the ranch was always what he thought of when he needed to feel safe and protected. The ranch represented home.
But Sam was starting to wonder if it was the ranch itself, or the man that lived there. He didn’t want to test that theory, but needing Jesse made more sense than needing a pile of wood and stone.
“I’m scared, Jesse.”
“I know.” And Jesse didn’t look happy about it.
“But I’m glad I’m with you.”
“While I don’t like the idea of someone shooting at us, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” Jesse pushed a lock of hair back from Sam’s face and tucked it behind his ear. “I’ve waited a long time to have you by my side, Sam. I’m not going to let anyone take you away from me again.”
“Oh, Jesse, I—”
“Sshhh.” Jesse pressed his finger over Sam’s lips. “I know you still need time, and I am more than willing to give you all of the time you need. I just need you to do it where I can protect you.”
Sam had the sudden urge to roll his eyes. He barely kept it restrained. Instead, he pulled Jesse’s finger away from his mouth. “I was going to say that I am sorry you had to wait so long for me. I still don’t know where any of this is headed, but I am not going anywhere.”
Jesse grinned. It was a sweet grin, one filled with hope and happiness. Sam wanted to keep that look on Jesse’s face, but he knew he couldn’t, not while they were still in danger. “Hold that thought until we reach the bunkhouse.”
“Unfortunately, sunshine, that thought just might have to wait a little longer than that.” Sam shivered when Jesse’s eyes hungrily roamed up and down his body. “As much as I would like to fuck you into the first flat surface we come to, finding out who is gunning for us has to take priority.”
Wow, bubble buster.
“How much farther?”
“Not too much farther, sunshine.”
This time, Sam couldn’t prevent his heavy eye roll. “You have got to stop calling me that.”
“Sooo not going to happen, sunshine.” Jesse chuckled and turned to start walking again.
“What are all of the other little wolves going to think?” Sam mumbled as he followed after Jesse.
“Not to worry, Sam,” Jesse said, winking at Sam over his shoulder. “One sniff of you and they will know exactly why I call you sunshine.”
Sam frowned in confusion then slowly raised his arms and sniffed. He didn’t smell bad, a little sweaty, but not bad. He knew Lycan were supposed to have better smelling than humans but he didn’t think he was giving off any scent that would be offensive.
At least he hoped not.
Sam was still trying to figure out if he smelled bad when he ran right into Jesse’s back. He stumbled for a moment until Jesse’s hand wrapped around his arm and steadied him. Sam glanced up only to find that they had reached the trees right behind the bunkhouse.
A one-story wooden building sat several yards away, just waiting for them. Sam could feel the tenseness in Jesse’s body even though they were only touching through Jesse’s hand on his arm. There was just an air about Jesse that said he was on guard.
“Is it safe?” Sam whispered as low as he could.
“It would seem so,” Jesse replied without taking his eyes off the quiet scene in front of them, “but I can’t be sure.”
“Well, we can’t just stand here with our thumbs up our asses.”
“Samuel!”
“Oh please, you grew up on a ranch with four brothers. You cannot tell me you’ve never heard anyone swear before.”
“I haven’t heard it from you. What would your mother think?”
“That I needed to get my ass inside where it can’t be shot off.”
Jesse growled.
Sam blinked up at Jesse then reached up and pushed his lip up. “Do those things always drop down when you growl?”
“Samuel!”
“Oh, you have got to stop doing that.”
“Samuel!”
“What?”
Jesse’s deep sigh almost made Sam laugh. The man was just too easy to drive crazy. Sam might not know exactly how to
But Sam was starting to wonder if it was the ranch itself, or the man that lived there. He didn’t want to test that theory, but needing Jesse made more sense than needing a pile of wood and stone.
“I’m scared, Jesse.”
“I know.” And Jesse didn’t look happy about it.
“But I’m glad I’m with you.”
“While I don’t like the idea of someone shooting at us, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” Jesse pushed a lock of hair back from Sam’s face and tucked it behind his ear. “I’ve waited a long time to have you by my side, Sam. I’m not going to let anyone take you away from me again.”
“Oh, Jesse, I—”
“Sshhh.” Jesse pressed his finger over Sam’s lips. “I know you still need time, and I am more than willing to give you all of the time you need. I just need you to do it where I can protect you.”
Sam had the sudden urge to roll his eyes. He barely kept it restrained. Instead, he pulled Jesse’s finger away from his mouth. “I was going to say that I am sorry you had to wait so long for me. I still don’t know where any of this is headed, but I am not going anywhere.”
Jesse grinned. It was a sweet grin, one filled with hope and happiness. Sam wanted to keep that look on Jesse’s face, but he knew he couldn’t, not while they were still in danger. “Hold that thought until we reach the bunkhouse.”
“Unfortunately, sunshine, that thought just might have to wait a little longer than that.” Sam shivered when Jesse’s eyes hungrily roamed up and down his body. “As much as I would like to fuck you into the first flat surface we come to, finding out who is gunning for us has to take priority.”
Wow, bubble buster.
“How much farther?”
“Not too much farther, sunshine.”
This time, Sam couldn’t prevent his heavy eye roll. “You have got to stop calling me that.”
“Sooo not going to happen, sunshine.” Jesse chuckled and turned to start walking again.
“What are all of the other little wolves going to think?” Sam mumbled as he followed after Jesse.
“Not to worry, Sam,” Jesse said, winking at Sam over his shoulder. “One sniff of you and they will know exactly why I call you sunshine.”
Sam frowned in confusion then slowly raised his arms and sniffed. He didn’t smell bad, a little sweaty, but not bad. He knew Lycan were supposed to have better smelling than humans but he didn’t think he was giving off any scent that would be offensive.
At least he hoped not.
Sam was still trying to figure out if he smelled bad when he ran right into Jesse’s back. He stumbled for a moment until Jesse’s hand wrapped around his arm and steadied him. Sam glanced up only to find that they had reached the trees right behind the bunkhouse.
A one-story wooden building sat several yards away, just waiting for them. Sam could feel the tenseness in Jesse’s body even though they were only touching through Jesse’s hand on his arm. There was just an air about Jesse that said he was on guard.
“Is it safe?” Sam whispered as low as he could.
“It would seem so,” Jesse replied without taking his eyes off the quiet scene in front of them, “but I can’t be sure.”
“Well, we can’t just stand here with our thumbs up our asses.”
“Samuel!”
“Oh please, you grew up on a ranch with four brothers. You cannot tell me you’ve never heard anyone swear before.”
“I haven’t heard it from you. What would your mother think?”
“That I needed to get my ass inside where it can’t be shot off.”
Jesse growled.
Sam blinked up at Jesse then reached up and pushed his lip up. “Do those things always drop down when you growl?”
“Samuel!”
“Oh, you have got to stop doing that.”
“Samuel!”
“What?”
Jesse’s deep sigh almost made Sam laugh. The man was just too easy to drive crazy. Sam might not know exactly how to