Ulric had a crush on Gage—Gage knew that. And he also felt like he was maybe taking advantage of Ulric’s generosity and feelings and everything, except... he couldn’t bring himself to step away. It wasn’t so often that Gage found someone his gut wanted to trust.
Ulric’s blushing smiles looked really good on him. He was so quietly eager to be around Gage, and Gage... hadn’t had a best friend in a long time.
That was probably why he was being this affectionate around Ulric. It wouldn’t last, though. Maybe we can pretend to be really good friends. I just need to remember that it’ll end at some point.
“Hey, let’s do something together,” Gage said.
Ulric gave him an odd look as he headed back into the kitchen. “What?”
“I don’t know. There’s still a while to go before the ribs are done.” Gage watched as Ulric rinsed off his fallen bite of celery. This time, Ulric crunched up the celery and swallowed it, and he ate the other stick he’d taken from Gage.
It would be a really odd game, getting Ulric to eat his veggies. It seemed that all Gage had to do was take a bite out of anything, and give the rest to him. But Gage wasn’t in the mood for more snacks right now.
“I know,” he said. He waited until Ulric had swallowed the last of his celery. Then he pounced, shoving Ulric bodily against the island counter.
Ulric tensed; Gage dug his fingers hard into Ulric’s ribs and tickled. Ulric froze up even more; he looked like he was struggling real hard not to react, he looked like he was on the verge of breaking out into squeals.
So Gage cheated and kissed his cheek. Ulric snorted and broke, and Gage felt the tremble of his body, he felt Ulric dissolving into helpless laughter, even as he smacked Gage’s hands away, hard. That hurt a little. But it wasn’t enough to stop Gage from returning, tickling him again.
Ulric doubled over, his face crashing against Gage’s chest, his arms going up to try and defend himself. So Gage tried harder. The worst of his tickles.
“Quit it,” Ulric gasped between his laughter, his eyes flashing, his teeth bared in a snarl. Then he reared up and shoved back at Gage, and Gage’s back hit the opposite counter.
Ulric lunged, digging his fingers into Gage’s ribs, hard enough to bruise. Gage wasn’t ticklish. But because he wasn’t distracted, he saw the sudden ferocity in Ulric’s eyes. The dangerous gleam, the part of him that was alpha, through and through.
Gage’s instincts lit up that threat. He planted his hands on Ulric’s chest and heaved him off, and then he followed Ulric, punching him lightly in the jaw. Enough just to offend, not enough to hurt.
Ulric snarled, swinging his fist. Gage barely blocked it—there was power behind that strike. It would’ve hurt pretty bad. Except that only raised the stakes.
Gage gave a sharp smile. “Try harder, Ulric.”
12
The Other Side of Ulric
Gage yanked Ulric closer and caught him in a headlock; Ulric moved. Gage felt his balance slip; he tumbled forward, falling flat onto his back. The shock jarred his entire body. But the surprise and approval he felt—that was something Gage didn’t come across so often.
He hadn’t known that Ulric O’Neil could throw him onto his back that easily.
“No more tickles,” Ulric growled, his eyes narrowed.
Gone was the easygoing shyness. Gone was the part of Ulric that blushed and yielded. Gage had glimpsed this side of him a few times before, but it was out in the open now, a creature that Gage wanted to tame. He wanted this side of Ulric to yield to him. Because.
“I can’t promise no tickles.” Gage rolled onto his feet, rounding the island counter. “You’ll have to fight me for it.” He stepped out of the kitchen, crooking his finger at Ulric.
Ulric followed him, ferociousness rippling off his skin, all alpha threat. Gage knew there were omegas out there who would drop their pants, if they saw Ulric like this.
How much hotter could Ulric get? Could this alpha... burn off Gage’s pants?
Gage hadn’t gotten far when Ulric lunged. Gage barely managed to twist around; Ulric slammed him into the wall, knocking the breath out of his lungs. Gage’s instincts roared at him to get the upper hand.
“Playing rough, huh?” Gage growled.
“I’m gonna win this,” Ulric hissed, shoving their abdomens together, his breath falling hot on Gage’s lips.
“Prove it.”
Beneath the softness of Ulric’s body, he was warm, strong. Gage grabbed Ulric’s arm and flipped them around, crushing Ulric against the wall. Ulric’s breath rushed out of him; his eyes darkened.
He raised his fist to punch Gage; Gage blocked it and punched him back. Ulric snarled, shoving Gage backward. Gage stumbled; Ulric shoved him again so he lost his balance and fell. He hit the floor, pain jolting through his bones. Gage barely had time to roll over—he needed to get his feet under him.
Except Ulric barreled into his back and slammed him flat against the floor, and he sat down hard on Gage’s ass, one hand pinning Gage’s shoulders down, the other locking Gage’s arm behind his back.
“I win,” Ulric whispered.
And, with his weight firmly planted on Gage’s ass, Ulric rolled his hips—a slow, heavy slide of fabric on fabric. But not only that. There was something distinctly hard between them, something thick and long, that pushed an indent into Gage’s asscheek.
Gage knew what it was. He knew what it smelled like. And he knew Ulric wanted to thrust it inside him. Probably every single inch of it.
“Fuck,” Ulric hissed, sitting back so his cock no longer rubbed up against Gage. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to do that.”
But his voice was husky; Gage could smell the musk rolling off him now.
Gage owed him a favor. And this... he wouldn’t mind it.
Ulric made to leave—Gage
