Chapter 43
Chapter Forty-Three
Hayden
Do betas like sweets? Does Aury like sweets, is a better question. I have no idea. I also don’t know what types of food he likes, so I decide to pull out the makings for mac and cheese. Everyone likes cheese, right?
Maybe I should double check. I tug my phone from my pocket, but before I can unlock it, there’s a knock on the door. I swing it open to see my current obsession—well, one of my current obsessions—standing there looking like a thirst trap.
He’s wearing a light blue button down, a slim but loose fit that gives him an ethereal, weightless sort of beauty.
Three buttons are undone, and the tantalizing glimpse of a silver chain resting against his chest has my mouth watering.
My eyes trail down and I get caught on his forearms. The sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, and his gorgeous light brown skin is glowing in the evening sun.
The light glints off his black rings and then his watch when he slips one hand into his pocket.
Loose linen pants in a soft beige, and casual brown slip-on loafers complete the look.
When I eventually peruse back up his body, he has one eyebrow raised and a quirky grin on his face.
“Can I come in?”
I give him an unimpressed look and he laughs, eliciting a chuckle from me as well. I step back and hold the door open, gesturing for him to enter. “Please.”
“Oh, I like that word from your pretty mouth,” he teases as he steps by me.
It’s all I can do not to slam the naughty beta against the wall and show him who’s in charge here. But I don’t want to take things too fast, so I let the snark slide this time.
“Do you like mac and cheese?”
“Love it,” he says, toeing off his shoes. “Does anyone not like mac and cheese?”
“I had the same thought. Glad I don’t have to kick you out before you’ve even taken your shoes off.”
“You wouldn’t!” He presses a hand to his chest, all drama, and stares at me with wide brown eyes.
I shake my head, pinching my lips together. He’s in a mood this evening, and I kind of love it.
“Get in here and help me, then.” I sling an arm around his neck and pull his head to my shoulder, pleased when he doesn’t resist and instead winds his arm around my waist. “Missed you, bello,” I murmur into his hair.
“You just saw me like two hours ago.”
I shrug and let him go, but he sticks right by my side at the counter, turning to face me.
“I missed you too. Thanks for inviting me over. I would have hated going home alone tonight.” Earnest brown eyes make a home in my heart and it leaps, trying to get closer to him.
My smile softens as I appreciate his willingness to be vulnerable. I’m glad I can give him what he needs, especially since Siobhan makes it so hard to take care of her. She doesn’t need it, but my alpha wants to care for the pack. If I’m not taking care of everyone, then what am I doing?
“How can I help?” Aury says, breaking me from my twisted thoughts.
“You want to boil the noodles or shred cheese?”
“Cheese,” he says, grinning.
“You’re going to snack on it, aren’t you?”
He shrugs, and I chuckle, turning to set a pot of water to boil. “So long as you share.”
“Oh, I’m excellent at sharing, alpha,” he says, his voice a low purr.
I spin around and slam my hands to the counter on either side of his hips. His back is to my chest, and he stiffens against me, then I feel his back vibrating. Is he laughing?
“Are you taunting me, naughty beta?”
Aury presses his hips back and his ass grinds against my already hardening cock. “I would never, ah bi.”
I wonder what that name means, but am too dialed in to this moment to sidetrack us.
His arms work, forearms flexing as he shreds the cheese into a bowl, pretending to ignore me while setting my insides on fire.
I lean down and brush my lips against the shell of his ear.
He freezes for half a second, then continues running the cheese down the grater.
I smirk and run my tongue lightly down to his earlobe.
“I think you are,” I whisper. Then I nip his earlobe, and press a more firm kiss to the soft spot of his neck, right below his ear.
His muscles bunch and release, a tense shiver. I move my grip from the counter to his hips and pull him flush against me. He drops the cheese and grater with a clatter and spins around. I eye him, noting that he swallows hard, his throat bobbing, and I dip my head down to lick a stripe up it.
“Hayden,” he rasps.
I hum into his warm neck, nipping and licking and kissing my way down to the exposed hollow of his throat, then along his collarbones. The necklace gets in my way, and I snag the chain between my teeth, then pull back to look at him.
His pupils blow wide and his lips part as he sucks in a ragged breath.
I tug the chain in my mouth, forcing him closer to me, then I lean in, letting it dangle between us.
I open my mouth and drop the silver necklace, letting it slip back down his chest, and he blinks slowly, his eyes still fixed on my mouth.
“Kiss me, Aury.” A quiet demand.
He doesn’t hesitate. Our mouths are hot and his lips are firm against mine.
