Catch a Tiger by the Tail (10 page)

Dex gasped, a hand going to his chest. “I don’t know what you’re insinuating. I was merely checking to see if my partner needed help.”

Ethan shook his head.
The only thing you were checking was your boyfriend’s ass.
Ethan grabbed a box and shoved it at Dex. He pointed to the other end of Sloane’s living room.

“But….” Dex pouted.

Yeah, nice try. That doesn’t work on me.
He folded his arms over his chest and arched an eyebrow at him.
Don’t make me carry your ass over there.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m going,” Dex huffed before stomping over to the bookshelf to start packing it up. Ethan shook his head. It was like babysitting two horny teenagers. Sloane straightened, his gaze landing on Dex. He took a step forward, and Ethan cleared his throat.

“Oh, hey. I didn’t realize you were there,” Sloane said, scratching his head. “Thought you, uh, left with the guys.”

Ethan shook his head.
Nope.

Sloane shoved his hands into his pockets. “We’ve been at this all morning. You sure you don’t want something to eat? There’s leftover pizza in the fridge.”

Really? That’s the best you got?
Ethan smiled brightly and pointed to the box behind Sloane.
Get back to work.

“What are you, our chaperone? His virtue is way past being salvaged, just so you know. I’ve pretty much annihilated it.” Sloane wriggled his eyebrows before puffing up his chest, clearly proud of himself.

Ethan wrinkled his nose.
That was way more information than I needed to know, but thanks.

“Hey,” Dex protested from across the room. “You’re as much of a slut for me as I am for you.”

Sloane let out a resigned sigh. “That’s true.”

Ethan rolled his eyes.
Each of you is as bad as the other.
He pointed to the box behind Sloane.
Get to work, oh fearless leader.

With a pout, Sloane returned to his box, giving it a pitiful kick. Dex did the same. Ethan had started putting a box together when the front door opened and Calvin walked in.
Oh thank God.

“All right, guys. We need to load up the van. Ash is double-parked. Rosa and Letty already unpacked the last load at Dex’s. They went for a coffee run.”

Sloane and Dex each grabbed one of the packed boxes lining the left wall and headed for the door. Calvin turned to Ethan with a smile.

“I see the supervising is going well.”

The door closed, and Ethan threw his hands up. “Seriously. I can’t let my guard down for a minute. Those two can’t keep their hands off each other. It’s amazing they leave the house every morning.”

Calvin shrugged before heading over to the wall of boxes. “It’s kind of sweet, though. I mean, being that in love with someone you can’t help but touch them when they’re near you, wanting to always be in their arms. Like being away from each other is painful. They’re lucky.”

Ethan frowned. Was that what Calvin wanted? Ethan walked over and took hold of his arm as his partner reached for a box. He worried his bottom lip. He wanted to say something, but he wasn’t sure what. Calvin cocked his head to one side and studied him.

“What’s on your mind?”

“Is that how you feel?”

Calvin averted his gaze. “I wasn’t implying that… I mean, I don’t want to make things uncomfortable for you.”

Ethan couldn’t help his surprise. Did Calvin hold back from showing affection so Ethan wouldn’t feel uncomfortable? He took hold of Calvin’s face and kissed him.
I’m sorry.
There was nothing he wanted more than to give Calvin everything he wanted. He needed a little more time.
Please don’t stop loving me, wanting me. God, I do want you so bad. I need—

“Are you kidding me?”

Ethan gave a start. He turned to find Ash, Cael, Dex, and Sloane standing there frowning at him. He gave them a sheepish smile.

“No, you know what? If there’s no sexy times for me and Sloane, then none of you are getting any either.” Dex jumped on the couch and addressed the room, pointing to everyone one by one, starting with Ethan. “No sexy times for you.” Then Calvin. “None for you.” He pointed to Ash. “None for you.” He pointed at Cael. “Definitely none for you.” He ignored Cael rolling his eyes and moved to Sloane. “Sorry, babe, none for you either. We’re all chaste until moving is over.”

Ash let out a laugh. “You and Sloane, chaste? That’s the funniest shit I’ve heard all year! You two can’t go one day without boning each other. All Sloane has to do is look at you, and you drop your pants.”

“Hey, I have self-control,” Dex said with a sniff.

Ash and Cael looked at each other before bursting into laughter. Yeah, Ethan didn’t buy it either. Sloane took a sudden interest in a piece of tape stuck to his shirt.

“What? You’re saying I don’t?”

