Anton tossed his briefcase on the wide bed, thoughts of Keisha filling his mind, teasing his body. More than three thousand miles away with that blasted tabloid reporter on her tail and not a damned thing he could do about it. Thank goodness Xandi was with her.

      One more meeting early in the morning and they’d head west. He ached for her, needed her sweet body as much as he needed to breathe, needed to feel her beneath him, crying his name, wrapping her gorgeous legs around his hips.

      Needed…

      To run. To feel the wind against his muzzle, the cool grass beneath his feet, the sensory input that kept his Chanku soul alive. The need to shift was almost overpowering, but it wasn’t worth the risk. Not here, not in the heart of the city.

      Which brought him back to a toss-up between what he could have and what he needed. He’d have to find another way to burn off the energy.

      A good fuck? Anton glanced at the door separating his room from Stefan’s and wondered if his packmate was as exhausted as he was, as wound up from their day.

      He tossed his coat on a chair and tugged at his necktie, then stretched and grimaced at the crackling in his joints. Damn. As tired as he felt, he was still high. He’d never worked with a partner before, much less one who read his mind. It had been an amazing experience, communicating telepathically while pulling off a huge business deal.

      Before long, Stefan would be as adept at handling their investments as he was, though he couldn’t imagine anything more effective than the two of them working together.

      Which brought him full circle to how the hell he was going to burn off all his excess energy. Anton glanced back at the connecting door and grinned. The available options had an immediate effect on his libido. Remembering Stefan, his amazing mouth and aggressive tongue, had Anton’s cock surging against his zipper. He loosened his belt, appreciating the fullness, the heat of his erection.

      Imagining what Keisha and Xandi might be doing together even now sent a fresh surge of heat to his cock. He cupped himself through his slacks, recalling other business trips, other lonely hotel rooms. Evenings had been the worst. Occasionally, there’d been a woman to share a meal and more, but even feminine companionship hadn’t eased the aching loneliness, the soul-deep yearning he’d felt for a true mate.

      His thoughts turned once more to Stefan.

      With Keisha on the other side of the country, a packmate would do in a pinch. Stefan had already proved that. He wasn’t Keisha, but he wasn’t bad. Anton’s grin broadened. No, Stefan wasn’t bad at all.

      The door between their rooms swung open. Stefan stood there, barefoot and shirtless, a big smile on his face. “I keep hoping to sense Xandi. Instead all I pick up is your sad but horny refrain.”

      Anton laughed. “Damn right I’m horny. The women are too far away. I can’t reach Keisha, either.”

      Stefan sauntered into the room, all alpha male swagger and sex appeal, a man fully aware of his effect. “So…you think I’m not bad, eh? That’s all I get? A ‘not bad’?”

      “It’s a start, don’t you think?”

      “Barely. You can do better.”

      “I intend to.” Anton began unbuttoning his shirt, taking each button in slow motion. He sensed Stefan’s growing excitement…as well as an unusual sense of hesitation.

      “I…uhm.” Stefan cleared his throat.

      Anton bit back a smile. Ah, that explained it. Stefan still had trouble initiating sex with another man, no matter how often the two of them had made love. Not a problem Anton shared.

      Stefan cracked his knuckles and cleared his throat once more, before the words tumbled out of him. “I ordered in tonight. A couple of rare steaks, some potatoes…the basics. You looked tired and I know I really don’t want to go out. Hope that’s okay.”

      Maybe things were changing. Anton ducked his head to hide his smile. “Sounds good. Have you heard anything at all from the girls? I checked my phone—no messages.”

      “No, but it’s early in California.” Stefan glanced at his wristwatch. “Just a little after three for them. They’ll call later. This was Keisha’s last day to work on the project before the dedication, so I imagine they’ve been busy.”

      “I’ve been worried about her…about both of them. I wish they weren’t so far away.”

      “They’ll be fine. She and Xandi can take care of themselves for one more night. I have to admit, though, I’ll feel a lot better when we’re all together again.”

      “Me, too.” Anton threw his shirt in his laundry bag. He straightened up slowly when he felt Stefan’s hand brush lightly over his bare shoulder. “Isn’t dinner on the way?”

      “Not for an hour. I suggested they deliver it around seven. That gives us a little time to unwind. Why don’t you sit and let me rub some of the knots out of your back? It’ll help take your mind off Keisha.”

      Anton laughed. “You must really want something if you’re offering a massage.”

      “Oh, I do.” Stefan laughed but didn’t say anything more enlightening. He did, however, slowly remove his slacks and briefs.

      Anton turned away. The need to fall on his knees in front of that perfect body, to grab Stefan’s cock and roll his tongue around its blood-filled head, to suck him deep into his mouth…damn. It would probably shock the hell out of Stefan. Generally he was the one kneeling in front of Anton.

      He bit back a grin. This was Stefan’s show. He decided to let the younger man call the shots, at least this once. Anton took a shaky breath and willed his cock under control. His legs felt like rubber.

      Sighing, he practically fell onto the desk chair. He turned it backwards, straddled the seat and leaned his forehead on his crossed wrists. Stefan stood close behind, straddling his back, his big hands working magic on Anton’s sore muscles.

      Stefan’s solid cock brushed against Anton’s spine. The feel of that hard length burning across his bare back sent a shiver through Anton, a charge that grounded itself deep in his gut.

      His own cock pressed against his zipper. His balls drew up tight and hard between his legs. He shifted on the wood seat, managed to lean closer to Stefan. He opened his mind to Stefan’s thoughts and found them blocked.

      Wondering, not knowing what his packmate was thinking, turned Anton on even more. That and the hard length of cock riding back and forth across his backbone.

      “I could do a better job if you took off your clothes and stretched out on