Page 27 of Tentacles for Christmas

Sittingatthesmallbanquette table in Rowen’s living room slash kitchen, I took in the upgrades he’d made. He had a full-size oven and stovetop along with a deep farmhouse sink. Rowen had clearly built the place to be a long-term home.

“I like what you’ve done with the place. I assume it didn’t come like this?”

Rowen paused where he was plating eggs and bacon, the red creeping up his neck. “Uh, no. It-was-Pinterest,” he rushed through the last part.

“Did you say you got ideas from Pinterest?” I asked, trying to keep the smirk off my face. Rowen was adorable, and if he thought liking to decorate would send me running, maybe he’d been hanging out with too many bikers. “I used to love that site.”

“Oh.” Rowen’s shoulders relaxed and he turned to set the plates on the table and take the seat opposite me. It was the only chair in the room that wasn’t attached to the floor. “Well, it helped with colors to make it look bigger and ways to retrofit the houseboat for usability.”

“Well, you did an excellent job. Maybe you can send me a few pins?” Seeing him get progressively redder at my compliments was cute. Deciding to change the subject, I threw him a lifeline. “So, are you going to do the charity ride?”

“Every year,” Rowen nodded, then gestured to my plate with his fork. “You should eat before it gets cold.”

Digging in, I shovel fluffy, cheesy eggs into my mouth and moan over the flavor. “You can cook too? Damn, marry me already!”

Not realizing what I said until it was out of my mouth, I looked up to find Rowen frozen with his mouth open, eggs hovering in the air.

“I didn’t mean that literally–” I started, but Rowen surprised both of us.

“Come on the ride with me?”

“Oh,” I echoed his response from earlier, trying to process his words. “But I don't have a bike. Or a motorcycle license.”

“You can ride with me,” Rowen insisted, reaching out a hand to hold mine.

“Are you sure?” I ask, assuming it would be a big deal for the notoriously shy man to show up with me on the back of his bike. “Because I plan to go to the tree lighting either way.”

“I’d be honored to have you behind me,” Rowen told me earnestly. His eyes slowly widened as he realized the innuendo of the words. “Sittingbehind me. I mean on my bike. To ride me. Ride with me! Fuck I should stop.”

“No, I think you should keep going,” I teased. Standing from my seat, I moved around to straddle Rowen’s lap. His face was flaming with embarrassment and I kissed both cheeks before leaning back. “Just name the time and place, Red. I’ll get behind you in whatever way you’ll let me.”

Rowen looked up at me, licking his lips. “Yeah?”

“Yes,” I assured him. Pressing the lightest whisper on his lips, Rowen tried to chase my mouth for more, gripping my ass to keep me from leaving his lap. “Do I need to do anything?”

“Well, you should dress warmly. We usually wear Christmas sweaters under our leather jackets. Do you have a leather jacket?”

“Nope.” Shaking my head with a grin, I ground down on his thickening erection. “You’ll have to keep me on the bike.”

“I’ll keep you safe.” Rowen narrowed his eyes in a way that sent a delicious shiver down my spine. He wanted to protect me, and I was here for the possessiveness I was reading in his gaze.

Now that I knew what he was, I saw how his pupils changed from round to rectangular, and the brown flashed gold. I hadn’t imagined it. The eyes were a sign of Rowen’s shift benign close to the surface.

While I enjoyed Rowen’s control, the less restrained side of him was hot as well. I wanted to do whatever he asked of me. “Anything else I need to know?”

“Yes,” Rowen leaned in to whisper against my lips. “We’ll be handing out candy and presents to the children, but you’re the only sweet thing I plan to eat after the tree-lighting.”

“Well, then.” Fanning myself dramatically at his undeniably hot line, I ran one hand up to rub one finger over his lower lip. Rowen nipped at the pad and made my laugh. “Know that I’ll be indulging in you as well.”

Rowen grinned and I fell for him a little more. “I’m good with that plan.”

Chapter eighteen

Rowen

WhenIparkedatthe marina, Cam tried to turn down the motorcycle jacket I got them. The black jacket didn’t have any club patches, and was a mix of materials for visibility safety. Most importantly, it had extra protection built into the arms and back.

Cam didn’t have shifter blood. He wouldn’t heal easily if there was an accident. I wasn’t normally bossy, but I was not going to let Cam get on my bike without proper gear.