Chapter Eight
Following Cesar through the front door, Jamie blinked to adjust to the darkness.
His knee throbbed with each step, a reminder of his spectacular fall in the field.
After Cesar flipped several switches, warm light flooded the space, revealing an open floor plan with a large kitchen to the right and a living area with an enormous L-shaped sectional to the left.
The decor was simple but masculine—dark woods, rich leather, and splashes of deep-blue accents.
“Wow,”
Jamie breathed, taking in the open space.
Cesar’s house was nothing like he’d imagined—no wolf-themed decor or animal pelts, just warm wood tones, comfortable furniture, and surprisingly neat for a bachelor pad.
“This is really nice, honey bunny. I was half expecting a cave with bones scattered around.”
Cesar’s laugh rumbled through the quiet house as he locked the door behind them.
“Sorry to disappoint. The bone collection’s in the basement.”
“You’re joking, right?”
Jamie hobbled forward, wincing as his weight shifted to his injured leg.
“I mean you’re a wolf. I thought there might be… I don’t know… more animal stuff.”
“The animal stuff stays outside.”
He dropped his keys into a bowl by the door.
“Got a whole crate of squeaky toys and soup bones in the garage.”
Jamie paused then noticed the twitch at the corner of Cesar’s mouth.
“Oh my god, you are joking. See, this is why I need a guidebook for dating wolf shifters.”
“Dating, huh?”
His eyes glinted in the soft light as he helped Jamie toward the couch.
Heat rushed to Jamie’s face.
“I mean if you want to. No pressure. We could just be friends who occasionally get shot at together.”
“Let’s get you cleaned up. That knee needs attention.”
Before Jamie could respond, strong arms scooped him up. He yelped in surprise, instinctively wrapping his arms around Cesar’s neck as he was carried through the living room.
“I can walk, you know,”
Jamie protested weakly, secretly thrilled by how easily Cesar lifted him.
“You’re leaving a trail of tiny blood drops across my floor,”
Cesar pointed out, his tropical-blue eyes sparkling with amusement.
“Besides, I like carrying you.”
Heat rushed to Jamie’s cheeks.
“I like it too,”
he admitted, resting his head against Cesar’s shoulder.
Gently, Cesar set him down on the closed toilet lid.
“Pants off, colibrí. Need to clean that wound properly.”
“Oh.”
Jamie blinked then shrugged. “Okay.”
Without hesitation, he unbuttoned his jeans and started wiggling them down his hips. The denim stuck to the dried blood around his knee, making him wince.
“Careful,”
Cesar murmured, helping ease the fabric past the injury. “Let me.”
His warm hands guided the jeans down Jamie’s legs with surprising gentleness for someone so strong. Jamie focused on his breathing.
“So, this is awkward,”
Jamie said, now sitting in just his T-shirt and boxers.
“Usually I at least get dinner before I strip. Oh wait, I did get dinner. Carry on.”
Cesar’s eyes crinkled at the corners.
Jamie’s fingers trembled slightly—whether from the night’s excitement or Cesar’s closeness, he couldn’t tell.
“This isn’t exactly how I imagined getting undressed in front of you for the first time.”
The words slipped out before he could stop them. Jamie froze, mortified.
Cesar’s movements stilled as he gathered first aid supplies from a cabinet.
“You’ve imagined it before?”
His voice had dropped an octave, sending shivers racing through Jamie.
“Maybe…”
He bit his lip.
“Every Sunday for the past two months, actually.”
A slow smile spread across Cesar’s face as he knelt in front of Jamie, setting a bowl of warm water and medical supplies on the floor beside him.
“Tell me more about these imaginings while I work.”
Jamie swallowed hard, his heart racing. Cesar was close enough that Jamie could count his eyelashes, could smell the woodsy scent that clung to his skin.
“Um, well...”
“This is going to sting,”
Cesar warned.
“I can handle it,”
Jamie insisted then hissed when the cool solution touched his wound. “Ouch!”
“Sorry, colibrí.”
Cesar’s touch remained gentle as he cleaned away the dried blood and dirt.
“You were saying?”
He dipped the cloth in the water then went back to cleaning his knee.
