::CHAPTER 29::

Richard's POV

The more I dried my skin, the more my temperature rose. This was a terrible terrible idea. It was safer in the ice bath. I glanced back at the draining water in the tub and then the open door. I hated the fear that came with this. Being scared of myself.

Already I could feel the tremors in my hands and the heat pooling low inside me. A wave of hot air washed over my naked frame and I shivered. It was a familiar feeling. Too familiar. It was a creeping sensation, playing on my senses. Everything was too loud, too bright, my skin too sensitive, scents too strong and I could taste the very air around me. I closed my eyed and focused on the basics; things I would normally sense.

Nye said he could help. He understood this better than I did. He'd been taught about mating in ways humans never were. From day one I'd been ill equipped to deal with this on my own. Finally I had someone on my side who could.

Already my body was covered in a barely noticeable sheen of sweat. My mind felt muddled and my body sluggish. At the same time I was hyper aware of everything and bursts of adrenaline shot into my system.

Each step I made to the bedroom was tentative. Unsure. I was nervous and anxious to near him again but I trusted Nye. More than anyone. Swallowing a lump in my now dry throat, I got into the room. Holy shit.

I'd never been this aware of the dominance of his animal like I was in this moment. It was a very present entity in the room. Something other. Something that existed apart from Nye. A powerful existence far larger than life. The wolf was paying acute attention to me. I could feel his eyes through Nye. They were a danger at my back, but I trusted them enough not to bother keeping an eye out.

I grabbed a pair of underwear and slipped it on under my towel. Only then did I unwrap the material from my waist because even that was too many clothes. It was getting warmer in here by the minute. I took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from my brow. Already my cock was showing interest again. Control. Control. I don't need this. My old mantra wouldn't work any better now I knew that I did, in fact, need this.

"Drink up," Nye said holding out bottled water from my mini fridge, "You should have been hydrating all along." I nodded but didn't move. His gaze softened, "It's okay. C'mere."

I would have, but Ahmose above he smelt so good from this distance. I didn't trust myself to get that close. His smile was encouraging enough that I took a breath and moved forward. He held out the water so that I could avoid getting into his space. I was thankful for that. He was a bit...much.

I gulped the water like I hadn't had any in weeks. It was cool on my tongue and soothed my throat, but I was thirsty again within seconds. He held out another bottle as if reading my mind. Thanking him, I reached out for it. This time our fingers came into contact. Ignoring the feel of his touch still lingering on my skin, I drank again. Already I was feeling better, but that didn't mean this was anywhere near over.

There weren't enough distractions in the universe to take my mind off the situation. The first being that I was burning up at an endless pace and it wasn't doing a damn thing to help the steadily hardening bulge in my briefs. The brush of soft material against my skin made my stomach clench around the heat gathering inside me. The second problem came in the form of the gorgeous man clad in a uniform that fit too perfectly, his top button undone and exposing skin I wanted to get my mouth on. It didn't at all help that he was looking up at me through his lashes with near luminous eyes.

Nye was all kinds of temptation and that crooked smile he flashed once I'd finished drinking was making my list of top ten kinks. "I'm going to assume that you figured out by now what the best way to get past a mating heat is," he said and was his voice always like that?

The influence of the animal in his vocal chords was the most seductive thing. It was low. It was dark. It rasped over my skin, slipped around my throat and stroked over my pulse point. "You okay?" he arched a brow but didn't move.

I got the feeling that he was aware of what his dominance felt like. It was like every inch and crevice in the room was filled with it. Sometimes liquid and sometimes gas. Drowning and suffocating all at once when you got too close. But it was getting easier to navigate the longer I braved it. It was an addiction in itself too. There was a sense of protectiveness hidden inside. He wanted me safe. There was nothing to be afraid of. He didn't want me afraid of our mating. It felt dangerous, but under everything was Nye. All of him. Open.

One step at a time, I neared him. "Better?" his voice was soft. I nodded. "It's a lot, I know. Take it slow."

He was the dominant, but he didn't make any move toward me. He didn't push or crowd into my space. He coaxed and let me approach him in my own timing. It was the tactic of someone trying to seem less threatening and I was grateful for it.

"How–?" my voice cracked and I cleared my throat blushing.

"What is it?" his tone grew softer than before. Careful.

"How do we do this – er – thing?" I gestured vaguely.

