“Wade,” Patrick called again. “Get out here.”
“It’s not even seven o’clock!” Wade yelled back right before he hastily closed the bedroom door.
“I took an early flight out from DC. General Reed is pissed about yesterday. I’d have flown in last night except he kept me late at the Pentagon discussing your fly-by of Boston. And it was either you got him or me for the lecture, and I know what you prefer.”
Wade groaned and rubbed hard at his eyes. “I hate that guy.”
“Patrick?” Riordan asked in a low voice, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
“No, his annoying dragon general superior asshole. Ugh.” Wade dropped his hands, looking around at their scattered, wet clothes neither of them had bothered to deal with after their arrival last night. “What if you just stay in here? I’ll keep the door shut, and you can be quiet.”
Riordan’s stomach clenched, and not in a good way. “You want to hide me?”
Wade blinked at him before his eyes widened, and he rapidly shook his head. “No! That’s not what I meant. I don’t want to hide you. Well, I mean. I do, but only from Patrick right now.”
“That sounds like you don’t want to tell him about me.”
Wade groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “I want to tell him? But if he knows you’re in here with me, he’ll think we slept together, and then he’ll want to stab you. He doesn’t even have his dagger anymore, but he’d still find a way to stab you. Trust me. I don’t want you stabbed.”
Some of Riordan’s apprehension faded away as he realized Wade wasn’t trying to hide their tentative relationship out ofregret or shame but because he was trying to spare him a shovel talk. “Patrick is one of your alphas. I should meet him, if that’s what you’d want.”
Wade gave him a look that was very clearly meant to translate asyour funeral. It made him laugh, just a little. Wade sighed and returned to the bed. When he got close enough, Riordan grabbed him by the waist and dragged Wade into his lap. Wade tumbled in close without a fight, and Riordan kissed him soundly, ignoring the fact they both needed to brush their teeth and that they were naked, and if Patrick decided to barge in, he was bound to get an eyeful.
Riordan really hoped his first meeting of his lover’s family wouldn’t be without even his sealskin on.
“Come on,” Riordan murmured before they could get too distracted. “Let’s get out there.”
Wade groaned, and Riordan let him climb back off the bed again. Riordan slid out from beneath the sheets and went to the closet, picking out some clothes from the ones Wade had bought him. Then he grabbed his skin from where it was slung over the chair in the corner, shook it out into a leather jacket, and pulled it on.
They split time in the bathroom for a quick washup at the sink. When Riordan came out after his turn, he found Wade dressed and shifting from foot to foot by the door, chewing on his thumbnail. Riordan couldn’t help but hug him, running his hand up and down Wade’s back. “It’s fine. I mean it.”
“Patrick won’t be fine,” Wade muttered.
That didn’t stop him from opening the bedroom door and taking Riordan by the hand to drag him out into the firing range of an overprotective pack member. Riordan peered over Wade’s shoulder as they exited the bedroom and had a clear view of the way the redhead leaning against the kitchen island wentcompletely still, gaze sharpening in a way that had Wade’s grip tightening around Riordan’s hand.
“Hey, Patrick,” Wade said, trying for casually cheerful and missing by a mile if Riordan was any judge.
Patrick Collins smelled a little bitter, a little harsh, to Riordan’s nose, the other man’s scent not typical of any magic user he’d ever met over the centuries. He appeared to be in his early thirties, with messy, dark red hair and green eyes that looked at Riordan the way a hunter might look at caught game, wondering how to skin them.
He was glad, in that moment, to know that this mage was Wade’s pack because Wade deserved to be protected. Riordan just had to convince Patrick that Wade didn’t need to be protected fromhimbecause Riordan would rather give up his skin forever than see Wade come to harm.
“There’s a Dunkin’ two blocks away. Go get us coffee and donuts,” Patrick said, never taking his eyes off Riordan.
“You just made coffee! It’s percolating right behind you. And the hotel’s private chef would totally go get the donuts for us.”
“Now, Wade.”
Wade bounced on his heels a little. “You just want to get Riordan alone.”
“Riordan, is it? The same selkie you mentioned the other day?”
“Patrick,” Wade groaned.
“There’s also a Dunkin’ four blocks away. You can go to that one instead.”
Wade looked over at Riordan with a faint grimace and an apologetic expression. Riordan smiled encouragingly at him. “It’s okay. Go get us breakfast.”
Wade reluctantly let him go and headed for the front door. He stabbed his finger in Patrick’s direction as he passed the other man. “Benice.”
