Page 58 of The Protective Gryphen

Glancing toward his boyfriend, Ian was smiling and excited. Oh, not about the books, but what he’d planned. Now, it was about pulling this off.

“Gryph, look at the books and that couch in front of the fire. Could I interest you in a snuggle?” he asked. “You, me, some dusty journals as we watch the snow fall?”

At his words, the tension went away.

“Well, Baby, if you want to snuggle, I’m your man,” he said, heading his way.

Yes, yes, he was.

Because this appeared to be an intimate moment, and two was company, three was a party, Graham knew it was time to give them some space.

Besides, he had some things to take care of for Ian’s planned proposal.

“I’ll put the lamb in the oven. It’ll be ready in ninety minutes. Can you handle getting your own food or would you like me to serve?”

Gryphen wasn’t having another gay man lingering around his prize.

Oh, fuck no.

“I’ll feed Ian,” he said, making sure his words left nothing to the imagination. “It’s my job.”

The man saw the look.

Oh, someone was territorial—and that just might be an understatement. Someone was laying down the law.

“Then, have ya a good night. I’m going to retire above the garage, but if you need me, you can find me there. Don’t hesitate to come get me.”

With that, he backed out, closed the big wooden doors, and was gone.

After Ian pulled down the book, he carried it to the couch. Gryphen sat down, and Ian curled into the side of him.

“How was the call to Callen?” he asked, as Gryphen cuddled him protectively into his body.

“Good. They are still working on that case,” he offered, giving him nothing more on the call to Saint or what was said.

That was information Ian didn’t need to know.

“He said he’d update me when they found Will, and when he was brought in.”

Honestly, Ian didn’t want to think about the man. He was happy for the first time in a long time, and instead, he wanted to be distracted by Gryphen and this place.

“I’m dying to know the history of this castle,” he said. “Can I read a bit, or do you have plans?”

Gryphen didn’t mind.

In fact, that was the perfect way to relax and regroup. Now that they were alone, he had to stay calm. He didn’t like the idea that the other soldier was there with them for one reason and one reason only.

Ian liked soldiers.

That was a problem for Gryphen since he didn’t like the potential of being replaced. The mere idea was making him insane.

This was the slippery slope he warned him about. Once he let that possessive asshole out, he ran roughshod over everything.

It irked him that the Black Watch soldier was handsome, and Gryphen couldn’t imagine how crushed he’d be if Ian stopped wanting him.

Now, he had something to worry about. Well, this vacation was back to being stressful like their life in The District.

“Look at these journal entries,” Ian said, as he slowly flipped through the very old book. There were so many of them. It would take hours to read them all.

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