“The tech can wait,” Karl said, leaning in close, his voice low in Leon’s ear. “I have other plans for you tonight.”
The shiver that ran down Leon’s spine at the promise in that voice… that was something he’d never get used to. And yeah, that was a problem he was happy to have.
KARL
After supper, they’d ended up out on the porch. Leon had draped himself across the swing seat in that loose-limbed, feline way of his—as if any surface was lucky to hold him—while Karl had his leg propped on an overturned crate, and a bottle of cold beer in his hand. The night air was cooling fast, and someone inside had put on music low enough that only the rhythm carried.
It was peaceful. A kind of peace and completeness Karl couldn’t remember feeling before.
Eventually, Leon stood, stretching with easy grace. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s head to your place before someone ropes us into a fireside singalong and s’mores.” He shuddered. “Tell me you don’t actually do that?”
“Pack fireside night with singing and s’mores is compulsory to welcome a new member,” Karl said, hauling himself upright. “Dave leads the singing. A joy you have in store.”
Leon’s second shudder looked a little more sincere. Maybe he’d heard about Dave’s singing.
They headed into the kitchen to ditch their empty bottles.
“Oh, hey,” Jason said, looking up from the kitchen table, where he and Riley were camped out with a laptop and two coffees. “Riley’s going to be pulling an all-nighter for a deadline, so I’m going to keep him company and work on some new recipes.”
“Okay,” Karl said slowly, not sure why he needed to know this.
“It’s going to take me all night. I have an early shift at the diner, and I’ll drop Riley off at Mr. Garrity’s on the way, so we’re going to be gone from the bunkhouse.”
Oh. Oh, God. He could see Leon fighting to control his twitching lips, and Riley’s despairing yet deeply fond shake of his head. And because something about Jason always brought out in Karl the same thing Charlie did, Karl smiled at him.
“Thanks for telling me, but we’re going to be in my bunkhouse,” he said. “You might have a cat or two napping in the spare room in yours.”
As Jason was still processing that, he led the way out of the back door before Leon lost it.
“The subtlety of wolves never ceases to amaze me,” Leon said as they walked together across the yard. What would have been a disdainful comment only days ago now held affectionate resignation and warmth.
“He means well.” And he did, more than Leon probably realized. Jason understood what it was like to bring a mate who was a complete outsider into the pack. Riley had struggled at first, and Jason wanted Leon to know up front he was welcome. Tristan would likely be the same.
Speaking of whom… Tristan and Colby were under the big tree in the yard, kissing like the world was ending. Presumably they were still celebrating the news. Though with those two, it could just have been because it was Tuesday.
Karl slowed a step, thinking about how much had changed since Jesse’s arrival. For a while, it had felt like none of it was for the better. Everything they’d built here had been turned upside down.
Yet here, at the end of it all, it felt somehow inevitable. It had been worth every minute of the stress and the worry and the danger, if it meant he had Leon here with him. And he’d bet the same was true for every other member of the pack.
Not that he’d ever tell Jesse that. He’d either be insufferable or get weirdly awkward about it.
A warm nudge at his side brought him back. Leon, looking at him with heat in his eyes and a wicked little smile.
“You’re dawdling, wolf,” he said. “And I have things I want to do to you.”
That smile should’ve been illegal. Karl followed, helpless.
LEON
The bunkhouse felt hushed and still when they stepped inside, and this time, he took a moment to look around, to take it in. It was neat and practical, as he’d expect from Karl. Definitely too spartan for Leon’s taste.
A shelf of well-thumbed books caught his eye, as did something else—or rather, theabsenceof something else. Hell, he was going to need to get a wardrobe because Karl, incomprehensibly, didn’t have one.
Leon didn’t say anything as he moved past Karl, folding down onto the bed and stretching out in satisfaction, as if the place already belonged to him. It did. Karl had made it so.
“You coming?” he asked lazily, running his hand idly down his front.
There was a pause. Then Karl’s quiet laugh, which he needed to hear more and more often. “Oh, I amdefinitelycoming.”
