Ward quickly dismissed those thoughts when Jamie started to grind back, his hands clutching the back of Ward’s shirt. A soft moan rose from Jamie’s lips and Ward watched, mesmerized, as a small pink tongue snuck out. Jamie licked his lips, his eyes fluttering closed as their hard cocks slid against each other, separated by only a few layers of clothes. Ward gave in and tasted Jamie’s lips, opening them with his tongue and diving inside his mate’s moist mouth.
It was heaven, Jamie’s cinnamon taste both erotic and familiar. Grabbing his lover’s neck, Ward angled Jamie’s head and deepened the kiss just as someone cleared his throat behind him. Reluctantly, he stepped away from Jamie, keeping an arm around his mate’s waist, and faced Bryce.
“Sorry, I just wanted another beer.” Bryce moved to the fridge, smirking at Ward before going back to the living room while Jamie turned to the stove.
“Spaghetti?” Ward asked, peeking in the sauce pot.
“Yeah. I’m not really good at cooking, and this is one of the few things I manage not to ruin, so I hope it’s fine with you.” Jamie shrugged and stirred the sauce, his blush not completely vanished yet.
“It’s perfect. I eat just about anything, so don’t worry.”
They stayed silent for a while, Ward looking out of the window. He couldn’t shake away the feeling that someone was watching them, and it gave him the creeps. He even thought he saw someone between the trees in front of Jamie’s apartment, but when he tried to take a better look he didn’t see anything. Still, he decided to talk to Bryce about it and see if his friend could check when he went out with Keenan.
Once Jamie finished cooking, the four of them sat at the table, the meal quickly disappearing from their plates.
“So, where are you guys going?”
“Don’t know, maybe dancing. You two want to come?” Bryce answered.
Ward looked at Jamie to see what his mate thought about it.
“Umm, no, we’ll stay in tonight,” Jamie said, blushing furiously. While Ward liked to see the pink color on his mate’s cheeks, he couldn’t understand why he was blushing right now.
Obviously Keenan knew what was going on because he snickered and winked at Ward, giving him a thumbs up and making Jamie blush even more. Bryce was as clueless as Ward, looking from Jamie to Keenan with a questioning glance before looking at Ward. Ward shrugged at him, not knowing what to say.
The two shifters sat on the couch while the brothers cleared the table and washed the dishes before Keenan went to get ready. Jamie followed him into his room.
“So, what are you up to with Keenan?” Ward was curious to know. He knew Bryce usually preferred shifter company, not that he had something against humans, but it was easier.
“We’re friends, that’s all.”
Ward had seen the smoldering looks the two of them shared sometimes, and he was sure there was something more between them.
“Just friends?”
“Yep, just friends.”
Since it was obvious Bryce didn’t want to share, Ward let it be.
“You think you’re gonna get to third base tonight?” Bryce asked with a chuckled.
Ward punched him on the shoulder. “Don’t make fun of me, or I’ll do the same once you find your mate.”
The two of them laughed, wrestling on the couch until Bryce had Ward in a headlock, his arm around Ward’s neck and his knees on his back.
“Fine, you win,” Ward growled. He sat back, enjoying this time with his best friend.
“You know, I may make fun of you, but I think you’re doing the right thing. If Jamie needs time…”
“Yeah, I know. I’ll give him all the time he needs.”
“Ready?” Keenan asked, sauntering into the room dressed in black jeans and a white shirt.
The two left soon after and Jamie settled next to Ward, his fingers nervously tugging on one of the couch cushions. Something was up with his mate, because he wasn’t usually this nervous, not anymore.
“So, what do you want to watch?” Ward asked, getting up to find a DVD before Jamie stopped him with a hand on his thigh.
“Can we just…talk?”
Ward froze. Usually when someone in a relationship wanted to talk, it didn’t bode well.
“Sure. What do you want to talk about?”
Ward waited to hear Jamie tell him that things between them weren’t working, that this was the last time they would see each other, so it took him a few seconds to realize what Jamie said next.
“I…I think I’m ready.”
“Uh? For what?”
Jamie blushed furiously, his fingers twisting the cushion’s fabric.
