Stevens-Journey [Brac Pack 20] (9 page)

“Is that what you think? You think I would lay a hand on you just because we’re having a disagreement?”
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Lynn Hagen

Steven looked as though he had lost some of his wind. His shoulders sagged as he shrugged. “Would you?” Roman clenched his jaw as he spun around on the porch. “If that’s what you think of me.” He stormed over to his truck, climbing in and slamming the door closed. The motor roared to life as Roman put it in gear and tore out of the drive. He wasn’t a monster and didn’t like Steven looking at him like one.

Roman realized that his anger was stemming from that fact. He never wanted his mate to look at him with fear, and Steven had.

So much for a nice drive in the country.

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69

Steven stood on the porch feeling seven kinds of stupid. He knew that what David had done to him wasn’t how most men acted. His father had been proof of that. Steven also realized that he was taking his past experience out on Roman. He became instantly defensive when Roman asked him about his tears. David had ridiculed him for being soft. It was a trigger he was going to have to work on.

“Just let him cool off,” Olsen said as he walked out onto the porch. “A man’s got his pride, ya know. And calling your mate an abuser tested his.”

“Do you guys
always
listen to other people’s conversations?” Steven snipped.

“It is my house, ya know. The last I checked, I was allowed to stand where I wanted to.”

“That doesn’t mean you have the right to eavesdrop!”

“I wouldn’t be eavesdropping if you weren’t acting like a complete idiot!”

“Fuck you.”

“Oh, that’s original.”

Steven dropped down on the swing, placing his head in his hands.

“I see what you are trying to do, but it isn’t helping. I’m not going to use you to vent my anger.”

“I had to try.” Olsen leaned against the porch railing.

Steven scrubbed his face before looking up at Olsen. “I think I need to stay in therapy. What David did affected me more than I thought.”

“I could kill him for you.”

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Steven’s mouth dropped. “You can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because you won’t be any better than him if you do,” Steven pointed out. “Besides, killing him isn’t going to solve my issues.”

“You’re afraid of being left behind. I could tell by your conversation. And to answer your question, no, I wasn’t trying to listen. I was coming to see if you wanted to go for a ride.”

“A ride?”

“Don’t change the subject.”

“I don’t have abandonment issues.”

“You could have fooled me.”

“I’m afraid of making him mad and my mate raising his fists in anger. Just because I’ve never lived on my own doesn’t mean I fear it.”

Olsen squatted down, staring Steven directly in the eye. “Let me clue you in on something. A shifter waits his whole life to find his mate. There isn’t anything on earth we wouldn’t do for our mates.

Roman would sooner strike you as he would cut off his left arm.”

“Really?”

“Believe me, you lucked out. At least you’re not mated to a fucking vampire.”

“Vampire?” Steven squeaked.

“Out of all that, you only caught the word vampire?”

“T–there are vampires?”

“All around us.”

The edges of Steven’s vision blurred as he slumped over on the swing. His last thoughts were that he needed to get a new perspective on life.

* * * *

Roman pulled over to the side of the road, turning his truck around. He couldn’t leave things the way they were with his mate.

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Steven feared being hit, and Roman should have been a little more understanding. He felt like a rat bastard.

They were going to enjoy their Sunday drive, if Steven would forgive him. Roman steered the truck onto the dirt road that led up the drive. As he pulled the truck to a stop, he saw all the boys standing out on the front porch. Roman got out of his truck, closing the door as he walked across the yard. What the heck was going on?

His brothers scrambled away from Roman as he climbed the steps and saw his mate passed out on the swing. “What the fuck happened!” Roman’s canines punched through his gums as he roared, dropping to his knees in front of the swing.

He checked Steven’s pulse, relieved that it was good and strong.

He studied his mate, watching as a stray breeze played with an overlong piece of hair on Steven’s face. Roman brushed it aside, feeling like the world’s biggest heel.

Had he done this to his mate? Had Steven passed out because Roman had become angry? Guilt swamped him as his tiger moaned.

Steven slowly opened his eyes, looking around at everyone staring at him. He groaned and covered his eyes with his arm. “Not again.” Roman’s canines receded as he tugged at Steven’s arm. “Look at me, tiger.”

