Page 13 of Basilisk

“I’m sorry.”

The smile Clive gave him didn’t hold a hint of sadness. “It is what it is. At least they did pay for school, and I never wanted for things like clothes and food. They did their best.”

Children needed more than clothes and food. They needed love and affection, and anger burned in Bain’s belly. But then he thought of his own parents, who’d basically released him into the world at puberty. He’d been lucky, though, taken in by a shifter family who had given him plenty of affection until he was ready to be on his own. Clive had never had that. And if his choice in lovers was anything to go by, his adult life hadn’t been filled with any affection either.

Bain wanted to shower the man with affection.

Because Clive deserved it.

He picked up the plate with his bagel and settled in a chair at the table. He could really go for a good old country breakfast right then, one with eggs, bacon, and biscuits and gravy. Cholesterol was something he didn’t have to worry about as a basilisk. But he’d eat the bagel. He watched Clive over the top of it as he took a bite.

The man was still in the pajamas that cupped his ass so lovingly, obvious when he turned to get orange juice out of the refrigerator. It really was the most spectacular ass he’d ever seen.

“Juice?” Clive asked, turning back and holding up the bottle.

“Sure. What kind of tea are you having with it?’

“Earl Grey. It’s my favorite.”

Bain held back the urge to shudder. He was not a fan of anything that tasted like soap or perfume, and that one did to him. Yeah, he was ordering a coffee pot and coffee today.

“I always have Earl Grey for breakfast. Chamomile’s my other favorite, but I like a lot of flavors.” He bustled about the kitchen, doing nothing in particular and Bain realized he was nervous.

“Do you normally drink tea?” Clive asked.

“No, I’m a coffee man.”

“Oh?” Clive paused his skittish shuffling and lifted his eyebrows. “I’m so sorry I don’t have any, but we could go out and get some if you’d like.”

“It’s Thursday. Didn’t you say you only went out on Wednesdays?”

Clive chuckled. “I just do my errands on Wednesdays, but I do occasionally go out. Sometimes even for fun. I love the piers on the Sound, and I really love Pike Place Market. I know it’s very touristy, but I still like it. There are some great specialty foods and a wonderful bakery. Plus, the fish is always so fresh.” He started fiddling with his collection of teas.

He was so obviously babbling out of nerves, Bain found it completely charming.

“Would you like to go? To the Market, I mean? We could get you a coffee there.”

“Don’t you want to work on finding out who’s after you?”

Clive’s cheeks turned red as he picked up his glass of juice and took a sip. When he set it down, he squared his shoulders. “Of course. Yes. I should do that. You don’t want to be stuck here forever, and the quicker I find the discrepancies, the better.”

Bain studied him. He didn’t like that Clive had immediately jumped to him wanting to get out of here faster. “I don’t feel stuck here. Sometimes my jobs take weeks or even months. It’s more about how long you want to pay for a bodyguard. But that has nothing to do with why I asked. Clive, do you need to get out of the house today?”

He was silent a few moments before he nodded. “I really do. I feel safer than I would normally because I have you guarding me. And I would really like to pick up some fresh salmon and maybe some crab. I could just order some, but the fish tossing is fun to watch. But if you think someone will come after me again, maybe that’s not such a good idea.”

“Tell me, do you normally go to that same grocery store every Wednesday?”

He nodded. “Every Wednesday.”

“Then more than likely, whoever is after you knows your schedule. Visiting Pike Place would be out of the norm, so I doubt anyone will know we’re there. And like you said, you have me. I showed you yesterday what I’m capable of, remember?” Bain simply couldn’t resist the tease.

Clive obviously did remember. He sucked in a deep breath, his nostrils flared, and his cheeks turned red, very clearly from something more than embarrassment. When he surreptitiously stepped behind the kitchen island, it was all Bain could do not to grin with delight.

“Yes, you certainly took that much bigger man down. It was impressive, really.” Clive cleared his throat, still hiding his lower body behind the counter.

This human was such a captivating mix of contradictions. Bain had the feeling he’d never, ever, find him boring. He stood and took his plate to the sink, chuckling under his breath when Clive quickly stepped around the island. Bain didn’t need to see that Clive was turned on and probably hard, but he sure would like to see how those pajamas clung to an erection. He could smell his desire, and it was heady as hell. He quickly washed his plate and when he turned to dry it, he leaned against the counter and lazily eyed the intriguing man before him.

“I think a day out sounds perfect.”

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