Seb only appeared half-convinced, so Tim let it drop. Not many got to see the side of Alec that he did. Alec was always too busy acting the part of responsible beta to let his guard down. Tim had frequently tried to get him to loosen up, but to no avail. Alec was as stubborn as… Nathan. No wonder the two of them couldn’t sort out their differences. “Anyway, it’s not that Alec’ll be mad. I don’t like to be late, and I have to go into work for the afternoon surgery.”
Standing up too, Seb lowered his voice a little—not that it’d prevent Luke from hearing them, but Tim wasn’t about to remind him of that. Seb asked, “You coming back here tonight?”
“Yes.” As though anything would stop him.
He took a step closer and hesitated. Despite Seb agreeing to a friends-with-benefits kind of deal, the boundaries of their new relationship still felt undefined. Tim wanted to lean in and kiss him, rub his scent all over him and mark him up for any shifter to know he was taken. But could he? Strictly speaking, it wasn’t necessary—what they did last night would linger for a day or so. Despite his shower, Seb smelled like sleep, and warmth, and sex, a heady combination at the best of times, without adding in the subtle undercurrent of Tim’s scent there too. It set his instincts on edge and his body alight with the need to touch and be close.
Seb met his gaze, eyes darkening as he seemed to grasp the situation. “Do you need to touch me before you go?”
He licked his lips, seemingly unaware of the effect it had on Tim, but he had to know, right? Tim swallowed down the wave of longing that swept through him. “I don’tneedto….”
Seb took another step towards him, close enough for Tim to feel the warmth of his breath as he spoke. “But you want to?”
“God, yes.”
With a tilt of his head and a soft smirk, Seb offered up his neck.
Fuck!
Tim slid one hand around Seb’s waist and cupped his jaw with the other, burying his face in the juncture of Seb’s neck and shoulder. “You smell so good,” he moaned. Seb laughed, the vibrations running through his body, and Tim grinned against his skin. “I could stay right here all day.” He could too. Seb’s scent was addictive and Tim held him tight while trying to get his fill.
“I don’t think anyone’s been this excited about the way I smell before.”
Tim had his eyes closed, skimming Seb’s soft skin with his nose, breathing him in. An image flashed through his mind of Seb with other men, othershifters, and the spike of jealousy took him by surprise. He fought to push it back down because he had nothing to be jealous about. For now, Seb was his, but—“We have to be exclusive while we’re doing this.”
“Hmm… what?”
Tim drew back enough to see that Seb had closed his eyes, a soft smile on his face. “While we’re together here, it needs to be just the two of us.”
Seb’s lashes fluttered as he slowly opened his eyes, his expression morphing into a frown. “I thought that was a given?” As he curled his fingers in the front of Tim’s shirt, Seb reeled him back in. “I know how possessive shifters get.” He grinned. “Even you.”
“Even me?”
“Well, you’re the mild-mannered doctor. No one expects you to be all—” He scrunched up his nose and bared his teeth.
Tim laughed at him. “Growly?” he supplied, only a little offended now.
“Yes, that.”
Ever so slowly, Tim let his teeth extend, a small thrill running through him as Seb’s gaze locked onto them. It hurt a little to do it this slowly, but was worth it for the way Seb’s pupils dilated and his pulse raced under Tim’s palm. Careful not to move too quickly, Tim leaned in and set his teeth to base of Seb’s throat, using enough pressure for Tim to feel it, but not breaking the skin.
His heart thudded in his ears, and the seconds seemed to last forever as he catalogued Seb’s reaction. It was a risky move, considering how Seb had no desire to be bitten and changed, but Tim wanted to know how hefeltabout this. If last night was anything to go by, then Tim’s control wasn’t as complete as he might like, and the last thing he wanted was for Seb to freak out if he shifted like this.
Tim also liked it—liked letting his wolf out a little and feeling the soft slide of Seb’s skin against his teeth.
If he fantasised about biting in deep, claiming Seb as he fucked him, sealing their bond, then no one had to know. Tim would never do it, no matter how attractive the idea was. Forcing Seb into a bond he didn’t want wasn’t the way Tim wanted to get a mate. The thought made him shudder and he stood up straight, retracting his teeth. “Okay?” he whispered, relieved to smell a hint of arousal coming off Seb, but no fear.
“Yeah.” Seb’s voice came out rougher than normal and he cleared his throat, his gaze dipping to Tim’s mouth and back up. “You sure you can’t stay for a bit?”
Tim grinned at the groans and mumbled protests from downstairs as they started hammering extra loudly.
Seb flinched at the sudden noise. “Shit! I forgot all about them.”
Tim hadn’t, but he didn’t really care. He’d learned to live with lack of privacy years ago. “I have to go, but I’d like a kiss goodbye.” He slowly backed Seb up against the wall and pressed a thigh between his slightly spread legs. “If that’s okay?”
In answer, Seb slid his arms around Tim’s neck and tugged him the rest of the way in.
Flush as they were, Tim felt Seb’s shiver as if it was his own, and he rolled his hips in response. He held on tightly to Seb’s waist, kissing him deeply and insistently, loving the soft moans that escaped Seb as he worked his tongue into Seb’s mouth.
