Page 53 of A Dagger of Twisted Starlight

Blake squeezed my hand. His eyes were filled with a soft compassion. “I understand. When I went through my stalking incident, I had to find ways to cope withthe anxiety. One thing that helped was finding something to focus on, something that grounded me.”

“What did you do?” I asked, genuinely curious.

“I learned a breathing technique,” he explained. “Whenever I felt overwhelmed, I would take a few deep breaths, focusing on the sensation of the air filling my lungs. In and out. I’d track it, as if I could see the trail of oxygen going inside me. Then, I’d think of my feet as roots, grounding me into the dirt. It helped me feel more present, more in control.”

I nodded. What he said was simple but not something I had tried yet. I didn’t suffer from anxiety or depression, but I did believe that having tools like the ones Blake spoke about was essential for everyone. Even dragons. “Thank you, Blake. I’ll try that.”

Blake smiled. “I’m glad I could help.”

I leaned in for a kiss. Our bodies pressed together. A hummingbird dashed past my head, hunting for her next drink of nectar. I held Blake’s hands in mine, looking down into the most beautiful set of eyes I’d ever seen. “You’re a special one.”

“So are you,” he replied.

“Tell me more about your parents,” I said, wanting to know more about the people who shaped him.

Blake’s gaze softened with affection as memories ran through them. “They’re incredible. They met in college and have been inseparable ever since. Their love is something I look up to. They’ve always supported each other through everything, even when shit got hard. And trust me, our life got difficult on many occasions. It’s not easy when your dad is the target of multiple smear campaigns.” He paused, a wistful smile on hisface. “I’ve always wanted something like that, a love that stands the tests that life throws at it. They’ve shown me what it means to truly care for someone, to be there through thick and thin.”

I felt a deep connection to Blake in that moment, understanding his desire for a love that endures. It was something I’d always wanted as well. “It sounds like they’ve given you a wonderful example to follow.”

“They have,” Blake agreed. “And I hope one day I can have that kind of love too.”

“You will,” I said, kissing him again. “You’re an amazing person, Blake. You deserve that kind of love, and I have no doubt you’ll find it.”

Hell, maybe you already have?

Chapter 23

Safe

Blake

I wokeup nestled against a snoring Xavier. Mornings were never my thing, but this one had me waking up with a beaming smile. I had to take a moment and make sure it wasn’t all some kind of dream.

The sexiest damn dream I’d ever had.

I rolled over, feeling Xavier’s breath on my face. It had been real. All of it. I examined the dragon’s peaceful expression, wondering what he dreamed of. He had a comforting arm through over the blanket, adding a gentle pressure to my side. My morning wood pulsed under the blanket. I’d normally be shy about it, but not today. Not anymore.

Yesterday had infused me with a whole new burst of confidence. Being a twenty-six-year-old virgin always had me second-guessing myself when it came to sex. Was I wanted? Was I good enough? Would I make some kind of terrifyingly embarrassing mistake?

Xavier showed me that none of those questions mattered.All that mattered was that we were both having fun. That was all.

And judging by all that I swallowed yesterday, Xavier was certainly having fun, and so was I.

He stirred, his eyes fluttering open. A soft blue glow of morning sunlight tried to push around the curtains that hung on the windows. There were shards of different-colored light on the floor from the stained glass.

“Good morning,” Xavier said sleepily.

I nestled in closer to him. “Morning, sir.”

“How’d you sleep?”

“Like a baby dragon.”

“Good,” he said, giving me a morning kiss. He was also dealing with some morning wood. I reached under the blanket and gave him a couple of strokes. He rolled onto his back and spread his legs for me, closing his eyes again. “God, your hands feel so good on my cock.”

I was instantly wide-awake. But before things could escalate, we heard a knock on the door.

“Xavier, Blake, we need to discuss our next move,” Warrick’s voice called from the hallway. “Cassius got some news.”

---