"Sit down," Sean said, waving a fork with a sausage on it at them. Once everyone was seated he sipped his coffee, looking at them. "I don't want to have to do this, but someone's got to go to Australia. We'll finish out the retreat, but as soon as it's done, we're headed home. Vahid, you need to make sure every part of this retreat continues to go off as it is supposed to. When it's over, I need you to ensure that not one of these problems leaks out." Sean paused and took a few more bites of his breakfast. "Emily, you're going home to pack.

Declan and Holden are too. I'm sending the three of you to Australia to fix this mess. I want that G.o.dd.a.m.ned company. I no longer care what it takes to get them. You bully them. You f.u.c.k with them. You shove them up against the wall and rape them a.n.a.lly. I don't f.u.c.king care," he growled, smoke coming from his nostrils. "No one tries to pull the wool over the eyes of an Antaeus. They could have been taken over nicely. Now they've lost the right to an easy takeover. This is beyond hostile. This is flat out war. We will conquer them until they all run home to mommy wearing American made panties."

Garret's eyes widened. He'd seen p.i.s.sed off CEO's before but Sean Antaeus went into a whole new realm of p.i.s.sed off. As soon as Sean stopped talking, Declan began. He went over every detail, making sure that each of them knew what they needed to do, what information they needed to gather, and who would do what while the three executives were gone.

When Vahid began going into details of the flights that his a.s.sistant had booked, Garret realized that not only would he be walking into the office as the head of the finance department on Monday morning, since Emily would be out of the office on her way to Australia, but he would be without Holden too. A separation so soon in their relationship wasn't a good thing. Fear stabbed deep within him in the place where his doubt lived. Holden's trip would be the biggest test of their new relationship and Garret wasn't sure what the outcome would be.

Chapter Ten.

Unhappy didn't describe how Holden felt. He wanted to shoot Sean. He'd just found Garret and now he had to go to f.u.c.king Australia. All because Declan and Sean had initially chosen to be nice to the Australian corporation they were taking over. They'd gone up to Declan and Sean's suite, leaving Emily and Garret with Vahid to work out the details of running the finance department in Emily's absence. Sean and Declan were arguing about the Australian company's executives. Holden just wanted to grab Garret and go home. Already his head pounded with frustration.

"What are you so p.i.s.sed about?" Sean barked suddenly.

Coming out of his angry thoughts, Holden looked up at his older brother. Strangely, the expression in Sean's eyes seemed worried.

Holden frowned. "What would you know about me being p.i.s.sed? And when did my emotions and feelings ever matter when it came to work?" he snapped.

Sean's eyes flared, but it wasn't with heat. Holden couldn't figure out exactly what his expression meant. "You're my brother and I care about you. If something is wrong, tell me so we can try to keep work from interfering too much," Sean replied quietly.

Holden turned his head and looked at Declan who shook his head infinitesimally. So Declan hadn't said anything to Sean about Garret. Holden's gaze returned to the head of the family. Sean seemed to know something was going on in Holden's life but if Declan hadn't spilled the beans, Holden had no clue how Sean could know anything.

"Why are you saying this to me, Sean?"

With a little growl, Sean sat down in a chair, his gaze settling on Holden. "You've been different since we've been here. Something's up. You said you had something to tell me but weren't ready yet. You're out of time now. Tell me what's going on and how Garret Renquist fits in the picture," he said coolly.

Startled, Holden blinked in surprise. "He's my mate." The words came out boldly. Holden had wanted to ease into the explanation when the time came to tell Sean, but somehow, the stark words just slipped out.

Expecting some kind of stupendous reaction from Sean, Holden watched as his older brother just nodded, his expression unchanged. "And you don't want to leave him yet. I understand," Sean replied quietly. "I remember feeling the same when Careen and I first got together." A wry expression settled on Sean's hawkish features. "h.e.l.l, I still hate being away from her."

"You hate being h.o.r.n.y without an outlet." Declan's deep voice, tinged with wry amus.e.m.e.nt entered the conversation.

Holden looked up as Declan lowered his tall frame to the couch. Sean laughed, a short self- deprecating laugh. "It's true. I've been mated so long I think I've forgotten how to m.a.s.t.u.r.b.a.t.e."

With a groan, Holden covered his eyes. "Oh, G.o.ds. First Declan and his p.o.r.n and now you and the masturbation remark. Way too much TMI, brothers," he complained.

Sean and Declan laughed. "d.a.m.n. And I was going to ask you about the whole prostate erogenous zone thing," Sean joked. As Holden uncovered his eyes about to snap out a retort, Declan muttered, "It's true. Just don't ask how I know."

Eyes widening, Holden stared at his older brother. "You and...?" He broke off, unable to even fathom the idea that Declan was bi-s.e.xual.