“Hell no.”

Roman rocked back on his heels, laying his arms over his knees.

He looked at the floor of the porch, noticing the grey could use another paint job.

“Are they gone?” Steven whispered.

“Nope, we’re still here.” Chauncey chuckled. “I wanted to make sure you were okay before your mate has a damn heart attack.” Steven groaned and rolled over, giving his back to everyone.

Roman reached up and ran his hand over Steven’s back. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

He heard his brothers snicker. Roman looked over his shoulder as his eyes lowered to slits. “Don’t you boys have anything else to do?”
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Lynn Hagen

“You take the F out of fun,” Olsen grumbled as the six walked into the house.

“We’re alone now,” Roman said as he tugged at Steven’s belt loop, trying to get his mate to turn back over. Roman let out a light sigh when Steven wouldn’t budge.

He stood and grabbed Steven’s legs, lifting them and then taking a seat. He lowered his mate’s legs onto his as he leaned back and gazed at his self-conscious man. “We all have self-defense mechanisms that kick in when in a stressful situation. Your brain copes with things by shutting down.”

“So not helping here,” Steven mumbled as he shifted around until he was lying on his back and staring at Roman with those gorgeous green eyes.

“I didn’t mean to yell earlier, and I’m sorry you passed out from it.” Roman caught Steven’s hand in his and began to sooth his thumb over the smooth skin. He’d have to remember in the future to keep his tone even when he was angry with Steven. Hopefully over time his mate’s trigger to arguments would disappear.

“What?” Steven propped his upper body up by his elbow. “No, I didn’t pass out because of that.”

Roman’s thumb stopped midglide. If Steven didn’t have an adverse reaction to their argument, then what in the hell happened to him? “Then why did you faint?” If one of the brothers had done something to his mate, there was going to be a shitload of trouble in the Lakelands’ home.

“Olsen,” Steven groaned as he waved a hand at the door. “He told me there were vampires all around us.” Roman’s blood pressure shot through the roof. One of these days he was going to kick all of their asses. They had no right to scare his mate.

“I’m gathering from these revelations that there are all sorts of were-creatures in the world.”

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Roman kicked his foot out, and the swing began a back-and-forth motion as he looked over the lawn. “There are.”

“At least now I’m prepared for it.” Steven lowered his body back down to rest on the swing. “Is there anything else I should know?”

“Use your imagination.”

Steven stared at him for a moment and then shook his head. “I don’t even want to know.” He laid his arm back over his eyes.

Roman reached over and tugged on Steven’s shirt. “At least now you’re prepared for it. Isn’t that what you just said?”

“You can’t toss my words back at me at a time like this. That’s not fair.”

Roman smiled as Steven pouted. His mate looked vexed as he lay there. “Why don’t you come sit on my lap, tiger?” Roman patted his thighs. Last night seemed so long ago. He wanted to connect with his mate, even if it was just sitting on the porch.

“You just want to fool around.”

“What’s wrong with that?” He could feel the mating heat creep up his loins. Roman needed release but had to keep in mind that his mate was human.

Steven blushed as he pushed himself up and then crawled over to Roman. His mate looked hot as hell on his hands and knees. Roman wanted to stop him in his tracks and slide behind him. Too bad they were on the porch.

Roman curled his hands in Steven’s shirt as his mate situated his legs around Roman’s thighs. “That’s more like it.” Roman circled his arms around Steven, holding him as his mate laid his head on Roman’s chest. He noticed dark clouds moving in and cursed. There went their Sunday drive.

Roman’s hand wandered up and down Steven’s back as he watched the breeze pick up, becoming stronger as the leaves in the trees rustled around more fiercely. It felt good on his skin. The approaching storm was cooling everything off. Roman tilted his head back, enjoying the breeze.

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“I think it’s about to storm,” Steven said as he lifted his head up, looking around.

“Then we can take this inside.” Roman watched as lightning streaked across the sky, thunderous booms following. “Come on, tiger.” Roman helped his mate unravel his legs as Roman stood.

“Let’s get inside.”

