For now, he submerged himself in the moment, threading his fingers through Noah’s hair, cupping the back of his head, losing himself in the play of tongue against tongue, Noah’s breath caressing his cheek. Could Slade fill up on this feeling, to see him through a lonely lifetime?
Wolves mated for life. Maybe cursed bikers did too.
Or bonded bikers.
Skin to skin. The way they should be. Noah buried his face in the crook of Slade’s neck. What would Noah smell like to a wolf nose? A human nose caught the scent of warm skin and soap.
Slade ran his hand up Noah’s back, touching, memorizing. Snug between their bodies, his cock throbbed with need. An answering hardness nudged his thigh.
Noah pressed a kiss to Slade’s shoulder and rose, erection now on full display. He wrapped slender fingers around both their lengths, sliding his hand in slow strokes.
Slade fought the urge to close his eyes, lie back and enjoy. No. He took in every bit of Noah the soft glow of a nightlight provided.
Would the words help or hurt? If Noah said them, they’d rip Slade’s heart out all the more when he climbed in his truck and left.
He held tightly to Noah’s hips, thrusting against Noah’s cock. How could a mere hand job feel so damned good?
Slade rocked upward, letting out a groan. Noah gave him a bittersweet smile, leaned down, kissed him…
“Oh, damn!” Slade came, soaking his belly with cum.
Noah’s breath came in shallow pants. He arched back, joining Slade one last time in ecstasy.
Once they’d cleaned up, they lay on the bed, Noah resting his head on Slade’s chest. Quietly, he murmured, “How should we do this? Should we say goodbye, or do you want me to get under the covers, turn my back, and pretend to be asleep so I don’t watch you leave?”
“Noah, I…”
Noah rose on one elbow, placing a finger against Slade’s lips. “Shhh… I knew our time together had to come to an end. You believe in werewolves; I’ve learned to believe in curses. By my reckoning, a month is nearly over.” He removed his finger, dropping his head down on the pillow, gaze fixed on Slade’s face. “What’s it feel like?”
Reciting the symptoms made the curse all the more real. “Right now, my stomach’s cramping. Soon I’ll get a killer headache and be too weak to move. The first time I was stubborn and waited until my eyes started bleeding. I’ve not waited so late again.”
Noah winced. “What happened when you left?”
“My brother took me to the hospital. The moment we left town limits, I started to get better. When I tried to go back, the symptoms started again.” Slade gave a humorless chuckle. “I became a believer then.”
“Do you need my help packing?”
Slade’s heart slammed his ribs. The clock ticked off the time. He needed to leave. The fact that Noah wasn’t offering to go must mean he wanted to stay here.
“I can stay a few more days,” Slade lied.
Noah gave him a bittersweet smile. “Liar. C’mon. Let me help.”
They loaded Slade’s belongings into the SUV. No one came out of their cabins to check on them. With their sensitive noses, the neighbors must know who lingered outside.
Using the excuse of one last sweep, Slade reentered the cabin and stood in the doorway to the bedroom, staring at the bed he’d shared with Noah. He unhooked the wolf pendant from his neck for the first time since Judith gave it to him, planting a kiss on the metal and placing the charm on the end table for Noah to find later. He’d gotten Sam to add additional protections.
May they keep Noah safe.
Next, Slade climbed into the attic, removed the canvas he’d been working on whenever Noah went somewhere else, and placed his gift on the bed. The first canvas he’d painted since kicking all his bad habits. This time, he hadn’t craved. If he even thought of drugs, he replaced the thought with memories of his wolf.
The image he’d chosen incorporated the sleepy wolf from Noah’s helmet, superimposed with an image of a sleeping Noah in human form. Slade overcame his hang-up to create this. Would he paint again in the future? Who knew? Right now, he focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
Taking one last look, Slade strode out to his truck, reached into the back, and presented the wolf helmet to Noah. “Here. Keep this.”
Shimmering began in Noah’s eyes. He dove into Slade’s arms. Slade held on for dear life, never wanting to let go, never wanting to leave.
At last, Noah gave a little sniff and backed away.
