by Kasey Belle
The house for homeless youth Fiona started sounded like something Nick would love to be a part of. Nick decided then and there he would convince Mal to take a trip to New Orleans when all the shit with his uncle was settled.
“I was honestly surprised when Shane and Chris decided to go to college at LSU instead of a school closer to pack land.” Fiona shrugged and Nick sensed her sadness.
“A couple of street kids going to college? Think about it. They’re an inspiration to kids who may have lost hope.”
“I know. I miss them. They’re like my little brothers. Honestly, if I wasn’t preggers I’d be jumping up and down like Emma Grace. I’m as excited as she is that they are coming home.”
“Well, they sound like good guys. I look forward to meeting them.” Nick couldn’t remember the last time he had a friend. Mal didn’t count, neither did Mal’s family, or Summer and Daniel. Not because Nick didn’t consider them friends, it was just different because they were family. Friends were people who chose to like you for you and no other reason. That would be a nice thing to have in his life. Plus, it sounded like Shane and Chris wouldn’t judge him for being gay. Which in itself was something he was just now getting used to.
“You don’t have to be friends with them if you don’t want to. It was just a thought.” Damn. She’d taken his silence and inner dialogue as reluctance.
“It’s not that I don’t want to meet them. It would be nice having new friends I could hang out with.” Nick shrugged. “I just don’t have a lot of experience with… people.”
“I get it. I’m not very good at making friends either. Strangers make me uncomfortable” Fiona scrunched up her nose.
“You’d never know. You seem pretty good at it to me.”
“Eh. It’s called fake it till you make it.” Fiona placed a hand on her daughter’s head. “I’m not a social butterfly like mini-me here.”
“Mommy says that means I’ve never met a stranger,” Emma Grace chirped. “I like lots of people, as long as they are nice.”
“I bet lots of people like you, too.” He tugged Emma Grace’s pigtail. “I know I do.”
Emma Grace threw her arms around his waist. “I love you, Uncle Nick.”
Okay. He was not going to cry. Nope, he wasn’t. The backs of his eyes burned calling him a liar. He unlatched her arms from his middle and dropped to his knees so he could actively participate in this full-on hug-fest. Nick gathered Emma Grace in his arms and squeezed her. He resorted to tickling her ribs when she protested she couldn’t breathe.
“Can we go see the kittens, Uncle Nick?”
Nick looked to Fiona and arched an eyebrow. She nodded. “Sure. Go ahead. Mind Nick, cher.”
“‘Kay, Mommy.” She grabbed Nick’s hand and tugged him toward the door. “Are you going to take Po home?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t discussed it with Mal yet.”
“Cuz it’s a secret, right?”
“Yes. Besides, Po still needs his mama right now.” Nick knew he should broach the subject with Mal, but there never seemed to be a right time. Mal would give him anything he wanted, and that was part of the problem. Nick didn’t want Mal to just agree because it would make him happy. He wanted Mal to agree because he wanted a little feline fur baby as much as Nick.
“Okay. I won’t say anything. But you need to talk to Uncle Mal soon, ‘kay?” She glanced up at him. He nodded. “Can Leo go with us to see Po and the other babies?”
“Sure, we’ll stop by the daycare and see if he wants to join us.”
Emma Grace skipped beside him. “He will. He loves us and we love him. When my mommy has her baby, I hope she has a girl, but if it’s a boy, I guess it will be okay if he’s fun like Leo. I’ll still love him even if he’s not fun, though.”
Nick bit his lip to keep from laughing. Her blunt innocence was hilarious. “That’s mighty magnanimous of you.”
“What’s magno-mus mean?”
“Generous. Kindly.”
Emma Grace nodded. “You’re right. It is.” She flashed him a dimpled grin before they entered the cubs’ common room to collect Leo.
They spent time in the barn playing with the kittens and feeding the horses treats of carrots and apples. Leo got a kick out of the horses nuzzling his chest searching for snacks. Nick heard a vehicle pull up outside and went to the open barn door relaxing when he saw it was Traynor and Mal.
His mate hopped from the passenger side and rushed over to him. “I missed you, baby.” Mal plucked Leo from Nick’s arms. He held the cub in one arm and wrapped the other around Nick waist, pressed their bodies together, and kissed him soundly on the mouth. “Mmm. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you had Lucky Charms for breakfast. You are magically delicious.”
