Chapter 10 Rey #2
Rey cut Carter off with a hand over his mouth.
“Shh, little wolf,” he said. “If I didn’t already know you don’t see me as a ‘wallet,’ I would be twice as determined to buy you these things now.
We’ll discuss your hospital bills later, but for now, please, as your mate, let me do these things for you.
I want to see you happy. It makes me happy. ”
Carter’s eyes traced back and forth over Rey’s face, looking for any deception in his words. Rey also knew his scent would be pure, with no malice hiding in it. “Please, little wolf, accept my gifts.”
A jerky nod came a few tense moments later, and Rey smiled, taking his hand away from Carter’s mouth. “Thank you, sweetheart. Let’s get going. It’s getting later, and I still want to make you dinner.”
He helped Carter into the truck and closed the door, jogging around to the driver’s side.
The drive to Senaka would be over an hour, and the sun hung low in the sky.
They’d been in the store for a couple of hours.
“Why don’t you check out your phone while I drive? ” Rey asked, backing out of the space.
Carter hesitated but picked up the bag Rey had set at his feet to take out the phone box.
The employee at the store had already transferred everything from the cloud, but Rey had insisted on a new phone number and adding it onto his own account, closing Carter’s.
Carter had lost none of his contacts or photos, which had been on his old one.
“Block his number, just in case,” Rey said. He knew he didn’t need to tell Carter who he meant. With a single nod coming from Carter, Rey reached over to stroke a strand of Carter’s hair from his cheek and behind his ear. “It’s going to be a little over an hour until we get home. Okay?”
“Okay,” Carter replied, already tapping away on his phone.
A small smile built over Carter’s lips, and Rey’s heart skipped a beat at the contentment he felt emanating from Carter.
His little wolf appeared to be in his element with technology.
Rey knew how to work his television, coffeemaker, and a handful of other gadgets in his home, but he’d never been completely at ease with anything complicated.
Even with the larger screens on phones, he still struggled to type on them.
His fingers were thick and blunt, making it difficult to hit the right letters.
Rey didn’t interrupt whatever Carter was doing.
Instead, he let Carter lose himself in something he obviously enjoyed.
Throughout the drive, Rey glanced over at him constantly.
The pale skin of his throat called to Rey, his teeth aching to sink deep and mark his mate for the world to see.
His fingers itched to tangle in the dark blond strands at the nape of his neck.
There was a tiny little mole at the corner of Carter’s mouth, and Rey wanted nothing more than to explore it with his tongue.
Carter had no idea just how sexy and gorgeous he was.
Rey planned on showing him at every chance he had.
Tonight, if Carter allowed him, Rey would spend several hours discovering every single inch of his mate—the slender legs crossed at the ankles, the delicious dimples at the outside edges of his knees, the soft curve of his ears.
All of it called to him. Soon, he told his wolf.
He’s already ours, but soon the world will know it, too.
His wolf chuffed in agreement, curling up to wait out the rest of the time until then.
When they reached the town limits, Rey reached out and tapped Carter on the knee gently. “Hey, sweetheart, look out the window.”
Carter dropped his phone into his lap, eagerness clear on his face as he peered out the windows. “Is that Seth’s clinic?” he asked, pointing out a small building they passed.
“Yes. He bought it from Doc Redfern, who retired to Florida a while back.”
More questions poured forth as Rey drove slowly through the town, letting his mate get his first look at where he would live from now on.
When they reached his neighborhood, Rey gestured to Seth and Kasey’s home, Talon’s, and then, finally, they reached his place.
He waited, observing Carter’s reaction to his home.
If Carter didn’t like it, he could always remodel it or change whatever his mate wanted, but he hoped it suited Carter.
He’d put a lot of time and effort into it over the years.
He put the truck in Park and turned off the engine.
Carter’s gaze bounced from the path leading to the front porch, to the flowers, to the porch swing.
“I’ve always wanted a porch swing,” Carter said.
“Have a nice cup of coffee and watch the sun rise. I’ve always lived in either an apartment or with someone who didn’t have one. ”
The tightness in Rey’s chest loosened, and he smiled. “Come. I’ll show you the rest.”
Carter eagerly followed him out of the truck and up to the house. Rey unlocked the door, letting Carter enter before him. “If there’s anything you don’t like, we can change it.”
