Nothing But Trouble (Wild Hearts Book 2)

by Noah Harris

  Max stared up at him, a smirk suddenly on his face. “Right, I’m sure you’re only thinking about the practical reasons for having him close to the pack.”

  Adrian frowned down at him. “Don’t start. I’m not ready to deal with your shit just yet.”

  Max laughed. “It’s not shit. It’s obvious that you two are into each other.”

  “Didn’t your mother ever teach you it’s rude to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations?” Adrian asked in annoyance.

  “I don’t need to eavesdrop to see what’s obvious to anyone who pays the slightest bit of attention. But it did require eavesdropping to see that there’re some complications, too, aren’t there?”

  Adrian looked away. “It’s not as easy as you would like it to be.”

  Max chuckled. “It never is. Have you talked to him about it?”

  “Yes and no. It’s complicated,” Adrian said, hoping that would be enough.

  Max looked up, eyebrow raised. “Well, maybe you should uncomplicate it and talk to him. Sounds to me like more needs to be said before you figure out what you want.”

  “I plan to, after all of this craziness is over.”

  Max shook his head. “That’s just an excuse to put off what you’re afraid to do. Next, you’ll have some other reason to put it off, and then another, and another. Stephan isn’t going to suddenly pop up to ambush you. I’m sure he’s going to lick his wounds and come back later. You’ve got the time to talk to Michael and deal with the real problem in your life.”

  “What real problem?”

  Max threaded the needle, eyeing Adrian. “Just talk to him, Adrian. Now hold still so I can do this without making you look like a rag doll reject.”

  Chapter 18

  Adrian flopped on the soft cushions of Michael’s couch and took a deep breath. If the couch wasn’t comforting enough, the smell of Michael certainly helped. Adrian inhaled deeply again, smiling when he heard Michael muttering to himself out in the kitchen. He heard rustling as Michael dug through the fridge, probably trying to find something to eat.

  Michael soon entered the living room along with a well-stacked sandwich. “Well, you certainly look comfortable.”

  Adrian rolled so he could see Michael better. “I can’t help it if the entire place is comfortable as hell. That’s your fault.”

  Michael nudged Adrian’s feet on the couch. “Move so I can sit down.”

  Adrian groaned, curling his legs so that Michael would have space. “Half a dozen other places to sit and you have to come along and ruin my comfy spot.”

  Michael sat down, setting his plate aside so he could pull Adrian’s legs into his lap. “I think you’ll somehow survive the injustice.”

  “You never know, man. There’s only so much that someone can take before they finally snap.”

  Michael picked his sandwich up with a wry smile. “If having to move your legs is your breaking point, there was no hope for you to begin with.”

  Adrian eyed the sandwich, stacked with as much meat as it could hold without falling over. “Hungry?”

  Michael raised a brow as he chewed through his first bite. “Absolutely starving.”

  Adrian chuckled. “See, that’s why I hate shifting sometimes. I always come out of it with the biggest appetite. It’s probably a good thing that Eli keeps the center so well stocked, because I’m sure a ravenous horde of werewolves has descended on the kitchen by now.”

  Michael chuckled. “Just as a ravenous single werewolf descended on my own kitchen just moments ago. There were no survivors.”

  Adrian jiggled his leg, playfully vibrating Michael’s lap. “And I’m sure those who beheld the slaughter will remember it when you return.”

  Michael smiled around a mouthful of food, making Adrian laugh at the man’s chipmunk cheeks. He hadn’t thought twice about returning to Michael’s house after they took care of the remainder of Stephan’s group. There was a strong domestic feel to lying with Michael on the couch, watching him devour the sandwich like it was his last meal.

  “Are you just going to lie there and watch me eat?” Michael asked, sounding self-conscious.

  Adrian laughed. “Why, does it make you nervous?”

  “I can’t say that being watched while I eat is something I would add to my list of turn-ons,” Michael said.