“For…you know…” Jamie took a deep breath. “Iwantyoutomakelovetome.”
Ward sat there, not sure what to say. After a while Jamie started shifting on the couch, clearly uncomfortable. “If you don’t want to…”
Deciding actions were better than words, Ward kissed Jamie. The kiss was hard, demanding, letting Jamie know that Ward was more than okay with fulfilling his mate’s needs.
“Bedroom! Bedroom!” Jamie said, his lips never leaving Ward’s.
Ward stood up, hauling Jamie with him. His mate jumped up, wrapping his legs around Ward’s waist while Ward’s hands cupped his ass, holding him up.
Ward slowly made his way to the bedroom, stopping several times to push Jamie against the wall and rub against him like the cat he was, drenching his lover in his scent. When they finally made it to the bedroom, Ward closed the door with his foot before wrenching his lips away from Jamie’s, leaving both of them breathing hard. Jamie’s eyes were glazed over with passion as Ward laid him on the comforter. His lips were red and swollen from their kisses.
“Are you sure?” He had to ask.
“Yes. I want you to make love to me, and I want you to claim me.”
Jamie took his shirt off, letting it fall on the side of the bed. When he snapped his jeans and started to pull them down, Ward stopped him, his hand squeezing Jamie’s.
“If I claim you, it’s forever. There’s no getting out of it.”
“I know.” Jamie looked in Ward’s eyes. “I want it to be forever, Ward. I…I don’t know if what I feel for you is love yet, but it will be one day, I know it. Whether you claim me or not, you’re it for me, and I won’t let you go.”
Jamie looped his hands around Ward’s neck and pulled him down to his mouth, kissing him senseless. Ward’s heart soared, knowing that soon Jamie would be his, forever. He went down, leaning on Jamie’s body, their hands roaming. Jamie pulled Ward’s shirt up, seeking skin-to-skin contact, and Ward was more than happy to comply.
He stood up, quickly shedding his clothes until he stood naked in front of his mate, hoping like hell that Jamie liked what he saw. Ward wasn’t vain, but he liked to keep his body in shape, and the lust he saw in his lover’s eyes as he looked up and down reassured him. Reaching out, he helped Jamie getting rid of his jeans and underwear, then climbed onto the bed next to him, their bodies molding against each other perfectly as they started kissing and touching again. Ward slid his hand up Jamie’s chest, stroking flawless skin until he reached a pebbled nipple and started rolling it between two fingers, earning a moan from Jamie.
Leaving Jamie’s lips, he trailed kisses down until he got to the other tight bud, surrounding it with his lips and sucking. Flicking his tongue at it, he reached down to Jamie’s erection, slowly stroking it until Jamie started squirming, his hand burying under his pillow. It came out with a tube of lube and he handed it to Ward.
“So sure of yourself?” Ward asked, cocking a brow but never letting Jamie’s shaft go.
“Oh, yeah,” Jamie panted, a smile playing on his lips.
Ward left his lover’s nipple and kissed his way down until he got to Jamie’s engorged shaft. It was fully erect, leaving a trail of pre-cum on his mate’s stomach. Ward licked a path from base to tip, stopping at the head and sucking at it, enjoying the slightly bitter taste while he squirted lube on his finger
s. Reaching for Jamie’s hole, he started to massage it, his mouth never leaving his lover’s shaft while he teased. He wanted nothing more than to slide into Jamie, but he also wanted their first time and their claiming to be memorable for his mate, so he took his time.
When Jamie started to whimper, Ward took it as his cue and finally slid the finger in, choosing a steady rhythm and mimicking it with his mouth. He swallowed Jamie’s cock to the root and bobbed his head, keeping only the head in every time he went up and sucking at it before going back down. Ward listened to Jamie’s moans and whimpers, basking in the feeling that he was pleasing his mate. Pulling out his finger, he added a second one, scissoring them and spearing the small slit on Jamie’s cockhead with his tongue.
That was all it took for his lover to come down his throat with a yelp. Ward swallowed greedily, enjoying the taste while he added a third finger in Jamie’s hole, making sure he was ready to take him.
“Now, please! Ward!”
