“I’d smell your butt,” Will said, and Carl looked as if he’d smell Sage’s butt too but was too house-trained to say so out loud.
“The joys of living with a werewolf.”Sage dropped back into his chair and finally gave the coffee his full attention.Unfortunately, it was lukewarm, but it was still both bitter and sweet.Other than waking up with Will in his arms, it was the best thing that had happened all morning.
19
Will
Willwatchedthebespelledmop clean out the laundry room with a mixture of soap water and vinegar.He could still just about smell the loup-garou in there, but at least it no longer looked like a gory scene from a slasher movie.
A shiver ran down Will’s spine.It had almost become a bloody murder scene, with Will’s body on the floor, the outline marked out in white chalk.He had Carl to thank for the fact that it hadn’t, and while the asshole enforcer definitely still wanted Sage, Will wasn’t block-headed enough to deny that Carl and his sister had saved the day yesterday.They helped save Sage, maybe even saved me.Will was inclined to be grateful, but then, after last night and this morning, Will’s feelings for Sage had grown so much stronger, had solidified, and he wouldn’t let him go, not unless Sage told Will he wanted to be let go.
“Handjob for your thoughts.”
Will nearly jumped out of his skin.It was the first time Sage had ever managed to sneak up on him.
“Oh, yeah?”
Sage shrugged, and his blue eyes twinkled.“If you want to, sweetcakes.”
Sage had shaved.There was a small nick close to his right ear, but the newly smooth skin made Will want to nuzzle it, maybe explore it with his tongue.Before he’d consciously made the decision, he was kissing Sage on the cheek.
“So soft.”
Sage cleared his throat.“You like me better clean-shaven?”
Will considered that.“I like both.This is better for licking.”
Sage groaned.“Fine.Fine.Once, one single time, you may lick my cheek, but only because you nearly died last night.”
Will grinned.“Not because of what we did this morning?”
Sage closed his arms around Will, and his heart jumped in his chest.
“Yeah, because of that too.It was really okay for you?”
Will licked Sage’s cheek, taking his time and enjoying the shock on his mate’s face.
“It was very okay for me.Wasthatokay for you?”
Sage made a face and wiped the back of his hand over his cheek.It might’ve wiped Will’s spit off, but not his scent.“It was a one-off.Definitely not going to repeat this.”He gave Will a thoughtful look.“We didn’t really have a chance to talk about you doing some damn strong magic while you were a wolf.”
Will shrugged.“I didn’t try.Well, I tried when you told me to, with the healing, but not before.”
Sage took Will’s hand and led him to the couch.As soon as they sat, Lemon snuck out from its hiding spot to pounce on Will’s feet, so he pulled his legs up onto the couch, which was helpful since it made it easier to snuggle in closer to Sage.
“You hit me with a blast of magic that catapulted me right out the door and to the other end of the garden.Into the damn wandering pond,” Sage said.
“I’m sorry.”
But Will actually wasn’t.He was glad.He’d managed to get his mate away from danger, even if he himself wouldn’t have been enough to get rid of the danger itself.He knew firsthand that having a pack didn’t mean they would keep you safe, but the lack of one certainly had put Sage in greater danger than he would’ve been in otherwise last night.
“You don’t sound sorry.Anyway, I think you should try shifting and practicing.Just in case, you know?”
Will groaned.“I really don’t think I can do much.”
Sage put his arm around Will.“Sweetcakes, are you saying I’m a bad teacher?”
Will stiffened.“No!I don’t mean that at all.I just… Shouldn’t I have been able to…” Will took a deep breath.“The wolf is good at instinct.Shouldn’t I have been able to keep myself safe?Fromthem.If I really can do magic in my shifted form.”