“About your Sunday imaginings?”
“Oh. Right.”
Jamie took a deep breath.
“Well, sometimes I’d imagine bumping into you outside the store. You’d recognize me and ask me out for coffee. Other times I’d work up the courage to slip my number in with your receipt.”
Cesar smiled as he wrung out the cloth.
“And the undressing part?”
“That usually came after the third date,”
Jamie admitted, watching as Cesar began to clean around his wound.
“In my imagination, I’m much smoother than I am in real life.”
The warm cloth pressed against his skin, gentle but firm. Jamie hissed then relaxed as Cesar’s careful ministrations soothed the pain away.
“You’re plenty smooth, colibrí.”
Cesar’s eyes flicked up to meet his.
“You had me from the first smile.”
“Really?”
Jamie couldn’t hide his surprise.
“But I never said anything to you. Just ‘have a nice day’ and stuff.”
“It was enough.”
Cesar’s thumb brushed just above the wound, sending a different kind of shiver through Jamie.
“Your eyes light up when you smile. Real smiles, not those fake ones you give to difficult customers.”
Jamie’s heart stuttered.
“You noticed that?”
“I noticed everything about you.”
He dabbed antiseptic on the cut, his touch featherlight.
“The way you bounce when you’re excited. How you count backward in Spanish when you’re nervous.”
His eyes lifted again, pinning Jamie with their intensity.
“The way you look at me when you think I don’t see.”
“Oh.”
His mouth went dry. Cesar had been watching him just as carefully as he’d been watching his crush. The realization made his head spin.
Cesar applied butterfly bandages to close the wound.
“All clean.”
“Thank you,”
Jamie whispered.
Their eyes locked, the air between them suddenly charged. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from those tropical-blue eyes, now rimmed with a hint of amber.
Under his stud muffin’s stare, Jamie became acutely aware that he was sitting in his boxers, legs spread, with the object of his fantasies kneeling between them. Jamie was hyperaware of those strong hands so close to where he was rapidly hardening. He should feel embarrassed sitting here in his underwear, his attraction obvious, but instead he felt... seen. Wanted.
“De nada, guapo.”
Cesar’s thumbs made small circles on Jamie’s thighs, each movement inching slightly higher.
“You’ve had quite a night.”
Jamie nodded, finding it increasingly difficult to focus on words with Cesar’s hands where they were.
“It’s been eventful.”
“And yet here you are.”
Wonder filled his voice.
“Most people would have run screaming.”
“I did run screaming,”
Jamie pointed out with a small laugh.
“Right into a piece of metal.”
Cesar’s smile turned rueful.
“True. But you stayed.”
“Of course I stayed.”
He reached out, hesitantly touching Cesar’s cheek. The slight scruff of his beard tickled Jamie’s palm.
“Wolf or not, you’re still my jellybean.”
Something flashed in Cesar’s eyes—hunger, need, affection all rolled into one heated glance. Jamie felt it like a physical touch, making his breath catch.
“There’s something I promised myself I’d do,”
he said softly.
“When you were human again.”
Cesar’s eyebrow arched.
“What’s that, colibrí?”
“Can I kiss you?”
His heartbeat accelerated, pulse thudding in his ears.
“I’ve been wanting to kiss you since you first came through my checkout line,”
he confessed, words tumbling out.
“And then we got shot at, and you turned into a wolf, which was crazy awesome by the way, and now you’re cleaning my knee, and I just really, really want to kiss you before something else happens. Like aliens. Or zombies. Or my brother.”
To heck with it. Jamie leaned forward, closing the distance between them. His lips met Cesar’s in a soft, tentative kiss—the barest brush of contact, a question more than a demand.
For one terrifying heartbeat, Cesar didn’t move. Then his hands slid up to cup Jamie’s face, and he was kissing back, mouth firm and insistent against his. Sliding his hands into Cesar’s hair, he deepened the kiss, a small sound of pleasure escaping him when Cesar’s tongue swept against his. His honey bunny tasted faintly of mint and something wild that Jamie couldn’t name but instantly craved more of.
When they finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, Jamie felt dizzy with want. “Wow,”
he whispered.
