Detective Catlin Hill doesn’t understand the instant, possessive attraction he feels for the slender John Doe in the hospital bed. But the minute those scared baby blues meet his, Catlin lets his protective instincts rule him. The guy has amnesia, and it’s only from a conditioned response that Catlin confirms his name is Gallo Ricci. After passing the case to a fellow detective, he takes the victim home with him and gives in to lust. For some reason, it doesn’t even faze Catlin when his new lover turns into a horse in his living room. When a group of guys drop by and start talking about mates and centuries of living together, Gallo has a panic attack, proving his past abuse won’t allow him to take charge enough to claim Catlin. Is their relationship doomed from the start? And what’s tough enough to take down a shifter and leave him in the hospital?

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  Catlin’s Appaloosa

  Copyright © 2012 Charlie Richards

  ISBN: 978-1-77111-177-5

  Cover art by Martine Jardin

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by eXtasy Books Inc or

  Devine Destinies, an imprint of eXtasy Books Inc

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  www.eXtasybooks.com or www.devinedestinies.com

  Smashwords Edition

  Catlin’s Appaloosa

  Kontra’s Menagerie: Book Two

  By

  Charlie Richards

  Dedication

  To Jason – because I know you’re always there if I need you.

  Chapter One

  Detective Catlin Hill stared at the man in the bed. The nurse had told him the patient regained consciousness for several minutes just over an hour earlier. He’d been getting coffee, then his captain had called, and damn it, he’d missed it. Now Catlin wanted nothing more than to see those eyes open. He imagined the lean, muscular African American’s eyes would be brown. He knew it sounded stereotypical, but weren’t most black men’s eyes brown? Catlin couldn’t remember seeing any other color on a dark-skinned man.

  He cringed. Yeah, that sounded racist. Catlin sighed and ran a hand through his own short brown locks. He knew he wasn’t racist. His best friend, Detective Brock Ridgeon, was black. Brock didn’t seem as tall but was definitely broader than this guy, and he was easily darker.

  Easing into the chair at the head of the bed, Catlin rubbed his eyes. It had been too long since he’d had a decent night’s sleep. Three days? Four? Ever since he’d been called in on this John Doe’s case, a mugging, from the way the witness spoke. Catlin wasn’t so sure. His gut told him differently, and it didn’t matter how many times his partner on the force laughed at him, he knew better than to ignore his gut.

  A soft groan from the bed interrupted Catlin’s thoughts. He leaned forward. What was it about this man that was so different? Okay, besides the obvious, that Catlin would be more than happy to fuck or be fucked by this sexy man. Did it make him a pervert to be obsessing over an injured man? Shit, he hoped not.

  The fluttering of the patient’s long, black lashes caught Catlin’s attention and he spoke softly, “Hey, you with us, friend?”

  “Yeah.”

  The guy’s raspy, whispered answer sent shivers all the way down Catlin’s spine, settling in his balls. His cock twitched in his jeans with the start of an extremely ill-timed erection. He shifted in the chair to hide his growing bulge, just in case the guy glanced at his groin. Wishful thinking, Catlin was sure.

  “Do you know where you are?” he asked gently.

  “Hospital,” the guy said, cracking his eyes open.

  Fuck! I was wrong. This guy’s eyes weren’t brown. They were blue, as-clear-as-the-sky blue. He’d never seen anything like it. Catlin nodded, buying himself time to engage his brain. Mentally smacking himself in the back of the head, he couldn’t remember the last time a guy affected him this way. “My name is Detective Catlin Hill. Do you remember what happened to land you in the hospital?”

  The patient’s eyes slid shut for several seconds before reopening. “No.”

  Okay, Catlin wanted to figure out a way to get beyond the one word answers. “Can you tell me your name?”

  That question received another slow blink, followed by a sigh. “No.”

  At least that coincided with what the nurse had said. “You were found near a motorcycle. The registration paperwork said Gallo Ricci. Does that ring a bell?”

  “It’s pronounced Guy-o Reechee,” he whispered, and Catlin’s brows lifted at the automatic correction. A slight smile curved the corners of the man’s square jaw. “I guess that’s me then, huh?”

  “Yeah, I guess so,” Catlin replied with a relieved grin. At least he could confirm the handsome man was no longer a John Doe. “Do you remember anything else? Is there someone I should contact about you? Parents? Spouse? Siblings? Children?” Even as he rattled off options, Catlin prayed a couple of those weren’t viable for the man.”

  “There’s…someone.” Then Gallo frowned. “I can’t remember.”

  “Just relax, Mr. Ricci. It’s not uncommon for memory loss in head trauma cases,” said a middle-aged, dark-haired doctor as he strode briskly into the room followed by a nurse. Catlin didn’t like the way the doctor stared at Gallo with clinical interest. “It’s nice to see you awake and talking. We were getting worried about you, especially in light of how quickly your physical injuries healed.”

  “No,” Gallo gasped.

  Something in the man’s whispered word had Catlin whipping his head around to refocus on Gallo. The fear in his tone brought every protective instinct in Catlin roaring to life. He saw Gallo’s pale face and watched him yank the needle from his arm and scramble up toward the headboard of the narrow bed.

