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  Nash was just as affected by the scent Layne was giving off as the others. His muscles were coiled tight, and his hands were curled into fists.

  Layne wasn’t unaffected. His nerves were on edge, and his cock throbbed so badly that he needed some kind of relief, anything that would untie the knots in his stomach.

  He didn’t think about the consequences or the end results as he squirmed closer, pretending he was stretching and yawning. Real subtle, moron. You’re like a freaking teenager trying to make out with smooth moves.

  “Nash?”

  Nash popped one eye open. “Yes?”

  Layne bit his lower lip and toyed with the belt. He wasn’t a virgin, but he was also shy when it came to making the first move. He couldn’t get the words past his lips—the words that would bring them together.

  “Never mind.”

  Nash closed his eye. Layne lay there trying hard to work up his courage. He blew out a breath and tried again as waves of heat engulfed him. It wasn’t just the fact that he was shy. This was Nash Freaking O’Brien lying next to him. Layne never thought in a million years this would happen, and to be honest, it was an intimidating moment.

  “Nash?”

  This time Nash opened both eyes. His powerful gaze rendered Layne speechless. He cleared his throat, but that didn’t help. Layne opened his mouth then closed it, frustrated that he couldn’t articulate what he wanted.

  “Never mind.” Layne rolled over, but Nash rolled him right back. His hand felt hot to the touch, scorching Layne’s arm. His thumb made slow, lazy circles on Layne’s skin, driving him even more insane.

  “Do you need me to take care of your needs?”

  Layne wrinkled his nose. “That’s one hell of a way of saying it.”

  A heart-stopping smile spread across Nash’s face. “Sorry.” His smile faded, and he’d yet to move his hand away. “Until the heat subsides, my body belongs to you.”

  “And after the heat?” God it was hard to think. Layne’s breathing was growing fast and shallow, and fuck, why wasn’t Nash all over him by now?

  “My body still belongs to you.” His gray eyes became heavy-lidded. “Do you want me to touch you?”

  “God yes!” Layne ignored the fact that he’d damn near shouted those words, ignored the fact that he’d told himself that he could resist Nash. He’d craved this man since forever, and now Layne was about to have his dream—and fantasies—come true.

  Nash locked an arm around Layne and pulled him close. Their lips touched, brushed across the other’s with the softest pressure, as if Nash was teasing him with the pleasures to come.

  Layne planted his lips firmly, thoroughly against Nash’s. He slid his arms around his mate’s neck, tugging him closer, devouring Nash’s mouth.

  A purr rumbled through Nash, reminding Layne of the deadly cat hovering over him, but he wasn’t afraid. The sound sent ripples of pleasure through him.

  Nash took his time, his hands and lips exploring Layne as he grunted and groaned into Layne’s mouth. The heat rose and crashed and became all consuming.

  “I need,” Layne whimpered against Nash’s lips.

  “I’ll take care of you, baby.” Nash nudged Layne’s legs, and Layne curled them around Nash’s lean waist. “I’ll give you whatever you need.”

  That was a promise Layne had dreamed of his whole life. Well, since he’d fallen in love with Nash, which felt like his whole life. He’d fantasized those exact words, this exact moment, so it almost felt like a dream come true.

  Layne arched his back as Nash’s tongue delved deeper in teasing swirls, taking away Layne’s very breath. In the back of Layne’s mind he knew he could conceive, and that thought frightened him, but not enough for him to pull away.

  Not when this felt so damn right. Not when he was finally with the man he loved. Layne had never experienced this kind of passion before, not on this level, and he felt drunk from it.

  Nash tweaked one of Layne’s nipples, sending shocking waves of pleasure through him. He groaned and gripped Nash’s short hairs, driving his hips upward.

  “Please,” he panted.

  Nash nipped his jaw as he pressed the blunt head of his cock against Layne’s quivering hole. Then Layne felt a spurt, something wetting his ass. Did Nash seriously come with his own natural lube?

  Layne gasped and then moaned as the thick length of Nash’s cock entered him, stretching him, sliding in deep. Nash started moving his hard length in and out of Layne’s hole and latched onto his mouth.

