Chapter 5
“Are you hungry?” Brian asked as he dried Keith off, making sure to keep his touch gentle. Whoever and whatever had hurt his mate in the past wouldn’t get a chance to do it again. He would make sure of that.
Shrugging, Keith said, “Food isn’t a priority for me.”
He ran the towel over his mate’s unnaturally thin frame. “Well, it needs to be. You’re underweight.” Remembering their earlier conversation, he cringed and rushed to correct his mistake. “I like how you look. You’re very handsome.”
“Oh yeah? Does that mean you’re into super skinny guys?”
“No.”
Keith arched his eyebrows. “So you’re not into me?”
“I mean yes,” he said in a rush.
“Well, in that case, I better not eat anything right now. It’s late and I need to watch my figure.”
“None of that is what I meant.” Brian rubbed his palm over his eyes. He was normally good at diplomacy, but now, when it mattered most, he kept saying the wrong thing.
Keith grinned and tugged on the towel wrapped around Brian’s waist.
“What are you doing?”
“Your chest is wet. I’m returning the favor and drying you off.” He made good on his statement and ran the towel over Brian’s torso, his movements slow and controlled. “If you didn’t mean any of that, then what is your type?”
“My type?” His synapses were firing in every direction. His mate’s attention to his body aroused him, while the things he had learned about his past distressed him, and his physical condition worried him.
“Yes. What kind of person are you into? Sexually.”
The first whiff of his mate’s scent had woven through him and recalibrated his urges and desires. He would never be sexually attracted to another person, nor did he want to be. “I’m into you. Only you.”
“Good answer.” Keith lifted the towel and rubbed it over Brian’s hair. “You’re very suave.”
“I’m being sincere.” He reached for Keith’s hand. “Even with your confounding personality, you are the most appealing person I’ve ever come across and I desperately want you, but I need to feed you.” He looked at him imploringly. “Will you eat for me?”
“Even with.”
Brian flinched. “I have got to stop saying that.”
“You know I’m teasing you, right?” Keith draped the towel over Brian’s nape and tugged him forward until their chests bumped. “I’m so giddy that you’re my mate, I can’t help myself. I feel like I’ve gone back in time eight years.”
The little he had gleaned about Keith’s history broke his heart, but he wanted to understand more.
He needed to know everything about this man.
“How about we go downstairs so I can feed you and then you can tell me what happened eight years ago.” Eventually, he’d ask about the years before and after that time too, but he had to start somewhere.
“Sure.” Keith’s gaze was locked on him, and they were standing so close together that he could feel Keith’s breath whisper across his lips.
He wanted to kiss him and leaned forward to do that when one of Keith’s earlier comments slammed into Brian’s mind and he couldn’t shake it. “You implied that you’ve never been with anyone.”
“That’s right.” Keith nodded. “I’m counting on you to change that.” He grinned. “Don’t let me down.”
This man. “I won’t.” Brian raised his hands and cradled Keith’s cheeks. “But for now, I’m hoping for a kiss.” He dipped his face so closely to Keith’s that air could barely pass between them. “May I kiss you, mate?”
Eyes twinkling, Keith smiled even wider. “You may.”
Committing the moment to memory, Brian took his time. He slid his thumb over Keith’s bottom lip and looked into his twinkling brown eyes. “You really are stunning.”
“You’re beautiful and you smell delicious,” Keith whispered. “Give me a taste.”
“Gladly.” He kept bumbling over his words, but he’d get this right.
He pressed his lips to Keith’s, keeping the pressure light at first and slowly increasing it.
They moved together instinctively, one tilting his head in one direction as the other went the opposite, lips parting and tugging, tongues tasting.
He slid one hand behind Keith’s neck and the other around his back while Keith gripped his hip and shoulder, fingertips pressing into him.
When he realized he was thrusting, he tore his mouth away from Keith’s and pressed it to the side of his neck.
“We have to stop while we still can,” Brian said breathlessly.
“I’d rather keep going.”
“That was the best kiss of my life, but I need to feed you,” Brian insisted.
“That was the only kiss of my life and I’m going to need you to never remind me of your past conquests.”
“Shit.” Brian winced. “Why do I keep saying the wrong things? I’m not usually like this.”
“It’s okay. You’re thirty-three years old and you’ve probably had a normal life, so I understand that you have a past, but I’m going to pretend nobody has ever touched you and you’re not going to pop my delusional bubble by comparing me to them.”
“There’s no comparison,” Brian said sincerely.
