Free Stripped Bare by Susan Mac Nicol

until he begged for mercy. Matthew trembled at that thought. God, it had been a while. He was pretty versatile, not minding bottoming or topping but the thought of Shane inside him made him feel faint with sheer hunger. He wondered what Shane had been about to say when he’d stopped. Waiting for what? Waiting for him? The thought made him giddy. Shane appeared in front of him a wide smile on his face.
    “Right, David says well done. The taxi should be here any minute.” He leaned back against the wall beside Matthew with an air of nonchalance. “You look incredible, by the way.” Shane’s soft voice breathed into his ear. “I love that shirt on you. Of course, I’d love that shirt off you more. I intend doing that myself though. Undressing you, I mean. I love opening presents.” His body was close to Matthew’s, his hip touching his as they stood.
    “Hell, Shane, give it a rest unless you want me to come right here.” Matthew’s breathing was ragged. “I think we should stay apart until we get to your place. Or else I won’t be able to control myself.”
    Shane’s eyes were black and his breathing uneven.
    Matthew felt a sense of power at being able to turn the man on like this. He decided to turn the tables and assert some control himself. “I hope you have loads of condoms and lube at your place. I have the feeling we’re going to need it.”
    He laughed as he saw Shane swallow and close his eyes. The taxi pulled up and the two men got into the back. Matthew was careful not to sit too close, remembering Shane’s words about not traumatising the taxi driver.
    He’s probably seen it all anyway , Matthew thought. I doubt there’s much a London cabbie hasn’t seen, let alone two guys making out in the back of his cab . But if he started now he wouldn’t be able to stop.

Getting to know him
    The trip to St. James’s took less than ten minutes, which in Shane’s opinion was nine and a half minutes longer than he wanted to wait. He wanted to pounce on this man, rip those well-fitting clothes off and pound into him until both of them were completely spent.
    When he’d seen Matthew standing there beside the table in the club, his first reaction had been visceral. His dick had leapt to attention and his stomach had clenched. He’d thought the lawyer had felt the same way from the hungry look in his eyes.
    Then Matthew had got all hoity-toity and left and Shane had been left wondering what the hell had just happened.
    David had looked at him. “Go after him,” he’d said with a wave of his hand.
    So Shane had. And now they sat together in the back of the taxi, itching to launch themselves at each other but having to wait. He couldn’t bear it.
    He needed something to take his mind off what he really wanted to do. “So,” Shane said. “What do you think of the weather?”
    Matthew’s mouth twitched. “The weather?” He seemed to be controlling a laugh.
    Shane flapped a hand in the air. “Well, they say all this global warming is causing havoc with the environment. Rainstorms, blizzards and shit like that. I wondered if you had an opinion.”
    Matthew cocked an eyebrow in that sexy way he had and Shane nearly came. “Well, I’m no expert, but I think that shit like that happens and it’s just Mother Nature’s way of redressing the balance.”
    The two men looked at each other then burst into gales of loud laughter that had the taxi driver shaking his head.
    Matthew wiped tears from his eyes. “Hell, Shane, you say the damnedest things at the damnedest times.”
    Shane shrugged. “What can I say? It’s a gift. I had to say something to break the tension. It’s driving me crazy.” Despite his resolve to stay away from Matthew until they got to his place, he moved his hand up Matthew’s leg, stroking his knee. Matthew’s body tensed and strained as he pressed back against the seat.
    “Not fair,” he said between clenched teeth. “We said—”
    “Hmm, I know. But I think this taxi driver