  Layne couldn’t believe that he was finally with Nash. This seemed so unreal, all those years of pining for the guy, of trying to piece back together his broken heart when Nash had left town, of comparing every guy he’d dated to the man he truly loved. They’d all fallen short because Layne’s heart was already taken.

  Nash slid an arm under Layne and spun until he was on his back and Layne was sitting atop him. He pressed his hands into Nash’s chest and looked down at his mate, blushing profusely as Nash smiled up at him.

  A smile that obliterated Layne’s heart. He noticed Nash’s canines were showing, and fuck, that was a beautiful sight. Layne thought of when Nash had bitten him, and for some crazy reason, the spot on his shoulder ached to be bitten again.

  Nash winked. “Gotta try every position with you.”

  Nash gripped Layne’s hips and punched upward, damn near knocking Layne off. Layne laughed and went down to his forearms, staring Nash in his mesmerizing gray eyes. “If you’re gonna turn into a bronco bull, give a guy some warning. I didn’t even wave a red flag.”

  Nash slid his hands up Layne’s sides and down again, that rumbling purr returning. “Your body is the waving flag. Every time I look at it I want to charge full steam ahead.”

  The guy could fuck like a dream and was also charming in bed? Layne must’ve died and gone to heaven. His thoughts scattered when Nash drove his cock in deeper. Each thrust nailed Layne’s gland, and he whimpered, undulating as they moved together.

  Layne’s orgasm was cresting fast, the buildup electrifying. He shoved upward, pressing his palms against Nash’s hard pecs, curling his nails in as Nash went faster, his cock pistoning into Layne’s ass.

  “N-Nash.” Layne’s breathing became erratic, shallow, as he met Nash’s upward strokes thrust for thrust.

  “Right there with you, sweetheart.” At the last second, Nash flipped them again, hovering over Layne as he drove in.

  Then Nash sank his canines into the soft flesh where shoulder met neck. Layne eyes rolled back, his head thrashed, and he screamed Nash’s name. His cum shot from his dick hard and fast, making his balls actually ache. Layne writhed beneath Nash, clawing at his mate’s back, gasping for breath as Nash roared his release, his cock pulsing deep in Layne’s ass.

  Nash eased his canines free and licked where he’d bitten Layne before pressing his forehead against Layne’s chest. Layne went boneless, and Nash’s thrusts slowed before he finally rolled them to let Layne drape lazily over him, the tiny aftershocks rippling through him.

  The heat had left Layne’s body, finally allowing him to close his eyes and relax.

  Nash brushed his hand up and down Layne’s back, and then he curled his other arm around Layne and gave him a tight squeeze. Layne knew what the hug meant. They’d lost themselves to passion, and if a child resulted from that, they were in this together.

  Chapter Seven

  Every inch of Nash’s body ached. For two days Layne had been in heat, demanding and ravenous. They’d taken breaks long enough for Nash to grab them something to eat or for a few hours of sleep.

  Nash feared his dick would shrivel up and fall off. But finally, on the third morning, the heat was gone. He jumped out of bed when Layne raced to the bathroom and threw up.

  Nash’s stomach gripped tight. His heart beat wildly.

  Layne had conceived. Nash was gonna be a father in three months. The thought of an innocent life in his hands was so daunting that it almost brought him to his knees.<
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  Nash wet a washcloth and wiped it over the back of Layne’s neck and then his mouth before flushing the toilet and carrying his mate back to bed.

  Once Layne was tucked under the covers, Nash went to the kitchen to grab his mate some crackers and an apple. He was still pissed at Keller and Quinn, though he knew their reaction to Layne the other night had been pure instinct, something they couldn’t help.

  He still wanted to beat their asses.

  “How is he?” Quinn was seated at the table, doing something on his e-tablet. He didn’t look up when he’d asked the question.

  “Out of heat.” Nash’s damn back hurt as he bent over to dig an apple from the crisper. Layne had put him through the paces for the past forty-eight hours or so. The sex had gone from fun and exciting to a marathon. Nash never wanted to do that again.

  Even his damn cock was sore, and his balls were aching.

