Page 245 of The Protective Gryphen

“You made them for me with love. That makes them the most special pancakes in the whole world. Thank you, Ian. Thank you for taking care of me.”

He rested his head on his shoulder.

“I would love to make you breakfast. I also hear that breakfast makes a good dinner. If you want pancakes for dinner, I’m your man.”

He grinned.

“You are my man.”

Yes, yes, he was.

Because they were hungry, they went back to eating. As they were finishing up, Gryphen was curious.

“Want to get a place of our own?” he asked. “You know, a cozy little shack we can call home?”

Ian looked over.

“Are you asking me to move in with you, Mr. Carter?” he asked.

Gryphen grinned.

“Well, I’m a traditionalist, and I believe a man and man should be married first, but someone is taking his good old sweet time.”

He laughed.

Oh, well, the waiting was killing him too, but he, also, was a traditionalist. He liked having a ring and something romantic prepared.

“Do you know how difficult it is to trick a Marine and surprise him?” Ian asked. “You’re freaking sneaky and up my ass.”

“Oh, Mr. Patterson, I can’t wait to be up your ass. In fact, I’d be up your ass right now if you would just follow me back upstairs.”

Before they could say anything else, there was a humongous crash in the castle.

Ian jumped.

“What the fuck?” he asked, as Gryphen was up and putting his body in front of him.

“It sounded like something fell.”

Together, they made their way toward where the sound had come from, and when Gryphen opened the door to one of the non-remodeled rooms, they saw what it was.

The ceiling had collapsed.

“Well, that makes demo easier,” Gryphen said, waving his arm to dissipate the ancient dust that was still trying to dissipate.

“What’s that?” Ian asked, pointing toward the middle of the room when he saw something in the rubble.

How it caught his eye, he had no idea.

“Stone?” he asked. “Plaster. Dust.”

No, it was something else.

Ian moved around him, pulling his shirt up to cover his nose and mouth so he didn’t breathe in the dust, and then, he headed toward the object.

Picking it up, he carried it back, and Gryphen took it. Then, they closed the door. When he handed it to Gryphen to inspect, the man shared what he thought.

“It looks like a box,” he said, wiping the dust from it so they could figure it out.

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