  “Whoa. Hey, easy now. You’re just fine,” he soothed, stepping closer and reaching out to the obviously traumatized man.

  To his surprise, the cute African American threw himself at Catlin, wrapped both arms around his waist, and held on tight. Catlin reflexively curled his arms around Gallo, sat down on the mattress, and tucked him close. The guy almost crawled onto his lap. Catlin looked up at the shocked medical staff. “Give us a few minutes, doctor,” he said, using an authoritative tone that left no room for confusion about wanting to be left alone.

  Once the door closed, Catlin returned his attention to the trembling man. Something had happened to the guy for him to act like this. Catlin had seen enough abuse victims in his line of work to recognize the signs. The anger surging through him, however, didn’t make any sense. He’d always been able to stay detached before, but this guy made him want to hunt down Gallo’s tormentors and do things to them. Things that were definitely not legal.

  “They’re gone, baby,” he whispered into the patient’s ear, the endearment slipping out without conscious thought. Rubbing his hands down Gallo’s back, he caressed the skin exposed by the open-backed hospital gown. To his pleasure, Gallo relaxed against him. “No one will hurt you,” he added. “I promise.” But he damn well wanted to find out who had abused this man in the past.

  “Oh, you smell good,” Gallo muttered against his neck, rubbing his cheek along the tendons attaching to Catlin’s shoulder. The move sent tingles of awareness through him, reminding Catlin that he had two hundred pounds of sexy, nearly naked man pressed against his side. Before he could formulate an appropriate response, he felt Gallo’s tongue flick across his skin, then teeth scraped up his neck, making him shiver.

  “Come on, Gallo,” he muttered around a groan. “We can’t do this here.”

  “Yes, we can,” Gallo countered, sliding a hand under Catlin’s t-shirt.

  Catlin’s skin pebbled under the massaging fingers, and his muscles rippled with pleasure. He gripped Gallo’s wrist while shifting their bodies on the bed so he was looking down at the handsome man. He pinned those questing hands to the mattress. “We need to get out of here first, Gallo.”

  That had Gallo’s eyes widening and his gaze darted around the room. “Yeah. No more tests,” he whispered.

  “That’s right. No more tests,” Catlin affirmed, wondering what kind of tests Gallo thought the doctors would run. He gently released the patient’s wrists and, much to his straining dick’s displeasure, eased away from the sexy black man. “Are you well enough to get dressed on your own?”

  Gallo nodded and slid from the bed. Once standing, Catlin realized the other guy stood about three inches shorter than his own six feet two inch height. Maybe it was the small bed that had made him seem so much bigger. He watched Gallo pull on the sweats and t-shirt Catlin had left for him that first day, and he wondered what he was going to do with the man. Gallo seemed to have imprinted on him, almost.

  The man cautiously glanced toward him several times as he pulled on the clothes, although his gaze never reached Catlin’s face. Catlin had swung into one of the local BDSM clubs a few times a year when he couldn’t ignore his desire to dominate a lover any longer. He hadn’t missed the clear submissiveness in Gallo’s gesture. It raised all kinds of questions in his mind, like was the man hurt during a scene? Was it a Dom who’d put him in the hospital? It certainly explained Catlin’s immediate protective urges.

  Once Gallo was dressed, he realized the next part would be a little tricky. Catlin crossed to Gallo and urged him to sit on the edge of the bed. “I need you to wait here,” he said. “I’m going to get the release paperwork from the doctor.”

  Gallo’s dark skin paled. “You’re leaving me?”

  Catlin crouched in front of the man and cupped his jaw so he could lift Gallo’s face and force him to meet his gaze. “I will be right back, Gallo. No more than five minutes,” he promised.

  After a couple of seconds, where Gallo’s blue eyes seemed to search his face, he nodded. “Okay,” he whispered.

  Catlin strode from the room and found the doctor at the nurse’s desk. “I need Gallo Ricci’s release papers,” he stated flatly.

  “B-but,” the doctor stuttered, “he’s not ready to be released.”

  “Yes, he is,” he countered. “He’s a witness in my case, and I need him calm. He’s not calm here.” He glared at the doctor and crossed his arms over what he knew was an impressive chest. “Release him into my custody. I’ll make certain he’s well cared for.”

  He’d never allowed his dominant personality out of the bedroom, or the interrogation room, but couldn’t stop himself now. Plus, it seemed to get the doctor’s attention. After a few grumbles, and one scathing look, the man obeyed, pulling a chart from a bin then typing up some paperwork on the computer.

  Catlin glanced at his watch and saw that four minutes had passed. Something in him made him realize he couldn’t be late getting back to Gallo, so he gave the doctor one more stern look and said, “Bring it to the room as soon as it’s ready.” After getting a quick nod from the other man, he hurried back to Gallo.

  He paused in the doorway, taking a moment to watch Gallo pace back and forth. After a few seconds, the man glanced toward the doorway. He spotted Catlin instantly, freezing for a second before rushing back to him. “You’re back.”

  Catlin smiled down at the other man. “I said I would be.”

