Page 18 of Unicorn Unashamed

But…

But even with how fun the film was, Raymond’s mind started to wander. Josh was sprawled next to him on the couch, the picture of easy relaxation, and Raymond kept getting distracted by the pale column of his throat when he laughed.

He also found himself trying to chase Josh’s scent. Raymond always thought Josh smelled nice, but the scent was faint enough that he never really had the chance to concentrate on it much, even when Josh was working up a sweat.

But now Raymond was realizing that that wasn’t because Josh’s natural scent was so faint—it was because Josh wore a scent blocker specifically to mask it.

Which was a discovery currently making his head spin.

Because Raymond could admit, at least to himself, that he had been pulled in by Josh’s scent from the get go, even with how faint it was. But now he knew just how fucking amazing Josh’s scent really was, without it being dulled by a scent-blocker. And even though Josh had reapplied his, that didn’t stop the memory of the scent, or the whiffs Raymond kept getting from the apartment itself. Josh lived here. He was comfortable here. So his couch was soaked with his scent. Frankly, it was driving Raymond a little nuts to be sitting on it, especially with Josh so close to him.

But Josh wasn’t interested, and Raymond cared about him and his comfort above anything else. So the best Raymond could do was try to act normal.

Normal.

Which he could do. He could. Josh was providing him with hospitality and even entertainment, and Raymond could be normal.

The only problem was that Josh seemed determined to do everything to bypass Raymond’s brain, past actually crawling into his lap. He was drifting off again, showing Raymond that he felt safe in Raymond’s presence. Which was already something that struck Raymond to his core, but now he also knew that Josh was in the middle of his virile period. Something that Raymond knew could be super personal and vulnerable, for all that Josh said he didn’t care about it.

On top of that, Josh was willing to have—had basically demanded—Raymond stay the night at his place.

During Josh’s virile period.

The wolf part of Raymond’s brain kept circling back to that—that Josh wanted him around while he was virile, and they were so close right now. Even if Raymond couldn’t pick up as much of Josh’s scent as he wished he could because of the damned blocker, that didn’t stop him from wanting.

Fuck, no, he could do this. He had self-control. He was being trusted.

He tried to focus on the screen instead. The movie was fun and funny. He liked it a lot.

Just not as much as he liked Josh.

Josh who shifted next to him, letting out a soft sigh, which also disturbed the air just enough for another whiff of scent to—

Concentrate on the screen.

“You okay?”

Raymond startled, jerking up to look at Josh, who was watching him, concerned. “Yes. What? Fine. I’m fine.”

“Right. The last time you said that, you were about to pass out in my hallway.”

Not about to pass out, Raymond thought unhappily, reigning myself the fuck in. He didn’t plan on saying or doing anything that might make Josh uncomfortable. Never. And especially not now. “I’m fine. Just thinking.”

Josh sighed. “I’m bothering you again, aren’t I?”

“Of course not. I’m fine. I’m not…” Raymond swallowed. “I can control myself. I promise.”

“For fuck’s sake, Raymond, I’m not worried about that, I’m worried about you. I didn’t realize that…” Josh raked a hand through his hair, irritated. “If I bother you this much, you probably would have been better off just driving home earlier when it wasn’t as bad. But with the roads flooding, now you’re sort of trapped here with me. I’m sorry.”

Raymond’s stomach twisted. Josh looked so upset, and that wasn’t fair. “Don’t worry about it.” He tried to smile. “I’d rather be here than in a ditch or something, which was where I was headed until you knocked some sense into me. I appreciate being put up, I really do. I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m making you feel uncomfortable in your own place. I don’t mean to. Just pretend I’m fine, okay? There’s nothing you can do, and nothing I can do. I’ll just deal with it.”

Josh bit his lip. “I… I thought my scent blocker was working.”

“It is,” Raymond assured him. “It’s fine.”

Josh let out a grumble of frustration. “It’s not fine. It sucks, and I want to fix it.”

Raymond couldn’t help but laugh. Typical Josh. “I appreciate the thought. But it might be better if I just turned in, if that’s okay?”

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