Prologue - Nix
Phoenix took a drink of his beer and looked over the top of it to Zander. “I think it’s time you got laid.”
His friend chuckled. “I don’t see you getting much action either,” Zan shot back at him, rolling his eyes. “Trust me. I’m fine. Don’t you go worrying about me.”
Nix planned on seeking out his mate tonight. Even as the thought crossed his mind, that familiar scent of vanilla and cinnamon hit his nostrils, and Nix turned toward its direction, grinning when he spotted Finn and River heading their way. “I might not have to wait that much longer,” he said, winking in Zander’s direction.
Zander snorted. “If you say so.”
Finn and River got to their table. “Hey men,” his former teammate and soon-to-be cousin-in-law said, but Nix’s eyes were firmly on his mate.
“Fancy meeting you here,” he said to River as he stood. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you came here looking for me.”
River smiled even as his cheeks heated. Still, he replied, “What if I did?”
“I’d say great minds think alike,” he murmured, taking another step closer to his mate. “I was about to come looking for you.”
River beamed. “You were?”
Nix nodded and took another step toward his mate.
River closed the gap. “Good,” he murmured. Right then, it was just the two of them, Zander and Finn completely forgotten, as they got lost in their own little world. He’d known they were mates from the first time he’d laid eyes on his gorgeous man earlier that day. It hadn’t been the right time to do anything about it, though, with everyone around, but Nix knew that they would get together and make it happen.
“How about we get outta here?” Nix asked, slipping his arm around River’s waist.
His mate nodded, and they moved to leave. “Where are you two trying to sneak off to?” Finn asked, looking between them, his eyes dancing.
Nix rolled his eyes. “None of your business.”
“Congratulations,” Finn called after them. “I’ll let the family know you’re going to be indisposed a couple of days.”
River’s cheeks reddened, but Nix shouted his thanks as they left the bar. When they got outside, he asked his mate, “Where are you parked?”
River led them to the driver’s side of his car, but before he could open the door, Nix trapped him between the car door and his body.
“Hey there,” he whispered, his nose in the juncture between River’s neck and shoulder where his mating mark would soon be.
His mate’s heartbeat quickened, his voice breathy as he replied, “Hi.”
“I’m going to kiss you now.” He held River’s gaze, waiting for his permission.
“Please.” River’s eyes lowered to his lips, then back to his eyes. Fuck, this man would wreck him, and he couldn’t wait. He’d never felt like this before. He needed to taste River’s lips like he needed his next breath.
Nix lowered his head and captured River’s lips, slowly at first, before seeking entry, which his mate gave, allowing their tongues to touch for the first time. River moaned as they kissed, his arms going around Nix’s neck, their bodies grinding against each other.
He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but Nix pulled back when he needed to draw in a breath. He cupped River’s cheek. “I’ve been waiting so long to do that.”
“Me too,” River whispered, then moved back in. They kissed again. After a moment of holding onto one another, they parted. “My family owns a cabin in the woods, still on pack lands, but we’ll have some privacy.” River ducked his head as he asked, “Do you wanna go?”
Nix couldn’t respond fast enough. “The answer to that will always be yes.”
River chuckled, even as his lips curved in a wide smile, “How about I grab a bag of clothes, and I’ll swing by your house to pick you up?”
Nix took a step back so he could open the door for River when his mate asked, “Don’t you need my address?”
Nix shook his head. “Already got it from Ronin. I’d planned on coming over tonight.”
River grinned, and Nix opened the door for him and lowered himself so he could capture those lips again. When he pulled back, River said, “You know I was thinking, if you grab all your things, we can leave them at the house for when we come back. It’ll be your home too.”
