OVERTIME (42 page)

“No, gross would be me not washing that table cloth before using it again.”

Before the bickering could continue, they were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Landry jerked around and his eyes flew to the spot where a very large and extremely muscular man stood. He struck an imposing figure with his physique but then add all the tattoos he had into the mix and Landry gulped back a whimper. As if that wasn’t enough to make him consider melting into a puddle of sexual need, Landry was pretty certain he saw some piercings lurking beneath the tight T-shirt the man was wearing. On one hand everything about the man screamed sex appeal. On the other? Landry sensed something…terrifying. It wasn’t like he felt the man was dangerous. He was just
dangerous
—as in Landry needed to be careful or he could find himself in spot he’d never been in before. A spot like where Jagger was at the moment.

Colton wore a cute frown as he tucked the tablecloth around Jagger’s hips, ensuring the man wasn’t seeing more than what was allowed. Jagger snorted and shook his head in disbelief at Colton.

“What?” Colton asked.

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it’s that I don’t have a clue how you intend to fuck me in front of everybody on that center-stage fuck bench at Island House if you try to cover every inch of me up whenever another person walks into the room,” Jagger explained with a sexy smirk. “Am I going to have to wait another four long years before you fulfill that promise too?”

“Good Lord; what have I created?” Colton answered with a smile. “No, baby, you won’t have to wait four long years.” He grinned and leaned over to place a quick kiss on Jagger’s lips. “But it looks like you will have to wait a bit longer. I’m apparently more possessive and jealous than I ever realized I would be. How about our one year anniversary?”

“How about next week?” Jagger negotiated.

“Yes, next week sounds delicious,” the stranger’s voice snuck into their conversation. “I’ll still be a guest at the Island House next week. I’m certain that’s a show I might enjoy,” he said smoothly. His voice sounded as dark and deadly as his body looked. There was an arrogant confidence about him that made at least one person in the room swoon. Unfortunately that exact person was sporting a pretty irritated frown at the moment.

“Can I help you?” Landry snapped. “This is private property and you are most certainly intruding.” There, he felt like he sounded very mature and very professional. His voice hadn’t quivered in the very least. Had it? Fuck, he was pretty sure it had. When did he start getting nervous around hot, alpha men?

The man stepped forward and grabbed Landry’s hand to give it a polite, firm shake. “My name’s Jericho.” Before he could go any further, Landry jerked his hand away like he’d been burned. Hell, he jerked it with enough force that it caused him to topple down straight onto his ass.

When he heard Colton’s soft laughter and Jagger’s snort of disbelief, he turned one of his famous glares in their direction. Of all the nerve? Jagger laughing at him after what he’d done for him? Cuffing his lovely man up so he couldn’t run away—even if Landry already knew Colton wouldn’t have dared run from Jagger, but that was beside the point. He was too irritated to allow himself to get tied down by the facts at this particular moment. At least not while Goliath was lurking over him. When the fucker had touched his hand, fireworks had gone off inside of Landry. “What is your problem?” He snapped at Colton and Jagger as he tried to stagger to his feet. When the stranger reached over and hefted him up like he weighed nothing more than a bag of neon-colored cotton balls, he found himself getting even madder…or more frustrated…or more whatever the hell he was feeling. He smacked the man’s hands away the moment his feet were on the ground. “I don’t see one damn thing funny, Jagger Jameson.”

Jagger attempted to look ashamed but failed miserably. “I’m sorry, Landry. It’s just that I thought I was the only touch-me-not in our group of friends. Actually, I’m pretty sure you described yourself as a touch-me-please kind of guy but from the looks of things
…”

“You know what? Fuck you, that’s what,” Landry countered like they were still in high school. It was the best he could come up with while that hunk of meat was standing so close, sending out all sorts of pheromones that Landry wasn’t interested in picking up. He didn’t have time for this shit right now. He had a new business to get off the ground. Why the hell did the man have to look so delicious? The delicious ones were always assholes. Always. Well, except for Colton, Jagger, Riley, Rory, Tobias…

“Nice,” Colton mumbled. He was still sporting his smile, not even attempting to conceal it out of respect for Landry’s discomfort. He turned his emerald gaze on the large man that had Landry so flustered. Yeah, the Landry that
never
got flustered over a man. The Landry that knew his way around men better than he knew he way around Key West.
That
Landry.

