Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 103637 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103637 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Arden wouldn’t wait for the sake of looking demure and sexy. Mike had already seen him vomiting and naked under a hose today, so all was out in the open. He rushed off the bed with a smile.
“Everything okay with Kane? With you?”
Mike stalled, as if he’d been expecting to find Arden asleep and locked the door behind him in silence. Arden couldn’t see any obvious injuries, but his man was unusually somber.
“Kane’s leg is fucked up, but it’ll heal eventually. No one else was injured.”
“Are you just playing it down?” Arden walked up to Mike and put his hands on his man’s waist.
Mike was so muscular, so strong, yet still human. He could have been hurt and now trying to hide it for Arden’s sake. He was considerate that way, always thinking of Arden’s needs first. Like he had earlier, in the minutes following the vicious tear gas attack.
Mike licked his lips, weirdly pale. “No… I really… I’m fine.”
Something was wrong. Arden pulled on Mike’s T-shirt. “Show me. Did you get into a fight with the Jarens? Are you hurt? I’ll believe you’re fine when I see it.”
Mike took Arden's hand to prevent him from lifting the garment. “You don’t need to worry. Haven’t landed a single punch today.”
Arden glanced at Mike’s fingers, and saw that the knuckles weren’t bruised. “I was worried that you might have gotten carried away because of me.”
Mike swallowed, his gaze holding Arden’s for a second as he opened his mouth. “I might have put explosives in a manure pit. Their home will smell of shit for weeks.”
Arden laughed out loud and only stopped when the soreness in his throat made him cough. “Oh… my god! Serves them fucking right. I scrubbed myself raw several times just in case. Smell my hair.” He leaned in to give Mike a sniff of the cherry shampoo.
For a moment, Mike stood against the wall as if he wanted to become a part of it, but then Arden heard him take a whiff, and his big fingertips rested on Arden’s hip.
“You smell nice.”
Arden pushed his face against Mike’s shoulder with a smile. “You must have taken a shower too. Why didn’t you come back here to do it? I would have scrubbed your back.” He slid his fingers under Mike’s T-shirt and up the firm stomach he loved so much.
Mike exhaled. “Mom told me you were okay, so I stayed in the hospital with the others. Needed some time to think,” he said, once again meeting Arden’s gaze head-on.
“And now you need to rest.” Arden got to his toes to kiss Mike. He smelled different after showering in some strange place. A mix of mint and… raspberry? Not Mike’s typical choice. “You smell so good I wanna eat you up.”
He didn’t get to press their lips together, because Mike pulled him in and placed his chin on top of Arden’s head. His embrace was warm, as if there was a fire pit inside him that would constantly protect Arden from the cold and any wild beasts that might wish him harm.
“Yeah? I might use feminine scents more often then.”
“Soon enough you’ll be borrowing my panties.” Arden giggled and kissed Mike’s shoulder. Having him close was such a relief, but Arden needed to learn to live with worry if he wanted an outlaw biker for a partner.
Mike snorted. “You wish. But I didn’t want to smell like a pig once I came back, and the nurse who lent me her soap only had this and cinnamon vanilla, so… yeah. I can get you the same one if you like it so much.” He spread his arms and shrugged.
“Or… you could just rub it all over me.” Arden pulled on Mike’s hand, tugging him to the bed.
Mike took a shivery breath, his palm getting sweaty in Arden’s, but he let himself be pulled. “Didn’t think you’d be up for it after today. That stuff could have killed you if I wasn’t there to help,” he said in a low voice that sounded the tiniest bit choked.
“My throat’s a bit raspy, but my hero carried me out very fast. The doctor was impressed that I recovered so quickly. Thanks to you and your mom. Though I’ll probably never forget that our neighbors saw me naked.” Arden looked up at Mike in the dim light of the bedside lamp. Everyone strived for happiness, but Arden secretly thought he’d always have to get by on scraps of people’s affection. What Mike had given him… that complete acceptance of who Arden was? So much more Arden had ever hoped for. His life now had two very distinct phases. Before Mike, and after. A clean cut starting his new life.
“If anything, I want you more.”
Mike’s chest expanded, and he cradled Arden’s hand against it, gently squeezing while ghosts of emotion passed through his unusually rigid features. “You’re not afraid?”