Page 228 of The Protective Gryphen

This Marine was definitely his type.

His only type.

Heading his way, he pulled his jacket back on, and brushed the hay from his jeans.

Before he could do anything, Ian was on him, jumping up, and wrapping his legs around his hips. He plastered himself to the front of his Marine.

Luckily, Gryphen caught him, adjusting the weight on his prosthetic.

“I could have dropped you, Baby,” he warned. “A heads-up next time, or we’ll be on our asses in the snow.”

Ian stared into his blue eyes.

“Never. You’ll never drop me. I know that now. You’ll forever be my hero.”

His words wrapped around his heart, making it so strong and protected. It gave him everything he’d always assumed was just out of his reach.

It hadn’t been.

He’d just needed to find the right man.

“Oh, Ian. You’ve healed me. The holes in me are gone now because you filled them with you. I’m finally whole again.”

Gently, he kissed him.

They stood there in the open, just sharing that moment with each other. When Gryphen broke the kiss, he remembered how dirty he was.

“I’m sweaty,” he warned.

“And I like you that way. There’s something so masculine about the way a man smells after he works,” he said, running his fingers down his cheek. “It’s musky and I dig it.”

Gryphen couldn’t get enough of him.

“How about I go clean up, and we can enjoy the day? I want to be presentable for my man.”

Ian had news for him.

“Uh, you are presentable. I like you sweaty, clean, dirty, and wicked. Just be you.”

Gryphen was so glad.

There was no way he could put what came out last night away again. He’d been himself, and he liked it—maybe a little too much.

Ian reminded him.

“Like I mentioned in the middle of the night, I do have something planned for us.”

That worked for him.

Hand-in-hand, they began walking toward the castle. Once inside, they found Graham.

“I’m heading into town,” he said. “Do you need anything?” he asked.

“Not really,” Ian said. “We’re going to spend some time here, and later today, we’re heading there ourselves. I want to learn more about Ceit.”

“Well, have fun,” he said, as the two of them headed toward the stairs, and he grabbed the basket he’d put together for them. He needed to get it down to the ice, where Ian had wanted it.

The two men laughed and joked the whole way up to their room. When got there, it was tidied up, proving Ian had been up a bit before he headed down.

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