“Okay. Do you have a book with you?”
He nodded and patted his messenger bag. “In here.”
“Then let’s go home and read.” I brought him closer, and after another hug and a kiss on the temple, I led him to where I had my truck parked in one of the paid garages. We walked in silence, the sounds of the city getting ready for a Friday night filling the air with cheering, police sirens, and loud music. I’d long since grown out of the partying scene, and if Mark wanted to go home and read on a Friday night, then I was all for it.
I took him to my truck and opened the passenger door, helping him inside before I leaned over to buckle the belt. Once I’d made sure he was safe, I closed the door and went to my side, hopping in and starting the truck. The vehicle rumbled to life, and I turned on the air conditioning, directing it to him. The air was too humid and stuffy and I wanted to make sure he was comfortable.
Once I’d decided he was okay, I backed out and drove down the ramps to get onto the main streets of New Gothenburg. He leaned back against the seat and yawned, cuddling himself.
“Tired?” I murmured, and he nodded in answer.
“This week has been hard, and I haven’t slept well.”
I wanted to ask him if that’s why he’d left my bed, but it wasn’t about me right now. Mark obviously needed someone to take care of him, and primal play was about more than rough sex. Instincts involved watching over my mate, making sure he had everything he needed. I would never intentionally put him at risk.
I decided to stop at the Chinese takeout place on the way home, and he was asleep by the time I pulled in to park. I didn’t bother to wake him as I went inside and ordered. They had the food to me quickly, and I thanked the cashier as I rushed back out to the truck, scared he’d woken and taken off again, but he was still fast asleep when I got there.
By the time we arrived home and I’d parked in the garage, he was only starting to wake again, yawning. “I fell asleep. Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize, little rabbit. Stay right there.” I slid out of the truck with the Chinese and took it inside as fast as I could. Once I had the food on the table, I came back to the garage and opened the door, unbuckling his seat belt.
He laughed, cheeks tinging in a cute, rosy blush. “I’m not useless.”
“No, but I want to take care of you.” I hauled him out in a bridal hold and kicked the door shut with my foot, walking him into the house and toward the dining room table. Inside I dropped him onto one of the chairs. I moved as quickly as I could, my only thought that I needed to take care of him. He was, right now, my mate. Not my prey. “I got you what you ordered the other night. Is that okay?”
He smiled drowsily and picked up the chopsticks from inside the bag of food. “Thank you.”
I devoured my meal as I watched him work the chopsticks to eat with ease, as though he was a man who’d always used them. He moaned at every bite he took, his shoulders sagging farther downward until I was scared he’d fall off his chair. But I waited, even if my instincts told me to take him upstairs and shower him and get him into bed. When he’d finally finished, he sat back and patted his belly.
“That was delicious.”
“Come with me.” I stood fast.
“Are you sure you’re done?” he asked. I nodded and took his hand. We strode up the U-shaped stairs and to the bathroom. It wasn’t massive, but it was big enough to fit a glass-enclosed shower and a tub. I was too worried about him falling asleep, so I guided him to the shower.
“I don’t have clothes,” he murmured, his voice barely audible as he wiped at his eyes.
“I’ll get you some.” I laid a kiss on his forehead and reached in to turn on the shower. I waited until the temperature wasn’t too hot, but not too cold, either. Just right. When I was sure he’d enjoy it, I waved at the door. “Get in. Don’t fall asleep. I’ll be back with clothes.”
He smiled at me as I exited the bathroom and headed to my room. I didn’t expect to find much that would fit him in my wardrobe. My height and width were so much bigger than his, but I found the smallest shirt and boxers I had and headed back to him. He hadn’t fallen asleep, but he was leaning against the cream tiled wall as though it was taking all his energy to keep himself awake. The water sloshed down the curves of his body, and I couldn’t help my gaze sliding to the beautiful round globes of his ass—peachy and begging to be bitten—but I held myself back. I might enjoy primal play, but I wasn’t a complete animal. Besides, there were still enough bruises from earlier in the week that anyone who looked would know he was mine. The bite mark on the back of his neck was a breathtaking deep purple.
I shed my work clothes—jeans, plaid shirt, white undershirt, socks, and briefs coming off to be strewn across the floor. Stepping inside the glass stall, I was careful not to startle him, but all he did was smile in exhaustion. I wanted to ask him what had happened, but he’d been adamant he didn’t want to talk about it, and I wasn’t going to push him.
I grabbed the washcloth and soap and took my time massaging his skin with lather. He moaned under my attention, leaning closer to me until his back was pressed against my chest. I kissed his shoulder, then his neck, making sure I reached every part of him, without any sexual suggestions. Caring for him came first.
He smiled at me, though, like he knew I wasn’t going to try anything anyway, which was new and exciting. Maybe it was his fatigue, but he’d always been so scared of me, which I liked because that was my kink. But right now we weren’t playing. We were doing… something else.
“This is nice,” he whispered.
“I’m glad you like it, but we can’t stay in here forever. You’re falling asleep. Didn’t you want to read?” I tilted his head up and slanted my mouth over his, a gentle touch of lips that had him humming.
“Yeah. Read some before bed.”
I helped Mark out of the shower, making sure he didn’t slip on the white tiled flooring, and grabbed him a towel. Sliding the cloth over his shoulders, I worked it across his skin, drying him off. If he didn’t want to protest about me taking care of him, he was probably too tired. He needed me in spite of what he might think because he was nearly collapsing to the floor.
“Here.” I helped him into the boxers and shirt, and he murmured a thank-you as I led him to the bedroom.
He collapsed on the mattress, groaning, but managed to roll himself over on his back. He dragged himself up until he was sitting against the headboard. “My bag and glasses. I think I left them in the truck.”
