Chapter Eleven

Chapter Ten

G age danced with Kitty twice, Delilah once, and Anders zero times. They circled around each other, close but not touching. Magnets with opposing poles. Gage started to worry he'd done something really wrong by dancing with the women, or that he'd put Anders off by the way he moved.

Or… there were too many possibilities, so he just kept dancing.

The lead singer in the band was old enough to have sung their top-forty crap when the songs were new. He growled into the microphone, which was appropriate for a bar full of werewolves. Gage recognized a few from the hunting cabins, though when Delilah and Anders made introductions, Gage pretended they'd never met. He stuck to his bare-bones story, danced when he was asked to, and generally wished they could head back to Anders' house ten minutes ago.

When the band took a break, Anders announced that they were leaving. Kitty gave Gage an annoyed little head toss, but he shrugged in response, going for sheepish and mostly nailing it. Delilah said something to Kitty and they both laughed, so he figured he was forgiven.

Anders made an obvious grab for Gage's hand and tugged him toward the door. Without meeting anyone else's gaze, he waved in the crowd's general direction and let himself be pulled away. Let himself? That wasn't quite right. More like followed Anders' lead when he really wanted to race to the car.

Someone had put a flyer on every windshield in the lot. Anders pulled the one off his truck, gave it a glance, and handed it to Gage.

"Carnival of Mysteries. Huh. Is that what counts for entertainment out here in the forest?"

"Never heard of it, and they're brave scheduling an outdoor event at this time of year. The weather doesn't really turn nice till after the Fourth of July."

That seemed to settle the issue, so Gage folded the flyer and put it in his pocket. They both climbed into the truck and buckled in.

"Just so we're on the same page"—Anders paused to clear his throat—"I have no expectations for what's going to happen when we get back to my place."

Gage rubbed his mouth to disguise a grin. "I'm sorry I turned into a cat."

"I mean, it was a clever way of ending the conversation."

They both laughed, though Gage could sense a level of awkwardness that hadn't been there over dinner.

The drive down the two-lane highway took way longer than Gage thought it should have. This persona might flirt more easily, but that didn't change the essential impossibility of the situation. He wanted this man with the kind of need he rarely allowed himself to feel. The kind of need that tightened everything from his throat to his chest, half convincing him his heart might burst if they didn't get closer than two captain's chairs in the cab of a truck.

But.

But.

A surge of emotion swelled up into that tight space, and for a moment, he feared he might cry. What even is this? He hadn't reacted this way when he and Jessie got together. This had to be more than wanting something he could not have.

What was it about Anders that made him want to swallow the man whole?

They finally pulled off the highway, Anders' house dead ahead. The truck slowed in the driveway, Anders pushed a button, and the garage door slowly opened. For a moment, they both sat still, as if pausing for a breath before diving into something bigger than they'd expected. Desperate to come up with something that would allow them to be close without actually having sex, Gage took a wild swing.

"Um… this might be kinda weird, but…"

Anders turned quickly. "What?"

"What if we both shifted and, I don't know, went for a run or something?"

"You want to go for a run on four legs?" Laughter infused Anders' voice, and the garage door thudded shut behind them.

"Yeah." The urge grew stronger in Gage. "It'd be safer."

"Safer than what?"

Than having sex again, which'll make it even harder when I have to leave .

Grinning, Gage closed his eyes and shifted.

As a dog, he turned big brown eyes toward Anders, tilting his head expectantly.

"Of, for fuck's…" Anders opened the door and climbed out of the truck, his smile somewhere between amused and disbelieving. Dog scrambled out after him.

Anders crossed to the back corner of the garage and opened a door. Dog stuck its nose out to check out the backyard, broad and green under the cloud-wrapped moon. He nosed the grass, filling himself with the fresh scent, giving Anders some privacy. The shush of fabric and muttered curses hinted that Anders was getting undressed.

Dog resisted the urge to look.

A weak groan clued him in to what was happening, and in a moment he was proven correct. Anders' wolf came through the door behind him, large and black, with bright blue eyes.

Dog yipped and started to run.

With longer legs and a faster stride, Anders' wolf passed him. Dog was content to let the wolf lead. They loped across the grass and when Anders veered to the left, Dog followed.

The wolf found a gap between the trees. They ran along a path, moving easily, fast but not desperate. Scents buffeted Dog: dirt, growing things, other small creatures. He yipped again for the simple pleasure of it.

They reached a small clearing, and before Dog could react, Anders' wolf pivoted and ran right at him. The dog dodged, ran back at the wolf, and dodged again. The clouds parted, letting the moonlight bathe the clearing. Anders' wolf paused, breathing hard through his smile.

Dog was winded too, so he sat, fairly sure the wolf was smiling at him. He readied himself to move as soon as Anders' wolf did, his muscles tensing to spring.

Anders' wolf was too quick for him. He lunged, and though the dog sprang away, it didn't take long until the wolf had clamped his jaws on the back of the dog's neck.