Declan shook his head. "Not a man, Holden. And I think that's about all I'm willing to say on this subject. You're the one who howled TMI, remember?"

Sean heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry, Holden. There isn't much I can do. Declan needs you on this.

However, when the two of you have things pinned down to the point that Brian can take over for you, by all means come home and take a few days off. Meanwhile, we'll keep an eye on your mate for you."

"Please don't take him to strip clubs," Holden groaned. "I know he'd probably love it, but just...don't."

Sean laughed. "I can't get Alfred to go to one. What makes you think I can get Wonderboy to? No one will go with me."

"No one wants to risk the wrath of Careen if they do," Holden said with a grimace.

The rest of the afternoon was spent preparing for the trip to Australia. By the time Holden made it back to his suite, he was exhausted. He found Garret stretched out on a lounger on the balcony in a pair of shorts and nothing else, a brown bottle of ale on the table at his side, soaking up the last rays of the late afternoon sun.

Holden stripped all his clothes off and tossed them on the couch before joining Garret on the balcony. He stretched out on the other lounger, feeling the sun's warmth seep into his naked skin.

"That lounger is not very sanitary, Holden."

"Don't care. Sun feels good," he muttered.

"Does that mean I get to sanitize your a.s.s so you're not covered in dirt and germs from that thing?" Garret asked with a chuckle.

"Sure." Holden turned his head and looked at his lover. Garret's body was relaxed, but there was a hint of anxiety in his deep green eyes. "We have some things to settle before I leave for Australia."

The green eyes suddenly became hooded. "We do?"

"Yeah." Holden reached out and took Garret's beer, taking a sip before putting it back on the table between them. "You're staying in a hotel right? Until you can find somewhere to live?"

Garret nodded cautiously and Holden smiled. "Not any more. As soon as we get back, we'll pick up your things and go to my place. You don't need to find a place. You're my mate. You'll live with me. My penthouse condo is everything you said you wanted in a place, ocean view, but close to the office. It's perfect."

Garret's expression stayed closed off. "Okay."

Holden c.o.c.ked an eyebrow up at him. "I like the idea of knowing that while I'm gone your naked a.s.s will be in my bed." He shot Garret another smile. "You can drive my car while I'm gone.

Go car shopping. This is California, baby. You need wheels."

"Okay," Garret said again, this time with a little sigh. Holden sat up, his gaze holding Garret's. "What's wrong?"

For a long moment, Garret didn't reply. Finally, three words burst from him, "I'll miss you."

Holden's heart felt as if it somersaulted in his chest. "I'll miss you too," he said softly. "Look, I'm done with this f.u.c.king retreat. How about we order up some dinner and watch a movie?"

Holden didn't want to tell Garret what kind of movie, he just thought he'd put the idea out there and explain later. When Garret flashed that brilliant smile, Holden's stomach dipped as it always did, but now, he welcomed the feeling in a way he hadn't the first couple of days. What had happened between them in the past twenty-four hours-both between him and Garret and his own discoveries-made all the difference to Holden.

They soaked up the sun until it grew dark then ordered room service. Holden pulled on his jeans as a concession to the room service waiters and began packing to go home. He knew that mentally, they were both exhausted. What had happened to them had been swift and overwhelming. Now, work and everyday life intruded on their discovery.

In Holden's mind, he had accepted Garret as his mate. However, he needed time before actually mating him. His logical brain wanted all the roadblocks removed before he bathed Garret in his fire and accepted his fire in return. They needed to settle into daily life and let their families and co-workers become accustomed to them as a couple. They needed to let their feelings ferment and grow so that speaking of love had no hesitancy or uncertainty about it.

The fact that Holden had to leave for an unknown number of days, threw a monkey wrench into his plans. He didn't like the fact that almost as soon as he and Garret got home, he would have to leave. All the things he'd thought about doing with Garret when they got home wouldn't happen now because of the mess in Australia, and Holden was beyond disappointed.

By the time dinner arrived, they were both packed and ready to leave in the morning. Holden knew that Garret had ridden up to Gargoyle Lodge with Emily so there were no obstacles to them leaving together. They got along so well that Holden actually looked forward to the drive, antic.i.p.ating they'd spend the time getting to know each other better. He was eager for Garret to see his condo and wondered what he would think of it. Holden sucked at decorating so he knew there would be some work ahead of them to actually make the place look like someone with a personality lived there. He knew Garret was a bit of a clothes wh.o.r.e but didn't know if his sense of style extended to furniture.

Over dinner and a bottle of wine he discovered that Garret didn't have any talent for fixing up a bachelor pad either. They made a list of furniture they would need and what would need to go. Garret worked from home often and preferred to have a comfortable desk. They decided that since they both sucked at figuring out how to put a home together that they would ask Sean's wife Careen for help.

