Quinn narrowed his eyes, pointing his finger in the direction of the bathroom. “No, and don’t even fucking think of treating him like that. He just has issues to work out. I’ll take you home in a moment.”
That was the last thing Hunter wanted to do. He crossed the room and grabbed Quinn’s upper arms, crushing their lips together as he backed his mate into the drawing table. Quinn was stiff and resistant at first, but then he opened and allowed Hunter to smother his lips with demanding mastery.
Quinn leaned back against the table and let Hunter take over. Hunter’s tongue traced those plump lips, enticing him to sample more deeply. There was a maddening hint of arrogance to Quinn’s response, and Hunter found it thrilling and heart racing.
Hunter yanked Quinn’s body forward, their erections smashing into one another as he ground his hips, pleased that his mate gave in to their initial intimacy. Quinn’s hand grabbed Hunter’s neck, pulling him down the mere two inches in height difference as he took what Hunter offered. Almost demanding it.
He held Quinn’s face gently as he leaned his mate backwards over the table. Hunter had an urge to crawl onto the table and claim this magnificent creature. Quinn broke the kiss and buried his face in the corded muscles of Hunter’s neck, nipping at Hunter’s flesh, almost biting it. Hunter groaned as he ran his hands over Quinn’s hair, fighting for control as he tugged at the soft strands lightly. His canines were down, and Hunter’s eyes had shifted.
Hunter’s head snapped around when he heard a gasp from the bathroom door. “Don’t be frightened, Tristan.” He could smell uneasiness and arousal coming from his rainbow.
“I’m not, sir.” A blush like a shadow ran over his cheeks, making them flame bright. “I can go into the other room if you two want to be alone.”
Hunter wanted to pull Tristan into their embrace but saw the hesitancy in the man’s stance. “That won’t be necessary.” Hunter stepped out of Quinn’s arms, taking a deep and shaky breath, and then headed toward Tristan, fingering one of the red strays of hair that fell across the smaller man’s eye. “There will be plenty of time for that.”
“Are you ready?” Quinn asked, his voice choked with emotion.
“I’m ready.” Hunter replied, and the meaning of his words didn’t escape Tristan’s ears. There goes that blush again. He smiled and ran his thumb over Tristan’s brow. “Is it all right if I come back?’
“Yes, sir.” Tristan bounced on the balls of his heels, beaming up at Hunter. How adorable.
“Are you going to leave him alone?” Hunter questioned Quinn, never looking away from his redhead.
Quinn snorted, looking at Hunter as if he were asking a stupid question. “He’s not a puppy.”
Hunter could see Quinn was an alpha in his own manner. It was hot and, at the same time, frustrating. “I was only asking because he has trouble on his heels. Do you think it wise or safe?”
“I’ll be fine, sir.” Tristan’s blush deepened as he sucked in his bottom lip.
Hunter kissed Tristan’s nose, running his thumb over Tristan’s cheek, and then followed Quinn out of the house. He didn’t want to leave, but he could see Tristan needed things taken slowly.
“Why does he keep using the word sir?” Hunter asked once they were outside.
“I have no idea, and I’ve tried time and again to get him to stop. I think it has to do with who he’s running from.”
Hunter was very interested now to find out just exactly what Tristan had escaped.
Chapter Four
Tristan walked out into the living room in his fuzzy bunny slippers. He knew they were more for kids but had fallen instantly in love with them when he spotted them on the shelf in the store. They were begging with those big sappy eyes to be taken home, and who was he to refuse them?
He fiddled with the stereo until he found some relaxing music. Yoga should help clear his mind, and meditation had always worked for him. He found a station playing the Bee Gees. That sounded relaxing enough to him.
Tristan sat on the floor and assumed the position, letting his mind slowly drain of all the clutter until he focused on his inner peace. His muscles became relaxed, and he felt light as a feather.
“Jellybean?”
“Ahh!” Tristan rolled and came up in a crouch, his heart beating out of control when he finally focused on what had scared the living daylights out of him. Quinn’s brow slowly rose as a smile crossed his beautiful face.
“I didn’t mean to scare you.” Quinn chuckled, apparently overly amused at what he had done. He rested his right elbow on his left arm, his right hand covering the smile, and his face trying to look apologetic. He wasn’t fooling Tristan. That was amusement all the way.