Gavin laid his head on Aidan’s chest and heard his lover’s heart racing. He smiled to himself.
“I can feel you grinning. What the hell is so funny?”
“I’m happy.”
“Why?” Aidan sounded genuinely puzzled. “I don’t get the joy. I know you feel it. I can hear you laughing like a loon in your mind. But I don’t know why.”
Gavin snuggled closer. Aidan was like a furnace, all fiery heat and angry denial. “Tell you what. After we make it out of Mendocino in one piece—with the book—I’ll tell you.”
Aidan sighed. “Sure. Fine. Piece of cake.”
Gavin drifted off to sleep, but he heard Aidan’s quiet reassurance as the man hugged him tight and kissed the top of his head. “We’ll make good on this together. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”
The next day came earlier than he’d wanted. Gavin barely had time for a cup of coffee before he and Aidan packed up and left on a private plane. They touched down in Santa Rosa, and Gavin drove them in a rental the rest of the way. Three hours in the car next to a control freak stretched his nerves to the breaking point.
He refused to move through the next stoplight. “We’re not in a scene now. I swear, if you tell me one more time how to drive, I’m going to run us off the road and personally strangle you.”
Aidan just looked at him. Mr. Sexy, all dark and brooding. He wore black jeans, a black silk shirt, and a black leather jacket over the ensemble. His shoulder-length hair looked windblown, and his dark eyes were questioning. “Pitching a fit? You’re so cute when you’re angry.”
Gavin swore as Aidan laughed.
“Yeah, those blue eyes are shooting sparks at me. Gets me hard, baby.”
“Shut up, you big freak.” Gavin tried not to smile.
“I’m just trying to get your mind off your worries. You look strung out enough to snap. Don’t worry. We’ll play our parts, and this will go off without a hitch. Just remember. Call me Sir, and only speak when spoken to. That way you’ll have less chance of fucking up.”
“Gee, thanks for the pep talk, Aidan.”
“No problem, boy.” Aidan grinned when they started driving again.
Half an hour later, they reached Kerr’s huge estate on the coast. His house overlooked the ocean, a secluded spot half a mile from his neighbors on either side. Gavin and Aidan had fully reconnoitered the area using the aerial photos and blueprints Jack had given them in the files they’d left at home. They didn’t want to chance anyone finding their notes during the party.
“Just remember. It’s two days of intense play. I pretend to be a high roller who likes to play rough. You do what you’re told, period.” Aidan cleared his throat, and Gavin glanced at him before turning his gaze back to the road. “You look good in that collar. I like it.”
Gavin fingered the leather collar Aidan had fastened around his throat before he’d gotten into the car. The leather matched the vest he wore beneath his coat. He wore tight leather pants as well, white ones lined with buttons on the sides for easy access. There was no fly either, just that tight leather hugging his naked body. He felt aroused and prickly, with only the leather keeping him from Aidan.
“This is a lot of leather.”
“Yeah, but I can’t wait to rip those pants off you.” Aidan’s smile was there in his voice. “And I brought the clamps for your pert little nipples. Next time when you come like a geyser, everyone will be complimenting me on how pretty my sub is.”
“Shut up.”
Aidan laughed. “Just keep that irritation fixed on me, and you’ll do fine. We’ll get the book and hotfoot it out of here. No way in hell Kerr will touch you without me breaking off a hand. The more I read about him, the more I realize we need to be in and out ASAP. I plan for us to be gone by Sunday.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not the only one who needs to be careful. What if Kerr decides he doesn’t want me? He wants the blond god I’m with.”
“‘God.’ I like that.”
“Don’t be an idiot. You know you’re hot.” Gavin didn’t look at his partner as he clenched his hands around the wheel.
“I’m glad you think I’m sexy. The only thing my old man ever did for me, I guess. Tall, blond, and good-looking.” He shrugged, sounding less arrogant than simply stating a fact. “But I’m not Kerr’s type. He likes them pretty, not rugged. Soft and vulnerable, not hard and unemotional. He wants a slight boy he can break. He looks at me the wrong way, I’ll snap him in half.”
“You snap him in half, and we’re not getting in and out without drawing too much attention to ourselves,” Gavin muttered. “Hell. Look at that fence.”
“The security is tight, but we knew to expect that.” They pulled up next to a gate with a guard.
Gavin rolled down the window and announced, “Mr. Aidan Castle.”
The guard looked at him. “ID?”
Aidan handed Gavin the false license, and Gavin handed it over to the guard.
The guard studied the picture, then Aidan, and nodded. “Mr. Castle. And your guest?”
“Gavin Shelton. But he doesn’t have a name this weekend. He’s mine.” Aidan tugged back Gavin’s jacket and showed the guard Gavin’s collar. “Tagged and bagged. We’re here for the party.”
A Bentley pulled up behind them. The guard noted their vehicle, checked his list again, and nodded. “Shelton’s on the list. Go on in. Someone will meet you at the door for your bags.” The guard stepped back and released the gate, which rolled back to allow them entry.
Gavin drove them through. “Oh man. This is going to be a long weekend.”
“No, it won’t. I only need just enough time to look through the fucker’s mind and find that book. Then you check the book over, and we’re gone. Mission accomplished.” Aidan sounded excited, the adrenaline junkie no doubt getting off on the danger.
To Gavin’s surprise, he wasn’t as thrilled about being on the mission as he’d thought he’d be. Oh, he loved being with Aidan. That he liked far more than all this intrigue. Truth be told, he’d rather be back in the gym, making sure Ian hadn’t screwed with his spreadsheets, and that stunned him.
“You okay?” Aidan frowned at him.
“Good. Great. Let’s do this.” Gavin parked the car at the front of the mansion, where a valet waited next to two enormous men armed with automatic weapons.
In a low voice, Aidan reminded, “Just remember. I lead. You follow. Keep your head down, and say nothing unless I allow you. And keep your mind open to me, Gavin. I’m going to be with you the whole time. It’ll be okay.”
Gavin felt a measure of safety in Aidan’s words, because Aidan meant them. Suddenly his partner looked as hard and unforgiving as Gavin had always imagined him to be. No longer his lover he couldn’t get enough of, now Aidan reminded him of a Viking gone raiding.
The hard look on Aidan’s face couldn’t be mistaken for anything but dangerous. “Follow my lead,” he sent telepathically.
Gavin didn’t respond except to lower his head as he got out of the car. Aidan exited as well and shut the door behind him.
“Nice digs,” he said to the largest man near him.
“Mr. Castle.” One of the guards nodded for Aidan to prepare for a weapons check. “Standard security.”
“No problem.” Aidan lifted his hands and accepted the thorough pat-down with ease.
“He’s clean.” The guard motioned for Gavin to join them. “You too.”
Gavin waited for Aidan to nod before moving. He stood next to Aidan and put his hands in the air.
The guard gave him the same impersonal search. “They’re good to go.” He nodded to Aidan. “Enjoy your stay, Mr. Castle.”