Page 13 of The Ruby Dragon’s Unconventional Mate (Oro Escondido #3)

Chapter

Twelve

L ars thought that this whole thing with Bryant was a lot like being married.

They talked every night. They texted all the time.

They got together over the kids. Not their kids, mind you, but everyone else’s.

The girls adored Lachlan, so Lars was taking them over to Lach and Bryant’s house today to visit so that Dakota and the new babies could get some rest. Mari and Amber were helping the next day or so, helping to feed the boy twins, and the girls needed an outing.

“Okay, you two. To the car!” He’d packed all their diaper bags and snacks and detritus, and now he was ready to strap them in.

“Caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.” Ari bounced in his arm, legs kicking, and he laughed as he damn near dropped her. But he managed to juggle them.

He got them in the car, then got them moving up the way to Lachlan’s. Lars couldn’t think of it as Bryan’s, because Bryant had been right. This house really wasn’t him at all.

He had a feeling this wasn’t like Lach at all anymore now.

They sang as they drove. Well, he sang, and the kids warbled.

The girls were adorable, dressed in their little denim overalls and the cutest little T-shirts. Mari’s was pink and said, “I love Daddy”. And Ari’s was a mint green and read, “Careful, I Bite.”

Yep. Adorable. Their red curls were just long enough to gather on the top of their heads with little teeny tiny bows. They were literally the cutest things he’d ever seen.

He thought it was funny as hell how Lachlan was so enamored of the twins—the girl twins. He should just start calling them the girls, instead the twins, given that there were more than one set.

They pulled up to the guardian house, which was transformed. Honestly, it was starting to resemble a castle.

How did that even happen?

He knew that magic was an amazing thing, but what had been modern and square and glass was becoming…stone and solid and?—

Yeah, that was absolutely a turret.

He pulled up front and killed the engine. “Are we here?”

“Lach!” Ari said.

Both girls were just smiling to beat the band.

“That’s right, this is Lachlan and Bryant’s house.”

“Lach!” And there was another nation heard from.

“Absolutely.” He wasn’t going to argue.

As he stepped out of the car, Lachlan came flying out of the house. “Did you bring me my girls?”

“Lach!” That was Mari, who was waving hysterically, as if anyone could miss her.

“It is my girls. Oh, my goodness, look at you, you’re so cute!” Lachlan’s wings beat, his scales flashing bright.

Lars beamed at Lachlan. “Are they not the most adorable ever with their little shirts? Wait until you see the little shoes.”

“We’re going to have the most fun day. I have so many things to do—we’re going to play with blocks, and we’re going to play with clay, and we’re going to take a walk, and I got a ball pit to play with—” Lach took the girls in his arms and led them away.

These two girls were going to be the single most spoiled children in history, but right now, they desperately needed it because there were two new little boys in their house and that made for grumpiness.

“I keep thinking that we need to buy bouncy castles and just set one up somewhere, like in the park. Don’t you think that would be fun?”

“If there was one in the park it wouldn’t be special anymore,” Bryant pointed out, coming to take some of the diaper bags out of his hand. “Lachlan is very excited.”

“So are the girls. They’re so ready to hang out with their Uncle Lach. They like him more than is reasonable.”

“Tell me about it. You notice no one’s calling my name and clamoring to come sit with me…” Bryant was pouting.

“It’s the wings. Chicks have things for wings.” That got him a laugh, and a chaste kiss pressed to his temple. “How are you today?”

“Good, good. It’s a beautiful day.”

“It is a beautiful day.”

Lachlan was flying the girls into the house, the man’s aspect absolutely transformed. Now instead of a dragon caught in between forms, he was a beautiful, joyous being who was sharing himself with two of his favorite children, and it was an amazing thing.

I think so too. It was the right thing to come here, to bring him here. Those two little girls brought him back to life.

I’m so glad. It had to be incredibly gratifying for Bryant to know that things were working out. To see that the girls were igniting a spark inside of Lachlan.

“I’m happy for him. You know, he’s been very busy creating this place.”

“It’s a castle. It’s amazing. An actual castle.” The house had gone from brutalism to sandstone fantasy in just a few weeks.

“Well, he is a dragon.” Bryant pointed out, and he swatted the asshole.

“True, true, and I love it. It’s really cool. Are you feeling it?” He didn’t know that this was Bryant’s schtick, really. Medieval castle.

He had no way to criticize. He lived in a fairy-tale cottage.

