Page 36 of Elemental Love
“Very likely.” Evrain frowned. “I didn’t know my grandmother as well as I thought I did. From the moment of my birth, she had plans for me. All the visits here, holidays with Gregory, you… All part of her master plan to keep me safe.” He reached across thetable and covered Dominic’s hand with his own. “This isn’t the first time that Symeon has approached me, though he’s never come here before. He’s telephoned, sent letters. I don’t think he would have the balls for meeting me face to face if Grandma was still alive.”
“What does he want?”
“An alliance. At least that’s how he’s trying to sell it. He wants to use me. I’m untrained, malleable. He sees me as an easy target. He’s wrong.”
“After today, he might just realize that,” Dominic said, chewing on a fingernail.
“Don’t look so worried. The cottage is well warded and he would never try anything in public. Even Symeon isn’t so stupid as to expose our abilities to the world.”
“The wards didn’t help Aggie. What if he gets you alone?”
“He’ll try to kill me.” Evrain’s voice was icy calm. “Today’s little visit was just him confirming that I haven’t been tempted to stray from my grandmother’s path.” He stroked Dominic’s fingers and gripped his wrist lightly.
“Aren’t you afraid?”
Evrain’s black hair shimmered as he shook his head in response. “Not for myself.” His grip tightened. Dominic didn’t try to pull away. “But he could try to get to me through you. Symeon’s clever, I’ll give him that. Perceptive. He must have been watching you for a while. Not in person of course, that would be beneath him.”
“You mean he might try to kill me? What possible threat could I be to someone like him? I haven’t noticed anyone following me around.”
The pressure on his wrist increased as if Evrain was afraid he might bolt.
“I have a lot of latent power, Dominic. If I was able to channel, it would make me untouchable.”
“And you could channel through me?”
“Not without your consent and not without love. I need more coffee if we’re going to continue this conversation.” Evrain rose, grabbed both their mugs then headed for the coffeepot. Dominic stroked his wrist where Evrain’s fingers had squeezed seconds before. He missed his touch already.
“So how does Symeon channel?” he asked as Evrain resumed his seat.
Evrain scowled and took a firm hold of Dominic’s wrist again. “He has a submissive little boyfriend called Damon who does anything he asks.”
“I can’t imagine someone like Symeon loving anyone but himself.”
“He doesn’t. Damon loves him, that’s all he needs. It doesn’t have to be a two-way thing.”
“Oh.” Dominic’s voice was so quiet it barely registered. He winced. The fingers around his wrist were squeezing to the point of pain.
Evrain noticed and released him. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Evrain wrapped both hands around his mug as if to stop them straying toward Dominic. “That won’t happen with us, Dominic. The feelings won’t be one-way.”
Evrain looked so serious and intense, Dominic had to reassure him. “I can’t be certain because I’ve never been in this situation before, but I think… I love you. I have since the first moment I saw you and you turned me inside out.” Every muscle in Dominic’s body tensed as he waited for Evrain’s response. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it might burst.
“I meant it when I said it earlier, though it wasn’t the most graceful admission of my feelings,” Evrain replied. “I love you too, and Iamsure.”
“But we haven’t… I mean we’ve not even…” Dominic didn’t have the words. A finger against his lips silenced him.
“No, we haven’t.” Evrain pushed back his chair, then stood, holding out his hand. “And that’s something we need to change. Right now.”
Chapter twelve
Dominic took Evrain’s hand. His grip was firm and warm but there was no force, no tugging him to get up. He didn’t need to be encouraged. Dominic rose in a daze and let Evrain guide him toward the stairs and up to the bedroom. He stood nervously next to the bed, his eyes fixed on Evrain’s handsome features. Evrain smiled and the warmth that reached his eyes gave Dominic a measure of reassurance.
“Relax. I’m not going to hurt you. I would never do that.” Evrain moved toward him. “I am going to undress you, though, so keep still.”
Dominic’s knees locked. There was no magic freezing him in place but he couldn’t have moved even if he’d wanted to.
“Hey, this is supposed to be fun. Stop overthinking.” Evrain stroked Dominic’s hair away from his face. “Any time you want me to stop, you just have to say. I can be patient. I want us both to enjoy this.”
Dominic took a shuddering breath and forced his fists to unclench.
