See? Luc had said their Halloween plans were tacky, but here they were speaking French in a hotel that cost more per night than Jamie’s old rent. As far as he was concerned, this Halloween had been classy as fuck.
He already couldn’t wait for next year.
JOHANN AND ALEXEI
IMPORTANT RESEARCH
Alexei
Alexei opened the front door with one hand, juggling his grocery bags with the other, all while keeping an eye out for any wayward kittens trying to sneak out. They were fostering three on top of their own cat, Tux, and pretty much all of them were devious little escape artists.
He didn’t see any, meaning they were probably napping in the little bed Jay had set up for them in the upstairs bathroom.
He paused at the door after closing it, noting that something felt off, and then realized—Jay hadn’t called out his usual greeting.
“Sweetheart?”
“I’m here!” Jay’s voice sounded from the living room, so Alexei set his bags down and made his way over.
There was Jay, right where he’d left him, sprawled out on the couch in his purple underwear, e-reader in hand, Tux tucked between him and the couch cushions.
He didn’t look up at Alexei’s arrival. That was also out of character.
Alexei scanned the bond, but he didn’t feel anything off there. Just the usual low hum of arousal that always came through when Jay was reading one of his bawdy romances. He wondered what it was this time. Highlanders again? Or maybe an English duke and his virginal governess?
He strode to the couch and leaned over his mate, brushing a few strands of messy dark hair out of Jay’s gray eyes. “You okay, kitten?”
Jay finally looked up then, teeth worrying at his plump lower lip. His cheeks were flushed pink, and his eyes were a bit glassy.
A reallygoodbawdy romance, then.
Alexei couldn’t help his grin. “Good book?”
Jay’s flush deepened, and his eyes darted to the side as he hugged his e-reader to his chest, as if to hide the damning smut from Alexei. “Mm-hmm.”
Alexei leaned down for a kiss, unable to resist when his mate was acting so adorably coy. Jay met him with his normal enthusiasm, mouth opening obediently for Alexei’s tongue. But rather than climbing up and onto Alexei as he usually would have, Jay kept it surprisingly brief, ducking his head back after only a few moments.
Huh.
Alexei cocked a brow. “I got all the ingredients we need. You ready?”
Jay had recently discovered the joys ofThe Great British Baking Show, and it had put him on a bit of a tear, wanting to bake every single thing he saw the contestants attempt. Alexei was all for it—even when their attempts ended in disaster, Jay was so unbelievably pleased it was impossible not to want to try again.
Today it was milk bread. The recipe was straightforward, and Alexei was fairly certain they could manage it. The hardest part about bread was Jay’s impatience, waiting for the doughto prove. But—as another spike of arousal flashed through the bond, making Alexei’s cock twitch—he was more than convinced he could find a way to distract him during the allotted time.
He realized Jay hadn’t answered his question. Alexei’s little mate was staring off into the distance, his eyes still glassy and unfocused. “Kotyonok,” Alexei prompted. “You ready?”
Jay’s gaze darted to his, and he started nibbling at his lower lip again. “Um, maybe in fifteen minutes?”
Alexei’s brow furrowed. That morning, Jay had been bubbling over in his excitement to try this recipe. But if his mate needed more time to perv over his newest book, Alexei wouldn’t begrudge him that. He pressed a kiss to Jay’s forehead. “All right, sweetheart. Fifteen minutes.”
But it was a full hour later when Jay finally met him in the kitchen, face still pink and his tight underwear cupping a noticeable bulge. He didn’t jump Alexei’s bones, though, or do that coy little dance he sometimes did when he wanted Alexei to jump his. So they got started on the recipe, using the fancy mixing bowl with the dough hook attachment Alexei had gotten for Jay as a surprise gift.
Jay seemed enthused enough but also…distracted. He didn’t try to paint Alexei’s face with flour or sneak a bite of raw dough or make a song out of the mixer’s whirring like he usually did.
When they’d gotten the dough into the bowl, wrapped and set up to prove, and Jaystilldidn’t quite seem like his usual self, Alexei decided enough was enough.
He grabbed Jay by his slim hips and set him on the edge of the counter, kissing his nose when he made a delighted sound of surprise. “All right, kitten. Time to spill.”