“Yeah, I shouldn’t have said that. Your home is perfect, gentle, peaceful. Filled with joy and books and crafts and kitchen of joy and…”

Bryant told no lies. Lars’s house was amazing, and he knew it. The castle wasn’t bad, though. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“This is Lachlan’s house, and I’m happy with whatever makes him comfortable. I want him to be settled in his own skin.”

Well, that didn’t appear to be a problem right now.

They walked into a big foyer, and inside, it was much brighter and lighter than he’d expected. The outside was stern and stone, but the inside was filled with mirrors and lights, windows. A courtyard with a swing set, a sandbox, and a little playhouse.

“Wow, you guys have done a ton of work.”

Bryant shook his head. “It’s all Lachlan. He’s brilliant. He’s been busy.”

“I had to have a good place for my girls to come to visit me. And all the other children when they’re ready.” Lach put Mari and Ari down, and they ran into the yard without a slightest hesitation.

“They will be. The ones in the village will come to play, too.” Lars knew that to be true. Once the dragons knew a guardian needed the joy of children around him, they would come. There would be picnics and playdates and coffee with the adults…

He grinned at Bryant. Be prepared to be invaded.

I’ll make a note. Simon thinks he might know someone who can come work as a housekeeper.

Oh, yay! That will be great.

I hope so. I think it will do us a world of good to have someone to take care of some things.

You’re a good brother.

Thank you. Bryant gave him an almost bashful look . I want to be a good…friend? Mate? Lover? Too. It’s taken me a while to realize I can do both. Is it too late?

No. Lars tilted his head. But I still think slow is the way to go.

Of course. They walked over to sit by Lach, who grinned at them.

“Did you know you were talking to each other in your heads?”

“Yes. We’re deliberately leaving you out,” Bryant teased, and Lach hooted.

“I could invoke my guardian hearing and know what you’re saying, but I’m not going to.”

“Ha! Because that would be rude.”

He just sat back and let the brothers tease one another, the sound of their, and the girls’, laughter washing over him. Jarrel, Lach’s lynx, came to lay at his feet, paw slapping across on his ankles over and over.

“I think someone wants a belly rub.” He reached down to rub that fuzzy stomach, and he got a little nibble for it, but that was okay. It was barely a love tap.

“He’ll gnaw on you,” Lach warned.

“Eh. I have scales.”

Lach gave him a grateful smile, and he was glad he’d given these two a chance.

Another chance. Whatever. They deserved it.

Lars was so pleased he hadn’t left. He just needed to remember change was so hard sometimes.

And when Samuel growled about Bryant, Lars would remind him how he and Jake had been super not nice to each other to begin with.

It’s okay, love. I was a dick.

But you were protecting your brother. If I put myself in your shoes? I would probably have made my own mistakes trying to keep Logan safe.

Bryant chuckled warmly in his head. I notice you didn’t say you’d make the same mistakes.

“You want a drink, Lars?”

“I would love some iced tea, Lachlan.”

“Of course.” Beaming, Lach got up to get him a drink.

“Lach! Lach, look! I made a cake!” Mari held up a pan of dirt.

“Oh, that looks so nice.”

“Good call not saying yummy. She might have made him taste it.”

Bryant laughed, the sound free. Younger by maybe a decade than he’d seemed just last week. It was amazing.

I really want to kiss you. Badly. Bryant told him.

I want that too. How soon can we sneak away?

Bryant winked, and they sat with Lach for a bit.

But as soon as Lach was distracted by the girls, going to sit with them in the ball pit, he and Bryant were off and running.

They pelted off to what he thought were Bryant’s private rooms, where there was a big leather couch and a recliner in a sitting area, and then a door off to a bedroom and presumably a bathroom.

“Here we are.” Bryant turned him and took him in those hard arms, kissing his mouth. It was so perfect. Not chaste at all. His vision swam, and not just from lack of air.

This was going to ruin him for anyone else.

“Good.” Bryant gasped for air when they broke apart. “I don’t want you kissing anyone else.”

“I feel the same about you,” Lars said, wrapping himself around Bryant. “Kiss me again.”

So Bryant did just that, lifting him by his ass, hands clenching against his muscles. Lars panted, his body on fire. All in such a short amount of time.

They moved to the couch, collapsing down, Bryant on the bottom, him straddling Bryant’s thighs.

He rocked, his cock hard already, his body ready to go.

He was wet, and he could feel and smell Bryant’s arousal, which was wild.

They’d never really even kissed before now, not like this, and now Lars knew why.

He would never have let Bryant leave if they had.

Shh. I’m not going anywhere. I want to be right here with you, do you understand? I want you, Lars.