Page 9 of Castor

“No! You said I could have it.” Gray ran down the hall toward the front desk, penis figurine clutched to his chest. He flashed me a toothy grin before ducking down behind the counter. Looking up at me, he put a finger to his lips. “Don’t tell him I’m here. He wants my penis.”

“For fuck’s sake.” I could barely breathe I was laughing so hard.

Three customers entered the shop, and I calmed down enough to greet them. “Welcome to Timeless Antiques and Curiosities.”

They smiled and starting browsing the shelves.

Gray poked my leg with the cock head of the figurine, and I cleared my throat to keep from spiraling into another laughing fit.

One of the women bought a necklace and bracelet set from the early 1900s, and I carefully wrapped them before telling her the total. After she paid and the store was empty again, I looked down at Gray.

He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep.

The floorboards creaked as Galen approached. He placed a clock on the wall beside the others and set out three new necklaces in the display case beside the counter. Simon was still going through the new inventory and organizing it.

“Where’s the little one?” Galen asked.

Little one.It was hard not to think of Gray that way. I wasn’t the type of guy to say other dudes were adorable, but Gray was a class of his own.

“Down there.” I nodded to the floor below the counter. “He’s out like a light.”

“I’ll get him.” Galen bent down and gathered Gray in his arms before carrying him down the hall. Steps sounded on the stairs shortly after as he walked up to Simon’s loft.

Simon didn’t live there anymore—he’d moved in with Galen at the mansion. It was now used as a lounge area and a place for Gray when he needed to take a nap.

I grabbed my laptop from my bag and turned it on.

When business was slow, I made graphics and posted them on social media to promote the antique shop. The whole “curiosities” angle piqued people’s interest, so I liked to take photos of some of our cooler items and advertise them too.

One reason I enjoyed working with Simon? The normality of it. I could pretend to be a regular guy. In reality, I was a dragon prince from the water clan. Our kind had nearly been wiped out during the war with the other dragon kingdoms, but our numbers had increased over the past hundred years. A ceasefire had been put into effect, but tensions were still high, especially between us and the ice dragons.

The antique shop gave me an escape from all of that. Plus, I loved history, and it was cool seeing some of the things that came into the store. Like a sewing machine from an old circus that was said to be haunted by a performer who died onstage, and a fortune teller’s crystal ball, along with her amulet.

Simon walked in to place an old brass pocket compass on the shelf.

“Still mad at me?” I asked.

He pressed his lips together. Said nothing.

“You ignoring me? Si? Hello? Simon Michael Parks? Best boss in the world. Buyer of penis dinosaurs.”

He sighed and flipped around to me. That’s when I saw how hard he was fighting a smile. “I hate you.”

I grinned. “No, you don’t.”

“You’re right. I don’t.” Simon looked toward the hallway as Galen approached. “Hey, you.”

Galen pulled Simon into his arms and leaned down to press a kiss into his hair.

The sight made the center of my chest warm. Knowing how hard Simon had struggled in the past, how many times dudes had screwed him over, well, it made me happy that he’d finally found someone worthy of his love. Someone who protected him and showed him just how amazing he was.

I’d never opened myself up like that to anyone. I’d never been that vulnerable or honest. Fucking? Yeah, that was more my style.

“Okay, knock it off, you two,” I said. “You’ll give me a cavity.”

Simon laid his head on Galen’s chest and smiled over at me. “Five more minutes.”

Galen threw Simon over his shoulder. My friend slapped at his husband as he was carried down the hall, his squeals fading as a door closed. I shook my head and focused on my laptop.