“Aaah, I see. Is this why you didn’t want me to come in?”
Darin scrambled to get his jeans up and elbowed Ira in the guts as he did. Ira groaned and moved backward. He slipped from Darin and they both yelped, but Darin was already reaching down again, snagging his jeans, and pulling them up.
“Umm, yes?” Trevor answered Nysys’ question.
“But why? Didn’t you like the show?”
Ira covered his dick without cleaning himself and looked at Trevor. He was blushing so much he might as well be on fire, and Darin wasn’t far behind.
“Nys, did you really have to... be yourself?” he asked, looking everywhere but at the Nix.
“What do you mean?” Nysys asked.
“You could’ve stayed out of the kitchen for a few more minutes.”
“But then it wouldn’t have been as funny.” Nysys took the bottle of champagne from the fridge and drank from it.
Darin made a face and took a flute from the cupboard. “Use a glass.”
“What for? I’m going to drink the entire thing anyway.”
“Aren’t you tired after working the whole day with me?”
“I’m never too tired to drink alcohol and eat cupcakes.”
Darin groaned and buttoned his shirt. He didn’t button it right, and one-half was hanging lower than the other. Coupled with his just-fucked hair and the flush on his face, he was adorable.
Nysys eyed the counter and sat as far from it as possible, making Darin blush again. Nysys took a cupcake while Darin hurried to clean the counter. The cupcake was still plain, so Nysys took the bowl with the frosting and peered in. He wrinkled his nose. “Food? Really? Now what am I supposed to eat?”
“The cupcake.”
“But it doesn’t have frosting!”
Ira grinned and nodded at the bowl. “There it is.”
“No thank you. Who knows what you guys did with it.”
“Well, it involved a lot of skin and—”
Nysys pressed a cupcake on Ira’s lips. “I know what it involved. I saw it.”
Darin stumbled at the reminder and almost dropped the tray of cupcakes he was moving. Nysys laughed and pointed at Ira. “Nice ass, by the way.”
“Why, thank you.”
“Just, next time, try not to do it where I usually eat my breakfast, yeah?”
“I can’t make promises.”
“But I can!” Darin intervened. “We’re going to become the most boring couple ever and never, ever, do it outside our bedroom again.”
“Aww, why?” Nysys asked. “I enjoyed the show. I’d just rather have you do it somewhere far from my food.” He dunked a cupcake in the frosting and handed it to Trevor. “There. You can box it for your mate. Maybe it’ll help him finally get a clue, with all the pheromones and whatnot.”
Trevor’s eyes were wide and he looked like he didn’t know whether to take the cupcake or not. Darin snatched it from Nysys’ hand and put it aside. “Don’t worry, I’ll make new frosting. This one needs to be thrown away.”
Ira took the bowl and looked in it. “I don’t know. We could take it upstairs and have some more fun with it.”
Darin stuffed another cupcake in Ira’s mouth.
Chapter Seven
Darin frosted the last of the grapefruit cupcakes and put the pastry bag down. He held his hand out, and Trevor put an already assembled box on it. Darin took one of the cupcakes, put it in the box, and handed it back to Trevor.
They’d become a well-oiled machine when it came to cleaning up and boxing cupcakes, and sometimes Darin wondered if Trevor really was doing this to woo his mate or rather because he was a bit lonely and liked Darin’s company. Not that they talked much when Darin was baking, but it was nice to have someone there with him. “So, how are things going?”
Trevor looked up and blushed. “Things?”
“With your mate. Not that I mind baking cupcakes for him, but is it at least working?”
“I don’t know.”
Darin turned sideways to look at Trevor and crossed his arms on his chest. “What do you mean?”
Trevor looked like he’d rather disappear from the surface of the earth than answer Darin, but Darin stared at him and waited for him to answer.
“I... I haven’t exactly been giving them to him.”
Darin frowned. “So what, you’ve been eating them yourself?”
“No, no. I just put the box in front of his door and leave it there for him to find.”
“So you’ve never actually seen him when he finds them?”
“No.”
“Oh, Trevor. Are you sure you shouldn’t try something more...”
Trevor sighed. “I know I should, but I just can’t.”
“I know you’re shy, but if you ever want to mate with the guy, you’re going to have to talk to him.”
“I’m working on it.” Darin arched a brow and Trevor blushed. “Really, I am. We’ve been exchanging notes, actually.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. He said he loves the cupcakes, and that he’s allergic to strawberries.”
Darin laughed. “Great. I’ll remember to avoid them.”
“Thanks.”
“But really? Just notes?”
Trevor nodded. “I don’t feel ready to see him yet. I mean, I know what he looks like, and he’s very handsome, but he’s human, and I don’t feel ready to explain the whole shifters and mates thing. I want him to get to know me a little before I do.”
“Got it. Well, I’ll provide cupcakes for as long as you need them.”
Trevor smiled. “Thank you. It means a lot to me.”
Darin reached out and patted Trevor’s shoulder. “I know. And, just so you know, you can come talk to me even if it’s not about the cupcakes, or your mate.”
Trevor nodded, but before he could answer, the door burst open and a laughing Ira came through, followed by a man Darin didn’t think he knew. Seeing Ira laugh like that, so carefree, was a surprise. A welcomed one. Ira wasn’t one to open up easily, so the fact that the guy he was with seemed to be so close to him was unexpected.
“Hey,” Ira said, a smile still on his lips. He leaned forward and kissed Darin, and the guy he was with snickered.
Darin rolled his eyes. “What are you, three?”
The guy’s smile grew. “Nope, definitely not. Sorry.”
Darin shrugged. “It’s fine, but I’d appreciate it if you guys shared what’s so funny.”
