Cade clipped Rufus" toenails, then gave him a roughing pat on the head. "He"s all set for the next year." The German Shepherd panted, wagging his tail now that his feet were back on the floor.
"Thanks for doing those, Dr. Rose." Dawn coiled up the leash clipped to his collar.
"It"s not a problem. At least we can do his. There"s a poodle we have to muzzle. He absolutely hates his feet being messed with."
"Poor thing." She petted her animal, smiling now that he was happy, done with all his annual shots. "I know this is in bad taste to do here, but I told myself if I could, I would."
Cade put the clippers in the drawer. He turned around and found her handing over a slip of paper.
"Could you call me sometime?"
Cade sensed by the anxious nervousness in her eyes, she"d taken a huge step to make the effort to ask him. "I"m sorry, Dawn." He curled his hand over hers, folding the paper under her fingers. "I"m involved with someone." And that was his story until this whole situation with Dean blew up in his face. He didn"t have blind faith in his wolf, but he couldn"t deny that he liked the man. What he was doing, where this was going between them, remained a question mark.
"Oh." Her shoulders sank inward. "I"m sorry," she murmured.
"It"s okay. No harm in asking, right?"
She looked up from dejected eyes. "It"s hard."
"It is." He opened the exam room door for her. "Oddly, I"d say quit looking. Don"t give up hope, but focus on something else. It seems for those I know when they do that, what they"re looking for almost falls on them."
She laughed at him kindly, losing the dejected air. "Falls, huh?"
"Like from out of the blue," he shared, glad she was smiling for real. "Lyla will get you checked out."
This time she offered a hand only to shake. "Thanks again, Dr. Rose."
"You"re welcome." He let her go around the corner then he snuck to the office to check his phone. He"d been checking it during the day for any messages from Dean. This time, finally, finally, the message icon sat in the corner. His heart kicked into his ribs as antic.i.p.ation made his fingers shake. the message icon sat in the corner. His heart kicked into his ribs as antic.i.p.ation made his fingers shake.
Call when you"re done. Det took one look and said arson. Details at eleven.
That didn"t surprise Cade in the least. He tapped out a quick question of his own. Any ideas on the truck? Any ideas on the truck?
There was a lengthy pause before he got more. Not really. The tires were factory. Narrows it down to about 5000 trucks in the county. Not really. The tires were factory. Narrows it down to about 5000 trucks in the county.
Cade could imagine the disappointment in that. Okay. Will call in a few hours. Okay. Will call in a few hours.
There was no return answer. Cade sighed and slid the phone into coat pocket. "d.a.m.n."
At least the detective had been prompt considering the New Year holiday. Now if they could get to the bottom of the rest of it. It chilled him that someone had made an attempt to catch Dean in the roof collapse. Was it luck that they"d been found there, or was someone watching for Dean? Waiting for him? Was someone out for blood?
The bar had been arson. Someone had meant to hurt him with that. Cade crossed his arms where he leaned against the office desk. Now someone was taking it further. Cade wasn"t going to say attempted murder. Not yet. The possibility of it made him edgy regardless. He couldn"t swear it was the same person, either. For all he knew, the fire could have been a prank caused by one of the kids he tossed before Christmas, wounded ego issues. The collapse, though... That was something that went far further than disgruntled. That was attempted murder in his mind. He had kept that opinion to himself that morning. No sense in adding to Dean"s stress.
He really hoped the police did a thorough job with the investigations. Cade didn"t like the variables at play between Dean and Gemini"s.
Cade was surprised when he drove up to his house that evening to find Dean parked at the curb, sitting on the car"s trunk. His shoulders were tucked in tight, his hands buried into coat pockets. Cade wasn"t sure, but it looked like he was singing. The fact that Dean would do that, unabashed and unconcerned to who may witness, made him smile.
He glanced to the ground at Dean"s side and barked a short laugh. A plastic bag was buried into the snow. He was sure he could guess what was in the bag. Dean hopped off the car and hooked the bag loops with fingers when he turned into the driveway.
"Been here long?" he asked, getting out of the truck.
"Ten minutes or so. Not long enough to panic your neighbors."
Cade led the way indoors. They both hung up coats. "So, how"d today go?"
"Well, after I reamed out the alarm company, they"ve agreed full cooperation with the investigation." Dean sauntered into the kitchen and placed the beer in the refrigerator. Grabbing two, he handed one over to Cade.
"Come on. I have to change. Keep talking." He popped the top and drank. He preferred ales, but it was wet and tasty. Placing the beer on the dresser, he grasped his scrub top and tugged it over his head to toss in with the rest of his dirty laundry.
He thought Dean had followed, but he wasn"t saying anything. Facing the doorway, he found out why. He was staring with utter shamelessness at Cade.
"I"m sorry. What was the question?" Dean took a full draw from the bottle.
Cade chuckled. "Alarm company," he prodded.
