Chapter Seven #2
Curious, Hayden tried mimicking the gesture, drawing in a breath.
Nothing special hit his human nose. Just musty carpet fibers, lingering bacon grease, and a hint of Teagan’s cologne.
That familiar sandalwood-vanilla blend that always transported him back to simpler days.
Back when they’d spend weekends gaming in Teagan’s basement or driving nowhere in particular with the windows down, free to be themselves because nobody suspected two best friends could be anything more.
Truth was, Hayden’s feelings had run deeper than his bestie’s back then. But Teagan had been oblivious—too wrapped up in video games and music to notice how Hayden’s eyes followed him, how his heart had been offered long before Teagan was ready to receive it.
Now Liam had crashed into their carefully constructed world.
The wolf’s claims should’ve sounded absurd, but Hayden couldn’t deny the truth of what Teagan felt.
What they both felt. Whatever this pull was between them, it defied logic.
One moment Hayden stood on solid ground, sure of his future, the next he was in free-fall, breathless and unable to find his bearings.
Glancing toward the couch where Teagan had dozed off twenty minutes ago, Hayden pulled the throw blanket over his boyfriend’s—no, his mate’s—shoulders. That word just fit, feeling as natural as gravity.
After kissing him on the forehead, Hayden made his way quietly to the kitchen.
Liam stood there, leaning against the counter, his gaze focused on the darkness beyond the window.
Hayden studied his profile. The guy was so strong, as if the world couldn’t touch him, yet there was a sadness about him that Hayden wanted to wipe away.
“Fort Knox secured?” He drifted closer, feeling unraveled from the sheer potency of a single glance.
A lazy flick of Liam’s tongue wet his lower lip before he spoke, the sound of his voice sliding over Hayden like a sin too tempting to resist. “For now. How’re you holding up?”
“Processing, or at least I’m trying.” Hayden shrugged, leaning against the counter beside Liam. It was if he couldn’t stay away from the guy. Whatever room Liam was in, Hayden found himself drifting toward him like an unseen teether refusing to allow them to stray too far apart.
“I feel like I’ve taken one too many hits today.” That was an understatement. Worse, Hayden had dragged Liam into this shitshow, even if it was no one’s fault but Ramos and Edwin’s. Still… “Bet you didn’t plan on spending your evening playing bodyguard, huh?”
The side of Liam’s mouth curled into a sexy half-smile Hayden wanted to explore with his tongue. “Not gonna lie, pictured tonight going in an entirely different direction.”
So had he. “Guess we can call it even.” Hayden shifted his weight to his other leg, bringing him closer to the muscled frame beside him.
“How so?”
The moonlight filtered through the window, forming a soft halo around Liam, as if some celestial being was reminding Hayden who, or what, he was standing next to.
The initial shock had worn off, but Hayden was still grappling with the whole mate thing.
The pull was overwhelming, but he resisted falling into Liam’s arms.
Hayden couldn’t stop the grin. “We threw two convicts at you, and you rose to the challenge and threw a wolf in return. Well played.”
A low chuckle rumbled from deep inside Liam’s chest. “Does that mean I get to lob couch pillows at your head?”
“You cannot hold anything against me when I’m flipping out,” Hayden retorted. “Claws grew out of your fingertips. Consider yourself lucky I didn’t go for the cast-iron skillet.”
“I’ll remember never to give you a surprise party. You might concuss half the guests.” Liam playfully nudged Hayden with his elbow, but all humor had fled him.
“Well, that’s one worry you can put to rest. My only guest would be Teagan, and he’s pretty good at dodging projectiles.” Had he really said that? “Not that he’s had any thrown at him. I’m just saying he’s wiry and flexible.” Like that’s any better.
Liam’s lips twitched so hard Hayden saw the movement in the dimly lit kitchen. “That wasn’t the backpedal I was expecting.”
“It’s called trying to sound witty in front of a hot guy and miserably failing, and I’m just gonna shut up now.” Hayden curled his lips in, wondering if he’d just blown all his cool creds.
Socializing came naturally for him, always had. Just strike up a conversation with a stranger and find something in common. But making small talk with a gorgeous guy was when he flatlined. Hayden didn’t have enough experience to gain anyone’s interest. Not that he’d ever tried.
Teagan was the only man he’d ever wanted or desired.
Until now, putting Hayden at a sever disadvantage. He’d grown up with Teagan, had a lifetime to get to know him. But with Liam, Hayden had been thrown into some cosmic mating pool without instructions on how to navigate uncharted waters.
“I make you nervous?” Liam tilted his head, locking eyes as he studied Hayden.
He glanced at Liam’s long, powerful legs then slowly lifted his gaze, hungrily taking in every inch of the man’s powerful physique until their eyes met. The unhurried perusal had been Hayden’s way of proving his point, but… What was the question?
“Huh?”
With hooded eyes, lips barely parted, Liam offered a secretive smile. “I asked if I made you nervous, sweetheart.”
Unable to hold the intense gaze, Hayden looked away while shrugging one shoulder.
Having a conversation with Teagan about his feelings was like breathing or blinking, so engrained it just happened without conscious thought.
But Liam? Hayden’s mind was tripping over itself to find something to say that wouldn’t make him sound like a complete loser.
