“Then what now?” Quinn raised his hands. Now he felt vulnerable, unsure, and he didn’t like it one bit.
“Let me take you out. Not to a movie, definitely not to a restaurant. I want you to take a camping trip with me. To the Remarkables. No lodge, no hotel. Just you, me, the forest, and the mountain range.”
The temptation was almost overwhelming, and Quinn could feel his resolve weakening. “We’re too alike.” He tried to shake his head for emphasis, but his body wouldn’t obey him. It wasn’t an outright rebuttal either, and Quinn didn’t miss the way Barin’s eyes glinted.
“Forget generalities. I’m talking about you and me. No one else.” Barin closed the distance between them, gripping Quinn’s arms tightly. “Just let yourself go. For once. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll respect that. I’m professional, and so are you. But I believe we could have something very special.”
The low, rumbling growl tipped Quinn over. To get away into the mountains. To go camping, and even yes, to see if there could be a chance with Barin. It was all too much to resist.
“Yes. I’ll go. You have enough equipment?”
“And all in perfect working order. Bring anything additional you want. Sleeping bag, whatever. I’ll rent a good-sized vehicle, one we can sleep in if we want. Okay?”
“Deal.”
“Go back to the kitchen. I need you to make sure we have enough meat to last a few days. You and I will need three. I don’t want to rush being away with you. It’s too important. For both of us. I’ll call in some favors, make sure I have chefs to cover us who I trust to do a good job. I’ll let you know when we can take off. It’ll be soon. Okay?”
“Yes. Okay. Whenever you want. I’ll be ready.”
The old Barin smile was back in place, and Quinn’s stomach fluttered with delight. He gave Barin a smile of his own. A genuine one, and Barin’s eyes seemed to light up.
“Soon.” Barin growled the word, and Quinn nodded, hurrying from the room before he could do anything stupid. Like kiss Barin.
Chapter Eight
Two days later, Quinn sat beside Barin in a luxury RV. Not only did it boast full kitchen and bathroom facilities, but at the far end of the vehicle was a large bed, and Quinn was keen to test it out.
Conversation revolved around Barin’s idea of a winery, and the more Barin talked about it, the more Quinn wanted to be a part of it. More importantly, a part of Barin’s life. After a few hours’ driving, they reached the mountain range.
There would be opportunities for skiing, but that wasn’t what Barin wanted. Barin wanted them to be able to park their vehicle, shift, and run free. If he was honest, Quinn could hardly wait to see Barin naked and finally know what kind of shifter he was.
They’d each promised to reveal at the same time and the closer they got to the mountain, the snow, and the forests, the more Quinn itched to be free of clothing and running.
Barin drove as far as he could and parked the vehicle. “We need to do some hiking. Up for it?”
“I’ve been up for the last hour. Let’s go.” Quinn jumped out, letting Barin secure the vehicle, and then they were off. An hour later, deep in a forest, and well away from human trails, it was time.
Quinn’s fingers trembled as he stripped, his gaze constantly flicking to Barin as he undressed. Finally, they were both naked and they stretched luxuriantly despite the chill in the air.
Naked, Barin was everything Quinn had imagined him to be: solid muscles, a thick mat of white hair across his chest and at his groin. And a cock, as thick and meaty as Quinn could wish for, swung with every movement Barin made.
By comparison, Quinn’s own frame was boyish, but the appreciative look Barin gave him made his own dick sit up once more and take notice.
“Ready?” Barin asked.
“Let’s do it.” Quinn let the shift take him over. He dropped to all fours, not even noticing the snow beneath him as hands turned to paws and a thick coat of fur covered him.
“A snow fox. Fuck, you look amazing.” Barin’s voice was just as powerful in Quinn’s head as it was when he spoke in human form.
“You too.” It wasn’t just a line. If Quinn had thought Barin looked impressive as a man, in polar bear form, he was incredible. Big and powerful, strength rippling throughout his body.
“Let’s go.” Barin took off at a lumbering run, and Quinn galloped to keep pace with him. The run was exhilarating, and Quinn realized just how much he’d missed this. His shifter genes were passed through his father, so neither his mother, his aunt, or Lucas as his aunt’s son of a human father, were shifters.