“Seriously, dude. This is sort of a private party. Can we help you with something?” Colton asked. Lying completely naked on the stage in the middle of a big fat pile of sex furniture didn’t appear to make Colton feel at all uncomfortable. He was as gloriously arrogant as always.

The giant flashed a smile in his direction. He didn’t, however, eye fuck Colton or Jagger. That had been reserved solely for Landry. “Yeah, I received an application for a membership to this BDSM club in the mail. I wanted to check it out first and then, if I liked what I saw, turn in my application and membership fees. I currently live in New York but I’ve been considering a move to Key West for a while. The only thing holding me back was there wasn’t a club in the area. I think Miami might be the closest?”

Landry’s mind was spinning. He’d sent out hundreds of those flyers to
Doms
and Subs that were famous in the scene. Who was this particular beast and how could he get rid of him? He didn’t like how his body was responding to the man. Sure, he always got warm and fiery around a hot guy, but this was…different. Instead of his cock twitching, his heart was thundering.

“There are a few others, but nothing like what Landry was looking for. He’s got a great business plan,” Colton smiled warmly in Jagger’s direction while he talked to the potential member. “It’s probably a little early for you to see the place and make a decision, though. It’s going to be another month before he has everything set up and ready to go. I wouldn’t want you
to make a negative decision without seeing all Landry’s visions come to life. Maybe you could come back in a month?”

Landry shot a look of
WTF
in Colton’s direction. Colton answered with an angelic smile.

“That won’t be necessary,” the deep voice answered. It was deep and raspy but contained a sexy dark twang that sent waves of something straight to Landry’s cock. It had to be waves of dislike, but Landry didn’t have a clue why those would head straight to his dick.

“Oh, well. Your loss,” Landry snipped. “Now, if you could just leave so we could return to our private party?” He arched a brow and tried to look as arrogant as possible…while sporting a boner.

Tattooed man stepped closer to Landry. “Actually, I’ve seen everything I need to see. I’ll definitely be placing a membership here. You, sweetheart, remind me of a big piece of fluffy cotton candy…and I just love cotton candy.” He grinned to show he’d intentionally tried to sound silly. “I think you’re going to be a challenge I just can’t consider passing up. You’ve got all this prickly fire surrounding you but I bet you can melt better than any sub I’ve ever handled before.” He took another step and only two itsy bitsy tiny inches separated their bodies. “What do you think,
Landry
, can I make you melt?”

Landry took two steps back and laughed—laughed a high-pitched laugh that made him want to disappear in humiliation. “So you think you’re a Dom, do you? I should have known by all that outward appearance you desperately try to send out with your piercings, tattoos, and stupid muscles. I’m sorry, but it just makes you come across as somewhat
needy
. I bet you have all that shit to overcompensate for your lack of Dom skills. That’s what I think,” he quipped. Landry expected the man to get furious and show his true colors. Instead, he barked out a laugh and closed the gap between them again. Bastard!

“You’ll see my skills soon enough, cotton candy.” His fingers reached up and tugged a piece of Landry’s hair playfully. “Anyway, you’re the one that sent me the membership application. Surely your wonderful business plan wouldn’t include sending out membership applications to
Doms that weren’t, let’s say…adequate?”

Shit, he had him there. He had only sent out applications to
Doms
and Subs that were what one would call famous in their scene. Jericho? The name didn’t ring a bell. Maybe he’d gotten one by mistake? Maybe he’d stolen one from a real Dom? Yeah, that was probably it.

“Just leave already,” Landry grumbled. He was weary of sparring with the beautiful man. It was making his body do funny things. Cotton candy? Seriously?

