“Leyden?”
He looked up to find Connor in the doorway, concern etched across his face.
“Hey.” Leyden straightened, forcing a smile. “How’d training go?”
“Fine.” Connor stepped inside and closed the door, studying Leyden with those too-perceptive eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just tired.”
“Bullshit.” Connor crossed his arms. “I can feel you through the bond, remember? You’re miserable.”
Right. The bond went both ways.
Leyden scrubbed his hand over his face. “It’s nothing you need to worry about.”
“You’re my mate. Everything about you is something I need to worry about.” Connor moved closer, frowning. “Talk to me.”
“I’m just…” Leyden gestured helplessly. “I’m lonely, all right? Which is stupid because you’re right there, and I have the whole pack, and I should be grateful for what I have instead of wanting more…”
“Lonely how?” Connor’s voice gentled. “What do you need that you’re not getting?”
Physical contact. Sex. The feeling of another body pressed against his, skin to skin, no barriers between them.
But Leyden couldn’t say that. Wouldn’t put that pressure on Connor when his mate was already trying so hard.
“I don’t think I can put it into words.” It wasn’t a flat out lie. “Forget I said anything.”
Connor studied him for a long moment, expression unreadable. Then he walked to the couch along the far wall and sat down. He looked at Leyden expectantly. “Come here.”
“Connor…”
“Just come sit with me. Please.”
Leyden crossed the office and settled beside his mate, leaving careful space between them.
Connor immediately closed that space, pressing his shoulder against Leyden’s. “Better?”
“You don’t have to…”
“I’m not doing anything I don’t want to do.” Connor leaned his head on Leyden’s shoulder, his dark hair tickling Leyden’s jaw. “Is this okay?”
Warmth bloomed in Leyden’s chest, completely different from the heat of arousal but no less powerful. “Yeah. This is okay.”
They sat in silence for several minutes, Connor’s steady breathing matching Leyden’s own. Through the bond, Leyden felt his mate’s contentment, the quiet satisfaction of providing comfort.
“You want to just…be here for a while?” Connor asked. “I’ll pull up a book. We could read.”
“You don’t have other stuff to do?”
“I already dealt with three stupid complaints this morning and sent out yet another email telling people to stop bringing me their bullshit. I’m taking the afternoon off.” Connor pulled out his phone. “Unless you need me to…”
“No. Stay.” Leyden’s throat tightened. “Please stay.”
Putting away his phone, Connor grabbed his tablet from Leyden’s desk and pulled up a novel, settling back against Leyden’s side. The weight of him felt right, solid and real and present in a way Leyden’s previous partners never had been.
Leyden pulled up reports on his own tablet, trying to focus on pack finances while acutely aware of every point of contact between their bodies - Connor’s shoulder pressed to his ribs, his mate’s thigh warm against Leyden’s leg, the subtle movement each time Connor moved his arm to scroll to another page.
Simple. Intimate. Nothing sexual about it.
