Chapter Four #2
Kivani handed him the apple and watched as Dakota studied it with the same focus he’d used to organize the taffy last night.
His fingers traced the apple's surface, testing for soft spots, and his bottom lip caught between his teeth as he concentrated. Kivani’s tiger rumbled low, pleased by Dakota’s careful attention, by the way he took this seriously even though it was just picking fruit.
“This one's good?” Dakota asked, looking up at Kivani for confirmation.
“Perfect.” Their fingers brushed as Kivani took the apple, and he saw Dakota’s breath hitch.
The moment stretched between them, both of them frozen by their hands nearly touching over a piece of fruit in the middle of a crowded market.
Kivani could hear Dakota’s heartbeat accelerate, could smell the change in his scent as attraction flooded through him.
Dakota pulled his hand back first, tucking hair behind his ear again. “How many do you need?”
“A dozen or so.” Kivani’s voice came out lower than normal, and he saw Dakota’s eyes dart to his mouth before looking away. “Want to help?”
They picked through the apples together, falling into an easy rhythm. Dakota would select one, Kivani would approve or reject it, and slowly the bag filled with perfect fruit. The vendor, an older woman named Martha who'd known Kivani for years, watched them with knowing eyes and a small smile.
“Your friend has a good eye,” Martha said as Kivani paid.
“He does.” Kivani looked at Dakota, who was examining a display of pumpkins at the next table with that same focused attention. “He's good at a lot of things.”
“I can see that.” Martha's smile widened. “You should bring him around more often.”
Kivani nodded and collected his bag, warmth spreading through him at the idea of Dakota becoming a regular part of his life.
They wandered through the rest of the market, Dakota pausing occasionally to examine something that caught his attention.
A display of hand-knitted scarves. Jars of pickled vegetables.
Bundles of dried herbs that filled the air with the smell of sage and rosemary.
Kivani found himself watching Dakota more than the market, his tiger content to simply observe his mate moving through the world.
Dakota stopped at a table covered in baked goods, his eyes going wide at the array of pastries and breads. “Oh my god, those look amazing.”
The baker, a young man Kivani vaguely recognized from the coffee shop, smiled at Dakota. “Fresh out of the oven this morning. The apple fritters are my specialty.”
Dakota leaned closer, examining the golden pastries dusted with cinnamon sugar. His tongue darted out to wet his lips, and Kivani felt something tighten low in his stomach. His tiger rumbled, wanting to feed their mate, wanting to provide.
“Want one?” Kivani asked.
“I shouldn't.” Dakota’s eyes stayed fixed on the fritters. “I already had toast this morning. I don’t need any more carbs.”
“We’ll walk it off.” Kivani was already pulling out his wallet. “Two apple fritters, please.”
Dakota made a small sound of protest, but he was smiling when Kivani handed him the paper bag. They found an empty bench near the edge of the square and sat down. Dakota pulled out one of the fritters and took a bite, his eyes falling closed as he chewed.
“Good?” Kivani asked, even though the answer was written all over Dakota’s face.
“So good.” Dakota took another bite, and a small sound of pleasure escaped his throat that made Kivani’s blood heat. “Like, criminally good.”
“Then wait until you taste the cinnamon rolls at the local bakery. They’ll make your toes curl.
” Kivani watched Dakota eat, his tiger purring with satisfaction.
His mate was happy, fed, safe beside him in the morning sunlight.
Everything in Kivani’s world felt right in a way it never had before.
He reached for his own fritter and bit into it, the sweetness of apple and cinnamon filling his mouth.
They ate in comfortable silence, watching people move through the market.
Dakota’s knee pressed against Kivani’s on the bench, a point of contact that seemed to burn through the layers of denim.
Kivani could feel heat radiating from Dakota’s smaller body, could hear the soft sounds he made as he licked sugar from his fingers.
“This was nice,” his mate said when he’d finished. He crumpled the paper bag and looked at Kivani with something soft in his expression. “Thank you for inviting me.”
“I’m glad you came.” Kivani stood and offered his hand to help his mate up. Dakota took it, his palm sliding against Kivani’s, and for a moment, they stood there hand in hand in the middle of the square. He could feel his mate’s pulse fluttering against his fingers.
Dakota pulled his hand away. “I should probably let you get back to work.”
“Come up to my place first.” The words were out before Kivani could think them through. His tiger pushed forward, demanding more time with their mate. “I want to cut up some of this fruit, see how it tastes. You can help me test it.”
