Lucien’s brow furrowed in concentration, and the little flame doubled so that there were two teardrops dancing on the ends of his fingers. They flickered for a moment and combined into a larger flame. The wiggling fire grew, changing from bright yellow and orange to a deep blue as it engulfed Lucien’s hand.
“Soooo cool,” Wiley said beside Baer. “Can you make a fireball?”
The flames shifted and moved around Lucien’s hand, growing bigger and then smaller, before he finally shook his head. “Not a ball. I can’t get it to gather all together in a ball shape. But I think I can do this.” Lucien thrust his hand up into the air and a spout of flames shot straight up into the sky with an angry roar. He drew his right back and thrust his left up, sending up a second geyser of flames.
Baer’s awed laughter joined Wiley’s, but he still took a step away, dragging Wiley with him. The night sky lit up brightly in the flames. It was damn impressive.
“That’s awesome!” Wiley shouted.
“Hey!” Clay cried out. “Watch my trees!” The flames had shot up near some branches hanging low over the yard. Grey snickered and Clay flipped him off, but there was a hint of a smile on his lips. Clay was very protective of his plants now that he could hear them. Baer couldn’t imagine what it was like on the days when one of them ran the riding mower around the large yard.
Lucien lowered his arms to chest level and dragged in a slightly ragged breath. “Very awesome…but I’m drained.”
“That’s normal,” Clay said. “Getting your powers takes a lot out of you, and so does using them for the first time.”
Lucien put out the last of the flames and his shoulders slumped. Dane seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as he lowered the fire extinguisher in his hands. He placed it on the patio and walked over to join Clay next to Lucien.
“Rogue flames! Rogue flames!” Grey suddenly shouted.
Baer instinctively grabbed Wiley, pulling him tight to his body while turning to see what Grey was reacting to. A cold spray of water hit his shoulder and across his back. He shouted and turned. Wiley let loose a mix of screams and laughter as he was drenched in Baer’s arms. Around them, he could hear everyone’s laughter.
There was no fucking fire. Grey was being an ass.
With a smirk, Baer shifted and put Wiley between him and the spray from the hose. Wiley struggled in his arms, trying to sneak back into the shelter of Baer’s larger form while still laughing.
He wasn’t quite sure how it happened. They were turning and sort of wrestling while Grey continued to spray them. Then they were falling into the pool with Wiley still wrapped in his arms. Baer’s foot touched the bottom first and he pushed up, bringing Wiley immediately above the surface while still cradled against his chest.
There was more struggling around them along with shouts and laughter, but Baer barely noticed it. He was too busy staring at a wet Wiley sputtering in his arms. With one hand on Baer’s shoulder for support, Wiley wiped water and hair out of his face before looking at Baer with the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen. Baer’s heart just stopped in his chest. Under the glow of the pool lights, water glistened on his cheeks and the tip of his nose. His eyes were bright with laughter and joy.
Despite being fully dressed in cold water and potentially ruining the cell phone in his back pocket, Baer didn’t want this moment to ever end. He wanted to hold Wiley against him forever, that smile shining up at him.
“I can’t believe you did that,” Wiley teased. “You’re supposed to protect me, oh great superhero!”
“Mmm…maybe I need you to protect me from my brothers every once in a while,” Baer hummed.
Wiley placed his other hand on Baer’s shoulder and pulled himself closer so that their chests were pressed together. “I think I can manage that service for you.”
“Really?” Baer didn’t care that his voice had grown husky and low. All invitation and dark promises. He needed to kiss this man. He needed to taste him, just once. He needed—
A sharp shout was followed by an enormous splash crashing over them. Wiley released Baer and pushed away so he could stay above water. Baer kicked and paddled away from the unexpected commotion. When the water settled, he could see both Dane and Clay had fallen fully clothed into the pool as well. On the outside stood Grey and Lucien, the two men smiling and fist-bumping each other.
He looked over at Wiley to find the man smiling at him before swimming over to the edge of the pool. Baer followed and they both pulled themselves out again.