The tension on the other side of the truck seemed to ease a bit. “I’m not trying to be a hardass, Chay. I just…it’s…you don’t like guys that way and now, you
do
want me that way? It’s a little hard to believe. Hard to trust, ya know? Not saying you’re lying, but…”
Chay did understand. He’d had a hard time figuring it out himself. One thing he knew for certain though, the thought of being with Keaton, making love to him,
didn’t
repulse Chay. Just the opposite actually. “I don’t know how to explain it. You’re my mate and that is all that matters, we can work around the rest.” Thinking about it now, gay sex had never disgusted him, he’d just always preferred females. But with Keaton? Keaton was everything he’d ever wanted in a mate. More actually, Bit had extra…well, bits. Chay’s lips twitched, but he gained control quickly. Somehow, under the circumstances, he didn’t think Keaton would share his amusement. “When I was little I used to dream about you.”
“Me?” Bit’s voice squeaked.
Chay nodded. “I knew my mate would have blue eyes and blond hair.” He smiled fondly. “My mom used to tell me no way, no how was I getting a white mate. She insisted my mate would be one of us, Apache or maybe Lakota like her. But I knew. I wasn’t a bit surprised when I walked into that exam room and saw that pale blond fur.”
“You are so lying through your teeth.” Bit chuckled.
“No I’m not. I used to dream of my mate. Hair like sunshine, eyes like the sky…that’s what I used to tell my mother.”
“Not that. I believe that. I can’t say I’ve ever dreamed of you, but I’ve always had a preference for men that look like you. I meant lying about not being surprised. I bet you freaked. I mean I know damned well I’d have freaked if I rescued my mate and it turned out to be a woman.”
Chay grinned. “Yeah, okay, fine I was a little startled at that, I kept trying to figure out how there were female wolves and I’d never heard of any. But I wasn’t surprised that you had blond hair.”
“I would have left,” Bit whispered.
“Huh?”
“I mean if my mate was a girl. I’d have left. Well, maybe not left, I’d have made sure she was okay, but I’d never have told her I was her mate.”
Chay raised an eyebrow. He had considered it briefly, but he knew he never could have walked away. He didn’t think Keaton could either, the attraction was just too strong. “Are you sure about that?”
Bit nodded. “Yeah, I…think so.”
He grinned. “This your way of telling me if I were a girl you’d kick me to the curb, Bit?”
Keaton shook his head, smiling. “You don’t believe me? You’re a
guy
and I’m trying to kick you to the curb.”
“Touché. But guess what? You aren’t going to. I won’t allow it.”
Bit got pretty quiet after that, but he didn’t argue. Chay took that as a good sign. It gave him hope that Bit would eventually realize this was the real deal.
As they drove onto the Reservation, Keaton started asking questions. The man had a real interest in tribal history, not all that surprising since he had a doctorate in history.
“Do you have shovel-shaped incisors?”
“Huh?” Chay blinked. How had they gone from the history of his tribe to his teeth?
“Your teeth. Run your tongue over the back of your incisors and see if they curve in, like a shovel.”
“I know what incisors are. I meant why?”
“It’s a trait of indigenous people, that’s why.”
He ran his tongue over his teeth. Oh, hey, he did have incisors that dipped in, didn’t everyone? “Yeah, they do.”
“Cool.” Keaton practically bounced.
Chay liked how excited Bit got. He filed it away in his memory. Keaton plus history equaled excited, happy, bouncy Keaton.
After that, Bit rattled off all sorts of questions. Did he speak the Apache language? Did he ever participate in any of the tribal dances and ceremonies? On and on it went. By the time they got to Chay’s parents’ house he feared being dissected and put under a microscope.
They pulled to a stop in front of his parents’ house and Bit got quiet again. Chay turned off the truck and pocketed his keys. “‘Sup, Bit?”
“What if they hate me?”
“They won’t. Come on.” God, he hoped he was right. His mom could be a real bitch at times. She had a real prejudice against whites. He opened his door and exited. Out of habit he walked around and reached for the handle of Bit’s door.
Bit frowned at him and opened the door himself. “I can open my own door, Chay.”
Chay chuckled, half-expecting Keaton to tell him this wasn’t a date and he wasn’t a girl. But Keaton only shook his head and walked up the walkway ahead of him. His attention zeroed in on that tight little ass in front of him. Bit had a nice ass.
Shit.
His cock stiffened again.
Bit turned his head as he stepped up on the porch. “Chay? You comin’?”
