Part 11 (2/2)

Garret slashed at Holden's shoulder his own fangs grabbing onto muscle and bone. With a groan, he released Holden only to find his mouth taken in a kiss so filled with pa.s.sion his knees grew weak. The blood on their fangs mingled in their mouths as their tongues twisted together. With a flash of bright white light, they each released their dragonfire.

Intense heat enveloped them, sending a cloud of smoke into the air. Garret went rigid beneath Holden and for long moments they stood frozen as dragonfire raced through their bodies. Finally, their o.r.g.a.s.ms faded, tumescent flesh became soft again, and the smell of brimstone left the air.

Holden kissed Garret on the back of the neck. As he pulled away from his mate, he saw the dark lines of a clan mark swirling up from the one Garret had in the small of his back. On his own back he felt a p.r.i.c.kle and knew his mark was changing too. Soon the marks would be identical.

After licking up the drops of blood on Garret's shoulder and making sure that the wound had begun to close, Holden took a step backward catching Garret's hand.

”We are mated now. You are my present and my future,” he said softly, gazing into Garret's bright green eyes.

”As you're my mate now. You are my forever.”

They came together in a kiss so filled with emotion that Holden thought he would burst.

Happiness spilled through him and a sense of being complete settled in his heart.

”I didn't think the day would ever come that I would have a mate, let alone one who understands me, understands my work and my devotion to my family.” His eyes never left Garret's as he spoke the words in his heart. ”Someone who can be my partner, my lover, and my best friend. I can't believe I found you, Garret.”

His mate chuckled, his emerald eyes sparkling with happiness. ”You didn't. Alfred did.”

Holden tugged on Garret's hand and led him into the condo. ”We'll send him a thank you gift. Some new golf clubs or something,” Holden said with a laugh. ”We owe him.”

”I think you're right. I know I'm feeling very grateful to Alfred Stone right now,” Garret agreed. He looked Holden up and down, his gaze a.s.sessing. ”Did you say you had a Jacuzzi tub?”

With a nod, Holden led the way to the bathroom. Garret's eyes gleamed. ”I always wanted to see if my dragonfire would make the water boil. Care to try out my theory? I know you like being bathed in my fire,” he teased.

”We have all night to test the waters of our mating.” Holden spoke the bad joke while grinning wickedly. ”No reason not to start here.”

He turned on the faucet and looked over his shoulder at Garret, his emotions suddenly raw and close to the surface as he stared at the man he would share his life with. Swallowing hard to push back the lump that had formed in his throat, he said, ”I know the past few days have been tough. I know my vacillations and confusion made everything more complicated than it should have been. But Garret, I cannot deny what I feel in the very marrow of my bones...”

Garret went very still, his gaze holding Holden's steadily. ”You don't have to...” Holden shook his head, cutting off Garret's words. ”I do have to. I need to tell you that I love you, Garret Renquist.”

His quiet confession turned Garret's face into an expression of such sheer joy that Holden's heart tumbled in his chest. ”I love you too, Holden.”

The rush of emotion he felt from his mate overwhelmed him. ”Then let's see if we can make the water boil,” he said gruffly, turning off the taps.

As he turned back to Garret, his mate caught him by the chin and pulled his face close. ”You make my temperature rise. You make me so hot, if I wasn't a dragon, I'd have melted long ago,” he whispered fiercely.

Their mouths crushed together and they both moaned at the exquisite sensations that rocked their bodies. Holden pulled back, his thumb rubbing over Garret's wet lower lip. ”Come on, lover.

Our science experiment awaits,” he said in a low voice filled with emotion. ”We have all night and half the day tomorrow to talk about love. I'm going to make love to you in this tub. Then again in my bed-our bed-as long as you can take it. I'm making memories so that while I'm gone, I'll be able to think of you lying naked in my bed, wrapped in my scent.”

Garret stepped into the tub. ”You know, I might have been joking before, but I'm not now,”

he replied in a voice filled with desire. ”You really do have a way with words, Holden Antaeus.”

