Page 32 of Flesh and Fury

“We were planning on leaving first thing in the morning.”

“Good. I’ll see you the day after tomorrow then.Um, no, make that two days after tomorrow. You’re probably exhausted and need a couple of full days off. It’s not enough, I know. After we deal with our little mole problem at the Agency and have King John back at home, you’ll have some well-deserved time off. Have a safe drive home.”

Eoghan exchanged a relieved look with Ari. “Thank you, ma’am. You have no idea what even one extra day will do for us.”

“I know how hard you work, Sapphire. You too, Brown. See you then.”

“Thank you again, ma’am.” With that he hung up and glanced over at his partner. “I’m starving.”

Ari reached for his hand, and Eoghan gladly took it, allowing his lover to engulf it in his big, warm palm, happier than he’d been in a long while.

Chapter Ten

ARI

They rolled into Los Angeles way after nine the next night. After the werewolf extravaganza in Hawthorne, Nevada, they’d gone back to their motel and crashed, sleeping until eight the next morning. The night before, they’d opted not to go to a restaurant once they’d crossed the state border into California. Instead they’d found a rotisserie chicken place with a parking lot filled with happy customers, and picked up the most delicious chicken, tortillas, beans, and salsa from the window. It had been incredibly good, and they’d gone to bed swearing off morning exercise and promising each other they’d sleep in. When Eoghan’s alarm woke Ari at eight, he’d groaned and rolled away from the heated body beside him to bury his head under the pillow.

They’d gotten a late check out and had picked up salads for an early-afternoon lunch they’d eaten at a park with a small lake in some roadside town Ari couldn’t remember.Afterward, they’d walked around the lake a couple of times, just to get in a little cardio. As they pulled into the drive of his and Eoghan’s places, Ari noticed that for once, Al and Ted’s front house had no lights on. Bear greeted them at Eoghan’s door in orange tabby form, jumping into his arms as soon as he dropped his duffel on the ground, and rubbed his head vigorously under Eoghan’s chin as he laughed.

“Who’s a good kitty?” Eoghan cooed into his fur as the cat purred so loudly, Ari could hear it from across the room.

“Since Al and Ted are out, I think that’s a ‘feed me, please’ purr,” Ari said, smirking as the cat narrowed his eyes at him.

Eoghan laid the side of his face on top of Bear’s head as he looked over at him. Ari wished he had a camera to capture the picture forever. It was so fucking cute he couldn’t stand it. “He is a shifter you know…as a man with opposable thumbs, he could open his own fucking cans.”

The cat immediately jumped out of Eoghan’s arms, raised his tail and ran across the room. He bounced off the couch and leapt to the top of his cat tree where he lifted his head and howled in that throaty, deep cat howl he did only when agitated or not getting his way. Ari and Eoghan both laughed.

“Brat!” Ari said.

“He’s just singing the song of his people,” Eoghan said, laughing as he picked up his duffel and headed down the hall to his room. Ari stood there, torn about whether he should stay or go. It wasn’t like he didn’t have his own unit right next door. He should probably check on whether the painters finished what they were starting when they’d left town. As he stood there trying to decide, Eoghan reappeared in stocking feet, shirtless, and sweats. He smiled at him.

“What’re you doing? Come to bed, Ari. I know you’re exhausted.” He walked up and slid both hands around Ari’s waist, moving in close, and pressing his body to his.

Ari wrapped him up in his arms and leaned down, accepting the temptation to kiss him as Eoghan batted his long eyelashes at him. Their kiss was soft at first, just a blending of lips, that soon turned more heated. He felt himself beginning to show interest a bit lower as well, but he didn’t give in and grind his erection against Eoghan. He realized that as much as it sounded amazing to be naked and pressed up against him, the man had just driven four hundred miles and had to beexhausted. When they finally broke their kiss, Eoghan looked up at him with a questioning gaze.

“What is it? Too tired? I would understand. I’m kind of dead on my feet myself,” he said.

“I’m not the least bit surprised, Eoghan. You just drove most of the length of the state. You’ve gotta be tired. Actually, I was trying to decide whether I should stay at my own place tonight…let you sleep in. You need your rest.”

Eoghan frowned. “I get plenty of rest in your arms just fine.” He stood close, not moving away, but Ari could tell he was stiffer than usual, not the relaxed Eoghan he was used to when they were on their off time and alone with each other.

“We’ll talk about this in the morning when we get up,” Ari insisted. “After all, we have the whole day off or did you forget?”

Eoghan smiled and sighed, backing up as he rubbed a hand over his face. It was clear to Ari that his lover really was tired.

“Come on. I’ll stay here if that’s what you’d like, baby.” Ari took him by the hand and led him down the hall toward Eoghan’s bedroom although it wasn’t like he had to force him to follow. He did so happily. They showered quickly, taking turns, and by the time Ari got out, hung up the towels, and shut out the light, Eoghan was already curled up on his side, surrounded in blankets, the way he always slept best. Ari smiled to himself and slid into bed behind him, pulling him back into a spooning position as he blanketed him with his back.

He woke to the smell of cinnamon and smiled to himself, stretching as he glanced over at the clock. It was nearly nine which was crazy. He never slept that long and clearly, Eoghan had gotten up even earlier if he was baking. He loved it when Eoghan baked. He was an excellent cook, but his baking wassomething on a whole other level. He stretched again and rolled out of bed, pulling on sweatpants before slipping quietly out of the room and into the bathroom.

After brushing his teeth and using the toilet, he checked his face. The tiny cut under his eye was slowly healing which was something to be happy about. At least he wasn’t sporting a black eye. His beard on the other hand, wasn’t looking too great. He decided it was time to visit a barber. Maybe that’s something they could do today since they had the time off. There was nothing like a good shave and a haircut to make a man feel confident. Looking his best for Eoghan was very important, especially now that they’d said those three little words to each other. He was headed out of the bathroom when he noticed a bottle of lube on the counter. He grinned, snatched it up, and headed down the hall to the kitchen.

He walked into the bright living area decorated in tropical colors, noting how the morning sun lit the room with all shades of blue, orange, and turquoise on a white backdrop. Eoghan was singing along with Journey which was playing quietly on the radio while he fussed over something in the kitchen. Bear was nowhere in sight, which meant he was outside, perhaps visiting the lions who lived in the front house. It was the perfect time for what he had planned, alone with his boyfriend who was totally unsuspecting. He waited until Eoghan’s voice faded, meaning he’d walked to the back of the kitchen and then snuck around the corner. Sure enough, his man was in front of the open refrigerator, bent over and digging through the vegetable keeper. His beautiful bubble butt was as round and lush as a peach, looking just like it’d been waiting for Ari.

He tiptoed into the kitchen and just as Eoghan straightened, he slipped his arms around his waist and pulled him into an embrace. Eoghan stiffened for just a second andthen chuckled, leaning his head back on Ari’s chest and half twisting to look up into his face. Ari leaned down to kiss him, pushing his tongue inside as Eoghan turned in his arms and pressed his body against his. He felt something wet and cold on his back and broke the kiss, turning to look behind him where Eoghan was holding a quart of pistachio milk in one hand. He laughed.

“Put down the milk, Eoghan. Breakfast is gonna have to wait.”

“But I made your favorite…cinnamon and apple pancakes,” Eoghan said, pouting as he stepped away from Ari and set the milk on the kitchen counter.

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