Chapter 26
Grayson
It turned out that Keld actually did have a device for keeping his scales from drying out. The Mer carried it upstairs amidst Grayson’s teasing with dignity, though Grayson spied the corners of his mouth twitching.
Grayson entered his door code and swung it open. He kicked off his shoes and gestured awkwardly to the space. “So… this is my place.”
“I know,” Keld said with a smirk. “I’ve been here once before, if you recall. Oh wait, you can’t recall because you drank your weight in prosecco.” He leaned in closer. “And by that I mean about two bottles.”
“Shut up, I’m not that scrawny.” Grayson had, in fact, forgotten about that night. “I guess you know where the bedroom is then.”
Keld hoisted the machine higher into his arm and strutted down the hall. Grayson watched him set the humidifier on the far bedside table.
“Is that thing going to make my room damp?”
“No. Probably.”
Grayson heaved a sigh. “I guess that’s the price of having an alien boyfriend.” The word still felt clumsy on his tongue.
Keld’s grin widened. “So. Do you sleep naked?”
“You wish.” Grayson paused halfway to his usual sweatpants and tank top and redirected. Instead, he took out a pair of slim-fitting underwear and a massively oversized t-shirt. He peeked over his shoulder to find Keld watching the show intently, still standing at the other side of the bed.
Grayson took his time removing his clothes.
Some part of him felt utterly ridiculous while the other—a new part carefully cultivated by Keld’s attention—felt sensual and desirable.
A low sound of appreciation spurned him on.
He hooked his thumbs in his waistband and let his underwear fall to his feet.
He leaned down to step into the new, more appealing pair, but was interrupted by a large pair of bronzed hands.
“Don’t you dare,” Keld said with a nip to his earlobe.
“We just had sex like forty-five minutes ago!” Grayson yelled as Keld tossed his naked body onto the bed.
“And?” Keld settled his heavy frame between Grayson’s thighs. “Can I interest you in round two?”
Grayson laughed and shoved him off. “It’s late. You’re going to wreck my sleep schedule.”
“And that’s… bad.”
“Yes, Keld. That is bad.” Grayson dressed, the soft cotton t-shirt falling to mid-thigh. “I’m a midwife, I have to be up early five days a week.”
Keld groaned and flung himself backward on the bed. “Time is a human construct.”
Grayson curled up against the Alpha’s side. “Did the Mer not have time on Usoi?”
“If I told you no, would you believe me and let me take that shirt off?”
“Nope.”
Keld wrapped an arm around Grayson and rolled toward him, resting his chin on Grayson’s head. Grayson breathed in the forest scent radiating from the microscopic scent glands at the sides of Keld’s neck.
“Are you happy?” the Alpha murmured.
“Yes.” Grayson kissed Keld’s chest. “Are you?”
“Very.”
Grayson drifted off first. His last memory was Keld’s voice, whispering something soft in Loaish.
Streaming sunlight punctured Grayson’s eyelids. He sat bolt upright, panic running cold fingers down his spine.
Fuck, I’m late for work!
“What’re you doing?” mumbled a low, raspy voice. “Come back here.”
Grayson’s heart jolted again. Keld was here. Which meant—
“Oh my god, it’s Sunday.” Grayson collapsed back onto the pillows. “I’m an idiot.”
“A cute idiot,” Keld said, eyes still closed.
“Gee, thanks.” Grayson noticed the Mer’s long tail draped across the width of the bed, falling across his legs. The tattered fin at the end flicked, like an irritated cat. He stretched out a hand and ran his fingertips along the bronze expanse.
“Mm.” The fin flared wider. “Keep doing that.”
“This isn’t sexual, is it?” Grayson teased, petting the fin again.
“Very.”
Grayson’s hand flew backward. “What?!”
Keld chuckled, but didn’t open his eyes. “I’m kidding. It’s the same as someone rubbing your back or something.”
“Dick.” Grayson returned to admiring the smooth, almost velvety texture. “Are you drying out?”
“Not yet. Might need to hose myself down in your shower soon, though.”
