Vintage Pride (21 page)

Jean-Luc spun Ethan round so they were face-to-face, their dicks rubbing together. Now he soaped the length of Ethan’s back and between his cheeks, circling Ethan’s arsehole before pulling his fingers away.

Water poured on both of them as they kissed. The night’s horrific events seemed like a distant memory as Ethan cupped the point of Jean-Luc’s chin in his hands and he tangled his tongue with his lover’s.

Jean-Luc turned off the shower. He and Ethan stepped out of the stall, and Jean-Luc wrapped a fluffy white bath sheet around both of them, pulling Ethan close to his own body in the process.

Once they had dried themselves off, they went through to the bedroom. Jean-Luc made himself comfortable on the bed while Ethan went to get the things he’d need from the nightstand. A condom and the tub of anal lube, naturally, but he also had something else in mind.

When he went to join Jean-Luc, he held the mystery item tight in his bunched fist.

The sharp-eyed Frenchman asked, “Are you keeping something secret from me? You know there’ll be consequences if you are.”

Ethan grinned and opened his fingers to reveal a rubber cock ring, designed to be adjusted to fit with the help of a wooden clasp. The toy had intrigued him when he’d first spotted it. How would it feel to have that thick band secured around the base of his shaft, keeping him hard for longer than usual?

Jean-Luc said nothing, nodding as though he approved of Ethan’s choice.

It took a matter of moments for Ethan to don the condom then fasten the cock ring in place. Almost at once, he was aware of a subtle constriction in his penis and a strange but not unpleasant sensation of fullness. He felt like he could fuck his lover all night.

“It suits you,” was all Jean-Luc said when Ethan slipped on to the bed beside him. He lay on his side, his head propped on his elbow, looking at Ethan with undisguised lust in his eyes.

Ethan thought about asking him to change position then decided against it. Instead, he scooped out a generous amount of lube and worked it in and around Jean-Luc’s entrance, smiling at the almost greedy fashion in which that clutching hole swallowed up his fingers. His dick twitched, betraying Ethan’s eagerness to be buried in his lover’s body.

Their desires were so perfectly in tune it almost scared him. It only seemed to prove the truth of Jean-Luc’s assertion that they had been destined to find each other.

“You want this?” It was his ritual question and one Ethan already knew the answer to.

“
Bien sur
. Of course I do.” Jean-Luc sounded tetchy, impatient for satisfaction.

Ethan withdrew his fingers, preparing to fill Jean-Luc with his cock. As he glanced over the shifter’s bare shoulder he caught sight of the free-standing wooden-framed mirror that stood opposite the bed. Now he understood why Jean-Luc had chosen to lie in this position. It meant he would be able to watch their reflection as they fucked.

Ethan threw one leg over Jean-Luc’s hipbone. He eased himself into Jean-Luc’s slick passage and began to plow into him, sinking farther in with every stroke till he was as deep as he could go.

Ethan rocked slowly at first, only able to give shallow thrusts in this position. But they seemed to be doing the trick for Jean-Luc, who murmured, “You do that so well. I’m on fire for you,
mon amour
.”

Jean-Luc continued to play with his own cock, the soft, rhythmic slapping sound so wonderfully rude. It encouraged Ethan to move faster, push harder, doing his best to really make Jean-Luc feel each stroke all the way inside.

“Oh,
mon dieu
,” Jean-Luc groaned all too soon. “I’m going to come. I can’t hold back any longer.”

“Then don’t even try,” Ethan replied. “Come for me, Jean-Luc.”

He did just that, howling in pleasure as his cum spurted onto the bedcover. Ethan was unable to tear his gaze from the sight of Jean-Luc caught in the throes of passion, his expression so raw and abandoned. In that moment, he knew the shifter could hide nothing from him.

Even with the delaying effect of the ring, Ethan’s own orgasm wasn’t too far away. He increased the pace of his thrusts, fascinated by the sight of his mirror image doing the same.

His climax overtook him almost before he was aware of it. It spread out from the root of his cock, making him come unglued. With a despairing groan, he shot his cum into the condom. He clung tight to Jean-Luc till the last of his orgasmic spasms faded away. Only once his heartbeat had slowed to normal and he could bear to pull himself out of Jean-Luc’s embrace did he rise to take off the cock ring then go and dispose of the condom.

