Colten hissed.

The smile slid from Steven's face as he watched how Colten reacted to him. "Colten-"

Colten shook his head. "It doesn't matter."

Steven wasn't sure if the guy was reading his mind again. He wanted to tell Colten that he had never been with anyone else. How could he, when being near anyone was too painful? But Colten didn't seem to care about his inexperience. It had surprised Steven that he'd gotten the man off in the stables. That had been his first time sucking anyone's cock.

"You're thinking too damn much," Colten said with a growl.

Steven burst out laughing. "That's the first time I've been accused of that."

"You're beautiful when you laugh," Colten said. He was staring at Steven with such reverence that Steven squirmed.

"Aren't we supposed be having sex?" Steven said, trying to change the subject because he was getting very uncomfortable with Colten's flattering attention.

"No," Colten said as he kissed the tip of Steven's nose. "I'm mating you. And we aren't going to rush one damn minute of this."

Steven's stomach jumped when Colten reached between them and unsnapped Steven's jeans, lowering the zipper. The man reared back and then worked the jeans off of Steven's body. He lay there naked, feeling vulnerable. Steven had a wild urge to cover himself.

"Don't you dare," Colten warned. "You're breathtaking."

Steven narrowed his eyes. "I don't know how you keep reading my thoughts, but get out of my head, buddy."

"Never." Colten rose to his feet and then slid his pants from his body. He stood there as naked as the day he was born. He was glorious and reminded Steven of a warrior. Colten was ripped with muscles, his body nicely tanned.

Steven rolled to his knees, pressed his hands into Colten's hard thighs, and nuzzled the man's balls. He licked and lapped and moaned. Colten slid his hands through Steven's hair as he spread his legs wider.

"Every inch," Colten growled. Steven licked the man's inner thighs and then pressed his tongue behind Colten's balls, tasting the patch of skin as if he were a starving man. He inhaled the musky scent and groaned at just how good Colten smelled. Manly. There was no mistaking that scent and he wanted to bathe in it.

Colten's fingers tightened in Steven's hair as Steven palmed the man's sac and moved the man's balls aside so he could push further. His tongue rimmed Colten's tight puckered hole. He could hear the man groaning as the tip of Steven's tongue played.

If the man wanted Steven to learn every inch of his body, then that was what Steven was going to do. Praying Colten didn't kick his ass, Steven wet one of his fingers and slid it in to the first knuckle.

Colten stiffened.

Pulling back, Steven swallowed Colten's cock. He sucked at the head and lapped at the pronounced veins. All the while, his finger moved in and out of Colten's ass with short, light thrusts.

Chancing a glance, Steven looked up to see Colten watching him. Steven moaned around the man's shaft as he slid his finger in deeper. He could see confusion in Colten's eyes. His cock hadn't softened but he stood stock-still.

Steven swallowed the man down to the root. He gagged, pulled back, and then swallowed Colten again. Unsure of what he was doing, Steven crooked his finger and Colten shouted, his seed spurting down Steven's throat. As hard as he tried, Steven couldn't take it all. He coughed and pulled back, feeling Colten's seed escaping his mouth.

Colten jerked free, his cock slipping out of Steven's mouth, Steven's finger slipping out of the man's ass. The guy took a step back and cocked his head to the side, studying Steven intently.

"I'm sorry." Steven lowered his head as he wiped at his mouth. "I promise never to do that again."

Colten was still staring at him strangely. "I've just never-" The man shook his head.

Steven shrugged. "Join the club. I've never had anything in my ass either."

Colten moved at lightning speed, taking Steven down to the carpet. He pinned Steven, his eyes glowing as he snarled.

"Trust." Steven said that one word. The same word Colten had thrown at him. "It works both ways."

Steven yelped when Colten flipped him onto his stomach. He bent close and said into Steven's ear, "I trust you. But that will never happen."

Bucking, Steven tried to throw the man off. "Fine, but you don't have to be an asshole about it."

"I'm not being-" Colten eased back. Steven turned over.

"Yes, you are." Steven pulled himself into a sitting position. "You were ready to take my head off because you felt I was undermining your manhood. Do you think it's easy for me? I put a dick in my mouth. Tell me that's not emasculating. Yet, behind closed doors, I'm willing to give you whatever you want." He scowled at Colten. "Fuck you."

Pushing to his feet, Steven reached for his pants. Colten grabbed his wrist. Steven curled his lip. "Get off of me."

Colten rose to his full height, towering over Steven. "You're not going anywhere."

Steven cocked his arm back and slugged Colten in his jaw. The man's head snapped back and he stared at Steven in shock. "You barbaric, double-standard-having, seven-ways-from-Sunday asshole. If you think for one second that I'm going to stand here and let you lord over me, you have another thing coming."