Nick groaned. “That’s the worst one yet. What did you do, Google cheesiest pick up lines ever?”
Mal grinned. “Maybe.” Emma Grace giggled. He looked down at her. “Hello, pixie.”
“Hi, Uncle Mal.” She tilted her head and puckered her lips waiting for a kiss. Mal obliged her with a loud smacking kiss then planted a raspberry on her cheek. Emma Grace swatted at him. She gave Traynor the same silent request and like Mal, he didn’t hesitate to show his affection.
Lada wandered out to join them stating Shelly and Amelia had taken their cubs home and Emma Grace and Leo now had her undivided attention, if they wanted it. Nick certainly did. He had her keep Emma Grace and Leo busy feeding treats to the horses in the paddock while he lent Mal and Traynor a hand. There was no way he planned to stand around and watch Mal work.
He may not be able to help around the ranch, because he had no clue about livestock of any kind, but he was capable of carrying a few boxes and bags. Mal argued against his logic stating there wasn’t a need for Nick to get sweaty and dirty. It was a stupid argument, so Nick ignored his objections and helped them unload the feed and supplies from the back of the truck.
In return for his insolence, Mal tortured him. He went out of his way to find reasons to brush up against Nick or touch him in not so innocent ways. His mate kept up a constant stream of covert glances, suggestive looks, and innuendo. By the time they were done, Nick was a hot and bothered mess swearing to the Fates if his mate didn’t make good on his sexy torment when they got home, he’d murder him in his sleep.
Lada volunteered to take Leo back to the main house for a bottle and his afternoon nap when he started to fuss. Emma Grace offered to help because she was practicing for when her baby brother or sister arrived. Nick watched over Lada and the cubs as they made their way back to the main house. Mal joined him wrapping an arm around his waist. The slow sensual glide of Mal’s hand around his middle made Nick shiver.
Traynor shot him and Mal a sly grin then made some excuse about needing to check on the hands out in the north pasture. Nick knew then, the foreman hadn’t been oblivious to Mal’s antics. He mounted his horse and rode off without a backward glance leaving Mal and Nick alone.
Emma Grace stopped halfway and turned. “Uncle Nick!” She pointed at the open barn doors with a stern expression. It took his lust-hazed mind a moment to comprehend what she was trying to tell him. Right, Po. He flashed her a thumbs-up and she ran to catch up with Lada.
Nick stepped out of Mal’s embrace knowing if he didn’t take the opportunity now, he might not have the nerve later. He really wanted to adopt Po.
“Mate?” Mal looked at him and frowned.
Ignoring the question in his eyes, Nick tugged on Mal’s hand. “You need to see the kittens. They’ve gotten so big.” Let Operation Love My Kitten As Much As I Do commence.
Chapter 28
Mal followed Nick inside the barn. He hadn’t thought through his little game of sexual torture. He was hard and fucking horny as hell. Mal wanted to howl and beg for relief and his mate wanted to look at kittens. If Nick wasn’t so excited about showing him the little fuzz balls, he’d be over Mal’s shoulder right now and on his way to Mal’s metaphorical cave. He willed himself to calm
down taking deep breaths as he followed Nick down the alleyway. They stopped just outside the last stall which housed the mama cat and her kittens.
“See,” Nick stated as he pointed to wooden box. The mama cat was on her side and had her eyes closed while her six fuzzy bundles of squirming joy nursed. “They look healthy; don’t you think?”
Mal smiled indulgently. “They do. They’ve gotten quite fat.” The smile that lit Nick’s face made it impossible to resist his mate a moment longer. Mal cupped Nick’s cheek and turned his head so he faced him. He caressed Nick’s soft skin with his thumb and gazed into his mate’s eyes. “I missed you today, Nico.”
“I missed you, too.” Nick reached out and ran a hand over Mal’s chest. The simple gesture fired up his need even more.
Mal’s eyes took in every detail of Nick’s face. His Nico was so damned beautiful. Lust heated his blood. He just needed one little taste to hold him over. Sparks crackled as their breaths mingled. He leaned in and planted a soft kiss on Nick’s upturned lips. The touch of his lips to Nick’s sent an electric jolt straight to his groin. Heaven.
