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Wolf

“Rough session today?” I asked as soon as Tony was in my arms, head pressed against my shoulder as he snuggled into my embrace. “Wanna talk about it?”

I felt his head moving but couldn’t tell if he was nodding or shaking it so I stroked his curls and encouraged him to give me a verbal answer.

“N-not right now,” Tony stammered, fingers caressing the back of my leather jacket like he was using it to self-soothe.

Shit, now that I thought about it, that’s exactly what it felt like and this wasn’t the first time I’d noticed this behavior from him.

“Tell me what you need from me tonight, Little Wren, and it’s yours,” I murmured, continuing to stroke his hair even after everyone else pulled out of the parking lot.

“C-could we just go to your place, snuggle, watch a movie and eat a disturbing amount of ice cream?” he asked.

“We can have ice cream, but you will not consume enough to make you sick so put that out of your head right now.”

“B-Bowie said you’d probably say that,” Tony grumbled. “He also said that shouldn’t stop me from asking to spend the rest of the night wrapped up in your arms.”

“He’s right, on both accounts,” I said.

When he first stepped into my arms, his body felt rigid, like he was carrying the tension of the day in his shoulders and neck. Now, he let out a long, shuddering exhale and melted against me more, fingers still tracing slow patterns on the leather. I felt him begin to pace his breathing to match mine, so I deliberately took slow, steady breaths until we were fully in sync.

“I think I’m ready to ride now,” Tony muttered, words half-muffled against my chest.

“Then you’re not ready and we’ll wait,” I declared, keeping my tone firm, but not to the degree where he’d misinterpret it as being upset with him.

Knowing the way his piece of shit sperm donor treated him, I was mindful of the words I chose and the intention behind them. The last thing I ever wanted was to give him cause to be afraid of me or feel like I was disappointed in him or regretted choosing him to be mine. Not dating because of the industry and the lifestyle I lived didn’t mean I’d failed to pick up a few things along the way. Far too many of the wonderfully creative souls I’d worked with over the years carried baggage I wouldn’t wish on anyone but my worst enemy.

Judging by the way he clung and continued to snuggle, my words were exactly what he needed to hear.

“What would my Little Wren like to watch tonight?” I asked.

His relaxed posture stiffened just a fragment, enough for me to pick up on his hesitance to answer my question, which was the opposite of what I’d wanted. Okay, Wolf, tread carefully, why would he be worried about giving me his movie choice?

The first thing that came to mind was that he was afraid of being ridiculed for whatever it was. I swear to fuck, I was going to hurt the son of a bitch who’d made his life a living hell. No one deserved to have anyone pick them apart so badly that they hesitated to answer such an innocent question.

“Don’t second guess it,” I encouraged, still stroking his hair “just tell me the first thing that popped into that gorgeous head of yours.”

“Cars and Cars 2,” he blurted.

“I love Lightning McQueen,” I replied, “But there will always been a special place in my heart for Doc Hudson. The fall always comes faster than the rise and it can be soul crushing.”

“You…” When he stepped back, there was a brilliant smile on his face.

Good. Frowns had no place on my sweet Little Wren’s face.

“I’m ready,” he declared. “Let’s go watch Cars and eat ice cream.”

His shimmy, shimmy, butt wiggle dance was one of the most adorable things I’d ever seen.

“Helmet first,” I said, fitting it over his head and buckling the strap for him but only after I’d stolen a kiss.

Ice cream was one of my guilty pleasures so there were plenty of flavors to choose from that I already knew he loved plus toppings, and mini marshmallows to sprinkle on top if we wanted to. As we maneuvered through the streets, I took every opportunity to stroke his arm around my waist at the lights. Right from the beginning I discovered that touch was both grounding and reassuring to him. Now I was beginning to see just how much of a cuddle bug he was.

Not only did I love that about him, but he was bringing out a side of me I’d never thought was buried beneath the leather and beard.

Cuddling was fun.

Giving, receiving, being wrapped up in one another’s arms to the point where I couldn’t tell where he ended and I began. I was perfectly okay with that too. Hell, after watching Diamond and Easton as well as the rest of the Masterson Family finding the loves of their lives, I’d learned that when a relationship was solid, the individuals fit together seamlessly. Never thought I’d want that in my life until now.