  Quinn lowered his tablet and set it aside. “Look, man. You know that wasn’t anything personal the other night. My panther smelled—”

  Nash held up a hand. “Don’t finish that sentence.”

  “It’s not like I was purposefully poaching,” Quinn argued. “Layne’s cute and all, but I’ve never looked at him in that kind of way.”

  Nash gnashed his teeth. “Are you trying to talk yourself out of an ass whooping or into one?”

  Quinn burst out laughing. “Dude, if you want to take this outside and work off your aggression, just let me know. I’ll go easy on you.”

  If Nash didn’t feel like he’d been run over by multiple semis, he would’ve taken Quinn up on his offer. He pressed his hand into his lower back and winced. “Maybe another time.”

  Quinn’s smile widened. “Gonna have me a niece or nephew?” he asked. “About damn time.”

  Nash glared at Quinn, although his anger was dwindling. “If I didn’t feel twice run over, I’d beat your ass just to satisfy my cat.”

  Quinn crossed the room and threw his arm around Nash. “Water under the bridge, bro.” His smile slipped. “You know we’ll guard Layne with our lives. Your army buddy won’t get past us.”

  Nash shrugged from under Quinn’s arm and grabbed some crackers from the pantry. “I don’t want Rawlings hurt, not unless it’s necessary. He’s just dealing with a lot of shit. I’m hoping I can talk to him instead.”

  The guilt still weighed heavily on Nash, and if at all possible, he wanted a peaceful resolution. But if Rawlings came anywhere near Layne, all bets were off. Nash would protect his pregnant mate with his life and kill anyone who threatened Layne.

  Quinn gave a solemn nod. “We’ll try your way first.”

  Keller walked in then stopped. Nash eyed him but couldn’t muster the anger to chew him out. Keller rubbed his jaw. “Got one hell of a swing.”

  “Consider yourself lucky it was my fist and not my claws.”

  “Look,” Keller said. “The other night—”

  “He knocked Layne up,” Quinn said with pride in his voice. “We’re gonna be uncles.”

  Keller slowly stuck his hand out, eyeing Nash warily. “Congratulations. I want to apologize for the other night.”

  Aside from Keller’s impulsive drive when Layne had come into the kitchen, Keller was always in control. The levelheaded brother.

  But seriously, all things considered, his brothers had handled themselves pretty well. They could’ve attacked, making Nash fight every last one of them. The one who’d surprised him the most was Hayward. He’d controlled his instincts and had defended Layne.

  Hayward was the least predictable of them all, wild and fierce. Taking him down would’ve been damn near impossible. Thank fuck Nash’s soul was now bound to Layne’s. If Nash smelled another person with the panthera mark going through the change, it wouldn’t affect his cat.

  Which was good considering Layne would probably try to remove Nash’s balls. He left his brothers in the kitchen as he made his way back upstairs.

  Layne was still under the covers, but his eyes were open. He looked at Nash when Nash entered the room. “How’re you feeling now?”

  “A little better.” Layne sat up and placed his hands in his lap.

  “This should help.” Nash handed him the sleeve of crackers and the apple. “And just so you know, my smell is all over you. No other panther will come near you now.”

  Layne chuckled. “You really have a way with words.”

  Nash loved seeing him smile. “You’ve conceived, so other panthers won’t be interested in you. Is that better?”

  “Don’t remind me.” Layne pressed a hand to his forehead. “I guess this means I’ll have to hide out when I start showing.”

  Nash sat on the bed and stretched out next to Layne. He placed his hand on his mate’s flat stomach. “It seems unreal, doesn’t it? I mean, I know what’s going on, but it really hasn’t hit me yet.”

  “Me either.” Layne opened the crackers and nibbled on one. “But I’m no longer freaking out about the situation. My mom and grandmother tried to prepare me for this, but come on. I thought they were batty as hell when they told me I was a panther’s mate. Of course they left out the part about getting pregnant.”

  Nash couldn’t seem to pull his hand away. He was fascinated with the idea of his kitten growing inside Layne’s body. “My aunt had the talk with us when we were teenagers. She told us everything we needed to know, though that still didn’t prepare me for this actually happening.” He rubbed Layne’s stomach. “You think we’re ready for this?”