“That was even better than I imagined.”
“Been thinking about this for months,”
Cesar murmured against his lips.
“Me too,”
Jamie whispered back.
“Every Sunday. Watching you squeeze melons.”
Cesar pulled back slightly, eyebrow raised. “Melons?”
“It was very sensual melon-squeezing,”
he defended then pulled Cesar back in for another kiss.
This time there was nothing gentle about it. Cesar’s mouth claimed his with hunger, one hand sliding around to the back of Jamie’s neck, the other gripping his thigh just above the injury. Jamie parted his lips, inviting him deeper, a small moan escaping when Cesar’s tongue stroked against his.
Heat bloomed low in his belly, spreading outward until his skin felt too tight. He’d never been kissed like this before, like he was something precious but also desperately wanted. Like he mattered.
Cesar’s hand moved higher on his thigh, fingers brushing the edge of his boxers. Jamie gasped against his mouth, body arching involuntarily toward the touch.
“Dios, the sounds you make,”
he groaned, trailing kisses along Jamie’s jaw.
“You’re going to drive me crazy, colibrí.”
“Good,”
Jamie breathed, tilting his head to give Cesar better access to his neck.
“That’s my evil plan.”
Cesar chuckled, the sound warming Jamie from the inside out. Then his mouth found a spot just below Jamie’s ear that made his mate’s toes curl.
“Oh!”
He clutched at Cesar’s shoulders, suddenly very aware of how little he was wearing compared to his fully-clothed dreamboat.
“That’s—oh my god.”
“Sensitive,”
Cesar murmured, nipping gently at the spot again. His hand slid higher, fingers slipping beneath the fabric of Jamie’s boxers to stroke the sensitive skin of his inner thigh.
Jamie’s hips bucked involuntarily.
“Not fair,”
he gasped.
“You’re still dressed.”
“We can fix that.”
Cesar pulled back, the amber in his blue eyes glowing darker. With one hand, he reached back and pulled his shirt over his head, revealing a chest that made Jamie’s mouth go dry. Smooth brown skin stretched over defined muscles, both arms inked from shoulders to wrists.
“Sweet mother of goose eggs,”
Jamie breathed, reaching out to trace the lines of his abs.
“You’re like a freaking sculpture.”
His hand traveled higher, skimming over Cesar’s chest, feeling the steady thump of his heart. His jellybean just stood there, letting Jamie explore.
“La oscuridad nunca volverá a tocarte, alma mía. Te lo prometo.”
Jamie didn’t know what the words meant, but the reverent way Cesar said them made his heart swell. Then he gasped.
“Your shoulder.”
“It’s already healing,”
Cesar assured him. The bite mark on his shoulder was indeed less angry-looking than it had been earlier, the edges already starting to close.
“Wolf thing?”
Jamie traced a finger over the bite, knowing Cesar had gotten it because of him.
“Wolf thing,”
Cesar confirmed, his muscles jumping under Jamie’s exploring fingers.
“We heal faster than humans.”
He kissed Jamie’s palm.
“Your turn. Shirt off.”
His T-shirt joined Cesar’s on the floor. He felt suddenly self-conscious, aware of how much smaller he was, how much less defined. But the hunger in Cesar’s eyes as he looked at him banished those thoughts.
“Hermoso,”
he murmured, hands skimming up Jamie’s sides.
“So beautiful.”
Jamie shivered at the touch.
“You’re just saying that because you want to get in my boxers.”
“I do want to get in your boxers,”
Cesar agreed, leaning in to press a kiss to Jamie’s collarbone.
“But I’m saying it because it’s true.”
His mouth moved lower, trailing kisses down Jamie’s chest until he reached a nipple. When his tongue flicked over the sensitive bud, Jamie gasped, fingers digging into Cesar’s biceps.
“Oh god,”
he moaned as Cesar’s mouth closed around it, sucking gently.
“That’s—I can’t—”
Heat pooled between his legs, his cock straining against the thin fabric of his boxers. When Cesar’s hand cupped him through the material, Jamie nearly came.
“Bedroom,”
Cesar growled against his skin.