  Adrian watched him carefully before giving in, looking away so that Michael could eat his sandwich in peace. He found himself wondering if every night spent with Michael from now on would be like this. Despite the awkward and uncomfortable moment after the battle, the two of them had sunk into a familiar, comforting rhythm the moment they were alone. On an intellectual level, Adrian thought it was odd that two men who had barely known each other for more than a couple of weeks would find a pattern that worked for them both. On an instinctual and emotional level, he found the idea of being in sync with someone comforting. The conflicting ideas sat in his chest, leaving him to wonder what the future might have in store.

  “I smell smoke,” Michael said suddenly.

  Adrian tensed, sniffing the air. “I don’t smell anything.”

  Michael chuckled, leaning over to tap between Adrian’s eyebrows. “I meant I can smell smoke coming from here, because look like you’re thinking really hard.”

  Adrian sunk back onto the couch, sticking his tongue out. “Oh, aren’t you just witty? Maybe I was. So what?”

  “Haven’t I told you that thinking is dangerous? Well, it’s dangerous for you anyway,” Michael teased.

  Adrian jabbed him with his toe. “Maybe I was thinking about really good things. Ever consider that?”

  Michael smiled knowingly. “You get this little crease in your forehead when you’re thinking hard about something that’s eating at you. There’s no crease there when you’re thinking good or neutral thoughts.”

  Adrian blinked at the assessment, having never realized that about himself. “I don’t get a crease.”

  “You’re thinking about what we talked about at the warehouse, aren’t you?”

  Adrian thought about denying it but knew that was a lost cause. “Maybe?”

  Michael set his plate aside, opening his arms in invitation. “Come here.”

  Adrian hesitated, wondering if he should accept the offer when he couldn’t even accept being public with whatever they were becoming. Michael cocked his head, his expression saying that he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Adrian snorted, unsure if it was aimed at Michael or himself, and allowed himself to be drawn into Michael’s arms. The smell of the fertile wood was there, but it was faint, lacking the layer of ozone that preceded Michael’s arousal.

  “You can tell the world whenever you’re ready,” Michael said softly in Adrian’s ear.

  Adrian closed his eyes, sighing heavily. “It’s not about whether or not I want people to know.”

  “What is it about then?”

  “It’s about the fact that I’m terrified of what will happen if I just say it outright. I’m terrified that the moment I admit to what’s going on between us, it’s going to become real. It’s going to be something that you can point at and say ‘that, that is real,’ and if it’s real…” Adrian’s voice trailing off as he was unable to finish.

  “It can be taken from you,” Michael finished softly.

  Adrian nodded stiffly. “And I don’t— I don’t want to lose any more.”

  Michael’s arms tightened around him. “And that’s why you don’t need to be sorry that you’re moving slow.”

  Adrian turned his head so he could see Michael’s face. “It feels like I’m treating you like some dirty little secret.”

  Michael cupped Adrian’s face gently. “You’re not treating me like a dirty little secret, you’re afraid to lose like you’ve lost before. And you’re willing to explain what’s going on in that head of yours instead of leaving me to try to fill in the blanks on my own. That means more than anything.”

  Adrian’s chest swelled, feeling like it might burs
t as he watched the warmth pour from Michael’s gaze. In that moment, Adrian knew that while they weren’t moving at the speed he felt Michael deserved, they were moving forward all the same. In just a couple of weeks, they had shifted from casual friends and pack allies into something deeper and more meaningful. It wasn’t love, but Adrian could feel the seeds of that emotion taking root in his heart. Given time, those seeds would sprout and blossom.

  Adrian turned himself around in Michael’s hold, pressing his lips against the alpha’s. The kiss was soft, drawing upon the moment of warmth and compassion between them as Adrian wound his arms around Michael’s neck. Adrian smiled into the kiss as he smelled the faint charge of electricity begin to mingle with the verdant earth scent surrounding Michael. It was more muted than before, gently and unassumingly signaling his need.

  Their mouths opened for each other, the play of their tongues as gentle as the kiss itself. Adrian wound his fingers through the strands of Michael’s dark hair, appreciating the downy texture. Michael’s body began to radiate heat, the sensation as comforting and pleasurable as the roll of muscles as the alpha shifted positions. One of Michael’s hands rested at the base of Adrian’s spine, the other gently cupped the back of his head.

