Chapter Five

Valentine knew Stone felt a combination of confusion, uncertainty, and even disbelief... the scents all mixed in with the heady aroma of his arousal.

My poor mate. He's telling me the truth, believing he's never been attracted to a guy. I'll have to try to be patient as I ease him into the idea of us.

Choosing his words carefully, Valentine stated, "It's the look in your eyes, Stone, and the way you respond to me." He didn't want to out and out lie to his mate, and telling him that he could smell his arousal was out of the question. With another squeeze to Stone's strong fingers, Valentine added, "You get a little tongue-tied around me and have trouble forming your thoughts." He wanted to thread the fingers of his other hand through his mate's short spiky red hair, but the cast made that impossible. Instead, he rubbed the pulse point on the inside of Stone's wrist. "You let me take your hand, and you haven't jerked it away, yet."

Stone's eyes widened, and his focus snapped to where Valentine still held him. Evidently, his human hadn't even realized their hands were still joined. Stone's brows furrowed, and he finally tugged on his hand.

Valentine immediately released him, not wanting to make him any more uncomfortable than he already did, even though he immediately missed the contact.

Deciding to move things along, Valentine pivoted and indicated his motorcycle. After agreeing to follow Kontra to Stone Ridge, they'd all picked up used bikes. He found he enjoyed the freedom of zooming along, feeling the wind on his face.

"Are you ready to go?" Valentine asked. "I packed us a picnic dinner." Taking a step in that direction, he explained, "I know a couple of the park rangers, and they gave me a couple of ideas for short hikes that offer great views and places to stop and eat and relax."

One even had a swimming hole, and Valentine would love to talk his mate into skinny dipping with him.

Mmmm... Stone wet and naked.

Predictably, Valentine felt his blood flow south. Arousal surged through him, hot and fast. His dick plumped behind his fly, and he feared he would end up experiencing a rather uncomfortable ride and hike.

Stone's next words helped ease his ardor a bit.

"You expect me to ride bitch on your motorcycle?" Stone scoffed as he shook his head. "I don't think so."

Valentine hesitated, wondering how he could change his mate's mind. It hadn't even occurred to him that Stone would refuse. Many of the guys' mates were happy to ride with their partners.

Fortunately, Stone added, "Let me grab my motorcycle's keys and jacket." He started toward his front door. "Be right back."

After Stone disappeared inside, Valentine exchanged looks with his fellow bear shifters—Eurik and Zion. Congo had insisted that Valentine not go alone, considering he was riding a motorcycle in a cast. That and if, by some bizarre twist, paranormal explanations started, one of the two would be able to prove their ability to change into bears since Valentine couldn't in a cast.

"So, your man has a bike," Zion commented with an eyebrow waggle. "Fate knows her shit. Payson says motorcycle sex is awesome."

Valentine chuckled, nodding. He felt a wave of heat wash through him at just thinking about sex in relation to Stone. Hearing his mate's approaching footsteps, Valentine cleared his throat, turned to look at him... and nearly swallowed his tongue.

Stone in jeans, a flannel, and boots was sexy enough. Add in a black leather jacket and a helmet under his arm, and he was absolutely drool-worthy. The way the leather spanned his shoulders made Valentine want to reach out and explore.

Clenching his fingers to keep from doing just that caused a burst of pain in his healing arm. At least that helped him focus... as well as eased his arousal somewhat. He watched Stone lock his door, and he was helpless to stop himself from staring at his mate's jeans-clad ass.

Once again, the urge to touch flooded him, and he had to swallow a groan.

Stone turned and paused. He narrowed his eyes just a little, even as he arched one brow. His expression told Valentine that he'd totally been caught ogling the man's ass.

As if I care.

Valentine grinned widely, not even a little abashed. "You're sexy," he declared, giving Stone a sweeping, appreciative look. "Very, very sexy."

After a hard swallow, and Valentine didn't miss the slight pinking of the man's cheeks, Stone muttered, "Thanks."

"Come on, Stone," Valentine encouraged, moving down the couple of steps. "Let's get rolling."

Valentine assumed Stone's motorcycle was in a small garage since the semi could clearly be seen in a carport-type structure with half-open sides. When Stone opened the rolling door, his suspicions were confirmed, and he let out a whistle of admiration. Except, it wasn't his mate's bike that he found interesting because that was hidden under a cover. Instead, the place was clean and filled with a number of toolboxes lining some of the walls while a myriad of other tools hung on others. Storage shelves were filled with items such as jacks and things that Valentine couldn't hope to identify.

