Chapter Twelve

Hollis

Light glinted off tumbling curls that gave a softness to Taylin's features. One that belied the mix of emotions that Taylin wasn't hiding. Dark, heavy-lidded eyes carried a wickedness that made it hard for Hollis to draw in air. He'd imagined Taylin looking at him as he was now a thousand times. Only nothing had prepared him for the all-consuming intensity of it. To be Taylin's entire focus was… hot… scary ?

Why had he thought this was a good idea when he talked it over with Monica? Why? It had taken only a second into the conversation to twig that Taylin's animal was somehow the reason they were here.

Hollis couldn't decide if he'd initially seen a look of resignation from Taylin.

Where did that leave them? Him?

Hollis wanted to be brave and had been, right until he realized he was going to go into his heat whilst they were away. For a while, he'd considered they'd be back home before it happened. The additional days they'd added in had forced his hand in Drinkwater.

A part of him he'd admit to no one but Monica, was dancing merrily at how the choice was here, now, away where no one could witness what was about to happen.

Except for Booker, Rue, Kodi and the PAs, his snarky side reminded him.

Any consideration his heat could be late, slid away when they'd gotten onto the plane and, having come over all hot, he'd gone to test his temperature. His first thought was that it was temper over the factory visit, but he quickly gotten dissuaded of that notion when he looked at the thermometer. He'd be lucky now to attend the visit at the next factory the following day, with how he could feel the continuing increase in his body temperature.

The idea and the reality of being with Taylin in this most intimate and vulnerable position an omega could find themselves in were miles apart.

Taylin's question hung between them like a red flag to a bull. Waving a warning that suggested Hollis's reply needed to be handled with care, once he could figure out how to respond. For once in his life, Hollis had gotten himself into a situation where he wasn't sure he'd cope with the fallout. His attraction to Taylin was real and yes, it was pretty obvious the wolf wasn't averse to him, but would his answer change everything?

Make Taylin view him differently .

Make him think Hollis was desperate enough to force the issue between them like this?

"How, Hollis?" Taylin asked, with a bite of impatience and something else Hollis considered and discarded as jealousy.

It was hard to hold Taylin's gaze, but Hollis managed as he answered, "I have a bag of supplies that I use to get me through the worst of it—if you need to leave."

The sudden feral light in Taylin's eyes was predatory and Hollis barely resisted taking a step back when there was no sign Taylin was leaving him alone.

"Show me?"

The sexy, raspy demand ran over Hollis's heated skin and he tugged off his suit jacket, glad of the opportunity to break eye contact. He dropped the jacket on the bedcover and rolled up his sleeves to the elbow, to give himself time to gather his scattered wits.

"Please."

That one word was more persuasive as it held none of the earlier demand, only desire, sending frissons of lust through Hollis.

Fuckity fuck!

He was in so much trouble if Taylin figured out what that tone did to him. Then he groaned, because his scent was already betraying him.

It was somehow easier to grab the bag that held his supplies and avoid looking in Taylin's direction. Hollis had lost count of the years since he'd had an alpha present during his heat, and having one interested enough to want to know what he liked was giving him uncontrollable urges. This was how his heat always started, his desire making its presence felt deep in his core.

He unzipped the bag with shaky fingers then took a steadying breath as he stepped aside, not wanting to witness what Taylin would think about what was inside. Hollis had a lot of toys he liked to use and when he'd packed, he'd catered to all of his proclivities.

When Taylin prowled towards the bag, showing none of the same hesitation as Hollis, he watched in a kind of horrified fascination. The kind that had a person watching a scene knowing something bad was going to happen, but they couldn't look away. Taylin upended the bag and emptied the contents onto the bed in one fluid move.

Air in the room simply disappeared at the growl Taylin released, and made every hair on Hollis's body stand to attention. He refused to be ashamed of the enormous dildo that had an inflatable knot at the base, which Taylin reached for first.

Even in his hand, the thing looked obscenely big. "How do you make the knot inflate?" he asked, not once shifting his gaze from the toy.

It helped Taylin wasn't paying him any attention, though the curious way he examined the dildo made it near impossible for Hollis to get his words out. "There's a small switch on the base."

Immediately, Taylin's fingers moved to feel under the base and the sound of buzzing filled the room a moment later.

Oh, shit on a stick !

Embarrassment warmed Hollis's cheeks as the sound filled the silence between them.

Could this get any more embarrassing?

"Nice," Taylin murmured. "I think my knot is bigger than this. Will that be a problem?"

The question came with such a genuine look of concern that Hollis became dumbfounded. Not only by the concern but at the visual of what Taylin would look like aroused, his knot exposed.

Thoughts tumbled over like pins in a bowling alley at the heavy ball striking them. So many replies came and went.

"Fuck, no."

"Give me all you got."

"Show me."

"Didn't know it came in a bigger size."

None of them left his parted lips as his tongues slipped out to wet the dryness that came with a heavy dose of lust.

His initial reactions probably weren't the right ones if he wanted to make a good impression.

