Page 32 of Handcuffs & Honey

Dominic took off toward the woods, telling himself not to stay gone long. It felt good to be back in his bear form, being one with nature. There was a hint of snow in the air, as if the white stuff would fall at any moment.

As Dominic made his way deeper into the forest, he felt the tension draining from his body as he moved, each step making him feel more connected to the earth beneath him.

He circled back, sniffing the air to make sure he didn’t smell Ezekiel, then took off again, trying to get rid of his restless energy.

Finally, Dominic was tired. As he made his way back, a few snowflakes began to fall.

Chapter Nine

Julian wasn’t sure why he was so excited about the sight of snow. The fat flakes were softly falling, creating a sort of wonderland with the pine trees that surrounded the house. He’d been looking out the window for Dominic’s return, and when he’d spotted the snow, Julian had run to the kitchen like a little kid and made hot apple cider.

There had already been apple cider in the fridge. Julian just warmed up some. He also made a fire in the fireplace.

He was hoping that the warmth of the fire and the sweetness of the cider would help him forget about his worries for a little while. Julian settled onto the couch, holding his mug with both hands, and watched the snow falling outside.

Then he spotted Dominic lumbering back toward the house. The bear stopped, shook off the snow from its fur, then trotted toward the porch. Julian remained in awe of the majestic animal and was still baffled as to how anyone could shift into a bear—he refused to think of all the other shifters in town and their different species—let alone a bear that size.

Julian got up and went to the window, his mug still in his hands as he watched Dominic shift into his human form. Sweet baby Jesus, the guy had a rocking body. Julian noticed the way his muscles rippled under his skin, and he felt a little flushed. He quickly turned away, hoping that Dominic hadn’t caught him staring.

They were mates and had been intimate with each other, but it was still creepy to watch someone unaware as they stood there naked, getting dressed.

“Hey,” Julian greeted him as he entered the house. “How was your run?”

“Good,” Dominic replied, a small smile playing on his lips. “The snow was a nice touch.”

Julian held up his mug. “I thought it would be nice to have some cider by the fire. I hope it’s okay that I did that.”

Dominic rolled his eyes as he pulled Julian close. “I keep telling you that my home is your home.”

There had been a point, in the first three days that Julian had been there, that he thought he’d have to duct-tape Dominic’s mouth shut because the guy had said that so much. “It’s still polite to ask.”

Dominic chuckled, the sound vibrating through Julian’s body. “Fair enough,” he said. “But you don’t have to ask for anything.”

Julian smiled up at Dominic, feeling a sudden surge of desire coursing through his veins. He couldn’t help it. The man was just too damn sexy. “Thanks,” he said softly.

“Come on,” Dominic said, taking Julian’s hand and leading him toward the couch. “Let’s enjoy the fire and the cider. I still owe you a Lifetime movie.”

Julian loved that Dominic was willing to watch a movie he wasn’t interested in.

He allowed himself to be pulled along, because who wouldn’t want a sexy man guiding them around? They settled onto the couch, Dominic’s arm draped over Julian’s shoulders as they sipped from their mugs. The silence between them was comfortable, filled only with the sound of the crackling fire and the soft patter of snow against the windowpanes.

But Julian couldn’t ignore the heat building inside of him. He turned his head toward Dominic, watching the way the firelight danced off his face. He saw the same desire reflected in his mate’s eyes, and suddenly they were kissing, their lips hungry and fierce as they explored each other’s mouths.

So much for watching a movie.

Julian barely had the wherewithal to set his mug aside. Dominic’s had fallen to the floor.

Julian moaned into the kiss, grinding his hips against Dominic’s, and his mate growled in response. Julian felt like he was on fire, his body burning with need. He wanted Dominic like he’d never wanted anyone before.

They broke apart, gasping for breath. Dominic stared at Julian with intense eyes, his voice low and husky. “Bedroom?” he asked.

Julian didn’t hesitate. “Yes,” he breathed.

Dominic’s lips descended on his, hot and insistent, as he lifted Julian up and carried him to the bedroom. Julian was lost in the sensation of Dominic’s mouth on his, his hands roaming over his body as though he couldn’t get enough.

Dominic’s big hands were moving over Julian’s chest, his belly, and Julian moaned as those big fingers found his nipple. His cock was already throbbing with need, and he could tell that Dominic was getting just as hard.

Julian reached down and gripped Dominic’s cock through his pants, eliciting a groan from his mate. He was going to explode if they didn’t get out of their clothes soon.

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