Page 7 of Swipe Right on the Alpha (Fur Real Love #1)
Aiden woke to early morning sunlight streaming through the windows and the enticing smell of coffee and bacon. He stretched languidly, his body pleasantly sore in ways that brought vivid memories of the night’s activities flooding back.
Three rounds, he recalled with a mixture of pride and disbelief. The man has supernatural stamina.
He located his boxer briefs and borrowed one of Dylan’s t-shirts, which hung almost to mid-thigh on his leaner frame. Following the sounds and smells, he made his way to the kitchen where Dylan stood at the stove, his back to Aiden.
The morning light emphasized the powerful lines of Dylan’s body—broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist, muscles shifting beneath tanned skin as he moved. He wore only low-hanging sweatpants, his feet bare against the hardwood floor, hair still mussed from sleep and Aiden’s hands.
This is a dangerous sight to wake up to, Aiden thought, his body already responding despite the thorough workout it had received hours earlier. I could get used to this view.
The thought was alarming in its sincerity. Getting attached wasn’t part of Aiden’s brand or his carefully maintained emotional defenses.
Dylan turned before Aiden could announce his presence, a smile spreading across his face. “Morning,” he said, eyes traveling appreciatively over Aiden in his borrowed shirt. “Coffee’s ready.”
“You heard me coming?” Aiden asked, accepting the mug Dylan offered.
A strange expression flickered across Dylan’s face. “Something like that.”
Over breakfast—perfectly cooked bacon, eggs, and toast—they fell into surprisingly easy conversation. Dylan asked about Aiden’s plans for the day, and Aiden found himself reluctant to leave despite having a sponsored post deadline looming.
“I should probably head back soon,” he said eventually, regret evident in his voice. “I have content to edit and post by this evening.”
Dylan nodded, though disappointment was clear in his expression. “Will you tell them about this? Your followers?”
The question held weight beyond simple curiosity. Aiden considered it carefully. “Not everything,” he said finally. “Some things I want to keep just for us.”
The smile that spread across Dylan’s face was worth the small sacrifice of content. “I’d like that.”
As Aiden gathered his things to leave, Dylan seemed increasingly agitated, checking his watch and glancing out windows with the same restlessness he’d displayed the previous evening.
“Hot date?” Aiden teased, though there was a hint of insecurity behind the joke.
Dylan’s head snapped up. “No! Nothing like that. It’s just… full moon night. I have… family obligations.”
“On the full moon?” Aiden raised an eyebrow. “What are you, some kind of werewolf?”
The joke fell flat as Dylan froze, an unreadable expression crossing his face before he forced a laugh. “Family tradition. Monthly gathering. Nothing interesting.”
He’s definitely hiding something, Aiden thought, curiosity piqued. Some weird cult? Secret society? Whatever it is, it’s connected to the full moon.
At the door, Dylan pulled him in for a kiss that started gentle but quickly deepened, his hands possessive as they gripped Aiden’s hips.
“When can I see you again?” Dylan asked when they finally separated, both breathing heavily.
“Eager much?” Aiden teased, though he felt the same urgency. “I’m free Tuesday night if you want to come to the city? See how the other half lives?”
Dylan nodded, though he looked less enthusiastic about urban adventures. “Tuesday,” he agreed. “Text me your address.”
As Aiden drove away, he glanced in his rearview mirror to see Dylan standing on the porch, watching until the car disappeared from view. Something warm and unfamiliar bloomed in Aiden’s chest at the sight.
His phone, neglected since the previous evening, buzzed with numerous notifications—comments, DMs, his agent asking where the promised content was. Aiden found himself uncharacteristically reluctant to dive back into his online life.
Instead, he composed a single, cryptic post as he stopped for gas:
“Sometimes the most unexpected connections happen when you download the wrong app. Mountain Man update: he cooks, his cabin is straight out of Architectural Digest, and some stories are too good to share. #DateNight #MysteriousMountainMan #MoreToThisStory”
The comments section exploded immediately:
“DETAILS NOW!!!”
“Did you finally find a good one???”
“If you’re not going to share him, at least share what he did to put that smile on your face!”
For the first time in his influencer career, Aiden was content to let his followers speculate without correction. Some experiences, he was discovering, were too meaningful to transform into content.