It was a small package, wrapped in deep blue satin wrapping paper, with a silver bow.
Nat frowned. “What’s the occasion?”
“No occasion. I just wanted to give that to you.”
Nat carefully picked apart the wrapping paper. His fingers brushed several thin, stiff edges... Paper? There were things between the pages.
He peeked through a hole in the wrapping paper, and his breath hitched.
It was a photo album. The photographs looked yellowed.
Nat’s hands shook as he tore apart the rest of the wrapping paper, only to find the photo albums of his Gran that he had thought he’d lost forever.
The photos inside were the ones he remembered, too. Gran holding him up in front of his birthday cake, Gran filling in coloring books next to him. She looked so happy in these pictures, and Nat had been so young back then.
His voice broke. “H-how?”
“I hired some people to rummage through the junkyard near your old Colorado apartment,” Duke said with a small smile. “It took a while, then another while to get the albums clean and restored.”
Nat burst into tears. Duke’s smile fell off his face.
“Nat?”
“I love you,” Nat blurted, hugging the photo albums to his chest as he flopped against Duke.
Duke rumbled, strong hands cradling Nat close, brushing his hair and rubbing his back. “I wanted to do something for you, sweetheart. I had the means. It would’ve been terrible if I didn’t try.”
Duke dropped kisses all over the top of Nat’s head and continued softly, “I love you too. Part of me thinks I’ve been in love with you ever since you showed up as a raccoon in your resume. You just kept bringing laughter into my life. Like a bright spark that lights up my days.”
Nat’s heart swelled. He nuzzled up Duke’s throat, and they shared a soft, sweet kiss.
“I was thinking...” Duke began.
Nat raised his head, swiping at his wet eyes. “What?”
“I want to drop the sex clause from your contract.”
Nat’s stomach plummeted. “Why?”
“You’re my mate. I don’t feel right paying you for sex,” Duke said. “I want it to be something freely given.”
“Oh.” Nat breathed out his relief, nodding. “I guess it doesn’t really matter. The sex part never felt like a job to me, anyway. I just want more of it, all the time.”
Duke grinned and kissed him deeply. “Ask, and you shall be stuffed.”
“Now?” Nat asked hopefully.
“Now,” Duke promised.
Nat’s pants were gone in an instant. Duke squeezed Nat’s cock with his fist and rubbed his hole with his other hand. The moment he was wet enough, Duke pushed in. Except Duke went slow these days, afraid of hurting their baby.
“Mine,” Duke whispered, pressing kisses to Nat’s shoulders.
“Let me bite you, too.”
Duke gave Nat his wrist. Nat found a good spot and sank his teeth in hard, breaking skin.
“Fuck!” Duke’s next thrust ground against Nat’s sweet spot, sending him over the edge. Nat screamed and shuddered; Duke held him through it all. “I’m yours, sweetheart.”
