With Caution

days was gone now.
    “Butthead.” Sterling tore grass from the ground and threw it at Remi.
    Jerking his head to the side, Remi nudged Sterling’s thigh with his own. “Brat.”
    Remi licked his lips and smiled. The shiny gold surface of his Oakley lenses reflected Jake’s image.
    Before Jake realized his intent, Remi caught his ankle and tugged.
    “Shit.” Jake leaned forward to keep from landing on his ass. Catching himself, he fell with his hands on either side of Remi’s head. His face poised inches from Remi’s, his glasses slipped, hanging on his ears by the earpieces.
    Sterling roared with laughter, but it seemed distant. Jake couldn’t focus on anything but his mate being so close.
    Remi wasn’t unaffected. His breath hitched and the smell of arousal filled the air. A soft sound of surprise left his lips and fanned over Jake’s face.
    Blood rushed to Jake’s prick and his stomach tightened with anticipation. His vision went monochrome. He wanted to press himself against the lean body and claim Remi’s full mouth.
    Turning his face up slightly, Remi parted his lips, displaying the tips of canines.
    Then he shook his head and snapped out of it. He chuckled, “Gotcha,” put his hands on Jake’s shoulders and shoved.
    Reluctantly, Jake rolled onto his back next to Remi. What would Remi have done if Jake had kissed him? “Asshole.”
    Sterling laughed harder, seemingly oblivious to Jake and Remi’s plight, and held his hand up to Remi. “Good one.”
    Laughing, Remi slapped his brother’s hand, but the smell of lust still surrounded him.
    Jake knew damn well Remi was as hard as he was. It was both comforting and puzzling. Maybe he wasn’t going to have as hard a time claiming his mate as he’d first thought. He wondered if Remi could handle him wanting to be more than a friend.
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    www.samhainpublishing.com

    With Caution

    * * *

    Jake couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed himself so much. After playing football they’d eaten lunch and gone back to Remi’s apartment and taken showers.
    Fortunately, Jake had brought a change of clothes with him. He got trounced at video games by Sterling and Remi, then he’d sat back and watched the brothers take turns beating each other and rubbing it in. They’d ordered pizza and dug through Remi’s DVD
    collection. Time had flown by, as it always seemed to when you were having fun.
    Now, he and Remi sat on the couch in Remi’s small living room, bemoaning the fact that they’d eaten too much. They were watching the end of The Howling and Sterling was asleep on the floor.
    “Ah, fuck. What a day.” Remi leaned his head back, putting his hands over his face as the ending credits played on the TV. Dragging his hands down, he sat back up and turned toward Jake. “Thanks.”
    “For what?”
    “For calming me this morning. For hanging out all day and helping me cheer Sterling up.”
    “Didn’t look like Sterling needed much cheering up. Something tells me the kid could have fun at an insurance seminar.” Remi had been the one who needed his mood lifted.
    Remi glanced down at Sterling, and a fond grin crept across his face. “Yeah, he’s a good kid.”
    “He is. Wanna tell me about the bruises on his arms? Does it have anything to do with the person you want me to investigate?”
    Remi closed his eyes and bent forward to rest his forearms on his knees. Exhaling noisily, he nodded. “Yeah, let me put Sterling in bed before we talk.” He shoved himself from the couch and walked around the battered oak coffee table.
    Jake stood. “Let me. Where do you want to put him?”

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    J.L. Langley
    “I can get him. He’s not that heavy.” Bending, Remi scooped Sterling into his arms.
    He groaned a little on the way up. “Okay, maybe he is getting a bit heavy.” Remi chuckled.
    Sterling never even moved, he was dead to the world. Not surprising. Anyone who had as much energy as he did awake should sleep like a rock.
    Holding out his arms, Jake tried to offer help, but Remi shook his head. “Nah, I got him. Just go make sure his door is open and pull his covers back.”
    It didn’t surprise Jake one bit that Sterling had his own room in Remi’s apartment.
    Jake was beginning to realize his mate had hidden depths. Most bachelors would have turned the extra room into an office or storage, but not Remi. Remi wasn’t the self-centered ass he tried to come across as most of the time.
    Jake hurried down the hall