A Restored Man (43 page)

"I know I can."

Drayton casually crossed his left leg over his right and hooked his hand over them. "Is that so? It's not your typical car."

Cole snorted a laugh. "I would hope it would be a bit more challenging than just slim jimming it. Tell me you have proximity sensors as part of it."

A sly smile spread across Drayton's face. "With a sensor radius of a full three-hundred-and-sixty degrees."

"Careful, you're giving me a hard-on right now," Cole said with a chuckle.

Aidan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "No one is going to actually steal a car."

Cole turned to Aidan. "I thought that was the plan?"

Aidan looked over to Drayton. "You're going to give him the keys."

"What?" Cole and Drayton said, in stereo.

"You're giving him the keys because he's going to give the car back. He's not stealing it. And I'm going to be watching over things so everything goes as planned."

Cole leaned back in his chair with a hint of a pout. "That's no fun."

Drayton bit back a smile. "How about we backtrack and you tell me what's going on?"

Ty chimed in and briefed Drayton on what was happening with Robert. He told him about the counterfeit parts, the threats, and finally told him about the blackmail proposition, and how Robert expected Ty to sabotage the launch of Drayton's new line.

Drayton turned his attention to Cole. "And why does he think you can steal my car?"

Cole smiled weakly. "Because I can." He was quieter than usual, somewhat withdrawn since the conversation began. With Cole's usually charged personality, he knew he had skills, but obviously hated broadcasting that his skills had landed him in prison—a constant reminder, as Cole had once told him, of his failure.

Ty leaned in. "Cole's the guy who worked with me on customizing your rig and he ran your prototype for the test track. He knows cars." He looked over to Cole who sat still, tugged on his beanie then wrung his hands in his lap. He knew what was coming, knew Ty was ready to reveal the one blip in his experience he hated to showcase. "He's at the shop through the employment program of a halfway house."

Drayton turned to Cole, his focus intense. "So Robert used you because of your past?"

Cole nodded.

Drayton shifted his focus to Aidan, a fire burning in his expression like an inferno. "Tell me you plan on nailing that bastard to the wall?"

A smile slowly spread across Aidan's expression. "Oh, yeah. But we need you for the finer points."

"I'm in," Drayton said, leaning back in the seat.

They chatted about the plan and discussed what would and would not work. Drayton was tentatively scheduled to attend a charity event but quickly asked his assistant to cement his attendance. He'd work on spreading the news around that he would be there to preview the prototype to a small audience.

Cole had risen from his seat sometime during the conversation, opting instead to circle the space, surveying the various items in Drayton's office. He walked over to one of the shelves where a single framed picture sat on display.

Aidan immediately rose to his side and took the photo from his hand. "Stop being nosy," Ty heard his brother whisper.

"I can't help it," Cole responded quietly.

Ty held back a grin, trying to focus on his discussion of new color options for the car line.

Drayton handed him a file with various swatches inside. "I want something different. Aside from the traditional palette, I want to offer some color packages. Two tones, pin striping, accents, different things like that."

Ty nodded but his focus kept shifting back to Cole and Aidan. "I'll sketch something up and we'll talk about it."

Drayton nodded and excused himself, walking over to Cole with Ty following closely behind. Drayton took the picture frame and stared at the image. "People make mistakes in life, but that doesn't define who they are."

Ty craned his neck and saw the photo. Two men, one who looked like a very young version of Drayton, with his arm over the shoulders of another man with a baseball cap. The smile on both their faces an obvious reflection of their happiness and closeness when the photo was snapped.

Drayton casually stroked his thumb along the photo before returning it to the shelf. "Robert's using your past to push himself forward. I don't like people getting used and I hate it when people are judged. So if I can help take that conniving son of a bitch down, I'll do everything I can to help."

Cole looked over to Drayton with a hint of appreciation. "Thanks."

They parted ways with a plan. Now all that was needed was Robert finding out about the charity appearance for everything to fall into place.

