Vying for his Affection (A Loving Nip Book 19) Page 3

  Wait. We fags?

  “Holy shit,” Max muttered, staring at the man in shock. “You’re gay?”

  Gypsum chuckled, his pale blue eyes warming. “Never judge a book by its cover,” he teased. Then his expression hardened as he crossed his arms over his chest and focused on Anthony, Benjamin, and Curtis. “We don’t cotton to discrimination around here. Who are you here with?”

  “They’re with the construction group,” Rhyme stated when the trio who’d attacked them didn’t bother responding. “Had a trail ride with ‘em earlier today.”

  “I see.” A muscle ticked in Gypsum’s jaw, and he turned his attention to Max. “You, too?”

  “Yes, sir. I’m with the construction group,” Max replied, wrapping his arms around his torso in discomfort.

  Unclipping a walkie-talkie type radio from his belt, Gypsum lifted it to his mouth. “I have a situation between cabins six and seven. I need Clarice and Boyd here asap.” Then he paused and added, “It might not be a bad idea if Jaymes was notified, too.”

  “You got it, boss.” A masculine voice came through the line. “Can I give them a heads up of what’s going on?”

  “Yeah. A group of bigoted bullies causing trouble. Four guys from the construction company group. Find their bosses, too.”

  Rhyme lifted his hand, catching Gypsum’s attention. “Max didn’t have a part in attacking me,” he said, quickly coming to his defense. As he spoke, he crossed to him. “In fact, they had him boxed against the wall and were threatening him.”

  Gypsum nodded once, seeming to take Rhyme’s words as gold. “Three trouble makers and one who they were bothering. Rhyme stepped in to lend a hand, and an altercation broke out.”

  Wrapping his arm around Max’s shoulder, Rhyme crooked the forefingers of his other hand and urged him to lift his chin. “You okay, little b—uh, Max?” His brows furrowed as he added, “It really was meant as an endearment because I didn’t know your name.”

  “How did you learn my name?” Max wondered, staring into Rhyme’s deep black eyes. Then he blinked, realizing who he was being comforted by. “And shouldn’t you be angry with me? I complained about you to the lady at the office.”

  Rhyme chuckled as he nodded. “Nancy called and told me and my boss. She’s the one who told me your name.” Rubbing the back of his crooked fingers along Max’s jawline, he crooned, “I could never be upset with you, sweetheart. Will you sit with me at lunch?” Then he cocked his head. “And you didn’t answer. Are you hurt?”

  Even as Rhyme spoke, he squeezed Max’s opposite shoulder.

  Hissing, Max cringed away from the contact.

  “Damn it.” Rhyme quickly lifted his hand away. “How bad is it? What happened? Can I see?”

  Max’s mind reeled as he tried to come to grips with what was going on. Rhyme had stepped in to help him, even after he’d reported him. On top of that, he didn’t seem to be holding a grudge... at all... and he still seemed to want to spend time with him.

  Why is he being so nice about everything?

  Chapter Four

  Rhyme scented the wary unease flowing off his beloved. He hated that his earlier behavior had put it there. Still, he couldn’t change who he was, and his usual personality was to tease for information.

  Too bad it hadn’t worked with Max.

  Just means I need to work a little bit harder.

  It also meant Rhyme had asked his buddy Murdoch for advice. Running across Max being bullied had been a stroke of luck... sort of. His vampiric instinct had been to tear the three bastards apart, and he’d barely resisted the urge to grow his claws and slice them up when they’d attacked him.

  Dumbass bigots.

  “You three stay put,” Gypsum ordered, bringing Rhyme’s attention back to where it needed to be. “We’re talking to your boss about this.”

  Rhyme turned his attention to the trio, who stared angrily at them.

  “Who the fuck do you think you are, telling us what to do,” the guy who had first taken a swing at Rhyme stated belligerently. “You can’t do shit to us.”

  “I’m someone who can kick you off the ranch,” Gypsum told him coldly. “I’m sure your bosses would really appreciate being out the money of your stay due to your stupid actions and attitude.”

  “Damn it, Anthony,” a dark-haired man grumbled as he stalked down the aisle toward them. Rhymes recognized him as Lloyde from when he and his brother, Vernon, had called to each other on the trail ride. “What the hell are you, Curtis, and Benjamin up to?”

