The Wolf King (The Wolf Kings #1) (MLM)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

                Jack woke to the memory of Tiberius's lips against his own. He lay in bed for a long time, staring at the way the sunrays poured in through his window and left streaks in the carpet and against the cabinet.

A knock came at the door, and Jack bolted up, blanket held up to his chest. "Yes?"

"It's me."

Jack's shoulders slumped, and he willed his heart to calm down as he let Everett in. Mira accompanied him, and as he made a beeline around the bed to Jack's side, she just climbed on and sat down next to him.

"How was it?" Everett demanded at once.

For a brief moment, Jack thought Everett was asking about the kiss. The kiss he could still feel, along with Tiberius's warm tongue against his own, Tiberius's nose pressing into his cheek as he tilted his head to slot their mouths together. Then Jack realized they were asking about what Tiberius had told him and whether he'd gotten in trouble.

"Fine," he murmured, running a hand through his hair.

"Stop that," Everett scolded, bringing down his arm. "Your hair's messy enough without you sticking it up all over the place!"

"Did King Tiberius get angry?" Mira asked, and before Jack could answer, said, "Is that why you're blushing?"

"What?" Jack swung his legs off the edge of the bed, head ducked. "No, I'm – I'm not blushing – is the fireplace lit?"

"No, it's not," Everett said, surprised. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," he mumbled, and got up to close the bathroom door behind him. Then he crouched down, back pressed to the wall, as he ran over, for the millionth time, what had happened last night in Tiberius's room. If he closed his eyes, he could still feel Tiberius's groans against his lips, Tiberius's curls between his fingers, Tiberius's scent and heat engulfing him so completely that Jack had forgotten he was sitting in a chair and not lying on a soft bed until Tiberius had lost control of his strength and crushed the armrests.

Jack's kiss alone had done that. He swallowed at the thought of being wanted that badly, of someone – no, not just someone, but Tiberius – losing control because of his own lust and desire. Jack shut his eyes and let his head fall back against the wall.

Stop thinking of him like that, he told himself. You have to go home, remember? You have to stay focused.

"Jack?" Everett knocked. "What's going on? What happened last night?"

Jack pushed himself to his feet and turned the faucet on the bathtub. He sat on the edge and crossed his arms, letting the sound of rushing water silence all other noise. He had a job to do, he reminded himself. Today, he would get back to it. The kiss had been a necessity, part of the plan and nothing more. It hadn't meant anything last night, and it didn't mean anything now.

Unable to take Everett's incessant knocking anymore, Jack opened the door only for him to head straight to the bath. "You can't do this on your own!" he said incredulously. "You have no idea which bath salts compliment your skin type! Just wait outside, I'll have it ready in a moment!"

"He's been up worrying about you," Mira explained when Jack returned to his bed. She tucked the blanket serenely around his legs as he leaned back against his headboard.

"What for?" Jack asked. "I'm fine. Tiberius wouldn't hurt me."

"He knows that," she said. "But he still worries about people he likes. It's who he is. But you're safe, aren't you? I mean, a kiss could hardly hurt you, could it?"