"I like Drayton," Cole said quietly on their way out.

Ty bumped Cole's shoulder and smiled. "I'm pretty sure he liked you too. You're hard not to love."

Cole chuckled. "Let's see if you feel the same way in ten years."

Ty's heart skipped a beat with the unspoken declaration. Even though Cole didn't say the words, he hinted at them in subtle comments and gestures. Ty closed his eyes and looked up, enjoying the warm sun on his face and the rare hint of a breeze that marked the entrance of a cold front coming in. He opened his eyes when Cole's hand slid into his. He looked over and just wanted to lose himself in whatever mischievous fantasy had triggered that devilish grin on Cole's face. Once they got Robert out of the way, he'd have Cole all to himself without this dark cloud hovering over them. Until then, he'd patiently wait for their weekend together, even though it seemed like an eternity.

Cole repositioned himself on the sectional between Ty's legs, rubbing the back of his head against Ty's thigh like a cat craving a rub. He loved weekends, and he needed this one more than ever. They'd been under too much stress lately and an unspoken tension between them loomed over their heads with the upcoming plan. His sister had always said it was a mistake to be with someone all day, every day. She swore it was impossible to stay interested. She obviously hadn't spent enough time with Ty. Cole worked all day at the shop and counted down the minutes each night until he would see Ty again in the morning. The weekends together…there just weren't words to describe how much he enjoyed their time together. His term was up in a few days and he couldn't wait to spend every waking minute with Ty.

He leaned his head to the side and pressed his cheek against Ty's warm skin. Damn, he smelled good. He turned and kissed the tender skin on Ty's hip.

"That tickles," Ty said and shifted.

Cole groaned when long fingers combed through his hair and reached his scalp. He'd never admit how much Ty's fetish for his hair turned him on. He loved Ty's fingers gripping and pulling, guiding his head where he wanted it.

Cole licked his lips and smiled. He pulled down Ty's underwear and left a slow, wet trail of kisses along the inside of Ty's hip. Cole shifted again when he heard a moan escape Ty, turning and wrapping his fingers around Ty's already hard shaft. He rubbed his own hard-on against Ty's leg, arching his hips in a seductive glide while sliding his hand up and down Ty's shaft. He bit his lip to hide a grin when another moan escaped. "What do you want?" Cole asked, slowly running his tongue from root to tip of Ty's full arousal.

Ty threw his head back on the cushion and dug both hands into Cole's dark strands, gripping his hair tightly. Cole closed his eyes and groaned, letting Ty guide him up and down his shaft. He gripped the base of Ty's arousal as he licked and kissed every millimeter of heated skin. He loved Ty's taste and the way his smooth skin slid against his tongue. He glanced up and saw the desire screaming from those whiskey brown eyes. Ty's chest heaved and his breath hissed with each exhale. He looked feral, as if fighting to maintain control.

That look shot a bolt of primal need throughout Cole's body.

Cole released Ty's shaft and worked his way up his torso at a slow, sinuous pace, never breaking eye contact. He loved knowing he could rattle Ty's cage, whether it be a stutter or this new, primitive wild spark that glimmered in his eye. In a quick shift of movements, Ty sat up and reached for Cole, pulling him in for a kiss. Not just any kiss, but one that seemed to melt away Cole's need for control and have him kneel at Ty's feet, begging for whatever came next as long as this kiss never ended. He moaned when Ty's fingers twisted in his hair, holding him in place as he feasted on Cole's mouth. He reached out for balance against the assault with shaky hands, fisting the fabric of the throw, hoping to stave off the spike of desire Ty's dominance triggered. Fuck, Ty was hot when he was in control. Cole broke the kiss, gasping for air, screwing his eyes shut, trying to focus.

"I want you," Ty said, kissing up Cole's neck and scraping his teeth along the sensitive skin as he spoke. He pulled back and stared at Cole, unmistakably conveying exactly what he meant.

