Balls and Chain Read online

  “Stay right where you are.”

  The assistant backed into the room. At least Jude could count on the pencil pusher to be unarmed.

  “Go hang out with Derek over there. Sam, get my cell. Hit the one key and call this in. I’ll keep them busy.”

  Behind him Jude heard the rushed exchange between Sam and the person on the other end of the phone. Calm under pressure. Pride in Sam swelled in Jude’s chest. Any doubt he’d had that Sam was his, evaporated. He was perfect, and as soon as this mess was over Jude was going to dedicate himself to proving it to Sam until he agreed.

  * * * *

  Sam strained his neck, looking for Jude. The courtroom was packed. Reporters filled the aisles and bulbs flashed as Winston was escorted away. Now, it was over. But where was Jude?

  Because of the criminal homicide attempts, and the murder of Gregg Christiansen, the case had been expedited through the legal system. A little over a month after the motel gun fight, and a jury had already found Winston guilty on fourteen counts of first degree murder along with several other criminal charges. Winston wouldn’t be seeing the light of day for a long, long time.

  Other than quick phone calls, he hadn’t seen Jude since the arrest. He didn’t know how he’d come to need Jude so quickly, but he did. He needed to hear his voice, needed to see him. He’d been counting on Jude to be there for the reading of the verdict. He’d promised.

  The courtroom cleared. Negligently leaning on the back wall, like he was holding it up, Jude folded his arms and watched him. A smile softened his lips, and there was a happy light in his eyes. Sam’s breath caught. Relaxed, happy, and smiling at him was exactly the way Sam had chosen to remember him. It was like revisiting those precious moments after the last time Jude had kissed him. Before all hell had broken loose.

  Sam didn’t wait for an invitation. He crossed the room to Jude. Jude stood, waiting for him. He didn’t even hesitate when Sam got there, just held him tightly in his arms. Sam sighed.

  “I thought you hadn’t come,” Sam confessed.

  “I couldn’t miss this. You needed me. I always want to be here when you need me.”

  Sam looked up at him hopefully. “I need you every day. Think you can swing that?”

  Jude’s easy smile warmed Sam to the core. “I thought it was going to be a lot harder to convince you of that.”

  Sam raised an eyebrow. “You thought you needed to convince me?”

  “I was fully prepared for a total seduction taking as long as necessary.”

  “Hey, now, we don’t need to rule that out just yet.”

  Jude threw his head back, laughing. Sam’s skin tingled, alive at the sound of Jude letting go. When Jude’s laugh returned to twinkling eyes and toothy grin, he pressed a kiss to Sam’s lips. “I have some other news for you too.”

  “Oh?”

  “Gifford told me you’d been asking about Matilda’s circumstances,” Jude began.

  “Yeah, I’ve been worried about her.”

  “She’s in foster care. She’s doing well. Gifford wanted to let you know that if you wanted to adopt her, he’d put a recommendation in for you.”

  A smile split Sam’s face as he failed to contain the joy he was feeling. The man he’d fallen for wanted him and the little girl who’d stolen his heart could become his daughter. “Really? Based on the motel thing?”

  “That and because of your persistence in making sure she’s been safe this past month. I may have put in a good word for you too,” Jude said.

  Sam kissed him. God, he loved this man.

  “I love you too.”

  Sam blinked.

  “What? You didn’t know you’d said that out loud?” Jude teased.

  Sam blushed.

  “C’mon. Let me take you home and show you exactly how much I liked hearing it.”

  Sam’s nerves were jumping by the time they got to his apartment. Everything was a mess, like it had been searched. Jude didn’t let him get distracted though. He pulled him close, kicking the door shut behind him.

  Jude took his hand and led him to the bedroom.

  “How do you know where to go?” Sam asked.

  “I was the one who discovered that the bugs in your apartment weren’t ours.”

  “You’ve been in here.”

  Jude smiled mysteriously. “Yeah. I may have stopped to smell your aftershave.”

  Sam grinned. He’d been doing a lot of that today. It felt good to be this happy. Jude unbuttoned Sam’s oxford shirt. He tugged on Sam’s belt, and Sam lost himself in the heated expression that baring his body had on Jude. Knowing that a man like Jude—self-sufficient, sexy as hell, competent—wanted him as badly as Sam did him, turned him on in a big way.

