Page 36 of Starlight

“Are you sure?”

“Did I kill you last time?” Akai grinned, revealing his pointy little front teeth.

“No…but that doesn’t mean you won’t try this time,” he said with a smile.

“Then who’d check my wing, and bring me oats and honey? I think I’ll keep you alive for the moment.” He stuck two spoons in the bowl and slid it over the counter. “Are the steaks ready?”

“They should be.” Cole peeked under the foil. The trouble with steak was he never knew if he’d done a good job until he’d cut into it and put the first piece in his mouth. He glanced at Akai, and his heartbeat quickened. “Do you want another drink?”

“I’ll grab them.” Akai turned and reached into the little fridge, giving Cole a great view of his ass framed by his wings.

“Why do you wear pants the same color as your fur…hair?”

“Better for hiding. It would be a bit obvious if I wore bright yellow pants.”

“Why would you wear yellow?”

“Why wouldn’t I…I saw a great pair last year at…” He opened the bottle with a claw—which was a neat trick—and passed it to Cole before walking around to sit next to him at the kitchen counter.

Their knees touched, and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe. This was ridiculous. It wasn’t a first crush, or a first anything.

Although it might be his first monster…

He drew his leg away, and Akai looked at him like he had three heads. “Are you okay?”

Cole took a drink, not wanting to answer that question. “Yeah, starving.” He offered Akai the first choice of steak before keeping the plate for himself and adding potato salad and green salad. “This all looks great.”

“You did all the cooking.” Akai picked up the next fork, like they were sitting in a fine dining restaurant. “I should be thanking you.”

For a few minutes, there was no talking as they both concentrated on eating. Somehow, his leg drifted until it was resting against Akai’s. Akai’s wing brushed against his back, and he wondered what it would be like to have those wings wrapped around him.

What would claws feel like on his skin?

He bit his cheek instead of his food because he wasn’t paying attention. He winced and muttered a curse. But the pain drew his attention away from what his dick wanted.

“What’s wrong?” Akai turned slightly to look at him.

“Nothing.” Cole shook his head, unwilling to get into that conversation because the bite would lead to the reason he was distracted, which would mean admitting that he wanted Akai to spread him over the kitchen counter and feast on him.

Fuck him.

Akai frowned, the lids of his eyes lowering and changing the shape entirely. “You are lying.”

Cole closed his eyes. Another opening he should take, but he was too aware of every point of contact. His dick pressed against the fly of his work pants, and he wanted to readjust but didn’t dare draw attention. “I bit my cheek but didn’t want to say anything because it’s embarrassing.”

Akai laughed. “Monsters also forget how to chew. Do you also choke on your own spit?”

His cheeks heated, but only because he was thinking of spit and choking in ways Akai was not intending.

“Yes.” He forced the word out.

Akai was still grinning. “We are not so different.”

“You have wings.” That was a pretty big difference. “And are covered in hair.”

Akai shrugged. “You are also covered in hair, though you have less, and yours is not adapted for flight.”

“Are you saying I am less evolved?”