Letting Jamie’s dick go, Ward withdrew his fingers and lubed his cock. Trembling from need, he grabbed Jamie’s legs and pulled them further apart. He couldn’t believe the moment he would claim his mate had finally arrived, and his cat roared in approval.
“Please…”
Ward slowly pushed in, Jamie’s muscles swallowing him until his balls touched his mate’s ass cheeks. Groaning, Ward stopped, afraid to hurt Jamie if he moved before he was used to his girth, and it was the damn hardest thing he’d ever done. His lover’s channel was so velvety and hot, and it was holding him in a tight grip.
Jamie’s hand came up, grabbing Ward’s neck and pulling him down for a kiss. Ward started moving, slowly at first, then faster and harder as Jamie started moving with him, taking him even deeper as he wrapped his legs around Ward’s waist. Ward moaned at the heat and tightness surrounding his cock. Jamie was perfect for him, and Ward was amazed at the feelings he could see in his mate’s eyes, knowing he felt the same exact way. His lover’s dick was hard again, sliding between their stomachs and leaving trails of pre-cum as they moved against each other, finally united as one.
Ward could feel his orgasm barreling toward him and his fangs descended in his mouth, preparing for the claiming.
“Not…not going to last,” he panted in Jamie’s ear.
Ward held a hand up to his neck, letting one of his nails grow to a claw, and nicked the skin. Pulling Jamie up, he guided his mate’s mouth to the small wound, his hips hammering in Jamie’s heat while Jamie latched on the cut, sucking deeply. The pulls seemed to have a direct link to Ward’s cock and he exploded, flooding Jamie’s chute with his seed. Following his instincts, he struck and bit Jamie’s neck, tasting his mate’s sweet blood as he felt Jamie go rigid beneath him and sticky warmth flooding on their stomachs. Their connection snapped into place and Jamie appeared in the back of Ward’s mind, glowing with so much love that Ward couldn’t help but hugging him nearer, making it impossible for Jamie to leave him, ever.
After a few moments Ward withdrew his fangs, licking the wound on his mate’s neck clean and sealing it. His bite would leave a permanent mark, as it should be. He could feel Jamie still gently lapping at his neck, making him shiver as he delicately let his cock slip from his mate’s heat.
“That was…wow.”
Ward chuckled as he settled on the bed, pulling Jamie until he was draped against Ward’s side. “Glad you liked it.”
“So, this is it? We’re mated?”
Ward’s heart rocketed with joy. “Yes, we’re mated.”
Chapter Four
Jamie was making breakfast, humming happily to the sound of the radio, shaking his hips as he moved. Ward was already gone, but Jamie didn’t have to be at work for another hour.
They had made love several times last night, and he was a little sore, but he didn’t care. He’d never been so happy, not even in the beginning of his relationship with Colin. Ward really completed him, anticipating his moves and his needs as if he could read Jamie’s mind. Maybe he could. Jamie could definitely feel his mate in the back of his mind, a solid presence that had appeared after they claimed each other. He couldn’t read Ward’s mind, but he did feel his mate’s stronger feelings.
Jamie had been a little worried about the part that included drinking blood. He’d been scared that he would have thrown up or been disgusted, but he hadn’t. Sure, it was still blood, so it hadn’t been pleasant, but his mind and body had been so concentrated on Ward that it hadn’t bothered him too much.
“How can you be so happy at this hour of the morning?” Keenan asked entering the kitchen, his hand covering a yawn.
“Good morning to you too, sunshine,” Jamie sing-sang, putting a plate full of pancakes in Keenan’s hand. His brother grumbled, sitting down at the counter and scratching his stomach. “God, you’re so cheerful you’re giving me a headache.”
Keenan was always grumpy before having coffee, so Jamie didn’t take offense and handed him a mug, waiting for the caffeine to start working.
Keenan sighed then smiled at Jamie. “So, I heard someone got laid last night.”
Jamie blushed. He had hoped Keenan hadn’t heard him, because he had discovered that with Ward, he was a screamer. And a moaner. Hell, he was just plain loud!
“Like, at least three times,” Keenan smirked. “How are you able to walk today?”
