Huntsman - Morgan Brice Page 0,36

hair, wide eyes, mouth open, and an expression of fucked-out bliss on his face—a look Russ had put there.

Russ still panted from the strength of his climax. Then he reached forward with his clean hand and tipped Liam’s chin up to kiss him gently and thoroughly. The room smelled of sweat, sex, and their mingled scents, a completely intoxicating mixture.

Fated mates, his wolf reminded him. If you think this is good, just wait—

“Wow.” Liam’s voice sounded a little spacey. Russ could relate. He felt buzzed, far more than he could blame on a single beer.

“Yeah.” Russ spotted a box of tissues on the end table and grabbed a couple, doing his best to clean them up.

Russ tossed the used tissues onto the floor and ran his fingers through Liam’s hair again. “You’re so gorgeous,” he murmured. “And so is your fox. I saw you out at the cemetery.”

Liam’s amber eyes met his, and Russ thought he saw a flash of pride mingled with uncertainty. “I wondered if you had. I saw you too. And the marker.”

Was there ever a good time to discuss your dead husband with your new lover? “Yeah. I probably should have mentioned that earlier.”

Liam kissed him again before he could get further. “It’s not like we’ve had a lot of time. This thing between us…moving so fast…it’s not the way it usually goes for me.”

Russ returned the kiss gently. “There hasn’t been anyone since Anthony died. Car wreck. I got called to the scene before they knew who was involved.”

“Damn. I’m sorry.”

Russ looked away. “He was already gone. We were good together, and I loved him. But he wasn’t my fated mate.”

He dared to meet Liam’s gaze on those last words and saw a flash of understanding. He knows, Russ’s wolf assured him.

“I didn’t used to think that was real,” Liam murmured. “But I’ve never felt anything like this before.”

“We can take it slow,” Russ assured him, wishing he could read minds. If Liam backed out now, Russ didn’t know what he would do. “There’s no rush. Get to know each other. Date. That way, we can be sure.”

Liam nodded and swallowed hard. “I’d like that.” He tensed, and Russ wasn’t sure what to expect. “I had a boyfriend back in Ithaca. We’d been together for a while. Then things went bad fast. I think he—”

The shrill alarm made both men startle, and Russ sighed as he pulled his phone from his pocket. “It’s the fire station. Another fire. I’m sorry—but I have to go.”

Liam kissed him and then wriggled off of his lap, and they both pulled themselves together. Russ went to the bathroom to wash up, knowing that even so, his shifter buddies would be able to smell the sex on him.

“Be safe,” Liam said as Russ headed for the door.

Russ gave him a quick kiss and met his gaze. “I’ll do my best. I’m gonna be wiped out after this, but I’ll call, and we’ll go out again real soon, I promise.”

Liam nodded, biting his lip with a worried expression as he closed the door behind him.

As soon as he was off the porch, Russ called in. “What’s going on?”

“Get here as quick as you can,” the Chief replied. “We’ve got what looks like another arson.”

5

Liam

A mind-blowing orgasm should have been the prelude to a sound night’s sleep. Instead, Liam lay awake that night, replaying the evening with Russ, and reliving the “happy ending.” He’d never come so hard just from frotting.

If that was amazing, what would it be like to do more? His imagination teemed with possibilities, removing any doubt that might still exist about whether his libido had recovered.

Fated mates, his fox replied, smugly.

That was great sex…but it was more than great sex. Liam had tried casual hookups in college and tired of it quickly. Someone with enthusiasm and a good grasp of the mechanics of sex could be a great fuck. As good as that felt, Liam had always hated the let-down later, going home alone, waiting for a call that never came.

But this hadn’t felt anything like those quickies, even though he and Russ had only known each other a few days. And it was better than any of the sex Kelson and I ever had, he admitted to himself.

Liam had dated Kelson for more than a year, but it should have been a red flag that their relationship never moved beyond convenient sex. They had been boyfriends, but Kelson showed no interest in taking things further, moving in