14
TALON
Wren looks well rested for once. “How did you sleep?” I ask.
“Surprisingly well, not one nightmare of Lord Yelling and the Winter Court.” He flutters around the kitchen, pouring coffee into mugs.
I take the offered mug and drink it down. Wren looks as if I did something wrong.
“What?”
“You drink your coffee plain?”
I shrug and finish the mug. “I don’t like all the fancy extras.”
“But it’s so bitter without all the good stuff,” Sparkle says as he pours the good stuff into his mug, making the liquid pale brown.
Wren turns to me. “So... Before you go to the Fae lands to defend my honor, I have a new theory I’d like to test first.” He bats his lashes and cups one of the mugs before taking a sip.
I nod. “What do you have in mind?”
“Sleep with me?”
I can’t wrap my head around the request. Sleep with Wren?
Sparkle chokes on his next drink, and he splutters coffee everywhere. Wren grabs a dish towel and starts mopping up the mess.
“Actually, either one of you, really.”
“Why do you say that?” Gabe says as he joins us at the counter.
Lark and Beau stay nestled in their blankets, completely unaware of the conversation.
“I realized that at Lark’s place I never dreamed of Lord Yelling and after having no Lord Yelling dreams last night, I’m guessing he doesn’t infiltrate my mind when I’m around others. So if someone stays with me, I don’t have to worry.” Wren smiles before taking a drink. “Sounds perfect to me.”
“I’m always good for a sleepover.” Sparkle’s shoulders drop. “But right now, it’s a bunch of end of semester projects I’m helping the kittens with.”
Wren looks at me. “Anything preventing you from staying over?”
My mouth opens and closes. “Not really?”
“Plus,” Gabe says, “You’ll be a lot closer to the bakery.”
I swallow and nod. “I can sleep on the couch.”
Sparkle groans and rolls his eyes. “Such a gentleman.”
Wren chuckles while shaking his head. “Talon can sleep where he’s comfortable. I’m just glad he agreed.” He gives me a wink before turning to work on another pot of coffee.
Sparkle sighs. “I have to head back home. The kittens will be waking up soon and mama was planning on taking them to the community garden to run down their energy. Which means I’m stuck cleaning the house while they’re gone.”
I’m feeling generous with my time since it’s a Sunday and I hate trying to fill my time. “I can help? I don’t have anything else going on. I just need to pack a few clothes, but otherwise, I’m free.”
“How long do you think you’ll use this solution to the Lord Yelling problem?” Gabe asks.
Wren shrugs and spins away from us again. “Indefinitely?” He cringes when Gabe shakes his head at the answer.
“That’s not a solution. That’s a band-aid and not a great one. What if Talon wants to go back to his place? He’s lived there for years. I can’t imagine him wanting to give it up because you don’t want to ask someone to go talk to the Fae guy.”
