by Lynn Hagen
“I love your spit on me.”
Derek chuckled into Steven’s shoulder. “I like the way you say that.”
Steven hissed when Derek kissed him between his shoulder blades. He whimpered and turned onto his chest, tucking his arms under him. “Then lick away, or you can give me another back rub. I love your back rubs. The last one had you fucking me.”
“Oh my god.” Derek burst out laughing as he pulled Steven close. “Fuck, I love you.”
Steven looked over his shoulder. “Did you just say that you loved me?”
“I did.” He gave Steven a toe-curling kiss. “I’m in love with you, Steven Dunkin.”
“I…no one has ever…” Steven curled his arms around Derek’s neck. “Thank you.”
Derek gave a little growl. “Don’t thank me for loving you. You make it so damn easy, kitten.”
“Spider monkey,” Steven said. “You have to call me that when we’re having sex.”
“Whatever you want.” Derek put Steven back on his chest and then straddled his legs. His fingers massaged over Steven’s back, circling lower and lower until he was spreading Steven’s cheeks and lapping at his hole.
“Oh hell!” Steven cried out. He shoved to his hands and knees and rocked back onto Derek’s tongue. His stomach muscles contracted as Derek shoved his tongue inside Steven’s body.
He wasn’t going to last long. Not when Derek fisted Steven’s cock and stroked him while still fucking Steven’s ass with his tongue.
“D-Derek.” Steven dropped to his forearms and crushed his forehead into the carpet, rocking his head back and forth as the sensations whipped through him.
Derek seemed to double his efforts until Steven cried out, his cum shooting to the carpet as his world exploded. His mate milked his cock until Steven had nothing left to give. He turned and collapsed against the floor as Derek reared over him, stroking his thick, long cock until he shouted Steven’s name, erupting all over Steven’s chest.
That was the hottest thing Steven had ever seen. “I love you,” he blurted out.
His mate groaned and then winked at him. “You’re just saying that because I came all over you.”
Steven grinned. “That was hot.”
“And so are you, kitten.” Derek stood and pulled Steven from the floor. “But I refuse to sleep down there. We have a comfortable bed. Let’s use it.”
Steven’s legs were wobbly as he followed Derek to the bedroom. His mate left him standing there, returning with a wet cloth. He cleaned Steven off, tossed the cloth aside, and they curled into bed, lying in each other’s arms.
“We’ll take a shower when we wake up,” Derek murmured.
Good, because Steven was too tired to get back up. But as he lay there, he thought about Tristan and Pete. They were shady men he hoped Derek and Seth squashed beneath their feet like the creepy bugs that they were.
* * * *
The following day Derek and Steven were back at the family reunion. His dad had reassured him that everyone was on alert and that Tristan wouldn’t step foot on the property.
Derek hated the fact that everyone now knew about his problem. But that was the Mitchells. If one was in trouble, the entire streak got involved. He should have known he couldn’t keep his problem with Tristan a secret. Sooner or later they would’ve found out anyway.
“Thanks.”
“Come on, son.” His dad put his arm around Steven’s shoulders. “Let me show you the fine art of grilling.”
“You might have competition for Steven’s affections,” Bree teased. “It seems Dad has fallen in love with your mate.”
And Derek couldn’t be happier that his family had taken to Steven so easily. But had he doubted they would? Steven was definitely special, but not because of what his mother had done to him. His mate seemed to radiate as he listened to Derek’s father talk to him, and Derek felt pride swell inside him.
He truly loved Steven with all his heart and hoped his mate enjoyed today.
Bree bumped her arm against Derek’s. “Love looks good on you, brother.”
“Love?” Asher joined them. “Aw, Derek fell in love.”
“Shut up,” Derek growled as John, Gabriel, and Austin joined them. His siblings surrounded him and took turns giving Derek hugs and congratulations on finding his mate.
Derek called Steven to his side and introduced his mate to his brothers.