  Sam stepped out of his pants. He reached down to rid himself of his shoes and socks and pushed down his underwear. He stood naked and hard before Jude.

  “Last time you were fully dressed and I was naked, my ass was sore,” Sam reminded him.

  “If you don’t mind, I don’t want to do that this time.”

  “Good. I was hoping for something a little less aggressive.”

  Jude pulled off his shirt. Sam’s fingers glided over his pristinely muscled chest, nudged his flat, tan nipples. “Like what?”

  “No distractions or complications. Just us.” Jude sucked in sharply when Sam’s fingers dipped to his waistband.

  “Just us sounds fantastic.” Sam unbuttoned Jude’s jeans, pushing them down much the same way Jude had just done to Sam.

  Jude walked away.

  “Where are you going?” Sam asked.

  “Getting your stash of condoms.” Jude reappeared from the bathroom a moment later with condoms and the flavored lubricant Sam favored.

  “Right. You’ve been through my things.”

  Jude stripped the rest of his clothes. It was the first really good look Sam had of him. He was every wet dream come to life. Jude’s thick cock jutted toward Sam as though it led the man it was attached to.

  Jude tossed the condoms and lube on the bed, and took both of Sam’s hands. “This time, I’m not rushing. I want to see every minute of you coming.”

  Sam linked their fingers. His throat closed with emotion and he swallowed passed the lump that had formed. “Sounds good.”

  Sam pulled Jude on top of him on the bed. He shuddered as their naked bodies pressed together. Jude’s big brown eyes stared candidly into his. Sam’s cock flexed against Jude’s deliciously.

  “We have something here. You know that right?” Sam said.

  Jude kissed him. Leisurely, he tasted Sam’s lips, exploring them, fitting against them, drugging Sam with every wicked sweet of his mouth against Sam’s. “I’m fully aware,” he murmured.

  Teasing kisses trailed along Sam’s jaw, savored his neck with long shivering sucks, and traced downward to his nipple. He’d never be particularly sensitive there, but with Jude claiming one in a deep sucking pull, Sam nearly came off the bed. He groaned, burying his hands in Jude’s hair to keep him on that spot.

  Jude wouldn’t be deterred. After devoting himself to both nipples equally, he kissed the tips and tracked toothy nips down Sam’s belly to his cock. Cool, tingly mint lube slicked his shaft. Sam gasped. He tried to push Jude’s head toward his aching cock, but Jude chuckled and happily licked Sam’s balls instead.

  “I love these. They’re so pretty,” Jude murmured. “Hairless, gorgeous pink nuggets that fit right in my—”

  Sam yelped as Jude’s hot mouth closed on his balls. He tossed his head. The sensations crashed into each other leaving Sam speechless but for the unintelligible noises he couldn’t hold back.

  Jude’s curious lips came off to press wet kisses to the length of his cock. But it was when Jude closed on his tip that Sam's mind went blank. His tongue probed the tiny hole, flickered under the head and Jude seemed to relish every inch.

  Sam bucked, sinking his cock deeper into the welcome warmth of Jude’s mouth. “Jude, I can’t wait.”

 
Jude sucked harder. He palmed Sam’s balls in a gentle massage that gave Sam the permission he needed. He lifted his hips feeling the spiraling tingle of orgasm burn low and hot. His balls tightened. Jude’s tongue pressed firmly. Sam shouted as cum raced up his cock, exploding into Jude’s mouth.

  Jude took it all, swallowing and cleaning until the last spurts emptied him. Jude worked lube into Sam’s hole.

  “You should see yourself come,” Jude whispered. “Your whole body gets into it and you look like you touch God.”

  Sam laughed. “I think I did. He says hi.”

  Jude laughed too. He took a condom, never slowing as he worked Sam’s rosette and dressed himself. That took talent, Sam decided.

  “I want to see you do that a lot more,” Jude told him seriously.

  “I need you inside me.” Sam couldn’t think of anything that expressed it better. He did need Jude inside. He needed him there, his lips within reach, his body moving over and inside of him.

