Chapter 17
AARON
“What if, and hear me out…” I start when I set my almost full sketch pad on the coffee table. It’s been a few days with him in my home and I’m loving it, but I’m restless again.
Pax turns to me, a cute smile on his lips.
“We can surprise your mom next?”
“She won’t be as welcoming as your family,” he warns.
I press a hand to my chest. “My dear, I can woo anyone into liking me.”
He leans in and snuffles along my neck as he wraps his arms around my waist. “You know, I believe that.”
“So, what do you think? Another road trip?”
Slowly, he nods. “Yeah, let’s shake things up.”
“Heck, yeah!” I fist pump the air and pop to my feet.
It doesn’t take us long to get out on the road.
I text my family group chat to let them know the plan and they wish us well.
Thankfully, the trip to his family is much shorter than from the cabin to my house.
We choose to drive straight through, so Pax doesn’t have to think about it too much.
And we decide meeting some place for lunch is the best way to go.
He invites his mom and both sisters to join us and they all say yes.
He conveniently leaves out the part about me being there.
He doesn’t want them blowing up his phone before they get to know me.
The closer we get, the more restless he is.
“We can stop off at your place? If it’ll help?” I say.
“No, best to rip off the bandaid.” He swipes a hand through his hair. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” I reach over and squeeze his hand. I hate that anxiety pours off him.
He pulls up to a cute little diner and grins. “Thank fuck.” His cheeks go pink. “My sisters came together.” He parks and takes a shaky breath before turning to me. “These two will accept you with open arms and will help if mom gets… weird.”
“Sounds good to me. Let’s do this.” I whip the door open and give the two women waiting on the sidewalk my most dashing of smiles.
“Pax, who is this cutie?” The shorter of the two sisters says.
Of course my mate goes bright red. He’s said he doesn’t really bring people around, doesn’t really date. But that changes with me.
“I’m Aaron Rising,” I hold out a hand.
Both sisters’ mouths drop open. “Aaron Rising?!” They both squeal and bounce on their toes.
The taller sister whacks Pax’s arm. “You’re dating the Aaron Rising?!”
“Yeah?” He looks at me with a smirk. “He makes the cutest stuffed animals, doesn’t he?”
“Uh, we’ve only been obsessed for like a decade,” the shorter one says. “I’m Abby, by the way.”
“Anna,” the taller one says.
“A pleasure to meet you both.” I bow and they both giggle. “Your family has amazing genes. You’re all beautiful.” It’s not a lie. Both sisters are gorgeous, not as stunning as my Pax, though.
Pax runs a hand through his hair. “Sorry, I’m not great with introductions.”
“It’s okay,” Anna says.
Abby pats Pax’s back. “We’re just excited you brought someone to meet the family. We’ve been worried about you.”
I thread my fingers through Pax’s and both sisters clock the action. “I’m pretty excited about meeting the family.”
Another car rumbles up and all three siblings stiffen. That doesn’t bode well. I know it’s just Pax’s mom. His dad walked out on the family when Pax was only eight. I have to wonder if that’s part of the reason his Heats are so hard on him. He doesn’t want to be needy because he has to be strong.
“Hey, mom,” Pax starts. “I wanted you to meet Aaron.”
She looks me up and down before taking my offered hand. “Olivia.”
The siblings seem to let out a breath together.
Olivia squints at me, and the siblings hold their breath again.
She seems hurt when she looks up at Pax. “How long have you been keeping him from us? I just want you to be happy. You don’t have to hide things from me.” Her shoulders drop.”
“Funny thing,” Pax starts. “Met him on my vacation.”
Her eyes narrow on me. “Are you trying to swindle my boy out of his savings?”
I raise my hands. “Oh, no. I plan to be his sugar Daddy if he’ll let me.”
Pax snorts out a laugh with his sisters as Olivia’s eyes go wide. It takes her a few beats, but she laughs with the others.
“Mom,” Abby says. “This is Aaron Rising. You know that toy designer we all like?”
Olivia’s mouth drops open. “No way!”
“Yes way!” I chirp.
“I have your axolotl from two years ago. The bright orange one. I needed something nice and cheery for the classroom, and the kids say you’re the best.”
I suck in a breath and press a hand to my chest. “That’s…”
Pax pulls me close when I can’t find the words to express how touched I am.
“Oh, yeah, the kids love the trinket fairy line with all the cute accessories. And then the Halloween costumes for all the different plushies. It’s a riot.”
“Let’s get some food,” Abby turns towards the building and we follow her.
I lean in to whisper in Pax’s ear, “It’s okay to tell them what I am. Or we can wait when we’re somewhere more private.” I gave him permission with Buckle and it ended well.
