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  A Bid for Love

  Copyright © 2012 by KT Grant

  ISBN: 978-1-61333-001-2

  Cover art by Fiona Jayde

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

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  www.decadentpublishing.com

  A Bid for Love

  A 1 Night Stand Story

  By

  KT Grant

  ~DEDICATION~

  To Mandi for her help with the title and her incredible insight. Thank you for being in my life and understanding my quirky nature. And to my incredible editor, Kate Richards, who pushes me to create magic. Without her I would be nothing.

  Chapter One

  He’d become a voyeur and couldn’t deny it any longer. Or maybe Peeping Tom better described his behavior? Whatever the definition, both suited him fine at the moment.

  Anthony Conlin sipped his vodka tonic while watching the object of his desire though the window blinds. He’d lived in the building for five years, working long hours, adding a nice amount to his bank account. For three of those years, he’d enjoyed studying something besides the view of the Vegas desert. That something was his next-door neighbor. Every time they passed each other in the hall and shared small talk, he wanted to get down on his knees, wrap his mouth around the man’s dick, and suck him off.

  At thirty-eight, he’d felt old upon meeting the twenty-six year old Reece Whitmore. Now forty-one, with prematurely graying hair and a slightly rounded stomach, he felt ancient.

  He frowned, observing his neighbor’s animated conversation with an attractive man near his own age. Anthony’s eyes narrowed in jealousy at the friendly way both men hugged each other. The man wearing an expensive-looking, tan linen suit smiled back. Reece’s mouth broke into a huge grin and his shoulders shook in laughter. He closed his eyes, having heard Reece’s laugh before—a bit low and rough around the edges.

  Opening his eyes, he cursed. Finally the two men separated. Reece glanced up at the building. After a beat, he walked away, disappearing from view. Anthony snorted. There was no way his neighbor with the big hazel eyes and a face that constantly made him hard would be watching for him.

  By now, Reece would be in the elevator, ascending to their mutual floor. He could simply open his door and invite him in for a drink. Or he could yank him inside and screw him into oblivion.

  He hissed—the crotch of his pants tented, his cock pressing against the front of his slacks.

  Next time, he would ask Reece in for a cocktail, but for now he’d drink alone, lost in a fantasy that had his balls tightening and his unyielding dick begging to be taken care of and given relief.

  Lifting his glass to his lips, he walked toward the bathroom to take a hot shower and jerk off like he did far too often when he daydreamed about his gorgeous neighbor. Masturbating would give him a slight reprieve from his lust for the younger man, who had absolutely no clue about the infatuation eating away at him daily.

  ***

  Anthony was running late for lunch with Jagger. He’d known the Castillo brothers for longer than he could remember and counted them both as good friends. But he and Jagger had more in common, and it was always great to get together.

  Walking off the elevator while leaving a phone message to apologize for his tardiness, he bumped into a hard body.

  “Forgive me! I….” He backed away, taking in the broad and limber man clad in only a pair of swimming trucks. The towel slung around his shoulders emphasized his trim frame.

  “No problem, Conlin.” Reece smiled and gave him a pat on his shoulder.

  Don’t act like a tool. “Went for a dip in the pool?” He tried not to cringe at the cracking in his voice and kept his eyes on Reece’s face, rather than on his broad chest and flat stomach, his smooth skin darkened from the sun. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in the pool. Maybe I should start hanging there more often, especially if he’s lying around with no shirt on.

  Reece rubbed the towel over his wavy, chestnut hair. “I always do laps in the morning.”

  “I know. I mean, I’ve seen you doing them when I leave for the office.” A financial broker, dealing with multi-million dollar accounts, he never questioned his confidence working with high-ranking CEOs, but when it came to the man in front of him, he reverted to a tongue-tied, thirteen-year-old boy captivated by his first crush.

  Reece either didn’t notice, or chose to ignore his discomfort. He smiled broadly, his front teeth tugging on his bottom lip.

  Even his teeth are perfect. He coughed and turned away. “Allergies.”

  “This time of year can be bad with them. When I was a kid, I always had a runny nose.” Reece winced. “TMI?”

  He chuckled. “Not at all.”

  Reece scratched his chest, his fingers grazing his nipple.

  Anthony cleared his throat and glanced away from the suggestive action.

  “Tony, my man—” Reece cut himself off. “Sorry, I should ask, do you go by Tony or prefer Anthony?”

  When he moved toward him, Anthony stepped back. Reece’s smile dropped and his forehead furrowed.

  “Ah, you can call me Tony. But you better keep your distance. I might be coming down with something.” He scanned his cell, grunting. He’d forgotten to hang up. Jagger would end up hearing the entire, awkward conversation when he listened to his voice mail.

  “You’re on your way out?” Reece leaned against the wall, relaxed and poised, whereas he most likely had dark sweat stains in the armpits of his white, Oxford shirt.

  “Yes, I am. I’m having lunch with a friend.” He jiggled his keys in his pocket to hide his nervousness.