“Rabbit.” Barin’s voice broke into Quinn’s thoughts and he spotted it instantly. Instinct took over. Both of them gave chase, the rabbit running and dodging as they gave pursuit, before finally disappearing.
Quinn gave a deep growl of discontent and promptly sat down, tail swishing. Barin came thundering past, stopped, then scooped up a pawful of snow and tossed it at Quinn.
For a moment, Quinn was too shocked to respond, then he looked down. His small paws were no good for a snow fight. He looked up just as another pawful of snow came flying through the air and caught him full in the face.
A yelp of shock was quickly followed by a growl and Quinn shifted back into human form. As a human, his hands were far better for a snowball battle and he sent a volley of them at Barin. Instead of retaliating, Barin shifted back into human form, laughing so hard he actually hiccupped.
Quinn’s anger instantly evaporated. But he hadn’t given up the fight. Instead, he ran and tackled Barin, and they hit the deep snow with a soft thud. Quinn wasn’t entirely sure why he’d attacked. One-on-one, even laughing, Barin was bigger and stronger.
Within a minute, Quinn was pinned beneath Barin’s greater weight, and Barin peered down at him.
“Oh fuck, you should have seen your face.”
“Yeah?” Quinn raised his head and tried to nip Barin. “So now what?”
“Up to you.” Barin shifted his position slightly so that his hard cock slid alongside Quinn’s own and Quinn groaned. “We get up, go back to camp—”
“Fuck me.” Quinn arched as best he could.
“I don’t do casual. I don’t do one night, or even one day in the snow stands.” Barin lowered his head slowly, inhaling deeply at Quinn’s throat. “I want you. I wanted you the moment I saw you. But I want much more than sex. I want mutual desire, passion that will burn brightly and become a permanent flame of love and desire. I want a mate. The question is, do you?”
Quinn could feel Barin was holding himself back, could smell how aroused he was, how aroused they both were, and yet he knew that if he said no, Barin would walk away. That idea made Quinn’s stomach lurch in an unpleasant way. The decision was already made. Had been even before Quinn had accepted the trip.
“Yes, I do.” Barin had just offered Quinn exactly what he’d always wanted.
With infinite slowness, Barin lowered his head, giving Quinn every opportunity to change his mind or pull away. But the moment their lips touched, and taste combined with scent, Quinn could barely contain himself. He wrapped his legs around Barin’s hips, trying to rub their cocks together.
Quinn opened his mouth to accept Barin’s questing tongue and a low rumble came from deep in Barin’s chest and he pressed down, grinding his pelvis against Quinn’s so their dicks slid against one another.
The need to breathe forced them apart, but Barin continued to thrust against Quinn.
“More.” Quinn squirmed beneath Barin. “Fuck me. Fuck me now.”
“I will.” Barin bent forward and nipped along Quinn’s throat. “I’m going to show you what it’s like to be mine.”
“Yes. Do it. Do it.” Quinn was way past being patient. Now that he’d given himself to Barin, he wanted it all. Right then and there. With a quick twist, he caught Barin off-guard and rolled them, so he was straddling the other man.
A deeper growl erupted from Barin, and he flipped their bodies. For the n
ext couple of minutes, they tussled, rolling in the snow as if it were the sand on a tropical beach. Barin finally pinned Quinn on his stomach.
“Yes.” Quinn’s breath hitched with anticipation as his ass cheeks were parted by the large, capable hands that had featured so prominently in his wet dreams. But those dreams hadn’t included Barin thrusting his tongue insistently against Quinn’s asshole, and Quinn howled his approval.
Behind him, Quinn became convinced Barin was actually purring as he listened to a deep rhythmic vibration, then he groaned aloud as Barin’s tongue finally pushed inside him. Unable to resist his instinct, Quinn pushed back, wanting harder, faster, deeper.
A growl of warning preceded Barin gripping so tightly to Quinn’s hips that Quinn groaned softly, certain there would be bruises by morning. But to Quinn’s relief, Barin didn’t stop, forcing his tongue deeper, wetting and opening Quinn.
When Barin removed his tongue, Quinn looked over his shoulder. “You now. I’m fine.”