"How do you usually do it?" his focus roved from my stomach all the way up to my face and it was as bad as if he'd done it with his hands. It took a second to breathe around that no-touch sensation. It wasn't in my head. I was sure he'd run his fingers across my skin.

"I don't want to do this like I usually do. You're–," I dragged my gaze from his mouth, "–we're different."

"Not a one night stand. More," he smiled and took my hand in his, "Mates." The word was a kick to the heart in the best way.

"Yeah," I chuckled rubbing at my nape, "This is so awkward."

"Very," he agreed his other hand coming to rest on my hip, "We're over thinking it. It's easy. It's us."

"Nye and Richie," I agreed, "We can do this."

I stopped talking. My voice was growing hoarse. The room felt like a sauna. Hot air blew on my face when it should have been room temperature. My hair stuck to my forehead, wet with sweat. I was on edge. That precipice you hung on when a single touch could bring you to orgasm.

I could catch his scent but it was changed. It was warmer, more urgent. I could taste his arousal on the air. Mouth dry again, I wet my lips. I really wanted him. I didn't know how or where, but he was my single focus.

The need was dizzying. Strong hands, calloused from hard work and wilderness, gripped my hips as if to steady me. "I got you," he whispered into my skin lips pressing a kiss onto my hipbones. His fingers brushed just beneath the waistband of my briefs.

His mouth was simultaneously too close to my cock for my liking and not close enough. He placed another kiss just above the waistband and another again over my stomach. One a little higher and more even higher than that. Something about his touch felt like body worship. Like it was more than a body he'd fuck and leave behind. It was something cherished.

It took the world of patience to wait for him to get to my lips, and still he teased. My neck, my jaw, cheek, nose, eyelids. Everywhere he could get to. His eyes fluttered open and his lips tipped up at the corners in a smile more devastating than any he'd ever aimed my way. "God, you're beautiful," I murmured against his lips, taking the kiss from him before he could tease me again.

His lips were soft and cool. As cool as his hands and every part of us that touched. It was as if he was designed to douse the heat that had me half delirious and swaying on my feet. Finger tips pushed my hair out of the way and grasped my face.

His mouth devoured but he never lost his tenderness for a second. He was still walking on eggshells with me. His dominance was an overwhelming thing crashing in waves from every direction. His teeth sank into my lower lip; Chosen affection. My breath caught. It felt amazing. That stinging nip. The tongue soothing over it, licking into my mouth. Tasting and exploring. His fingers running up my spine and gripping tight.

I was as hard as I'd ever remembered being. I doubted I'd ever been this touch hungry either. I doubted I'd be able to so much as voice what I wanted but I could try. "Nye," my voice broke on the name, "I–." He nodded as if I'd finished, lips still moving against mine.

It took a lot not to shiver when the pads of his fingers trailed down my sides and hooked into the waistband of my briefs. He pressed his lips to my neck and sucked at my pulse point. I moaned into it, hips moving to search friction. Any kind of friction. "Hang on, for me," he whispered, "I'm trying to hold on here too." I nodded and tried. He was doing his best to keep the floodgates of his animal dominance in control. We had to go slow.

I watched him strip my one and only piece of clothing from me before he stood tall.

Meeting my eyes and not looking away once, he unbuttoned his stark white uniform revealing one more inch of skin at a time. There was no getting over my military kink now. Not after watching him shed the top half like he practiced in the mirror.

Stopping his hands when they reached for his pants, I stole another kiss from him and undid them myself. It was easy to palm his ass under his boxer briefs and pull him flush against my own body. "So greedy," he nipped at my jaw and it was so Chosen that it took me by surprise. My cock twitched when he did it again.

 Stripping him entirely, I moaned at the feel of his hard on pressed flushed against my own leaking cock. My body sensitive to any and every touch. His roughened hands grazing against it like he knew. His breath caught and his fingers buried themselves in my hair. I rocked against him and felt him try his best to stay in control. A part of me – a wicked, delirious, irrational part – wanted to see him fall apart. Let go. Lose himself completely.

Pushing him backwards, he got the hint and allowed his body to fall back and moved up a little. He lay there waiting. Naked and hard. Chest heaving from the effort of keeping himself in line. Eyes trained on me, luminous and dark all at the same time. Cock a heavy weight curving up to his belly, the crown leaking and as pink as his kiss bruised lips.

