Chapter Twenty
Ian
Ian didn’t know how to deal with the fury that built up like a damn steam train.
Rick had done a great job in blocking him right until he’d hurt himself. Yet, Ian hadn’t gotten the full extent of the injury until Rick mentioned needing to shift to heal.
It was the hopelessness really, that had Ian bite the inside of his cheek as Charlie did a fast escape.
He was lucky that Ian had been so angry he couldn’t find his words to tell Charlie that under no circumstances would Rick ever be riding a bull again.
Not in this lifetime or any that came after it.
Rick saying it didn’t hold water, he’d said that before!
Rick had achieved his goal of beating George. Charlie bringing up more rides was not part of the deal.
He gritted his teeth together so hard his jaw ached as he helped Rick to the truck.
“I’ll find a place around here and shift,” Rick actually whined.
“You will do no such thing. I haven’t seen your bear yet because of my huffy honey badger, and he’ll have a fit—something you don’t want to experience—and I have no wish to share that experience with everyone else watching!
” Ian growled for him and his honey badger, who, for the first time, was speechless after Ian couldn’t stop watching the car crash that was the last bull ride.
It shaved at least a dozen years off his life.
The terror was so big he’d not moved a muscle until Rick had been pulled off, something catching preventing the easy glide off the bull like the last two rides.
“Can you bring the truck closer then?”
The pain filled request helped Ian hold on to his anger. He nodded curtly and rested Rick against a fence before stomping off to the truck, hoping his blood pressure would normalize and ease the pounding at his temples.
You’d better tell him that is never happening again.
Why don’t you tell him? He might listen to you!
His honey badger gave that some serious thought.
I’ll talk to his bear when he shifts. You’ll need to shift at the same time.
Ian had no problem doing that, so the animals could come to an agreement, because right now, he might throttle his mate for this idiotic stunt.
He hit the fob and jumped into the truck, heading back to Rick.
He looked pale and sweaty, pain leached through their bond. Ian set aside everything for now and helped Rick get comfortable in the truck. Being nearly as big as his mate made things easier.
They drove in silence as Ian navigated past large trucks and trailers, while Rick finally removed his boot.
One quick glance down and the lump on the side of his foot had Ian’s stomach jerk unpleasantly. He was alright with blood, but bones, they made his insides shaky.
“I’m sorry,” Rick mumbled apologetically.
Ian’s breath whistled through his teeth as he moved around vehicles, trying to keep the ride as smooth as possible. “I don’t want to talk about it now. Once you have healed and had something to eat then we’ll talk about the future.”
“That sounds ominous,” Rick placed a hand on Ian’s thigh. “We still have a future… right?”
The amount of uncertainty in his voice made Ian nod. He wasn’t a cruel person. He also wasn’t a dominant alpha, but he was no push over either, and Rick was going to find that out as soon as he was healed.
They lapsed into an uneasy silence as Ian drove them back to Rick’s home. Where he parked and came around to help Rick hop up the path and around the side of the house to the back garden.
It was still relatively early in the afternoon, and the trees were dappled in sunshine, casting shadows over the grass beneath.
Without words he led Rick to the garden swing and helped him ease down, helping him undress.
It took effort to get his snug jeans off while sitting, and Ian was sweating despite the lovely breeze.
Once naked Rick nodded and motioned for Ian to step back.
No sooner had he made some space did Rick’s gorgeous bear appear. He was a truly beautiful animal with dark fur that shone with vitality where the sun touched the fur. He growled, moving the broken leg as if stretching the bone back into place for it to heal.
Ian stepped closer and ran a hand over the fur, feeling the silky texture before murmuring, “You are so beautiful.”
The bears gaze held his wearing a toothy grin.
Shift, come on I want to crawl on his lap.
The bear waved his ginormous paw at Ian, and he took the hint. His honey badger was already getting pushy. Ian stripped and shifted.
He receded more than usual to allow his animal side to have its say.
He meandered over to the bear, sniffing around its legs. Their size difference was shockingly different as he peered up.
