Liam, Toni Griffin [freda ebook reader .TXT] 📗

brief moment of panic he'd be late for work, but calmed down when something niggled at the back of his brain telling him everything would be okay. He hadn't slept so late in years; he usually woke up well before the sun rose, even on his rare days off.

He looked around the room, positive he'd never stepped foot in it before. Fairly sparse and furnished with just the large queen sized bed, a set of bedside drawers with two lamps on top, and a tall boy against the wall opposite the bed.

It looked like a typical guest room for someone who didn't get a great deal of visitors. Declan sat up slowly, the sheets pooling around his waist. Surprised to be naked down to his waist, Declan quickly lifted the covers. He sighed in relief, glad to be wearing sweats. He honestly didn't remember getting to bed last night or getting undressed.

A knock on the bedroom door startled Declan. He breathed in deeply trying to get the scent of the person on the other side. The aroma seeped into his body, filling every pore and causing such a visceral reaction that memory came flooding back. Liam. His mate.

Declan thumped his hand down on his hard cock, not wanting the bulge beneath the blankets to be obvious.

After attempting to talk and having no sound come out, he cleared his throat. "Come in." He really needed his morning coffee.

Declan watched as Liam opened the door and stepped inside the room. His eyes swept over every inch of Declan's naked skin before making their way to meet his eyes. Declan smiled shyly when their gazes connected.

Declan didn't know what to do with the undisguised heat that shone out of Liam's stunning eyes. No one had ever looked at him like that before.

"Morning," Liam said.

Declan didn't think it was his imagination that Liam's voice sounded deeper than it did last night.

"Good morning," Declan replied, silently begging his heart to stop trying to beat its way out of his chest.

His wolf sat up and took notice. The creature wanted to reach out and touch its mate, Declan held back, barely, from giving in to its wants.

"There's coffee, if you're interested," Liam said, his voice still low and sexy as hell.

"Oh, yeah!" Declan exclaimed and jumped out of bed.

Liam chuckled but Declan didn't care. His day didn't start right if it didn't begin with caffeine. Being a baker and having to get up at unimaginable hours of the morning, coffee had fast become a necessity in his life.

Declan headed out of the room, wearing nothing but his sweats. Pausing for a moment when he passed Liam, he raised up so he could lay a quick, gentle kiss on Liam's cheek. "Thank you," he said quietly, unable, after all, to pass his mate without touching.

"You're welcome," Liam smiled. "I don't know for what, but you're welcome anyway."

His sweet smile turned into a cheeky grin and Declan laughed.

Liam followed him through the house to the kitchen. Declan didn't stop, and even though the house didn't belong to him, he headed directly for the coffeemaker sitting on the bench. It took Declan looking in three cupboards before he found the coffee mugs. He didn't have to search for the coffee; the pods were hanging on the wall directly behind the coffee maker.

Declan had no worries working the De'Longhi Nespresso machine; he had one just like it at home. The milk had been topped up and Declan placed his cup under the spout then looked at the different varieties of coffee pods. Letting out a very unmanly squeal when he saw his favourite flavour, he quickly reached out and pulled the pod from its box and placed it in the machine. He closed the lid, pressed the buttons, and waited.

The machine whirred to life and Declan bounced on the balls of his feet impatient for the damn thing to finish.

The rich smell drove him crazy. He wished it would hurry up already, he wanted his coffee now! When the cappuccino finally finished, Declan grabbed the chocolate shaker sitting next to the machine and sprinkled a generous amount on top of the foamy milk.

Picking up the cup, Declan took his first sip and sighed. Heaven. God, he loved the first coffee of the day.

He took several more sips of his drink before the chuckling behind him registered. Declan turned around to find Liam leaning against the bench opposite him, his eyes filled with mirth and something Declan couldn't put a name to. The man looked drop dead sexy when he relaxed and laughed.

"So…" Liam said.

Declan waited but Liam didn't seem to want to follow on after that one word.

"So?" Declan asked finally not able to help himself.

"Like your coffee, do you?" Liam laughed again.

Declan blushed. He must look like a right idiot with the way he acted about a silly drink but Declan really did like his coffee. Not wanting to say anything, he simply lifted his cup and took another sip after nodding quickly.

Liam truly did have a beautiful smile. Declan hoped that smile would always be directed towards him. At the thought, he shook his head. On the one hand, he barely knew the man, on the other, they were mates. Declan had grown up in a loving family, his parents had been a fated pairing and he had been taught all about mates. He never imagined the bonding pull would be so strong after such little time.

Wanting to change the subject before he jumped the unsuspecting man, Declan blurted. "What day is it?"

Liam studied him for a moment before he answered.

"It's Monday morning." He looked down at his watch and winced. "If I don't leave right now I'm going to be late for work, and it never looks good when the boss is late." He smiled lightly.

Declan wondered what Liam did for a living. He had a feeling it included some sort of manual labour. The man looked magnificent in work-roughened, faded jeans that he thought