Chapter Fifty-nine
Rayne
Two weeks later…
Rayne had another fantastic workout. He and Chelsea had protein smoothies at the fitness center café and then hit up a couple of stores. He found a great set of Japanese-style throw pillows that would look beautiful on the couch, and he couldn’t wait to show Mike, who’d been in a much better mood these past couple of weeks.
“Mike. I’m home,” he called out, dropping his bags in the foyer. He announced himself every time he came into the house since his partner insisted on having guns stashed all over the place. Rayne figured sneaking up on Mike wouldn’t be such a good idea. “You upstairs?”
“No,” Mike answered, his voice coming from the back of the house.
He loved when Mike was working in his backyard; he was always in such a fun mood afterward. Rayne stopped at the kitchen and set his couple of grocery bags on the island, then went toward the patio doors.
“What in the—” Rayne’s mouth dropped open at the sight of Mike’s backyard illumination on full display. Rayne hadn’t had the opportunity to see it at night in all of its glory and splendor. He’d never seen the rich, green grass shimmering from the overhead hanging fairy lights or the solar spotlights that illuminated the exotic garden. Rayne stepped out onto the deck and scanned the yard, his eyes stopping at the made-up patio daybed Mike had moved beneath the towering magnolia tree, which also had lights wrapped around the base and icicle strings scattered throughout the dense branches.
“Hey, you,” Mike called out.
Rayne spun around at the sound of Mike’s raspy voice. He was reclined in the jetted hot tub with his arms hooked over the back of the ledge. Damn, he looked delicious half-naked and outside in his element.
“You gonna keep standing there catching mosquitoes with your mouth, or are you gonna go inside and put on some of that fancy shit I like and come join me?”
Rayne’s smile was so wide it was making his jaw ache. They’d had a great couple of weeks since Bishop’s last visit, and thankfully, their lives had been drama-free—meaning no Ivy. Bishop had told Mike what Rayne did the day after he’d got married, when he’d gone to his house and gone all stepfather on his ass. Ever since then, Mike had gone out of his way to show his gratitude. But Rayne hadn’t wanted to take any of the credit for what the guys did. That supreme display of respect towards Mike was all Wood’s idea.
Rayne walked toward the expensive hot tub and leaned against the side, his lips hovering a couple of inches from Mike’s mouth. “What is all this? Have you turned into a romantic on me, Mike Stockley?”
Mike surged forward and slanted his mouth over Rayne’s and kissed him as if he’d been gone for six months, not a few hours.
“Mmm.” Mike’s lips were warm, his tongue insistent. Rayne’s dick got hard in his athletic pants, and if he was any more turned on than he was, he probably would’ve shucked his clothes right there on the deck and dove over the side of the tub, but seducing was his favorite activity now that he was in love.
Slowly, Rayne ended the kiss with a satisfied moan, then retreated a few steps out of Mike’s reach. The disgruntled growl Mike threw his way made a throbbing need pulse between Rayne’s thighs. He slid his T-shirt over his head and tossed it to the deck while Mike hung over the edge of the tub, watching him. He turned and hooked his thumb in his pants and tugged them halfway down his ass, giving Mike a sneak peek before he disappeared inside the house.
“Tease,” Mike hollered at his back.
Rayne laughed as he took the stairs two at a time. He was only a tease if he didn’t give it up, and trust, he was going to do just that. He and Mike didn’t screw like rabbits because their connection went far deeper than physical, but when they did come together… it was explosive.
Rayne did all he needed to do in the bathroom to prepare himself in record time, including adding another dab of Arabian nights oil at the base of his throat. From his armoire, he chose a dove-gray Versace thong and his charcoal-colored silk robe.
Most of the lights were off in the house, and the glow from the backyard beckoned him like a beacon. He stepped outside, and Mike set his Yuengling on the ledge and sat up taller from his reclined position. He licked his lips as his hungry gaze slid up and down Rayne’s body. Rayne lowered his eyes to Mike’s chest as he took deliberate steps toward the tub, and just before he stepped over the edge, he turned and let the robe slip from his body into a heap at his feet, then climbed inside.
His sigh was loud and salacious the moment he submerged his body in the hot water. Mike barely allowed him time to adjust to the temperature before he hooked his strong arms around his waist and hauled him onto his lap.
“Yeah,” Mike groaned, burying his face in Rayne’s throat. He massaged his ass while his other hand pulled at the thin string nestled between his ass cheeks. “Damn, you wear the sexiest shit.”
Rayne wrapped his arms and legs around Mike and tilted his head farther so Mike could ravage his throat.
“You know what it does to me when you smell like this,” Mike breathed against his ear. “When are you going to tell me what it is?”
Rayne chuckled in between little moans. “Never.”
“I can always make you tell me,” Mike threatened, however, it was ineffective when he followed it up with such a loving, eager kiss.
“Hit me with your best shot.” Rayne clung on tight as he writhed his erection against Mike’s hard abs. He opened again for Mike’s tongue, nibbling and sucking on his bottom lip, savoring the nutty, caramel flavor of the dark lager he’d been drinking. Mike tasted of sin and smelled of pure pleasure.
It wasn’t the heat of the water in the hot tub but Mike’s feverish kisses that made Rayne burn all over.
“There’s so much I want to do to you right now.” Mike kissed a sweltering path down Rayne’s sternum, then over to his left nipple.
Rayne whimpered when Mike bit down hard enough to make it sting. He shook with need and unrestrained sexual energy while Mike laved over the abused piece of flesh, rolling it with his slick tongue. Rayne gripped Mike’s cheeks, his hands stimulated from the rough stubble, and brought his mouth back to his and took the kiss deeper, overwhelmed by the sensations.
He and Mike didn’t need to make love every night because the emotions flooding and consuming his senses when they did were enough to last him far more than mere weeks. He didn’t have to be inside of Mike’s welcoming body to feel his love—for Rayne’s soul to feel complete. All he had to do was be near him, close to that fearless, compassionate, dominating aura, and he felt whole. Anything else Rayne received from his partner was just an added bonus. And it wasn’t until he’d realized all of this that Rayne discovered he’d made it through his recovery. He’d finally done it. It’d been a long, lonely, difficult road to travel, but he’d done it… and the universe had rewarded him for it with a love too strong for him to comprehend.