Brownie. Sigh. Yuri rolled onto his back and let the moonlight shine on his stomach. The beams were like vitamin D for his wolfy soul. That was something only a Were would understand. He felt Brownie before the guy’s heat enveloped him. Yuri turned human as Brownie’s body covered his. Brownie was in full leather. Yuri was a little ashamed of how hot that look made him.
“You’re so very sexy.” Whoa. Had he said that out loud? He felt a little lightheaded. Yuri needed to bite his tongue.
“Wow. You really are my mate. No one in the history of ever has said that to me.”
Yuri blinked. Mate? Was he hallucinating? “What do you mean?”
A sexy, wicked smile stretched Brownie’s lips. “At least I’m not the only one who didn’t know.”
“Wait.” Yuri was confused. “Are you serious? But… what? I’m not complaining. It’s just… are you sure? I can’t imagine Celeste would bless me like that. I don’t deserve it.”
“Let’s find out.” Brownie took Yuri’s arm and bit.
Yuri hadn’t been prepared. Not by a long shot. His entire back bowed. A loud gasp tore from his lips. His body jerked. An orgasm tore through him. He shook from the power of it. He might have been humiliated by the way he blew all over Brownie’s sexy leather, except Brownie stared at the place he had bitten with shock etching his features. Yuri imagined he looked the same. There it was—a scar proving he belonged to Brownie. Their gazes met. Yuri made it half a second. Brownie had to belong to him too. He snagged Brownie’s head and hauled him down. Yuri didn’t hesitate. His teeth tore into Brownie’s neck above his collar. Scalding blood filled his mouth. Yuri swallowed. The tug of being stitched together was undeniable. Brownie made noises that had Yuri wanting to pat himself on theback. He pulled away. Yuri had to watch the wound turn to his mark. Brownie was his.
An amazing rough tongue filled his mouth. Yuri lost the ability to focus on anything other than his mate’s kiss. His mate. Wow. He was moved beyond words. Brownie was everything he wanted for himself. The only thing he wanted. His entire life had been driven by desperation and pain. He spent so much time hiding behind various personalities, he wasn’t sure who he was anymore, but he knew he was always unhappy. Yuri hadn’t been since the first time he spoke to Brownie. He couldn’t believe this amazing thing had happened.
“I think we’ve officially ruined this outfit.”
Yuri laughed against Brownie’s lips. “I’ll buy you a new one.”
He loved the sound of Brownie’s laughter. It was deep and made goosebumps rise on Yuri’s skin. Brownie buried his face against Yuri’s throat and inhaled. Yuri savored every sensation.
Brownie licked. “Goddess, I love grooming you. You taste like how I imagine heaven does.” He licked again.
Yuri felt every taste bud slide across his skin. Just like the first night Brownie had dragged his tongue through Yuri’s fur, Yuri couldn’t focus on anything else.
“I would’ve chosen you.”
Warmth spread through Yuri’s chest at Brownie’s whispered confession.
“Even if Celeste hadn’t given you to me, I still would’ve picked you above any other creature. The first time I set eyes on you, I was yours.”
Yuri’s throat swelled. His eyes burned. No one had ever made him feel the way Brownie did—like he was special. He wasn’t. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m so fucking grateful. You have no idea.” Or maybe he did. Brownie could see his thoughts. They were always in each other’s heads. A watery-sounding chuckle escaped Yuri. “How did we not notice?”
Brownie held Yuri tighter. “I’m used to hearing everyone’s thoughts, and I never dreamed you’d want me. Even being my mate, I didn’t know if you’d want me.”
He couldn’t believe such a sexy, confident, and hardened creature would think he wasn’t worthy of anything. It was true, though. Yuri saw it in his mind. He had genuinely believed Yuri was out of his reach.
Yuri didn’t know how much he could forcibly share mentally, but he tried. He rested his temple against Brownie’s and showed him all the times he had longed. Yuri let him see how Brownie looked in his eyes. His strength called to Yuri, because way too many times in his life, he had been too weak to protect himself. He loved the way he felt with Brownie—safe. Protected. Cherished.
“You are all those things.” Brownie’s lips skimmed the shell of Yuri’s ear. His hot breath against Yuri’s skin had goosebumps skirting down Yuri’s body. Yuri was on fire, like Brownie hadn’t just made him blow. “Fuck.” The whispered curse against his ear made Yuri pant. “You make me want to do things I never have before. I don’t kiss.” His lips trailed down Yuri’s neck. “That’s all I want to do when I’m with you. My lips ache to touch you.”
Yuri was completely his. There was nothing Brownie could do Yuri would refuse. He wanted everything. His fingers dug into Brownie’s muscular arms. He wanted to hold on to the moment forever.
“You have no idea how badly I want to make love to you, but I know you don’t like that.”
Yuri’s brain stuttered for a second. “Wait. What?”
Brownie kissed his collarbone, moving lower. “You said you don’t like sex.”
“Again, I didn’t say that. You assumed that’s what I meant.”
Brownie pulled away and met Yuri’s stare. “Then what did you mean when you implied sex wasn’t awesome.”
He shouldn’t be embarrassed. This was his mate. Yuri just hated feeling exposed. He shrugged. Even he felt how uncomfortable the gesture appeared. His gaze slid away. It was suddenly a lot harder to look into the eyes that haunted him. “I guess it’s more like I wouldn’t know.”
He felt the way Brownie intentionally kept his thoughts blank. “You’re a virgin.”