Without moving, Barin stared intently at him for a moment. “As much as I want you, Quinn, and fuck knows I want you, I don’t want to hurt you.”
A warm glow enveloped Quinn and he smiled. “I can take it. I’m not as delicate as a human. You know we can manage with saliva.” Quinn moved into position on hands and knees, ready to brace himself when Barin finally entered him.
“I’d prefer it if you didn’t have to. But I don’t think I could make it back to the camper.” Barin licked his lips, and Quinn followed the movement, and remembering where that tongue had been sent a bolt of lust through him.
Behind him, Barin moved into position, and Quinn braced himself. He looked over his shoulder to see Barin looking at him in a mix of love and want. The same emotions swirled through Quinn and he wriggled his ass.
“Make me yours, Alpha. Mate with me.”
“As I’m yours.” Barin ran a hand over Quinn’s lower back. “Ready?”
“Now, Barin. I want you now.”
Digging his fingers into the snow, Quinn groaned past clenched teeth as Barin eased slowly forward, pushing into Quinn’s body. As true as it was that shifters were more resilient than humans, Barin was still big, and Quinn panted softly as his body flexed and stretched to accommodate Barin.
“Relax, my mate.” Barin’s voice was deep and resonate, and Quinn responded to its calming timbre.
“I’m fine.” Quinn nodded. His body was adjusting quickly. “Keep going, Barin.”
There was no verbal reply, just a tightening of Barin’s grip on Quinn’s hips before he slid a little deeper inside. Inch by glorious inch, Quinn welcomed Barin into his body until he felt the fur at Barin’s groin press against his ass cheeks.
“You have me. All of me.” Barin’s voice was soft, and he rubbed soothingly against Quinn’s lower back.
Licking his lips, Quinn squeezed his inner muscles, and a reverberating growl from Barin sent pleasurable ripples through Quinn’s body.
“Move. Slow.” Quinn didn’t register he was ordering his mate until Barin complied, easing back slowly, and thrusting forward with equal care. The knowledge that Barin was acting as he directed sent a wave of love crashing over Quinn. “Faster.”
Barin responded, pulling out further and sliding back in at a quicker tempo. After a moment, Quinn coordinated his own moves so that he pushed back in counterpoint to Barin’s thrusts.
A yelp of delight escaped Quinn the first time Barin’s cock rubbed over his prostate, the sensation electrifying, and Quinn pushed back harder, wanting more. Soon, Barin was thrusting hard and deep, and Quinn was moaning his encouragement. Nothing had ever felt as good as this.
Steam rose into the air as their bodies heated. Quinn could do nothing other than brace himself to take Barin’s powerful thrusts, then his lover changed tempo. His thrusts became shallower, faster, and he leaned over Quinn’s back, his breath hot in Quinn’s ear.
“So perfect. Everything I ever dreamed of. Want you to come. Come with me, Quinn. Come.” Barin bit down at the junction of Quinn’s neck and shoulder and it was all Quinn needed.
Without his cock even being touched, Quinn came hard. A few seconds later, Barin’s powerful roar shook the air around them. The sensation of Barin’s hot essence inside him triggered a second, but no less potent climax for Quinn, but his arms couldn’t hold out, and he collapsed into the snow, exhausted, Barin blanketing him.
With a grunt, Barin rolled their bodies without slipping out of Quinn so that Quinn now lay on top of Barin, staring up at the sky, as he basked in a sated afterglow. Barin’s arms were wrapped around him, and he covered them with his own.
Turning his head, he nipped at Barin’s chin. “Mine.”
“Yours.” Barin nipped back, and the rumbling in his chest felt more like contented purring which made Quinn smile.
Mates. It felt right, more than right, it felt perfect. Quinn smiled as he gazed up at the sky, content in a way he’d never known before.
“When we get back to the RV, I’ll make love to you on that bed until you can’t remember anything except you’re mine, and that I love you, my mate,” Barin whispered into Quinn’s ear and Quinn moaned, clenching his inner muscles around the softening flesh of his mate.
“I love you too, my mate.” The words sent a wave of satisfaction, even deeper than his recent climax, crashing over Quinn.
