Page 1 of How to Rescue Your Surprise Baby

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A BACKWARD KIND OF FLIRTING

Telos watchedwith bated breath as Mav paused in front of Major Licking’s frozen meals.

He shouldn’t give in to the urge.

They were on amission.

To rescuebabies.

They had to eat food that was hearty and filling. Food that healed your soul and bulged your muscles. Food that soothed your eye bags and made your pecs stand up perkily.

In short, anythingexceptMajor Licking’s. Especially that last box of Four Cheese Ravioli that Mav was eyeing.

It was a vile, unspeakable box of crap. Who knew how long it had been sitting in the old, clanking convenience store freezer?

“Don’t touch that, that’s mine,” Telos said so loudly, his voice filled the store. “The Four Cheese Ravioli with Tomato and Chicken is the best Major Licking has to offer.”

As expected, Mav glanced at him suspiciously.

Telos strode down the cramped aisle, puffing out his chest. “The others taste like crap, but not this one,” he said, lowering his voice so he sounded serious, for once. “The tomatoes are sun-dried with some intense flavor. The chicken pieces are huge. And the cheese filling is made with quality cheese. Hands off that box.”

“Really,” Mav said, his eyes narrowed. After the centuries they’d known each other, Telos could almost count down to the exact moment Mav added, “This is a trick.”

“If you think it’s a trick, then back off and let me have it.” Telos stepped closer.

It was his secret guilty pleasure to prowl into Mav’s space, to catch the split second of heat wafting off Mav’s muscular body, before the other alpha braced his forearm against Telos’ chest and shoved him back.

“You’ve tricked me thirty times,” Mav said, amber eyes flashing dangerously. “This is probably one of them.”

“So let me have it. It was voted the nation’s best. Recommended by doctors and chefs. It’s expensive, for a TV dinner. But so damn worth it.” Telos raised his chin.

They were the same height, almost the same size. But where Telos had deep brown eyes and ink-black hair, Mav had amber eyes and sand-colored hair. Telos used to hate that Mav was handsome, the most handsome in their group of friends.

These days, he found pleasure in taunting that aggravating face.

Mav pushed him again. Telos used that momentum to spin on his heels, reaching around Mav to grab the cooler door. “If you’re not taking it, it’s mine.”

Mav snarled and shoved his hand into the cooler, snatching up that last box of Four Cheese Ravioli. “Too late.”

“Fuck you,” Telos spat, biting down the gleeful smirk that threatened to erupt across his face. “And fuck your stupid flat ass.”

Mav raised a thick eyebrow. “Lowering yourself to childish insults?”

“That’s what you say when you don’t want to admit your ass is flat,” Telos retorted.

Mav’s ass reallywasn’tflat. In fact, it was round and firm, enough to bounce a coin off, but there weren’t many parts of him that Teloscouldinsult. Especially when his shoulders were broad, his pecs so full that his nipples strained against his shirt, his biceps stretching his sleeves. His pants fitted him so well, it was indecent, the way it hugged his ass, his thick thighs, and especially the sizable bulge between his legs.

Nope, not going there right now.

Telos flattened his large hands against Mav’s warm back andshoved,hard enough that Mav was forced to take two steps forward. And now the cooler of Major Licking’s was Telos’ to peruse.

“Don’t let out all the cold air,” Mav threw over his shoulder with a roll of his eyes. “I know such concepts are beyond your Ice Age understanding.”

“Ha ha, that’s hilarious,” Telos said flatly.

Mav moved further down the row of coolers, putting space between them.

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