Colby swallowed hard. He didn’t know how—didn’t understand it—but he clasped Tristan’s hand a little tighter and stood a little taller.
TRISTAN
Colby’s hand tightened in his, and something subtle shifted in his stance. Tristan wanted to ask about it, but Jesse spoke first.
“Least you’re outta the barn before Dave starts up with his singin’,” he said, nodding to Colby as he wandered toward the back door.
Tristan grinned. Jesse had accepted they were mates. If he hadn’t, he’d be arguing about it until the cows came home. “He likes you.”
Colby threw him a doubtful look as the door banged shut. “He does?”
“Trust me,” Tristan said, nudging against his side. He drew an excited breath. “I can’t believe Matt said you could stay. I mean, I can, and I do, and obviously I’d hoped, but not this easily. It’sperfect,isn’t it?” Tristan was filled with such warmth and lightness it was a wonder he didn’t float off the floor.
He stepped back and looked Colby up and down carefully. Maybe his gaze got a bit stuck around his chest, and then again on his thighs, but who could blame him?
“We’re going to need to find you some clothes that actually fit. I guess Karl’s the closest to you in build,” he said thoughtfully. “But you’re bigger than any of us.”
Then he realized where his eyes were currently trained and how his words could be taken. He jerked his gaze up from Colby’s crotch, cheeks hot with guilt and embarrassment. “More muscles, I mean.”
But thank God, Colby found it funny. And at the sight of his smile, Colby couldn’t help it—he moved back in and kissed him. Nothing like their first soft, reverent kiss. Not even like the hungry, needing kisses of this morning. This one was full of relief and love and delight at an even better outcome than Tristan had let himself dream.
He laughed in happiness against Colby’s lips, couldn’t help it, and instead of finding it childish or gross, Colby settled his hands on Tristan’s hips and grinned back at him.
It was hard to know which of them leaned in first, but they were kissing again, and it was sunshine and happiness andColby. The best moment of Tristan’s entire life.
And then the kiss changed somehow, became slower, deeper, and no, definitelythiswas the moment he’d remember forever. When they parted this time, Colby looked almost as stunned as Tristan felt.
Wow.Somehow, Tristan managed to stop himself saying that out loud. Because he’d never been one of the cool kids, but he’d never beenquitethat dorky. Well, he liked to think he hadn’t. But that kiss had been… God, he wanted to do nothing but kiss Colby for the rest of their lives.
He was also turned on as hell,again.Which wasn’t ideal, standing in the middle of the kitchen where anyone might walk in.
He sucked in a breath and tried to calm the fire raging through him. Even if things were different, ifColbywere different, it wasn’t an option to drag him to his room and spend the morning in bed. Tristan had chores to do, especially if he was skipping school another day. Which he definitely was. How the hell was he supposed to concentrate on lectures when hismatewas here?
“You want to help me with my chores?” Tristan asked, wrenching his mind back to practicalities. “And then I can introduce you to everyone as we go.”
Colby looked unsure.
“Look, it’s okay,” Tristan encouraged him. “Matt said you’re staying, so they’ll all accept it.”
“But maybe,” Colby started, then tailed off.
“Maybe what?”
“There’s a difference between accepting Alpha Urban said I should stay and having me shoved in their faces?”
Tristan had no idea how Colby had made that statement into a question, but when he saw the way Colby had hunched slightly, the laughter and wonder of their kiss seemingly a thing of the past, he realized where the problem lay. Colby didn’t want to disagree with him. Didn’tdareto?
The thought made Tristan feel sick. But he told himself it was still early days. Colby just needed time, that was all.
* * *
He offered Colby a shower, after a night spent in the barn sleeping on horse blankets. And though Colby looked pleased at the prospect, Tristan couldn’t quite shake the suspicion that he’d have agreed to anything Tristan suggested.
“Use mine. It’s safer than the hall bathroom,” Tristan said, passing over a couple of clean towels. “Dave acid-washes his jeans in the tub there, and one of these days, the whole thing’s going to give out.”
He returned ten minutes later with clothes scavenged from a combination of Karl’s stash and the laundry pile in the mudroom. The sweats were roomy and plain, the shirt faded but soft. He’d dug around in his drawers until he found some old boxers that he used to wear, figuring they’d be more likely to fit than the boxer briefs he now favored. The boots were borrowed from Dave, who had big feet and a bigger heart and hadn’t asked any questions.
Colby was fresh from the shower, toweling his hair, with another wrapped around his waist. Which left his upper body naked and glistening damply. Tristan stood there gaping. He knew Colby was built, but he hadn’t realized just how big he was. Even his muscles had muscles. A droplet of water fell from his hair onto his collarbone, clinging for a while to the bare skin, before gravity finally pulled it down across his pecs and abs, leaving a slick trail all the way down Colby’s body until it was lost beneath the towel.