  Then Lloyde caught sight of Max and must have noticed the way he was rubbing his shoulder. His gaze flicked back to the trio and lifted a hand. “Let me guess.” Pointing, he waggled it between them. “Rumpled, dirty clothes, and Max looking a little unsettled. Are you harassing him again?”

  “Again?” the man addressed as Anthony replied, scowling. “What do you mean, again? We’ve never done anything to Maxie-pad.”

  Lloyde glared, and Rhyme had to bite back a growl. This was company business, so he needed to let the boss handle it. Of course, that didn’t mean that if Rhyme didn’t like the way Lloyde dealt with the assholes, he wouldn’t track them down for a little retribution, vampire style.

  Beloveds were sacred and should never be messed with.

  “Don’t give me that shit,” Lloyde snapped at his men. “I have several documented cases, including that cheap elbow shot Benjamin gave him before we checked into the office yesterday.” His eyes narrowed as he pinned his gaze on the dark-haired man. “Yeah, I saw that. You’re all going through a mandatory course on harassment when we get back. Esmerelda, too.” Lloyde crossed his arms over his chest. “The way you all spoke about Maximus when we checked in was the final straw, anyway.”

  “What?” the third man cried, a black-haired man maybe of Hispanic descent. Curtis, by default. “That’s ridiculous. We’ve never done anything to anyone.”

  Lloyde scowled. “I have enough on all four of you to fire your asses, but I haven’t because other than being homophobes, you do good work.” Shaking his head, he warned coldly, “Don’t make me change my mind.” Lloyde turned his attention to Max. “Are you okay, Max? Care to tell me what happened, and I’ll add it to the file.”

  Before Max could reply, Rhyme bit out, “You have a file on their harassment, and you’re just now doing something?” His fingers itched, and it took every ounce of self-control to keep his claws from extending from his fingers. “What the hell, man?”

  Gypsum’s heavy hand landed on his shoulder, squeezing tightly. The order of the vampire second was clear.

  Calm down.

  After casting a scowl Rhyme’s way, Lloyde returned his attention to Max. “I had my suspicions, but you never complained. I do wish you’d have said something, because I never caught them in the act.” He shook his head as he added, “I would walk in and see you flushed and flustered or upset, but whenever I asked, you said it was nothing.” Lloyde reached out and patted Max on the shoulder—the one that hurt—causing Max to flinch. Lloyde sighed, lifting his hand away. “Sorry.” He turned to Gypsum. “Is there an infirmary where we can have Max checked out, please?”

  “Of course.” Cocking his head, Gypsum glanced from Rhyme to Max and back again.

  Rhyme took the opportunity to mouth, beloved.

  Gypsum’s blue eyes lit up, and a smile curved his lips. “As soon as Boyd and Clarice arrive, I’ll have Rhyme here escort you.” Then he turned and spotted the pair jogging toward them. The fellow enforcers glanced around, obviously curious, but they didn’t ask questions. “Excellent.” Gypsum returned his focus to the trio of assholes. “We’re going to escort you three to your cabin. Please stay in there for the remainder of the day. You’re welcome to resume normal activities tomorrow morning.”

  Benjamin gaped, clearly shocked at the orders, while Curtis nodded, although his brown eyes sparked with anger.

  Anthony, on the other hand, didn’t take the order too kindly. “What the fuck, man?” he
demanded. “You can’t keep us locked up like a criminal or something.”

  “I was thinking more of a time out like a two-year-old,” Gypsum stated, leveling a cold, narrow-eyed stare upon him. “And you will either stay in your cabin, or you can leave the ranch. Your choice.”

  “But we haven’t even had lunch, yet,” Benjamin whined, rubbing his belly, which took that second to grumble. “And we were gonna go on the chuckwagon dinner ride tonight.”

  “Then you really should have thought through your actions before deciding to attack your coworker and an employee of the ranch,” Rhyme pointed out with a grumble. He slung his arm around Max’s waist, tugging him close as he narrowed his eyes at the trio. “I can call you a cab if you’d rather leave.”

  “Just keep in mind, if you take that route, I’m going to have to let you go,” Lloyde commented mildly. His focus flitted over the fact that Rhyme now had a quiet Max pressed close to his side, but he didn’t comment on it.