  Michael gave a soft sigh, breaking the kiss to nuzzle into Adrian’s neck with a contented hum. Adrian smiled as he felt Michael’s soft lips against his throat, laughing when Michael nibbled softly. Kissing the top of Michael’s head, he ran his hands down the man’s neck and across his broad shoulders. A pang of desire swept through him as he felt the muscles of Michael’s back shift beneath his touch.

  “We’re not going to make it to the bed again, are we?” Michael asked from the crook of Adrian’s neck.

  Adrian chuckled. “I’d like to think this is what big, comfortable couches are made for.”

  Adrian held Michael’s face between his hands, kissing him gently. He lingered for a moment, letting the kiss deepen, before breaking away. Adrian found his bag, thrown on a far chair after he’d entered the living room. Fishing out the bottle of lube, he made his way back to Michael, tossing the container onto the nearest cushion before kneeling in front of the alpha.

  Michael’s eyes widened as he gazed down at Adrian. “There’re a great many things to be said about the sight of you kneeling before me like that.”

  Adrian licked his lips, unsnapping Michael’s jeans. “Good.”

  He wasted no time in pulling Michael’s cock out of his pants, pausing only long enough to let the man hastily remove his pants and underwear. Adrian ran his hands up the thick trunks of Michael’s thighs, bending forward to nuzzle them. Adrian ran his tongue from the base of Michael’s cock to the tip before wrapping his mouth around the head, groaning as the familiar taste hit his tongue. Michael’s hands rested gently on his shoulders as Adrian slowly bent forward, gradually taking Michael into his throat.

  Michael moaned, his eyes never leaving Adrian’s face as his cock slowly disappeared into his mouth. Adrian’s throat muscles worked, squeezing and pulsing over first the head, then the shaft. When his nose pressed against Michael’s groin, he paused, letting his throat work around the sensitive organ. Michael’s breath hitched, hissing out sharply in a show of pleasure.

  Humming happily, Adrian pulled himself back, pausing to gently suck on the tip. Michael’s hands slowly stroked back and forth across Adrian’s back. Adrian sank once more, building a careful rhythm, enjoying the feeling of Michael filling his throat when he eased his way down.

  Michael tapped his shoulders. “Get up on the couch and do that, pants off first.”

  Adrian pulled off, grinning when he purposefully made a pop as he pulled his mouth free. “Only if you take your shirt off.”

  “Deal,” Michael said without a moment’s hesitation.

  As the two of them pulled their clothes off, Adrian plopped down on the couch beside Michael. When the alpha grabbed the bottle of lube and opened it, Adrian realized what the man was aiming for. Taking Michael’s cock into his hand, he kept himself on his hands and knees beside him.

  While he took Michael’s cock back into his mouth, he felt the cool press of a lube-covered finger against the muscles of his ass. If Michael had been shorter, or Adrian taller, the angle might have been difficult. As it was, Michael’s finger slid into him, drawing a moan from Adrian as he took the length of Michael’s cock into his throat. Michael gasped slightly, both freezing as they tried to gain control of themselves, pleasure shivering through them as they teased each other.

  Adrian waited until he felt Michael moving his finger again before allowing himself to pull back, taking a deep breath. They began to move together, with Michael gradually adding more fingers. With each new digit, Adrian had to pause, giving a low noise of pleasure as he felt himself opening, knowing it would soon be Michael’s cock stretching his ass instead of his throat.

  As three fingers gave way to four, Adrian began to squirm. He loved the feel of Michael in his mouth, hearing the man moan softly and to seeing the stretch of bare skin, dark hair, and muscle shift above him. But with Michael’s fingers teasing him from within, he couldn’t sit still much longer. Eagerness burst through him, and some deep, needful part of him craved Michael deep inside.

  Michael chuckled, bending forward to kiss the back of Adrian’s neck. “I can feel you getting antsy, mister.”

  Adrian pulled free of Michael’s cock, inching forward so that Michael’s fingers slid from him. “I can’t help it.”

  Michael gazed up at him, dark eyes seeming to glow in the low light. “How can someone who’s supposed to be so patient in their work be impatient in so many other ways?”

