Without a word, Cassian pulled him in for a fierce kiss. James chuckled as their lips moved together, and then Cassian cupped the front of James’s trousers with one of his hands, causing him to break away.
“Cassian!”
“You, sweet James, will have to be punished for that little remark you made earlier about me bothering you,” Cassian purred. “You’re lucky that I’m not yet so comfortable around your friend—who seems to be every bit as wonderful as you said she was, by the way—as to make her wait while I take you in one of this house’s many bedrooms.”
Arousal coursed through James’s veins, and his stomach fluttered.
“Later, though?” he asked, a hopeful, pleading lilt in his voice.
“Later,” Cassian confirmed.
Cassian caught James’s mouth in one more bruising kiss and then moved to leave. Just before walking away, he snapped his fingers and whirled back around.
“Bring some of those little wafers, too, with the coffee and tea.”
“Not a problem.”
Cassian left for the sitting room. Smiling to himself, James headed into the kitchen, happy to care for the people he loved.
***
In the middle of the night, James bolted upright in a panic. Beads of sweat were peppered across his skin, and he let out a shaky breath as the faint echoes of screams faded into the recesses of his mind. Beside him, Cassian stretched and sat up too.
Groaning, James hung his head.
“Third time in a week,” he complained, still slightly breathless from whatever nightmare had been plaguing him.
He barely ever remembered them when he woke, which was a blessing. Still, though, James knew that they were about the sinking. He wondered when or whether he’d ever be free of them. He never could fall back asleep easily after he had one.
Cassian pulled him in for a backward embrace and kissed his shoulder. Guilt twisted in James’s stomach as he settled back against Cassian’s chest.
“I should start sleeping in a separate room,” James said.
“Absolutely not,” Cassian said, hugging him even more. “I like our middle of the night cuddling.”
He let out a yawn, and James frowned.
“You’re exhausted, though.”
“I’m perfectly fine. You have to forgive me for seeming a little sleepy considering the fact that Iwassleeping mere moments ago.”
“You stillought to besleeping. It’s not fair of me to keep you awake like this.”
Cassian pressed another kiss to James’s shoulder and then one to his cheek before burying his face in the crook of James’s neck and mumbling something that sounded like “lifeboat.” Rolling his eyes, James let out a fast breath through his nose.
“Ridiculous,” he said.
Only moments later, as James was taking a couple of cleansing breaths, he heard the lovely sound of Cassian’s soft snores. Poor man. James shut his eyes and prayed that sleep would somehow find him. Minutes passed. More and more of them. Finally, James thought he might as well slip out of Cassian’s hold so that Cassian could lie down properly. As soon as he moved, though, Cassian woke.
“I fell back asleep, didn’t I?” he asked.
“You did, but I was happy to see it.”
“No, no, I should be holding you.”
“You are holding me.”
“Holding youandkeeping you company.”