Not yet, but you keep teasing me, I bet I can get pretty close.
“Yeah.” He gave Bit’s ass one more fond glance and jogged up the steps. He took a deep breath, willing himself to relax, and opened the door.
“Chay.” Joe Winston got up from the recliner and grabbed his son in a big bear hug, pounding him on the back.
Chay wheezed at the crushing embrace but returned the gesture. “Dad, this is Keaton Reynolds.” He stepped back and indicated Keaton. “Bit, this is my dad.”
Bit gave Chay a quick glare then turned to Chay’s father. He offered his hand as he lowered his eyes and tilted his head to the side, showing his neck out of respect. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Winston.”
Joe’s eyes widened. “Son, from what my senses tell me, I should be baring my throat to you. You are the stronger wolf, but it’s nice to meet you too. Please call me Joe. You must be the wolf Chay patched up the other day.”
Chay frowned. Why did his dad think Bit was the stronger wolf? His dad was Beta of their pack. He was very strong.
Wait.
He hadn’t told his dad about Keaton, had he? “How’d you know about that?”
His dad’s brow raised and furrowed ever so slightly. “Frank Red Hawk told me about it.” He glanced back at Keaton and smiled. “So, Keaton, where are you from?”
“Georgia, sir.”
“You’re planning on staying here now?”
“Uh, maybe. I mean for the time being anyway. My job is here.”
Joe patted Keaton on the back and led him to the couch. He pushed Keaton down and took a seat across from him. “Tell me about yourself, son. How’s the head? Shot didn’t go too deep did it?” He glanced up at Chay.
Chay shook his head. What the hell was his dad up to? The man was always friendly, but he’d never taken this kind of interest in Chay’s friends.
“Good, good. You aren’t a teenager are you?”
Keaton blinked. From the looks of him, Bit was as confused as Chay. “No, sir. I’m twenty-five.”
“You’re only a little younger than Chay. What do you do, Keaton? And please call me Joe. We’re family after all.”
“What?” Chay wasn’t sure who squeaked louder, he or Bit.
Chay cleared his throat and tried again. “What?”
Keaton just stared, wide-eyed.
His dad looked at him, a huge smile on his face. “He’s going to be pack, right? I mean he said he wasn’t going anywhere.” He looked back at Keaton. “Right?”
Bit nodded, relaxing a little. “Right si—Joe.”
Yep. The old man was up to something, but damned if Chay knew what. No way could Dad know Keaton was his mate. Chay sat next to Keaton, watching his father closely.
They sat there for several minutes, Bit answering questions about himself, until his mom popped her head out of the kitchen. “Chay? Where’s your new fri—Oh.” Her gaze landed on Keaton then snapped up to Chay.
Chay barely held in a sigh.
Come on, Mom, don’t give him any shit…please.
Keaton stood, holding his hand out. “Mrs. Winston, pleasure to meet you. I’m Chay’s friend Keaton.”
Lena looked startled, but shook Bit’s hand anyway. “Nice to meet you, Keaton. I admit, you weren’t what I expected.”
“Someone a little taller?” Keaton asked, a chuckle in his voice.
“Someone a little darker.”
“Mom.” Chay jumped to his feet.
“Lena.” So did Joe.
“Supper is ready.” Lena turned and left, going back to the kitchen.
Chay touched Bit on the shoulder. “Sorry, Bit. She’s kinda, well, she doesn’t…”
Joe patted Chay’s shoulder, then Bit’s. “What Chay is trying to say is my wife is a bit on the prejudiced side. Don’t worry about it, son. You’re welcome in our home. She’ll come around. Now…let’s eat.” He sauntered to the kitchen, leaving Chay alone with Bit.
Bit raised a light brown eyebrow. “You could have warned me.”
“Sorry. I didn’t know she’d be that obvious. She tolerates my friend Remi all right.”
“He’s white?”
“He’s half. And well…he probably doesn’t really count, he looks Apache.”
“Come on, boys. Brisket’s getting cold.” Joe’s shout echoed through the house.
Bit grinned. “I like your dad.”
Chay nodded. “I like him too. Come on before he eats all the food.”
* * *
Even with his mom’s standoffish attitude, the evening went well. Keaton seemed to relax and enjoy himself. The man could be real charming when he wanted to be. Chay caught himself staring more than once over dinner. He couldn’t help it. Keaton drew him like a moth to a flame. He couldn’t wait to run his hands through those blond curls. He wanted to know if that hair was as soft in human form as it was in wolf. And those eyes, damn, he had nice eyes. They actually sparkled when Bit smiled. And dimples. Bit had dimples. Chay hadn’t noticed them before. Of course, that could be because he hadn’t seen Bit smile much.
