The Arrangement Read Online Free PDF Page B

to have his morning breakfast call with Jacks, but the prospect of an entire night with Reed proved too enticing to ignore.
    The one night they’d had together last month hadn’t faded into oblivion like the other hook-ups he’d had over the years. Instead of becoming restless with his usual urges, the only man he wanted to see tonight was Reed. Vividly erotic dreams had plagued him during the past few weeks, all of them involving him and Reed. He’d awaken, shaking and aroused, cursing himself for this strange obsession he’d acquired. He needed to see Reed again and hopefully get it out of his system.
    Now, having Reed backed up against the brick wall of the building, his eyes hazy with desire, full mouth soft and temptingly open, Carter couldn’t imagine forgetting anything about him. Carter groaned and covered Reed’s lips again with his, kissing him, feeding off his hunger until the need to touch him crawled through his body and he was only moments away from ripping down the man’s zipper and having him up against the wall, naked and hot in his hands.
    Carter broke the kiss and stood over Reed, breathing hard. Reed opened his eyes and gave Carter a hesitant, shaky smile. “Um. Maybe you’re right.” He drew a hand through the waves of his hair, and Carter wondered about the texture—silky smooth or rough and curling? He couldn’t recall and wanted the chance to rediscover.
    “I am? I mean, yeah, I am.” Shit, get a grip.
    “So how do we, uh, do this?”
    The wind grew stronger, finding its way through the thin shell of his jacket, and Carter shivered in the chill. He didn’t relish the long, dark days of fall and winter to come. “First we go inside so I’m not freezing my ass off.”
    With a firm hold on Reed’s elbow, Carter led him back to the bar, and he savored the overheated air wrapping around him. Once he sat down with a fresh iced vodka in front of him, Carter felt more in command, more like himself. Reed, stationed in his position behind the bar, gave him a wary glance but stood like a prisoner of war awaiting sentence.
    A combination of vulnerability and passion simmered behind Reed’s golden gaze, and recalling their incredible night together, Carter refused to think another man would touch Reed, kiss his mouth, and have their name on his lips. The only name Reed would call out in passion would be Carter’s. One night together hadn’t been enough to satisfy Carter, and he wanted, no, he needed more. He needed to be inside Reed. Their eyes locked, and Carter quivered as unfamiliar possessiveness seared through him. The deep earthy taste of Reed bloomed on his tongue, and the fire in his blood burned bright and sharp.
    After taking a deep swallow of his drink, Carter gazed at Reed in contemplation, then ignoring all the rules, his rules, made a decision and leaned forward, resting his crossed arms on top of the bar. “We’ll have an arrangement. It shouldn’t be too difficult. I have obligations that keep me home except for one weekend per month. That’s when we’ll meet and spend our time together. Other than that…” He shrugged. “There’s no real need for us to talk. We aren’t dating or romantically involved. It’s not even friends with benefits since we’re not really friends.” Carter narrowed his gaze. “What do you think? Can you handle it?”
    As he spoke, Reed’s eyes grew wider and wider, and Carter’s heart sank. Even considering their night of amazing sex, Reed’s inexperience showed, and what Carter proposed might be too much for him to handle. Reed might want love and that hearts-and-flowers shit. A relationship. Snorting inwardly, Carter took another drink. Relationships were nothing but another avenue for someone to disappoint him, and he’d had enough disappointments in his life.
    “Yeah. I think it might be exactly what I need.”
    Coughing up his drink, Carter wiped his mouth on his sleeve. It took a moment to suck in enough air before he could