Their mom shouted for them to come help, but Bree shoved at Derek. “You stay here and have fun with Steven. We can handle the rest.”
“Thanks.” He kissed her cheek before she walked away.
“You have a lot of brothers,” Steven said. “And they’re all big like you.”
Derek guided Steven over to one of the picnic tables and made his mate sit down. “They are, and I’ll be right back.”
He jogged over to the table where his family was setting up the food and made Steven a plate. Gabriel handed him a bottled tea.
“Thanks.”
The kids ran with Derek as he returned to feed his mate. “I think you need to hurry. The cubs are getting restless. They want to play with Uncle Steven.”
Since Steven sat there and ate, the cubs ran over to Seth and used him as a jungle gym, climbing over his massive form as Seth gave a hearty laugh.
When Steven was done eating, he raced to join them as other relatives began to show up. Derek let Steven have his fun as he helped his dad with the grill.
“Trying to muscle in on my crown?” his dad teased.
“I’m just giving Steven room to get to know the family without me hovering.” Derek took a seat in one of the lawn chairs and snagged a cold bottle of tea. He watched as his aunts and uncles introduced themselves. Steven looked Derek’s way, and Derek winked at him.
“I still want to apologize for Friday,” his dad said. “We just want what’s best for you, son. We didn’t mean any harm.”
Derek waved off his father’s apology. “We settled the matter. Forget about it.”
Steven wasn’t going to college. Not if he didn’t want to. But if Steven wanted to better himself in any way, Derek would be right by his side helping his mate. There wasn’t anything he would do for Steven. Absolutely nothing.
“We also told Pete not to come back today.” His dad tossed some chicken onto the hot grates. Once again Derek inhaled the scent of hickory.
“Thanks. I didn’t like the way he watched Steven yesterday. I’m telling you, Dad. Pete is up to something.” Derek felt it in his gut.
“I’ll have a talk with him.”
Like that would do any good. Pete didn’t even listen to his own parents. They’d been trying for years to set their son on the right path, but Pete always veered off of it.
Derek shot from his seat when he heard Steven shout. He raced across the yard to find Steven on his back, looking up at the sky. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Seth chuckled. “The twins just shot him with their finger guns, and Steven went down like a professional.”
Steven cracked his eyes open. “I’m supposed to be dead.”
Derek dropped next to Steven as relief overtook him. “Then stop talking,” he whispered.
Sarah and Jane giggled as they ran away.
“The coast is clear,” Seth said.
But he’d spoken too soon. Clara stumbled toward them in her cub form and crawled all over Steven’s chest, playfully swatting at his chin.
“I think she wants you to wake up,” Derek said.
He left Steven to play with her as he mingled with his aunts and uncles. Derek was glad he’d come to Wyoming. It always felt good to reconnect.
That night, his dad and brothers made a bonfire. Derek cuddled Steven as the family told stories and caught up with one another. He stared down at his mate, who was draped across his lap, fast asleep.
The lightweight.
He brushed strands from Steven’s face, wondering how he had ever lived without Steven in his life.
* * * *
/> “I’m recommending you have security cameras installed,” Seth said when they arrived home in Maple Grove.
“I’ll have Katie set that up.” Right now Derek was too tired to think after the day he’d had. Steven had been a hit, and Derek’s family loved the guy. His relatives had gushed over him like Steven had been some kind of celebrity.
“You have a good night.”
Seth strode from his office. Derek liked that the bear shifter took this job seriously, but he also knew when to relax and have a good time.
Steven hadn’t been the only person who’d been a hit with the cubs. By the time they’d said their good-byes, the children were calling him Uncle Seth.
And the bear shifter had eaten that shit up.
Steven was already in bed. He’d fallen asleep on the drive back from the airport. Derek had planned on showering and joining his mate until his phone rang.
He didn’t recognize the number. “Derek Mitchell.”
He always answered his phone in a professional tone in case it was business. More than once clients had called him this late in the evening.