I met him on the bed and got onto my haunches slowly, waiting for him to catch on. He only blinked down at me. I ran a finger over his length, noting the suspicious look in his eyes.

"Richie, what are you doi–?" he bit off the question on a gasp. His lips parted and knees rose on either side of my ears. I took that as permission to lick a second, longer stripe along the underside of his cock. His breath stuttered in his chest. I let him relax a little more, regain his control for a second. I could just as easily use the time to bite and suck hickeys along his inner thigh until he was ready again. And that's just what I did.

I left mark after mark, his skin bruising easier than I'd expected. Pink and then red, small claims on his thighs.

Maybe I waited too long. Maybe he was being the greedy one this time. Either way he let out the most amazing, needy little sound in the back of his throat. My own dick twitched against the sheets. No one should be allowed to sound like that in bed and I wanted to hear it again.

I swirled my tongue around the tip and smiled when I felt his fingers tangle in my hair and a quiet if not pleading, "Richie." If these were the reactions I'd get, I wanted to make this the best he'd ever had. Pulling out all the stops, all the tricks and all the fan favorites, I had him panting beneath me in minutes. He was arched off the bed, fingers tugging on the right side of rough in my hair and hips trying to seek out more.

When he let go, he really did let go. I hardly set the pace anymore. When he wanted more, he searched out more. He was hard and fast, if not careful.

He let me know exactly how good it felt. What it was like having my lips wrapped around him. How hot and wet and perfect my mouth was. I wasn't allowed to moan because that felt even better. And there was no way he could hold on if I was going to insist on making those sounds with a mouth full of him. And my eyes. He let me know just what it did to him when I looked up at him like that. How it felt when I took him deeper, my fingers on his waist tight enough that he'd feel it tomorrow.

Mouthy as he was – and damn the boy had a filthy way with words – I got a barely-warning before he came down my throat, thumb tracing my cheek even as he rode the aftershocks.

He rose up looking dazed and not one hundred percent with me. "That was... Wow," he breathed, "No one's ever... I've never done that." I blinked up at him at that. I'd figured that he and Orion would have gone through it all by now. I liked knowing that I was his first for this at least.

One glance down showed a still hard Nye, his gaze bordering on predatory. Bless the Chosen and their stamina. His mouth was on mine again, pulling me closer. Spreading his thighs, he broke out of the kiss.

"Work me open," his voice was wrecked.

"You sure you want me to top?" I'd assumed the Alpha would take care of that.

"Need to feel you inside me," he shook his head, "Especially after that."

"Okay. Let me get some–."

"You don't need it."

I was about to protest when he guided my fingers to an already slick pucker. Lube was definitely not needed. His own body did that for him. His ass already dripping wet from orgasm. The shock didn't take long to settle. Now wasn't the time to question Chosen anatomy.

I loved that easy glide when I slid the first finger inside. It wasn't hard to imagine what he'd feel like wrapped around me. I had to stroke my cock a couple of times to keep myself in control. His eyes followed the movement, hungry and wanting.

"More. C'mon," he moaned biting down on his lower lip. I added a second finger and let him breathe through the stretch and burn. He hummed and palmed himself, nodding encouragement. I didn't think he could get any wetter, but here it was. I took more control than I thought I had to keep this up. I'd never wanted to be buried inside someone this badly but the slow prep was necessary. It was already a task for men bigger than Nye to handle all of me and some couldn't. I didn't want to hurt him by rushing it.

When I pulled out of him, he gave the most disgruntled little whine. "Greedy brat," I grinned, "Haven't changed a bit." His scent was heavy in the air and my skin even more oversensitive to everything. I could barely hold myself up. The heat had been steadily building and though I'd usually never let it do that, I wanted to be out of my mind with it when I finally got to the main thing.

Nye smiled and pulled me to his chest, rolling us over so he was on top. He brushed his lips against mine, soft and hot. Licking a line over my lip and biting me sharper than he did before. I opened my eyes to see him grinning at me with teeth gone canine. A partial shift and damn if that wasn't sexy as all hell. I cupped his face and traced the scars on his cheek. He smiled, clearly no longer self conscious about it.

He lined us up and eased himself down. "Breathe," he said and it was a needed reminder though I should have been the one telling him that. It was better than I'd expected and he was still letting me in. Slow, steady, one ring of muscle after the other. Tight, but not uncomfortable. Slick and perfect for an easy glide. I was about to warn him to be careful but it wasn't necessary. I didn't expect him to go all the way, but there he was. Sitting there with the most imperious look on his face, getting accustomed to the thickness as much as the length.

