He could only hope Danny’s neighbors weren’t watching him talk to his own bulky coat. Now that he’d settled in a town, he was making more of an effort to blend in as human. According to Danny, that meant proper outerwear when snow was predicted, but the “look how normal and human I am” effect might have been ruined by the sight of Roman talking to himself.
Roman peered down inside his coat. The furry nuisance peered back up at him, all speckled blue-gray fur, with pointed ears that seemed a size too big for its head. Roman thought it odd-looking, but Danny would probably find it endearing. He’dseen Danny making lovestruck eyes at photos and videos of this particular breed before.
Which was exactly what had landed Roman here in the first place.
Or, more like, making sure Danny received whatever his heart desired had landed Roman here in the first place.
It had started with Danny giggling at his phone.
They had been lying in bed together, Roman reading his book and Danny going through different video reels.
“Show me,” Roman had demanded as soon as he heard the laugh. He always wanted to know what had the potential to make his mate so happy. His demon had perked up as well, smitten as it was. Danny had obligingly turned his phone to him.
“Look at this little goof,” he’d gushed, brown eyes shining. “He’s been jumping the fence when his owner’s away, and now his owner got it on video. His guilty little face!”
Roman had glanced at the video, then eyed his mate curiously. “And you find this disobedience…amusing?”
Danny had scoffed, his eyes still on his phone. “He’s just being a dog. Heelers have a ton of energy. They need a lot of stimulation. But they’re so smart. And just so fucking cute! Look at him!”
Roman had. The dog had been…fine. But Roman had been much more interested in the adorable creature right in front of him. His mate’s cheeks had been flushed, his big eyes bright with happiness.
A video of a disobedient dog could do that?
Before Roman had been able to get a hold of his own emotions and prevent them from leaking through the bond, Danny had turned from his phone and stared at him with raised brows. “Oh my God, Rome. Are youjealousright now?”
“Ofthat?” Roman had put as much disdain as he could muster in his voice, choosing to go the route of denial.
Danny had only laughed at him. And even when it was directed at his own foolishness, it was still Roman’s favorite sound. (Well, other than the whimpers and moans Roman could coax from his mate when he was inside him, of course.)
Danny had grabbed Roman’s chin with one hand and given him a smack on the lips, turning back to his phone before Roman could turn it into a proper kiss.
Would it have been childish for Roman to throw that phone across the room?
“You don’t need to be jealous,” Danny had reassured him. “I just always wanted a dog. My dad talked about getting us one, but then…well, you know. My mom wasn’t in any place for it. And then, living on my own, I didn’t think it would be the responsible thing, what with me working so much.”
Roman’s gut had clenched, and his demon’s metaphorical hackles had gone up. They both hated any reminder of how much Danny had been deprived in his earlier life.
Their mate deserved the whole goddamn world.
Danny had glanced over at him, but he must have misread the source of Roman’s frustration, because he’d given him a bittersweet smile. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to ask for us to get a dog.” He’d laughed again. “I can’t really see you on puppy potty-training duty.”
“Would it not make you sad? Their lives are so short, especially now that you are what you are.”
Danny had shrugged. “That’s just the nature of pets. They’re here for a small amount of time in the grand scheme of things, but you give them all the love you can while they’re here. And they give it right back.”
That had been the end of the conversation, but now here Roman was a week later, carrying a goddamn puppy in his coat. He’d wanted to find the best possible one too—a purebred glory worthy of his mate—but he’d heard enough from Danny aboutthe importance of animal shelters that he’d known he had to take what he could get.
And what he’d gotten was this dopey-looking mutt.
But Roman wanted more of that laugh. More of that light in his mate’s eyes. Danny was living a much fuller life than he had before, but there was still a lot of living he clearly felt he’d missed out on. And apparently this goddamn dog was part of that.
Roman entered the house as gracefully as he could with the particular package he was carrying. He could hear Danny bustling in the kitchen, and the smell of sugar and caramel wafted through the house.
“You’re home!” Danny greeted him without turning from where he was fiddling at the stove. “Taste these for me. Marcus and I are having a cookie war. I have to bring my entry into work tomorrow.”
The puppy started wriggling even more uncontrollably at the sound of Danny’s voice.
“Come over here,” Roman requested.