  “Oh? How nice.” Reece straightened and a shuttered look crossed his face.

  How odd. Why does he look upset? “Um, yeah. Jagger’s up from the Caribbean, managing the Castillo Hotel for his brother who’s out of town for a few weeks. I can always count on him to show me a good time when we meet up.” Will he be impressed by my important connections? Disappointment flooded him as his comment had the exact opposite effect.

  The light in Reece’s eyes faded. “Oh yeah, I know the Castillo brothers by reputation. I didn’t realize you were so tight with them.”

  “Jagger’s one of my best friends.” He rubbed the back of his neck and checked his watch. “Great, I’m really running late now. Maybe I’ll catch ya later.” Right. Talking to him twice in one day would be too good to be true.

  “There’s a barbeque tonight, out in the yard. You should come. I make a mean burger.” A pearly white smile flashed his way.

  I wonder what his teeth would taste like if I swiped my tongue over them? He shook his head and turned away.

  “That’s a no?”

  “I’ll see. I might not be home until late this evening.” His cell went off and Jagger’s number popped up. “Now I reall
y have to go.”

  He rushed away with a final glance over his shoulder. The younger man watched him with arms crossed and irritation marring his face. Has he been giving me mixed signals?

  ***

  “Damn it.” Reece threw his towel across the back of a lounge chair and fisted his hands on his hips. I can’t believe I blew it again. I guess I’ll have to go to Plan B.

  “I take it from your pissy attitude it didn’t go well with Mister 7A?” Carly, resident busybody and friend, closed her magazine and pulled down her Jackie O sunglasses.

  “How can that man be so clueless!” He dropped down next to the petite redhead in the white bikini and yanked his hair in frustration. “I asked him to the barbeque like you told me to. He was in a rush for his lunch date or whatever the fuck he’s going to do with his good friend, Jagger Castillo.”

  She reached over and gave his arm a squeeze. “Castillo is off the market. I don’t think you have to worry about Anthony Conlin bumping uglies with him, stud.”

  He leaned forward and dropped his palms on his knees. “How do you know this?”

  A cat-like grin formed on her face and she waved the tabloid around. “It says so right here. I have my inside sources. I’m planning on doing a big expose on the Castillo family. I’ll be scoping out the swanky Castillo Resort on Grand Turk next month—for research purposes only, of course.” She sat up straight. “You can help me out! Get buddy-buddy with Anthony so you can feed me inside info about Jagger and his bro—”

  “Stop right there. I’m not going to be part of your scheme.” He lifted his palms and sat back. “Sorry, Miss Ace Reporter, you’re on your own with this one.”

  She gave him a Betty Boop pout and tapped his hand with the magazine “Okay, stud, I yield.”

  “Stop calling me that,” he demanded through clenched teeth.

  “Oh ho, how soon we forget how much of a player you were when you first moved in. Every Sunday morning a new guy would leave your apartment doing the walk of shame.

  He rolled his eyes. “I’m not the same person I was then. After meeting Tony, I couldn’t be with any other man.”

  “That’s so romantic!” she squealed. “If only I could find a guy as loyal you.”

  “It hasn’t been easy. When we finally get together, I’m keeping him in bed for a week.”

  “Seriously, it’s admirable what you’re doing. Not many men would.” Her glee faded, her expression softer. “I have to ask. What do you see in Conlin? He’s a bit on the shy side. Plus, he doesn’t seem to be your type at all.”

  “Why? Because he’s older than me?”

  She shrugged. “No. You’ve always been into more athletic types. He’s on the pudg—”

  “Stop right there.” He glared at her. “So what if he carries a few extra pounds? It looks good on him. There’s something about the guy that turns me on. He keeps mostly to himself, but he does go out of his way to help others. Just the other day he carried in Mrs. Anderson’s groceries and then when I was getting my mail, I overheard him talking to one of the maintenance men about getting more recycling bins for the building and—”

  “Okay, I get it. He’s an environmental do-gooder.” Her placating smile made him grind his teeth, but he reminded himself that even snarky, she was a great friend—and the only one he could talk to about his lacking love life without embarrassment.

  “It’s not just that. Whenever he smiles at me and his eyes light up, I feel it deep in here.” He tapped his chest and sighed. “I got it bad.”

  “Sounds like a bad case of heartburn. Or maybe you’re horny and need some TLC in certain other areas?” She glanced at his lap.

  Subtle…for Carly anyway! “You can say that again.”

  “Honey, you’re so far gone over this guy that you have a bad case of blue balls. Stop pussyfooting around and ask him out.” She snapped her fingers, brightening. “Better yet, ask him over your place to watch some sporting event and when he’s all comfy on your couch, give him a blow job he’ll never forget.”

  “You don’t hold any punches, do you?” He grew hard, an image of Tony’s cock slapping him in the face as he sucked him down sending all the blood to his crotch.