“I like your family, Chay.”
He glanced to the passenger side of the truck, gaze zeroing in on that angelic face. “Good. I think they like you too. My dad does anyway. But my mom…she will too, eventually.”
I hope.
“You think? I tell you, I don’t think I helped my own cause any when she asked if I wanted any potato salad and I laughed in her face.”
They both shared a quick laugh. “You may be right. But eventually, she’ll get over the fact that you’re melatonin-challenged.”
Keaton chuckled. “Yeah, maybe, but something tells me when she finds out we’re mates, she’s going to have a bigger problem with my penis than she does my pigment.”
Chay suspected Bit was right. He pulled into the parking lot of Bit’s apartment and drove around to Keaton’s building. He parked next to Keaton’s car.
“Thanks, Chay. I
did
enjoy it.”
“Me too, Bit. Me too.”
Bit reached for the door handle, but Chay grabbed his arm and tugged him back. Before Bit could protest, Chay did what he’d been dying to do all night. He cupped Bit’s head in his hands, threading his fingers through those pale locks, and slanted his mouth over Bit’s. And yes his hair felt as soft in human form.
Bit hesitated for half a second before he relaxed and let Chay in.
He took complete advantage. His tongue thrust into Keaton’s mouth, touching, tasting, devouring.
That‘s good.
Keaton tasted intoxicating and, God, could the man kiss.
He consumed Chay right back, giving as good as he got, even sucking on Chay’s bottom lip.
Chay’s cock grew harder than a fucking rock. He couldn’t remember ever getting this turned on this fast. Maybe as a teenager, but not recently. If he didn’t stop now, he wouldn’t. Not that that was a bad thing, but he’d promised. He drew back, gasping for air.
Bit followed suit, laying his head on Chay’s shoulder, breathing heavily.
Chay gave into one last temptation and ran his fingers through Bit’s hair. “Sorry about that, Bit. Kinda lost my head there.”
Keaton nodded. “Yeah, th-th-this is…we aren’t supposed to be doing this.”
Chay smiled. A stuttering Bit was really cute. Chay wanted to push and see if he could make Bit stutter some more, but he was pretty certain Keaton wouldn’t allow him to kiss him again. Chay settled for a caress of that smooth pale cheek.
Bit leaned into the caress for a second, then opened the door and got out.
Chay rolled down the window. “Tomorrow night, poker game.”
Keaton stopped mid-turn. “Huh?”
Chay grinned, putting the truck in reverse, and backed up. “I’ll see you tomorrow around six o’clock. I’m going to take you to dinner, and after you’re going to a poker game with me.”
Bit shook his head as Chay started rolling up the window. No way was he going to let the man say no. “Six o’clock. Be ready, babe.” He hauled ass out of the parking lot, a huge smile on his face. Eventually Keaton would get wise to his schemes, but damn it was fun while it lasted.
Chapter Five
When the knock sounded at the door, Keaton smiled, then groaned. He’d told himself he wasn’t going to get excited every time Chay came over. But he couldn’t help it, every single time Chay showed up it felt like a small victory, not to mention the fact that Chay had followed through on his word and actually came when he said he would. Jonathon never had. Heck, Chay had already proved himself to be several cuts above Jonathon. He’d told Chay he’d give him a chance, and by gosh he would, and that included not comparing him to that ex-scumbag-boyfriend of his.
The knock came again. “Bit. I know you’re in there.”
“Coming.” Keaton tried to control the little excitement he felt and went to the door. He really liked that Chay wasn’t easily dissuaded. It gave him some measure of hope. Maybe Chay would stick around. Keaton shook his head. He hadn’t just fallen off the turnip truck. They had a long way to go and he knew it. Chay liked him right
now
. It didn’t mean the man would stick around once his friends and family began to put pressure on him. He opened the door and Chay nearly fell in on top of him.
“Hey, Bit.” Chay smiled and grabbed the back of Keaton’s neck, pulling him into a kiss.
Keaton melted, tangling his tongue with Chay’s, until his brain kicked in. Unfortunately, so did his dick. The kiss, the scent of Chay, everything conspired against him. His cock grew hard in seconds flat. He pushed back, a little breathless. When he looked up, Chay’s eyes had changed to his wolf eyes. “Chay.”