Chapter 12
Chapter
Twelve
“Iwant to ask Warrick to marry me.”
Race blinked at him for a few seconds, then grinned, rolling another cookie that looked like a meatball more than a dessert. Dough was Nolan’s jam, not his or Race’s.
“So ask him.”
“You don’t think that’s too cheesy or weird? I mean you guys haven’t gotten married yet, not like actually married. I know you’re mated…”
“Everything in its own time.” Nolan plopped three exquisitely perfect cookie balls on a sheet of parchment on the cookie sheet. God, he made them look bad.
“Okay, Yoda.” Race made a face, scrunching up and eyes crossing.
“He’s saying we don’t have the urgency to marry that you do because we didn’t have the same situation you did.
Nolan was trapped in a bad relationship for a while, so he’s trying to take it slow.
Con and I are kind of complicated, but we’re solid.
You and War, you’re going to be more traditional, I bet.
He would probably adore the idea of getting married to you. ”
Milo chewed his lip, trying to get a sticky chunk of cookie dough off his hands with a spatula. “So you think it’s a good idea?”
“I think if you want to, then you should.” Nolan filled the rest of the cookie sheet before popping it into the oven and setting a timer.
Everybody had come up to eat lunch, and then Conn had taken Warrick and Ryder to his house to see a new statue he’d made. It was sweet that the big grizzlies were giving them time to be brothers again after he’d avoided this for so long.
It gave him the chance to talk to his brothers about marrying Warrick. The thought had occurred to him right after their mating and he couldn’t get it out of his head.
“Ask him,” Nolan said softly. “You don’t need a grand scheme to do it.”
“I feel like I have to at least have a ring or something.”
Race gave him a scowl. “Bro, I can guarantee you Connal will be incredibly insulted if you don’t ask him to make your rings so just ask then ask Con to make the rings.”
Oh. That did make it seem like he could ask without having something in hand to put on Warrick’s finger.
“Okay so then I just have to pick the right time. Not today, not right now. I’m too nervous.”
“How about this weekend? Remember they mentioned they wanted to take us on a bike ride out to one of the state parks.” Nolan had been busy rolling a whole other sheet of cookies. He was such a wizard. Milo really hadn’t even seen him do it.
The timer went off. Nolan switched out the cookie trays. Milo’s mouth watered because the chocolate chip cookies smelled like heaven. Warm chocolate and sugary dough.
“I can do that. I can make a plan, and I can do that this weekend.” He would be all revved up from riding on the back of Warrick’s bike anyway, and Warrick would be all ramped up, too, from Milo rubbing on him for an hour or so. It would be the perfect time.
He reached for a cookie, but Nolan smacked his hand. “You’ll burn yourself. Wait another couple of minutes. They’ll still be warm.”
“Meanie.”
Nolan gave him a glittering smile and then a wink. “Maybe, but at least you’re eating. That makes me incredibly happy.”
“So, are you,” Race observed nudging Nolan with his elbow. “I’m glad to see you’re not starving yourself to death anymore to make some alpha happy.”
“I never gave a shit whether or not he was happy. I just didn’t want him to belittle me or hit me.
I didn’t want everybody else to follow his example either so I tried really hard to be what I was supposed to be according to that slimy bastard.
” Nolan handed out cookies before biting into one himself, making a happy humming noise. “Rye likes me just as I am.”
“That’s amazing, isn’t it?” Race beamed and it was such an odd expression for him that both Milo and Nolan stared. “Con is such a goofball, but I adore him and he thinks I hung the moon.”
“And War treats me like I’m something precious.” Not like he was used goods or somehow bruised and broken.
“It’s because you are.” Nolan gave him a hug, cookie crumbs at the corners of his mouth and chocolate smeared on his lower lip. “Ask him, Milo. Make him know that you think he’s precious, too.”
“I will.” He would make a plan. He would pack the perfect picnic for their bike ride and then when they were sitting on a blanket, feeding each other berries and honey, he would ask.