Pax bobs his head and pulls me down for a sweet kiss. “Later. I’m not ashamed of you. I just want them to have time to process it.”
Lunch is a hit, and Olivia invites us over to her place for the weekend.
All of us, plus Anna’s new partner. I understand why Pax was apprehensive about me meeting his family.
His mom is a touch old school, but I think we’ll all get along in the end.
If not, I’ll have to work on my charm a little more.
“How do you feel about another introduction?” Pax asks when we’re back in my car.
“Buckle?” I ask.
“Yep. He said he’d love to meet us at my place and he’ll bring pizza.”
“Mmmm. I’ll never pass up free pizza,” I say.
“Same and he knows it.” Pax laughs and I can’t help but lean in to plant a kiss on his lips.
“You looked so kissable,” I say.
Pax snorts and answers Buckle’s text. “Seven at my place.”
“Gives us plenty of time to enjoy ourselves.” I wiggle my brows and throw the car in reverse. “Point me in the direction of your place.”
It takes about five minutes to get to the apartment building.
It looks new compared to a few we drove past. I park in visitor parking, then follow him to his apartment.
I don’t know why I’m nervous. I’m sure the place is going to be nice.
But will he like me in his space as much as I liked him in mine?
It’s a second-floor apartment and the stairs groan as we go up. Pax unlocks the door and lets me enter first. There’s a fresh scent, like clean linen, and I breathe it in.
“Should we break in every room here like we did at my place?” I ask at the same time as I lift my shirt.
“Obviously.” We crash into each other.
He pins me to the cheap hollow-core door, and bites my bottom lip before his hands slip beneath my shirt, greedy, impatient. I shuck the t-shirt and toss it aside, barely a second before his nails score along my ribs and his teeth graze the sensitive skin just below my ear.
My hands find his ass—perfect, firm, irresistible—and I back him toward the wall, not even trying to hide my intentions.
“Hope the neighbors don’t mind the noise,” I tease.
He shrugs. “There’s a bunch of loud Alphas, they can deal with us being loud if we want to be.” He smiles, then tugs my belt open with a smoothness that says he’s been imagining this since we left the diner.
He yanks me into the living room, and we tumble toward the couch, clothes littering the floor behind us.
My mate is strong, and his boldness turns me to jelly.
I want him to see what I see. To know how fucking powerful he is, how much he means to me.
I want to draw every last sound from his lips and leave him with no doubt.
We don’t make it to the bedroom until the third round.
When we finally collapse across his bed, the sheets are cool and the room is dark except for the blue light of a distant streetlamp.
Our bodies tangle, legs hooked together, skin sticky with sweat and contentment.
I run my fingers along his spine, tracing the ridges, and listen as his breathing slows from a sprint to a lullaby.
There’s a peace here that’s not like any I’ve known. Certainly not at my house, not in the studio, not even at that cabin in the woods. It’s the peace of finding where you’re supposed to belong. And I belong with Pax.
“We should probably clean up before Buckle gets here,” Pax says, but doesn’t make a move to leave the bed.
We lay there, wrapped around each other, hearts slowing to a rhythmic lull. Just as I start to drift, the sudden buzz of Pax’s phone pierces the calm. He groans and stretches to reach it on the nightstand, his movements sending a delightful spark of electricity through me.
“Buckle’s here,” he announces, a grin spreading across his face. “He’s just downstairs.”
“Perfect timing,” I say, sitting up and running a hand through my messy hair. “Let’s give him a show.”
Pax laughs, throwing a pillow at me. “Get dressed!”
“Fine, fine.” I reluctantly slip out of bed, grabbing my clothes from the floor and quickly putting them back on.
Pax does the same, his cheeks still flushed and I’m not sure if it’s still from our recent activities or he’s embarrassed about his friend seeing him so fucked out and satisfied. Of course I preen at the thought.
“Okay, let’s go greet our guest,” I say, following Pax to the door.
Pax opens it, revealing Buckle standing there with two enormous pizza boxes in his arms and a playful smirk on his face. “Did I interrupt something?” he asks, his eyes twinkling with mischief as they sweep down my body.
“Not much,” I reply, stepping aside to let him in. “Just making ourselves at home. And aren’t you sexy as sin?”
Buckle laughs, and Pax takes the pizza boxes. “Not so bad yourself.” He gives me another up/down look.
Pax snorts and rolls his eyes, but can’t hide a smile. “I knew you two would get along.”
We follow Pax and the delicious aroma to the kitchen table. We don’t bother with plates and just grab a slice each.