Page 21 of Iced Out Mate

“And not because I hadn’t showered, either. I’m a very clean guy.”

I took another chug of cold beer, the hops fizzing down my throat. I knew exactly what they were talking about. I had followed Miles’ scent through the rain-soaked woods before I even knew what I was chasing down. It had been instinct that drove me toward him. And it was a scent that could only be described as intoxicating—something I wanted to bottle up and carry with me forever. It was also something I could scent from a long distance. Hell, I could smell it now, even though Miles was probably lounging in his house or maybe somewhere out on the town. “Was there ever any doubt?” I asked innocently, even though it was one of my more important questions. If they answered yes, then maybe this hesitation I was feeling from Miles was normal, but if they answer⁠—

“No, none,” Gabe said.

“Nope,” Eli echoed.

Great. Not the answer I was hoping for. I swallowed down my disappointment and tried to keep my expression as neutral as possible. It was immediately made difficult when a particularly strong breeze carried the scent I was just thinking about. It hit me like a freight train smashing through a wall. I inhaled deep and closed my eyes.

“Everything okay?” Eli asked.

Gabe seemed skeptical. “Yeah, what’s bringing on these questions?”

I was a shit liar and couldn’t really make anything up on the spot, especially not with the way my brain currently sparked like downed wires whipping in a storm. It reminded me of the feelings I had back when I was a kid and couldn’t get through homework problems, when my brain refused to connect the dots no matter how hard I tried or how prepared I was. It was a frustrating way to live, and I thought I’d shed most of it once I left school behind.

Guess not.

Besides, this was my pack I was speaking to. Why would I need to lie? I could tell them the truth. “I think I found my⁠—”

“Everyone!” It was Emmy’s loud voice booming through the buzz of conversation and music. His deep tone carried through the yard. I turned toward the sound of his voice and saw him standing there, a hand on… fucking hell.

A hand on Miles’ shoulder.

I kept my composure even though I wanted to drop to my knees from the intensity of the scent that drifted in my direction. He wore a crisp white T-shirt and dark shorts, paired with clean white tennis shoes. His gold bracelets and necklace glinted under the white lights from Emmy’s patio, matching the sparkle in his eyes as he looked directly at me.

He winked. I licked my lips, happy to see him but confused about why the hell no one told me he’d be coming. Chris gave me a look from across the yard, searching me for a reaction.

“This is my good friend and the Bobcats’ new athletic trainer, Miles. He’s also a shifter and moved out here on his own so I invited him to game night.”

Miles raised his hand and waved at the group. Rebecca walked over first and gave Miles a warm hug, breaking the ice and causing the rest of the pack to go over and greet him. I held back until the crowd dispersed and returned to the pockets of conversations they had previously formed.

“Hey,” I said, almost timidly, as I approached Miles. My heart pounded in my chest. I couldn’t stop staring at his lips, couldn’t ignore the way my body reacted at having Miles in my vicinity. There was a pleasant heat that spread through my core. It tickled at my limbs and pooled in my gut. He opened his arms and took me in a quick and friendly hug.

Except there was nothing friendly about how we pressed together. My attention homing in on how his crotch pushed against mine. The heat transformed into something more intense. A fire that crackled with the same energy I felt in the park when I nearly turned to ash as I held Miles’ stiff and leaking cock in my hand.

“I didn’t know you’d be here,” I said.

“Emmy invited me last minute.”

“I’m glad you came.”

His reserved smile was like a challenge to me. I wanted to see what he looked like when that smile spread across his face, how the corners of his eyes would crinkle. I also wanted to see how he’d look with his lips formed into the shape of an O while pleasure coursed through him, when his body was under mine and his cock inside me and—fuck, I was starting to get hard. I had to relax. These thoughts needed to stop before I made a fool of myself.

“Do you want a burger? Beer? Seltzer?” Maybe being a hospitable host would stop me from being a horny mess.

“I can use a beer.”

“Awesome. Coolers over here, by the side of the house.” Where we’d be away from prying eyes.

Ugh. Great.

I led him off the patio, across the stone steps, and around to where the barbecue and the coolers of drinks were. I popped one open and dunked my hand into the melted ice. I hoped it would work like a cold shower and stop me from thirsting so hard over this man.

Spoiler alert: It didn’t.

I handed him a bottle of beer. He thanked me and popped it open. He clinked it against mine, then tipped his head back and drank. His throat bobbed, marking the perfect spot for my lips to land on. I looked away. Miles must have noticed and followed my gaze.

“Oh, snapdragons, I love those flowers. The red ones are my favorite.” He walked over to Emmy’s small garden that grew against the fence. I wasn’t sure which flowers he was talking about but I still pretended like I did.