Page 49 of Oh, Sacred Dark
Tyler ignored Charlie’s smirk. “I thought we could put them over there, by the fence. Do you think they’ll grow all right?”
“Sure will. Hardy roses, these. Didn’t take you for a flower guy,” Charlie drawled in his southern accent.
“Shut up. But…you think Roman’ll like them, right?” They were working on the garden of what would become Roman’s small house if he stayed, wanting to have it all set up so Roman could feel at home as soon as he saw it. The July sun was sweltering, but Tyler’s goal was to get this done sooner rather than later.
“Can’t see him turning his nose at anything you do, to be honest,” Charlie said with a laugh in his voice. “Though he’s only half as smitten as you are.”
“I don’t know why I thought you’d give me less grief than Connie,” Tyler complained.
“Me neither. Shoulda asked Cross. Guy’s quiet as a mouse, most of the time.”
“He’s my new best friend, then.”
Charlie chuckled but got on with the task.
Tyler had been working on the house for weeks. He’d started by making magic-imbued furniture and had just gotten…carried away.
Tyler had made sure there was good security, that the fencing around the yard was sturdy, that the pipes and electrical work were perfect. He’d even installed a skylight in the bedroom with a shutter that opened and closed at a press of a button.
He might have gone alittleoverboard. Problem was, Tyler felt he’d completely lost perspective when it came to Roman. He’d do anything to make the sub feel comfortable and cared for. Damn, he’d drop everything and build him a new house if Roman so much as suggested something was wrong with this one.
Tyler had no idea if his attitude was wanted or not. Should he give Roman the opportunity to choose his own furniture? But then, who was more equipped in making a bed with calming spells, a door that was warded by one of their best enchanters, a basket that kept fruit fresh for longer without having to refrigerate it?
Roman had been denied so much in life—was it so bad if Tyler tried to make up for it?
It wasn’t like Tyler wasn’t fully aware of how deep he was getting, how ‘smitten’, like Charlie loved to tease. And he knew Roman wasn’t his, that Tyler was justthere, the first Dom who had treated Roman with any sort of decency.
That wasn’t going to stop him from doing everything he could to make Roman happy, however.
His days were brighter with the knowledge that they’d end with Roman, cooking and eating together, scening, or simply cuddling on the couch after.
Sometimes, they even slept in the same bed, Tyler’s heart feeling whole as Roman rested dreamlessly in his arms.
Tyler cleaned up at his own house when he and Charlie had finished with the rose bushes, getting all the dinner ingredients out as Roman knocked on the door.
“It’s open,” he called. He wanted Roman to feel more comfortable coming and going from Tyler’s house, softening him up to accepting a key soon.
Roman stepped inside cautiously but smiled as he spotted Tyler. “Hi,” he said softly as he took his shoes off.
“Hey,” Tyler replied. “How was it with Connie today?”
“Good. She said she’d teach me how to ride, but I don’t know…” he trailed off with an uncertain tilt to his mouth.
“Seashell loves you. And she’s sweet as pie, isn’t she? She’d let you ride her, easy.”
“I just don’t want to hurt her,” Roman said as he made it to the kitchen.
“Roman, no offence, but you’re like a hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet. Give Seashell a little credit; I think she can hold you.”
Roman blushed. “I’m at least a hundred and forty.”
Tyler kissed his forehead. “And a lovely hundred and forty at that.”
Roman’s cheeks flared a deeper red as he mumbled something incoherent.
Tyler curbed the dozen urges that reared up—to hold and kiss and stroke and praise.
Tyler had always been that type of Dom. There were some covens that were stricter in their categorisation—labels like Daddy and Master and everything in between—but he had never needed any of that. He liked taking care of people, and it transferred to his subs.
