Chapter Twenty-Eight
Friday night, Leyden stripped the bed for the third time, convinced the sheets still smelled wrong. Too much detergent. Not enough maybe. Something…
He shook out fresh linens - the softest he could find - and stretched the fitted sheet across the mattress. Tucked in the corners and smoothed every wrinkle.
The cabin sat deep in neutral territory, miles from any pack lands. Small, rustic, utterly private. Leyden had arranged it two days ago, and had sent Matthew ahead the day before to stock the kitchen and check the plumbing. Everything worked. Everything was ready.
Except Leyden couldn’t stop finding things to tweak.
He finished making the bed, then opened the nightstand drawer to check supplies for the fourth time. Lube - three bottles, different types. Towels were stacked neatly on the shelf. There were water bottles, wipes...
Leyden closed the drawer and almost immediately opened it again. He needed to rearrange everything so the most important supply – lube – was handy when it was needed. He didn’t want to ruin a moment by fumbling for a tube.
You’re being ridiculous. He’d had sex hundreds of times, thousands maybe. He knew what he was doing. He knew how to make it good for his partner.
But his hands still shook as he adjusted the lamp angle.
This isn’t an encounter. This is Connor – my mate – and it’s his first time.
Leyden was determined it had to be perfect.
Those sheets still didn’t smell right. He lifted the corner of the sheet, planning to strip the bed again.
“Are you going to just keep washing those sheets until they disintegrate?”
Leyden immediately dropped the corner of the sheet and spun around. Connor stood in the doorway, arms crossed, mouth quirked in amusement.
“I…they didn’t smell right.”
“They smell fine.” Connor stepped into the room, looking around. “You’ve cleaned this place so much I can practically see my reflection in the floor.”
Leyden ran a hand through his hair. “I wanted everything ready.”
“It is ready.” Connor moved closer, tilted his head. “You’re nervous.”
“No.” The lie came out automatically.
Connor raised an eyebrow.
Leyden sighed. “Maybe. A little.”
“You’ve done this before. Many times.”
“Not with you.”
Connor’s expression softened. He crossed the room, took Leyden’s hands. “What are you worried about?”
“That I’ll mess it up. That it won’t be good for you. That you’ll…” Leyden stopped, gripped Connor’s hands tighter. “I want this to be perfect. You deserve perfect.”
Connor tucked in the errant sheet corner and then pulled Leyden down to sit on the edge of the bed. “It doesn’t need to be perfect.”
“It does.” Leyden looked at their joined hands. “This is your first time. It matters. I want you to remember it as something good, something worth waiting for. Not just - not fumbling around in the dark, hoping for the best.”
“Your wolf’s eyesight is as good as mine.” Connor chuckled. “Is that honestly what you think will happen?”
“I don’t know what will happen.” Leyden met Connor’s eyes. “I’ve never done this with someone I love before. Someone who matters as much as you.”
Connor’s face did something complicated. “You love me.”
“Of course I love you. You know that.”
“No, I mean…” Connor squeezed Leyden’s hands. “You’re nervous because you love me. Not because I’m inexperienced or might freak out. Because it matters to you that I feel good.”
“Yes.” Leyden swallowed. “I’ve never loved any of the people I’ve bedded before. I’ve never wanted to make it special or memorable in any way. It was just sex.”
“And this isn’t just sex.”
“No. This is you.” Leyden brought Connor’s hand to his mouth, kissed his knuckles. “This is us. This is me showing you how much I want you, how much you mean to me. And I’m quietly terrified I’ll fuck it up somehow.”
Connor pulled one hand free, cupped Leyden’s face. “You won’t fuck it up.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do.” Connor’s thumb was warm as it traced a line from Leyden’s temple to the corner of his lip. “Because it’s not about technique, experience, or wrinkle free sheets. It’s about us. You and me, together. That’s what makes it good.”
Leyden leaned into Connor’s touch. “What if you change your mind? What if we start and you realize you don’t actually want it?”
“Then I tell you and we stop.” Connor said it like it was simple. “You told me that at least a dozen times. Then we hold each other, and we try again another time. Or we don’t. Either way, we’re still us.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that.” Connor smiled. “You’ve been patient with me for weeks. Months, if you think about it. Let me be patient with you for once.”
Leyden huffed a laugh. “I’m supposed to be the experienced one.”
“Experience doesn’t mean much when everything’s different.” Connor shifted closer, until their knees touched. “This is different for both of us. You’ve never made love to your mate before. I’ve never made love at all. We’re figuring it out together.”
Leyden pulled Connor against his chest, buried his face in Connor’s hair.
“It will be good because it’s us,” Connor murmured against Leyden’s shoulder. “That’s all it needs to be.”
“Tonight,” Leyden murmured. “I want tonight to be the night. If you’re still ready.”
Connor pulled back enough to meet his eyes. “I’m ready.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure.” Connor kissed him, soft and sweet. “Are you ready?”
Leyden smiled against Connor’s mouth. “Yeah. I’m ready.”
Connor kissed him again, deeper this time. His hands slid up to Leyden’s shoulders, gripping them tight.
Leyden let Connor set the pace. When his mate finally pulled back, breathing hard, Leyden didn’t chase his mouth.
“More?” Leyden asked.
Connor nodded. His fingers found the buttons of Leyden’s shirt, fumbling with the top one as he tried to get it open.
Leyden stayed perfectly still, watching Connor’s face as he worked each button free, revealing skin inch by inch. Connor’s breathing quickened as he pushed the fabric off Leyden’s shoulders, letting it fall to the bed.