  Layne snorted. “We better be. It’s not like I can return the baby to the store for a refund.”

  The word baby had more of an impact than Nash thought it would. He now had money to take care of his family, and he still wanted to go ahead with the idea of opening his own pub.

  Nash was now excited by the idea.

  “What’re you smiling for?”

  If Nash’s body weren’t so exhausted, he’d roll over and show his mate just how happy he felt. Instead, he cupped Layne’s face and gave him a soft, sweet kiss.

  “A couple thoughts running through my mind.” He told his mate what he’d been thinking about.

  “Are you still gonna let me help you?” Layne’s eyes filled with eagerness.

  “We’re mates,” Nash said. “Co-owners. I value your input.”

  Layne’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious? I’ll be half owner of your pub?”

  “Our pub.” Nash pulled Layne down and curled around him. “I’ll leave all the decorating to you and also the business end until I get the grasp of it.”

  Layne’s squeal was nearly deafening. He threw his arms around Nash and rained kisses all over his face. “Can we go there now and hash everything out? I’m super excited to get started.”

  “We can also stop by your house to gather your things,” Nash said as he got up, wishing his back wasn’t killing him. “I was thinking about buying Beatrice’s house.”

  “You’re just full of surprises this morning.” Layne looked around. “Tell me I can redecorate in here, too.”

  “Just as long as you keep the costs low.” Half a million dollars was a lot of money, and Nash didn’t want to blow through it.

  Nash had to roll his windows down in his truck when they left. The second order of business today was stopping by Kendall Automotive and having his AC looked at. Georgia was too damned hot in the summer to go without it, and he wanted his mate as comfortable as possible.

  They arrived at the bar and found Mr. Creegy behind the counter, sipping on a tumbler filled with amber liquid. Nash wasn’t one to judge someone drinking at eleven in the morning.

  When Mr. Creegy saw them, his gaze went right to Layne. Nash also noticed how Layne stayed somewhat behind him. While growing up, Nash had seen the old man around town, and he’d seemed friendly enough, but the air was palpable as he approached the bar.

  “I see you’ve come to buy me out.” Mr. Creegy set his glass down and extended his hand. When Nash shook it, a familiar scent assail
ed him. He gripped the panther’s hand in a crushing hold and yanked Mr. Creegy against the bar.

  “It was your scent on my mate.” He bared his canines.

  His panther was close to the surface, ready to come out and tear the bastard apart. From the way Layne was acting, Nash could almost guess what had taken place.

  “Tell me the truth, or I swear I’ll fucking gut you.” He still had hold of Mr. Creegy’s hand, the guy’s chest smashed against the bar. “Did you attack him?”

  “It all happened so fast!” Mr. Creegy tried to yank his hand away, but Nash was younger and stronger. “It was my panther. It went nuts when it smelled your mate. I didn’t know he belonged to you!” The old man’s eyes widened. “I’ll sell you my business for half the asking price to make up for my error.”

  Nash finally let him go, though it hadn’t been easy to calm his anger. “Even if he hadn’t been my mate, what you did was reprehensible.”

  It would’ve been no more than what Nash’s brothers would have done if Hayward hadn’t stepped in the way. They’d all felt the one thing that could cloud all thoughts, that subconscious urge, that primeval, animalistic baser instinct instilled in them by thousands of years of evolution.

  The need to procreate.

  Humans had that same drive, but not as powerful as panthers. Even so, Nash hadn’t been unaffected by it. He’d bitten Layne before he knew what his panther had planned on doing. Of course he felt guilty that Layne hadn’t consented, but he could no more stop his panther than he could stop breathing.

  Nash wasn’t so much pissed at Mr. Creegy for his instincts but because he’d attacked his mate.

  “We’ll still do business,” Nash said. “But if you ever go near Layne again, I’ll rip you apart.”

  “Message received.” Mr. Creegy nodded.

  * * * *

  Layne was relieved to get out of there. The stress had gotten to him, and for a brief moment, he’d entertained the idea of unleashing Stevie on him. His friend wouldn’t have won any fight, but it would’ve been fun watching him throwing glasses and threatening grandpa’s life.