Chapter 25
Boaz
“What are you smiling about?” Hansel asked as he handed Boaz the box.
Boaz grunted as he carried it to the waiting van, then came back for the next one, ignoring the question. It didn’t even bother him. He was too happy to care.
“You’ve been smiling for no reason for days now. You’re freaking me out,” Hansel added.
When Boaz turned back for another box, he found Hansel still watching him, frowning like he genuinely didn’t understand what was going on.
“Hand over the box,” Boaz said.
Hansel didn’t move. Boaz just took it from him and placed it in the van himself.
He slammed the van door shut and stepped back, wiping sweat from his brow.
“That’s the last of it,” he said. “Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?”
“You’ve changed,” Hansel said, not answering his question.
“I haven’t changed.”
“You have. Since the fair you’ve been… happy,” Hansel said, his lips curling slightly in disgust. “And I know it’s not because of Lyla, since she asked me for a ride. She’s moving back to her own pack.”
“Is the problem that I’m happy or that Lyla is leaving?”
“If she leaves, she’ll never come back, man. Is that what you want? You haven’t even tried to talk to her.”
Boaz clenched his jaw, trying to keep his temper in check.
Alexander was right. Hansel was trying to control his life.
“Lyla and I talked,” Boaz said. “And guess what, Hansel, you’re the one missing the point. You need to stop trying to tell me how to live my life and start focusing on yours.”
He turned to leave the packing room, but Hansel grabbed his arm to stop him.
“What are you talking about?” he asked.
“She’s in love with you. You,” Boaz said, wrenching his arm out of Hansel’s grip. “If you weren’t so focused on controlling every little thing in my life, you would’ve noticed that.”
“I did,” Hansel said, shaking his head. “I thought you needed her more than I did.”
“That’s even worse, Hansel,” Boaz said. “I’m not a case you need to solve. I can find my own mate. I don’t need you sacrificing your happiness for me.”
“So it’s alright for you to sacrifice your happiness, but not me?” Hansel snapped. “Even though you’re not the alpha, you’ve carried this pack on your back. You’ve made huge sacrifices that drained you. But I can’t do a small thing for you?”
“I never asked you to do that.”
“Yeah, of course. Excuse me for trying to help,” Hansel said, turning away. “I won’t meddle in your life ever again.”
He walked to the van. “I should get going. The tea won’t deliver itself.”
Hansel opened the door and climbed inside, then rolled the window down as he adjusted the mirrors.
“Hansel, I didn’t mean it like that,” Boaz said, stepping closer to the car. “Come on. Don’t leave like this.”
“Be happy, Boaz. That’s all I ever wanted,” Hansel said, starting the engine. “All you had to do was tell me you weren’t interested in Lyla anymore. I wouldn’t have pushed.”
He paused for a moment, then backed out of the building.
“Fuck,” Boaz groaned, staring at the empty space where the van had been. He couldn’t believe how badly he’d messed that up. Things were always simpler when he kept to himself, spending most of his time in the meadow.
Maybe Hansel was right. Maybe he had changed.
With a sigh, Boaz pulled out his phone and sent a text.
Call when you get there. Drive safely.
He turned and walked toward the door. His phone beeped as he stepped outside. He checked it quickly and a small smile appeared.
It was Hansel.
Sure.
“That’s the Hansel I know. Never holds a grudge,” Boaz murmured, slipping the phone into his pocket.
With nothing else to do, he wandered down the path toward the tea fields, running his fingers lightly over the plants as he passed. It was a habit of his. He liked to think they could feel it somehow. That they knew he was grateful for what they gave.
When he was done, he headed back to his cabin to get his paints.
His gaze drifted to the easel where a painting he’d made for Lyla still stood. He should have given it to her.
Even though he never told her how he felt, and even though she loved his brother, she had still been part of his life for a moment. Part of his dreams. Part of the quiet fantasies he didn’t like admitting he had.