“Now,”
Jamie demanded breathlessly. He lunged, Cesar catching him with a wicked grin before Jamie curled his legs around the man’s waist.
“Demanding little thing, aren’t you?”
“Who knew?”
Jamie sure didn’t. It seemed his pookie was bringing out all the hidden sides of him. If this kept up, Jamie would soon be carrying a weapon, have a bandana wrapped around his head, and driving his own motorcycle. Or a scooter.
Cesar headed out of the bathroom, Jamie pressing kisses to his jaw, facial hair tickling his lips.
“Tus labios me están volviendo loco, cari?o.”
“Yes, to whatever you said.”
Jamie licked a path from jaw to ear, each step jostling him against Cesar’s chest, creating a delicious friction.
The bedroom was dark until Cesar kicked the door wider, letting hallway light spill across a massive bed with rumpled sheets. He laid Jamie down, tugging at his arms.
“Gotta let go so I can get rid of these jeans, Jamie.”
The way Cesar said his name, like it was something precious, made heat pool low in his belly. He uncurled his arms, propping himself up on his elbows, not wanting to miss the show.
“I knew it,”
he whispered as Cesar’s jeans hit the floor, revealing black boxer briefs that did nothing to hide his impressive arousal.
“You’re packing.”
Cesar laughed, the sound warm in the quiet room.
“Eloquent as always, colibrí.”
Jamie jerked upward, cupping the back of Cesar’s head. Their mouths met again, and Jamie melted into the kiss, opening for Cesar’s tongue.
“We need to talk, cari?o.”
He pulled away, leaving Jamie lying there trying to catch his breath.
“Now?”
Unsure why his dreamboat wanted to talk right before they did the deed, Jamie put a little distance between them by scooting away. It might’ve been a while since he’d been with someone, but the feeling of coming rejection wasn’t something a person could forget. But why had Cesar waited until they were in bed for his “it’s not you, it’s me” speech?
“Doce... once... diez...”
Jamie closed his eyes. If he couldn’t see Cesar, maybe it wouldn’t feel like his heart was being ripped out.
Warm hands gently cupped his face.
“Slow your breathing, colibrí,”
Cesar instructed, his thumbs brushing back and forth over his skin.
“Let’s count together. Nueve...ocho...siete...”
Jamie tried, but he couldn’t catch his breath long enough to get the words out. His fingers curled around Cesar’s wrists as he fought not to fall apart. His breath hitched when his jellybean started singing softly to him. The rich, deep timbre of his voice settled inside Jamie, helping him to breathe.
“What is that? It’s so beautiful.”
“Todo cambió.”
Cesar pressed his lips against Jamie’s forehead.
“It’s how I feel about you, mi elegido.”
Opening his eyes, Jamie stared into glowing amber.
“Are you breaking up with me? I don’t know why, honey bunny. What did I do? I thought after sharing a shootout and a shift, we…”
He forced his lips closed, refusing to make a fool of himself. He’d been in this position before, with his last boyfriend of two weeks.
His only boyfriend, until Cesar.
“Breaking up with you? Dios mío,”
Cesar murmured, shaking his head.
“Why would you think that?”
“You said we needed to talk.”
His fingers curled tighter around Cesar’s wrists.
“I know what that means.”
It happened during Jamie’s last hospital stay, when he’d woken up after his latest head trauma. Symon had come to see him, telling Jamie they needed to talk then proceeded to dump him, saying he couldn’t deal with Grant’s violence toward Jamie anymore.
“It means a lot of things, sweetheart.”
Cesar smiled softly at him.
“Lay it on me.”
Jamie braced himself.
“What do you need to tell me?”
Doce... once... diez...
“My wolf has chosen you as my mate,”
Cesar replied.
Nueve...ocho...siete... “Huh?”
He blinked rapidly, trying to focus.
“Did you just say your wolf chose me to be your mate? I don’t follow. A pirate? Friend? You can’t just say that to me and expect me to figure out what it means.”
He tapped his temple as a reminder, because he didn’t want to say it out loud.
“At least give me better clues, pookie.”
Cesar grinned.
