Page 7

Nedrick helped Brett to his feet. While he relished the opportunity to have his mate in his arms, he damn sure didn’t like how it had come about. Still, his human’s strong frame felt amazing pressed close against him.

Feeling Brett sway on his feet, Nedrick tightened his left arm around his waist while gripping his right upper arm. “Easy, there,” he encouraged. “Take your time. Don’t want you to fall.”

“Really gotta piss,” Brett countered through gritted teeth.

Wincing, Nedrick knew that feeling. Nature was calling to his sexy human.

Nodding, Nedrick carefully helped Brett turn to face the cave wall. “All right.” He glanced toward his mate’s fly before squeezing his upper arm. “Think you can manage one-handed?”

“Yeah.” Brett placed his right hand on his fly and popped the button but hesitated on the zip. “You gonna watch?” he asked, arching a brow at him.

Nedrick barely resisted smirking at the man he soon hoped to make his lover. “Well, I’ll look away if you’re shy,” he teased with a wink. Sobering, he added, “But I’m afraid you’ll fall down if I release you, so, uh, yeah. Not going anywhere.”

Brett frowned, pinching his lips in obvious indecision.

Hoping to help ease Brett’s sudden bout of shyness, Nedrick took a step to the left and behind the other man. “I’ll stand here behind you,” he told him. Squeezing where he held his mate’s waist and upper arm, he encouraged, “Do what you need to do, handsome.”

With a sigh, Brett must have decided to just go with it.

Nedrick heard the telltale sound of a zipper being undone. Then his mate’s shorts shifted beneath Nedrick’s left hand, so he eased it higher up his waist. When his palm settled over the smooth, warm flesh of Brett’s waist, just under the hem of his t-shirt, the hairs on Nedrick’s arm stood on end, and he couldn’t help rubbing his thumb along the flesh of his mate’s back.

So good. So hard yet smooth.

Wonder if my mate feels like that everywhere.

The sound of urine hitting the dirt wall dragged Nedrick out of his lustful thoughts.

Right. Help my mate, then worry about seducing him.

Hearing Brett’s soft moan of obvious relief caused Nedrick’s lips to quirk up. He knew the feeling—one of relief mixed with pleasure. Sometimes, when your bladder was overly full, it just felt really good to pee.

Finally, the sound of Brett urinating tapered off before disappearing altogether. Nedrick felt it when his mate shook off, then seemed to lose his balance. When Brett took a shuffling step forward to catch himself, Nedrick pressed closer and wrapped his arms around his mate’s torso to help.

“Easy, handsome,” Nedrick crooned as Brett caught his balance. “No vigorous movements.”

Brett sighed softly and shook his head once, slowly. “My head’s ringing a bit,” he admitted. He peered over his shoulder at him, revealing flushed cheeks. “Thanks for not letting me take a header into the wall I just pissed on.”

Nedrick chuckled. “My pleasure.” It was, too, because his left hand had slid farther up under Brett’s shirt, and now he currently palmed his mate’s hot, hard abdominals. “Go to the gym much?” Nedrick asked curiously, teasing his fingers along the grooves of Brett’s stomach. His mate didn’t have a full six-pack, but there was definite delineation there.

“Yeah,” Brett mumbled, as he began righting his shorts. His voice dropped, taking on a note of huskiness. “Great stress relief from studying.”

“I imagine so,” Nedrick murmured, wondering when he would be able to get an eyeful of the flesh he felt under his hands. While his right hand cradled Brett’s pectoral through his shirt, Nedrick could still feel the firmness of the muscle. Unable to help himself, he blurted out, “You feel amazing.”

“Uh, thanks,” Brett muttered. A second later, he hissed, “Shit,” as he tensed in Nedrick’s arms.

“What’s wrong?” Nedrick barely resisted the urge to peer over Brett’s shoulder so he could look down at him. His instinct did have him lowering his gaze, which showed him an enticing peek of the tops of Brett’s glorious ass cheeks. Doing his best to focus, Nedrick registered his mate’s rough breathing, and the angle of his left elbow told him his mate no longer cradled it toward his chest. “What are you doing?” Holding Brett in place with his palm to his chest, he moved his left hand to grip his mate’s left elbow. “Arm up, handsome. You’re not supposed to be using that hand.”

Nedrick’s guess that was why Brett had muttered a curse was confirmed when Brett grumbled, “Can’t do up my zipper and button with one hand.” With a growl, even as he allowed Nedrick to reposition his arm upward, Brett groaned... and it wasn’t the good kind of noise. “Damn, that hurts.”

