Chapter 27
Milo
So this is what the inside of Rowan’s bedroom looks like, was Milo’s bleary but ecstatic thought as he came back to consciousness freshly fucked and with a whole new outlook on life.
The room was oddly luxurious and filled to the brim with plants, some even tracking across the ceiling, creating a canopy of green.
The carpet and the velvet drapes hanging over the eastern-facing windows were blood red, creating a moody darkness.
The dark furniture only added to the dragon cave vibe.
A large wardrobe sat in one corner, a dresser in another, but the centerpiece was the bed.
It had thick, carved wooden head and footboards and had to be a super, super king.
Which made sense because Rowan was a super, super king size.
Milo peeked down at Rowan’s chest, then his limp dick.
In more ways than one.
He felt his own cock stir, exhausted though it was, and he inched closer to the hot water bottle that was Rowan’s perpetual state of being. No wonder they’d kicked the covers off. Or maybe they’d been ripped. The memories were hazy.
His body ached as he moved even that little bit, reminding him of everything that had happened.
It was a fever dream. They’d turned into hungry animalistic beasts and let loose on one another. Milo was surprised the room itself hadn’t been destroyed. Rowan had kept that centered on his asshole instead.
Shifted sex was… Wow.
Shifted, mated sex was mind-blowing. He’d had both a sexual and a life revelation all rolled into one.
MATES!
Milo and Rowan.
Rowan and Milo.
They hadn’t covered mates in detail in their dragon lessons, skimming over the specifics, but Milo had a good idea that it was pretty permanent, judging by the ache in his teeth and the tethered feeling in his chest.
Milo had never really felt grounded or like he belonged. Always floating. Always searching.
Here in Rowan’s arms was the first sense of those feelings he’d ever had. Like his feet were finally on the ground because Rowan was anchoring him. Like he could reach for Rowan for reassurance and find that space filled instead of empty.
With his hoard it was different. He had them, of course, but he also felt responsible for them. Like he had to shelter them. It was no fault of theirs—he guessed because he viewed them as his hoard there was no way around that.
Rowan made him feel like he was being sheltered back, by someone tall and warm and strong, blocking him from the rest of the world and making Milo’s head quiet.
Time passed in his half doze, Milo’s face buried between Rowan’s tits, his chest hair tickling his face.
Rowan’s heavy arm was thrown over his waist like a blanket, an ankle tangled with his intimately.
Milo’s palm was covering the bite mark he’d left on Rowan’s arm.
The sight of it had him wanting to purr like a kitten in contentment.
Overall, it was a ten out of ten experience.
Except there was this niggling feeling building in the back of Milo’s brain, the same one that had been there every time he’d hidden something in Rowan’s apartment, that told him he should probably rearrange some things in here.
For maximum comfort. To amplify the snuggle time.
And when Rowan woke up, he would undoubtedly be amazed!
The feeling grew until he couldn’t ignore it anymore.
Milo withdrew his face from its heavenly resting place, making sure to give each tit a goodbye kiss before slowly beginning to extricate himself from Rowan’s heavy, lazy grip.
He would just do this and then they could snuggle again. It wouldn’t take long at all.
As Rowan pulled him back in sleeping protest, Milo realized it would be a little harder than he’d initially thought.
The voice in his head would not be quieted though, demanding and insistent.
The bed isn’t right. You can rest after. Fix it. Fix it.
Carefully, Milo lifted Rowan’s arm like he was doing a bench press and then quickly rolled out of the way. The arm fell with a thump on the mattress and Milo clenched his jaw and curled his fingers in a full-body cringe.
Maybe that hadn’t been the best idea after all.
Rowan grumbled like an angry…well, dragon, but continued to sleep deeply.
Milo let out a silent phew and rolled off the bed, super ninja style.
He must have really worn the poor guy out, which he was pretty smug about, if he was being honest. He already felt like he’d slept for a week, the exhaustion from the previous days gone like Rowan had burned it all out of him.
Back on his feet, he wobbled slightly, pain shooting up from his ass to his lower back. Damn dragon dick.
That didn’t matter though, because he was on a mission to explore every inch of this place, poking his nosy face into the side tables first.
Rowan continued to slumber in the center of the bed as Milo picked his way through, sprawled out, naked and beautiful. Milo wanted to sink his teeth into Rowan’s ass cheek but restrained himself.
Never wake a sleeping dragon, and all that.
Milo finally understood the saying.
Never wake a sleeping dragon because they need to conserve energy to fuck you again.