“It means, if we have sex, I’m gonna bind our souls. You’ll be mine. Forever. No changing your mind once it’s—”
“Yes!”
Jamie bounced on his knees, nearly toppling off the bed. Cesar caught him before he hit the floor and pulled him back up.
“Careful, hon. You almost hit your head on the nightstand.”
“My crush just told me I can be with him for however long I want!”
Thirsty? Flat-out. Shame? Nope.
“So how does this work? Oh wait, you said sex. Is it something kinky? Cause I’m okay with that, as long as it doesn’t get outrageously weird. Or involve blood. I can’t cut myself. I’ll get all squirmy and queasy. This one time at work—”
Cesar pressed a finger against Jamie’s lips.
“Jerry cut himself while opening boxes, and I nearly fainted,”
he mumbled then licked Cesar’s finger.
His jellybean’s eyelids lowered slightly.
“Don’t tempt me with your tongue, cari?o.”
With a mischievous grin, Jamie swept his tongue teasingly over his bottom lip, delighting in the way Cesar’s gaze followed like a magnet.
“So, how do we start this soul-binding thing? Is there a manual? A YouTube tutorial?”
Cesar stepped in close, and Jamie’s entire body went haywire. Heat rolled off the man like the guy was his own personal furnace, and Jamie wanted to burn.
“We have to do naked cartwheels while chanting, and our fingers have to stay laced the entire time.”
Cesar settled between Jamie’s legs, and oh. Oh. This was happening. Wait.
“I’ve never done a cartwheel before.”
He tried to think of where he could learn when he noticed his jellybean’s lips twitching. Jamie narrowed his eyes.
“You got me again, didn’t you?”
A soft laugh, low and sinful, vibrated through the space between them.
“Just matching your energy, mi alma.”
Jamie watched him., feeling the weight settle in the room.
“When we’re joined—when I’m buried deep inside you—I’ll bite you here.”
The brush of his knuckles along Jamie’s jaw stole every thought from his head, leaving only the sensation of his touch and the sound of his voice.
“Like a vampire?”
“No, colibrí. My canines will break the skin, but only enough to mark you as mine. It’s how wolves claim their mates.”
“And that binds our souls?”
The weight of his eyes pinned Jamie in place, the glowing amber a force that refused to let him go.
“For life.”
A quietness settled into Cesar’s expression in a way that made Jamie’s stomach tightened.
“Once done, it can’t be undone. You’ll be mine, and I’ll be yours.”
Forever. With one person. With Cesar. His grocery store crush who turned into an actual wolf and was the first person who’d ever made Jamie feel safe and normal.
“You still with me?”
The quiet desperation in Cesar’s eyes made Jamie’s chest tighten.
“Can I ask a question?”
When Cesar spoke, it wasn’t just sound. It was a vibration, deep and resonant, wrapping around Jamie like a physical thing, pulling him in.
“Ask me anything, hummingbird. I’ll always be honest with you.”
Hopefully he didn’t take this the wrong way.
“Your pack? Will they be my family too?”
A graze of knuckles brushed Jamie’s jaw, leaving a trail of heat that seeped into his skin.
“The moment my wolf chose you, you became pack, Jamie.”
He held up a finger, confusing Jamie.
“What does that mean?”
“One call, one message that you need help, and they will drop everything to get to you, to fight for you, to save you from whoever just made the biggest mistake of their life.”
His mouth curved into a slow, wicked grin.
“Have I answered all of your questions to your satisfaction?”
Jamie burst out laughing then slapped a hand over his mouth when he snorted. The sound only made Cesar laugh harder. In seconds, Jamie dropped his hand and threw his head back, feeling all his pain and worry vanish like a popped balloon.
His jellybean made him believe in the impossible, in miracles, in everything he’d once thought was out of reach. “Yes!”
He chuckled.
“Not because of your pack but because someone actually wants to keep me forever.”
The smile that spread across Cesar’s face could’ve powered the whole dang town.
“You’re sure about this?”
“I’ve been sure since you manhandled Grant at the checkout.”
Jamie bit his lip, watched the way Cesar tracked the movement.
“Maybe before that. Maybe since the first time I watched you fondle produce.”