Free Stevens-Journey [Brac Pack 20] by Lynn Hagen Page B

66
    Lynn Hagen
    long country drive. They still owned the home they moved from. It hadn’t been sold, so Roman didn’t see a problem driving a few hours this morning to get away with his mate.
    “No, it needs to be aired out. Go ahead,” Pa answered as he cleared his plate from the table.
    Roman leaned back and dropped his arm over the back of Steven’s chair, feeling a little better now that he had an agenda for the day. His mood became lighter as he grabbed his breakfast dishes and took them to the sink. Once he rinsed them off, he stuffed them into the full dishwasher.
    Roman noticed the stiff way Steven was sitting and wondered if it was because of their love playing last night. A smile tugged at his lips when he thought of having Steven in his arms again.
    It had been fun, exciting, and downright heaven to be with his mate. Roman grabbed a paper towel and wiped his mouth clean, tossing the used towel into the trash can. First things first, he had to go check his buildings.
    “I won’t be long.” He bent at the waist and placed a quick kiss on Steven’s lips. His brothers chuckled as Roman straightened and headed for the front door. He may be in mating heat, and the thought of leaving Steven behind wasn’t sitting well with him.
    He wanted to ask his mate if he wouldn’t mind riding along, but Pa was right about his temper right now, and he didn’t want Steven to feel crowded. They had been spending a lot of time together. Couples needed breathing room. He didn’t, but Steven was human. Surely his mate did.
    “Wait,” Steven called out as Roman stepped onto the porch. He turned around, seeing the strain on his mate’s face. Roman’s protective instincts kicked in, looking around for any danger. When he saw none, he looked back at Steven.
    “What’s wrong, tiger?”
    Steven glanced down at his shoes. Roman had noticed the poor state they were in. He was going to have to take his baby shopping.

    Steven’s Journey
    67
    The resource center had donated clothes to Steven, which Roman was thankful for, but he could take care of his mate. Maybe on their drive today they could stop somewhere to get him some new clothes.
    Steven looked back up at Roman, tears glistening in his eyes.
    “Why are you leaving me?”
    Roman’s head snapped back. What on earth was Steven talking about? “I’m not leaving you, tiger. As a matter of fact, I was thinking about asking you if you wanted to ride along.” Steven’s brows pulled together in confusion. “But you just asked Pa if you could use your winter house.” The light blinked on over Roman’s head. He wanted to laugh, but Steven’s distraught look tempered the act. “I want to use it for us .”
    “Oh.” Now Steven looked even more distraught. Roman wondered if he would ever figure humans out. They were a complicated bunch.
    “Why are you still looking like you’re gonna cry?” he asked gently.
    Steven stiffened, his eyes narrowing as he looked up at Roman. “I am not about to cry.”
    Whoa, his mate looked pissed off. Roman’s cock started to fill in.
    He loved a challenge, especially when it was his mate. It was hot as hell. “Tell me what’s wrong, Steven.”
    “Never mind,” Steven bit out. Roman was turned on big time.
    “Tell me, Steven,” he warned.
    “Or what, you gonna hit me?”
    Roman was floored. Never in his life had he become so angry so quickly. Had he not promised his mate he would never touch him in anger? Roman was so mad he could chew nails. Maybe he did need some time to himself. He needed to cool off before he said something he would regret. He knew it was a reflex after what Steven had been through. But the shit still hurt like hell.
    “Is that what you think? You think I would lay a hand on you just because we’re having a disagreement?” 68
    Lynn Hagen
    Steven looked as though he had lost some of his wind. His shoulders sagged as he shrugged. “Would you?” Roman clenched his jaw as he spun around on the porch. “If