Holden's emotions felt raw and exposed as he stood beside the limo, knowing that both his brother Declan and Garret's boss Emily were inside. At the same time, he just didn't care. He and Garret belonged together and he didn't give a s.h.i.+t who knew it. Garret stepped toward him, pressing him against the side of the limo. They touched from breast bone to thighs, every muscle and sinew straining. Holden's body screamed for Garret's, wanting only to be naked, to take his mate.

Garret's beard roughened jaw sc.r.a.ped Holden's as they kissed with a feverish frenzy. Hands stroked and tugged, slipping under s.h.i.+rts, into waistbands. Hips rubbed, teasing already sensitive engorged c.o.c.ks separated by the annoying layers of their clothes.

Holden moaned. ”They're... watching... us,” he panted as he licked Garret's lips.

The wet smacking of their kisses and licking at each other's mouths filled the air around them. ”No... they're not,” Garret replied, his fingers teasing the waistband of Holden's boxer briefs.

With a shudder at the touch of flesh on flesh, Holden rubbed his hips against Garret's.

”Everyone else on the street is looking,” he groaned, then flicked his tongue along Garret's, sliding it into his lover's mouth, letting the teasing kiss push him to the point where he was about to tell his brother he'd take a later flight.

A shrill screech forced their mouths to part as they both turned to see a tall, dark haired woman in a designer dress stalking toward them across the sidewalk.

Holden's stomach clenched and anger shot through him. ”What are you doing here, Gina?”

he asked harshly.

The brunette stopped in front of them, her chest heaving, her beautiful face set in an expression of outrage. ”I came to see you. To talk to you about the bracelet you sent me and ask you why you broke up with me,” she replied in an angry voice. Her dark eyes flashed. ”But I can see now why you did.” ”Gina, if you'll give me a moment I can explain,” Holden said in an even voice, hoping to placate her enough that she'd shut up and go the f.u.c.k away.

Garret's body stiffened against him and Holden knew that he had somehow stepped into deep waters.

”I don't need an explanation from you, Holden Antaeus. I have eyes. I can see quite clearly that you dumped me because you're a f.a.g!” she retorted in a scathing voice, her eyes sweeping over them with a dismissive glare.

Every muscle in Garret's body turned to stone. Holden could feel it quite clearly since that body still pinned him against the side of the limo. Frustration and anger boiled over inside him.

”Gina, I'm not gay. Garret is...”

”f.u.c.k you!” she screamed, her face contorting into a mask of fury. ”You dumped me for a...a...little f.a.ggot! You're nothing but a c.o.c.ksucker, Holden!” She took two steps backward. ”How many years did you lie to yourself, pretending you were straight when you were f.u.c.king women's a.s.ses? Did you fantasize that I was him when you f.u.c.ked my a.s.s? Is that how you managed the lie?”

Holden shook with rage. He pushed Garret aside with a growl and grabbed Gina by the arm.

”You don't know what the f.u.c.k you're talking about, Gina. I broke up with you because the only thing you ever cared about was my d.a.m.ned money. I wasn't ever going to marry you and you knew it,” he snarled, dragging her down the sidewalk toward a BMW convertible parked behind the limo. ”You're not my mate. He is! And if you ever come around here again, I'll call building security and the cops.”

Gina glared around him at Garret who stood frozen on the sidewalk, his body stiff as a board.

”Go on back to your b.u.t.t buddy. I don't want you anymore. I prefer to be with a real man not some a.s.shole who spouts 'gay for you' mate bulls.h.i.+t and can't even admit he's a f.a.g,” she said in a venomous tone. ”Have a nice c.o.c.k sucking life, Holden!”

Jerking her arm from his hold, she got in the BMW and slammed the door, gunning the engine. Holden stood shaking on the curb as she pulled away, tires smoking. When he looked up, he saw Declan standing beside the limo with the door open and a worried expression on his face.

”I'm coming,” he said grimly to his brother as he walked toward Garret.

He reached out and touched the side of Garret's face, but his mate stiffened and turned away.

”Garret?” His hand tried to catch his lover's. Garret backed away.

”I'll speak to you in a day or two.” The clipped British accent was completely formal and panic began to bubble in his veins.

”Garret, I'm sorry.” Holden wasn't sure what to do or say to make up for the horrendous scene that had just occurred.

His mate nodded briefly, but his face remained impa.s.sive. ”I am too.”

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