They’d probably kick my ass, run the other way, tell their dad, and demand to be partnered up with someone else. Probably ask for a new guard too.
No, I couldn’t risk it.
So I’d just have to wait, as patiently as an old dragon could, for Oakley’s feelings to catch up with mine.
And they would catch up.
Eventually.
Or, at least, that was what I kept telling myself.
With another internal sigh, I wrapped my arms around them, held them as tight as I dared, closed my eyes, and allowed myself to drift off, more comfortable than I’d been in months.
I woke before Oakley and was surprised to find the younger dragon practically in my lap. My arms were still around them, but Oakley had wrapped their arms around my waist, slung a leg over the top of my thighs, and turned their body so they were half on top of me.
A smile tugged at my lips, and I couldn’t contain the contented sigh even if I’d wanted to. Oakley was hugging me. Cuddling me even closer than I’d dared last night, and there wasn’t an ounce of me that wanted them to ever move.
If I could, I’d pull them even closer, but I didn’t want to risk waking them. I wanted to hold them for as long as possible, and when they woke, they’d probably scramble away from me.
But even with that in mind, my hand moved of its own accord, rubbing up and down Oakley’s back as I held them tight with my other arm. I wasn’t sure how long I sat there like that, but at one point, I was pretty sure Oakley woke up. Since they didn’t say anything, I kept holding them and rubbing their back, hoping they found it comforting.
A long time later, Oakley squeezed their arms around my waist and whispered, “Good morning, Rome.”
I gave them a squeeze back. “Good morning.” I still didn’t stop caressing them.
Oak sighed and snuggled down into my chest further, and it felt like my heart sung in joy at the movement. They liked cuddling with me. They didn’t move away or freak out. They held me tighter.
Mm.I could seriously stay here all day.
“You’re really comfortable,” Oakley said around a yawn. “I might have to steal you every night from now on.”
“I’d be okay with that.” I froze when my words registered. I mean, I meant them, obviously, I just hadn’t really meant to say them out loud.
Oak chuckled and gave me another squeeze. “I like this plan, but maybe we can try it in a bed next time. Your legs have to be sore. I, at least, had a leg rest.” They wiggled their leg that was on top of my thighs, making me grin.
If I paid attention, they were right. My legs, especially my knees, didn’t appreciate not having any support under them since my feet were resting on the coffee table.
Before I could think of an appropriate response, a banging sound came from the back room, and we both sighed.
“Sounds like Porter’s pissed,” Oak said, yawning again but not moving.
“He probably wants to use a real toilet and needs more food and water.”
They sighed. “Probably. But I don’t want to move.”
“I don’t want to move either.”
We stayed there for a few minutes, but when Porter’s knocking became too insistent, Oak sighed, saying, “Alright, I guess we should go make sure he’s okay.”
I gave them a squeeze, and before I could stop myself, I kissed the top of their head, then released them. “Yeah, we should.”
Oakley leaned up a little without taking their leg or body off of me, sent me the sweetest, sleepy smile I’d ever seen, and bopped me on the nose. “Thanks for the cuddle, hot stuff.” Then they climbed off me and headed straight for the back of the house.
I blinked after them, surprised by the little pet name they’d used.
Hot stuff.Huh. They… didn’t actually mean that, though, did they?
No way.
