Dalton stood and grinned as he stuffed his mate’s flaccid cock back into his boxers. “Got a lot more apologizing to do if you come over.”
Sherman reached for Dalton’s zipper, but Dalton curled his fingers around his mate’s wrist and shook his head. “Trust me. I can wait until this evening.”
“You don’t want me to please you?” Sherman frowned.
“Fuck yeah, I do.” Dalton gave his mate a quick kiss. “I can’t think of anything better than letting my mate touch me, but if I wait until you come over, it’ll be all the better.”
After Sherman righted his clothes, he carded his hand through his hair. “What’s with this two-week thing?”
“At work?” Dalton grabbed Sherman’s hand and led him back to the kitchen. “It’s a courtesy nonhuman business owners give to their employees when they’ve found their mate. You’ll get paid.”
“But…” Sherman walked over to the crockpot and inhaled deeply. “What if Kennedy finds someone new to replace me? He needs another waiter, and he can’t sit around waiting for me to come back.”
“He could replace you.” Dalton walked up behind Sherman and slid his arms around him, loving how good his mate felt in his arms. At least Sherman wasn’t shoving him away. “But his actions would be frowned upon by the community, and no shifter would risk that.”
“See! I can’t risk that. I need the job if I’m going to stay in Fever’s Edge. I can’t mooch off my mom. That wouldn’t be right. Besides, I still have to find out who took my damn car, and that would require me being here to do it.”
Dalton already had a couple of friends searching for Sherman’s car. When he found out who had stolen it, Dalton was beating the culprit’s ass.
Or thanking him, because Dalton had seen Sherman’s car, and it was a rolling death trap. He wanted to buy his mate a new one, but he wasn’t sure Sherman would accept such an expensive gift.
Which made Dalton wonder—“How did you get to work this morning?”
“I used my mom’s car. She doesn’t go many places, and with it being so cold outside, good luck getting her out of the house. She’s like a bear and will hibernate as much as she can until spring.”
Dalton liked Sherman’s mom. She spoke her mind and seemed genuinely nice. “Make sure you thank her for me. I can’t have you walking to and from work.”
“Exactly,” Sherman said. “Going to work. I don’t need two weeks off, even if they are paid days. What the hell will I do with the time? I get bored very easily.”
Dalton couldn’t stop nuzzling Sherman’s neck. He couldn’t help it. His mate smelled like fresh laundry hanging in the sun. “Oh, I’m sure we can think of inventive ways to occupy our time.”
Sherman shoved at his chest. “Is that all you think about, sex?”
“I’m a guy,” Dalton defended. “But, no, that’s not all I think about. I like fishing, working with my hands, and I have an extensive DVD collection.”
Sherman smiled. “Dude, DVDs? Don’t you stream?”
“I do that, too. Come over and we can find something to do. I make a killer lasagna, though I want you to try my chili when it’s done.”
Dalton liked just hanging out with Sherman, talking with him, and was looking forward to his mate tasting his dishes. Dalton had considered opening his own restaurant, but he liked helping people when they were going through their worst.
“I told Kennedy that I would be back tomorrow morning.” Sherman’s smile grew. “He told me he already talked to you, and I came here with the intention of yelling at you, but…”
“Getting your dick sucked changed your mind?”
Sherman’s eyes widened as he slapped Dalton’s broad chest. “You didn’t have to say it like that, but yes.”
Since his mate had the rest of the day off, Dalton invited him to spend the day at the station, and to his delight, Sherman agreed.
Chapter Five
“I have to check on my mom.” Sherman sat on Dalton’s couch and slid his snow boots on. After they had spent the day at the station, Sherman and Dalton had gone back to Dalton’s place. “She has a bad cough, and she’s up there in age.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come along?” Dalton sat on the other end of the couch, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. They’d had so much sex last night that Sherman was surprised he could walk straight, but he also needed some time away from Dalton. He still had a lot to figure out.
Sherman frowned as he looked at his mate. “I never asked what kind of shifter you are.”
Dalton winked at him. “I’m a bear shifter.”
“Really?” Holy crap! Sherman had always loved bears, not the wild kind. The ones with muscles and hair. And to find out his mate was a bear shifter? Talk about a dream come true. Even so, Sherman still wanted time to himself.
“Yep.”
After getting up from the couch, Sherman wasn’t sure if he should kiss Dalton or go straight for his coat. He opted for his coat. “I’ll call you later.”
Dalton met him at the door. It seemed Sherman was going to get that kiss, after all. His mate cupped his face, using his thumbs to trace Sherman’s cheeks. “Are you okay?”
“Why would you ask that?” Sherman fought not to lean into his touch, not to crave it.
“I just wanted to make sure we’re all right before you take off. I know this is a lot to take in.” He kept tracing Sherman’s cheeks, sending warm sensations throughout his body. “I promise not to crowd you, but you should know that shifters are very possessive and protective.”
“Duly noted.” Sherman reached up on his toes and gave Dalton a quick kiss. “We’ll have dinner at the station or your house.”
“I’ll be here. I have today off.” Dalton stayed in the doorway as Sherman walked out. A part of him wanted to turn back around and run inside. That was part of the problem with Sherman’s last relationships. He was too needy, too clingy, and treated his exes like royalty when he dated them.
He didn’t want to keep making the same mistakes.
Sherman waved at Dalton as he pulled from the driveway. It took ten minutes to get to his mom’s house. He missed Dalton already, but Sherman shoved those feelings down. Besides, he needed a shower and a change of clothes.
And time apart to actually miss the guy.
“Hey, Mom, I’m home!” Sherman placed her keys on the hook by the door. “Where are you?”
His mom usually made some kind of muffins or bread in the morning, but Sherman didn’t notice the smell of any baked goods lingering in the air.
“Mom?” He frowned as he walked through the house, heading for her bedroom. “I’m home.” He knocked on her door, but there was no answer.
Sherman started to walk away when he heard something in his mother’s room. Bracing himself in case she was in a state of undress, he cracked the door open. “Mom, I’m coming in. Please don’t be undressed.”
When she still didn’t answer him, Sherman fully opened the door. He cried out when he saw his mother lying on the floor, her eyes closed.