“Ah, I was just explaining to Blair how the half-shifting thing works. We were in the living room, and he concentrated and managed to shift his tongue, so he stuck it out to show me, and Nysys happened to walk by,” Ira said.
“It wasn’t the first time I met Nysys,” Blair continued, “and he kind of freaked out that first time, so he looked our way, frowned, then his eyes went wide when he recognized me.” Blair paused to chuckle. “I flicked my tongue at him and he screeched, then ran away yelling he came back to eat me!”
Ira and Blair laughed again and Darin looked at Trevor. Trevor was smiling but he was also keeping his distance from their small group. At least he wasn’t running away, like Nysys apparently had.
“Why did Nysys think you want to eat him?” he asked Blair.
“We met when I applied to become an enforcer. I’m a Komodo dragon shifter, and when I told the council my bite is venomous, Nysys thought it meant I’d eat him or something. I did try to tell him I’ve never eaten anyone, but he didn’t seem to believe me.”
“So you’re an enforcer?”
“Yup. And you’re a baker?”
Darin nodded and offered a cupcake to Blair. The man took it with a smile and bit into it, humming in pleasure. “This is good.”
“Thank you. Can I ask why you’re here? I mean, is it only because Ira has to teach you how to half-shift?”
Blair crumbled the cupcake liner and Darin wiggled his fingers. Blair gave it to him and he thre
w it away while Blair answered, “Yeah. I’ve been living with Celina’s nest until now, and while they’re all nice and everything, this place is even nicer.”
“I bet.”
“I’m going to go,” Trevor said in a soft voice.
Blair heard him and looked at him like he hadn’t noticed him when he’d first come in. “Hey, cutie. I’m Blair.”
Trevor squeaked. “Trevor.”
“So, Trevor. Is that cupcake for me?” Blair asked, wiggling his eyebrows. Trevor blushed and looked like he didn’t know what to say, so Darin answered for him.
“Nope. It’s for his mate.”
Blair pouted, and it was such a contrast with his alpha male looks that it made Darin laugh. “All the cuties are taken. Not fair.”
Ira patted Blair’s arm. “I’m sure we can find you someone. Darin, who’s still single in the house?”
Darin tapped his finger on the counter. “Mmm, let me think. Noem is, as well as Benjamin. Oh, and Delevan, although I’m not sure you should get close to him.”
“Oh?” Blair asked. “Why?”
“He’s Dominic’s son, that’s why.”
“Who the heck is Benjamin?” Ira asked.
“Fox shifter. He’s cute. You should go find him, Blair. I bet you can find him in the library, unless he’s at work.”
Blair looked at Ira. “If we’re done...”
“Go. I think I should go find Nysys and make sure he knows you’re not really going to eat him.”
“I’m not sure it’ll do much good, but you’re welcome to try.”
Trevor and Blair both left the kitchen, leaving Ira and Darin alone. Ira kissed Darin again, this time lingering. “Mmm, finally alone.”
“Yeah. Wanna go outside and shift for a bit?” Darin asked.
Ira leaned away. “You want to shift with me?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re not afraid?”
“Nope.”
“Let’s go, then.”
Darin could feel Ira was still hesitant about shifting together. After seeing how Darin’s family and friends had reacted to him, it was normal, and but Darin wanted to show him he really wasn’t afraid.
They walked outside and closed the kitchen door. Darin quickly stripped, not wanting to become too cold in the March cool air, and shifted. Ira wasn’t far behind, although he put some distance between them before shifting.
Darin never took his eyes away from his mate. Ira was beautiful, maybe even more so as a snake than as a human. His scales weren’t smooth like Darin had expected but raised likes spikes. They were a vibrant green and black, and Darin wanted to touch them, to see if they prickled or if they felt smooth.
Darin patted toward Ira careful. He wasn’t scared, but he didn’t want to spook his mate. Ira waited for Darin to get there and when Darin did, he leaned forward and sniffed Ira’s head. Ira flicked his tongue out and touched Darin’s nose. It tickled, and Darin wrinkled it.
Ira cocked his head to the side, and it was a funny movement to see a snake do. Darin licked Ira’s nose and Ira moved away. Darin followed, and Ira slowly slithered forward again. He moved over Darin’s paws and Darin felt him climb on his back. He stayed still, and Ira wrapped himself around Darin’s small fury body. He didn’t tighten his hold, and he was heavier than Darin would’ve thought, but it felt nice.
Darin patted Ira’s head with his paw when it poked at his shoulder and Ira flicked his tongue in answer.
“Oh my god, I don’t know whether to be scared for Darin or to snap a picture because you guys are so cute!”
Darin rolled his eyes at Nysys and Ira flicked his tongue at the Nix. It was enough to stop Nysys in his tracks as he reached for them, and he raised his hands. “I wasn’t going to separate you or anything. I just wanted to pet you guys, but if you don’t want me to, okay. Jeesh, sometimes shifters are weird.”
They waited until Nysys was gone, then Darin headed for the nearest tree.
He climbed in with a bit of difficulty, but he wouldn’t have asked Ira to slither down for anything, especially when Ira projected affection through their bond. Ira was right where he belonged, and Darin would make sure his mate knew that for the rest of their lives.
About the Author
Catherine lives in Italy, country of good food and hot men. She used to write fantasy as a child, but it was reading her first gay erotic romance novel that made her realize that that was what she really wanted to write.
After graduating from college in English language and translation, she divides her day between writing, reading, taking care of her son and reading some more.
You can find her on Facebook and Twitter or on her website: authorcatherinelievens.wordpress.com
Email: [email protected]
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