was dizzy from it. He clutched at Steve’s shoulder and passed along Otto’s message. Steve grinned even as he patted Tim’s hand. “That’s a nifty mate ability, isn’t it? Lona and I can do it sometimes, but it’s sketchy. As for the camera, could be a month has gone by. Every time I tried to get up here with the last two doctors who were in the programme, something went wrong, it seemed.”
Steve gestured towards a particularly rough looking area several yards away. “There’s a trail up there and it leads to several small cavernous openings. Let’s check it out, then if we still haven’t found the kid, we’re calling it a night here.”
Chapter Nine
“We can keep looking,” Tim offered.
Naran shook her head and Otto turned and headed towards his truck. Dane and Steve had already left, Dane having given up on grilling Tim tonight after all. Otto was frustrated and worried, and he knew Tim was tired and sore. He felt guilty for being relieved that Naran didn’t want to continue, but she was right. They weren’t going to do anyone any good at all if they were too exhausted to function.
“Come on, let’s go home.”
Tim hesitated for a second then beamed at him. He obviously liked the idea of Otto’s place being home. Otto worried though he tried to keep it hidden from Tim. He knew Tim was close to his family, and Otto was likewise close to his. How were they going to make this mating work?
“We’ll figure it out,” Tim murmured beside him, and Otto knew his attempted subterfuge was a bust. “Six months there, six months here, or a few months at a time. It won’t necessarily be easy, but it’ll be worth it, won’t it?”
“Of course,” Otto answered without having to think about it. “You are worth it.” He knew it was only a matter of time before he was soul-deep in love with his mate. “And you’re right. I’ve taken several trips to the US since I moved back here.”
Tim got in and after checking on Naran, who seemed to be pointedly ignoring them—perhaps to give them the illusion of privacy—he turned back to Otto. “I’ve noticed you only have a faint accent, and your English is excellent, but I guess that’s no surprise with your dad and all.”
Otto started the truck and let his mind wander back to his youth. “Yes, my parents insisted we speak Khalkha, Turkic, Russian and English fluently. I also know bits of other languages.”
“I do well to remember proper English,” Tim scoffed.
Otto got the truck in gear then reached for and caught Tim’s hand. “You’re very hard on yourself, Tim. Did someone bully you, or tell you you weren’t an amazing man?” He wanted Tim to be as confident in himself as Otto was.
Tim squeezed his hand then interlocked their fingers. “No one but myself, I guess. I mean, you have to understand, I come from an incredible family, and everyone but me and my cousin Oscar are the hulking, handsome brunettes with gorgeous green-ish coloured eyes. Seriously, even most of my female cousins are stronger than I am.”
“There’s nothing wrong with your build at all,” Otto said, confused as to why Tim would think so. “You have long, lean muscles, more graceful than the bulk people like me carry. It doesn’t mean you are any weaker. Indeed, your strength is subtle yet enduring, whereas the more muscular types can tire easily. It’s muscle, but it’s still additional weight piled onto our bodies.”
Otto brought their joined hands up to stroke Tim’s cheek. “As for the rest, I love your golden blond hair and smoky blue eyes. They are an intriguing mix of blue and grey, and I want to study them, watch the way the grey starburst widens and flares when passion takes you over. How can green-ish eyes compare to that? And why would you want to look like everyone else? Wouldn’t you rather be unique?”
Instead of answering, Tim brushed kisses over Otto’s knuckles. Otto hoped what he said would sink in, but
Steve gestured towards a particularly rough looking area several yards away. “There’s a trail up there and it leads to several small cavernous openings. Let’s check it out, then if we still haven’t found the kid, we’re calling it a night here.”
Chapter Nine
“We can keep looking,” Tim offered.
Naran shook her head and Otto turned and headed towards his truck. Dane and Steve had already left, Dane having given up on grilling Tim tonight after all. Otto was frustrated and worried, and he knew Tim was tired and sore. He felt guilty for being relieved that Naran didn’t want to continue, but she was right. They weren’t going to do anyone any good at all if they were too exhausted to function.
“Come on, let’s go home.”
Tim hesitated for a second then beamed at him. He obviously liked the idea of Otto’s place being home. Otto worried though he tried to keep it hidden from Tim. He knew Tim was close to his family, and Otto was likewise close to his. How were they going to make this mating work?
“We’ll figure it out,” Tim murmured beside him, and Otto knew his attempted subterfuge was a bust. “Six months there, six months here, or a few months at a time. It won’t necessarily be easy, but it’ll be worth it, won’t it?”
“Of course,” Otto answered without having to think about it. “You are worth it.” He knew it was only a matter of time before he was soul-deep in love with his mate. “And you’re right. I’ve taken several trips to the US since I moved back here.”
Tim got in and after checking on Naran, who seemed to be pointedly ignoring them—perhaps to give them the illusion of privacy—he turned back to Otto. “I’ve noticed you only have a faint accent, and your English is excellent, but I guess that’s no surprise with your dad and all.”
Otto started the truck and let his mind wander back to his youth. “Yes, my parents insisted we speak Khalkha, Turkic, Russian and English fluently. I also know bits of other languages.”
“I do well to remember proper English,” Tim scoffed.
Otto got the truck in gear then reached for and caught Tim’s hand. “You’re very hard on yourself, Tim. Did someone bully you, or tell you you weren’t an amazing man?” He wanted Tim to be as confident in himself as Otto was.
Tim squeezed his hand then interlocked their fingers. “No one but myself, I guess. I mean, you have to understand, I come from an incredible family, and everyone but me and my cousin Oscar are the hulking, handsome brunettes with gorgeous green-ish coloured eyes. Seriously, even most of my female cousins are stronger than I am.”
“There’s nothing wrong with your build at all,” Otto said, confused as to why Tim would think so. “You have long, lean muscles, more graceful than the bulk people like me carry. It doesn’t mean you are any weaker. Indeed, your strength is subtle yet enduring, whereas the more muscular types can tire easily. It’s muscle, but it’s still additional weight piled onto our bodies.”
Otto brought their joined hands up to stroke Tim’s cheek. “As for the rest, I love your golden blond hair and smoky blue eyes. They are an intriguing mix of blue and grey, and I want to study them, watch the way the grey starburst widens and flares when passion takes you over. How can green-ish eyes compare to that? And why would you want to look like everyone else? Wouldn’t you rather be unique?”
Instead of answering, Tim brushed kisses over Otto’s knuckles. Otto hoped what he said would sink in, but
Similar Books