Not hard, but inarguable. The dog relaxed, and though his thoughts weren't as clear as when he was a man, he recognized how badly he'd fucked up.

If he'd thought running together in their animal forms would keep some distance between them, he'd been wrong. Very, very wrong.

He was ready to give himself up to Anders, and it didn't matter if they were on two legs or on four.

Still, he shifted, sprawling in the grass with Anders' wolf on top of him. He'd made a choice to appear naked, though he damned well knew where that would lead.

The wolf backed away and shifted, a slower process than Dog's. It gave him a chance to catch his breath. He shivered, though he couldn't have said whether it was the cool air, the damp grass, or Anders standing in front of him, naked in the moonlight.

"Hi, Micah."

Micah looked at the stars to hide his shyness. He had no fucking idea why he'd chosen this persona, but the heat in Anders' eyes made him glad he had. "I figure I'll save Gage for special occasions." Or not. Right then, he'd have done anything Anders asked of him.

Anders chuckled and moved in, wrapping an arm around Micah and pulling him close. "Part of me thinks we're moving awful fast."

Micah leaned his head against Anders' shoulder, grateful for the warmth. "I guess we are. We only just met."

"And at the risk of sounding like a pretty awful cliché, I can't get you out of my mind."

"I hear you." Micah's sigh turned into a laugh. "Does that mean we're having sex?"

Anders tightened his grip. "It means we're enjoying each other's company, in whatever form you choose, for as long as we're both into it."

He had flat-out just given Micah an escape, and if Micah had a speck of common sense, he'd have taken it. Instead, he turned his head to kiss Anders' bare shoulder. "All right, then. Let's go to bed."

Hand in hand, they followed the path through the trees toward the house. Inside, Micah would have stopped at the fireplace, but Anders drew him on to the main bedroom.

There, Anders ran his hands over Micah as if worshipping his body. The wolf's touch was warm and sure, and while Micah could have stood there forever, for once in his damned life, Micah wanted to give back the care Anders was taking. He sank to his knees and leaned against Anders' belly, inhaling his warm and wild scent. Yeah, if they were going to do this, he meant to make it the best Anders had ever experienced.

"Aw, man, you're killing me," Anders whispered.

Grinning, Micah mouthed his cock. Anders' sigh was a good first step, but Micah wanted to make him scream. And growl. And hell, sing or whatever. He wanted Anders undone.

Micah's own dick was standing at attention, and he figured it wouldn't take long for both of them to lose it.

He sucked Anders down, loving the salty funk of his precum. He wanted this man, this wolf, and yeah, he was being selfish again. Pulling on Anders' hips, Micah wordlessly invited him to thrust deeper. He needed Anders to take him out of his own head and make him forget what a bad fucking idea this was.

It didn't take too many more tugs to get Anders fucking his throat, that big cock filling him, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. Tears caused by the effort to control his gag reflex but also coming from that same emotion that had bound his heart so tight.

For the first time ever, Micah wanted someone. Really wanted someone.

And he couldn't have him.

Jesus . Micah Jenkins was so damned good. Micah had been powerful enough to turn into a hawk and dive-bomb Jeremy, but here, in Anders' room, he showed a different side of himself, one that was open. Vulnerable. Fragile.

And Anders wanted nothing more than to hold him close and protect him from everything the world threw at him.

He'd fucked Micah's throat, and then, after a bit of recovery for both of them, he'd fucked his ass. Micah curled up next to him as if they'd been together for years instead of days, and for the first time in a while, Anders' wolf curled up, too. Together, Anders and his wolf made a barrier between Micah and the world.

They slept until well after Anders' alarm should have gone off on a weekday. It was Saturday, though, so Anders spooned Micah and shut his eyes.

But spooning meant Anders' cock nestled right up against Micah's ass. Micah didn't stir, his breathing deep and even. At the hunting cabin, Micah had said he could change forms as often as he wanted to, but he'd need extra rest if he did.

Deciding Micah needed rest more than another round of the horizontal rumba, Anders slipped out of bed. Micah didn't react in any way, so Anders snuck out. He washed and dressed and decided to make a quick trip to the store to pick up stuff for brunch. And yeah, he'd be lying if he wasn't feeling a little nervous that Micah would be gone when he returned.

Which was silly. Micah had come to him.

But still.

That nervous feeling didn't really leave. He parked in his usual spot, grabbed what he needed in record time, and had a quick chat with the cashier, who was Kitty's cousin and always ready with a funny story.

On his way out, he noticed another one of those Carnival of Mysteries flyers on his car. "Opens today," he said to no one. "Huh."

Tossing the flyer into one of the grocery bags, he headed home.

Micah was still asleep when he got there. He slept through breakfast, cleanup, and Anders' Saturday chores. Anders would die before admitting it, but he spent a lot of that time listing Micah's strong points. His bravery. His humor. The conversations they'd shared and Anders' bone-deep sense that there was a lot more to discover about this man. Didn't matter what he looked like, Micah Jenkins made Anders' knees weak.

Because, in fact, I am secretly still a teenage boy.

