Chapter Seven #3
The boy often got shy after one of their intimate sessions. Gem didn’t know why. He’d tried to ask, but it wasn’t something that his sub wished to discuss. Gem didn’t push. Not yet.
“You made me come,” Gem confirmed.
Ty’s gaze was locked on the screen as he licked his lips.
“You want to taste me again, don’t you?”
His boy nodded frantically. “I still remember your taste.”
“You’d better.” Gem growled out his warning. He knew that Ty wasn’t in any type of relationship with anyone else. It had been one of the first rules they’d put into place. It had been at Ty’s request even.
Ty sighed. “I can hear people start to move around. I need to get up.”
“And?” Gem pressed. The boy had instructions.
“Say my daily affirmations in the mirror, run a bath and relax, then dress in my favorite clothes and lounge until I have to face my family.”
“Good boy. You’ll have a reward delivered to your PO box by the end of the week. Make sure you call me before you open it.”
Even though Gem couldn’t see Ty’s full face, the excitement was evident in his eyes. “You're sending me something.”
“Good boys get rewards,” Gem said simply.
“Thank you, sir,” Ty said quietly.
“Message me when you get home tonight,” Gem ordered.
“Won’t you still be with your family? Leaving tomorrow morning?”
“What did I say?” Gem questioned sternly.
“I’ll message you when I get home, sir.”
“Good boy.”
Ty was smiling as he disconnected the call. Gem felt good himself. He tossed his phone onto the mattress before climbing out. He stretched his arms over his head, working out the kinks from sitting against the headboard for so long.
Gem hadn’t meant the call to last so long, but he didn’t regret it.
A long-distance relationship was always difficult.
Not being able to just jump in the car and go see his boy bothered him more than Gem thought.
Not that Gem had any intention of changing their dynamic.
It would be hard for him to be in a relationship with anyone even if they lived next door to him.
His rookie year was going both better than expected but also was much harder than he could have imagined.
The pressure was intense. The management of the team called it a rebuilding year but Gem knew what was needed.
He had to deliver. Every single time he was in front of the net it was up to Gem to keep their team in the game.
They needed goal scorers, but they also needed Gem to be on his game.
Gem was proud that as a rookie he’d won the starting spot.
Working hard had never been a deterrent to him. Gem thrived on the competition. It was one of the reasons that he’d gone for goalie back when they all started as kids. They could barely skate when they’d first hit the ice.
Nix had been determined to show their small west Texas town with a football obsession that there were other sports.
Nix had always been ornery like that. Aries just enjoyed the feeling of flying down the ice.
Gem had to be there to watch over his brothers and the only player on the ice every shift was the goalie.
Striding to the bathroom, Gem mentally ran through everything that he needed to do once he got home.
He’d have to prepare tomorrow before he was back on the ice.
He’d find something to send to his sub and make sure that Ty was following through with his affirmations.
That gave Gem an obtainable goal as he silently worried about the rest of his life.
* * * * *
Nix
“Please!” Nix would love to say that he could talk Evan into anything, but his Daddy was a stubborn man.
Evan sighed as he pulled a shirt over his head. “I’m not sure if we’ll have time.”
“But I promised Eirwen,” Nix argued.
“Eirwen understands,” Evan told him.
“That's not the point!” Nix stomped his foot. It was getting frustrating that Evan was so difficult when all Nix wanted to do was show Eirwen he was important too.
Evan had been reaching for his shoes and he froze.
Uh-oh. That wasn’t good.
It was really bad when Evan straightened and turned to face him.
Nix immediately started to back up.
“Do not move another step,” Evan ordered quietly.
Damn it! Nix did not want to fight with Evan before Christmas morning with his family.
Actually, he couldn’t ever remember really fighting with Evan.
Evan was just so level-headed and calm that normally Nix could push and push.
Sure, he might end up with a red ass, tied up, or both, but Evan was never mad when he spanked or tied Nix up.
“Sorry!” Nix offered quickly. He felt terrible. Like he almost wanted to cry.
“Sit down, Nix.”
Oh! Evan was mad-mad.
Nix shuffled to the side until he reached the mattress and sat.
Folding his hands into his lap, he tried to hide how nervous he was.
Would this be the point where Evan realized that Nix was too much work?
That when he got an idea in his head it was near impossible to let it go?
Had Nix not only ruined their first Christmas morning, which had started out with amazing sex, but now screwed up their entire relationship?
His eyes burned.
He loved Evan.
It would kill Nix to lose the only man that he had ever loved with all his heart. Evan was more than just a boyfriend. He understood Nix like no one else ever had.
Evan crouched in front of him and held Nix’s hands.
Nix sniffed and looked up.
“I’m not angry,” Evan said softly.
“Yes, you are.” Shit! Why couldn’t he keep his damn mouth closed.
“I don’t like that you stomped your foot and started to throw a tantrum,” Evan said. “But I’m not mad about that.”
Nix narrowed his eyes. This seemed like a trick.
“However, I think we need to discuss this further.”
Of course Evan wanted to talk it out. That was torture in itself.
“Can you tell me why this is so important to you?”
“Because I promised Eirwen,” Nix admitted.
