Garrett's Choice Read online

  Garrett whispered softly. The light breeze brushing up against Lachlan’s face caused sensations to break out across his body that had a direct link to his balls. They started to tighten, and his cock began to rise from the nearness of the other man.

  Lachlan took a deep swallow then forced his mouth to work.

  “Maybe.” Garrett’s tongue came out to swipe across his lips. The wet shine captured Lachlan’s full attention, and all his ability to think went out the window. He started to move forward when Garrett took a step back.

  “It’s getting late,” Garrett said. “I’ll let you get off to bed.”

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  Lachlan stood there stunned. What the fuck just happened?

  Garrett stopped when he reached the foot of the stairs and looked back to Lachlan. “Would you like me to walk you to your room?”

  Lachlan felt his fist ball up tight against his thighs. He needed him so desperately, yet Garrett pulled away. He’d be damned if he begged Garrett for anything.

  “No,” Lachlan said nonchalantly as he brushed past Garrett. “See you in the morning.”

  Lachlan didn’t look back when Garrett said good-night. He just kept his back to his mate as he climbed the steps. When he reached his room, he threw open the door but caught it in time before he slammed it shut.

  “What kind of game is he playing?” Lachlan asked himself as he headed to the bathroom. He flipped on the cold water. If he had any hopes of getting any sleep, he had to chase away any and all desire for Garrett.

  Garrett stopped in front of Lachlan’s door. He stared at the thick wood, wishing he could magically see through it, but it was no use.

  He hadn’t been born a witch, so he couldn’t make the door go away by casting a spell. But he’d give anything to see what Lachlan was doing behind that door.

  After dinner Garrett held back to talk with Josh and Victor. He wanted to make it clear that Lachlan was off-limits for any type of teasing the two men had been bestowing onto his mate over the past month.

  Josh held to his word that he wouldn’t provoke Lachlan, but Garrett knew better. He eventually just gave up and told Josh if it happened again, he be forced to shun him from the pack. Garrett didn’t want to do that, but Josh had to know his boundaries. Josh looked dejected but dropped his head in defeat and agreed to lay off Garrett’s Choice

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  Lachlan. Garrett wasn’t overly concerned with Victor. Victor was a follower and would do whatever Josh agreed to.

  Garrett hated giving Josh an ultimatum, but it was the only sure way to get through to his head. Josh’s home life had been rather difficult growing up, and the first chance Josh got, he moved into Garrett’s house. Josh’s dad was a real hard-ass. The man believed any shifters other than wolves were worthless, and his opinion on homosexuals wasn’t much better. Garrett actually came to blows with Josh’s dad when he made a derogatory remark toward another wolf.

  They fought, and Garrett won without much difficulty. The man claimed he couldn’t respect a man who took it up the ass. Garrett politely informed the man that if he couldn’t respect a gay man, then he couldn’t respect his alpha because Garrett was gay. Ever since that day Josh’s father stayed clear of Garrett, only seeing the man when the pack ran under the full moon.

  The memory of Josh’s father’s hatred still angered Garrett to this day. The loathing and disgust that oozed off the man came in droves.

  Garrett often wondered how Josh made it out of his childhood home without being severely scarred.

  The sound of creaking floorboards met Garrett’s acute hearing. He could hear Lachlan moving about his room getting ready for bed.

  Garrett took another step toward the door and raised his hand. He was just about to knock when the door flew open. Lachlan stood before him in a loose pair of flannel pajama bottoms, his hair damp. A trickle of water dripped down Lachlan’s muscled chest, and Garrett wanted to close the gap to lick the wet drop away as it wove its way down the dips and valleys of Lachlan’s torso.

  “Garrett, what are you doing out here?”

  “I…Well…I…” Garrett didn’t know what to say. He wanted Lachlan in the worst way. “Fuck it,” Garrett growled as he pulled Lachlan into his arms and covered Lachlan’s lips with his own. He swallowed down the small whimper that tried to escape Lachlan’s throat.