Holden could tell that Garret seemed nervous about Declan and Sean knowing the truth about them, but he wasn't worried. His brothers would love whoever he loved. It was really that simple.

"My family is nothing to be nervous about, you know. Mates are important to us. Our parents defied their families to be together so we're all acutely cognizant of how important mates are,"

Holden explained as they dug into the chocolate cake he'd ordered.

Garret's brows rose. "Your grandparents didn't want them to be together? Even though they were mates? How odd." Holden nodded. "Our father came from a very old black clan. Apparently, his father was quite a stickler for clean bloodlines. The Antaeus name is very old. Our mother's family was even older, but old man Antaeus refused to accept her." He shrugged. "He had the color prejudice."

"Your mother wasn't a black dragon?" Garret looked surprised.

Shaking his head, Holden chuckled. "Have you ever seen a black dragon with eyes like ours?"

he teased. "Our mother was a red. Her family disowned her for mating with an upstart black dragon."

"So the feud between your parents' families fueled your desire to study dragon anthropology?'

Garret asked curiously. He licked icing off his fork and Holden's groin tightened watching the movement of his tongue. The things that man could do with his tongue drove Holden crazy with l.u.s.t. Just watching him lick icing turned Holden's libido into a raging fiend, and his dragon into an insistent nag wanting only to mate Garret.

"Maybe a little. Our parents didn't believe in the whole color clan thing. They always maintained that the divisions had come about through culture and not nature. I agree. And regardless of the dire warnings of their parents, my parents were deliriously happy together. In fact, Emily is distantly related to us somehow on our mother's side. When she left her family, Sean insisted on helping her even though we'd never even met her," he revealed. "She never speaks of the connection though. Since she prefers that it not be known, we respect that."

Holden could see that his words gave Garret food for thought. He figured it would be a lot easier for Garret to understand his boss if he knew the truth. Plus, it wasn't exactly a secret and since Garret was family now, he deserved to know what he was getting into with the Antaeus clan.

He went on to tell his mate about his sisters and brothers. Garret sat sipping his wine, taking in everything Holden told him with a thoughtful expression on his face.

Once the dinner dishes and room service cart were out in the hallway, Holden grabbed Garret by the arm, pulling him in for a hot kiss. "I have a movie for us," he murmured against Garret's mouth.

"Yeah?" Garret's hands cupped his a.s.s and squeezed. Holden could feel his c.o.c.k stirring. The more Garret played with his a.s.s, the more sensitive it seemingly became.

"Oh, yeah. It's part of the reason I drove you nuts yesterday."

Holden pulled away and went into the bedroom, knowing Garret would follow. Stripping off his clothes he grabbed the remote and turned on the TV and DVD player. The movie started where Holden had left off with it. He looked over at Garret and caught him in the middle of removing his shorts. As the first set of moans filtered from the TV, Garret's head jerked up and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Holden, that's..."

"p.o.r.n." Holden finished his mate's shocked statement with a wry smile. "My new motto is never look gift foreplay in the mouth, so don't ask where it came from."

Garret shook his head, his eyes never leaving the TV. "She's not bad looking at all. And would you look at how she-"

"Sucks c.o.c.k?" Holden said on a laugh. "She's pretty talented."

"I'll say," Garret murmured as he kicked free of his shorts and moved to the bed. "She's extraordinarily good looking for a p.o.r.n star too." Holden moved behind his lover, watching as the p.o.r.n began to excite Garret. "I like redheads.

She'd fit pretty well between us, wouldn't you say?" he whispered in Garret's ear.

"f.u.c.king tease."

Garret's words were joking, but they both knew there was an element of truth to them.

Holden had wanted to see if the woman turned on Garret as much as she turned him on. Mission accomplished. Now he had plans for the erections the p.o.r.n had caused. His hands stroked over Garret's lean chest and abs. As his mate leaned back into him, Holden took hold of Garret's thick c.o.c.k. Stroking Garret in time to the sucks of the woman in the p.o.r.n soon had them both breathing raggedly.

When Garret spun around, Holden took his mate's mouth in a fierce kiss, pa.s.sion arcing between them. Like a spark in dry brush, their l.u.s.t caught fire, turning into a wildfire within minutes, burning out of control and consuming every rational thought they had. As they fell to the mattress, locked in an intense embrace, the remote hit the floor. Both it and the p.o.r.n were forgotten.

The last time Holden had a case of nerves he'd had to face a mid-term with a hangover and no sleep. Not suffering from nerves seemed to be a by-product of his natural Antaeus arrogance.

