Page 23

Chapter 23

Jasper

J asper wished he were the kind of guy who didn’t need proof. As much as he didn’t want to hurt himself, though, he didn’t want to hurt Caleb even more. So the flower it was.

He’d just make sure. And now that he wasn’t starving and wasn’t, you know, ignorantly gorging himself on poison, it wouldn’t be so bad. He knew how to do it now. Trust a fae to give him half the information he needed and turn him out into the woods to figure out the rest.

Even with the poisoning, Poppy had maybe done Jasper the biggest favor of his life.

Caleb carried him into the cabin over his shoulder, giving him a view of his ass and the sheen of sweat on his bare lower back that Jasper wanted nothing more than to lick.

He bit his tongue. That could wait until he was sure Caleb not only wanted him but could forgive him.

When Caleb carried him inside, he set him on the counter by the oven. Jasper let his backpack fall to the kitchen floor and watched with his heel bouncing against the counter as Caleb dropped ingredients into a pot to simmer.

Caleb was quiet as he worked, so Jasper was startled when he broke the silence. “You wanna ask me anything?”

“I’m sorry I left you,” Jasper blurted out.

Stirring the pot, Caleb just nodded. It killed Jasper that he couldn’t see his eyes. “Me too.”

Jasper flinched, but Caleb hadn’t left him out in the clearing—he’d brought him inside. And it wasn’t to torture him. He was just quiet and a little gruff. And Jasper’d hurt his feelings too. Caleb was allowed to be hurt; if Jasper loved him, it was his job to ease that feeling.

His tail flicked out and wrapped around Caleb’s wrist, dragging his attention away from the simmering brew. He turned and stared at Jasper, waiting, his expression guarded in a way it hadn’t been since that first day.

“I thought I was going to hurt you. And I got better, and I wanted you so much, and I was scared I’d take more than I could give back. I mean, come on, it’s not like I’ve met another half-fae bear shifter before. I didn’t know you’d be okay.” He still didn’t know it, but Caleb said he would. Jasper had to trust him.

Caleb grumbled, so Jasper reached out and touched his cheek. “Is it really so crazy that I might be a little formidable too?”

“No,” Caleb said. Rather than imply Jasper was weak and wilting, he smoothed his brow. “But I’ve known what you are. I never felt like you were trying to hurt me.”

“That’s what’s so insidious about us—it feels good when we hurt you.” In the space it took for Jasper to draw a breath, Caleb’s scowl darkened and his mouth opened to argue. Jasper cut him off. “But I didn’t hurt you until I left, did I?”

“No.”

A small, self-depreciating laugh escaped him. “Right. So I should’ve talked to you instead of running off. I should’ve trusted when you said you loved me. Do you st—” Jasper dropped his hand, but Caleb caught it before it hit his lap. He stepped in closer, his hips pressing against Jasper’s knees. His callused fingers brushed Jasper’s palm in slow, soothing circles. “Could you maybe give me another chance?”

Caleb could’ve held it over him, could’ve made him squirm, but instead, he nodded. The smallest hint of a smile played at the left corner of his lips.

Jasper couldn’t resist leaning in and kissing him there. Then, Caleb turned his head and caught his lips before he could pull away. His mouth was soft and sweet as ever, his skin a little salty with sweat. His tongue swept into Jasper’s mouth, drawing out a moan that Caleb drank down.

His arms stretched out, wrapping around Caleb’s neck and tugging him in. He used the leverage to pull himself to the edge of the counter, spreading his legs to trap Caleb between them. If he could find the right leverage—oh, there. He rocked his hips forward, rewarded when Caleb pushed against him.

Caleb’s hands were on his back, under his shirt. He shivered and squirmed and needed—gods, he needed everything. He needed to mold himself to Caleb’s sweaty bare chest.

“Caleb—” he rasped.

His bear chuckled against his lips. “Cure first.”

Jasper whined, dropping his head so far back it thunked against the cabinet. “Fine.”

Waiting for it to simmer an appropriate amount of time, then watching Caleb strain it, was agonizing. He’d missed Caleb, and if all Caleb wanted was to sit on the couch and snuggle, that’d be okay. As long as they were touching, Jasper thought he’d live. But Jasper hadn’t fed since he’d left Caleb. He was hungry for more than cookies.

Once Caleb mixed in sugar and dropped in an ice cube so it wouldn’t be too hot, he passed Jasper the cup. Jasper stared down into it, frowning.

“You’re absolutely sure you can forgive me?” The top of the liquid shivered with the tremor in Jasper’s hand. For now, nothing Caleb said would be bent by demonic lust. Before Jasper assumed this was really okay, he needed to hear it.

“Yup.” Caleb tapped the bottom of the cup, inching it closer to Jasper’s lips.

“And you don’t mind if, I, um, stay here—for a bit?”

“I’d prefer forever, but no, I don’t mind if you stay here with me.” Caleb leaned in. He nudged Jasper’s nose with his own. “And I think your horns are cute.”

“You do?”

Caleb chuckled. “I do. Now please drink that so I can stop worrying about you.”

Jasper drank it in huge gulps. Even with Caleb’s efforts to make it palatable, he grimaced.

Only when the cup was empty did Caleb ease it out of his hand and lean in, replacing the foul taste with a gentle brush of lips that had Jasper whimpering.

“I missed you so much,” he whispered against Caleb’s lips.

