Page 138 of A Reign of Chromes & Shadows

“Nothing,” Rain snapped, shooting Snow a warning glare before turning back to her. “Meet the princesses first. I guarantee you’ll change your tune.”

“I highly doubt that,” she huffed, arms crossing over her chest like a barricade.

Rain exhaled sharply.

“Okay, that’s enough sharing from me today. I’m tired and we—”

He tugged Jay’s hand toward him and pressed a soft kiss to his knuckles.

“—need to talk before we head home.”

Jay flushed instantly, his emotions spiking with dread at the phrase we need to talk. It was painfully cute. Rain hoped there wouldn’t be much talking at all.

He pulled Jay from the booth, walking backwards between the tables, eyes locked on him in a teasing, flirtatious challenge. The dim bar lights flickered over them, casting Jay’s cheeks in warm gold as Rain tugged him around the corner, out of sight.

The moment they were alone, Rain grabbed him and kissed him.

Jay melted—completely—hands splaying across Rain’s chest, body softening into him like he’d been waiting for this all day. Rain moaned, sliding his hands down to Jay’s ass and pulling him flush against him.

Jay squeaked and broke the kiss, breathless.

“I thought we were going to talk?” he panted, pushing lightly at Rain’s chest.

“We could,” Rain murmured, leaning in again, “or we could do this instead.”

He kissed him again, but Jay didn’t kiss back.

Rain froze.

“Or… not,” he said, confusion tightening his brow as Jay’s energy skittered wildly between longing, fear, guilt, and something darker.

“What’s wrong?”

“I just… I can’t help but feel like we shouldn’t be doing this,” Jay blurted, the words tumbling out before he could swallow them.

“Kissing?” Rain asked, stepping back, dread curling in his stomach. He already knew that wasn’t the real issue.

“No. Yes. Maybe.” Jay scrubbed a hand over his face. Rain let out a nervous huff of laughter.

“What I mean is—earlier today I was so angry. I felt like you’d tricked me into falling for you. I convinced myself this was all a lie, and you were exactly who I thought you were before I met you.”

Rain’s chest tightened painfully.

“I know you’re not,” Jay continued quickly. “You explained where you were. And now I feel like the worst boyfriend in the world because I should trust you.”

“It’s okay,” Rain said softly. “I understand why you felt that way. I don’t blame you for thinking the worst of me. I’ve done… a lot of bad things.”

He shoved his hands into his pockets to stop himself from reaching for Jay again.

“But I should trust you,” Jay whispered.

Rain’s heart dropped into his stomach.

“You don’t trust me?” he croaked, searching Jay’s baby-blue eyes—eyes that had always felt like home—for something solid to hold onto.

“Rain… you are good. Righteous. Justified in everything you do. I trust you with my life.” Jay reached up, brushing his thumb over Rain’s cheek, right where his dimples appeared when he smirked.

“But I can’t keep living in a daydream,” Jay said, voice cracking. “We need to be realistic. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to marry someone else. Julian called me your mortal toy boy and that’s all I’ll ever be. For how long?”