None of his siblings got nervous either. Yet, uncharacteristically, the drive back to the city found the inner Holden plagued with nerves. Taking Garret home with him on the eve of the trip to Australia had him on the verge of a major freak out. A thousand questions that he knew were not readily answerable spun inside him. However, he could do nothing but shelve them until answers presented themselves.

By contrast, Garret seemed relaxed sitting beside him in the SUV, but Holden had his doubts about the authenticity of that calm demeanor. They stood on the brink of a new life together with issues to face. Garret surely had some concerns about how they were to make it all work. Holden figured that his new mate's calmness probably had something to do with why he was so successful in the stock market. You needed patience and iron clad nerves to deal with the constant volatility.

Contemplating Garret's steadfast demeanor began to bring down Holden's stress level. If Garret wasn't worried, why should he be? After all, they were in this together. If things went bad, it went bad for both of them. Garret didn't look like he thought that would happen so Holden told his nervous-Nellie core to shut it for now. Somehow, they'd work everything out.

During the long drive, Holden discovered that Garret owned property in England, an upscale loft in London and a country house in Wales. He also found out that the man liked to sky-dive and snorkel, had been a world cla.s.s swimmer, and had been declared a genius as a small child. He already knew that he liked Garret. As Declan had said, their personalities were compatible. Garret was the best friend Holden had never had.

Maybe that was the reason they were mates, he thought privately. They both held others at an emotional distance. Holden had never had a best friend and had never allowed a woman to get close to him. Garret had closed himself off from others emotionally as a child because most people wanted to use him.

Holden remembered the Asian gardener talking about clearing brush for fire season.

Somehow, the man's quiet words had seemed to be about the turmoil inside Holden rather than the gardening work. He realized that those words held true for both himself and Garret. They had both distanced themselves from people in order to not be used or hurt. Now, with respect to the relationship developing between them as men, lovers, and mates, only Holden held back. Garret gave freely of himself and his emotions to his new mate, something that had Holden guilt-ridden.

Despite his best efforts to prevent the wildfire of love and l.u.s.t that rose in him around Garret, Holden knew he could not escape the fire season of their relationship. It had been too late for him from the moment he'd scented Garret, from the first brush of their lips in that fierce, angry kiss.

He'd waited his whole life to find someone who understood him and who he could be comfortable with. The relationship, the mating of his dreams, had arrived and instead of embracing it and being grateful for it, he'd acted the a.s.shole, resisting because his mate was a man and not a woman.

A wave of the most profound emotion Holden had ever felt rose within him as he glanced over at Garret. He owed his lover the full measure of his heart. Now, that he stood on the threshold of opening himself fully to Garret, he had to leave. The timing p.i.s.sed him off and frustrated him. Garret seemed to take it in stride more easily than he did. He was eager to show Garret how much he had grown to care for him, but now, time was his enemy.

"You're stressing." Garret's words held a hint of amus.e.m.e.nt.

Holden sighed heavily. "Yeah. And it's not typical of me either," he admitted. "This thing between us, our mating, our relationship, it's new and I don't appreciate having it interrupted by work. The adjustment is difficult enough without a separation tossed into the mix."

One of Garret's dark brows rose in a sardonic expression. "You have such a way with words, Holden. 'The adjustment is difficult enough'? Are you really still adjusting to the fact that I am your mate?" He leaned closer, his hand coming to rest on Holden's jean clad thigh in a light caress. "Your mouth was on my c.o.c.k only hours ago and you loved it. I think you've adjusted."

Garret's hot breath tickled Holden's neck as his lover leaned over the center console and kissed the side of his throat. They both shuddered as the heat of l.u.s.t flared instantly between them. Returning to his seat, Garret flashed his gorgeous smile, and Holden saw that his eyes danced with mischief.

"Drive," Garret commanded. "The sooner we arrive at your home, the sooner I can get you naked."

Holden laughed out loud. A strangely carefree feeling came over him. "We're ordering in. I don't want to share you tonight if I have to leave tomorrow afternoon."

When they hit the lowland freeway that fed into the coastal cities, they both grew a little tenser. By the time Holden stopped the SUV at Garret's hotel, he'd decided that he needed to escalate things with his mate when they got home. With a mental sigh, he realized that the condo really was his home, now that he had a mate.

By some silent agreement, Holden waited in the truck while Garret picked up the rest of his things and checked out. While Garret was gone, Holden called his sister-in-law.

"h.e.l.lo, Holden. Should I guess what you want or should I just let you spit it out," Careen teased him.

Holden made a face even though Sean's wife couldn't see it. "I gather my brother called you,"

he replied in a mocking tone, knowing very well that Sean shared everything he knew with his mate. Careen laughed. "He always calls me. He doesn't leave me alone sometimes," she complained.