his shoulders. He rubbed
the sweat from his face.

“Hey,” Quinn said.
Nerves had Colin putting his hands on his hips and then dropping

them away. He turned back to the food and pretended to be busy with
things that weren’t important. “Hi. How are you?”

There was a long pause that had Colin looking over his shoulder

at Quinn. He looked like he was an emotional wreck. Colin’s eyes
widened slightly. It looked as though Quinn had lost weight. There
were dark circles under his eyes that were almost hidden by his warm
complexion.

“Not bad.”
“I brought your order,” Colin said.
“I didn’t order anything.”
“Oh? Well, someone at the station did.” He wasn’t going to make

this easy, was he? Colin took a deep breath and let it go. He couldn’t
turn back around to look at the man he loved. “I made a mistake. I’m
sorry.”

He sensed Quinn coming in close behind him. The heat of his

breath caressed the back of his neck. Quinn wrapped his towel around
him and cinched him in close. Colin felt his smile as the corner of
Quinn’s mouth touched his ear.

“Oh? About what?” Quinn asked.
“About us. I shouldn’t have run from what we have.” Colin closed

his eyes as Quinn’s lips skimmed the back of his neck. “I want
another chance with you.” Silence. “Say something, Quinn.”

“Say what you need, babe. I’m listening.”
“I was afraid. I thought if I shut you out now, I wouldn’t get hurt.

I hurt both of us when I pushed you away.”

“It’s okay, babe. I won’t ever hurt you.”

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Quinn turned in his lover’s arms. “I know. I’ve never given my

heart to anyone. I don’t know how to give it to you.”

Quinn reached out and pulled him closer by his chef’s whites. “I

can’t live without you, Colin. I’m playing for keeps now, understand?
If you come back to me, I won’t let you go without a fistfight.”

He swallowed hard. “Keeps? Shouldn’t we take this slow.”
“We have, babe. Too slow. I just spent the last two years of my

life living without you. I’m not going to spend another minute of my
life alone.”

“I don’t know.”
“What don’t you know about us?” Quinn asked.
“It’s difficult for me. Everyone I’ve ever loved has walked away

from me.”

“I won’t walk away from you.”
Voices carried close to the room, causing Colin to move away.
Quinn cleared his throat. “I need to hit the showers, babe. Don’t

shut me out. We can talk about this later.”

There was heat in Quinn’s voice that hit Colin hard in the heart.

“When do you get off of work?”

“Eight tomorrow morning. I’ll swing by your place on my way

home. I want you to be there.”

The command was one of an alpha marking his territory. Colin

felt a shiver of desire spin through his body.

“We’ll talk then.”

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Chapter Seventeen

Colin baked when he was nervous. He swung by the grocery on

his way home from work and stocked up his kitchen. He made two
cherry pies and three apple streusels. He was about to start on hand
dipped truffles when he realized he had to do something else to
occupy his time. The counter was getting crowded.

The morning ticked by at a crawl as he waited for Quinn to arrive.

There were only so many stations on the television. It was nearly ten
in the morning when he heard Quinn’s truck pull into the driveway. A
call must have kept him out later. Colin turned off the television and
tossed the remote across the couch. He jumped up and over the back
of the couch to catch the door before Quinn knocked. He opened the
door as Quinn was coming down the driveway. A shiver of heat spun
through Colin’s body as he watched Quinn’s long strides eat away the
pavement.

“Hey,” said Colin.
“Hey, babe.”
Quinn came in close, taking ownership of his lips. Colin melted

into Quinn’s strong arms as Quinn walked him backward into the
house. The door was kicked closed by Quinn, and he turned Colin up
against the doors. They kissed until they were both breathing hard and
Colin’s cock was beating like a bass drum.

Quinn broke away. “I’ve been waiting for five weeks to do that to

you.”

“Me, too,” Colin took a deep breath as he let his hands find

Quinn’s. “We need to talk.”

Quinn pulled Colin by the hands into the living room. “About?”

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“Us.”
“I’m listening, babe.”
Colin gave Quinn’s hands a firm squeeze before letting go. He

paced away then back in close. “I’m ready to settle down with you,
and I want you to move in with me.”

“Are you trying to ask me something?” Quinn asked.
Colin paced again. He didn’t know how to tell the man he loved

that he loved him other than to just say it. “I want you. I can’t imagine
living my life without you. I’m sorry I stayed away so long,” Colin
said. “I just needed time.”

“You don’t need to explain. I know you needed space to see what

we had together.”

It was true. Quinn knew him so well. Colin was a man that needed

time to figure things out before he moved forward. Now, he could
move on with his life with the man he loved. If Quinn was willing to
have him back.

“You know me like no other person in the world,” Colin

whispered. “I love you, Quinn. I love you. You’re everything I ever
wanted and thought I could never have.”

“I love you, Colin. I always have and always will.”
Quinn came in close, wrapping his arms around Colin’s waist.

“What is it you want of me, Colin?”

“I want you to be mine. Forever.”
“Done. Now what?” Quinn grinned.
Tears rushed to Colin’s eyes. “Oh, Quinn.”
“I love you and you’re mine. I want everything with you. I want

the life we’re meant to have together,” Quinn said.

