24. Chapter Twenty-Four
~Leo~
The lake rocked gently beneath me as the sky stretched endlessly overhead. My hand still held Kalo’s, our fingers loosely linked beneath the surface, and every small movement sent warmth along my palm in a strange contradiction to the chill creeping steadily through my wetsuit.
Silo was utterly content. This is good, he rumbled, settled in a way I’d never really felt from him before. He’s happy.
I felt it too, in the way Kalo’s breathing had slowed and deepened, but after a few minutes of complete silence that felt uncharacteristic for him, I lifted my head. “You okay?”
Kalo’s gaze stayed fixed on the sky as he murmured his agreement. “Mm-hmm.”
Despite the answer, my unease grew. Something wasn’t quite right, and I pushed myself upright in the water, the sudden movement sending ripples across the lake. “What’s wrong? I know it’s not exactly what you wanted, but…”
Kalo’s eyes finally moved to look at me, still a little distant, but his lips curved into a soft smile. “No, it’s great. It’s just a little colder than I expected, even though you warned me.”
Ah. That, at least, was something I could fix.
“Come on. It’s time to get out.”
Reluctantly, he took my offered hand, and together we waded towards the shore. Our feet squelched in the muddy bank as we climbed out of the water, and the autumn air bit even sharper now that our body temperature had been lowered.
Kalo shivered hard enough that my wolf bristled. Warm him up. Now.
“There’s a patrol cabin nearby,” I told Kalo, grabbing the backpack with our clothes and other supplies. I’d put two pairs of flip-flops in it, just in case, and offered one to him now. “It’s just a short walk, and we can get a fire going.”
A narrow trail cut through the trees a few dozen yards from the lake, and the small wooden structure quickly came into view, tucked between the pines and half-hidden from view.
It was nothing fancy, just a single-room shelter used by our defensive team on occasion, but it was stocked for emergencies, and, most importantly at the moment, dry.
I pushed the door open and ushered him inside.
“Sit,” I instructed, already moving towards the fireplace on the far wall. All the necessary kindling and equipment were stacked in place, and within minutes, the flames had caught, spreading through the dry wood until warmth began to bloom into the room.
When I turned back, I found Kalo watching me.
“You do that like you’ve done it a thousand times.”
I shrugged. “Patrol rotations, winter watches, power outages, and summer camps. Pack life means learning practical things.”
“Administrator, caretaker, and outdoorsman,” he murmured. “You’re a surprisingly versatile man, Leo.”
Heat crept up the back of my neck that had nothing to do with the fire, but as quickly as it came on, it dropped away as I realized Kalo hadn’t moved, mostly because he couldn’t. The wetsuit clung stubbornly to him, soaked and heavy.
His gaze followed mine, dropping to the suit. “I don’t believe this garment was designed for independent removal.”
“It’s not easy,” I admitted. “Here. Let me.”
My fingers brushed his neck as I reached for the zipper, and the electric warmth of the mate sparks raced up my arm. Kalo’s inhale confirmed he felt it too.
Would it ever feel anything less than life-changing?
Slowly, I drew the zipper down as the suit loosened but didn’t release him completely.
I helped peel the clinging fabric from his shoulders, then his arms, trying to ignore the awareness of his body flooding my senses.
It didn’t make any sense; I’d already seen him naked, so why did the sight of it affect me just as much the second time?
His skin was cool from the lake but warming rapidly from the firelight, and I found myself concentrating far too hard on very small details: the line of his collarbone, the water still beading along his shoulder, and the steady rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.
“Damn it,” I muttered as he stood for me to pull the suit down his legs. “I brought some oil to put on our wrists and ankles before putting the suits on, and I forgot to use it. It makes it a little easier to take off.”
“It’s alright,” Kalo breathed, the words far more sensual than they should have been. Or maybe it was just my imagination affecting his tone. “You’re doing just fine.”
I swallowed hard. “Almost… there.”
I worked the rest free and wrapped him quickly in a soft blanket from the cabin’s supply.
“Sit by the fire and dry completely before you put your clothes back on.”
Obediently, he sank down onto the rug next to the fire, the flames painting his face even more golden than normal, as I quickly removed my own suit and grabbed a blanket for myself, covering myself before I took a seat next to him.
The cabin was quiet except for the crackle of burning wood and the wind whistling softly against the window.
Kalo turned to me, his expression soft and almost… affectionate? Was I imagining that?
“Thank you.”
His gratitude made me uncomfortable, since I knew I hadn’t completely succeeded in making his wish come true. “I’m sorry it wasn’t exactly the same kind of swimming you’re used to.”
“No, not exactly,” he agreed. “But in some ways, it was better.”
His hand brushed against mine on the rug, sending another shiver of sparks through me. The touch felt almost accidental at first, but he didn’t move away, letting his fingers settle over mine instead.
The firelight flickered between us, shadows dancing along the walls as the moment stretched, and when I turned to look at him again, his face was right there, closer than before.
I didn’t know who leaned in first, but in the next moment, his lips were on mine, and all the breath left my body.
Kalo had kissed my body before, and we’d both touched each other, even made each other come, but this was the first time we’d actually kissed, and it exceeded any expectations I ever had about the activity.
His lips were soft and warm, pliable but also firm, and the sparks they sent rippling through me were even stronger than the touch of his hands.
The sensation almost made me dizzy, and I reached out to cup his face to help root me in place.
A soft groan vibrated deep in Kalo’s throat, and his tongue slipped out to brush against the seam of my lips.
My answering noise, guttural and choked, wasn’t intentional at all, but Kalo seemed to appreciate it as his hand gripped the back of my head, pulling me against his mouth even harder than before.
It felt almost like drowning, like slipping beneath the surface of that icy lake had, both exhilarating and a little terrifying, and goddess, I never wanted it to end.