He nodded to himself for his sage wisdom and enlightenment.
He continued to poke his nose into every nook and cranny of the room, even crawling on his belly to peek under the bed. He didn’t notice he was doing it at first, but as he went, he started gathering things he liked, putting them under an arm.
A quilted blanket. Rowan’s shirts. A plushie dragon that looked worn and well loved. A winter coat. All the spare pillows from the top of the wardrobe. Bath towels. Some dirty laundry that smelled like Rowan’s cologne still. Socks, ties, even hair ties.
They should all probably relocate to the bed. They’d look better there.
Eventually he needed both arms.
He came back with his bounty and began arranging it around Rowan’s sleeping figure, making sure he stayed on the inside as he began building up the walls and just generally placing things around until it all smelled like the two of them. He picked up his own discarded clothes and added those too.
Only when he’d finished rolling around in it all did that feeling settle a little in his head. It could use more of his things to mix in, but this was good for now.
He sighed happily before rolling toward Rowan to snuggle back in.
He found his red eyes slitted open.
Startled, Milo blinked at him. “How long have you been awake?”
“Since you dropped the box climbing up to get the pillows,” Rowan said.
Milo flushed slightly. “That’s your fault for being freakishly tall and having freakishly tall furniture.”
Rowan rumbled a laugh, dragging him in close. “Everything’s always my fault.”
“It is,” Milo chirped, happy to be wrapped up.
Rowan smiled, looking so breathtakingly beautiful it should be a crime. “It’s a great nest. Thank you.”
Milo tilted his head even as his insides did the happiest dance and five somersaults. Rowan liked it! It was a flood of endorphins released right into his bloodstream. “Is that what this is?”
Rowan nosed at his cheek and nodded. “It’s a dragon thing. I’ve been doing it without realizing it too. I rearranged my entire apartment for no reason other than you would be coming over.”
That made Milo squirm happily, and he rolled on top of Rowan to luxuriate in the feeling. Rowan went to his back easily, curling his arms around him, hands settling on his butt.
“I’ve been hiding things here,” Milo admitted, crossing his arms over Rowan’s collarbone and resting his chin on top.
Rowan seemed surprised. “You have? Where?”
“All over.”
Rowan’s surprise turned into a full-bodied laugh, vibrating through Milo where he was perched. “I haven’t noticed a thing.”
Milo huffed out a smug, “Because I’m brilliantly sneaky.”
Rowan raised an eyebrow. “I’ve never met a more conspicuous person. Your entire being is a neon sign attached to a megaphone.”
“Hey!”
Rowan leaned up and placed a swift kiss on his offended mouth before dropping back into his tangle of gorgeous hair. “I probably didn’t notice because having your stuff here feels as natural as any of mine. It belongs here, so it doesn’t stand out. It fits right in.”
Milo found himself inexplicably fighting back tears as the words sank in, cradling his bruised heart.
It belongs here because I belong here.
Rowan frowned and cupped his face. “Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?”
“No, you said everything right.” Milo sniffled.
“Why are you crying, then?” Rowan looked worried, thumbing one of the tears away.
“Because you’re so great,” he blubbered, dropping his head into his arms to hide.
Rowan petted his hair, rubbing his back. “I think you’re great too, Mi.”
“You’re making it worse,” Milo wailed.
“I’m sorry. What do you need me to do?”
“Say something grumpy.”
“I don’t feel grumpy though,” Rowan whispered. “I feel so happy.”
“ROWAN!”
“Are you happy?” Rowan checked, sounding vulnerable.
Milo pushed past his tears and looked up. “I feel calm.”
Rowan’s brows scrunched. “Is that…good?”
“I’ve never felt calm in my whole life. I didn’t think that was a setting I was programmed with and that was okay. But it’s tiring to always be moving. I felt like I couldn’t stop. Something in me wouldn’t settle. Not with anyone or anything. I never got to simply rest.” He swallowed. “Until you.”
It was Rowan’s turn to get misty-eyed. “Milo…”
“Is it scary that this feels so right already?”
“We’re mates. We were always right.”
“You’re going to have to explain the whole mate thing to me. We skipped that chapter.”
Rowan smiled, carding his fingers through Milo’s hair. “We were living that chapter.”
“Mates are there to bug the shit out of each other and bite them?”
Rowan laughed. “Among other things. The way we couldn’t stay away from each other. The jealousy—”
“Was valid! Also, you’re never going back to that restaurant again, just so you know.”
“That’s fine. I don’t think they would let me back in anyway, after…” He turned beet red.