Page 76 of Slick Trip

“I need to pee,” Cooper informed me.

I caught his wrist midair, my thumb pressing over his pulse. I dragged my nose slowly along the side of his throat, inhaling his rich scent.

“You’re mine,” I growled against his skin, making him whimper and snort at the same time.

“What are you doing?” Cooper giggled.

“I’m claiming you. Fuck, Cooper, you smell so good I’m going to lose my mind.”

“Cool, but I really need to pee.”

Completely unfazed by my caveman behavior, Cooper slipped out of bed and padded toward the bathroom. I followed, only to find him closing the door in my face. Soon, he was humming a Selena Gomez song—badly, but with enthusiasm. My affection for him filled me so completely I couldn’t help but knock.

The humming paused. “Yeah?”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m peeing.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“Yes, I’m okay. And don’t hover! Go back to bed.”

“Did you eat?” I asked, swallowing hard. Had I been neglecting his nourishment? There was a choking sound from the other side of the door.

“Did I what?”

“Did you eat?” I repeated, slower. “Before you went in there.”

“Jon, you know I didn’t eat. I just woke up. I woke up because you were growling in my ear and being weird.” A pause. “I liked it, though.”

“You need to eat.”

He flushed the toilet, then washed his hands. I leaned my forehead briefly against the door and waited.

Everything was fine. Except my entire body felt hijacked by something bigger than me. And that something was entirely Cooper. He’d been sleeping here since we got back, and I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to sleep without him ever again.

The handle turned, and I straightened immediately, fully returning to my mission of protecting and providing. As he stepped out, my hands landed on him instantly, pulling him flush against my chest.

My heart felt raw, wide open. “I love you so fucking much,” I choked out. Was it strange that I needed to say it in the middle of the night, right after Cooper stepped out of the bathroom? Yeah. Did I care? Not particularly, no.

My thumbs slid over his warm skin, confirming he was safe.

“I love you too, weirdo,” Cooper murmured, rising onto his toes to give me a sleepy kiss. “Let’s get back to bed.”

I pinned him against the wall, my teeth grazing the soft skin on his neck.

“I need to mark you,” I panted.

Cooper’s mouth fell open. “Did your rut start?” he whispered.

I considered that while nuzzling his neck. There was a primal, intense hunger burning through me.

“It’s . . . possible.”

“I’m going to run a test,” Cooper said, his voice dancing with mischief. “But I need to go outside to do it. All alone. In the dark—”

“No fucking way,” I growled. I didn’t think—I just hoisted him over my shoulder like a sack of flour.