Chapter Nine
Back at work, Quinn had to admit the atmosphere was electric whenever he and Barin were in the kitchen. Even though both maintained their usual professionalism, the change in their relationship was apparent to all.
And Quinn didn’t care. With the love and support of his Alpha, he was happier than he’d ever been and felt completely carefree. Over the next month, the restaurant’s reputation rapidly gained ground again and, to Quinn’s delight, was now full every weekend.
The step for him and Barin to live together had been thoroughly discussed. In truth, since Quinn spent more of his time with his mate at Barin’s sprawling property than at his own house, it was a natural enough move. Quinn took the personal possessions he particularly wanted around him and left the rest in the house while Lucas moved in as his tenant.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this.” Lucas sidled up to Quinn. “You and Barin seem made for one another.”
“He’s my mate.” Quinn nodded. “You were right even if I didn’t see it right away. We’re taking the next couple of days off work. Barin’s sorted out cover, and I’m just finishing off butchering the meat ready. He’s got to stay late tonight to sort out paperwork, his least favorite thing, but then we can get away to the mountains.”
“Sounds like bliss.” Lucas sighed. “Lucky you.”
“Yeah. Very lucky. Now back to patisseries before Barin comes and spots you lazing around.”
“Yes, sir.” Lucas snickered, offered a mock salute, and hurried back to his workbench.
Quinn watched him with a smile, then resumed cutting the side of beef he needed prepared by the time he was off duty.
****
Back home, Quinn puttered aimlessly around. The place felt empty, and he felt incomplete without his mate. As time wore on, Quinn became increasingly certain something was wrong. Even if he had this much paperwork, Barin would have called by now.
He glanced at his watch. The restaurant would have been closed by ten o’clock. Barin couldn’t possibly still be working there almost two hours later.
He’d already sent Barin one text but sent another, waiting impatiently, pacing the floor for five minutes. When there was still no response, Quinn tried calling. The phone rang, then went to voicemail. I’m going to see what’s happening at the restaurant. My hackles are rising. Danger.
Before Quinn even saw the restaurant, he could smell the smoke. Fire. Pulling into the nearest space, Quinn scrambled out of the car and took off at a full run. His instincts had been right. The smoke was coming from the restaurant, and the police were already there, along with a couple of onlookers.
Without hesitation, Quinn tried to bulldoze his way past the police who instantly barred his way.
“Barin’s in there.” Quinn struggled as a couple of policemen physically held him from running straight into the burning restaurant.
“No one can go in. The fire brigade is on the way. They’ll get him out.” The policeman addressing Quinn was a good few inches taller, but when Quinn stopped struggling, growled deeply, and bared his teeth, he released Quinn’s arm and stepped away. “Let him go. He’s a shifter and the other one in there must be his mate. Don’t try to come between them.”
Shrugging off the other policeman’s hand, Quinn ran around to the back of the restaurant. He wasn’t big or strong enough to kick the door down, as Barin would have done. Instead, he tore off his clothes and shifted, wriggling out of the rest once in fox form.
There was a cat flap in the back door, from a time before the building became a restaurant. It took two runs at the ancient flap, and on the third, Quinn barged through and into the building.
The acrid scent of smoke instantly assaulted Quinn’s nose, and he huffed out a couple of sneezes, but he ran quickly toward the kitchen. There was only one way to get to the offices, and that was through the kitchen. And through the flames.
As a fox, Quinn was fast and low to the ground. He ran. The hot floor hurt the delicate flesh on the pads of his paws, and flames singed his skin even through the dense fur protecting him.
On the other side of the kitchen, Quinn whimpered softly as he limped his way to the offices. Shifting back into human form, Quinn coughed immediately due to the thick smoke which made it almost impossible to see and opened the office door.
“Barin!” His lover lay unmoving on the floor, but not due to smoke inhalation. On the back of his head, dried blood marred the silver blond of his hair, and Quinn quickly knelt beside him. Not dead. Not dead. Not dead.
The relief of finding Barin still alive was tempered by the reality of how to get such a big man out of the burning building. Despite his burned hands, Quinn turned Barin over and tapped his lover’s cheeks, silently praying the bigger man wasn’t concussed and would be able to respond.
Denying the Alpha: Manlove Edition Page 10
