The Winter Moon's Wolf Part 2

Because there was no way in h.e.l.l this was possible.

Dean drove up to the curb in front of the quaint, light blue house. He yawned, drinking down the last of his cooled coffee. Waking to his alarm clock hadn't been the most welcome start of his day, but when food he wouldn't have to cook for himself was on the offering table... Yeah, that was a little harder to pa.s.s up.

Besides, he had days ahead of him he could sleep. After replacing the cup, he got out of the car. Yards were decorated with festive ornaments and standing displays. Strings of lights wrapped houses and trees. He was sure it was a festive sight after dark. The dusting of snow still on the ground would be added to in the coming days. They were antic.i.p.ating a heavy fall to hit on Christmas night.

Oh, fun.

He planned on being wrapped up under quilts watching TV before it even started.

Clearing the car's b.u.mper, he walked up to the front door and knocked. In the light of day, without the hue of bad lighting and the after-hours tiredness getting in the way, Cade was positively awe-inspiring when he opened the door.

"Hey," he said. "Come on in."

"I'm good on time?"

"Perfect."

Dean caught the slightest grumble. "Everything good?"

As he turned his back, Cade ran a hand over his head, plying through the loose length of hair draped down his back. Dean wanted to run his fingers through it. Instead, he watched as it was quickly grabbed and tied it off with an elastic band.

"Yeah. Need my jacket."

Dean stole a quick glimpse around the room when Cade vanished around the corner. Maybe he didn't wake up the most sociable type of person. He wouldn't be the first.

He reappeared shrugging into a wool-lined Sherpa coat.

"No leather this morning, huh?" he joked.

Cade tugged at the bottom. "Heh, no. No motorcycles this morning."

Dean noticed he was wearing sneakers this morning too. Didn't matter. He was still gorgeous. He kept his raunchy fantasies quiet, locked up tight with a t.i.tanium mental key.

Cade plucked a key ring off a hook near the door. Dean left first when he opened it. Cade locked it and then Dean followed as he veered to the left for a pickup in the driveway.

He read the door decal. "Rose Veterinary."

Cade unlocked the truck and they both hopped in. "My brothers and I run the town clinic."

"Three vets?" He buckled up. That was different.

"It gets better," he warned. He started to put the truck in reverse then froze. "s.h.i.t. Uh, bad time to mention this, but you don't have a problem with people being gay, do you?" Cade studied him, a hint of real concern ghosting over his expression.

"Nope. None." Dean smiled. Joke's on you, friend. Joke's on you, friend. "Why?" He knew Cade wasn't asking out of interest. "Why?" He knew Cade wasn't asking out of interest.

"You'll see."

"Should I be worried?" He frowned, wondering what Cade was driving at.

"Half the house is gay. My brother will be there with his husband. Chris' ex will have his boyfriend. The only woman will be Maya, Quade's girl."

"Wow. One woman. She must feel special."

Cade snickered. "If she's noticed, she doesn't play on it." He slowed at a stop sign and then turned out to the main road, driving down Main Street the way Dean had arrived.

"Which are your brothers?"

"Quade and Chris. Ed is Chris' ex. Good guy. Firefighter here in town."

"And they're still friends?"

"We're a small community, and those like my brother and Ed tend to stick together."

Dean guessed that was Cade's polite way of saying he wasn't wasn't like them. He'd a.s.sumed as much. He was scorching hot, but Dean's gaydar didn't so much as ping, much less go all systems alarm over the man. like them. He'd a.s.sumed as much. He was scorching hot, but Dean's gaydar didn't so much as ping, much less go all systems alarm over the man.

He softened the sigh of disappointment. "Thanks for inviting me, by the way." He relaxed on the seat with his hands in his jacket pockets. The truck was warming nicely now that they were moving at a good clip.

"It's all good. No one should be home alone this time of year. Whether it's Christian or Christmas, Winter Solstice, or whatever anyone wants to call it. Besides, Jamie was begging us to be here today." He gave Dean a bashful grin that almost charmed him right across the seat. "Honestly, you are are doing me a favor. I love them all, but being there alone..." He faced forward to drive, but Dean understood. He was outnumbered. doing me a favor. I love them all, but being there alone..." He faced forward to drive, but Dean understood. He was outnumbered.

"It's cool. No one has to know you picked me up at a bar last night," Dean quipped.

Cade whipped around to blink at him, then busted out with laughter. "Good one. That's good." Broad shoulders rocked as he shook his head.

Dean gazed outward when Cade turned off the road. "Wow. This is your brother's place?"

"It was ours originally, my family's. Our parents are deceased."

"Oh, man. I'm sorry." Dean heard the restrained pain in that.

"It's been a while. Chris held us together until Quade and I finished veterinary school."

"He must be a h.e.l.l of a brother."

"He is," Cade replied. He pulled up behind other vehicles. "Looks like we're only missing Ed. Ha. I'm not last for a change."

