Page 60 of Miles's Pact
Twenty-Two
Miles
Sometimes, I loved my friends, and other times, I wondered if I could get away with locking them in a room until they got over whatever unresolved shit had them fighting like alley cats.
Sighing, I put the car in park and got out, pushing away all thoughts of Neel and Paxton's latest argument—that I'd once again gotten dragged into—as I made my way into the house.
Snowball hurried over with a rapidly wagging tail, and I leaned down to pet his head. He was growing up fast now that he was getting regular meals, and his fur had grown out too. It was a few inches long now, telling me he must be a mixed breed. His fur reminded me of those small, Maltese dogs, but his size was closer to a lab's, making me wonder what breed his parents were.
The house was quiet, which was strange since neither Duckie nor Mat had mentioned going out today. Removing my shoesand hanging up my jacket, I padded into the living room, smiling when I spotted them.
Mateo was spread out on the couch, with Duckie lying against his side, half on top of him. One of theHeartstoppervolumes lay on Mateo's chest, his hand still gripping it, as if they'd fallen asleep while reading.
Pulling my phone out, I made sure it was on silent before clicking a picture. Then, I grabbed the throw blanket and covered them with it before taking Snowball to the backyard.
Once he was done relieving himself, we played fetch for a while as I soaked in the sunlight, breathing in the fresh air and letting go of all my frayed nerves from dealing with Neel and Pax. They needed to figure out whatever issue they had with each other, because if they went on like this, they'd never be able to launch the B&B, much less keep it running.
I wasn't sure how long I sat there, but at some point Snowball got tired of playing and joined me on the deck, laying his head on my legs as he sprawled beside me. I slid my fingers into his thick fur, rubbing up and down his back and letting the repetitive motion comfort me.
A squirrel slithered down the branch of a nearby tree, making Snowball go alert in an instant. We both watched as it searched the base of the tree, finding a couple of seeds that it stuffed into its mouth before racing back up the tree and disappearing into the leaves. Snowball slumped back into my lap as soon as the squirrel disappeared from view, making me chuckle.
"Not brave enough to tackle her, hmm?" I teased, and he huffed, like he could understand me and did not appreciate the insinuation that he was scared of a rodent.
"Hey."
I glanced back, smiling up at Duckie as he stepped through the doorway, the greenish hue of his hair gleaming in the sun.
"Hey, Duckie. Good nap?"
"Yeah. We didn't mean to fall asleep. Have you been home long?"
I shrugged, then patted Snowball. "Snow kept me company. Were you reading?"
"Yeah. I'm getting better. I think," he added with a wry smile, settling on my other side and leaning into me.
"You are. Your vocabulary is growing too."
He smiled before turning his gaze toward the sky, his black eyes shining. In the sun, I could see flecks of brown and green in his dark irises, colors I hadn't seen before. He was so beautiful I had a hard time looking away sometimes. The way my heart picked up speed every time he was around... it was a novel experience.
I knew supe relationships—especially between fated mates—progressed faster than human ones, and that a proper timeline wasn't a thing when it came to how fast your feelings for your mate developed. But was what I felt for Duckie love? Even though we'd only known each other for about six weeks?
Was I ready to tell Duckie? Was he ready to hear it? His life had changed so much in the past few weeks, and the last thing I wanted to do was overwhelm him with yet another revelation.
"Where did you go?" Duckie murmured, brushing his lips against my jaw, and I turned, meeting his lips with my own. Instead of putting them in words, I filled the kiss with my feelings, with every overwhelming, earth-shattering emotion I was feeling.
Duckie hummed, his hand sliding behind my neck as he pulled me closer, as his tongue pushed into my mouth, tangling with my own as his other hand fell to my thigh, his fingers digging into the skin as he closed the distance between us.
I had half a mind to climb into his lap, but Mateo was sleeping inside, and there was a limit to how far I'd go in front of my brother.
Duckie must have felt the same because he pulled back after a moment, trailing his lips down my jaw before finally separating from me, his eyes dark and hooded as they met mine.
"How about we go upstairs?"
I nodded mutely, and Duckie's lips curved up in a satisfied smile as he stood up, then pulled me to my feet. Snowball trailed after us, then went over to Mateo, climbing onto the couch and curling up beside him as we hurried up the stairs, careful not to make any noise.
In our bedroom, Duckie slid the door shut, then leaned against it, pulling me into him as he kissed me again. I grabbed onto his hips, steadying myself as his lips danced against mine, his warm scent filling my lungs as the heat of his skin seared against mine, making my blood race through my veins as my cock hardened, straining against my pants in search of friction. I pushed forward, rocking against Duckie's thigh, and he groaned.
In a move that left me breathless, he spun us around, then pushed me into the door, his chest firmly pressed against mine. His gaze searched mine as he licked my lips, then bit the lower one, and I groaned.
