“You okay?” Riley asked, instinctively reaching for him.
“Just my head. Still hurts.” Jason dropped his hand and shot Riley a lopsided grin. “Look, it’s better if you say non-shifter rather than human.Because—”
“Because saying ‘human’ makes it sound like you’re not,” Riley said, wincing. “God. I didn’t even think of that.”
Jason bumped his shoulder as they headed for the door. “You’ll get the hang of it.”
Riley hoped so. He wasn’t sure he’d ever get the hang of meeting Matt Urban’s gaze, though. Urban and Jesse were in the kitchen, having coffee, and it felt as if Urban’s green eyes could see right to Riley’s soul.
“We’re just—” Jason gestured toward the door before taking Riley’s hand in his and tugging him in that direction.
Urban nodded and looked back at his coffee, and Riley could breathe again. Maybe it hadn’t been approval, but it had been permission, and that was so much more than he could have hoped for.
As he walked with Jason across the yard, for the first time it occurred to him to wonder what happened next. What would he do for a job? He had to be with Jason, and if that meant cleaning public restrooms with a toothbrush to stay in Elk Ridge, so be it. But he really, really hoped there’d be a better job available than that.
It almost made him laugh—the thought of walking into his father’s country club, introducing his shifter boyfriend and casually mentioning that he cleaned other people’s shit for a living. But even as the thought formed, it felt hollow. He was still measuring his decisions against his father’s judgment. Well, not anymore. This washislife.
It wouldn’t be quite that easy to let go, he knew, but he was going to try. Because Jason deserved every good thing in the world, and he deserved Riley to be a better person than the screwed-up schemer who was always trying to get ahead to impress his father.
And he wasn’t doing it just for Jason. He was doing it for himself.
* **
The so-called bunkhouse looked basic from outside, but Jason’s bedroom was surprisingly comfortable. A queen bed took up much of the space, there were damask drapes at the window, and a large armchair was covered with cushions. He wasn’t surprised to see wolf hair on the fabric, because every dog he’d ever known would have loved to curl up in that chair and have a nap. Wolves couldn’t be that different from their canine cousins.
Bookshelves ran along one wall, containing a few paperbacks and some leaves in resin. But before Riley could indulge his curiosity and inspect further, Jason sat down on the bed, suddenly enough to draw Riley’s attention. He didn’t like what he saw. Jason was pale, his eyes squinting against the light. As Riley moved toward him, he dropped his head into his hands.
The sharp stab of protectiveness in Riley’s chest startled him almost as much as seeing Jason pale and unsteady. He crouched in front of Jason, placing his hands on Jason’s thighs. “What’s wrong?”
“Head hurts,” Jason said, his words bitten off. “Too bright.”
Damn it. When they’d crossed the yard, the sun had glared enough for Riley to rue not having his shades, and he didn’t have a head injury.
“Have you got painkillers? I’ll get you one.” Assuming shifters’ biology allowed them to take that sort of drug.
“Kitchen,” Jason said, dropping his head into his hands.
Riley rose to his feet, pressed a kiss to Jason’s curls on the side of his head Lennox hadn’t bashed, and ran for the kitchen.
Matt was already on his feet as Riley burst through the door, but Riley didn’t have time to worry about the fact he’d obviously been heard coming. “Jason needs a painkiller,” he said, gaspingmore than he should from a quick sprint. He’d gotten out of shape during his time here of doing nothing.
“First aid kit’s in the cabinet,” Urban said, nodding toward the cabinet in question. “What he really needs is more sleep.”
He did? Riley glanced up questioningly from where he’d yanked the first aid kit down from its shelf, the metal cool against his shaking fingers.
“That’s how we heal,” Urban added.
The thoughts Riley had entertained when he’d first seen Jason’s big bed disappeared entirely. All he wanted was for Jason to be well again. He took advantage of having Urban’s attention to check that the pills he’d pulled out would be okay for Jason. They probably wouldn’t be in a shifters’ first aid kit if they weren’t, but he wasn’t going to take any chances.
Satisfied on that point, he strode to the door without another glance at Urban. His focus had narrowed until he was concentrated only on his mate. What it meant that he’d thought the word without hesitation—well, he’d figure that out later. Right now, there was only one place he wanted to be.
JASON
Jason stirred, stretching slightly. He didn’t want to open his eyes. He wanted to stay in this delicious moment, caught between wakefulness and sleep, where everything was perfect.
Warm arms were wrapped around him, holding him close. Slowly, memory threaded back, and he blinked his eyes open.
Riley was holding him, smiling at him, a softness in his eyes that Jason fell into. He reached up to Riley’s cheek, and Riley nuzzled against the palm of his hand. It was a magical moment, and Jason wantedthisto last forever, instead.