"Adam would love this place," Valentine murmured, taking it all in.

Stone pulled off the cover, revealing an older, vintage Harley. "Who's Adam?" he asked over his shoulder while folding the cover and placing it on a workbench.

"Adam is part of a motorcycle gang staying in the area for a little while," Valentine explained. "He's their group's mechanic." Scoffing, he peered around the small garage again. "Bet this place would give him a boner."

"Uhhhh, I really have no response to that," Stone muttered, settling his helmet on his head and buckling it. Frowning at him, he asked, "Is that a good thing?"

Valentine snorted. "Adam's partner Noah would probably think so."

Seeing Stone's lips part a little as he gaped at him in disbelief, he barely managed not to grab the human and lay one on him. Valentine wanted to taste his mate's mouth in the worst way. Perhaps Stone read something in his expression, for his brows shot up, and he took a step backward. The move jerked Valentine out of his lustful thoughts, and he cleared his throat and turned away.

"So, did you want to offer a suggestion on a destination?" Valentine asked, needing to focus on something other than his handsome human. "Or should I pick one that the rangers recommended?"

Gripping his motorcycle's handlebars, Stone righted the bike and began pushing it forward. "Depends on how long a hike you want and how hungry you all are, so you can pick." As he spoke, he moved his Harley out of the garage. Using his chin, Stone indicated the pull rope dangling from the top of the rolling door. "Can you get that for me? Just flip the lever, and it'll lock."

Valentine nodded and did as Stone requested. He turned just in time to see his mate swing a long, lean leg over his bike. His mouth watered at the magnificent sight of Stone getting ready to ride with him.

Maybe it won't be too long before he's riding me.

With a mental roll of his eyes, Valentine started back to his waiting friends. That was about the time he realized he hadn't introduced them. Valentine quickly remedied that, explaining that he and the pair had been friends for decades.

"Decades?" Stone questioned. "Since you were kids, huh?"

Realizing Stone was guessing his age to be in the thirties, Valentine knew he couldn't correct him. His mate wasn't ready to hear that Valentine was over a century old.

Instead, Valentine nodded. "Feels like it. We've been through a lot together." With a scoff, he added, "They wouldn't let me drive around the mountains by myself with this cast on." Valentine waved his arm before climbing onto his own bike.

"Damn straight," Zion claimed. "Safety first, man."

"Always a good motto," Stone agreed. Smirking, he pointed at Valentine's casted arm. "Sure you don't want to ride bitch to me?"

For a second, Valentine was ready to blurt out, "Hell, yeah. I'd be happy to." Then he noticed the twinkling in Stone's eyes, the teasing glint within his blue depths, and he realized his mate's offer wasn't actually sincere. Valentine liked that his human teased him, even if he felt a measure of disappointment, too. "If I thought your offer was even a little sincere, I would take you up on it in a heartbeat," Valentine declared, holding Stone's gaze. "I would love to wrap my arms around you and hold you as you drive us down the road." Seeing the way Stone's eyes widened as shock filled his gaze, Valentine softened his smile and added, "But I know you're not ready for that, handsome." Returning his helmet to his head, he ordered, "Fire up your engine, Stone. Let's get this date on the road."

Without waiting for a response, Valentine started his Honda. His friends followed his lead. He idled for a minute, waiting for Stone to do the same. Once his mate did, Valentine made a decision on where to go.

"Hey, Zion," Valentine called. "You wanna lead the way to the Old Lumbermill Trailhead?"

Zion gave him a thumbs up, then started them on their way.

Technically, where they were going wasn't an actual trailhead. Instead, it was a location Alpha Declan had shown him on the map. He'd explained that it had once been a lumbermill camp, but it had fell into disuse when laws had changed regarding logging in the area. A few of the old buildings still stood on the banks of the river, and there was a beautiful waterfall.

The place was popular with shifters, so if anything odd happened, it would also be a great segue into explaining the paranormal.

Valentine doubted that would come up so soon, but the overgrown, nearly hidden logging road was an easy hike. The final setting was a beautiful area. Plus, with the water, there was always a chance of swimming.

Yup. Can't beat that.

Making his way along the roads, Valentine occasionally glanced at Stone, who rode beside him. He admired the way the man expertly handled his bike. Valentine found his mate's confidence on the Harley sexy.

Okay. I find everything about my mate sexy.

Valentine smiled at that thought.

Just as it should be. Damn, Fate's been good to me.