...Jesse lifted his head, scanning the high roofs for any sign of the vampire, but there was nothing. Just more blackness. He wiped the sweat from his eyes, wishing he had a large bottle of iced water. Brown clouds hung low in the sky, almost close enough to touch.

A soft thud behind him caught his attention, and he whirled around, eyes wide, axe raised overhead. Gideon stood feet away, his lips pulling into a smirk.

“Oh, Gideon.” Jesse lowered the axe. “You startled me.”

“Which is why I’m over here and you’re over there with the big, pointy weapon,” came the amused response. With long, sinuous strides, Gideon returned to his side and reached out to take the axe, his cool fingers brushing along Jesse’s. “Don’t worry. You’ll get it back when there’s a real threat.”

Jesse nervously pushed his glasses up his nose, doing his best not to notice that Gideon was standing too close, invading his personal space. “A real threat? Is the area clear of…of demons?”

“I’m still here, aren’t I?”

Jesse chuckled. “Well, of course, I meant demons that are a…a threat.” Gideon’s eyes were inscrutable in the darkness, but he still looked vaguely amused. Jess took a half-step back, seeking some breathing room.

“Now I think I’m a little insulted here.” Gideon handled the axe with a nonchalant ease that gave no indication how heavy the weapon really was. It swung slightly from his fingers as he edged forward, forcing Jesse to retreat until he felt the cold wall of the building at his back. “You don’t find me even a little bit threatening, Jess? And be honest now.” He leaned in conspiratorially. “Because I’ll know if you’re lying.”

Jesse’s stomach dropped. He remembered how frightened he had been of Gideon in the beginning, but he had let that fear go—mostly. Oddly, it wasn’t the fact that Gideon was a vampire that left his palms clammy and his heart thudding. He was more aware of Gideon’s basic masculinity than anything else. “A little.”

The smirk returned. “A little is good.” Gideon lifted a hand and rested it, palm flat, against the wall by Jesse’s ear. “A little keeps you on your toes. Unless it’s not your toes you’re interested in being on.”

Jesse was so distracted by the fact he was thoroughly trapped that it took a few seconds for the meaning of Gideon’s words to sink in. Swallowing audibly, he murmured, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“See, now, I think you do. Smart guy like you, you don’t really need it all spelled out for you, do you?”

And there it was. The definite press of Gideon’s hips against his. The hard outline of a thick cock beneath thin trousers. The heat of the alley didn’t seem nearly as bad as the heat that suddenly shot through Jesse’s groin.

Gideon’s nostrils flared, and Jesse knew he didn’t have a chance at bluffing his way through this, or playing dumb. Questions he’d long suppressed came to the surface of his mind. What did Gideon taste like? What did he feel like? What did he smell like? What the hell was going on in Gideon’s mind? Why this? Why now? Did Gideon see these questions reflected on his face?

“Maybe I do.”

For long seconds, Gideon merely gazed at him. The night shadowed his eyes from Jesse’s careful scrutiny, but the twitch in his jaw and the continued flare of his nostrils sent a dark thrill through Jess’ veins.

“And who would’ve thought that need and want meant the same thing to Jesse Madding,” Gideon murmured. “You want it spelled out for you? Let’s start with A. For arousal.”

The axe clattered to the ground as Gideon tossed it aside, and the hand that had gripped the handle so assuredly was suddenly around Jesse’s wrist. Hard enough to border on pain. Immovable.

Without looking away, Gideon guided Jesse’s hand to their pressed hips. He inched back enough to allow his fingers to come to rest on Gideon’s waistband. “Take me out,” he ordered.

Jesse’s heart slammed against his chest, and he didn’t know if the weight settling in his lower stomach was fear or relief—relief seemed most likely. His fingers were awkward at first, numb and slick with sweat, but he forced himself to concentrate. He worked the zipper down and reached into Gideon’s tight pants to grasp his hard, smooth shaft. Jesse pulled him from the material, gripping him loosely, and looked up with questioning eyes, trying to suppress his excitement. He didn’t want to look like an over-eager puppy.