Page 36 of The Chosen One Universe: Volume One

“So it’s different now. And maybe it’ll be different again.” He didn’t want to believe it, but he couldn’t deny the possibility. He couldn’t afford to become even more invested in Vaughn and his life, couldn’t change his life to plan on a future that could be torn away from him in a moment of strange mating magic that he didn’t understand.

“Sam,” Vaughn breathed. Their foreheads were still pressed together, their breath mingling. “I’ll prove it to you. However long it takes, whatever I have to do. I’ll make you see that you’re it for me. I promise you.”

Sam squeezed Vaughn’s hand where their fingers were still tangled together. “And alphas don’t break their promises,” Sam repeated. Something clicked into place, a tentative acceptance that Sam didn’t question even though rationally he knew he should.

Pack magic. Alpha magic. Vaughn magic.

Whatever it was, it worked. He tilted his head and sought Vaughn’s lips, eager to seal the promises his new alpha was making him. He believed in Vaughn in a way that shouldn’t be possible and was definitely supernatural, but he’d never felt so right before in his life. Vaughn cupped Sam’s neck in his hand and deepened the kiss a little, their tongues tangling as they explored each other’s mouths.

When Vaughn finally pulled away, Sam was gasping for breath and ready to push Vaughn back on the couch and do really, really bad things to him. “Let’s take this into the other room,” Vaughn suggested.

His voice was that same deep bottomed out husky growl that sent shivers of want down Sam’s spine.

“Okay.”

Sam couldn’t help the nervous skip of his heart or the catch of breath that drew Vaughn’s sultry gaze right to him. He let Vaughn pull him to his feet then followed as Vaughn walked backward toward the open bedroom door.

Vaughn’s eyes were glowing that same stunning blue and Sam couldn’t look away. They were about the same height but Vaughn seemed so much bigger, stronger, and more powerful. God, the man just oozed sensuality.

Sam tugged his hand and Vaughn stopped, giving him a puzzled frown. Sam took the extra step forward and kissed him again. It was taking entirely too long to get to the bedroom. He didn’t want to wait.

Vaughn chuckled against his lips and tugged Sam closer. He released Sam’s hand to wrap his arms around Sam’s waist then slipped them lower to grab Sam’s ass. “Jump up,” Vaughn husked against his mouth.

Sam grumbled. He was busy tasting Vaughn’s lips and Vaughn really needed to quit trying to talk.

Vaughn chuckled again and pulled away, this time scooping Sam up in his arms and carrying him the few remaining steps into the bedroom. Instead of taking him to the bed like he expected, Vaughn continued walking into the bathroom and sat Sam down on the counter.

“What?”

Vaughn smirked and reached into the shower, turning the water on.

“I’ve already showered,” Sam said.

“The water will muffle the noise,” Vaughn explained. He walked back over to Sam, tugging his shirt over his head as he went.

“Oh, God,” Sam whimpered. He scrambled to pull his own up, but his fingers didn’t seem to want to cooperate. Probably because he hadn’t been able to take his eyes of Vaughn.

Vaughn stepped between his legs and grabbed his hips. “Having trouble?”

His voice was a sexy purr, the ass. He shouldn’t give Sam a hard time when he looked like he did. How could he be expected to think when that muscled chest was just right…

He touched, stroking his fingers over Vaughn’s pecs and tweaking his dusky pink nipples. “Fuck me,” Sam sighed.

“I plan to,” Vaughn said.

“Yeah?”

“If you’ll stop drooling and let me take your clothes off.”

Sam snickered and looked up and met Vaughn’s sexy grin with one of his own. “I don’t know if I can do that. You’re gorgeous. My brain has short-circuited. You have no one to blame but yourself.”

Vaughn smirked again but grabbed the hem of Sam’s T-shirt. He tugged it up and off, forcing Sam’s hands away from him for as long as it took for the fabric to leave his arms. Then Sam was right back to touching, tracing the warm skin, running his fingers over the smattering of crisp hair then down over Vaughn’s abs.

He reached for the loose-fitting pants Vaughn wore and tugged the waist down. Vaughn was hard beneath the fabric, his cock straining to be free. Sam wanted nothing more than to help it out. He wrapped his hand around it, stroked his hand up and down the length, and grinned up at Vaughn as his mate’s breath caught.

“You like that?”

“You know I do,” Vaughn grumbled. “Want my hands on you, too.”