“Better go. I have stuff to do,” I told him, and ended the call.
ARCHER
Try as I might, I couldn’t get my head straight, so I started to tidy the workshop. I knew too well the dangers of working with hot metal, and doing it when distracted would be inviting disaster.
Tidying gave me the opportunity for a stock check, so at least I wasn’t wasting too much time. Though as my thoughts skittered away from iron bars and back to memories of last night, I wasn’t so sure about that.
Ollie had said he wanted me from the moment he’d seen me. That wasn’t anything new—a lot of people seemed to pick up on my dragon’s primal nature and put themselves in my way, hoping I’d fuck them—but he’d come to know me and hestillwanted me. I didn’t know if that meant this was a relationship or not.
I’d missed out on the years when everyone else was learning how to date. I hadn’t been able to leave the kids or afford a babysitter just so I could go and indulge myself. Once things got easier, and I could finally carve out an occasional evening to myself, I’d headed to the Brighton clubs simply because I didn’t know what my other options were. I’d met some good guys there, guys who had patiently tutored me through my first, fumbling attempts. Now, I had no doubts about my ability to please a partner in bed, but I’d resigned myself to having nothing more than that. No one would want to share the life I had to lead as head of my family.
Being with Ollie had been unlike anything I’d known. He was beautiful beyond belief—and flexible, remembering the ease with which his legs had gone over my shoulders—and he was always so ready to smile. When I was with him, laughter was never far away, and I was beginning to wonder if he possessed supernatural powers because, before Ollie, I hadn’t laughed for a long time.
After I finished inside him last night, I’d had to bite back the word that had wanted to come out.Mine.I wanted to possess him, to hoard him. But I couldn’t keep him in my life of duty without changing him. I didn’t want him to lose the joy that made him Ollie.
We’d talked deep into the night, Ollie sharing happily the random thoughts that came into his head.
“If the Avebury stones are bearing witness to our lives, do you think they’re judging us? It’s kind of a weird feeling, being judged by a lump of rock.”
“I don’t get that from them,” I reassured him.
“Okay, good. Where do you think we came from? Dragons, I mean. We’ve obviously been around since forever because thereare all those old legends about dragons, but how did we evolve to look like humans and yet be so different?”
I hoped he didn’t expect me to answer the question that had unsuccessfully consumed the minds of far brighter dragons than me. “No idea,” I said, stretching comfortably, and loving the way he snuggled closer after I’d settled once more. “I don’t think it matters. What matters is that we’re here.”
“That sounds like the sort of motivational poster they had in the break room at work. I wonder if they miss me?”
I pressed a kiss to his temple. “Doubt it.”
As he raised his head to look at me, indignation in his face, I grinned. “Ofcoursethey do. Their lives are going to be a lot more boring without you around.”
“At least they might let people use the microwave again,” he said, and yawned. “Did I tell you I blew up the old one? I forgot my pie was in a foil case.”
I was making a mental note to keep Ollie away from our microwave when his next words grabbed my attention. “Do you think we should tell Mia and Tim about us?”
I hesitated. “I’m not sure how they’d take it,” I said at last. “You’re Mia’s friend, and Tim is—well, he’s Tim. You’re right, though. I don’t want to be sneaking around behind the kids’ backs. I’ll tell them tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Ollie agreed, easy as ever. “Do you notice how often you call them the kids?”
What a weird question. Except, as I turned it over in my head, it wasn’t weird and it wasn’t random. He was making a point. “I hadn’t,” I confessed. I wasn’t ready to let go of them yet, but they weren’t kids anymore. Not really.
That was something useful I could do this morning while I was too distracted to work. I’d find the kids—I’d find Tim and Mia, and tell them about me and Ollie.
I didn’t know how to answer if they asked whether it was serious between us. I’d hoped our date would clarify things, but it hadn’t, not really. Ollie might see this as nothing more than a bit of fun to pass the time while he stayed with us. I didn’t even know what exactly I wanted from him, other than that I didn’t want him to leave.
OLLIE
I waited for the Winchester bus at the stop a few yards from the Court’s gates. June had invited me to a garden party, and I hadn’t been able to think of an excuse quickly enough. As I had to go to Winchester for it, I’d decided to head into the city beforehand and have a look around while picking up a few more things I’d need for my three-month stay.
The bus was ten minutes late, and I was beginning to wonder if both Mia and the internet were mistaken about the times when it arrived. It was stuffed full of pensioners taking advantage of their bus passes, and I couldn’t see a free seat.
“Here you go, my love.”A woman with permed grey hair moved her bag and patted the seat beside her.
“Thanks.”
“So you’re from the big house? Are you one of the family?” She gestured at the gates as the bus pulled away.
“I’m just staying there.”