"You're impossible!"

"And you're a scared little boy." Steven shoved his legs into his pants. "I should have known better than to trust anyone."

"Wait." Colten let out a long breath as he ran his hands over his dark hair. "I'm sorry. You're right. I'm creating a double standard. But that's not something I want."

Steven knew what Colten was referring to. Being fucked.

"Then that's all you had to say to me," Steven replied. "I'm fine with putting my finger in your ass to get you off. And don't lie to me and say you didn't like it. But it doesn't need to be more than that. I have no fucking clue what I'm doing and you were the one that told me to learn your body. You like one finger. Fine. You don't want it to go any further than that. Fine. It's called experimenting, getting to know each other's likes and dislikes. If you can't handle that, then we don't belong together."

"I'm sorry," Colten repeated. "You just took me by surprise."

Steven burst out laughing. "Didn't know you would like that, huh?"

"Hell no." Colten smiled. "But fingers only."

"I'll corrupt you yet," Steven said lightheartedly.

One of Colten's brows rose higher than the other. "I highly doubt that. Now get those damn pants off."

"What's the magic word?"

Steven could see Colten's jaw working back and forth. "Please."

"Are all bears so uptight?" Steven asked as he slid his pants off. "Or is it just you?"

Colten closed the distance and wrapped his fingers around Steven's half-hard cock. "Are we going to argue all night or are you going to let me mate you?"

"Let me think about that," Steven said. He was panting. Colten's fingers felt so good circled around his hardening cock. The man was making it impossible for Steven to think.

"Take all the time you need." Colten's smile was wicked as he moved his hand at a leisurely pace, stroking Steven.

"Do you at least suck dick?" Steven asked. He wasn't sure where his bravado was coming from, but he wanted to know what Colten was willing to do. If the man said no, Steven just might shoot the guy.

Colten's thumb smoothed over the head of Steven's erection as he said, "Oh, yeah. And I'm very good at it."

Steven shook his head. "You are one very confused man."

"I'll own that." Colten moved Steven backward until his legs bumped into the bed. "Now lie down so I can show you exactly what this magical tongue can do."

Steven wasn't going to argue with that. He'd be a complete idiot not to shut up and get his ass on the bed. But before he could turn around, Colten pushed him back. Steven landed on his back, legs dangling over the edge.

Colten dropped to his knees and took Steven all the way down his throat. Steven's eyes rolled to the back of his head as his fingers curled into the blanket. His hips jerked and he felt as if he'd died and gone to heaven. Never in his life had he experienced anything so wondrous, so mind numbing, or so toe curling.

"CCColten." Steven's hips jerked forward as he arched his back. His entire body was aflame. He was being consumed. And then he felt Colten's thick fingers thrust into his body. Steven was shaking. His body was trembling fiercely. Colten pushed Steven's legs further apart as he worked Steven's body like a finely tuned instrument.

He felt the buildup as his balls pulled close to his body. Colten was sucking him, licking, and playing with Steven's sac. The guy was humming! The vibration sang throughout Steven's body. "Oh god...Oh, Colten...Oh!" Steven shattered. Colten thrust his fingers faster and deeper. Flames shot through Steven's bloodstream, wild and hot and out of control. Steven nearly came off the bed as Colten's dangerous mouth swept Steven into another world.

Steven began to pant and jerk and, goddamn, the man had been telling the truth. His tongue was pure magic.

Colten eased back and kissed his way up Steven's groin, abdomen, chest, and then he met Steven's lips. Steven wrapped his legs around the man as he cupped Colten's head and kissed the man with an almost animalist urgency.

As they devoured one another, Steven felt something cool and wet circling around his hole. Colten's fingers. The man was lubing him. Steven's fingers gripped Colten's hair as the man pressed the blunt head of his cock against Steven's body.

"Breathe," Colten whispered into his mouth. Steven nodded as the head of Colten's cock popped past the ring of muscle. Colten continued to work his way in, inching slowly, kissing Steven as if he were the only thing that mattered.

When Colten finally bottomed out, Steven was gasping for air. Their bodies began to move in a rhythm and Steven's pain morphed into pleasure. He clung to Colten as Colten rocked inside of him.

"How could you not want this?" Steven groaned the words. "It feels...it's...god."

Colten gave a low growl as he suckled at Steven's neck. He thrust his cock deeper. The man didn't answer him and Steven wasn't going to push him. Hell no. He was too busy falling apart in the man's arms. Colten grabbed Steven behind his knees and spread his legs wider. He pulled back and his eyes dropped to where they were joined.

