“It’s not a big deal,” Seth said, lifting and lowering his shoulders. “And I had no idea you two would fight over being a backup to me and Kal.”
Urgg turned toward me. “Of course we want the little rock. We are your closest friends, and Bob is very cute.”
“Of course, the kit is, and Ihadthought we were his closest friends,” I replied. “But he did know Vince from before.”
“Like that matters.”
“I agree.”
“Of course you do. I’m always right.”
I stood. “I think we should get lunch.”
“Sounds like an excellent plan.” Urgg followed me to leave Seth’s quarters.
“Are you two serious? I didn’t mean to upset you.” Seth’s voice wobbled, and I paused in my step. When I glanced over my shoulder, I caught sight of his pale face and his wide, glassy eyes.
“We’re not serious,” I said, moving toward him and curling my tail around his wrist to pull him closer. “We’re playing.”
Urgg sidled up to me and slapped Seth on the back, making him flinch. “We’re friends, no, siblings. We are not truly upset, but it would’ve been nice if you’d told us.”
“I didn’t mean not to. I just figured it wasn’t a big deal,” Seth said, eyes down, and smoothed a hand over Bobbinvoxlyn’s back.
“Come on.” I tugged on Seth’s wrist that I still held. “Let’s all go to lunch.”
The rest of the day crept by as I waited to be beside Monqilcolnen again. I hadn’t even been able to pay attention to Camden, who’d followed me around part of the day because Noxlyn had been busy, and chattered about his younger brother—the brother he hoped to bring back from Earth. Nothing, not my meetings, not Cencay, not my supervisor, not my work, would take my thoughts from Monqilcolnen.
I’d missed him all day. I had no idea why. It hadn’t been that long since I’d seen him, but it was like a part of me was missing—a part he held. I had to see him, be with him to be whole once again.
The moment I was off duty, I asked NAID where Monqilcolnen was, and it supplied he was in his quarters. I had no idea what he planned for us to do, if anything, but I had to lay eyes on him. My longing for him was an ache at this point.
I didn’t bother to ring the chime at his door, and instead went right inside. He wasn’t in the shared space, so I headed to the bedroom and relaxed the instant I stepped inside. Monqilcolnen’s back was to me, his silver hair a shiny sheet. It appeared as if he was changing out of his uniform.
He shrugged out of his thick dark blue coat, then tugged off his gray undershirt, laying both on the bed. With a low groan that went straight to my cock, Monqilcolnen stretched his wings. His hands lowered to his trousers, and my mouth went dry as want pulsed in me.
I needed to announce my presence, but my voice got clogged in my throat. He was so beautiful. I’d missed him so much. Instinct, need, desire all ripped through me, demanding I touch him. I took a single step toward him, and then closed the remaining space separating us to wind my arms around his trim waist.
He started in my embrace, but he didn’t try to pull away. I pressed my palm to his bare stomach while my other laid flat over his pounding soul. My face buried against his hair as I took a deep inhale. The musky perfection of his fragrance engrained itself on my lungs. An instinct arose from deep within me to rub against him until I bore his scent and he had mine.
Everyone needed to know he belonged only to me.
“Wyn,” Monqilcolnen said, dragging his claws over my arm.
I moaned, pushing tighter against him.
“I thought you didn’t care for touch outside of fucking?”
That made me pause. Normally I didn’t, but I craved Monqilcolnen in a way that was entirely new and unexpected.
“Or,” he started again, “do you wish to fuck?”
We certainly could, but that hadn’t been my intention. I’d simply wanted to hold him. An uncomfortable curl in my gut made me unable to speak, and I didn’t try to force myself. I just wanted him. Why did I have to articulate the need?
His wings twitched, flapping a bit against me.
“Do you need me to let you go?” I asked, my voice surprisingly even.
“No, Wyn. I never need you to let me go.”
