Sage thought of the way he had demonstrated both so effortlessly when he’d jumped from the tree earlier, impressing everyone as he showed off more than just his daring feat.Torquil, Roger, and Keelan had continued to give him pointed looks all afternoon, waggling their eyebrows and nodding approvingly.It was all so peculiar, and not just because he’d never had…friendsto tease him about such things, but also because he and Conrad had an arrangement.Granted, it seemed to be working incredibly well, but the fact remained that Sage could already no longer determine where the charade ended and his true feelings began.
These lessons were doing little to help the situation.
Sage knew there was no reason for him to still be wrapped around Conrad, clinging to his neck like a scared child.He knew, and yet he remained, nose pushed lightly against Conrad’s clammy skin, breathing in the smell of him mixed with the earthy, slightly rotten scent he’d accidentally stirred up from the bottom of the lake.
Before the urge to press his lips against Conrad’s neck overwhelmed him, he reluctantly found his footing again and tried to pull away.
“You know,” Conrad said thoughtfully, “swimming alone is never recommended.”Sage was stunned to discover that the strong arms around him did not loosen.“Maybe it’s best that we remain together.”
The tips of Sage’s ears burned as he cautiously slid his arms back around Conrad’s shoulders and settled there.
“That seems wise,” Sage agreed quietly, biting his bottom lip to suppress a grin.When one of Conrad’s hands moved to the sway of his lower back, he finally let himself relax the way he’d been trying all night and brought his legs up around Conrad’s hips, locking his ankles.
Entirely unprompted, Sage delved into an explanation about how he wasn’t truly a poor student, only that he’d never cared enough to try very hard.Attractive boys and naughty tricks had been far more entertaining.Conrad lamented over how, even if hehadwanted to find himself distracted by such things, he had no opportunity with his homeschooling.Sage was unable to imagine such a scenario and asked Conrad to tell him more about it.
Their conversation meandered through countless topics, each of them sharing pieces of their lives, until a shiver took Sage by surprise.He hadn’t realized how cold he was.Tiny bumps lined both of his arms where his damp skin touched the night air.
“It seemed warmer when all of you were having your fun earlier,” Sage offered as Conrad made a meager attempt to warm him by sliding both hands up and down his back.That would most certainly do the trick in another, drier situation.
“It was.Not much, but the sunshine helped.”Conrad’s hands stopped on his shoulder blades.“We should probably return to the house.”
Sage sighed and leaned away from Conrad.The chill rushed in, stealing what little heat they’d managed to trap between themselves, and Sage fought another shiver.He focused on tangling his fingers together behind Conrad’s neck instead.
“Hopefully one of the staff will be available to rekindle the fire in our room.The last thing I want to hear is anyone complaining about one or both of us falling ill and spoiling all the fun.”
“If only I had some of my own ingredients,” Conrad said, almost abashedly.“I would do it for us, if I could.”
Sage’s brows went up as his expression softened into a grin, tilting his head to one side.“Now who is the savior?”
“It’s entirely selfish, really.You seem like the type of person to make recovering from an illness a rather tedious process.I would hate that for us.”
Sage’s gasp of offense quickly turned into a bubble of laughter.
“You cruel man,” he scolded.They were both grinning like fools.
“Only a guess,” Conrad said with a shrug.“Am I incorrect?”
Sage leaned forward to rest his forehead against Conrad’s, his hands moving to either side of his neck.
“I believe I am a rather tedious person,” he admitted.“Difficult.I have a propensity for moping.”Sage closed his eyes.He had long since accepted these things to be true.It was all he’d ever been told.
“Sage.”His name was Conrad’s exhale.“You arewonderful.”
Sage’s expression crumpled at the pang in his chest.With a small whimper, he angled his head and pressed their mouths together.Conrad’s answer was immediate but gentle—almost heartachingly so.It was all the permission Sage needed to kiss him the way he wanted to, not the way he’d learned he was supposed to.He allowed himself to be slow and purposeful, trying desperately to tell Conrad all the things he did not yet have the words to say.
“Why are you so gracious with me?”Sage demanded when they broke apart, though there was little weight behind it.His entire body was waiting for the moment Conrad’s hands started to wander; for when their kisses turned into requests for Sage to put his mouth here, touch him there.But it never came.
“I already told you.”Conrad’s voice was steady and sure.“Whatever you have to give, it’s enough.”
“Impossible creature,” he whispered as he kissed Conrad again, his throat tight with emotion.
Sage Ravenwing found himself entirely lost in the moment.After sliding his arms around Conrad’s shoulders again, he forgot he evenhada body that was actively shivering.He forgot that he had thoughts, other than the ones about Conrad, and what a lovely night this had turned into.All he could feel was the way their lips moved together, the hot slide of their tongues, and the wild burst of magic in his chest.
With a breath and slow exhale, Sage leaned into Conrad, deepening their kiss enough to make himself moan.Nothing else mattered.Not Sage’s reputation, not the teasing from the rest of the party, not his absolute failure during his swimming lesson, not the wind swirling around them, not?—
A crash forced them apart.
Sage’s first thought was that someone had come looking for them, but there was no light to signify such an intrusion.
