Free Shadow Reaper (Shadowlands Series) by Amos Cassidy

reached over and flicked on the little LED lamp, made by his hands, on the bedside table and sat up. Blake was resting his head on the pillow, watching him with those beautiful dark eyes. His dark hair was tucked behind his right ear. Mother, he was so handsome. Sometimes Clay could barely look at him without wanting to jump his bones. But there was something in those lovely orbs. Was it sadness, some kind of anxiousness?
    “You okay, babe?” Clay said.
    “Yeah. Listen, about today . . .” He sighed.
    “What’s wrong?”
    Blake smiled. “My brain won’t switch off either.”
    “I’m worried about Ash.”
    “You’re her brother, of course you worry. That’s your job.”
    Clay noticed that Blake’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. It was this farming thing, the stress of the coming changes. They’d relied on the system for too long. The Reaper Programme had been in place for as long as Shelter had been occupied, and now that a new system was being put in place there was anxiety and growing pains. It was natural. Clay didn’t envy Blake his role as decision maker. “You did good,” Clay said. “You’ve given us hope.”
    Not only was it his job to look out for his sister, it was also his job to care for his man. Clay may not be able to carry the weight of responsibility for him, but he could certainly help him forget it temporarily. He did want to tell him about the faulty grow light, but how could he? What would it do but add yet another layer of stress to things? Soon he’d get his secret project working, he just knew it.
    “Clay, I love you.”
    “I love you too.”
    Clay positioned himself on all fours above Blake.
    Blake reached up to stroke his face.
    “You’re going to leave all of that stuff outside,” Clay said. “The door is closed and here we are. Submit to me.”
    Blake licked his lips, lust flooding his blue eyes.
    “Do you submit?”
    “Always.”
    “Good.”
    Clay nuzzled Blake’s neck, kissing his skin, flicking his tongue over the surface. Blake giggled and squirmed. Clay sucked hard at the flesh, lowering his body so their bare torsos rubbed together in silky friction.
    Blake grabbed onto the back of Clay’s neck, kneading it with his fingers. “Harder,” Blake said.
    Clay fulfilled the request, sucking deeper, nipping now and again. He could eat him like that all day. Blake always tasted so sweet. But even Blake’s delicious skin couldn’t dispel the disquiet in his mind, the feeling that something wasn’t right. He broke contact with Blake’s neck and moved to devour his mouth instead, hungry and deep.
    I need to fix the grow lights.
    Was that it? He’d figure it out, he would. Not only that, but the super grow light he was building too.
    “Clay?”
    What if he couldn’t? What if the new farming programme failed? Then they’d have nothing. He really, really needed to fix that light. The council’s plan wasn’t enough, he had to do more, get a backup running.
    “Clay . . .”
    No, that wasn’t it. Something else was bugging him.
    “Clay? Are you with me?”
    He realised he wasn’t kissing Blake anymore but was leaning up on his hands staring at Blake’s pillow.
    Clay blinked and shook his head. “Shit, sorry.”
    “We don’t have to do this.”
    Clay sat up, straddling Blake. He ran his hand through Blake’s dark chest hair, making circles with his fingers. “We don’t?”
    No way was he having his sexy time ruined by some stupid thoughts. Blake needed this release, this escape.
    Blake chuckled. “I’d rather we did. I was just saying, if your mind is elsewhere.”
    Clay reached into Blake’s shorts. “For me?”
    Blake’s body shuddered. “Always.”
    “So does he want to come out and play?”
    “Always.”
    Clay smirked. “Thought so.”
    He tugged Blake’s shorts off and flung them across the room. He did the same with his own.
    “Now,” Clay said, “we’re perfect.”
    “You’re perfect.”
    “You’re getting mushy?”
    “You