Vying for his Affection (A Loving Nip Book 19) Page 4

  “Then how come you didn’t know I was pissed off at you earlier today?” Max couldn’t help but snap. The man had been annoying in his pushiness, even as Max had found him sexy and distracting. He knew that was why he’d reacted so intensely.

  Chuckling, Rhyme made his way to a urinal. Even as he began to unbuckle his belt, then undo his fly, he peered over at Max and winked. “I was too busy getting drunk off your cologne and being blinded by your stunning features.”

  Max gaped. “Are you for real?”

  Rhyme nodded once, then heaved a deep sigh. Tipping his head back, he closed his eyes, then took a deep breath before letting it out between pursed lips. After he did that a second time, Max cocked his head.

  “Are you okay?”

  Humming, Rhyme murmured without opening his eyes. “Will be. Having you close is giving me a boner, but I really gotta piss. Just give me a sec.”

  Once again, Max’s jaw sagged open as shock filled him. Unable to help himself, he did the unthinkable and focused on Rhyme’s groin. His breath caught in his throat at the beautiful brown piece of meat that jutted half-hard from the big cowboy’s groan.

  “Oh, god,” Max whispered as his asshole clenched. He loved a big dick splitting him wide open... and Rhyme’s was a thing of beauty and would do exactly that. His blood heated, and his cock hardened in his jeans. “R-Rhyme.”

  As Max watched, Rhyme’s cock twitched and began to thicken even more.

  Rhyme moaned as he opened his eyes. Turning his attention to Max, he stared at him with a feral hunger gleaming in his black eyes. “Baby, unless you plan to step into the handicap stall with me and do something about this, I need you to control yourself.”

  Max swallowed hard upon seeing the need in Rhyme’s eyes. Oh wow. A second later, his cheeks went up in flames, and he felt the blush to his toes... and his cock.

  Realizing he had a stiffie from just that look from Rhyme, Max tore his gaze away from the gorgeous specimen before him. “I-I’ll, uh, just, um... yeah.” Pivoting, Max strode to the sink and turned on the water. For the next minute, he focused on scrubbing the dirt off his hands and out from under his fingernails. Seeing the chipping on his polish certainly helped his dick relax. He tried to remember if he’d brought any and realized with relief that he had a bottle of pale purple with him.

  Nice. I’ll fix this tonight.

  Then Max wondered if he had any remover. He didn’t think so. Hearing the sound of piss hitting a bowl, Max remembered he wasn’t alone.

  “You know if anyone here has nail polish remover?” Max figured it couldn’t hurt to ask. “Maybe in your gift shop or something?”

  Rhyme hummed, indicating that he’d heard him. It took a few seconds before he replied, however. Finally, he offered, “I’ll ask around. I bet someone here has some.”

  “Thanks.” Max smiled at his hands, pleased to see that they were finally clean. “So much better.”

  Then Max splashed some water on his face before patting it dry with a paper towel.

  “You’re sexy when you’re dripping wet,” Rhyme whispered huskily from where he stood beside him, washing his hands.

  Max rolled his eyes as he smirked at the man. “Really? I’m washing my face, and you’re calling me sexy?”

  Finding it cute, Max was beginning to realize that Rhyme really just had no filter. He said just about everything that popped into his head. The trait in the huge man was sort of... endearing.

  Rhyme waggled his eyebrows. “Just calling it like I see it.”

  “Then you need these glasses even more than I do.”

  Barking a laugh, Rhyme shook his head as he dried his hands. Once done, he grabbed Max and pulled him into a hug. Rhyme dropped a quick kiss to Max’s temple while whispering, “I’m right,” before releasing him and stepping backward. “You gonna pee, or are you done?”

  “You are really blunt,” Max couldn’t help but comment as he started toward a stall. “And, yeah, I gotta pee.”

  “No urinal for you, huh?” Rhyme teased as he rested his rear on the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. His smirk was firmly fixed on his face as he leveled a heated gaze on Max.

  Pointing at Rhyme, Max stated, “And that right there is why I’m going into a stall.”

  “Aww.” Rhyme curved his lips in a pout that looked absolutely ridiculous on the big man’s face. Then he whined playfully, “But you saw me.”