Cole's heart pounded madly in his chest and echoed in his ears. "Say what you mean."

"I want to be inside you," Ty said without hesitation, diving in for another kiss, devouring Cole's mouth as if he'd never have another chance.

Cole moaned when Ty gripped his ass, pulling him closer. His pulse sped when he heard the drawer of the end table open and shut. He planted his knees at the sides of Ty's thighs and wrapped his arms around him, gasping when a slick finger entered him. "Fuck," he said, resting his head against Ty's shoulder.

"Breathe," Ty whispered, kissing along his jawline.

Cole screwed his eyes shut when another finger joined the first, mesmerized by the sensation. "I can't when you're doing that to me. It feels too fucking good."

Ty's soft, teasing laugh blew against Cole's already sensitive skin. "Now you know how I feel every time. Turn around, so your back is to my chest," he finished, withdrawing his fingers.

Cole didn't need to be told twice. He turned and let Ty's hands on his hips guide his body. Every one of his uncoordinated muscles shook with need. He heard the rip of a packet and closed his eyes. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't speak. And for once, he couldn't even think. He tried to focus on his breathing, but it was pointless. All he could think about was the grip on his hips pulling him back, guiding him onto Ty's waiting body. He leaned his head back against Ty's shoulder, gritting his teeth, fighting his body's instinct to reject the invasion.

He groaned when Ty's hands slowly slid down his torso in a possessive yet tender caress.

Cole's muscles began to relax and his breathing slowed with each touch. He gasped when Ty moved, pushing his hips up against Cole, slowly building a rhythm that awakened every nerve in his body. The sensation of Ty inside him had transitioned into a desire unlike anything he had experienced, sending bolts of electricity across every limb, numbing him. He arched his body, reveling in the fullness, begging Ty to do as he wished. He turned his head to the side and was met with powerful lips, demanding he surrender to the kiss just as he had with his body.

Nothing mattered but the sweat-slicked body pushing against his back, the large, strong hands gripping him, or the eager, hungry lips that devoured his mouth. Ty could have it, he could have anything as long as this blissful, mind-numbing dance didn't end. Cole grunted and groaned like an animal with each powerful thrust he received, reveling in the joining of their bodies, gripping Ty's thigh to pull him closer, demanding, and challenging him to take exactly what he wanted. His body became a lightning rod, acutely aware of every glide and graze of skin, waiting for that surge of electricity to strike him and jolt him mindlessly.

Ty's arms wrapped tightly around Cole's waist, pulling him closer and tighter. Cole's body screamed and begged for more, reaching for, yet fighting the end he knew was inevitable. Ty wrapped his hand around Cole's shaft, jolting his body to instantly arch with the touch and snapping the weak band of control. The white light of ecstasy blinded him, leaving him weightless and free, roaring his release in sync with Ty.

His boneless body slumped, held only by Ty's strong arms still wrapped around his torso. Ty placed a gentle kiss at the side of Cole's neck. "I love you."

Cole moaned and turned his head, channeling the little energy he had to deliver a tender kiss to Ty's welcoming lips.

Ty withdrew and slowly lowered Cole onto the couch, placing a soft kiss at the base of his neck. He heard running water then felt a towel against his used body.

"You're smiling," Ty said, running his fingers up and down Cole's back and peppering kisses on his shoulder.

"Mmm, yes, I am." Cole sighed with each slow touch caressing his spine. Fuck, he liked having Ty's hands on him. He looked over his shoulder with a wicked grin. "I think I'm an undercover bottom."

"Just for me," Ty said with a hint of possession.

A chill traveled Cole's body. "I'll get a tattoo on my ass that reads 'Belongs to Ty'."

Ty ran his hands along the curve of Cole's backside.

Cole jumped and looked over his shoulder again. He smiled at the glimmer of mischief in Ty's eyes. "I didn't know you were a biter."