She had been there in his loneliest hours, offering him the hope that one day, he would fall in love.
Boaz paused, his hand hovering over the painting.
Love?
Alexander popped into Boaz's mind.
He felt strong feelings for him, and being with Alexander felt right in a way Boaz hadn’t expected. They were good together.
His heart hammered at the thought of it, of being in love with Alexander, of belonging to him completely.
Okay. That was getting ahead of himself.
Boaz shook his head and gathered his supplies, heading out to the meadow. He tried not to think about Alexander as anything more than what they were. But the thought lingered anyway.
When he set up his canvas, his hand seemed to move on its own.
Instead of the usual meadows, Alexander’s face began to take shape.
Boaz traced the lines with fingers lovingly, following the sharp angle of his jaw and the strong brow, the intensity he could not quite forget. The sun drifted across the sky and he barely noticed, completely absorbed in the work.
It was only when the light faded and the world turned dark that he finally stopped, blinking as he returned to reality.
And then remembered. Alexander would be coming soon.
Excitement rushed through him at the thought of seeing the vampire again, which made no sense because he had seen him last night. Still, spending time with Alexander had quickly become one of Boaz’s favorite things.
He packed quickly and hurried to his cabin. When he stepped inside, he placed his new creation on the easel.
Done, he made his way to the bedside table and got the lube and butt plug. He wanted to be ready when Alexander arrived.
Boaz rushed to the bathroom, his body already burning with desire. He took a quick shower, then turned the water off.
He coated his fingers with lube and eagerly reached behind him. He moaned as he slipped two fingers into his hole, and slowly fucked himself.
“Oh fuck,” he keened, close.
He pulled them out quickly not wanting to come without Alexander. It felt so much better when he came with Alexander inside him. Boaz picked up the butt plug from the shower caddy. He coated it with lube then bent over, one hand braced on the wall.
“Oh shit…” Alexander said from behind him.
“Alex,” Boaz squeaked, dropping the butt plug. He turned around to face Alexander but the vampire was already there pushing him into the wall.
When did he take his clothes off?
Boaz swallowed as Alexander pressed into him.
“Fuck,” he mumbled.
“Were you getting started without me,” he asked as he smoothed his fingers over Boaz’s wet hole. And shoved two fingers inside, in a punishing thrust.
“Ahh…” Boaz moaned into the wall, his body trembling. “I was getting ready for you.”
“For me?” Alexander asked as he kissed the back of Boaz’s neck.
“Yes…ha…yes…” he moaned, arching into Alexander as he sank deep inside him.
How was it better every time?
Alexander pounded into him, hard and fast. When he wrapped his hand around his neck and dragged him upward, Boaz’s breath stuttered and he came on the spot.
He cried into the wall, his body shaking uncontrollably.
“Bo,” Alexander moaned his name as he came deep inside him. Boaz gasped for air, a giddy feeling suddenly gripping him.
“What’s funny?” Alexander asked as he wrapped his arms around him.
“I don’t know. I just feel happy.”
“That’s good,” Alexander said, pulling out. “This is not what I had in mind when I came here.” he said.
Boaz raised a brow.
“I thought we could go out and have some fun, you know. All we do is have sex.”
“You don’t like having sex with me?”
“No, baby, I love it. But don’t you want to go out? Spend time together doing something other than fucking.”
Boaz swallowed, saying nothing.
Was he asking what he thought he was asking?
“Don’t you?”
“Isn’t… that what real couples do?”
Alexander stared at him. “I thought that’s what we are. Are we not?”
Boaz nodded, his throat tight. “We are.”
“Good,” Alexander said. “I don’t know what people do in the twenty-first century, but in my day we went dancing, went out to eat. I would buy you flowers.” He frowned. “We’re both males…”
Boaz smiled. “You don’t have to buy flowers.”
“I don’t?”
“You can bring me a snowflake from the mountains,” Boaz said.
“You were jealous,” Alexander said.
