Chapter Six #3
Sending a smirk over his shoulder, Aaron rushed out of the room.
Seeing this playful side of Aaron filled Carter’s heart. Carter hurried to get the three little ones inside the crate that he’d built and was just returning to the kitchen as Aaron stepped out of the hall bathroom.
“Ready?” Carter asked.
“Feed me,” Aaron said as he batted his eyelashes.
Oh! Carter was going to feed him. And then they were going to talk.
* * * * *
Aaron
“Date?” Aaron repeated. He licked the chocolate frosting off his fork both sad that his dessert was done yet utterly full.
Carter smirked. “You find the idea of me wanting to date you shocking?”
“A little bit,” Aaron confessed.
“Really?” Carter leaned back in the chair across from him. “Mates don’t usually date then?”
“Mates?” Aaron had been reaching for his glass of milk and nearly knocked it over.
“Oh?” Carter lifted a brow. “Am I not supposed to have figured that out?”
Damn it. Of course, Bas was right. And Carter sitting there all smug and shit was sexy as hell.
“With the way that everyone talks about mates and how important they are, added to the fact that your friends let me take over caring for you the day we first met, it wasn’t hard to figure out,” Carter told him.
Aaron sighed.
Leaning forward, Carter planted his elbows on the table. “We are mates, aren’t we? Can you at least confirm that?”
He dropped his gaze to the table. Was Aaron ready to admit everything?
Did he even have a choice? The plates in front of him were completely empty.
He’d had iced tea with his dinner and a glass of milk with the cake.
Aaron had wanted coffee, but Carter had gotten all bossy and declared it was too late for Aaron to have caffeine.
It had been kind of nice that someone was worried about him needing sleep.
Aaron should clean up. Yes! That would give him time to think.
Grabbing the plates, Aaron started to rise.
“Leave them,” Carter ordered.
Aaron lowered his ass back to his chair and released the plates. “Sorry.”
“Talk to me, Aaron,” Carter pleaded. “Avoiding this subject isn’t going to do either of us any good.”
“Everything is messed up,” Aaron told him.
“Then tell me and I’ll fix it,” Carter declared.
Just like that? Carter thought he could fix everything for him. How? Although Aaron liked the confidence in Carter’s tone and having someone willing to fight for him. “What if you can’t fix it?”
“Angel, I would do anything for you,” Carter stated.
Aaron found his cheeks heating at the pet name.
“Now why wouldn’t you mention us being mates?” Carter questioned. “The truth, please.”
Damn, okay, Aaron could do this. “You can do better.”
“Better?” Carter scoffed.
“Yes,” Aaron hissed. “You don’t have to settle for a defective paranormal. You could have anyone.”
“So could you,” Carter tossed back.
“I don’t want anyone else!” Aaron couldn’t believe that Carter would even think that.
“Not even Leo?” Carter asked.
Aaron froze. “Leo?”
“Your best friend, your work partner, basically the man that you grew up with who probably knows all your secrets,” Carter continued.
“Uh.” What did he say here?
“Or are you going to lie and tell me that the two of you have never been together?” Carter challenged. It was hard hiding the jealousy that coursed through him but Carter needed a real answer if there was any chance of them moving forward.
“I don’t lie.” Not when he could help it. And Aaron would never lie to his mate.
“I’m trying to get answers here, Aaron,” Carter told him. “You’re not giving me much.”
“I don’t know what to say!” Aaron lifted his hands helplessly.
“Then let’s go back to the beginning,” Carter suggested. “Out of everything you’ve told me you haven’t mentioned mates once. I’d say that you’ve gone out of your way to avoid the word.”
Aaron had sworn that he didn’t lie. He might regret that now. “Because you shouldn’t be tied down with me. I already said that. I mean it. You can do better. And it’s not because I want Leo or anyone else. I only want you!”
“Great!” Carter beamed at him. “You want me and I want you.”
Aaron shook his head. “You’re not listening to me.”
“I’m listening,” Carter responded. “Since I don’t agree with the words that you said, we’re moving past that.”
This man was so bossy. Aaron loved it. “Moving past—”
“We are moving past the bullshit that you are trying to convince me of,” Carter stated firmly. “You agreed that you wanted me. I feel the same way. There, fixed.”
Nothing was fixed! “I’m not good enough for you!”
“Stop saying that,” Carter ordered. “You don’t know enough about me to make that determination.”
“I know you,” Aaron argued. Like he wouldn’t know everything he needed to about his mate. “I know that you’re protective, and smart, and sweet. You’re the best man that I have ever met.”
Carter snorted. “Did you know that I snore? Or so Hudson claims. I also can’t stand a dirty house. I’m obsessive about it. I love fantasy books and movies but hate blood and guts. I’ve seen that too much in my life.”
Aaron nodded. This turned out even better than arguing. He loved learning more about Carter. “What else?”
“You want to know more?” Carter asked.
“Please!”
“That’s what dating is for,” Carter told him.
Wh…what? No! That was just mean. “But…”
Carter grinned. “You already agreed to dinner tomorrow.”
“I did.” They did have another date already scheduled.
“And this weekend we should take the dogs to the park,” Carter said. “They need to start being trained to walk on a leash.”
“Okay.” Aaron didn’t have an issue with spending more time with the puppies. Or Carter.
“That’s two dates,” Carter pointed out. “Which means that we’re dating.”
“Fine, we’re dating,” Aaron agreed. He wasn’t upset about this development. Was it cowardly? Letting Carter make these demands? Maybe. Aaron was happy that Carter wasn’t listening to him.
“There is one thing to look forward to,” Carter teased.
Way more than one thing, but Aaron played along. “What’s that?”
Carter rose and walked around the table before pulling Aaron out of his chair. “You’re only allowed to kiss people that you are dating. And I don’t share, which means that you will only be kissing me.”
The steel in his voice made Aaron shiver. “Okay.”
“Good boy.” Carter leaned down and kissed him.
Aaron could get used to those kisses.