When he returned, Jean-Luc had arranged the covers over himself. Ethan climbed into the bed, snuggling up to his lover.

Jean-Luc planted a soft kiss on Ethan’s forehead. “That was amazing. If only you didn’t have to leave tomorrow.” He sighed.

“I don’t,” Ethan said. He almost laughed out loud at Jean-Luc’s shocked expression. “I wanted to tell you earlier but, well, things got in the way. I’ve been in touch with my boss at the production company. He’s agreed to let me take a break from the show so I can get on with writing a book about my ghost-hunting experiences. When Kim and the others leave for Prague, I won’t be joining them.”

“And they’re happy with this?”

“To be honest, I haven’t said anything to them yet. I only got the email from Dan giving me the go-ahead a few minutes before we left for dinner tonight, but I’m sure they’ll be fine. It’ll mean a promotion for Kim to team leader. And my replacement is already lined up. An English psychic called Charlie McGuire…”

It had been Dan’s mention of bringing McGuire and Ross Barnett onto the crew that had set Ethan thinking seriously about his own future. He didn’t feel in the least threatened by the thought of newcomers, even ones who were only joining on a temporary basis. Any show would inevitably go stale if it relied on the same handful of characters for too long.

Much as he loved working on
Spirit Seekers
, the thought of taking a few months away to write appealed to him. Even if he hadn’t formed such a strong connection to Jean-Luc—one that made the prospect of remaining in the Champagne region more attractive by the minute—he felt the time was right to make changes in his life. And it wasn’t just his manuscript that would be the focus of his attention. Dan had also brought up the possibility of Ethan devising new formats that could be put into development by Archer Film and Television.

A line from Dan’s email stuck in his mind.

I hear werewolves are big right now—how about you try to find me one of those?

If Dan wanted evidence creatures existed who could change their shape, Ethan didn’t have very far to look. But he knew he could never reveal Jean-Luc’s true nature to the world, even if it meant giving up his chance at becoming part of broadcasting history. Once he’d learned Jean Luc was a shifter, Ethan had thought his feelings for him would diminish. If anything, he’d only grown more fiercely protective of his special, secretive lover. As far as the world was concerned,
Spirit Seekers
had investigated the stories of the lions who guarded the LeBlanc family and found them to be nothing more than a myth.

“So are you doing all this for me or for yourself?”

At first, Ethan thought Jean-Luc had read his mind. Then he realized he referred to Ethan’s decision to stay behind when the others moved on.

“For both of us, Jean-Luc. I’ve made this decision with my heart as well as my head. I love you, and I want to learn what it’s like to be your mate—now and forever.”

It wouldn’t be easy, he knew. He couldn’t see Jean-Luc ever giving up his life in the château, which would mean Ethan relocating permanently to France from California.
And God knows what kind of bureaucratic nightmare that will involve. Hell, I’m even going to have to learn to speak decent French.

But for now, concerns like that were a long way off. He curled himself into the curve of Jean-Luc’s naked body, feeling completely at home for the first time in his life. He couldn’t deny the truth any longer. This was where he needed to be.

“
Je t’aime
, Ethan. I love you, too,” Jean-Luc purred into his ear.

Ethan smiled as he settled down to sleep. He’d come here seeking to demonstrate conclusively that nothing could exist that lay outside the realm of human experience. Now, he wanted nothing more than for this gorgeous shifter to spend the rest of his life proving him wrong.

Also available from Totally Bound Publishing:

Lionhearts: Taming the Lion

Elizabeth Coldwell

Excerpt

Chapter One

The guy in the apartment opposite was naked again.

Kaspar knew he shouldn’t be looking but he couldn’t help himself. He’d never quite been sure whether his neighbor knew he could be seen, and whether these regular displays were accidental or put on expressly for his benefit. He didn’t dwell on that thought. Seeing the well-built blond standing with no self-consciousness in the bedroom window, his big, limp cock swinging as he toweled his damp hair, Kaspar was taunted by everything he wanted so badly—everything he knew he couldn’t have.