Steven followed close behind as Roman led him through the screen door. His brothers were lounging in the living room, watching some sports channel.

“Go get those horses into the barn before the storm hits,” Pa bellowed as he walked into the living room. “And check on Bella.

She’s soft in the croup so she’s close to giving birth.” Roman watched as his brothers shot out of the house. Pa shook his head. “I try to go easy on them on Sundays, but with the storm coming and my baby Bella close…” Pa shook his head again and tossed his Stetson on his head before heading out the front door. “You stay here with Steven,” he said to Roman before heading out.

“I didn’t understand a word he just said,” Steven said as he stared at the front door.

“One of the horses is close to giving birth. It’s the foaling he explained to you.”

Steven cocked his head and stared up at Roman. “Then why didn’t he just say that?”

Roman ran his hand over Steven’s hair as he chuckled. “He did.” Steven’s eyes closed as he leaned into Roman’s touch. Roman watched in awe. He’d never had anyone react to his touch like that.

He was falling hard for Steven. Just because a shifter found his mate, it wasn’t instant love. But Roman felt his chest tightening at the look on his green-eyed beauty’s face.

“Let’s go upstairs.” Roman walked toward the steps, feeling his heart beat out of control as Steven followed him. He didn’t think he would ever get enough of Steven’s luscious body. It was pale and smooth, almost hairless. Steven was a treat to look at and a
Steven’s Journey

75

masterpiece to undress. Roman’s anticipation of having his mate once again was making him practically run up the stairs.

Roman threw his bedroom door open and pulled Steven inside.

His cock was so hard it was painful. He pulled Steven over to the chair situated in over in the corner and took a seat. “Strip for me, tiger.”

He didn’t think his shy mate would, although he was hopeful.

Steven didn’t seem too knowledgeable with sex, which was puzzling to Roman. His mate had just gotten out of a relationship. Shouldn’t he have more experience?

Roman growled low as Steven kicked his shoes off and then stripped his socks off. He was slightly disappointed when Steven began to take his shirt off.
So much for a strip show.

His mouth hit his chest when Steven wiggled his ass as he shimmied his shirt off. He tossed it at Roman as he sashayed around the room, grabbing the pole on the four-poster bed. Holy fuck, he was doing it. Roman quickly pulled his boots off, unbuckled his belt, and then unsnapped his jeans. He slid them off as he watched Steven grab the pole and rock his hips back and forth.

His cock smacked his stomach as he tossed his jeans aside and pulled his T-shirt off. Roman palmed his cock as he watched Steven seductively lower his pants. His mouth watered when Steven bent over to take his jeans off and his little pink prize winked at him. He was two seconds away from jumping out of the chair. It took everything in him to stay seated. Roman didn’t care how clumsy Steven’s moves were, this was absolutely priceless.

Steven threw one leg up onto the bed and began to hump the bedpost. He slid up and down as his head fell back, his lips parting as if he were lost in the erotic dance. Pre-cum slid down the side of his cock as Roman watched Steven, feeling as though he were in a trance.

Steven bent over and placed his palms on the floor, doing a full split and then rolled over to present his ass to Roman. “Shit, tiger. Get
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your ass over here.” Roman grabbed the base of his cock just as the sound of thunder boomed outside.

Steven slowly sashayed back over to him, climbing onto Roman’s lap with one wicked ass smile on his face. “How’d I do?” He loved the fire in Steven’s eyes. It told Roman that his mate was just as turned on as he was. “Perfect, baby.” Steven blushed as he leaned forward and took Roman’s lips in a kiss that made him moan and grab his mate around his waist. He loved when Steven was assertive. Steven jumped from his lap, walked with a twist to his hips as he grabbed the lube from the drawer and then climbed back onto Roman’s lap.

Roman watched in utter astonishment as Steven lubed his fingers and then leaned forward, stretching his own hole. He tightened his grip on his cock before he lost his load. Never in his life had anyone held his attention, his complete fascination as Steven did.

Roman sat back, letting Steven have his way as his eyes followed every move his mate made. He licked his lips as his breath became ragged. What would Steven do next? He couldn’t wait to find out.