Page 8 of Bear Creek Thanksgiving (Holiday Mates #3)
Sunday afternoon
Gruff cursed his own stupidity all the way into town.
That’s what came from thinking with his dick and accepting Dustin’s concert invitation.
Were it anyone else, he would have canceled at the last minute and counted himself lucky.
He couldn’t do that to Dustin. The sweet man had issued a simple, harmless invitation—unless this was actually a date instead of a friendly co-worker thing.
Gruff’s bear, the smug bastard, wasn’t opposed to anything that brought them closer, especially if it led to some action afterward.
Huh! Not happening, and he mentally thumped the randy ursine on the nose.
If Gruff was being honest, he’d never gone on a date or anything like it.
Never been out with friends or invited anyone to his home.
Never actually socialized at all, and certainly not with someone special like Dustin.
How should he act? What would they talk about? Would people stare?
Of course they would. People always stared—wondering how he got those scars and what was wrong with him.
That’s why he stayed home and wore a cap in public when he needed to go out.
Well, there was nothing he could do about it now, and he’d try his best not to ruin their time together.
Gruff had no idea what to expect at a concert, except for crowds of people.
At least he’d have the company of someone he actually liked.
Up ahead, Gruff spied Bear Creek Lake on the right and turned left onto White Haven Road.
He was familiar with this part of town, having come this way many times to reach his mating season partner.
A pang of guilt flashed through his mind as though he’d been cheating on Dustin with the guy.
Ridiculous! It had just been sex—nothing more.
You can’t cheat unless you’re having an intimate relationship with someone else, right?
Gruff’s bear chose that moment to suggest he and Dustin could already be together if his human half hadn’t been dragging his feet.
Gruff growled in annoyance, shutting down those thoughts as he pulled into the Locust Lodge Apartments parking lot.
There were three rectangular buildings in a horseshoe configuration, marked as A, B, and C.
Dustin lived in the center building, and Gruff pulled up outside the main door, parking next to the man’s white sedan.
This whole thing made him feel jarringly out of place, especially with the nicer clothes he’d put on.
On the way in, he slipped on a straw cowboy hat, which not only covered some of his scars but partially hid his face from view.
Shiny black boots, blue jeans, and a short-sleeved button-down shirt completed the ensemble.
He found apartment 101 partway down the shared hallway, noticing the odor of an older building that had seen better days.
Gruff knocked, swallowing his nerves until Dustin opened the door with a radiant smile, instantly making him feel better.
“Wow! You clean up real nice, cowboy. Come in for a minute while I finish getting ready.”
Gruff tried to hide his blush, though Dustin saw it anyway.
He looked around while the man sat on the well-used sofa to tie his shoes.
The apartment was nothing special to look at.
Small, functional, clean, but obviously not someone’s home.
He’d go crazy in a place like this, but then, so would most shifters.
The man’s scent was overwhelming here, making it difficult to think.
He tried to break the ice with a question.
“Think you’ll stay here long?”
Dustin laughed—understanding what Gruff didn’t say.
“Probably not. Maybe in the spring I’ll start looking for something else. I’d buy my own place if I had the money, but I guess the housing market here is tight. I’ve seen a lot of new homes going up between here and the orchard, and they all look expensive.”
Gruff grunted in agreement and finally noticed Dustin’s clothing, or rather the lack thereof.
He normally wore jeans or khakis, but today he had shorts on.
The subliminal rumble in his chest couldn’t be stopped once he got a look at Dustin’s perfectly shaped legs, covered with a pelt of medium-brown hair.
Damn! He was going to be distracted all day by those lovely limbs, and naughty thoughts of licking them from ankle to crotch made his dick twitch.
Dustin grabbed his phone, wallet, and keys from the coffee table, as well as two stadium cushions he’d picked up in town, and approached the door. Why was Gruff growling?
“Are you okay?”
The man nodded and then leaned in to scent him as he always did.