Hayden went with the truth. “Yes.”
“Butterflies or red flags?” Liam turned to face him.
Hayden could tell by the crease between those eyebrows that the answer mattered to…his mate. There, he’d said it. In his head, but…baby steps.
“I’m gonna keep it real.” Exhaustion had worn his nerves to frayed ends, leaving no room for clever comebacks or witty deflections.
Tonight had drained the last of his social reserves.
All he could think about now was standing under hot water until his muscles unknotted and his mind finally went quiet.
Liam crossed his arms, his stance less relaxed. “By all means.”
“Teagan’s the only guy I’ve ever been with.
” Hayden paced because laying it all bear required walking in circles and gesturing at thin air.
“My flirt game is nonexistent. Zero skills, buddy. My brain goes into critical meltdown when shit gets real, and you dropping that mate bomb took things from seeing-where-this-goes to this-is-not-a-drill in zero-point-five panicked seconds.” Hayden scrubbed his hand through his hair.
“Breathe, babe.” Liam’s hands hovered near Hayden’s arms, but didn’t touch, as if he wasn’t sure contact would make the spiral better or worse.
“Breathe, seriously? Do you know how terrifying it is trying to get to know someone who suddenly became your other other half? Teagan knows me down to my bones, but what if you discover you hate the way I chew? Or you get irritated because I talk through movies that have the dumbest plots? Heads of lettuce creep me out. I scream at the top of my lungs if I see a spider. Those suckers have eight freaking eyes! I drive like an old person on the freeway because I’ve seen the damage going over the speed limit can do to a car, and I like crunchy peanut butter. ”
Hayden needed a hit of oxygen. Once the words had started spilling out, he hadn’t been able to stop them. Half of what he’d said shocked him because, before now, he hadn’t known they were insecurities. He’d thought they were just quirks.
But saying all of that out loud made Hayden wonder if he needed therapy.
“He also tosses wet clothes into the hamper and drinks chocolate milk straight from the carton,” Teagan added from the entrance to the kitchen. “Oh, and he likes sleeping with socks on. Tube socks.”
“Nope. Deal breaker.” Liam sliced his hand through the air. “I want my men barefoot in bed for easy access.”
“To…my feet?” Hayden instinctively curled his toes as if Liam might slip off his shoes and do something he might need therapy for. “What kind of fetishes are you into?” He held up his hands, palms out. “No judgment. You just caught me off guard.”
“None personally.” Liam’s voice pitched low. “But I’m more than willing to explore any you might have, handsome.” He moved closer, nearly towering over Hayden, but Hayden refused to take a step back. Not because he was worried Liam would hurt him but because his mere presence was so… consuming.
“Maybe you should kiss Hayden so he’ll calm the hell down.
” Teagan walked to the fridge and grabbed a can of soda.
“Unless you already have and that’s the reason for his brain melt.
” Teagan popped the tab and arched a brow at Hayden.
“Or do you have cold feet? I had to practically pull you into bed the first time we had sex.”
“Really?”
Liam glanced at Hayden like he was trying to picture him kicking and screaming the entire way.
So not what happened. Teagan was exaggerating.
Hayden had every right to be nervous that night since it was the first time for both of them.
They’d been all limbs and fumbles and lubed so heavily they’d had a hard time keeping a grip on anything.
Hayden had been terrified Teagan would glide right out from under him.
Neither of them had known what the hell they were doing that night.
Teagan hid his shit-eating grin behind the rim of his soda can.
“Hayden comes off as confident when it comes to sex, but he’s adorably awkward underneath that handsome exterior.
” He slung an arm over Hayden’s shoulder then licked the side of his face.
“Better feel lucky you’re cute and taste delicious. ”
Hayden knocked his arm away before using his shirt to wipe his cheek. “I’m not that damn awkward. I don’t hear you complaining when your dick is in my mouth.”
Teagan sighed dreamily. “You give the best head.”
“I’m the only one who’s given you head, dweeb,” Hayden shot back, enjoying their banter. It was hard to rile Teagan, especially when he could lob an insult that made you question if he was kidding around or actually roasting you.
“You guys do realize I’m standing right here, imagining all that filth, which, by the way, has left me with a raging boner.”
Liam placed his hands on his hips, not even trying to cover the outline in his jeans. Hayden and Teagan glanced down at his crotch.
It looked like he was smuggling a large roll of hard salami in his underwear.
What had Hayden expected? Liam was easily six-five or six-six. Did Hayden honestly think the guy would be packing a peanut?
“Oh my.” Teagan took a hard swallow of his soda, his gaze never leaving Liam’s crotch. “Hayden, you can go first so I know if I need to order a saddle.”
Hayden burst out laughing at the sheer insanity of…everything.
Edwin and Ramos Out for Revenge: Part 2.
Liam being a wolf and turning their relationship into a triad.
Teagan accepting the truly bizarre but freaking out over Liam staying the night.
Was any of it really funny? If Hayden didn’t laugh, he just might need a straitjacket.
Teagan leaned in, lips wet lips from his soda, and whispered, “You’re not allowed to ride the bronco until you’ve kissed him first. Everyone should get to experience those lips at least once in their lifetime. But I’m not sharing, so they’re out of luck.”
Hayden closed his eyes. What was even his life right now?