“Can I touch?” Connor’s voice came out rough.
“Please.”
Connor’s hands spread across Leyden’s chest, warm and exploring. He traced the lines of muscle, the valleys between. His thumb brushed over Leyden’s nipple and Leyden sucked in a breath.
Connor froze. “Did I hurt you?”
“Nope. That was the opposite of hurt.”
Connor did it again, watched Leyden’s reaction. “You like that.”
“Yeah.” Leyden’s voice came out strained. “A lot.”
Connor experimented. Different pressures, different touches. Leyden bit back a groan when Connor’s fingers pinched lightly, rolled.
“Fascinating,” Connor murmured.
Leyden managed to huff a laugh despite the arousal pooling in his gut. “I’m your science experiment now?”
“Maybe.” Connor leaned in, pressed his mouth to Leyden’s collarbone. “Is that okay?”
“Gods, yes.”
Connor kissed down Leyden’s chest. Tentative at first, then with growing confidence as Leyden’s breathing hitched and stuttered. When Connor’s tongue flicked over his nipple, Leyden’s hips jerked involuntarily.
Connor pulled back. “Too much?”
“Nope.” Leyden gripped the bedspread to keep his hands to himself. “Not too much. Keep going.”
Connor returned to his exploration. Mouth and hands working together, learning what made Leyden gasp, what made his muscles tense. Connor traced the ridges of Leyden’s abs, followed the trail of hair down to his waistband.
Stopped.
“Can I?” Connor’s fingers hooked in Leyden’s belt loops.
Leyden cleared his throat and nodded, not trusting his voice as he leaned back and sucked in his belly.
His heart was racing as his belt buckle clinked as it was undone.
Connor didn’t hesitate, taking care with the zipper but before Leyden could count to three, his pants were undone.
Connor started tugging on the material, pulling down the jeans with the underwear and Leyden lifted his hips to help, kicking the fabric aside as his ankles were finally free.
Okay. That’s me naked. The extra layer of eroticism he perceived – being naked while Connor was still fully dressed – shimmied down his spine.
Connor dropped to his knees, his eyes wide as he stared.
Leyden kept his smirk to himself. “You’ve seen me without clothes before.”
“Not like this.” Connor’s gaze traveled up Leyden’s body, slow and thorough. “Not when I wanted to touch.”
“You know you can.”
Connor’s hands settled on Leyden’s thighs. Slid upward, fingers firm on muscle. “Show me what you like.”
Leyden took one of Connor’s hands, guided it to wrap around his cock. Stroking his dick was as easy as breathing, especially with all the practice he’d had lately. Connor caught on fast, and Leyden could feel him watching every expression, learning what made Leyden gasp or moan.
“Like this?”
“Yeah. Just like that.” Leyden wanted to close his eyes, but watching Connor watch him was far more important.
His mate was experimenting with his grip and stroke - faster, slower, tighter grip. Leyden’s hips thrust up into Connor’s fist, seeking more friction.
“You’re beautiful like this,” Connor said, and there was genuine wonder in his voice. “I never understood before. Why people wanted this. But seeing you respond to me…”
He broke off and squeezed harder. Leyden groaned.
“Connor. Wait.”
Connor’s hand stilled immediately. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No. Fuck, no.” Leyden sat up, caught Connor’s face in his hands. “You’re perfect. But I’m going to come in about thirty seconds if you keep that up, and I want - I want to make this good for you too.”
Connor blinked. “You want me naked.”
“Very much.”
Connor stood, pulled his shirt over his head. His jeans and boxers were at his ankles in seconds, and he kicked them off. Leyden drank in the sight. Connor’s wide shoulders, thick arms, defined chest, muscled thighs. And, more importantly for what they were doing, clear evidence of his arousal.
Oh, that’s one beautifully chunky cock. “Come here, hon.”
Connor climbed onto the bed, and straddled Leyden’s lap. Leyden’s urge to rut was growing. He settled his hands on Connor’s hips. “Is this okay?”
“Yeah.” Connor rolled his hips experimentally. They both groaned as their cocks slid together.
“Fuck,” Leyden breathed. “Connor…”
Connor did it again. Slower this time, deliberate. Learning what angles felt best, what pressure. Leyden guided Connor’s movements with his hands, showed him the rhythm.
“Like this?” Connor asked.
“Perfect. Fuck, you’re perfect.”
Hair falling around his face, Connor leaned down, pressing his lips against Leyden’s. Their bodies were moving together as if they were made for each other, which Leyden already knew they were. He stroked down Connor’s back, finding the dip of his spine before gripping Connor’s ass.
“That feels…” Connor groaned against Leyden’s mouth.
“Good?”
“Sooo good.” Connor rocked harder, chasing the sensation.
Leyden slid his hands around to Connor’s chest, and found his nipples. He rolled them between his fingers the way Connor had done to him.
Connor’s whole body shuddered. “Oh.”
“You like that, too.” Leyden coughed to remove his growl. Connor in passion was incredible.
“Yeah. I didn’t know…” Connor broke off with a moan as Leyden pinched lightly.
Filing that bit of information away, Leyden kissed Connor’s jaw, and throat. He made his way around to where his claiming scar stood proud and sucked on it.
Connor cried out, hips stuttering. “Leyden…”
“Still okay?” Leyden pulled back to check Connor’s face. “Do you want to stop?”
“Don’t you dare stop.” Connor grabbed Leyden’s hand, pressed it more firmly against his chest. “I want…I want more.”
“Tell me what you need.”
“I don’t know yet.” Connor kissed him again, messy and desperate. “Show me. Please.”