Page 56 of Laken's longing

Laken didn’t look upset as he nodded slowly, eyes thoughtful. Isley waited for the other shoe to drop, his fingers clinging to the hot mug. His palms grew sweaty, watching closely. He witnessed the second Laken registered what Isley was referring to.

“You scent marked me, didn’t you?”

Does he sound cross?

No.

You would say that!

“If we were being pedantic about this, my animal scent marked you, but yes,” he replied carefully, keeping his tone light and playful. He wasn’t sure it worked when Laken’s eyes became unreadable.

Laken leaned in close enough that Isley could scent the coffee on his breath as he asked, “When?”

Do it, tell him.

Isley took the leap, not that lying was an option. “At the ranch.”

Laken gasped, sitting back, his eyes widening with shock.

“When you were sleeping,” Isley rushed on. “I’m not as cognizant of my animal when I sleep. Sometimes he shifts and does things because of it.”

Deep frown lines appeared over Laken’s forehead, making him look somewhat harder in appearance. “Didn’t you want to scent mark me?”

“What? No… yes… it’s complicated.” He paled at what he was about to explain, but he wouldn’t be deceitful. “When my animal uses its scent marker in this way, it’s part of how we claim our… mate.”

Is it hot in here?

Isley tugged at the collar of his T-shirt as Laken jerked so hard the coffee splashed over his hand and dripped down onto the counter. Not that he noticed, he was too busy eyeing Isley in a way he’d never seen him do before.

Isley got why Laken would be upset—if that was what he was seeing, though it didn’t look quite like that. They’d done something that took away Laken’s choice. It wasn’t like a claiming bite that mates chose to do. But it was close to it for his kind. It could only be reversed if Laken chose to mate someone other than Isley. Let them bite him.

No. He’s ours,his animal snarled possessively.

He has the right to choose!On this, Isley was fixed, despite his animal’s ideas.

“I’ll ask again, didn’t you want to scent mark me?”

The growled question in that deep, sexy voice went straight through Isley to his dick, waking it right back up.

“I did… do.” He felt like the thermostat had gone on the blink with how hot and sweaty he was getting, and Laken’s dark, smouldering eyes weren’t helping his cause.

“So nothing changed after…”

Isley searched for what Laken was getting at, unused to the hesitant tone.

After.

“Nothing,” he confessed in all seriousness when he worked out what he meant, wanting to allay any fear Laken had about his feelings. “Nothing at all. I, no that’s wrong,wewant you. Are interested in dating you.”

There, he’d laid out exactly what he wanted. What he’d wanted from the moment he’d first met Laken, if he was being honest with himself.

You never mentioned hot, sweaty sex.

Be quiet! It’s not all about sex.

Then what are all those hot, sweaty dreams about then?

Why must you always have the last word?