Page 19 of The Accidental Dragon Baby

Ace reached for the edge of Ivo’s shirt, sliding his fingers under it. “Your shirt is wet. I don’t want you to catch a chill.”

Ivo’s heart stuttered.Is he going to take it off?

He wrapped his arms around himself and held the shirt down. “I-I can do it myself.”

There were too many scars on his body, even if Ace only thought of him as someone to be rescued.

“Okay.” Ace looked into Ivo’s eye. “You know that I’ll do my best to help you, right? In any way you want.”

Even sex?Ivo thought but didn’t say aloud. Ace only saw him as a friend. Nothing more.

Ivo swallowed his disappointment and tried to change the subject. “Where did you go? Earlier.”

Ace’s shoulders tensed. “I fucked up last night.”

Ivo’s heart clenched.Does he know?

Except Ace kept talking. “I’m trying to find someone to tell him how badly I messed up, but I can’t seem to locate him. I left to search for him again; I was looking for him earlier when I found you.”

“Oh.” Ivo’s heart thumped. This was what Ace had texted Uriel about, wasn’t it? And why Crush was holding Ivo’s shirt this morning? “Is it bad news?”

“I might’ve—” Ace sighed and shook his head. “I’ll deal with it.”

“You can tell me, if it helps you feel better.”

Ace chewed his lip. “Not right now.” He patted Ivo on the hip and turned away, leaving Ivo unexpectedly cold. Ace glanced around; his gaze landed on his twig-and-grass nest. He froze. “You—You fixed my nest.”

Ivo shrugged awkwardly. “Not all of it. I only just got started.”

Ace ran his hands over the smoothened surfaces of his nest, his face lighting up with awe. “It’s amazing.”

He looked at Ivo, reaching for him. Except he paused. “May I touch you?”

Ivo’s heart began to thump. “I-I guess.”

Ace brought his calloused fingertips to Ivo’s jaw, tracing all the way to the end of it. His thumb followed the jagged scar up Ivo’s cheek, closer and closer to his blind eye.

Every touch of his fingers sent a thrill through Ivo’s body. It was perfect. And Ivo never wanted it to end.

Ace pulled away, smiling warmly. “Thank you for helping with my nest.”

Ivo couldn’t even breathe; that was the most intimate touch an alpha had ever given him. His cheek tingled. “You’re—welcome? I haven’t even finished fixing it.”

“Continue, or don’t—I’m grateful either way.” Ace grinned easily at him, and Ivo’s heart tripped.

He thought about testing the waters further, seeing if he could tempt Ace into touching him again.

Except Ace cocked his head, glancing at the mansion. His smile dropped. “I have to go. Here, I brought you food.”

He picked up another wicker basket and shoved it into Ivo’s hands. Then he took off at a sprint, runningawayfrom the mansion.

In fact, Ace was racing toward the iron gate, tearing off his shirt. He kicked off his shoes, too.

Ivo took two steps in his direction.

His stomach grew unnaturally warm. Heat and pressure built in there, until he couldn’t help but burp.

What came out wasn’t air. It was smoke, faint white coils that he’d seen once before.

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