“You left so fast we didn’t have time to really talk,” Pete said. “Why did your dad tell me not to come back?”
“How did you get this number?” Derek snarled.
“My mom gave it to me.”
“I bit my tongue in Wyoming because I wasn’t going to disrespect my parents’ home, but if you ever call me again, I’ll hunt you down and gut you.” Derek ended the call.
Fuck, now he was pissed. He went into his call log and blocked the number Pete had called him from. Before today they hadn’t spoken since the incident five years ago. But now that he was back on his cousin’s radar, Derek had a feeling he wouldn’t be able to shake Pete so easily.
Derek took a long hot shower, forcing Pete out of his mind. When he stepped into his bedroom, he stood there staring down at his mate. He hadn’t lied in Wyoming. He was falling hard for this slip of a man. Steven had brought him more joy in the past few days than Derek had felt in the past few years.
One smile from Steven lit up Derek’s entire world, and he was glad he’d hired Seth, because, if anyone thought to stand in the way of their mating, Derek wanted them dead.
His last resort would be to get the Ultionem involved. But he would if his hand was forced. The Ultionem were leaders who presided over the nonhumans. If Derek filed a complaint with them that someone was interfering with his mating, severe consequences would be brought down on the offender’s head.
Derek wanted Tristan to leave him alone, but nothing he’d done so far would warrant time in the underworld. And as much as he hated Pete, again his offense wasn’t bad enough to be locked away in the underworld to relive his worst nightmares over and over again.
Derek dropped the towel from around his waist and crawled into bed, pulling Steven close as he closed his eyes. Even in his sleep, Steven cuddled against him. His mate let out a content sigh as Derek stroked Steven’s hair.
He might not have been looking for his mate when they’d met, but now that he’d found Steven, Derek would protect his mate with his life.
Chapter Eight
Steven watched as Matilda cleaned the kitchen after cooking him an amazing breakfast. He’d never had burritos stuffed with eggs, cheese, and sausage before.
“I’ve never bought cleaning products,” Matilda said while wiping down the counter. “They’re too many chemicals in them. I prefer to make my own with environmental ingredients. Do you smell the lemons, Steven? Doesn’t that smell even more wonderful knowing I’m not hurting the environment?”
He had no clue what she was talking about. “Uh…yes?”
“And don’t get me started on deforestation or the pollution killing our ozone. We need our ozone to stop the deadly rays from the sun from reaching us.”
Steven scratched his head. “I like the sun.”
Matilda smiled at him. “I do, too.”
“Aunt Matilda is an environmentalist,” Katie said when she walked into the kitchen.
Steven liked when she waked because her heels clicked against the floor. It was a nice sound.
“That means she loves helping the earth stay healthy,” Katie whispered. “She doesn’t like things that make the earth sick.”
“Me, either,” Steven said loudly enough for Matilda to hear. “The earth needs to stay healthy.”
“Exactly!” Matilda laughed. “Now we’re talking the same language.”
Steven doubted that.
Katie ruffled Steven’s hair. “Derek has to run to the bank to handle some business. What do you want to get into, kiddo?” She grabbed an apple from the woven basket on the island and took a bite.
Derek had already told Steven this morning that he had to run a few errands. But Steven hadn’t wanted to go. He hated errands, but Derek had promised to bring him back a vanilla bean cone from Bistro.
“Where’s Seth?” he asked.
“With Derek,” Katie said. “So that means we have to get into trouble inside the house.”
Steven felt excitement whip through him. “What kind of trouble?”
Katie’s smile was amazing. “We could order some pizza and watch one of your Disney movies.”
That wasn’t trouble, but it did sound fun. Derek had an amazing online library of movies that Steven was dying to watch. He was also looking forward to his movie date tonight.
“Popcorn?” Katie wiggled her brows.
“And soda.” Steven went to the fridge to retrieve two cans. “Will Matilda join us?”
“No, Steven. I have too much work to do,” Matilda said. “And I have to go shopping for the ingredients I need for dinner tonight.”