Ash reached into his back pocket and pulled out a bill. “Fifty bucks says you two can’t go forty-eight hours without getting off.”

Dex eyed Ash warily. “What are the rules?”

“What I said. No getting off. Kissing is fine. Nothing else. Who wants in on this? Easiest money you’ll ever make.”

Calvin pulled out his wallet and handed Ash a fifty. Cael followed suit. Ash smiled sweetly. “I’m gonna put in for Rosa and Letty, because we all know they’re going to jump in on this.” Sloane handed Ash fifty bucks. Dex gaped at his boyfriend.

“Dude, you’re betting
against
us? What the hell?”

Sloane shrugged. “I’m being realistic.”

“That’s it. We’re doing this.” Dex jumped off the couch and marched over to Sloane. He poked him in the chest. “It’s on now.”

Ethan gave Ash his fifty, smiling apologetically when Dex gaped at him.

“You too? I thought we were bros?”

Ethan shrugged.
We are, just, let’s face it, you’re going to lose.

“All right. Let’s get the van filled up. You can collect your winnings from me on Monday.” Ash laughed as Dex flipped him off. “Oh, and just for shits and giggles, that’s thirty minutes of silence.”

Dex stared at him. He spun on his heels and stormed over to the wall to pick up a box. On the way to the door, he stopped next to Ash and glared at him some more. It was more likely Dex was cursing him out in his head. Then he marched off.

Ash sighed. “I have a feeling this is going to be a great weekend.”

They all laughed and grabbed boxes to take downstairs. Cael stayed in the truck to organize, and in no time they had the whole thing full. Ethan thanked his lucky stars Sloane was moving into Dex’s and not the other way around. He’d been to Dex’s basement. It was scary. Dex had used his Tetris skills to fill it to capacity. Who knew what was down there. The guy was a pack rat. He’d deny it until his dying breath, but he was definitely a pack rat. The fact that the majority of what was in his basement belonged in the eighties didn’t change a thing.

Soon they were on their way to Dex’s house. Rosa had called Cael to let them know she and Letty had picked up everyone’s coffee order along with some pastries. There was still the bedroom and living room to finish packing up, but they’d done the kitchen, dining room, hall, closets, and bathroom. While they packed, Rosa and Letty moved the boxes they dropped off into the right rooms in Dex’s house and helped unpack, organizing and even putting stuff away. It was like a military operation with how smoothly and quickly everything went on their end. Now that he thought about it, there was probably a reason they chose to be where the rest of their team wasn’t.

While their coffees cooled down, they all unpacked the van. By the time they were done, Ethan had worked up quite a sweat. Luckily the cool air kept him from getting too hot. They left the van parked outside and decided to take a little rest. The living room was filled with boxes, some unpacked and a few empty and waiting to be tossed into the back of the van to be reused. Ethan was definitely ready for a little caffeine boost.

Dex checked his watch for the umpteenth time, his big smile telling Ethan his thirty minutes of induced silence was about up. “Yes!” He shouted, startling Rosa.

“
Me cago en diez
. Really, Dex?”

Dex opened his mouth to reply, then looked at Ash warily. When Ash chuckled and continued to unpack, Dex let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m so enjoying this,” Ash said to no one in particular. Ethan couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Ash this happy. It didn’t take much, did it.

Dex took a sip of his drink and frowned. “This isn’t my triple shot mochaccino. This is hot chocolate.”

“It’s not there?” Letty asked, checking the cup labels. “I know I definitely picked it up. It was bucket sized, with enough whip cream to give me diabetes.”

Calvin checked the other cups on the island counter that hadn’t been picked up yet. “These are all coffees. Who ordered the hot chocolate? Maybe they got them mixed up.”

Sloane went pensive. “Is there anyone who doesn’t drink coffee?”

“Oh shit.” Dex’s eyes went wide.

“What’s wrong?” Calvin asked worriedly.

“Cael. He’s the only one who can’t drink coffee.”

“Why’s that again?” Letty asked.

“Cheetah Therian metabolism and his general Cael-ness. That shit makes him—”

“Dex! Dex, look! Deeex, you’re not looking! Looook at meee! Dex!”

They all turned toward the dining room, and Ethan couldn’t help his laugh. Dex on the other hand looked horrified. Cael stood on top of the dinner table wrapped in bubble wrap from his shoulders to his ankles. Ethan cocked his head to one side. How the heck had he managed that without any help?

“It’s like being in a big squishy bubble!”

