Page 12 of Beyond the Storm

“Monologuing again?”

“Shut up.” I nipped at his shoulder. I took both of our cocks in my hand and pumped my hips forward, then back, starting an easy and slow rhythm.

There was no rush.

We had forever, after all.

Kyo

“Please come back,” Simon said over the phone. “My shop isn’t the same without you.”

I had called him that afternoon to catch up. We had talked at Galen’s birthday party, but it hadn’t been long enough. I missed him. Clearly, he missed me too.

“Aw, Si.” Longing touched my chest. I had started working for him at a time when I’d been angry at my brother and needed an escape. I’d found it within the walls of his antique shop, surrounded by all the knickknacks and curiosities. I had also found a best friend. “We had good times there, didn’t we?”

“We could have them again. Just name your price. A year’s supply of iced coffee? Two years? Okay, a lifetime supply. I’ll even throw in those breakfast croissants you like from the café down the street. I’m desperate.”

I laughed. “Is Gray really that bad to work with?”

Simon groaned. “Besides him stealing my inventory, exaggerating an item’s history to customers to entice them to buy, and sleeping in the aisles during busy hours? Not really.”

“He’s like your shop cat. Napping and being cute is his job.” I stepped onto the balcony and looked over the island. “You and Galen should come visit. It’s been forever since you took a vacation.”

Ever since the day I’d met Simon, he’d been a workaholic. The war had caused him to close up shop for a bit, but ever since it ended, he’d more than made up for that lost time.

“Consider it done,” a deeper voice then said into the phone. “A vacation would be great for him.”

“Galen,” Simon muttered. “Shoo.”

“Did you just ‘shoo’ me, human?”

“Yeah. What are you going to do about it, you big marshmallow?”

I chuckled as I listened to their back-and-forth. When I’d first met Galen, I hadn’t been a fan of him. Mainly because I’d worried about Simon and wanted to protect him. The worrying had been for nothing though. Galen would never hurt him.

We talked for another twenty or so minutes before ending the call. I slipped my phone into my back pocket and rested my hands on the railing.

Children laughed from the courtyard below, chasing each other through the square. They were the kids of my many nieces and nephews. Multiple spouses were common in our culture, but I couldn’t imagine myself with anyone other than Castor. And I’d be damned if anyone other than me touchedhim.

“Penny for your thoughts, little dragon?”

His voice. Instantly, the dragon inside me soothed. Being half human, I couldn’t transform into a full-sized dragon, but a beast still existed within me. A beast who loved the red-haired Nephilim currently smirking at me from the balcony doorway.

“Simon and Galen will be visiting soon,” I said. “I just talked to them.”

“Oh, goodie. Galen’s grumpy ass will certainly liven up the place.” Castor closed the distance between us and enclosed me in his arms. His honey-and-spice scent enclosed me too. “I missed you.”

“You missed me in the hour since we last saw each other?”

“I miss you when you’re out of my sight for a single second.” He nuzzled my jaw. “I got you something.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask.” Knowing him, it could be a legit gift. But it had an equal chance of being something completely ridiculous. Both made me happy though. He certainly kept me on my toes.

“Rude,” he said with a scoff. “Close your eyes.”

“I swear, Red, if you put something gross in my face, I will throw you off this balcony.”

“So violent. I love it. Now, close your eyes.”