Chapter 16 #3
Cameron turned to face Alric, his hand coming to rest over Alric’s rapidly beating heart. They were so close right now. He’d need to lean up only a few short inches to claim Cameron’s beautiful mouth, but the worry in Cameron’s large brown eyes kept him perfectly still.
“I know, but everyone is already working so hard to keep me safe. I don’t want to cause you and your people more trouble by bringing Cassie and Halmeoni here.”
“It would be no trouble. We would be honored to protect you and any member of your family. You’re so precious, Cameron. I…”
Alric had no idea what he was going to say. His mouth was clearly operating outside the control of his brain. Luckily, Cassie’s voice interrupted.
“ Wow. I seriously don’t know whether to swoon or gag. You two are so cute together .”
Cameron growled again in the back of his throat, and Alric was sure it was the most adorable sound he’d ever heard.
They both looked back at the phone to find Cassie resting her chin on her hands in front of her, a wicked grin on her lips.
“Let me think about it,” Cameron grumbled. “Maybe give them more time to figure things out.”
Cassie huffed. “ Fine, but the countdown clock is running. Things are finally getting quiet at work, and I see a window to escape. And I’m literally dying over here. I want to meet dragons and learn magic and do the cool stuff .”
Cameron stepped away from Alric, and the dragon immediately felt the loss. He missed the warmth and feel of Cameron against his body, but he didn’t try to keep him close.
“I guess we should be going. You’ve got work to do.”
Alric opened his mouth that he was happy to spend more time with Cameron and his sister, but Cassie was already speaking up.
“ Wait ! Before we go, can I see your dragon ? Please !”
Alric stiffened, and he noticed Cameron did the same.
Alric rarely shifted anymore. He couldn’t fly.
His left side was too weak to be of use to anyone in a fight.
His dragon roared to be set free, to feel the sun on his hide, but Alric would not shift if he could help it.
His dragon wanted to display and show off to a potential mate.
But that wouldn’t end well, as Alric’s dragon form couldn’t move properly.
He’d skip that potential disaster, thanks all the same.
“Um… he can’t. There isn’t nearly enough room in here, and shifting takes a little time and preparation,” Cameron quickly replied, saving Alric the need to make up an excuse. He chewed his bottom lip for a second, and then his face brightened. “But I can show you magic.”
“ Oh ! Yes ! Show me magic ! Do a trick .”
Cameron narrowed his eyes as he walked back over to Alric. “It’s a spell. Not a trick. I’m not pulling a rabbit out of a hat.”
“ Well, I’m gonna magically put my foot in your ass if you don’t get on with the magic ,” Cassie snapped.
Alric poorly covered up his bark of laughter with a cough, but the glare from Cameron showed he wasn’t fooled in the least.
“Would you?” Cameron asked, offering his phone to Alric to hold.
“Of course.” Alric accepted the phone with his right hand, keeping the camera trained on Cameron.
To his surprise, Cameron then leaned in and captured Alric’s lips in a sweet kiss.
It was brief, and Alric froze in shock at the wonderful touch of those two soft lips pressed against his.
Cameron’s sweet scent wafted around them, embracing him.
There was only the slightest hint of Cameron sipping power from him, but it was nearly lost in the blaze of heat and need that swamped Alric.
Cameron broke contact but didn’t immediately pull away. He hovered so close, his hot breath caressing Alric’s parted lips. Those deep, liquid brown eyes were wide with surprise and something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Hunger? Hope? Need?
But before Alric could close those couple of inches between them to claim another, more thorough kiss, Cameron flashed him a bright smile and backed away. He lit a candle on Alric’s desk, then securely held it arm’s length away from him before speaking the spell. “ Vente anti gev adi .”
The flame abruptly winked out, the air whipping around Cameron in a flurry that sent his hair dancing around his face before abruptly dying down.
Cassie oohed. “ Wind spell ?”
“Wind spell,” Cameron confirmed for her.
“ And you kissed Alric…why ?”
“I was borrowing some dragon’s breath.” Cameron winked at Alric. “It’s a powerful spell element, and it’s what powered the spell. I can’t do it on my own.”
