Chapter Four
Ian
Ian had dressed for the occasion. Yes, everything he had was new, except for the jeans and the baseball cap he wore.
Those he’d had since college and hidden in the back of his closet.
The jeans were super soft and worn in some interesting places.
He hoped to attract some attention, and the jeans would do that. They showed off all his assets.
His cowboy boots he’d scuffed a little yesterday, wearing them outside to make them look a little less new.
The button-down was a pale blue checkered pattern that matched his eyes, so the shop assistant said.
He’d foregone a Stetson and opted for an old baseball cap, because he was sure he’d look a little ridiculous wearing a cowboy hat.
The worries he’d had that made his stomach churn at standing out, something he hated, faded after seeing guys dressed similarly to him when he arrived. Thankfully, he didn’t stand out in the assembling crowd.
Since his arrival, excitement had built slowly inside Ian at all the potential.
The place was exactly as he’d seen on the website he’d checked out last night.
The weather was playing ball for them. A soft, warm breeze went with the blue sky and a dusting of white clouds that occasionally covered the sun, ensuring they didn’t bake and end up with sweat patches everywhere.
The scent of horses, grass, dust, and dung wasn’t overpowering to his sensitive nose as it carried on the warm air.
Men went about their work, and the website had given no indication that the place would be crawling with alphas dressed in cowboy gear. Ian was in heaven.
He had to resist fanning himself at the sight of those strutting around in tight-fitting button-downs that accentuated muscular chests and jeans that cupped backsides as if they were a second skin that he dreamed of peeling off and munching on. He was trying not to be too obvious; it was hard.
It didn’t take long to guess who worked on the ranch and who was part of the event today.
They all looked a little clueless, like Ian, and if that wasn’t the giveaway, then all of them gathering around Remy with his ever-present clipboard would have been.
Remy had introduced himself, and he was a real sweetheart.
Ian remembered him from the dance class event where Hector met Morty, and just like then, Remy was making sure everyone felt comfortable, making introductions to the omegas present.
They held no interest for him, but he’d been polite and smiled.
At the same time, he surveyed the group, and he noted that Lionel was right; the alphas outnumbered the omegas by two to one. It gave him hope that he might find someone interesting enough to go out on a date with him after the event—hopefully.
That thought sizzled and burned when his gaze snagged on the new arrival. He was the epitome of a cowboy, even had the swagger as he came to a halt at the side of the group.
Ian’s cock twitched rather dramatically in his pants. A kind of freaked out dance move that could match Hector’s mate Morty—who couldn’t dance at all—when the hunk tipped his hat and smiled directly at Ian.
He smiled at me, hot damn.
That was most certainly a come-hither smile, right?
Ian sure hoped so because the alpha was huge, and he took the time to get a better look at him. His clothes were worn in a way that suggested this wasn’t his first visit to a ranch. Ian’s gaze traveled down to the shiny belt buckle with a growling bear head. Bear shifter.
Lookie. Lookie. What have we got here?
Yes, lookie, lookie, his honey badger drooled.
Ian actually swiped at his chin just in case he had indeed drooled too. The bear never took its eyes off Ian, so he slowly edged sideways to get a little closer to see if he smelled as good as he looked.
He was stopped in his tracks by Remy when he spoke. “Okay, everybody, listen up. My name is Remy, and we have got a whole day packed with new activities for you to try today.”
The bear turned its attention to Remy, and Ian sighed under his breath, willing the man to return his attention to him.
Faint, that will get his attention.
I will not. I want him to be interested, not running a mile to escape.
That hunk of sexiness won’t run anywhere but right to us, I can sense these things.
Ian did release a groan this time, his animal side could be a little more adventurous than Ian.
You need me to be this way to push you out of your comfort zone. I mean, when was the last time you got laid? You need me, or else you’ll never get any this decade. Now sidle our cute backside closer to the bear.
Ian couldn’t really argue that point, it had been a long time, but his ass clenched now as he caught the bear side-eyeing him with those gorgeous honey brown eyes.
“—so now I’ve explained the safety rules, pick a partner and let’s head off to the stables,” said Remy gaily, waving his clip board above his head as he sauntered off towards a massive barn where three men stood just inside the large open doors.
Shit, what have I mis… the thought slipped right out of his head as his nose twitched and his body went into shock.
Mate.
My mate is here.
Here.
As everyone moved as a group, he caught the delicious scent of pine and peaches, which was sending his honey badger into a tizzy. His earlier twitching cock thought it was time to salute the nation.
