Page 42 of Something Unavoidable

He blinked as a steaming mug was lowered into his field of vision, then rolled to his back to meet Keegan’s eyes.

Keegan looked soft in his worn sweater and jeans, his reddish-blond hair more rumpled than normal from his hat. His cheeks, more scruffy than stubbled at the moment, still held a hint of pink after unloading the truck and carrying in a few loads of firewood from the covered front porch. Izzy had offered to help, but Keegan had been firm that all he wanted Izzy to do today was sit his ass on the couch and warm up. Apparently, Izzy’s panic attack had freaked Keegan out a little, and now he was in overprotective, papa-bear mode. Izzy…didn’t hate it.

He pushed himself upright enough to lean against the armrest and took the steaming mug. He expected coffee but was startled by a whiff of cinnamon instead. Tea? He took a careful sip. No. Not tea, but cider. Warmth settled in Izzy’s chest, and he sighed. “Thanks,” he told Keegan as he returned from the kitchen with his own mug and sat at the other end of the couch. Izzy shoved his toes under Keegan’s thigh.

Instead of grumbling like Izzy thought he would, Keegan gave his ankle a squeeze. “Need a blanket?” He nodded to the throw over the back of the sofa. “I have a thicker duvet in the cabinet too, if you want.”

Izzy suddenly felt much too warm. He shook his head. “I’m fine.” He needed a different topic. “Where are the other dogs? Do you just let them run wild out here?”

As if sensing his attention, Riley pushed herself up to sitting and dropped her head to the cushion next to Izzy. He stroked the soft spot between her snowy ears.

“They don’t go far without me,” Keegan explained. “They all have trackers in their collars and orange safety vests so no one mistakes them for hunting targets. Not that hunting is allowed up here or we see any people. It’s more for my peace of mind than anything.”

That helped Izzy’s peace of mind too. He knew from the drive up that Keegan’s land was bordered on three sides by national park and on the fourth by the top edge of the ranch. Still, it was better to be safe. “So with you, they do wander?”

Keegan shrugged and sipped his cider, drawing distracting circles on Izzy’s ankle bone with his thumb. “There’s a ten-mile loop that we take in the summer. It has a gorgeous waterfall at the halfway point that hardly anyone knows about. The water comes straight out of the mountain, so it’s freezing, but it feels great to strip down and dive in after a few hours of hiking.”

Izzy bit his lip to keep from telling Keegan he wanted to see it. That felt too personal somehow. “Aren’t you worried about shrinkage?” he said instead.

Keegan chuckled and gave Izzy’s ankle a squeeze that sent tingles up his leg and caused the opposite problem from shrinkage. “It’s never been something I needed to worry about.”

Izzy scraped his teeth across his lip, wondering if Keegan meant because he was big enough that he didn’t care, or that he’d never had anyone up here with him for size to matter.

“Speaking of cocks,” Izzy started, causing Keegan to sputter around the next sip of his drink then start coughing, his eyes tearing up with pain. Izzy winced. “Sorry,” he said.

Keegan waved him off. “I should have expected that,” he rasped, clearing his throat and wiping at his damp eyes.

Izzy tensed. What was that supposed to mean? That Keegan should have known Izzy would segue into sex? “I feel like I should be offended,” he said, then paused. “But I guess that’s fair.” Izzy did change the topic to sex a lot, but he didn’t see it as a problem. He liked sex. He liked feeling good. Feeling wanted. Anyone who had a problem with it should probably look for a different friend, because Izzy didn’t plan to stop. “But, speaking of cocks,” he kept going, ignoring Keegan’s pained chuckle, “I hope you’re staying hydrated. Because, as my kidnapper, you’re gonna have to keep me entertained while I’m trapped with no internet.”

Keegan’s eyes shone with mirth. “That’s an interesting view you have on kidnapping.”

“I mean, you can let me get bored,” Izzy said. “But I don’t think you want to be responsible for my actions if I am. Just ask Micah what happens if I’m cooped up too long.”

“I could always tie you up and gag you,” Keegan suggested.

Izzy’s skin warmed, most of the heat rushing south. He shifted on the sofa cushion, pretending he was just trying to get comfortable instead of trying not to let his squirming arousal give him away. “Kinky,” he teased. “But I think you underestimate my ability to drive you crazy without words.”

“I definitely don’t,” Keegan murmured, his gaze focused on where he was rubbing his palm over the rough blond hairs on Izzy’s calf.

Izzy squirmed again. Dammit. Now he wasreallyhorny. That hadn’t been the plan, but Keegan was too good at getting him worked up. He set his mug aside and crawled into Keegan’s lap.

Keegan sucked in a breath but didn’t protest. His hands found Izzy’s hips, and he helped position him over his cock. Keegan wasn’t fully hard, but he was getting there.

Izzy rocked his hips, a pleased hum slipping free. Yes. This was what he needed to chase away the last of the unsettlingfeelings from earlier. He was already anticipating the burning stretch of Keegan’s cock splitting him open while Izzy rode him on the couch.

“Izzy,” Keegan said, his tone all wrong for where Izzy’s brain was at. Izzy ignored him until he tried again. “Isaac,” he said, a clear order to stop. Izzy sighed but slowed the undulation of his hips.

“Yes, Henry?” he said, half teasing and half liking that he could call Keegan something that was just his. Pet names felt too weird, and Kee was a terrible option. It made him think ofGhostbusters.I am Zuul.

Keegan huffed. “I’m not saying no,” he told Izzy, voice firm.

Izzy didn’t like where this was going. He looked down to where Keegan’s bulge was pressing against the front of his pants, matching his own. “Yeah? ’Cause that would be a stupid thing to do,” he replied, trying not to get huffy.

Keegan slid his fingers into Izzy’s hair and gave a tug that made him shiver, even as he was forced to make eye contact again. “You’ve had a rough day.”

Izzy scowled, his warmth fleeing. “Fine. Whatever.” He tried to extricate himself from Keegan’s lap.

Keegan tugged on his hair again, hard enough to make Izzy wince. “Are you going to listen to me, or are you going to jump to the worst possible conclusion?”

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