“Jericho Brookes. Most folks call me Brookes, though. Does that name ring a bell?”

Holy fuck him seven ways to Sunday!
The
Brookes?
The
Brookes was standing in his club?
The
Brookes was making him think things he shouldn’t be thinking? Shit, he was in so much trouble. He’d fantasized about Brookes for years, even if he’d never seen him before in his life. His skills as a Dom were legendary. If Brookes placed a membership at his club, everybody would want in. If this
man
placed a membership with his club, would
he
want out?

He knew one thing for sure – he wanted out right now. No, he
needed
out. He needed to sort through the weird things going on with his body and figure out a way to tuck those feelings into a deep, dark corner and abandon them there forever. Cutting his eyes toward Colton, he motioned for his friend to rush in and save the day by inventing a way to get him out of this Brookes’ mess…immediately, if not sooner. When Colton didn’t respond to his silent request fast enough, Jagger gave him a punch to his ribs.

“Ouch!” Colton whined playfully. Turning his attention to Brookes, he said, “Hey, we were about to head out and grab some breakfast. You
wanna join us?”

Landry’s eyes nearly fell right out of his head and rolled under the sex stage when he heard Colton toss him under the bus like they weren’t the best of friends. When he heard Jagger bark out a laugh, he started planning their demise – something incredibly wicked and painful.

He burned with fury.

“I’d love to join you,” Brookes answered smoothly, thoroughly enjoying Landry’s obvious discomfort. “I’ll wait outside.” His lips formed a
cheshire
-cat grin. “I’ll give your lover some privacy…and give Cotton Candy a chance to yell at you.” To Landry, he said, “Don’t keep me waiting too long.”

The End

Hollywood Royalty

T.S. McKinney

Victoria Winstead. My parents are the reigning King and Queen of Hollywood and since I am their only child, that clearly means I am a pampered princess who is accustomed to getting everything I want, when I want it, and how I want it…and right now, I want the most coveted role in Hollywood. One thing stands in my way. 

Grayson Leman. This bastard is the only son of the reigning Prince and Princess of Hollywood and I hate everything about him; always have and always will. Our families have a history and it isn’t pretty. It’s ugly, Hollywood style. Oh yea, he’s the one thing standing in my way.

Annabelle Hutchinson. She’s the creation of a writing trio that has managed to rock the entire female population with their erotica novel, Dark Lovers. They have single-handedly brought mommy porn front and center and made it not only acceptable but sexy as hell. A movie deal was made and I am literally (this is embarrassing to say) having to actually fight for something for the first time in my life. 

Not to worry, though…I am Hollywood Royalty.

Hollywood Secrets

T.S. McKinney

Ethan Weatherby.  Well…Vic and Grayson are smackdab in the middle of their happy-ending, loving each other with so much sugary sweet sap and disgustingly dirty sex that it’s turning my stomach…or making me green with jealously.  Magnus and I broke up months ago, making me the laughing stock of Hollywood and leaving me drowning in a big black pit of despair.  In an attempt to hide away from all the Hollywood glitz and gossip, I accompany Vic to Florence, Alabama for her latest movie.  In my messed-up mind, I tell myself that I’ll get me a little Southern Boy Nookie that will miraculously make me forget all about Magnus.  As it turns out…I get so much more than nookie.

Jeremy Michaelson.  He’s hands down the hottest, most innocently beautiful person I’ve ever seen in my entire life.  Every alpha instinct in me comes to life the first time I see him and the overwhelming desire to make him mine comes roaring to life.  After our first encounter, I’m pretty sure he feels the same way about me. 

At least I thought he did…until I realize there is so much more to my Southern heartthrob than what he wants me to see.  He has secrets, potentially deadly secrets that risk putting an end to us before we even have a chance for our beginning.  The more I try to unravel his past, the harder he pushes me away. 

Here’s the deal…when I want something, I don’t give up easily…and I want Jeremy Michaelson.