A wave of dizziness swept through him at the sudden movement of blood from one head to another. He staggered to the left, and the alpha walking by gave him a wide berth complaining, “Watch where you’re going.”
“Sorry,” Ian muttered embarrassingly.
He is most certainly not our mate, his honey badger stated with an undignified sniff, despite not being close enough to get a good whiff. Being outside with all these different smells was hampering Ian.
He dropped his hand to adjust himself, his head working side to side as he gained his footing, trying to figure who the glorious scent was coming from, because sure as hell it was his mate.
Remy called out, “Ian, are you okay?”
Ian froze when the question drew the attention of the enormous bear, who moved quickly through the crowd and came towards him, wearing a look of concern.
Ian felt hot under the collar and inhaled to calm himself, then got a proper shot at smelling the hot bear.
The delicious, intoxicating scent coming from the alpha drove him to his knees because every molecule in his body headed south.
He was in pain from how hard his cock was.
The soft denim he’d thought a benefit at home, now his enemy as it revealed his body’s reaction to all and sundry.
“Hold up there, pretty eyes.” Large, meaty hands hooked under his armpits and lifted him up effortlessly before his ass hit the ground in an undignified show.
Two things registered at once. Lionel would be in his element, having bought the ticket, causing Ian to stumble right into his mate. And that there were far too many folks around for him to climb the bear—after he’d stripped—to do all the things his mate directed him to do.
Ian would do just about anything to alleviate the large problem in his jeans. And wasn’t that just wonderful?
The man’s eyes shifted and there was his bear.
A hint of sharp fang appeared giving Ian more ideas that would get him arrested, then disappeared when the man got himself under control faster than Ian could blink.
“Well, ain’t that just the chocolate gravy,” he murmured, a wide grin spreading over plump, tasty-looking lips. “Hi, I’m Rick.”
“Are you alright, Ian?” Remy was there, flushed and flustered. Not that Ian blamed him after what happened to Toby at the last Bucket List Buddies event. He supposed it was why he’d done the speech that Ian had missed on safety.
“Fine, just missed my footing is all.” Ian locked his knees out to at least pretend he knew which way was up.
He didn’t, he was damn clueless at this point.
He had to twist his lower body to avoid giving everyone a front row seat.
He didn’t think Remy or anyone would appreciate watching a puppet show that involved his cock and no hands.
Unless the bear wanted to use its hands, then Ian was most certainly up to do a cock puppet show.
You certainly need to get laid with thoughts like that.
“I’ll pair with Ian,” Rick said with confidence, “and make sure he’s okay.” That he said directly to Ian in a deep, husky voice that sent electrified shivers through him. The hands holding him turned into a gentle caress before slowly releasing him.
Oh, my, be still my beating heart.
Ian’s cheeks were now a delicate shade of cherry red as he peeked shyly up at his mate. “Thank you.”
“Wonderful, now, let’s take a tour of the stables so we can pick horses to groom, then ride in the paddock.” Remy was off, moving towards the crowd.
Ian wasn’t sure what to do when Rick gave him a sultry, enticing smile, ensuring he lost the ability to chat sensibly.
“Have you been on a ranch before?”
The deep, rumbly voice was not helping his situation as he shook his head.
“Quiet type, hey?” Rick chuckled.
“Not usually,” he managed to rasp. “I’ve never met a mate before.” The second the words left his mouth he realized how stupid that sounded. The Fates only give us one mate, and this was mine, so how could he have met a mate before?
“I’d hope not, because I prefer not to share,” Rick murmured with an intensity that didn’t help Ian’s arousal.
The heat scorching his cheeks grew to epic proportions at the reality that Rick didn’t deny they were mates and wasn’t pissed off about it.
Yay! “Me either.” He groaned, finally getting his thoughts in order—probably.
“I’m making a fool of myself.” Didn’t Rick feel this intense attraction that was tying his tongue into knots, too?
He dropped his gaze and swallowed hard when it landed on the obvious bulge that had Ian’s ass clench in eagerness.
Rick slipped his hand into Ian’s, tugging him closer, his lips next to his ear, his breath touching his overheated skin. “You are adorable, pretty eyes. Want me to show you the ropes?”
Ian knew he wasn’t talking about sex, but Ian’s overexcited cock took the conversation to mean it, and it twitched hard against his zipper in response.
How am I going to survive? Despite his concerns of embarrassing himself further, he nodded, giving Rick a shy smile.
“I’d love that, show me the way.” To heaven.
That he thankfully kept inside his head.