Page 24 of The Tech Guru's Heart

“Oh.”Ezra met his gaze, furrowing his brows.“Does that mean you plan to bite me, too?”

Link thought he’d explained all that, but they’d gone over so much information the prior day that he couldn’t be sure.Plus, there was little to think that Ezra would retain it all at once.Most human mates didn’t, needing time to accept it in increments.

“Absolutely,” Link confirmed, anticipation filling him, and he licked his lips.With an eyebrow waggle, he added, “And you’ll come from it...everytime.”

Ezra gaped at him, his expression one of clear disbelief.

Chuckling, Link leaned forward and pressed his lips to Ezra’s in a chaste kiss.“You’ll see.”He went back in, intending for a much deeper good morning kiss, but Ezra leaned back and turned his head.Growling softly, Link cradled his mate’s neck and forced him to meet his gaze.“Why?”

“Morning breath,” Ezra answered, licking his lips and swallowing.“And I didn’t brush before passing out last night, so I’m pretty sure I’m rank.”

Link sighed and shook his head.“Your taste willalwaysappeal to me, but I understand.”The drying cum between them began to itch, reminding him of the mess they needed to clean up.“Let’s get cleaned up.Do you normally cook something for breakfast or eat on the go?”

As Link asked the question, he eased his hold on Ezra and carefully pushed the blanket off of them.He kept an eye on everything and made certain he didn’t drag the fabric in cum.He didn’t have anything to clean it, after all.To Link’s relief, they’d been lucky, and their loads hadn’t leaked onto the blanket beneath them, either.

Lucky break.Gonna have to be a bit more careful of that.

“Normally, I eat a granola bar and some jerky along with plenty of water as I slowly get started,” Ezra admitted, rolling away from him with a grimace.“Damn.Can’t believe I slept nude in the middle of the forest.”

Link chuckled.“Get used to it.”Unable to resist, he leaned forward and squeezed Ezra’s ass cheek.When his mate peered over his shoulder at him with a cocked brow, Link grinned unabashedly.“Can’t help myself.Love touching you.”

Ezra licked his lips before quietly admitting, “Same.”His gaze roved over Link’s torso and groin.“Look forward to exploring even more.”

Renewed heat filled Link’s veins, but he did his best to ignore it even as he stated, “I look forward to feeling you do just that.”

Link then tore his gaze away from his handsome, naked mate and rolled to his knees.After grabbing his canteen and a hand towel from his bag, he began washing away the evidence of their pleasure.Out of the corner of his eye, Link noticed Ezra doing the same.

“Hmm, next time, I think I’d prefer to lick that off you,” Link mused, his mouth suddenly watering at the thought of it.He also couldn’t help the way his dick twitched at his thoughts.Chuckling, both at Ezra’s wide-eyed expression and his own body’s reactions, Link shrugged.“Can’t help it.”

Ezra blinked, then scoffed softly as he eyed Link’s burgeoning erection.“It’s a mate thing?”he guessed.

Link noticed Ezra’s responding body, his slender prick once more extending from amidst his nest of neatly trimmed, dark-blond curls.

Groaning, Link turned away, rubbing his palm over his bald pate.“Shit, you drive me crazy,” he grumbled under his breath.

An answering chuckle sounded behind him.“Back atcha, big guy,” Ezra muttered so quietly that if Link hadn’t been a shifter, he didn’t think he would’ve heard him.

Blowing out a deep breath, Link knew he needed to let Ezra get on his way before he had him sprawled on the blanket again.He wanted in his mate so damn bad, his dick in his ass and his teeth in his neck.Except, he knew he couldn’t force his human.Link had to give him time to accept their connection.

“I’m going to shift and head off, Ezra,” Link told his mate, half-turning back to face him.Upon spotting that Ezra had dressed, he bit back his disappointment.“Can I join you when you stop for lunch?”

Ezra nodded immediately, which pleased Link.“I’d like that.”

After tucking his soiled cloth into a plastic bag, Link folded the shorts he’d discarded the night before and placed both items into his satchel.He began to call to his musk ox.Before his shift could begin, Link felt Ezra’s hand on his forearm, and he refocused on his mate.

“Did you want me to carry your satchel for you?”

Link thought about that for a few seconds before shaking his head.“No, thanks.”He placed his left hand over where his mate’s hand rested on his right.“I have no intention of letting anyone see me in animal form since I’m not native to here,” Link explained to soften the perceived rejection.“And I’ll need easy access to my tablet, shorts, and shoes, just in case.”

Nodding, Ezra glanced at Link’s armband.“Do you wear that in your musk ox form?”

“I do,” Link confirmed.“The band’s elastic and easily hidden under all my animal’s hair.”With a chuckle, he added, “The first time I felt it as my musk ox, I nearly jumped to the moon, it startled me so bad.”

Ezra’s grin caused Link’s heartrate to spike.

My mate is so damn gorgeous.

“You have a good hike, Ezra,” Link encouraged, squeezing his hand lightly.“I’ll be around if you need anything.Just holler.”

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