Now he did.
He turned away from his task and started to walk toward the woods. He saw something move. There was a shadow just behind a clump of bushes. Winter moved to the side of the house where Dasani couldn’t see him and then undressed. His damn cock tried to climb into his stomach it was so cold.
Before the cold could take hold, Winter shifted. With all the snow around, his white coat blended in perfectly. He moved with stealth through the ranch and entered the woods twenty feet to Dasani’s left. Winter kept low to the ground and circled until he was standing behind his crouching mate.
And then he moved forward and licked a long line over Dasani’s back. He was pissed as hell to the see his mate bare-chested. Where on earth were his clothes, his coat?
Dasani shouted and spun, falling on his ass as he gazed up into Winter’s eyes. “Please tell me you’re Winter and not some random tiger.”
When Winter saw the bruise on Dasani’s face, he let out a low growl. Dasani’s eyes widened as he began to back away, shuffling backward over the forest floor. The fear in his mate’s eyes tore through Winter’s heart. He shifted and knelt next to the small man. He pressed the palm of his hand against Dasani’s jaw. “Who did this to you?”
Dasani cringed, and Winter pulled in his anger, softening his voice. “Who did this to you, little bluebird?”
Dasani’s lips parted as his dark blue eyes misted. “Why did you call me that?”
Winter pulled Dasani from the cold ground and curled the Shadow elf in his arms. Something inside him settled when he held his mate for the first time. He smoothed the backs of his knuckles over the bruised cheek. “Because bluebirds are a symbol of happiness,” he said.
“Y–you’re happy when I’m around?” Dasani’s tone was disbelieving.
“Mmm.” Winter brushed his cheek over his mate’s. “Very. Now tell me who hurt you.”
Dasani shook his head. “It’s not important.”
When Winter began to walk toward the ranch, Dasani tried to get free. He wiggled wildly and pushed at Winter’s bare chest. “Where are you taking me?”
“To get warm,” Winter replied. “Where are your clothes?”
“I didn’t have time to put them on.” Dasani curled his lips in and then glanced away, as though he’d given something away that he’d meant to keep to himself. “I’m fine. You have to put me down so I can go home.”
Winter never wanted to put the man down again. He liked feeling Dasani’s weight in his arms. The man couldn’t be more than five foot five and weigh one hundred pounds. He was light to hold. But it was Dasani’s long, black hair that had Winter’s attention. He wanted to feel those silky strands brushing over his chest as Dasani rode his cock.
Dasani slapped his hand against Winter’s chest. “Put. Me. Down.”
“It’s too cold out,” Winter said. “All you have on your feet are moccasins. I’ll put you down when I have you in my truck.” And Winter still hadn’t gotten any answers about the bruise on Dasani’s face. From what he’d learned earlier, his gut told him it was Dasani’s father, but a man didn’t accuse his mate’s father unless he had concrete proof. That was a grey area, and he knew he needed to tread lightly.
When they reached the ranch, Winter reluctantly set his mate on his feet. Dasani took a step back as he rubbed his hands up and down his arms. Winter could see the slight shiver and knew the man was cold. Hell, he was cold. He was standing there buck naked. Maybe that was why Dasani looked everywhere but at Winter.
“I have to go home,” he said as he took another step back, his gaze fixated on the barn. “If he finds out—” Dasani’s eyes snapped to Winter. “I just have to go.”
Winter knew full well that elves could shimmer away, yet Dasani hadn’t attempted to do that. He just kept stating that he had to leave but stayed with Winter. Winter took that as a hopeful sign.
“Just an hour,” Winter said as he opened his truck door and started the motor. He leaned back out and smiled gently at Dasani. “Spend one single hour with me before you leave.”
“Where?”
“At my place,” Winter said. “I promise that you’ll be safe.”
Dasani laughed, and the soft noise made Winter’s heart expand tenfold. “Isn’t that something a person says when they are trying to—” The man blushed again, and Winter’s smile was as wide as the horizon.
“When a person is trying to do what, little bluebird?” Winter probed. He wanted to hear the man say it aloud. He had an idea where Dasani’s thoughts were going but damn if he didn’t want to hear the words.