He didn't move at first and my heat was nowhere near cooling. He was taking the moment to catch his breath and adjust, but it was a slow torture. "Baby boy, are you trying to punish me right now?" I groaned voice no less wrecked than before.

He smiled with those canines that had my cock pulsing even while buried inside him. Tangling his fingers with mine, he held both of my hands above my head. "I'm doing my best," his hips rolled and shit yes this is what I needed all along, "not to mark you up all over." Though no one should know about us, there was something appealing about being marked by my mate. Something to show off. Licking up the column of his throat, I sucked a bruise into his neck. "Do it," I murmured into his skin, "Wherever you want."

The breath was punched out of him at that. His hips rocking forward against me. My eyes fell shut and his lips dragged against my bared neck to land on my shoulder. Then came the sting. Not hard enough to draw blood but hard enough to leave a very Chosen mark for days. He didn't move his mouth. Biting into the skin and muscle, he rode me hard and I met him with each thrust. It was an easy rhythm and damn he felt good.

The slick glide down my cock and the slap of skin against skin. His fingers tightened and held my hands out of the way. I got the feeling he couldn't handle my touching him like that. His teeth shifted back to full human, his tongue soothing over the bite and it felt too good. Sensitive in the best way and I found myself trying to go even deeper.

He gasped and gripped tighter. "Fuck, Richie," his voice rasped against my ear, "Right there." His body trembled and still, somehow, he was the one in control. Even as I had him falling apart on my cock, his wetness sliding over my balls and onto my sheets. I smiled, knowing they'd smell like him once this was over.

When the growl came, it was low and my breath caught even while I pushed into him harder. I loved him like this. Eyes gone fully wolf, dick bobbing and dribbling pre-cum, lips kiss wet and parted on the kind of moans that made men come on that alone. His head thrown back, sex hair rumpled, body glistening with sweat and hole dripping with slick from his first orgasm.

The sun was already coming up and he looked all kinds of sexy and beautiful in the pale light. Far different than he'd looked in the silver of the moon. When I got the right spot – on accident I'll admit – he whimpered. A perfect, tiny sound just for me and I knew because it was my name I heard in my ear.

And he came just like that; untouched on my dick only, hole clenching around me, come spurting into the air and smearing onto my skin. I really did love seeing him like this. He was panting as hard as I was, going boneless on top of me.

I got him onto his back, feeling the buildup rising in me already. He was so soft, warm and wet inside; his second orgasm slicking the way even more. He was content to splay across my sheets looking up at me with half lidded eyes and his fingers playing over his nipples, taking all of me surprisingly well. Every thrust was better than the last, his body still going through the aftershocks of his orgasm.

He pulled me into a kiss. There was more care in it than any Pack kiss we'd had before. It tasted like I love you, but I didn't want to label it like that unless he said it. He pulled me down and held me close when I came inside him. My body trembled under the intensity of it and I had to wonder how he'd survived that kind of orgasm twice. I'd never came like that before. With someone holding me through it. My chest warmed with the realization.

I pulled away enough to see him. He reached both hands up and tucked my hair behind my ears. He scanned my face and smiled wide. I couldn't help but return it, face heating up when he brushed a kiss to my lips. Can't believe that just happened. We really went there. I wouldn't undo it though. This was probably the first time in a long time that I enjoyed sex and didn't walk away feeling dirty about it.

Nye slipped out from under me and left the room. I flopped onto my back and covered my face under a grin. Shit that was kind of amazing. The room smelt like us both now. I liked it. I wanted it to have our combined scent in it all the time. I wanted him in my space. He could stay here with me. It was my house after all.

He came back in cleaner than he'd left holding a small basin of lukewarm water and a rag. I didn't question it when he cleaned me off. It was different getting taken care of like that after sex. Hell I had butterflies through the whole thing. He got me another bottled water. I didn't think I needed it until the first sip. I definitely needed it. He got one for himself and we went to the dry side of the bed.

The morning air over my damp skin was a welcome chill after feeling so unbearably hot and sticky before. Lying here with Nye curled up and half asleep on my chest was so familiar and at the same time very new. The latter was likely because we'd never been like this completely naked before. It was a good change. I didn't mind keeping it.

"Hey, baby boy?" I murmured rubbing circles into his back.