  “This is bullshit,” Anthony snarled, but he turned to head toward his cabin.

  “Don’t worry,” Gypsum told him coldly. “We won’t let you starve. Food will be delivered.”

  Then the trio walked away, followed by Gypsum, Boyd, and Clarice.

  “Let’s get to the infirmary.” Rhyme used his hold on Max’s waist to start him walking. “It’s attached to the back of the check-in office.”

  “You don’t have to go with us,” Max mumbled, casting a furtive glance up at him. “I don’t really need the infirmary at all. I’m fine.”

  “You’re not fine,” Lloyde countered, frowning. “I saw that flinch. Did they punch you in the shoulder or something? Plus, I’d like a picture for proof.”

  Max sighed. “Fine. And it happened when Anthony grabbed my arm and shoved me into the wall of the cabin.” He rubbed at his shoulder in an absent manner. “I hit the wall with it.”

  Lloyde heaved a sigh as he nodded. “Okay.” Glancing at Rhyme again, he told him, “Back of the office, huh? We can find that. You don’t need to escort us.”

  “I’d like to, though.” Rhyme dipped his head and looked at his beloved. “If it’s okay with you. Then we’ll go to lunch.”

  Max’s hesitation caused Rhyme’s heart rate to spike. If his beloved refused him, he would accept it... but he hoped he didn’t. Rhyme just wanted to spend time with the man, maybe figure out a way to communicate a bit better.

  “I-I, um... sure. I guess?”

  Not exactly a great vote of confidence, but Rhyme would take it. “Thank you, Max.”

  “Hey, Lloyde!” The man’s brother came jogging over to them, his brows furrowing as he took in Rhyme’s possessive hold. “Uh, what’s going on?”

  As they walked, Lloyde explained what he knew. Then Max and Rhyme filled in the missing pieces. By the time they were done, Vernon was damn near seething.

  His face red with his anger, Vernon snapped, “I told you we should have fired those assholes months ago.”

  Rhyme bit back his grumbled response of, then why didn’t you?

  Instead, he listened as Lloyde lifted his hands in placation. “I know, Vern, but we can’t change the past. They’re going through a harassment seminar, and I told them if they didn’t want to do that, we would be letting them go.”

  Max snorted. “You really think that sort of shit works?”

  “Maybe not,” Lloyde countered. “But no more hiding harassment shit. Got it?”

  Sighing, Max admitted, “I didn’t think you’d believe me.” He offered his bosses a small smile. “After all, they’ve been there years, and I’m the new guy here.”

  “Yeah, but you’re not the only one at the company who’s gay,” Vernon stated, his smile wry.

  Max gaped.

  “You or your brother?” Rhyme couldn’t swallow the words. His curiosity just got the better of him sometimes. Both men peered at him with their eyebrows raised, so Rhyme grinned and added, “Or both of you?”

  Lloyde laughed as he knocked his shoulder into Vernon. “Both of us, not that we’re as out and proud as you two.” His brown eyes sparkled with mischief as he glanced between them. “Are you even gonna use that bed we’re paying for this evening?” he teased. “Or is George not gonna sleep on the sofa tonight?”

  As Rhyme watched, Max’s face turned bright red. Then his eyes narrowed, and he opened his mouth. Rhyme just bet he was about to say something scathing to his bosses.

  While part of Rhyme wondered what he would say, he didn’t want to put his beloved on the spot, either. To head off losing the bit of ground he’d gained in the last half hour, Rhyme answered first.

  “I don’t want Max to think this is just a vacation fling to me,” Rhyme stated quickly. His eyes narrowed as he pinned a hungry look on his beloved. “Although I would love to take you back to my room and worship every inch of your body for hours, I’ll settle for cuddling on the hayride tonight. Perhaps a walk in the moonlight after that.” Tracing the fingertips of his free hand along Max’s jaw, he admired the wide-eyed, shocked expression on his human’s freckled face. “Maybe a goodnight kiss, too, if you’ll let me?”

  “Y-You’re attracted to me?” Max sounded shocked.

  Both bosses barked out a laugh, drawing his beloved’s attention. He scowled at them. They exchanged a look as they shook their heads.

  “If you hadn’t been so focused on the fact that Rhyme was calling you little bit, you would have understood the inflection,” Lloyde began.

