Breath (Scales 'n' Spells 2)

“Hmmm…that’s a tough choice. You or something sweet?” Tori said, his smile returning.

“Do you think there’s any chance we might try this again very soon?”

Tori made a face like he was considering it. “I think we should. I had no idea that kissing would get better each time we did it.”

Baldewin grinned. “You know, I never encountered that phenomenon until I kissed you. We should probably try it some more.”

“I like—”

“Baldewin,” Cassie called out in a sing-song voice. “We need chocolate. Release Tori, please.”

Tori leaned around Baldewin and toward the open doorway. “We’ll be right out!”

Tori moved back to his previous position, and Baldewin could only grin like a fool at him. “You are just perfect. Absolutely perfect,” he said with a laugh.

The mage’s cheeks turned red, and he looked down at the amulet hanging against Baldewin’s chest. He turned it over with his fingers for a moment before looking up at the dragon. “This actually should go inside your shirt. The magic works better if the amulet is against your skin.” As he spoke, he tucked the amulet inside Baldewin’s shirt so that it brushed against the center of his chest, the metal wire and stone warm from Tori’s touch.

He looked up into the mirror to find only a little bit of the chain was visible beneath the collar of his shirt. “I will admit that I liked the idea of everyone being able to see the amulet so they would know you’d made it just for me.” He paused and smiled at Tori. “But I also like that it rests right over my heart.”

“Who knew dragons could be so sweet?”

Baldewin leaned in for another kiss when Cassie and Warin called out in unison.

They both sighed heavily.

“We should go in there before they send a search party,” Tori muttered.

“Yes, but we will return to this at a later time. We have not explored this kissing enough,” Baldewin pressed.

Tori nodded. “Definitely.”

Reluctantly, Baldewin stepped back, allowing Tori to hop down from the counter and start for the main living area. He lingered in the bathroom a moment, his hands drifting up to the amulet resting against his breastbone. Tori had made that for him, personalized it just for him. Tori had kissed him again and wanted to do it many more times. It may be too early to call the mage his gefreogen, but they were at least taking steps in the right direction. This was a very excellent start.

Tori was in heaven. Cassie and Warin had ordered a selection of sweets and fruit to nibble on while they made plans. He was surrounded by people who were fast becoming the first true friends he’d ever had in his life, and Baldewin was currently rubbing his scalp in the most relaxing caress that was threatening to lull him right to sleep.

While they waited for dessert to be delivered, they sat around talking about this or that. Cassie regaled them with strange stories of things happening in the castle or what new thing she, Cameron, and Ha Na were learning in their magic lessons.

Sasha passed on a little news from the castle about security procedures and ongoing worries about how long it was going to take to rid them of the Jaeggi threat.

For now, it seemed that everyone was understanding of the restrictions in regards to leaving the castle, but there was no question it would wear thin if they didn’t figure out why the rogue mage clan was going after mages in the first place.

The stories they told painted an interesting picture of nice people living and working together with ease. Tori had hundreds of questions about what normal life looked like for the Burkhard Clan, but for now he was content to simply sit back and listen. It also didn’t hurt that Baldewin had claimed the seat directly next to him on the love seat and stretched his arm out across Tori’s shoulder. Within a few minutes, he found himself relaxed with his head resting on Baldewin’s chest as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

And no one said a thing.

Well, Cassie might have given him a smirk and a covert thumbs up, but then she had been pretty adamant that he and Baldewin were made for each other while they talked earlier.

Tori was far from sold on the idea. This was more of an experiment of sorts. When he’d been living with his clan, there had been none of this. No snuggling with a man. No kisses—stolen or otherwise. No pleasant touching or tender words.

But with Baldewin, he had all of that and more. Not that he was using Baldewin. He genuinely liked the guy. And it certainly didn’t hurt that the man was sexy as hell.

Tori just knew that it wasn’t going to go anywhere in the end. He didn’t deserve someone like Baldewin. The dragon was a royal retainer. He was head of the Burkhard Clan’s security. He was the best friend of the king. In the hierarchy of things, that made Baldewin like a duke. A baron at the very least, but really, more like a duke.