Chapter Five

Reed decided not to ask any more questions after Cole's hazel eyes welled up with tears. Cole remained silent on the drive home, leading Reed to wonder whether he had done anything wrong.

"I'll see you tomorrow at work," Cole remarked as they stood in front of his apartment. Reed said his goodbyes and then went home. He lay on his bed, grumbling, "Stupid stupid stupid," and looking up at the ceiling. "I seem to keep asking Cole the wrong questions," he said incoherently. Reed had no idea when he fell asleep because he awoke to his phone buzzing off the hook.

"Hello," Reed said groggily.

"Reed, I need you," Cole exclaimed between hiccups.

"Cole, what's wrong?" he inquired.

"I'm so hot," Cole whimpered. 

There were only two possibilities for why Cole was phoning in the middle of the night. Cole either had a temperature or was in heat. Reed heard Cole wail in the background.

"I'm on my way," Reed answered, quickly rising from the bed and collecting clothes. Reed was nearly knocked backwards when he approached Cole's flat. The fragrance of lilacs was intense. He knocked on the door and waited for an answer. The door opened, showing Cole, who was sweating profusely. "Where's your medicine?" Reed closed the door behind them and inquired. "You're in heat," he stated.

"Bathroom," Cole mumbled, pointing down the hall.

Reed grabbed Cole's prescription, had him take it, and then ran him a cool bath. "Get naked and soak into the tub," he told him."

"Bathe with me," Cole whimpered. Reed knew it was risky, but he consented.

"Okay, but no sex," Reed said. Cole entered the tub first, followed by Reed. Cole slid back against Reed's chest and felt Reed's dick touch his thigh.

"How will you help me then?" Reed said, disappointed. "I feel like I'm on fire," he complained.

"Like this," Reed explained as he kissed Cole's collarbone. Cole closed his eyes and moaned softly. Reed's fingertips moved across Cole's nude body, beginning with his thighs.

By the third day, Cole was pleading, "I need you inside me," but Reed said, "I am not taking your virginity." Reed stood firm, despite Cole's cries and pleas. Cole eventually fell asleep in Reed's arms that night.

"If you marked me, would it hurt less?" Cole inquired the following morning, wrapped in Reed's hug.

"Cole, marking each other isn't something to take lightly," Reed instructed him. "Does this mean you accept us as being mates?" the man said.

"Yes," Cole replied, licking his lips. Reed knew that wasn't Cole's heat cycle talking. Reed first suckled on the exact location of the mark. Cole gasped and grasped Reed's shirt as Reed's canines penetrated his skin.

Cole and Reed cuddled on the couch and listened to some relaxing music. Each had the mark on their neck. "I can hear your heart race," Reed said.

"It's because you're holding me," Cole explained. "And I'm happy," he said.

"No regrets?" "No doubts?" Reed inquired. Cole shook his head and said, "No." Reed grinned and lovingly kissed Cole's forehead. "I have one request," Cole explained.

"Name it," Reed said.

"For now on, you call me Noah since it's my name after all," he told him.

"I like that name," Reed remarked. "It's cute," he said. "The question is, which one are you comfortable with?" Reed questioned him.

"I'll stick with Noah since it's who I really am," he told him.

Noah's emotional state improved, as did his connection with Reed.

"I'll let you put this up in the main lobby," Noah replied, handing Reed a finished drawing of the two of them seated on the couch.

"Okay, but let's find a nice frame first." Reed replied, grinned, and kissed Noah on the cheek. They entered a tiny room with additional supplies and glanced through the frames. Noah's hazel eyes lit up with enthusiasm when he came across one that piqued his curiosity. The frame was dark brown with a thin gold lining around the outside.

"I want this one," Noah shouted, excitedly displaying it to Reed. With a gentle chuckle, Reed remarked, "Let's get it ready."

With some time and patience, the photograph was framed and hung in the main foyer. A silver name tag with Noah's name underneath it.

"You're one step closer to fame and fortune, babe," Reed murmured, caressing Noah's cheek.

"You think so?" Noah asked.

Reed said, "I know so." "Let's go home and celebrate," Reed remarked flirtatiously. Noah's cheeks flushed as nasty ideas raced through his mind. He consciously shook the memories from his head and inquired, "What will happen at this celebration?"

"Oh, you find out," Reed stated in a sultry tone as they walked to his car. Noah's cheeks turned a deeper red than usual.

They went to the grocery shop before heading home to get supplies for dinner. "Pick what you want for dessert; I'll get the rest," Reed assured him. Noah smiled and dashed off to the dessert aisle. Reed had added a box of boneless steaks to the basket when Noah approached him with a chocolate cream pie in his hands.

"Wow, that looks rich," Reed said with a cheeky smile.

"It's supposed to be rich," Noah said, placing it in the cart alongside the steaks. "That's the fun in eating it."

"Be careful because if you eat too much of it, you'll get fat," Reed joked.

When they arrived back at Noah's home, Noah put the pie in the fridge and slipped off his shoes. 

"I'm going to take a shower," Noah replied. 

"Can I join you?" Reed asked, winking at him. 

"Okay, but I'm not sure if you have any clothes here," Noah nodded and said. 

"I left a pair the other day," Reed stated. Noah furrowed his brows as if in thought.

"So that's where they came from," he commented. "I washed them for you."

"Thanks," Reed smiled. "Now, let's get that shower," he said, pinching Noah's buttcheek. Giggles filled the house as they headed to the bathroom.