“I know you want to see—”
Nix shook his head. “That’s not it! I mean, of course I want to see my dragon. He is the most beautiful dragon in the world. But I promised him. We don’t know how long it will be before we come back. I can shift any damn time I want. I love to shift. It isn’t fair to him.”
Evan pressed his lips together. “I wish I could allow him more time in his form. I’ve spent so much time trying to get people to forget what I am to protect him that maybe I’m not being fair to him.”
“You want to keep him safe,” Nix said. “I get that. But we’re here! Why can’t we go up the mountain before we leave?”
“I don’t want to take time away from your family,” Evan said.
“This is my idea,” Nix reminded him. “And they would understand.”
“I can let him take over in the backyard like I did when he made your ice rink,” Evan offered.
“But he can’t fly from here,” Nix reminded him. “He needs a good fly before we go back to Florida.”
“Baby.” Evan squeezed his hands. “It’s sweet you want to give him that.”
“And what if he thinks I lied to him?” Nix demanded. He didn’t want his dragon mad at him.
“Why would he think that?” Evan looked confused.
“Because I promised him. And I can’t tell him that you wouldn’t let us.” Nix huffed. “If he’s mad at anyone, it should be you.”
Evan’s lips twitched like he wanted to laugh.
This was not funny.
“You do realize that Eirwen is always with us, don’t you?”
“Of course, he’s a part of you.” Nix listened when Evan talked about his dragon side.
“Which means that he’s here for this conversation. He's upset because you’re upset.”
Wait. He could hear them? “Huh?”
“Baby, Eirwen is always with us. You can talk to him whenever you want. He hears everything you say.”
“I can?” Nix could be talking to Eirwen this entire time. The bind that Evan had told him would form was inside Nix but he didn’t know how to use it yet.
“I thought you knew that,” Evan said. “We talked about how Eirwen already claimed you. How would he do that if he wasn’t with us?”
Okay, so maybe Nix hadn’t connected all the dots. In his defense, Evan wasn’t always forthcoming with his dragon knowledge. In fact, now he had a ton of questions. “How do you talk to him?”
“He can hear my thoughts,” Evan shared. “Mostly it’s about sharing our feelings.”
“You feel what he wants you too and vice versa?”
“Yes. When you stomped your foot, I was going to spank you. It was Eirwen who made me stop and think that you weren’t just acting like a brat to get punishment,” Evan said.
“He knows me already!” That made Nix extremely happy.
“Eirwen was a fan from the first time we saw you,” Evan revealed. “As much as you tried to be my friend, he was all for it.”
Nix smiled. “He loves me!”
“Everyone loves you and you know it.” Evan rolled his eyes.
“You love me.” Nix poked Evan’s chest.
Evan caught his finger. “I love you.”
“And Eirwen loves me.”
“And Eirwen loves you,” Evan agreed.
“I love you,” Nix repeated. He gently pulled his hand out of Evan’s grasp to rub over his heart. “I love you too, Eirwen.”
“Sweet boy.” Evan leaned in for a kiss.
“Which means we can go up the mountain tomorrow before we leave,” Nix said before Evan’s lips touched his.
“We can go up the mountain in the morning,” Evan replied.
Nix kissed him hard. Evan deserved a good kiss for finally giving in.
Evan pulled back before Nix could crawl into his lap, which seemed like the best place to be. “That means you have to say goodbye to your family before bed. If we’re going to do this, we have to leave early. I want to give Eirwen enough time to stretch his wings. Not hurry him along.”
“I promise,” Nix agreed quickly.
“You say that now,” Evan warned. “I will drag your naked ass to the car if I have to.”
“Fine.” Maybe he’d sleep in his sweats.
“And you will be sleeping naked like always,” Evan told him.
Damn! His Daddy was a very smart man. “Okay.” Waking up early wasn’t his favorite thing, but he’d do it for his favorite dragon. Grinning, he rubbed his palm over Evan’s chest again. “You see the sacrifices I make for you, Eirwen?”
Evan snorted. “He thinks you’re as full of shit as I do.”
Nix wanted to be offended but yeah that was fair. “Fine.” Leaning in, Nix hoped to coax Evan into getting back in bed. Bed was awesome. And if they had to wake up early the next morning, maybe they should spend more time there now. That sounded like the most amazing idea ever.
Evan gave him a quick kiss before standing.
“Wait! Where are you going?” Nix reached for him.
“To finish getting dressed. And you’re lucky I don’t spank your ass for your actions earlier.”
“But…” Nix waved at the mattress. “Bed.”
“We’re not going back to bed,” Evan said firmly.
“What if I’m tired?” Nix tried.
“Too bad,” Evan responded.
“So unfair.” It was going to be a long day. But there would be presents. He jumped to his feet. “Presents!”
“Clothes,” Evan said.
Looking down, Nix considered if his underwear would count as clothes? It wasn’t like his family hadn’t seen him barely dressed before.
A shirt hit his chest. Nix caught it before glancing at Evan, who was scowling at him.
Okay, well, wearing his underwear was out. And the shirt was soft, so Nix pulled it on.
“Love you, Daddy!” Nix said cheekily right before Evan tossed him a pair of sweats.
Evan rolled his eyes. “Love you too, brat.”
Nix would totally accept that. Besides, he got his way, and they would let Eirwen fly before they returned to Florida. Nix was calling the morning a success.