I am so fucking lucky. Zeke is so incredibly handsome with his short hair, dark eyes, and strong jaw. I’m struck with how much I want to kiss him. I want to feel him pressed against me. I want so fucking much with this man.
It’s almost scary, the strength of these impulses, the intensity of these wants for someone I’ve only just met. Experiencing all of this for the first time makes them all the more overwhelming. Is this a true mate thing or is this a thing happening for just the two of us, something special. Either way, I’m very much on board with it.
“Wow,” Zeke whispers, his eyes soft, his face the picture of awe. “I thought maybe I’d dreamed you up.”
“Nope,” I assure him with a grin. “I’m really here.”
Zeke touches my cheek and I lean my face against his palm. If I was in my lion skin, I’d practically be purring at the simple touch. “I feel so goddamn lucky, Casper. I didn’t think I had a true mate out there for me, but Lady Fate proved my worries wrong.”
“Why didn’t you think you had one?”
I watch as emotions play across my mate’s face, something close to fear before it’s fading away, replaced with a smile that I can tell is forced. “I just didn’t think She’d want to force someone to put up with me,” he says, trying to change the topic with a joke.
“If it makes you feel any better I used to say the same things to my cousins.”
Zeke hums. “Then I guess we really are meant for each other.”
I run my hand over his wrist, holding onto the hand that’s against my cheek. “Hey, Zeke?”
“Yeah?”
“Will you kiss me? Please?”
“I can’t think of a single thing I’d like more,” he breathes out, leaning down in order to kiss me.
As lips press against mine, I feel like something inside of me is moving, rearranging to make room for Zeke. My head swims yet at the same time I’m completely present in the moment. The kiss is achingly gentle, but the emotions inside of me are rambunctious.
It’s a perfect first kiss.
My hand tightens around Zeke’s wrist. His lips move against mine and I mimic the movement, opening for him. His tongue traces my bottom lip before moving deeper, touching my own tongue. I make a broken noise at the back of my throat that’s caught with Zeke’s mouth, my cock throbbing with desire, craving more from my mate. Craving things I don’t even know about yet, only that unfamiliar instincts are rising up inside of me. I want to rut against him until I make myself come. I want to hear the noises Zeke makes when he feels good. Fuck, I want everything with this man. The feeling is heady.
Zeke moves until he’s more than just hovering over me. He moves until his body is leaning against my own and I can feel his hard cock pressing against the side of my hip. It’s long and hard and hot.
Oh my fucking gods. He’s just as aroused as me, the realization makes me want to whine, it makes me feel more desperate than I’ve ever felt before. It makes me want.
My free hand goes around Zeke’s back, tucking itself under his shirt so I can feel his hot skin. His back is toned and strong. His hips move and I can’t stop myself from whining this time, the noise breaking free without my permission. Our kisses grow even sloppier as we chase each other’s tongues, chase each other’s taste.
I’m about to pull his shirt over his head when we’re startled apart by the sound of the fire alarm going off. Zeke quickly pulls away, turning away and hiding his face in his hands. My heart is hammering against my ribs and my breaths come out in sharp pants. I’m overwhelmed by the way I was so utterly captivated by his kisses. I felt like I was drowning in Zeke. Is that normal? Is that the pull true mates have on each other?
“Are you okay?”
Zeke takes a steadying breath before turning back towards me. He gives me a soft smile. “Yeah. Just overwhelmed,” he says with a little chuckle. “I should go check on your cousins and make sure they’re okay.”
He leans back towards me, giving me one last, quick kiss before standing up and heading out of the room. I lay back against the pillows, blowing out a long breath. My cock still aches but now that Zeke is no longer here, it’s easier to ignore. The tingling sensations running through me slowly fade until I feel in control once more.
I can’t remember a time I’ve felt like that before, that type of all consuming lust. Sure, I’ve gotten boners in the past but they never felt like that before. I felt like I couldn’t get enough of Zeke, like I was going to explode unless we kept kissing, kept touching each other. A longing for physical affection so strong it threatened to choke me. It was overwhelming in the most delightful way. I can’t wait to explore that further with Zeke. Once we’re alone, of course.
My cheeks are bright red as I get myself out of bed. Gods, I hope my cousins don’t realize what we were just doing. They’ll never stop teasing me!
I quickly dart out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. After relieving myself, I make my way into the kitchen, only pausing to grab the compass from my discarded jeans and slipping it into the pocket of my sleep pants. I lean my hip against the breakfast bar with my arms crossed over my chest, watching these three dart around the kitchen.
Zeke is at the front door, opening and closing the door quickly, trying to get fresh air into the duplex while Harbor waves a towel around the fire alarm. Bently is at the stove, rotating the bacon and trying to keep it from burning. Well, from burning more than it already has.
They look absolutely ridiculous. I’m struck with fondness. They might be ridiculous but they’re my family and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
Harbor makes a happy noise as the fire alarm finally turns off. I’m so glad it’s one in the afternoon so the sound couldn’t wake any of Zeke’s neighbors. I’d rather not start this new relationship on people’s bad sides, especially if I plan on staying here long term. Which I do. Hopefully. As long as Zeke is okay with that.
Fuck, we should probably talk about all this.
“Morning!” Bently says, looking over at me. “Sleep well?”
Despite wanting to keep as neutral as possible to keep my cousins from teasing me, I can’t help but get a lovesick smile on my face. “I slept great,” I say softly, thinking about how lovely it was to sleep next to Zeke. He was so warm and made me feel so safe. It was wonderful.
“You look well rested for someone who just found their true mate,” Harbor says with a giggle. “I’m surprised there wasn’t more than just sleeping going on. Are you waiting until Bently and I are gone before you go at it rabbit style?”
I sputter. “Rabbit style? What the fuck is that? You know what, no. I don’t wanna know.”
“We’re all adults here,” Harbor says with a huff. “Don’t act like you don’t know what sex is, Casper. And if you actually don’t know, then ask your true mate. I’m sure he’d be more than happy to teach you.”
My cheeks warm brighter and brighter the more Harbor speaks. Zeke shuts the door and walks over to me, putting his arm around my shoulders. “Don’t worry, he’s in good hands, Harbor,” he says with a warm chuckle. “Plus, wouldn’t we be doing it lion style?”
“Oh my gods,” I blurt out, covering my face with my hands. “I hate you all so much.”
Bently plates us all some eggs and bacon with toast, shaking his head fondly at us. We all sit down at Zeke’s table, digging into our food. Despite the bacon being a bit burnt, the rest turned out delicious.
I’m glad everyone’s mouths are full because it gives me a moment just to think and process everything that’s happened. I’ve found my spark. I’ve found Ray. A tiny voice inside my head is still sure that I’m not good enough for a spark-familiar bond, but I have to hold onto hope that everything will be made right in the end. It might take some time for Ray to come around to the idea of using magic but someday when she’s ready, I’ll be there to help.
And now my true mate is sitting beside me, eating a strip of bacon and looking adorably rumpled from waking up. Everything has changed in so little time. Am I ready to be someone’s mate? Am I ready to leave my cousins behind? Am I ready to help Ray embrace her inner magic?