Shaking his head furiously, Carter stared around in wonder. “It’s gorgeous! Oh, a real fireplace, too! I love it. Nick’s house has a fireplace in it. None of the places I’ve lived in otherwise have had one. Just central heating. Can we light a fire tonight? Please?”
Rey intended to start a fire that night, but not the kind Carter had in mind.
He pointed toward the kitchen. “The kitchen is through there. I have a small mudroom where I usually shift and come back in from a run. There’s a guest bedroom downstairs and my office is next to it with a bathroom across from them.
Upstairs is almost entirely my bedroom and the main bathroom.
I had the walls torn down and just opened the area for more space. ”
“Wow,” Carter said.
“Why don’t you look around while I unload the truck?
” Rey said. He watched Carter for a second while his mate ambled through the living room, then he turned to go back out to his truck.
He grabbed their bags first, setting them down inside the front door, before taking the computer monitor, laptop, and other miscellaneous equipment into his office.
When he finished, he went in search of his mate and found Carter upstairs, checking out the bathroom and his walk-in closet.
Rey loved his large shower with glass doors and a waterfall showerhead, but his real favorite was the jetted tub he’d also had installed for when he’d had a rough day at the shop.
Rey leaned a shoulder against the doorjamb as he watched Carter trail his fingers along the long double-sink vanity counter. “This is amazing,” Carter said.
“Thanks. Took me a while to get everything the way I wanted it since I did most of the remodel myself and the shop keeps me busy.”
Carter eyed the tub, longing obvious on his face. “Can I take a bath tonight?”
Rey moved until he pressed his front against Carter’s back. Bending down, he nuzzled Carter’s throat. “Only if I can join you.”
A flush rose in Carter’s cheeks, but he smiled and nodded. “I’d like that.”
Humming, Rey pressed his lips to Carter’s throat, trailing them along the slender line, his teeth aching to sink into the tender flesh and mark him, claiming him as his. He laid his palm on Carter’s belly while wrapping his other arm around Carter’s upper body. “Are you hungry, sweetheart?”
Carter pushed back into him, leaning his head against Rey’s shoulder. Their eyes met in the mirror, and Rey could see the answering desire reflected in Carter’s. “Or is there something else you need?” Rey asked, sliding his palm under Carter’s shirt to rest on the bare flesh beneath.
“You,” Carter said. “I need you.”
“Good answer.” Rey spun Carter and lifted him up to set him on the counter, slotting himself between Carter’s thighs.
He captured Carter’s mouth with his, thrusting his tongue deep inside.
His hands gripped Carter’s ass cheeks, loving how they filled his palms just right.
Squeezing, he elicited a gasp and a moan from Carter.
“Can’t wait to be inside you, mate. To feel you wrapped so tightly around my cock. ”
“R-Rey,” Carter moaned, sliding his arms around Rey’s neck. He tangled his fingers in Rey’s hair and yanked him deeper into their kiss. Rey practically ate at Carter’s mouth for long moments, loving the taste of his mate’s sweet strawberry flavor.
Breaking the kiss, Rey encouraged Carter to raise his arms, allowing him to strip the simple t-shirt he wore over his head.
Carter’s body had few muscles or curves, but Rey didn’t care.
He’d been with men and women over the years, all differing sizes and shapes.
He ran his palms up Carter’s chest, scraping them over his nipples, relishing the whimper Carter made.
Someday soon, he’d explore Carter’s boundaries, trying out the various toys and objects he had stowed in his dresser.
There’d definitely been a bit of interest in the nipple clamps.
But tonight, Rey wanted to make love to Carter.
Fucking could come later. He wrapped one large hand around Carter’s nape, seizing his lips again.
With his free hand, he traced the tips of his fingers along Carter’s shoulders, down his arms, and along the ribs jutting outward.
His mate really needed to put on a little more weight.
It concerned Rey how well he could feel the ridges of his bones.
“Wrap your legs around me, little wolf,” Rey commanded, bringing his hands down to grip Carter’s ass cheeks again.
Carter instantly obeyed, and Rey lifted him from the counter, turned, and walked into the bedroom.
He lowered Carter gently onto his bed, coming down on top of him.
“Going to make you feel so good, sweetheart.”