![Stevens-Journey [Brac Pack 20]](https://fs.ageofbook.com/438561/thumbs/152x264/stevens-journey-brac-pack-20.jpg)
eyes. “I will.
He wasn’t very nice when he hung around David. He always acted like David was his boyfriend instead.” Roman hesitated, wondering if he should ask. “Did David ever share you? Pass you around?”
Steven’s Journey
85
Steven’s head hung as he worried his hands in his lap. Roman’s heart stopped beating, waiting for his mate to answer him.
“He tried to.” Steven spoke softly. “We argued about it. He said if I loved him I would participate. I refused. That’s not something I want to try.” Steven looked up at Roman, pleading with his eyes for Roman to understand. He got the message.
“Just so you know, tiger. I don’t share. Never have, and never will.” He chucked a knuckle under Steven’s chin before squeezing his hand. “Let’s get inside.”
Roman exited the truck, Chauncey riding up next to them on one of the ranch horses. “I hear I may get to kick some ass,” he grunted, making the horse back up a little.
“You heard correctly,” Roman said as Steven joined him at his side. Roman snaked his arm around his mate’s waist, pulling him close.
“I saddled a horse if you want to take your mate for a ride.” Chauncey winked as he turned the horse to walk back toward the corral.
“Would you like that?” Roman looked down at Steven.
“I’ve never been on one.”
“Then we’re about to change that.” Roman led Steven toward the corral. A beautiful quarter horse was saddled and waiting. Roman grabbed the headstall, giving the horse a rub before grabbing the horn and swinging his leg over. He held his hand out for Steven, his mate looking at him warily before placing his hand into Roman’s and allowing himself to be swung up into the saddle to sit in front of Roman.
He grabbed the reins, guiding the horse behind Chauncey. It had been awhile since he had ridden, but it still felt the same, like freedom. The only thing that topped this was when he was in his bear form, running through the forest.
“Are you sure this is safe?” Steven asked as he sat stiffly in Roman’s arms.
86
Lynn Hagen
Roman chuckled, kissing Steven’s temple. “It is.” They road for about an hour before returning the horse to the barn.
Roman thanked Chauncey and then took his mate inside.
Steven ran upstairs to take a shower as Roman walked into the kitchen. Pa was in there sitting at the table, reading a book as he sipped on a cup of coffee.
“I hear we have problems,” Pa said as he sat his book aside.
“Nothing I can’t handle.” Roman grabbed a mug and poured a cup of the brew. He sat at the table, staring into the black liquid.
“You mean nothing we can’t handle,” Pa corrected him. “Since when is Dommy just your problem, cub?”
“I’m not trying to get the family invol—” Roman stopped midsentence when Steven shouted from upstairs. He took off, Pa following close behind. He met two of his brothers on the steps as he raced upstairs.
Steven was standing in the middle of the room partially naked, having only his jeans on and pointing toward the bathroom with a shaky finger and wide eyes. Roman carefully approached the bathroom, taking measured steps as he peeked past the door.
When he didn’t see anything, he looked back over his shoulder at Steven.
“S–spider.” Steven soured his face as his whole body spasmed. “I hate those things.”
Olson and Bryce snickered as Pa chuckled. Roman crossed the room and smacked Steven on his bottom. “You scared the hell out of me.”
“You? Think of how I felt when that thing tried to attack me.” Steven shuddered again. “Did you kill it?” Roman rolled his eyes and walked back into the bathroom, spotting a teeny-tiny spider sitting in the tub. He scooped it up on is hand and took it into the bedroom, opening a window before tossing it out. “All gone.”
Steven’s Journey
87
“My hero.” Steven batted his eyelashes before disappearing into the bathroom. Roman stood by the window, staring at the
He wasn’t very nice when he hung around David. He always acted like David was his boyfriend instead.” Roman hesitated, wondering if he should ask. “Did David ever share you? Pass you around?”
Steven’s Journey
85
Steven’s head hung as he worried his hands in his lap. Roman’s heart stopped beating, waiting for his mate to answer him.
“He tried to.” Steven spoke softly. “We argued about it. He said if I loved him I would participate. I refused. That’s not something I want to try.” Steven looked up at Roman, pleading with his eyes for Roman to understand. He got the message.
“Just so you know, tiger. I don’t share. Never have, and never will.” He chucked a knuckle under Steven’s chin before squeezing his hand. “Let’s get inside.”
Roman exited the truck, Chauncey riding up next to them on one of the ranch horses. “I hear I may get to kick some ass,” he grunted, making the horse back up a little.
“You heard correctly,” Roman said as Steven joined him at his side. Roman snaked his arm around his mate’s waist, pulling him close.
“I saddled a horse if you want to take your mate for a ride.” Chauncey winked as he turned the horse to walk back toward the corral.
“Would you like that?” Roman looked down at Steven.
“I’ve never been on one.”
“Then we’re about to change that.” Roman led Steven toward the corral. A beautiful quarter horse was saddled and waiting. Roman grabbed the headstall, giving the horse a rub before grabbing the horn and swinging his leg over. He held his hand out for Steven, his mate looking at him warily before placing his hand into Roman’s and allowing himself to be swung up into the saddle to sit in front of Roman.
He grabbed the reins, guiding the horse behind Chauncey. It had been awhile since he had ridden, but it still felt the same, like freedom. The only thing that topped this was when he was in his bear form, running through the forest.
“Are you sure this is safe?” Steven asked as he sat stiffly in Roman’s arms.
86
Lynn Hagen
Roman chuckled, kissing Steven’s temple. “It is.” They road for about an hour before returning the horse to the barn.
Roman thanked Chauncey and then took his mate inside.
Steven ran upstairs to take a shower as Roman walked into the kitchen. Pa was in there sitting at the table, reading a book as he sipped on a cup of coffee.
“I hear we have problems,” Pa said as he sat his book aside.
“Nothing I can’t handle.” Roman grabbed a mug and poured a cup of the brew. He sat at the table, staring into the black liquid.
“You mean nothing we can’t handle,” Pa corrected him. “Since when is Dommy just your problem, cub?”
“I’m not trying to get the family invol—” Roman stopped midsentence when Steven shouted from upstairs. He took off, Pa following close behind. He met two of his brothers on the steps as he raced upstairs.
Steven was standing in the middle of the room partially naked, having only his jeans on and pointing toward the bathroom with a shaky finger and wide eyes. Roman carefully approached the bathroom, taking measured steps as he peeked past the door.
When he didn’t see anything, he looked back over his shoulder at Steven.
“S–spider.” Steven soured his face as his whole body spasmed. “I hate those things.”
Olson and Bryce snickered as Pa chuckled. Roman crossed the room and smacked Steven on his bottom. “You scared the hell out of me.”
“You? Think of how I felt when that thing tried to attack me.” Steven shuddered again. “Did you kill it?” Roman rolled his eyes and walked back into the bathroom, spotting a teeny-tiny spider sitting in the tub. He scooped it up on is hand and took it into the bedroom, opening a window before tossing it out. “All gone.”
Steven’s Journey
87
“My hero.” Steven batted his eyelashes before disappearing into the bathroom. Roman stood by the window, staring at the
Similar Books
