Chapter Twenty-Seven #2
“I…” Sam hadn’t considered that. “I guess.”
“What do you love about working at the Daily Bean?” Rux changed the topic so smoothly that Sam wanted to kiss him.
“The people, mostly. Regular customers like Mrs. Patterson orders the same cappuccino every morning, but then always changes her mind. The university students who camp out during finals. Maya, making terrible jokes.” Sam smiled.
“It’s not glamorous, but it means a lot to me, you know? I make people’s days a little better.”
“I’m sure, if you allowed us to read your work, we’d find that you do that in your writing too,” Urien pointed out. “You have a gift of making people feel positive about their day, and maybe your stories could give them hope about finding a special someone, or plural for themselves.”
Sam’s throat had a sudden lump in it. The dragons truly believed in him, and he didn’t realize how much he missed that until it was offered. “Maybe.”
“Definitely,” all three dragons said in unison. They were ganging up on him in the nicest possible way.
“Okay,” Sam managed. “I’ll think about it.”
/~/~/~/~/
Sam stood beside his car, keys jingling in his hand, while he tried to convince himself to actually leave.
It was yet another Sunday, and he’d been at the estate most of the day.
They’d eaten Rux’s mushroom risotto, and then they’d all curled up and watched movies, eating from huge bowls of popcorn and chips.
Normal things that people did – date-type things.
Things that were giving Sam a strong case of feelings.
“You’re stalling,” Urien observed. He’d walked Sam outside while Rux cleaned the kitchen and Mabon answered emails, and now they stood in comfortable silence beneath the portico.
“You are,” Sam agreed. “I’m just slow getting in my car.”
“Liar.” Urien’s mouth curved. “You don’t want to go home yet.”
Sam didn’t deny it. The cottage would feel too quiet after this - after an evening of laughter and banter. Rux’s theatrical outrage when Sam suggested adding pineapple to pizza was totally worth the comment, just to see his reaction.
“I had a really good time,” Sam offered.
“So did we.” Urien stepped closer, lamplight catching in his gray-blond hair. “Sam?”
“Yeah?”
“May I kiss you?”
Sam’s heart stuttered. They’d been officially dating for three weeks now - coffee dates and gardening lessons and one memorable afternoon when Mabon had tried teaching Sam chess and had given up after Sam checkmated him using a strategy Mabon called “chaotic and illegal.” But they hadn’t done anything beyond handholding and the occasional hug, and Sam had been fine with that.
Except he wasn’t fine anymore. He wanted more.
“Yes,” Sam whispered.
Urien closed the distance between them, one hand rising to cup Sam’s jaw while the other settled at his waist. The touch was gentle - handling-something-precious gentle - and Sam barely had time to take a breath before Urien kissed him softly.
Urien’s lips were warm despite the evening chill, the kiss unhurried and thorough like they had centuries to learn each other.
Sam’s hands found Urien’s shoulders, fingers curling into fabric while his heart felt it would burst from how wonderful it was.
When they pulled apart, Sam couldn’t stop smiling.
“Good?” Urien asked, his eyes bright with affection.
“Really good.” Sam was trying not to blush, but he didn’t think he was doing a good job.
“My turn?”
Sam turned to find Rux standing in the doorway, Mabon visible behind him.
Sam laughed. “Were you watching?”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Rux admitted without shame. He bounded down the steps like an overgrown puppy. “Well? May I?”
“Yes, you absolute menace. As if I’d leave any of you out.”
Rux’s kiss was nothing like Urien’s careful sweetness. It was enthusiastic, joyful, and slightly off-center because Rux was grinning too hard to aim properly. Sam found himself grinning back, hands fisting in Rux’s shirt while the dragon made a pleased rumbling sound against his mouth.
“Show-off,” Mabon observed from the doorway.
Rux pulled back just enough to stick his tongue out at his mate before stealing one more quick kiss. “Your turn, Mr. Restraint.”
Mabon descended the steps with measured dignity that didn’t quite hide the way his hands trembled slightly when he reached for Sam.
“May I?” His voice was so quiet it was hard for Sam to hear.
Still buzzing, Sam nodded. “Please.”
Mabon’s kiss was soft, like he was trying to pour a hundred years of longing into one precious moment. Sam melted into it, into him, while his heart did impossible acrobatics.
Three kisses from three utterly amazing mates. A thought that kept him warm all the way home.
/~/~/~/~/
Rux
Rux couldn’t stop grinning, even when Mabon threw a cushion at his head and told him to quit pacing, the smile remained plastered across his face.
“You’re making me dizzy,” Mabon complained from his armchair, his laptop balanced on his knees.
“I don’t care.” Rux spun on his heel and paced back toward the fireplace. “Our Treasure kissed us.”
“We were there,” Urien said dryly from the other sofa. “We even participated.”
“He wanted to kiss us.” Rux pressed both hands to his chest, where his heart stone blazed warm beneath his shirt. “He smiled afterward. That little smile where his freckles bunch up and his eyes crinkle behind his glasses.”
“We know the smile,” Mabon assured him.
Rux dropped onto the sofa beside Urien with enough force to make the cushions wheeze. His dragon was practically singing - a deep, satisfied rumble that hadn’t stopped since Sam’s lips touched his. Three kisses. One for each of them.
“Does this mean we’re still terrible at dating?” Rux asked.
There was silence for a moment, and then Mabon snorted, and Urien’s shoulders shook with quiet laughter.
“I think we’re still absolutely dismal at it,” Mabon agreed. “Do we really need to list our transgressions again?”
“No,” Rux shook his head. “But you have to admit following him home and hiding in the bushes was a new thing for us as a group activity.”
They looked at each other and burst into laughter.
“We violated approximately fourteen Council protocols,” Mabon said when he caught his breath.
“Got attacked by a twenty-pound cat,” Rux added.
“We nearly scared him away entirely.” Urien’s smile softened. “But Sam stayed.”
“He stayed,” Rux repeated. His dragon purred agreement, content and possessive and impossibly fond. “We’re still learning.”
“With Sam.” Mabon closed his laptop, setting it aside. “Together.”
“Together,” Urien confirmed.
Rux’s phone buzzed. All three dragons lunged for it.
Made it home. Basil didn’t murder me. Thank you for tonight - S
Rux typed back with shaking fingers: Thank YOU. Same time tomorrow?
The response came immediately: Yes
“We’ve got another date!” And just saying it made Rux so happy that he had to grapple his mates into a group hug. Mabon grumbled, because he always did when his hair was mussed, but Rux was too damn happy to care.