Page 53 of Soar

Salem lowered his hand to Gregori’s forehead and the unhappiness increased. “You’re running a low-grade temp.”

“Oh. Makes sense, I had some minor smoke inhalation today. I bet that’s why.”

“Hmm. It could be part of it.” Salem didn’t look sold, though. “All right, the second you start having any symptoms, tell me.”

He really was worried. It touched Gregori deeply, but he also couldn’t help but tease Salem to ease his worries.

“Does that mean we can play doctor?”

“Do not make me tranq your ass.”

“I’ll take that as a no.”

“Whenyou are well”—Salem gave him the stink eye, but there was a twitch to his lips like he was laughing on the inside—“we will come back to the topic of playing doctor.”

He didn’t. Oh my god, he did. He was playing right along. Delighted, Gregori tried to snuggle in more, batting his eyelashes at Salem in a really ridiculous way.

“Can’t we negotiate this?”

“No. We cannot.” Salem rolled his eyes. “You’re like that camel in the story. I give you an inch, you take a mile.”

“Guilty.”

And if Salem kept being sweet like this, Gregori would continue to take advantage. It was how he rolled.

“Zhizn’ ebet meya!”

Salem paused in adjusting the tie around his neck. That was one of the first times he’d heard Gregori use Russian. In this case, it didn’t sound like a good thing.

“My Russian is a bit rusty.” He resumed tying his necktie as he got ready to leave for the hospital. Gregori poked around the kitchen, slamming the refrigerator door closed and then hunting through the cabinets, but his head snapped around at Salem’s words.

“You speak Russian?”

Salem rolled his eyes. “I was being sarcastic. Is something wrong?”

Gregori grunted and returned his attention to the kitchen. “I forgot to make a run to the grocery yesterday. We’re out of…fuck…everything. I can’t make you lunch today.”

Gregori had still cooked regularly during the past week, which amazed Salem—he wasn’t sure how the man found the spoons. Not only did he have obligations at the hospital with the kids and volunteering with the fire department, he now had a couple of universities demanding his time, wanting to learn more about the Valerii Clan, the Dragon War, and what had happened with the dragons over the past five hundred years. Honestly, Salem expected things to have blown up fromstress by this point. They usually had at roughly this junction whenever someone tried to stay with him. But ever since their blowout argument, Salem and Gregori had steadied. Salem kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. For Gregori to lose patience. SOMETHING.

Only it just never materialized?

He put the question mark on it because surely even Gregori’s patience would run out soon. Salem knew full well he wasn’t easy to live with. Within the confines of his own head, he could admit he wasn’t looking forward to their inevitable ending. He kind of liked cuddling Gregori’s great big body each night and feeling those strong arms wrapped around him from behind. He maaaay have found Gregori’s deep, steady breathing in his ear to be the best white noise. It wasn’t like he wasjealous,per se, of the kids who got to spend the afternoon listening to Gregori tell stories and do magic tricks. It was just a smidgeon of fear of missing out. Or something.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“But I want to make you something.”

Salem grabbed his winter coat off the hook and pulled it on. “Hey, you’re super busy. I understand and I’m not upset about you not cooking, okay? Don’t worry, today there’s going to be real food at the hospital. Nurse Cutler is taking a cooking class, and she’s been bringing in enough food to share.”

He hadn’t even finished speaking when he could feel a six-foot-two dragon looming over him, breathing out little puffs of frosty air. “A nurse has started cooking for you?”

“I wouldn’t say she’s cooking for me. She told us she wanted to try out some recipes on us.”

“And would you say she’s a good cook?” Gregori’s voice dipped lower, just a hair away from threatening. Not that Salem felt like he was in danger at all. No, just the opposite. Gregori’s low, grumpy voice was sending all the blood to his dick.

Bad dick! He didn’t have time for a quick fuck. He needed to get to work.

But that didn’t stop the little devil on his shoulder from goading Gregori.

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