Free Scent of the Heart by Parker Williams Page A

it back.”
    “And again, that’s bad because?”
    “I don’t want to be gay.”
    Jake wrapped an arm around Casey’s shoulder. “Gay, bi, hell, gay for you. What difference does it make? If you love someone, shouldn’t that be all that matters?”
    “I saw in my dreams that we’re still together years into the future. I know that I only see possible futures, because the threads of fate aren’t woven as much as stitched, and one pluck can unravel the whole thing. But I saw it and I longed for that. I don’t understand it at all.”
    “You longed to be with your mate for a full life? Yes, that must be awful. Most people never find that someone who completes them, Casey. If you walk around the enclave, you’ll find people who are happy with the one they love, but in their heart, it won’t ever be the same. They still ache for their mate, say prayers to the spirits to find them. Your mate is here, with you. He loves you. What’s wrong with that?”
    “Because it’s too fast. Because he’s a guy. Because…I think I love him, too, and I’m afraid to say it.”
    “When I first laid eyes on Zak, there was a spark that hit me right in the heart. I didn’t know why, but I knew I wanted him. You know how I was when I caught a whiff of his scent. He was mine that day, even if I wasn’t aware of it yet. Why do you need to put a label on it? You’re in paradise, Case. No one here cares who you’re with. All forms of love are treated equally. So why are you stressing?”
    “I don’t know,” he replied honestly. “I’m going to be twenty-two in a few months. Am I ready for a permanent relationship? What if I decide I want to be with a girl instead?”
    “It doesn’t work like that. If you complete the mating with Sev, he will be the only one you want.”
    Casey moaned pitifully. “What if I find a girl first, then we could form a triad relationship, right?”
    Jake stroked his chin. He’d grown a beard since they’d gotten to the enclave. It made him look rugged and, if possible, more dangerous. Casey might have been a bit jealous since he could go more than a week without shaving and only look scruffy. “I suppose that could happen. But is that what you want? To know that your mate will be first in your heart, and yet you’re trying to pretend he isn’t?”
    “No, I don’t want to hurt him. But…” Casey’s voice trailed off.
    “What? You can talk to me about anything, you know.”
    “I’m not ready. I can’t even think about doing…stuff with him.”
    “You’re freaked out about it, aren’t you?”
    Casey nodded. “What if he wants to… God, I can’t even say it.”
    “Make love to his mate?”
    The tips of Casey’s ears burned, so he assumed he was blushing hard.
    “What if he does? Sex is amazing. It brought Zak and I closer than ever before. Doing it with your mate isn’t a bad thing. It’s beautiful and glorious.”
    “Has Zak ever…?”
    “You are so cute when you blush, you know. Not that it matters, but no he hasn’t.”
    “Then how can you say—”
    “I said he hadn’t, not that I wouldn’t. If Zak wanted me to, I’d let him throw me on the table and take me in front of the staff. It was his choice not to, and I respect that. Who knows? Maybe you’ll try it and you’ll like it so much that you won’t want to do it to Sev at all.”
    “But I’m not a girl.”
    As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Casey regretted them. It was too late to take them back, and he could see Jake’s anger plainly.
    “Are you saying Zak is a woman? Or would I be a woman if Zak screwed me? I can’t believe you said that. You’ve always been one of the most open-minded people I’ve known, and now you’re going to sit here, in my home, and spout that bullshit? I’m only going to give you one chance to make this right, Case. What’s on your mind?”
    “My dad hated you. He said you were weak, because you were gay. If it wasn’t for the fact your folks had money, he