He wandered into the kitchenette to grab a beer from the fridge. He hoped by the time he returned that the man would have pulled on some underwear at least, but no. Still he remained there, revealed in all his glory.

Kaspar took a long swallow of his drink before setting the bottle down on the table. He ought to go take a shower then dress in something less formal than the torn T-shirt and sweatpants he currently wore. After all, he had to be at Cornelis de Wit’s grand house on the Apollolaan in less than an hour. But it couldn’t hurt to admire the view for a few moments longer. If the guy wanted an audience, it would be rude to deprive him of one.

When Cornelis had invited him and his parents over saying he had an important announcement to make, Kaspar had guessed what was coming. The old man had been head of Amsterdam’s pride of lion shifters for over fifty years now. It was common knowledge that he had been talking for a while about relinquishing the position, and Kaspar had made no secret of his desire to take on his mantle. Traditionally, the role was passed from the current pride leader to his eldest son, but that wouldn’t be happening in this case. Cornelis had only one child, Kaspar’s second cousin, Arjan. Father and son had what could most politely be described as a strained relationship. Kaspar didn’t know the exact reason for their estrangement, and why Cornelis was so reluctant to hand over leadership duties to his own flesh and blood, but he believed it had much to do with the rumors he’d heard about Arjan being gay. Cornelis might be a wise, kindly man but in some respects, he was almost too traditional for his own good.

Kaspar glanced out of the window once more. His neighbor had been joined by a second man. Kaspar’s jaw dropped at this new turn to proceedings.

The newcomer was a good-looking mixed-race guy with light brown skin and hair plaited in neat cornrows. He stood behind the blond, one hand gripping the cock Kaspar had been admiring. Under his ministrations, that beautiful length had risen, swollen and inviting.

In response to the sight, Kaspar felt his own dick stir. Desperately, he tried to will his erection away, to pretend that he wasn’t getting turned on by watching the lovers at play.

It had taken him until the age of twenty-four to come to terms with the truth of his sexuality. At first, when he’d found himself checking out the hottest guys in a club or at the gym, he’d told himself it was just a phase he was going through. Like all lion shifters, his destined mate was waiting for him somewhere, and he just had to find her. But as time had gone on, his craving to take a cock between his lips or deep in his arse had not diminished. If anything, it had grown stronger.

With Arjan out of the picture—a virtual exile from the pride—there were no other suitable candidates to become the new leader as far as Kaspar was concerned, apart from himself. Yes, he was young—most of those who attained the role didn’t take it on until their thirties or forties, when they were in their physical prime—but he didn’t see why that should hold him back. Cornelis, however, had as good as declared he wouldn’t give up his power to a gay man. If Kaspar wanted to fulfill his destiny, he needed to keep his desire for other men a secret.

Kaspar glanced at the two men across the way, now face to face with their mouths locked in a passionate kiss. God, how he envied them. If only it were he who stood with his arms wrapped around some hot guy, enjoying the taste of his lover’s soft lips and feeling the slight prickle of stubble against his chin.

Unable to resist the urgent demands of his body any longer, he pushed a hand into his sweatpants and took hold of his shaft. When he ran his hand gently along it, he discovered that pre-cum had already gathered at its tip. He spread the slippery droplets over his cockhead and down, to make the shuttling passage of his fingers easier.

The blond sank down to his knees so that only the top of his head remained visible above the window sill. Kaspar needed more in the way of lubrication but he didn’t want to miss a minute of the show his neighbors were putting on for him. He dashed into the bedroom where he stripped out of his sweatpants before grabbing the bottle of baby oil from the nightstand.

When he returned to the living room, it was to be greeted by the glorious sight of the blond bobbing his head up and down on his lover’s length. Kaspar couldn’t see very much of what was happening so he let his imagination fill in the blanks. But in his mind, he was the one who had a man kneeling naked at his feet, tonguing his dick.

He squeezed a copious amount of oil onto his palm. Now his fingers glided effortlessly from base to crown as he wanked himself. With his other hand, he cupped and rolled his balls, enjoying the shivers of pleasure the action sent through him.