Eduard’s thumb moved in that slow rhythmic way again, this time against Sawyer’s cheek. “I don’t think you’re a child, Sawyer. But you are young. Much younger than me.”
“Yeah? Really. What are you? Thirty, maybe?”
Eduard grinned and moved his hand slightly. He ran his thumb gently over Sawyer’s lower lip. “Closer to a hundred and thirty, if I’m honest.”
Sawyer blinked. Then gasped. His mouth fell open and Eduard’s thumb slipped inside. Eduard instantly reacted, a quick indrawn breath that Sawyer recognized. Oh no, Eduard wasn’t thinking of him as a child at all. He teased the tip of the digit with his tongue, then closed his lips around it. Eduard gasped again, then stepped closer, his other hand moving from the door to Sawyer’s back.
“I take it my age doesn’t bother you? Much like yours doesn’t bother me. I find you fascinating. Delightful. Beautiful. Your eyes are the most stunning thing I’ve ever seen. I want to see how many colors I can find in them. Greens and blues and grays.”
Sawyer stepped closer, let Eduard’s thumb slip from his mouth. He was drawn to Eduard as well. Had been from the moment he’d appeared earlier in front of them with his daggers ready to guard and protect. It had caused something in Sawyer to light up then, and it hadn’t hurt that it had triggered a protective response in Draco as well. No, Sawyer didn’t consider himself a damsel in distress, but there was something about being safe and secure that always tripped a few triggers for him.
It probably had to do with his past, with a childhood spent alone until he’d been placed with his foster parents. They’d helped him become the man he was now, but there’d been a few bumps along the way.
“I can’t believe you’re over a century old,” Sawyer said. “I bet you have a lot of experience, huh?” He stepped closer until he was pressed against Eduard from chest to hip.
“I do.” The words were whispered against Sawyer’s, barely there.
“Why am I so drawn to you? This is… not what I thought would happen.”
Eduard sighed and stepped back. “And that is why I need to step away now. Your dragon will not be pleased that I have taken such liberties with you.”
Sawyer frowned again. “I’m not some shy maiden in a regency novel, you know, andmy dragonas you put it doesn’t give consent for me. I make decisions for myself.”
“I know. But you also don’t understand the world you’re stepping into or the significance of some of your actions. If I were to… challenge Draco’s hold on you, it would cause conflict among us. So I need to speak to him before I touch you further. It is the honorable thing to do.”
It really was. Sawyer knew that in the part of his head that wasn’t so into this moment. But he’d never do anything to hurt Draco, so he took a step back and breathed deeply. Then he leaned in and quickly pressed a kiss to Eduard’s cheek before turning back to the door. “Turn the oven on for me. I’m bringing food from my house, okay?”
Eduard nodded and opened the door for him. “Hurry back, Sawyer.”
Draco
Draco woke to the smell of bacon. He opened his eyes and started to stretch, then remembered that he’d carried Sawyer up to bed the night before. He’d fallen asleep while sitting with Henry, and the other two guardians had suggested they keep the two together for a while longer. They’d only separated them long enough to carry both men upstairs, where they’d settled them both in the center of a massive bed in the large master bedroom of the house. He’d raised a brow at the bed, wondering what had prompted its purchase, but he was thankful when he’d been able to slip in behind Sawyer and hold him close. Andvari had done the same for Henry while Eduard kept first watch.
He moved to pull Sawyer closer, to take advantage of this moment just a bit, before the scent in his nose caused him to bolt upright in surprise. It wasn’t Sawyer curled up against him. It was Henry. Andvari still held his position on the other side of the bed, and Pearl was lying across his and Henry’s legs. She huffed at him at the sudden movement, but he ran a quick hand over her head in reassurance.
Eduard wasn’t at the window anymore which meant that the smell of bacon which had woken him was…
Draco scrambled out of bed and hurried downstairs. He smelled his way to the kitchen, having not taken the time explore the house the night before. He found Sawyer sitting on the counter, his bare feet dangling. Draco had taken his shoes off the night before so he’d sleep more comfortably. Luckily, Sawyer had already been dressed casually in sweats and a T-shirt.
“Hey,” Draco mumbled. Eduard was standing at the stove, a pile of bacon already cooked on a stack of paper towels beside him.
“Hey,” Sawyer said. “Did we wake you up? I’m sorry. I was hungry and—”
“It’s fine,” Draco said. He stepped closer, wanting to put himself between Sawyer and Eduard once again.
“You okay?” Sawyer asked. He glanced toward Eduard, then back to Draco.
“I’m—”
“Come here, big guy.” Sawyer reached out and grabbed Draco’s wrist, tugging him forward until he was in front of Sawyer, standing in between his spread legs. Draco’s breath caught and he started to put some distance between them, but Sawyer wrapped his arms around Draco’s neck and held him close. “We have so much to talk about.”
Draco nodded, unable to meet Sawyer’s gaze. He’d kept so much from him over the years, so many secrets and half-truths. How could Sawyer ever forgive him for that breach of trust?
“But until we do, I could really use a hug.”
Draco lifted his face and searched Sawyer’s eyes. He didn’t see the anger or hurt he’d been expecting. He leaned in and pressed his forehead to Sawyer’s, breathing in his clean, crisp scent. It comforted him more than it should, but then, Sawyer had always been more to him than he should be.
“I’m sorry,” Draco whispered. “I thought you would hate me.”
