I woke up feeling like I had just won the lottery. Rory was curled up beside me, his beautiful locks flopping all over his face. When I had said I loved him before it had been a spontaneous, in the moment, post sex kind of thing. But in this moment I knew just how much I meant it.

This was how I wanted every morning to be. I knew it wouldn’t last with my deployment, which could still just be a rumor; nothing was set in stone. But now that I had asked Rory to be my mate and he’d said yes, I needed to be honest. I ruffled his hair, and he woke up. He looked at me with those brown eyes. Okay, maybe I would wait until we were officially mated before I went running my mouth about possibly being deployed.

I got out of bed and started to prepare breakfast. Rory rolled over and waved me off, clearly wanting another hour or so of sleep. While he slept, I decided to share my exciting news with my friends. I stepped out onto the deck and I rang up Ryan and Manny. It rang twice, Ryan answered.

“Justin! How’s your trip going buddy? Sorry about the other night before you left. I didn’t mean to put that on you.”

“No problem.” Manny was always dramatic and putting on a show in front of others, whether it was about their relationship or spilling grape soda on his shirt, I was used to it. “But my trip is going great! I have some news, I didn’t want to tell you before and spoil it!” I filled him in on what was happening.

“Oh my god! Justin, that’s amazing!” He gushed for me. “But wait,” his voice turning serious. “Aren’t you worried this is bad timing? You know with the deployment happening? He knows right?”

“Ryan, come on, nothing has been said for sure.” I didn’t like that he was criticizing what I had already been questioning in my head.

“Your choice. But he sounds like a keeper, I wouldn’t want you to do anything to fuck it up.”

“You’re right, I just don’t want to scare him you know?” I was really just trying to justify the lie to myself.

“He knows you’re a soldier Justin, it wouldn’t be fair to you if he wasn’t ok with you getting deployed.”

Ugh, he was right.

We chatted a little more about what they were up to back home. Then ended our conversation when I began to hear movement from inside. I poked my head in from outside and saw Rory in a bathrobe loosely tied around his waist. I was instantly aroused. I stepped inside towards him. I still couldn’t believe Rory, my boyfriend from nine years ago, was going to be my mate.

“Good morning soldier.” He was looking down at my erection and saluting it. I slipped my boxers off exposing it and turned him around. Pushing him down onto the dinning table I pulled off his robe. I pushed my hard cock into his ass as he let out a little squeal. I grabbed his arms behind his back and pushed his stomach flat on the table, fucking him. Blood rushing to my cock, my head felt light. I pulled out, coming all over his back. He turned around facing me and smiled.

“Good morning.” I finally said. He smiled and walked off to take a shower, not saying a word, but still smiling.

We only had a few days left together. We decided it was better if we did the whole reunite with the parents’ thing another time and avoid the holiday chaos. I didn’t want to leave him. The thought made my stomach drop. He had to go back to Colombia to collect his things, say good-bye to his friends and do whatever else was necessary to wrap up his life down there. I was a little scared he was going to realize he was making a giant mistake and decide not to come back. Once he was back under the hot Caribbean sun, on the beach, drinking cocktails, why would he want to come back to see me? Maybe if I made him my mate officially and imprinted him I wouldn’t be so worried.

I sat at the table thinking, drumming my fingers. Rory finally emerged from the shower and looked at me with concern.

“What’s wrong?” He stepped towards me. I must have looked really upset. I changed my face.

“Nothing, nothing, I was just thinking.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” I could have taken this opportunity to open up and tell him the truth. The truth that after we mated I may be leaving for an undetermined amount of time. But I bailed out. “No I was just thinking about how long you’ll be going back to Colombia for? It’s just starting to worry me I guess.”

“Oh don’t worry! I won’t be gone long; maybe a week, maybe ten days, maybe less! I don’t want to spend anymore time away from you than I have to!” He wrapped his arms around my neck, kissing my check over and over again.

“Okay, okay good.” I pushed him away from slobbering all over my face. “That makes me happy to hear.” I definitely couldn’t tell Rory now and risk losing him all over again.

“I’ll even book my flight now, right in front of you.” He skipped out of the room to retrieve my laptop. He came back in and sat across from me. Flipping open the computer and his curls off his face at the same time.

“Hey,” I said pulling up the chair beside him so I could view the screen. “I want to see you buy it.” I grinned down at him.

“You don’t trust me?”

“I guess I don’t know yet, buy your plane ticket and we’ll see.”

He laughed out loud. “Okay, okay,” he opened his browser to Expedia and typed CCS to YFC. January 7. One Adult Passenger. “The 7^th I’ll come back to you, is that okay?” he asked.

“Yes, I will be back in New Brunswick on the 2^nd, I guess can wait five days.” I stopped panicking in my mind. “Just enough time to make the house ready for your arrival.” I said smiling at the fact we would be playing house soon.

He finished purchasing the ticket, and leapt up out of his seat. “Just five days apart to see my parents and five more for me to get my things! This will be a breeze!” He hugged me excitedly, “total of ten long, heart aching days mi amor.” He joked.

It really would be a long, heart aching ten days, but I didn’t say that. “Okay, now that I can trust you,” I winked, “lets get some real breakfast, or lunch, or brunch.” We both laughed. I loved hearing him laugh.

* * *

The next couple days flew by. Rory was no longer in heat so we spent more time getting to know each other all over again. He was such an amazing human, more than I could ever ask for. Smart, funny, worldly, everything I already knew and more. Total opposite of me, I think that’s why I had fallen for him. He knew how to make everything simple and fun. When I was up tight he would find a way to make me unravel. He was tidy and knew how to cook, some amazing recipes with that down south flare that made my mouth water. Even though he was no long in heat we seemed to enjoy each other just the same. He turned me on more than anyone had ever turned me on before. Every time I looked at him my pants became tight.

It was our second to last evening together, we had just eaten and were lying in bed, together side by side. I had wanted to plan something spectacular for the night, the night we mated officially, and I gave him an imprint for real. I had been trying to come up with something for days. Romantic dinner, flowers, candle lit apartment, but it all seemed so cheesy.

Rory seemed like someone who would find all of that ridiculous. He would think I was lame and predictable. He had been on so many wild adventures in his life, the thought of boring him with some romantic show put on before mating seemed embarrassing. So I had given up and was leaving it to fate. The moment would come and when it did we would both know.

The moon was shining in through the windows, it was a clear night, and you could see all the stars. It was cold and crisp, we were covered in a big wool blanket. The little fireplace in our bedroom was roaring. I was drawing my finger up and down Rory’s bare chest. It was the perfect moment. I didn’t know if I should ask him to mate now or if I should just make the moves, we had already had the conversation. My train of thought was disrupted as Rory rolled over looking mischievous.

“Hey, what do you say we go get some hot chocolate?” He said as he got up and reached for a shirt.

How disappointing. “Um, are you sure? It’s so nice here.” I was half trying to convince him, half confused as to why wanted to leave all of a sudden.

“Yea come on, I could use the fresh air.”

“Alright.” I answered unwillingly. I was so confused, why was he trying to rush out of this moment and get us out of the apartment? I thought we were on the same page, we both wanted to mate before we went our separate ways. We only had one more night together and this was clearly an opportune moment. Did he not want to go through with this? Was he still upset about the way we left things the last time? I had so many questions in my head. I got up and put on my jacket. “Ok, but let’s hurry back?”

He said nothing and I followed him out the door. A flight ticket wasn’t enough for me, anyone can cancel those. If he didn’t want to mate now, did he want to be with me at all?