  “Or noticed the obvious attraction,” Vernon cut in, rolling his eyes. “Hell, it sounds like even those three idiots caught on, and they’re pretty damn thick about that kind of stuff.”

  “Caught on?” Max glanced around at the three of them, his face turning the slight pinkish hue that Rhyme was coming to love. “What do you mean? Caught on to what?”

  Lloyde smiled down at Max. “When he calls you little bit, it’s a term of endearment.”

  Max scowled. “No way.” Rhyme nodding must have caught his attention, for he stared up their foot height distance and gaped. “Really?”

  “Yeah.” Rhyme squeezed Max’s waist as he added, “I love your size. It’s perfect for snuggling you into my side.” Massaging his hip a little, he added, “I’d love to map every damn one of your sexy freckles, and—”

  “And we’ve probably heard more than we need to,” Lloyde stated on a laugh. “Let’s get you checked out so we can head to lunch.”

  Rhyme chuckled, just remembering to keep his grin contained enough to hide his fangs. The day was looking up.

  Chapter Five

  After the most humiliating fifteen minutes of his life, where his bosses took pictures of not only the bruising already starting on his shoulder, but of the already developed mark from where Benjamin had nailed him in the back, Max was finally on his way to the dining hall for lunch. He’d always bruised really easily. With his fair skin, he’d dealt with the issue his whole life.

  At least Doctor Madilyn Dozers had made Rhyme stand in the hall. He didn’t think he could handle the big cowboy’s scrutiny on his body just yet. Max figured he would either pop wood—which would totally suck seeing as his bosses were there—or he would turn into a red ball of embarrassment.

  Max knew from experience that his blushes went all the way down his torso. Damn his fair skin. The fact that Rhyme had mentioned his freckles only compounded the problem.

  Did Rhyme really have some weird freckle fetish?

  Dismissing the thought when the dining hall came into view, Max felt his stomach rumble. His mouth watered, and he swallowed twice. He couldn’t wait to see what the place was serving. Their huge breakfast spread had been epic, and Max had eaten so much he hadn’t thought he would need more food for the rest of the day.

  He was wrong.

  Huh. Must be all the physical activity—horseback riding, then hiking between buildings on the ranch.

  Max smiled.

  Na. I’m always hungry.

  Then the rich aromas of assor
ted cooked meats flooded his nostrils, and he groaned softly. “Oh, god.” Rubbing his belly, he quickened his pace.

  “Hungry, handsome?” Rhyme asked with a smile on his wide lips. When Max nodded, the much bigger man hummed. “Me, too.”

  Rhyme opened the door of the dining hall and stood back as Max entered along with Lloyde and Vernon. He still reeled a bit at the revelation that both his bosses were gay. Although, that did explain why they were so accepting of Max’s occasional outrageous attire and how he changed the color of his nails every few days.

  Speaking of which...

  Max glanced at his hands and winced. “I need to wash up,” he murmured, seeing the dirt under his neon green nails. He turned in time to see Rhyme hanging his black cowboy hat on one of the hat-racks by the door. “Is there a men’s room here, or do I need to go back to my cabin?”

  “This way,” Rhyme said, resting his hand on Max’s lower back and urging him to the left. “I need to wash up, too.”

  Doing his best to keep his breathing deep and even, Max thought unsexy thoughts. The feel of Rhyme’s big black hand on the small of his back just felt too delicious. It was as if the heat of it transferred straight through his body and gripped his dick in a hot hold.

  Oh god! Stop thinking like that.

  Those thoughts were causing his blood to flow south, and his balls began to tingle.

  Shit. Okay. Okay. Skunks. My grandmother’s panties. Mosquitos and ticks. My dad.

  That did the trick. One thought of his father yelling about how Max was an abomination and would burn in hell and his dick tried to crawl back up into his body.

  “For a second there, you were thinking of something pleasant,” Rhyme rumbled into his ear, bending his body to do so as he pushed open a door with a cowboy on it. “Then that changed. Is everything okay?”

  Gasping, Max peered over his shoulder as he headed inside first. “H-How did you know that?”

  Rhyme’s full dark lips curved into a slight smile. “Your facial expression.” He touched his jaw lightly. “You’re very expressive.”