Page 60 of The Accidental Dragon Baby

“You’re dismissed,” Ace said.

“Of course,” Harvey said.

“We’ll just be on our way,” Hassel chirped.

They were both looking at the trays. Ivo followed their gazes—

Bits of pink surrounded the food. When Ace dragged the trays closer, Ivo realized that they were actually curled-up paper, scattered in a single layer around the plates. Each slip contained handwritten words; Ivo picked up the nearest one and read it.

We orbit each other, pulled together like the inevitable swirl of water going down a toilet.

Ivo choked on his spit. “What?”

Ace breathed a sigh and grabbed another pink slip. Ivo leaned in to read his.

It is my dearest wish that we will grow old and shriveled together, like two raisins tossed into the abandoned fruit salad at the back of the fridge.

“What? How? Why?” Ivo wailed. They were terrible.

But Ace’s mouth twitched as though he was amused.

“There’s a section in 699 Pickup Lines that’s purely motivational quotes,” Harvey said proudly. “We thought you two might need some extra motivation.” He bucked his hips pointedly.

Ace shook his head and sighed. “Clearly they will not work.”

“We’ll go ahead and prepare some for your brotherly half,” Harvey said. “We think he needs some urgent help.” He linked arms with Hassel.

Together, the butler brothers swung their hips, using the momentum to throw themselves out of the bedroom. The shopping cart followed them slowly, turning back to Ace and Ivo as though it felt bad about leaving them behind.

“We’ll be okay,” Ivo said.

The cart flipped its wheels and hurried after the butlers.

“Breakfast?” Ace asked, tugging over the tray with the savory dishes.

Except it grew close enough that Ivo caught a whiff of garlic.

His stomachheaved.

“Ace,” he yelped. He tried to haul himself away, except Ace’s knot was stuck inside him.

“What’s wrong?”

“I need to puke!”

Ace paled. “Fuck!”

He grasped Ivo’s hips and lunged off the bed, his knot a heavy, tugging weight. Ivo clutched at him, unsure what to do about the warring sensations of pleasure and nausea.

They made it to the fancy, spacious bathroom with marble floors and beautiful lighting. Only for Ivo to be facing Ace instead of the toilet.

Ivo twisted away, at the same time Ace tried to rotate both of them.

By some sheer miracle, Ivo managed not to get any puke on the floor when his stomach heaved. Ace held onto him precariously, rubbing Ivo’s back as he held Ivo suspended above the toilet like a circus acrobat—legs thrown out sideways, his arms flailing, his head lower than the rest of his body.

“Oh, gods,” Ivo moaned between heaving. “This isn’t first date material.”

“This is ‘I knocked you up’ material, though.”

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