  “Yes, but…” A frown creased Gallo’s face as he obviously tried to remember something.

  “Relax, Gallo,” Catlin said. “Don’t force it. Your memory will come back in time.”

  Gallo nodded, and Catlin couldn’t help reaching out and burying his hand in the smaller man’s scraggly black hair. He wondered if there was a style Gallo was going for under four days of disarray, or if the man really didn’t care what he looked like. Even as he thought a trim to make the thick locks frame his face would make Gallo’s stunning blue eyes pop, he couldn’t miss Gallo’s head turning to nuzzle the hand Catlin had in his hair. Nor did Catlin miss the fact that he liked the show of affection.

  A throat clearing had Gallo jerking away from him, much to Catlin’s displeasure. He’d like to see if Gallo would be more openly affectionate once he gained his memory back. On the other hand, Gallo might remember he had a boyfriend waiting at home for him. That thought caused a frown to crease his features, and that’s what Catlin focused on the doctor. “Is everything ready?”

  The doctor blanched, then hurried to produce the necessary paperwork for signatures. Gallo drew back when the man tried to hand it to him, so Catlin took the clipboard and verified instructions for headaches, muscle aches, or other possible side effects. He turned to Gallo, who stood behind him and to the right, his head down but cocked as if listening intently. The move once again reinforced Gallo’s submissiveness. It was as if he were looking for direction from Catlin. It occurred to him from the incident on the bed, it wasn’t just direction, either. Gallo seemed to need comforting, and there was definitely mutual attraction, too.

  Refocusing his thoughts, he got the necessary signatures from Gallo. The handsome black man balked at sitting in the wheelchair a nurse brought. “Sit in the chair, Gallo,” he finally ordered. For a second, Gallo’s gaze met his. Seeing the wide-eyed panic in the muscular man’s eyes, he softened his gaze and smiled. “I need to wheel you out of the hospital to my car, Gallo. It’s hospital policy.”

  That seemed to be all the encouragement Gallo needed, for he let out a breath and settled into the chair. As Catlin wheeled the chair down the hall, he leaned over, letting his breath brush Gallo’s ear as he whispered, “Besides, you don’t have any shoes on, baby. Those concrete parking lots are not comfortable on bare feet.”

  Gallo’s gaze glanced at him over his shoulder before returning his gaze forward and giving a quick nod. Even after his words of reassurance, Catlin saw the white-knuckled death-grip Gallo had on the chair’s armrests.

  Chapter Two

  Gallo stared through the window of the detective’s car. Confusion, fear, and agitation warred through his body, making his skin crawl. He wanted to run and keep running, but Catlin smelled so good. For some reason, he felt safe around him, and although he couldn’t remember why that was significant, Gallo knew it was.

  He let his eyelids slide shut and concentrated on breathing slowly and deeply. It helped. His skin seemed to lose some of its tightness, and he no longer felt like ants were crawling underneath it. He wondered, briefly, who had taught him this. The image of a huge brunet entered his mind, but he couldn’t see the guy’s face clearly, or think of a name. He sighed. It was something.

  “Are you okay?”

  The detective’s question had Gallo turning to focus on him. “I feel… confused,” he whispered honestly.

  Catlin reached over and lightly squeezed his thigh just above his knee before returning his hand to the wheel. “I’ll help you through this. We’ll figure out what happened.”

  Gallo didn’t know how Catlin could be so confident, and frankly, he didn’t care. All he wanted was that hand on his leg again. The detective’s touch had sent the most wonderful sensations along his nerves. Just that brief touch had his prick thickening in his borrowed sweats and his heart rate increasing. He liked it, almost as much as he liked the taste of the guy’s skin.

  That memory had his dick hardening further. He inhaled deeply, taking in Catlin’s musky aroma. The wonderful scent permeated the car. His shaft jerked, pre-cum oozing from the slit and soaking into the fabric. He couldn’t suppress his whimper of shock and need, and Gallo dropped a hand to his cock, rubbing it through the damp fabric.

  “Oh, my god, Gallo!” Catlin growled.

  Gallo jerked his gaze to Catlin’s shocked brown eyes for several seconds before dropping them to the man’s crotch. He saw the thick bulge outlined at the groin of the guy’s jeans and licked his lips. His ass clenched, and Gallo rubbed himself harder. “Need,” he whispered breathily, unable to express the sensations suddenly vibrating through his body.

  “Gallo, I—”

  Whatever Catlin would have said was cut off by the honk of a car horn. “Shit,” Catlin growled. “Gallo, behave,” he ordered, pressing on the accelerator and moving the vehicle through the intersection. “We’ll be at my place in fifteen minutes.”

  “I burn,” Gallo whimpered, and he did. His dick felt like it would fall off it was so hard. He couldn’t remember ever reacting this way to another’s touch, not that what he could remember was much to go by. Still, something told Gallo he’d know if he’d felt this way before. Instinct running deep through Gallo’s veins assured him that he needed this man, and soon. “Please.”

  He managed to bring his gaze up to Catlin’s, beseeching the man with his eyes. Catlin glanced over and looked him in the eye. “Damn it,” Catlin swore before checking his mirrors.

 

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