Chapter Twenty-two
Mike
Mike pulled into the driveway at the same time Rayne was walking up the sidewalk in a dark gray tracksuit, a gym bag hanging on his shoulder. Mike got out and waited at the tailgate of his truck.
“Hey, you.” Rayne dropped his bag on the ground when he was close and crowded into Mike’s space. “This is a nice surprise.”
Mike gazed down at the face his friend had just described as freakishly good-looking. Damn, Rayne was beautiful with those electric gray eyes and his thick, wavy hair that always smelled of honey and coconut. His sleek body melted against his better than any woman’s ever did. A damn near perfect fit. The thought of losing all of this warmth before he even got a chance to enjoy it was making him anxious. It was almost ten o’clock, and he’d told Rayne about the dangers of walking in this neighborhood at night.
“Rayne. I told you it was dangerous to be out here alone this late. You stand out.”
Rayne craned his neck to look him in his eyes.
Mike thought about Manny’s warning for him not to be too controlling, but not protecting what he cared about went against every fiber of his being. Was he really going to have to change? Be someone that he wasn’t to hold on to something that might be too good for him anyway? As much as he wanted Rayne to be his, he wouldn’t be a fake.
“What do you mean I stand out?” Rayne asked, inching closer.
Since the start, Rayne seemed to be drawn to Mike’s overprotective side, so he decided to run with it. “There’s thugs around here with nothing better to do than fuck with people and take shit that doesn’t belong to them. And you look like you have money.”
Rayne laughed an angelic sound that was light and airy against Mike’s throat. “You know what they say. Looks can be deceiving. If anyone robs me, they’ll just be doing it for practice because I’m broke.”
Mike wrapped his arms around Rayne’s waist, his dick growing harder. He shouldn’t do this out here, but he wanted to feel him against him for a moment before he had to go inside. Rayne’s lithe body fit him like a warm, silky glove.
“I smell liquor,” Rayne groused suddenly.
“Because I’ve been drinking it,” Mike answered without apology. “So what?”
Rayne popped him across his chest with enough umph behind it not to be considered a love tap. His light eyes flashed with anger, and Mike’s dick jerked behind his zipper.
“What was that for?” Mike wanted to know what he did so he could do more of it.
“You drove here, and you’ve been drinking.” Rayne sounded as if he was pissed, but he still hadn’t let Mike go.
Mike’s chest was warm inside. He wasn’t used to anyone giving a fuck about him. “Calm down, Boy Scout. I only had a couple shots before I switched to beer.”
“That’s well over the legal limit.”
Mike spread his legs wider and got a tighter hold on Rayne’s body. “You really are a good boy, aren’t you? Mmmm,” Mike rumbled. “Never thought I’d have me one of those.”
Rayne sucked his teeth. “I can see you’re not drunk, but you should still be careful.”
“All right. I’ll make a deal with you.”
Rayne’s smile was back. “Let’s hear it.”
“Okay. I’ll stay under the legal alcohol limit when I drive if you stop walking this block after dark.”
Rayne cocked his head as if he was pondering this agreement while he nibbled on his plump bottom lip. Mike’s gaze dropped to Rayne’s sensual mouth. He wanted to kiss him. But not now, not out here in the dark on this cracked driveway. Rayne deserved better than some stolen kiss in the night. He’d give Rayne that connection when he needed it the most. When it could be everything they both were starved for.
“If I can’t go to yoga in the evenings, then I’d only be able to go once or twice on the weekend because I hope to be working on my massage credit hours after I leave my job at Town Center.”
“I’ll pick you up whenever you want,” Mike told him, meaning it.
“Deal.” Rayne winked.
They went silent, and their heated glares drew out so long Rayne moaned against his chest. Shit. Mike was being selfish by receiving as much as he was from Rayne without offering him a commitment.
Tonight had been unexpected, but he had a plan for Sunday. Mike would make Rayne his.