The dragon swallowed loudly.Harmon didn’t understand why he appeared so afraid of two vampires, but the dragon looked painfully young, which might explain it.
“I’m sorry,” the dragon said.“All the other rooms are occupied.”
Mallory and Arlen were sharing a room, while Merrick had one for himself.Harmon had expected the same would go for him and Rex, but apparently, that wouldn’t be the case.He looked at Rex, hoping he wouldn’t mind sharing both a room and a bed.“Is this okay with you?”
Rex didn’t hesitate to nod, which was a relief.Harmon didn’t want either of them to be uncomfortable.
He turned back to the guard.“This is fine, thank you.”
The guard nodded and scurried away, leaving Harmon and Rex by the open bedroom door.Harmon shook his head, amused, and walked in.It could have been worse, really.
He could be sharing with Merrick.
Rex followed Harmon in and closed the door behind himself.He went to sit on the edge of the bed and leaned down to take off his boots.Harmon smiled when he heard Rex’s relieved sigh and saw him wiggle his toes.No man should be that cute.
The tension between them had been steadily building, and Harmon suspected it was about to come to a head.If nothing happened between them today, they’d part ways once this was over and would probably not see each other again.If something did happen, well?Harmon wasn’t sure what it would mean for either of them, but he was eager to find out.
“Comfortable?”he asked, his voice low but teasing.
Rex smirked and wiggled his toes again.“As much as I can be, considering where we are and that we have to share a room.”
Harmon raised an eyebrow.“Is that a problem?”He didn’t think so because Rex had sounded teasing, but Harmon didn’t know him well enough to be completely sure.
Rex leaned back on his elbows.“Not a problem, no.Just...unexpected.”
“I agree,” Harmon said, moving toward the foot of the bed.“Which side of the bed do you want?”
Rex didn’t answer immediately.His expression softened, the teasing glint in his eyes replaced by something more serious.“Whichever side you usually sleep on.”
Harmon’s smile faltered for a moment.Hedidn’t think that Rex had meant it the way it had sounded.There was something between them, and Harmon was pretty sure they both knew and wanted it.Acknowledging it meant crossing a line, and neither of them had been ready for that.
Maybe they were now.
He took a step closer.“So you don’t want me to sleep on my usual side?”
Rex’s eyes widened.“I meant that we should share a side, you know, because we’ll sleep so close that we won’t need both.”
“Oh?”Harmon tried to put everything he felt in that one word.He wasn’t sure he succeeded.
Rex’s breath caught, his eyes widening slightly.He stood, closing the distance between them in one quick movement.He reached up with his hand to brush a strand of hair from Harmon’s forehead.“Unless you don’t want that.”
The air between them felt charged.Harmon’s hands found Rex’s waist, pulling him closer until their chests nearly touched.Their gazes locked, and for a moment, neither moved.The tension was almost unbearable with Rex’s question still hanging in the air, unanswered.
Until Rex leaned in closer.“Stop overthinking it,” he murmured.“Just kiss me.”
Harmon didn’t need to be told twice.He closed the gap Rex had left between them, his lips meeting Rex’s in a kiss that started tender.It was slow and gentle, but as their mouths moved together, the gentleness turned into something deeper and more urgent.Rex’s hands slid up to cup Harmon’s face, while Harmon’s grip on Rex’s waist tightened in an attempt to pull him impossibly closer.
Their fangs grazed each other’s lips in a way that sent a shiver down Harmon’s spine.Rex tasted sweet, something Harmon should have expected since he’d seen him suck on hard lemon candy most of the time they’d spent in the car.
Harmon slid his hands from Rex’s waist to his back, tracing the curve of his spine through the fabric of his hoodie.Rex responded by slipping his hands into Harmon’s hair, tugging slightly.
They broke apart for air, resting their foreheads together.Rex’s voice was barely a whisper, his lips brushing against Harmon’s as he spoke.“I’ve wanted to do that for a while.”
“Me, too,” Harmon admitted.He kissed Rex again, shorter this time.His hands moved to the hem of Rex’s hoodie, fingers skimming the skin hidden under it.“Can I?”
Rex nodded.“Yeah.Please.”
Harmon tugged Rex’s hoodie and the t-shirt beneath it over Rex’s head, letting them fall to the floor.His breath caught as he took in the sight of Rex’s bare chest.He traced a finger along Rex’s collarbone, feeling the faint rise and fall of Rex’s chest as he breathed.