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  Lachlan hesitated for a moment then gave in to what his soul craved. He curled his fingers into Garrett’s shoulders and tugged him closer. Garrett devoured every inch of Lachlan’s mouth using teeth and tongue to cause the sweetest pain.

  Garrett dropped his hands to grab Lachlan’s ass, smashing them even closer. The distinct bulge in Garrett’s jeans burrowed into Lachlan’s hip. With every rough touch Lachlan’s pulse rose, and sensations so delicious ran along his every nerve ending.

  Before Lachlan could comprehend what was happening, Garrett pulled away from him. Sweat glistened across his forehead as his breathing rushed past his lips in heavy pants. The man looked like he held on by only a thin wire. Lachlan wasn’t for sure if he wanted Garrett’s control to snap or not. The time they shared at dinner had been nice and comfortable, almost familiar in a way Lachlan longed for. But if they had sex now, would it make Garrett think Lachlan had given in and could be easily controlled?

  “We should stop.” Garrett took a step back, holding Lachlan at an arm’s distance away. “I want to be with you, but I don’t want to rush things like we did when we first met. I want, no I need, to prove to you that I can be the mate you deserve.”

  What the hell? Lachlan stared dumfounded at his mate, mouth hanging open and eyes bugging out from their sockets. Never in a million years did he expect to hear those words come out of his mate’s mouth. Lachlan agreed that they should slow things down, but he so desperately wanted his mate. In Lachlan’s hazy thoughts, he couldn’t think of why them sleeping together would be so problematic.

  “But, if you want…” Lachlan nibbled on his lower lip, too embarrassed to make the first move or to even vocalize it.

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  “Oh, I want. There’s no doubt about that.” Garrett gave him a naughty little grin. “But for us to get past our issues, we need to take it one day at a time,” Garrett said as he headed for the door. “Good night, Lachlan.”

  Lachlan felt like he’d been doused with a bucket of cold water.

  Garrett’s thoughts, feelings, and control were very mature. Lachlan couldn’t believe this was the same man who practically threw a tantrum when Lachlan refused to leave the Warriors of the Light. To say Lachlan was impressed would be putting it lightly. He was more like amazed by Garrett’s suggestion to wait.

  Lachlan followed Garrett to the door. Once Garrett stood over the threshold standing in the hallway, he turned toward Lachlan. “If you need anything, I’m right next door.” He thumbed over his shoulder.

  “I can see that.” Lachlan smirked. “Does that need include a blow job?”

  “Huh?” Garrett stumbled over his feet and grabbed at the wall to steady himself, and Lachlan began to laugh.

  “Good night, Garrett.”

  “Night, my love.”

  Lachlan watched as Garrett walked the few feet to his bedroom door, not shutting his until Garrett was safely inside his room. Not that there was any threat that they were aware of in the house, but it made Lachlan feel better knowing his mate was safe and sound in his room. Lachlan walked over to rest his back against the wall he shared with Garrett. They were separated by wood and Sheetrock, but Lachlan felt close to Garrett somehow.

  He closed his eyes and imagined Garrett tucked into bed with nothing but a sheet to cover his body. The way Garrett’s skin would stand out in contrast to the crisp white linens. Lachlan’s cock jumped in his pants, and he began to palm the quickly growing erection.

  Stop it! Lachlan smacked his other hand against his forehead, trying to dislodge all dirty
thoughts of Garrett. But it was no use. All he could see every time he closed his eyes was Garrett standing naked 50

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  in front of him, ordering Lachlan to his knees to service his very heavy and needy cock. Lachlan could almost picture the silky skin stretched taut over the solid, thick length.

  The visual in Lachlan’s mind took hold of his body. Lachlan fumbled to undo the tie of his pajama bottoms and let them fall down his thighs. He fisted his length in his grasp and gave a rough upper tug. The cap leaked clear juices coating his hand. Lachlan used the pre-cum to help ease the glide of his fingers around his dick.

  His mind wandered back to Garrett. Lachlan worked his shaft and pretended it was Garrett rubbing and gripping his cock, pushing him dangerously closer to the edge only to pull back just before Lachlan tumbled over into a mind-blowing orgasm.