"Richie, you just made that name sexual a little while ago. You can't turn it platonic now."

"Oh boo hoo. No one cares about your friends to mates problems," I teased.

"Ass," he grumbled cuddling closer to me but I could feel him grinning, "What did you want?"

"Nothing," I smiled, "Just Happy Birthday."

He raised his head and his eyes brightened like he'd only just remembered.

"Thanks," he replied, "Guess this morning is going to be the gift for everyone to beat."

"A mate and sex," I agreed, "I think I'll count this as on of your four gifts repaid."

"We're even so far then. Two gifts down, two to go."

"Well I have three gifts left for you. The four I owed you before and today."

"Not going to argue with that," he rest his head back down, "I'll be fully up for replays of this if you want gift ideas."

"You are insatiable," I poked him in the sides, "Go sleep. I think you can skip school today since I kept you up all night and morning."

"I like you when you're mated," he said decidedly and wrapped an arm around my bare waist.

I scoffed. As if he didn't when we weren't mated. But I stayed quiet, too worn out for anything else. We fell asleep like that. His scent in my skin and mine in his. His hair tickling my nose and our legs tangled together. My arm tight around him and his around me.

It was around two in afternoon when we finally got up again. I ached all over but it was the kind of ache that brought a smile to my face. Nye was asleep but I could sense his animal. He was awake and padding around Nye's mind. He felt so near. His presence tangible.

I'd heard someone say that mating happened between the wolves themselves and that's why it couldn't happen with humans. I had been a child when I heard the gossiping words, but it came back to me in this moment for some reason. I played my fingers along Nye's spine, his skin smooth and warm from sleep. Your soul is what mated to us.

My fingers stilled. The voice was in my head as good as if it were my own thoughts. Except it wasn't. It sounded like an animal given a human voice. It was struggling around the words, but it was intelligent enough to get its voice across.

You said it yourself. I'm a he. Not an it. Oh wow. I had a direct link to Nye's wolf now. I'm not only Nye's wolf. No. You're mine too now, aren't you? Yes. If you want me. Of course I want you too. I accepted you both and I get to have a wolf.

He didn't respond but I felt the bubble of joy flare inside me. My soul was mated. It was connected to another. After trying for so long to connect with somebody romantically, it was hard not to appreciate having Nye of all people as a mate.

No one knew me better. Few knew me longer. I doubted I could think of someone who cared about me more than he did. He was too smart for his own good, kinder than he got credit for and by far my favorite person to be around. The man worked hard and was loyal to a Pack that really didn't deserve him. He was the kind of guy who would bottom for you and still want to be the one to take care of you afterwards. He'd definitely be my first choice if I had to commit to one person forever. I honestly couldn't think of another mate I'd want.

A soft groan made me look down. "Mother fucker," Nye winced, "I feel like I got run over with a truck...in a sexy way. And I'm not sure what the hell that means." I laughed and rose up to stretch my limbs.

"I'm no expert on sex or anything–."

"You sure?" I gave him a once over.

"–but I think it's probably not supposed to cross three and four hours," he massaged his shoulders, "Unless this is a mating thing. I don't know."

"Who knows.I'd invite you to share a shower with me," I said getting to my feet, "but I think we should recover before tempting ourselves with anything."

"Yeah. Yes," Nye looked away from my still naked body, "That would be best. Good thinking."

I nodded and headed to the door before stopping and glancing back. His eyes snapped from my ass to my eyes, guilt scrawled on his face. "By the way Nye, you look really good in your birthday suit," I grinned, "Goes great with the sex hair and hickeys." His hand absently reached for the darkening bruises on his inner thighs. I motioned toward his neck, "I meant the other ones."

I ran out of the door before the pillow could hit me, laughing all the way to the bathroom. A cold shower later, I called Nye to let him know that I was done. After last night I think we'd seen enough of each other naked to share a bathroom space.

He waited for a second for me to leave, but gave up at my blank stare in the mirror while I brushed my teeth. It didn't typically take long to dry and comb my hair. Today was different. Today I was in no rush. I took my time and let my good mood shine through.

"So I was thinking we should go out for lunch," I started conversationally.

"Lunch? Just you and me?" his head peeked out of the shower, "Like..."

"Like a birthday lunch."

"Oh."

"Slash a first date."

"Oh?" he brightened a fraction, "First date already?"

