Chapter Thirty-Seven #2
“I was not glaring,” Tristan repeated. “If he reads more into it, that is his issue, not mine.” Liam certainly seemed unbothered by Tristan’s gaze, while Eli was particularly sensitive to it.
Austin evidently saw eye contact as a challenge that needed addressing.
Tristan didn’t mind that, as Austin’s eyes were possibly the most arresting part of him, and he enjoyed getting to look into them.
As they stared off, Eli slipped out of his seat and went to Liam at the window. He spoke softly to the man until Liam released a world-weary sigh that drew Austin’s gaze.
“I’ll show Liam where his room is,” Eli explained.
The two left, and Char seized his opportunity to bring Tristan’s attention back to the files in his hand. “A few are urgent,” Char insisted.
Tristan eyed the papers, but his hands were full of lean ankles.
“Give them here.” Austin held out his hand.
Char hesitated, and the look Austin gave him for that hesitation was dangerous. Austin took the stack and indicated his lap. “Rest your head. I’ll read them to you.”
Tristan’s first instinct was, of course, that this was a trap of some design.
Surely, there had to be a catch. Austin wouldn’t reward him so handsomely for nothing.
Even so, Tristan slid sideways, finding his cheek pillowed on his mate’s warm thighs.
He stroked Austin’s bare leg and kissed him softly before settling.
Char left.
Austin began to read. He gave his own personal remarks on the requests as he did, weighing in on who he thought would be best to send or which requests shouldn’t be in the pile for Tristan’s ears at all.
He asked questions as unfamiliar places and races came up and would nod and continue after clarification.
When the last letter was read, for the first time in his life, Tristan wished Char had brought him more paperwork.
Austin had created three piles: yes, no, and maybe.
He carded his fingers through Tristan’s hair.
“I used to get very angry watching Connor read with Adonis’s head on his lap.
They do it all the time, and I always thought it seemed so incredibly boring. ”
Tristan felt incredibly gratified to be close to his mate, and far from bored. He nuzzled his thighs. Kissed his skin. “Shall I provide some entertainment?”
“I wasn’t bored.”
Tristan breathed out hard. “Nor was I.”
A disruptive knock made Tristan sigh. “I’ll send them away.”
“It’s probably Hal. I had Eli send him word that you’re back. He’s missed you. Come in,” Austin called.
Tristan, quite comfortable on his mate’s thighs, was very reluctant to sit up.
Hal entered the room, hands set on the shoulders of Kas, who walked in front of him. Hal brandished Kas as if he were a shield. Tristan raised a brow at the arrangement.
“Kas,” Austin greeted in surprise. “I thought you were inland until next month?”
“My cousins are being an utter nuisance,” Kas said with annoyance.
“The twins?” Austin checked. He slid his legs out from under Tristan, directing his full attention to Kas. With a sigh, Tristan straightened up, leaving the chaise lounge to speak to Hal, who now cowered at the other side of the couch.
Tristan tried very hard not to smile at the behaviour. “Are you expecting an attack?”
Kas joined Austin, sitting very close to him. They spoke with great familiarity. Hal, clearly struck by the two beauties side by side, made an affected noise. Tristan rolled his eyes. If it were anyone else, that response to Austin’s beauty would irritate him.
“How often are you allowed to visit?” Tristan asked, sitting on the couch.
With great difficulty, Hal tore his gaze from Austin and Kas and joined him.
“Very little, unless I bring Kas,” Hal said.
“But I was explicitly invited today.” He scanned Tristan quickly, and Tristan did the same to him, but he knew from Hal’s colour and the brightness of his eyes that all was well.
He knew that too from the numerous letters Hal had sent, but it was nice to see it with his own eyes.
“I sent Char the new training for the guards. Did you see it yet? I can detail it to you now if not—”
Tristan held up a hand to stall him. “Austin read it to me already.”
Hal’s gaze flitted over the piles of papers on the table.
His eyes filled with envy, and Tristan couldn’t do anything to stifle the pleased, smug feeling that crept over him.
He knew Hal was jealous. Alongside the smugness came a thought, perhaps a conceited one.
Tristan did not think Hal would be able to please Austin the way he could.
Hal wouldn’t even notice he was getting on Austin’s nerves until they were spent.
“Has he shown you the generators?” Hal asked.
“I find them loud, though I suppose that’s why he has them so far away.
Kas has bargained for one, even though I think the sound will bother him terribly.
The buzzing from these bothers him too.” He gestured to the lights from Austin’s world.
“Though Austin makes sure they’re all switched off when Kas visits. He’s really very perceptive, you know.”
“I know.”
Their eyes met, and an amused look flitted across Hal’s face. “I’m happy for you.”
“You are jealous of me.”
“That too. But he suits you so well that it is hard to hold on to the feeling. And, I admit,” Hal continued, “I feared that when you mated, I would lose you to the ocean. So you mating with a partner who enjoys both land and ruling is far more than I ever hoped for. Did I tell you what he thought about the case I tried last week? There was this girl who stole from her father.” Hal launched into an explanation of his case, and Austin’s thoughts on it, which led to an explanation of a different case and Austin’s thoughts on it, and then another.
Tristan formed a very solid idea of exactly how all their conversations had gone in his absence.
He cast Hal a look, and he diverted from an explanation of yet another case.
“He gifted me a book about the laws in his land.”
That would have delighted Hal beyond measure.
“And he said he’d arrange for my clerks to take law courses in his world too.”
How blind were they to call him a villain?
“He is wonderful,” Tristan said with grave seriousness.
Hal studied Tristan’s face, a soft smile curving his lips. “As I said, I’m happy for you. I mean it.”
Tristan, finding that sitting across the room was too much, returned to Austin’s side. Kas, after meeting his eyes, vacated the spot quickly.
At Austin’s questioning look, Tristan leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Are there any updates about the polar bears?”
Tristan listened, content beyond all measure, as Austin spoke of his endeavours in his own world.