“Accurate.”
Riley smoothed the wrinkles in the comforter around him. “I wasn’t trying to be tricky. I was trying to be…careful.”
When Seth didn’t start hurling profanities, Riley scooted a few inches closer, biting back a smile when Seth allowed it. Seth took another swallow of tea, and Riley did his best not to think of where those lips had been earlier. He had a feeling if Seth caught sight of the barest hint of an erection, the crazed ranting would begin again.
“You were being careful because I’m your mate,” Seth said after a moment, his words clear and concise.
“Yes.”
There was more silence as Seth sipped his tea. Eventually he spoke again, with more hesitancy this time. “The thing is, I don’t really…believein being destined for someone. I don’t think love comes from an outside source like that. It doesn’t feel real or—or truthful.”
Riley twisted to meet Seth’s serious gaze. “You don’t have to believe it though.”
Seth’s green-brown eyes flashed. “Because it’ll happen anyway?” he asked, his skepticism clear.
Riley tried to find the right words to express his thoughts. It was a struggle at first because the stupid voice was responding to Seth’s skepticism with a determined chant.
Yes, yes, yes. Destined. Meant for. Ours, ours, ours.
Shut. The fuck. Up.
“I was wooing you,” Riley finally blurted out.
Seth blinked at him. “Excuse me?”
“Before all this was…revealed…we were getting close.” Riley knocked his knee against Seth’s, careful not to let it linger. “You liked me. And you were attracted to me. Even though I’m too young. So let’s just…keep doing that.”
Seth blinked at the far wall now. “Let’s keep…wooing me?”
Riley shrugged, trying to seem casual and not completely desperate. “Yeah. It doesn’t have to be fate. It can just be…us. We have time for you to—to care about me, maybe.”
Seth turned to face Riley, setting his mostly empty teacup on top of the pillow on his lap. “Aren’t you annoyed though?” he asked. He looked so sincere, so honestly perplexed, and it tugged at something in Riley’s chest. “So much of your life has been out of your control, and this is one more thing. Aren’t youangry?”
Riley could only shrug again. “It doesn’t feel like that.”
“What does it feel like?”
Riley hesitated. But he’d already decided on honesty, so he might as well keep going with it. “I smelled you first,” he said. “Your scent. Bright and sweet but also…rich. Decadent. I thought it was the most delicious thing I’d ever smelled. And then you spoke to me the next day, and you were wary, but you were also…warm. So warm. And when you smile at me,Ifeel warm.” For once, Riley couldn’t meet Seth’s gaze. He took his turn staring at the far wall. “I like the way you talk. To me and to—to other people too, even if I get a little jealous sometimes. You give your smiles to everyone, and I hate it, but I also love it. And I think you’re beautiful, but maybe that’s obvious.”
He could feel the weight of Seth’s stare. Riley turned to meet it with a rueful smile. “Are you done with your tea?” he asked. “It’s late, and you said you get cranky without sleep.”
Seth nodded, still staring kind of blankly, and Riley gently took the cup from Seth’s pillow, setting it on one of the bedside tables. He settled down on his side, facing Seth.
Seth’s dazed expression faded, and he gave Riley an arch look. “What are you doing now?”
“You pointed out that we haven’t slept together.” Riley gave him a winning smile. “I want to sleep with you.”
Seth pointed an accusing finger. “We’re not fucking. Just because you said a bunch of…really wonderful things doesn’t make this all magically okay.”
“No, we’re not fucking,” Riley agreed, settling even more firmly in place. “We’re sleeping. You’ve had a very long day.”
Seth let out a disbelieving laugh. “You and those moms of yours. Jesus. Tricky is the least of it.”
But after a moment, Seth lay down on his side facing Riley. They were both over the covers still. At least Seth was wearing his soft pants. Those would be comfortable. Riley would tuck him under the covers later, so he wouldn’t get cold. He reached over his shoulder and turned off the lamp.
They lay there together in the dark, breathing each other’s air.
“I was trying to get some distance,” Seth said eventually.