  Jude rose up, positioning himself at Sam’s entrance. He hooked one of Sam’s thighs and pushed his other foot high against Sam’s ass. Like a gorgeous flower, Sam’s body opened for him, his puckered entrance quivering with expectation.

  “Do you have any idea how seeing you like this turns me on?” Jude asked.

  “Tell me.”

  “Better. I’ll show you.” Jude pushed in, letting Sam’s body adjust to him in increments. When he was finally seated, balls deep, Jude stole a kiss from that adorable pout Sam always seemed to have. He liked that natural curve of his full lower lip.

  Sam smiled warmly, his blue eyes shining. “You feel amazing inside me.”

  “Get used to it.”

  Jude pulled out, enjoying the loss as much as the pleasure when he rocked his hips and flexed back into his lover. Sam’s body was made for loving. It took him easily, responsively. Sam made a strangled sound as Jude pulled out and thrust in again.

  “Everything okay?” Jude asked.

  “Fantastic. Amazing. Incredible. Just don’t stop.”

  “I have no intention of stopping,” Jude told him.

  Sam adjusted his leg to hook over Jude’s shoulder. He linked his fingers with Jude’s above his head. Jude had never felt more connected to another human being.

  Sam caught his bottom lip. Jude kissed it. He rocked into Sam, his pace increasing. Orgasm took him by surprise, swelling and overwhelming him. Jude thrust, keeping pace with the clamoring desire. He shouted. He zinged through Sam like sensual lightning, taking control of him as he rutted to completion. He came in thick jets as Sam came a second time, ropes of fluid anointing Jude’s chest.

  Jude hugged him close, rolling to the side. He fitted Sam’s back against him, not caring they they’d both need a shower later. Hell, they could start it all over again under the hot spray. Jude could hardly wait.

  Epilogue

  Sam unlocked the front door. Already the smells of an Italian feast swam around him in welcome. “Honey, I’m home!”

  Jude walked over, a kitchen towel on his bare shoulder. What Sam had thought to be a moment of convenience in the farmhouse and the cabin turned out to be a regular occurrence. In the past nine months, Sam had discovered that Jude didn’t just like cooking, he liked to do it half dressed. That was fine by Sam, because any spills on that gorgeous chest meant interesting flavors for the bedroom.

  Come to think of it, Sam thought maybe he should “accidentally” drip some homemade tomato sauce on Jude’s chest just to ensure later enjoyment. His mouth watered with the prospect of running his tongue over Jude’s body.

  Jude greeted him with a kiss. “Hey sexy. I’ve got some news.”

  “So do I. You go first.”

  “I have another case coming up. It’s local. I asked Gifford to take me off undercover work.”

  “So you’ll be around more?” Sam clarified.

  Sounded good to him. So far the two undercover cases Jude had taken lasted a matter of weeks, but they were weeks spent apart, and Sam wasn’t a fan of that. He supposed he was lucky. He knew it could have been worse and lasted months or years.

  Jude headed back to the kitchen. Sam followed.

  “I’ll be around more if I have to change specialties,” Jude promised.

  “Good.” Sam caught his bottom lip, holding out an open manila envelope. “It’ll make this even better.”

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s official. Matilda’s ours.” Sam knew he was grinning like a fool.

  Jude whooped and swept Sam into a spin. “Oh my God, that’s amazing! When?”

  “Monday. Think we can get married this weekend instead of next?” Sam asked hopefully.

  “Anything you want. I’m not going anywhere. A husband and a daughter in one weekend. Could this day get any better?”

  Sam smiled wickedly. “It might.” He held up the other shipping envelope he’d been holding. “The leather cuffs arrived in the mail today.”

  Jude’s look turned heated. “Fuck dinner. Let’s go celebrate.”

  Sam’s heart filled with love. “I can wait. You worked too hard to ignore dinner.”

  “It’s only food,” Jude murmured, pulling Sam into his arms again. “You are forever.”

  About the Author

  Mia makes her home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she divides her time between a job and spying on people. Mia enjoys long walks in the park, daisies, dancing in the snow… (Delete prior sentence, meant for personal ad)…

  Mr. Perfect may apply in person for a thorough evaluation and trial. All others will be towed.

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