Nolan was right. It was super important that he make Warrick understand how much he was desired. Milo wanted his mate to feel as loved as he did.
The weather turned out perfect for their ride. The sun shone down but it wasn’t too hot. A nice breeze blew. Everything was green and beautiful.
Hell, there weren’t even that many mosquitoes out yet. That was saying something considering they were up in the mountains, just outside of Denver, at one of the national forests.
Milo had made all sorts of wild plans and packed the saddlebags with blankets and food and wine and insisted that they go up the trail a ways from where Nolan and Ryder and Race and Connal were having their spread.
War wasn’t sure what was going on but he kinda felt special. It was his job to make Milo feel that way, so it was a novel thing.
“This is the life,” he told Milo after he popped a piece of apple coated in honey into his mouth.
“Chew first, talk later.” Milo flicked a bit of water at him from the cup he’d put in front of him.
“But it was so good I had to tell you.”
“It is really good, isn’t it? Nolan’s cookies are amazing.”
“Yeah, I can’t believe we ate all those chocolate chip ones and he had to make ginger snaps.”
Milo gave him a head tilt and an ironic eyebrow lift. “You can’t believe it, huh?”
“Okay so I can.” They could eat some cookies. They were bears, for God’s sake. They could eat everything. Hell, they could eat out of a dumpster.
Though he really didn’t have to do that these days.
Milo ate another cookie, staring down at the blanket, picking at it with his free hand.
Warrick’s heart clenched a little bit because he didn’t want Milo to be worried about anything, and he knew that look well enough to know Milo was doing just that.
He reached out to touch the back of Milo’s hand where it rested on the blanket. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“Hmm? Oh nothing’s wrong.” Milo stopped picking at the blanket and turned his fingers over to grab War’s hand. “But I do have a question I want to ask you.”
“What’s that? You know you can ask me anything.”
“I do.”
He knew with all his heart that Milo could ask, and War would give him anything if it was in his power to do it.
“Then ask away.”
Milo glanced up, those dark eyes intent, smiling at him. Warrick looked right back at him trying to give him courage. Milo took a deep breath. “Warrick, I love you very much and even more importantly I trust you and I like you.”
Warren’s heart softened instantly, and he gave Milo a bright smile. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“Are you?” Milo seemed to be fishing, but more for confidence than compliments.
“Yeah, baby, I love that you are feeling better. And that I’m part of that.”
“You’re the biggest part of that, although Nolan, Race, Ryder, and Connal help a lot too.”
“I still don’t hear a question in any of this.”
Milo rubbed his thumb over the back of Warrick’s hand, then lifted it and kissed his ring finger. “Right. I can do this.” Then Milo chuckled. “I’m nervous. That’s all.”
“Well, then I find it’s best to just spit it out.” His heart was pounding, though.
Milo did just that, staring right into Warrick’s eyes. “Will you marry me?”
War blinked at him and then blinked again rapidly and, just about the time War thought he might never stop blinking, he nodded slowly. “Of course I will. You stole my thunder baby. I was going to ask you. I was just waiting to get a ring.”
“I want Con to make them for us.”
“There’s an amazing idea.” Warrick raised his free hand and traced his fingers over Milo’s lips.
“I thought so.” Milo’s grin widened and he nipped at Warrick’s finger, making it sting the tiniest bit. “So did my brothers.”
“Of course they did.” Warrick grabbed Milo and pulled him over so he draped across Warrick’s lap. “We’re all in this together, aren’t we?”
Milo laughed, taking a lingering kiss from Warrick’s lips. “We are. Who says bears are solitary creatures?”
“We’re not. We’re all family, and you’re mine now.” Warrick kissed him again and hoped Milo knew this was where he belonged. This was where he was going to stay for the rest of his life.
With his brothers, their mates, and most importantly, his mate, who he would never let go of. Not ever.
The End