Cassie’s voice rose in excitement. “ So I can kiss a dragon every time I need to work magic ?”
“Sadly no.” Cameron mock-pouted at her, his eyes dancing with laughter. “I asked the same thing.”
“ Boo. Still, the magic is very awesome .”
“Thank you, thank you. I’d like to show you more but didn’t you say you only had maybe twenty minutes?”
“ Time…oh shit ! I totally lost track of time ! I’ve got to get ready for my date .” Even though Cameron had stepped away from him, Alric could see Cassie kiss her phone. “ Love you, bro. Stay out of trouble. It was nice meeting you, Alric .”
And then the call was ended. Cassie was gone, and it was as if some of the excited energy had been sucked out of the room. The silence almost felt deafening for a moment.
“Thanks for taking the time to meet my sister,” Cameron said with a smile as he shoved his phone into his pocket.
He looked a little tired, a trace thing that showed up in the slight slump of his shoulders.
Alric wasn’t sure it if was the effort of talking to his very hyper sister or doing magic.
An unbound mage didn’t have as much magical power at his beck and call, after all.
It was one of the advantages of being bound to a dragon, or so Alric understood.
Alric placed his right hand over his heart and bowed his head a little. “It truly was my honor. She is quite energetic and entertaining.”
Cameron’s smile twisted a little on his lips, and there was a look of mischief in his eyes that caused Alric’s heart to speed up. “You can’t help it, can you?”
Straightening, Alric blinked at Cameron, a blush lightly burning his cheeks under Cameron’s devilish gaze. “I don’t understand,” he murmured, but he very much wanted to kiss that grin from his mouth.
“All the charm and crisp politeness. Did you go to king school to learn it?” Cameron asked. He strolled closer, and his dragon rumbled with pleasure in his chest. He loved watching Cameron walking toward him and only him.
Alric shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers, and grinned. “Dieter was sure to pound some diplomacy into my brain, but I like to think I come by my charm naturally.”
Cameron hummed softly. “A charming dragon. I had no idea dragons could be charming.”
“Dragons aren’t all fire and bad tempers. Sometimes, to get what we want, we have to be charming.”
Dark eyebrows rose to disappear into the fall of Cameron’s hair, and he silently laughed. “Is there something you want, my charming dragon king?”
Pulling a hand out of his pocket, Alric reached out and snagged Cameron’s. Without shifting his gaze from Cameron’s, Alric slowly lifted Cameron’s hand to his lips and brushed a light kiss across the knuckles. “Only to see you smile. The light in my darkness.”
“Oh, you are very good,” Cameron murmured. His fingers tightened in Alric’s hand.
“Anything for you.”
“Then go on a date with me.”
Alric blinked, surprised to hear the very words he’d planned to say coming out of Cameron’s mouth.
Cameron chuckled, the sound low and intimate. It felt decadent to his ears. A gift just for him. “You look surprised.”
“I am.” He stopped himself from asking if Cameron was sure. He clearly was sure and had decided to spell it out clearly. Alric could only bask in his confidence, his courage, and answer him properly. Cameron deserved that from him, they both did.
“I want to spend some time with you, get to know you better.”
“Oh,” Alric breathed, his brain still trying to catch up to this unexpected development. Had he fallen asleep at his desk? This all felt too good to be true.
“Is that a no?”
“No! I mean yes. I mean—” Alric snarled, his cheeks burning while Cameron laughed. “I mean, I would love to go on a date with you.”
“Excellent. Tonight?”
Alric nodded. “We can meet in the courtyard at seven. We’ll drive into town.”
“Great!” Cameron said, followed by what sounded like a relieved sigh. Could he have been nervous? Did he really believe that Alric wouldn’t want to spend an evening with him? Insane. “I will…um…see you at seven then.”
Cameron walked backward, slowly pulling his fingers from Alric’s grip. With one last smile, he spun on one foot and hurried back out of Alric’s office. Once the door was shut, Alric placed his hand to his chest. His heart beat like a thing gone mad under his fingertips. He had a date with Cameron.