The next thing Mal knew he had Nick up against the tack room door taking his mate’s mouth in a voracious kiss. He yanked at Nick’s belt, fumbling with the damn thing until his fingers got with the program. He tugged Nick’s t-shirt over his head and tossed it to side. He unfastened Nick’s jeans and pushed them past his hips while his mate toed off his tennis shoes before kicking his jeans off once they reached his feet.
Mal removed his own filthy shirt dropping it next to Nick’s then yanked his jeans open pushing them and his boxer briefs to his knees, sighing in relief when the pressure against his rock hard cock was gone. Damn he was going to explode if he didn’t get inside Nick soon. They kissed like horny teenagers until Nick pulled away, panting.
“What if someone comes in?” He looked over Mal’s shoulder as if he expected someone to be there.
Mal growled. “Don’t worry I sent out a mental APB. Anyone dumb enough to ignore it enters at their own peril.”
His baby looked at him with an incredulous expression. “You told them we were… you know?”
Mal barked a laugh when Nick’s fingers mimicked the universal sign for fucking. “No I didn’t, even though they wouldn’t judge us for a little bow-chica-wow-wow in the barn. We wouldn’t be the first. I told them I wanted some alone time with my mate, not what was on the menu.”
Nick stared at him with a puzzled look. “What’s on the menu?”
He blanked his expression and replied, “Me-n-u.” Mal snickered at the look on his mate’s face. Nick was clearly not amused. “Get it? Me in you.”
“Something is so wrong with you?” Nick shook his head in mock irritation. “I think I need to take away your Google privileges. You’re an addict.”
His Nico wasn’t wrong. Mal was addicted to the twinkle in Nick’s eyes and the sweet blush on his cheeks that told Mal he secretly enjoyed his cheesy lines. “Ground me later, mate.” He ran his nose along Nick’s cheek, breathing in his delicious scent. “I’m going to make love to you, baby.”
Nick sighed, “Okay.” His breathy response and absolute trust made Mal even harder. He was amazed that was even possible.
“I love when you’re compliant. I’m gonna fuck you so good,” he told Nick as he let his eyes roam over his mate’s face, memorizing ever detail. Nick’s pupils were dilated, his lips were swollen from their kisses, and his skin was flushed a sexy shade of pink. His breath came out in shallow pants. “You want that, don’t you Nico?”
Nick nodded his head before climbing Mal like a tree. He wrapped his legs around Mal’s waist and ground their cocks together. They both groaned at the contact and Nick’s hands tightened on his shoulders. His nails dug into Mal’s skin. He’d wear those ten crescent shaped marks proudly until they healed.
He glided his finger over Nick’s hole and emitted a low curse realizing he’d forgotten something important. Mal reached into his pocket and pulled out the small packet of lube he stashed there before leaving the house. He never knew when the urge to make love to his mate would overtake him. He opened the packet with his teeth slathered some on his cock and the remainder on his mate’s tight hole. He moved his fingers in and out of his mate making sure he was ready. Nick finally begged him to stop teasing and get on with the fucking. Mal happily obliged. He pushed his cock into Nick’s body in one smooth thrust. He pulled out almost all the way and slammed back into him, slipping his tongue into Nick’s mouth and grabbing his bare ass with his hands.
“Fuck,” he gasped between breaths and pressed his face into Nick’s neck licking and nibbling on the mating mark there. He reached one hand down and fisted Nick’s cock. Nick flexed his hips, fucking Mal’s fist as he fucked Nick’s ass.
Nick’s voice got low and breathy, and he mumbled, “Mal, please.”
He kept pushing in and out of Nick. Nick’s back arched against the door and he mewled in ecstasy. Mal shivered when Nick ran a finger along the top of his ass crack then down to his hole. Fuck, his mate challenged his control. His climax built and built with each thrust. His hand jacked Nick’s cock with each thrust of his hips until Mal felt Nick tighten around him. The sound of his name fell from Nick’s lips as Mal sunk his canines into his mate’s flesh. The sweet warm taste of his Nico’s blood rushed over Mal’s tongue. He clutched his love tighter to his chest and thrust again. Nick craned his neck and he bit Mal piercing his skin with his canines. Mal’s balls tightened until he reached the peak and fell over the edge. Mal thrust one last time coming deep inside his mate over and over until his legs would no longer hold them up.
