Wrong Way Home - Taken (Criminal Delights 1)

As soon as they were outside, Colin insisted on removing his shoes and stepped into the yard naked, arguing that he’d still need to wash later, anyway. Taron would’ve been happy to arrange that, if he was allowed to watch.

Taron assumed Colin’s excitement wasn’t entirely sincere, but it was still nice to hear so many questions about his homestead. If this was to be Colin’s home, Taron needed to give him a tour. He had mixed feelings about having to live with another man under his roof, but there was nothing to be done about it, and sex sweetened the deal.

And speaking of sex, Colin was walking so close their skin was in a near-permanent state of almost-touching. It was difficult to figure out someone whose tactics changed so much, but for now Taron decided to go with it and see what the guy’s next step would be.

It was a warm afternoon, and he didn’t feel like dressing, so there was odd tension in the air even though technically they weren’t doing anything erotically-charged. Taron showed Colin the rabbits, and then his workshop, where he manufactured all the items needed around the house, including the collar.

Taron pointed to the large black and brown rabbit hopping in the enclosure. He’d named her after his home state, but it felt strange to sign the word to Colin. The past he’d left in Wyoming wasn’t something he wanted to think about.

Wyoming made a strange turn before chewing on the grass, and Colin smiled, watching the younger animals play. “I’m surprised you don’t produce your own dairy.” he said, smiling at Taron, as if the heavy collar on his neck was just an accessory.

Taron nodded with pride.

Colin rubbed his shoulder against Taron’s arm. “Someone’s happy with himself. You actually do this all alone?” he said, looking around the homestead Taron had been building over ten years.

Taron stood a bit closer, and his fingers briefly touched Colin’s on the fence.

Colin swallowed hard, letting his hand linger in the air. The sun created patterns on his bare chest—bright with the shadow of branches for pattern, and Taron took it in despite his best intentions. Was he falling into Colin’s trap already?

“But you do get lonely,” Colin said, focusing all of Taron’s attention on his words. “There are some things you can’t exactly be self-sufficient with.”

Taron shrugged. It was a half-truth, because he did sometimes yearn for companionship. The problem was that he also loved the freedom of doing his own thing, on his property, however he pleased, without having to consult with anyone. Also, He’d learned that the hard way.

Colin sighed, staring back at Taron so intensely the touch of his fingertips on Taron’s palm came as a complete surprise. His eyes were bright, intelligent, yet so seductive he would have made more cash doing that than healing people, if he’d been telling the truth about being a doctor in the first place.

“But you clearly enjoy having a partner. How did you deal with that so far?”

A partner? More like ‘prisoner’.

Colin took a deep breath, the tip of his finger drawing a line by Taron’s elbow. “Yes.”

How much should Taron even tell him? It wasn’t like he was obliged to divulge the details of his uneventful sex life. He settled on,

Colin’s teeth pulled over his lips. “Wouldn’t it have been easier and safer to find yourself a boyfriend and live with him? I mean…” He chuckled and rubbed his face, hiding a growing smile. “There’s so much sex available. How do you manage without it?”

Taron cocked his head. Did Colin have a lot of sex then? He’d intended to keep things as transactional as possible, but the burning question inside of him created a surprising flame he wouldn’t be able to put out without asking. Just the thought of that alone had Taron itching with such anger he didn’t know what to do with himself.

Colin blinked, as if he hadn’t expected that question. His face relaxed, and the light brown eyes glanced at the trees nearby. “I… I never had the time for boyfriends. I just hook up with people.”

Taron leaned against the fence, wondering if he could stand having another mouth to feed around his house. Sometimes the cats seemed like too much hassle, and he didn’t have the complication of fucking them. On the other hand, sometimes the itch got so bad, he couldn’t help but seek out a guy, so maybe this kind of partnership was a good way to deal with the problem, both now and once shit hit the fan?

Colin’s hand moved farther, eventually resting on Taron’s bicep. “I was pushed to study all the time, and this whole internet dating thing seemed like a lifesaver. If I can’t fuck once or twice a week, I get really agitated. Sometimes, it’s almost like a pill that I need in order to function. Like caffeine.”