He could’ve spent hours nuzzling his cheek against Caleb’s beard, familiarizing himself with the way he smelled again—so good in his memories, but nothing compared to the real thing. But Caleb slipped his hands under Jasper’s ass and hauled him off the counter.

“Hungry?” Caleb asked.

Jasper groaned. “Starving.”

Frowning, Caleb looked at him with concern swimming in his gorgeous eyes. For a second, Jasper worried Caleb might think he’d gone out and, well, did what incubi did. But then he realized the concern in Caleb’s gorgeous eyes was just for his well-being.

Jasper flushed. “Well, you did say you were going to ruin me for everyone else.”

His thighs squeezed around Caleb’s hips. They kissed all the way to the bed, and when Caleb tried to tip him back onto the mattress, Jasper was loath to let him go. The only enticement was that Caleb’s shirt had already been discarded outside, and if he could get out of his own clothes, he could feel the heat and press of Caleb’s muscles—the tickle of his chest hair.

Jasper tumbled back, flicking the buttons of his jeans open as Caleb pulled his boots off. His pants and briefs followed seconds later, and Jasper whined as Caleb brushed his fingers softly over his thighs. It was perfect and not nearly enough. He spread his legs, shifting his hips, trying to entice him higher.

“All for me?” Caleb asked, his voice gloriously raspy as he cupped Jasper’s balls. He rolled his fingers, and Jasper’s cock jerked on his belly.

“Fuck, yeah. Just you. I need?—”

“You need me to take care of you,” Caleb growled. “Don’t you, babe? Need my cock.”

Jasper keened. All his pride and restraint melted away. He was so fucking hungry, and Caleb was exactly who he needed. The thought that he could have him—have this—forever was too much.

He shoved his elbow into the mattress and reached up for Caleb’s shoulder. The outline of his cock was trapped in his jeans, and Jasper needed them off. He tore at the button while Caleb’s hand pressed flat against his back and held him close, lifting him up like he was nothing.

He let Jasper shimmy his jeans down his hips. Trapped between their bodies, they thrust their cocks together, Jasper using his grip on Caleb’s shoulders to arch his body.

“Lube,” Caleb demanded. Jasper tipped over to grab it from the nightstand and slicked Caleb’s fingers.

Gods, it was nice to be in the arms of a big, tall man. Caleb held him steady with one hand. His other reached around Jasper’s back and down the cleft of his ass to slide one thick finger into him.

Jasper moaned. Every squirm had him rocking between the dual pleasure of the fingers pistoning in and out of him, and the heavy heat of Caleb’s huge cock.

“N—need you,” Jasper stammered. “Inside. Fuck me, Caleb. Please.”

He shivered at the loss of Caleb’s fingers, but Caleb crawled on his knees onto the bed, kicking his jeans off on the way. He tipped Jasper back again, and then he was inside him.

He thrust in, slow and relentless, until he was fully sheathed inside him. Jasper threw his head back as Caleb rocked into him, again and again, deep and thick and grounding. For a moment, nothing mattered but that full, pounding pleasure.

With his head tipped back, he exposed the length of his golden neck to Caleb. He nuzzled into it, almost like a cat scent marking their person, and Jasper smiled.

“Mine,” Caleb growled against his skin. Then he felt the scrape of his teeth, the press, and Jasper gasped, arching up.

“All yours,” Jasper swore. “Every inch.”

He gripped Caleb’s dark hair tight. Caleb’s hands clenched on his ass, dragging him up to meet every brutal thrust. When he came, Jasper’s vision flashed white. His lips fell open on who knew what praises and curses. And Caleb followed swiftly after, pumping searing come into him with tiny, deep thrusts.

When Caleb caught his breath, he rolled to his side, tugging Jasper along too. With a press of his knee, Jasper lifted himself to straddle Caleb. This time, though, he just settled into his chest to listen to the race of Caleb’s heart.

His hand slipped down, tracing the lines of muscle on Caleb’s bicep, then his forearm. He linked their fingers together.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“Love you too,” Caleb said without a second’s pause. Jasper’s heart filled fuller than his stomach, and he turned to hide his face against Caleb’s chest.

This was all too perfect. He didn’t know if he deserved it, but Caleb sure as hell did. If it made him happy, Jasper wasn’t going to fuck it up. Not again.

“I like that, you know,” Caleb mumbled

“Fucking?” Jasper laughed.

The man rolled his eyes dramatically. “Obviously I like that, but no. It’s... that feeling when you feed. Tingling, all knotted up in my chest. Like we’re connected. It’s nice.”

“Oh.” Jasper’s lips fell slack. He wasn’t sure what to say to that. He’d never thought his feeding could be good for both of them, or that Caleb felt it too. Sinking down, squeezing his hands under Caleb’s shoulders in his best approximation of a hug, Jasper nuzzled his chest with his cheek. “I’m really glad.”

The sound Caleb made then—as much a vibration in his chest as anything—was contented. He wrapped his arm around Jasper’s back to hold him close, and his fingers traced the lines of Jasper’s cheekbone, his jaw, his ear. That, too, was an absolutely wonderful tingle.

“Will you teach me to cook?” Jasper whispered after a while.

He lifted his head when Caleb shrugged. He was scowling up at him, more confused than angry. “Sure?”

“I just... you feed me so well. I’d like to return the favor.”

A slow, broad grin split Caleb’s lips, and he tugged Jasper down for another kiss.