Colin ran his hands through Quinn’s hair. “I do, too.”
Their lips met in the middle. They kissed passionately, holding

nothing back for what they felt for each other. Colin never imagined
that his true and only love would come back to him. He never
imagined that his Quinn would take him back after hurting him so
badly. Now that he had Quinn back in his arms, he wasn’t about to let

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him go. Their hands laced together and dropped down to their sides.
He wanted to be loved by Quinn for the rest of his life.

“I want you to move in with me,” Colin said.
Quinn hugged him tightly. “Yes, I’ll move in with you. My lease

is up in a week.”

“I was so afraid you’d say no.”
“I was waiting for you, babe.” Quinn kissed him fully. “We’re

going to spend the rest of our lives together. I want to give you
everything. I want to give you a real home and a family.”

“Quinn.”
“You’re going to meet my family. We can have dinner with my

mom and dad this week.”

“You want me to meet your parents?”
“Of course. They’re going to love you.” Quinn danced Colin into

his arms. “They’ve been waiting for me to settle down. I think it’s
about time I did.”

Tears misted Colin’s eyes. It was what he always longed for and

was afraid he’d never have. “Quinn...what if I’m not good enough for
you.”

“Don’t say that. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

My family is going to love you, babe. There’s nothing you need to be
afraid of. They won’t leave you and neither will I.”

Quinn leaned down and brushed his lips against Colin’s in a sweet

kiss.

“I have something I want to show you. Close your eyes,” Colin

said.

Quinn grinned. “I love surprises.”
“Keep them closed. No peeking.”
Colin led Quinn toward the stairs. “Okay, we’re at the stairs.”
Quinn followed him up and kept his eyes closed the entire time.

Colin led him down the hallway and into the spare bedroom. Sunlight
filtered through the curtains, making rays of light dance across the
floor. Colin felt his heart racing as he let go of Quinn’s hand. Amber

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walls and velvet curtains made the room perfect for loving. The round
bed in the center of the room hung from chains.

“Open your eyes.”
Quinn opened his eyes and let out a sigh full of emotion. “You did

this for us?”

“For us.”
Their hands twined as they looked at the playroom Colin created

for both of them. Quinn looked around the room before locking his
eyes on Colin’s. Heat and lust made his blue eyes sparkle. Quinn
cleared his throat several times.

“Undress,” Quinn ordered.
Colin obeyed his lover, letting his clothes hit the floor. His cock

hung heavy as he watched Quinn strip his work clothes away.

“Get on the bed,” Quinn said.
The bed swung gently as Colin crawled on all fours. Quinn came

to the edge where his cock could be sucked easily.

“Suck me, Colin.”
Colin stroked Quinn’s dick with his hand before he tipped his

cock into his mouth. He sucked him hard, making Quinn weak in the
knees before he was stilled. Quinn’s dick pulsated in his mouth. Colin
stroked his tongue under the hard ridge of his cockhead. Quinn fisted
his hands in Colin’s hair, stilling him.

“On your back, sub.”
Pre-cum dripped from Colin’s cock and onto his abs as he lay

back. Colin heard the flip of the lube bottle that was sitting on the
stand by the bed, and it nearly made him come. Quinn lifted up
Colin’s legs as he kneeled onto the bed. Colin spread his legs up as
Quinn tipped his cock between the crack of his ass. Quinn stroked
inside, topping his lover and taking him with short, hard strokes.
Sunlight made Quinn’s skin glisten. He looked like a warrior taking
his lover after a long-fought battle.

“Tell me you love me,” Colin begged.
“I love you, babe. I...love...you.”

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Quinn’s hand fisted Colin’s cock, stroking him. Colin’s dick

clenched, and cum shot from his cock before he could stop it from
happening. Quinn pulled his cock out of Colin and came with him.
They kissed tenderly. Colin had everything he ever wanted in his life
right here. He was not about to fuck it up ever again by getting scared.
Quinn tucked Colin in close, holding him tenderly. Colin’s eyes
drifted closed as he settled into his lover’s arms.

“Do you remember the first time we met in New York?” Colin

asked.

“Yeah, I do. You were short staffed and getting ready for some

executive party.”

“I nearly burnt my hand when Samantha walked you through the

kitchen,” Colin admitted.

“I saw.”
“I’ve always wanted you,” Colin said. “I knew the first day I met

you in New York.”

Quinn’s grin was fast. “That was the day I fell in love with you,

too.”

THE END

WWW.TATUMTHRONE.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tatum Throne has a master’s degree in social work. She left the

field of medical social work to be a stay-at-home mom and to pursue
her dreams of writing romance. She has three rambunctious boys with
her husband, AJ, and two rowdy hamsters named Nibbler and CJ.
They’ve recently added a rabbit named Coco to the mix.

When not indulging her fantasies, Tatum enjoys baking chocolate

chip cookies, hiking, spending time with her family, and spreading
awareness of eosinophilic disorders. Tatum is a member of RWA and
lives with her family in a tiny suburb outside of Cincinnati.

High Heat is Ms. Throne’s fifth book.

For all titles by Tatum Throne, please visit