"Why wait?" I shrugged, "How much better do you want to get to know me before we go on one?"

"Ha. Cute," he rolled his eyes and disappeared back behind the curtain, "I'm up for it."

"I'll even let you pick the place since you're the birthday boy."

"Sweet miracles. Someone's in a really good mood," he said in a sing song voice.

"Yeah yeah, whatever," I laughed, "Don't get excited. You're only getting one trip to the salad bar and half a glass of tap water."

"And he's got jokes too," he sang in a falsetto that was so absolutely terrible we both burst out laughing.

"You are such a dork."

I left the bathroom and went downstairs to see if Tommy got back alright. I searched the entire downstairs area. He still wasn't home yet. When I turned around, Nye was dressed in a pair of my shorts and an old t-shirt.

He hadn't borrowed my clothes in years. I liked seeing him in them. "You can keep these," I fingered the worn material, "They look good on you." He glanced down at them as if he'd forgotten that they were mine. "Thanks. I was planning on stealing them anyway, but the permission is nice." I shot him a look but it probably came out more amused than anything.

He adjusted the formal uniform in his arms and tip toed up to press a kiss on my lips. I took his face and held his mouth there, taking a little more while I could. He broke away with a sigh that I saw more than heard, his eyes lifting open. It would take a while to get over the disconcerting way he looked at me sometimes. Like I would disappear on him.

"God is real," Tommy murmured from the doorway looking to the heavens with his arms stretched high, "My prayers have been answered and God is real!"

"There are times when I wonder if you wanted this more than me," Nye laughed.

"Do not judge a fanboy when his ship is sailing, honey," he held up a hand, "Let me have this moment."

Nye and I shared a look and I'm pretty sure we were both wondering why we put up with him. "Can I tell him?" I whispered, "Honestly I don't know how you kept it a secret. I have to tell someone." He chuckled and nodded looking all kinds of amused and happier than I've seen him since I've been back home. "I'm going to tell Orion and Kenny anyway," he wiggled his brows and walked over to Tommy, "He has news for you and I hope you can handle it."

Tommy was over to me before Nye even made it out the door. He dragged me into the living room and shoved me into a seat before grabbing the one beside me.

"Okay so what happened? Because you're in your towel and he's wearing your clothes and carrying the stuff he wore last night in his hands. And oh my gosh it's obvious he spent the night."

"Obviously."

"And obviously it was a pretty kickass night because there is no way in hell that you're going to convince me that that kiss was a Packmate kiss." Tommy was actually rubbing his hands together now.

"I'm not going to because it wasn't a Packmate kiss."

"Really?" he beamed, "So you two are together then? Please say yes because I have waited long enough, thank you very much."

"Yes, Tommy. We're together," I grinned and it felt like a weight was lifted from my shoulders when he fist pumped and did a little jig around the living room. Before I knew it, he was on the coffee table booty popping in my face.

"I knew it! I knew he wanted you from the moment you came home. And I knew you'd come around! Ha! In your face!" he spun around and pointed at me, "You told me I was wrong. Well look at you now."

"Really Tommy?"

"I am validated, bitch!"

"Are you done?" I was amused by him but you couldn't let Tommy run wild.

"Nope. I did my penance. I watched you two circle each other for the longest time. You're going to sit and watch me have my moment!"

"My bad," I held up my hands, "Go ahead."

"So I noticed some love bites on little Nye's neck there. And a particularly wolfy bite on your shoulder there," he got smug now, "Did anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

"We had sex," I admitted and watched Tommy curl into a ball and wail into a throw pillow, "Full on, all the way sex."

"Yes Jesus! Yes Ahmose! This is all I wanted. Thank you," he looked to the ceiling before turning to me, "So how was it?"

"It was weird at first," I said, "but then we just...got into it."

"Was that a sex pun?" he raised a brow.

"Well it wasn't until now," I huffed, "But it got pretty amazing pretty fast. We're in a good place right now I think."

"So he marked you up with his little wolfy teeth," Tommy grinned, "You kinky bastards will give me strength when I have none."

"Shut up. It was hot. And – um – I have one more little treat for you."

"More? Is it my birthday?"

"No, it's his. But that's beside the point."

"Which is?"

"We're mated. Not you and me," I added quickly, "Me and Nye. Us. Mated."

"Like...mated mated? A Chosen and a human? Together?" he raised his brows, "Damn. You had one hell of a night."