  Max laughed as he stepped into the stall. “That was your choice,” he called as he locked the door and undid his pants.

  As Max stood over the toilet and aimed, mentally urging his bladder to relax and let it all go, he heard Rhyme’s deep voice from just outside the stall. It sent a shiver of desire down his spine.

  “I loved the look of appreciation in your eyes, sweet man,” Rhyme rumbled, his tone husky. “When we come together, the feel of our bodies sliding against each other will be even better, and I plan on putting that hungry look on your face often.”

  Gritting his teeth, Max muttered, “R-Rhyme, pl-please.” His balls tightened, and his blood began to fill his prick. “Not nice.”

  “Gods, the sound of you begging is so pretty,” Rhyme said on a hum. To Max’s relief—or disappointment, depending on how he looked at it—Rhyme next purred, “I’ll be waiting right outside, Max.”

  Max panted harshly as he listened to Rhyme’s booted feet thud across the floor, then exit the room. Blowing out a harsh breath, he once again pulled up the mental image of his father. His shaggy red hair framed his chubby red and freckled face as he yelled slurs and threats. Then Max recalled the pain of the man’s backhand, and a shudder worked through him... and not the good kind that Rhyme caused in him.

  A second later, Max heard urine hit the bowl and snapped his eyes open.

  Whew! I didn’t miss.

  That would have been embarrassing.

  Max quickly finished up, tucked himself away, and washed up. Slipping out of the room, he found Rhyme leaning against the wall, waiting, just as he said he would be. The big cowboy smiled, then his eyes narrowed.

  “Is everything okay?” Rhyme asked.

  Surprised at the question, Max nodded. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t it be?”

  Rhyme shook his head once, but the question remained in his eyes. “Just how dark the green of your eyes is, says you’re upset.” When Max opened his mouth to question that, Rhyme took his hand and squeezed while telling him, “Hell, I saw it often enough this morning, so now I recognize it.”

  Fighting the urge to grumble under his breath, especially in lieu of Rhyme’s self-depreciating smile, Max admitted, “Just had to think unsexy thoughts to get rid of the erection you gave me.” Then he fought the blush erupting over his cheeks.

  Great.

  Rhyme’s booming laugh filled the room as he guided Max back into the main area and led him toward the buffet. The noise drew everyone’s attention. While most of his coworkers appeared amused, Max saw the hateful glare covering Esmerelda’s features.

  Wonder what’s up her butt this time.

  Then Max recalled Lloyde’s mandate that she take the harassment course, too. He wondered if his boss had already told her. It wouldn’t surprise Max that she blamed him... even though it was her own behavior that landed her in the course.

  Allowing Rhyme to guide him toward the food—after all, his stomach was growling something fierce—Max did his best to ignore her.

  Chapter Six

  As Rhyme watched Max load his tray with food, and a lot of it, he wondered how the skinny human could hope to get through it all. He knew better than to ask him, however. Instead, he would watch and learn.

  Rhyme loved the fact that his words had gotten his human so hot he’d had to think of unsexy things to deal with it. He’d had to do the same thing. The only problem was, it was harder to deal with his beloved’s sweet scent permeating the room.

  He’d had to recall the smell of a rotting cow corpse he’d come across while looking for strays. The animal had b
een dead for at least a week. From the looks of things, a cougar had taken it down but hadn’t eaten it all. He could only guess at why, but the smell of the beast had been rancid.

  Settling in a chair next to Max, who had chosen to sit at the table with the others from his company, Rhyme spotted the amused expression on Lilibeth’s face. The bosses nodded at him in greeting but continued to chew their food in silence. The other men each reached out a hand and introduced themselves—Jerome, Stanton, and George. Only Esmerelda completely ignored him.

  Fine by me.

  Rhyme talked a little with the guys as he ate, asking them about working in construction. To his amazement, Max actually managed to eat just about everything on his plate. His beloved seemed to be a bottomless pit, and he didn’t talk much, probably due to the knowing looks he was receiving from Lilibeth.

  As Rhyme watched Max eat, he realized his beloved wasn’t purposefully ignoring him. Instead, it almost seemed as if he were constantly keeping an eye out to see if someone would steal his food. Finding that odd, Rhyme decided to test that theory.