  The sound of his hand smacking back and forth reminded him of the sound his and Garrett’s bodies made when they fucked. Garrett would thrust his cock deep within Lachlan, slapping his balls against Lachlan’s ass. The slow withdrawal was followed by a powerful slam forward.

  Lachlan’s back arched off the wall as he shoved his hips forward, working his hand faster. He could feel the cum boiling in his groin, begging to burst free. Lachlan sped his movements up and thrust forward into every jerk of his hand. Lachlan could feel his seed pulsing up from his balls and racing up and out his body.

  “Garrett,” Lachlan groaned as cum shot out his slit and covered his hand. Lachlan slowed his hand and rested his head back against the cool, solid wall. He swallowed down breath after breath, trying to slow his heart rate. The orgasm was so intense it was as if Garrett were truly in the room with him, touching him.

  After a few minutes of deep, calming breaths, Lachlan pushed away from the wall and walked across his bedroom to the bathroom.

  He squinted when the sharp light stung his eyes. Lachlan washed his hands as he gazed at himself in the mirror.

  The red blotches on his cheeks shined like he suffered windburn from a cold winter’s day when snow covered the ground and crisp, Garrett’s Choice

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  cool air cut through the body like a knife. The only problem was Lachlan wasn’t cold. If anything, he was in fear of overheating. Even as mad as he had been at Garrett, it didn’t matter. His body and soul recognized its other half and didn’t want to be separated for a moment longer.

  Lachlan finished washing up then headed to bed. He shucked his clothes before getting under the blankets. As he lay there staring up at the ceiling, he made a promise to himself. If Garrett behaved well and didn’t try and boss him around, he’d reward his mate. It wouldn’t be too much of a hardship being as he wanted Garrett just as badly. They hadn’t made love in over three weeks. Something had to give.

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  Chapter Six

  A few days had passed, and things were going smoothly. Lachlan and Garrett had shared a stolen kiss here and there and held hands every chance they got. The little innocent touches reminded Lachlan of when he was younger and tiptoed his way around his journey of sexual self-discovery. It was new and exciting and a bit frightening.

  Lachlan had grown and matured quite a bit since his days as a clueless youth, but age didn’t calm his frazzled nerves whenever in close proximity to his mate. The way Garrett’s eyes would flash to his and the way he smiled drove Lachlan crazy with longing. It took everything he had to not jump the man. But what Garrett said was right. They needed to move slow and get to know one another better so that they could be the mate each other deserved.

  “Umf,” Lachlan grunted as he took a hit to the stomach.

  “Oh no! Lachlan, are you okay?” Clara asked as she rested a hand on Lachlan’s shoulder where he stood doubled over gasping for air.

  After talking to Clara that first night back at the house, Lachlan hadn’t been able to shake the young wolf. She was coming more and more out of her shell and smiled with such ease. He couldn’t believe how much she’d changed. Her smile could light up a room that had been shrouded in darkness.

  Clara hadn’t talked about her past and would avoid any reference to it if Lachlan mentioned it. He didn’t want to pry, but he was curious as to what made the young lady so guarded and afraid.

  Whenever someone caught Clara off guard she’d flinch as if she was preparing to take a blow to the face. The thought of someone even laying a finger on her angered Lachlan more than anything. Lachlan Garrett’s Choice

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  wanted to know her history and what brought her to the Carrington Pack, but he wouldn’t push her. Clara would tell him when she was ready.

  Her thirst for combat knowledge was insatiable. That reason right there made Lachlan think the young lady had been abused before she came to live with Garrett and his pack. Her eagerness to learn how to defend herself was typical of abused individuals. They wanted to be stronger than their attackers.

  For all Lachlan knew she was looking to get revenge on the one who had hurt her. He couldn’t fault her for that.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” Lachlan stood and coughed into his hand.

  “I’m so sorry.” Clara’s voice came out high pitched and frantic. “I swear I didn’t mean to do that.” Her hands fell to her sides, and her fingers automatically went to fidget with the hem of her raggedy old T-shirt.