Steven gasped. "Do you feel that?"

"It's like-" Colten shook his head as sweat began to gather over his brows. "I'm in your head, in you."

Steven had never felt anything like this before. The bridge between their minds was fully open. Absolutely everything was laid bare to him. He saw Colten. Really saw him. And he knew Colten could see him. Their lives, trials and tribulations, every hidden secret were exposed to each other. He wouldn't have to tell Colten what he'd gone through. The man could see it.

Colten dropped and gathered Steven into his arms. "Never again. They'll never do that to you again."

Don't. Just make love to me. I don't want you to see the ugliness of my life.

"It doesn't matter to me," Colten said. "None of it was your fault, baby. None of it."

Steven writhed beneath the man. Colten began to pound into him, his cock driving deeper. Just when Steven thought he couldn't handle it any longer, Colten bit into his shoulder. Steven shouted, ribbons of seed erupting from his cock. He felt as if he were spiraling, tumbling, falling into an abyss.

Colten thrust a few more times, stiffened, and then growled around Steven's shoulder. The man pulled his teeth free and then began to lick at the wound. Steven collapsed, breathing raggedly.

"Sleep." Colten nuzzled Steven's neck and that was exactly what Steven did.

Chapter Nine.

Sparrow leaned against his patrol car, arms crossed, listening to Colten tell him about two of his ranch hands. And here he thought things would simmer down once those riffraff from Lamont's Trailer Heaven had been disbanded. But having a peaceful town wasn't always easy. Sparrow knew this. There were going to be times when he and his friends-along with his deputies-were going to have to fight to maintain the way of life here in Bear County.

It was nothing new to him. "And they haven't shown up for work since then?" Sparrow asked.

Colten shook his head as he stood by Sparrow's car. "No. But my gut tells me they haven't left town."

"But you don't want to tell me why Steven has a contract out on him," Sparrow stated.

"I'd rather not," Colten replied. "I promise you that it's not for anything he's done wrong, Sparrow. He's not a criminal."

He'd known Colten for close to a decade. Sparrow had gotten drunk with the man, puked with the man, gone on countless missions with Colten. He trusted him at his word. The guy was quiet most of the time, kept to himself, but Sparrow knew Colten's past, as did all the other men from their unit. "I'll keep my eye out for them on patrol."

"I'm only telling you about them," Colten said, "because if they come after Steven, I'm not holding back."

Sparrow nodded. "Understood."

Which meant if either Leonardo or Nate tried to hurt Steven, Colten would kill them. Before Sparrow had mated Josh and Clayton, he would have warned Colten to let the law handle this. But he knew that the bear shifters lived by their own set of rules. Things were pretty cut and dry for their kind. Leave me and mine alone or you'll feel my wrath.

Sparrow had come to think the same way after Kane had been born. He'd kill anyone who tried to hurt his son or either of his mates. "Give me the courtesy of a heads-up," Sparrow said.

Colten nodded as he looked up at his home. Sparrow could see the guy looking toward the second floor of the plantation-style home and knew the guy's mind was with Steven. "Heath asked about his cousin."

"What'd you tell him?" Colten asked. "I'm not sure he's aware of Steven's situation."

"He's family," Sparrow pointed out. "You think maybe he has a right to know his cousin is in danger?"

He knew that Heath spoke highly of his cousin and worried about Steven. Sparrow had heard his deputy boast about Steven on more than one occasion. Heath wasn't a bear shifter, but he was aware they existed. Being law enforcement in a town with bear shifters, it was bound to come out.

Sparrow had to give Heath credit. The guy hadn't freaked out the way Sparrow had when he found out. But then again, Sparrow had seen a man giving birth. Sparrow almost chuckled to himself at the memory of how he'd run as fast as he could from the Triple-B Ranch. Thank goodness Clayton had finally come after him or he would have never known what it was like to have such a beautiful relationship with both Josh and Clayton, or how much he loved being a father.

Colten shook his head. "Until I know who I can trust, I'd rather keep this between me and you."

"And the men at Big Bear Ranch," Sparrow reminded him. "By the way, love the name. Heard it was you who came up with it."

"I thought it was crafty," Colten admitted with a smile. "T-Rex and Rowdy ordered the large sign to put over the entrance to the drive." Colten nodded toward the end of the driveway. "They want to erect a large steel archway so it feels official when people visit."

Sparrow chuckled. "T-Rex doesn't believe in doing things half-assed."

"He's a good leader," Colten said. "I trust him to do things right for this ranch."

"I couldn't agree more," Sparrow said. "He's an alpha among men. Hardnosed, but a good man."