Page 37 of Rescue Them

“Yes,” James answered.“We wanted to see if there was anything there, and we did it during the day.The landowner approached us on the way out.We told him we were looking for a trail to a nonexistent lake and then left.I don’t know if he’s involved or not.But he was in his seventies at least.”James felt like the world had been lifted from his shoulders.

Red seemed a little overwhelmed.“Okay.Is that all you have for me?I’ve been on the trail of these guys for months.Dogs have been disappearing all over town, and there have been rumors, but nothing more.”

“We don’t know how much longer they are going to use this site.If the owner isn’t in on it, he’s not going to be happy,”

“I can check to see if there have been any calls.”Red stood.“Thank you both.We’ll be looking into it.”He seemed sincere, but James wondered just how serious this was.

“You know these people steal dogs for training purposes.”

Red stood, his expression serious.“I do, and we’re going to get to the bottom of this.I don’t want to sound ungrateful, because I am, more than I can tell you.But honestly, the sooner you leave, the sooner I can get with my partner and check all this out.”

Lyle smiled.“Okay,” He extended his hand, and Red shook it.“We just want this to end.Thank you for everything.”They left the conference room and went out to the car.“I’m almost tempted to wait and see if they really do anything.”He climbed inside as a car pulled out of the lot from behind the building.

“I think you have your answer,” James said as a second car followed.Red’s figure behind the wheel was unmistakable.“Let’s get home, okay?We’ve had a busy day, and I think we both deserve some quiet time.”

Lyle turned to him, eyes dark and deep.“And exactly what kind of quiet time did you have in mind.”

James leaned closer, his lips right near Lyle’s ear.“The kind where I strip you naked and we finally get to be together.Just you and me, no dogs or mothers or anyone else.There is one thing, though.I can’t guarantee just how quietyou’regoing to be.”Lyle shivered next to him and swallowed hard, his throat working beautifully.Then he started the engine and drove as quickly through town as was safely possible.

The dogs were excited to see them and danced around their feet as they arrived.Lyle gave them each pets and took them downstairs.He let them out to go potty while James went upstairs.He heard Lyle come up the stairs from the basement.

“James?”he called.

“I’m up here,” he answered, and Lyle came up the stairs and into the room, then closed the door.

“You’re naked,” Lyle said softly.James watched as Lyle’s gaze raked over him.James could almost feel it, and he loved every second.Then Lyle slowly took off his shirt and laid it over the chair in the corner.His shoes and pants followed.“You know, there is no smooth way to do this.”

“Really?”James asked, taking in acres of smooth, glowing skin.Lyle was beautiful, slim, but toned from constant activity.His eyes grew darker as he slipped off the last of his clothes.

“Yes.In movies they always make this graceful, but I’m lucky I don’t fall flat on my face.”He climbed onto the bed, and James took him into his arms.“I guess I’m lucky I’m here without getting a concussion.”

James kissed him and slipped his hands down his back to cup his sweet butt.Lyle was really smooth, skin soft, but with hard muscle under it.Lyle held him close, kissing him deeply, the energy sizzling between them.

“Damn…,” James whispered.

“What?”Lyle asked, pulling back.

“You blow me away sometimes,” James said, his heart racing as Lyle looked into his eyes.“You have all this energy and vitality.I didn’t expect it when we met.I had pictured you as rather quiet, but instead, you’re….”

“Not a dead fish?”Lyle quipped.

“Hey, I never thought that.You’re just so active and passionate about what’s important to you.So when you’re that way with me, it tells me a lot.”

“Like what?That you’re hot?That you make me hot?”Lyle quivered in his arms.“That you make me want things I probably don’t have a right to want?”He leaned closer.“I still can’t get over the fact that someone like you would be interested in a guy like me.”

“Where does that come from?”James asked as tenderly as he could.

“Let’s just say that as a kid I was husky,” Lyle said.“The weight came off when I was a teenager, but I heard those kinds of things most of my life and….”

“How you look… and for the record, you’re sexy… but that’s less important than the person you are inside.”James drew him down for a kiss.“That’s what really counts.”He kissed Lyle once more, rolling them on the bed and pressing him into the mattress.James wrapped his legs around James’s waist, holding him in his arms and between his thighs.It was hot as fuck and sent James’s pulse racing even faster.

Being given a gift of such trust and care was the sexiest thing James could ever imagine.Showing vulnerability was something James understood, and he never wanted to betray that trust.It was precious and something to be treated with care.

“I want you,” Lyle whispered in his ear.James groaned and held Lyle even tighter.“There’s stuff in the drawer.”

James reached for it and nearly dropped the drawer on the floor in his haste.He managed to find the slick and a couple of foil packets that ended up in the bedding.Not that he cared.James managed to find one and roll it on.Anticipation had him so damned sensitive right now that he nearly sent himself over the edge.Thankfully he managed to get the damned thing on and slicked without going over the edge.

“Why are you breathing like that?”Lyle asked.