Page 41 of Elemental Love
Dominic gave him a curious glance.
“I think I showed remarkable patience waiting to get my hands on your cute body, but now I need to make up for lost time. There are so many things I want to do to you. Things that will make you squirm and scream from sheer pleasure.”
Dominic choked on some toast crumbs. He took a gulp of coffee to clear his throat. “Don’t say things like that!”
Evrain pushed his plate away. “We’ll get back to the topic of you screaming later, but for now, yes—if you could help me out that would be great. We can get more into your truck than my car, though we’ll still have to carry everything down the lane. I’ve been thinking about it—I’m going to use the furniture here and leave mine. The stuff at the apartment is too modern for this place. It was furnished when I arrived and I’ve only added a few small pieces so most of it doesn’t belong to me anyway. The only large thing I need to move is my drawing board—oh, and the chair that goes with it. Otherwise, the stuff here suits the place.”
“They should fit in my truck no problem,” Dominic said.
“What about you?” Evrain asked. “Do you have much to move?”
Dominic stared at him. “What do you mean? I haven’t agreed to move in here.”
“But you will.” Evrain pinned him with a dark green glare.
“No! I’m happy where I am.” Dominic was tempted to pout.
“Don’t test me, Dominic. I want you here with me—it’s safer.”
Dominic suddenly found the tabletop fascinating.
Evrain sighed. “I can’t protect you if you live somewhere else. I’m not happy about you working alone either, but that I’ll deal with because I know you love your job. But you will obey me in this, Dominic.”
“Obey you? Fuck off, Evrain, you can’t order me around.”
“Oh, can’t I?” Evrain’s eyes blazed and his fingers twitched. Before Dominic could move, his chair remembered its origins and branches of oak twisted around his body, holding him securely in place.
“Very funny.” He didn’t bother struggling, just glared as Evrain calmly continued eating. “Let me go, Evrain.”
“No.” Evrain sipped his coffee. “Not until you agree to move in here.”
“You really think this is going to convince me? Let me go!”
“I’m sure it’s the last thing that would change your mind. However, it does mean you have to sit there and listen to me.” Evrain pushed his chair back and stretched his legs out. “I love you, you stubborn idiot. How do you think I can ever have peace of mind if I’m constantly worrying about you? At least here I have a measure of confidence that you are safe. You can even have your own room if the thought of sharing with me is so repulsive. This isn’t about controlling you or taking away your freedom. I promise.” He sighed, and the branches wrapped around Dominic’s torso slid away with a whisper.
“You’re calling me stubborn? Pot, kettle, black.” Dominic chewed on his lower lip for a moment. “I love you too.” His voice trembled just a little as the whispered words made his feelings real. “I don’t want my own room…” He gave a shy, embarrassed smile.
“Oh, I lied about that.” Evrain smirked then ducked as a teaspoon flew in his direction.
The day was spent making the trip back to Portland, then to Dominic’s apartment above the diner in Hood River. There was a limit to the truck’s capacity but by midafternoon they hadmoved everything essential and done a big shop for groceries. The rest would happen gradually over the next week while they finalized arrangements to hand back the apartment in Evrain’s case and give up the lease in Dominic’s.
Evrain drove his car back from Portland, trailing Dominic all the way, and left it at Hornbeam Cottage while they moved Dominic’s last load of clothes and books from his apartment to the cabin.
“You have heard of an e-reader, haven’t you?” Evrain grouched as he hauled yet another weighty box along the lane.
“I’ve never seen the point,” Dominic admitted. “Most of my books are hand-me-downs or thrift store bargains. I like the smell of old paper. Does that make me weird?”
“Yes.” Evrain was emphatic.
“Does not.”
“Does too.”
They both dissolved into giggles on the doorstep.
“Oh my God, we’ve regressed back to nursery school. What grade is that in your world?” Evrain asked.
“Does it matter?” The bottom of his box chose that moment to give up and a big pile of books landed on the path. That set Evrain laughing even harder.