Pick me up, he demanded, making Ian blush, or he would do if he were in human form at the tone his animal used—bossy. Something Ian was not.
The bear scooped him up and cradled him carefully to his massive chest, giving him a speculative look. What are we going to do about this pair?
Please, it wasn’t my human side that went off half-cocked, needing to prove himself and giving me a heart attack. I never want to see my mate on the back of a bull again.
I didn’t want to do it, he just got it into his head that he needed this win.
The bear snuggled him closer to the fur that smelled like honey and sunshine, two of his favorite things.
Well, we need to be firm about this because I can’t cope having to witness that madness again. Promise me you won’t let him.
The bear nodded its head emphatically. I will. He’s learned his lesson. No more bull riding ever.
Good, now you lie on the grass on your back so I can stretch out on top of you and have a little snooze. I’m exhausted.
There were snorts and a gruff noise that sounded like a chuckle before the bear lumbered to standing and found the perfect spot to lie on, not letting go of his honey badger.
On the lush grass he placed them on his chest and relaxed. I could do with a little snooze too. It is exhausting work avoiding what my human half was doing while trying to get us trampled to death.
This good?
This is perfect, hummed the honey badger. I knew you’d be my perfect mate.
The bear closed his eyes grinning. Same. I’m one very lucky bear.
Ian’s mood had greatly improved with the nap, and how contented his animal side was now. Rick had gone for a shower, and Ian had made himself useful by getting dinner ready. He was starving, as was his mate, by the belly grumbling he could hear all the way to the kitchen.
He was plating up the fully loaded cheeseburgers as Rick strolled into the kitchen looking like a pin-up model for a male alpha calendar, all bare chest, still damp from the shower, hair a little wild and eyes dancing with lust when they ran over Ian, who had slipped on sweatpants and one of Rick’s T-shirts after his shower.
“I love seeing you in my clothes,” Rick rasped, taking the offered plate and coming in for a kiss.
Ian turned his head, and Rick’s lips caught his cheek. The lusty light disappeared and was replaced by uncertainty.
Rick turned away and went to the table Ian had set up for dinner. Ian grabbed his own plate and sat next to Rick. They silently ate the food, Ian picking up all of Rick’s unease.
He dabbed at his lips with the napkin before meeting Rick’s gaze once they had both consumed the meal. “I’m ready to talk now.”
“Okay.” Rick sounded anything but his confident self.
“I’m your mate, and I have no issue supporting you in whatever endeavor you choose”—Rick’s lips parted, and Ian held up a finger telling him now was not the time to speak—“but idiotic behavior like today, where you could have been killed, that I put my foot down on. I stood at that damn fence losing however many lives, as you bounced about on that animal, understanding that thing wanted to kill my mate. Have you any idea how that feels? How awful it made me feel knowing I could lose you when I’ve just found you? ”
Rick’s chin dipped, and he shook his head.
“Look at me,” Ian demanded, his temper fizzing back to life.
The second their eyes met again, the tension eased at the knowledge Rick would never get on a bull again.
“I can’t do that again. I won’t do that again.
You mean too much to me for you to be so careless with yourself. Am I making myself clear?”
Rick reached over and took hold of Ian’s trembling hands. Eyes glimmered with tears as Rick blinked furiously. “I promise I’m done. I didn’t see it from your perspective, and that was selfish when you were being supportive of my dream, which you rightly said put me in real danger.”
He pushed his chair back and tugged Ian around the table to settle him on his lap.
Rick’s familiar scent surrounded him like a cozy blanket, and Ian felt the last of his anger melt away. Rick pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “I love you.”
Ian exhaled gustily. “Same, just please do the wild adventurous stuff somewhere safe…” he looked up from under his eyelashes, “like the bedroom,” he finished, blushing at the press of the impressive cock firming under his ass.
“Wild adventurous…” Rick scratched at his jaw the lusty light back. “I can agree to that.” Rick came closer, his breath hit against Ian’s ear as he whispered throatily, “shall we see how wild I can get with my mouth?”