True Nature by Jessica Freely

Blurb
Lake Clearwater--conservation officer and water spirit--has just been appointed guardian of Gem Pond by The Powers That Be. It's the first time in eight years he's had a real home and he's determined to protect it, even if that means hiding his attraction to his sexy new partner, Forrest Oakwood.

Forrest is a native of the Gem Pond area and the guardian of its trees. He knows the land and its people are a crucial lynchpin in the natural order. He also knows that if he comes out, his boss in the DNR, Sgt. Dennison, will find an excuse to fire him. But ignoring his true nature was a lot easier before Lake Clearwater showed up. The man's a walking, talking wet dream.

Meanwhile, local residents--human and animal alike--conspire to bring Lake and Forrest together. The land needs its guardians united and at their full power. Dennison wants to cut down the trees to make room for water slides and tennis courts. If Forrest and Lake don't embrace their passion for each other, they'll be unable to stop him and that would be a disaster, not just for Gem Pond but for the entire natural world.



In order to protect the land they love, Forrest and Lake, two nature spirits working as conservation officers, must stop fighting their passion for each other and embrace their true natures.

http://www.loose-id.com/true-nature.html

Excerpt

-->

That night Forrest tossed and turned, unable to get the memory of Lake’s hand on his tree-penis out of his mind. Those soft, silken fingers stroking his rough bark. Powers That Be.

“Can’t sleep?” Lake lay propped on one elbow. The blanket and sheet had slipped down, revealing a nipple.

Forrest started. Could Lake tell what he was thinking? “Uh. Just restless, I guess.”

“I’ve had a lot of experience with insomnia. Know what always worked for me?”

“What?”

Lake’s grin gleamed in the dim light from the window. “Jacking off.”

Forrest blushed, grateful that the room was dark and his partner couldn’t see. “Screw you, Clearwater,” he said warmly.

“That’d probably work too.”

For a moment, Forrest froze, thinking his secret had somehow been discovered.

Outside, a raccoon chittered in a nearby tree.

Of course, Clearwater was joking. Obviously.

Forrest threw his pillow at him. “You’re very helpful.”

Clearwater had a laugh like freshwater splashing in a brook. He sat up and threw Forrest’s pillow back at him. Forrest caught it and stood. Not content with simply a ranged attack this time, he crossed to Clearwater’s bed and pummeled him with the pillow.

“Ah! That’s it! You’re asking for it.” Lake grabbed his own pillow and used it as a shield. Then he got up on his knees on the bed and beat Forrest about the head with it.

Forrest grabbed for the pillow, and Lake yanked on his arm. Forrest lost his balance and fell across the bed. Lake straddled Forrest’s stomach and pummeled him with the pillow.

Laughing uncontrollably, Forrest tried to wriggle free, but it was no use. Despite his willowy build, Lake was strong and surprisingly heavy. Forrest whacked at him with a pillow.

Lake grabbed it and wrested it from his grasp, sending it spinning across the room. He raised his own pillow to strike Forrest again, but Forrest intercepted it and got it away from him. He tossed it after the first one.

Lake fell forward, catching himself with his hands braced on either side of Forrest’s head. Their laughter died away. A dip of Lake’s head or an arch of Forrest’s back would bring their lips together. Forrest panted, his pulse racing, his cock hardening. Could Lake feel it?

Lake’s breath on his face was sweet and warm.

Forrest trembled. He searched Lake’s face, looking for some indication, some sign as to whether or not he was the only one who desperately wanted to close the distance between them.

Just as he was about to abandon all sense and go for it, Lake got up. He retrieved the pillows from where they’d landed near the door and handed Forrest his. “You really do need to get some sleep.”

Forrest jumped out of Lake’s bed as if it were full of live coals. His face burning, he grabbed the pillow and stalked over to his bed. What had he been thinking? Of course Clearwater wasn’t interested in him that way. If he were, he’d never have made that joke about screwing.

Outside, that raccoon chittered again.

Forrest got into bed and faced the wall. He lay there, listening to Lake settle back in bed. Forrest’s cock was hard. It wasn’t going down either. His only hope of getting to sleep now was to take himself in hand. He waited until all was quiet on Lake’s side of the room and then slowly, silently, reached down and wrapped his fingers around his heated length.

THAT HAD BEEN close. Lake lay in his bed, staring at the wall as he listened to Forrest bring himself to release.

What was his partner thinking about? Was it possible Forrest was fantasizing about him?

No. There’d been a moment there at the end where Lake thought he’d felt a connection. And he’d almost kissed Forrest. But then he’d seen the panic in the man’s eyes. Whether Forrest thought about men or women when he jacked off, it was pretty clear he didn’t think about Lake.

What had possessed him to joke around like that? It was reckless, and he was lucky it hadn’t ended in disaster. He couldn’t let anything like that happen again.

But Forrest had looked so hot spread out beneath him like that. Most guys, if they happened to be gay and happened to know Lake was gay, took one look at him and assumed he was a bottom. Not the case. Lake could switch if he had to, but he was much more comfortable, and skilled, topping.

All of which was completely academic in this situation. Still, as Forrest’s breathing slowed and deepened and Lake rolled onto his side and reached down to take care of his own needs, it was Forrest that he thought of.