Dakota bit his lip, and Kivani watched the way his teeth pressed into the soft flesh. “You’re sure I’m not bothering you?”
“You’re not bothering me.” Kivani shifted the bag of fruit to his other hand. “I like having you around.”
Color bloomed across his mate’s features, and he nodded. “Okay. Yeah, that sounds good.”
They walked back to the building, the late-morning sun warm on Kivani’s shoulders.
His tiger was practically vibrating with anticipation, pleased that Dakota was coming to their den, that they’d have more time alone together.
Kivani forced himself to breathe evenly, to keep his excitement contained.
Inside, they climbed the stairs to the second floor. Kivani led his mate to his door and unlocked it, pushing it open to reveal his apartment.
Dakota stepped inside, his eyes going wide as he looked around. “Wow. This is so much bigger than my place.”
“Yeah, it takes up the whole width of the building.” Kivani closed the door and watched Dakota explore.
His mate moved through the space with that same careful attention he gave everything, taking in the exposed brick walls, the large windows, the simple furniture.
“It’s nothing fancy, but it works for me. ”
“Are you kidding? It’s gorgeous.” Dakota ran his fingers along the back of the leather couch then moved to the windows that overlooked the street. “And the light in here is incredible.”
Kivani set the bag of fruit on the kitchen counter and started pulling out apples. “Kitchen's over here if you want to help.”
Dakota wandered over, his eyes tracking across the open kitchen with its butcher block counters and hanging copper pots. “You really like copper, huh?”
“Conducts heat well. Good for candy making.” Kivani pulled out a cutting board and a knife. “Plus, it looks nice.”
“It does.” His mate hopped up to sit on the counter beside where Kivani was working, his legs swinging slightly. “So what are we testing?”
“Just the flavor. I want to see how sweet these apples are, if they'll need more sugar in the recipe or if the natural sweetness is enough.” Kivani cut into an apple, the knife sliding through the crisp flesh easily.
Juice ran onto the cutting board, and the smell of fresh apple filled the kitchen.
He cut a slice and held it up to Dakota. “Try this.”
Dakota leaned forward and took the slice directly from Kivani’s fingers, his mate’s lips brushing against his skin for just a moment. Kivani felt the touch everywhere, his tiger rumbling approval at the contact. Dakota chewed slowly, his eyes on Kivani’s face.
“It’s really sweet,” his mate said. “Like, naturally sweet. You probably won’t need much added sugar.”
“That’s what I was thinking.” He cut another slice and ate it himself, the fruit cool and crisp on his tongue.
He was hyperaware of Dakota sitting beside him, close enough to touch, his legs still swinging in that absent way that made him seem younger than he probably was. “How old are you, anyway?”
“Twenty-four. Why?” Dakota tilted his head, hair falling across his face.
“Just curious.” Kivani cut another apple, this time slicing it into thin wedges.
Twenty-four. His mate was so young, had barely lived any life at all.
Kivani was three hundred years older, had seen empires rise and fall, had lived more lifetimes than Dakota could imagine.
The age gap should have bothered him, but his tiger didn’t care.
A mate was a mate, regardless of how many years separated them. “You seem older sometimes.”
“I’ve been told that before.” Dakota took another slice of apple from the cutting board. “I think it’s because I’m anxious all the time. Makes me seem more serious than I actually am.”
“What are you anxious about?”
His mate’s legs stopped swinging, attention focused on the apple slice in his hand. “Just stuff. Life stuff. The usual.”
Kivani recognized the deflection for what it was and didn’t push.
“You’re doing it again,” Dakota said softly.
Kivani looked up. “Doing what?”
“Getting all tense. Your jaw does this thing where it clenches.” His mate reached out and pressed his fingers against Kivani’s jaw, right where the muscle was tight. The touch sent electricity racing through his entire body. “See? Right there.”
Kivani forced himself to relax under his mate’s touch. “Sorry. Got lost in my head.”
“What were you thinking about?” Dakota’s fingers were still pressed against his jaw, warm and soft.
“You.” The truth slipped out before Kivani could stop it. “Thinking about you.”
Dakota’s hand stilled. His eyes were huge, pupils dilated. “What about me?”
“That I like having you here. That I want you to stay.” Kivani turned his head slightly, and Dakota’s fingers slid along his jaw to his ear. “That you’re beautiful and I can’t stop looking at you.”
Dakota’s breath caught, audible in the quiet kitchen. “Kivani—”