SAVING STAKES

Jay Masters came to Masters High to find his place on the family spread. Instead, he gambles himself into a mess he can't see his way out of. Rusty Eubanks knows how to help Jay, but doing so means swallowing his pride and quite possibly pushing the man he loves into the arms of the man he couldn't have.

Cole Duvall is ready to ride to Jay's rescue, but when the stakes change, he finds himself heart-deep in trouble. Can Jay and Rusty find their way together and save Cole from a game of desire that threatens to keep them apart?

SAVING STAKES

Tasty Treats #8

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EXCERPT

A low growl rumbled from Rusty's throat, and his head dropped to rest on Cole's shoulder. "Yes, you are. Finally, you're here."

Rusty's words sounded thick with so much emotion Cole felt his eyes burn. He'd kept his distance from this man, denied himself all the pleasures of Rusty's body to keep from causing Rusty pain. Could it be possible he hurt Rusty in his attempt to protect the man?

"But you're still thinking too much," Jay said as he stepped into Cole's line of sight. Both of Jay's hands came up to touch Cole's temples. Jay's wide, calloused fingers felt so incredibly gentle. "I can almost see the wheels turning in your gorgeous head. Stop them, Cole. Let those wheels rest for tonight."

"Just for tonight?" Cole heard himself ask. Was it too much to hope they wanted nothing more from him beyond tonight? Was it too much to fear he'd only get them for one night?

"For starters." Jay's gaze held his. Cole saw the amusement flowing in the other man's incredible river eyes, but he saw the promises causing the waves, too, the conviction betraying Jay's obvious belief that tonight would only be the start.

Cole all but heard the wheels grind to a stop as he shut off his mind, cutting off all thoughts except those that allowed him to feel the intense bliss of finally being between the two men he wanted most. 

* * * * 

Jay framed Cole's face with his hands and closed the distance between their mouths. He didn't break eye contact even as their lips met and, because of this, he saw when Cole surrendered.

Cole surprised Jay, laying one on him nothing like the tender brush of lips he stole from Rusty back in the horse stables. He captured Jay's mouth in a kiss that controlled, devoured, and claimed in its ferocity and delicious pressure. His tongue drove between Jay's lips, sweeping over Jay's tongue and licking the roof of Jay's mouth in a way that drew low purring sounds from Jay's throat. His hand closed on Jay's nape, fingers delving into Jay's curls and knocking Jay's cowboy hat to the ground in the process.

Jay hardly noticed the absence of the hat as he angled his head, allowing Cole to take the kiss deeper still. Cole tasted of heat and arousal, a heady mix that had Jay's toes curling in his boots. Even when Cole kissed him at the bar, the one and only time Jay'd ever gotten this close to the man, it hadn't been this consuming, this fantastic.

Jay's hands fell from Cole's face. He grazed his palms over the stubble of Cole's cheeks, his wide neck, his strong shoulders. Cole's hand remained like a vise to Jay's nape, his other arm winding around Jay's waist to clamp their bodies together, front to front. If Cole could've pulled Jay inside his skin, Jay believed in that moment the man would've done it, and Jay wouldn't have had any complaints.

Cole's body made a rigid wall of muscle and heat against Jay. At nearly the same height, their bodies molded in perfect alignment, chest to chest, stomach to stomach, cock to cock. Jesus, the man had a helluva cock! Jay writhed against it, grinding his own pulsing erection to Cole's fierce length. Only then did Cole break eye contact, wrenching his mouth from Jay's in an animalistic growl.

"Damnit, Jay, are you trying to kill me?"

Jay let a small smile tilt his tingling lips. "No, just pleasure you." He splayed his hands flat on Cole's shoulders and brought them down, absorbing the feel of each hard angle and rigid muscle beneath his palms. He didn't stop until he encountered Rusty's arm still encircling Cole's waist. Lost in his kiss with Cole, Jay had forgotten about Rusty. He met Rusty's gaze now, though, over Cole's shoulder and saw approval and encouragement in his chocolate depths.

Jay felt Rusty slide his free hand between Jay's and Cole's bodies, between their groins. Rusty cupped Cole's cock and Jay watched as Cole's eyes rolled with pleasure. His head fell back to rest once more on Rusty's chest and another quietly whispered, "Damnit," escaped his lips.

Rusty dipped his head, catching Cole's lobe between his teeth. "Do you want me to leave you two alone?"

Jay's heart skipped. No, he couldn't. They meant to take Cole together, to show Cole they could give him the satisfaction he required to keep him sated and happy. Not that Jay didn't believe he could do that alone. He knew he could please Cole two ways from Sunday for the rest of their lives. But he didn't want to do it alone. He wanted Rusty there with them always.

Cole released his hold on Jay's waist, but not his grip on Jay's nape. He lifted his head, locking his gaze with Jay's. Jay felt Cole's arm shift and knew he'd reached behind himself to grab onto Rusty. "You've walked away from me once." He tipped his head back, this time meeting Rusty's gaze. "Don't do it again tonight."

Flames leapt in Rusty's eyes, mirroring the ones licking the inner walls of Jay's cock. "We won't do it tonight or any other night."

Cole visibly gulped at the love and conviction that rang in Rusty's tone. The man's use of the word we obviously didn't get lost on Cole. Cole's head came up again, his fingers twisting in Jay's curls as their gazes met. He opened his mouth to say something, but Jay stopped him with a vow of his own.

"And we'll make sure you don't walk away from us." Jay knew Cole understood the implications of his words. Still, he felt the need to make himself perfectly clear. "The Duvall curse ends here with us. You saved me tonight. Now it's our job to take care of you."

Even as he spoke, Jay began unfastening the buttons of Cole's shirt. With each inch of tanned flesh he exposed, his mouth watered more and more. He leaned in, tracing Cole's collarbone and throat with his tongue. He pushed Cole's shirt off his shoulders and bent his knees, finding Cole's nipple and closing his lips around the hardened bud.