Chapter 25
Chapter
Twenty-Five
H ayden turned his music up in his earphones and squinched his eyes closed. He needed to work.
His house population, which had previously been three people for many decades, had suddenly ballooned to ten.
While he was incredibly happy to have Daniel and Jacks, not to mention their five newfound housemates, together they could be distracting.
Together outside in the courtyard, where everyone had decided was safe to play. The noise in his office swelled to hugely loud.
He had to admit he loved the way Declan’s men protected Daniel. They took it as a personal affront that his Jacks had been kidnapped. Jacks, of course, was eating it up, completely overjoyed by the attention.
Marco and Anthony were clever, sharp as tacks, the two identical dragons, finishing one another’s sentences and proving that they were meant for surveillance and causing trouble.
Jacks adored them, and to be honest, they seemed to think that Jacks was the most amazing child they’d ever seen.
Daniel just kept getting bigger and spent a lot of time sitting with Declan, drinking tea, not talking, just sitting there and allowing Declan to heal and simply exist.
He would have felt jealous, but Daniel was his. So his. Hayden allowed himself to smile. Daniel loved on him every night, reminding him that while they had expanded their family rapidly, they were still the core. The two of them.
“Woohoo! Daniel!”
“That’s cheating!”
“Jacks, tell your dad he’s cheating.”
“NO CHEE! DAN DAN NO CHEE!” That was a wild, window-shattering little roar.
“See? It’s not cheating. Jacks said so.” Daniel was laughing, the sound merry and utterly unconcerned, and okay, now Hayden had to go look.
He really didn’t want to go look because he was busy. He was working, he did not have time for this shit, so obviously he went to the window and looked out.
There was Daniel in the middle of the courtyard, blowing snow, and making a snowman.
Everyone else was rolling big balls of snow, and his lover was absolutely, one hundred percent, following Jacks’s commands and making a snowman to order.
Hayden was fairly sure that was cheating.
He was also a hundred percent sure that was cute as hell.
He leaned against the window frame, smiling because this was way more fun than working. He loved watching them together, his family. He loved watching how Daniel and Jacks made each other happy. He loved watching Dusty run around chasing snowflakes.
And Declan, who was sort of an island, sitting aside and doing his own thing, was still smiling and laughing at their antics.
Daniel caught his eye in the window. Hey, gorgeous, you look warm.
You seem like you’re having fun.
Daniel nodded and motioned to him. It would be more fun if you were out here. We can have fun together. The baby’s moving like wild.
Is he? Hayden headed out for his coat. That was too much of a temptation to resist.
Yeah, he really is.
He threw on his jacket and his mitts and hat and came out, immediately getting hit in the face by a snowball.
“Oops.”
He blew snow off his lips. “I’m going to oops you.”
He wasn’t sure which one of the twins had thrown the snowball, but it didn’t matter. He scooped up a handful of snow and just line drove it right to the perpetrator, who fell over with the thud.
That made Jacks laugh hysterically. “Papa! Boom!”
“That’s right, little boy. Papa Boom!”
Jacks’s delighted laughter mixed with the shouts of the twins, and all of a sudden he was under siege. Snowballs peppering his face and shoulders.
He ducked behind Daniel and tried to make himself small, which of course didn’t work because Daniel was maybe half his size. “Are you going to let them do this to me baby? You’re the snow dragon. Get them.”
“What do you think, Jacksy? Should we get them?”
Grinning, Jacks grabbed Daniel’s hand and held on, a flash of energy passing between them.
Suddenly the snowman started rolling across the group, barreling toward the twins. It was, in fact, gliding over the snow and ice like a weird locomotive.
What the hell is that?
I don’t know. It’s not me. I mean, it is. He’s doing it, but he’s using me. This is weird.
It is weird. I will give you that. It’s very strange…
But it was also wonderful.
The twins didn’t seem to be scared. They were laughing their asses off, in fact.
One went one way, and one went the other, so the snowman sort of split in half. One ball of snow kept going toward one twin and the other moved after the other, and they kept getting bigger and faster.
This whole situation was becoming very much like a cartoon that Jacks watched, and?—
Oh. Like a cartoon.
“Jacks, don’t. You can’t make them roll into a snowman.”