"Uh... Right. So apparently, they"d waited it out to see if an animal had tripped the alarm. Something in the roof, or even one of us returning, since the codes for the night had been entered not that long before everything went to s.h.i.t. Then the fire codes went off, and that was when they pa.s.sed We f.u.c.ked up We f.u.c.ked up and went right to and went right to Oh s.h.i.t Oh s.h.i.t."
"So it really was their delay in procedure?"
"Yeah. They wanted to see if they could reset the alarm electronically, and so the delay to contact the Sheriff was compounded."
"Man, that sucks so hard."
Dean sighed, shifting to lean with a shoulder to the doorframe. "Anyway, so the first part of it is squared away and being handled."
"And the truck?"
"That"s where I have no ideas."
Cade toed off his shoes then shimmied out of his waist pants.
"d.a.m.n."
Cade looked up at the disappointed curse. "What?"
"You"re wearing sweats under them."
Cade shook his head, laughing quietly at the man.
"Hey, don"t hate me for hoping." Dean gave him a wicked grin. "Unless you"re not done? Because I can definitely wait until you are."
Cade stood in his bedroom in a long sleeve Henley and black sweat pants. Sweat pants that were loose enough to not hide jack s.h.i.t. "Well, I should put on something clean." d.a.m.n. Did I just flirt with him? d.a.m.n. Did I just flirt with him?
"Please. Don"t let me stop you." Lashes lowered over heated eyes full of dare. An insolent dare that left no doubt to the challenge he was laying at Cade"s feet. Need pulsed through his groin at the nonchalance reaching out to him.
Cade had changed clothes plenty of times with men around. He knew he and Quade both had physiques that many wished they could have. Chris was the same, a couple of inches shorter, but very solid. Broad in the shoulders and chest.
Only this time, with Dean looking at him, he felt felt the impact of that focus. Women had flocked to him. He"d never been short of attention from the softer s.e.x. If men had looked at him, Cade had been oblivious. He hadn"t looked for it in return. Denial, blatant refusal, whatever it amounted to. the impact of that focus. Women had flocked to him. He"d never been short of attention from the softer s.e.x. If men had looked at him, Cade had been oblivious. He hadn"t looked for it in return. Denial, blatant refusal, whatever it amounted to.
He couldn"t break away from the fire in Dean"s eyes.
Cade"s fingers twitched. "I... I turn you on that much?" He wasn"t nervous nervous, exactly, but it was so new. He didn"t want to misread signals.
Dean swung the bottle in his fingers lightly by its neck. "Cade, if I thought you were ready, I"d blow you and f.u.c.k you until the sun went down - tomorrow."
Cade"s heart jumped into his ribs. Clearly not misreading s.h.i.t. Clearly not misreading s.h.i.t. No one in his life had spoken to him so bluntly in describing what they"d do s.e.xually. Graphic detail in what they wanted. What surprised him more, when maybe it shouldn"t, was now he was imagining what it would all feel like. "Is it different from a woman?" No one in his life had spoken to him so bluntly in describing what they"d do s.e.xually. Graphic detail in what they wanted. What surprised him more, when maybe it shouldn"t, was now he was imagining what it would all feel like. "Is it different from a woman?"
Dean"s shoulder rolled. "Wouldn"t know. Never been with one."
Cade made himself move to the side of the room, to his closet, digging out a fresh pair of jeans. "Not even a kiss?"
"Kissed, yes. I made mistakes growing up, figuring out who I was."
"How could it be a mistake?" He held his change of clothes in a tight hand.
"Ever knowingly do something simply to not hurt someone else"s feelings?"
Cade nodded.
"That"s how I know. I kissed her just to spare her feelings. That was when I knew I"d rather be kissing a guy."
Cade could understand that. "So not a mistake."
"Maybe. Maybe not." He sipped at his beer, the bottle balanced lightly between strong fingers. "It"s history."
Dean placed his nearly empty bottle next to Cade"s and walked across the room to him. "Relax. I have patience, and control." He fisted the fabric of Cade"s shirt and worked it upward.
Cade tossed his jeans to the bed to accommodate, raising his arms high.
"G.o.d, but you"re built like a brick s.h.i.thouse."
"You"re not exactly a beanstalk, either, you know."
Dean arched an eyebrow. Pleasure glowed outward at the compliment. "Glad you approve."
Cade couldn"t help himself, leaning into Dean"s body heat, he hunted for and found the musk of warm skin. When his arms were free, they dropped to Dean"s hips on their own.
Dean tossed the shirt. The flicked tease of lips skated over Cade"s throat. Not only was it an unusual experience, an adventure in height, scent, and touch, but it wasn"t normal for him to be the receiver. He led with women, was the aggressor, the alpha.
He whined low in his throat when Dean nipped lightly with teeth at his pounding pulse. His head canted to the side in what felt like a natural allowance. It didn"t feel like a weakness to him at all. It felt...like heaven.
