hours making everything as perfect as he could. He’d ordered enough food for days, picking up a variety so Toby would have whatever he wanted. He’d taken a nice long shower and made sure to prep the bedroom with the new bottles of lube, as well as a couple of towels.
After meeting Toby over at the rec hall and spending some time with the girls, they walked back toward the house. Brooks paused on the porch and turned Toby to face him.
“Can I just say something before we go inside?” Brooks asked. “For the record.”
Toby looked nervous but nodded.
Brooks squeezed his hand a little, then drew it up so it rested against his chest. He stared down at Toby’s eyes, getting lost in them for a moment.
“Brooks?”
“Right, sorry. Goddess, you’re beautiful. But that’s not what I wanted—dammit. Okay, let me try this again.” Brooks sucked in a nervous breath and smiled down at his mate. “We don’t have to have anal sex. Not everyone does. And that’s okay. Before you ask, yes, I like it. I tend to prefer topping, but I’ve bottomed some as well, and I’ll happily try that with you. But there are so many other things we can do. I’d love to suck you again. I’d really love it if you sucked me again. I’d super love to finger you until you came. I’ve heard of this whole between-the-thighs thing that sounds extremely hot for some reason I can’t quite understand. And then there’s just rubbing one out together or me watching you while you jerk—”
“Brooks?”
Brooks sucked in a nervous breath and cupped Toby’s cheek with his free hand. “I just want you to know that whatever we do, we do because it’s what we both want. And if we try this, and you don’t like it and never want to do it again, that is fine with me. It’s important to me that you really know that, deep inside. What we do in the bedroom isn’t all we are, okay?”
Toby’s eyes shimmered, and he nodded. “Will you take my clothes off now?”
“No. Well, I mean, yes. But not until we get inside. We’re on the porch still, and I’m pretty sure Nick heard what you just said because he’s a nosy asshole and also would explain why he’s cackling like an asshole!”
He said the last much louder than he needed to, and Nick’s laughter intensified.
“Don’t worry about it.” Toby’s voice was slightly raised, and his eyes twinkled with mischief. “I’ll make sure Sam knows he was making fun of me.”
“What! No!” Nick’s squawk of outrage was immediately followed by the sound of footsteps heading their way.
“Let’s make a run for it,” Toby said as he grabbed the door and pulled Brooks along behind him. He pushed the door shut with a laugh, then leaned back against it.
“Toby! Don’t you dare tell Sam on me! I mean it!” Nick’s bellow shook the windows. Toby only laughed harder as he pulled out his phone and shot a text to Ollie that Brooks read over his shoulder.
Have your papa call Nick. I’m being evil.
Ollie responded seconds later: On it.
Brooks shook his head, trying not to die laughing when about ten seconds later, Nick’s cellphone rang. He actually screeched, “Toby!”
“Answer the phone, Alpha!”
“I’m gonna… Goddammit! Hello! Sam, I didn’t—fine! Good night, Toby and Brooks. I’m leaving now. And Sam says to call him back if I continue to act like a two-year-old.”
“I will! Night, Alpha!”
“Good night. I’m here if you need me.”
Toby opened the door and stuck his head outside. “I know.”
“Good. Now get in there.”
Brooks tugged Toby away from the door and into the kitchen, where their makeshift feast waited.
“So, I didn’t realize this was going to become an entire pack event,” Toby said as he stared at the mountain of food on the counter.
Brooks groaned and wondered if pizza, Chinese food, and a batch of Walt’s nachos was enough food for their date. Since, as Toby had oh so gently pointed out, their pack had become invested in their evening.
“You should banish me to the truck again.” Brooks would like to pretend he didn’t sound petulant about the whole thing, but the pressure was real and his nerves were a mess.
Toby snickered. “Or I could take my clothes off. You know. Either way.”
Brooks’s heart skipped a beat. “Or that.”
“I’m not hungry.”
His breath caught in his chest. “Okay.”
“Besides, I have a feeling we’re going to work up an appetite.”