Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 115525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Rayne’s heart sped up. Mike. He knew it was him by the way he’d entered the house.
“Oh shit,” Rayne muttered as he hurried and righted his black silk Ralph Lauren lounge pants and cinched his matching robe tighter around his bare chest. He checked his appearance in the small mirror that sat atop his chest of drawers, wishing he’d blow-dried his hair, but oh well. Rayne stopped fussing over his form. He looked the way he looked. He wasn’t supposed to go out of his way to present the best version of himself that he could. He just needed to be him.
He might not even come back here. Maybe he’s just here to visit his son and—
The sharp rap of knuckles on his bedroom door made Rayne’s heart jump up into his throat. It was only then that he remembered the last thing he’d said to Mike before he got in his Uber last week. Maybe he was there to give Rayne his answer: “Sorry, guy. But I’m not willing to put my heart on the line and go into a relationship with a sex addict… yeah… no, thanks.”
All of a sudden, Rayne didn’t want to answer the door anymore. Damnit. He’d really wanted Mike to be the man he needed him to be.
“I can hear you breathing. Open the door.” Mike’s voice sounded deep and provocative with a hint of humor.
Rayne was positive his cheeks were flaming, but he reached his damp palm out and clutched the knob to open his door. Mike was leaning casually against the frame as if he’d been standing there listening for a minute. Rayne was helpless to stop himself from eyeing Mike from his chest down. It was almost ten at night, and Mike was in his bedroom in head-to-toe black, from the black bandana covering his hair to his dark ass-kicking boots. He didn’t speak right away as he waited for Rayne’s eyes to meet his. Mike stared him down, a subtle smirk of mischief barely softening his hard features.
A wolf indeed.
“I apologize for dropping by so late, but I needed to see you.” Needed. Mike’s words held a level of gravity that made Rayne’s stomach flutter. “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”
“No, not at all,” he answered too fast.
Mike’s gaze felt like an actual caress as it slid down his robe when he came farther inside. “How are you?”
Great, fine—well… not bad. I’m surviving, a little down lately, um, I have periodic bouts of depression, oh, and crippling blue balls. “I’m good.”
Mike hummed, the sound saying he knew Rayne was lying, but he was thankful he didn’t call him out on it.
“I had a rough day, so I thought I’d turn in early,” Rayne confessed. He worried his bottom lip as Mike’s dark presence consumed his small space. He needed to know, “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you,” Mike said without hesitation.
Rayne closed the door, then locked it. Whatever Mike came there to say or do, Rayne didn’t want them interrupted.
“Came to see me about …?”
Mike paused, his sharp gaze faltering as he appeared to second-guess what he was about to say.
Rayne’s heart sank. “It’s okay. Just say it, Mike.”
“Well, I was home for the night, but I thought I’d swing by and drop this off for you.” Mike held open one side of his jacket, and Rayne worked to not stare at those thick pecs that were stretching his T-shirt and instead focused on the couple of flyers Mike held in his hand.
Rayne was more than a little intrigued. He crossed the small room to where Mike stood near the open window, stopping a couple of feet away. He took the colorful pamphlets, his eyes quickly scanning over the bold heading. OneHealth Mind and Body Wellness Studio. There were photos of people in various class settings doing everything from Hatha yoga to tai chi and qigong. Rayne blinked, not sure he was understanding. “What is this?”
Mike shrugged. “I just secured a contract with one of the largest fitness centers in Hampton Roads, and the manager gave us all free passes. And since I’m positive that I’m never stepping foot inside that place again, I figured there was no need for it to go to waste.” Rayne was speechless as Mike rambled on. “I saw they had those yoga classes you were talking to Edison about, so I figured you could go and try it out there.”
There was so much on the brochure that he’d be interested in doing, and Rayne could feel himself getting excited about something for the first time in years. The studio looked like a gorgeous environment to practice in and with a certified instructor. Rayne gently refolded the flyer back as a warm, unfamiliar tenderness swept through him. Mike had thought of him.
“You don’t have to use it or anything if you don’t want to.” Mike stood leaning against the wall. “It’s no big deal. We get free stuff all the time on the job.”