Page 15 of Purple Protector (Eiloren Clan #3)

SOMETHING WAS UP WITH Aaron, and Birch didn’t know what it was.

Poor Aaron had been stuck in these rooms for more than a week now.

He hadn’t said anything about it, hadn’t complained, but Birch was starting to realize that was just how Aaron was.

He didn’t want to bother people. He knew that Birch and the others were doing everything they could to protect him, and he wouldn’t make their job any harder.

He’d probably be willing to stay in these rooms for months if that was what Birch asked him to do.

It was hard to understand what Aaron wanted.

He always said yes when Birch suggested things, and Birch never knew if it was because he truly was fine with it or because he just didn’t want to be a bother.

Birch also wasn’t sure how to find out. Should he just ask?

He didn’t want to fluster Aaron or make him think that something was wrong, but maybe it would be for the best.

Birch had been flirting with Aaron since he’d realized how important Aaron was to him, but Aaron hadn’t responded. He didn’t seem to hate it, either, and he leaned into every touch Birch offered, but that wasn’t enough. Birch needed to know for sure.

He cleared his throat. “Would you like that, then?”

Aaron blinked as if he’d been distracted and hadn’t heard Birch’s question. “Like what?”

“To go for a walk with Marlin and I? We’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”

“I’m not worried about anything happening to me. You promised to protect me.”

He said it simply, as if Birch’s promise was enough for him to feel safe. Maybe it was. Knowing that shouldn’t make Birch want to kiss him even more, but he had to resist the urge to reach over the table and pull Aaron into his lap.

“And I will.”

There was a moment of silence between them. Birch didn’t know what else to say. That meant that of course, when he opened his mouth, the stupidest words came out.

“And I’m sure you’ll be able to go back to your rooms soon.”

Aaron’s smile fell, but like always, it didn’t last long. His second smile was obviously fake, but Birch couldn’t call him out. He’d been the one to remind Aaron that he wasn’t here permanently. What the fuck had he been thinking?

“I guess,” Aaron said. “I’m just not sure it’s safe.”

Was that why he was still living with Birch?

Because he was afraid for his life and being attacked again?

It made sense. Birch should’ve thought of that sooner.

“I’ll make sure you’re safe even when you move back.

Actually, I could probably talk Marlin into doing that tomorrow.

We can put more protection on the windows so that no one can come in that way, and you’d be the only one to have the keys to the door.

It’ll make work harder for the cleaning crew, but I’m sure we can work something out. ”

Aaron swallowed heavily. “So I’m moving back tomorrow?”

“As soon as we can make the rooms safe enough, anyway.”

“I see. I can’t wait.”

His tone of voice didn’t sound like he was excited, but what did Birch know?

Surely if Aaron wanted to stay with him, he’d have said it, right?

He hadn’t had a problem asking Birch to share a nest with him.

If he wanted more, he would’ve noticed that Birch was flirting and would’ve flirted back.

He would’ve touched Birch as much as Birch had been touching him.

He would’ve given Birch a hint that he was interested, too.

Instead, he kept looking away, which was probably a sign that Birch needed to stop touching him so much.

It wouldn’t be hard to do that once Aaron was back where he belonged, and apparently, that wasn’t with Birch.

* * * *

A ARON HAD NO IDEA WHERE things had gone wrong.

One moment, everything was fine, and the next, Birch was reassuring him that he’d be safe even if he went back to his rooms and was planning the move.

Had anything Aaron said or done hinted at the fact that he didn’t want to be here?

He didn’t think so because he didn’t want to go back, but clearly, he was wrong.

Why would Birch assume that Aaron wanted to leave otherwise?

Or maybe he didn’t want Aaron to stay any longer. Aaron had been staying with Birch for a while, and Birch probably wanted his privacy and his own space again. He’d been nice—more than Aaron could’ve hoped for—but it was time for both of them to go back to their lives.

Aaron barely ate. He could feel Birch watching him, and he didn’t want to be rude, but he wasn’t hungry anymore. It had nothing to do with the fact that he wasn’t moving a lot these days. He was sad because he was about to lose all of this.

He told himself it wasn’t the end of the world.

He was never supposed to stay with Birch, especially in the long term.

It wouldn’t be comfortable for Birch. He’d done Killian a favor by allowing Aaron to stay with him, which was a lot more than most people would’ve done, but that was all there was to it.

He’d been nice and sweet, and Aaron had allowed himself to hope for more, but he shouldn’t have. He should’ve known better.

“Are you sure you’re not hungry?” Birch asked.

“I’m fine,” Aaron quickly told him. “And if I need more food, I can always go to the dining hall.”

Birch frowned. “You shouldn’t. It’s not safe yet.”

“But I’m going back to my room. If that’s safe, surely going to the dining hall is safe, too.

I can’t expect people to bring me food all the time.

” If Birch expected him to stay in his room, it would be worse than Aaron’s situation now.

At least here, he had Birch to see and talk to.

He wasn’t completely alone. He missed going to the dining hall with the dragons and eating lunch with Palmer and Taylor, but he understood that being safe was more important than his job or his social life.

But Birch was telling him that even once he moved back, he wouldn’t be allowed to leave his room. He’d be even more lonely than he was now, and he wasn’t sure he could deal with that.

Birch frowned. “I don’t think you’ll be completely safe until we find the attacker.”