“I’m so sorry, my mate,” Nedrick soothed, rubbing his cheek against the back of Brett’s head. He enjoyed the feel of his human’s soft, thick hair sliding against his face. Brett’s pleasant scent, regardless of the acrid tinge of pain, called to him on the basest of levels, causing his prick to thicken. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

While Nedrick knew it wasn’t really his fault, he still kicked himself for not sticking closer to Brett, for not being on hand to stop him from falling. Hearing his mate’s surprised shout, seeing him tumble from view, had damn near given him a heart attack. Nedrick had scrambled down the slippery slope after his human, his heart in his throat and his pulse racing. Hearing Brett return his call had offered him the greatest relief.

“Just bad luck, I suppose,” Brett mumbled, panting softly, obviously trying to get his breathing under control. With a sigh, he murmured, “And being pushed at the wrong bushes.”

Nedrick growled under his breath, sliding his left hand back around Brett’s waist again. “Damn Karissa.” He so wanted to throttle the heartless bitch.

Brett shook his head. “Don’t wanna think about it.” Instead, his mate seemed to be trying to do up his shorts again.

Nedrick decided to revisit that thought another time.

Maybe when my mate isn’t focusing on his shorts. Speaking of which...

“If you don’t mind, I can help you with that,” Nedrick offered.

Freezing in Nedrick’s arms, Brett peered over his shoulder and gave him the side-eye. “Help me with what?”

Slowly sliding his left hand down toward Brett’s waistband, Nedrick felt a rush of arousal surge through him. While the timing might be inappropriate, he couldn’t seem to help himself. For the first time, Nedrick had his mate in his arms, they were alone, and nothing had ever felt so right.

“Help zip and button your shorts,” Nedrick offered, easing his left hand to grip the fabric of Brett’s shorts. Feeling the slide of a different kind of bulge move across the side of his forefinger, Nedrick sucked in a sharp breath. That was when he smelled it, and he couldn’t figure out how he’d missed it before. Arousal. His mate was aroused. “Or help with something else,” Nedrick whispered into Brett’s ear, nuzzling his nose along the side of his neck. “Endorphins are nature’s painkillers.”

Brett swallowed so hard that Nedrick could actually hear it. His mate trembled in his arms. His right hand moved to grip Nedrick’s right wrist at his chest.

“N-Never been, uh, been aroused by a guy like this before,” Brett muttered, discomfort and confusion lacing his tone. “But, shit, if you’re offerin’.”

“I’m offering,” Nedrick confirmed, excitement flooding him. “Just relax, lean on me, and let me take care of everything.”

After letting out a slow, deep breath, Brett leaned against Nedrick, offering his weight.

Nedrick’s wolf howled in his mind at Brett’s trusting move. Smiling, he rubbed his lips along his mate’s column of flesh. As he kissed over the place where Brett’s neck met his shoulder, the place he longed to leave his mark, Nedrick eased his left hand to the elastic band of Brett’s underwear. He rubbed his palm over the human’s lower stomach, teasing his fingers through his mate’s treasure trail, before dipping his fingers beneath the fabric.

Feeling Brett’s semi-erect dick slide across the backs of his fingers, Nedrick carded his fingernails gently through the hair at Brett’s groin. He heard his mate’s breathing hitch. He felt the other man’s prick firming up, lengthening and thickening.

“Mmmm, yeah,” Nedrick murmured, licking the soft skin beneath and just behind Brett’s ear. Smiling at hearing his mate’s gasp, he pressed a kiss to that same spot as he wrapped his fingers around his mate’s length. “Bet your cock is gorgeous. Feels gorgeous.”

“H-How does s-somethin’ feel gorgeous?” Brett muttered, his breathing picking up.

Nedrick chuckled. “Don’t know,” he admitted. “Just does.”

Beginning a slow jacking of Brett’s cock, Nedrick enjoyed the feel of his silky flesh. His man’s bone hardened further within his grip, and when he slid his thumb over the crown, he found it damp. Pausing, Nedrick massaged Brett’s frenulum while dipping his thumbnail into his piss slit.

Brett hissed and bucked his hips, his grip on Nedrick’s right wrist tightening.

Loving that reaction, Nedrick hummed. He lowered his right hand, causing his new and forever lover to shift his grip to his forearm. Nedrick quickly pulled the elastic band of his underwear forward and down, tucking it beneath his sack. While beginning to stroke his erection once more, Nedrick gently cradled Brett’s balls, testing for sensitivity.

“Yesss,” Brett hissed, bucking his hips again. He even shuffled his feet a little, widening his stance. “Fuck yeah. Harder.”

Nedrick grinned against Brett’s neck and did his best to ignore his own aching erection. He obeyed his mate’s command and tightened his grip on his mate’s testicles before easing the hold and rolling his palm around his sack. The soft cry that fell from Brett’s lips, coupled with the way he began rocking in time with his stroking, enflamed Nedrick, and his dick throbbed behind his fly.