  “Not at all. When it comes to friends, I tell it like it is.” She swung her legs around and poked his knee. “And from the hard muscle poking up through the front of your trunks, you like the idea. But for now, I recommend you take a dip in the pool to cool off.”

  He grabbed a towel to cover himself as Carly sauntered away, her giggles trailing behind her. A glance around the patio revealed the other sunbathers and swimmers involved in their magazines and conversations. It didn’t seem as if any had noticed his embarrassing reaction, to his immense relief.

  He was done with abstaining; through with making his hand the only form of relief for his Johnson when thoughts of Tony brought it to rigid attention.

  The gloves were coming off. Tony Conlin better watch out. Reece was on a mission whose completion would find them both naked, screwing each other sideways into next week.

  Chapter Two

  “I seriously could have a second helping.” Anthony finished off the last bite of his T-bone steak and settled back in his chair. He refrained from patting his full stomach in appreciation of the incredible meal he’d devoured at the five star steakhouse Jagger had recommended for their lunch.

  “Why not order another? I’m buying.” Jagger’s dark amber eyes twinkled in humor.

  “No more for me.” He pushed his plate away. “I really have to cut back on what I eat. I’ve gained too much weight over the past year.” He took a sip of his iced tea.

  Jagger slouched in his chair, his frame at ease, although his sober expression told another story altogether.

  Anthony grimaced, spotting a ketchup stain on his cuff. “Shit, I have no class.”

  “Anthony.” Jagger’s voice grew soft; a sign he was less than pleased.

  “Sorry. I’ve been tense lately. Work—”

  “Don’t tell me it’s because of work. How long has it been since you’ve gotten laid?”

  Anthony fisted his hands together to stop them from covering his face. The heat coming off him wasn’t from sunburn. He could claim his pallor and tension were due to the long hours his career required…but his friend always saw right through him.

  Jagger lifted an eyebrow in response.

  “You know I haven’t had much luck in the romance department.”

  “Your so-called-friends at work keep setting you up with losers. Why you won’t let me talk to Eve and have her—”

  “No.” He made a cutting motion with his hand. They’d had this conversation many times. He refused to use Madame Evangeline’s 1Night Stand. An escort service was too demeaning to even consider.

  “Have I ever steered you wrong? Eve is well respected and admired. I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve heard from people who had great experiences with her matchups. Jackson can’t stop raving about her and you know what she did for me.”

  “Jag, just because you and your brother had luck in love with Madam Eve’s help, doesn’t mean I will also. There are no such things as soul mates or true love. I’d rather use my money to take a vacation, like visiting you in Grand Turk.” He threw that out there hoping Jagger would be distracted—he’d been nagging him to come to the islands for years.

  “You may be surprised by who you end up with.” Jagger ignored his ploy, finishing his beer.

  He shook his head. “Thanks for the offer, I’d rather find my own dates.”

  “Oh, really?” Jagger leaned forward. “Then why haven’t you asked out that delectable neighbor you’ve been lusting for? I heard the whole conversation between you two on my voice mail. Reece is interested in you. How can you be so obtuse?”

  “You’re just being kind. There’s no way that kid would go out with an aging, stocky, gray-haired workaholic.”

  “Anthony, enough.” Irritation crossed Jagger’s face. “And he’s not some teenag
e boy. Far from it.”

  “Okay, okay.” He frowned. “Unless he’s vacationed in your neck of the woods, how would you know he’s not a kid?”

  “You’ve talked about him over the phone and in emails—ad nauseum. He’s just shy of turning thirty. This fixation with your age difference is unhealthy.”

  Anthony released an empty laugh. “Maybe if I looked more like George Clooney I wouldn’t have a problem asking him out.”

  “Or seducing him.”

  He choked. “Like that will ever happen. I’ll settle for using him in my fantasies.”

  “Do your fantasies let you sleep well at night? I bet they don’t, judging by those shadows under your eyes. Wouldn’t it be much better if he got you off, rather than jerking off alone every night?”

  His entire body stiffened with indignation. “It’s not every night…it’s just….it’s a good thing we’re friends, or I’d punch you out right now.”

  “You’re one of my closest friends. I hate seeing you beat yourself up like this.”

  “You have a funny way of showing it.”

  Jagger sighed and lifted his briefcase onto his lap. He opened it and took out an ivory-colored envelope. “Then let me give you this as an apology.” He slid the envelope across the table and Anthony picked it up, his eyes widening. He held an invitation to an exclusive, annual charity event sponsored by the Castillo organization. The price of the ticket was merely a drop in the bucket for the privileged crowd attending. And while his pockets were every bit as well lined, and he supported a number of charities, he always blew it off because the management raised money at this event by auctioning off dates with attractive Castillo employees. Participating in such an activity fell well outside his comfort zone—even if Reece hadn’t been the only man he really wanted.

  “This is far too generous. I’m grateful for the invitation, but you know I’m not into mingling with rich Vegas snobs.”