Page 46 of Tempest
When he finally pulled into the driveway, he got a gut punch of desire at the sight of Ore sitting on the front porch steps, leaning back on his hands, completely naked.
That was a welcome home he could get used to.
He stalked toward his mate, only one thing on his mind, but as he reached the bottom of the steps, he remembered his surprise, coming to a jerking halt before he could maul his little bird. Ore looked at him with glowing eyes, his eagle just beneath the surface.
He’d never looked as predatory as he did in that moment, and Cash fucking loved it.
“Hold that thought, little bit,” he said, rushing up the stairs. “Don’t move.”
Right before they’d left for the run, he’d let Ore go outside before pretending he’d forgotten something and gone back in. He found the stone that Ore had picked for him the day at the beach tucked under his pillow up in the loft. He’d had a feeling he was keeping it close by as he worked up the courage to use it.
Cash had hidden behind the bowl that sat in the entryway for keys and other pocket junk.
Snagging it, he returned outside and flopped down next to Ore.
“I want you to do something for me,” he said as he held out his closed fist, the rock’s smooth edges pressing into his palm.
Ore looked at him with wide, hungry eyes. “Anything.”
He smiled and unfurled his fingers, revealing the dark gray stone with blue flecks.
Sucking in a breath, Ore glanced back and forth between Cash and the stone. “How did you…”
“I overheard you at the lake the other day.”
Ore groaned and covered his face, the scent of his embarrassment burning the back of Cash’s throat. “I didn’t think you were paying attention.”
He used his free hand to grip Ore’s chin, tugging him free of his hands, and then turned him so he was facing Cash once more. His cheeks were flushed, but he held Cash’s gaze as he said clearly, “I’m always paying attention to you. It’s hard to ignore your heart when it lives outside your body.”
Tears welled in Ore’s eyes. “What do you want me to do?”
He held up the rock higher. “Drop this for me.”
Breath shaky, Ore gave a wobbly nod and climbed to his feet.
Once he was in the grass, he turned and looked at Cash for a long moment. He didn’t say anything as the air became charged around them, full of unspoken promises and possibilities. When he dropped the stone into the grass, Cash sat up straighter, watching avidly as he shrank back down into his eagle, stretching out his wings as he leaned down to pick up the rock with his beak.
Goddess, he was beautiful.
No matter which form he was in, Cash could barely drag his eyes away from him.
Ore jumped into the air, wings flapping, as he climbed higher and higher. He kept going until he was barely a speck in the sky. Everything froze for a moment, and then Cash’s breath caught in his throat as he saw him start to dive.
The stone was too small for him to make out in the dark, but he could see Ore.
His wings were tucked in close as he shot down at an amazing speed. Cash was on his feet without realizing it. He wasn’t afraidfor Ore. He knew his bird’s eyes were much better than his own, and he could see where the ground and stone were.
His heart still lurched behind his ribs when the tips of Ore’s wings skimmed the ground as he caught it at the last second, screeching triumphantly. He was still trying to calm his pulse and his ragged breaths when Ore landed on the ground and started to shift back.
As soon as he had fingers again, he picked up the rock, walked determinedly over to Cash, and held it out on the flat of his palm. “Cash Lawson, will you accept this stone from me?”
Emotions bubbled up inside him. He’d known the moment would be special, but he’d had no idea it would hit him like this. He knew it was because they were taking their first steps toward their future as mates.
Cupping his hands around Ore’s, he slowly slid the stone out over his fingers. He gave it a firm squeeze, then pressed it into his chest right over his heart. “I’d love nothing more.”
The somber expression on Ore’s face broke, a wide grin spreading across his tempting mouth as he threw himself into Cash’s arms. He caught him without dropping his prize, gripping him on his ass to hold him up. Ore wrapped his arms and legs around him with a surprisingly tight hold and then pressed a flurry of kisses to his cheeks, nose, and mouth, covering Cash with his uncontainable happiness.
“You let it get pretty close to the ground before you caught it,” Cash muttered around another kiss.