Do something your opponent would never do.
Such an ambiguous dare, and open to interpretation. Proven when Haley slapped her hand on the table. “Ha! Dare!”
Milo cautiously lifted the Dare card. He read it, a secret smile replacing the nerves. Placing the card face-up to let Haley see, Milo pressed his lips to Keon’s in a chaste kiss, sweet and light. A contrast to the trouble sparkling in his eyes. A look that licked the flames of Keon’s desire and tempted him. He offered a second kiss, the barest slip of tongue, and reluctantly released Milo.
Haley gagged, and Milo blushed at being caught blatantly cheating. “You done?”
“You’d never kiss Keon,” Milo replied in playful sibling rivalry. “You’d have been better choosing Truth.” He lifted the slip of paper. “Or not.” He tossed it onto the table and Haley rolled her eyes.
“Let me guess,” she said, sass and amusement mingling as she pointed a long black painted nail at Keon, succinctly guessing Milo’s first kiss.
You were mine,he said, nosing at the curve of his ear, as surprise flooded their link. He barely registered Haley’s grunt of disgust, or her insistence to end the game.
“I wish you wouldn’t treat my brother like your bitch,” she said, breaking through his distracted thoughts.
“Haley!” Milo scolded, hands lifting to Keon’s arms around his neck.
He’d been happily drowning in Milo’s scent—equal acceptance, contentment, arousal—until she ruined it. “You’ve got it backward, love. Your brother is special. I’d never do anything to hurt him. I’ddoanything for him.” He’d been sure it was obvious to anyone who paid attention. He nipped at Milo’s earlobe and faced Haley without shame. “When it comes to which one of us is the bitch,” he bit out, hating that she had the same prejudices the pack had started to move beyond, “that would be me.”
He didn’t enjoy advertising anything they did in private, but it was about time Haley understood being the Alpha didn’t mean he should aggressively dominate anyone smaller, weaker, or younger. Because to the ignorant and small-minded, Milo filled those categories.
Haley’s eyes widened with surprise, as Milo tilted his head to rub his cheek against Keon’s jaw. A comforting move that made his inner m’weko melt with affection.
“In case you missed it,” Keon added, watching her snapping shut her open mouth, eyes guarded, “Milo and I are courting. No matter who our true mates were, the bond is between us. Wearetrue mates. You’d better get used to it, because it’ll be ten times worse after we complete the ceremony.”
Milo kissed his jaw.I can’t imagine being more addicted to you,he confessed in their private space.
Believe it,he warned, equally eager and terrified to experience it.You better get what sleep you can, because you won’t get any for a long time after we make this official.A promise he intended to keep.
A sharp knock on the front door cut the tension, before anyone said something they’d regret. Haley bounded to her feet, shooting Milo a confused glance as she went. Voices resonated from the hallway, and Haley called, “Can I go to book club with Isaac?”
Keon blinked, looking to Milo for an answer. This was the first she’d asked permission to go anywhere. She normally took off without warning, despite Keon’s rules. At this point, Haley had been in his house for a total of three weeks, and grounded for half.
“Um.” Milo cleared his throat and called, “Be home by dark.” He worried about her walking through the village alone, because she hadn’t bothered to explore or learn the twists and turns throughout the houses. If it was dark, she’d never find her way.
“Great. See you,” she called, the door shutting behind her.
Keon delighted in saying what Milo was afraid to admit. “She’s settling in.” Finally.
Milo shook his head, twisting in his seat to face him. “I never thought she’d fit in with the likes of Isaac,” he said, the same thought running through Keon’s head. He couldn’t have asked for a better influence. Isaac was a good kid: young, stubborn, and responsible. He wouldn’t be swayed into catering to Haley’s antics, and he was of a similar age, with the potential to be a sensible and lasting friend who could introduce her to a new peer group.
Milo looped his index fingers into the belt loop of his jeans, tugging Keon into a kiss. With Haley gone for hours and Weston on a date with Leo, they had the house to themselves. For once.
Keon laced his fingers at the crown of Milo’s head and kissed him as Milo extended his thumbs to rub his cock through the thick fabric of his jeans. Teasing. Tormenting. Being cruel. He was tempted to suggest they continue this on a more comfortable surface when another knock interrupted.
Breaking the kiss, he released Milo to complain, “We need aDo Not Disturbsign on the front door.”
“You’d never remove it.”
Yeah, he wasn’t cut out for this Alpha shit. Open house, always ready and waiting to solve other people’s problems. Except, now he was in the position, he couldn’t imaginenotdoing it.
*
CONVINCING MILO TOlie on the sofa to relax in the empty house wasn’t necessary. Keon lay back, head propped against the arm of the sofa, as Milo shimmied into the space between his legs to lean against his chest. Settled, Keon handed him the delivery.
“What’s this?” he asked, unfolding the cloth-wrapped package.
Keon brushed the curve of Milo’s shoulder and chest. “They found this when digging a new drainage line by the barn. No one could open it. They figured it was locked or important, and brought it straight to me.” It was about time it was returned to its rightful owner.