Jacks glanced over at him, making a disappointed sideways frown, but it did stop the snowballs from rolling. Well, sliding, whatever.
Hayden had to laugh at that because it was fucking hilarious. Jacks really didn’t understand physics yet.
Once he does, it’s going to be maddening.
Indeed. “I think it’s time to break all this up and go inside.” Hayden’s ass was frozen. “I say it’s time for naps and snacks and possibly some Real Housewives of Someone.”
Daniel wrinkled his nose. “How about old seasons of Project Runway ?”
Kenn winked. “Oh, I love those. I’m also a fan of Top Chef, even Face Off .”
Daniel chuckled. “I think the baby gets a little worried about Face Off , all the monsters.”
Thomas nodded. “Right. We’ll save those for adult competition reality show night.”
They all trundled in, one of the twins taking Jacks, all of them stomping off in the mudroom.
Next time, he should wear snow pants. His jeans were soaking.
“You should go upstairs and change,” Daniel murmured.
He waggled his eyebrows. “Wanna join me?”
Declan chuckled. “We can totally watch Jacks. You can be back down in time for a snack. Just change your pants, get…warmed up.”
Daniel’s cheeks were bright red. Oh my god, embarrassing.
No. This is what it’s like to be among family and friends, love. They tease.
Daniel came to take his hand and they walked upstairs together. “I guess I’m just not used to that kind of teasing.”
“What, you’re not used to being around a bunch of big manly dragons who act like twelve-year-olds on speed?”
“No, I’m used to the twelve-year-olds…”
That surprised at a laugh out of him and he squeezed Daniel’s hand. “They’re good guys, though. You have to give them that. Super friendly.”
“They really are. They make me smile, and I love how they are with Jacks.” Daniel bumped shoulders with him. “But the real question is, the snow didn’t get to any important parts, did it?”
He glanced at his mate, loving the tease. “Listen to you. Are you suggesting that you might be into my parts?”
“Yeah, I’m more than suggesting it, I mean it. Of course, if we’re supposed to be back by snack time, you can’t knot me or anything because that takes some time, but…”
“We can do all manner of other things: hands, mouths; there’s frotting.” Hayden thought that word was ridiculous. It sounded not at all sexual, more like something from a farm or a cheesemaker or something. He did love doing it, especially now that he had Daniel to do it with.
Daniel chuckled softly. “Let’s get you up the stairs and get you naked. I want to make sure all of your skin is warm.” There was a hesitation, a hint of a worried glance. “You don’t find me cold, do you? I mean like inside.”
Hayden rolled his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. There is nothing that’s more heated and perfect and wonderful than being inside you. Nothing makes my knot grow faster, harder.”
Obviously he’d said exactly the right thing because Daniel hurried them up into the bedroom and shut the door, locking it with a firm click.
Then his mate began to undress him, dragging clothes off him—shirt, socks, shoes, jeans, briefs—until he was bare and shaking a little bit.
“Aww, my dragon.” Daniel wrapped around him and squeezed him tight, and he didn’t mention at all that Daniel was still relatively chilly to the touch.
Somehow he thought Daniel knew because he drew Hayden to the bed where his pregnant mate had him sit, and then leaned over, nuzzling the tip of Hayden’s cock with his chin, which was just the slightest bit stubbly.
“Oh, damn.”
“Mm-hmm. You have to tell me if this is hot or cold.” Daniel licked a line from his balls all the way to the tip of his cock, and then that hot, hot burning tongue slipped into his slit. Just the barest bit and pushed as if he was tasting.
Then Daniel pulled back, eyes twinkling. “Hot or cold?”
“Huh?” Please, mate. Suck me.
“Is my mouth hot or cold?” It’s my pleasure, Hayden. Then that burning mouth surrounded his prick.
“Hot.” He couldn’t help it. He had to let that out. In fact it burst out of him like he was some sort of weird lounge singer singing some nineties song about being hot.
Daniel hummed, sucking his way down and then licking his way back up before starting to bob up and down over Hayden’s lap.
That mouth engulfing him and making him want to just explode with joy.
Daniel added some hand motion too, grabbing his cock at the base and squeezing gently before twisting his fingers around just enough to give him this amazing friction.
Hayden sank a hand into Daniel’s hair, laughing. “Your hands? They’re cold.”