“I can start breakfast while you rehydrate.” Grayson attempted to leave the bed, but quickly discovered Mer tails were much heavier than they looked.
“Five more minutes.” Keld’s fingers crept around Grayson’s wrist, thumb brushing back and forth.
Grayson leaned against the headboard and drank in the sight before him. Late morning sunlight lit Keld’s scales with a golden blaze, and illuminated his fins to a glowing amber. His hair tumbled across his pillow in a waterfall of mahogany, and his ear fins lay relaxed among the strands.
Curious, Grayson took the fin between his fingers. It was thinner than the tail, like the smallest accident could tear it.
Keld shivered. “That. Is sexual.”
Grayson hastily dropped the fin. “Sorry.”
Finally, a slit of orange burned between Keld’s eyelids. “Don’t be sorry. Just use your knowledge for good in the future. Or evil. Actually, I encourage evil.”
Grayson laughed and tapped his Alpha’s tail. “Let me up. We have to eat.”
The limb slithered back across the bedding and fell off the other side of the bed. “Fine, but please don’t poison me. I’ll be in the shower if you need me.”
The stupid, giddy smile stamped across Grayson’s face felt permanent. Keld, his boyfriend, the stunning Dom every Omega squabbled over, had just spent the night. His thoughts shifted to their first date and he cringed. If he’d known what would happen in just a few months’ time…
Grayson opened his fridge and stared blankly at the contents.
What… can Mer eat?
No eggs, he knew that. No dairy, no gluten… could Mer eat bacon? Surely salty food wouldn’t be an issue. Grayson grabbed the bacon.
Can they have orange juice? Or is it too acidic? Do they even eat fruit? Shit.
Grayson closed the fridge door and began aimlessly rifling through his cabinets. It was rapidly becoming clear that he did not eat a very Mer-friendly diet.
Black coffee! They can have coffee.
He powered on his coffee maker. The grinder roared to life, filling the kitchen with the scent of fresh beans.
Keld appeared from the hallway, not a droplet of water in sight, though his fins looked much healthier. “So, what’s for breakfast?”
Grayson pursed his lips. “Um. Coffee?”
Keld heaved a dramatic sigh. “You have no idea what Mer can eat, do you?”
“I do!” Grayson protested. “I just don’t have any of it.”
Keld shook his head and leaned down to peer into the refrigerator. “Grayson, do you even eat? All you have is eggs.”
“And bacon.”
Keld shot him a look of annoyance.
Grayson threw his hands in the air. “I never learned to cook, okay? My family was pretty big on the whole ‘men don’t cook or clean’ thing.” Looking back on it now, no matter how his mother had treated him, he felt guilty for letting her shoulder the majority of their family’s burden.
Keld frowned. “How do you feed yourself?”
“Uh. Takeout?”
The Mer heaved a long-suffering sigh. “Aiu. You will take better care of yourself. Do you understand?”
Grayson’s lips curled. “Or what?”
Keld bunched the front of Grayson’s shirt in his fist and dragged him closer. “I’ll be forced to punish you.”
“Oh, well we can’t have that. Why don’t you tell me in detail about this punishment? That way I’ll definitely take better care of myself.”
A chime from Grayson’s phone interrupted the threads of tension that hung between the two of them. To Grayson’s disappointment, Keld released him and smirked. “Better get that.”
Grayson grumbled under his breath as he unlocked his phone screen.
Jenna Uehara: Heyyyyy so I’m not gonna make it to that crochet event tonight. I may have just woken up in Eiru’s bed after falling asleep around 5am. Did you know those aquaconductive mattresses have a warm setting? I’m a well-fucked prune.
Grayson choked on the coffee Keld handed him. The Mer paused. “Everything okay?”
“Yep, yeah all good.” He fought to straighten out his face. “Jenna cancelled our plans for tonight. Want to go camping?”
Keld’s facial fins flared and sank in a motion Grayson was starting to recognize as excitement. “I’ll go make the reservations right now!”
Grayson’s heart clenched as he watched Keld dash back down the hallway, tail fin standing on end. That witty, confident Dom persona Keld so often presented was the one Grayson fell for, but seeing him like this…
I think I love him.