“How much of the coffee did you drink?” Dex asked, hurrying over to his brother.

“You know I don’t drink coffee. I had hot chocolate. All of it! Oh my God, there was
so
much whip cream!” Cael bent his knees, and Dex gasped.

“Don’t you dare! Cael, no!”

“Dex, I think I can hear colors,” Cael whispered loudly, his pupils dilated. “Your T-shirt sounds like Journey.”

“Oh dear God. Ash, help me out here.”

Ash made his way over just as Cael launched himself off the table. Ethan was enthralled. It was like watching a weird action movie in slow motion. Ash dove for Cael, catching him before he could hit the floor. Cael landed on him and bounced off, rolling slowly across the wood floor with a frown on his face.

“Ash,” Cael huffed, “I was fine. The bubbles were going to break my fall.”

Ash crawled over to Cael and helped him sit up. “The floor was going to break your fall, and your head, you monkey.”

“Nuh-uh.” Cael squirmed and tried to wriggle away. He paused and giggled. “Your T-shirt sounds like the Spice Girls.”

“Thank you. I’m officially horrified. No more jumping off furniture.” Ash kissed the top of Cael’s head, then tore the bubble wrap off him. Before he had a chance to get up, Cael was already sprinting into the living room.

“Oh my God, Ash! Look at this huge box!”

Ash swore under his breath before chasing after him. Ethan paused to look around. Why was no one recording this? Cael tried to strip while Ash did his best to stop him, but Cael was determined to shift into his Therian form to play in the giant box. Ethan had to admit he was tempted. There was enough room in there for at least two of them in their Therian forms. Maybe. Okay, maybe one of them. It was so big and cardboard-y. He did love a good box….

“Don’t even think about it,” Calvin murmured, bursting his bubble. “You wouldn’t fit in there.”

I don’t have to fit in there. The fun part is trying to fit.
Ethan huffed and folded his arms over his chest.
Party pooper.
Humans were walking contradictions. When they were little they loved boxes as much as Felid Therians. Then they grew up, and suddenly they were too mature to play in boxes, yet many of them spent their lives working inside cubes.

For every piece of clothing Ash attempted to keep on Cael, another piece came off. Until Cael’s attention was seized by a rustling sound. He gasped.

“Packing peanuts!”

Calvin took a sip of his cappuccino. “So that’s what happens when he has coffee. I always wondered.”

Dex went to the fridge and grabbed three bottles of water. “It hasn’t even fully kicked in yet. If we don’t move quickly, he’s going to shift, pounce all over the place, climb the freakin’ walls, and scratch the shit out of whatever he can get his little cheetah Therian claws on before he passes out from exhaustion.” Dex turned to Sloane with a somber expression. “Babe, your pouf is about to become a casualty of war.”

“Not my pouf!” Sloane darted off to save the round pouf that resembled the Death Star. Ethan had thought it was Dex’s. Apparently there was a lot they still didn’t know about their Team Leader.

Dex let out a dreamy sigh. “One day I’m gonna marry that man.” With a chuckle, he headed off in Ash and Cael’s direction. Cael was emptying all the packing peanuts into the giant box.
How come Cael gets to have all the fun?
Dex handed Ash a bottle of water.

Ash took it and tried to get it into Cael’s hand. “Sweetheart, you need to have some water. Lots of water.”

“But I’m not thirsty. What should we do with all the peanuts?” Cael continued to pour packing peanuts into the box while Letty and Rosa snickered in amusement at their partners from their perch on the love seat. They sipped their coffees and munched on their donuts.

“Let’s build a peanut pit! Like a ball pit but with packing peanuts!” Cael said excitedly. He was actually bouncing. Ethan gave him five minutes before he was stripping again.

Dex returned and leaned against the counter, shaking his head in amusement.

“So you’re going to leave Ash to it?” Calvin asked. “What about all the furniture you were worried about? Also, I’ve never seen Sloane move that fast. Has he always been a closet nerd, or was it all your doing?”

Ethan would have put his money on it being Dex’s influence. It would also explain the gallons of coffee Sloane now consumed on a daily basis or the occasional eighties song Ethan heard Sloane humming.

“Nope. He’s always been a closet nerd. Speaking of, he’s got a cardboard cutout of Han Solo in his bedroom closet. It’s on the left side to the back. I didn’t tell you. Pretend you stumbled across it. And yes, I’m going to let Ash take care of it. He has to learn how to handle these types of Cael-mergencies.”