Chapter Eight #2
“I can’t do much of anything, but I’m glad he feels safe when he’s with me.”
“I think it’s more than that,” Ansley said. “He’s safe with the dragons, too, but he hasn’t grown close to any of them the way he’s grown close to you. I wasn’t sure what was happening initially because it looked like you both kept your distance from each other, but not anymore.”
As far as Graham knew, the mages weren’t aware of Emory’s adventure with the storm.
He suspected that Emory wanted to keep things that way.
He was tempted to rat him out because what he’d done had been dangerous, but he’d keep an eye on the dragon.
Hopefully, that would be enough to keep him safe.
“I think that living in a castle full of couples and being two of the few who don’t have anyone in our lives, it makes sense that we’ve grown closer. ”
“I agree,” Ansley said. “But don’t you want more?”
Graham bit his lower lip. Of course he wanted more. How could he not when Emory was so nice and sweet? “I don’t know if I can have more,” he murmured.
“You can have anything you want,” Penley reassured him, leaning forward to pat his knee. “Because from the way Emory looks at you, I’m pretty sure he wants the same thing.”
“Is it a good idea, though? You know the past we share. You know what happened with Carlyle. I don’t want him to do something he’s going to regret.”
“And you think that he’d regret being with you?”
“Maybe. I don’t have much to offer. I don’t have a home or a family. I don’t even have a car.” And he was never borrowing anyone’s car again. He’d taken a massive risk, borrowing Meyer’s. He was surprised that Tyne hadn’t come after him for that yet.
“You really think that Emory cares about any of that?” Keylon asked. “Because I’m pretty sure he doesn’t.”
No, he didn’t. He wanted Graham anyway. He wanted him to the point where he’d asked him to stay. “I’m glad I didn’t leave,” Graham murmured. “He asked me to stay, and I’m happy I did, even though I have no idea what’s going on between us.”
He looked up to find the mages staring at him. He wasn’t sure why until Penley narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean, you’re glad you didn’t leave?”
Shit. Graham hadn’t meant to betray himself like that. “You’re not going to forget about this, are you?”
“Damn right I’m not. We’ve already told you that you’re welcome to stay in the castle for however long you want. This is your home, too. It might not feel like it yet, but it is, and we want you to treat it as such. We don’t want you to think about leaving if that’s not what you actually want.”
“It’s not.” How could Graham want to leave when the castle was the only place he could call home? When the mages and the dragons were the only people he could call family?
Penley nodded. “Then you’re not going anywhere.”
He was right. Graham wasn’t going anywhere, not anymore.
* * * *
EMORY WASN’T EXPECTING anyone to visit him, but he wasn’t surprised when someone knocked on his door.
The mages and the dragons had been trying hard to include him in things, and apparently, that meant visiting him randomly to ask questions or just to spend time with him.
It was a stark difference from how he’d spent the past few decades, but he was enjoying it.
It made him feel like he belonged and like he had people to count on, which wasn’t something he’d had in a long time.
He opened the door, expecting Penley or Ansley, or maybe even one of the dragons. Instead, Graham stood there, and he was smiling in a way Emory wasn’t sure he’d ever seen.
“I just watched some TV show with Ansley, Penley, and Keylon,” Graham declared.
Emory stepped aside to let him in. “What were you watching?”
Emory was almost bouncy, which wasn’t like him. “Honestly, I have no idea. I just know it was a TV show. They wanted to watch it, and I happened to already be there.”
“I see.” Emory did. He’d come to realize that the mages didn’t really care what they were doing to include him as long as he was there with them.
A week ago, he’d watched a hockey game with Ansley, who’d spent the entire time complaining about the fact that the way they were dressed meant he couldn’t admire them.
Emory doubted the man had ever watched a game of hockey before.
He’d just wanted to spend time with Emory, which was something Emory was still not entirely used to.
He definitely wasn’t used to Graham visiting his bedroom. Right now, the man was pacing back and forth, a growing smile on his face.
“And they told me that I could stay here for as long as I wanted. They said this was my home.”
“If they said it, they meant it,” Emory said.
“You know, I’m starting to believe that.
I know that everyone isn’t happy to have me here, but that’s what families are like, isn’t it?
You’re not going to get along with every single member.
