“Silly me.” I giggled but everywhere hurt.
“Here.” He offered me his hand and I took it. His skin was surprisingly soft, but then most people’s hands were, unless they worked construction or something. My body tingled at his touch but that could have been the aftermath of me thumping on the floor.
He hauled me up so we were face to face. Gods, morning breath. Mine! I pinched my lips, trying not to breathe on him but I couldn’t help noticing his strong jaw and the scruff on his chin. Only an inch separated us, and my cock was swelling under my PJs and all it would take to brush against him would be to move ever so slightly.
“You okay?”
“Fine. It’d take more than a little fall to stop me.” I winced and tried not to limp as I unplugged the vacuum and headed to the living room.
“You know how to start it, I’m guessing.”
“Of course.” Damn, why didn’t I have my phone with me? I could have checked online.
It took a while but I figured out how to turn on the machine and I cleaned the carpet as best I could.
“Don’t forget to do under the couch.” Tanner was leaning against the door, arms folded. How long had he been there? The machine was so noisy and I’d been lost in my own thoughts.
“You did good,” Tanner told me later when I finished and wandered into the kitchen to ask where I put the vacuum. I remembered Molly had a special place for the one she used at home. I fisted my palms because I had to stop thinking of that house as my home. “I think you deserve a hot breakfast.”
“I’m not much of a cook,” I admitted.
He grinned. “Sit. This is a welcome to the house breakfast. But wash your hands first.”
Tanner busied himself cooking bacon and cracking eggs. Coffee percolated while he made toast and when it was done, he put two plates on the table. “Enjoy.”
“Thank you. This looks great.” I took a mouthful. “Tastes better than it looks.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I heard them in my head. “Even betterthan it looks,” I clarified.
“So.” Tanner picked up a piece of bacon and bit into it. Never in my life had I wanted to be a strip of crunchy fried meat. I glanced down at my plate, worried I was drooling. “Tell me a little about Candrin.”
“I’m not very interesting.” I wanted to yell that I was an orphan with nothing other than what was in my suitcase and I had a pretend brother who was living my life. But Tanner probably didn’t want to get caught up in my family melodrama. “Had some bad luck but hoping to sort it out.” That was as much as I was saying for now.
“Sorry to hear that.” He reached out for the jam at the same time as I did.
“You first,” I said, yanking my hand back.
“No, you.” He placed the jar in front of me. I kept my eyes on my toast as I spread the jam and then took a bite. “But I’m very glad you’ve come to live with us.”
.
4
TANNER
I probably shouldn’t be looking there
Normally, on a Sunday evening, I’d be out back in my fur and enjoying the last bit of the weekend. But that was BC; before Candrin. Unlike everyone else who lived here, Candrin was human and that meant I needed to be sneaky about taking my fur.
If I even wanted to take it, which I didn’t. I liked Candrin and wanted to spend time with him. My bear liked him too. Only thing was, my bear liked him too much. The beast was sure that Candrin was my mate which was ridiculous on many levels, including him being a human and everything.
“I’m going to grab a quick shower and then maybe see about dinner,” Candrin said, his hands in his front pockets, drawing my eyes where they should not be. Was it where they wanted to be? Absolutely, but definitely not where they belonged. Staring at your new roommate’s package wasn’t the way to keep him your roommate for long.
“That sounds good.” It was almost as if he were asking permission and I wasn’t sure if that said more about his old home or about his comfort level here and in either case, it saddened me a little and pissed my bear off. He wanted nothing more than to protect Candrin and just the hint that his past hurt him had my bear’s manties in a bunch.
Candrin went upstairs and gods help me, I watched him walk away. He looked too good not to and I immediately felt like a dick for ogling the poor guy. He didn’t deserve that. Not at all.
He was half way up the stairs when I started to scent my beast. I had no choice but to let him out and not in the leisurely Sunday romp in the back. My bear needed to run and get some ofthis pent up energy out.
Mate.