It will warm up soon. Daniel stroked and licked and sucked and got all the way down to where his lips met his hand. He made it nice and wet, and yeah it was hot as fire.
Hayden tried not to thrust too hard because he didn’t want to hurt Daniel. He didn’t want to throw him off or make him gag, but he couldn’t bear it. It was too much, and so he started to lift his hips, begging for more.
Daniel gave it to him, generous to a fault, pushing his legs wider open so he could squeeze in between them and kneel on the floor rather than bend over on the bed. That had to be easier on the belly because it was getting big.
They had no time, and they couldn’t chance him knotting Daniel. He would get Daniel to climb on top of him and ride him, but they couldn’t. He didn’t even dare pull Daniel up so they could stroke their cocks together because, if he did, Daniel would end up on his cock bouncing up and down.
There were advantages to having an incredibly pregnant and horny mate.
He moaned out Daniel’s name, his head falling back as he put one arm behind him to prop himself up so he didn’t just topple over.
His thighs tensed and he pushed up with his feet, letting Daniel have every little bit of him. Daniel slurped and sucked and pulled and encouraged him with these hot little noises, whimpers and moans, hands sliding over Hayden’s legs and up to his chest and belly.
It was a full-frontal assault, and Hayden couldn’t last too much longer. He bowed, his body on fire, his balls pulling up because they were so full and tight, and he knew he was going to lose it.
“Daniel.” He tugged at Daniel’s hair just hard enough to know it stung. “Daniel, I’m going to come.”
Daniel flashed him a wild smile, those eyes almost feral, and sucked harder, his hand pushing up to meet his mouth. And that was all it took. Hayden shouted, his cry ringing off the walls and the ceiling, his body bucking as he came into Daniel’s mouth.
Daniel took it all in, humming some more, the vibrations making it almost too much and he had to pull Daniel off, watching him lick his lips to make sure nothing escaped.
“Goddess love. That was—” He didn’t have words for that and he was totally out of breath anyway.
Daniel climbed up and sat on his lap, tugging his own cock out. “Touch me, Hayden. Please.”
He didn’t need any more urging. He grabbed Daniel’s rigid cock and stroked, his other hand sliding down into Daniel’s waistband line to touch that wet grasping hole.
He didn’t have to wait long. He stroked three or four times, then slid a finger deep inside Daniel to try to find that little bundle of nerves that he knew was there waiting for him. Daniel cried out, his head falling back, his belly bumping against Hayden’s.
When Daniel came he shot hard, making sure they were both going to have to wash up and change clothes. His hips ground down, but then up so he got more friction against Hayden’s hand and belly and he let out the sound that was half whimper, half wild roar.
Hayden’s spent cock gave a tiny jerk in response.
Daniel slumped against him, heavy and quiet. “Oh, I might have to take a nap.”
Hayden chuckled at him, stroking the sweet hair that was getting just a little long.
“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.” He could hold Daniel until he fell asleep, and then go down and have snacks with Jacks and let his mate rest.
The baby rolled against him, pushing at him as Daniel dozed.
Oh that was amazing. He put his hand over Daniel’s belly.
“Hello, little one. How are you doing?” He kept his voice super low so he didn’t wake Daniel, but this was something he had dreamed of most of his life and felt like he would never have.
Feeling his baby move. Knowing soon they would have another little one who was theirs and getting to see what sort of dragon their baby was.
He heard a little song swell and weave around him and Daniel. It was sweet and innocent and wordless, but he knew it was the baby.
He rubbed Daniel’s belly gently, soothing. “You’re such a good little one. You’re going to love your brother Jacks, and your new uncles are going to spoil you so bad.”
He couldn’t wait to see that. He loved the idea of these giant protective dragons being reduced to a puddle of goo by a sweet little baby.
The song turned to a giggle and he raised his eyebrows. “You’re going to be so smart, aren’t you? Jacks was going to a rough time keeping ahead of you, I think, and he is wicked smart.”
The giggle intensified and Daniel moved restlessly, so he stroked again. “Shh. Don’t wake up your dad. It’s taking a lot of energy to cook you up, little one.”
Maybe he would stay with Daniel for just a little while longer and listen to that sweet song. Then he would go figure out what he needed to do from there.