  “Clara, sweetie, I’m fine.” Lachlan gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “That was one hell of a punch. I’m proud of you, squirt.” He used the nickname he had started calling her by, and it did the trick.

  Clare gifted him with one of her huge smiles.

  “Really?”

  Lachlan nodded his head. “Really.” He caught her just as she launched herself into his arms. Lachlan held her in a gentle but firm hold. He imagined this was what it felt like to have a sister. While he and Lawson stilled lived with their parents, they hadn’t had any other children. If they had more now, there was no way for Lachlan to have known.

  Just then the sound of a buzzing came from the backpack Clara always carried around with her. Her cheeks darkened as she rushed to check her phone. Lachlan watched as she read whatever message she’d received.

  “I gotta go.” Clara shouldered her bag and started to walk off.

  Lachlan grinned as she walked away, never looking up from her phone. Lately she’d been getting a lot of messages, and Lachlan 54

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  wondered if she’d met someone. “See ya later, squirt,” Lachlan hollered after her, and Clara turned to wave then took off running for the house.

  Not ready to go back inside, Lachlan decided to go for a run. He’d been dying to shift and run in his lion form, but he didn’t want to freak out the locals. The locals being the Carrington wolves.

  He hadn’t had any issues since the first night he arrived, but that might all change if he turned into a five-hundred-pound lion and started hunting on their grounds. Granted, him being mated to Garrett made Lachlan co-alpha of the pack, but he didn’t want to go splitting hairs or get into a pissing match with any of the wolves. They were being respectful of him, and he’d show them the same in kind.

  The path Lachlan followed into the surrounding woods looked well worn. Everyone that lived within a hundred-mile radius was a shifter of some sort and, being true to their second nature, liked to run and hunt.

  It made Lachlan feel free and at one with his lion when he ran and hunted. He’d heard the same from his fellow shifter warriors that running was a good release from the pressures of human society.

  Lachlan kept at an even pace and trotted along without a care in the world. The sunshine beamed down, chasing away the autumn chill. It made the temperature comfortable and perfect for a midday run.

  “Are you queer now, too, boy?”

  The sound of shouting in the distance had Lachlan stumbling to a stop. The foul and disgusting word got his attention more than the raised voice did.

  “No, Dad. I just like living on my
own is all. I swear.”

  Lachlan eased closer to the voices and saw Josh talking with another man. From the resemblance, Lachlan took an educated guess this was Josh’s father. Wes had been right. The man was a bastard.

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  “On your own, huh?” The man snickered. “With all those fags over there, I’m starting to think I raised a fairy. You like their company more than your own family, boy?”

  From what Lachlan was witnessing he’d say, yes, the company at Garrett’s house was ten times better than anything at Josh’s house.

  His home life must have been terrible.

  “No, Dad. I just…”

  Josh never finished his sentence. His father hauled back his hand and smacked Josh across the face. The sound echoed in the quiet afternoon. Before Lachlan could stop himself, he took off running toward the men.

  Josh might be an ass, but he was a member of Garrett’s pack and by circumstances Lachlan’s, too. Josh’s dad may be a member as well, but to treat another with such cruelty wasn’t okay in Lachlan’s opinion. The guy deserved to be bitch slapped right back.

  Just as Josh’s dad was pushing his hand back in the opposite direction, knuckles out toward Josh’s face, Lachlan let loose a loud roar. Both men jumped, but it was the older man who cowered in fear.

  “What’s going on here?” Lachlan asked as he brought his hand up to Josh’s chin to look at the red mark flaming at the side of his face.

  “Are you okay?”

  Josh met his eyes, and for a brief moment Lachlan saw the vulnerability in the young man’s eyes. The usual hard gray softened and glistened with what only Lachlan could assume were unshed tears.

  “Get your hands off my son, you…”

  Josh jerked out of Lachlan’s hold and Lachlan let him go without taking offense. It was hard to show weakness in the presence of a man he considered an enemy, even if Lachlan truly wasn’t his enemy.