He sighs and places a kiss on my forehead. “Okay,” he concedes. “I can accept that. We don’t have to figure everything out tonight. I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted.” A cheeky smirk slips across his face. “Fucking like a god really takes it out of you.”
I bark out a laugh and then groan, pressing my forehead to his chest in mild mortification. “You’re never going to let that go, are you?”
His laughter vibrates through me, and I can’t help my smile. Carefully he starts deconstructing my bun. He pulls the band free and runs his fingers through the twisted tresses. I bite back a moan and lean into him while he rubs my scalp and finger combs tangles from my hair.
“Not a chance. I’m adding it to my business cards,” he deadpans.
I snort and playfully slap his hard stomach. “You don’t have business cards.”
His hands drop to my shoulders and then move to the back of my neck. Deft fingers find the hidden zipper on my bodysuit and start pulling it down.
“Are you one of those guys that will become pure marshmallow fluff when it’s just the two of us, but the minute anyone else is around, you’re an asshole?” I ask as I step back and pull my arms out of my suit but hold the loose top to my chest.
His blue eyes flare as they trace the planes of my shoulders. “Was I an asshole?” he rasps, reaching for me, but I sidestep his grasp and move toward my pack.
“From the minute you saw Raeger in your rookery,” I answer, pulling out my sleep shirt and sliding it over my head.
His scale armor slowly begins to recede, the plates slipping back into his skin until his upper body is bare. I stare at every delectable curve and dip and completely lose my train of thought.
“You have your ways to protect yourself, I have mine. I wasn’t trying to be an asshole; I was just trying to figure out what you and my father were up to,” he defends.
“We’re notupto anything.”
Aeson’s smile makes the butterflies in my stomach swoon.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Claws. My father is always up to something. It’s often for the good of his family, The Horde, or Drameric in general, but cunning is an understatement when it comes to him.”
“I see where you get it then. Always ten annoying steps ahead of everyone at every turn,” I observe and pull off the rest of my suit so I can slip my shorts on.
Aeson groans. “Why are you never wearing underwear?” he demands, and I laugh.
“Makes it easier to fuck with you.”
“Fuckwithme orfuckme?” he counters huskily.
Grabbing a blanket and a pillow off the bed, I shoot him a wink. “Both work for me when you’re not being a dick.”
He clutches his chest like I just struck a wound. “You know you like my dick,” he argues with a cocksure grin.
I snort out a laugh and move over to the chair in front of the fireplace, pushing it out of the way so I have more room for my bed. I lay the blanket down and then the pillow.
“What are you doing?” Aeson asks, his brow furrowed with concern.
“Uh…going to sleep,” I answer cautiously.
“On the floor?” he objects, striding closer like he’s going to snatch my bedding away.
I step in front of him, blocking his access. “Yes, on the floor. I have an issue with beds. I’m sure I’ll get over it eventually, but right now, the floor is the only place I actually get some sleep, and I really need rest. I’m running on fumes. Turns out being fucked by a god really takes it out of you.”
Aeson laughs, like I hoped he would, and some of his shock and indignation deflates.
“Fine,” he sighs, walking over to the bed and pulling off the rest of the bedding and the other pillow.
“Wait, what are you doing?” I protest as he stomps over and lays everything out like I just did.
“What does it look like? I’m sleeping with you,” he explains, like it should be obvious.
“But…I don’t…I’m not a cuddler,” I supply awkwardly.
