Page 77 of Slow Heat
Then Vale would invite him back. Maybe without the buffer of other friends.
“Yes,” Vale said, stepping even closer. “You probably should.” His body heat touched Jason like a caress, and Jason’s cock throbbed. He knew if he looked down he’d see the tent his arousal had made in his trousers. It probably came within millimeters of touching Vale’s hip; the distance between them was so small.
“I’ll call in the morning if the snow sticks,” Jason said, closing his eyes and slipping sideways, trying to escape temptation.
Vale’s hand on his was a shock of pleasure he couldn’t have anticipated. He gasped aloud, a sweet ‘oh’ of bliss, and almost came in his pants. He stopped, motionless, gathering himself from the roar of instinct that rose up inside him.
Claim him. Now.
“I should go,” he croaked.
“Yes,” Vale said again, but didn’t let go of his fingers.
That was when Jason smelled it—the sweet, musky aroma of Vale’s slick. Lots of it. He groaned, his restraint near collapse. He pressed Vale’s fingers to his lips, kissing them greedily, tantalized by their cool, firm lengths. Then he forced himself to pull away, pushing Vale back firmly by the shoulders when he seemed to instinctively follow him.
“Goodnight. Thanks for inviting me,” he said, voice thick with lust. He threw open the front door. “I’ll call in the morning if the snow sticks!”
He ran down the front porch stairs, out to the sidewalk, and down the street toward his side of town. He heard Vale’s voice behind him and his alpha instinct begged him to stop, to listen, but he knew if he did, he’d go back inside, kiss Vale’s mouth, take his plump ass in his hands, and rub against his body until he creamed his pants.
And then he’d use that cream to further slick Vale’s sweet hole, and—
He couldn’t think about it.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Vale sipped histea, gazing out his study window at the sodden brown leaves of the garden. The snow from the night before hadn’t accumulated at all. The pink light of mid-morning left no indication of the fat, beautiful flakes that had spun joyfully through the air. The skies were clear, and the day looked like it would be sunny eventually. Strange to be irritated by something he normally enjoyed, like good weather.
His phone remained irritatingly silent, too.
Vale turned to shoot a glare at it, as though it was responsible for Jason not calling. Zephyr perched on the desk, legs spread wide, licking her asshole in a very impolite manner.
Vale rolled his eyes. “Shameless beast,” he muttered her way. “I enjoy having my asshole licked as much as any omega, but even if Icoulddo it myself, I wouldn’t display it to the world.”
She ignored him, licking even more intently.
Vale sighed and turned back to the window, his mug warm against his cool hands.
The night before with Jason had been a close call. He didn’t know what had come over him, but if Jason hadn’t taken off like he had, then Vale had no doubt he’d have ended up on his hands and knees, presenting himself and being mounted.
When he’d asked Jason to stay, it’d been partly to praise him, to let him know that he’d enjoyed seeing him rise to the occasion in the confrontation with Urho, but he’d also meant to subtly investigate the subject of Miner and the abortifacients.
Even now he wasn’t sure what he’d been hoping to ascertain from Jason about the situation, but with pheromone delirium touching Vale, and Jason’s alpha quell no doubt wearing off, things had gone so sideways he hadn’t been able to corral his thoughts. Then Jason had luckily run off into the night forgetting his coat and the recipe for hot crab casserole Vale had carefully copied out for him.
Now he wasn’t sure when he’d get another chance. He’d go into the negotiations tomorrow not knowing if Jason knew about his parents’ alleged criminal behavior, or how he felt about it if he did. Given his own history, Jason’s thoughts on the matter were rather important to Vale.
He built a fire, considering his options as he struck the match. When the flames took hold, he rose, dusting small pieces of bark from his trousers and the soft, long-sleeve pink shirt he’d pulled on that morning. He supposed he’d sort through another old stack of magazines or possibly finish reading the novel he’d begun the day before. Neither seemed particularly appealing, though, not when he could have been sledding with Jason, acting like a kid again. It was a relief when the doorbell rang.
Sitting the mug of tea on his desk, he gave Zephyr a firm look and said, “Don’t knock it over. Understand?”
She meowed and turned her back on him.
Anticipating a delivery or perhaps the early post, Vale gasped when he opened the door. “Oh!”
“Hi,” Jason said, grinning cheekily.
Vale raised a brow, his stomach swooping like a bird in flight. “I thought you were going to call me this morning,” he scolded. “Not show up on my doorstep.”
“I was going to call if itsnowed,” Jason said, a bit smugly. He wore a pair of rough-looking pants, a thick, heavy, long-sleeved shirt, and held a shovel in one hand.