“I wasn’t jealous.”
“Yes, you were. You even made Lyla cry,” Alexander said, leaning closer, a sly glint in his eyes.
“I wasn’t jealous. I just wanted you to stop. You were showing off and making me look bad in front of Lyla,” Boaz said, lightly shoving him. “You made it worse.”
Alexander chuckled. “It’s not my fault you’re bad at… what do you call it these days? Dating?”
“And you’re perfect,” Boaz said, pushing him away. “Let’s just go out.”
“You’re mad,” Alexander said.
Boaz glanced over his shoulder at him. He was not mad. Maybe a little annoyed, and maybe a little jealous of Lyla. She got snow from the mountains of the north. He had not realised at the time how much he would have liked something like that, and now Alexander was teasing him about it.
Strong arms wrapped around him and Boaz gasped. He had not even heard Alexander move.
“Don’t be mad at me,” Alexander murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the back of his neck.
Boaz relaxed against him.
“I’m not mad. I’m just…” he trailed off as his phone started ringing. “It’s Hansel. He said he’d call when he got to Montero.”
He slipped out of Alexander’s arms. When a knock sounded at the door, he paused, glancing between the phone and the door.
“Who could that be at this hour?” he muttered, picking up his phone from among his art supplies and heading for the door. He turned slightly toward his closet as he answered.
“Hello, Hansel. Have you arrived?”
“No. This is not Hansel. It’s Manlius.”
“Manlius? Is something wrong? Why are you calling so late?” Boaz pulled up his pants, balancing the phone on his shoulder.
Another knock sounded at the door. He turned to Alexander, but the vampire was sprawled on the bed, watching him.
“Manlius, hold on a second. You’re not going to answer the door? I’m a little busy.”
“It’s your door,” Alexander said with a shrug.
Boaz shook his head and walked over. He opened the door and gasped in surprise at who stood there.
“Greer? What are you doing here?”
“Is His Majesty here?” Greer asked.
“Is something wrong?” Boaz asked.
“It’s Blade. I need to find His Majesty. Have you seen him?”
“Yeah, he’s…” Boaz began, but before he could turn, Alexander was already at the door.
Naked.
What the hell?
“Your Majesty, I… it’s…” Greer stuttered.
“Maybe you should put your clothes on first,” Boaz said, trying to close the door and block Alexander from view.
But Alexander held it open, standing so close behind him there was no mistaking how familiar they were with each other.
Not that Boaz wanted to hide it, he just was not ready for people to know yet. They were barely a couple.
Boaz felt Greer’s gaze on him and suddenly grew self conscious. “I need to take this,” he said, stepping back into the cabin.
“Manlius? Are you still there?” Boaz asked, glancing over his shoulder at Alexander and Greer, who now stood close together, speaking in low voices. “I’m sorry, I…”
“What’s wrong with Blade?” Boaz heard Alexander ask, but Manlius spoke at that exact moment, forcing Boaz to focus back on the call.
“Brett finally has the test results. He said he needs us to come to his coven and see for ourselves,” Manlius said.
“See what?” Boaz asked.
“I don’t know. Come to my place early so we can leave first thing in the morning. I want to get back home as soon as possible. I have spells running that need monitoring,” Manlius said.
“Okay,” Boaz replied.
“See you tomorrow,” Manlius said, then hung up.
Boaz turned to find Alexander already dressed.
“I have to go. Blade is in some kind of trouble.”
“Brett has your test results. You should come with…” Boaz trailed off as Alexander leaned in and kissed him to silence.
Boaz froze for a second, then held onto him. Someone cleared their throat, and he suddenly remembered they were not alone. His cheeks warmed as he looked anywhere but the door.
“I’ll find you,” Alexander said, then disappeared.
Boaz stood there, stunned. His hand slowly lifted to his lips.
He had just been kissed in front of someone for the first time in his life.
Fuck. Why did that make him happy?