This time he got super close, nose barely skating across the tender skin of his neck.
The rumble got even louder, and when Dustin pulled away, Gruff began huffing in distress.
Unsure what to do, he hugged the man and whispered soothingly in his ear.
“It’s okay. You’re safe with me. We can just skip the concert and hang out here instead.”
Gruff nearly melted with Dustin wrapped around him this way. If they stayed here, he wouldn’t be able to control his bear. At the concert, they would be in public, ensuring that he kept it in his pants. He had to move now though, and backed away from Dustin.
“No, I’m...I’m all right. Let’s go. I’ve never been to a concert before.”
Dustin’s brows shot up and he opened the door so they could leave.
“Really? Well, I’ve never been to an amphitheater before, so we’re both in for a treat. It looks like a great venue, and I’m surprised it’s here in Bear Creek.”
When they reached Gruff’s pickup, he opened Dustin’s door for him like a true gentleman.
The interior had been transformed by a thorough cleaning, with nothing out of place and everything shiny.
Dustin hoped that it meant something, along with what just happened in the apartment, though Gruff was often difficult to read.
He’d already taken a big chance by inviting the sweet bear to join him, only hoping for a fun outing together.
The park was literally on the other side of the highway, next to the lake. Two minutes later they were parked and headed for the food court area to see what was being offered. Dustin pointed out an ice cream truck, and Gruff readily agreed.
“My treat. Anything you want.”
Anything he wanted? A lascivious image of sharing a cone in the nude almost resulted in a moan.
What Dustin wouldn’t give to live out that sweet little scenario!
Unfortunately, his scent gave him away, and Gruff growled, startling the couple waiting in front of them.
The poor man was already jumpy, sticking close without actually touching.
Dustin was determined to rein it in and took himself to task.
It must have worked, since Gruff heaved a breathy sigh and avoided eye contact.
Soon after, they each had their frozen treat—Gruff with a triple dip bowl of rocky road, while Dustin enjoyed a brownie sundae.
A sizable crowd milled about, and the late July weather couldn’t have been better.
The concert wasn’t due to start for another twenty minutes, which meant they didn’t need to hurry.
In the heat, the ice cream didn’t last long, and they disposed of their bowls to search for some good seats.
Dustin let Gruff choose, figuring he wouldn’t want to sit way down front where there were lots of people.
He was right, as they ended up at the very end of a row about three-quarters of the way back.
Dustin handed Gruff one of the cushions, and they sat down on the hard concrete, warmed by the sun.
Gruff leaned over to say something and the brim of his hat conked Dustin in the head. They both laughed and he apologized.
“Sorry. I haven’t worn this in a while. What kind of music are they playing today?”
Dustin pulled a folded piece of paper out of his back pocket to reveal a summer concert schedule.
“This one is supposed to be family friendly, so nothing heavy or loud. I’m not fond of that type of music anyway, but I hope you don’t mind.”
Gruff didn’t know Beethoven from Beyonce, so it made little difference to him.
“No problem. Poke me in the ribs if I fall asleep.”
Dustin laughed, wagging a finger at Gruff,
“I knew there was a sense of humor lurking in there someplace. Feel free to use it more often.”
Gruff growled playfully and they settled in to listen.
As he understood it, some of the songs came from kids’ movies or shows, while others were old pop or marching band tunes that everyone seemed to know, though Gruff had to take Dustin’s word for it.
He tapped his foot and clapped along with the rest of the audience, despite it all being new to him.
Dustin caught him smiling several times, and rather than spoil the mood with teasing, he let the man enjoy himself.
He wondered what kind of sheltered life Gruff had led, especially as a child. When he’d asked DeeDee about it, she refused to reveal more information. All she would say was that he’d been raised in a shifter orphan home in another part of the state.
“I suggest you let him tell you in his own good time, though I don’t believe anyone in Bear Creek knows the full story except me and Sunny. If he doesn’t want to talk about it, he’ll say so.”