Dean moaned gently in approval, the heated sucks not slowing down one iota. Palms floated over Cade"s chest and he shivered, skin tightening in waves. Thumbs circled his nipples, work-roughened pads causing a friction that burned nerves to sizzling sensitivity. Cade wrapped his hands around Dean"s waist, bringing him closer, b.u.mping d.i.c.k to d.i.c.k.
He gasped. Flesh pulsed. There was a tug on his hair, then he felt the wave as it fanned out over his naked back.
Dean moaned, stroking fingers through it as soon as it was loose.
Desire spun, coiling and snapping through his body, filling his veins. He cupped the back of Dean"s head with a risen hand and brought him forward. There wasn"t an ounce of hesitation in his actions. There was absolutely zero doubt.
He took what he wanted.
The whimper of need that slipped from Dean was stronger than any aphrodisiac. It was deep, rumbled, and pure s.e.x. Cade didn"t fight what he wanted, what happened next. With fingers knuckle deep in Dean"s hair, he tipped him closer, slicing between his lips with an advancing tongue.
Dean mimicked him, fisting Cade"s loose strands like a rope. The kiss instantly became a pa.s.sionate duel. Conqueror and conquered. Dean challenged him stroke to demanding stroke before finally giving Cade what he desired.
Submission.
A firm hand gripped at his waist, pinning Cade body to body with Dean. The strength behind it was a.s.sured, not tentative. Not soft in the least. Not the hold, not his kiss.
He broke their kiss reluctantly, trembling as his heart thudded with a bruising force.
The wolf was right. Dean was his mate. Never in his life had he felt this intoxicating need. Desire and tenderness, and want, but not a need that burned like lava raging through his body. He craved more, craved everything. It didn"t faze him that he didn"t know what that everything everything was. That was the least of his concerns. The physical side of a bonded mate would happen in its own time. was. That was the least of his concerns. The physical side of a bonded mate would happen in its own time.
And that was the fact that coldly dashed the rush of l.u.s.ting euphoria he"d been drowning in.
Both were panting when they separated. While his wolf may be smugly quiet, he had no idea how to break that truth to Dean. He could accept and learn to love him. The way Jamie had with Chris, and Maya with Quade.
Or it could make Cade the creature of nightmares.
He leaned to rest forehead to forehead, keeping contact. The hand that had been happily buried in hair slid to Dean"s jaw, learning the rougher texture, the shape. Where would he be today if he hadn"t denied himself all these years? He wanted children, but finding and claiming a mate were suddenly such larger issues.
Cade had never imagined what it would feel like to have the one he needed fear him. The thought of it now terrified him.
How did Dean get under his skin so fast?
Cade"s thoughts were slammed to a screeching halt by Dean"s mouth finding nerves to tease again.
His eyes drifted shut, drawn into the river of sensation.
"You"re thinking too much," Dean murmured, breath and lips brushing flesh.
Not about what you think. Not about this. Not about this. No. This felt incredible. This was swiftly becoming the least of his worries. Cade agreed though, thinking at a time like this was overrated. Palms ghosted over his body to dig under the waist of his sweats. Dean grasped a side in each hand and brought them closer still. No. This felt incredible. This was swiftly becoming the least of his worries. Cade agreed though, thinking at a time like this was overrated. Palms ghosted over his body to dig under the waist of his sweats. Dean grasped a side in each hand and brought them closer still.
Cade grunted softly. It was unusual for him to be with someone physically strong enough to maneuver him effortlessly. Not that he was hating what Dean was doing. If anyone had ever paid him a fraction of this level of oral attention, he couldn"t remember. Dean hadn"t stopped nibbling, licking, or kissing since he"d started.
He roamed from a shoulder upward to tease at an earlobe, then slid downward, only he didn"t stop at the shoulder where he"d been lavishing. No, Dean and that taunting tongue kept going south. Cade hissed when he swirled over an unbelievably sensitive nip.
This was so unlike anything else he"d experienced. The abrasion of new growth stubble razed skin as they moved and b.u.mped together. He"d always thought he"d lacked sensitivity across his chest. There"d been so little that aroused him when it came to his chest and nipples.
Unless he"d become possessed, that was not the problem now. It was like every woman"s touch, every kiss, every caress had been felt through cotton. So all this time it wasn"t me, it was who I was with. So all this time it wasn"t me, it was who I was with. Talk about a glaring epiphany. He"d never suspected. How could he when he"d never been in this situation? When he"d convinced himself that there was only one way, and it didn"t involve another man? This was only one more bit of proof that Dean was the one. Only his mate would affect him so deeply. Talk about a glaring epiphany. He"d never suspected. How could he when he"d never been in this situation? When he"d convinced himself that there was only one way, and it didn"t involve another man? This was only one more bit of proof that Dean was the one. Only his mate would affect him so deeply.
A shudder rolled down his frame when lips and tongue became teeth. He gripped at Dean"s hair. Tugging the man upward, he latched onto his mouth, thrusting in ownership, to taste. There was the tang of the beer on his tongue and an underlying earthy flavor that was all Dean. Every breath rocked them together, molded them. The heat seared Cade.