Jamie hid his face in his hands. He felt Keenan tug at his shirt’s collar and knew Keenan was looking for the mating bite. Jamie had looked at it earlier, after his shower. It was still red and a bit swollen, and Ward had told him it would leave a scar so that everyone knew who Jamie belonged to. While Jamie wasn’t too sure about the belonging-to-someone thing, he knew that for Ward it meant that they belonged together, so he accepted it. He had a lot to learn about shifter traditions, and he had to keep an open mind.
Keenan fingered the mark, making Jamie shiver. It wasn’t that the spot was more sensitive than before, but rather that it reminded Jamie how he had gotten the bite.
Keenan chuckled and let go of Jamie’s shirt. “He claimed you, huh?”
“I asked him to.”
“I’m happy for you. I didn’t think you would let him do it this soon, though.”
Jamie had been sure about the claiming. He had thought about it for nearly two months, since he had found out he was Ward’s mate. He had spent time analyzing his feelings toward the man and the whole shifter thing, and he had decided that while it was both weird and wonderful that Ward was a shifter, he didn’t care. Ward was Ward, and that was enough for Jamie. Still, his brother’s opinion was important, even if there was no way back now. And honestly, even if there was, he wouldn’t do it.
“You think it’s too soon?” he asked, dreading the answer.
“Oh, no! I just thought you would have wanted to wait. To be honest, I thought you were still hurting for Colin and that it would’ve taken you longer to realize that Ward is nothing like him.”
Jamie felt a weight he hadn’t known was there lift from his chest.
“I’m happy for you, Jamie. You deserve to be happy, and I know Ward will be good for you. Besides, I’ll kick his butt if he even thinks about hurting you.”
Jamie smiled. Keenan might be his baby brother, but he was just as protective of him as he was of Keenan.
“So what happens next? Are you moving in with him?”
“I don’t know. I know Ward wants me to, and I guess it’s a good idea since we’re as good as married, but I don’t want to leave you here on your own. I know you can’t afford the rent.”
“Oh, that won’t be a problem. Bryce talked with Dominic and he agreed that I could move in the mansion with you.”
Jamie gaped at his brother. As much as he seemed to always have his head in the clouds, Keenan actually thought things through very thoroughly, and this was no different.
“I’ll talk with Ward, then, and we’ll decide when to move.”
“I’ll grab some boxes later so we can start packing.”
<
br /> “Aren’t you…scared of living with all those shifters? I mean, they’re all wild cats…” Jamie didn’t care about Ward being a leopard, but he was still nervous about the other ones.
“Nah. I’ve spend a lot of time in their house in the past couple of months, so I know them by now. They won’t give us any problems. Besides, they’re as conscious in their animal form than in their human one.”
Jamie was about to ask Keenan if he had spent all that time with Bryce when he looked out of the window and saw Colin. His ex was leaning against his car in the parking lot, looking up. Jamie didn’t know if he could see him, but why was he there?
His stomach churning, Jamie turned to Keenan. “Colin is here.”
His brother’s expression hardened as he jumped up, looking out the window. Colin was still there. Keenan ran to the door before Jamie could stop him. Jamie knew he would go and tell Colin to stay away from him, and he had no intention of facing his ex again, so he sat on the couch, waiting. It didn’t take long for Keenan to come back.
“He’s gone. He wasn’t there when I got downstairs.”
Jamie’s happy feelings had taken a blow. He didn’t think Colin would hurt him, but it was weird seeing him twice in such a short time when he hadn’t seen him for months.
“I’m sure it’s a coincidence. I’m going to work, okay?”
Keenan nodded and Jamie got up, going to his room to get ready.
He was extra careful walking to work, looking around with attention, but he didn’t see Colin. As the day went on, Jamie gradually forgot about his ex while his work kept him busy.
Ward was waiting for him while he helped close the store, and his mate looked so happy that Jamie decided to avoid telling him what had happened that morning. They shared a long, hot kiss, and everything was right in Jamie’s life, at least until they climbed in the car and Jamie looked up, once again seeing Colin. He was standing near his car in the parking lot of the book store across the street, and this time he was sure the man was looking at him.
Whitedell Pride 1 - Jamie Page 6