  Since his own plate was empty, Rhyme reached out with his fork and scooped up a forkful of cheesy, hashbrown casserole. As he brought the food to his lips, he saw the way Max froze. His beloved didn’t move so much as cut a wide-eyed gaze his way.

  Then Max’s eyes narrowed as he used his own fork to point toward the buffet. “You know, if you wanted some, there’s a whole tray full up there.”

  Rhyme smiled at his human, doing his best to look disarming. As he spoke, he wasn’t certain it worked, but now he had his answer. His beloved was overprotective of food.

  Huh.

  That spoke of something in his childhood.

  “Sorry, beloved,” Rhyme murmured, glancing over his shoulder at the bar. “Yes, there’s definitely a fresh tray full.” He tipped his chin toward the remaining hashbrown casserole on Max’s plate. “That stuff is always a crowd-pleaser, regardless of the meal. I didn’t take any and wanted a taste.”

  “Then why didn’t you get some?” Max asked with a wary expression.

  Rhyme set his fork down, then rested his hand on Max’s thigh. He rubbed lightly as he told him, “I’m full.”

  Max frowned. “Then why did you steal my food?”

  “Oh, you’ve done it now,” Stanton commented with a low chuckle. The huge lug of a man leaned toward him, his elbows on the table. “No one steals Max’s food.”

  Humming, Rhyme nodded his head. “I see.” He winked at Stanton, saying, “Fortunately, I know just how to make it up to him.”

  After another quick glance at Max’s plate, Rhyme rose and headed toward the buffet. He grabbed a sugar cone from the dispenser, then, with ease that betrayed he’d used the machine a lot, he prepared a cone of twist ice cream. As he returned to the table, much to his satisfaction, he noticed the vanilla and chocolate swirls nearly lined up damn perfectly.

  “Here you go,” Rhyme stated, holding it out. To his pleasure, Max’s green eyes lit up behind his black-rimmed glasses. When he reached for it, Rhyme resisted the urge to take a lick before handing it over. Instead, he stated, “Next time I steal your food, I’ll repay it with a hot fudge sundae. How’s that sound?”

  Max’s eyes narrowed, and he stared intently at him. After several heartbeats, he nodded once. “Okay.” Then he took a long lick of the ice cream cone.

  Rhyme barely managed to hold in his moan. The image of Max licking his erect dick just that same way flashed through his mind. Unable to help himself, he reached down and adjust his quickly hardening shaft.

  Just damn.

  Obviously realizing what he was doing to Rhyme, Max smirked and continued to eat his ice cream cone.

  “God, it’s like watching porn,” Lilibeth commented, breaking their stare-down.

  Clearing his throat, Rhyme appreciated his dark skin color, hiding the fact that his cheeks were heated. Max was not so lucky, and his pale cheeks took on an impressive pinkish hue. Lowering his gaze, his beloved focused on finishing his treat.

  “Disgusting.” Esmerelda jumped from her seat and stalked out of the room.

  “Well that was rude,” Stanton stated, frowning at where Esmerelda had been sitting. “She didn’t even throw away her garbage.”

  “That’s not the only reason she was rude.” Jerome reached over and touched Stanton’s tanned forearm with one of his long, slender, black-skinned fingers. It drew the huge man’s gaze, who sported a confused expression. “She called the sexual attraction between Max and Rhyme disgusting.”

  Stanton glanced between them. While his cheeks darkened just a smidge, he cocked his head. Then he nodded.

  “Yeah, she thinks guys that like other guys are gross. I’ve heard her talk about it sometimes.” Stanton focused on Jerome. “Why would she care what people do in their bedroom? What’s it to her?”

  “That’s the point, Stanton my man,” George commented while dunking his roast beef sandwich into a cup of au jus sauce. “She shouldn’t care. Ain’t nobody’s business what our dicks get up to but us and whoever we’re with.” The dark-haired man rolled his eyes as he lifted his sandwich to his lips. Before he took a big bite, George finished, “If you or me wanna bugger another guy or fuck a lady in the ass, that’s between us and them, but Esmerelda’s a stuck up bitch who can’t get her head out of medieval times.”