“But you might never find them. What then? Am I supposed to be a prisoner in my room forever?” Because if that would be Aaron’s life here, he’d rather go back.

He didn’t want to, but if he had to choose between the two, he would.

As much as he enjoyed being part of the clan, he didn’t feel like he’d be a clan member if he was stuck in his room.

Birch didn’t say anything, but he was still frowning. His expression didn’t change while they finished eating and cleaned up. In the evening, they usually spent a few hours on the couch, watching TV and talking about Birch’s day.

Aaron didn’t feel up for that night. “I’m gonna go to bed.”

“Already? We could watch a few episodes of that series you like.”

“Not tonight.” And probably not ever again if Birch had his way.

Aaron couldn’t find it in himself to blame Birch. Anyone would want their personal space back in his position. He’d done so much already. Aaron couldn’t beg him for more, no matter how much he wanted to.

He left Birch in the sitting room and went to shower.

He wasn’t feeling any better by the time he was done, but at least he wouldn’t have to continue thinking about this mess for much longer.

Hopefully, he’d fall asleep quickly. Part of him didn’t want to because he wanted to enjoy sleeping next to Birch since this would be one of the last times he could, but he didn’t want to prolong the inevitable.

He’d just settled on his side of the nest when Birch came in.

Aaron frowned because Birch didn’t usually go to bed this early, but he didn’t say anything as Birch vanished into the bathroom.

For some reason, his heart was racing. This wasn’t the first time or even the second or third they shared a nest, so what was wrong with him?

This time wouldn’t be any different. Birch’s feelings for him weren’t any different. Aaron had hoped, but he’d been wrong.

He wasn’t sure how everything had gone so badly in just a few hours, but he wished he could turn back time. Instead, he lay there, staring at the ceiling, until he heard Birch come back. Then, he squeezed his eyes shut, hoping Birch would think he was asleep.

Birch quickly dashed that hope. “Aaron,” he murmured as he settled next to Aaron in the nest.

Their bodies brushed together, and Aaron bit his lower lip hard. “Yes?”

Birch didn’t say anything. Aaron supposed they should go to sleep after all of this, but he didn’t want to.

He didn’t want to lose all of this. Was it really too much to ask for him to be allowed to stay with Birch?

To feel safe? To spend time with the person he liked and who he’d thought liked him?

Maybe he hadn’t been wrong. Maybe he just needed to be brave and honest. It was terrifying, but it wasn’t the first time he’d done something that scared him, like climbing onto a dragon’s back and allowing them to fly him all the way here.

If he’d done that, talking to someone about his feelings for them should be a piece of cake, right?

He sucked in a breath and decided to say the words and hope for the best. “I don’t want to leave.”

At the same time, Birch said, “I don’t want you to go.”

For a moment after that, neither of them spoke. Aaron rolled toward Birch, needing to know what was happening. “You don’t want me to leave?” Birch hadn’t turned off all the lights, so Aaron could see him. He saw how Birch shook his head and how he reached for him but didn’t touch him—not yet.

“I don’t,” Birch confirmed. “I like having you here. I’m happy with how things are now, and I don’t want them to change, especially because you’re still in danger.”

“So you want me to stay here because I’m in danger?”

“Not only because of that. If you really want to leave, though, we can find you somewhere else to stay. Maybe Marlin could take you in.”

Aaron shook his head. “I don’t want to stay with Marlin. I like him, but he’s not you.”

Birch stared. Aaron wondered if he’d said the wrong thing.

“What do you mean by that?” Birch asked.

Aaron had decided to be brave minutes earlier, but now that he was supposed to be, he was kind of scared. Birch had said that he didn’t want him to leave, though. Surely he wouldn’t kick Aaron to the curb even if he confessed to being half in love with him. “I like you,” he confessed.

“I like you, too.”

Aaron huffed in frustration. “Not as a friend, or not only as a friend, I guess.” Why wasn’t Aaron smoother? He was in bed with a hot dragon shifter, for fuck’s sake. He was already halfway where he wanted to be.

He opened his mouth to make how he felt even clearer, but he didn’t have to. Birch was suddenly plastered against him and hooking a hand around his shoulder. He pulled Aaron against his chest, and their lips met.

Aaron blinked and didn’t move, but just for a second. He wasn’t going to waste whatever this was. He’d wanted to kiss Birch since the first time he’d seen him, and Birch was kissing him .

He continued kissing Aaron when Aaron wrapped his arms around his neck. He continued even when Aaron pushed his body closer, wanting more than he knew how to ask for. Birch never hesitated. He moved as if this was something they did every day, giving Aaron what he needed.

Aaron wanted this to be something they did every day. He never wanted this to end.

Birch’s tongue was slick as it explored Aaron’s mouth. Aaron let him take the lead, happy to relax and be taken care of. Unfortunately for him, that meant that Birch decided when the kiss was over.

Aaron chased his lips when he leaned back, but Birch only kissed him once more, pressing their lips together quickly. “We should talk about this,” he murmured.

“Do we have to?” Aaron whined.

“Not tonight, but tomorrow?”

That was fine with Aaron. Tonight, he would enjoy all of this and the dreams he hadn’t thought would become real. He snuggled against Birch’s chest, and Birch kissed the top of his head. He thought that was it, but Birch wasn’t done yet.

“I meant what I said,” Birch said. “I don’t want you to leave, ever.”

That was a good thing because Aaron wasn’t planning to.