Page 29 of Sticky for You

Burke turned to Ricky. “It’s gonna get loud in about two minutes. Want to watch me grovel to my friend?”

Ricky gave him a surprisingly sweet smile and held out his hand. “Lead on.”

Burke took it and they left the kitchen.

Maximus pressed up against me. “You don’t spoil the surprise for them. They have to work it out for themselves.”

“Spoilsport,” I grumbled, but I reached up for a kiss. I was done teasing the others. This stalk needed his lion time.

We kissed for a long time. Maximus pressed me against a cabinet to a background of By Your Side playing in my head.

“Take me to bed,” I whispered.

“Who the hell stuck dirt in my new jacket?” Burke roared from somewhere in the house. “It’s ruined. Look at it.”

Maximus winced. “We might have to take a raincheck on going to bed. I’m in trouble.”

I leaned up and kissed his cheek. “We’re in trouble. You and me. Together.”

Chapter Fifteen

Maximus

Eventually, I talked Burke off the edge of the anger cliff he wanted to jump off once more when everyone had gone to their own corner to hide. Ricky, who seemed as oblivious as Burke to what was happening between them, had left an hour ago, leaving our little bull stomping around the house.

After a shower to get clean/dirty again, my balls were empty, and I was sitting on the edge of the bed watching a naked Tim twirl his way about my bedroom, touching things and exploring. I didn’t have much. We’d left the pride in a hurry to escape retribution for what I’d done to protect Randy.

Tim glanced at me and smiled tentatively. “Why did you move here?”

The sudden question brought me from my musings, and I considered I’d maybe projected my thoughts at him. “We had an issue with our last pride.”

Tim’s brows rose. “An issue?”

The question came with a dose of worry, so I patted my knee, prepared to share the whole sordid story. Now we were mated, it was time he knew more than how good I could stalk my rhubarb.

“It’s a very good stalking,” he supplied, sitting on my lap, his arms looping around my neck as he smiled brightly.

“Thank you.” I kissed the tip of his nose, matching my smile to his before it dimmed, recalling the shit show, and I figured where to start. “See the scar on my neck?”

“Yep.” He traced a finger over the jagged skin, his eyes getting bright, but he said nothing.

“In my last pride, they didn’t take too kindly to having different animals join them. They were going to attack Randy, and I stepped in and got this.” It had been one of the worst days of my life as I wasn’t a fighter, but my protective instincts made sure no one got treated badly and if that meant fighting, then fighting it was.

“Asshats!” Tim exclaimed, his hand got replaced by his lips and my dick took instant notice. “What happened next?” he murmured against the scar—kissing it better.

You’re a sweetie.

I know, but stop avoiding the question.

“We got chased out of our home, out of town, and have been looking for a place to call ours ever since.” That was the short version, the long one came with finding ourselves shunned in some towns for being different.

His head sprung up, and he grinned. “You found it!” He lifted his arms out, shimmying his shoulders and wiggling on my lap. “See, if they hadn’t been mean ole shits, and you hadn’t left, I’d be a lonely ole rhubarb, left in the soil forever!”

His dramatic tone had the desired effect, and I roared with laughter as he laid the back of his hand to his forehead and leaned back like he was a damsel in distress in an old black and white movie.

“Why you laughin’ at me?” he said indignantly. Unfortunately for him, the facade slipped when his lips twitched and I got a dose of his amusement.

“Laughing with you, my little rhubarb stalk,” I spluttered through my laughter. “Always laughing with you.”