Page 6 of Handcuffs & Honey

Julian was plastered against Dominic’s chest, but Dominic felt his mate wigging to get free. With a sigh, Dominic let him go, though he didn’t want to.

“I was just showing my appreciation,” Dominic said, playing things off. “Great food.”

“Love wieners roasted over fire.” Julian smirked, his cheeks rosy. “But I’ve been told these woods have a lot of wild animals, and I don’t want to run into any of them, particularly a wolf or bear.”

Dominic nearly choked. “You don’t like bears?”

Julian’s eyes widened. “Not the kind that attack people. Have you seen how big they are? Well, I haven’t, not in person, but I’ve seen them on TV, and they’re downright frightening. I saw a few at the zoo when I was little, and they scared the hell out of me.”

Dominic wasn’t going to lie and say he hadn’t used his size to intimidate people before. He had. Bad guys. He would never use his size to frighten mates or anyone smaller than him, unless they were trying to hurt him, and even then, he would try to find another way to subdue them rather than scare them.

He was a cop for a reason. Dominic wanted to protect and serve, and he took that to heart. He’d been that way his entire life, even before he’d become sheriff of Midnight Falls. His father had been the same way, and now Dominic was going to stop thinking about his old man before he shed tears in front of Julian, which would not be cool on their first date.

“I’m pretty sure you’re safe with me.”

Julian looked him over. “No offense. You’re a huge guy, tall as hell, but I don’t think you could wrestle a bear… Can you?”

Dominic chuckled. Unfortunately, now was not the time to reveal what he was and that Julian was his mate. Their relationship was in the infant stage, and he didn’t want to scare off the human. “Why don’t we pack up?”

Within a matter of minutes, they’d cleaned up and put out the fire. Dominic wasn’t sure if his mate would allow him, but he took a chance and held Julian’s hand on the way back to the truck, relieved when Julian didn’t pull his hand away.

Dominic could have had this date at his house, since it was butted up against vast woods, but he didn’t want Julian freaking out that Dominic had brought him home. Not when he was trying to get his mate to loosen up around him.

“I had a good time,” Julian said when they were back in the truck. “One weekend, we should totally go camping.” His eyes widened. “Not that I would expect you to—”

“Sounds like a perfect plan.” Dominic took Julian’s hand again as he pulled away. “I got all the camping gear a person could need.”

“Really?” That seemed to perk up Julian. “I’ve never been camping before. I was kind of joking when I threw that idea out there.”

“I’m not joking.” Dominic squeezed Julian’s hand. “I’d love to show you the finer art of camping and living off the land.”

That made Julian frown. “I don’t know about living off the land. I think eating bugs is gross.”

Dominic gaped at Julian. “Where on earth did you get that idea?”

“TV.”

Shaking his head, Dominic chuckled. “I was talking more like fishing.”

“Sorry, I don’t do fish. I think it tastes disgusting.”

At least his mate was opening up to him. Dominic had thought for sure that their adventure would be mostly quiet, but his mate was proving Dominic wrong, and he was glad. “Fine, I’ll bring the food.”

“S’mores!” Julian practically bounced in his seat. “I haven’t had those since I was a kid.”

“You camped when you were a kid?”

“No.” Julian snorted. “My dad used to roast marshmallows over the gas stove in our house. He wasn’t what you would call an outdoor guy, and we didn’t have a fireplace, so he did the best he could.” Julian sighed. “I remember the first time we did that. I was about five. We made s’mores and he told ghost stories, though they were lame. My mom and me still acted scared.”

Dominic liked the nostalgic tone in Julian’s voice. It was good that he had decent parents. “You’re talking in past tense about your dad.”

“He died a few years back from a stroke.” Julian looked toward the window but not before Dominic saw unshed tears in his eyes.

“And your mom?”

“She passed from an aneurism when I was eighteen,” Julian said without turning his head. “My dad was never the same after she died.”

“I’m sorry to hear that your parents passed away.” Dominic squeezed Julian’s hand a little tighter.

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