With Abandon: With or Without, Book 4

Matt spit out water. When the coughing subsided, he slapped a hand
    over his mouth, and his eyes widened. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry. Are you o—? Why are you laughing?”
    His wet hair lay limp against his forehead, concealing one eye. He brushed it back, still looking like he’d gotten caught with his hand in a cookie jar.
    Aubrey couldn’t help it, he laughed harder. It had been awhile since he’d gone swimming in the
    creek. This did constitute swimming, didn’t it?
    Looking down, Matt shook his head at himself and groaned. A small chuckle escaped. When he
    glanced back up, his eyes practically sparkled.
    Aubrey saw it coming—he’d been around his mate long enough to recognize the playful streak—and
    prepared to retaliate. He cupped his hands and splashed Matt just as he splashed Aubrey.
    In no time, they were engaged in an all-out water fight.
    Diving forward, Matt tackled him into the water. They went under in a tangle of arms and legs.
    Aubrey grabbed his mate, pulling him close.
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    With Abandon
    When they broke the surface again, Matt clung to him, laughing. He looked so vibrant and alive with
    his head flung back and soaked to the bone. As he lowered his gaze to meet Aubrey’s, that adorable giggle escaped. As suddenly as it appeared the joyous sound ceased. Their eyes locked and everything else
    disappeared except for the warmth of Matt’s body pressed to his.
    Aubrey’s heart pounded so hard he swore he could actually hear it. Anticipation tingled in the pit of
    his stomach, and his prick took notice of Matt’s nearness at the same time his wolf senses did. The color faded from his vision, and his gums tingled. He must have leaned forward, because Matt closed his eyes
    and tilted his head, offering his lips.
    A door slammed, sending them scrambling away from one another.
    Aubrey’s heart thudded, his chest hurt and nausea settled into his gut. He couldn’t believe he’d let
    himself get swept away here in the one place he could never show affection for Matt. He swallowed the lump in his throat and blinked. He turned toward the sound, hoping against hope that they’d remained
    unnoticed.
    Boskie stormed out the back door of Reynolds Hall toward the silver Jag, whose presence Aubrey had
    let slip his mind.
    The hair on the back of Aubrey’s neck and arms stood on end. He’d like to have said it was from the
    chill of being in the creek and the soft breeze, but he’d only be kidding himself.
    Orin never even looked their way, but he did miss a step when he caught sight of Aubrey’s car. Which
    eased Aubrey’s mind a little.
    “Who’s that?” The heat of Matt’s body warmed his right side, and a hand lightly rested on his lower
    back.
    Boskie sped away, past Aubrey’s car and up the drive in a cloud of dust.
    “Orin Boskie.”
    “The guy who attacked Carson?”
    “One and the same.”
    “What’s he doing here?”
    That was exactly what Aubrey wanted to know.

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    Chapter Nine
    “Boskie is a wolf?” Matt frowned. Why didn’t Aubrey just take up his issues with him instead of
    hiring Carson?
    “Yes.”
    “Does he know Carson is your executive assistant now?”
    Aubrey shrugged.
    “Did you try talking to him? Tell him to leave Carson alone?”
    “No. He’d think I was threatening him with telling his wife or something. He and I are sort of
    business rivals. He thinks I’m too young to take over the company. I think he’s an idiot. It’s better to just get Carson out of his reach like I did.”
    That made sense. It also helped Matt understand why Aubrey had hired Carson. He rubbed Aubrey’s
    back, trying to show his support as they watched the dust begin to settle from Boskie’s rapid departure. He had to hand it to Carson. He had good taste. Boskie wasn’t the old fart Matt had expected. “Well, I see why Carson slept with him.”
    Turning to look at Matt, Aubrey growled and glared.
    Matt smiled. Was that a little flair of jealousy?
    The back door slammed shut again, and Matt let his hand slide off Aubrey’s lower back.
    On the porch stood a man with mostly dark hair and a few streaks of gray. Was this Aubrey’s dad? He
    turned toward them with a sour look, then his eyes widened and a huge grin lit his face. Strolling toward them, he raised his hand and waved. “Aubrey. When did the two of you get here?”
    “About ten minutes ago. What the hell did Boskie want?” Aubrey started trudging out of the