“Thank you, Jonathan,” Luc said. “That’s much appreciated.”
Jonathan left, closing the door quietly behind him, and to Sage’s surprise, Luc and Nic stood up.
“Please start your meal, you’ll just have to excuse us just for a moment,” Luc said, as he wrapped his arms around Nic’s waist, his mate stepping in close to him as his arms wrapped around Luc. “Nic and I have a tradition we have carried on for fifty years – we always share a New Year’s Eve kiss as the clock strikes twelve.”
That sounded normal enough. Sage was sure many couples enjoyed a similar tradition – it would be a romantic thing to do, celebrating the start of a new year.Maybe that will be me one day.Sage quietly nibbled on his food – it was a really tasty collection, but as the minutes passed, he couldn’t look away from the way the two men looked deep into each other’s eyes.
Away from the social media cameras, journalists, and guests, Sage could see there was a very deep connection between the two men. It was obvious even to his non-paranormal eyes, and asthe moments ticked over until midnight, Nic and Luc started to count down.
“Ten…”
“Nine…”
“Eight…”
“Seven…”
Each man took turns to count down until one. Sage could hear a few cheers coming from down the hallway, and he imagined there was a lot of celebrating and kissing going on in the penthouse level. But in the private dining room, Nic held Luc’s face in both hands, and the two men engaged in a kiss that had Sage’s face flushing as if he were sitting in front of a heater. Looking down quickly, he stabbed at a piece of fish, focusing on his food rather than interfering with what was clearly a very personal moment.
It didn’t last long, barely any time at all. Luc and Nic had spent more time counting down than they had actually locking lips together. But both men ran fingers through their hair and took a couple of deep breaths before sitting down again, and then they both leaned over the table, and Sage felt a brief brush of warm lips on both cheeks.
“We didn’t want you to feel as if we were ignoring you,” Nic said with a cheeky grin as he straightened in his seat again.
“That probably looked a little weird to you,” Luc added as he sat up and picked up his fork.
Looking across at his dinner companions, Sage shook his head. “I think it’s lovely that you’ve been together so long and you’ve got traditions you like to follow. Your New Year kiss is something that’s clearly important to you. I hope the moment wasn’t spoiled by my being here.”
“That would never happen,” Luc said. “As we said, you’re our third.”
“Yes, about that.” Sage felt he should be fair to his…mates. It would take him a little while to get used to that word in relation to himself. “I’m not disputing this third business. You two would know about that more than I would, but I can feel” - he waved his fork in the air - “things, but I also feel it’s only fair to warn you that I’m nothing like you two. Nothing at all - and I’m not just talking about the lack of height or tentacles.”
Luc and Nic shoulder-bumped each other the moment Sage said “things.” Sage thought he was going to combust in his chair as his “warmth” was reaching interesting places.
Taking another mouthful of his food, Luc said, “We expected our third to be different from us.”
“I’m not as strong as you, and probably don’t have the same stamina levels either.”
Nic was already chewing, but he managed to say, “You will once you’re claimed. Stamina, I mean.”
Really?Sage didn’t learn about that in his studies. But then Luc said something that truly made Sage believe he’d fallen asleep at the reception desk.
“You’ll be able to swim underwater without all that equipment, too. You can come swimming with us in our shifted form.”
Sage stared at the two men who were still eating. He looked at the food on his fork, and then swallowed a huge lump in his throat. “Did I hear you correctly? As your third, I’d be able to swim underwater – no breathing apparatus, no tanks, and no masks. I can just breathe and not drown?”
“After claiming, yep,” Nic said. “We wouldn’t feel right going for swims, around our island, for example, without you coming withus. You did say you liked being in the water, and the water there is lovely and warm most of the year.”
Putting down his fork, Sage pushed his plate to one side. He adjusted his glasses as he debated how to ask the next, most obvious question. Finally, he decided blunt was best. “Is this for real? You’re not just winding me up as a New Year’s prank? Marty didn’t set me up for this? This is actually true? The third business, the swimming underwater – it’s true?”
“It is all true. The one thing shifters would never joke about is anything to do with mates.” Pushing his plate aside, Luc reached for Nic’s free hand. “However, there is one thing you should know about Nic and me before we go much further.”
Chapter Thirteen
Luc
“Nic and I haven’t claimed each other.” Luc knew Sage deserved to know. It was sweet that their third was worried he wouldn’t fit in with Nic and Luc’s lifestyle, although he seemed more concerned about the lack of tentacles than being rich or enjoying a party lifestyle.Which I’d happily give up, and now we’ve talked, I think Nic would, too.
Instead of being confused, Sage looked genuinely concerned, which was sweet. “I can’t imagine how incredibly difficult that must have been for you both, and for your kraken sides as well. Is there a reason for that? How can you handle being so close, and yet not, if you know what I mean?”