Breathing deeply, Nedrick reveled in the heady scent of Brett’s arousal as it swamped his senses.

Gripping Brett’s balls again, giving them a squeeze, Nedrick felt them draw up. Combined with the way Brett panted, how he dug his fingers into Nedrick’s arm, as well as how his cock leaked like a sieve every time he rubbed his thumb over the crown on the upstroke, told the story. His mate was close.

“Come for me,” Nedrick whispered huskily into Brett’s ear. “Give in to the pleasure I give you.” He nipped at his mate’s earlobe, drawing a gasp from him. Before sucking on Brett’s neck once more, he again urged, “Come for me, mate.”

Issuing a low, husky moan, Brett did just that. His cock pulsed in Nedrick’s hand as he continued to stroke him. Hot cum spurted, coating Nedrick’s fingers. The delicious scent of his mate’s seed filled his nostrils.

Letting out a moan of his own, Nedrick shoved his right hand between them. He barely managed to get his own dick out and point it toward the ground before his orgasm rolled through his system. It was a damn good thing he didn’t bother with underwear.

For the next several minutes, the only sounds filling the cave was the harsh breathing of them both trying to catch their breath.

Finally, Brett’s husky whisper broke the silence. “Did you just get off, too?”

Nedrick chuckled huskily. “Hell, yeah.” He pressed another sipping kiss to Brett’s neck. “You’re so fucking hot.”

When Brett didn’t reply, Nedrick decided not to make a big thing of it. He moved his right hand to Brett’s hip for balance before bringing his left hand to his mouth and licking away his mate’s seed, enjoying the slightly salty flavor. Once he’d gotten it all, he balanced his mate on his chest as he tucked himself away.

Returning his hands to Brett, Nedrick pulled his underwear back up and tucked away his mate’s prick. He pulled up his shorts and adjusted them on his hips. Carefully, he zipped and buttoned them.

After pecking another kiss to Brett’s neck, Nedrick urged his human to ease backward a few steps before helping him back to the ground close to a different section of the wall. He could see the flush on his mate’s features and scented the slight hint of embarrassment, but there was satisfaction in there as well. Plus, the heavy-lidded look on his new lover was sexy as hell.

Can’t wait to put that look there often.

From a side zipper pocket of the backpack, Nedrick extracted several single-packet wet naps. He opened one and quickly cleaned his hands and forearms. After opening a second, he cleaned Brett’s good hand before hesitating.

Meeting Brett’s gaze, Nedrick murmured, “I don’t want to hurt you.” He held up a new wet nap. “Do you want to carefully clean the hand on your hurt arm yourself? Or we can leave it for the doc.”

Brett met his gaze, although his expression appeared a little guarded. “Uh, I’ll clean it a little.”

Nedrick nodded, opened it, and handed it to him. As his mate did that, he grabbed a couple of single-dose packets of painkillers. There were a couple of varieties, and he held them up.

“Got a preference?” Nedrick asked. “Allergic to anything?”

Brett shook his head. “Naw.” Then he pointed at the ibuprofen packet.

Nedrick tore open two packets, figuring moving his mate out of the hole and down the mountain would need a double dose, and handed them to Brett. His mate tipped them into his mouth, and Nedrick offered him a bottle of water. Brett took it and used it to swallow the pills. Then his mate sighed, settled back against the wall, and continued to sip the water.

As Brett relaxed and Nedrick hoped the meds would kick in a little soon, he inspected the cuts and scrapes on Brett’s calves. He found a couple of abrasions that he cleaned up, earning a hiss and grunt from Brett, but other than a couple of scrapes and cuts, Nedrick thought his mate had ended up damn lucky.

“Sorry,” Nedrick murmured, glancing at his mate’s face. He was pleased to see a somewhat relaxed expression there with only a modicum of pain given away by the pinching of his brows. “I know I should have done this first, but—”

“But I needed to piss.” Brett flashed a small smile his way before his attention drifted away again. “It’s fine.”

Nodding again, Nedrick tucked everything away before sitting across from where Brett rested against the wall. “How are you feeling?”

As Brett inhaled deeply, his shoulders lifted. He let it out through pursed lips before focusing on Nedrick. A smirk curved up one side of his mouth.

“Not too bad, all things considered,” Brett told him. He roved his gaze over Nedrick’s face for a few seconds, his expression telling him that his mate was thinking. Then he scoffed quietly. “You got great hands.”

Unable to help himself, Nedrick grinned. “That’s not the only thing I have that’s great.”

Brett offered a small smile. “Oh, yeah?” he asked as a hint of pink began creeping up his neck. “What else is—”

Before Brett could finish, Preall hollered, “Guys? You ready to get out of there?”

Nedrick winked at Brett and whispered, “We’ll discuss this later.” Then he rose to his feet and shouted back, “Yup.”