Nick laid his head on Mal’s shoulder and they held each other in silence for a few moments. “By the Fates, that was sexy and hot as hell,” Nick praised.
Mal pulled away with a grin. “You’re sexy and hot as hell.” He kissed the tip of Nick’s nose. “Not only can I not be in the same room with you without getting hard, but apparently I can’t give you a simple kiss without fucking you until neither of us can walk either.”
When Mal finally got his legs to cooperate, he carried Nick to the bathroom next to the foreman’s office. In between kisses, they cleaned up and redressed. Mal was more than ready to take his mate and cub home. He wanted to spend the rest of their day alone as a family.
Mal and Nick walked hand in hand as they left the barn. A small smile played on Nick’s kiss swollen lips. Mal could feel his contentment and happiness through their bond. It wrapped around him like a warm blanket and fed his soul. Mixed in with those positive emotions was nervousness and a need Mal couldn’t name. His mate had something on his mind. Mal wasn’t worried. He knew is little love would share once he worked up the nerve to voice it.
Nick’s steps slowed. Mal watched him out of the corner of his eye. His mate glanced back at the barn doors and sighed. Mal hid his smirk. It appeared he wouldn’t have to wait as long as he thought. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
“I can’t believe how much the kittens have grown in only a few of weeks,” Nick stated in a soft voice. “They’ll be ready to leave their mama soon.”
“Yep.” Mal grinned. Oh, so that’s what had him tied up in knots. Nick wanted a kitten. Mal had never entertained the idea of a cat for a pet―that was Declan and Cade’s thing. Mal found it impossible to deny his mate. He could put up with fur balls and kitty litter to make his Nico happy. Plus, he could admit they were cute in a feline sort of way. Mal tugged him to a stop. “Which one?”
Nick’s eyebrows shot up. “Which one what?”
Mal pulled a face that he knew told Nick his innocent act wasn’t fooling anyone. Nick suddenly found the ground particularly interesting. He toed the dirt with his shoe and shrugged one shoulder. Mal place a finger under his mate’s chin and tilted his head up. He cocked an eyebrow silently tell him he was waiting for an actual answer.
Nick’s face flushed pink, and he whispered, “The little black one with the white belly and face.”
/> Mal chuckled. Yeah, he could see that. The little bugger was adorable and the misfit runt. The kitten’s siblings were all average size and either black or grey tabby. Nick’s chosen fur ball didn’t let his size stop him. The kitten was a scrappy little thing and stood out among the others, much like his Nico stood out when compared to everyone else. “What did you name him?”
Nick’s mouth dropped open. “How did you know I named him already?”
Mal kissed the tip of Nick’s nose. “I know you. Your eyes went all soft just thinking about him. You’ve already adopted that kitten in your heart. You wouldn’t let him go without a name. So… what’s his name?”
“Po,” Nick whispered.
Mal tilted his head. That was an odd name for a cat. “Po? It that short for something?”
Nick shook his head. “No. Emma Grace said he looked like a panda. She said he needed a panda name. She was adamant about it. So we settled on Po.” Nick looked at him as if he should understand the reference. “You know, Po? From Kung Fu Panda.”
Mal sort of remembered the little pixie watching a cartoon movie with a panda in it. “Right. Of course. Makes perfect sense,” he deadpanned.
Nick snickered and playfully punched Mal in the side. “It does.”
He pulled Nick into a hug and kissed his temple. “I guess we need to go shopping for kitten supplies.”
Nick nodded enthusiastically. “Can we go today?”
“Internet shopping,” Mal specified hating himself a little when Nick’s face fell. “It’s not safe yet, Nico.”
“I know.” Nick squeezed his hand and led Mal towards the paddock. He dug into his pockets and pulled out a few pieces of carrot. “Internet shopping is just as good. I sometimes forget we’re still in hiding as odd as it sounds.”
“We’ve been living in our own little bubble. It’s not as hard to understand as you think.” Mal pulled Nick’s hand towards him mouth and placed a kiss on his knuckles.