I guess that as long as Tyne doesn’t try to kill me, it doesn’t really matter how much or how little he likes me. ”
Emory was glad that Graham was finally understanding that. “Just stay away from him. I’m sure he’ll stay away from you.”
“I have no doubt about that. But Penley, Ansley, and Keylon don’t want to stay away from me. I really think they do like me.”
“Why shouldn’t they? You’re a very likable person.”
Graham blinked. “I am?”
“You are,” Emory confirmed. “You rarely let people see the real you, but when you do, it’s nice.”
Graham’s cheeks turned pink. “Thank you. You’re really nice, too.”
Emory took a step closer. “Am I?”
“Yeah. I mean, not a lot of people would’ve decided to be my friend after what happened, but you did.”
Emory had, but right now, he was thinking things that weren’t very friendly.
There was nothing friendly about him wanting to lay Graham on his bed and have his way with him.
There was nothing friendly about how he wondered what Graham looked like under the baggy clothes he always wore.
What would Graham think of that? Would it scare him? Would he want it as much as Emory did?
There was only one way for Emory to find out.
It was a risk, but he’d taken many of those recently, and it all ended up being for the better.
He’d faced Carlyle and had won that fight.
He’d never have to deal with his ex ever again, and while he hadn’t allowed himself to look at the future for decades, now, he finally could.
He didn’t know if his future would be with Graham or if this was just a step, but right now, he didn’t think that mattered.
The only thing that did was that he wanted to see more of Graham.
He wanted to spend time with him, to hug him, to wake up with him.
He wanted to reassure him that he’d always have a place to call home, even though he’d lost the only blood relative he’d had.
He wanted to tell him that he was never leaving him, even though he wasn’t quite sure that was true.
There was no way for anyone to know what the future would be like, but Emory knew what he wanted it to be like. He wanted to explore what was happening with Graham, and he was pretty sure that Graham wanted the same thing.
That was why he didn’t hesitate when he cupped Graham’s cheek.
Graham leaned forward instantly, his eyes fluttering shut.
They didn’t stay shut for long, though. When Emory leaned forward and brushed their noses together, Graham’s eyes flew open again.
He watched Emory with wide eyes, his mouth just a little open, giving Emory a peek of what was waiting for him inside.
He wanted it, so he took it.
He leaned even closer and pressed their lips together.
Graham opened his mouth, and Emory dove in.
It had been decades since he’d last kissed anyone.
In fact, he hadn’t kissed anyone since Carlyle.
Briefly, he wondered if the gesture would bring back bad memories, but kissing Graham was nothing like kissing Carlyle.
Carlyle had wanted to be in control...always. He was usually the instigator, the one who took and expected Emory to follow. Emory always did because it was what was expected of him. He was Carlyle’s shield.
He wasn’t Graham’s.
That was okay. In fact, it was a good thing. He didn’t want to be Graham’s shield. He never wanted to be anyone’s shield ever again, and he wouldn’t be. Graham didn’t need a shield. He needed a boyfriend, and Emory wouldn’t mind taking on that role.
Graham looked a little dazed when Emory leaned back. For a moment, they watched each other, and when Emory smiled, Graham smiled back.
“I didn’t expect this to happen when I knocked on your door,” he murmured.
Emory pressed their foreheads together. “I didn’t, either. You were unexpected.”
“I don’t know about that, but this definitely was. I liked it.”
“That’s good because I liked it, too. I’d like it even more if I could do it again.”
Graham nodded. “I’d like that, too, but would it be okay if we talked first?”
Emory wanted to say no. He didn’t want to talk. He wanted to lose himself in Graham and to ignore everything else for a little while. That wouldn’t be fair to Graham, though. He wanted to talk, and it was the least Emory could give him.
* * * *
GRAHAM’S HEART HAMMERED in his chest. He’d been in Emory’s space before when he’d worried about him right after he’d been wounded the day Carlyle had died, but this was different. No one was worried or injured today. Graham was freaking out, but it was the good kind of nervousness.
He didn’t know what to do about it.
“I wasn’t expecting to kiss you tonight,” Emory said.
There was a hesitancy in his voice that made Graham’s chest tighten.
“Or ever, maybe. I didn’t think this was possible considering the circumstances.
I, well, I didn’t think I could ever trust someone this way again, not after Carlyle.
I’m still not sure I can. That part of me is broken. ”