  Adrian lifted one leg over Michael, kneeling over him. For a moment, he said nothing, propped up so he could look down into the twinkling blue of Michael’s eyes. It felt like it had been a lifetime since he felt the almost crushing warmth welling up when he looked at another person. Yet, as he gazed down at Michael, he could feel the emotion manifesting deep within his chest. Perhaps he couldn’t quite bring himself to tell the world about what was happening between the two of them, out of the fear of losing everything. Yet, he could still admit that he wanted Michael, and he wanted him wholly and completely, in every way he could have him.

  Adrian kissed Michael then, slow and deep, before whispering against his lips. “Because I need you inside me.”

  Michael’s eyes widened, seemingly unable to find anything to say in the face of Adrian’s raw need. Adrian smiled gently, reaching to find the lube where Michael had dropped it. He let the liquid flow over his fingers before reaching below him and smoothing it over the broad length of Michael’s cock. Michael’s gaze never left Adrian’s face, even as his eyes fluttered from Adrian’s fingers working over his sensitive shaft.

  Adrian shifted, knees tightening against Michael’s hips as he eased himself back. It took only a moment to align himself properly, then came the pressure of Michael’s cock against him. Adrian slipped his hand around the back of Michael’s neck before pushing himself down. Michael’s cock slid in, spreading him the extra bit that the alpha’s skilled and careful fingers hadn’t. Adrian’s mouth opened slowly, a needy moan passing his lips as he eased himself onto Michael.

  Michael’s mouth quivered as lowered himself the last few inches to bury his cock in him. Adrian didn’t think he had ever seen eyes as beautifully blue and deep as Michael’s as the last of him was pushed home. The burn of Michael’s cock stretching him was quickly replaced with the low hum of pleasure. Adrian could swear he felt every inch of the man inside of him, pulsing with each heartbeat.

  “Adrian,” Michael whispered softly.

  As he lifted his hips, Adrian closed the distance between them, kissing Michael once more. For all his quips and clever comments, Adrian didn’t have the words to express what he was feeling. Everything he had burning in his chest, filling his head and heart to near bursting, he tried to pour into that one kiss. Michael held Adrian tight as he moved, bringing his hips u
p and slowly falling back down. Their kiss went on for what seemed like an eternity.

  The feel of Michael inside of him was pleasure beyond compare, both physical and emotional. Something within Adrian craved the feeling of being filled, of feeling Michael’s strength against him while pleasure sparked and ran through his body. His movements were slow, taking his time and drawing their shared pleasure out as much as possible, but his head still swam with the mounting ecstasy building within. Their kiss broke as Michael gasped against Adrian’s mouth, his hands tightening around Adrian’s hips. Adrian smiled, knowing what Michael wanted. He nodded, wanting it just as much.

  “You’re my mate. Claim me,” Adrian whispered, the words falling from his lips without a second thought.

  Michael let out a low growl, wrapping his arms around Adrian’s waist and gripping tight. As Michael rolled to the side, Adrian let himself roll with him, holding onto the man’s neck as his back pressed into the cushions of the couch. They had started with Adrian giving himself to Michael, riding him from above, and he thought it only fitting that they would finish with Michael atop him, buried inside and holding him close.

  As if sensing his thoughts, Michael kept his grip around Adrian’s shoulders as he adjusted his hips. The first thrust sent Adrian’s head back with a quiet cry of pleasure. The nerves that sparked and jumped before came to life in a whole new way. Sensations beyond description shot through him, pulsing in steadily building waves as Michael thrust into him. His mate’s movements were slow but deep, pushing himself completely into Adrian without hesitation. Each time Michael buried his cock inside him, Adrian swore he could feel something sharp and hard inside his chest stitching itself, melting in the heat and security that built between them.

  “Baby,” Michael whispered fiercely in his ear, his need and desire shoved into that one plaintive sound.

  Adrian nodded, knowing. “Do it.”

  Michael bowed his back, pushing himself into Adrian even deeper than before with that slight change of angle. Michael’s face pressed into the crook of Adrian’s neck, his breath hot and his kisses almost frantic. Adrian felt the alpha’s body going hard, his slow thrusts beginning to stutter as his cock swelled within Adrian. Michael cried out Adrian’s name, thrusting forward and letting himself go with complete abandon.