Page 7

Chapter

Seven

T hiago waited for Quin down in the bar, where the cook, Goldie, was making family breakfast rather than dinner. Bar workers could eat a ton before they went home to sleep.

The eggs, bacon, and pancakes smelled pretty amazing.

Lisa, one of the bartenders, who was a hot-as-hell bobcat shifter, grinned at him. “Quin making you wait?”

“Yeah, but that’s okay. He’s worth it, and I want to eat anyway.”

“What’s he up to?”

“Packing an overnight bag. We’re going out toward Vail Pass. I want to run with him.” He wanted to shift, to see Quin in his wolf form.

He needed to.

“Oh, cool, man. That’s fun.”

“I hope so. Could be cold as a witch’s tit in a brass bra.”

“Could be, especially for a rainforest guy. But you’ll be so damn impressed with the boss.”

“For what?” Quin came down from upstairs, dropping his bag on a chair.

“Your wolf.”

“Don’t tease him, Lisa.”

“You really going to go this time of night?”

“Cats have good eyesight,” Thiago murmured. “So I’m driving. We want to see sunrise in our other forms.”

“Aw. Romance.”

“Come and get it so I can clean the damn kitchen,” Goldie bellowed.

“Yum.” Lisa abandoned them, and they all headed to the kitchen to grab heaped plates of amazing breakfast food. Goldie was really wasted on mozzarella sticks and onion rings.

They ate up, and he watched Quin lick syrup off his fork with a tight belly and a hard cock. God, Quin did it for him so bad already.

“You ready, man?” Quin was vibrating a little, and Thiago felt like it was excitement that had him jiggling his leg and pushing his plate away.

Thiago pulled Quin’s plate to him and polished off the pancakes he’d left on it. “Yep. Come on.”

They were taking the SUV instead of their bikes because that way they could sleep in it if need be. He didn’t mind roughing it, but he didn’t love sleeping out in the cold in either of his forms…

They piled into the SUV, camping gear in the back, and hit the road.

“What kind of music?” Quin asked.

“Latin pop? Karaoke hits? Experimental jazz?”

Quin gave him a sideways grin. “How about eighties music?”

“Works for me. I love me some Pat Benatar.” Thiago could sing like an opera girl on occasion…

They cranked it up and sang while the traffic was so damn bad getting out of Denver, but once they hit Golden and broke out of a lot of it, they were talking about anything and everything.

Favorite colors. Blue and green respectively. Favorite movies. Gladiator and The Shape of Water . Favorite foods? Feijoada and a simple omelet.

Thiago felt like Quin was a constant revelation.

“You think this is a good spot?” There was a tiny campground off a scenic overlook, and Thiago pulled into it, putting his five dollars into the parking spot number on the little box at the end of the lot opposite the entrance.

“I think it’s perfect.” Grinning wildly, Quin pushed his seat back and started flinging off clothes.

Laughing, Thiago joined him, opening front and back car doors and stepping out between them to disrobe. He tucked the key into a little pouch that he hung around his neck on a leather cord that would fit Quin’s neck.

“You shift first, and I’ll put this on you after I lock up. Then I’ll follow you, okay?”

“Smart. I usually just hide mine under a rock…”

Thiago snorted. “Nice. And no one has stolen your bike yet?”

“Yeah, no. I leave wolf scent all around it. Scares off shifters and humans alike.”

“Ah. Not bad, baby boy. Not bad. Come on. Make with the shifting.”

Quin winked, and suddenly a gorgeous red and gray wolf stood where Quin had. He closed the car doors, then locked it before stringing the pouch around Quin’s neck.

“No biting my danglies, baby,” he murmured.

A short chuff came from Quin. No? You sure?

You like them too much to damage them. Thiago backed off a step and let his jaguar take him, his body lowering, fur sprouting, his body feeling sleek and powerful and amazing. He stretched, bowing to his mate, his tail lashing a little, and Quin bowed back, nose to the ground before he turned and took off at a dead run.

Oh, that was mean. Thiago had to laugh internally, because Quin had to know he was like a mountain lion. Ambush predator given to short bursts of speed and energy, where a wolf could run for days.

He loped off after his mate, keeping it easy, not pushing it. He’d catch up.

And then they would play.

Quin loped along for a while, always keeping eyes and ears out for Thiago. He didn’t want his lover to get lost. He wanted to blaze the trail, but in good time, he circled back around to Thiago, trying to act surprised when his new mate burst out of some underbrush to jump on him, no claws or teeth involved.

They rolled down a little embankment, and he had to admit, Thiago’s cat balance and grace put him on top when they came to a stop. But they both jumped up to circle each other before diving in again, mock fighting to test each other’s strengths and weaknesses, to find sensitive spots to nibble.

Thiago was a dark jaguar, a lot of deep red and black mixed under his more tawny spots, and he was simply the most amazing thing Quin had ever seen.

They rolled and teased, and he barked. Thiago’s deep chuffs and light rumbles mixing in. Then he ran again, leading Thiago to a stream where they could get a drink.

Thiago’s delicate little licks at the water made him want to roll with laughter, so he found a nice flat spot of ground and rubbed his cheek along the ground. Then he rolled until his feet were all in the air, paws swimming as he scratched his back in the dirt.

You are so going to need a bath, Thiago told him.

Be nice or I’ll knock you in.

Ha! Thiago squinted those gorgeous jaguar eyes at him . Don’t you dare. That is frigid.

My tropical kitty.

You know it. Thiago came to him then and started grooming him, and he lolled on the creek bed, luxuriating in the simple actions.

He batted at Thiago with his paw, and when he got a paw on the chest in return, he gave Thiago a wolf’s kiss, grabbing it with exquisite gentleness with his teeth.

Want to skip sleeping in the car tonight and go to Idaho Springs for Beau Jo’s? Quin asked.

Is it as good as the Beau Jo’s in Arvada?

Better. It’s the flagship store. Beau Jo’s had the best pizza, and they gave everyone honey to dip the crust in.

I’m in.

There’s even a decent hotel there now. For the longest time, the hotels had been sketch in Idaho Springs, but now they had one kind of boutique place with a little luxury.

Let’s go. Thiago scented him, rubbing that cheek along his, and they headed back to the car at a more sedate pace.

He’d had the best day.

And he had a feeling the night would be just as good.