A blaring alarm filled the room, and Steven dropped the cans and slapped his hands over his ears.
“Matilda, stay with Steven,” Katie shouted as she kicked her heels off and ran out the French doors off the kitchen.
“Come, Steven.” Matilda ushered Steven to Derek’s office. She made him sit on the sofa as she used the phone on Derek’s desk. “Mr. Mitchell, the perimeter alarm has gone off.” She paused. “No, Steven is fine and in your office. Katie took off out the door to find out what was going on.” She listened. “Very well, sir.”
“What’s going on?” Steven asked when Matilda hung up. He wished that blaring sound would stop. It was starting to make his head hurt and his ear ache.
“Your mate is on his way back. He said to remain in his office until he gets here.”
Steven sighed when the noise stopped, but he could still hear it echoing in his ears. “What’s going on?” he asked again.
Matilda sat beside him. “The alarm means someone tried to break into the house.” She patted his leg. “Don’t worry, Katie and I will protect you.”
Katie was sweet and so was Matilda, but he doubted the young woman and the older lady could keep him safe if real trouble was there.
As if reading his mind, Matilda said, “We’re both tigers, Steven. We can protect you.”
Steven’s eyebrows hiked to his hairline. He never would have guessed the two women were shifters. Wasn’t Matilda too old to shift? Steven didn’t dare ask the rude question.
“But from what?” he asked instead. “Who was trying to break in?”
She shrugged. “I have no idea, but I’m sure your mate, along with Katie and Seth, will figure that out.”
He thought of Tristan. Was Derek’s ex still trying to get back with him? Had Tristan tried to break in so he could talk with Derek?
Steven pulled out his phone and called his mate.
“Are you okay, kitten?” Derek asked. “I’m almost there. Just sit tight in my office.”
Hearing Derek’s voice made Steven feel a whole lot better. “I’m fine. No one broke in. Katie took off out the door. I think she’s gonna beat up whoever it was.”
Derek chuckled, but Steven heard the strain in his mate’s laugh. “I don’t doubt she will. She’s a sweet gal, unless riled, and
then she’s a force to be reckoned with.”
“Where are you?”
“Turning down our street now.”
Our street. Steven wasn’t sure if Derek had caught what he’d said. He liked his independence, had fought for it when Kenny had tried to make them live together, but for once in his life, Steven wouldn’t mind giving up a little of it to live with Derek.
He liked his mate’s home and loved waking up next to his tiger. But Derek hadn’t asked, and no way would Steven ask first.
“Okay. I’ll wait right here for you.” Steven hung up and set his phone aside.
“Feel better?” Matilda asked him as she patted his hand.
Steven nodded. “Yes, thank you for asking.”
But he was still nervous. What if it hadn’t been Tristan? What if it had been some bad guy who had wanted to steal things? What if the bad guy had had a gun?
Steven wiped a shaky hand over his forehead as he waited for Derek to get home.
* * * *
Derek stormed to his office as Seth joined Katie in the back of the house. He entered the room and pulled Steven from the couch as Matilda excused herself.
He hugged Steven tightly. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“You ask me that a lot,” Steven said as he clung to Derek. “Nothing happened. I wasn’t even scared.”
Derek’s heart wouldn’t stop thundering. All he’d imagined on the way here was the person breaking in and hurting Steven. He forced his claws to retract as he held his mate in his arms. Derek was so damn tired of the threats. He knew it had to be Tristan, but without the cameras in place, he didn’t have any proof.
Steven nuzzled his neck, and Derek heard his mate inhaling his scent. Steven might have said he wasn’t scared, but Derek knew better. He felt his mate’s heart hammering just like his was, and his little spider monkey had yet to let Derek go. Steven’s arms were wound around him, holding him tightly as Derek pressed the side of his face against his hair. He smelled the vanilla scent from Steven’s shampoo and the wildflowers that always brought him peace.
