Page 20 of Secrets & Sake

Shit. That can’t be good, can it?

Chapter 6

Waking up with the man I slept with curled against my chest, his body warm against mine is… different. I always give people the boot after sex, or go to my own bedroom and leave them to sleep in the guest bed. I’ve never literally slept with someone. There’s so many firsts I’ve never had that I’m now having with Hiro.

I don’t like it. If I’m not careful, this thing between us could get complicated fast. But I can’t bring myself to pull away, even if I should. Not with my cock cradled against his plump ass, and his body so warm and soft against mine. The bruises my teeth left on his shoulder have colored so beautifully, like I claimed him as mine, inside and out.

Ours, my wolf whispers, shocking me. My wolf rarely ever speaks to me.

No. No. I didn’t claim him in some stupid fated mates destiny way. I claimed him in a way that’s tangible and real. Only two supernatural creatures can claim each other as mates. The couple has to mark each other, and there has to be consent.

Fated mates can be humans and they can feel the bond, but they can't reciprocate with a bite. A strange tingling around my finger makes me grind my teeth. And then there’s all the orgasms I wrung out of Hiro. Supposedly, only a fated pair can go round after round without tiring like that…

Fuck it. None of this matters. I stopped believing in that stuff a long time ago. But this is… it’s nice.

Even after I’ve made him cum and scream my name, arousal still heats my blood. I’ve got to have him again before we go our separate ways for the day. Carefully, I try to rise. Hiro’s face pinches in discomfort as I leave the warmth of his body. I don’t like that.

Leaning down, I press my lips to his cheek and smooth his hair back from his face. His handsome face relaxes, soothing something heavy in my chest.

What the hell is this man doing to me?

Shaking my head, I pull my jeans on, not bothering with underwear. In the kitchen, I scoop some rice into the cooker, crack and whisk some eggs that I mix with green onion, and get a pan heated up. The stove has a grill perfect for cooking fish, so I grill up some leftover mackerel.

The rice cooks quickly. The fish grills to flaky, tender perfection. I roll the eggs carefully, then cut them into thick fluffy rounds. By the time I’ve finished reheating some leftover miso, Hiro yawns behind me. He’s sitting up on the couch, still wrapped in the blanket, his hair askew.

“Morning,” I say, surprised when serenity dances through me. It’s hard not to feel like all is right in the world when he looks so damn good.

“Morning.” He rubs his eyes and rises, the blanket wrapped around him like a towel. He winces a little when he gets up, rubbing his lower back. “Damn. Think we overdid it.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. Just… been a while since I was used so thoroughly.” He grins lopsidedly, and my heart kicks in my chest.

“Hungry?”

“Starved. Where’s your bathroom?”

“Back down the hall to the left.”

I plate up our food and finish preparing coffee for me and Hiro. The toilet flushes down the hall and Hiro returns, sitting at the table with me. He winces when he hits his foot on the table leg. The table shakes ominously. His eyes widen. “Uh. Think I just broke your table.”

“Nah. This thing’s falling apart. I’m getting another one.”

Grabbing some egg between his chopsticks, Hiro takes a bite and moans. “So good.”

Something loosens in my chest, and for a moment, I forget about my food and watch Hiro tuck into his meal. My mornings are always so routine. I wake up, go for a jog, have a quick meal, and then I’m out the door.

I never realized how quiet my home really is until now that Hiro is here filling in all the quiet spaces with the soft clink of his utensils against his plate and his little happy sighs. Sitting across from someone and sharing a meal together is nice. Peaceful.

My life is chaotic with each day being unpredictable and dangerous. As I share this quiet moment with Hiro, it feels like I’ve found a port in the stormy sea that is my life. I like this feeling. Even if I know it can’t last, I wish it could. I wish I could have more mornings like this.

“Where’d you learn to cook like this? This is amazing.”

I pluck some mackerel off my plate and take a bite. “My grandfather owned a restaurant when I was a kid. I lived with him for most of my life, so I came to his restaurant with him after school. I’d study there mostly, but I’d also visit in the kitchen with him and watch him cook.”

Hiro’s eyes brighten with surprise. “My family are all cooks. I loved cooking. Always thought I’d make a career out of it.”

“But you didn’t?”

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