Origin (Scales 'n' Spells 1)

“I do, as it happens,” Alric ground out. “And you’re interrupting. Out, Ravi.”

“Really? Who? Oooh, tell me it’s—”

“OUT!” Alric bellowed.

Ravi skittered out the door, slamming it behind him. He plaintively complained from the hallway in a loud voice, “I didn’t know!”

Cameron snickered again, holding onto Alric. “Maybe we need to invest in a do-not-disturb sign.”

Alric groaned. “Apparently we do.”

The mood was somewhat killed, but Cameron strangely didn’t mind. He had faith he could get Alric revved up again. It was almost a good thing Ravi interrupted them, in a way. It showed Alric that even with the interruption, Cameron wasn’t going to get pissy about it. He knew Alric’s time was precious and complicated.

He kissed Alric’s jaw affectionately. “Come on. Shower with me. Then I’ll slather the oil on you.”

Alric tensed, and not in a good way. “I can put the oil on.”

Welp. There was the roadblock. Not entirely where Cameron had expected it to be, granted, but he had been ready for it. It figured that Alric would try to evade him here. “Alric, it’s not a big deal—”

“It’s not your responsibility,” Alric said repressively, still as taut as a novice fakir on a bed of nails. And about as comfortable, too.

“You can’t even comfortably reach your back,” Cameron argued in exasperation. “None of us can.”

Alric sighed, uncomfortable and not really hiding it all that well.

Right, wrong tactic. Time to try something different. “You liked it when I put the oil on you before.”

“A little too much,” Alric muttered in dark amusement.

Oh? That sounded as if Cameron needed to get the details later. “So why is this an issue now?”

“Cameron.” Alric passed a hand up and down Cameron’s back, much like he was stroking a cat. “No man wishes to be a burden to his lover.”

“Yeah, I get that. I really do. But I don’t see this as a burden. Alric, I can’t help you with a lot of things. There’s a lot you shoulder on a day-to-day basis, and I can only do so much to help with that. But making sure you’re not in pain while you’re working? That I can do. And I get my hands all over you in the process, which is a bonus. Don’t take this little thing away from me.”

Alric pulled back enough to look up at his face, scrutinizing it as if to see Cameron’s sincerity. Cameron looked steadily back, willing him to believe it. To not argue the point.

Slowly, as if he were puzzling this out aloud, Alric murmured, “You really do see it that way, don’t you?”

“I really do. Once I put that oil on you, I’m relieved. Because I know you’re going to be alright.” At least until the next morning, when the potion wore off.

Alric studied him for several moments longer. Not in a way that suggested he was judging Cameron’s words, but more as if he were adjusting his own attitude about it all. He finally acceded with a faint smile. “As long as you’re offering.”

Cameron’s internal cheerleader jumped up and down a few times. “So, oil before or after shower?”

“After. It’ll wash off and will do me no good.”

It didn’t look like Alric was in true pain yet. He always got a crease between his brows, a tension around his eyes as if he were fighting to subdue the pain. Cameron didn’t see that yet on his face. It was likely safe to do more than chastely shower together.

Cameron might be just a little horny and hot for dragon still.

Rolling free of the bed, he stood there and held out a hand toward Alric. “Then come on. Before someone else tries to barge in.”

Alric took it, fetching up against Cameron and kissing him deeply. “We might need to be quick this morning.”

“Sadly, yeah.” Cameron kept hold of his hand as he led the way toward the ensuite bathroom. He did toss an innocent glance over his shoulder, though. Alric was damn fine to watch, casually walking about nude like this.

“What?” Alric asked as if he knew very well what Cameron was doing.

“So, I just have to ask, what’s your opinion on nooners?”

Alric laughed aloud.

* * *

Cameron had barely sat at the table with breakfast when Ravi appeared out of nowhere—literally thin air—and plopped into the chair next to him, practically vibrating. Cameron eyed him sideways, knowing full well what this was about but perfectly ready to string Ravi along for a while. Just for the evil pleasure of it. “Yeees?”

“So?” Ravi prompted, practically vibrating in his chair. “Don’t leave me hanging, man, you were still in bed with my king this morning. Please, oh please tell me sexy times ensued because if there’s anyone who desperately needs to get laid, it’s Alric.”

“Oh, sexy times did happen,” Cameron promised him, stirring a spoonful of sugar into his coffee. The coffee here was really excellent.