Dean chuckled at his grousing.

Together they walked to the front door, and Cade knocked. The door swung open, revealing a cute blond. "Hey, Cade." He raised a glance up to Dean where he shadowed Cade. The blond's smile never faltered. "Morning. Come on in."

"This is Dean. Jamie."

"Nice to meet you," Dean said, offering a hand.

"You too. Coats in the spare," Jamie instructed. Unfazed. No questions. Not so much as a blink of an eye.

Dean guessed Cade had told the truth. They really didn't mind him being there.

"That would be my old room." Cade chuckled. "Ed still coming?"

"Yep. They called about fifteen minutes ago. Chris, Quade, and Maya went to handle the horses. You know the drill." Jamie winked and hopped back to the kitchen.

"Drill?"

"Make yourself at home. They don't stand on ceremony." He tipped his head. "Let's go put the coats up and see what's on the menu."

Whatever it was smelled incredible. Savory, sweet, and homemade, the scents filled the house. Couldn't be beat. Dean tagged along, slipping out of his jacket to put it with Cade's.

"He's nice."

"He's bonkers, but he's family," Cade corrected, grinning.

Dean chuckled quietly, following him out of the room for the kitchen.

"There's coffee if you want it, or if you're like those of us who don't like mornings: coffee first, breathing second."

"That sounds great."

Cade handed him a cup and moved out of the way to let him reach the pot. It smelled divine.

"Addict ingredients are over there." Jamie pointed down the counter.

"Jamie," Cade warned.

"What?" he replied with an innocent drawl. "You never want to get between a person and their coffee. Trust me. Why do you think I'm missing fingers?"

He held up his hand, all but the middle finger curled under.

Dean covered his mouth to not snort his drink.

"Brat."

"Never said I wasn't," he countered, completely unconcerned.

"Where is Chris?" Cade groaned. "You need your keeper."

A door opened somewhere and right after, Dean heard voices.

"Are you sure you wouldn't mind?" A woman was talking.

"It's not a problem. We used to have riding horses but never replaced the geldings when they pa.s.sed."

A trio entered the kitchen. A redhead, a fit and handsome guy, and... Dean gulped, then coughed. Hard. A towel was thrust at him and he covered his mouth as he gagged and coughed his way through the fit. "So... sorry," he gasped, panting to clear his pa.s.sage.

"You okay?"

Dean nodded, blinking away moisture. "Plumbing problems," he croaked. He finally caught his breath and met the man's eyes to sweep back to Cade. "You're twins."

"Yeah," Cade offered, confused.

Dean gathered his thoughts, closed his eyes and drew a breath. "I wasn't expecting it." It made him think of Daniel. And doing that would put him in a mood no one wanted to suffer. Wiping his thoughts clean of his past, he found a smile and put it on display. "Sorry about that." He offered a hand. "I'm Dean Eckler."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Quade and this Maya."

He repeated it for Chris.

"Great first impression," he muttered, gripping his mug again.

Someone knocked. Quade went to answer it. Cade moved to the side of the kitchen and Dean followed. "Sorry about that."

"What happened?"

Dean could tell by Cade's expression he'd really screwed up. Seriously, it wasn't like they had three eyes. He stared into the brown liquid in his mug. "My twin died six years ago. His name was Daniel."

"d.a.m.n. I'm sorry." Cade glanced toward the front room when voices drifted toward them. "So it wasn't because I'm a twin, but it brought up memories?"

Dean nodded. "The bar was ours."

"Gemini's? It's not your birthday or whatever?"

Dean huffed mirthlessly. "No. We were exact copies. I imagine much like you two. Only we excelled in duplication." He managed a weak grin, burying it behind his mug. He did have good memories. It was the bad ones he despised.

"And I hated being an exact copy," Cade mused.

"Hey, guy." A broad guy came up to Cade and jabbed his shoulder with a fist. "Feeling better this morning?"

Cade shrugged, crossing his arms. "Wasn't feeling bad last night."

"Could've fooled me." He let it drop without a lot of pushing.

"Where's Margo? Come here, girl."

Dean watched as a dog trotted up to Jamie. He knelt to the floor and roughed her playfully, getting dog kisses in retaliation.

"Where'd she come from?"

"She's Duncan's." At the sound of his name, a guy watching the pair on the floor lifted his head and sauntered over.

Cade introduced him.

"How'd you get roped into this insanity?" Duncan leaned enough to touch shoulders with Ed.

Marked. Yeah, he got it. Dean ignored it. This morning he was only a guy sharing a little get-together time. A friend. He spared a look to Cade. At least, he guessed that's what this morning was all about. "I had some trouble at closing time last night. Cade helped me out." Yeah, he got it. Dean ignored it. This morning he was only a guy sharing a little get-together time. A friend. He spared a look to Cade. At least, he guessed that's what this morning was all about. "I had some trouble at closing time last night. Cade helped me out."