"Yeah. Turns out that hyperdrive sex drive I've been running on was really a heat. I was in heat all along."

"That's a damn shame," he shook his head and tsked, "All you need good Danyel lovin' in your oven to turn the heat down."

"Oh my god," I flapped my hand, "No. Don't call it that. Shut up. Never talk again. And I topped so nothing was in my...oven."

"This day just keeps getting better and better. Claimed yourself a mate and everything," he said and swapped for a high pitched whiney voice, "He's only a kid. I don't see him like that. He's only sixteen."

"I do not sound like that. And technically he was seventeen when we did it."

Tommy just stared at me long at hard. Quietly judging me. It was then that he decided that I'd said enough crap for the day and he was going to migrate to his room for the afternoon to purge himself of it. I left him to it. I had to go get dressed anyway.

I heard knocking glass once I re-entered my room. Nye was sitting on his window sill, already dressed. "So I was thinking and, while I'd love to exploit you for your insane amount of sudden wealth," he joked, "I think I've dealt with enough suits and hoity toity last night to keep me going for a while." I leaned out of the window and took in his clothes.

Casual but crisp and he was bundled up good and warm for the cold whether we were having at the moment. He had a scarf to cover the evidence of last night on his neck and a wool cap on. I saluted him and grabbed a white and blue button down and dark wash jeans. A jacket, hat and scarf later and I was dressed.

Gentleman that I was, I dropped by his house just as he was putting on his shoes. "Damn, you beat me to it," he grumbled though his eyes were dancing. I gave a shrug and held out a hand to hoist him to his feet.
"Maybe next time you'll get to me first," I said, "Now where are we going?"

His grin turned mischievous and I'd almost forgotten how fast that grin could put the fear of Ahmose in my heart. "Oh no," I groaned, "I know that look. That look is never good."

He bit his lip to hide the grin but the damage was already done. I was scared as hell and excited too. It was a familiar feeling I got every time he'd ever shot me that grin and it usually used to end up with me grounded and him cute-ing his way out of trouble. But even though I'd always gotten punished for his schemes, they were some of our best stories and my favorite memories.

A second, identical, I'm-not-up-to-something-you-are look flashed across his face again at the sound of a car pulling up the drive. "Come on, I want to show you my motorbike," he beamed and disappeared out the door. I startled and stared into space wondering if I'd heard right.

When I got downstairs, Auto was unloading the bike from his truck and collecting the money Nye gave him. I watched the older man drive on his merry way before turning my gaze back to Nye. He was beaming from ear to ear, checking out the black, red and silver bike. I didn't know anyone who owned one and I certainly never rode on one. Dangerous as they could be, I doubted any of the adults in Nye's family approved of it.

"I can't believe you own this," was all I could manage in my shock.

"Yep," he hopped on and put on the helmet. Holding another one out to me, he grinned, "And I'm driving us on this date."

"Yeah, this is bound to be interesting," I took a breath and got on behind him.

Helmet on and arms around his waist, I waited for him to get it going. There was barely a warning before he started it up and took off from slow and steady to back-the-fuck-up miles per hour. I'm pretty sure we'd left my stomach and heart on the ground somewhere behind us but hell if this didn't get my blood pumping.

We let out a loud whoop at the same time and I smiled into the crook of his shoulder when he looked back, half surprised to hear me echo his outburst. I couldn't see his mouth with his helmet on but his eyes crinkled at the edges and his cheeks rose on a laugh. He was stubborn, bratty and temperamental, but he was mine and I'd keep him any way any day.

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So that was that. *grins* Double upload for ya. Never mind I wrote like 4000 words in Chapter 28 and then lost the whole thing and had to re-write it. I swear I have the worst luck with double uploads. I think I'll just avoid them if I can in the future.

I've gotta say, writing your first bxb (or mxm in this case) is a bunch of hurdles. It looks so easy and seems so simple but it's a bunch of firsts to get through. Lol maybe that's why I put off the romance for so long (then again I usually do that). Oh well. First mxm sex scene in a mxm book because I did do a test one once on Wattpad to practice for this. Heh. So yeah. Here you go. *sunny smile* Hopefully you love me enough not to crucify me on my first real try maybe?

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FOLLOW. not like in real life. that's called stalking and is frowned upon in most societies. unless you're hot. then hi there. jk stop listening to me and comment. Ahmose, you're so easily distracted.