Micah didn't wake until after two. He stumbled out of the bedroom, blinking like he'd never seen the place before. Anders heard him coming and was ready with a mug of coffee. He handed it to Micah, who squinted at him and took a sip.

"Thank you." Micah breathed the words, holding the mug close to his face. "Nectar of the gods."

"There're some eggs and stuff I can heat up if you're hungry."

"Give me a minute but yeah, food would be great."

Anders steered Micah to the kitchen island and pulled out a stool. Micah had put on sweatpants and a hoodie, another soft, clingy thing that highlighted the angles and planes of his shoulders, and he sipped his coffee while Anders went about reheating the eggs and bacon he'd cooked earlier.

They didn't talk, but it was a comfortable silence. Anders hummed as he worked, an old tune that had been popular when he was in middle school. Something Something by Sara Somebody. He glanced up to find Micah grinning into his coffee.

"What?"

Micah shook his head, his grin widening. "Sara Bareilles. That one takes me back."

"It's one of those melodies that sticks in your head, you know?"

"Thanks for the earworm."

Anders leaned on the island across from Micah. "I guess there's a cost to my hospitality."

"I'll remember that the next time I sneak up to your music room."

That made something in Anders soften. "No sneaking required. You're welcome to go up there anytime."

"Maybe I will." Micah's smile dimmed, as if somehow Anders' offer made him sad. Which did something complicated to Anders' heart.

Because fuck, Micah had him all tied up in knots.

Shaking off feelings he didn't want to deal with, he dished up the food and set it next to Micah. "Toast'll be ready in a minute."

Micah dove into the breakfast like a starving man, and Anders let him eat. The weather was halfway decent, and while the grass was too wet to mow, there was always something that needed doing outside.

Except he didn't want to work. The flyer for the Carnival of Mysteries gave him an idea. He'd left it on the island when he unpacked the groceries, and now he slid it in Micah's direction. "Hey. What about this?" It'd be hard to get too serious at a carnival, right?

Micah glanced up, eyes wide like he expected to be chastised. "What?"

"This carnival thing. We could do that this afternoon."

"We could?" Micah tilted his head, expression confused. "But I'm not sure why we would."

Anders shrugged. "Because if we stay here, I'm going to drag you back to bed. I figure my chores are done and the sun is shining, and it might be nice to get out for a minute before we get back to fucking."

Micah made a show of licking his lips. "I could wear a plug."

Groaning, Anders flopped forward on the countertop. "You're trying to kill me, but hell, yes. Do that."

"I will."

Anders rested his forehead on his arms and took a deep breath, willing his dick to settle the fuck down. "Eat and get dressed before I change my mind."

Scraping up the last bit of scrambled egg, Micah picked up a strip of bacon and slid off the stool. "Be right back, hero."

"Hero?" Anders snorted.

Micah didn't answer. Waving the bacon at Anders, he headed for the bedrooms. He came back right about the time Anders was done cleaning up, and if the thought of him wearing a plug wasn't giving Anders a semi—

"Damn, those jeans should be illegal."

"Says the guy with the bulge."

That made them both laugh, and grabbing his keys, Anders led the way to the truck.

The carnival was in an old field about halfway between Elwha and Port Angeles. "Must have worked a deal with the owners," Anders muttered, pulling his truck into one of the only vacant spots.

"This kind of thing happen often?"

"Not really. We're too small to attract traveling shows. Guess that's why the parking lot is full. Everybody wants to see what it's about."

They climbed out of the truck and headed for the entrance. They'd only passed the first row of cars when Micah said, "Shit. I should change my appearance."

Anders put an arm around Micah's shoulders. "But I like how you look."

"I can't… I mean… it could…"

They slowed to a stop. "If you're worried about your safety"—Anders mentally smacked himself for not thinking about it from Micah's point of view—"maybe you should."

"Thanks. Can I use your car key?"

Anders handed it over, and Micah nodded once. "I'll be right back." He jogged toward the truck, retracing their steps, and climbed in.

A family of four came down the row of cars, the youngest in her father's arms, writhing and kicking and protesting with every fiber or her young being. "I don't want to go home."

Not sure he'd ever have the patience to deal with a toddler of his own, Anders watched her parents wrestle the kid into her car seat. With luck, she'd fall asleep before they got too far.

He was still musing on the family dynamics when Gage returned and tossed him the key to his truck. He wore all black but he had on the same hoodie Micah had worn, now covered by a leather jacket. His hair was pulled back into a man bun and his fingernails were painted shades of black and gray.

"This okay?" Gage asked.

Anders leaned over and gave his earlobe a quick nip right above the pair of diamond studs. "I'm hot for you no matter what you look like."

And truer words had never been spoken .

Gage's smile turned sheepish. Laughing, Anders tugged him toward the carnival's entrance.

The sun was close to the trees in the west, but they had at least an hour before it started getting dark for real. Anders almost asked whether the plug had made the transition between forms, but then decided he'd rather just wonder.

This was going to be fun, and later, they'd have even more fun, plug or no plug.