Chapter Sixteen

Maxwell’s excitement made me giddy. I’d be staying in Oliver Creek longer than expected because I wanted to help him. Training someone from scratch wouldn’t be easy and would take time that Maxwell didn’t have to spare in his busy shop.

He took such care in his business. Anyone could tell it was a labor of love.

More time with him would be a bonus, even if it threatened my will to keep moving along. But I could do it. How many places had I left before without a single thought.

We’ve never left our mate.

My bobcat had been fairly quiet, but happy. He’d almost purred when we lay in our mate’s arms after making love. He was showing a different side now.

It’s for the best.

His yowl rang in my ears.

“We should remain professional at work,” Maxwell said when we got into his house. I had stopped in the living room, wondering how all of this would work. Would I sleep in the guest room? Would we still flirt? Have sex?

Maxwell had read my mind.

“And here?” I asked.

“Here?” he growled. He grabbed me by the hips and pushed me against the front door. I wrapped my leg around his waist and I grabbed the hair at the back of his neck. “Here, you are mine. Here, you can do whatever you want to me and, with your permission, I will do some very nice things to you.”

“Please, alpha.”

My stomach chose that moment to interrupt us with a rumble.

“Have you eaten since breakfast?” he asked, pushing his hardness against me. “You have to take care of yourself, omega.”

How I wished he would’ve said omega mine. There was nothing I wanted more, no matter how hard my brain fought against that idea.

“No. I was busy.”

He leaned forward and kissed me until I whimpered, needing more. So much more.

“Come on, then. Want to help me cook?”

I nodded. Max’s kiss had left me breathless. On the outside, he seemed like a nice, polite person, not stepping out of line or ever being rude. And then, there was this Maxwell. The one he was at home. He was demanding and commanding, not in a disrespectful way but just the way my animal and I liked it.

Instead of a labor-intensive meal, we ended up making omelets with the leftover steak bites from the night before. On the way home, we’d picked up a warm baguette from the PBJ place, along with some freshly squeezed orange juice from the smoothie truck. This town was indeed a foodie paradise, and the local discount made it affordable.

We fed each other bites during the meal and once it was time for dessert, this time a quick peach cobbler, Max pulled me into his lap and insisted I take bites from him instead of feeding myself.

By the time the meal was done, I throbbed for him. Ached. Pulsed. I swore if he didn’t touch me soon, I would explode right there on the spot.

“Hmm, you smell needy, omega. Tell me exactly what you need.”

“First of all, to shower,” I answered. “After walking around town all day, I probably don’t smell the best.”

With another growl, Max ran his nose up and down the side of my neck, inhaling. “You smell better than dessert to me, but I suppose I will comply. Come on.”

He picked me up, cradling me to his chest. “Max, you can’t carry me all the time.”

“I can and I will. I don’t know how much time we have together, omega. Let me have my fun.”

Who could say no to that? Not me.

We stood in front of his shower, and I watched while he turned on the hot water. “I need to get my clothes,” I said.

“No, you don’t,” he responded, winking.

“Okay.”

Under the spray, the alpha washed me from head to toe, even shampooing my hair and massaging my scalp. I turned around and did the same for him. By the time the soap was rinsed clean, we were both panting.

Maxwell moved to sit on the shower bench and crooked a finger, beckoning me closer. On shaking knees, I walked over and stood in front of him, my cock sticking out between us. He licked his lips, and I dragged in a raspy breath. One side of his mouth rose in a smile. “Tell me what you need, Pike. I want to give my omega what he wants.”

“Please,” I begged, not able to form the words.

“Please what? Please suck your cock until you shoot cum into the back of my throat?” My hardness bobbed, nodding its answer and mine. “It would be my pleasure.”

I bucked as he took me into his mouth, head to base. He lifted my knee and put my foot on the bench beside him, spreading my thighs farther apart as I grabbed the back of his head, needing more of me inside his hot, wet mouth.

“Max,” I whined.

He dug his fingers into my ass as I slammed my cock deeper into his throat. I looked down, watching his mouth devour me, and let out a loud roar, coming down his throat.

Pulling off of me with a pop, he swiped at his mouth. “You are gorgeous when you come, Pike. I need to be inside you. Here or the bed?”

“Here,” I laughed. “My legs aren’t currently working.”

“Always fantasized about having someone in the shower. You’re making all my dreams come true.” He stood and moved to stand behind me. “Are you slick for me, omega?”

“Yes, alpha.”

He tested the theory, running his fingers up my slit from balls to back. “Gods, you are. Grab those handles.”

I reached for two handles that I hadn’t noticed before and held on tight when he slammed himself inside me and in only a few strokes called out my name while he came over and over again.

“Now we have to clean up again.”

By the end of the night, we were holding each other. We had one lamp on in the bedroom and, in this light, Max looked like a dark-haired angel. He stroked my hair and whispered sweet things.

“Tell me more about you, Pike. I want to know anything you are willing to share.”

He must’ve seen my hesitation.

“Baby, please,” he begged. “We shared our bodies—just give me a piece of you to hold onto.”

He was right. No matter what the future held for us, I could give him my all tonight. “Let me tell you about traveling through Alaska.”