He was still confused about having an Alpha as a mate, still distressed about Keith’s past, still concerned about his health, but there was one thing he knew with absolute certainty: This man was his and he’d protect him with everything he had. Nobody would hurt Keith ever again.
“Excellent. Let’s never speak of them.” Keith arched his eyebrows and looked at Brian meaningfully. “I’m an Alpha and I have the possessive temperament that goes with it. I’m sure you understand.”
“I do.” He had known this man less than a day and he was certain he’d eviscerate anyone who laid hands on him. “I’m proud to be the only person who will ever share pleasure with you,” he admitted. For the first time, he regretted his past. “I’m sorry I can’t give you that, but the others—”
“Seriously?” Keith said. “What did we just talk about? Is your condition pathological?”
“Damn it.” He squeezed his eyes shut, sighed, and opened them. “Maybe it is?”
“Thank goodness you’re pretty.” Keith took hold of his hand. “Come on. Show me to your food so I can check that box off your list and we can go back to the kissing.” He pulled Brian toward the bedroom door. “I need to rewrite the memories you definitely don’t have of absolutely no other people.”
Brian liked to believe he was one of the smartest people in any room, but every conversation he’d had with his mate left him feeling like he was running in slow motion during a sprint. “Wait,” he said when they reached the door and his brain finally caught up to the situation. “We’re not dressed.”
Keith stopped, turned around, and dragged his gaze from Brian’s face to his feet. “I know. That’s why I took your towel. I like this view.”
His cheeks heated. “I thought you said you took it to dry me off.”
Smirking, Keith said, “I did dry you off.”
He was definitely downloading on dial-up internet. “What?”
“Maybe you’re the one who needs to eat. Did you skip lunch?”
He nodded because he hadn’t eaten anything since that morning before he’d driven to Green Field. After that, he’d been too busy tending to the situation with his mate.
“Don’t worry.” Keith’s voice gentled. “I’m not horrible in the kitchen. I spent a lot of time there with Lorraine when I was a kid. I’ll make you something you’ll enjoy for dinner.” He turned back around and opened the bedroom door.
Brian followed along for a few steps and then remembered his earlier concern. “Wait,” he said again as he dug in his heels. “We’re naked.”
“We’ve gone over this, remember?” Keith turned to him and smoothed his fingers over Brian’s forehead. “Did you skip breakfast too?”
“No, but”—he waived his free hand back and forth between them— “we should get dressed.”
“Is there someone else here?” Keith stilled, tipped his head to the side so his ear was raised, and inhaled deeply. “I don’t hear anyone or smell anyone.”
They were upstairs and the house was large, so that wasn’t an answer to his question, but Keith happened to be right. Brian had sent the healing team away earlier and nobody else lived at the Alpha house or had the right or ability to access it without his permission.
“We’re alone,” he confirmed.
“Great. Let’s go.” Once again, Keith flipped around and headed to the stairs, dragging Brian behind him.
“This is delicious,” Brian said after swallowing a mouthful of an omelet that contained more sausage and ham than eggs. “I love meat.”
“You’re propositioning me in the kitchen?” Keith said, eyes wide and expression scandalized. “Well, I suppose if you insist on eating my meat, there’s nothing I can do to stop you.”
Brian laughed. The day had been ridiculously stressful. He was worried about Keith’s health. He had made an enemy of a neighboring pack. He had an Alpha for a mate. There was so much he needed to think about and manage, but somehow this man overrode all of that and made him giddy.
Keith set down his fork, planted his palms on the table, and rose from his chair. “Where do you want me?” He made a show of slowly panning the room. “I guess I could clear the table?” He reached for Brian’s mostly full plate.
“Don’t you dare.” Brian said playfully as he pulled the plate toward him. “I’m not done with the delicious meal you made.”
“I thought you said you wanted to eat my meat?”
He considered his exact words. “I'm pretty sure that isn’t what I said.”
“Oh.” Keith frowned and pouted exaggeratedly. “Do you not want to eat my meat?”
The insinuation had his eyes reflexively moving to Keith’s groin. His balls were nicely sized, his sac pink, and his cock was long and thick, even in its relaxed state. Yes, he very much wanted them in his mouth. Amusement giving way to arousal, he licked his lips.
Keith’s laugh pulled his attention back to his smiling face and twinkling eyes. “You’re easy.” He winked and sat back down. “I’m pretty sure it’s one of your best qualities.” He tipped his chin toward Brian’s plate. “Eat, mate.”