He's holding your biggest dildo and you're worried about what impression you give him… pleaseeee.

Not now, can't you see I'm in a little bit of a predicament?

Drop the ‘pre' and ‘ment' part of that word and let's just go with the dic.

Hollis's lips twitched, laughter tickling the back of his throat at the bubble of hysteria from his animal's sense of humor.

Taylin's eyes narrowed on him. "Something funny? "

He shook his head, working to keep more heat from flooding his body and reaching his face to reveal itself. "My animal is trying to be funny, and failing."

A light of amusement appeared as Taylin waved the dildo in the air. "Over this? Or the fact I might be bigger?"

See what you've gotten me into.

Hollis glanced away, his gaze landed on the bed and everything that still lay on the covers. There were two more dildos. One had a knot at the base, the other was like the one Taylin held with the ability to inflate the knot when inserted. That one had a suction cup to stick to the shower wall. The other had an opening in it at the head that held a pocket for the synthetic alpha cum to be inserted into and warmed to simulate an alpha coming in Hollis's ass.

There was a twelve inch vibrator, ridged beauty, that had ten different speeds, which, if used right, could do a lot of the work when Hollis grew tired. That one required special placing against a head or footboard on the bed. There was a black fleshlight and alpha scented lubes along with nipple clamps that could vibrate. Amongst those was his favorite, a mouth that could suck and tongue his ass when it got too painful to fuck himself on the vibrator or dildos any longer.

There was no escaping or pretending about what he liked.

Taylin making jokes about himself and his size had to be good? Hollis wasn't sure if he was ready for this side of Taylin. Before, Hollis had struggled to keep his feelings tucked away, but playful Taylin was damn irresistible.

It didn't take a genius to know Hollis was now redder than a redhead who'd been out in the sun all day with no sunblock. Taylin came closer, his body heat and scent doing a number on Hollis. Only Taylin's gaze was on the bed.

Hollis watched him turn off the dildo, placing it down to reach for the mouth. Long, lean fingers stroked over it and pushed inside the parted lips, his groan was deep and guttural. His attention returned to Hollis, desire tightening his jaw and his liquid brown eyes glowing with his animal spirit.

"This. I want to see you use this," he growled.

Hollis panted at the images flashing through his mind at how he'd look to Taylin. Cock plumping, the scent of his arousal filling the room as the mouth sucked on his ass with his alpha watching.

His alpha!

No… he's not my alpha.

A wicked grin formed as Taylin's nose twitched, unaware of Hollis's uncertainty over whether this was just a one-off thing. "You like the idea of that."

Not a question, or one Hollis had to answer when his body spoke for him.

At the sudden banging on the door, both Hollis and Taylin jumped apart. They turned to the offending interruption at the same time.

"Fuck, dinner!" Taylin ground out. "I forgot, we're supposed to be meeting everyone to talk about what happened today."

Fuck dinner! I want to be dinner.

The next loud knock brought Hollis out of his trance. He dived to the bed, scooping up everything and threw it back inside the bag, frantic at thoughts of the others seeing what he liked.

One quick scan and Hollis cursed at Taylin's amused expression and the object he held out to him. "You missed one." His chuckle was pure filth before he walked towards the door.

"Wait, the room… smells of…"

Taylin's hand hovered over the door handle as he glanced back, one brow quirked up. "Sex?"

"Shut up," Hollis grunted, going to grab his suit jacket to head to the door. "That's not my sex smell."

Not even close, he finished under his breath, knocking Taylin's hand away from the door and opening it just enough to squeeze out into the corridor where Booker stood, wearing a thunderous expression.

"Dad's been in touch." His gaze moved between them and his nose wrinkled before he frowned. "Weren't you planning on coming to dinner?" Booker asked without preamble.

Taylin hissed through his teeth as he shut the door. "We were just unpacking."

He didn't look at Hollis as he continued on acting like there was nothing amiss. "Did Dad find someone to figure out if they'd want to sell the factory?"

Booker didn't look convinced by Taylin's casual tone. Hollis could tell with how many times he glanced between them. "No, he's working on it. But I need food, aren't you pair hungry?"

Taylin glanced at Hollis, his tongue running over white, even teeth. "I find I'm rather ravenous. "

"Then why the fuck did I have to come get you both?" Booker grumbled, shaking his head as he headed off towards the elevator.

Hollis wanted to take back a bit of the control he'd left in the hotel room, knowing what was coming when Taylin threw a salacious grin his way when Booker turned away.

"We'll see just how hungry you are tomorrow," he whispered and then flounced off after Booker, his cock chafing against his damn boxer briefs.

When he got back, Monica was going to get a piece of his mind for encouraging him. This was the worst idea in the history of ideas. He would never be able to keep his desire for Taylin on the down low, not now.

It was going to be a goddamn nightmare trying to eat and pretend everything was normal when it wasn't

You came knowing this was going to happen.

Shut the hell up!

The laughter in his head grated on his last nerve as he picked up his pace and stomped down the hall, ignoring Booker's next quizzical look and Taylin's wide cheeky grin.

Worst idea ever!