Page 24 of Storm In The Sky

“He told me you kissed him,” Keylon murmured.

Winter sucked in a breath. “Yeah. I didn’t expect him to tell you.”

“From the sound of it, he didn’t expect you to kiss him.”

“He didn’t. He’s only ever seen me as a friend, and he still does. He said that kissing me was like kissing his brother, and Ikind of agree, which is one of the reasons I know I’m not in love with him.”

Keylon slowly nodded. He was glad Winter had come to talk to him, but he wasn’t sure where this left them. “What do you want from me?”

Keylon told himself that Winter was probably just trying to apologize or something, but his heart was racing. This sounded different from an apology. It sounded like Winter had made a choice.

And like he’d chosen Keylon.

* * * *

Winter wasn’t surprised that Keylon knew about the kiss. It made things a bit complicated, but he’d rather Keylon know about it than find out later while they were attempting to work things out. At least now, everything was out there.

He needed to be careful with how he answered Keylon’s question. He didn’t want to rush into anything, but he was also done pushing Keylon away.

“Well, I can tell you what I don’t want,” he offered. “I don’t want you to break our bond, and I don’t want to be with Samuel.”

The corner of Keylon’s lips curled. “That still doesn’t tell me what youwant.”

Winter sighed. “Not to feel so lost all the time. By opening up to you, I feel like I might lose the clan and the only thing I know, and I’m terrified.”

“I don’t think you’ll ever lose them. From what I know, they’ve adopted you, and that’s not going to change.”

“Probably not, but I can’t help how I feel.” Winter looked straight at Keylon. “I’d like to know about our relationship. Were we fully bonded?”

Keylon pressed his lips together.

Winter suspected that wasn’t an easy question to answer. If they’d been fully bonded, it meant they’d been a couple. Winter knew they had been, but he’d ignored the feelings they would have had for each other. It had been easier that way, but he couldn’t afford to do so anymore. He had to know everything, and he hoped that by the end of this conversation, he would.

“Yes, we were fully bonded,” Keylon said.

Winter sucked in a breath. “I expected that.”

“You know, you’re nothing like him.”

Winter frowned. “Like whom?”

“Alvin. I mean, obviously, you look like him, but it’s easy not to mistake you for him. Personality-wise, you’re completely different.”

Winter wasn’t sure it was a good thing, since Keylon and Alvin had been in love. “There’s not much I can do about that.”

“There’s nothing you have to do about it. I was just trying to tell you that when you first arrived here, every time I looked at you, I saw Alvin. Now, when I look at you, I see Winter.”

Keylon’s tone was almost enough to break Winter’s heart. He could hardly believe how badly he’d hurt him, yet Keylon was listening to him instead of kicking him out and telling him never to return. “I can never be Alvin again,” he said.

Keylon nodded. “I know. I always hoped I’d get Alvin back, but after we found Parker and we realized what had happened to the dragons, I knew I wouldn’t. It wasn’t easy, but I had time to grieve him. I know I’ll never get Alvin back, no matter how much I wish for that.”

“But maybe we can start fresh?” Winter offered. “I’ll never be Alvin, but that doesn’t mean I’m not a good person.” When he wasn’t panicking, anyway. When he had a hard time dealing with his feelings, though, Winter tended to push people away. It was what he’d done to Keylon, too.

“What did you have in mind?” Keylon asked.

Winter prayed he wasn’t about to be turned into a toad. He leaned forward, noticing how wide Keylon’s eyes went. Keylon didn’t move away, and he didn’t jump up from the chair he was in. He stayed still, barely breathing, as Winter brushed their lips together.

When they first made contact, Keylon sucked in a breath. Winter pressed their lips more firmly together, then quickly leaned away, just in case.

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