I stroke my tongue into his mouth, licking up his taste and staking my claim.
He presses his chest into me, fisting his hand in the back of my shirt.
I hum into his mouth, pleased at his reaction, and slip one of my hands from his hip up his spine, then grip the back of his neck with my thumb under his ear.
I apply pressure, tilting his head as I press my body forward, forcing him to lean back and giving him no choice but to take everything.
He pants into my mouth, kisses turning frantic. Our erections are long and hard, straining the front of our pants where we’re pressed together, and I grind down on him.
“Fuck,” he whimpers into my mouth.
Bliss sears through me. I don’t let up, grinding our hips together, plundering his mouth, taking his breath as mine and then giving it back.
“Hayden,” he gasps and attempts to wrench his head away, but I only let him pull back an inch.
“Mine.” I demand his obedience, his submission, his everything.
His eyes widen, but he pauses, staring up at me. I plead with my eyes, begging him to trust me, to let me take us there, to give us this. His lips are parted, swollen and red. His dark eyes dart between mine, and I take a slow, steadying breath.
But then he nods and whispers the quietest, “Yes, alpha.”
My inner beast howls, and I devour him. I shove his pants down, trapping his knees, then mine follow just enough for our cocks to spring out.
I suck his lower lip into my mouth, then fist our cocks together in one hand.
He moans, his hips thrusting forward into my hold, and I release my teeth from his lip before I draw blood.
I pull back to spit on our cocks, Aury’s heaving chest in my periphery as I focus on spreading the wetness around.
It’s not enough, so I raise my palm to his chin and give him a dark look.
He glances at my open palm, then up at my eyes. I nod once, daring him to defy me, but he doesn’t. He looks back down and spits into my hand.
“Good boy,” I murmur, offering the barest smile.
Then I swipe my hand up and down his cock.
Once, twice. I press mine to his and fist them both, barely holding in a groan at how hot and hard he is against me.
His breath hitches, his stomach clenching with every pull.
I capture his moans with my mouth and swallow them.
Bliss races up my spine and I can’t believe this is my life right now.
My other hand moves around to his ass, grabbing a handful and squeezing it.
“Hay—” he cuts off when I slam my lips back to his. He’ll speak when I allow it.
I groan into his mouth, every stroke up and down our cocks sending heat scorching through me. My balls are starting to tingle, and I hold tight to my thoughts before they shatter. My abs and legs are clenched so hard I fear I’m shaking.
I pull back from his mouth and we’re both gasping for breath.
“Come for me, bello. Come all over my hand and cock. Show me how messy you are.”
He’s coming before I finish getting the words out, and the feel of him pulsing against my cock, every stroke bringing more cum shooting from his tip, has me hurtling over that edge too.
“Holy fuck,” he chokes out and drops his head to my shoulder.
“Ay bendito,” I grit through my teeth, and then my own cum spurts from my cock. “So good.” Bliss takes me under. Warm wetness coats my hand and our cocks, and I stroke a couple last times as we shudder and shake, leaning against each other for support.
I gentle my hold on him, releasing his cock and wiping my hand on a towel near his hip. Then I wrap my arms around him and hold him close. He sinks into me, lungs shuddering and legs shaking, and I nuzzle my nose into his messy hair.
“You okay?” I murmur a few moments later.
“So okay,” he sighs. I can’t see it, but I hear the grin in his voice.
I smile back and shake my head against the top of his with a soft laugh. When I pull back, I nearly leap out of my skin. Jayce is standing in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame with his arms crossed.
“Jay,” I say, pressing a hand to my chest.
Aury jerks his head up and he tries to step away from me, but I growl and tighten my hold. He’s not going anywhere.
“You scared the shit out of me,” I grumble, rolling my eyes at his pleased smirk. “How long were you there?”
“Long enough to wish I’d gotten home earlier. Not so long that I saw the whole show.”
I shake my head and drop a kiss to Aury’s forehead. Then I snag the towel and lean down, gently cleaning him off before tugging his boxers and pants back up. He stands there staring at me the whole time, occasionally shooting uncertain looks at Jayce as well.
“We’re making mac and cheese,” I say, turning to Jayce after I get myself situated. “You want some?”
“Sure.”
I pick up the grater and cheese and hand them to Aury. He still looks a little out of it, so I squeeze my hand on the back of his neck, hoping it helps center him like it does for Jayce. His eyes meet mine and I smile, nodding encouragingly at the cheese.
He takes a deep, slow breath, then relaxes. His answering smile releases all of the tension from my body, and I turn back to my pasta with a pleased hum.