“I need to go,” I said. I needed to go talk to Duncan because I’d been too busy trying to be a gentleman that I’d not thought about that aspect of things. What did he want me to do if he went into heat?
“Leaving?” Silver asked. “Are you coming back?”
“I don’t know,” I called out over my shoulder. Silver laughed behind me, and I flipped him off. It wasn’t too long ago that he was in the same position I was currently in. His was slightly different, though, because he showed up to work the next day already mated.
I left the office, and as soon as I was in the truck, I was on my way toward the house. Duncan had my last spare key on his key ring, but he wasn’t due at the zoo until ten thirty. It was just after eight, and that meant he should still be at the house. Just to be sure though, I touched his name on the screen. The call connected, and my gorilla felt relief when he answered.
“Clay? Is something wrong?”
“Hi, Duncan. Are you still home?”
“Yeah. I don’t need to leave until ten. Is that okay?”
“It is. I’m on my way back to the house, but I didn’t want to worry you when I pulled in.”
“Okay. Is something wrong? Did you need me to leave when you’re not here?”
I took a deep breath and, after a moment, let it out silently. “Nothing like that. I’ll be there in about fifteen, and I’ll talk to you then.”
Silence and then a quiet response. “All right.”
Duncan ended the call before I could say anything else. I had a feeling that he had misunderstood the entire situation, and I needed to fix it. I sighed to myself and drove through the streets of Whispering Pines toward my house as fast as I legally could. I might have broken the speed limit a time or two, and what normally took fifteen to twenty minutes, I was able to do in eleven. I saw Duncan’s car still parked where he’d left it yesterday and wondered again how quickly I could get him into something else.
I parked beside him and got out. I hurried into the house, touching the button on the wall to close the garage door behind me as I entered. I found Duncan just on the other side of the laundry room with a worried look on his face. That was exactly what I didn’t want, and I moved to him quickly and pulled him into a hug. My gorilla calmed even more with Duncan finally in our arms.
“Nothing is wrong,” I told him again. “I promise.” I gave him a hug, squeezing gently just a bit before I let go and held on to his shoulders. “Seriously. But I was chatting with Silver, and there’s something we really need to talk about. Soon. As in now and not later. At least that’s what it feels like.” I smiled. “We didn’t talk much last night.” We’d watched a movie on the couch, and Duncan had become incredibly tired. I could understand why because he was working entirely too hard.
“Okay.”
“Let’s go sit on the couch and talk for a bit.”
Duncan nodded as he let me lead him into the house and to the living room. I sat, pulling him down next to me. “I promise, it’s nothing terrible, but I was talking to my brother, and he brought up something that I didn’t really consider.”
“What?” Duncan asked.
“Your heat. How many have you had? I know some don’t ever experience them until they meet their mate. Others have them on and off.”
Duncan’s eyes widened. “I’ve had a few. Not every year though.”
“It’s a given that you’ll have one now that we’ve met,” I told him. “Even if we don’t claim one another, you will most likely go into heat.”
A myriad of emotions went across Duncan’s face. The final could only be described as terrified.
“Oh no,” he said. “I’m probably going to go into heat.”
I nodded and fought off laughter. “Yes, which isn’t an issue. I just need to know how you wish for us to deal with that situation. We’re taking things slow, which isn’t an issue for me. But a mate in heat might be a lot for my gorilla to not react to.”
Duncan looked at me with wide eyes and then laughed. It took a moment for him to stop, and when he did, he shocked me. “Well, I guess you could just claim me, and we could deal with it when it happens. But if I’m already claimed, there’s no reason for you to feel bad about what we do during it, right?”
“We can, but we were taking things slow. We were going to date. Get to know one another. See if you could live with me. Things like that.”
Duncan rolled his eyes. “All right. We’ll continue to date. But maybe I should move back into my apartment for now. Especially if I’m going to be going into heat and you’re worried about your gorilla.”
“Why—”
“No.” Duncan stopped me with a hand on my knee. “I’m not afraid of your gorilla. Not even a little. Is it because I’m a virgin?” he asked. “I’ve watched videos, and I’m notnotinterested in sex with you. I can learn quickly if you’re willing to teach me what you like.”
I stared at him for a moment, unsure how to move forward. “I want you. Don’t ever think that I don’t. But I wanted to give you the patience that you deserve.”