  Stanton looked a little confused. The bosses appeared a smidge pained, as if they weren’t certain if they should admonish their employee or not. Max remained focused on his ice cream, and Lilibeth was nodding.

  Jerome patted Stanton’s arm. “Don’t try to understand someone who’s so hateful, Stan. It’s a waste of time.”

  Even as his light-brown eyebrows furrowed, Stanton nodded. “Right.” Then he rose from his seat and rounded the table. “I’ll take care of this.”

  As Rhyme watched, the man he realized was a gentle giant cleaned up after the pretty yet hostile Esmerelda.

  Huh.

  Rhyme found he liked the big human. He was... sweet. Cocking his head, he made a note to text every available vampire in the coven to make an effort to meet the man. Since Fate had been so kind to him, maybe she would be kind to one of his fellow paranormals and pair them up with this good-natured human.

  Saying goodbye to Max without kissing him was tough. Rhyme desperately wanted another taste of his beloved’s blood. He also wished he could spend all afternoon wooing him, but Rhyme had things to do.

  Plus, Max was supposed to be there for team building with his company. Although, Rhyme wasn’t certain how much of that would be accomplished since three of the employees were under house arrest for the evening.

  “Can I pick you up at your cabin, Max?” Rhyme asked while squeezing his human’s hand. “Say, half an hour before the dinner ride is supposed to start?”

  After a second of hesitation, Max agreed.

  Rhyme squeezed Max’s hand one more time, then released him. Heading toward the horse pens, he had another trail ride to get ready for. At least the work would keep his mind occupied... mostly.

  As Rhyme walked away, his sensitive vampiric hearing allowed him to catch Lilibeth’s whispered comment of, “What the hell, Max? You were complaining about him when you dropped me off at my cabin. Then you’re late for lunch, and he’s with you. What happened?”

  Grinning, Rhyme wished he could hear Max’s response, but even his hearing wasn’t that good as he continued to stride away from the group.

  Upon reaching the paddocks, Rhyme began pulling out their trail mounts for the afternoon rides. There were three scheduled, each one lasting around an hour. Due to the summer heat, the long rides were taken in the morning.

  “Hey, Rhyme,” Murdoch greeted, entering the pen with a couple of halters of his own to grab a pair of horses. “I woulda thought Master Jaymes would have given you the afternoon off to spend with your beloved.”

  “He offered,” Rhyme told his oldest friend. “But after what happened on the ride this morning, I exp
lained I needed to slow-roll it. Ya know?” Then Rhyme chuckled as he shook his head. “I was still in the office when Nancy called and told the master that Maximus had complained about me.”

  Murdoch barked a laugh as they both led a pair of animals out of the corral, locking the gate behind them. “I bet he got a kick out of that.” Smirking, he added, “Did you finally stop calling him little bit?”

  Wincing, Rhyme nodded while tying up the pair of horses he had led to the hitching rails. There were three pipe-rails, and each had hooks spread along it so six horses could be tied to it at a time. They were at intervals so there was plenty of room to walk around each animal.

  “So you’re slow-rolling it, huh?” Murdoch asked as he tied up his horses nearby. “What’s your plan?”

  Rhyme grinned broadly at his friend. “Actually, I had lunch with him, and I’m taking the evening off to go on the chuckwagon dinner ride with him.”

  Upon seeing Murdoch’s questioning look, Rhyme explained everything that had happened over the last hour and a half.

  Murdoch grinned broadly. “Nice!”

  Nodding happily, Rhyme headed back to the barn to check the list. Once he’d ascertained how many horses they would need for that afternoon’s rides, he grabbed a couple more halters and returned to the paddocks.

  Time flew as Rhyme worked. Chatting with guests and sharing information about the horses they rode and the land they traveled through kept his mind mostly occupied. Fortunately, that helped ease the arousal that had been thrumming through his body since that morning.

  Riding with a boner sucked. He should know. He’d done it for nearly three hours just that morning.

  With the final trail ride complete and the guests on their way to other activities, Rhyme began unsaddling horses.

  Murdoch tapped him on the shoulder and made a shooing gesture. “Go get cleaned up. That ride took a little longer than anticipated since that one lady was frightened to go down the hill and had to be led.” He tapped his watch and added, “Don’t want to be late.”